Tag: LaVar Arrington

Former Washington LB Lavar Arrington happy to reunite with organization

Lavar Arrington reunites with the Washington franchise.

Lavar Arrington is back. No, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft is not back on the field, but he is back home with the organization where he played six of his seven seasons.

The Washington Commanders announced last week that Arrington would be the Week 11 “Legend of the Game.” It was a moment that Arrington himself almost wondered if it would ever happen.

Speaking to JP Finlay of NBC 4 and 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., Arrington spoke of returning home.

“I’m never at a loss for words, but this has been really awesome,” Arrington said. “Been too long. Been a lot of time and a lot of emotion, but there’s come a point and time where there’s so many things that are bigger than some of things that happened in the past. Having the opportunity to come back, the reception, just the communication leading up to coming back. Them making it real, the way that they did.”

Arrington then discusses if he

“I don’t want to say I thought about always coming back because you get to a point where you’re away for so long that it just kind of becomes almost like a dormant, dead memory to you.”

The former No. 2 overall pick then discussed how he and the team connected. Arrington appreciated how the team reached out to him and communicated with him.

Then, Arrington, once the franchise’s most popular player, discussed the fans.

“I’m excited to see the fans,” Arrington said. “It’s never been about there being any beef with the fans. One singular entity that kinda bonded us all together in this turbulent ride. It doesn’t feel like that anymore.”

Arrington then said something that should excite all fans.

“In three hours, I can feel an energy here that I’ve never felt,” Arrington said. “So, if not for anything else, just to be able to feel what I’m feeling now as a longtime retired former player of this team, I’m glad that these current players get an opportunity to feel the energy that I’m feeling right now.”

It’s good to see Washington making things right with many former players estranged from the team. Whether it’s Darrell Green, John Riggins, Champ Bailey, or Lavar Arrington, everyone has had the same message about the current ownership group. It’s a different time in Washington.

The name may have changed, but so has the play on the field. It’s good to see Arrington back in a place where he was beloved for a while until issues with former owner Daniel Snyder led to his departure. Arrington played for Washington from 2000-05 and then spent one season with the New York Giants before a motorcycle accident led to his retirement.

Former Washington linebacker’s son to follow in his footsteps

LaVar Arrington’s son to follow in his footsteps at Penn State.

In 1997, the Internet was nowhere near as popular as today, and neither were football recruiting services. One year later, Rivals.com was born. It was the first online recruiting hub that ranked high school players. But even before social media, when you heard the name LaVar Arrington, you knew he would be a superstar.

With Arrington, you didn’t know if he would be a running back, track star, or basketball. He was a phenomenal athlete.

Arrington also played linebacker at North Hills High School in Pittsburgh. He signed with Penn State—”Linebacker U,” and it was a match made in heaven.

In three years with the Nittany Lions, Arrington did not disappoint. While he was best known for the “LaVar Leap,” Arrington also won the Chuck Bednarik Award, Dick Butkus Award, and Lambert Award. He finished his as a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and was a unanimous All-American in 1999.

He entered the 2000 NFL draft, where he was the No. 2 pick by the then-Washington Redskins. Arrington’s career got off to a phenomenal start, but injuries and clashes with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and, more importantly, owner Dan Snyder led to a disappointing ending to his time in Washington.

He played for the Giants for one year in 2007 and retired after being injured in a motorcycle accident.

Now, Arrington’s son — LaVar Arrington II — is headed to play college football. And, no surprise, he’s following his famous father to Happy Valley to play for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Arrington looks a lot like his father. He is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound linebacker prospect from Charter Oak High School in Covina, California. According to 247Sports, Arrington is a three-star prospect and the 570th overall player in the 2025 recruiting class.

Many Washington fans will always hold a special place in their hearts for Arrington, wishing things could’ve gone differently.

Congratulations to the Arrington family.

LaVar Arrington II commits to Penn State (yes, he’s THAT LaVar Arrington’s son)

LaVar Arrington II will carry on the Sticks City tradition for Linebacker U.

Penn State got some recruiting fireworks on the Fourth of July for its Class of 2025. [autotag]LaVar Arrington II[/autotag], the son of legendary Penn State linebacker [autotag]LaVar Arrington[/autotag], committed to the Nittany Lions with a post on his social media account.

Arrington II is a three-star recruit according to 247Sports, On3, and Rivals. The 6′-3″, 200-pound linebacker is entering his final season for Charter Oak in California. He chose Penn State over offers from Tennessee, UCLA, Oregon, Michigan, and more. Penn State, of course, was always viewed as a strong candidate for his commitment given his father’s connection to the program.

LaVar Arrington was an All-American linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1997 and 1999 and was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. The 1999 unanimous All-American won the Butkus Award and the Chuck Bednarik award before going on to be the no. 2 overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft.

Big shoes to fill? Of course. But this is a nice legacy addition for James Franklin and the Class of 2025. Arrington II is the third linebacker to join Penn State’s list of commitments in the Class of 2025. He is set to join four-star players Dayshaun Burnett and Alex Tatsch.

Arrington’s commitment video was something special for Penn State fans as well. Opening with a shot of the father and son combo transitioned to brief messages from former Penn State linebackers NaVorro Bowman, Brandon Bell, and Micah Parsons before the younger Arrington officially announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9AcPTTxAV9/

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Penn State adds legacy recruit LB LaVar Arrington II

LaVar Arrington II will follow his dad to Penn State

There will be a familiar name in the linebackers room at Penn State in the future. The Nittany Lions have landed a commitment from LaVar Arrington II, son of the former Penn State great LaVar Arrington.

Arrington II has some big cleats to fill if he wants to duplicate his dad’s time in Happy Valley.

LaVar Arrington was a unanimous All-American in 1999. He won the Buktkus, Bednarik and Lambert awards. He went on to be the second overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft by Washington.

In the NFL, Arrington made the Pro Bowl three times.

Arrington II is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds. He plays prep ball at Charter Oak in Covina, CA.

Penn State coach James Franklin downplayed the legacy connection. “If your last name wasn’t Arrington, we would still offer you,” he said.

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NFL analyst claims QB Russell Wilson too ‘soft’ to play with Steelers

The Pittsburgh way should not be an excuse not to bring in a quality quarterback.

One veteran quarterback whose name is picking up steam when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers is Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. The Steelers are set only to have Kenny Pickett on the roster once free agency begins and the debate rages on between a veteran or a rookie to compete with Pickett.

Former NFL player LaVarr Arrington shared his two cents about Wilson as a Steeler on Fox Sports and called Wilson “soft” and said Wilson’s personality isn’t conducive to the “Pittsburgh way.”

The funny part about this is, that no one even knows what the Pittsburgh way is anymore and if any of the players or coaches on the team exhibit what Arrington is talking about. Not to mention, if Arrington is referring to the tough, physical nature of the Steelers teams of the past, does he think Pickett fits that mold better than Wilson? The Steelers have been a team in transition for a long time.

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LaVar Arrington reacts to viral clip of defendant leaping over judge’s bench

Was anyone else thinking about the LaVar Leap when watching this viral video?

By now you have probably seen the viral clip of a defendant jumping over the judge’s bench to attack the judge shortly after being denied parole. It was nearly impossible to miss the clip if you were online browsing your social media feeds or checking in on the news, either locally or nationally. The incident took place in a Las Vegas courtroom, and it is pretty safe to assume we now know why the right decision was made in rejecting this man’s ability to be placed on parole.

The judge suffered minor injuries, which is a relief given the scary situation that unfolded. But you may be wondering why we are discussing this on an outlet focusing on Penn State sports. The viral clip had some reminiscing of the time former Penn State linebacker [autotag]LaVar Arrington[/autotag] made a somewhat similar leap over the line of scrimmage to make a big play against Illinois.

Someone made that reference and mentioned Arrington on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account, and Arrington responded.

For all of the highlights and success Arrington had as a player both in college and in the pros, his iconic play is without question when he timed his jump perfectly over the line of scrimmage against Illinois on a fourth-and-short in 1998. Arrington cleared the offensive line and landed right at the Illinois runner to bring him down for a loss just after the handoff.

Now. almost a quarter century later, that play is still being mentioned in casual social commentary.

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Curtis Jacobs named Butkus Award semifinalist

Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs is one of 12 semifinalists for this national linebacker award.

Penn State linebacker [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] is one of 12 semifinalists for this season’s Collegiate Butkus Award, honoring the top linebacker in college football. The Butkus Award released its list of semifinalists on Monday.

Through 9 games this season, Jacobs has 36 total tackles, 25 solo tackles, 5 tackles for a loss and 1 sack. His 36 total tackles leads the team, with two more than fellow star linebacker [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]. Jacobs always seems to be around the football and is one of the most consistent players on what has been a tremendous defense for the Nittany Lions all year.

Jacobs is now looking to become the third player in Penn State history to win the Butkus Award. The only two players to previously win the award while wearing a Penn State uniform are [autotag]LaVar Arrington[/autotag] in 1999 and [autotag]Paul Posluszny[/autotag] in 2005.

Last year’s Butkus Award winner was Jack Campbell of Iowa, who is also the most recent Big Ten player to take home the award.

Here is the full list of semifinalists for this year’s Butkus Award.

2023 Collegiate Butkus Award Semifinalists

The winner of this year’s award will be named on or before Dec. 7.

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Washington’s 1st-round draft choices in the Daniel Snyder era

Looking back at each of Washington’s first-round picks in the Dan Snyder era. It started off with a bang.

Daniel Snyder first became the Washington Redskins owner in 1999.

It was May of 1999, and the 1999 NFL draft had just been held April 17-18. So, Snyder’s first draft was the 2000 draft and wow, did he take that draft by storm. He created a huge stir in free agency by signing aging veterans to extremely overpaid contracts that would lead to less performance on the field and more dead money cap hits in the following years.

When the draft arrived he had made moves resulting in Washington holding the second and third overall selections in that draft. For Snyder, it was WIN NOW and WORRY LATER.

Well, there wasn’t much winning, and there has been more than enough to worry about for the 23 years of his ownership.

Who were the Washington first-round draft choices during the Daniel Snyder era?

  • 2000: Lavar Arrington (2nd overall), Chris Samuels (3rd overall)
  • 2001: Rod Garnder (15th overall)
  • 2002: Patrick Ramsey (32nd overall)
  • 2003: To the NY Jets for signing restricted free agent WR Laveranues Coles
  • 2004: Sean Taylor (5th overall)
  • 2005: Carlos Rogers (9th overall), Jason Campbell (25th overall)
  • 2006: Traded to Denver in Jason Campbell deal
  • 2007: LaRon Landry (6th overall)
  • 2008: Traded to Atlanta (drafted Devin Thomas, Fred Thomas)
  • 2009: Brian Orakpo (13th overall)
  • 2010: Trent Williams (4th overall)
  • 2011: Ryan Kerrigan (16th overall)
  • 2012: Robert Griffin (2nd overall)
  • 2013: Traded to the Rams for Robert Griffin selection
  • 2014: Traded to the Rams for Robert Griffin selection
  • 2015: Brandon Scherff (5th overall)
  • 2016: Josh Doctson (22nd overall)
  • 2017: Jonathan Allen (17th overall)
  • 2018: Daron Payne (13th overall)
  • 2019: Dwayne Haskins (15th overall), Montez Sweat (26th overall)
  • 2020: Chase Young (2nd overall)
  • 2021: Jamin Davis (19th overall)
  • 2022: Jahan Dotson (16th overall)

 

Penn State’s all-time first-round NFL draft picks

Every Penn State football player ever drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in school history.

In the history of the NFL draft, only a handful of schools have had more players drafted by NFL franchises than Penn State. The Nittany Lions have sent over 360 players through the NFL draft over the years, and that number continues to climb every year. And when it comes to first-round picks, Penn State has had a solid number of those as well, including some top draft picks.

Lenny Moore, arguably the best player in Penn State football history, is appropriately the first player in program history to be selected by an NFL franchise in the NFL draft. Since then, Penn State players have been selected in the first round numerous times through the decades with players like Shane Conlan, Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, LaVar Arrington, Saquon Barkley, and Micah Parsons.

Here is a look at every first-round NFL draft pick in Penn State history, starting with the first.

Remember when Daniel Snyder fired Norv Turner?

Revisiting that miserable 2000 offseason that eventually led to Snyder firing Norv Turner.

Remember when Redskins owner Daniel Snyder fired Washington head coach Norv Turner?

Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, Washington lost an agonizing home game to the New York Giants 9-7.  What made matters even more frustrating for fans was that it was the second consecutive home loss and both against divisional opponents.

Former Washington Football Team head coach Norv Turner watches rookie minicamp at Inova Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Washington had gone on the road and defeated defending Super Bowl champion St Louis 33-20, pushing their record to 7-4. However, a 23-20 loss to the Eagles and then the 9-7 loss to the Giants were more than Snyder could take, firing Turner.

It was typical Snyder at the time. Insistent on pushing buttons and making personnel moves, Snyder had signed aging veterans for much too-large of contracts in the 2000 offseason: Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, Mark Carrier and Jeff George. He had traded up in the draft ensuring Washington would draft No. 2  (LaVar Arrington) and No. 3 (Chris Samuels) in the 2000 draft.

Now Snyder was trying his hand at changing the head coach at the crucial time of three regular-season games remaining. Snyder was thinking when he pushed buttons the team would be motivated. So Turner was suddenly gone. Defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes had five years of NFL head coaching experience. Yet Snyder named offensive assistant Terry Robiskie the interim coach.

Of course, the move backfired miserably. The team played like they were very unmotivated. The Redskins not only lost, but they were also embarrassed in their next two games at Dallas (32-13) and at Pittsburgh (24-3).

Despite the fact Brad Johnson had passed for 4,000 yards, led the team to 10 wins, the NFC East title and a playoff win in 199, Snyder and his player personnel right-hand man Vinny Cerrato had been signing aging veterans to large contracts rather than Washington veterans. Jeff George who was known to be a poor leader was brought to quarterback despite the fact Brad Johnson had passed for 4,000 yards, led the team to 10 wins, the NFC East title and a playoff win in 1999.

What in the world was Snyder thinking?

I recall fans being excited. I recall the media being excited. It was one of the first times in my life I saw trouble out front. How on earth could he have thought Jeff George brought in was good for the team?

Brad Johnson? He got out of town as soon as he could following the 2000 season, signed a free agent contract with Tampa Bay and they won the Super Bowl with Johnson as their offensive leader in 2002.

The 2000 offseason was one where Snyder insisted on making his HUGE splashes. Yet in the end, the season was a mess, and Dan Snyder had no one to blame but himself. He tried to save the season by blaming Turner and firing him. That didn’t work out well either.

A disturbing pattern by Snyder was now beginning to be noticed.