Tag: aeneas williams

Aaron Donald, 4 former Rams named to Senior Bowl’s 75th Anniversary Team

Aaron Donald, Torry Holt and three other former Rams were named to the Senior Bowl’s 75th Anniversary Team

The Senior Bowl has been one of the most valuable and important aspects of the pre-draft process for years, highlighting some of the best prospects in the country and propelling them up draft boards. The Rams have heavily utilized the Senior Bowl to evaluate players before the draft, landing standout prospects such as Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, John Johnson and Greg Gaines after watching them in Mobile.

On Tuesday, the Senior Bowl announced its 75th Anniversary Team and five former Rams were selected – headlined by Donald. The Rams’ all-world pass rusher was selected at defensive tackle, along with Bryant Young and Geno Atkins.

Torry Holt was also selected at wide receiver, alongside Terrell Owens, Reggie Wayne and Hines Ward. At outside linebacker, Von Miller – who won a Super Bowl in his half-season with the Rams – was honored. At inside linebacker, it was Bobby Wagner receiving recognition next to Derrick Brooks, Brian Urlacher and Patrick Willis. And finally, Aeneas Williams was one of three cornerbacks selected; Richard Sherman and Patrick Surtain Sr. were the other two.

The 75th Anniversary Team was selected by a public online fan vote, a poll of all 32 NFL general managers and the Senior Bowl’s selection committee, so talent evaluators from the NFL had a hand in picking these players.

Donald, Holt and Williams were all selected as All-Pros during their time with the Rams, while Miller and Wagner are each All-Pros, as well. They were just selected as members of other teams, not the Rams.

Best NFL player to wear each jersey number: How many Rams were picked?

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar picked the best player ever to wear each jersey number and 6 Rams made the list. Can you guess who?

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There are some players in NFL history who became impossible to see wearing any other jersey number. Tom Brady and the No. 12 go hand in hand, just as Aaron Donald and No. 99 do.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar went through the fun (and challenging) exercise of picking the best player to ever wear each jersey number, from No. 00 to 99. The Rams have had some historic names suit up for them throughout the franchise’s history, many of whom made Farrar’s list.

It’s easy to think of a few, like Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson rocking Nos. 28 and 29, as well as Orlando Pace in his No. 76 uniform. In total, six Rams were selected, including Donald at the very end.

Marshall Faulk: No. 28

Eric Dickerson: No. 29

Aeneas Williams: No. 35

Jerome Bettis: No. 36

Orlando Pace: No. 76

Aaron Donald: No. 99

Faulk wore No. 28 throughout his NFL career, including his first five seasons with the Colts before going to the Rams in 1999. It was a tough number to sift through because there were a lot of deserving picks, including Adrian Peterson, Darrell Green and Darren Woodson, but Faulk was the best choice.

Dickerson edged out Harold Jackson, Earl Thomas, Ken Houston and others at No. 29, a number he wore his entire NFL career, too. No. 35 wasn’t as loaded as some other numbers, but the Hall of Famer Williams made those digits look good for both the Cardinals and Rams.

Bettis is best known for his time with the Steelers but he got started with the Rams, where he also wore No. 36. Pace and Steve Hutchinson were the top candidates at No. 76, along with Marion Motley and Steve Wisniewski.

At No. 99, there were a host of current and future Hall of Famers alongside Donald. J.J. Watt is one of the best ever, as is Warren Sapp. Jason Taylor also got consideration thanks to his Hall of Fame resume. But Donald is one of the rare all-time greats who’s still currently playing, and his resume at the end of his career will be the best of anyone to wear No. 99.

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5 Cardinals named best to wear their uniform number in NFL history

Larry Fitzgerald headlines five former Cardinals who were the best to wear their uniform number in history

The NFL offseason brings innumerable lists and rankings. It is just what happens when there are no NFL happenings.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar put together a list of the player in NFL history that was the best for each uniform number.

Several players who played for the Arizona or St. Louis Cardinals made the cut. Check them out below.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Aeneas Williams, other former Cardinals to announced Day 2 picks

Aeneas Williams will announce the Cardinals’ second-round pick. A few other former Cardinals announce picks for other teams.

A tradition that has continued for several years, the NFL will have team legends announce draft picks for teams on Day 2 of the NFL draft.

For Day 2 of the 2023 draft, a few former Arizona Cardinals can be found on the list. One will make the announcement for the Cardinals’ second-round pick and others will announce for other teams for whom they were legends.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

35 days till the Cardinals’ 2022 season opener vs. Chiefs

Check out some of the players over the years for the Cardinals who have worn No. 35, including Hall of Fame CB Aeneas Williams.

This is the last weekend before preseason football begins. In exactly five weeks, or 35 days, the Arizona Cardinals will open the 2022 season at home in State Farm Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.

No. 35 belongs to rookie Christian Matthew, a cornerback drafted in the seventh round out of Valdosta State. But most will remember Hall of Fame cornerback Aeneas Williams wearing No. 35 (if you are old enough to have seen him play).

Check out some of the players who have worn No. 35 over the years for the team below.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams to announce Cardinals’ 2nd-round pick

Cardinals All-time great Aeneas Williams is set to announce the team’s second round pick this Friday

The Arizona Cardinals, as of right now, are set to pick at No. 55 in the second round of the NFL draft. Day 2 of the draft will be commence Friday at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. Arizona time).

Barring any trades of their second-round pick, Pro Football Hall of Fame member and Cardinals Ring of Honor member Aeneas Williams is set to announce the team’s second round selection.

It’s a trend that has become more popular in recent drafts, where teams send former and current players to announce their later round selections. Commissioner Roger Goodell will, of course, announce the Cardinals’ first round pick Thursday night.

This year, NFL teams are sending players currently on the roster to announce the picks more than they have in recent memory. For example, the likes of Aaron Jones, Chase Claypool, Cameron Jordan and Arik Armstead are all active players for their respective teams. Last year, the Cardinals had Kelvin Beachum announce the selection of Rondale Moore. It’s a cool way to have the players become more involved in the team’s special events.

Williams has announced picks for the Cardinals before. One of the notable selections he called was the 2018 second round selection of WR Christian Kirk.

Other Cardinals “legends” to announce Day 2 selections in years past are Deuce Lutui and Karlos Dansby.

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Homegrown Legends, Round 3: Vote Peyton Manning’s Saints to beat the Rams

Peyton Manning and the New Orleans Saints are going down to the wire against Los Angeles in the Homegrown Legends Tournament semifinals.

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There’s just a day left to vote in Round 3 of the Homegrown Legends tournament, and the New Orleans Saints team of Louisiana superstars is all tied up with the Los Angeles Rams.

That’s not good enough. A loaded roster featuring two league MVP’s at quarterback (Peyton Manning) and at running back (Marshall Faulk), with Ed Reed captaining a defense boasting his Pro Football Hall of Fame peers Aeneas Williams and Fred Dean, should run the L.A. squad off the field. And that’s before we get into the all-world talents still playing today like Tyrann Mathieu, Devin White, Deion Jones, and Odell Beckham Jr.

Be sure to cast your vote so Manning and his team of fictional Saints can advance to the semifinals.

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Rod Woodson, Aeneas Williams expect big things from Darnay Holmes

A trio of Pro Football Hall of Famers have high expectations for New York Giants rookie cornerback Darnay Holmes.

When the New York Giants selected Darnay Holmes in the fourth round of this year’s draft, he immediately received a lot more hype than mid-rounders usually receive.

Holmes was widely considered a steal for the Giants, and his workload may have already grown given the legal troubles cornerback DeAndre Baker is facing.

A few weeks back, Sports Illustrated’s Bucky Brooks raved about the Giants’ fourth round selection, and now several Pro Football Hall of Famers have shared their thought and high expectations on the UCLA product.

Unlike most rookies, Holmes has a few contacts that may have prepped him for his adjustment to the NFL. Holmes’ father was a running back in the NFL in the mid-to-late 90s.

The Giants’ rookie has a few mentors who are members of Canton’s elite — Rod Woodson, Aeneas Williams and Deion Sanders have all mentored Holmes in his path to the NFL. Holmes was the recipient of the DB MVP at Sanders’ Prime21 camp in 2015.

“He might be the sleeper [defensive back] in the draft,” Woodson told ESPN. “I know he was taken in the fourth round. But I like his mindset. No coach can measure one’s heart and one’s mind until you start playing. I think when I’ve seen him playing and talked to Carnell and his son, just the way he moves and how fluid he is and has that recall during the games when people are doing stuff to him that makes you kind of excited to watch a player like that.”

But the admiration for Holmes didn’t end there as Sanders also had some high praise when he referred to the cornerback’s combine performance as both “flawless” and “unbelievable.”

As for his relationship with Aeneas Williams, Holmes was coached by Williams in 2016 for “Nike’s The Opening” and at the Senior Bowl in 2020.

“I was thinking in the back of my mind, a team is going to get a steal, I didn’t know when or where he was going to go, but I know he has a lot more value than where he was drafted. I can tell you that,” Williams said.

Depending on how the legal situation plays out with DeAndre Baker, the Giants may need Holmes to be more pro-ready than they anticipated when they drafted him in April. And although he’s unlikely to start on the outside, some nickel guys may be forced to step up in Baker’s potential absence, thrusting Holmes into a larger role.

Regardless of what his rookie season may entail, it seems that the Giants may have gotten serious value when they took Holmes in the fourth round.

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Hall of Famer and former Cardinals start Aeneas Williams a captain for Senior Bowl

Williams, a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest Cardinals ever, will lead and mentor prospective NFL players at the Senior Bowl.

With the college football season over, for players seeking to play in the NFL, they will prepare for the NFL draft. One of the biggest events for draft evaluation is the Senior Bowl.

The NFL and the Senior Bowl announced that former players — NFL legends — will act as captains for both the North and the South squads.

Among the captains will be Aeneas Williams, a Hall of Famer who was drafted by and played 10 seasons for the Arizona Cardinals.

He joins Torry Holt as the captain for the South team, while Tony Richardson and Mike Rucker will captain the North team.

“These men were all accomplished players on the field during their playing days and each has done great things in their post-playing careers,” said Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy in the press release. “One of our primary goals at the Senior Bowl is to prepare young men for the challenges they will face at the next level and this year’s roster will greatly benefit from the wisdom and mentorship of these Legends.”

Williams was a great player and is a great person as well. He is a great choice to be a mentor for prospective young NFL players. He did things the right way on the practice field, on the field and off the field as well.

The Senior Bowl will be played on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 255

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Ep. 254

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