Tag: Pro Bowl

Former Pro Bowler still hasn’t played since being traded from the Saints

Former Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore still hasn’t played for the Commanders since being traded from the Saints. He could make his debut against his old team:

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced Friday that cornerback Marshon Lattimore won’t be making his debut in their Week 12 game with the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday — meaning the former Pro Bowler will have missed his first three games with his new team since being dealt from the New Orleans Saints at the NFL trade deadline.

And Washington has lost each of their first two games since trading for Lattimore. They fell to the Pittsburgh 28-27 and were knocked out by the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles 26-18. The Commanders gave up 746 yards across those two games, so they could’ve used Lattimore’s help. But a nagging hamstring injury has kept him sidelined since Oct. 27.

Quinn added that while he’s optimistic Lattimore could play in Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans, it’s too soon to say with certainty that he’ll be ready to go. If he misses that game, too, there’s a good chance Lattimore won’t make his Commanders debut until after their Week 14 bye — meaning he would be in line to play against his old team when Washington visits the Saints in Week 15. Stay tuned.

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Peyton and Eli Manning release funny statements about 2025 Pro Bowl

Peyton and Eli Manning announced a return to the Pro Bowl with their signature sense of humor.

The Pro Bowl Games are returning this season and the NFL’s favorite brothers will once again serve as the head coaches.

Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) will face off in the 2025 Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2.

After the league announced the Mannings as returning coaches, the brothers released a pair of funny statements ahead of the Pro Bowl.

“The Pro Bowl Games are all about having fun,” Peyton said. “It’s always unpredictable, and we got to bring fans into the action and see the NFL’s biggest names compete. And the best part about this year’s games is knowing that my AFC team is going to end Eli’s two-year run of luck with the NFC.”

The NFL’s statement included a fitting retort from Eli.

“I love everything about the Pro Bowl Games,” Eli said. “And getting to hear Peyton complain about losing every year makes it even better.”

Fan voting for the 2025 Pro Bowl will open on Nov. 25. The list of Denver Broncos players worthy of consideration this season includes guard Quinn Meinerz, left tackle Garett Bolles, defensive end Zach Allen, pass rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, and cornerbacks Pat Surtain, Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian.

Since switching to a flag football format, Eli’s NFC is 2-0 against Peyton’s AFC in the revamped Pro Bowl Games.

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Chiefs Dave Toub on former Pro Bowler’s impact as a punt returner: ‘A lot of trust in him’

Kansas City #Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub on Mecole Hardman’s impact as a punt returner: ‘A lot of trust in him’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub has relied on a familiar face as his primary punt returner this season. Mecole Hardman has solidified the position he excelled at as a rookie, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2019.

“The punt returner, I’ve said this a lot of times, the punt returner is – besides the quarterback – probably the hardest thing to do, in my opinion, on the football field. It’s hard,” said Toub during his press conference on Thursday. “You have guys coming down on you, you have to make a lot of quick decisions, you have to catch the ball (laughter), it’s tough. I have a lot of trust in him(Mecole Hardman); he has great experience, and he’s gotten better and better. He’s really taking it serious this year. I mean, because it’s a big part of his role right now is being that guy.”

Hardman had an impressive outing against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7, running back and punt return for 55 yards. He also contributed offensively with a catch for 17 yards and rushed for the game-clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Saints legend, Super Bowl champion up for the Hall of Fame again in 2025

New Orleans Saints legend Jahri Evans is up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again in 2025. He’s one of eight finalists returning from last year’s voting:

This is a big deal for New Orleans Saints assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans. The five-time All-Pro right guard also won six Pro Bowl appearances as a player and a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, and he’ll be recognized at his enshrinement to the Saints’ team Ring of Honor later this season. But an even bigger recognition could be waiting for him.

Evans was selected as one of 50 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. There are eight finalists returning from the voting for the Class of 2024 — Evans, Fred Taylor, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Antonio Gates, Willie Andeerson, Rodney Harrison, and Darren Woodson.

On top of that, there are eight first-time candidates up for the Class of 2025: Eli Manning, Marshawn Lynch, Joe Staley, Marshal Yanda, Luke Kuechcly, Terrell Suggs, Earl Thomas, and Adam Vinatieri.

So it’s a loaded group, but Evans clearly has plenty of support among the Hall of Fame voters. Maybe this is the year he’ll get in. Evans has gotten one  step further during each year of eligibility, and unlike some players on this list he has both the personal achievements and a Super Bowl ring on his resume. The group will be whittled down further to just 25 semifinalists in a month.

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Ex-Saints kicker outscored his old team by himself with the Broncos

Wil Lutz tallied more points than the New Orleans Saints themselves on Thursday night. The Broncos kicker outscored his old team all by himself:

The New Orleans Saints told their former Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz to kick rocks in 2022, and Lutz joined Sean Payton with the Denver Broncos. All eyes were on Payton returning and Drew Brees being inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame.

But the forgotten storyline was Lutz coming back to town to kick the Broncos to victory. Lutz outscored his old team all by himself.

Okay, that’s not technically what happened, but it could have happened. The former New Orleans Saints kicker put four field goals through the goalposts on Thursday evening, meaning he totaled 12 points in his own right for the night.

That’s more points than his former team was able to score all night long. In fact, the Saints had not even scored more than a field goal themselves in ‘TNF’ action until within the final two minutes of the game.

It was a much different story for the Broncos, who have had their fair share of struggles this season that include some ups and downs on offense, but tallied 33 points over that same stretch of time.

Denver scored in every quarter of the game, doing its most damaged in the second quarter with 13 points and the third quarter with 10 points.

Lutz and the Broncos will look to only build upon this win as they face the Carolina Panthers up next on the schedule at Mile High next Sunday. Whether the Saints regret trading him to Denver is anyone’s guess.

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Raiders TE Brock Bowers Yards After Catch numbers already on pace for elite company

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers leads all tight ends in the NFL in Yards After Catch (YAC) and is on pace for All Pro level numbers.

It’s becoming clear just what makes Brock Bowers so special as a player. And it starts with his ability to get yards after the catch.

The rookie tight end’s ability to get every extra yard imaginable and a few yards you didn’t think were possible almost defies logic and reason.

Raiders offensive coordinator set about trying to explain just how Bowers does it.

“Some guys like…he’s a natural football player,” Luke Getsy said of Bowers’ YAC abilities. “What I mean by that is he understands spacing, he understands his awareness of what’s all going on around him. I think all that’s real. So, when he catches the ball and he knows he has space, there’s no wasted movement. There’s no figuring out, there’s no bubble around him. It’s catch, drop step, get vertical, and go. So, you’re seeing him catch check downs and you’re seeing him turn them into explosives. And so all that awareness of space and the people around you is something special that not everybody has. But he has it and that on top of understanding where he’s supposed to be conceptually and the toughness prt of it. That part is probably the most important.”

The rookie 13th overall pick leads all NFL tight ends over the first six weeks of the season with 206 yards after catch. That’s tenth in the league at any position. With 384 yards receiving, that means well over half his yards have come after the catch.

His numbers put him on pace for 584 yards after the catch on the season. The list of tight ends to have better numbers than that over the past five years is short.

2022 *Travis Kelce — 648
2019 *George Kittle — 602
2023 **David Njoku — 599
2020 *Travis Kelce — 587

*All Pro season
** Pro Bowl season

This is nothing new for Bowers. Twice in his three years at Georgia he led all FCS tight ends in Yards After Catch. But it’s one thing to do it on the collegiate level, it’s another to treat NFL defenders the same way.

Texans provide injury update on RB Joe Mixon

Joe Mixon could be out another week entering the Houston Texans’ road trip against the New England Patriots.

(This story was updated to change or add a photo or video.)

The Houston Texans might be sitting at 4-1, but they need Joe Mixon back if they plan on looking like one of the league’s top teams.

On Monday, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Mixon is still working his way back from the ankle injury and that a timetable for his return remains up in the air.

Most notably, Ryans changed his wording from “day to day” to “week to week” when describing the timeline of Mixon’s status.

“We don’t know as of right now,” Ryans said on the possibility of Mixon returning this week. “I can’t give you that answer but we will see how Joe improves over the week. He has definitely been improving week to week, he’s been doing a great job attacking his rehab so we will see where he is as the week goes on.”

Mixon looked the part of RB1 in Week 1’s win over the Indianapolis Colts after rushing for 159 yards on 30 carries. In Week 2, he left during the third quarter after Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards used an illegal hip-drop tackle to bring him down.

The former Pro Bowler has missed the past three games because of the injury, leading to limited success on the ground.

While Edwards was fined $16,883 for the tackle, Houston is dealing with the ramifications of being limited at running back.

“Joe is out because of that, the hip-drop tackle,” Ryans said. “The NFL is doing a great job of communicating for an entire league of how we want to tackle, how we should tackle. We’re trying to get that out of the game. I think some guys have been fined for making those illegal tackles. But the fine doesn’t get your guy back soon enough.”

Mixon, who inked a three-year, $27 million deal in the offseason to become the focal back in Houston’s offense, has shown some signs of life. He participated in drills last Friday before being ruled out for Week 4’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Texans aren’t going to push Mixon back until he’s near full speed. For now, Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale remain the top two options entering Week 6’s matchup against the New England Patriots.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Akers scored a 15-yard touchdown during the first quarter on Sunday and caught a 6-yard score from C.J. Stroud in Week 3’s loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

Ogunbowale finished second in catches with five for 57 yards. He also scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard pass from Stroud in Week 4 over the Jaguars.

“Cam and Dare did a really nice job with the role that they have been asked to take on with us missing Joe and Dameon [Pierce],” Ryans said. “They have done a good job on the touchdown run.”

Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is scheduled for noon CT.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid: Kareem Hunt ‘looks like he’s grown up’

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that RB Kareem Hunt “looks like he’s grown up” during a press conference on Wednesday. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs surprised the football world by welcoming back former draft pick and Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt. The veteran running signed a practice squad contract on Tuesday as additional insurance following the Week 2 injury to Isiah Pacheco.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the addition of Hunt to the team at practice during Wednesday’s press conference.

“We’ll get him in here and get some work, kind of get them back in the swing of playing, and then we’ll just see,” Reid explained. “As the game gets closer, we’ll see how things go there and so on. But we [will] try to get him in a position where he’s where he’s ready to play, either this week, next week or the following week. We’ll just see how long it takes.”

Hunt spent the last five seasons with the Browns and was left unsigned in the offseason. He finished last season with 135 carries for 411 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games and could be a candidate to play as early as this Sunday night, according to Reid.

“There’s a chance, yeah, gonna try again, see where we’re at as far as the other part,” said Reid. “But we’ve got other guys that can jump in and play.”

The Chiefs released Hunt in November 2018 following off-the-field issues detrimental to the team. Reid reflected on that decision and Hunt’s growth moving forward in Kansas City.

“What we told him publicly [was that] we just thought he needed a change of scenery, to get some help, and to take care of business there,” said Reid. “We felt like he did that. He did a nice job in Cleveland, and we talked to the people there, and there were no issues there. So we felt okay by bringing him back. He’s 29 years old, so time flies, but he’s 29. Looks like he’s grown up some.”

Hunt’s lone Pro Bowl season was as a rookie with the Chiefs in 2017, when he led the league in rushing yards. Reid mentioned that Hunt maintained a close friendship with Patrick Mahomes, which helped the decision. Hunt was invited to the reigning Super Bowl MVP’s wedding as a guest.

“Pat [Patrick Mahomes] stayed good friends with him… he was at Pat’s wedding, so those two came out in the same [draft] class and developed a friendship here,” Reid said. “Their general manager spoke highly of them, coaches, and so on. So we felt good about it. I was at the wedding. I talked to him there, and then I also talked to him before and when he got here.”

Hunt could see action on Sunday, but rookie Carson Steele and veteran Samaje Perine will likely see significant time in the backfield. Hunt’s return will be an exciting storyline for the rest of the season.

Commanders sign former Pro Bowl LB to practice squad

Commanders add a former Pro Bowler to the practice squad.

When the Washington Commanders finalized their 53-man roster last week, they followed up by quickly announcing their practice squad. Every NFL team can have 16 players on the practice squad unless you have someone from the International Player Pathway Program, allowing you to carry 17 players.

Washington has someone from the IPPP (DT Haggai Ndubuisi), but only 15 players were announced.

On Monday, the Commanders added another player to the practice squad: Linebacker Nick Bellore. Bellore, 35, is an 14-year NFL veteran, most recently with the Seattle Seahawks, where he made the Pro Bowl twice as a special teams player.

In Washington, Bellore reunites with his former position coach with the Seahawks, Larry Izzo. Izzo is Washington’s special teams coach and spent the previous six seasons in Seattle.

Bellore played collegiately at Central Michigan and went undrafted in the 2011 NFL draft. He initially signed with the New York Jets and spent four seasons there before spending two years in San Francisco and two more in Detroit. He signed with the Seahawks in 2019.

Bellore has much in common with Izzo, as both had long NFL careers as special team standouts.

Titans’ L’Jarius Sneed a potential first-time Pro Bowler?

Tennessee Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is still searching for his first Pro Bowl. Could it happen in 2024?

The NFL preseason is always a time to look ahead and attempt to predict which players will take the next step in their careers. It is also a time to assess a roster and project who will be the next Pro Bowler to emerge.

Ken Patra from NFL.com predicted one potential Pro Bowler from each team. He came up with a surprising name for the Tennessee Titans: cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.

It is mindboggling that Sneed hasn’t received any postseason accolades. No Pro Bowl. No All-Pros. Maybe voters dislike all the penalties the physical corner collects? (Shrug emoji.) All I know is that Sneed is a bully who makes receivers work for everything. His -29.7 target EPA ranked third among corners in the NFL last season (min. 300 snaps), and his -.33 EPA/target was fourth, per NGS. Now in Tennessee after a March trade, Sneed will lead a revamped defense under new coordinator Dennard Wilson. Helping turn around a unit that was torched under the previous regime should finally bring Sneed the recognition he deserves.

The Titans made a splash this offseason by rebuilding their secondary, with Sneed being the centerpiece of the overhaul. After working out a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Titans rewarded Sneed with a four-year, $76.4 million deal, including $55 million in guaranteed money and a $20 million signing bonus. 

For the former 2020 fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, Sneed has a contract that supports his on-field accomplishments, and now all he needs is postseason accolades to catch up. Since being drafted, he has started 57 regular season games over the past four seasons, and he’s recorded 10 interceptions, 6.5 sacks, and 40 passes defensed. The two-time Super Bowl champion is now looking to become a first-time Pro Bowler, and the Titans will benefit from his presence in the back-end of their secondary.