Category: Trojans in NFL

Former USC star Talanoa Hufanga tears ACL, is out for the season with 49ers

Hufanga’s season comes to an abrupt end in San Francisco.

The 2023 NFL season contains a lot of promise and potential for the San Francisco 49ers, widely viewed as one of the top contenders for Super Bowl LVIII in February. The Niners’ pursuit of the Vince Lombardi Trophy will continue without a USC Trojan who has become a very good NFL player.

San Francisco safety Talanoa Hufanga, an important part of the 49ers’ defense, is out for the rest of the 2023 season with a torn ACL, coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed.

Hufanga will therefore not play on Thanksgiving night against Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC West showdown.

Niners Wire has more on the story:

“Replacing Hufanga won’t be easy for San Francisco. He was a First-Team All-Pro last season and since becoming the starting strong safety in 2022 he has 148 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, seven interceptions and 12 pass breakups.

“The team will now turn to rookie third-round pick Ji’Ayir Brown. Brown filled in admirably Sunday with four tackles, two pass breakups to save touchdowns, and an interception in the red zone.”

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New England Patriots release former USC and ASU cornerback Jack Jones

It remains to be seen if this NFL career has met its end.

Jack Jones has been cut by the New England Patriots. The second-year NFL cornerback was waived earlier this week, according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.

Jones, who was benched in Week 9, was benched again on Sunday, playing just 10 snaps in the Patriots’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Jones was a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Arizona State, formerly from USC. He entered the league with a history of disciplinary issues dating back to his time in college. He had 30 tackles, two interceptions, an interception return for a touchdown, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery as an NFL rookie.

The Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi reports Jones’ response to his benching was unsatisfactory, pointing to this move.

Jones, 25, could re-sign with New England’s practice squad if he clears waivers.

“Certainly we want to thank the Patriot organization for drafting Jack,” agent Jamal Tooson said in a statement. “Jack is an immense talent and looks forward to making an immediate contribution on his next team as soon as Sunday.”

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Amon-Ra St. Brown talks to Mackenzie Salmon of USA TODAY Sports

Amon-Ra St. Browns and the Lions are both thriving.

NFL wide receiver Amon Ra-St. Brown collected a career-high 156 receiving yards in his most recent game with the Detroit Lions against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was his fourth consecutive 100-yard game.

He currently ranks eighth in the NFL in receiving yards with 821, and has four touchdowns.

“He’s a stud. He just continues to make plays. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, he is the most steady, reliable guy that you can find in this league,” said Lion head coach Dan Campbell.

St. Brown, the former USC Trojan and current Detroit Lion wideout, recently spoke with Mackenzie Salmon of USA TODAY Sports. St. Brown has had a career year. Last Sunday was possibly the best game of his NFL career.

Salmon, the host of “Sports Seriously,” asked St. Brown about whether the Lions have played their best ball of the year.

“We can always be better,” said St. Brown. “There is always room for improvement.”

Catch more of the conversation here:

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Caleb Williams, other juniors can play in Senior Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl and Shrine Bowl

Big news.

Changes in college all-star football games are coming. According to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, the NFL sent a memo to all 32 clubs on Wednesday. In that memo, the league announced the East-West Shrine Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl, and Senior Bowl are now permitted to invite juniors who declare for the NFL draft.

“Upon the NFL publicly announcing that a player has been granted special eligibility, the East-West Shrine Bowl, HBCU Legacy Bowl, and Senior Bowl may invite such players to participate in their respective game activities,” the NFL said in the memo. “Only these three games are permitted to invite underclassmen to participate.”

The new format could be a literal game-changer, opening up the Senior Bowl for the first time in decades to the entire NFL draft class, including those players who choose to turn pro after just three years in school. Among those top-rated juniors likely to enter the draft after the 2023 season are USC quarterback Caleb Williams, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, and Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

The Senior Bowl has publicly announced only one player commitment for 2024, though numerous invitations have already been extended. The game announced Tuesday that Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt, a fourth-year junior, will play in the upcoming event.

The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl takes place Feb. 3 at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the University of South Alabama campus.

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Jordan Addison of the Vikings makes a run at NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

Addison is definitely in the hunt.

Who will win offensive rookie of the year honors in this 2023 NFL season? Jordan Addison of the Minnesota Vikings is a legitimate candidate for the award.

The rookie had 23 catches for 297 yards and five touchdowns last month, winning offensive rookie of the month and stepping up in a huge way with Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins down.

The former Trojan has 41 receptions, 543 yards and 7 touchdowns this season and 13 yards per catch.

Addison has played well all season. He is second in the league in receiving touchdowns behind only Tyreek Hill, who is having an MVP-caliber season for the Miami Dolphins. If Addison keeps this up, he’ll be a top NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate at season’s end. He will probably go toe to toe with Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. Addison has made some special plays this season, none more special than stealing the ball from a San Francisco 49er defensive back and scoring a touchdown on what was a poorly-thrown pass in a Vikings-Niners Monday Night Football game from late October.

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Flood of Giants QB injuries could give Matt Barkley a late-career NFL opportunity

Matt Barkley has a real chance to get some starts with the Giants.

Matt Barkley is back in the NFL, as you might have noticed several days ago.

Giants Wire has been following the parade of quarterback injuries the New York Giants have suffered this season.

Daniel Jones suffered a neck injury a few weeks ago and now he’s out for the season with a torn ACL. Tyrod Taylor (ribs) is also injured, and it is unclear if he will return this season.

Former Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito is now the guy for the Giants. He completed 15 of 20 pass attempts for 175 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions while gaining 17 rushing yards on four carries on November 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders. If he struggles or gets hurt, Matt Barkley will enter the chat.

Barkley, 33, entered the NFL as the Philadelphia Eagles’ fourth-round draft choice in 2013. He has since spent time with Arizona (twice), Chicago, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Buffalo (twice), Tennessee, Carolina and Atlanta. He has played for the Eagles, Bears and Bills.

He has completed 212 out of 363 pass attempts (58.4 percent) for 2,699 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. He has played in 19 career games with seven starts.

If Tommy DeVito is the only man standing between Barkley and a chance to make some NFL starts later this season, the odds are good Barkley will get at least one opportunity to start for Big Blue and make a favorable impression on an NFL club.

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Why Leonard Williams could put the Seahawks over the top in the NFC

Pete Carroll hopes Leonard Williams maxes out in Seattle.

Former USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams is heading back to the West Coast after being traded by the New York Giants to the Seattle Seahawks this .

As Seahawks Wire reports, “Seattle cut a deal with the New York Giants to acquire defensive lineman Leonard Williams. All it cost the Seahawks was a 2nd round pick in 2024, and a 5th round pick in 2025. The Giants will still be on the hook for most of his salary in exchange for better draft capital.”

Williams was a star at USC, earning first-team All-Pac-12 and first-team All-America honors twice. Upon his arrival in the NFL, Williams finished third in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and cracked the 2016 Pro Bowl roster in his second pro season.

Williams has 39.5 career sacks across 132 total starts. He also has 59 tackles for loss, 162 QB hurries, 10 pass deflections, 6 forced fumbles and 470 combined tackles.

“We’ve watched him for a long time,” Seahawk coach Pete Carroll said. “He brings a lot of versatility … He’s the kind of guy that can make a difference in games.”

Pairing Williams on the defensive line with nose tackle Jarran Reed and end Dre’Mont Jones will create rushing lanes for multiple guys to get to the quarterback. The Seahawks will be able to eat in the run-stuffing phase of defense.

The Seattle Seahawks are a huge threat if they stay healthy to win the NFC. They can go toe to toe with the 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, and Eagles.

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Lions QB Jared Goff compares Amon-Ra St. Brown to future NFL Hall of Famer

Did you ever expect to see this particular comparison made by anyone, especially by an NFL player?

Aaron Donald has been the star of the Los Angeles Rams at defensive tackle for years. He has earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors on three occasions. He will one day be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. Current Detroit Lion quarterback Jared Goff played with Donald and the Rams from 2016 through 2020.

Goff gave high praise to Donald and offered an unexpected angle in doing so. Goff compared former USC Trojan wide receiver Amon Ra St. Brown to Donald.

In an interview with ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, Goff explained what makes Donald and St. Brown so similar. St. Brown reminds Goff of Donald with the way he’s always putting in work in the weight room and doing everything he can to get better.

“Certain guys are different. And I [Goff] want to make a comparison, but I don’t want it to sound crazy, but the way that he is [St. Brown], in the weight room and on the field are very similar in my experience with Aaron Donald,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff told ESPN. “Like, it is business, business, business. He [St. Brown] works harder than everybody.

“Aaron’s [Donald] the hardest worker I’ve ever been around and Saint’s [St. Brown] right there with him just with the amount of time they put in and how serious they take it when they’re on the field. It’s a lot of fun to play with a guy like that.”

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Leonard Williams joins Pete Carroll with Seahawks after big NFL trade

Pete Carroll didn’t coach Leonard Williams at USC, but he will coach Williams with the (USC) Seahawks.

Imagine a world in which Leonard Williams not only played at USC but was coached by Pete Carroll as a Trojan. Wow. That would have been something. Williams, of course, came to USC a few years after Carroll left. Now, however, this elite defensive player and this elite football coach will work together.

As Seahawks Wire reports, “Seattle cut a deal with the New York Giants to acquire defensive lineman Leonard Williams. All it cost the Seahawks was a 2nd round pick in 2024, and a 5th round pick in 2025. The Giants will still be on the hook for most of his salary in exchange for better draft capital.”

Williams isn’t accumulating huge sack numbers in 2023, but remember: Great defensive linemen often occupy double-teams and make an impact without racking up stats. They allow teammates to make the sacks and accumulate numbers.

Williams will also bolster a Seahawk rush defense which showed some weakness against the Cleveland Browns. Guys are exhausted up front because there isn’t a lot of depth. Seattle defensive linemen have played too many snaps, quite frankly. Williams will dramatically change snap counts and provide much-needed relief to Jarran Reed and Dre’Mont Jones.

Pete Carroll should have a lot of fun using Williams up front with the Seahawks, who lead the NFC West heading into November.

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Follow Fighting Irish Wire for more on Notre Dame.

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Oklahoma fans were right about Lincoln Riley, at least for this specific season.

USC assistants need to be coaching for their jobs.

Lincoln Riley did not assemble an elite 2023 roster, which surprised us and a lot of other observers.

Is USC ready to win in 2024 with Miller Moss or Malachi Nelson at quarterback? Lincoln Riley has to be honest about how he answers that question.

Brent Venables is coaching Oklahoma far better this year than Lincoln Riley is coaching USC. It’s up to Riley to change that reality.

Amon-Ra St. Brown expected to shine on Monday Night Football with the Lions

Amon-Ra St. Brown gets ready for his MNF close-up.

Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the rest of the Detroit Lions’ offense have been humming this season.

The Lions host a Monday Night Football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Ford Field in Detroit. The rare MNF visit to the Motor City should produce the loudest Detroit crowd of the season.

The Lions are looking to bounce back from their worst loss of the season last week, a 38-6 no-show against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Lions are one of five NFL teams to rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency this season (7th and 8th, respectively).

St. Brown has caught 51 passes for 557 yards and three touchdowns in six games this season. He has developed into one of the most high-volume players in the NFL. He has been the engine behind an elite Lion passing game. He has also been targeted 69 times this season, which is seventh-most in the NFL.

Last year in his second season, the former USC Trojan caught 90 passes for 912 yards and five touchdowns.

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Follow Fighting Irish Wire for more on Notre Dame.

Follow Buffaloes Wire for complete coverage of Deion Sanders and Colorado.

Follow Ducks Wire for coverage of Oregon football.

Oklahoma fans were right about Lincoln Riley, at least for this specific season.

USC assistants need to be coaching for their jobs.

Lincoln Riley did not assemble an elite 2023 roster, which surprised us and a lot of other observers.

Is USC ready to win in 2024 with Miller Moss or Malachi Nelson at quarterback? Lincoln Riley has to be honest about how he answers that question.

Brent Venables is coaching Oklahoma far better this year than Lincoln Riley is coaching USC. It’s up to Riley to change that reality.