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November 17, 2021

NFL reporter reveals the one ‘disturbing’ aspect of dream job NFL reporter Melanie Collins on the one ‘disturbing’ aspect of dream job.

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There’s one “disturbing” aspect about perpetually being on the road that still bothers CBS sideline reporter Melanie Collins.

Melanie Collins adores her job as an NFL sideline reporter for American network CBS, but there’s one aspect about being on the road that she finds “disturbing.”

The New York Post reports that during a recent “Ask me anything” session on Instagram, Collins was pressed about whether she gets tired from all the travelling. The TV star replied that while she does, in the end, “it’s all worth it”.

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“It’s disturbing how many hours of my life I’ve spent sitting on planes,” Collins posted to her Instagram Story on Monday, sharing a photo of the Delta Air Line miles she’s racked up, which tallied more than 1,900,000 kilometres.

In addition to her NFL gig with CBS, Collins is a host on the Golf Channel. She has also covered college football and college basketball for CBS Sports in the US and worked for Yahoo Sports.

Collins added in a separate Instagram Story that she’s grateful for her professional opportunities.

“It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to call this my ‘job’,” Collins posted.

When asked about career advice for prospective broadcast journalists, Collins advised them to “get all of the experience” they possibly can while still in school, among other crucial tidbits.

“Be open minded about your role or title … the industry continues to change and evolve,” she said, adding: “Always be the most prepared person in the room.”

Collins also advised future on-air personalities to simply be themselves.

“Develop a thick skin, be yourself, say yes to anything that will get you experience, and don’t take yourself too seriously!” she wrote.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

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November 10, 2021

Joe Rogan responds as anti-vax NFL star admits to ‘misleading’ fans PASADENA, CA – JUNE 24: Comedian Joe Rogan performs during his appearance at The Ice House Comedy Club on June 24, 2015 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage)

Filed under: Outdoors — Tags: — admin @ 1:03 am

Joe Rogan has revealed private health information about Aaron Rodgers after the NFL star sparked the biggest anti-vax storm in America.

Joe Rogan has defended Aaron Rodgers as the NFL star on Wednesday came forward to admit he “misled” fans in vaccination comments that have caused a storm in the United States.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback has been forced to isolate for 10 days after testing positive to Covid-19 earlier this month and missed the team’s loss to Kansas City Chiefs on Monday.

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Rodgers tested positive despite previously declaring he was “immunised” — but reports later emerged the 37-year-old has not been vaccinated against Covid-19.

A storm erupted last week when Rodgers slammed the “woke mob” for the backlash to his positive case.

He said in an interview on The Pat McAfee Show he was allergic to one of the ingredients in Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines and did not wish to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because he heard of friends’ adverse reactions to it and the fact that it was pulled over blood-clotting issues.

Instead, Rodgers decided to undergo a multiple-month homoeopathic antibody process instead.

Rodgers made waves when admitting he had taken health advice from well-known podcaster and UFC commentator Rogan, as well as other medical experts before making his decision to reject the vaccination.

When asked to reveal the doctors behind the medical advice he received, Rodgers on Wednesday said Rogan and 12 other friends were his primary sources of guidance.

The football star’s admission came during his first public appearance since his controversial comments last week when he returned to The Pat McAfee Show.

McAfee, a former NFL player, mocked Rodgers for consulting with “Dr Joe Rogan”.

Rodgers replied: “I have a lot of admiration for Joe. I definitely talked with about a dozen friends of mine who dealt with Covid and they all were very helpful in different ways, Joe being one of them.”

The NFL icon’s appearance coincided with the release of another episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast in which the comedian said Rodgers is a “f***ing smart dude”.

He also revealed Rodgers had told him privately he was allergic to some of the vaccines available.

“Here’s the thing about Aaron Rodgers, I can say this now because he’s gone through this whole thing,” Joe Rogan said.

“He’s allergic to one of the main ingredients in the vaccine

“There’s an ingredient that’s in the capsule. He told me this in confidence.

“People need to know this. He’s not vaccine-hesitant because he’s a conspiracy theorist.”

Rogan argued that “people are only looking at combating coronavirus one way … you gotta get vaccinated”.

“Maybe we should look at, we should expand treatment,” Rogan said. “Maybe we should look at all these other treatments and what’s the most effective. Monoclonal antibodies is insanely effective.”

During Wednesday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers appeared to retreat from earlier comments when admitting he made misleading remarks about his vaccination status. Most assumed he was vaccinated after the NFL star said he was “immunised”, but in fact he wasn’t vaccinated.

“I made some comments that people may have thought were misleading,” said Rodgers. “I shared an opinion that is polarising. I get it. And I misled some people about my status.

“I take full responsibility for those comments.”

However, he still stands by his stance, but plans to stop speaking about vaccinations in future.

“I’m an athlete, I’m not an activist,” said Rodgers. “So I’m gonna get back to doing what I do best and that’s playing ball. Further comments I’m gonna keep between me and my doctors.”

Meanwhile, Rodgers’ fiancee Shailene Woodley, the Hollywood star, this week also came out and criticised the social media backlash to the drama surrounding her partner.

Her comments came after hit TV show Saturday Night Live lampooned Rodgers in a scathing skit.

With the New York Post

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October 16, 2021

Viral photo exposes football player’s genetic secret J.J. Weaver has a cheat code.

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A photo of a football player is making people do double takes across the world after his genetic mystery was revealed.

J.J. Weaver is a 1.96m, 109kg linebacker who just happens to have six fingers on his right hand.

The college football player’s secret was revealed this weekend in a photo that is going viral on social media.

It isn’t hard to see why.

The 21-year-old’s secret remained uncovered during his first two seasons playing for the Kentucky Wildcats, but he has now come forward to bluntly show off his genetic marvel.

Weaver’s photo also explains some rumblings on social media which appeared to question an optical illusion with some photos appearing to show Weaver wearing a glove with six fingers.

Those eagle-eyed fans were proven correct with ESPN earlier this month running a feature story on Weaver’s six-fingered hand.

All six fingers are functional and he is not hindered in any way. While playing on defence, Weaver doesn’t get to touch the ball often, but one can only assume he has a slight advantage on holding onto it when it does end up in his hands.

His left hand has five fingers.

The story showcased it was inevitable for Weaver’s news to remain hidden after the University had a special glove made to accommodate an extra finger earlier this year.

Weaver is in his third season with the Wildcats and through six games he has 17 total tackles and four sacks,” Fox News reports.

He’s been a key member of the Kentucky defence which has helped the team to an undefeated record so far.

Weaver’s photo went viral ahead of the pivotal SEC showdown with Georgia on Sunday morning (AEST), but one of the best reactions came from former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott.

Abbott, who was born without a right hand, tweeted: “No fair.”

Abbott played for five teams, including the Yankees from 1993 to 1994. He threw a no-hitter with New York in 1993. He also had two hits in 21 at-bats as a major leaguer as well. He won a gold medal in the 1988 Olympic Games.

Weaver has not given up hope of entering the NFL as he continues to make an impressive recovery from an torn ACL in his knee.

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September 10, 2021

Is Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence Destined for Super Bowl Greatness?

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Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence arrives in Jacksonville already looking like a Hollywood creation. The former Clemson University star, is now inviting comparisons to NFL greats that point to a Super Bowl destiny.

Who Trevor Lawrence Could Be Compared to if Things Go Right

Heart: KURT WARNER

Super Bowl title and MVP St. Louis Rams (2000)

Lawrence and retired QB Kurt Warner are both open about the importance of their Christian faith. Both entered the league as married men—Lawrence wed his high school girlfriend this year. Warner was an obscure college QB and, like Lawrence, often credits his success to deep religious conviction.

Legs: PATRICK MAHOMES

Super Bowl title and MVP Kansas City Chiefs (2020)

Over his Clemson career, Lawrence legged out 943 yards, averaging 314 a season. Mahomes ran for 308 yards in 2020. Although Lawrence didn’t run a 40-yard dash at his NFL pro day, he was clocked at 4.78 coming out of high school, around the same time Mahomes posted a 4.8 in the 40 at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.

Charisma: JOE NAMATH

Super Bowl title and MVP New York Jets (1969)

Like Broadway Joe, selected No. 1 overall in the AFL draft of 1965, Lawrence has a rare mix of athleticism, arm strength, sex appeal and Southern pedigree. (Namath led Alabama to a national title in 1964.) Neither shies away from bold opinions. Both are renowned for possessing generationally great hair.

HEIGHT: JOE FLACCO

Super Bowl title and MVP Baltimore Ravens (2013)

At 6’6”, Lawrence stands above most NFL QBs, virtually all of whom are between 6’2” and 6’5”—seriously, check. The exceptions—Drew Brees, Russell Wilson—tend to be shorter. The best Lawrence Super comp is Flacco, also 6’6”. Ditto 2020 Rookie of the Year Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert.

X-Factor: “SUNSHINE”

Lawrence’s “Sunshine” moniker recalls ‘70s high school QB Ronnie “Sunshine” Bass, played by Kip Pardue in Remember the Titans. Like Pardue’s performance, Lawrence’s preternatural football instincts and cool-breeze demeanor make him a perfect teammate—empathetic, laid-back, supportive—who can float above the drama that infects every locker room.

Why the Season Might Not Go Well for Trevor Lawrence

1. The Meyer Factor

Of course, when it comes to a No. 1 draft pick, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. A QB’s fate depends on his head coach. Jacksonville’s is a rookie.

“A good football coach needs a patient wife, a loyal dog and a great quarterback—but not necessarily in that order,” declared Hall of Fame coach Bud Grant. It works both ways. Great QBs invariably have a Canton-caliber coach. In Jacksonville, Lawrence will be playing for Urban Meyer, who’s never been an NFL head coach. Meyer is a college coaching legend, but that means zilch at the pro level.

Will he play Jimmy Johnson to Lawrence’s Troy Aikman? Johnson became the first coach to win a college title and then a Super Bowl with the Aikman-led Dallas Cowboys in 1993. Or will his pro tenure resemble Nick Saban’s? Probably the greatest college coach of all time, Saban left the NFL after two drab seasons in Miami, posting a 15–17 record with zero playoff appearances.

2. Sack Attack

Nothing blows up a can’t-miss career faster than a steady diet of turf.

Wunderkind Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck was so damaged by sacks (lacerated kidney, anyone?) he retired at 29. If the Jags don’t get better at pass protection, and fast, dealing with London jet lag will be the least of Lawrence’s worries.

44: The number of sacks endured by Jacksonville QBs in 2020.

43: The number of sacks taken by all Tiger QBs over Lawrence’s three years at Clemson

3. Picked Apart

Lawrence’s passing in three years at Clemson was incredible: 90 touchdowns, just 17 interceptions. But considering Clemson’s talent and many of its opponents’ lack of it—yo, Citadel!—you’d like that second figure to be smaller. It equals the combined total by Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones (three QBs selected behind Lawrence in this year’s draft) during their entire college careers. NFL defenses have brought down an army of college legends.

“THERE’S SOMETHING OF AN ART TO IT, BUT ALL ATTEMPTS AT SCIENCE HAVE FAILED.” — Super Bowl-winning coach Brian Billick on evaluating quarterbacks

4. Booby Trap

The Jags franchise puts Lawrence in a perilous place—London.

From 2013 to 2019, Jacksonville played a series of “home games” in London, an arrangement that will continue in 2021. The U.K. is a great place for a pint, but a wicked weekend getaway. For the Jags, playing “at home” in the British capital requires a nearly 5,000-mile flight with a five-hour time change. It’s a unique challenge, which may explain why the Jags are 3–4 in their London home.

An even bigger issue would arise if, as has been speculated, team owner Shahid Khan—who also owns Premier League team Fulham F.C. and has explored buying London’s Wembley Stadium—relocates the Jags overseas. COVID halted most overseas travel, but it didn’t end the NFL’s dream of having a cash cow franchise in London. Should the Jags want an easy way to mess with Lawrence’s career, a bunch of transatlantic flights each season would be a good way to start.

5. Brain Trust?

When drafting QBs, NFL GMs are brilliant…13.5% of the time.

  • 37: Number of QBs selected No. 1 overall in NFL/AFL drafts
  • 7: Number of starting QBs who’ve won a Super Bowl title
  • 5: Number of QBs who won an MVP award
  • 5: Number of QBs who reached the Hall of Fame: Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Peyton Manning

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July 28, 2021

2021 NFL Playoffs: These Teams Could End Their Postseason Droughts This Year

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 6:37 pm

The league brass wants the NFL playoffs to be accessible. Through 2019, only six of the 16 teams in each conference made the field, and that gave the NFL a lower rate of playoff participation than a couple of peer leagues (the NHL and NBA) while keeping it just a hair ahead of Major League Baseball. So in 2020, the NFL added a seventh playoff team for each conference, which not only created more playoff games but also kept more teams in the race until later in the year. That had the snowball effect of creating more meaningful regular-season contests, too.

In theory, the change should also result in fewer teams having long droughts between appearances in the NFL playoffs. For the moment, eight teams—a quarter of the league—are mired in slumps of four seasons or longer without a playoff appearance. The New York Jets have a 10-year drought. The Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals have missed the postseason five years in a row. And the Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions are all sitting on four-year absences from the playoffs.

Which of those skids have the best chance of ending in 2021? And which are liable to last a while longer? Here’s a closer look at these teams, and an assessment of how hopeful their fans should be.

It’s Not Looking Good

These teams should continue to be among the league’s worst, at least for 2021. They’re staring down long rebuilds and/or don’t have the necessary pieces in place to compete yet.

New York Giants: Quarterback Daniel Jones was a bizarre selection when the Giants took him seventh overall in the 2019 draft. It doesn’t look any better now that Jones has played two years and placed 34th in the league in adjusted pass yards per attempt over that timespan. It’s unlikely he’ll get the Giants back to contention. Though the team had a nice 2021 draft, they won’t truly level up until someone better than Jones is throwing the ball.

Detroit Lions: The Lions are the best bet to be the worst team in the NFL this year. After failing to win with talented quarterback Matthew Stafford, the organization had the mercy to trade him to the Los Angeles Rams for the underachieving and limited Jared Goff. Being so bad for so long has allowed the Lions to add some high-end talent in recent drafts, including offensive tackle Penei Sewell this spring. But as with the Giants, things won’t really rev up until someone else is playing QB—or at least until they’ve surrounded Goff with as much talent as the Rams did. You can make the NFL playoffs with Goff, but that requires a big effort from everyone else on the roster.

Hang Tight a Little Longer

New York Jets: There’s some hope on the horizon for the team with the longest postseason drought in the league. The Jets drafted BYU QB Zach Wilson seventh overall in April, and there’s a good chance he’ll be the guy to bring the team back to the NFL playoffs (eventually). He also has some talented receivers at his disposal, and left tackle Mekhi Becton is a present-and-future star.

But the Jets’ defense, especially in the secondary, will have a lot of problems stopping other teams. Throw in some expected growing pains for Wilson, and the Jets are still likely to be really bad this year. But they should at least be fun to watch, and better days are coming.

Cincinnati Bengals: Some pieces are in place for Cincinnati. QB Joe Burrow, the top pick in 2020’s draft, should make positive strides as long as he’s recovered from an ACL tear and other knee damage suffered late last season. Burrow also has three high-upside receivers in veteran Tyler Boyd, second-year man Tee Higgins, and Burrow’s former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase.

So why temper expectations? For one thing, the offensive line is likely to be well below average. For another, the defense struggled last year and then lost edge rusher Carl Lawson in free agency. The Bengals probably need a little more time before making a playoff run.

Denver Broncos: The Broncos don’t have a suitable QB. 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock was arguably the worst QB in the NFL in 2020, especially if you look at the numbers. Advanced stats like estimated points added per play and completion percentage over expectation (you can find those stats here) paint a clear picture of Lock: He is not up to snuff.

But the Broncos aren’t hopeless: Their defense should be pretty solid. They have one of the league’s best cornerbacks in Bryce Callahan, and their key franchise player, outside linebacker Von Miller, will return this year after he missed 2020 with a dislocated tendon in his ankle.

A Fighting Chance

Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders’ offensive line probably won’t be great, but other than that, there’s a lot to like about Jon Gruden’s team. QB Derek Carr isn’t a world-beater, but he’s one of the better passers in the league. Other offensive highlights include a couple of talented running backs, one of the league’s best tight ends in Darren Waller, and a sneaky-exciting receiver corps led by 2020 first-round draftee Henry Ruggs III.

The defense should get useful pass-rushing help from free agent signee Yannick Ngakoue, and the defensive front has a few other big talents, including Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferell. If the secondary holds up—which it might, especially if rookie safety Trevon Moehrig plays well—Vegas could make the playoffs.

The Time to Contend is Now

Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins have one of the better pass defenses in pro football, highlighted by the great cornerback pairing of Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. Howard may well be on the way out, but the secondary still has enough pieces to defend the pass well. Their defensive line and linebacker groups need to get a lot better, and they might, because some injured players will return to those positions and the Dolphins also drafted a strong edge rusher in Jaelan Phillips, who played last season at the University of Miami.

But so much of Miami’s success or failure will come down to Tua Tagovailoa, the former Alabama star who struggled as a rookie QB in 2020. If Tagovailoa puts it together, the Dolphins should make the NFL playoffs. If he doesn’t, they won’t, and it’ll be on head coach Brian Flores to identify another option.

Arizona Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray, the 2019 draft’s first overall pick, got a little better in his second year on the job in just about every statistical category. He even made the Pro Bowl. But he hasn’t yet had a breakout season to establish himself as one of the league’s best QBs, and if one is coming, it should happen right about now. It’s Murray’s third year under head coach Kliff Kingsbury and his second year throwing to the best receiver in the NFL, DeAndre Hopkins.

It’s also time for the Cardinals to level up on defense. The last two years, they drafted two of the most versatile linebackers to ever enter the league—Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons and Tulsa’s Zaven Collins. If they’re good, and if new defensive line pickup J.J. Watt plays anything like his old self, then the defense should give Murray some margin for error.

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Travis Kelce on Patrick Mahomes, Staying Fit, and the Sparkle of a Super Bowl Ring

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 4:55 pm

Travis Kelce is a force to be reckoned with on the field. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is a six-time Pro Bowler, holds the record for the most single-season receiving yards for any tight end in the NFL, and was a major factor in the Chiefs’ historic win at Super Bowl LIV in 2020 (and their return to the Super Bowl in 2021). But as the longest-serving player on the Chiefs roster (he has played in Kansas City since getting drafted in 2013) he’s also a leader in the locker room, too. And judging from our conversation with him during a recent virtual interview, it’s a role he takes very seriously.

“I love this Kansas City fan base, and I love playing for the coaches and players in this building,” he tells Men’s Journal. “I put it on myself to up my game so that I can be a leader.”

After a heartbreaking loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in last year’s Super Bowl, Kelce is looking ahead and working on improving. The work starts in the off-season, where he focuses on core fitness pillars like running form and basic football fundamentals. That way, when the first kickoff rolls around, he can depend on his body to perform and devote more attention to strategy and the mental side of football—like working in sync with his quarterback, NFL star Patrick Mahomes.

For Kelce, communication is the key to creating a good working partnership with Mahomes (and a big reason why he has been able to rack up so many receiving yards). But in Kelce’s view, he’s just lucky to work with the best in the game.

“He’s number one in my book,” says Kelce. “You can’t tell me any different. I see it on a daily basis.”

Of course, training isn’t the only thing on Kelce’s agenda this offseason. In our conversation, we also talked about his charity work—helping underserved youth with 87 & Running—and his partnership with Helzberg Diamonds, where he’s helping guys pick out engagement rings that’ll be surefire winners. From navigating the “four c’s” of diamond shopping to choosing between natural and lab-grown gems, there’s a lot to know, but Kelce is already something of an expert. He’s the proud owner of a Super Bowl ring, and that makes him well acquainted with what quality diamond jewelry should look like.

“It glows up like a disco ball,” he says.

Check out the full interview in the video above.

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July 15, 2021

Justin Fields on Saving His Signing Bonus, Pushing for Change in the NCAA, and Staying Humble

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 9:34 pm

Justin Fields has been on quite a four-year ride. In the summer of 2017, he established himself as one of the most touted quarterback recruits in college football history—not just a five-star, but one of the 10 highest-rated five-stars in a rankings era that goes back to around 2000. Alongside future No. 1 NFL pick Trevor Lawrence, Fields became the subject of national fascination before he even took a college snap. He played, or more accurately, sat on the bench, his freshman year at Georgia, then transferred to Ohio State after a UGA athlete reportedly yelled a racial slur in his direction during a game.


 

In Columbus, Fields fulfilled his recruiting promise and became a star. He led the Buckeyes to two College Football Playoff appearances and also spearheaded a movement of college football players who urged administrators to continue the 2020 season during the pandemic. After leaving Ohio State, he put up some of the best pre-draft workout numbers ever and landed with the Chicago Bears. He is now the future of the franchise.

Now that Fields is a professional, he’s free to accept endorsement deals and go on press junkets. During one of those recent appearances (made possible by Wonderful Pistachios), we talked with Fields about everything from his diet to his views on the NCAA and his high-profile journey through college sports.

Men’s Journal: You entered the NFL with an $11 million signing bonus. There are many ways a person could handle that kind of cash. Are you letting yourself buy some fun stuff, or are you saving it?

Justin Fields: In terms of my football money, my contract money, I’m not gonna touch that. I’m just gonna be living off my marketing money. I’m just gonna save and invest my contract money.

What’s your diet like? How are you fueling up as you prepare for your rookie season?


I’m plant-based. I don’t eat any meat, dairy, or fish. I’ll just give you a rundown of what I ate today. I worked out this morning. After I worked out, I had a plant-based protein shake. I had another workout after lifting, then I had field work, and after that, I had a plant-based burger.

I also like Wonderful pistachios—they’re healthy, and they taste good. They’re a great snack you can eat throughout the day to keep you from being hungry. So if you don’t like eating big meals or if you just want something quick and easy, I think that’s where pistachios come in.

The NCAA recently changed its rules to allow college athletes to profit from name, image, and likeness payments. Do you wish you had that option during your college career?

Of course. I think I could’ve definitely benefited from that and been able to help my family out and be more financially comfortable personally. But I think it’s a great thing for college athletes to get their name out there, get their brand out there, and make money. I think if it wasn’t for those athletes, the schools wouldn’t be getting the revenue they’re getting.

At Ohio State, you had to be one of the five or 10 best known people in the whole state of Ohio. I know you couldn’t do it, but did you ever contemplate what you could have made in endorsements?

Yeah. I’m not sure if this is accurate or not, but I think something came out last year on what I would have made, or what they predicted I would have made, and it was a little over a million dollars. It was definitely a good amount of money, for sure.

Did you and your teammates ever talk about it much? Did you ever talk about it with anyone at Ohio State?

We talked about it ourselves as teammates, what could’ve been if we were getting paid, but we didn’t really bring it up to anybody at Ohio State. We talked about it a bit, but as far as Ohio State is concerned, that rule is the NCAA. So we knew that Ohio State could only do so much.

Last year, you were a visible leader in the #WeWantToPlay movement, where college football players pushed to have a pandemic season when it looked like one might not happen, especially in the Big Ten. Did you think a movement like that would have been possible five or 10 years ago?

No. I don’t think social media was as big as it is now. I think that’s pretty much the main thing that runs this world: social media. So many people are on it. I think we’re affected by it. So many people’s opinions are formed based on what they see on social media and what they listen to, and different stuff like that. So I definitely don’t think it would have gotten as big five to 10 years ago.

Technically speaking, college athletes don’t have much bargaining power. There’s not a union like the NFLPA. Did you feel you were organizing on the fly? How did you think about collective power at the time?

It was just me trying to figure out each and every way possible to play football last season. Us watching games the first two weeks of us just sitting at home, sitting in our apartments with each other, watching other conferences play, that’s the first time I haven’t started a season on time since I was five years old playing football. The first time in 16 years that I haven’t played a sport. It would’ve definitely been different for me. I think it would’ve definitely changed a lot of guys’ lives if that season didn’t happen, so I’m glad it did.

There were a lot of people in the media, including me, who thought it was wrong to put players through a pandemic season, given that you weren’t being paid. On the other hand, you guys can clearly speak for yourselves, and you wanted to have a season. How did you view the external debate around you?

It’s pretty simple. At the end of the day, I think each conference gave everybody the opportunity to opt out if they wanted to, and I think they also made a rule where you couldn’t lose your scholarship because of that. I don’t think there should have been a debate on whether we should play or not. I don’t think we were forced to play. I think people could have opted out, and I know a lot of players who did opt out.

It’s a personal decision, and some people’s circumstances were different. They might have had a grandma at home who couldn’t catch COVID, or something like that. I think the players should have the choice, and that’s why that petition came out.

No matter what your view was on the season, it was historic to see so many college football players speaking in unison. Was that a sign of things to come?

Of course. I think the more college athletes join together, the more they’ll realize how much power they actually do have. To be honest, before the #WeWantToPlay movement, I didn’t think we had much power. After seeing the support we got from the people not playing football and the fans, I actually realized that college athletes do have a lot of power, and there’s even more power when you join up with guys from different conferences, different teams, and stuff like that.

You had a very unique college football experience, with a lot of ups and downs, and pretty much all of it spent in the spotlight from a young age. How did you try to keep that from changing you, or making you anything other than your best?

One thing my dad’s always emphasized with me is just being humble. That’s one thing I feel like I’ve always been, is humble. When I get done playing this game of football, I wanted to be remembered as, “He’s a guy that was always there to help, always there for his teammates, but most of all he was humble. He didn’t see himself better than others.”

That’s been a big part of me, and that’s something my dad taught me growing up. Being in the spotlight since my senior year of high school, that’s one thing I’ve always emphasized in my life.

Was there ever a time that you felt pushed to your limit and got down on yourself, or were you able to just keep going through all of it?

I think there were two big points in my life when I’ve kinda gotten down on myself. One was after my sophomore year in high school, when I really wasn’t getting any offers. I would go to camps with other kids, and I would be either more talented than them or just as talented as them, and they had offers coming in, but I didn’t.

I wanted to play college football. That was my dream, whether it was going to Ohio State or Georgia or a small Division II or Division III school. All I wanted to do was play football. The other point was after my freshman year at Georgia, where of course I had to transfer and do all that stuff. I didn’t know what was gonna happen next.

So I just had to pray, trust God, and keep working. I had to control the things that I could control. I think those two experiences prepared me for whatever may come my way later in life. I see life differently now, and I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason.

You might not know why at the time, but just know that everything happens for a reason. There’s always something better coming up in the future.

If you could go back to your junior year of high school and tell yourself one thing about how to deal with everything that was coming later, what would it be?

I would just tell myself to not worry about anything. If anything, just have that same mentality: “Everything happens for a reason.” Even though that thing might not go your way, or something might not happen the way you want it to, you just have to trust in God and keep working.

That’s the one thing I would tell myself. And another thing is the mental part of it. The mental part of not even the game of football, but the game of life, and how you think about certain situations. The way you react or the way you look at certain things can definitely affect your life, not only physically but mentally. I take my mental health very seriously, so I’m always trying to look at situations positively.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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July 14, 2021

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers Be an Epic Disaster in 2021?

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 7:43 pm

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a model of NFL consistency. They’ve had three head coaches since 1969. Each has won a Super Bowl while making the playoffs a majority of the time. The franchise hasn’t had a losing season since 2003, when it went 6-10 and parlayed that failure into drafting Ben Roethlisberger 11th overall the next year. A season after that, the Steelers were lifting the Lombardi Trophy. Head coach Mike Tomlin added another Super Bowl win a few years later, and he hasn’t had a losing season in his 14 years at the helm of the franchise.


 

Is that streak of relentless competence about to end? Who knows. But it’s crystal clear, even two months ahead of the season, that it’s possible, even likely. The available evidence says the 2021 Steelers should be mediocre at best. Avoiding that fate might be Tomlin’s biggest coaching challenge yet. If the Steelers somehow manage to stay above .500 this year, let alone make another playoff run, they should rename the team after him.

Here’s why this season is shaping up to be a rough one in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers faded hard at the end of 2020, and their quarterback seemed to run out of gas overnight.

The Steelers started last season 11–0 and were the last team in the NFL to lose a game. They finished 12–4 and then lost a Wild Card playoff game to the Browns. The score was 48–37, but it wasn’t nearly that close; the Steelers were down 7–0 after their first snap of the game and trailed 28–0 at the end of the first quarter.

It was indicative of how the Steelers fell apart in the last quarter of the regular season. A dominant defense looked a little bit less so, and more importantly, Ben Roethlisberger gradually (then suddenly) ran out of steam. The now 39-year-old QB was coming off elbow tendon surgery that cost him almost all of 2019, and he looked like, well, a 39-year-old QB coming off elbow tendon surgery. His best month by both passer rating and yards per attempt was September, and he declined sharply after that. He was particularly dreadful in December.

The Steelers didn’t seem to trust Roethlisberger’s arm strength at all. His average target was just 6.9 yards downfield, one of the lowest numbers of any starting QB. And he only spent 2.1 seconds in the pocket on his average attempt, also one of the lowest numbers of any QB. The picture was clear: The Steelers wanted him to get rid of the ball quickly and didn’t think he could throw it far with any regularity. It was a sad scene, given that Roethlisberger made a career out of doing just the opposite—extending plays against oncoming pass rushers, using his legs to get out of sacks, and then rifling the ball downfield. Remember this guy?

That’s no longer Roethlisberger, and the end of 2020 was so bleak that it briefly looked like the Steelers would cut him or he’d retire. As it stands, 2021 seems likely to be his last year. It’s not clear that he has enough left in the tank to create a storybook ending.

Free agency wasn’t kind to Pittsburgh at all.

The Steelers ended the 2020 season with about $6 million in spending room under the NFL’s salary cap. Then, because of a COVID-driven decline in league revenues, the league-wide salary cap dropped by about $16 million for 2021. You can see the problem.

After last year, a couple of the Steelers’ most important defensive players saw their contracts expire. Pittsburgh had little hope of re-signing them. Edge-rushing linebacker Bud Dupree left for a five-year, $85 million deal with the Tennessee Titans. Nickel cornerback Mike Hilton took a four-year, $24 million deal with the division rival Cincinnati Bengals. Dupree and Hilton were two of the most significant signings of the offseason, and both were exiting Pittsburgh.

The Steelers might be able to weather the Dupree loss because second-year outside linebacker Alex Highsmith showed good signs as a rookie. But they have no clear replacement for Hilton, who became a staple in an era where good slot cornerbacks are essential.

On offense, the Steelers were able to keep No. 1 receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on a one-year deal. But the offseason took a toll on that unit in other ways.

Roethlisberger’s offensive line might get him decapitated mid-game.

The Steelers have had one of the NFL’s better offensive lines for a long time, though it faded somewhat over the last two years. Now, however, the situation is dire.

Center Maurkice Pouncey retired after making nine Pro Bowls in his decade anchoring the Pittsburgh line. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva left in free agency for the rival Baltimore Ravens. Matt Feiler, who played for the Steelers as both a guard and tackle, left for the Chargers. And in June, the Steelers cut six-time Pro Bowl right guard David DeCastro, who played poorly in 2020 but still figured to be one of the team’s better linemen in 2021.

In early June, Pro Football Focus ranked the Steelers’ line 29th out of 32 teams and called DeCastro “the one stabilizing player” up front. Well, he’s gone now. The Steelers are poised to have one of the worst offensive lines in football, even if second-year guard Kevin Dotson builds on a fine rookie season and entrenches himself as a DeCastro replacement. To restock the line, the Steelers are leaning on a mix of mid-round draft picks and low-level free agents.

The Steelers’ shaky-at-best line will pose a problem for Roethlisberger, obviously. But it will also be a problem for first-round rookie running back Najee Harris, who needs some bulldozers to give him space to show the full range of his talents.

The situation isn’t out of control yet, but it could spiral.

It’s possible to tell yourself a good story about how this Steelers season will unfold. Sure, the defense lost a few key players, but Pittsburgh had one of the best defenses in the NFL last year, and there are worse things than declining from “elite” to “very good.” And sure, Roethlisberger was rough in the late stages of last season, but he has a long track record of success and did manage to get the Steelers to 11–0 before falling apart. Plus, the Steelers have had some bad offensive lines before, and he thrived anyway.

But all of that requires viewing the Steelers in the most favorable light possible. Another way to look at them is that they have some strengths, but their most important player is rapidly closing in on the end of his career, his offensive line could be a risk to his safety, and a defense that would normally provide some margin for error should be worse than it was last year. Tomlin has pulled rabbits out of his hat before, but crafting a successful season this fall would certainly be his biggest feat so far.

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June 10, 2021

The Top 6 Young NFL Quarterbacks to Watch This Season

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 10:39 pm

For most of this century, the same handful of NFL quarterbacks ruled the league. Tom Brady was the biggest star of all, followed by Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees, while Ben Roethlisberger and (more recently) Russell Wilson rounded out top-five lists of the game’s best passers. Now that dynamic is changing, albeit slowly. Talented young QBs have been the defining story of the NFL in recent years—and more are coming.


 

Brady (last year’s Super Bowl winner) and Rodgers (last year’s MVP) are still mega-elite, and anyone who expects them to fade immediately will likely be disappointed. Even so, the last two MVPs before Rodgers were burgeoning superstars, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, who burst onto the scene and asserted themselves as the best in the world. With a new batch of draft picks entering the league and several young QBs finding their footing, this season seems ripe for a reshuffling of the pecking order.

Here are six of those QBs, including rookies and other young passers, ranked (subjectively) by their chances at mounting a breakout season in 2021. Anyone who has already made a Pro Bowl isn’t eligible for “breakout” consideration, because they’ve already broken out. (Sorry, Josh Allen and Kyler Murray.) So, who’s next? These are the QBs we’re watching this season.

1. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

The first pick in the 2018 draft, Mayfield had his best season yet in 2020. He raised his QBR (an all-inclusive quarterback efficiency stat on a 100-point scale) from 54 to 72. He cut way down on interceptions, throwing them on just 1.6 percent of his passes after hovering around three to four percent his first two years. He also set a career high (7.7) in adjusted yards per attempt, a metric that provides extra weight to touchdowns and interceptions.


Mayfield should also get a lot of help from the guys around him. The Browns offensive line came in No. 1 in a preseason ranking by the game-graders of Pro Football Focus, and Mayfield’s weapons at the skill positions give him an embarrassment of riches: running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, receivers Odell Bekcham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, and a couple of potentially good tight ends, too.

2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow, the first pick in the 2020 draft, did some nice work in his rookie season, but the Bengals were so bad that it rarely materialized in the standings or on the stat sheet. Burrow had a 2-7-1 record when an ACL tear ended his season, and his 6.7 adjusted yards per attempt will not impress anybody. Yet even as a rookie he took good care of the ball: He had a 1.2 percent interception rate (five interceptions on 404 throws) that placed him behind only Mahomes and Rodgers. He did have nine fumbles, but those are largely attributable to the Bengals’ lousy offensive line. It’s not clear how much better that line will be in 2021, but Burrow will be a year more experienced, and he’ll get to reunite with his star wideout from LSU, No. 5 overall pick Ja’Marr Chase.

3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Herbert’s 7.6 adjusted yards per attempt as a rookie are significantly higher than the marks so far for Mayfield, Burrow, and Murray. His 98.3 passer rating also puts him well ahead of anyone else here who has NFL experience. He pulled that off with a subpar offensive line, too. There are lots of reasons to think Herbert will be great, especially given that the Chargers spent a first-round pick on a left tackle, Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater, who can help protect Herbert’s blind side.

Why’s he so low on this list, then? For starters, the two QBs ahead of him were both No. 1 overall picks for a reason. It also won’t help that Herbert’s second favorite target in 2020, tight end Hunter Henry, plays for the New England Patriots now.

4. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

With the first overall pick in the 2021 #NFLDraft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select … TREVOR LAWRENCE! https://t.co/aVP2yUSmBy

The 2021 No. 1 pick out of Clemson is the most polished QB to enter the league since Andrew Luck in 2012, and maybe even longer than that. As long as he stays healthy, Lawrence is so good that even the lackluster Jaguars will struggle to ruin his career. He’ll make a handful of “wow” throws each week, giving everyone a regular reminder of why he was such a no-brainer first pick.

But the Jaguars are exceptionally bad. The offensive line will likely be below average. The wide receiving group has some talent (especially second-year man Laviska Shenault) but no clear frontrunner. And the defense will give up so many points that Lawrence will often find himself playing from behind, when he’ll have no choice but to take the kinds of risks that lead to interceptions. Lawrence’s day is coming, but it will take an incredible effort for him to make it happen this year.

5. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

Fields is a real talent, and he could have easily been the No. 2 pick after Lawrence in the 2021 draft. Instead, he went to the Bears at No. 11, which was great for Chicago. It might also be great for Fields, who’s sliding into a better situation than No. 2 pick Zach Wilson with the Jets or No. 3 pick Trey Lance with the 49ers.

Fields will have a chance to lead a team that made the playoffs in 2020 and still has one of the league’s best defenses. The Bears won’t give up a ton of points, which should result in coach Matt Nagy not demanding too much of Fields right out of the gate. If the Bears can make him comfortable despite an iffy offensive line, Fields’ rocket arm and lightning legs can take over. (He has to win the starting job over veteran Andy Dalton first, but that’s just a matter of time.)

6. Mac Jones, New England Patriots

Jones is the least-proven player on this list, but he posted cartoonish stats while leading Alabama to an unbeaten national championship season last year. At Bama, he had the benefit of arguably the most talented group of receivers in college football history (including two first-round picks in this year’s draft), an elite running back, and the best offensive line in the country.

How will he do without that talent cushion, in a league that has much more parity than the college level? The Patriots took Jones 15th in the draft, and that could work out either wonderfully or terribly. But it’d be silly to leave off a player who will get first-year coaching from Bill Belichick. The Patriots have also added two great tight ends (the Chargers’ Hunter Henry and the Titans’ Jonnu Smith), who should help a great deal.

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May 27, 2021

These NFL Rookies Are Ready for Breakout Seasons in 2021

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 2:42 pm

The NFL Draft is a long-term proposition for the league’s 32 teams, who are mostly looking years down the road when they pick a new batch of prospects. But for the NFL rookies themselves, there’s no better time than the present to start making an impact. In fact, most good teams rely on rookie contributors during their first seasons in the league.


 

Every team hopes their top draft pick makes a mark sooner rather than later, but jumping into the NFL and contributing from day one is no easy feat. Nevertheless, these six rookies seem poised to be really good, really quickly in the upcoming 2021 season.

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons tight end

The highest-drafted TE all-time 👏 Florida’s Kyle Pitts is headed to the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 4 pick. #NFLDraft https://t.co/P0MBC2u2D5

The No. 4 overall pick was one of the most dominant college tight ends ever. His numbers in 2020––43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns––are impressive, but they don’t quite capture how big a problem he can be for an opposing defense.


At 6’5” and 245 pounds, he has a receiver’s ball skills and a tight end’s ability to play on the line of scrimmage and create matchup nightmares with linebackers. He’s entering an offense with a solid quarterback in Matt Ryan, at least one talented receiver in Calvin Ridley (we’ll see about Julio Jones), and a handful of quality linemen who can facilitate a good passing game. It wouldn’t be surprising if Pitts starts racking up touchdowns in his first season in the NFL.

Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver

Chase has just about everything he needs to put up big numbers right away. His quarterback will be Joe Burrow, who’s a year removed from being the No. 1 overall draft pick. The two have history: They last played together during the 2019 season at LSU, when they combined to form one of the deadliest QB-receiver pairs in college football history. (Something the Bengals considered when drafting Chase fifth overall.)

Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions offensive tackle

A generational talent. Congrats to OT1 Penei Sewell on being selected by the @Lions with the No. 7 overall pick. #GoDucks x #NFLDraft https://t.co/roY9T63YEb

The Lions are likely in for another season of mediocrity, but Sewell is talented enough to manhandle NFL edge rushers right away. The seventh overall pick opted out of the 2020 season at Oregon, but he didn’t have anything to prove. He’s incredibly athletic, having run the 40-yard dash in 5.09 seconds (at 6’5” and 331 pounds). His highlight tape from his college career makes clear that he has the physical skills to beat up on NFL defenders right now. He’ll be a welcome presence on The Lions’ offense: Quarterback Jared Goff has struggled, and he’ll need all the time Sewell can give him.

Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos cornerback

Surtain has all the technical skills needed to follow in the footsteps of his father, who made an All-Pro team and three Pro Bowls in an 11-year career as an NFL corner. He was one of the most hyped cornerback recruits of all time when he arrived at Alabama in 2018, and he more or less validated all of that buzz during a dominant three-year career.

He’s also sliding into a good situation in Denver. According to Pro Football Focus, the Broncos had a top-10 pass rush in 2020, and they achieved that rank despite having the best player on the team, edge rusher Von Miller, miss the entire year. Assuming the Broncos can hassle quarterbacks again, Surtain’s job will be a lot easier.

Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys linebacker

Parsons is incredibly gifted. In a pre-draft workout, he ran the 40-yard dash in a reported 4.39 seconds while measuring 6’3” and 246 pounds. He was a productive player at Penn State despite low sack totals (just 6.5 across 2018 and 2019 before an opt-out in 2020)—mostly because of how the Nittany Lions deployed him. Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a track record of letting edge rushers roam free and go after opposing QBs. When Quinn coached the Falcons in 2016, Vic Beasley had 15.5 sacks. When Quinn was the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator before that, his edge rushers generated all kinds of havoc.

The Cowboys also have a number of defenders who can handle coverage duties, which should free up Parsons to do more pass-rushing than he did in college.

Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers running back

The Steelers have no choice but to lean on Harris right away. The team’s former starting running back, James Conner, left for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, and aging QB Ben Roethlisberger is not nearly the passer he used to be. That means Harris is going to get the ball a lot, which may or may not be great for his long-term career growth but should be awesome for his 2021 fantasy football numbers.

Of course, fantasy isn’t real football, but Harris should play well IRL, too. He already has the physical traits of an experienced NFL running back and should be able to handle a heavy workload.

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