Category: Gators in NFL

Anthony Richardson back as Colts starter, Pat McAfee apologizes

After riding the bench for a couple of weeks, Anthony Richardson has been named the starting quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts for the rest of the season.

Former Florida Gators quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], who was selected fourth overall in the 2023 draft, is once again the starter for the Indianapolis Colts.

Richardson was benched after removing himself from a Week 8 matchup against the Houston Texans because he “was tired.” Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco has started the past two games for Indianapolis in his stead.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen and his staff believed that the second-year pro needed to take “greater command of his off-the-field- preparation and attention to detail,” according to ESPN, and those changes have apparently been made over two short weeks.

“He’s going to start this week,” Steichen said. “He will start the rest of the season. And we will go from there.”

Richardson has taken a “deeper dive” into himself while on the bench and expressed gratitude for the time he has had to reflect.

“As a competitor, you never want to be on the sideline when you think there’s an opportunity to go out and help the team,” he said. “But sitting on the sideline just allowed me to just look and see certain things I could correct about myself, certain things that the team needed help with and I’m just forever grateful for the opportunity. I’m glad that Shane felt like I’m the guy again. I’m just forever grateful and I’m just thankful.”

Pat McAfee apologizes to Anthony Richardson

Following the benching, Richardson became the subject of much ire from fans and media types, including ESPN’s Pat McAfee—a former Colt.

“I had never seen an NFL QB tap out while still being healthy until watching Anthony Richardson,” McAfee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. “The QB is your franchise. The message it sends is loud and influential.”

However, McAfee changed his tune on Monday and issued an apology to Richardson.

“AR, I apologize for being so loud about you tapping out,” McAfee said. “It’s not good to have that happen for your team, but now I’m starting to think, did anybody-has anybody told AR how he’s supposed to be?… He’s got nobody telling him how to operate in that building.”

McAfee then directed his anger toward the coaching staff and front office in Indy, calling attention to the culture that’s developed over recent years. Drafting talented players is not enough to turn a franchise around, especially when many of the same people who guided the team to a No. 4 pick remain in charge.

The general populous appears to be rallying behind Richardson, hoping he’s learned a lesson and is ready to lead the team.

Richardson will return to the starting lineup on Sunday when the Colts head to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to face the New York Jets at 1 p.m. ET.

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Former Florida WR Ricky Pearsall shines in first NFL start

Ricky Pearsall’s recovery and breakout debut as a starter couldn’t have come at a better time for the San Francisco 49ers.

No one expected former Florida wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] to make his first start in Week 8 of his rookie year in the NFL, for multiple reasons.

When Pearsall was drafted in the first round this spring, the expectation was for him to join the receivers rotation in San Francisco and start within a few weeks. Then tragedy struck as Pearsall was shot in the chest during an armed robbery that took place just weeks before the start of the regular season.

Miraculously, and thanks to the actions of first responders, Pearsall survived and was back in the gym within the week. Still, a recovery timeline from that kind of injury can vary by the week. Pearsall was activated on Oct. 19 and debuted a day later when the 49ers faced the Kansas City Chiefs.

He caught three passes for 21 yards on five targets and instantly became a factor in San Francisco’s offense thanks to several injuries to the position room.

Pearsall followed up his debut with his first start on Sunday against Dallas. Instead of lining up primarily in the slot, Pearsall played mostly outside against the Cowboys, reeling in all four targets for 38 yards and rushing for 39 more on an end-around. Welcome to the league, rook.

Although Pearsall failed to find the endzone, it’s safe to call this a breakout game for the first-year pass-catcher. He’ll continue to get opportunities with Brandon Aiyuk out for the year with a torn ACL.

“It just comes down to getting that trust of Brock (Purdy), so getting that connection going throughout practice,” Pearsall said after the game. “Obviously, having Brandon Aiyuk down, there’s going to be a few more opportunities for me to go out there and run some routes and get the ball in my hands.”

Pro Football Focus gave Pearsall a 68.3 overall grade on offense — good for No. 44 on the week and ahead of top receivers such as Ja’Marr Chase and A.J. Brown — and his 66.5 receiving grade ranks eighth among the 19 receivers who were drafted in 2024 and played this week.

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Ricky Pearsall will return to practice for first time since being shot

San Francisco 49ers and former Gators receiver Ricky Pearsall set to return to practice.

Former Florida football receiver and San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall will return to practice for the first time since being shot in the chest during a robbery attempt back on Aug. 31.

Luckily, Pearsall avoided damage to any of his organs and nerves and his recovery has been progressing smoothly.

“I would think it’d be a longer ramp-up period, but health-wise and everything, he is totally good to go,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday about Pearsall’s status for competing in games. “But I really won’t decide that stuff until we start watching him practice. We’re not going to rush it or anything. If he’s ready, he’s ready. And if he’s not, we’ve got a few weeks.”

Pearsall was selected by San Francisco with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. He was the sixth receiver taken off the board and had a solid collegiate career.

Pearsall spent his first three seasons with the Arizona State Sun Devils before transferring to Florida for his last couple of seasons.

As a Gator, Pearsall played in 25 games where he had 98 catches for 1,626 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 175 rushing yards on 11 carries and three rushing touchdowns.

The 49ers are coming off a Thursday night victory over the Seattle Seahawks and look forward to seeing Pearsall join an elite wide receiver room in the weeks to come.

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Former Florida WR Kadarius Toney signs with Cleveland Browns

Former Florida Gators wide receiver and 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney is joining the Cleveland Browns practice squad, per NFL Network.

The Cleveland Browns are signing former Florida Gators wide receiver [autotag]Kadarius Toney[/autotag] to the practice squad, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

The 2021 first-round played a season and a half with the New York Giants before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs released him ahead of the 2024 regular season.

Most consider Toney a first-round bust, but that didn’t keep needy teams from reaching out. He’d been meeting with teams in recent weeks. The Seattle Seahawks also hosted him, per the report, and he had more visits lined up.

Winding up on the practice squad isn’t ideal for a guy who was once viewed as a dangerous weapon for any NFL offense, but Toney hasn’t produced strong results since his rookie year.

Kadarius Toney since leaving Florida

Toney finished his college career with 2,641 all-purpose yards (69.5 average) over 38 games played at Florida. He caught 120 passes for 1,590 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 580 yards and two more touchdowns as a Gator.

He was a key piece in Florida’s last New Year’s Six Bowl team, along with quarterback Kyle Trask and tight end Kyle Pitts in 2020.

As a rookie in the NFL, Toney showed flashes of being a playmaker, finishing the year with 39 receptions for 420 yards and no touchdowns. However, he only played in 10 games due to several different injuries.

That’s when the off-the-field issues began. Toney missed the first three weeks of voluntary workouts with trade rumors flying. Once he showed up to offseason workouts, he quickly was sidelined after undergoing knee surgery. Fall camp was also marred by injury — a hamstring issue that returned during Week 2 of the regular season.

The mid-season trade allowed Toney to return to the field with a much better offense around him. He quickly delivered the best performance of his career — six touches, 90 all-purpose yards and a touchdown — but his hamstring gave out against the following week.

There’s no doubt that Toney has talent, but he’s been injury-prone for most of his career and can be a difficult player to manage when things aren’t going well. After performing at replacement level in 2023 with Kansas City, it’s going to take some serious work with the practice squad for Cleveland to elevate him.

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Former Florida WR Ricky Pearsall shot in robbery attempt

Former Florida wide receiver and San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall is in “stable condition” after being shot, per reports.

Former Florida wide receiver and San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall is in “stable condition” after being shot in the chest during a robbery attempt, according to Gia Vang NBC Bay Area.

Pearsall was reportedly targeted for his Rolex watch en route to a signing event at Union Square in San Francisco. The shooter, who is now in custody, was also shot. Both parties are stable at San Francisco General Hospital, according to Sean Cunningham of KTXL Fox 40.

UPDATE (9:59 ET, Aug. 31): The San Francisco 49ers confirmed that Pearsall is in “serious but stable condition” following the incident.

https://twitter.com/49ers/status/1830061807140290831

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel took to Twitter to provide an update on Pearsall.

“He’s good,” Samuel wrote, followed by the fingers crossed and folded hands emoji. “Thank god!!!”

https://twitter.com/19problemz/status/1830035787255332995

The 49ers selected Pearsall with the 31st pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. He spent three years with Arizona State before transferring to Florida for his final two seasons. Over 25 games as a Gator, Pearsall reeled in 98 receptions for 1,626 yards and nine touchdowns. He also added 175 rushing yards and three more scores on 11 carries.

Viewed as a second-round pick at the conclusion of his college career, standout performances at the Senior Bowl, Florida’s Pro Day and the NFL Combine vaulted him up several draft boards.

The 49ers added him to a receivers room that already featured Second Team All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk and Samuel, yet he figured to be a factor in the offense as a rookie.

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Former Gators Super Bowl winner faces roster cut this fall

USA TODAY Sports thinks Kadarius Toney has a good chance of being cut before next week’s NFL roster deadline.

The great roster crunch is coming to the NFL next Tuesday when all 32 teams will be forced to shear their rosters down to 53 players in advance of the regular season. One former Florida Gator might be on the cusp of being cut next week.

Wide receiver [autotag]Kadarius Toney[/autotag] has had a rollercoaster career in the professional ranks in just three seasons stretching between the New York Giants, who selected him with the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring the past two seasons.

However, USA TODAY Sports writer Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz feels like the mercurial pass-catcher is on the outs with his current team.

“Toney’s fall from Super Bowl 57 standout to an untrustworthy target might end with him tumbling all the way off the roster next week. His 2023 season was defined by a series of high-profile errors, starting with his drops in the Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions and continuing with his offside penalty that wiped out a go-ahead touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.”

Things got even worse for Toney last season as the schedule progressed and trickled into the preseason.

“He finished the year inactive for the team’s final seven games, including Super Bowl 58. Toney’s sloppiness has extended into this preseason, with the receiver committing two penalties on his first exhibition snap last week. Andy Reid has been patient in affording Toney additional chances, but that could be coming to an end.”

With Chiefs first-round pick Xavier Worthy in the mix and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown seemingly avoiding major injury – and no sign of a potential Rashee Rice suspension just yet — it appears that Toney’s days in the BBQ capital of the world are numbered.

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Two former Gators ‘running out of chances’ heading into 2024

A pair of former first-round picks out of the University of Florida enter the 2024 NFL season facing uncertainty.

More than 40 former Florida Gators are in NFL training camps a month out from the 2024 regular season, but a couple of names on that list are in jeopardy of hitting free agency sooner than they would like.

USA TODAY NFL reporter Nate Davis broke down 24 former first-round picks who are running out of chances heading into the season, and he named cornerbacks [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Henderson[/autotag].

Elam was drafted in 2022 but hasn’t seen many snaps with the Buffalo Bills since. He played around 100 snaps in each of his first two seasons despite spending a good chunk of 2023 on injured reserve.

He’s still in the mix, especially with Tre’Davious White out of the picture, but 2022 sixth-rounder Christian Benford has passed Elam by for the starting job. There’s also Rasul Douglas and Taron Johnson on the roster. Both are considered starting-caliber corners, meaning Elam could be as low as fourth on the depth chart.

“Heading into his third season, (Elam) has yet to distinguish himself (8 career starts) and currently doesn’t seem ticketed for much more than dime and special teams duties until circumstances evolve or his play improves,” said Davis.

Henderson is only four years removed from a Gators uniform, but he’s already an NFL journeyman. He’s entering Year 4 as a Houston Texan, but there’s no guarantee he will make the team.

Davis groups Henderson with former Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, who is the highest-drafted cornerback (3rd overall by Detroit) in NFL history.

“They’re fortunate to play a position that’s always in demand and requires elite athletes. Yet neither is guaranteed to make the Texans’ 53-man roster or hardly a lock to continue knocking around the league hoping their draft pedigree gets them additional tryouts.”

It’s a brutal reality that most NFL careers don’t last longer than three years — 3.3 years being the average — and this could be the swan song for both former Gators mentioned above.

Elam is the more likely candidate to get another shot if Buffalo decides to cut him. He could always be part of a trade package to a team less stocked with young secondary players.

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Anthony Richardson expected to become ‘legitimate star’ this season

CBS Sports writer Chris Trapasso took a look at a few of the most promising former first-round selections, including Anthony Richardson.

Former Florida football star [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] was taken with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts based sheerly on his other-worldly athletic talents. It has taken a bit for the Gainesville native to get into the groove — mostly because of a season-ending injury sustained last year — but he is expected to take off this coming campaign.

CBS Sports writer Chris Trapasso took a look at a few of the most promising recent former first-round selections, including Richardson. He expects the former Gators standout to become a “legitimate star” and explains why.

“Richardson is indisputably in the top tier of athletic specimens at the quarterback position today,” he begins. “In fact, he’s probably the most naturally gifted quarterback in football. Which is really saying something. Now, of course, the passing element has to come close to matching said athletic prowess for him to ultimately succeed in the NFL.”

Trapasso also notes a precedent that bodes well for the Orange and Blue alumnus.

“But I watched every Jalen Hurts drop back in 2021, when he began to settle into the starting role AND when he experienced his ginormous breakout en route to a Super Bowl appearance under second-year Colts head coach Shane Steichen. And it was the most quarterback-friendly system I’ve ever witnessed,” he continues.

“The schemed-opened plays were ubiquitous and there was heavy RPO usage, which was familiar for Hurts during his collegiate breakout at Oklahoma. Coincidently, Richardson’s Florida offense leaned on the RPO, and Richardson, given his dynamic threat of the run, was tremendous operating those as a Gator.”

He also points out that Indianapolis already has some pieces in place on both the field and the sideline to support their future star play-caller.

“Remember too, Steichen and the Colts were extraordinarily close to advancing to the playoffs in a loaded AFC a season ago with Gardner Minshew throwing 490 passes during the regular season — Steichen is probably the most underrated play designer in football.

“Richardson is locked and loaded, titled toward the sky, ready for liftoff in 2024.”

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Former Florida OL signs UDFA with Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs

Griffin McDowell’s college career took plenty of twists and turns, including five years in Florida, and now he’s headed to the NFL.

Former Florida offensive lineman [autotag]Griffin McDowell[/autotag] signed a free-agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday after going undrafted.

McDowell spent five years in Gainesville, bouncing from the offensive line reserves to special teams over 40 games. He transferred to Chattanooga for his final year of eligibility — a redshirt year in 2018 and the 2020 COVID year gave him six seasons of college ball.

At Chattanooga, McDowell started all 13 games for the Mocs at left tackle. He returned to Florida to participate in the team’s pro day and put up some insane numbers. McDowell hit 31 reps on the bench and ran a 4.88 40-yard dash.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6SXGLguXlC/

He should move to guard in the NFL, but McDowell is proof that sticking with things can get you to the league.

“I did have a very weird career,” McDowell said after Florida’s pro day. “I just persevered. A lot of people would have given up. I played three different positions here. I was at 315, I got down to 250, from O-line to D-line to tight end. And then to go to a different school for one year and get my weight back up to 300, I feel I accomplished a lot with that. A very unique career, but I’m blessed I had it.”

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Former Florida QB Emory Jones makes it to NFL as UDFA

Another former Florida player — quarterback Emory Jones — has signed with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent.

Before Anthony Richardson and Graham Mertz, it was Emory Jones under center for the Orange and Blue, and the former Gator has found his way to the NFL as an undrafted free agent. The Baltimore Ravens signed him on Sunday.

Jones is one of the more polarizing figures in Florida football’s recent history. Perhaps the player most linked with Dan Mullen during his downfall in Gainesville, Jones put up better numbers than Richardson — who was selected fourth overall in the 2022 draft.

That isn’t to say Jones is the better or more projectable player, but more to confirm his ability as a quarterback deserving of at least a chance to make the practice squad.

Jones played college ball for six years, jumping from Arizona State to Cincinnati over his final two seasons. Still, he graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Florida, making him a Gator for life.

His best season came as a Gator in 2021 when he threw for 2,734 yards and 19 touchdowns with a 64.7% completion rate.

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