Tag: Rich Gannon

First year eligible Marshawn Lynch one of 15 former Raiders among Hall of Fame nominees

Marshawn Lynch has been nominated for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He is one of 15 former Raiders to make the list

Each year around this time, the process for the following year’s Hall of Fame class begins. It starts with a long list of that year’s nominees.

That list was released this morning by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It consists of 167 NFL greats. Among them are 15 former Raiders players, which includes Marshawn Lynch who has been nominated in his first year of eligibility.

Here is the full list of 15 former Raiders among the modern era nominees:

QB Rich Gannon
RBs Charlie Garner, Marshawn Lynch
WR’s Jordy Nelson, Andre Rison
OL Lincoln Kennedy (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DL La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Chester McGlockton (DT), Justin Tuck (DE), Ted Washington (NT/DT)
LB’s NaVorro Bowman, Bill Romanowski
CB Eric Allen
P Shane Lechler

Marshawn spent two seasons with his hometown Oakland Raiders in 2017-18. He built his his Hall of Fame caliber career over his first eight seasons split between the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks.

His best years were in Seattle where Beast Mode made four straight Pro Bowls, was named an All Pro once and won a Super Bowl. And should have won a second had Pete Carroll had called for him to get the ball near the goal line instead of notoriously calling for Russell Wilson to throw it only to have it intercepted.

Lynch retired after his tenth season in 2015, but came out of retirement for the chance to suit up and play in front of his hometown fans. Thus adding another 1300 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns to his resume before retiring for good in 2019 at the age of 33.

Rich Gannon believes in Sam Darnold to be the guy for Vikings

Players in the NFL Draft sometimes land in situations that can coach them up rather than throw them to the wolves, Darnold finally has that.

Players coming into the NFL sometimes need to land in a situation that can coach them up rather than throw them to the wolves, Sam Darnold finally has that. After six years in the league, Darnold seems to have finally found a situation where he can actually show growth as a player.

For one former Viking quarterback, Rich Gannon, he thinks the situation is perfect for him to become the guy for the team.

Gannon joined the Purple Insider Podcast to discuss Darnold being on the team and his outlook. He gave not only a positive review but a glowing one.

“My overall assessment of Sam Darnold is that he’s an extremely talented player. He’s very athletic, he’s got good feet, he’s got a big-time arm, he can make all the throws, he’s a young guy. He’s 26 years old. It’s stupid that he’s been in the league six years and he’s 26 years old.”

He isn’t wrong on this front. Sam Darnold was drafted third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft over the likes of Lamar Jackson when the New York Jets needed a new franchise leader. At 20 years old, the New York Jets and the media proved too much. He was thrown to the wolves, his confidence shattered after seeing ghosts, and he was forced to move around the NFL.

Gannon himself didn’t break out until he was 38 years old when he found his home with the Oakland Raiders. He would lead them to a Super Bowl and win an MVP along the way. Those facts make his final point worth remembering as we head into training camp.

“If I get that opportunity and we start the season and we get off to a good start then I ain’t coming out, that’s my mindset. They don’t have to play J.J. If we’re 7-2, this will be my opportunity. If you’re Sam, that’s all you want. An opportunity to show people that I’m a different player. . .”

Donnie Edwards recalls the start of his career, Chiefs teams of the 1990s

#Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Donnie Edwards about the start of his career in Kansas City and his pursuit of a Super Bowl title. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs of the 1990s went through many changes to remain competitive. The team had projections for the postseason and beyond each year but could not capture the elusive Super Bowl appearance.

Former Chiefs linebacker Donnie Edwards was in many big games early in his first stint with the Chiefs throughout the late 1990s. Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Edwards about the start of his career in Kansas City and coming up short in his pursuit of a Super Bowl title.

“I remember my rookie year, it was mini camp,” Edwards began. “I’m standing next to a guy named Martin Bayless. Bayless was a safety. He played probably 13 years in the league. A big safety, but more importantly, Bayless had free football camps in San Diego. He used to play for the Chargers, and I was obviously part of his free football camp because we couldn’t afford to go to a football camp.

“It was pretty ironic to be standing next to him in the NFL, with the person responsible for helping me get to this point, and we’re looking at each other. He [looked] at me, he’s like, ‘I know you’, and he’s like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m getting old. You’re the first graduate who made it to the NFL as part of my free football camps’. That was amazing. You talk about someone paying it forward and giving other kids an opportunity.”

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The late 1990s Chiefs teams were loaded with talent, and Edwards admired his teammates, who made Kansas City a powerhouse in the AFC.

“Now it’s time to earn a starting spot and contribute to the team,” Edwards continued. “We had a great team in ’96 and ’97—the first tenure. I know ’96. I think we missed the playoffs by about one game at the end. It was disheartening, too, because the year before, ’95, the Chiefs went to the playoffs, and I believe they lost to Denver.

“Fast forward to ’97, that year we went 13-3. Elvis Grbac goes down. He breaks his collarbone. And then remember Rich Gannon comes in. And I think we win 12 games straight. We were rolling, and we had Spider-Man (Andre Rison). We had Greg Hill. We had Marcus Allen that year. I mean, we had a great team.”

The Chiefs lost great players due to tragedy, free agency, and retirement as time passed. The breakout season of 1997 ended unexpectedly at the hands of the eventual Super Champions, the Broncos.

“We’re gelling and, unfortunately, we had a bye in the playoffs,” Edwards said. “I think about this; it just puts a pit in my stomach. We lost 14 to 10 to the Broncos. We played them three times that year… Now that I’m retired, looking back to those years, I think that was the year I truly had the opportunity, and then in ’98. That was a challenging year. That was the last year [of] Marty Schottenheimer.”

Gunther Cunningham and Dick Vermeil would follow as head coaches until Edwards’ last season in 2001 for his first tenure in Kansas City.

To learn more about Donnie Edwards’ work with military veterans, visit the Best Defense Foundation’s website.

Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell explains why he switched out of Derek Carr’s number

Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell explains why he switched out of Derek Carr’s number, saying it wasn’t his choice to pick it up in the first place:

There wasn’t much love lost between Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders last year, when the longtime franchise quarterback shown the door after being benched for the last few weeks of the 2022 season. And that relationship splintered further when rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell put on Carr’s No. 4 jersey just months after Carr left to join the New Orleans Saints.

But O’Connell switched to No. 12 this offseason. He shared his reasoning on his teammate Maxx Crosby’s podcast, saying that it wasn’t his decision to pick No. 4 in the first place, and he hopes this gesture is seen as a respectful nod to Carr.

“I just didn’t want to be four anymore. I didn’t pick four, I was actually nine,” O’Connell recounted, “and then Tyree (Wilson) wanted nine, so they gave nine to Tyree in like the first week I was here last year, and they gave me four. I was a rookie, you kind of just do what you’re told. It was Derek’s number and he wore it for so long, he’s a franchise leader and all this stuff. It felt disrespectful. So I just wanted to give that back to him.”

O’Connell and Carr will cross paths in 2024 when the Raiders visit the Caesars Superdome for a late-season game in Week 17. Kickoff is scheduled for Dec. 29 at noon.

Look at the Raiders’ history books and you’ll see that no quarterback appeared in more games (142) than Carr did. He attempted more passes (4,958) than the second- and third-place quarterbacks combined (4,929 between Ken Stabler and Rich Gannon). He also owns the franchise record for touchdown passes by a wide margin (217 against Stabler’s 150). Carr never found postseason success with the Raiders, but he did give them stability under center that ex-head coach Josh McDaniels was all too eager to shake up.

Carr’s No. 4 jersey has been reissued by the Raiders since O’Connell gave it up, with veteran wide receiver Jalen Guyton choosing it. At least it isn’t another quarterback. It feels like a long shot for Carr to earn the same level of respect that Drew Brees and Archie Manning have in New Orleans, where no player will ever wear Nos. 9 or 8, but that does go to show the difference in how each organization treats its players.

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12 former Chiefs among modern-era nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024

12 former #Chiefs among modern-era nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 | from: @EdEastonJr

The NFL announced the 173 modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

There are 12 former Kansas City Chiefs in the running, including return specialist Dante Hall, fullback Tony Richardson, quarterback Rich Gannon, guard Brian Waters, and first-time nominee running back Jamaal Charles.

The list will be cut to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in early January.

Here’s a look at the former Chiefs up for the Hall of Fame in 2024:

TJ Hockenson “at the right place at the right time”

Sometimes, it pays to be in the right place at the right time

Two-time All-Pro, two-time MVP and former Minnesota Vikings QB Rich Gannon weighed in on the T.J. Hockenson contract extension for The 33rd Team and believes he was in the right place at the right time.

“Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is all that matters in professional football…[Hockenson] becomes the highest paid tight end in professional football, and good for him. When you look at his body of work, he has gotten better each year he’s been in the league. His first year in Detroit, it was a bit of a project, 32 receptions. His second season, that number jumped to 67. And last year, I thought he had his best season as a pro. Began the season with the Detroit Lions, came over to the Minnesota Vikings and provided instant productivity in the tight end position.”

Gannon’s assessment of the situation with Hockenson is spot on. From weeks 8 to 18, the only tight end to accumulate more yards than Hockenson was Kansas City’s Travis Kelce.

Hockenson’s extension also “sets the bar,” as Gannon puts it, “for tight ends that have been better and more productive the last couple of seasons.” 

This is good news for those that play the tight end position and have watched it grow in importance season after season. Teams are recognizing and compensating the players accordingly.

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Former MVP QB believes Panthers are smart by keeping Andy Dalton ahead of Bryce Young

Former NFL MVP Rich Gannon believes the Panthers are on the wise approach of having Bryce Young overtake Andy Dalton with his actions, not his billing.

Are the Carolina Panthers making the right decision by waiting to put Bryce Young on the road? A former driver with some pretty pertinent experience seems to think so.

Ex-NFL quarterback and 2002 Most Valuable Player Rich Gannon recently spoke of Carolina’s immediate plans under center—ones that will see veteran Andy Dalton atop the depth chart for the time being. And Gannon, in a breakdown for The 33rd Team, stated that the No. 1 overall pick in Young should have to earn his starting spot.

“It’s kinda like a 16-year-old with a car,” he said. “Before you hand him the car keys, you better make sure he knows how to stop the car, how to start the car, how to avoid oncoming traffic. But here’s what has to happen in the next couple of months in order for Bryce Young to walk out there with the starters on offense Week 1—he has to earn the trust and respect of his new teammates. And you do that by your actions on the field.”

Young, in fact, expressed the same sentiment during his introductory press conference on April 28. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner told reporters that he’s not entitled to anything at the pro level, even despite being this year’s top selection.

Gannon continued:

“Are you able to make all the calls in the huddle? Are you able to make all the checks at the line of scrimmage? How do you perform in competitive periods? Whether it’s a seven-on-seven period, whether it’s a team blitz period, whether a red zone period. How does a quarterback hurry up a two-minute situation? How does he perform late in those type of situations—late-in-game type situations. How does he do in the OTAs and minicamps?”

Well, we’ll find out that last part soon—as rookie minicamp is set to begin for Young and the Panthers this Friday.

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Rich Gannon goes in on Raiders calling on Derek Carr to ‘step up and play better’

Rich Gannon: Derek Carr to ‘step up and play better’

There’s a lot wrong with the Raiders this season that has brought them to their 2-7 record. That would include Derek Carr. Rich Gannon laid this out well this week, essentially calling on Carr to be the difference.

“Derek hasn’t played horribly, but he really hasn’t played well, especially late in games. At some point he has to step up and play better. I think there’s enough tools in the toolbox to get it done and Derek Carr hasn’t, especially when they needed him the most; late in games. If you look at his win/loss record 59-77 that really says it all. Derek Carr has to find a way to put this team on his shoulders and get them to the finish line.”

Gannon is not wrong here.

Six of the Raiders’ seven losses this season have been by one score. And in each instance Derek Carr and the offense has had a shot to win it late and has failed to do so.

These criticisms come despite Carr’s emotional rant after the loss to the Colts Sunday in which Carr was upset about how some members of the Raiders don’t have the same passion for this team as he does.

It’s not Carr who Gannon says is the one who stands above the criticism, but rather Maxx Crosby.

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Former NFL MVP Thinks Kirk Cousins Can Throw for 5,000 Yards

One expert believes in Kirk Cousins to go next level

The 2022 NFL season is fast approaching and the Minnesota Vikings are one of the most intriguing teams in the National Football League.

With a new regime taking flight in general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and especially head coach Kevin O’Connell, the way they handle a roster that is mostly similar to what Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer had last season. The Vikings finished the season 8-9.

This season, all eyes are on Kirk Cousins who signed a one-year extension in the offseason. The idea of re-signing Cousinsdis predicated on O’Connell unlocking the 11th-year signal caller.

In a recent article for The 33rd Team, former Vikings and NFL MVP quarterback Rich Gannon believes that Cousins can not only have his best season ever but throw for a career-high in yards.

“Look at the success that Stafford had in his first season, winning a Super Bowl with the Rams,” said Gannon. “In talking to O’Connell, he said Matthew took ownership of the offense. I think we’re gonna see that with Cousins.I think he can throw for 5,000 yards in his new offense, and I think O’Connell is going to take the training wheels off.”

If Gannon is right, Cousins will have the season of his life. I believe there are real roadblocks to achieving that. If he doesn’t have his best season and finishes with a record around .500, it will likely be the same old story.

Needless to say, Cousins and the Vikings will be appointment viewing all season.

Rick Gannon out at CBS after 16 seasons

Rich Gannon is out at CBS after doing NFL games at the network for 16 seasons

Player and coach movement are not the only carousels when it comes to the NFL. Announcers also have to wonder what’s next when contracts and the season come up.

One longtime voice at CBS Sports will no longer be heard on its NFL games. Rich Gannon is out as a game analyst after 16 seasons, the New York Post reported Monday.

Per the report:

CBS has not set Gannon’s replacement just yet. The two internal candidates figure to be Adam Archuleta and James Lofton.

Before last season, CBS started to tip its hand on the 55-year-old Gannon when it split him from his longtime partner, Kevin Harlan. While CBS doesn’t officially designate its depth chart, Harlan and Trent Green did the third best game most weeks, while Greg Gumbel and Gannon received the fourth most-watched matchup.

Gannon played 18 seasons at quarterback in the NFL before moving into the booth.

Of course, the big name in play at CBS is Jim Nantz, who is seeking a big-time raise, somewhere in the neighborhood of his partner Tony Romo. The former Dallas Cowboys’ QB got a 10-year, $180 million contract before last season.