Tag: Class of 2020

Seahawks Legend Steve Hutchinson enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Seattle Seahawks guard, Steve Hutchinson, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Class of 2020 on Saturday night.

Seattle Seahawks Legend Steve Hutchinson was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Saturday night. Hutchinson joined the other members of the 2020 class, whose induction ceremony was canceled last season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hutchinson, one of the greatest guards of his time, spent 12 years in the National Football League. He was originally selected by Seattle in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft out of Michigan. Hutchinson spent five seasons with the Seahawks before playing the next six for the Vikings. He retired in 2013 after just one year with the Titans.

Hutchinson was named to the Pro Bowl seven times, the AP’s First Team All-Pro five times and the Second Team All-Pro twice.

In March of 2020, Hutchinson joined the Seahawks front office staff as a football consultant.

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Graham Mertz and the rest of the quarterback room give high praise to a freshman wide receiver

In their press conference today quarterbacks Chase Wolf, Danny Vanden Boom and Graham Mertz were asked about which offensive players…

In their press conference today quarterbacks Chase Wolf, Danny Vanden Boom and Graham Mertz were asked about which offensive players have stood out in fall camp thus far.

One guy that was constantly brought up and received high praise from all three quarterbacks? Freshman wide receiver Chimere Dike.

Before their quotes, here is a little video evidence of Dike’s skills on the outside:

First up was Wolf who had clear words about what he’s seen from Dike thus far: “He’s a stud.”

Vanden Boom then continued the sentiment, noting Dike as a young wide receiver that has stood out and saying “he’s a student of the game and asks a lot of questions.”

Finally, Mertz had a colorful answer when asked about who has stood out on offense. He started by saying that he “could go on and on” about the playmakers on offense and noted freshmen Devin Chandler and Isaac Smith, the older guys at wide receiver, the running backs, the offensive line and more.

“If you want me to keep going on for days I can,” Mertz said.

His comment on Dike, though, was a funny one, joking that “I heard people talking about Chim a little bit. To be honest, he’s not that good” with a big smile on his face.

Dike, a Waukesha, Wisconsin native, was a three-star recruit coming into the program and the No. 4 player from the state of Wisconsin.

From the practice video and the comments from his quarterbacks it’s become clear that he is set to be a productive player for the Badgers for years to come.

Maybe Mertz has already found one of his long-term connections.

WATCH: Running back Jalen Berger staying ready for whenever the Badgers take the field

Even though the Badgers aren’t starting their football season in 10 days like previously scheduled, Wisconsin players and coaches are…

Even though the Badgers aren’t starting their football season in 10 days like previously scheduled, Wisconsin players and coaches are still staying ready for whenever the team and the conference are able to take the field.

The latest posted workout video comes from freshman running back and former four-star recruit Jalen Berger.

Berger was one of Paul Chryst’s biggest acquisitions in the class of 2020 and by all accounts has the potential to become the next big thing in the Badger backfield.

The Ramsey, New Jersey native was ranked by 247Sports during his recruitment as the No. 137 player in the class of 2020, the No. 15 running back and the No. 3 recruit from the state of New Jersey.

And yes, the parallels will probably be drawn between him and New Jersey natives Corey Clement and Jonathan Taylor–both guys who became stars at the position for the Badgers and are currently playing in the NFL.

Maybe it won’t be until the spring or even next fall that Berger takes the field for the first time in a Wisconsin Badger uniform, but Badger fans definitely have something to look forward to as he seems to be the next in a long line of great Badger running backs and figures to have an extremely productive college career.

Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb jersey outselling every other non-QB rookie

Dallas’s first-round pick trails only Tua Tagovailoa, Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, Rob Gronkowski, and Justin Herbert in jersey sales.

All those who thought Jerry Jones didn’t know what he was doing by wanting CeeDee Lamb to wear No. 88 can apparently rest easy now. The jersey is selling quite well, despite the fact that the Oklahoma rookie hasn’t even officially worn it yet.

According to official sales figures, the navy blue version of Lamb’s 88 is the 14th-best selling jersey in the league at the moment, the highest placement of any 2020 rookie who doesn’t play quarterback, and better than any current non-quarterback not named Rob Gronkowski.

Dolphins rookie Tua Tagovailoa tops the list, with his aqua No. 1 at No. 1 on the sales chart; his white jersey sits in second place. Different-colored iterations of Tom Brady’s Buccaneers jersey rank third through sixth. Gronkowski’s new pewter and red Tampa Bay jerseys fall seventh and ninth, respectively, with Joe Burrow’s black No. 9 in between at eighth. Another Brady jersey sits in tenth place, Burrow’s orange Cincinnati jersey is 11th, Justin Herbert’s powder blue No. 10 is 12th, and a women’s version of Brady’s jersey fill out the slots above Lamb.

Denver’s Jerry Jeudy is the only other rookie to appear in the top 20.

Fans have evidently flocked to the newest incarnation of one of the most storied jersey numbers in Cowboys history. Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, and Dez Bryant all wore No. 88 for the club previously.

Team owner Jerry Jones made it clear shortly after drafting Lamb that he hoped the team’s first-round pick would wear the famed number, partly as an homage to the Dallas legends who wore it previously.  A recently-departed college teammate of Jones named Jerry Lamb had also worn No. 88 while the two attended Arkansas.

Lamb, who wore No. 2 as well as No. 9 while playing for the Sooners, had originally said on Dallas radio that he would wear No. 10 with the Cowboys.

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Steph Curry presents commencement speech to celebrate graduating class of 2020

In honor of the graduating class of 2020, Stephen Curry served as the virtual commencement speaker.

While the coronavirus pandemic has halted graduation ceremonies across the world, Stephen Curry still found a way to celebrate the class of 2020. Alongside Kevin Hart and Serena Williams, the Golden State point guard participated in a virtual celebration ceremony for the graduating class of 2020.

Curry, Williams and Hart welcomed students from all over to participate in the “Show Me Your Walk” event. Graduating students were invited to show off their walk across the virtual stage to pick up their diploma.

Like any graduation, the class of 2020 was formally addressed by a group of commencement speakers, including the NBA’s two-time Most Valuable Player.

In his commencement speech, Curry spoke about his journey at Davidson college, family and “his walk.” The six-time All-Star capped off his talk with a challenge for the graduates to “shoot your shot.”

I’m grateful for this opportunity to congratulate you, the undefeated class of 2020. You’re my kind of people — you all know that. You’re record-setting. You’re history-making and you show up to win even in the greatest adversity. You follow through. It’s not what you start; it’s what you finish. You follow through on the promises to yourself. You adapt. You create and inspire. And you continue to dream big and hope. We’re here today to celebrate because we believe in the work that you’ve done. It should be celebrated at the highest level no matter what’s going on right now…

Watch Curry’s full commencement speech via YouTube:

Addressing the graduating class of 2020 is just one of many activities Curry’s been busy with while the NBA season is on hold. Through his Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, the sharpshooter and his wife Ayesha have set up a meal donation plan for out of school children. Curry also launched an informative COVID-19 resource guide that highlights his conversation with infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Next up, Curry will join the Jr. NBA Leadership Conference as a speaker on May 15.

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LeBron James announces Barack Obama as ‘Graduate Together’ speaker

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James announced that his ‘Graduate Together’ ceremony landed the 44th President of the United States.

When LeBron James announced last week that he was helping put together “something special” for the graduating class of 2020, who will all not be able to graduate in the traditional way due to the state of the country under coronavirus, when he announced the “Graduate Together” ceremony that will air on all four major networks, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok on May 16. Although a graduation ceremony with LeBron James would rank as pretty cool for most, LeBron announced another huge guest who will be part of the ceremony to honor the 2020 class: President Barack Obama.

James confirmed that bringing Obama to the program was the “something special” he had been working on.

The LeBron James Family Foundation is teaming up with the educational nonprofit XQ to provide a “Graduate Together” event that will air on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC on Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m.

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Sam Mills overlooked in Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Former New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers linebacker Sam Mills was not voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

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The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its Modern-Era Class of 2020 on Saturday, and unfortunately, late New Orleans Saints linebacker Sam Mills was left on the outside looking in. The 48-strong selection committee had a tough task with so many highly-qualified finalists, but ultimately, just five players were able to make the cut. The Hall of Fame made those inductees official in a statement:

The Modern-Era players for the Class of 2020 were just announced on stage during taping of NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special that will air nationally tonight at 8 p.m. (ET and PT) on FOX. They include safety STEVE ATWATER, wide receiver ISAAC BRUCE, guard STEVE HUTCHINSON, running back EDGERRIN JAMES, and safety TROY POLAMALU. The five newest Hall of Famers were joined on stage by the living members from the Centennial Slate.

It’s a tough break for Mills’ family, friends, and supporters. His candidacy had never reached the finalist stage before, having stalled out as a semifinalist three times over the last two decades. Mills died of cancer in 2005, so others have had to carry his torch in pursuit of recognition in the Hall of Fame. He was an early face of the expansion-franchise Carolina Panthers, and a bronze statue in his image guards Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to this day.

However, it won’t get any easier next year. Big names like Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson will become eligible for the first time in 2021, and they’re both shoo-ins as first-ballot Hall of Famers. Here’s hoping Mills’ legacy will get the respect it deserves — it’s a shame that there isn’t a gold bust next to his old “Dome Patrol” teammate Rickey Jackson, who was inducted in 2010. At least Mills’ memory endures among his fans and those close to him.

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A look at the 15 Modern-Era Finalists who could make the Hall of Fame

Five Modern-Era Players will be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020 following the Selection Committee’s meeting on Saturday.

It’s the day before the Super Bowl – “Selection Saturday” – when the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee meets to determine the five Modern-Era Players to be named to the Class of 2020.

The 15 Finalists were initially whittled down from a list of 122 nominees named in September and further reduced to 25 Semifinalists in November.

Two former Seahawks have made the cut, guard Steve Hutchinson and running back Edgerrin James.

Here’s a look at the 2020 Modern-Era Player Finalists:

Steve Atwater, Safety – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets

Tony Boselli, Tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars

Isaac Bruce, Wide Receiver – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers

LeRoy Butler, Safety – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers

Alan Faneca, Guard – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals

Torry Holt, Wide Receiver – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

Steve Hutchinson, Guard – 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans

Edgerrin James, Running Back – 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks

John Lynch, Free Safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos

Sam Mills, Linebacker – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers

Troy Polamalu, Safety – 2003-2014 Pittsburgh Steelers

Richard Seymour, Defensive End/Defensive Tackle – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders

Zach Thomas, Linebacker – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys

Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts

Bryant Young, Defensive Tackle – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers

The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will be officially announced later on Saturday. Be sure and follow Seahawks Wire for the latest breaking news.

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Jimmy Johnson receives 2020 Hall of Fame invitation on live TV

The coach who orchestrated the Dallas Cowboys’ dynasty of the 1990s will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he learned Sunday.

The Dallas Cowboys had, for a time being, one of the NFL’s most immaculate list of coaches, overshadowing even the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following directly on the heels of the legendary and iconic Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson arrived in Texas with the most flash and even more substance. He stamped his own legacy in Dallas in immediate fashion, turning the Cowboys from laughing stocks to champions in a few short years and was the first coach to win both a collegiate national championship and a Super Bowl.

Johnson’s Cowboys won back-to-back NFL titles, and his imprint on the organization led to a third ring in four years under a different coach. For a while, his shorter-than-normal tenure seemed to keep him from being officially recognized as one of the game’s best, but no more. On Sunday, during halftime of the NFC divisional round playoff game, Johnson learned that he was finally joining the Pro Football Hall of Fame as its 328th member.

The moment, which played out with Hall of Fame president David Baker personally delivering the news to Johnson on live TV, was riveting to watch.

Few could have imagined that they were looking at a future Hall of Famer when Johnson first arrived in Dallas. Despite having a collegiate national championship under his belt, Johnson inherited a league-worst 3-13 Cowboys squad… and promptly got even worse in his first season on the sideline. The 1-15 season of 1989 remains a low-water mark for the franchise that was most notable for the seemingly-inexplicable midseason trade that sent running back Herschel Walker packing for Minnesota in exchange for a collection of no-name players and future draft picks.

But Johnson was building a dynasty, one that was anchored by quarterback Troy Aikman, whom Johnson selected with the first pick in the 1989 Draft less than two months after being named coach. Aikman, of course, went on to his own stellar 12-year career that earned him a gold jacket and a Hall of Fame bust in 2008.

Aikman, one of the three players most responsible for the team’s meteoric rise under Johnson- was in the broadcast booth at Lambeau Field watching on a monitor as his former coach got his long-overdue invitation in the New York studios.

Of course, Johnson’s job involved a lot more than gameplanning wins and fussing over Xs and Os. The Cowboys of the early 1990s were a legendarily wild and colorful bunch. Johnson’s locker rooms were loaded with undeniable talent but also overflowing with combustible personalities including the likes of Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Nate Newton, Ken Norton Jr., Daryl Johnston, Mark Stepnoski, Erik Williams, Leon Lett, Bill Bates, Jack Del Rio, Russell Maryland, Charles Haley, and Darren Woodson.

Motivating such a diverse band of men and channeling their energies in one direction is perhaps as impressive a feat as taking the Cowboys from the bottom of the heap in 1989 (1-15, worst record in the league) to the top of the mountain in 1992 (13-3, Super Bowl champs).

Several of Johnson’s former players- including the other two-thirds of the famed Triplets- took to social media to congratulate their former coach after Sunday’s news.

Dallas repeated as Super Bowl victors in 1993, putting Johnson in rarified air among NFL coaches. He joins Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Chuck Noll, Mike Shanahan, and Bill Belichick as the only coaches to win back to-back Super Bowls.

After his second Lombardi Trophy, Johnson and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones famously parted ways in a rather ugly divorce. Johnson went on to coach Miami for four more seasons before retiring with a career coaching record of 80-64 (9-4 postseason) and then segueing into broadcasting.

Johnson, 76, will be enshrined in Canton along with the rest of the Class of 2020 in August.