Tag: Jonathan Stewart

Top-rated recruit from every state for Oregon Ducks football since 2000

In recent years, the Ducks have expanded their recruiting reach, grabbing players from across the country. Here are their top recruits from each state.

The reach of the Oregon Ducks has been expanding over the past decade or so when it comes to the world of recruiting in college football. It used to be that the Ducks would take a majority of their players from the northwest, and occasionally pull some of the top talents from the state of California as well.

Over the past few years, though, that has changed. Now the Ducks have gone national, with a heavy push into the state of Texas, the Northeast, and the deep south, getting top-rated players from some of the deepest pools of high school football in the nation.

While Dan Lanning is the latest in a long line of coaches to preach that keeping the best players in the state at home is key to success, the fact that Oregon has made a push into states like Texas, Arizona, and Florida is part of the reason why the Ducks have found such great success in the recruiting world over the past decade.

We thought it would be a fun exercise to go back through the all-time 247Sports recruiting database and pick out the highest-ranked commit from each state since the year 2000 just to see what it would look like. We only go back that far because that’s when things started to really get measured in the high-stakes game of recruiting wars.

Here is a look at the best recruit from every state the Ducks have landed on campus to play football.

4 ex-Giants among first-year eligible candidates for Hall of Fame in 2024

4 former members of the New York Giants are among a group of first-year eligible candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Four former New York Giants players are on the list of potentials for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, linebacker Connor Barwin, running back Jonathan Stewart and cornerback Leon Hall will all be eligible for the first time next year.

Marshall played just five games for the Giants in 2017 after inking a two-year, $12 million deal. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 and was released the next spring.

Barwin came to the Giants in 2018 after four-year stints in Houston and Philadelphia and a year with the Rams. He played 15 games for the Giants and retired in 2019.

Stewart was a controversial signing by the Giants in 2018 after 10 seasons in Carolina. He had little left in the tank when he got to New Jersey and ended up playing in three games for Big Blue.

Hall came to the Giants in 2016 after nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in 12 games and was not brought back in 2017.

Of this group, Marshall has the best shot at a place in Canton. He had six seasons where he had 100 or more receptions, tied with Antonio Brown for the most all-time.

Other first-time eligibles who have an actual chance at gaining election are defensive end Julius Peppers, tight end Antonio Gates and cornerback Eric Berry.

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Former Panthers WR Robbie Anderson blasts Jonathan Stewart for ‘temper tantrum’ comments

After Jonathan Stewart called Robbie Anderson out for his “temper tantrum” on Sunday, the former Panthers WR went off on the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

Despite what went down at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, former Carolina Panthers wideout Robbie Anderson still demanded his respect. And that demand, apparently, goes for people who may not even be in the organization anymore.

On Monday’s episode of the Bleav in Carolina Panthers podcast, franchise great Jonathan Stewart dropped his two cents on Anderson’s actions during the Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Carolina’s all-time leading rusher, clearly, was not amused by what he called a “temper tantrum.”

Anderson, of course, was sent off into the locker room by interim head coach Steve Wilks in the fourth quarter of the game. That move, in what would be the pass catcher’s final scene as a Panther, was preceded by a shouting match with receivers coach Joe Dailey—one in which Anderson vented his frustrations for being taken out of a third-down situation.

Less than 24 hours after the incident, the disgruntled veteran was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for two future late-round draft picks. But, Anderson (or @chosen1ra on Instagram) wasn’t too busy to hear Stewart’s shots, or show that he was packin’ that thang too . . .

@bleavsports/IG

Anderson and Stewart were never teammates in Carolina, as the latter wrapped up his Panthers career three years before the former’s arrival. Regardless, it might be safe to say that the two won’t be buddy-buddy, at least anytime soon.

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Panthers great Jonathan Stewart: Steve Wilks is capable of anything

Jonathan Stewart, during his appearance on Wednesday’s edition of the C3 Panthers Podcast, gave a little insight into exactly what type of leader Steve Wilks is.

Steve Wilks’ reputation precedes him as he enters his role as Carolina Panthers interim head coach. And that’s because his previous stint with the organization, a tenure seemingly lauded by everyone he crossed paths with, literally precedes this next great step of his career.

One of those people he crossed paths with was former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart, who actually joined old teammate Luke Kuechly in attending Wilks’ first practice at the helm on Wednesday. Carolina’s all-time leading rusher also joined the guys over on the C3 Panthers Podcast later that night, and gave his thoughts on the franchise’s current transition away from Matt Rhule.

When asked by host Cody Lachney if he believes Wilks has what it takes to turn these 1-4 Panthers around, Stewart had no reservations in heaping praise on the team’s new leader.

“I think Steve Wilks is capable of anything,” he said. “For starters, I’ll just give you a little backstory of who Steve Wilks is in my opinion, in my eyes in, in my perspective.”

Stewart then proceeded to give a little inside football into the type of motivator Wilks is:

“Him being on the defensive side of the ball during my time playing with the Carolina Panthers—as we went on our winning sprees and going to the Super Bowl, winning the championships and all those types of things.

“There were times where Coach [Ron] Rivera had to step out for the day—whether it was because of his house that caught on fire or some personal reason. Steve Wilks took the position of leading meetings, acting as head coach in those times. I remember pregame speeches—every week there’s a different coach, sometimes a player, that gets up Saturday night, give a speech.

“But I remember every time Steve Wilks spoke, every time his mouth opened—it was with reason. It was with direct reason. And after he was done speaking, especially pregame speeches and leading team meetings, I would leave those meetings feeling like I wanna run through a brick wall. And so, at the end of the day, a coach has to be a leader of men. And that’s what Steve Wilks is. He’s a leader of men.”

Wilks’ initial run with Carolina lasted from 2012 to 2017—where he served as a defensive backs coach, an assistant head coach and a defensive coordinator. Stewart, a Panther from 2008 to 2017, was there for every one of those seasons—through the three division titles, four playoff appearances and the 2015 NFC championship win.

So if he—a man who probably knows what it takes to run through a brick wall—says Wilks makes him want to run through a brick wall, then the Panthers may very well have the right man for the job at hand.

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Carlos Locklyn uses connection to Gary Campbell, Duck legends to inspire greatness

“It’s my job to get that room back to the standard.” Oregon RB coach uses connection with Ducks’ legends to elevate current roster.

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When former Western Kentucky coach Carlos Locklyn was hired to be in charge of the running backs with the Oregon Ducks, his first point of action was to get in touch with those who came before him. He wanted to talk to the people who made this a coveted position in his eyes; the people who set a standard decades ago, and created a legacy of dominant and successful rushers in Eugene.

The first person on the list was former RB coach Gary Campbell, who stands as the longest-tenured coach in Oregon history, coaching from 1983 to 2016.

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“For me, the standard when I first got here was to reach out to Coach Campbell,” Locklyn said on Tuesday. “And to reach out to every one of those backs, because that’s the standard. It’s my job to get that room back to that standard.”

When you think about the best rushers to come through Eugene, it’s nearly impossible to find someone who Campbell didn’t get his hands on. Saladin McCullough, Reuben Droughns, Jonathan Stewart, Jeremiah Johnson, LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, Royce Freeman… the list goes on.

“I know there’s other running back coaches that came after Coach Campbell, but to me, from 1983 to 2016, that guy — he’s the standard,” Locklyn said. “And if there’s anybody I want to model myself after, it’s Coach Campbell. He would text me, I would text him, I would text some of the running backs that have been here to let them know that I respect what y’all have done here, and it’s on me to get that room back to the standard.”

It shouldn’t come as a shock that Locklyn took the effort to reach out and form a relationship with some of the stalwarts in Oregon’s history books. If we’ve learned anything about him in the months since his hiring, it’s that relationships are the most important factor between a coach and player. That was a driving factor for why Dan Lanning hired him in the first place.

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“Lock was a guy that always stood out to me as a coach. I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time and more than anything, I’ve noticed how players respond to him,” Lanning said on Tuesday. “You can see obviously that video, the connection that he has with his guys, and like we said from the beginning, we’re going to be about relationships and development. And Lock takes a lot of pride in having great relationships with his players.”

The video that Lanning referred to is one that we saw a couple of months ago when the new Oregon head coach rounded up a group of Locklyn’s former players — Darrell Henderson, Antonio Gibson, Tony Pollard, Kenneth Gainwell, Patrick Taylor — on a call to have them present as he was offered the new job at Oregon. It represented how much love there was from his former players.

“Anybody that knows me knows that those five guys from Memphis, they mean a lot to me,” Locklyn said. “So, that was special to have those guys on that call, and those guys wanted to be on that call. They know the journey I had to get into this profession.”

As he looks toward the future, Locklyn knows that he can learn a lot from the past. In Eugene, there is a great history of successful running backs that spans decades into the past. They’ve set the standard for what it means to be great players and great men, mentored by the legendary Gary Campbell.

“It’s on me to get that room back to the standard.”

Contact/Follow us @Ducks_Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion.

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Former Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart: ‘It took a while’ to get over Super Bowl 50 loss

When talking with WCNC’s Eugene Robinson this week, Panthers all-time leading rusher Jonathan Stewart said “it took a while” to put the loss in Super Bowl 50 behind him.

Even in their most successful season in franchise history, the Carolina Panthers felt the sting of how their 2015 campaign ended for quite some time. That certainly goes for one of the organization’s all-time greats in Jonathan Stewart.

The former Panthers running back reflected upon his Super Bowl 50 experience with WCNC’s Charlotte Today this week. When asked by host (and familiar radio voice of the team) Eugene Robinson if he’s been able to reconcile the 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos, Stewart admitted it wasn’t a quick fix.

“Yeah, it took a while,” Stewart said. “But I think, at the end of the day, we have a lot of life to live and I’ve lived a good life. And at the end of the day, football—it’s a love of mine.”

Football has loved him back.

2008’s 13th overall pick went on to play 11 seasons of pro ball, capping off a noteworthy career with 7,335 rushing yards and 58 total touchdowns. He retired in 2019 as a one-time Pro Bowler and the Panthers’ all-time leading rusher.

Stewart was also the only Panther to taste the end zone in that Super Bowl defeat, hitting the paint at the 11:25 mark of the second quarter on a glorious 1-yard leap. And it’s that, along with the guys he did it with, that’ll always stick for Stewart.

“I got an opportunity to score in the Super Bowl, I got an opportunity to be in the Super Bowl with people in that locker room that I love so dearly,” he added. “I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ0PgscTRKk

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Panthers players react to Tom Brady’s reported retirement

Tom Brady is retiring . . . or is he? Either way, a few Panthers reacted to the unofficial news that has the game’s greatest player calling it a career.

The Carolina Panthers may or may not have to see Tom Brady again. And that’s because Tom Brady may or may not be heading towards retirement.

Either way, a few players hopped on social media to react to the news that might spell the end of perhaps the greatest career in NFL history.

Cam Newton’s former Panthers teammates react to his return

Panthers fans weren’t the only ones showing their excitement for Cam Newton’s return to Carolina.

There was plenty of excitement to be had on Thursday, as the Carolina Panthers did what was thought to be the unthinkable and brought back Cam Newton. The fans, however, weren’t the only ones basking in that glory.

Let’s take a look at some of the day’s best reactions from Newton’s former Panthers teammates, who couldn’t help but spread their love for the move.

Jonathan Stewart supports tennis star Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from French Open

Jonathan Stewart was one of the most physical players in Panthers franchise history.

Jonathan Stewart was one of the most physical players in Panthers franchise history. The former Carolina running back made a living out of breaking tackles and adding yards after contact. Tough as Stewart is, he’s smart enough to understand that mental health issues are very real and affect professional athletes just like the rest of us.

These issues are trending right now because of tennis star Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open after she was fined for not speaking to the media. Stewart says he stands with Osaka.

Panthers fans should understand where Osaka is coming from as well as anyone. Former QB Cam Newton was practically crucified for walking out of a press conference following the toughest loss of his career.

Media obligations are a part of playing any sport at the highest level in the public eye. However, there has to be room for exceptions. Good for Stewart for being on the right side.

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Ron Rivera, Panthers share congratulations for Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen on retirement

Two Panthers legends retired today.

Two Panthers legends retired today. In a joint ceremony at Bank of America Stadium, former Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis and tight end Greg Olsen both signed one-day contracts, going out with the franchise that defined their respective careers in the NFL.

As you can imagine, it’s been an emotional day for everybody involved, from Davis and Olsen themselves, to the Carolina fanbase and their former teammates and coaches. Here’s what former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and others have been sharing on Twitter.

Ron Rivera

Jonathan Stewart

Charles Johnson

https://twitter.com/randywattson/status/1370051912377241600

Tre Boston

Jermaine Carter Jr.

Shaq Thompson

We would also like to extend our congratulations to both Davis and Olsen. It was a joy and an honor to cover them for at least a part of their careers.

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