Tag: LeSean McCoy

Former Bills RB LeSean McCoy on Buffalo: ‘It’s a special place’

Former Buffalo Bills, current Kansas City Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy called Buffalo a special place.

Kansas City Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy looked back at the Buffalo Bills front office in less than spectacular light ahead of his team playing in Super Bowl LIV on Sunday.

But that apparently didn’t take away from his feelings toward Bills Mafia.

McCoy said he wants to retire as a member of the Eagles. Makes sense, it was his longest-tenured team, the one that drafted him and happens to be from his home state. But Buffalo and their fans? McCoy still loves them and goes to bat for them. He did so during his media availability from Super Bowl week in Miami.

“I had a lot of fun [in Buffalo],” McCoy said via 13WHAM-TV. “At first I didn’t know… ‘It’s so cold, ah… ‘but when you get there, it’s like a different type of like, vibe you get. It’s like football is everything.

“And I enjoyed myself. So people ask me about it, ‘did you like Buffalo?’ I tell them yeah and they seem kind of surprised but… it’s a special place.”

McCoy continued and even put Bills fans up on a higher level as Chiefs fans, based on his experiences.

“I wasn’t [with the Chiefs] when the Chiefs weren’t doing well so it’s hard to see. You can really tell a fan when the team’s not doing well and the guys are still rallying behind you,” McCoy said.

“Buffalo? I was there when it was rocky and things were getting better and better and better,” McCoy continued. “We would travel, we’d be what, like 3-6 or something like that? And they would be there, cheering us on. That showed me like, wow, these [Bills fans] are the best.”

While McCoy might not be on the best standing with the team’s front office currently, he certainly holds no grudges against the ones that supported him and cheered him on during his four-year tenure with the team. One which saw him scamper for 5,148 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns.

It remains to be seen if McCoy makes any impact on the Big Game on Sunday against the 49ers since he hasn’t taken a handoff as a backup for the Chiefs in the playoffs, but Bills fans will now hope for at least one following his excellent praise.

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Chiefs, 49ers prove you can buy a championship

San Francisco and Kansas City spent heavily to get to the Super Bowl.

In baseball, we’ve heard a lot of talk about the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox “buying’’ championships. They simply outspend the competition and win. You don’t hear nearly as much about buying championships in the NFL.

That’s because there’s a hard salary cap and, relatively speaking, there’s not a great deal of difference in how much teams spend. But this year is different. This year, either the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers will come close to buying a championship.

The Chiefs and 49ers made it to the Super Bowl by spending big in the 2019 season. Neither was at the top but they were close to it. At the end of the season, the Chiefs had spent $203 million in cap space. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars spent more. The 49ers weren’t far behind at $189.1. The 2020 cap is expected to be right around $200 million.

Let’s delve more closely into how the Chiefs and 49ers spent in 2019 and how they’ll spend going forward.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs are incredibly lucky that Patrick Mahomes is still in his rookie contract. That makes the reigning MVP a bargain by any means. Mahomes counted just $4.4 million against the cap. That allowed the Chiefs to spend heavily at receiver and defensive line.

The story could be the same in 2020 because Mahomes is scheduled to count $5.2 million against the cap. But that could change dramatically because Mahomes now is eligible for a contract extension that will break the bank. Mahomes could become the first player to earn $40 million per season. The Chiefs would be wise to sign him immediately because the market for quarterbacks is only going to continue to climb. The Chiefs already have $188 million committed to the 2020 cap and that’s with only 47 players under contract.

Veterans Terrell Suggs and LeSean McCoy headline a list of veteran free agents that almost certainly will not return. Others will be asked to restructure their contracts, likely starting with receiver Tyreek Hill, who has a $17.65 million cap figure.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Just think back to general manager John Lynch’s playing career for a look at how and why his roster and money is allocated. Lynch played on those great Tampa Bay defenses of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Those teams were built around the defensive line (Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice). Lynch is taking the same approach in San Francisco with $50.1 million allocated toward the cap. You can’t argue with that thinking because the defense is the main reason the 49ers are in the Super Bowl.

But Lynch’s 49ers have a better offense than the Bucs of their glory years. That’s because Lynch isn’t afraid to spend money on offense. He has $50 million dedicated to quarterbacks and running backs and $30 million to the offensive line.

However, there is potential cap trouble brewing in San Francisco. Tight end George Kittle is looking for a contract extension and it will be a large one. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, cornerback Jason Verrett and tight end Garrett Celek are potential free agents and probably will be allowed to walk.

The league likes to talk about how its salary cap creates parity. There’s some truth in that. But not this year. The Chiefs and 49ers have shown that spending lots of money can get you to the Super Bowl.

 

Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

LeSean McCoy credits cut to finances, wishes Bills were ‘more honest’

Kansas City Chiefs RB LeSean McCoy on being cut by the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills moved on from LeSean McCoy, and now he’s one win away from his first Super Bowl ring. Well, his team, the Kansas City Chiefs, are.

McCoy was a surprise cut by Buffalo just before the 2019 season and signed with the AFC champs soon after. However, McCoy has been in and out of the lineup and during the playoffs, its been the same thing for him.

McCoy, 31, was inactive in the Chiefs’ win over the Titans in the AFC title game. He did suit up in the divisional round, but didn’t play.

In his final season with the Bills, he had his least production with the team, too. But despite those trends, McCoy recently revealed to the Buffalo News that the Bills cutting him was not because of his performance. Rather, it was finances.

“The Buffalo thing was, ah… a money thing,” McCoy said. “We had (training) camp. I was better than guys they had in camp, you know what I mean? So that wasn’t it. But it was a money thing. That was cool. I understand. It’s a business,” McCoy said.

Despite understanding, McCoy explained he still wasn’t completely happy how things went down.

“I just wish they would have been more honest, because I was trying to get out of there,” McCoy said. “So it was weird. So many things entered my mind.”

The running back explained he was getting phone calls from teams and others around the NFL tying to trade for him starting around the 2018 trade deadline. There were plenty of rumors afloat around that time as well. As the history books show, the Bills eventually never got a thing for him and eventually just cut him. The Bills did save about $6 million in cap space in doing so.

McCoy insisted as an inactive player he’s just happy to be part of a Super Bowl team, despite also saying he believes he was better than what the Bills had when he departed. McCoy never took any shots at Singletary, but certainty he seems unhappy with the Bills to a degree, calling the end of his time with the team “up and down” and mentioning he requested a trade if the team is “rebuilding.”

To McCoy’s point and feelings, the Bills did staunchly back him, making his release seem like a complete 180 degree flip. In July, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane praised him. A few weeks later, the team released him.

“I’m not concerned. I think LeSean still can play. If not, we would have made the decision to move on,” Beane said in July. “I definitely think he’s got enough left in the tank to help us in 2019.”

But looking at the Bills’ side, the team likely wanted to make sure everything was going to be good to go without McCoy, from Singletary, to Frank Gore to even quarterback Josh Allen leading the way. In addition, a guy that’s expressed he wants to leave if things aren’t going his way? That’s not team captain material, which McCoy was.

Regardless, McCoy did give serviceable production to Buffalo at one point and deserves praise for that.

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LeSean McCoy on how the death of Kobe Bryant has made him ‘change his life’

Chiefs running back and former Eagles star LeSean McCoy says Kobe Bryant’s death has made him change his life

LeSean McCoy has been a dynamic athlete since his days at Pitt and his time with the Eagles allowed the all-world running back to develop an appreciation for Philadelphia’s basketball royalty, Kobe Bryant.

McCoy, like everyone else, was rocked by the news that Bryant, his daughter Gigi and seven other passengers had passed away in a tragic helicopter crash.

McCoy and his Chiefs teammates found about Bryant’s passing while on the team’s flight to Miami for the Super Bowl. During the Super Bowl’s opening night with the media, the Chiefs star reflected on his first time meeting, Bryant, while still a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

For McCoy, Bryant dubbing him “Shifty Shady” and knowing who he was as an athlete left him speechless.

While delving deep into the topic of Bryant’s untimely death, McCoy told the LA Times that the NBA stars’ death has forced him to make positive changes to his own life.

McCoy talked about Bryant’s passing “putting things into perspective” and allowing him to
“appreciate” everyday life instead of focusing on touchdowns and contract situations.

While taking in the spectacle of media day, McCoy went on to say that he’s not ready to retire, but that he’ll definitely walk away from the game as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Chiefs RB LeSean McCoy says he’s going to retire as an Eagle

Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy told the media at the Super Bowl that he’s going to retire as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles

No player has worn the No. 25 for the Philadelphia Eagles since Chip Kelly shipped LeSean McCoy away for Kiko Alonso.

If the former Pitt star has it his way, that number will likely find itself in the Eagles ring of honor.

During the Super Bowl media event, McCoy made it clear that when his playing days are over, he’ll retire as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

When asked if he’d retire with a Super Bowl win, McCoy stated, “I can still play, so I’m not going to retire yet, but that day is coming.”

The man known as ‘Shady’ left a last impression on Eagles fans and the teams record books.

McCoy landed the Eagles starting running back job in 2010 in promptly rushed for 1,000 yards.
In 2011, Mccoy was named First-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. In 2013, McCoy led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,607, shattering the team’s single-season rushing yards record that stood for 34 years.

As it currently stands, McCoy is the Eagles all-time leading rusher (6,792 yards) breaking the record previously held by Wilbert Montgomery.

Former Bills playing on Championship weekend

Former Buffalo Bills players playing in the AFC and NFC Championship games in 2019.

The Buffalo Bills unfortunately won’t be suiting up this weekend as the Super Bowl participants will be decided via Championship weekend in the NFL.

In the AFC, it’ll either be the Titans or Chiefs. The NFC has the Packers and 49ers squaring off.

But there are a few familiar faces that will get their chance to play in the Big Game in a few weeks.

Here’s a team-by-team rundown of former Bills players getting after it this weekend for a spot in the Super Bowl:

49ers

WR Jordan Matthews

Jordan Matthews #87 of the Buffalo Bills. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Jordan Matthews was acquired by the Bills via a trade with the Eagles in 2017, playing one season in Buffalo. Matthews signed with the 49ers in March 2019, was a final cut in training camp, he then re-signed by the Eagles in November, cut a few weeks later, then re-signed with the 49ers in December. He’s been inactive.

2019 stats: 3 games played, four catches, 33 yards.

WR Marquise Goodwin

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin. Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Bills’ third-round pick in 2013 signed with the 49ers in 2017 after his rookie contract in Buffalo expired. Goodwin won’t be playing in the NFC Championship, though. Goodwin is the the 49ers’ injured reserve list due to knee and foot injuries.

2019 stats: 9 games played, 12 catches, 186 yards, 1 TD.

Packers

N/A

Perhaps you’re looking for a team that has no former Bills players to root for because you’re sick of guys leaving Buffalo and getting that title? You’ll be saying “go pack go” this weekend then. Unless you remember some coaches…

Offensive coordinator Nate Hackett

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

In 2013, the Bills had Nathaniel Hackett as their offensive coordinator until 2014. A lot of Hackett’s career coincided with former Bills head coach Doug Marrone. The two were together at the University of Syracuse and Marrone hired him with the Bills. Then when Marrone left Buffalo and went to the Jaguars, he helped Hackett come on over as well, first as the QBs coach then OC from 2016-2018. Hackett was fired there and when offensive guru Matt LaFleur was hired in Green Bay prior to the 2019 season, he added Hackett as his OC.

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

While with the Bills, like many offensive coordinators, you need someone to blame… so Hackett wasn’t very popular. On the other hand. Mike Pettine, who was Buffalo’s defensive coordinator in 2013, was popular. So much so that he landed as the Browns head coach in 2014. After being fired in 2015, Pettine’s next NFL job was in 2018, with the Packers, where he still is.

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How to Watch Chiefs vs. Bears, NFL Week 16 Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Chiefs vs. Bears Live Online.

The Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-7) Sunday night at Soldier Field. If the Chiefs can win their next two games, they have an excellent shot at the No. 2 overall seed and that much important first-round bye in the playoffs.

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Chiefs vs. Bears 

  • When: Sunday, December 22
  • Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
  • TV: NBC
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Patrick Mahomes is throwing the ball extremely well as of late and the Chiefs have won their last four games, including a 20-3 rout of the Broncos at home last weekend. With an AFC West title in hand after defeating the Raiders in Week 13, Mahomes completed 27 of 34 passes for 340 yards, two touchdowns against the Broncos. The running game did struggle, as Darwin Thompson led the team with just eight carries for 38 yards. It’s no secret, with weapons like the speedy Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce that KC is going to air it out. The team is ranked fifth in total offense (384.4 YPG) and third in passing (291.4 YPG).

Defensively, they held Denver to 260 yards of total offense. Tyrann Mathieu paved the way with five tackles and one sack, while rookie Juan Thornhill added four tackles and an interception. The unit added linebacker Terrell Suggs from the Cardinals this week. Suggs is a hard-nosed, gritty linebacker, who brings a veteran presence and Super Bowl experience to the team. While Kansas City is 11th in pass defense (225.1 YPG), the team has struggled against the run, ranking 26th (131.5 YPG). 

The Chicago Bears are eliminated from playoff contention, but that won’t stop them from trying to play spoiler in their final stretch of the season. Chicago fell 21-13 last week to the Packers in a game that saw quarterback Mitch Trubisky throw the ball 53 times. He completed just 29 of those attempts for a total of 334 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Both teams will need to get their running game going to take the pressure off their quarterbacks.

While the Chiefs rank near the top of most major offensive categories, the Bears are near the bottom. This game will come down to the Kansas City offense against a Chicago defense that is third in points allowed (18.1 PPG). Can the defensive front put pressure on Mahomes and how will the secondary stack up against the Chiefs offensive weapons?

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Eagles’ RB Miles Sanders being compared to LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster after breakout performance

Miles Sanders being compared to LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster after a breakout performance

He’s shattering all of his records, so it only makes sense that Miles Sanders and LeSean McCoy would be mentioned in the same breathe together.

Sanders carried the Eagles offense with 172 total yards and two scores in the Birds 37-27 win over Washington. Sanders was so impressive, that veteran players and future Hall of Famers were comparing the rookie to some all-time greats afterward.

Jason Peters compared Sanders to another former Eagles great, now flourishing in Kansas City.

“He is on that Shady level. He’s smooth,” Peters said. “He can catch, split him out, same as we did with Shady. He’s going to be a good one.”

Brandon Brooks took it a step further, comparing him to his former teammate in Houston, Arian Foster via ESPN.com.

“Arian at his peak, there was nothing he couldn’t do: receive out of the backfield, making guys miss, taking the ball [the distance]. We ran a zone back then — one cut downhill. He reminds me of him a lot,” Brooks said.

On Sunday Sanders broke the Eagles rookie record for yards from scrimmage and later in the ballgame, he passed LeSean McCoy for the most yards rushing in a season by a rookie.

Sanders entered Sunday only 117 rushing yards behind McCoy’s franchise rookie rushing record (637), which was set in 2009.

Miles Sanders breaks LeSean McCoy’s record for rushing yards by an Eagles’ rookie

Miles Sanders breaks LeSean McCoy’s Eagles rookie rushing record with a 56-yard run

Miles Sanders is breaking records with each carry and reception while putting the Eagles offense on his back for one final playoff push.

On Sunday Sanders broke the Eagles rookie record for yards from scrimmage and moments ago, he passed LeSean McCoy for the most yards rushing in a season by a rookie.

Sanders entered the game only 117 rushing yards away from tying the former All-Pro running back’s franchise rookie rushing record (637), which was set in 2009.

Sanders has 120 yards rushing + 46 yards receiving on the afternoon with 2 total touchdowns.

6 things Patriots fans should know about the Chiefs

The Chiefs are better than their 8-4 record indicates.

For the first time in the 2019 season, the New England Patriots find themselves in a must-win situation when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium in Week 14. No longer the No. 1 seed after losing to Houston in Week 13, New England will need to win to have a greater chance at securing home field advantage come January. Kansas City presents an explosive offense for a Patriots defense that let up 40 points the last time the Chiefs came to Foxboro in a 43-40 Week 6 win last season.

Here are six things that New England fans should about Kansas City before the two teams meet up Sunday.

1. As Patrick Mahomes goes so does the Chiefs offense.

What has been the key for opposing quarterbacks to find success against the Patriots vaunted defense? Possess a strong arm and a speedy pair of legs. In Week 9, Lamar Jackson led Baltimore past New England with 61 yards and two rushing scores. Last week, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson threw three touchdown passes in a win over the Patriots. Watson’s known effective running game opened things up through the air.

It’s more of the same this week in Patrick Mahomes for the New England defense. Mahomes missed a pair of games earlier this season and has been effective on the ground since his return. Last week, he ran for 25 yards and averaged eight yards per carry to go with a rushing score. In Week 11, he finished with five rushes for 59 yards. Mahomes is more successful in the passing game when defenses have to factor in his ground game.

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