Tag: Fan Controlled Football

Watching tape with Joe Montana: Hall of Fame QB recalls his most amazing plays

If you ever wanted to sit down with Joe Montana and get an inside look at some of the great plays in NFL history, you can now do just that.

There’s no better way to learn what really goes on in a football game than to ask players and coaches what actually occurred on the field. Tape and metrics will tell you a lot, but if you can get the inside intel from the guys who are actually drawing it up and executing it, it’s an entirely different dimension. The more detail the better in that case, which is why I’ve enjoyed watching tape with some of the NFL’s best players, and some of the NCAA’s best draft prospects.

I’ve been fortunate enough to watch tape with everyone from Patrick Mahomes to Richard Sherman, and three players in Super Bowl LV — Mahomes, Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones II, and Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

Since I started doing this with former NFL guard Evan Mathis in 2015 after Mathis challenged me to learn more about a sack he had allegedly allowed than I actually knew, the concept has always been enlightening, and has contributed a great deal to my football acumen, such as it is. Hopefully, those who have read these articles have felt the same way.

And then, once in a while, you just hit the motherlode. That happened to me this week when I was afforded the opportunity to speak with Joe Montana regarding his involvement in the new Fan Controlled Football league. Montana has been an investor and Chief Strategic Advisor since 2018, and we’ll be running a separate piece on Montana’s role in the league, as well as some very candid comments about one of the league’s most prominent quarterbacks — one Jonathan Paul Manziel.

But when I realized that I’d have quite a few extra minutes of scheduled time with Montana, I thought it would be interesting for me, and for our readers, to dive back into the low-def, No-22 of the 1980s and go over some of the most important and amazing plays of the decade with the man who defined it.

So, without further ado, here’s the opportunity to go under the hood with one of the greatest players in NFL history, who worked his magic with the greatest offensive mind in NFL history in Bill Walsh, and find out just how this was all done — at a forensic level.

Folks, it’s time to watch tape with Joe Montana.

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Josh Gordon is returning to football again…but not in the way you think

Josh Gordon is back.

Josh Gordon is going to play football again, but it’s not going to happen in the NFL. At least not yet.

Gordon was suspended indefinitely by the league after he violated the terms of his conditional reinstatement under the league’s substance-abuse policy, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Those were the only details given about the situation. We don’t know what he did and we have no idea when, or even if, he’ll ever play another down of football in the NFL again.

He’s catching passes again now. But its in the Fan Controlled Football League, Schefter reports.

Gordon is a member of the FCF Zappers, who also signed Johnny Manziel.

What a combination. This could be really fun to watch. We’ll see how it all plays out.

[jwplayer iCXFRDPQ-q2aasYxh]

Josh Gordon to play for Fan Controlled Football Zappers

Surprising news out of Fan Controlled Football with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting Josh Gordon will play for the Zappers

The Fan Controlled Football League already had a big name in Johnny Manziel.

The Heisman winner out of Texas A&M won’t play in this, the third week of the four-week regular season. However, another big name is going to suit up for his Zappers

According to Adam Schefter, Josh Gordon will appear for the Zappers.

The news comes via team owner Bob Menery.

Gordon is incredibly talented but has had numerous suspensions through issues with the NFL’s substance-abuse program.

How to watch Fan Controlled Football Week 2

Another spring football league, but this time you’re in control.

The NFL season has come and gone, but another fledgling spring football league is underway.

This league is very different than anything we’ve seen before, though. It has a fan experience putting them in control of the action. Here’s a description of the league from their website:

“FCF is pro football re-imagined for the modern digital world. Real games played in a single, high-tech studio arena and streamed live on Twitch. Oh, and YOU call the plays. Scroll down the page to read all about this exciting new brand of football that puts the fans in the middle of it all.”

In addition to calling the shots on the football field, fans can actually purchase equity in their favorite team. To find more about the league click here. Below is all the information that you need to know to watch tonight’s doubleheader. Gameday coverage begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff.

Game 1 information:

Who: Beasts (1-0) vs. Wild Aces (1-0)

When: 8:00 p.m. ET

Where: Infinite Energy Arena – Duluth, Georgia

Rosters: Click here.

Game 2 information:

Who: Zappers (0-1) vs. Glacier Boyz (0-1)

When: 9:00 p.m. ET

Where: Infinite Energy Arena – Duluth, Georgia

Rosters: Click here.

Streaming:

Live stream on twitch.tv/FCF, the Fan Controlled Football App, or on VENN.tv.

Highlights from Week 1:

Beasts vs. Zappers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TNgNxUovwc

Wild Aces vs. Glacier Boyz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wm0HipFguk

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Marshawn Lynch had an exhilarating debut as a football commentator (but not player)

Oh, and Johnny Manziel did football(ish) things in Fan Controlled Football opener.

We told you all about Fan Controlled Football back in December, and the unique new indoor football league made its debut on Saturday night.

The latest football spin-off league has one very special twist to it, and it’s right there in the name: Fans can vote to impact the decisions their favorite team makes, from naming the team to, yes, even, calling plays.

That’s the feature here meant to sell the product. But of course the league also involved existing stars to try to stoke interest, including QB Johnny Manziel.

And, also, Marshawn Lynch. As an owner and commentator (and maybe player? More on that later.)

Note: Some foul language. 

Well, I’ll never think about ceasar salads the same ever again.

Here’s the thing: Lynch DID eventually suit up to try to run for 200 yards on a 50-yard field. However, he ultimately did not enter the game. USA TODAY’s Josh Peter has the details:

The FCF released a photo of Lynch wearing a uniform and issued a “Breaking News’’ statement reporting that “Beast Mode Marshawn Lynch has decided to suit up for his team. @MoneyLynch added to roster.”

Lynch, the retired NFL running back also known as “Beast Mode,” hasn’t played football since suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks late in the 2019 NFL season. He still hasn’t.

Abruptly, Lynch decided against playing for his team in the FCF debut in Duluth, Georgia.

“…Basically he felt he was taking snaps away from the starter, so he was ready to run out and backed out like a true owner with empathy,’’ said Bryan Kirsch, communications advisor for the FCF. “We are trying to get him back on the broadcast to talk about it.’’

I’m torn as to whether I want Lynch to play or continue to be a commentator. Maybe I need to become a fan of the Beasts and cast my vote for: “Both.”

If you’re wondering how Manziel did, let me show you the good:

Before reporting the bad: He completed just 1-of-5 passes and, according to Peter, looked winded for much of the game.

He joked around after his team, the Zappers, lost to the Beasts 48-44: “Good start even with the loss. You know, win or lose we booze on the Zappers.”

Manziel entered a drug and alcohol rehab center in January 2015, when he was still a member of the Cleveland Browns. Hopefully he finds a way to stay healthy as he embarks on this new venture.

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Fan Controlled Football: Why this spring football league might actually work

Johnny Manziel’s takes first Fan Controlled Football snap for dazzling run

Johnny Manziel brought back memories of college Johnny Football with his first Fan Controlled Football play

The first night of Fan Controlled Football didn’t have to wait long for a Johnny Manziel highlight.

The first play of the game Saturday saw the Heisman winner from Texas A&M and first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns almost go the length of the 50-yard field.

Manziel threw a TD pass on the Zappers’ first drive and ran one in on the second against the Beasts.

The league incorporates fans into play-calling. It is highly interactive and there was a steady flow of comments on the Twitch video. The game begins slightly different than the NFL or either incarnation of the XFL. How about Rock, Paper, Scissors for the coin toss?

And your halftime “snack” was far from typical.

https://twitter.com/fcflio/status/1360769912806002688?s=20

The FCF league is four weeks of a regular season, one week of a playoff and then a championship game.

 

Johnny Manziel working out toward Fan Controlled Football debut

Johnny Manziel is working out in Arizona as the start of Fan Controlled Football start nears

Johnny Manziel’s career has seen incredible success — in college — and failure — at many stops in the pros.

What seems to be the last chance at salvaging a once-promising football life is going to start on Feb. 13 when the 7-on-7 Fan Control Football League kicks off its inaugural season.

Video of Manziel prepping for the season popped on Wednesday. And he’s working out in Scottsdale, Az, under the watchful eye of league commissioner Ray Austin.

This has to be the ultimate reality check for Manziel, who played in front of thousands and thousands of fans during SEC games in college and his time with the Cleveland Browns.

The FCF draft takes place Feb. 10. There will be franchise players so expect Manziel to be one of those who sticks with the team that claims him.

This is the Alabama game the former Aggie star speaks of in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ud89TwCQL0

Richard Sherman on Super Bowl LV and Fan Controlled Football

San Francisco 49ers DB Richard Sherman addressed his role in a new, Fan Controlled Football League, as well as the upcoming Super Bowl

If you have dreamed of owning a football team, your time has come.

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman announced Wednesday that Fan Controlled Football is inviting regular folks to invest in any of the league’s four teams for its inaugural season, which will kick off on Feb. 13.

Fans and investors can buy into their favorite FCF team — the Glacier Boys, Beasts, Zappers or Wild Aces — for a minimum investment of $150 and the chance to become co-owners alongside notable names in sports and entertainment.

How did Sherman, a five-time Pro Bowler, come to be an investor?

“I thought it was an interesting concept,” Sherman told Touchdown Wire on Wednesday. “I thought it was something fans could get excited about, especially during the offseason, when people don’t have much football to be excited about and all you have to look forward to is next season.

“I think having an effect on the game is going to be huge for the fans. It will be huge for them to feel like they are affecting the game and to be able to invest in teams emotionally, financially, and actually being able to control aspects of the game. It is one of those situations where, conceptually, it made a lot of sense, and I am excited to see it come to fruition,”

Look for a diverse group of people in the front office and on different staffs.

From Co-Founder and CEO Sohrob Farurdi to FCF Commisonier Ray Austin, the FCF has a strong history of boosting diversity and inclusion. WNBA Star and Atlanta Hawks broadcaster Renee Montgomery is the first female team owner.

In addition, FCF has assembled an all-female athletic training staff and the COVID Compliance Team is led by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Tara Kirk Sell, PhD.

Sherman spoke about the lack of diversity in recent NFL hires and how FCF will address the issue.

“I think the FCF will be more active,” he said. “This is a different conceptual model — a lot of play-calling. Decisions are made by the fans, so it is not as coach-dependent.

“The [NFL] is the league, and they can make a powerful statement but at this point, you can be a highly sought-after and qualified minority coach and not get a job. You can be a tight ends coach, not a minority, and get a head coaching job. You can be a special teams coach and not a minority coach and get a head coaching job. It is one of those things where it doesn’t matter. They find excuses against minority candidates instead of reasons to hire them.”

As for why to invest in FCF, Sherman said, “It’s Fan Controlled Football. What’s better than that? What’s better than fans controlling aspects of the game that they dreamed to control. What’s more fun for a fan than to be a coach, a GM, to pick the players, to pick the plays. It is real life.”

Sherman addressed Super Bowl LV, which will feature star quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, both of whom Sherman has played against in the big game.

“I played both in Super Bowls and unfortunately, we came away empty-handed both times,” said Sherman, who is a five-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ with the Seattle Seahawks. “We had control of both games for the most part. You have to be smart to understand what they do well. What they don’t do well.”

The DB said you have to take different approaches to each QB.

“Mahomes you have to keep him in the pocket and pressure him and stay over the top of his receivers, which is much easier said than done,” Sherman said. “Brady you have to get pressure in his face, interior line. You have to make him pay for his mistakes. If he throws interceptions, you have to score points.”

As for the three picks in the second half in seven throws against Green Bay by the G.O.A.T. “It is definitely troublesome. I think they are banking on this is Tom Brady and you won’t define his legacy of the half of a football. He will get the benefit of the doubt rightfully so because history says you kind of have to.

“It is going to be hard to bet against Tom. The Chiefs have shown they are a tough out. But so is Tom. I really don’t have a horse in the fight.”

When it comes to choosing to invest here are the teams and the owners:

  • Beasts: Super Bowl champion Marshawn Lynch, pro-wrestling superstar Miro, and WNBA star Renee Montgomery. Montgomery was recently named the first female owner of the FCF.
  • Glacier Boyz: Hip-hop mogul Quavo, Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman, and YouTube sensation Deestroying.  
  • Wild Aces: Greg Miller of Kinda Funny, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler.  
  • Zappers: New York Mets pitcher Trevor May, and sportscaster Bob Menery.  

Austin Ekeler talks Chargers, NFL and ownership in Fan Controlled Football

Austin Ekeler offered a look into his left in the NFL and as a Fan Controlled Football owner

Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler knows what it takes to make it against the odds. He has gone from free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft to top-flight running back.

Now, Ekeler is using his business and social media acumen to help kick-start a fledgling league, Fan Controlled Football, a seven-on-seven competition that kicks off Feb. 13.

The upstart league took its next step Thursday, introducing team uniforms by team owners, including Ekeler.

Fans submitted concepts for, and voted, on team names and logos. Based on the winning designs, Champion created the official on-field uniforms and practice apparel for the four teams.

Ekeler spoke to Touchdown Wire in a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday:

Q: You play in arguably the best uniform in all of sports. How do these stack up?

A: The jerseys are different and I am a fan of not mainstream. The Wild Aces’ jerseys go from pink to blue. There is no pink in NFL uniforms.

Q: Why do you think the Chargers’ uniforms are so beloved?

A: We have a good color scheme. My favorite jersey is the all Navy. The yellow pops in the Navy jersey.

Q: Why did you decide to get involved with this league?

A: I started streaming in March/April, grew a good community. There was this new concept FCF that was going to be streamed on Twitch. It made sense as a strategic partner for them to bring me on. I am trying to expand my reach on Twitch platforms. Social media is 100 percent a positive, a tool that can be used correctly.

Q: Did you play anything like seven-on-seven in your youth?

A: I played seven on seven in high school … at camps. Because there are less people the amount of space makes you feel you can run anywhere and get open. The scores are always higher because if you get past one line there is no one there.

Q: Have you seen players that did not stick with the Chargers you have recommended to become part of the league or Wild Aces, specifically?

A: A few guys have reached out to me. It was too late for them to get in. Hopefully, this year goes well and I think this is a new opportunity for players.

Q: How did you stay in shape while injured given the challenges of COVID?

A: It has been an interesting year with injuries, hamstring, concussion at end of year. The wear of the NFL season is heavy. I hate it when I can’t work out. It feels like I am taking away some of my relaxation time. It is therapeutic.

Q: Was the adjustment to college similar to the NFL, given the ability we now know you have?

A: Coaches noticed me because I was as strong – stronger – as some of the upperclassmen. It was fast for me in college. Playing with people that were older. The mental part comes when you understand scheme. It is the same transition from college to the NFL. How can I use what I have used and make it work on the next level?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwyjETycAEI

Q: When did you know you could play at the NFL level? Was there a moment?

A: My first regular season carry against the Eagles was a 35-yard touchdown run.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPSfewjuiN4

Q: Did you question your ability to leap from Western State to the NFL? And how did you absorb the big contract with the Chargers?

A: I never gave myself room to doubt myself.  I don’t know if I ever dreamed of it. I always wanted to progress toward that. At first (it was hard to grasp), 100 percent. When you are around other people it Is normal. You understand it more.

You know how people say, ‘More money, more problems.’ I think money exemplifies your true character. It’s going to bring out the person I truly am. I live in the moment. The best chance you have to succeed is living in the moment—nothing matters except what you do to be better now. That’s who I am. That’s who I’ll continue to be.

Q: What, if anything, did you buy for someone after signing the four-year, $25 million contract?

A: I bought my mother (a real estate agent in Colorado) a truck. A Ford-150. She needed it. She was driving a van with 300,000 miles on it.

Q: Were you surprised Anthony Lynn was fired?

A: I wasn’t stunned. There was talk. Coach said let’s make sure we make the best of the opportunity.

Q: There is talk Urban Meyer intrigues the Chargers? Could you see him making the transition given the differences between college and pros?

A: I think it is a massive challenge because of the pressure put on that spot and the expected performance. Even when we were 7-9 it wasn’t good enough. There should be because there is pressure on us, too.

Q: Justin Herbert stepped in and had a magical season. Compare his savvy as a rookie to that you experienced with Philip Rivers? Did you feel Herbert carried himself more like a veteran than a first-year QB in the huddle?

A: I am stunned. You never know what you are gonna get especially at QB with a rookie. I think he is making a good run for Rookie of the Year.

Philip analyzed the game. Next level mental game. Philip had advantages. Justin will get there with time.

Q: Speaking of Rivers, do you think he plays another year or retires?

A: I think he will play as long as he can. As long as he can start, he will play.

Q: Has the NFL taken on more traits of the college game? And to that extent if you watched Alabama did you its offense taking on ideas from the NFL. Like DeVonta Smith being used to run routes like a Tyreek Hill, for instance?

A: Our team has because of Justin’s mobility. College QBs are more mobile. Read-option stuff. Lamar Jackson showed you can do this. Football is football. Regardless of what level you are playing at.

Q: You are in the same division as the Chiefs. What, if anything, do you see that separates them from the rest of the league?

A: The creativity of their offense. Different types and ways they keep you honest. I think it is Andy Reid testing the capability of his team.

Q: Picks this weekend in the Divisional round games?

Packers or Rams? Packers

Browns or Chiefs? Chiefs

Ravens of Bills? Ravens. I want to see Lamar Jackson win.

Bucs or Saints? It comes down to running back play. New Orleans.

Q: Who wins it all?

A: The half-billion dollar man wins it all again. They have so many different weapons.

Q: How can the Chiefs be stopped?

A: You’ve got to get pressure on Mahomes. We had an 11-point lead on them. We slowed down in the fourth quarter.

Official FCF and Champion gear for the four teams is available to purchase in the FCF online store at store.fcf.io.

Report: Johnny Manziel to play in Fan Controlled Football League

Johnny Manziel is attempting a comeback in the Fan Controlled League

The fledgling Fan Controlled Football League has signed a Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL first-round pick.

Not Ricky Williams. Someone from another school in Texas. Yep, folks, Johnny Manziel is back at it.

ESPN reported Wednesday the controversial former Texas A&M star and NFL and CFL bust, has signed with the league that will kick off in February.

Per ESPN:

“The more I heard about what this was going to be, the more I felt it was going to be something that was just very fun,” Manziel said. “It’s going to be very fan-oriented and something I could get behind without being extremely, extremely, extremely serious, the way that my football career has been in the past.”

Manziel, 28, connected with FCF co-founder and CEO Sohrob Farudi through comedian Bob Menery, a mutual friend.

“Life gives you opportunities sometimes to do something that you would still like to do if it was in a different capacity,” Manziel said. “This has a lot of potential to just be a good time and still be football-centric. They’re going to let the people [who] join this league be who they are and have fun with it and be a little bit more free than what football is sometimes. That’s definitely what appealed to me. They don’t want me to change who I am or anything else. They want to come out, put a good product out and be fun with it.”

Previously, Touchdown Wire reported Ricky Williams and Brian Urlacher had shown interest in playing for the league that will have four teams and a six-game season when it starts Feb. 13.

The Heisman Trophy winner in 2012 at Texas A&M, Manziel was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Asked where he is now on a personal level, Manziel said: “I wake up with a smile on my face way more than I used to in the past, when people would have said that I had everything. It’s funny how life works sometimes. You have everything and you can be upset, and when you have a lot less, you can be way happier. I’m at a point in my life where I’m 28 years old and I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing moving forward and trying to re-create an identity, and that’s what the past year has been about for me.”