Tag: Badgers in NFL

Former Badger wins AFC Defensive Player of the Month

Steelers’ stud gets another NFL honor

The month of September is somehow already coming to an end and after three full weeks of NFL action, former Badgers linebacker T.J. Watt was selected as the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Month.

Watt had a stellar month, recording 11 tackles, including six sacks, while also recording two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown in Week 2 versus the Browns.

Since he entered the league in 2017, Watt leads all players with 83.5 sacks over 90 total career games over his first six-plus seasons with the Steelers. He’s truly amongst the most elite players in the entire NFL.

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Internet reacts to potential Jonathan Taylor trade

Where will Taylor end up if traded?

Former Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor has been officially given permission to request a trade from the Indianapolis Colts. Taylor has spent three seasons with the Colts after being drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

There has been plenty of conversations surrounding the state of the running back position in the league and Taylor’s potential trade has been at the forefront of the coverage.

If he does end up with another team, they’d be getting a running back that has performed as good as any during his short time in the NFL.

Here’s some of the best reactions to the Jonathan Taylor situation from the website formerly known as Twitter:

Steelers sign another former Badger

Former Badgers wideout signs with Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are quickly becoming the “Pittsburgh Badgers” signing another former Badger athlete in wide receiver Aron Cruickshank on Monday.

Cruickshank was a member of Wisconsin’s football team from 2018-2019 before transferring to Rutgers. During his time in Madison, the 5-foot-10 athlete was mostly a return specialist.

In his two years with the Badgers, he combined to return 49 kickoffs for 1,207 yards and two touchdowns (both in 2019). Cruickshank also turned nineteen carries into 189 yards and two scores while reeling in four passes for 40 yards as well.

He will now join a Pittsburgh squad that includes former Badgers like T.J. Watt, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton amongst others.

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Badger Countdown: T.J Watt highlight reel as number 42 with Badgers

head coach Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin squad are now 42 days away from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall.

The countdown continues as the Badger football season closes in and head coach Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin squad are now 42 days away from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall.

T.J. Watt, NFL star and former Badger, wore number 42 while a member of Wisconsin’s football team from 2014-2016. He recorded a total of 70 tackles, including 11.5 sacks (all in 2016), while intercepting a pass, deflecting six others, forcing two fumbles and recovering another over 22 contests.

Watt went on to be selected 30th overall (first round) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 NFL Draft and he’s blossomed into one of the best defenders, if not overall player in the NFL.

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Highest-rated former Badgers in Madden 24

Which Badgers are rated the highest in Madden 24?

The 2023 NFL season is on the horizon and the annual Madden video game is set to be released in August. It’s always a big deal across the internet and in all forms of media, which players are rated too high or too low.

For a long time, former Wisconsin defensive lineman J.J. Watt was the highest rated Badger in Madden, but he’s now retired and a new breed of Wisconsin athletes have taken over the NFL.

There are many former Badger football players in the league, some better than others. Here’s how the top-rated current NFL players in Madden 24 at each position from Wisconsin stack up:

WATCH: CFB Report shares highlight reel from legendary game

With Badger fans already on the edge of their seats ahead of the 2023 season, the College Football Report got them even more fired up Friday.

With Badger fans already on the edge of their seats ahead of the 2023 season, the College Football Report got them even more fired up Friday. They tweeted out a highlight reel from Wisconsin’s 70-31 Big Ten Championship victory over Nebraska.

In that contest, three legendary running backs (Montee Ball, James White, Melvin Gordon) produced some insane stat lines, as seen below. All three of the athletes went on to the NFL, two of which, White (3x) and Gordon (2023) have won Super Bowls.

Ball-carriers like these guys have made it hard to ignore Wisconsin as the potential “running back university” and stars like Jonathan Taylor and Braelon Allen have followed in their footsteps in recent years.

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Badger Countdown: Wisconsin center selected 43rd overall in 2023 Draft

The CFB season is almost on us and Luke Fickell and his Badgers are now 43 days away from their 2023 season opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2.

The college football season is almost on us and Luke Fickell and his Badgers are now 43 days away from their 2023 opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2. Also approaching their own football campaign is former Badger offensive lineman Joe Tippmann, who was selected in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.

Tippmann spent four seasons with the Badgers from 2019-2022 and he will now look to become the next star offensive lineman to come out of Wisconsin and excel at the NFL level.

He’s expected to open the 2023 campaign as the backup to Connor McGovern at center in New York, though he could earn a starting role if he impresses at camp and in the preseason.

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Badger Countdown: Colts RB finishes Wisconsin career with 50 TDs

The return of college football is on the horizon and the Badgers are now 50 days away from their season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2.

The return of college football is on the horizon and the Badgers are now 50 days away from their season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. A former Badger running back and current Indianapolis Colt Jonathan Taylor finished his career at Wisconsin with 50 total rushing touchdowns.

Taylor spent three seasons with the Badgers from 2017-2019, becoming an instant star in his freshman campaign. In his first year, he ran for 1,977 yards and 13 scores while finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

In year two, he produced a career-high 2,194 yards while rushing for 16 touchdowns once again earning enough votes to be in the top 10 of the Heisman award (9th).

His junior season was another super successful campaign with Taylor compiling 2,003 yards and a career-best 21 rushing scores. Finishing fifth in the Heisman voting, Taylor remained one of the best players in the country.

In both 2018 and 2019, Taylor won the Doak Walker award for the best running back in the nation, becoming the first two-time winner since Darren McFadden in 2006 and 2007.

Taylor went on to be selected in the second round (41st overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts and he’s quickly become one of the best ball-carriers in the league.

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Badger Countdown: Former number 53 signs new NFL deal

The return of college football is on the horizon and the Badgers are now 53 days away from their 2023 opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2.

The return of college football is on the horizon and the Badgers are now 53 days away from their 2023 opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. With Luke Fickell at the helm, many believe that Wisconsin’s defense will remain one of the top units in the country and one of the team’s former stars got a new NFL deal this offseason.

After an incredibly successful four-year career with Wisconsin from 2015-2018, T.J. Edwards, who wore number 53 with the Badgers, went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, but he quickly found his footing in the league.

He signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent and he increased production in each of his four campaigns with Philadelphia. He went from 30 tackles in 2019 to 159 in 2023, recording a 389 total takedowns over that stretch.

Edwards became a free agent again this past offseason following the Eagles’ trip to the Super Bowl in February and he decided to move on to a new squad. The linebacker signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears and he will be pairing up with his former Badger teammate Jack Sanborn.

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Badger Countdown: Former OT set to be inducted into NFL HOF as No. 73

Badger Countdown: Former OT set to be inducted into NFL HOF as No. 73

The 2023 college football season is on the horizon and the Badgers are now 73 days away from their season opener versus Buffalo at home on Sept. 2. In August’s NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony, former Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas, who wore number 73 with the Cleveland Browns, will be amongst those enshrined.

From Brookfield, Wisconsin, Thomas spent the 2003-2006 seasons as a member of the Badgers’ offensive line. After he went third overall to the Cleveland Browns in the 2007 NFL Draft, Thomas at one point made 167 straight starts for the Browns at left tackle, playing an NFL record 10,363 offensive snaps over that stretch.

Additionally, the offensive lineman was inducted into UW-Madison’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 and he will now be a hall of famer at the highest level.

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