Tag: Bama in the NFL

Former Alabama LB Mack Wilson Sr. signs with Arizona Cardinals

Former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. and the Arizona Cardinals agreed to terms on a three-year deal on Monday. The deal is worth up to $15 million.

One former Alabama linebacker will be heading out west to continue his professional career. On Monday, Mack Wilson Sr. and the Arizona Cardinals agreed on a three-year deal worth up to $15 million.

Wilson Sr. began his career with the Cleveland Browns. There, the Alabama native spent three seasons. He accumulated 163 tackles, five tackles for loss, and one sack.

Prior to the start of the 2022 season, Wilson Sr. was traded to the New England Patriots. In two seasons with the Patriots, Wilson Sr. recorded 73 tackles, six tackles for loss, and five sacks.

Wilson Sr. will be the lone, former Alabama player on the Cardinals roster. This should be a good opportunity for Wilson Sr. to see the field as well. The Cardinals struggled on defense last season, so Wilson Sr. could pave an immediate path to the field.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama football program and its former players in the NFL.

WATCH: Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs shine in first half of NFC Championship game for Lions

The former Alabama stars are shining in the NFC Championship

The Kansas City Chiefs punched their ticket to Super Bowl LVIII earlier on Sunday afternoon as they defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-10. Now Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs await their opponent as the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers battle for NFC supremacy.

The Lions lead the Niners at halftime 24-7 in large part due to the play of a pair of former Alabama Crimson Tide stars, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Williams scored the game’s first points with his 42-yard touchdown run where he weaved through the Niners’ defense and showed off his blazing speed to put the Lions on top.

Then, not to be outdone, Gibbs would scamper in for a 15-yard touchdown run of his own to extend the Detroit lead.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for more coverage of former Alabama stars in the NFL playoffs.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Jaylen Waddle could miss remainder of regular season with ankle injury

Unfortunate injury news for Jaylen Waddle

In a game in which he set a Miami Dolphins record, former Alabama star wide receiver, Jaylen Waddle sprained his ankle and is now likely to miss the remainder of the regular season.

Waddle injured his ankle during the second half of the Dolphins’ win over the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Eve on their way to clinching their spot in the NFL playoffs.

Waddle is the Dolphins’ second-leading receiver behind Tyreek Hill and is one of Tua Tagovailoa’s most trusted targets out wide.

The 25-year-old Waddle has 72 catches for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns this season and now has reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for updates on the status of Waddle and other former Alabama football stars now in the NFL.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Jaylen Waddle makes Miami Dolphins history on Christmas Eve

WADDLE BABY WADDLE!

If you need something to take your mind off of the hectic holiday season look no further than the NFL where former Alabama Crimson Tide football stars continuously make history.

On Christmas Eve, a pair of former Alabama wide receivers did just that. Amari Cooper got things started with his record-breaking performance for the Cleveland Browns followed by Jaylen Waddles setting a Miami Dolphins receiving record.

Waddle eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the third-straight season making him the first Dolphin ever to do so.

Waddle and the Dolphins were also able to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs with their 22-20 win over the Cowboys.

Congratulations to Waddle for achieving such consistent success in the NFL. Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire as we provide continuous coverage of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Former Alabama safety Jordan Battle shining in rookie season with Bengals

Jordan Battle is having an excellent rookie season in Cincy

The number of former Alabama football players that are now in the NFL is so large that it has become increasingly more difficult to keep up with them all and their success.

While it shouldn’t shock any of us, one particular Alabama rookie is standing out in a big way with the Cincinnati Bengals. Jordan Battle, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft is having a stellar season Cincy. In fact, according to PFF College, Battle is the highest-graded rookie run defender in the NFL this season.

Battle has an 85.5 grade in run defense this season and has totaled 52 tackles for the Bengals.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for more coverage on Battle and all of the other former Alabama football standouts who are now stars in the NFL.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

WATCH: Bryce and Tua embrace following first head-to-head matchup in NFL

What an incredible moment between Bryce Young and Tua Tagovailoa

Few college football programs have made their stamp on the National Football League quite like [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In his reign at Tuscaloosa, no school has placed more players in the NFL than the Crimson Tide, in fact, it’s not relatively close.

When you have so many players at the next level, it makes it difficult for the Alabama faithful to find a favorite team in the NFL as they follow the professional careers of the Crimson Tide legends.

On Sunday, rookie Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers had the opportunity to face off against another legendary Alabama quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins.

In the short video below you can see Bryce and Tua embrace for an extended period of time as the commentator explains the relationship between perhaps the two greatest signal callers in Alabama football history.

Tua and the Dolphins would outlast Bryce and the Panthers, 42-21 on Sunday.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire as we continue to follow the NFL careers of these two Alabama icons.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Former Alabama DL LaBryan Ray signs with the Carolina Panthers

Former Alabama defensive lineman finds a new home in the NFL!

The 2023 NFL season is just around the corner and roster movement is now a constant. On Monday it was announced that former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman, LaBryan Ray had signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Ray played for the Crimson Tide from 2017-21 where he accumulated 76 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. He was a member of the 2017 and 2020 national championship teams.

The Madison, Alabama native would go undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft but was signed by the New England Patriots where he spent the entire season before being waived in February 2023.

Ray was a member of the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars where he had three sacks this past season.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

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Minkah Fitzpatrick is the best safety in the NFL, according to recent rankings

Former Alabama star Minkah Fitzpatrick was named the best safety in the NFL

Alabama football is known as an NFL production center. Multiple players at virtually every position have had success at the professional level after coming through Tuscaloosa. Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the best in Crimson Tide history and is now performing just as well in the league.

Fitzpatrick was selected No. 11 overall in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins but was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers within the first few weeks of the 2019 season.

His production has helped shape the impressive Pittsburgh defense and enters 2023 as one of the top performers in the NFL.

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire recently ranked the top safeties in the league and Fitzpatrick sits at the No. 1 spot as the best safety across all 32 teams.

“Last season, Fitzpatrick played 640 snaps at free safety, 161 in the box, 112 in the slot, 14 at cornerback, and 12 along the defensive line,” writes Farrar. “Wherever he was, opposing quarterbacks and receivers were not generally having a great time. Fitzpatrick allowed 25 catches on 36 targets for 369 yards, 123 yards after the catch, one touchdown, six interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 72.3. At safety specifically, whether in single- or two-deep coverage, Fitzpatrick’s field sense and eye for the ball made him an intelligent weapon for Mike Tomlin’s defense at all times.”

The Steelers play in a highly-competitive AFC North and Fitzpatrick will be heavily relied upon to boost the defense as the franchise looks to return to the playoffs in 2023.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Fitzpatrick and other former Alabama players in the NFL.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM. 

Le’Veon Bell says Najee Harris ‘needs to lose weight’

The former Steelers RB says Najee Harris should lose weight before the 2023 NFL season if he wants to be more nimble.

Former Alabama football running back Najee Harris is preparing for the upcoming 2023 NFL season, which will be his third year in the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Harris’ rookie season was his best, but his stats from 2022 weren’t too far behind. If he wants to have a strong 2023 season, former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell recently said he thinks Harris should lose some weight.

“I felt with him, he needs to lose weight,” Bell said on the Steel Here Podcast. “Because I feel like he’s kind of like how I was when I first came into the league. I feel like he wants to be nimble.”

Curt Popejoy of Steelers Wire writes, “[a]t the beginning of the offseason there was some debate about just how heavy Harris played as a rookie. The Steelers site lists Harris at 242 pounds. By comparison, Bell played at Michigan State at 237 pounds and after his rookie struggles, slimmed down to closer to 220 pounds and turned into one of the best all-around backs in the NFL.”

This is a rather blunt message from Bell and honestly isn’t an issue I had thought would be applicable to the elusive running back that has become known for hurdling defenders. Then again, I’m not a professional football player.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Harris and other former Alabama players in the NFL as the 2023 season approaches.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM. 

Former Panthers DB: Bryce Young is capable of anything

Bryce Young receives high praise from former Carolina Panthers safety, Tre Boston.

Former NFL safety Tre Boston played for three different teams from 2014 through 2020, including two separate tints with the Carolina Panthers. He recently joined the crew of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football and briefly discussed the Panther’s most recent first-round pick, quarterback Bryce Young.

Young was the 2021 Heisman winner and had a stellar college career in his two years as the Crimson Tide’s starter.

He was selected first overall in the 2023 draft and is expected to be Carolina’s QB1 for the upcoming NFL regular season. Expectations are high for the former Alabama star, but Boston believes he’s ready for the challenge.

“What I love about Bryce Young is that he has veterans around him,” he said. “Andy Dalton. He has a quarterback coach in Josh McCown. So you, as a young guy, get the veteran leadership that you need. But I would love to allow people to let him have the time that he needs. But I think Bryce Young is capable of doing anything and everything he wants on the field—as long as the Panthers find ways to protect him.”

Boston also said that he thinks the Panthers made the right move in deciding to trade up to No. 1 in order to select Young.

“I think it’s a very smart decision,” he stated. “One thing we know about the Panthers and [general manager] Scott Fitterer is he’s very aggressive. So for them to trade up, get Bryce Young at No. 1—it’s telling the organization and the people who are fans that, ‘Hey, we’re trying to win and we’re trying to do it by making a big impact.’”

There are still a few months before the regular season gets underway and Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Young and other former Alabama players in the NFL.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.