Sony Michel recounts a different draft experience with the Patriots, as opposed to other first-round selections in 2018.
Former New England Patriots running back Sony Michel took a hilarious jab at his former team when recounting a 2018 NFL draft story.
Michel was taken in the first round with the 31st overall pick, but his experience with the Patriots, as opposed to other first-round draft picks, was drastically different.
“The crazy thing about it, this is so Patriots, right?” Michel said during an appearance on the “The Money Down Podcast”, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Sean T. McGuire. “So I get drafted, first round. And I’m watching every other first-round (pick), Calvin Ridley get drafted first round, and them boys send a jet, every team send those boys a jet. Everybody got a jet.
“Not lying, they put me on a Southwest flight. You got to pick your seat, yeah, you pick your seat. So I was just like, ‘Man, I couldn’t even get the experience on the jet.’”
Michel managed to carve himself out a respectable career in New England, winning a Super Bowl and spending three seasons with the organization.
All told, he recorded 2,992 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns with the Patriots. He then played two years in Los Angeles—once for the Rams in 2021 and another year for the Chargers, before hanging up the cleats following the 2022 season.
The Patriots under Bill Belichick were always known to take a business-first approach. Luxury obviously wasn’t part of the equation, and Michel got to see that firsthand.
This Ezekiel Elliott assessment might surprise you.
Former New England Patriots running back Sony Michel shared his thoughts on Ezekiel Elliott, who recently signed with the Patriots on a one-year deal.
Michel knows a thing or two about adding value in the running game. He was the Patriots’ first-round draft pick in 2018 and ended up being a key contributor in New England’s Super Bowl LIII win that season. Now, the organization is looking to get back to the playoffs, and adding Elliott will at least give them the running back depth needed to attempt to do so.
Michel believes that Elliott still has quite a bit left in the tank, despite being supplanted by teammate Tony Pollard in the Dallas Cowboys running back room last year.
“Zeke, he’s one of the top backs in the league right now—still, to this day. I have this argument all the time,” Michel said, when appearing on the “Up & Adams” show. “He’s still probably top-seven running back. You know, a lot of people give him a lot of flak for what happened the past couple years, ‘Oh, he’s not the same Zeke.’ This dude’s going still for a 1,000 yards, and he’s still not the same? He probably dropped off 200 yards and people were saying he fell off or he’s not the same. He’s the same Zeke. Now, he’s probably hungrier than ever on a different team, fresh start.”
To say that Michel’s take is generous would be accurate.
Elliott is not the same producer that he was at his peak. Nevertheless, having Rhamondre Stevenson in the backfield means that Elliott will not have to be the top running back he was during his early years in Dallas.
Instead, he should be able to complement Stevenson and form one of the best running back duos in the NFL. New England will need to keep pace with the rest of the teams in the AFC East, and having a strong running game will help them do that.
Elliott is the sort of low-risk, high-reward signing that typically pays off for the Patriots.
Sean McVay feels bad for running backs in the current market but he still sees them as being valuable, especially the top guys
It’s not a good time to be a running back right now. It’s the only position in the league that has seen its overall market value decline in the last several years, with the franchise tag for running backs decreasing from $12.12 million in 2017 to $10.09 million this year.
Melvin Gordon pointed some of the blame at Sean McVay and the Rams for giving Todd Gurley a massive contract in 2018, only to ride C.J. Anderson to the Super Bowl that same season after Gurley’s knee wore down.
That’s not an indication of how McVay values the position, however. He still finds running backs to be very valuable on offense, as evidenced by the way the Rams rode Gurley in McVay’s first two seasons.
“It’s not by mistake that we were as successful as we were with Todd leading the way,” McVay said on “The Pivot” podcast recently. “And that contract was reflective of exactly how we felt because everything started with him. He was able to be the catalyst and then Jared was obviously excellent in those years and then the surrounding parts. I think it’s incredibly valuable. What I think is hard to really get a gauge for is over the long term, how sustainable because of the pounding that these backs take?”
During that same interview, McVay shared his thoughts on the battle that running backs are facing. They’re still putting up big numbers, which is why the Raiders, Cowboys and Giants all tagged their stud running backs, but teams aren’t willing to give them lucrative, long-term deals out of fear that they’ll wear down – similar to the way Gurley did.
McVay feels bad for running backs because of the way they aren’t being rewarded for their production on the field.
“I don’t know if there’s a model in terms of saying, ‘All right, well, how do we project this over the long haul for the sustainability?’ But I think the world of those running backs that you’re mentioning,” he said. “I don’t think that any coach would disagree that those guys influence the outcome of a game in a significant fashion. And so much of it is comp-based. When you start talking about it, it’s like, who’s gonna be able to make that first move? And because that’s kind of been the narrative on that position – and I feel terrible because these guys are trying to figure out, ‘Hey, what more can I do to get the rewards that I’m deserving of?’ And usually it takes, who’s that first person to make that move?”
As much as McVay values running backs, and as badly as he wants to see them earn big contracts like players at other positions do, he doesn’t have a solution for this problem. Like so many others, he just doesn’t know how to fix the issue.
“I wish I had a better answer for those guys. I do know this: When we’ve been at our best, it’s been because we’ve had running backs that have been doing a great job,” McVay said. “I think what makes it challenging, too, is you get guys that come out of nowhere and have great production. But the guys that do it over the longer period of time like Fred (Taylor) was able to do, and we felt like that’s what Todd was doing, those guys get rewarded. But then there’s always those cautionary tales where people get scared of the pounding, how long can they sustain this, how much can they be that focal point? I feel bad about that for those guys but it seems like that’s kind of where it’s at right now.”
The Rams will have a decision of their own to make next offseason when Cam Akers becomes a free agent. He’ll be a restricted free agent, so they can tender him to keep him on the roster in 2024, but the level that they tender him at – if they do at all – will tell us a lot about how they view his value.
What we do know is McVay will continue to draft running backs just about every year; he’s added Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., Kyren Williams, Zach Evans and traded for Sony Michel in the last several years. And let’s not forget: He and the Rams tried to acquire Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers last year.
This is a team that loves having a stud running back on offense.
Michel ends his football career with two Super Bowls and as the third all-time leader rusher in Georgia history
All great things must come to an end. Former Georgia Bulldogs star running back Sony Michel is retiring from football. Michel retires after having an incredible career at the University of Georgia and in the NFL.
Michel played at Georgia from 2014-2017. During his time with Georgia, Michel had 590 carries for 3,613 rushing yards and scored 29 total touchdowns. Only Nick Chubb and Herschel Walker have rushed for more yardage at Georgia than Sony Michel.
Michel won a SEC championship and came up with a game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl in his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs. Unfortunately, Michel’s final career Georgia game was a defeat in the national championship against Alabama. However, Michel played outstanding against the Crimson Tide.
Two Super Bowl victories highlight Sony Michel’s NFL career. Michel had an all-time great postseason with the New England Patriots en route to his first Super Bowl. In the 2018 NFL postseason, Sony Michel set a rookie record with six postseason rushing touchdowns. He capped it off with the only touchdown in New England’s Super Bowl win over Los Angeles.
Later, he won another championship with the Los Angeles Rams. Michel finishes his five season NFL career with 779 carries for 3,243 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
Here’s how social media reacted as Sony Michel called it a career:
With Sony Michel retiring, the Rams are bringing in Royce Freeman – a former 3rd-round pick
Out of nowhere, Rams running back Sony Michel told Sean McVay on Saturday morning that he’s retiring from the NFL. It was unexpected, and after practice, McVay said to reporters that the team was looking to bring in at least one more running back to fill the void.
Well, it didn’t take the Rams long to find someone. They’ve agreed to terms with Royce Freeman, who’s entering his sixth season in the NFL. He was a third-round pick by the Broncos in 2018 and has also spent time with the Panthers and Texans.
Freeman, 27, has 1,473 career rushing yards and eight touchdowns, adding 85 receptions for 519 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. Last season in Houston, he carried it 41 times for 117 yards but he did not score a touchdown.
Former Patriots and SB champion Sony Michel is retiring from football. Here’s five of his best runs with the Patriots.
Former New England Patriots running back Sony Michel is shockingly calling it quits after only five seasons in the NFL. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay revealed the news when speaking with reporters on Sunday.
Although Michel’s run was short, he clearly made an impact in his time in the NFL. The Patriots selected him with the No. 31 pick of the 2018 NFL draft, and he helped push them over the top for their sixth Super Bowl victory.
It’s a victory that might not have been possible without him on the roster.
Injuries robbed Michel of so many years of NFL greatness. It’s easy to forget he kick-started his run in New England with back-to-back years of 900-plus yard seasons. One has to wonder about the heights he could have gone if he stayed healthy throughout.
What a powerful moment. As I transitioned through the airport a beautiful group of people from City Hope Church of Alabama, who at first didn’t know who I was, asked to lay their hands on me to pray over this wonderful chapter that I decided to close.. Look at God 🙌🏾
Yet, even with a short career, Michel managed to do the one thing most players only dream of: He won two Super Bowls. In celebration of Michel’s incredible career, we’re taking a look at five of his best runs with the Patriots.
Sony Michel announced his retirement and the Rams could look to sign one of these veterans to provide depth at RB.
The Los Angeles Rams aren’t far into training camp and they’ll be in the market for at least one veteran running back. Sony Michel had a conversation with Sean McVay ahead of the team’s training camp practice on Saturday to share that he’s retiring from the NFL.
Michel was brought in to give the Rams depth and experience at the running back position before announcing his retirement. Cam Akers, Kyren Williams, Zach Evans, and Ronnie Rivers are the remaining running backs on the current roster.
With McVay revealing that the Rams are looking to bring at least one more running back upon Michel’s departure, here are five veterans they could look to sign.
Here are 7 takeaways from the Rams’ 3rd day of training camp practices on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Rams held an open practice session for fans on Saturday for the third day of training camp. Position battles continue to take place, and some players are catching the eye of fans and the coaching staff in hopes to secure a role on the roster.
There were a handful of storylines that took place on the third day of training camp, including the sudden retirement of Sony Michel and the passing game being the star of the show. With the Rams looking to improve each day, here are seven takeaways from the team’s third practice session.
Former Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel finishes his career with two Super Bowl victories
Former Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel is retiring from football. The career of an NFL running back is short. Too short. Michel retires as a legend at the University of Georgia and in the NFL.
Sony Michel’s NFL career featured two Super Bowl titles. One with the New England Patriots and one with the Los Angeles Rams. Michel finishes his five season NFL career with 779 carries for 3,243 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
During the 2018 NFL postseason, Sony Michel was unstoppable. He set a rookie record with six rushing touchdowns in the postseason to help the Patriots win a Super Bowl.
Michel won a SEC championship and came up with a clutch touchdown in the Rose Bowl in his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs. Unfortunately, Michel’s final career Georgia game was a defeat in the national championship against Alabama. Michel played at Georgia from 2014-2017. During his time with Georgia, Michel took 590 carries for 3,613 rushing yards and scored 29 total touchdowns.
Let’s take a look back at Sony Michel’s career in photos:
Sony Michel just signed with the Rams last month but he’s decided to retire from the NFL
The Los Angeles Rams brought back Sony Michel last month following minicamp, but the veteran running back isn’t going to suit up for them this season. In a surprising decision, Michel told Sean McVay on Saturday morning that he’s retiring from the NFL.
Michel went through the Rams’ first two days of training camp but has decided to call it a career after just five NFL seasons, one of which was with the Rams in 2021. He helped them win a Super Bowl that year before spending last season with the Chargers.
Michel, 28, came into the NFL in 2018 as a first-round pick by the Patriots, going 31st overall to New England that year. He finishes his career with 3,243 yards and 18 touchdowns, and most importantly, two Super Bowl rings on his finger.
Sean McVay said he had a conversation with RB Sony Michel this morning and that Michel has decided to retire.
