Tag: Pro Bowl

Kirk Cousins on Jay Gruden: ‘I owe him him a great deal for my progression and development’

One of the last two NFL games of the 2019 season will be played this Sunday as the AFC and NFC will duke it out for the 2020 Pro Bowl. One player who fans will get to see take the field in the process is Kirk Cousins, a former quarterback of new …

One of the last two NFL games of the 2019 season will be played this Sunday as the AFC and NFC will duke it out for the 2020 Pro Bowl. One player who fans will get to see take the field in the process is Kirk Cousins, a former quarterback of new Jags offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

Earlier this week during practice, Jaguars reporter Ashlyn Sullivan was able to talk to Cousins about Gruden, who had nothing but praise for his old head coach from his time with the Washington Redskins.

“It was a great hire. I don’t think they could’ve done any better than coach Gruden,” Cousins said on Thursday. “So experienced, he’s had so much production in calling plays with a variety of different players in a variety of different places. So he will do a great job with that team, with that system, and I think everybody is in a good place hiring him.”

Cousins words definitely should mean something to Jags fans because, after all, he is playing in the Pro Bowl and has had postseason success, too. This postseason, the Minnesota Vikings and Cousins pulled off a huge upset against the New Orleans Saints to open up the postseason. Simply put, wouldn’t have been possible without Cousins’ experience while with Gruden and the Redskins.

“When he came in I was a nobody in this league. I couldn’t even spell Pro Bowl,” Cousins added. “And so I look at his development with me and the work he did through 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. I was with him for four years. I owe him him a great deal for my progression and my development as a player, and he knows that. I expect him to do the same with a lot of those young players in Jacksonville.”

Now, Gruden will be tasked with coaching up another young quarterback in Gardner Minshew II (and a veteran in Nick Foles), who flashed as a rookie by winning six games but is far from a finished product. With Gruden’s west coast scheme allowing Minshew to make quick decisions, it could be move that helps the team tremendously as the Jags need a spark offensively after finishing 26th in points and 20th in yards.

Pete Carroll voted coach players most want to play for

A survey of 32 Pro Bowlers revealed that Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is the coach players most want to play for.

It’s no secret the culture built by Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is one that many players strive to be a part of.

Players who sign with Seattle or get traded often revel in the team’s competitiveness in every aspect of training, but also the fun-loving, good-naturedness of it all.

That is why it shouldn’t be a surprise that a poll of 32 Pro Bowl players, asking them which coach they’d most prefer to play for, resulted in Carroll in a tie with Andy Reid of the Chiefs for the most responses, at four each.

Carroll has coached 14 NFL seasons, the last 10 with the Seahawks, and has gone 133-90-1 with 10 playoff appearances, two Super Bowl showings and one victory with Seattle in 2014.

Seattle also showed up with four votes for the best NFL city to travel to, tying with Miami for second place behind Los Angeles.

The combination of love for coach Carroll and the city of Seattle is enticing, considering the quality of player at the Pro Bowl and the team’s expected free agent binge this offseason.

The Seahawks have plenty of holes to fill on the offense and defense heading into the 2020 season – perhaps they’ll be able to woo a Pro Bowl player to the Emerald City.

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Demario Davis using his offseason to advocate for Mississippi prison reform

New Orleans Saints LB Demario Davis traveled to Parchman, Miss. to advocate for criminal justice reform following violent prison riots.

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New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis is a leader on and off of the field; it’s not for nothing that he’s been voted a team captain in each of his first two years with the team. He was also recognized as a first-ream All-Pro linebacker this year, but was snubbed by the Pro Bowl selections process. Left with some free time, Davis turned his attentions to a cause much more important than football: prison reform.

Davis, a Brandon, Miss. native, returned to his home state for a rally near the State Penitentiary at Parchman, which has been the site of weeks of violence and drawn national attention over poor living conditions for inmates. He’s been very vocal in the past about the fight for inequality in America and abroad, delivering supplies to immigrant children separated from their families while helping post bail to release a jailed immigration activist. He’s also spoken about the need to help families broken by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement raids in Morton, Miss. and at the Mexican border.

Davis shared his thoughts on the developing crisis at Parchman in an interview from the rally, saying, “Well I think the problem is, specifically here in Mississippi, is that it’s part of a larger issue. We have a problem in our country which is mass incarceration. We have all moved past where we were trying to take care of people, and now we’re using people to make a profit.”

He took aim at several issues in his explanation, including for-profit prisons, oversentencing for non-violent offenders, and the need to rehabilitate people with drug-addictions rather than punish them. Davis, a devout born-again Christian, often cites his faith as his motivation to remain compassionate and help others, stressing the need to match his words with his actions.

“We’ve got too many people with not enough beds,” Davis said. “And so in these situations, what happens is, under-resourced facilities. Here in Parchman is a great example. People are underfed, they lack healthcare, they’re subject to living in inhumane situations. It ends up happening where human beings are treated worse than animals.”

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Buffalo Bills named worst NFL city to travel by Pro Bowl survey

In an anonymous survey of Pro Bowl players by Greg Auman of The Athletic, Buffalo was the “winner” of the “Worst NFL City to Travel to.”

A winning season, top-end head coach, and rabid fanbase can only do so much to change the opinions of how people see visit the Buffalo Bills.

In an anonymous survey of Pro Bowl players by The Athletic, Buffalo was the “winner” of the “Worst NFL City to Travel to.” Buffalo still can’t dodge the view that the city is the Siberia of the NFL.

The Athletic highlighted that players had no trouble determining the worst city to travel, as one-third of the players surveyed selected Buffalo.

BUFFALO, yes, was the runaway winner, named by 10(!) players. “No charm, and all the negatives of Green Bay,” one player said. “Anywhere on the East Coast” was another response, declining to pick a single city. Said another who rarely leaves the hotel on the road: “I judge a city by the locker room, and Oakland has the worst.”

Before people lose their minds, it’s quite a small survey of players. After all, only 10 of 29 players who produced a city named Buffalo.

If the team can garner greater success in the future, then the reputation will surely change. After all, winning is best antidote for this standing among players. Arguably the greatest player in Buffalo history, Jim Kelly, initally coming to Western New York.

Winning and money surely help this issue.

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WATCH: Colts’ Quenton Nelson takes headshot in Pro Bowl dodgeball game

Dodge. Duck. Dip. Dive. Dodge. The five D’s of dodgeball

Dodge. Duck. Dip. Dive. Dodge. Those are the five D’s of dodgeball, made famous by the legendary Patches O’Houlihan, who was a seven-time ADAA All-Star.

Those tips must have been forgotten in the mind of Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson, who participated in the dodgeball competition as a part of the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on Thursday.

Competitive by nature, Nelson was surely in it to win it. As fate would have it, though, the lessons bestowed upon our generation from the great Patches were lost on Nelson. What resulted was him taking a headshot and ultimately letting down his team.

Nelson is one of the fiercest competitors in the game. Some have even compared his talents to that of the generational Fran Stalinovskovichdavidovitchsky—also known as the “the deadliest woman on earth with a dodgeball.”

Even with all that talent, Nelson’s came up short. Many were hoping he would be able to pull off an improbable feat like Gordon did when he went on a berserker rage in the semi-finals against the Poughkeepsie State Flying Cougars.

Unfortunately, the dodgeball gods were not on Nelson’s side this time around.

After being knocked out of the game due to a headshot, Nelson vowed his vengeance. He offered to Venmo $100 to the person that revealed the identity of the opponent that delivered the fatal blow (it appears to be Bears safety Eddie Jackson upon tape review).

The dodgeball competition is a yearly event at the Pro Bowl and seeing as Nelson is an otherworldly talent, he is likely to be back next year. Now, Nelson will hit the offseason to train hard and prepare for another shot at victory.

As long as he remembers the five D’s of dodgeball and works in some wrench and traffic drills, Nelson should be back with a vengeance.

Steelers LB T.J. Watt swaps pass-rusing secrets with Von Miller

Von Miller and T.J. Watt are the true elite in the AFC when it comes to pass rushers.

Denver Broncos EDGE Von Miller is one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL over the last decade. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt hopes to be one of the most feared pass rushers of the next decade. The two came together at the Pro Bowl this week as Miller didn’t hesitate to share some of his secrets to success with Watt.

“He’s great,” Miller said. “He has a high motor, and he’s talented. You just can’t coach effort, all the way to the whistle every single time, over and over, every single game. That just has to be you, or it’s not. And that’s definitely T.J.”

Watt followed up an impressive 2018 campaign with an even better 2019 season, putting himself in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year. He finished with 14.5 sacks and was an absolute terror on opposing offenses all season long.

It is great to see opponents come together at the Pro Bowl to share their knowledge to make everyone better.

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In just two minutes, Jarvis Landry changed the Pro Bowl dodgeball world forever

This is one of the greatest dodgeball performances we’ve ever seen. It might be the only one, but still.

If you think about it for a second or two, it makes perfect sense that NFL wide receivers would be absolutely incredible at dodgeball. They can move well, they are in the absolute top tier of athleticism, and they can catch.

Good heavens, they can catch.

Still, it’s still unreal to watch Browns wideout Jarvis Landry take over the Pro Bowl dodgeball game, as he did this week in Hawaii, and shut down his opponents over the final two minutes. The man stopped even throwing the balls, instead just rolling them to his opponents because he knew he could catch absolutely anything they threw his way.

Watch him. Watch him in all his glory:

What a performance. I am standing and applauding.

I feel comfortable saying this performance is the greatest in the history of Pro Bowl dodgeball. I think I watched a few minutes last year, maybe, and perhaps am not qualified to make such a broad statement. But also who cares.

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Amari Cooper: ‘I’m not surprised,’ about sweeping coaching changes, wants back in Dallas

Amari Cooper is a free agent this offseason, how will both he and the Cowboys handle that?

Since the start of 2018, the Dallas Cowboys have changed in drastic ways. Two of the biggest alterations were trading for Amari Cooper halfway through 2018, and bringing Mike McCarthy aboard as the head coach this offseason. The marriage of the two events puts the former in a unique situation.

Cooper is used to regime changes, and he won’t have much of a chance to get to know the new Cowboys coaching staff before making a huge decision as a pending free agent. On Thursday, he made it clear he has been happy in his home of the last year and a half, but there are still a lot of moving parts in his potential return to the Cowboys in 2020.

When asked about if he wants to be back in Dallas, the always calm and quiet Cooper gave Cowboys fans a reassuring answer: “I do,” Cooper said. “I mean that wholeheartedly. I love Dallas.”

But Cooper did also mention that he and his agent have not been in contact regarding his impending contract situation.

Cooper made a career-high $5.6 million last year and finished with a career-high 1,189 yards and eight receiving touchdowns, making him one of the best values in the league. Now it’s time for him to cash in. Currently, two wide receivers make over $18 million; Atlanta’s Julio Jones at $22 million and New Orleans’ Michael Thomas at $19.25 million, while Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyreek Hill are right at the $18 million mark. This is perceived to be the range Cooper may approach, but it hasn’t happened yet.

This week at the 2020 Pro Bowl Cooper has heard his fair share of contract questions, but seems to be virtually unfazed by his uncertain future. When asked again after Thursday’s practice Cooper said, “I’m just taking it day by day,” “I don’t really feel like there’s nothing that’s imminent. I’m not anxious, I’m not apprehensive. I’m just living life.”

Cooper would go on in the same interview to say that an extra $1 million or $2 million dollars doesn’t mean as much to him as being in the right environment. Part of that right environment starts with the quarterback, as any smart receiver knows that the QB is the most crucial teammate to his success. Cooper even touched on the success of Dak Prescott and himself, calling their relationship “symbiotic.”

Another important relationship for any receiver is with the coaching staff, but Cooper hasn’t been able to get any kind of consistency there.

“I’m not surprised,” Amari Cooper said when asked about the massive assistant coaching changes following the hiring of new head coach, Mike McCarthy. That of course includes the removal of his WR coach, Sanjay Lal.

“That’s usually what happens when a head coach gets fired… he isn’t going to want to inherit a whole lot of coaches. He has to make sure everyone he has in place is on the same page as him.”

Cooper is all too familiar with staff and scheme changes. If the Cowboys retain Cooper, McCarthy would be Cooper’s 4th head coach in only six seasons, so he has became accustomed to the chaos that can be caused by entering a new system.

With McCarthy comes a number of other coaching changes, including new wide receiver coach Adam Henry.

Henry is experienced, working 23 straight seasons as an NFL or college offensive assistant, primarily at WR coach. Henry was with the Cleveland Browns this past season, and worked with Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry at LSU before teaming up in Cleveland with them again. Cooper said he hadn’t yet gotten the chance, but would like to chat with his fellow wideouts about the Cowboys new coach, to get a feel for Henry’s coaching style.

Not everything will be brand new if Cooper returns, of course. Kellen Moore returning as offensive coordinator will also clearly help Cooper feel familiar with the new Dallas system, at least more so than if McCarthy had went in a new direction there as well.  There will be a merging of McCarthy’s preferred West Coast style, but it will be channeled through Moore.

A full season has now passed for Cooper and Dallas, and the star wideout is coming off his rookie deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Cowboys could also franchise tag Cooper, at $16 million a year, which would remove the decision-making process from the player’s hands altogether. Cooper acknowledges he could be tagged, but clearly would prefer the long-term deal.

For most NFL stars, a new regime might make them feel differently about a team, or at the very least make you hesitant about re-signing there. For the calm and collected Cooper, one gets the sense this newest coaching change is just like any other, and this won’t effect his decision too much.

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Broncos put a GoPro on Courtland Sutton at Pro Bowl practice

Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton wore a GoPro camera at the first day of Pro Bowl practice.

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The Broncos put a GoPro camera on wide receiver Courtland Sutton for his first day of practice in Orlando on Wednesday. The resulting footage can be seen in the above video, courtesy of the team’s official website.

In just his second season, Sutton became the fastest wide receiver in franchise history to reach the NFL’s all-star game. Sutton was initially voted a second alternate for the Pro Bowl and was added as an injury replacement for Texans star DeAndre Hopkins last week.

Sutton has been enjoying his time in Orlando and has been showing off some one-handed catches at practice.

Sutton and outside linebacker Von Miller are the only two active Broncos players at the Pro Bowl but they aren’t the only two Broncos in Orlando. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver, will serve as one of the AFC’s team captains.

The 2020 Pro Bowl will be played in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 1:00 p.m. MT. The game will be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD. Tickets to the game start at $45 on Ticketmaster.

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Broncos OLB Von Miller coaching up young pass rushers at Pro Bowl

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller has been coaching up some of the young defenders at the Pro Bowl in Orlando.

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In 2014, when Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller was coming off a season cut short by injury and suspension, Denver signed future Pro Football Hall edge defender DeMarcus Ware. He might have been one of the most important teammates Miller ever had.

Ware took Miller under his wing and mentored him. They won Super Bowl 50 together in 2015 and now, four years after Ware’s retirement, Miller is following in his mentor’s footsteps by grooming the next generation of pass rushers.

Each offseason, Miller hosts a “Pass Rush Summit” for edge defenders (and even some offensive linemen) from across the NFL. Miller is also taking advantage of getting to mingle with young pass rushers at the Pro Bowl in Orlando.

Before practice Thursday, Miller coached up Jaguars rookie Josh Allen:

Miller also spent some time with Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt and Ravens edge defender Matthew Judon:

And, of course, Miller made time for fans at Thursday’s practice:

Miller said during an interview on “Pardon My Take” this week that he has had to apologize to players for going “too hard” in past Pro Bowls.

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