Tag: Instagram

NFL has gotten millions of views promoting Derek Carr’s TD celebration

The NFL has gotten millions of views promoting Derek Carr’s TD celebration on social media. They thanked him for it with a $14,069 fine:


This isn’t a good look for the NFL. The league has gotten millions of views promoting Derek Carr’s touchdown celebration against the Dallas Cowboys on social media, complete with an explanation for why he paid tribute to the late “King of Pop” Michael Jackson. Then the NFL thanked the New Orleans Saints quarterback for creating this highlight reel moment with a $14,069 fine.

On TikTok alone the clip has been viewed more than 267,000 times. It’s created even more engagement on Instagram with more than 1.6 million views. It’s since spread far and wide across the Internet as evidence that this 2024 Saints team is different from what fans have had to watch in recent years. And, sure, it’s a great clip. In his postgame press conference Carr joked that he borrowed Jackson’s choreography to remind his kids and younger teammates that he has some dance moves.

At the same time, the people issuing fines from the league office in New York are not the same people editing videos to post online every Sunday. Of course they’re going to react differently when a player grabs his crotch after scoring a touchdown and laughs about it after the game. But that doesn’t make this any less hypocritical. Company policy should be standard across departments. Either outlaw gestures like this (Carr wasn’t penalized for it during the game, by the way) or let it slide and get those clicks, reactions, and impressions online. Not even the NFL should get to have its cake and eat it too.

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Von Miller posts amazing Pat Surtain t-shirt on Instagram

Von Miller previously announced himself as “president of the Patrick Surtain Fan Club” in 2022.

Von Miller has not played for the Denver Broncos since 2021, but he clearly still has love for the franchise.

Miller took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a photo of his new t-shirt featuring Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain:

After Thursday’s game, Miller posted a photo of himself rocking the t-shirt:

Miller and Surtain were teammates for half of PS2’s rookie season before the pass rusher was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Miller is a big fan of the cornerback.

“I’m happy to announce that I am the president of the Patrick Surtain Fan Club,” Miller said on Richard Sherman’s podcast in 2022.

Miller is a two-time Super Bowl champion, having won titles in Denver and Los Angeles. Miller now plays for the Buffalo Bills, but fans would love to see him eventually finish his career back with the Broncos.

Miller, 35, has posted 124.5 regular-season sacks in his career, including 110.5 with Denver, a franchise record that is unlikely to fall anytime soon. He is also tied for first in Super Bowl history with 4.5 sacks in the Big Game.

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Justin Fields IG posts lets Steelers fans know he’s ready to start

If Justin Fields gets the call, we expect him to play well.

The news came out on Thursday that Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Russell Wilson was limited at Thursday practice with the same calf strain he has been dealing with throughout training camp and the preseason.

This could put Wilson’s status for Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Falcons in jeopardy. Friday is typically the day when you aren’t available to practice, you don’t play. Obviously, head coach Mike Tomlin has made exceptions and could do so for his starting quarterback but if he cannot go, backup Justin Fields looks like he’s to go.

Fields shared the Instagram post below of him in training camp and it definitely gives the feel that Fields is locked in and ready to start if Wilson cannot go.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_eOvhcMhcK/?igsh=YXdiNnNiajlmajN0

Fields spent the bulk of training camp and the preseason as the starting quarterback while Wilson dealt with this calf injury. The team named Wilson the starter despite very few reps in the preseason.

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Courtland Sutton posts farewell to Tim Patrick on Instagram story

After six years as teammates, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick were play for separate teams in 2024.

The Denver Broncos released Tim Patrick on Tuesday after failing to find a trade partner for the veteran wide receiver.

Following the news of Patrick’s departure, fellow receiver Courtland Sutton posted a series of photos of Patrick and Sutton on his Instagram story with the caption, “Since Day 1.” Here are screenshots of Sutton’s story:

The team also posted a thank you graphic to Patrick on their official Twitter/X page on Tuesday:

Sutton joined the Broncos in 2018, one year after Patrick landed in Denver. They were teammates for the last six seasons and the Broncos’ top two receivers before Patrick suffered back-to-back injuries in 2022 and 2023.

Patrick quickly landed on his feet after being released by Denver, agreeing to join the Detroit Lions’ practice squad with the understanding that he will later be promoted to the active roster.

The Broncos, meanwhile, are moving forward with Sutton, Josh Reynolds Marvin Mims, Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin at receiver. Sutton is now Denver’s second-longest-tenured player, only trailing left tackle Garett Bolles.

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Eli Manning joins Instagram, trolls brother Peyton with first post

Eli Manning joined Instagram this week and he trolled his brother, Peyton, in his first post.

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning joined Twitter in 2020. His older brother, Peyton, joined Instagram two years later in 2022.

Over the last four years, the brothers have not overlapped on a social media network. That’s changing in 2024.

Eli announced his new Instagram page on Monday with a funny post trolling Peyton. “New to Instagram and already mastered the art of the crop,” Eli captioned his first post.

The former quarterback shared seven photos in his first post and all of them have Peyton barely cropped out next to him. Click the right arrow button on his post below to see all seven images:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_I70buu6Qt/?img_index=1

Eli has quickly gained 55,400 followers as of the time of publication, but he’s got a ways to go to catch up to Peyton’s 766,000 followers.

Peyton and Eli both won two Super Bowls as quarterbacks in the NFL. They now host the ManningCast for select “Monday Night Football” games each fall, and they serve as coaches for the NFL’s new Pro Bowl format.

The Mannings’ signature sense of humor is a highlight of their football coverage, and it’s carried over into their social media posts.

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OKC Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein continues to work on 3-point shot in offseason

OKC Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein continues to work on 3-point shot in offseason.

After landing Isaiah Hartenstein, the Oklahoma City Thunder hope the 26-year-old has room to grow. He’s fresh off a career season with the New York Knicks where he stepped up as the starter once Mitchell Robinson went down.

The campaign landed him a massive deal with OKC. He provides them with some serious size and rebounds. After playing without a traditional backup big, the Thunder now employ arguably the best in the league.

A wrinkle to Hartenstein’s game he could add is his outside shot. He’s never truly been asked to be an outside shooter in his career. He’s totaled 87 career three-point attempts. He only took three last year.

But on the Thunder, that could be something he could add to his repertoire. It looks like he’s spent some offseason time sharpening his craft. In a recent video, Hartenstein showed off his corner 3-pointer in an Instagram story.

If the 26-year-old can legitimize his outside shot and translate it to the NBA, that could be a serious weapon for OKC to utilize in its 5-out offense. He’ll provide drivers like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams another kick-out option.

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Geno Smith posts cryptic message on his instagram

Geno Smith posts cryptic message on his instagram

Could quarterback drama be brewing in Seattle? Earlier on Friday, we at Seahawks Wire posted about a report regarding Geno Smith seeking a new contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Despite being only in the second year of a three-year contract, Smith is apparently seeking further guarantees to remain in Seattle.

Garafolo made sure to mention he does not feel as if the Seahawks are going to make any imminent moves regarding the apparent situation. Quite frankly, it makes sense why they would not. Smith is under team control for two more years, including this one, and Seattle typically does not begin renegotiations until there is only one year remaining left on the current contract.

However, Smith may be letting some opinions be known about the situation. Smith has cleared his instagram of all pictures. Not just any of him in Seahawks attrie, but a complete scrub. He also shared two songs on his story with these lyrics, which can be seen in the tweet below.

Now, it should absolutely be noted that if you were to go to Smith’s instagram account, you will not see either song on his story. At least not at the time of this article’s publication. He has taken both down.

While the music may no longer be featured, screen recordings of them still exist as you can see. It is clear Smith wanted a message of sorts out there. Could this be a not-so-subtle hint towards his employer? It wouldn’t be the first time we have seen something like this. With how prevalent social media is these days, athletes in the modern era have increasingly used the tactic of scrubbing their socials if they are unhappy with a contract situation. We saw this recently with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who did something similar a few years ago.

Or, could this merely be Smith making a motivational message for himself as the tweet above suggests? Smith has reportedly not moved on from the chip on his shoulder, as it makes him the player he is. Perhaps Smith is simply taking a step back from social media to focus on his efforts for the upcoming season.

For now, we can only speculate. But what we do know for certain is we at Seahawks Wire will keep you, dear reader, informed of any breaking news regarding this increasingly interesting situation.

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Justin Simmons’ Instagram post sparks speculation he will re-sign with Broncos

Unfortunately, Justin Simmons’ Instagram video does not mean he’s returning to the Broncos. “Was just a post! No hidden message,” he wrote.

Story update: Justin Simmons agreed to a one-year, $8 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday. See our original post below.

Free agent safety Justin Simmons took to Instagram on Wednesday to post a video showing highlights from his time with the Denver Broncos.

This was Simmons’ caption for the video: “More glory…You get all the praise. Thank you Lord🙏🏽”

Understandably so, that made many Broncos fans think he was re-signing with Denver.

“Please tell me you’re back!!?” one fan commented.

Another fan posted the “What do you mean by that” meme.

NFL fans on Twitter/X also speculated that Simmons is about to sign with a team. In addition to fans of the Broncos, fans of the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons also jumped to conclusions (Simmons visited those two teams over the last two weeks).

Unfortunately, the safety is not returning to Denver.

“Just a post everyone. Means nothing lol,” Simmons commented on the video. He clarified in a follow-up comment that it was “just a edit that was sent and I liked [it].”

The safety also cleared things up on Twitter/X:

Simmons, 30, was released by the Broncos in March and he is the most notable NFL free agent still available. It seems that no deal is imminent for the veteran safety.

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Former Chiefs starter shares emotional reflection on tenure in Kansas City

Former #Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend penned an emotional reflection on his time in Kansas City in a post to his Instagram account. | @EdEastonJr

The start of the new football year includes old faces in new places as the offseason decisions become a reality for the Kansas City Chiefs and the other 31 teams in the league.

Tommy Townsend signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Houston Texans during the offseason, leaving the Chiefs after four seasons. In a recent Instagram post, he shared one last goodbye to Kansas City’s fans and the Chiefs organization.

“Going into this NFL season, I can’t help but look back on these past few years I have been fortunate enough to experience in Kansas City,” Townsend said in his statement. “I couldn’t have been surrounded by better coaches, staff, teammates, and fans to start my career, and I’m happy I was able to end my stint in Kansas City on such a high note. A 1st team All-Pro, a Pro Bowl selection, a few franchise records, and winning back-to-back Super Bowl Championships is almost beyond belief. On top of that, some lifelong friendships and an endless amount of memories.”

Townsend’s best year was 2022, when he earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors in September and AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 15. He also ended the year as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro with 53 punts for 2,672 net yards and a 50.42 average, while the Chiefs went on to win their first of two consecutive titles in Super Bowl LVII.

https://www.instagram.com/tommy_townsend/p/C-G6CjrsAE_/?img_index=1

“Thank you to the Chiefs organization as a whole for these past 4 years.” Townsend’s statement continued. “My time in KC may have been short, but I am forever a Chief. Eyes on the future… #chiefskingdom”

Townsend and the Texans opened the preseason against the Chicago Bears last night during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Watch: Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein swishes 3-pointers in offseason workout

Watch: Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein swishes 3-pointers in offseason workout.

When the Oklahoma City Thunder added Isaiah Hartenstein, the immediate thought was how the 26-year-old would help the rebounding and size problems.

His rebound rate would’ve easily ranked best in OKC last season. At 7-foot, 250 pounds, he provides the Thunder some serious size at center that they previously didn’t have.

After that though, there are some other secondary benefits with Hartenstein. One might include bringing back an outside shot he abandoned with the New York Knicks.

Hartenstein is a career 27-of-87 (31%) from 3 in his six seasons but only attempted three outside shots last year. He didn’t rule out expanding his game beyond the arc.

“That was something that I felt like I can really bring, expand my game as I was talking about before, just getting back to the shooting aspect,” Hartenstein said. “Because before I was shooting it, so it’s really just getting back to that and being more versatile because that’s kinda what the team needs.”

This is a case where someone must see it first to believe it. Hartenstein had yet to register a season where he attempted one 3-point per game. But the good news is he won’t be asked to do that with the Thunder.

If anything, Hartenstein can return to a similar volume of outside looks he had in previous seasons. It won’t be a high priority but it’s a nice option in case the shot clock is close to expiring or opposing defenses sag off him.

Hartenstein has put in the work from deep in the offseason. He was recently featured in a social media video where he swished in outside attempts.

Attempting outside looks in an open gym compared to an NBA game are two different atmospheres, but it’s productive to see Hartenstein take this endeavor seriously.

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