Tag: Antwaan Randle El

Lions WR coach Antwaan Randle El interviews for Buccaneers coordinator opening

Antwaan Randle El was on the TB staff before joining the Lions in 2021

The Dan Campbell coaching tree could be spawning off a new branch. Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El has interviewed for the offensive coordinator position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Randle El is one of two candidates noted by Aaron Wilson who have completed interviews to be the new OC under head coach Todd Bowles. Tampa Bay is looking to replace Dave Canales, who left to become the head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

Randle El has been with the Lions throughout the Campbell era, joining the team in 2021. Before that, the longtime NFL wideout was on the Buccaneers offensive staff for two seasons.

Bucs complete OC interview with Detroit Lions’ Antwaan Randle El

Randle El is no stranger to Tampa Bay, as he was an offensive assistant under Bruce Arians when the Bucs won the Super Bowl in 2020.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have completed another interview for their offensive coordinator position, and the candidate in question has some notable Tampa Bay ties.

The Bucs announced Monday that they interviewed Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El for their offensive coordinator position. While the team announced it on Monday, they revealed that they conducted the interview over Zoom on Friday before Randle El coached in Detroit’s 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Randle El is no stranger to the Bucs and even has some Super Bowl pedigree with the team. He joined Bruce Arians’ Bucs staff in 2019 as an offensive assistant and won a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2020. He joined the Lions in 2021 and has been there since as a wide receivers coach.

Randle El, much like Dave Canales the year prior, has not called plays. Under his coaching in 2023, the Lions wideouts have netted 30 TDs, 4,401 yards on 408 receptions.

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Former Steelers WR helps lead Lions to NFC divisional round of playoffs

Ex-Steelers WR Antwaan Randle El has been part of the Detroit Lions staff since 2021.

The Detroit Lions have just won their first playoff game since 1992, and former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El is part of the reason why.

Randle El spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons as an offensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped lead them to a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

And now he’s making another postseason run in the quest for a second ring.

Randle El was hired as Detroit’s wide receivers coach in 2021.

As a player, Randle El came into the NFL via the second round (No. 62 overall) by the Steelers 2002 draft.

In five seasons with the Black and Gold (2002-2005, 2010), Randle El produced 2,265 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also a threat as a special teamer, adding 1,650 yards and four scores on punt returns and 1,742 yards and one touchdown on kick returns.

And, of course, who can forget the beautiful touchdown pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl 50? Not us.

Another former Steeler, cornerback Cam Sutton, is also a member of the Lions.

Best of luck to Randle El and Sutton as the Lions host the winner of tonight’s Buccaneers-Philadelphia Eagles wild card matchup.

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Commanders season opener in 82 days: Washington’s best No. 82?

Michael Westbrook never lived up to his potential, but still did some good things for Washington.

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Commanders Wire continues a countdown to the Commanders season opener for 2023 in 82 days. Who was Washington’s best player wearing number 82?

There have been some unheralded Washington players who wore No. 82 and one who was a Pro-Bowler.

Here are my top five Washington players who wore No. 82

  • 5. Jimmie Jones was a 6-5, lean pass rusher that George Allen brought to Washington. Jones was part of three playoff teams (1971-73) and was a 3rd down pass rusher for the Redskins whose record on those three teams was 9-4-1, 11-3 and 10-4. Jones enjoyed a significant impact on the 1971 team, not starting, but still collected 7.5 sacks in 14 games.
  • 4. Dallas Hickman (1976-81) never started a game for Washington. But the linebacker made his impact on special teams covering punts and kickoffs. He was an animal and known for his self-sacrificing hustle. He did collect 2.5 sacks in 1980. Drafted in the 9th round (228th) from the California Golden Bears, Hickman played in 91 games for Washington.
  • 3. Current Commanders analyst Logan Paulsen in his five seasons with Washington (2010-14) was a big physical blocking tight end for the most part. Paulsen did collect 28 receptions in 2013 and 25 in 2012.
  • 2. Antwaan Randle El came to Washington (2006-09) following four seasons in Pittsburgh (2002-05).  The former Indiana Hoosier quarterback converted to wide receiver in the NFL and caught 32, 51, 53 and 50 receptions, averaging 11.0, 14.3, 11.2 and 10.6 yards per reception in his four seasons in Burgundy and Gold. He returned a punt for a touchdown in 2006.
  • 1. Michael Westbrook was drafted fourth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft out of Colorado and enjoyed 7 seasons in Washington (1995-2001). Westbrook was gifted physically at 6-3, 220. He caught 285 receptions for 4,374 yards (15.3) and 26 receiving touchdowns.

Westbrook was the leading receiver for the NFC East champs in 1999 when he collected 65 receptions for 1,191 yards averaging a career-best 18.3 yards per reception. He caught 47 first downs that season, as well as 9 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, Westbrook might best be remembered by Washington fans for his attack on teammate running back Stephen Davis during the 1997 training camp. Westbrook suddenly struck Davis several times in the face. Several teammates were upset with the outburst by Westbrook, which left Davis with his right eye swollen nearly shut. Davis was recovering from knee surgery and was in shorts and a T-shirt.

Westbrook was fined $50,000, suspended for the final preseason week, and demoted from starting the 1997 season opener at the Carolina Panthers.

 

 

 

Ron Rivera, Eric Bieniemy on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot for 2024

Alex Smith and Antwaan Randle El were among other former Washington players who were on the ballot.

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Several former and current members of the Washington NFL organization were named on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Among those prominent names are current head coach Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

Rivera played at California from 1980-83, leading the Golden Bears in tackles in each of his final three seasons. Rivera was a consensus All-American in 1983 and the Pac-12 defensive player of the year. Rivera was a second-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 1984, where he played nine NFL seasons.

Bieniemy played for Colorado from 1987-90, finishing his college career with 3,940 rushing yards and 41 rushing touchdowns. He led the Buffaloes to a national championship in 1990.

Other former Washington players — and a coach — were also on the ballot:

  • QB Alex Smith [Utah]: 2018-20 w/Washington
  • DE Marco Coleman [Georgia Tech]: 1999-2001 w/Washington
  • WR Antwaan Randle El [Indiana]: 2006-09 w/Washington
  • S Mark Carrier [USC] 2000 w/Washington
  • RB Ki-Jana Carter [Penn State] 2001 w/Washington
  • QB Matt Cavanaugh [Pitt]: Washington’s QB coach/OC from 2015-19

Congratulations to each of the nominees.

NFL draft history: Every player chosen with the 62nd pick since 2010

We’re looking at every player selected No. 62 overall since the 2000 NFL Draft and the Philadelphia Eagles’ chances of landing an impact player.

The Eagles need impact players on both sides of the ball, and with two first-round picks in this month’s draft, Howie Roseman will have another opportunity to add depth to a Super Bowl-caliber roster.

With so much parity in college football now, second-round picks are expected to be dynamic players, but the list of No. 62 overall selections leaves a lot to be desired.

The previous 13 choices at 62nd overall have combined for two All-Pro selections, three Pro Bowl selections, and two All-Rookie Team selections.

With the NFL draft fast approaching, we’re looking at every player selected with the 62nd pick since 2000.

 

Lions training camp position preview: Wide receivers

Detroit has overhauled the WR room in the last year but still has some question marks

Next up in the positional preview series for the Detroit Lions are the wide receivers. This is a group that looks a lot different than it did a year ago, and that’s a very good thing.

The Lions have added quite a bit of talent after seeing one of last year’s rookies emerge as a top-flight weapon. Detroit has placed an emphasis on speed, length and playmaking ability that was notably in absentia in 2021.

Lions training camp position preview: Tight end

Lions training camp position preview: Running back

Lions training camp position preview: Quarterback

Herman Moore headlines several former Lions nominated for College Football Hall of Fame

Moore is joined by Reggie Bush, Mark Carrier and others on a list that also includes a current Lions coach and another in the front office

The nominees for the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 are now finalized. Several players who spent at least part of their NFL careers with the Detroit Lions made the cut for the upcoming class.

Most prominent on the list is wide receiver Herman Moore, who dominated at Virginia en route to becoming the 10th overall pick in the 1991 NFL draft by the Lions. He is the only player who will be best-known for his NFL career in Detroit and not with other teams.

The remainder of the nominees with Lions blood in their NFL veins:

  • RB Reggie Bush
  • DB Mark Carrier
  • EDGE Dwight Freeney
  • CB Todd Lyght
  • QB Kellen Moore
  • DT Haloti Ngata
  • LB Matt Russell

In addition to those players, two current Lions administrators are also among the nominees. Wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El is nominated for his playing days at Indiana, while front office special assistant John Dorsey earned a berth for his playing days at UConn.

As a disclaimer, I am a voter for the Hall and will include Moore, Bush and Carrier on my ballot.

Lions WR coach Antwaan Randle El offers praise, critique of draft prospect Jalen Tolbert

Randle El saw things he liked with Tolbert but also offered some constructive criticism of the big wideout from South Alabama

One of the great advantages the Detroit Lions got from coaching the American team in the Senior Bowl last week was the ability to learn which players meshed with their coaching staff and style. Lions WR coach Antwaan Randle El offered a good look at how that can work in his comments on South Alabama wideout Jalen Tolbert.

Tolbert, a 6-1 outside receiver playing in his home stadium all week, drew mixed reviews from those of us in attendance in Mobile. Randle El effectively gave his young pupil a mixed review of his own.

“Jalen can play. Yeah, I have no question about Jalen in terms of him catching the ball, route-running and things of that nature,” Randle El offered up to reporters on Thursday in Mobile. “He’s just got to work on small stuff, like his stance. He stands very tall in his stance and in this league, like I’ve already told him, I said, ‘You’ve got no chance.’ Like, you can’t be at the line of scrimmage just standing (straight up).”

Randle El continued,

“So you’ll see in his work today and even yesterday, he started correcting. You can watch the film and you can see the improvement. Sometimes he’s standing up and you’ll see him start getting down and getting more in that defensive or that I’m-shot-out-of-a-cannon stance, and that helps him even with to get into his routes even quicker. And then you seen him make some plays down the field. That was the other thing, so that stood out to us.”

The ability to process constructive criticism and coaching and adapt to what these unfamiliar coaches want is something that separates prospects. Tolbert’s progress through the week showed he can incorporate how Randle El teaches and coaches directly into his game. That’s a feather in Tolbert’s cap in his quest to get drafted by the Lions, or any other team for that matter.

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Lions WR coach Antwaan Randle El wants Lions to ‘draft 2 and bring in 1’ wideout this offseason

Lions WR coach Antwaan Randle El wants the Lions to ‘draft 2 and bring in 1’ wideout this offseason

It’s no secret: the Detroit Lions need help at wide receiver this offseason. The team’s WR coach, longtime NFL wideout Antwaan El Randle, is keenly aware. And Randle El has a plan for how to make it happen.

In a conversation with reporters in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, Randle El laid it out.

“I’m excited about our competition going into next year, especially if we’re able to bring (pending free agents) Josh (Reynolds) back and bring Kalif (Raymond) back,” Randle El stated. “It’ll be some real competition, which we need. And I told them all — I said I’m trying to draft two and bring in one, ’cause it’s going to be some competition. I want it to be competition. That’s the only thing that makes them better. So they’re expecting that. And they know it and that’s part of the game.”

It’s an ambitious plan, but not one without merit. With Amon-Ra St. Brown as a building block off a fantastic finish to his rookie season, the Lions have the potential to quickly rise from one of the NFL’s weakest overall wideout corps to one that’s an asset in the new offense. The Lions have four draft picks between the Rams’ pick at the end of the first round and the end of the third round once the compensatory picks are assigned. They also have more than enough cap room in free agency to meet Randle El’s desire to add a veteran, too.

If you’re looking for a clue on who might be one of the wide receivers Randle El is interested in drafting, note that Randle El brought up Memphis speedster Calvin Austin without prompting. Austin has had a very impressive week of Senior Bowl practices under Randle El’s watch.