Tag: Cody Kessler

Cody Kessler on the lesson his parents taught him

.@DonJamesSports wanted to know about the best piece of advice Cody Kessler’s parents gave him.

I wanted to have a little fun with Cody Kessler in the finale of our Q&A series. I dove into some rapid fire questions and we talked about some non-football topics, including what his parents installed in him as a kid and beyond.

I’m privileged and honored to sit down with Cody Kessler.

I want to thank Cody Kessler for his time and his answers in our five-part interview. Fight On Forever!

Trojans Wire: What is your go-to workout song?

Cody Kessler: “Freestyle” by Lil Baby

Trojans Wire: I have to ask you a Hollywood-based question since you played in L.A.

Who is your favorite actor?

Cody Kessler: Tom Hardy

Trojans Wire: Favorite movie of all time?

Cody Kessler: The Warrior

Trojans Wire: Favorite TV shows?

Cody Kessler: Black Mirror and The Office

Trojans Wire: Favorite restaurant back home in Bakersfield?

Cody Kessler: Salty’s BBQ

Trojans Wire: Last question, what is the best advice your parents ever gave you?

Cody Kessler: Never let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed!

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Cody Kessler on the lesson his parents taught him

.@DonJamesSports wanted to know about the best piece of advice Cody Kessler’s parents gave him.

I wanted to have a little fun with Cody Kessler in the finale of our Q&A series. I dove into some rapid fire questions and we talked about some non-football topics, including what his parents installed in him as a kid and beyond.

I’m privileged and honored to sit down with Cody Kessler.

I want to thank Cody Kessler for his time and his answers in our five-part interview. Fight On Forever!

Trojans Wire: What is your go-to workout song?

Cody Kessler: “Freestyle” by Lil Baby

Trojans Wire: I have to ask you a Hollywood-based question since you played in L.A.

Who is your favorite actor?

Cody Kessler: Tom Hardy

Trojans Wire: Favorite movie of all time?

Cody Kessler: The Warrior

Trojans Wire: Favorite TV shows?

Cody Kessler: Black Mirror and The Office

Trojans Wire: Favorite restaurant back home in Bakersfield?

Cody Kessler: Salty’s BBQ

Trojans Wire: Last question, what is the best advice your parents ever gave you?

Cody Kessler: Never let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed!

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Cody Kessler says changes are likely coming to NIL rules in the future

Cody Kessler told @DonJamesSports that it’s great for athletes to cash in on NIL opportunities. He thinks modifications of the process are coming.

Cody Kessler ended his NFL rookie season in 2016 with 1,380 passing yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions. 

He replaced Josh McCown and former Heisman Trophy Winner Robert Griffin III as a starter early in the season (Week 2) for a former Trojan assistant, Hue Jackson, who was then coaching the Cleveland Browns. Jackson was an assistant to Paul Hackett in the late 1990s at USC.

I’m privileged and honored to sit down with Cody Kessler to talk about USC football and more. It’s part four of our Q&A series.

Trojans Wire: What are your thoughts on the new NIL deals players are signing?

Cody Kessler: I honestly think it’s awesome college athletes have the opportunity to make money. But I definitely see them modifying it in the future.

Trojans Wire: What was your favorite NFL moment?

Cody Kessler: My first touchdown in my career versus Washington.

Trojans Wire: What is your advice to the younger Trojans and the next prospects in line?

Cody Kessler: Enjoy the opportunity of getting to play USC and being a Trojan. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and have fun in the moment.

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Cody Kessler recalls the names and faces of a life spent in football

.@DonJamesSports asked Cody Kessler about the toughest player he ever faced in the NFL. Find the answer inside.

Cody Kessler was a two-time finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2014 and 2015. He moved the USC offense efficiently in 2014 with 3,826 yards, completing 69.7 percent of his passes; he posted 3,536 yards and a 66.8 percent completion rate in 2015. He notched 39 touchdowns, five interceptions in 2014, with 29 TD and 7 INT in 2015.

Kessler owns the USC school record for career completion percentage at 67.5. The former Trojan star was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2016 NFL draft.

I’m privileged and honored to sit down with the USC Trojan legend to talk about USC football and more. It’s part three of our Q&A series featuring the man himself, Cody Kessler.

Trojans Wire: What was the most difficult part of your career at USC?

Cody Kessler: Being the third-string QB in my second year behind Max Wittek and Matt Barkley.

Trojans Wire: What’s the first thing you purchased as a third-round pick in 2016?

Cody Kessler: Brand new truck.

Trojans Wire: Who was the best quarterback you ever saw in person in the NFL?

Cody Kessler: The “G.O.A.T.,” Tom Brady with the New England Patriots

Trojans Wire: Who is the toughest NFL player you’ve ever played against in your tenure?

Cody Kessler: James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Trojans Wire: What do you miss the most about being in the NFL locker room?

Cody Kessler: Just being around the guys. Being around your teammates and the cool conversations we had.

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Cody Kessler reveals the most underrated Trojan he played with at USC

.@DonJamesSports sat down with Cody Kessler for a ‘lightning round’ of short, fun questions. It’s part two of Don’s Q and A with the former #USC QB.

Playing under Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian at USC, Cody Kessler was a recored-setting Trojan quarterback. He is an underrated star in the eyes of many Trojan fans.

In 2014, Kessler set many USC season records for completions (315), completion percentage (69.7), passing efficiency (167.1), and interception rate (1.11). He tied USC season marks for TD passes (39) and 300-yard passing games (7). His 39 TDs were tied for second on the all-time Pac-12 list at the time he established that mark.

One year earlier, Kessler set a Las Vegas Bowl record with four touchdowns. He completed 73.3% of his passes (22-of-30) for a career-best 345 yards against Devante Adams, Derek Carr, and Fresno State. Kessler was named the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl MVP.

I’m privileged and honored to sit down with the USC Trojan legend to talk about USC football and more. It’s part two of our Q&A series featuring the man himself, Cody Kessler.

Trojans Wire: Who was your favorite USC Trojan growing up?

Cody Kessler: Reggie Bush

Trojans Wire: Favorite moment at USC?

Cody Kessler: Beating a ranked Stanford team on College GameDay at the Coliseum.

Trojans Wire: Who is the most underrated Trojan in your five years at SC?

Cody Kessler: I’d have to go with Darreus Rogers.

Trojans Wire: Cody, what’s one thing you learned from a past Trojan quarterback that stuck with you?

Cody Kessler: I learned a lot from Matt Barkley on how to handle the pressure of being the starting QB at USC.

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Trojans Wire interviews former USC star Cody Kessler

.@DonJamesSports sat down with former Trojan QB Cody Kessler to talk about USC football and much more in this September Q and A series.

Cody Kessler is a USC legend and a former four-star recruit hailing from Bakersfield, California’s Centennial High School. In his senior year of 2011, Kessler threw for 2,831 yards and 36 touchdowns and was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of California.

As a senior in the 2015 season Kessler started all 14 games and completed 298 of 446 passes for 3,536 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Kessler finished his career as a Trojan with 10,339 yards, 88 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

I’m privileged and honored to have been able to sit down with the USC Trojan legend to talk all things USC football. It’s all part of our Q&A series featuring the man himself, Cody Kessler.

Trojans Wire: You earned a master’s degree in communications. Will you be venturing into the media field similar to other Trojan legends (Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Mark Sanchez)?

Cody Kessler: My two interests are in media/broadcasting and coaching at the college level.

Kessler just joined Keely Eure, the team reporter and director of creative content for USC Athletics, co-hosting “The Victory Podcast.” The program also features former Trojan linebakcr Dion Bailey.

Trojans Wire: Let’s talk about your former team: How do you think USC and new head coach Lincoln Riley will do in the 2022 season?

Cody Kessler: My expectations are a lot of championships and a long career in Los Angeles. Great start to the tenure with the 66-14 win against Rice.

Trojan Wire: Could quarterback Caleb Williams legitimately win the Heisman in Year 1 as a Trojan?

Cody Kessler: Oh, I definitely think it’s possible, especially with coach Riley and the playmakers around him.

Stay Tuned for much more with Cody Kessler in our Q&A series this month!

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4 free agent veteran quarterbacks who make sense as Sam Darnold’s backup

Jets Wire takes a look at four veteran backup quarterbacks not named Cam Newton still available for the taking in free agency.

The Jets might have drafted James Morgan hoping that he can develop into a reliable backup for Sam Darnold as soon as this upcoming season, but it would not be wise for New York to rely on a rookie if Darnold goes down at any point in 2020.

Fortunately for Joe Douglas and the Jets, there are still plenty of veteran backup quarterback options available for the taking. Cam Newton might seem like an intriguing candidate to fill the void, but we have already discussed why Newton to New York would be a disaster waiting to happen.

So, which other veteran quarterbacks could the Jets target as Darnold’s backup? Let’s take a look.

Joe Flacco

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Flacco’s familiarity with Joe Douglas makes him the most likely candidate on this list to wind up with the Jets. Douglas discovered Flacco when he was at Delaware and played an instrumental role in Baltimore’s decision to select him in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Flacco does not come without some concerns, though. He appeared in only eight games with the Broncos a year ago due to a neck injury that required surgery in April. Considering his age (35) and the severity of the injury he dealt with, Flacco is going to have some medical hurdles to clear before signing with any team.

If Flacco can prove he is healthy, it’s safe to assume Douglas will at the very least give him a little bit of consideration as he continues his search for a backup quarterback.

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Cody Kessler offers the Rams another option at backup QB

If the Rams aren’t bringing back Blake Bortles, perhaps his former replacement would make sense.

Quarterback is way down on the Rams’ list of priorities this offseason, and likely for the next few years, too. Jared Goff is going to be under center for the foreseeable future, but Los Angeles is still in the market for a quarterback to sit behind him on the depth chart.

Sean Mannion previously held that role before Blake Bortles was signed last offseason, but neither player is on the roster now. Goff and John Wolford are the only quarterbacks still on the team as Bortles continues to await an opportunity on the free-agent market.

There are a number of options out there for the Rams, and another just became available. The Patriots released Cody Kessler this week in a somewhat surprising move, making him a free agent. Might the Rams be interested in signing the quarterback who the Jaguars turned to after benching Bortles in 2018?

While Kessler isn’t the best option available, considering his price and fit in Sean McVay’s system, he would make sense for the Rams. Kessler should be cheaper than Bortles and while not as mobile or athletic, his mechanics are better.

He offers a better base with which to work than Bortles does and isn’t as prone to turnovers. In 17 career games, including eight for the embarrassing 1-15 Browns in 2016, Kessler has thrown eight touchdown passes and five interceptions. He’s completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,215 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt in his career.

Obviously, stats don’t always match what’s put on tape, but the Rams could do worse than Kessler. He’s mobile and has a fairly quick release, which is the opposite of Bortles. What he doesn’t have is a wildly strong arm, but it’s strong enough to make it as a backup.

And with how frequently the Rams like to roll their quarterbacks out of the pocket, it would suit Kessler’s skill set nicely. He’s accurate enough to hit receivers on short and intermediate passes, which is the bread and butter of McVay’s scheme.

He wants his quarterbacks to get the ball into his receivers’ hands with room to work, maximizing yards after the catch. If Kessler can prove capable of doing that, he’d make a viable backup to Goff at a low cost.

He shouldn’t be the Rams’ first choice, but he should be an option, nonetheless.

Should the Seahawks pursue Cody Kessler as backup quarterback?

Pete Carroll loves former USC Trojans, and Cody Kessler’s expected release could free him up to be the team’s backup quarterback in 2020.

While the Seattle Seahawks certainly have more pressing issues to worry about, namely their pursuit of defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, finding a backup quarterback to replace free agent Geno Smith is somewhere on the to-do list.

With plenty of names available, both in free agency and in the upcoming NFL draft, Seattle can afford to address other areas before figuring out who will captain the ship if Russell Wilson is forced to miss time in 2020 – which would be a first for the superstar in his NFL career.

While there are sexier names out there, one option the Seahawks could look at is former USC quarterback Cody Kessler, who was let go by the Patriots on Wednesday.

Kessler never quite intersected with coach Pete Carroll at USC, committing to join the Trojans shortly after Carroll came to Seattle. However, Carroll has shown a tendency to gravitate toward former Trojans in the past.

Kessler’s time in the pros has not been much to write home about, but he also hasn’t been terrible – and most of his time was spent on an awful 2016 Cleveland squad, which wasn’t entirely his fault. He appeared in 17 games from 2016-2018, starting 12 and completing 64.2% of his passes for 2,215 yards and eight touchdowns, with five interceptions.

He was signed, cut, and re-signed by the Patriots last year, although he never appeared in a game.

Whether he will want to sign in Seattle, where he would likely spend a second consecutive season doing nothing but holding a clipboard, remains to be seen.

He’s not a bad option for Carroll and company to look at when the time comes to find Wilson’s backup.

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Report: Patriots release quarterback Cody Kessler

The Patriots have narrowed down their quarterback room, as they released veteran Cody Kessler on Wednesday.

The New England Patriots released quarterback Cody Kessler on Wednesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. This leaves just Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham at the position.

He signed with the Patriots at the end of September last season. He was released on October 15, but the organization re-signed him on October 28.

Kessler has had an eventful NFL career. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He had a successful rookie season statistically, appearing in nine games, eight of them starts. He recorded 1,380 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.

Since being traded by the Browns to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2018 offseason, Kessler has bounced around the league. After being released by the Jaguars last May, he was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. After being diagnosed with a concussion during the preseason, he was waived by the organization on August 30.

New England could find a third quarterback for the roster, or they could just roll with two. Either way, it’s becoming clearer that Hoyer and Stidham are going to be the focal point of the New England passing game moving forward. It should make for in interesting battle come training camp, whenever that may be.

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