Tag: Jerome Bettis

John Smoltz, Jerome Bettis among captains in new pro sports golf league

It’s no secret that athletes from the other major sports love to play golf.

It’s no secret that athletes from the other major sports love to play golf. For example, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been a regular at PGA Tour events over the years, playing in various pro-ams, and the MVP candidate took part in the 2022 Match with teammate Patrick Mahomes.

But now a group of retired (and some current) athletes are taking their affection for the sport to a new level, as part of a five-tournament golf series slated to begin later this year.

The Pro Rivals Open will feature former greats from each of the four major sports, competing on teams in their respective sports. The first event is scheduled for Dec. 9-14 at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa, Florida.

The captains for the respective teams are as follows:

  • Baseball: John Smoltz
  • Football: Jerome Bettis
  • Hockey: Mike Modano
  • Basketball: Jon Barry

The three-day match play events will include doubles and singles matches and full rosters are expected to be announced soon. The circuit is owned by BW Sports and Pure Sports Holdings and was co-created with ETZEL, its management partner.

Copperhead Course. (Photo: Innisbrook Resort)

“Throughout my playing career, I always found an outlet on the golf course and when I get the chance to compete, I take advantage of it,” said Smoltz, a baseball Hall of Famer who has dabbled on the golf circuits for years. “I wanted to be a part of something that pushes me as an athlete, and The Pro does that in a new way. It will bring together some of the greatest professional athletes from across the world of sport, testing us in a completely new environment and format. This is such a unique and exciting concept, and it meets the ongoing passion and desire that we all have to compete at a high level.”

“Professional athletes of this caliber are never done competing,” said Nick Clark, the GM of the circuit. “The Pro taps into the relentless competitive drive of professional athletes and gives them an opportunity to compete at a high level in a new arena. We’re bringing some of the top athletes in the world to America’s biggest sports cities to deliver a compelling golf experience for players and fans, while making a positive impact in local communities by showcasing the transformative impacts of sports.”

Like other pro tournaments, the events will include two early week practice rounds, a tournament pro-am and three days of competition. Tickets, hospitality packages and more info are available here.

Broncos want less Barry Sanders, more Jerome Bettis from Audric Estime

“I didn’t see many times where [Jerome] Bettis was leaping over people,” Broncos coach said in reference to rookie Audric Estime.

Story update: The Broncos placed Audric Estime on injured reserve with an ankle injury on Wednesday. He will now miss at least four games. See our original post below.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime made a splash with his first career carry on Sunday, rushing for 13 yards and hurdling a defender.

On the way down, safety Julian Love punched the ball out of Estime’s arm.

One day later, Broncos coach Sean Payton downplayed the fumble by giving more credit to the defender than criticism to Estime. Payton also didn’t say he would discourage Estime from attempting hurdles, but he did make it clear that he wants the running back to be more of a bruiser than a dancer.

“I don’t coach against that,” Payton said of the hurdle. “I don’t ever want to take away from their instincts. The one thing that was interesting on that play if you go back and look at it. It’s a great play by the Seattle defender in that — we had a takeaway for instance. [Alex] Singleton had an interception yesterday. That play I put on for our staff to look at. There are some takeaways where you’d say, ‘It’s an interception. There was pressure on Geno [Smith]. He stepped up, and Singleton made a play.’ And that’s a turnover, when there are other plays like Audric’s, where that’s more of a takeaway.

“The timing of the tackle and then the deliberate punch out. I’m putting that play on as much for [the] defense, and then obviously we’ll see it offensively relative to if I’m in the open field and taking that approach. With that being said, last week in Audric’s locker there was a picture of Barry Sanders to the left and then Jerome Bettis to the right. Barry Sanders had the Ghostbusters circle and red line through it. You have to know what kind of runner you’re going to be in this league. I didn’t see many times where Bettis was leaping over people.”

Point taken.

Payton doesn’t want to coach against Estime’s instincts, but the coaching staff envisions more of a Bettis-style role for the 227-pound running back. At the end of the day, if Estime holds onto the ball, the Broncos will take a 13-yard carry with or without a hurdle. We’ll see if Estime has better ball security (and fewer hurdles) going forward.

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Notre Dame Recruits Post Epic Steelers Legacy Photo

Steelers legacies pose with fathers on latest official Notre Dame visits.

Notre Dame’s recent run of landing recruiting commitments from the sons of former NFL players has been impressive.  The sons of several former NFL stars have chosen to wear blue and gold in recent years from the likes of Kennedy Urlacher (Brian), Bryant Young, Jr., James Flanagan (Jim), and several others.

There are three players currently committed in the 2025 recruiting class that don’t only each have fathers that played in the NFL, but fathers that specifically starred for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Those three posed together over the weekend, along with their fathers for a truly epic photo of the old guard and new.

[autotag]Elijah Burress[/autotag] posted the photo as he sits on the left side, in front of his dad Plaxico.  [autotag]Ivan Taylor[/autotag], Notre Dame‘s top-ranked recruit currently in the 2025 class sits in front of his dad Ike Taylor.  And on the right side is of course [autotag]Jerome Bettis, Jr[/autotag]. seated in front of his Pro Football Hall of Fame father, Jerome, Sr.

Happy Father’s Day, in blue and gold or black and yellow, indeed.

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Andrew Whitworth among 4 former Rams playing in marquee celebrity golf tournament

Andrew Whitworth and Jerome Bettis are among four former Rams teeing it up in the star-studded American Century Championship golf tournament

The American Century Championship is the biggest celebrity golf tournament around, bringing star athletes and entertainers to the course in Tahoe each and every summer. Everyone from Justin Timberlake to Steph Curry have played in the event, and this year, a handful of former Rams players will be in the field, too.

The American Century Championship announced the participants in this year’s tournament, which will be held from July 10-14, and these four ex-Rams will be teeing it up:

  • Jerome Bettis
  • Ryan Fitzpatrick
  • Baker Mayfield
  • Andrew Whitworth

Fitzpatrick only played two years with the Rams, and Mayfield was in Los Angeles for less than half a season, but they still qualify as former members of the franchise. Like Fitzpatrick, Bettis was drafted by the Rams, spending three years with the organization from 1993-1995. Whitworth, of course, was signed in 2017 and spent five years with the Rams, helping them win Super Bowl LVI against the Bengals.

Among the other current and former NFL stars playing in the ACC tournament are Davante Adams, Tim Brown, Larry Fitzgerald, Dwight Freeney, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Peterson. For the full field of players, click here.

Watch 1992 ESPN highlight of Notre Dame shutout win over Purdue

Remember this game?

While it may not seem like it on the surface, there are quite a few present-day connections to Notre Dame’s 48-0 shutout of Purdue in 1992.

The Irish and Boilermakers will face each other in 2024. Although this game will take place in West Lafayette as opposed to the 1992 game in South Bend, a player involved in that game, Irish All-American [autotag]Aaron Taylor[/autotag], will be seen on that game’s broadcast on CBS as he just joined the network’s college football pregame show.

On ESPN’s recap of the game, you can see Taylor being highlighted as a blocker for one of [autotag]Jerome Bettis[/autotag]’ two touchdowns that day:

While Bettis did well on this day, he still couldn’t touch Reggie Brooks, who ran for three touchdowns and 205 yards. In fact, all of the Irish’s touchdowns for that game came on the ground with [autotag]Rick Mirer[/autotag] and [autotag]Kevin McDougal[/autotag] rounding out the scoring. How times have changed considering today’s pass-heavy game.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame Football: Will Irish Locker Room Get Awkward Next Year?

An interesting locker room conversation coming soon to Notre Dame…

I can’t be the only guy that grew up debating with friends which of our dad’s would win in a fight.

With recent additions to Notre Dame’s roster, I can’t help but wonder if that discussion is going to come up in the Fighting Irish locker room a year from now.

Except it won’t be so much a fight being discussed, but instead a time when one daddy bus made another’s dad essentially road kill.

Kennedy Urlacher joined Notre Dame as a member of the 2024 recruiting class and is participating in spring practice this year as he enrolled early.  He’s of course the son of legendary Chicago Bears running back Brian Urlacher.

A short time ago Jerome Bettis, Jr. announced his commitment to Notre Dame as the wide receiver is now a part of the outstanding 2025 recruiting class for the Irish.

That simply got me thinking: How long until the elder Bettis’ run over the Hall of Fame linebacker gets brought up?

It was the winter of 2005 in what wound up being the start of a streak that saw the Steelers win out, something they had to do just to make the playoffs.

They’d then go onto a Super Bowl, their fifth in franchise history, when they beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.  Urlacher and the Bears would make it to the big game but fall to the Colts the following season.

Just some fun to help get us a day closer to kickoff…

 

A third crystal ball pick goes in for Notre Dame to land a 2025 legacy recruit

The Irish are trending in the right way for “Bus” Jr.

Notre Dame football was already trending to add 2025 wide receiver [autotag]Jerome Bettis Jr.[/autotag], but the momentum is gaining for the Irish to add the legacy recruit.

We all know his father, “The Bus” was a fixture of the Irish offense during the 1991 and 1992 seasons, setting record 23 total touchdowns during his sophomore year. His son doesn’t play the same position, but at 6-foot, 1-inch and 190-pounds, Jr. is a very solid receiver prospect.

Bettis Jr. is ranked as the No. 88 player at his position and 575th overall according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and recently Anna Adams has joined Steve Wiltfong and Tom Loy in crystal ball projecting him to play where his father did, in South Bend.

Notre Dame has dominated recruiting former Irish players and former NFL stars sons. It looks like that will continue with Bettis Jr.

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Notre Dame Football: 51 Jerome Bettis Photos as ‘The Bus’ Turns 51

Happy birthday to the BUS!

Jerome Bettis is one of the first Notre Dame players I remember watching and rooting for on Saturdays before he ultimately went to the NFL where he starred for the Rams before turning into a Hall of Fame-caliber player for his accomplishments with the Steelers.

“The Bus” is celebrating his 51st birthday today and what better way to celebrate the former Notre Dame star and recent Notre Dame graduate than by looking at him through the years?

Look back now at “The Bus” through the years from when it left its depot in Detroit to where it’s parked now, in Canton, Ohio.

Notre Dame in the Super Bowl: The Bus Makes Last Stop

18 years ago today The Bus made its final stop

The Super Bowl is the biggest single day sporting event in the world and is coming up this Sunday.  History of the game shows plenty of Notre Dame connections to it as plenty of Super Bowl heroes once wore blue and gold.

The one we look at today played his final NFL game 18 years ago today in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan.

We’re talking about former Notre Dame great and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis.  “The Bus” made his final playing stop in Super Bowl XL as he helped the Wild Card Pittsburgh Steelers through the AFC playoffs and into their first Super Bowl appearance in a decade.

Bettis didn’t have a huge game in his finale, but it was enough to get the job done.  He ran for 43 yards on 14 carries, with a long of 12 on the day.  It wasn’t a huge performance by the high standards Bettis set but it was enough to help the Steelers to a 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks and to their fifth Super Bowl title in franchise history.

Take a look back at some of the photos of Notre Dame and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis and his one trip to the Super Bowl which happened 18 years ago today.

Notre Dame Football: Happy birthday to Irish great Reggie Brooks!

REGGIE BROOKS CAUGHT IT FOR A TWO-POINTER!

hen you look at the long history of Notre Dame football you’ll be hard-pressed to find a player responsible for a pair of more memorable plays than Reggie Brooks.  Brooks followed his older brother Tony’s lead and enrolled at Notre Dame in 1989.  Originally a defensive back, the younger Brooks transitioned to tailback back for his junior season in 1991.  That move resulted in Lou Holtz and the Irish getting one of the best years from a running back in program history.

Brooks didn’t make a major impact in 1991, rushing just 18 times all year.  He made the most of those opportunities though as he ran for 122 yards (6.7 ypc) and a pair of touchdowns.  The next year he soared and became forever entrenched in Notre Dame lore for two incredible plays (and for having a monster year).

The first came on a touchdown run against Michigan that Brooks broke at least five tackles during before being knocked out just before crossing the goal line.

That run came early in the year and helped set the tone for what would become a massive season.  Brooks totaled 1,343 rushing yards that year while scoring 13 times on the ground and catching one pass for a 24-yard score.  It was another reception he had that didn’t count as a reception in the box score, but is still remembered as clear as day by any Notre Dame or Penn State fan that watched it.

I tried my hardest but couldn’t find the outstanding Tony Roberts call of this sequence online.

A week later Brooks overcame a stomach bug to rush for 227 yards and three touchdowns at USC.  His two memorable scoring plays earlier in the year paired with that performance in front of a national audience helped him to finish fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.  Not bad for someone who shared a backfield with some guy named Bettis, huh?

Brooks, [autotag]Rick Mirer[/autotag] and [autotag]Jerome Bettis[/autotag] were the first real stars at Notre Dame that I remember watching.  I know I watched games before that but those three were the first few that I grew an attachment to as a young fan.

Brooks would go on to be drafted by the Washington Redskins and played three years for them before finishing his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Today he celebrates turning 52 so happy birthday to Reggie.

I might not have been able to find a clip of it but after writing this first thing this morning I promise you I’ll be yelling “REGGIE BROOKS! REGGIE BROOKS CAUGHT IT FOR A TWO-POINTER!” in my head all afternoon.

Happy birthday, 40!

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Enjoy a handful of pictures of Brooks career at Notre Dame and in the NFL below.