Tag: retired

B/R bolsters Saints receiving corps with this hypothetical

If you could bring back one retired Saints player, who would it be? Bleacher Report says they’d add Marques Colston to the receiving corps:

Bleacher Report went through an interesting hypothetical scenario recently. They chose one retired player from the last 25 years of each team’s history to add to the current roster.

For the New Orleans Saints, the staff went with wide receiver Marques Colston. It was a surprising but, not unfounded, choice. The obvious selection would have been Drew Brees. Trading Derek Carr in for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time seemed like a no-brainer.

In addition to Colston, Jahri Evans and Jabari Greer are also good choices. New Orleans needs help in a lot of areas, but what made Colston the pick. With Chris Olave out with his second concussion of the year, it would be good to see Colston dropped into today’s offense headed up by Derek Carr. With Ryan Ramczyk and Michael Thomas not officially retired, Colston is the best offensive player that fit the parameters who could help.

The Saints wide receiver room has been devastated by injuries. There’s no Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed. The receiving corps is being led by Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Marques Colston would give the Saints a true number one receiver. Even if Olave does come back from his concussion, Colston still gives New Orleans a bigger middle of the field target. Regardless of who’s in the lineup, Colston would have been a great addition to this team for their last five games. He would have been a great addition back in Week 1.

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Ex-QB Chase Daniel breaks down Nix’ plays in Broncos QB battle

Ex-NFL QB Chase Daniel, breaks down the snaps Denver Broncos Bo Nix participated in on the field against the Colts as the Broncos choose between 3 QBs for a starter

The Denver Broncos are using the preseason to guide their pick for the next starting quarterback and currently three contenders, Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, are competing for the job.

Head coach Sean Payton is impressed with the trio of candidates after all of them played the first preseason tilt ending in a narrow 34-30 victory against the Indianapolis Colts and looks to the upcoming matches to inform a final decision on the Broncos QB1 spot.

Ex-NFL QB Super Bowl champion Chase Daniel, a veteran who was signed with 8 teams over a 12-year stint in the league, breaks down the snaps Bo Nix participated in on the field against the Colts.

While the rookie Nix from the University of Oregon looks to be a possible favorite against the more experienced post-draft additions Stidham and Wilson, the Broncos will send out their cast of quarterbacks against the Green Bay Packers in the next match where all three players compete to inspire confidence in head coach Sean Payton.

Recapturing homefield advantage will be key for Saints in 2024

The Saints have won just a dozen home games since Drew Brees retired. Recapturing that homefield advantage will be critical to their success in 2024:

How many games do you think the New Orleans Saints have won since Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season? It’s been three years, and the Saints have been at home for 25 contests during that span. The Caesars Superdome was once a fearsome venue for visiting teams, and the Saints still have a reputation as a squad that benefits from the Who Dat Nation’s raucous homefield advantage.

But check the numbers and you’ll see that narrative doesn’t hold much water. The Saints have gone 12-13 at home from 2021 to 2023, winning just a dozen games since Brees hunt up his cleats. That’s a winning percentage of .480 — which ranks 23rd among the NFL’s 32 teams, including the playoffs.

The Saints actually have a better record away from home. When playing outside New Orleans, they’re 13-13 over the last three years. A .500 win percentage may not be impressive in itself, but that ties them for ninth-best along with four other teams. Of the 13 teams who are .500 or better on the road in this span, only the Saints and Indianapolis Colts have failed to make the playoffs at least once.

So we know the Saints can compete away from the Caesars Superdome. Why can’t they win games in front of their own home crowd? Maybe it’s the quality of competition or just bad luck. We could be making too much out of it. After all, their record at home (12-13) isn’t much different from their road record (13-13). They’re a near-.500 team at any venue. But that’s the problem. Most teams play worse on the road than at home; the Saints are one of just six teams with a higher win percentage away from home. They’re fighting hard away from the Superdome, but not winning the games they should be when at home.

That must change in 2024. If they’re going to end this playoffs drought, the Saints need to stack up wins at the Superdome over weaker teams like the Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, and Las Vegas Raiders as well as their division rivals. They can’t afford to trip up and take an embarrassing loss (like happened last year when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked away with a win after a 26-9 blowout). This year, the Saints will play nine home games in New Orleans for the first time since the regular season expanded to 17 games. Stepping up in big moments at home while remaining competitive on the road is their path to a successful 2024 campaign.

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Social media shares hilarious reactions to Nick Saban boogie boarding

Nick Saban wipes out on the beach while boogie boarding, and social media absolutely loves it.

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been off the job for a few weeks now, and he’s apparently been enjoying the beach with Miss Terry, according to his daughter, Kristen Saban Setas.

While interacting with Crimson Tide fans, Saban Setas shared a video from a few years ago that showed the legendary head coach wiping out on the shore of a beach while attempting to boogie board in the waves.

The video may not be recent, but it is exactly how many Alabama fans hope he is spending his retirement.

Reactions on social media were almost as priceless as the video itself. Here are some of the best posts.

The painful truth about the Alabama coaching search

Alabama’s hunt for a new football coach has driven many fans mad as they look for clues and answers. Perhaps that was the plan all along.

The dust has finally settled and there is an empty office at the Mal Moore Athletics Facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The office will sit empty until one of the biggest coaching hires in all of North American sports is made. Who on planet Earth will replace Nick Saban?

His decision to retire from coaching shocked the nation in ways many had not predicted. The greatest college football head coach chose to go out in the most Saban-way imaginable: a snap judgment made five minutes before a pre-scheduled meeting on a random Wednesday shortly after the season ended.

No farewell tour, no planning ahead, no balloons and confetti. He didn’t need it, and I can almost guarantee you he wouldn’t have wanted it.

Now, Saban is working alongside University of Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne to hire a replacement. Their goal is simple: Find someone who can carry on the tradition of winning in Tuscaloosa. The standard has been set by Saban, which means the next coach to roam Bryant-Denny’s sidelines will have the weight of the entire Yellowhammer State on his shoulders.

The coaching search has been active for just over a day, but it’s felt like decades to many Tide fans.

Nick Saban to remain involved with the team, will have an office at stadium

Nick Saban may be “retired,” but he will still be with the team and have an office in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Former Alabama football head coach Nick Saban has retired from coaching. While he is stepping down, he is not stepping away. The legendary coach will remain involved with the program and even have his own office in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Rece Davis sat down with Saban and spoke with the coach about his 17 years in Tuscaloosa and what’s next for him. Davis then relayed this message on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show.

What will this mean for the next head coach? No one is quite sure. Filling the shoes of the greatest college football coach is no easy task, attempting to do so with him being there is nearly impossible. The standard at Alabama is high and the expectations are to win championships.

Conversely, whoever accepts the job will have the G.O.A.T. by their side as they transition into this role and will have a mentor, and possibly even a friend, to help get started in Tuscaloosa.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football and the program’s search for a new head coach.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

LOOK: What is social media saying about Mike Norvell and Alabama?

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell is trending on social media… as a potential target for the Alabama job.

Alabama is on the hunt for a new head football coach. Read that sentence over again. Nick Saban has officially announced his retirement at the age of 72 after spending the last 17 years in Tuscaloosa. Now, his role must be filled.

Fans of programs all over the nation have long awaited a day when Saban is no longer dominating college football. However, some of those fans failed to realize it may be their team’s coach who is chosen to replace the G.O.A.T. as the head coach of the Crimson Tide.

One coach whose name has been popping up in rumors, reports and conversations is Mike Norvell, the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles.

HOT or COLD: Rating the rumored candidates for the Alabama HC job

See which coaches’ names are hot or cold based on who has been named as possible Alabama HC candidates.

After spending 17 years in Tuscaloosa as the Alabama football head coach, Nick Saban has retired.

Though the news is still fresh, the focus isn’t on remembering what the legendary head coach did in Tuscaloosa, it’s on identifying who will replace him.

Many names have been thrown around as possible targets for the Crimson Tide. Some are just high-profile coaches, while others are genuine candidates. Overall, they remain just rumors and loose reports of potential interest.

Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne stated the program is looking to hire a coach who is “strong in recruiting and relationship building, player development, excels in X’s and O’s, and has the overall ability to lead this historic program.”

Let’s see which coaches meet the requirements and expectations to become the next Alabama head coach.

Roll Tide Wire/USA TODAY SMG

Social media reacts to Nick Saban showing up to work a day after retiring

Nick Saban hasn’t even been retired for a full 24 hours, but he’s back on campus and looks ready to work.

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has returned to campus less than 24 hours after officially announcing his retirement. While he’s likely there for reasons of meeting with media and assisting in the new coaching search, fans were quick to make jokes online.

This is uncharted territory for many Crimson Tide fans, who have been comfortable every offseason for the last 17 years knowing that Saban would be working all Spring and Summer with plans of dominating the Fall and Winter.

Though fans are still dealing with the emotional side of things, it was great to see them make some lighthearted jokes upon seeing Saban’s return to the Mal Moore Athletic Facility.

Has Alabama already picked Nick Saban’s replacement?

Would Nick Saban retire without a plan in place? One former player says he already knows who the next head coach is.

The news of Nick Saban’s decision to retire as the head coach of the Alabama football program is still fresh, and the world is still reacting.

However, it is not too soon to get serious about the future. With Saban gone, what had been a long lingering question now moves to the forefront: Who replaces the GOAT?

There’s no word on who potential candidates might be, aside from some short lists from national media that predictably include the biggest names in the sport. However, there may not even be a need for a list of candidates.

Wide receiver Marquis Maze, who played for the Crimson Tide from 2008-2011, wrote in a post on X that he would find it hard to believe the program wouldn’t have someone lined up to take over. For good measure, Maze claims to already know who the coach is, but can’t disclose it.

Maze is not alone.

Ryan Brown and Jim Dunaway of “The Next Round,” argue that a potential replacement might already be in Tuscaloosa or on his way there shortly. Both agree it would be shocking if the program did not already have Saban’s successor lined up by the time this news went public.

There are no reliable reports of the University of Alabama having a predetermined coach already in place, but it seems unfathomable that the greatest coach to ever walk the sidelines of a college football field would step away from the game and his program without having a succession plan in place.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the search for a new head coach to replace Saban unfolds.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.