Tag: Charles Woodson

Will Colorado’s Travis Hunter be a dominant 2-way player in the NFL?

Eagles DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson questions whether Colorado’s Travis Hunter can dominate as a 2-way player in NFL

Shedeur Sanders threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns — three to Travis Hunter — and Colorado held off FCS power North Dakota State 31-26 in a hard-fought victory on Thursday night in Boulder.

Hunter recorded seven passes for 132 yards and the three scores, including a 3-yard touchdown reception with a defensive back hanging all over him, giving Colorado a 31-20 lead with 7:57 left.

Hunter was dominant on offense, playing 43 snaps on defense, logging three tackles, and playing shutdown defense at cornerback. Hunter will surely be a top-five pick in next April’s NFL Draft, and his dominance — not seen since Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey — have some debating whether that pace, snap count and big plays will translate to the NFL.

In a respectful Twitter debate on X, Robert Griffin III insinuated that Hunter would continue to dominate, while Eagles C.J. Gardner-Johnson said, “Not so fast.”

It’s been almost 30 years since a player other than a quarterback, offensive tackle, or edge rusher was taken with the No. 1 pick. The last time was in 1996 when the New York Jets took USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.

A dynamic offensive weapon, Hunter could be an even better cornerback. In a game where pass catchers are making $30 million per season, Hunter could position himself to reset the market at that position if he can transition without difficulty.

The questions are intriguing and will be answered a year from now.

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Derek Carr says Taysom Hill is the best player he has ever played with

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr went on the record to talk about the best football player he’s ever played with: Taysom Hill.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr went on record recently in an interview to state who he believes is the best football player he’s ever played with. With teammates such as Khalil Mack, Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby, Rodney Hudson, and even Charles Woodson for a period, his teammates on the Raiders alone were outstanding.

Yet with that in mind, in an interview with the Pardon My Take podcast, Carr did not mince words when saying that Taysom Hill is the best player he has ever played with.

“Taysom’s the best football player I’ve ever played with,” Carr said. No filler, no nothing, he just got straight to the point, and he would go on to talk more about Hill and why he believes he has been his best teammate.

“He can do everything,” Carr continued. “Throws, runs, catches, fullback, quarterback, tight end, receiver in the slot, blocks punts, personal protector. Just because of how stats work, I don’t know how the stats work, but that man is a Hall of Fame football player.”

Ultimately, Taysom may be the best “football player” by definition that we have seen in a long time, as not many players if any around the league can impact a game in as many different ways as he can. The ability to play pretty much any skill position or special teams protective position is a level of versatility is one that makes him extremely valuable to the Saints.

Jeff Passan of ESPN refers to these types of players as “super-utility” players in baseball, and I believe that is the closest equivalent to what Taysom brings to the Saints, as is evident by how he is revered by teammates and coaches alike. It’s clear he draws a lot of respect inside the building.

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Raiders DB Charles Woodson named to top 100 athletes of 21st century

Raiders DB Charles Woodson named to top 100 athletes of 21st century

Charles Woodson is inarguably one of the best defensive backs in NFL history. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021 after 18 incredible seasons in the league. Woodson was also one of the greatest college football players ever, winning the 1997 Heisman Trophy Award.

But where does Woodson rank among the best athletes outside of just the NFL? ESPN recently put together a list of the top 100 athletes of the 21st century and of course, Woodson appeared on the list. Here is what the site had to say about the superstar defensive back:

Woodson’s career was a three-act play. In Oakland, as a Heisman Trophy-winning No. 4 pick, he was a hard-partying, hard-playing Hall of Fame talent. In Green Bay, he became a Hall of Famer.

And with his return to the Raiders, he became a legend, making the switch from wild youngster at cornerback to sage vet at free safety. And if he lost a step, it was one precious few others ever had. “It was a beautiful transition,” Woodson said, “if you will.”

Woodson came in at No. 100 on the list, but you can certainly make a case that he should be higher. He was arguably the best defensive back in the nation for nearly two decades and his steady play year-over-year made him one of the most reliable athletes in sports.

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Charles Woodson, Dick Butkus among 35 to be enshrined in NHS Football Hall of Fame

The National High School Football Hall of Fame will enshrine 35 people into the class of 2024, including Charles Woodson, Dick Butkus and Billy Sims.

The National High School (NHS) Football Hall of Fame is set to celebrate the prep careers of 35 football players and contributors who advanced the game in the 2024 Hall of Fame inductions, which will take place during the weekend of June 7.

Players including Billy Sims, Charles Woodson, Dick Butkus, Eric Dickerson, and Ted Ginn Jr. were enshrined June 8 at Canton’s Umstattd Performing Arts Hall.

Jeannette High School has three different people represented: coach Joe Mucci, running back Dick Hoak, and quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Here is the full list of players who are to be inducted, along with their high school and graduation year:

  • Andre Rison, WR, Northwestern High School (1985)
  • Billy Sims, RB, Hook High School (1975)
  • Bob Golic, DT, St. Joseph’s High School (1975)
  • Bobby DiGeronimo, Contributor (Independence, OH)
  • Cal Jack Jones, G, Steubenville High School (1952)
  • Charles Woodson, RB, Ross High School (1995)
  • Chuck Ealey, QB, Notre Dame High School (1967)
  • Chuck Kyle, Coach, St. Ignatius High School
  • Dexter Manley, DT, Yates High School (1978)
  • Dick Butkus, LB, Vocational High School (1961)
  • Dick Hoak, RB, Jeannette High School (1958)
  • Doug Williams, QB, Chaneyville High School (1974)
  • Ed Molinski, G, Massilon Washington High School (1936)
  • Eddie George, RB, Fork Union Military Academy (1991)
  • Eric Dickerson, RB, Sealy High School (1979)
  • Ernie Dais, HB, Elmira Free Academy (1959)
  • Geoff Mitchell, HB, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School (1987)
  • Gerry Faust, Coach, Archbishop Moeller High School
  • Harvey Armstrong, DT, Kashmere High School (1978)
  • Jack Trice, T, East Tech High School (1922)
  • Jim Haslam II, G, St. Petersburg High School (1948)
  • Joe Mucci, Coach, Jeannette High School
  • John Cooper, QB, Powell High School (1955)
  • Josh Cribbs, QB, Dunbar High School (2001)
  • Kurt Kampe Jr., G, Cooley High School (1941)
  • Mike Young, Coach, Wheeling Central High School
  • Nate Burleson, WR, O’Dea High School (1999)
  • Orlando Pace, T, Sandusky High School (1994)
  • Paul Warfield, HB, Warren G. Harding High School (1960)
  • Reggie White, DE Howard High School (1980)
  • Reno Saccoccia, Coach, Steubenville High School
  • Robert Smith, HB, Euclid High School (1990)
  • Stump Mitchell, HB, Camden County High School (1977)
  • Ted Ginn Jr., QB, Glenville High School (2003)
  • Terrelle Pryor, QB, Jeannette High School (2008)

This is the second class to be inaugurated into the NHS Hall of Fame. In 2023, 23 players were inducted including Ted Ginn Sr. and Archie, Cooper, Eli and Peyton Manning.

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Jim Harbaugh, Charles Woodson headline the best pictures from Tom Brady roast

The former #Michigan star took center stage again on Sunday night! #GoBlue

When you’ve been on top for as long as Tom Brady has been, it only makes sense that the masses would try to tear him down. Except, on Sunday, he allowed it to happen of his own volition.

Brady was a good sport by participating in a roast as hosted by Netflix on Sunday. The former Michigan football star and NFL GOAT took jabs from every angle and the world was the big winner on Sunday night judging by the reactions.

With other sports looming large with the NBA and NHL playoffs in full swing and the MLB starting off, it was a night where football could recapture the attention of those starving for the gridiron. Jim Harbaugh and Charles Woodson were among the Michigan football contingent who made it to the roast, while there were a ton of other celebrities and NFL personalities who attended.

Here are the best pictures we could find from the Netflix roast of Tom Brady, which took place in Los Angeles.

When was the last time Michigan won a national championship in football?

The Wolverines finally have a recent national championship to their name!

Update: This article was previously published in 2022, but has been updated for 2024.

Michigan football has a rich history filled with tradition, and after years of failing to reach the top, the Wolverines have finally claimed a national championship once more!

After a long season, Michigan finally won its latest national championship to cap off the 2023 season. The Wolverines bested the Washington Huskies 34-13 on January 8, 2024, capping off a perfect 15-0 record on the season.

The Wolverines previous national championship finish was in 1997 when the team finished with a perfect 12-0 record and were voted No. 1 in the final Associated Press Poll. It was a national championship shared with Nebraska as well.

1997 was also the same year then-junior cornerback Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy, marking the last time a defensive player took home college football’s most prestigious individual award. And, although he only played in four games, Tom Brady was also on this Michigan roster.

In addition to Michigan’s 2023 and 1997 titles, per NCAA.com, the Wolverines have also earned national championships in 1965, 1948, 1933, 1923, 1918, 1904, 1903, 1902 and 1901.

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Charles Woodson and Urban Meyer perfectly react to Rod Moore’s game-sealing INT

This is too perfect — from both! #GoBlue

The perfect reaction doesn’t exis–wait, it appears to. At least for Michigan football fans.

Though the Wolverines appeared to have control through much of The Game, Ohio State made things interesting late. In the second half, the Buckeyes had tied the game at 17-all before Michigan went up 24-17. The maize and blue added another field goal to go up 27-17, but OSU battled back, making it 27-24 with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

Then, Michigan did something incredible — it drove the field with a seven-minute drive, ending in a field goal. Though that meant The Game was still in reach, the Wolverines were up by six, and the Buckeyes only had 60 seconds to drive the entire field and score.

Try, they did. And they came close to succeeding. But down on Michigan’s end of the field, Kyle McCord attempted to go to Marvin Harrison Jr., but was picked off by Rod Moore.

While The Big House erupted, the reaction from Michigan football legend Charles Woodson and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer couldn’t have been more perfect.

Meyer and Woodson are now coworkers at Fox Sports, and you can be assured that Woodson won’t let Meyer live this one down anytime soon.

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Charles Woodson and Urban Meyer adjacently reacting to game-winning INT perfectly captured Ohio State-Michigan rivalry

Charles Woodson and Urban Meyer had very different reactions to the game-sealing Michigan pick.

Michigan snagging a game-winning interception on archrival Ohio State came with a fascinating dual reaction from two of the school’s most notable figures.

As Wolverines defensive back Rod Moore picked off Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord to seal the victory, Michigan alumnus Charles Woodson and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer both reacted with expected emotions.

Woodson immediately celebrated the big play, while Meyer winced and looked away as his former team squandered the opportunity for a last-minute touchdown to win the game.

If you’re a fan of either of these teams, you absolutely understood where both sports media personalities were coming from.

This is the kind of reaction clip you can’t plan for, as it perfectly captured the mood on what’s sure to be one of the biggest college football plays of the day.

Woodson will undoubtedly be thrilled for the rest of the weekend, while we’re guessing Meyer would rather talk about something else.

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‘NFL Icons’ episode reveals why Ohio’s own, Charles Woodson, chose Michigan over Ohio State

Have you ever wondered?

If you are an Ohio State fan, you know by now that some of Michigan’s best players came from the state to the south of them. That Team Up North likes to say that the best players from Ohio know to go to Michigan, but we know the real story. Michigan’s past history wouldn’t be what it is today without utilizing the historically football talent-rich Buckeye state.

Some of those players that left Ohio to star for Michigan no doubt sting, and maybe none of them caused more pain than Fremont, Ohio native, Charles Woodson. Not only did Woodson shun the colors of Scarlet and Gray to don the Maize and Blue, but he became an All-American and Heisman Trophy winner as a defensive back that got some run on the offensive side as a wide receiver as well.

If you’ve ever wondered why Woodson left Ohio for the state of Michigan, thanks to an NFL Icons episode on MGM+, you can stop the inquiring mindset.

NFL Icons is a docuseries that explores some of the most iconic and noteworthy personalities in NFL history, detailing their lives before, during, and after football with some never before seen footage. It has featured players like Walter Payton, Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, and Emmitt Smith. There’s even a fantastic episode on former Buckeye receiver, Cris Carter that we encourage you to digest. In fact, there are three very entertaining seasons, and if you want to catch up on any of it, you can go to MGM+ and sign up to watch them all.

Season 3 has one of the episodes centered around Woodson, and if you are an Ohio State fan, you have to wonder what his career in college would have been if he landed in Columbus instead of Ann Arbor.

According to Woodson, it wasn’t really a slight towards Ohio State, but rather, his upbringing.

“It’s a very simple reason. You know, there’s really nothing complex about it … “you have to blame my older brother. You have to blame Terry. He was a Michigan fan,” Woodson said in the episode.

“And so him being my first childhood idol, that’s who I liked, Woodson continued. “To me, it didn’t make any difference that it was Ohio State and they were right there down the road from an hour and a half south of where we grew up. That was their rival, so it was — in the back of my mind, I could never really like them because they were the rival to Michigan, and that was my team.

“I was in love with that winged helmet, in love with the Maize and Blue, and so I feel like my decision was made a long time before I even made the decision.”

And there you have it.

Ohio State never really stood a chance apparently and that’s OK. We can appreciate what Woodson did in college and during his remarkable 18-year NFL career, but still not loathe those winged helmets that one of the game’s Hall of Famer’s fell in love with at an early age.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

Charles Woodson dropped an expletive on Big Noon Kickoff while defending Michigan, Jim Harbaugh

Michigan alumnus Charles Woodson is not happy about the whole Jim Harbaugh suspension thing.

The Michigan sign-stealing controversy reached a new nadir on Friday after coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended from the sidelines for the rest of the regular season by the Big 10.

No matter how you feel about this latest Wolverines fracas, the Michigan alumni have been the most vocal in sharing their malcontent about the whole situation and how Harbaugh has gotten roped in.

The Big Ten suspended Jim Harbaugh: The Michigan sign-stealing scandal, explained

The latest Michigan alumnus to jump into the discussion is former defensive back Charles Woodson, who did not mince words when describing Harbaugh’s suspension while appearing on Fox Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff.

In fact, he said the whole controversy was, in his words, “bull[expletive].”

Naturally, some NSFW language to follow.

Well, that is certainly one read of the situation!

Everyone seems to have an opinion on the Michigan sign-stealing fiasco, but few have gone the lengths of swearing on national television to get their point across.

It’s not likely any Michigan fans will be thrilled with what’s going on right now, regardless of if they feel the program is innocent or guilty.

No matter the charge, Harbaugh isn’t coaching this week, and some folks like Woodson are not happy about that.

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