Tag: reaction

NFL Top 100 Players of 2020: Marshon Lattimore is still in Mike Evans’ head

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans took issue with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

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Few divisions around the NFL enjoy as strong of rivalries as the NFC South, with seemingly every team finding a bone to pick with each other. That extends to individual matchups between common opponents, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

When Lattimore was introduced on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 list at No. 76, Evans was brought on to help discuss what makes Lattimore great. But when it was pointed out that Lattimore shut Evans down in their first meeting last season (NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill charted 29 matchups between them, with Evans failing to catch his only target) the big Buccaneers wideout took issue with how that was framed.

“Woah, woah, woah, he had a really good game against me?” Evans asked. “The defense had a really good game against me.”

Evans continued, “I will talk good about him — he’s a good player. I guess he had a good game and the whole team had a good game.”

When pressed, Evans did highlight a few of Lattimore’s strengths, saying, “He plays really hard. He’s physical. He makes good breaks on the ball. And he can tackle at corner. That’s not something a lot of corners can do, and he can do it.”

Lattimore has won the lion’s share of games against Evans since entering the league in 2017, though his bad day at the office in the 2018 season-opener left a lasting impression on some fans. While most of the hype videos for this year’s opening-day kickoff will focus on Tom Brady dueling Drew Brees, the latest entry in the Lattimore-versus-Evans saga is sure to be must-watch TV.

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REACTION: Best tweets following team’s rebrand as ‘Washington Football Team’

Social Media went crazy with jokes and reactions after Washington rebranded as the ‘Football Team’ on Thursday afternoon.

It was reported on Thursday afternoon that the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins will now be called the Washington Football Team going forward, until a new name and logo is decided upon.

With the new name comes new jerseys, which will feature the same color scheme and basic design, though the former team name and logo will be removed. On the helmets, each player’s number will be featured instead of the logo.

According to the report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the new name will be decided on with input from former and current players, fans, and sponsors. It is unknown when a new name will be decided upon, but you can plan to go by the current ‘Football Team’ throughout the 2020 season.

Fans and players alike had a field day on social media once the announcement was made.

 

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Watch: Michael Thomas reacts to sky-high ‘Madden NFL 21’ grade

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas was pleased to join the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 21,” making him one of the best players in the game.

Reactions are usually mixed among NFL players when they learn their grade in the latest iteration of the “Madden” franchise from EA Sports. Oftentimes, they’re motivated to work even harder and earn more respect after a perceived slight from a rating lower than what they think they deserve.

Other times, though, they reach the limit of what’s possible within the popular video game series. That’s the case for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who was selected as the fifth member of the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 21” after his record-setting 2019 season.

And fans got a look at Thomas in real time as he learned that he’d be joining that exclusive group from a video shared by the official Saints Twitter account, with some help from Thomas’s barber. See it for yourself:

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Sean Payton saw a lot to like of ‘Florida Tom Brady’ in disastrous golf outing

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton had to laugh at Tom Brady’s poor play in a celebrity golf match with Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods.

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Many viewers turned into Sunday’s high-profile celebrity golf match featuring Peyton Manning (and Tiger Woods) against Tom Brady (with Phil Mickelson) expecting a clash of the titans, with the pros setting the pace for two accomplished amateurs.

Instead, the Manning-Woods duo won the day with a runaway lead, with Mickelson doing his best to carry Brady as he struggled with the elements at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla. And of course Manning was quick on the trigger with trash talk as Brady floundered.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton also got in on the ribbing. Watching from home, Payton saw Brady’s slow start as an opportunity to joke about the Florida version of Brady, which moved with far less poise than the established New England model.

Even Brady’s highlights came with a fall from grace. After making the shot of the day on the seventh hole, scoring birdie from maybe 150 yards out, he immediately followed up splitting his pants when retrieving the ball.

Thankfully, one enterprising Saints fan was quick to offer a patch for the six-time Super Bowl winner:

We’ll see soon if Brady’s difficulties adjusting to life in Florida carry over to the football field. But if nothing else, it’s great to see that the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback is mortal.

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Larry Warford says his goodbyes to the Saints

New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl guard Larry Warford said goodbye to his teammates and fans after being released on Friday afternoon.

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The New Orleans Saints released right guard Larry Warford on Friday, parting ways with the three-time Pro Bowler to open a spot in the starting lineup for first-round draft pick Cesar Ruiz — though it’ll take a training camp competition to determine whether Ruiz or Erik McCoy (who played center last year) will directly replace the veteran.

Warford’s release also clears the Saints of about $7.75 million in spending room beneath the 2020 salary cap and opens a spot on the 90-man roster. The Saints will likely look to add another veteran player to fill that vacancy, so stay tuned for a follow-up move.

It’s a disappointing end to Warford’s tenure with the Saints. He reached the Pro Bowl in each of his three years in New Orleans after coming over from the Detroit Lions as a free agent contract. But poor performance last season and a bloated contract spelled the end of his Saints career after the team drafted Ruiz.

Warford took time to thank Saints fans for their support in a post from his official Twitter account:

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Taysom Hill’s new Saints contract earns fiery Twitter reactions from NFL fans

The New Orleans Saints signed Taysom Hill to a two-year contract extension, prompting NFL Twitter to explode in an outpouring of reactions.

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Nothing brings avid football fans together like Taysom Hill. Whether he’s dropping back to pass or catching a throw himself, the damage he does to their fantasy football teams and carefully curated data spreadsheets is sure to get Twitter riled up.

On Sunday, Hill committed an even greater sin by signing a two-year, $21 million contract extension with the Saints that includes $16 million in guarantees. It puts him in prime position to take over for Drew Brees in 2021 as the Saints starting quarterback, while also putting football writers across the country in a fit as they try to rationalize how the Saints could spend so irresponsibly.

See the reactions for yourself:

 

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Watch: Drew Brees, Zion Williamson welcome Cesar Ruiz to New Orleans

New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick Cesar Ruiz received messages from two of the city’s sports icons: Drew Brees and Zion Williamson.

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The New Orleans Saints selected Michigan center Cesar Ruiz in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and it didn’t take long for several big names in the local sports scene to reach out and welcome the rookie to the city.

One of Ruiz’s first teammates to contact him was someone he’ll become very well acquainted with once the Saints gather for training camp: quarterback Drew Brees. Brees interrupted a videoconference call between Ruiz and NFL Network’s Jane Slater, who shared the quarterback’s message on Twitter.

Sporting what appears to be a “quarantine beard,” Brees strolled into camera and excitedly greeted Ruiz, emphasizing how eager he is to get to work. See it for yourself:

If you’re wondering why Brees awkwardly staggered into view at the start of the clip, well, it’s him pulling a dad move. Brees was mimicking the dance moves Ruiz showed off on Thursday night when he learned that the Saints were picking him, which Saints coach Sean Payton joked, “This is what sealed it!”

But Brees wasn’t the only New Orleans sports icon to reach out to Ruiz, though. New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, the face of the franchise, also shared a message to Ruiz — “from one first-round pick to another.”

Interestingly, Williamson echoed the same advice that Brees shared with him after the Pelicans drafted him last summer: if you show New Orleans love, it’ll love you back.

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Cameron Jordan throws shade at Bucs after Tristan Wirfs trade

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan took aim at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after their 2020 NFL Draft trade for Tristan Wirfs.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t waste any time in getting some help for Tom Brady, trading up one spot in the 2020 NFL Draft to select Iowa Hawkeyes left tackle Tristan Wirfs.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan wasn’t impressed, asking for someone to clarify something for him — whether or not the Buccaneers paid their offensive tackles last season or not. They did pay out a three-year extension for Donovan Smith, the incumbent left tackle, and picked up the 2019 contract option on right tackle Demar Dotson (who has not re-signed for 2020).

Of course, he knew that answer. What Jordan really wanted to know was what happened after those contracts were handed out. That answer would be two losses by Tampa Bay to the Saints, in which Jordan’s defense racked up a combined eight sacks. Jordan accounted for 2.5 of those.

It’s going to be a challenge for Wirfs to do much better. Jordan is an annual Pro Bowler, one of the game’s All-Pro caliber talents, and he’s beaten linemen who are more experienced and more athletic than the rookie. He’s certainly looking forward to testing his new division rival.

This sort of draft-day trash talk isn’t new to Jordan. He also took aim at the Atlanta Falcons last year, laughing off their reinforcements along the offensive line. On Thanksgiving, he backed up those barbs with four sacks in prime time, a new career-high. He’s not afraid to chirp at his competition. But unlike many tall-talkers, Jordan is ready to back it up.

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Michael Thomas congratulates Joe Burrow on being picked first overall

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas is a big fan of LSU QB Joe Burrow, picked first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft

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LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow was picked first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he has a big fan in New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Thomas congratulated Burrow on his accomplishment and his arrival to the NFL, acknowledging the struggles Burrow experienced at the college level before his breakout 2019 season. Burrow once played for Thomas’s alma mater with the Ohio State Buckeyes, but transferred to LSU after losing the starting quarterback battle with Dwayne Haskins.

It’s a great gesture by Thomas, who has dealt with his own adversity before a meteoric rise into NFL history. Maybe Burrow will experience a similar surge in Cincinnati, a town that’s been hurting for someone to rally around.

However, Burrow already played a part in making NFL history — immediately after he was selected first overall, the subsequent picks were Buckeyes teammates Chase Young (to the Washington Redskins) and Jeff Okudah (to the Detroit Lions). It’s the first time in the draft’s history that three teammates made up the first three picks. And that’s something Thomas, a proud Buckeye himself, took note of:

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How would Alvin Kamara feel about re-signing with the Saints?

Saints RB Alvin Kamara has found a new home in New Orleans, and hopes to find a contract extension much like Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey

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The NFL world was rocked on Monday by the news of a huge four-year, $64 million contract extension between running back Christian McCaffrey and the Carolina Panthers. Beyond the deal’s immediate impact on the Panthers as a franchise, it shook up the landscape of running back contracts around the league.

For New Orleans Saints fans tuned into Alvin Kamara’s Twitch stream with Bleacher Report, they earned a live reaction from one of the game’s most popular players — whose own contract is set to expire after the 2020 season. Kamara was thoughtful when asked how he’d feel about signing his own multiyear extension with the Saints.

“Man, that’s,” Kamara started, pausing to gather his thoughts. “New Orleans was a place I hadn’t been to. I’d never been to New Orleans until I got drafted to New Orleans. Just to be able to get to New Orleans, and have that city embrace me, just take me in, basically adopt me, man it’s amazing. There’s so much love there. It’s a dope city even outside of the football. It’s beautiful people, it’s lit, it’s a vibe.”

Kamara has spoken often about his appreciation for the city’s culture and the support of its fanbase; he often walks to and from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on game days from his downtown apartment, pausing for photographs along the way. But the sense of brotherhood he’s felt in the Saints locker room is just as important.

“If we’re talking about the football,” Kamara said, “I’ve never been around a group of guys like in New Orleans who just want to win, who just want to be there for each other, and be around each other.”

The Saints are headed for uncharted territory, with franchise quarterback Drew Brees drawing up his retirement plans and a host of big-money contract extensions on the horizon. Kamara is one of several young stars whose cheap rookie deals will run out soon, along with right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, and free safety Marcus Williams. That’s not to mention decorated veterans like linebacker Demario Davis and tight end Jared Cook.

Even if the Saints are able to transition from Brees to a younger, low-cost quarterback (whether it’s Taysom Hill or someone else) it’s not realistic to expect the Saints to keep everyone. Recent losses including safety Vonn Bell and running back Mark Ingram speak to that. Everyone is rightfully going to want their money, and the Saints won’t be able to compromise with all of them. Hopefully they can hammer out an agreement with Kamara before it’s too late; it’s obvious his heart is in it.

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