Tag: news

Will Jahri Evans finally get the call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Jahri Evans has gotten one step closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame every year he’s been eligible. Will he finally get the call he’s been waiting for?

Jahri Evans has gotten one step closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame every year he’s been eligible. The longtime New Orleans Saints right guard and Super Bowl XLIV champion has progressed from the semifinalist stage in 2023, his first year of eligibility, to the finalist level in 2024, his second. Will he finally get the call he’s been waiting for in Year 3?

There’s obviously support for Evans among voters. It helps that he was inducted to the Saints’ Ring of Honor this season, an exclusive group formed by several all-time greats already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Rickey Jackson, Willie Roaf, Morten Andersen, and Sam Mills. Legendary Saints quarterback Archie Manning is also in the Ring of Honor, along with late team owner Tom Benson and Evans’ Super Bowl-winning teammate Will Smith. It’s a prestigious group.

Evans was drafted out of Bloomsburg, a small school in Pennsylvania, which has sent only five other players to the NFL. He went from being drafted at No. 108 overall to starting all 169 games he played in the NFL, plus 10 playoff games and a Super Bowl. He won six Pro Bowl nods and was recognized on the All-Pro team four times, and has already been chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-2010s Team.

We’ll be watching to see if Evans gets the respect he’s earned. He just might beat his teammate Drew Brees into enshrinement at Canton — Brees will be eligible for induction next year as part of the Class of 2026. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be announced during Thursday night’s NFL Honors program, broadcast at 8 p.m. CT on FOX and streamed on NFL+.

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Josh Harris: Commanders’ name is here to stay

Josh Harris shot down the talk of another name change.

On Monday, Washington Commanders’ managing partner Josh Harris made it abundantly clear that the Commanders’ name will not be changing.

In his season-ending press conference, Harris addressed the 2024 season, thanking GM Adam Peters and his staff, head coach Dan Quinn and his staff, the players, the fans, and the DMV region. He also discussed the future, such as where the potential new stadium could be, and answered questions about another potential rebranding.

The first question posed to Harris was about rebranding.

“Right now in this building, the name Commanders means something,” Harris said, making it clear the focus was not currently on rebranding.

Later, Harris was asked if it was safe to say the Commanders name was here to stay.

“Yes, and we’re actually, I think it’s now being embraced by our team, by our culture, by our coaching staff, and so…..we’re going with that,” he said.

This should shut down the talk of another potential name change in the near future. There have been reports that Washington was considering tweaking the uniforms, perhaps as early as the 2025 season, but Harris did not address that possibility.

Harris did say the team would continue to embrace its past, which we’ve seen on the team’s website, which has included the Redskins’ logo on Sean Taylor’s merchandise.

Mickey Loomis has informed Saints coach candidates a decision will wait until after Super Bowl LIX

NFL Network reports Mickey Loomis has informed several Saints coach candidates a decision will wait until after Super Bowl LIX, and he’ll continue negotiations with Eagles OC Kellen Moore:

This is big. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Friday afternoon that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis informed several candidates in the team’s head coach search they’re effectively out of the race — and that “while there has been no final decision, he plans to continue discussions with Kellen Moore.”

The Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator cannot speak with the Saints again until after Super Bowl LIX, but Pelissero adds that a meeting has already been scheduled. Expect the Saints to formally hire Moore on or around Monday, Feb. 10 and announce him as the team’s new head coach.

Unless there’s a last-minute hiccup, anyway. Moore could change his mind and the Saints would have to pivot to someone else, but that doesn’t feel likely. Look at what just happened to Bobby Slowik. Like Moore, he was a fast-rising offensive coordinator for a playoff team, drawing interviews for head coach openings himself just one year ago. Then the Houston Texans fired him after a second-year slump. Moore is striking while the iron is hot.

So never say never. Don’t celebrate and toss the ball away until after you’ve crossed the goal line. But for all intents and purposes, Moore is positioned to become the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Who could join him on staff? We’ve got six names to keep in mind, and some free agents he could target in the offseason, too.

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Wisconsin offensive coordinator has high praise for transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator has high praise for transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes called Billy Edwards Jr. ‘one of the top two or three’ transfer quarterbacks in the country in a recent Q&A with Matt Lepay and VC Connect.

“I love this kid,” Grimes said in a video clip posted on X. “We looked at a bunch of quarterbacks in the portal. And from the beginning, Billy was one of the top two or three guys in the country, in my estimation.”

Related: Recapping Wisconsin football’s winter transfer portal movement

Edwards committed to the Badgers on Dec. 16, just four days after initially entering the portal. 247Sports lists the former Maryland starter as a three-star transfer recruit, ranked as the No. 284 overall player in the portal and No. 27 quarterback.

Grimes is much higher on the Badgers’ new signal-caller than the broader consensus. He expanded on some of the reasons for that high evaluation.

“There were a lot of guys that some experts may have had rated higher. But I thought his combination of size, arm talent, intelligence, decision-making and athletic ability, combined with personality, toughness, energy that you can tell from watching the film. All of those things were important to me.”

Here is the full clip, courtesy of VC Connect:

Edwards is set to start for the Badgers in 2025 after one year as Maryland’s full-time starter. The veteran completed 65% of his passes for 2,881 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024 for the Terrapins. Those numbers include the context of Maryland finishing second-to-last in the conference (4-8 overall, 1-8 Big Ten). Edwards wasn’t surrounded by much talent or production on his side of the football, especially along the offensive line.

The Virginia native figures to be a near-perfect fit in Grimes’ pro-style offense. He’ll be aided by a terrific offensive line unit, talented running back room and strong wide receiving corps. Those convergent factors should lead to career numbers from the senior quarterback. He won’t have much trouble delivering Wisconsin’s best season from the position since 2019 (Jack Coan).

247Sports transfer quarterback rankings were led by Carson Beck (Georgia to Miami), John Mateer (Washington State to Oklahoma), Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State to Mississippi State), Fernando Mendoza (Cal to Indiana) and Jaron Kaewe Sagapolutele (Oregon to Cal).

According to Grimes, Edwards could surpass most of them.

Wisconsin fans know the first step toward that reality is Edwards staying healthy through an entire season. The team’s high-profile veteran transfer additions have combined to play just 13 combined games over the last two seasons — 10 from Tanner Mordecai in 2023 and three from Tyler Van Dyke in 2024. That dynamic hurt Phil Longo’s air raid attack.

Grimes will need better luck in that regard has he works to return the program to its classic pro-style roots.

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New England Patriots hire former Wisconsin football assistant

New England Patriots hire former Wisconsin football assistant

The New England Patriots are hiring former Wisconsin football assistant Thomas Brown as their tight ends coach and pass game coordinator, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

Brown previously interviewed for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator position. However, the Patriots, led by new head coach Mike Vrabel, hired longtime assistant Josh McDaniels instead.

Related: Wisconsin legend Jim Leonhard’s 2025 coaching destination revealed

According to Pelissero, Brown ‘impressed Mike Vrabel in [the offensive coordinator] interview,’ leading to this hire.

Brown held a similar title with the Chicago Bears entering the 2024 season. He was promoted twice during the year: first to interim offensive coordinator after Shane Waldron’s firing, and then to interim head coach after Matt Eberflus was let go.

The Bears went 1-4 in the final five games with him at the helm. Brown interviewed for their head coach vacancy after the season, though the team elected to hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson instead.

Brown spend the 2014 season as Wisconsin’s running backs coach, guiding program legend Melvin Gordon to an all-time season (343 carries, 2,587 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns). He left the program after that year for the same position at Georgia, where he played running back from 2004-07.

The well-traveled assistant coach went on to spend time at Miami (OC, 2016-18) and South Carolina (RBs, 2019) at the college level, then with the Los Angeles Rams (RBs, 2020-21, then TEs in 2022) and the Carolina Panthers (OC, 2023) in the NFL.

He is one of several former Wisconsin assistants making moves at the NFL level. Former Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien just left the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, while Jim Leonhard signed on with Denver for another season.

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The Saints will be represented at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games after all

The Saints will be represented at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games after all. Starting center Erik McCoy accepted an invite as a first alternate for the event:

Good on Erik McCoy — the New Orleans Saints’ starting center accepted an invitation to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, meaning the black and gold will be represented at this year’s all-star event after all. The Saints were the only team left off the NFC’s initial roster, but McCoy was selected as a first alternate. With Cam Jurgens leading the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl LIX, a spot opened up for McCoy to step in.

This is the second time in McCoy’s career that he’s earned a place at the Pro Bowl; he made the trip for the first time last year. He turned in quality game tape despite dealing with multiple injuries in 2024 and was singled out by Pro Football Focus as the most-improved player on the team. It’s no accident the Saints went 4-3 with McCoy snapping the ball but 1-9 without him.

He’s enjoyed a really strong career since being drafted by the Saints back in 2019. The former Texas A&M Aggie has started all 81 games he’s suited up for in the regular season plus three playoff games. With the team in a state of transition from Dennis Allen’s vision to that of a new head coach, you can bet McCoy will be a big part of the plan for getting back to the postseason.

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Wisconsin legend Jim Leonhard’s 2025 coaching destination revealed

Wisconsin legend Jim Leonhard 2025 coaching destination revealed

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin program legend Jim Leonhard will remain with the Denver Broncos as a defensive assistant for the 2025 season, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Leonhard reportedly ‘drew interest from at least three teams for defensive coordinator jobs,’ according to Rapoport. He will reportedly remain with Denver after spending the 2024 season as its defensive backs coach.

Related: Illinois coach spoke with Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard about transfer additions from Wisconsin

His specific role on the Broncos coaching staff has yet to be reported. It figures to remain the same, as defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is in line to return to the Broncos in 2025.

Leonhard appears to be moving cautiously through the coaching ranks after leaving Wisconsin after the 2022 season. He spent the 2023 season as an analyst on Bret Bielema’s staff at Illinois, then took the Broncos’ defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator position in 2024. He has yet to take a step up into a defensive coordinator role.

The Wisconsin program legend excelled as the Badgers’ defensive coordinator from 2017-22, guiding a unit that consistently finished toward the top of the country in most defensive metrics. He was also Wisconsin’s interim head coach for seven games in 2022 after Paul Chryst’s firing. He moved on from the program after it hired Luke Fickell that November.

Leonhard coached a Broncos secondary that helped the defensive unit finish the 2024 season No. 7 in the NFL in total defense (317.1 yards allowed per game). Star cornerback Patrick Surtain, the frontrunner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, led the group with 45 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass deflections.

The former Badger safety and assistant coach should have his selection of defensive coordinator jobs next coaching cycle, whether in college or the NFL. He is still regarded as one of the better defensive minds in the sport. It will again be the Broncos who benefit from that status in 2025.

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Bears to hire former Saints head coach as defensive coordinator

The Chicago Bears are hiring former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator under first-year HC Ben Johnson:

It didn’t take Dennis Allen long to find a new home. After being fired as head coach of New Orleans Saints midseason, the highly-respected defensive mind has landed with the Chicago Bears as their new defensive coordinator.

Allen will be manning the defensive side of the ball under new head coach Ben Johnson, formerly the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. Allen will be taking over a defense that ranked 27th in the league in yards allowed, and 13th in points allowed. It’s a unit composed of mostly young talent who are looking to make a big jump next season.

As head coach of the Saints, Allen failed to find success with a record of 18-25 the last three years, but is one of the most gifted defensive play callers in our game. Since becoming full-time defensive coordinator for the Saints back in 2016, his defenses have ranked top-15 in yards allowed and points allowed in five out of six seasons while boasting a couple of top-five finishes in both categories from 2020 to 2021. His success on this side of the ball wouldn’t change much during his tenure as head coach, finishing with similar numbers in his first two seasons before falling dramatically in these areas this past season.

Allen’s tenure may have left a bad taste in fans mouth after struggling to produce wins in New Orleans, but no one will ever question what he did for a Saints defense that was the worst in league history prior to his arrival. DA now gets a chance to help build up an exciting franchise with a lot of promise. The Saints will see Allen this fall with a road game scheduled in Chicago for 2025.

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One and done: Saints OC Klint Kubiak won’t be returning for 2025

New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was hired away by the Seattle Seahawks to the same role. They’ll see him on the road in 2025:

It already seemed exceedingly likely, but the New Orleans Saints will officially need a new offensive coordinator next season.

The Seattle Seahawks are hiring Klint Kubiak to be their OC for next season, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. After just one year with the Saints, Kubiak will be heading to a new team, before New Orleans even hired their new head coach. Kubiak was hired by Dennis Allen and was effectively going to leave the day Allen was let go. Whoever replaces Allen will want their own offense (and offensive coordinator) in place.

The Saints had hired Kubiak ahead of last season in an attempt to bring some life to their disappointing offense. The 37-year-old had started to get a little bit of head coach buzz after the hot start to the year in New Orleans, but that obviously died down very quickly.

It wasn’t all his fault, as the roster was not in a great shape, but the Saints did have one of the worst offenses in the league next year. He will get a better chance to show off his play calling chops with the Seahawks next year.

And we’ll get a look at him sooner rather than later; the Saints are scheduled to visit Seattle for a road game with Kubiak and the Seahawks at Lumen Field this season. Stay tuned for updates on which assistants, if any, are following him to the Pacific Northwest.

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Report: Former Wisconsin assistant ‘in talks’ with NFL team for next coaching role

Report: Former Wisconsin assistant ‘in talks’ for next coaching role

ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported on Sunday that former Wisconsin assistant Thomas Brown remains ‘in talks’ to potentially join the Patriots coaching staff.

Brown had recently interviewed for the team’s offensive coordinator position under new head coach Mike Vrabel. While the team hired Josh McDaniels, it still appears interested in adding Brown to its staff.

Related: Former Wisconsin quarterback ‘expected to move on’ from Dallas Cowboys coaching staff

“Brown opened last season as the Bears’ passing game coordinator, and the Patriots could potentially look towards that type of role for him, in addition to working with a specific position group,” Reiss wrote.

Brown has led coaching headlines over the last few months. The former Wisconsin running backs coach (2014) began the 2024 season as the Bears’ passing game coordinator. He was promoted to offensive coordinator on Nov. 12 after Shane Waldron’s firing, then soon received another promotion to interim head coach on Nov. 29 after the team dismissed Matt Eberflus.

The Bears went 1-4 to close the season under his watch — that win coming in Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers. The team finished the season 5-12 and in last place in the NFC North.

The longtime assistant coach interviewed for the Bears head coaching vacancy before Ben Johnson’s hiring. He then had the mentioned interview for the Patriots’ OC job, which went to McDaniels.

Reiss’ reporting indicates that Brown could still hold a prominent role on the Patriots coaching staff, if the move is finalized.

Brown coached Wisconsin’s running backs in 2014 under then-head coach Gary Andersen. He oversaw a record-breaking season from star Melvin Gordon: 343 carries, 2,587 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Many statistics even point to Gordon’s 2014 campaign being better than Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty’s Heisman-finalist 2024 season.

Brown left the Badgers in 2015 to coach running backs at Georgia. He was then the offensive coordinator at Miami from 2016-18, running backs coach at South Carolina in 2019, running backs coach for the Los Angeles Rams from 2020-21, tight ends coach for the Rams in 2022 and offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers in 2023.

He is one of several former Wisconsin coaches in the headlines. Scott Tolzien just left the Dallas Cowboys‘ staff, while we all await what’s next for program legend Jim Leonhard.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion