John Taylor, Patrick Willis are 49ers Hall of Fame inductees

John Taylor and Patrick Willis will be the newest inductees into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.

The San Francisco 49ers during Wednesday’s State of the Franchise announced wide receiver John Taylor and linebacker Patrick Willis would both go into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. Hall of Fame.

Taylor and Willis will be honored during the club’s Week 15 home game against the Atlanta Falcons.

The 49ers selected Taylor in the third round of the 1986 draft out of Delaware State. He wound up spending nine seasons in San Francisco as a punt returner and receiver.

In 1988 he made his first of two Pro Bowls thanks to his league-best 556 punt return yards and two punt return touchdowns. The following year he was back in the Pro Bowl as a receiver thanks to his 60 receptions, 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns. The yardage and touchdown totals in 1989 were his career highs.

Taylor amassed 347 receptions for 5,598 yards and 43 touchdowns while working as an integral part of three 49ers Super Bowl wins.

His biggest moment came in the waning minutes of Super Bowl XXIII when he hauled in a last-minute, game-winning touchdown from Joe Montana to put away the Bengals and secure the team’s third Lombardi trophy.

Willis was a first-round pick in 2007 and immediately made his mark on the league. He was a Pro Bowler, First-Team All-Pro, and Defensive Rookie of the Year all in his first season while racking up a league-best 174 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.

That was the start of a career that saw Willis ascend to the elite tier of all-time great linebackers. He never won a Super Bowl, though he did play in one while helping spearhead a 49ers defense that helped define the early 2010s.

By the time he hung up his pads after the 2014 season, Willis had earned seven Pro Bowl nods and five First-Team All-Pro selections in just eight seasons. He stepped into the NFL as one of the league’s best, and maintained his position throughout his short career.

Willis finished his eight seasons with 950 tackles, 60 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, eight interceptions and 53 pass breakups. He was one of the early versions of the modern, athletic, sideline-to-sideline linebacker who’s also an asset in coverage. His induction into the 49ers’ Hall of Fame should only be the precursor to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

LOOK: MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo spotted with PGA legend

Tom Izzo was spotted with a PGA tour legend

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With the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit looming this weekend, a lot of celebrity and pro-am events take place in the days leading up to it.

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo is known as an avid golfer and has been seen at similar events before.

At Wednesday’s event at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Izzo was spotted walking with 2021 PGA Championship winner and PGA legend Phil Mickelson.

Two legends of their own sports being seen together is always cool to see. Look for yourself here:

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Look: Panini reveals Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne rookie cards

Panini will be releasing their rookie card sets soon and it will include Jaguars first-round picks Travis Etienne and Trevor Lawrence.

Panini America recently revealed their Rated Rookie card set, which features various rookies taken in April’s NFL Draft. Among this year’s group were Jacksonville Jaguars first-round picks Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, both of whom were Clemson stars.

Of course, Lawrence was the first overall pick and had been suspected to be the Jags’ choice for quite some time. Then, with pick No. 25 (courtesy of Los Angeles), they somewhat shocked fans by selecting Etienne. However, after the dust settled it was clear the Jags drafted him to be more of an all-around explosive weapon more than a running back.

As they have in the past, Panini did an excellent job with their rookie cards this season. Both can be purchased on Panini’s site, though they won’t be released for another 18 days.

(Card image credit to Panini America)

WATCH: Texas target Arch Manning dominates during 7-on-7 scrimmage

Arch Manning is one of Texas’ highest priority targets for 2023. When watching his arm talent throughout this 7-on-7, it’s obvious why.

The hype surrounding Arch Manning likely started when he first picked up a football.

The 2023 five-star prospect has every program salivating over him with hopes he will decide to don that schools respective uniform. Texas is one of the primary programs vying for his services and they have a legitimate shot to land the New Orleans native following his visit to the Forty Acres in June. 

Manning has yet to make a decision on where he will be playing his college ball and the process will likely drag out for several more months. In the  meantime, he can be found crushing the hopes and dreams of opposing high school players in Louisiana.

The 6-foot-4, 208-pound signal-caller is a junior at Isidore Newman School and is hoping to lead his team to an elusive state championship as they have fallen short in Manning’s first two seasons.

Manning and his squad recently participated in a 7-on-7 matchup that truly displayed why he is heralded at the next level. His arm talent is unmatched.

Texas, Clemson, Alabama, Georgia and LSU each have a legitimate shot at landing the top quarterback in the country for the 2023 cycle. Manning’s relationship with Steve Sarkisian and his resume of developing quarterbacks may lean in Texas’ favor.

Video: MMA legend Bas Rutten speaks on Karate Combat and the ‘entertainment era’ of fighting

Bas Rutten gives his thoughts the upcoming season of Karate Combat and the rise of social media influencers boxing against legitimate fighters.

UFC Hall of Famer and ambassador for Karate Combat, [autotag]Bas Rutten[/autotag] shares his thoughts on the state of combat sports as social media influencers have recently begun competing frequently.

With the third season of Karate Combat debuting on July 1 on CBS Sports Network, Rutten explained in an interview with MMA Junkie why he was instantly willing to be a part of the promotion’s unique approach to martial arts competition.

“Well, they called me all the way from the beginning and they said, ‘Hey, we need an ambassador for the sport,'” Rutten said. “Since you come from a karate background, would you like to be our ambassador?’ I said, ‘What is it?’ ‘It’s a full-contact karate league.’ I go, ‘Woah, okay! Don’t say anymore. I want to do it!’ And then I found out the pit and the way it’s shaped and the way it was filmed and that was the icing on the cake.”

“With these guys, they are having Olympic-level athletes fighting each other full contact, it’s the best,” Rutten stated.

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New approaches to combat sports come up from time to time, but perhaps the most interesting recent development in the space is the rise of YouTube stars lacing up the gloves and fighting legitimate fighters in the boxing ring. Rutten has noted that these social media influencers have done the work to earn attention, and they’re not performing too badly in the ring as well.

“You know, they did that and you can’t complain about it,” Rutten started. “Why don’t you do the same thing, start a YouTube channel and get a lot of followers? Guess what? Then you can do exactly the same thing.

“That’s the same with (Conor) McGregor. People go like, well, but look at it, he makes all that money. Well, be like him. Good luck with that, by the way, because, I mean, he’s a master in promoting and it’s the same with the Paul brothers. I mean, they built themselves up for years now, but finally, they have to pick their career and they found a way to do something, what they love to do – fighting, boxing, and they actually do pretty well. I got huge respect for those guys. I mean, the way against Floyd Mayweather going the distance? In my book, that’s pretty admirable.”

Check out the full conversation in the video above.

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Baker Mayfield-to-Odell Beckham Jr. noted as Browns “X factor” for 2021

Does Baker Mayfield-to-Odell Beckham Jr. have the chance to define the Browns season?

The Cleveland Browns expect to be competing for more than just a winning record in 2021 but is Baker Mayfield’s connection to Odell Beckham Jr. the team’s “x-factor”?

The concept of x-factors can mean a variety of things from specific players that could break out, scheduling intricacies and injuries, which are always significant factors for NFL teams. Often, we are able to identify the x-factor after a season. For example, Bill Callahan’s ability to bring the offensive line together in 2020 was a big x-factor.

In 2021, the Browns ability to bring together all their new defensive pieces together will be important. How the team’s rookies are able to contribute could also play a huge role including how Anthony Schwartz’s speed provides a different dynamic.

According to ESPN’s subscriber piece, it is Mayfield-to-Beckham that will be that x-factor:

X factor for 2021: The Browns have been unable to make the Baker Mayfield-to-Odell Beckham Jr. connection work through its first two years. Mayfield has a passer rating of just 72.4 when targeting Beckham over those two seasons. That number jumps to 89.9 when targeting any other player since 2019. Theoretically, the return of an elite talent at wide receiver from injury this season should elevate this offense. But 2021 may be the last season for Mayfield, OBJ and coach Kevin Stefanski to figure things out.

While the Browns offense was very good at the end of last season, the lack of big plays limited their ability at times. If Mayfield and Beckham are able to find a connection, that problem goes away.

With the need to compete with teams like Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore, the Browns will need to be able to score with ease. In year three together, Mayfield and Beckham have one more chance to make things work. If that fails to happen, it is likely that moves will have to be made following the 2021 season.

All of that sounds a lot like an x-factor that could decide the final destination for the Browns 2021 season.

49ers to debut red 1994 throwback jerseys in home opener

The San Francisco 49ers are breaking out their red 1994 throwback uniforms.

The San Francisco 49ers are breaking out the red 1994 throwbacks.

As part of the team’s State of the Franchise on Wednesday night, the 49ers announced they’ll be bringing back the red version of the 1994 throwback uniforms they first broke out in white during the 2018 season. They’ll debut the red jersey in the home opener Week 3 vs. the Packers on Sunday Night Football.

The jerseys are red with white numbers featuring the black drop shadow that they wore during their Super Bowl XXIX victory over the Chargers. They’ll pair the jersey with the white pants they wore with their white 1994 throwback jerseys.

These 1994 throwbacks are actually a throwback themselves. The NFL did special uniforms for their 75th anniversary season in 1994, and the 49ers wound up sporting theirs for effectively the entire year en route to a 13-3 finish and their fifth Super Bowl.

According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, the 49ers will wear the 1994 editions of their uniforms in six games. Four of them will be the reds at home. They’ll wear the whites twice on the road.

Matt Barrows of the Athletic reported the 49ers received permission from the NFL to rock the throwback uniforms six times as part of the team’s 75th anniversary celebration. Typically clubs are only allowed two weeks to wear alternate uniforms.

The four home games will be in Week 3 vs. the Packers, Week 7 vs. the Colts, Week 10 vs. the Rams and Week 15 vs. the Falcons. They’ll wear the road whites in Week 13 at Seattle and Week 16 at Tennessee. Five of those six are prime time matchups, with the lone exception being the Falcons.

Houston Texans 2021 player profile: TE Jordan Akins

Jordan Akins has provided the Houston Texans with a decent run-after-the-option target. In 2021, the tight end may see more targets.

There is a lot at stake for Jordan Akins going into the 2021 season. Amid an attempt to obtain his role as the team’s No. 1 tight end, Akins is entering the final year of his contract and could hit the market as an unrestricted free agent next spring.

Here is a glimpse into why next season could be Akins’ farewell tour as a member of the Houston Texans.

NCAA Allows Players To Profit Off NIL. The NCAA Wins … AGAIN: Daily Cavalcade

College athletes are now allowed by the NCAA to profit off of their name, image and likeness. Here’s the key thing you’re missing …

College athletes are now allowed by the NCAA to profit off of their name, image and likeness. Here’s the key thing you’re missing …


College Football Daily Cavalcade: The NCAA allows players to profit off of NIL

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Sorry if this take sucks, it’s not my fault …

The NCAA just ate everyone’s lunch and made them think they’re full.

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Basically, this means Reggie Bush wasn’t actually history’s greatest monster.

With over 20 states and counting passing laws and rules allowing college athletes the ability to profit off of their name, image, and likeness – unfortunately abbreviated to NIL – the NCAA changed its lifelong stance on amateurism and decided it’s now kosher for the student-athletes to – within certain boundaries – make money and get benefits for being who they are.

And the NCAA managed to sound magnanimous about it.

The governing body of college athletics – okay, sort of, but whether or not the NCAA really does have the authority to rule like it does is a thing for another day – will now go by whatever the NIL rules each state has or will put in place, mainly because it was going to happen anyway.

Throw in the 9-0 Supreme Court ruling that the NCAA couldn’t restrict athletes from receiving education-related benefits – punctuated by a scathing rebuke from Justice Brett Kavanaugh – and it might seem like this is a wee bit of a rough patch for the kids in Indy.

You think the NCAA just lost? You think the NCAA just conceded? You think this is the beginning of the evil empire’s downfall?

Bless your heart.

The NCAA might have fallen assbackwards into this situation, but it just pulled off an all-timer of a business model win.

Let me ask you this, with the allowing of student-athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness, does the NCAA actually have to pay college athletes? Nope.

Do the schools have to pay college athletes? Nope. EVERYTHING is adamantly the same when it comes to colleges being able to directly pay players or incoming recruits. That’s still a no-no.

Does the NCAA have to deal with the impossibly sticky Title IX issue of having to pay the same amount and give the same benefits to female athletes as they do the males? Nope – at least not yet.

Are the college athletes able to unionize? Nope – at least not yet. (That, by the way, would be the potential death blow. Once they figure out the legal way to do that, everything changes.)

Does the NCAA, or do the schools, have to give anything they don’t already provide to the backup punter on the friendly neighborhood MAC program near you? Nope.

Does the NCAA, or do the schools, have to give anything they don’t already provide to the Heisman-caliber quarterback or the first round NFL Draft pick on the defensive front? Nope.

Now try out these two key questions.

Do the NCAA and schools lose any revenue whatsoever from what they’re already bringing in? Nope, and in fact, this likely has the opposite effect with several cash-strapped star college athletes likely to stick around a little longer rather than turn pro early. That ties into this …

Are the players about to be paid, promoted, and marketed by others without the NCAA and the schools having to drop a dime? Yup.

And you think the NCAA might be losing here? It just pulled off a miracle.

The NCAA just 1) advanced its brand, 2) increased its power and relevancy, 3) kept its revenue stream, 4) avoided having to pay the athletes – aka The Labor – 5) got anyone and everyone else to pay for The Labor, 6) will generate more revenue because of that, and 7) …

WON.

Best of all for the NCAA and the colleges, the ball will be kicked off on Saturday, August 28th, and to John Q. Fan the whole NIL debate will be a non-factor.

Okay, agents. Time to go to work.

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WATCH: MSU QB commit Katin Houser talk about his MSU commitment

Watch MSU QB commit Katin Houser talk about why he committed to Michigan State and more

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Michigan State landed their quarterback for the 2022 recruiting class this past week, earning the commitment from four-star QB Katin Houser. Houser is competing in the Elite 11 finals this week, trying to outduel 19 of the other top quarterbacks in the nation.

There are a lot of eyes on this camp, as many in the national media will be there to evaluate and pick the brains of these quarterbacks competing.

MSU’s QB pledge, Houser, got together with Chad Simmons and recorded a video about why he was drawn to the Spartans, what led to his recruitment, and what Spartan fans can expect from their new QB.

You can watch the video, via Twitter, here:

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