Tag: all pro

Watch: Taysom Hill throws 50-yard pass, lead-blocks for rushing TD

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill threw a rare pass, connecting for 50 yards. He then blocked on Alvin Kamara’s touchdown run.

What can’t Taysom Hill do? He’s caught passes (including six touchdown throws), ran with the ball, and blocked all over the field, but his detractors — usually fantasy football nerds — point to the few pass attempts he’s made as evidence that he shouldn’t be labeled a quarterback.

So he quieted them by connecting with rookie wideout Deonte Harris on a 50-yard pass in Sunday’s wild-card round game with the Minnesota Vikings. Harris was named a first-team All-Pro for his efforts returning punts and kickoffs, but Saints coach Sean Payton found a way to get the rookie involved on offense against Minnesota. See it for yourself:

But Hill wasn’t finished just yet. After creating this big play, he remained on the field and blocked for Saints running back Alvin Kamara at the goal-line, paving the way for Kamara to fight his way into the end zone. It was Kamara’s fifth rushing touchdown in his last three games:

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Former Longhorn kicker named First-Team All Pro

The former Longhorn kicker has now been selected to five All Pro teams.

An incredibly consistent kicker for the Texas Longhorns in 2010 and 2011, Justin Tucker never seemed to miss a beat while beginning his professional career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012. The same kicker the city of Austin, TX confidently enjoyed watching quickly became an indispensable player for the Ravens.

Receiving an All Pro selection is a prestigious reward that isn’t taken lightly around the league. Tucker is almost as consistent with All Pro selections as he is on the field. Since entering the league, the former Longhorn has been selected to five All Pro teams, four being First-Team selections.

According to ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley, Tucker was selected by a comfortable margin.

The National Football League uses press organizations such as Associated Press (AP) and Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) to select the best player at each position during that respective season.

Tucker has made 28 of 29 field goals and 57 of 59 extra points for the Ravens in 2019. This marks his second-highest season percentage of ninety-six percent.

Michael Thomas one of two unanimous selections for first-team All-Pro

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas and New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore were the only unanimous NFL All-Pros.

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The Associated Press announced its NFL All-Pro teams on Friday, and the New Orleans Saints had six players represented on the two lists. Wide receiver Michael Thomas, right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, linebacker Demario Davis, and returns specialist Deonte Harris were each selected as first-team All-Pros. Edge rusher Cameron Jordan and special teams ace J.T. Gray made the All-Pro second-team.

Interestingly, Thomas was one of just two players to be unanimously selected by the 50-strong panel of voters. He was joined by New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who tied the NFL lead for interceptions (6) on the league’s leading defense for total interceptions (25). That’s rare company for Thomas to join, but as the NFL’s king in both receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725) there’s no doubting his qualifications. Depending on how the playoffs turn out, there’s a good chance Thomas and Gilmore may line up against each other in Super Bowl LIV.

The full list of Saints players who received All-Pro votes go as follows:

  • Wide receiver Michael Thomas, 50
  • Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, 30
  • Punt returner Deonte Harris, 29 (plus 2 votes at kick returner, and 1 at special teamer)
  • Linebacker Demario Davis, 18
  • Edge rusher Cameron Jordan, 12
  • Special teamer J.T. Gray, 3
  • Kicker Wil Lutz, 3
  • Left tackle Terron Armstead, 2
  • Cornerback Marshon Lattimore, 1 (plus 1 vote at defensive back)

So this highlights a few issues with the Associated Press ballot. The biggest problem is that there are inconsistencies between position designations used by different voters, meaning Harris received nominations at punt returner (where he’s done most of his damage), kick returner, and special teamer. Similarly, Lattimore earned votes at both cornerback and defensive back. Until the Associated Press buckles down and makes it more clear which players are qualified for which positions, there are going to be more incongruities. At least Pro Bowl snubs like Davis and Ramczyk got their due.

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Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins named 2019 first-team All-Pro

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been named to his third first-team All-Pro, the Associated Press announced Friday.

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins has done it again.

The former 2013 first-round pick from Clemson was named to his third first-team All-Pro on Friday, the Associated Press announced.

Hopkins caught 104 passes for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns to help the Texans to a 10-6 record and win their second consecutive AFC South title and the sixth division title in franchise history.

For Hopkins, he breaks a tie with Andre Johnson for the most first-team All-Pro selections by a Texans receiver. As a Texans player, Hopkins’ three such selections are second-most in club history behind defensive end J.J. Watt’s five.

Hopkins and the Texans will face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC wild-card Saturday at 3:35 p.m. at NRG Stadium.

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Demario Davis among four Saints on AP All-Pro first-team

Four New Orleans Saints were recognized on the AP All-Pro first-team, including linebacker Demario Davis and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk.

The New Orleans Saints were well-represented on the Associated Press All-Pro Team, with four players named to the first-team. Wide receiver Michael Thomas was the only unanimous selection, but he was joined by teammates including right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, linebacker Demario Davis, and rookie returns specialist Deonte Harris. Only two Saints players were selected for the second-team: edge rusher Cameron Jordan and special teams ace J.T. Gray. Of the six total Saints to appear on the All-Pro teams, five started their careers in New Orleans, and four were acquired in the last three years.

Thomas is the only player of the group who was a first-team All-Pro in 2018; Ramczyk was named to that year’s second-team, along with other Saints players including Jordan, quarterback Drew Brees, and left tackle Terron Armstead. Davis and Harris are each making their first time appearance.

Brees and Armstead being left off the second-team feels like a pair of serious oversights. While they did each miss time with injuries in 2019, there’s no questioning their level of performance. It’s tough to justify both of them missing the cut. On the other hand, it’s great to see Pro Bowl snubs like Davis and Ramczyk get the recognition they so badly deserve.

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Watch: Michael Thomas gifts every Saints teammate a pair of Air Jordan 11 sneakers

New Orleans Saints wideout Michael Thomas celebrated his third Pro Bowl nod by gifting each teammate a fresh pair of Air Jordan sneakers.

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Michael Thomas was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl on Tuesday, and helped celebrate the season on Wednesday by gifting every one of his teammates their own pair of Air Jordan 11 Bred sneakers ahead of Christmas. These shoes run for about $300 at retailers, but Thomas can afford it between the five-year, $100 million contract extension he signed with New Orleans earlier this year and his exclusive sponsorship agreement with Nike as one of their few Jordan brand ambassadors.

He’s previously gifted sneakers to Saints coach Sean Payton, who wore a pair of Air Jordan 11 Concords at the Zurich Classic golf tournament. “He’s got a pretty good shoe deal, different than any coaches have,” Payton joked.

The Saints put together a supercut of various Saints players’ reactions as they received their new kicks, ranging from Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz to veteran wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. It’s great to see Thomas embracing the giving season, and his teammates’ responses speak for themselves. New Orleans’ front office has put a lot of effort into cultivating strong team chemistry in the locker room, and the appreciation these people have for each other is on clear display. You love to see it.

 

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Saints nominate Terron Armstead for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

The New Orleans Saints nominated LT Terron Armstead, a 2018 Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro, for the 2019 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

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The New Orleans Saints nominated left tackle Terron Armstead for this year’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, an award that gives recognition to NFL players who best demonstrate sportsmanship during games. All 32 teams initially select one of their own players for the award, which is then winnowed down to eight finalists. Players vote for the winner while submitting their Pro Bowl ballots later in the regular season. Here’s the list of previous winners, including Armstead’s teammate, Drew Brees:

  • 2018: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees
  • 2017: Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly
  • 2016: Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore
  • 2015: Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson
  • 2014: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald

It’s clear that this is a very exclusive group to be a part of, and even being nominated in the first place says a lot about the respect Armstead’s teammates share for him. Check out the full list of nominees, by team:

The award-winner will receive a $25,000 donation to a charity of their choice as well as a commemorative trophy. Despite playing at a high level throughout his Saints career, Armstead has often been overlooked for Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition. He first made the cut for those clubs in 2018 as a second-team All-Pro, but he had to back out of his Pro Bowl commitments while recovering from an injury suffered during the season. Here’s hoping Armstead gets the recognition he’s due from his peers for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

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