Tag: Blake Bell

4 former Jaguars playing in Super Bowl LVII

Both backup quarterbacks in Super Bowl LVII were once starters for the Jaguars.

The Jacksonville Jaguars came up two wins short from their first trip to the Super Bowl, instead losing in the Divisional Round to the Kansas City Chiefs.

While expectations for the franchise are suddenly sky high, Jaguars fans will have to settle for another year of watching two different teams play for the Lombardi Trophy.

But when the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles meet in Glendale, Ariz. on Sunday, there will be a few familiar faces on the field.

Here are the four former Jaguars set to play in Super Bowl LVII:

Oklahoma Sooners tied with Florida for most players in the Super Bowl

Led by Jalen Hurts, the Oklahoma Sooners are tied with the most players heading to the Super Bowl.

The Oklahoma Sooners share the distinction of most players from their school heading to the Super Bowl. Both the Sooners and the Florida Gators are sending seven to compete for the NFL’s greatest prize.

The Sooners

  • [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag], QB – Philadelphia Eagles
  • [autotag]Lane Johnson[/autotag], T – Philadelphia Eagles
  • [autotag]Tyrese Robinson[/autotag], G – Philadelphia Eagles
  • [autotag]Creed Humphre[/autotag]y, C – Kansas City Chiefs
  • [autotag]Orlando Brown[/autotag], Jr., T – Kansas City Chiefs
  • [autotag]Blake Bell[/autotag], TE – Kansas City Chiefs
  • [autotag]James Winchester[/autotag], LS – Kansas City Chiefs

The Sooners are well-represented on both sides with several players set to play a huge part in deciding the Super Bowl. That includes Pro Bowl selections Brown and Humphrey for Kansas City and, across the sideline, Hurts. (He could also be counted with Alabama, where he spent his first three college seasons, which would give the Crimson Tide four Super Bowl representatives.) Johnson is one of the most accomplished linemen in franchise history – not bad for the former Kilgore College backup quarterback. – Paul Myerburg, USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma Sooners are represented by players from both the Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley eras. By way of playing the most important position on the field, Jalen Hurts is the most significant name on the list. If he plays well, the Eagles are going to have a great chance to win. The argument about “who can claim Hurts” is silly. He was fantastic for Alabama and helped them win a lot of games. It’s just convenient that both schools sport crimson.

It’s possible, though, that Hurts isn’t even the best player on his team. If offensive linemen or lines could win an MVP award, Lane Johnson would be in the running as well. His emergence into one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL is nothing short of extraordinary. Hurts and Johnson are evidence of what’s possible if you’re willing to work for it. Of course, they have the God-given talent to make their work ethic mean something.

On the Chiefs side of things, former Bill Bedenbaugh pupils Orlando Brown and Creed Humphrey will be tasked with keeping Patrick Mahomes upright. Humphrey is arguably the best center in the game, and Brown is no slouch at tackle either. That duo is a significant reason why the Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl.

Sooner faithful will have no shortage of rooting interests when the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs meet on Super Bowl Sunday.

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7 former Vikings have a chance at winning a Super Bowl

All four teams remaining have at least one former Minnesota Viking

The Minnesota Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs when they lost to the New York Giants in the NFL’s wild-card round of the playoffs. Even with the Vikings out, there are still some reasons to cheer during Conference Championship Sunday.

This weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Bengals for the AFC Championship. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles host the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC Championship. Let’s look at some former Vikings who are lacing up for different teams this weekend.

9 former Sooners heading to conference championships in the NFL

No university has more active former players heading to conference championship weekend than Oklahoma.

No program will boast more former players on the NFL’s conference championship weekend than the University of Oklahoma. There will be a total of nine former Sooners competing for a trip to Glendale, Arizona and Super Bowl LVI.

The program closest to OU in this regard is the University of Michigan with seven former players. The closest current Big 12 program to Oklahoma would be Texas Tech, which has three players. Future Big 12 member Cincinnati also has three.

While there seems to be some argument between Oklahoma and Alabama fans as to which school is allowed to claim Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, he did have a solid day against the New York Giants in the Divisional Round. Meanwhile, Joe Mixon rushed for over 100 yards and a touchdown for the Cincinnati Bengals against the Buffalo Bills.

Few of the remaining players have as much on the line as Hurts, who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this postseason. A trip to the Super Bowl could lead to a very hefty pay day.

Let’s take a look at the former Sooners who will be vying for a Super Bowl berth.

 

 

 

Chiefs TE Blake Bell discusses road back from injury, Week 17 touchdown

#Chiefs TE Blake Bell said it was a long journey back to the field after his injury and credited the team’s training and strength staff for getting him there.

It was what looked like a routine play in the preseason for Kansas City Chiefs TE Blake Bell, but the results of the play would lead to a hip flexor injury, surgery, and his subsequent placement on injured reserve at the onset of the 2022 NFL season. It was not how the veteran had envisioned his ninth NFL season would begin, but those are the cards he was dealt

Andy Reid said at the beginning of the season that there was a chance that Bell would be able to return, but he indicated it wouldn’t be for a while. Bell wouldn’t make his 2022 NFL season debut until Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks. For the 31-year-old, it was a long road back with a lot of gradual progress.

“Hats off and credit to the strength staff in the training room and getting me right in there,” Bell told reporters after the Week 16 game. “But yeah, it was a long journey. I’ve been excited and each and every week I’ve been back, I’m trying to get better each week and kind of knock the rust off. But like I said, I’m just happy to be out there with my boys and back in the locker room.”

Week 17 against the Denver Broncos was just Bell’s second game back since his activation. He caught what was his first regular-season receiving touchdown and only the second receiving touchdown of his career.

The moment signified that Bell was, in fact, back. He took a hit to his lower body on the play as he tumbled into the endzone. Bell wasn’t so much nervous about the impact, but he did get a little nervous when the play went to replay review.

“100% but you know, that’s just me,” Bell said. “If I’ve got the ball in my hands like that maybe I should just dive over that guy next time (if) he’s going to just go down (low) like that. It was a great play and hats off to Pat (Mahomes) and the O-line and everyone doing their job but man, I’m glad to be back and it’s been great.”

Bell became the 11th player on the Chiefs’ offense with a receiving touchdown this season. He’s now becoming accustomed to what this iteration of the offense is all about — everyone has an opportunity to contribute.

“Absolutely,” Bell said. “If you’re on that field, rather it’s run or pass, you just have no idea (what’s going to happen). But anytime you run a route, you’ve got to be ready because you’ve got 15 (Patrick Mahomes) and you never know what happens with him.”

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Here’s what Chiefs HC Andy Reid saw from Blake Bell, Danny Shelton in Week 16

#Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke about the performance of both TE Blake Bell and DT Danny Shelton in Week 16.

The Kansas City Chiefs had a player return to the lineup in Week 16, but they also had a player make his debut with the team.

Veteran TE Blake Bell returned to the lineup after being activated to the 53-man roster from injured reserve. Veteran DT Danny Shelton played after being elevated to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. Both players would appear in their first regular season game since the 2021 NFL season.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid liked what he saw from both players in the limited number of snaps they played.

“Yeah, so it was good to get Blake (Bell) back in and work,” Reid said. “He didn’t have a ton of snaps, but he had enough to help. Danny (Shelton) I thought was kind of in that same situation, not a ton of snaps, but he did a nice job when called on. Can I tell what’s going (to happen)? No. You’ll get Khalen Saunders back, and so how does that fit with Danny’s situation? Blake, he’ll probably still be in the rotation there. But Danny, I can’t tell you how that will go for him, but we sure are glad to have him. He’s a great kid and a good football player.”

It sounds like Bell will continue to work back into the lineup for Kansas City and could see an increased number of snaps in the final two weeks of the regular season. He’s been a vital piece of the offense as a blocker and a ball carrier on quarterback sneaks in his previous seasons with the team.

As for Shelton, he’ll continue on the practice squad as a key depth piece for the defense. Khalen Saunders is expected to return this week after dealing with an illness, which likely means that Shelton won’t be elevated from the practice squad for Week 17. Other illnesses and injuries could pop up along the interior defensive line, which makes Shelton’s snaps in Week 16 all the more important going forward.

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Chiefs make roster moves ahead of Week 16 vs. Seahawks

The #Chiefs have placed TE Jody Fortson on injured reserve and activated TE Blake Bell to the 53-man roster. They also brought up one player from the practice squad.

The Kansas City Chiefs made a pair of roster moves on Friday in addition to their usual practice squad elevation.

As expected, the Chiefs have placed TE Jody Fortson on injured reserve. Fortson suffered a dislocated elbow in the Week 15 win over the Houston Texans. He’ll be required to miss the next four weeks at a minimum on injured reserve, meaning he won’t be eligible to return until the second week of the playoffs.

In a corresponding move, the team activated TE Blake Bell to the 53-man roster from injured reserve. Bell returns after suffering a hip flexor injury in Week 1 of the preseason. The Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks will be his first meaningful game since the AFC title game last season.

Bell’s return was a bit of a surprise given that he was just designated to return from injured reserve this past week, while Mecole Hardman was designated to return a week ago. Andy Reid spoke about the situation on Thursday.

“Listen, I’ll give you what I feel at this point without checking with (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder),” Reid proclaimed. “I feel pretty good about (Blake) Bell (but) Mecole (Hardman), I’m not sure he’s where he needs to be, but we’ll talk to him and we’ll just see. We have him in a very limited role, and I want to check with the kid and Rick here – and Rick will talk to Mecole, too.”

As for the practice squad elevations, the team only made one this week, but it tells us a bit about who will be inactive on Sunday. With DT Khalen Saunders listed as doubtful, the Chiefs have activated DT Danny Shelton via standard elevation. This is the first time that the former first-round draft pick Shelton has been activated to the 53-man roster this season. He should see some action in the rotation alongside Derrick Nnadi and Brandon Williams with Saunders expected to sit with his illness.

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Chiefs designate TE Blake Bell to return from injured reserve

The Belldozer has officially been designated to return from injured reserve. #ChiefsKingdom

The Kansas City Chiefs have officially designated TE Blake Bell to return from injured reserve per the NFL’s daily personnel notice.

Bell was spotted back at practice on Tuesday, signifying the team had officially opened his practice window. The veteran tight end was placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 1 after he suffered a hip flexor injury during the preseason tilt with the Chicago Bears.

The team maintained that Bell had a chance to return from the injury at some point this season. He missed the first 15 weeks of the season recovering from the hip injury, but he returns at the perfect time with TE Jody Fortson suffering an elbow subluxation. Now, Bell will have a chance to come back and contribute for the stretch run.

Bell appeared in all 16 regular season games with the Chiefs last season, catching nine passes for 87 yards. He also had four carries for 10 yards and four first downs on the season. That’s a part of his presence that the team has sorely missed, as they’re one of the worst in the league this season at converting on third-and-short.

Remember, being designated to return doesn’t mean that Bell is returning to the 53-man roster for the upcoming Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks. When a team designates a player to return from injured reserve it opens a 21-day practice window where they can begin practicing with the team. Bell still needs to be activated to the team’s 53-man roster. If he isn’t activated by the end of that 21-day window he’ll remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

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Latest update on Chiefs players on injured reserve

#Chiefs HC Andy Reid gave an update on TE Blake Bell and RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who both remain on injured reserve.

Update: As it turns out, the Chiefs have designated Blake Bell for return from injured reserve. He was spotted at practice on Tuesday, an indication that the team has opened his 21-day practice window.

Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid provided a brief update on a pair of players who remain on injured reserve.

Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire is eligible to be designated to return from injured reserve after missing the past four games with a high ankle sprain. While he is eligible to return, Reid confirmed that the team will not open up Edwards-Helaire’s 21-day practice window this week.

“He’s getting close,” Reid said of Edwards-Helaire. “He’s not quite there yet. But he is getting close and he’s working his tail off. We’ll just see. He won’t be out there this week.”

With the running game looking better than it has all season, it’s safe to assume the Chiefs won’t rush Edwards-Helaire back from injured reserve. Reid does seem to at least suggest that a return is possible for Edwards-Helaire in the coming weeks.

With news about TE Jody Fortson suffering a dislocated elbow, Reid was also asked about the status of TE Blake Bell. You might recall that Bell suffered a hip flexor injury during the preseason and was placed on injured reserve at the onset of the season. Reid still seems to be hopeful that Bell could return this season, but wouldn’t get into any timelines or potentialities as it relates to this week.

“Yeah, there’s a chance that happens,” Reid said of Bell returning.

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Oklahoma Sooners vs. Baylor Bears All-Time Series History

Oklahoma gets set to host the Baylor Bears on Saturday on ESPN+. From @john9williams

Oklahoma and Baylor played one time in the early days of college football, back in 1901, and went 72 years before meeting on the gridiron again. Before the Big 12 was formed in 1996, the Sooners and the Bears only met five times, with the Sooners winning all five nonconference matchups.

Even during an era of football that is one of Oklahoma’s worst, the Sooners beat the Bears every time during the John Blake era. Oklahoma dominated the series until a fateful road trip to Waco in 2011 introduced the world to [autotag]Robert Griffin III[/autotag].

The Sooners were the No. 5 team in the nation at the time, and after the Sooners took a 24-17 early third-quarter lead, the Bears scored 21 unanswered points to go up 38-24. [autotag]Blake Bell[/autotag] scored two of his four rushing touchdowns in the fourth, the second with 51 seconds remaining in the game. It took [autotag]RGIII[/autotag] 43 seconds to march the Bears down the field for a last-minute touchdown to pull off Baylor’s first win over the Oklahoma Sooners ever.

Since 2011, the Sooners are 8-4 vs. the Bears, and the two sides have played some hard-fought games. Five of the 12 matchups have come down to 10 points or fewer, and even in the 2020 27-14 win, it was tightly contested for much of the game.

A historical look at the series between Oklahoma and Baylor via Winsipedia.