Tag: ducks in the nfl

Atlanta Falcons release former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota

The Atlanta Falcons released former Oregon Ducks superstar quarterback Marcus Mariota, making him a free agent.

The Atlanta Falcons released former Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota on Tuesday, ending his tenure with the squad after just one season.

Mariota signed with Atlanta last offseason, reuniting with former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith at Tennessee, who took the head coaching job with the Falcons.

The 29-year-old was starting for the first time since 2019 after spending a few years as a backup to Derek Carr in Las Vegas. He went 5-8 in 13 games before getting benched for rookie Desmond Ridder and finishing the year on the injured reserve with a knee injury.

All told, Mariota threw for 2,219 yards with 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 61.3 % completion rate.

Mariota will now look to catch on with his fourth NFL team this offseason, and quite frankly a starting job may be hard for the former Oregon star to find.

His best bet may be to secure a backup job with a team that has an oft-injured quarterback, which could afford him the opportunity to step in as needed during the regular season.

Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 after throwing for 42 touchdowns and just four interceptions while leading the Ducks to a Rose Bowl victory over Florida State.

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Kellen Moore could help Justin Herbert have best NFL season yet

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert should benefit from the Chargers hiring of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in 2023.

The Los Angeles Chargers made a much needed move at offensive coordinator this offseason, hiring former Boise State quarterback and Cowboys OC Kellen Moore to replace Joe Lombardi.

Lombardi’s offense was tenth in the NFL last season, but they were horrendous on the ground, with their 89.6 rushing yards per game good for 30th in the league.

Moore will help balance LA’s offensive attack, and while at first glance that may seem problematic for star quarterback Justin Herbert, Locked on Chargers host Daniel Wade believes it could end up being a good thing for the former Oregon legend.

“He could be more efficient and he could have a better season without putting up those stats,” Wade said. “A 40 touchdown season is not out of the question for Herbert. If you’re running the ball well you’re getting more opportunities to score, and Kellen Moore’s offense with the Cowboys was much better in the red zone.”

Sure a more balanced offense likely prevents Herbert from topping the monster numbers he posted in 2021, when he threw for over 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns, but forcing defenses to respect the run game does free Herbert up a little, and his ability to use his arm and legs will make him an even more dynamic threat heading into his fourth NFL season.

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Pair of Ducks to help prepare teams for Super Bowl LVII

Two Oregon Ducks alumni, Ugo Amadi and Devon Allen, are on practice squads for the Chiefs and Eagles as they prepare for Super Bowl LVII.

Super Bowl LVII is set to take place in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 12 between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Two of the league’s best offenses are led by superstar quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes.

For Oregon fans, however, this matchup isn’t likely to offer an opportunity to see any former Ducks in action.

San Francisco getting eliminated prevented former Oregon stars Arik Armstead and Deommodore Lenoir from reaching the Super Bowl. Neither Kansas City nor Philadelphia have any Oregon alumni on the active roster.

However, both have a former Oregon player on their practice squads. Defensive back Ugo Amadi is on Kansas City’s practice squad, and wide receiver/sprinter Devon Allen is on Philadelphia’s.

Amadi began the year with Tennessee but caught on with Kansas City. He appeared in one game with the Chiefs (Week 10) and spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.

He has played 50 career NFL games and has 131 tackles, 13 passes defended, six tackles for loss and an interception, so he’s absolutely an option for the Chiefs should an injury befall them prior to the big game.

Allen is much less likely to get the call for the Eagles. It would be his first NFL action after spending the entire season on the practice squad without reaching the active roster.

Oregon fans will have to wait and see if more former standouts — perhaps Justin Herbert in Los Angeles or Armstead and Lenoir in San Francisco — can make the Super Bowl in 2024. At least a pair of Ducks will get the very cool experience of practicing and preparing for a game in February.

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A final look at how Oregon Ducks performed during 2022 NFL season

A final look at how Justin Herbert, Marcus Mariota, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and other Oregon Ducks performed during the 2022 NFL regular season.

The 2022 NFL regular season has come to an end, with a handful of Oregon Ducks alumni headed into the playoffs for their respective teams.

All in all 27 different Oregon players participated in the NFL during the regular season. Some only played in one game, some played every game, heck some (like Penei Sewell) played every single snap for their team, at least on the offensive side of the ball.

Some players had down years, like Arik Armstead who failed to record a sack for the first time in his career. Meanwhile, many others had career best seasons, including Juwan Johnson who had over 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and Johnny Mundt who had the first receiving touchdown of his career.

Oregon’s rookies also showed out in a big way, with Kayvon Thibodeaux showing why he was a top pick in the NFL draft and Verone McKinley proving the doubters wrong by starting games as an undrafted rookie for Miami.

Here is a look at how all 27 Oregon alumni performed during the 2022 NFL regular season:

How Oregon Ducks performed during NFL Week 17 action

Justin Herbert was on fire and rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux made waves for the Giants in another solid week by Oregon Ducks alumni in the NFL.

The 2022 NFL season is just one week away from completion, as the playoff picture is now nearly solidified in what has been a wild season on the gridiron.

Over 20 different Oregon Ducks alumni suited up in the NFL this year, some who played just one single game and some who have played every single snap.

Week 17 saw multiple excellent performances from Oregon alumni, including another outstanding showing from star quarterback Justin Herbert, who completed 75% of his passes while tossing a pair of touchdowns.

Outside of that, we saw a nice game from rookie pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and another strong performance from Justin Hollins, who now has 2.5 sacks in his five games with the Green Bay Packers since getting placed on waivers by the Rams.

Former Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell has continued his dominance for a resurgent Detroit Lions team that dismantled Chicago this weekend. Sewell has appeared on every single offensive snap for Detroit, cementing himself as one of the best tackles in the entire league.

Here is a look at how every Oregon alumni performed during NFL Week 17 action:

Justin Herbert’s historic Week 15 performance commemorated in Hall of Fame

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert’s wristband and towel from Week 15 will be on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In a week where Bo Nix returned to Eugene and Dan Lanning secured an incredible recruiting class for the Oregon Ducks, it’s easy to forget about the history made by former quarterback Justin Herbert.

Herbert wasn’t his sharpest in LA’s 17-14 win over Tennessee on Sunday, throwing for 313 yards with a pair of interceptions and no touchdowns.

However, he did become the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in each of his first three seasons – and that accomplishment will forever be immortalized in Canton at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Herbert’s hand towel and playsheet wristband from Sunday’s game have arrived at the museum for display – according to a tweet from the official Pro Football Hall of Fame twitter account.

Herbert is in a bit of a third-year slump, with his 21 touchdown passes far lower than his rookie and sophomore season totals of 31 and 38.

The Chargers are 8-6 on the year ahead of a road game in Indianapolis on the 26th.

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How Oregon Ducks performed during NFL Week 14 action

Anthony Brown made his NFL debut and Justin Herbert dominated in another solid week of NFL action from Oregon Ducks at the next level.

The 14th week of the 2022 NFL season is in the books, and for the Oregon Ducks it represented the end of one quarterback’s journey and the start of another.

Marcus Mariota has officially been replaced as the starter for the Falcons after an up-and-down season in Atlanta.

However, Anthony Brown was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for Baltimore, and he made his NFL debut by completing 3-of-5 passes during Baltimore’s win over Pittsburgh.

The star of the week was Justin Herbert, who put together an outstanding performance against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday – a performance that set social media ablaze.

It was a fairly quiet week for Oregon alumni otherwise, although it was very fun to see offensive tackle Penei Sewell step out and catch a pass for a nine-yard gain in Detroit’s surprising win over Minnesota.

Here is a look at how every Oregon alumni performed in NFL Week 14 action:

Anthony Brown elevated to active roster for Baltimore Ravens

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown is set to be active on Sunday for the Baltimore Ravens as the backup to Tyler Huntley.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is doubtful for Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which resulted in former Oregon Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown getting activated from the practice squad to the active roster.

Presumably, this means Brown will serve as the backup quarterback to starter Tyler Huntley on Sunday, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Brown went undrafted after one season as the starting quarterback for the Ducks, eventually landing with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent.

He performed excellent during the preseason, to the point where Oregon fans questioned if Mario Cristobal held Brown and the team’s offense back last season.

The Boston College transfer stepped into a starting role with the Ducks in 2021, completing 64.1% of his passes while throwing for 2,989 yards and 19 touchdowns, along with seven interceptions.

Brown has yet to appear in an NFL game this season, but an injury or ineffectiveness (or perhaps a blowout) could lead to him making his debut on Sunday against the Steelers.

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How Oregon Ducks performed during NFL Week 13 action

Justin Herbert and Marcus Mariota struggled, but other Oregon Ducks alumni recorded career performances in the 13th week of the NFL season.

The 2022 NFL season chugs along into December, and Week 13 was another opportunity for Oregon Ducks alumni to shine at the game’s highest level.

Quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert struggled in losing efforts with Atlanta and Los Angeles, respectively, but many other Oregon stars contributed in a big way over the weekend.

Rookie defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux recorded the second sack of his career in New York’s tie with Washington. Thibodeaux hasn’t been as effective of a pass rusher as hoped, but he’s showing signs of life as the season comes to a close.

San Francisco defensive back Deommodore Lenoir recorded the first interception of his career on Sunday, while teammate and former Oregon alumni Arik Armstead made his long awaited return after sitting out the last nine weeks with an injury.

Penei Sewell continued to dominated in the trenches for the Lions, and Calvin Throckmorton picked up another start on the offensive line for the Saints as well.

Here is a look at how every Oregon alumni performed in the NFL during Week 13:

How Oregon Ducks performed during NFL Week 12 action

Justin Herbert was excellent and rookie Verone McKinley came up huge for the Dolphins in another good week for Oregon alumni in the NFL.

The 2022 NFL season is two thirds of the way complete as the playoff picture and Super Bowl favorites begin to come into focus.

The Oregon Ducks had 17 different players contributing across the NFL landscape in Week 12.

Some led their team to victory like Justin Herbert, who threw three touchdown passes in LA’s win over Arizona.

Some joined new teams, like Justin Hollins who was released by the Rams and picked up by the Packers, where he promptly made an impact in his first game.

Some made the best plays of their career, including rookie Verone McKinley who secured a crucial interception for the Miami Dolphins – the first of his career – in his team’s fifth consecutive win.

Speaking of rookies, Kayvon Thibodeaux got his first taste of Thanksgiving NFL football, recording five quarterback hits but no sacks as his team was unable to defeat the Dallas Cowboys.

Here is a look at how every Oregon alumni performed during Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season: