Tag: Steve Smith

Steve Smith talks about scouting Seahawks training camp

It is no secret the Seattle Seahawks boast one of the best receiving corps in the entire NFL.

It is no secret the Seattle Seahawks boast one of the best receiving corps in the entire NFL. The squad is led by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and it is now being supplemented by Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Seattle’s first round pick from the 2023 NFL draft.

If there is one person who knows a thing or two about wide receivers, it is former Panther and Raven Steve Smith. Smith took it upon himself to scout the Seahawks’ training camp. Below you can watch the 49 minute breakdown of Seattle in the eyes of Smith.

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Panthers QB Bryce Young talks about his first NFL training camp

Bryce Young talks all things Panthers Training Camp in interview with NFL Network

The hype of being the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft is over and this is where the rubber hits the road for former Alabama Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag]. This past week marked the beginning of training camps across the league.

Through OTA’s and other organized activities Young has been outstanding, both throwing the football and by what he has been able to pick up on mentally. Camp is the first chance the media and fans get to see what’s going on and meet with their players to gauge where they are all at heading into the season.

Young sat down at the Panthers training camp with franchise legend Steve Smith and Colleen Wolfe to discuss what his first training camp has been like in the NFL. The first question people always want to ask Young is what he expected coming into the league and what NFL practices and camps are like compared to what he experienced at Alabama with Nick Saban.

When asked that, he chuckles, because you can tell the media always want to know what goes on behind the curtains in Tuscaloosa and what kind of grueling work they put in. However, Young has the coach speak in him as he says,

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into training camp. It’s a new environment, something I have never done before. First training camp. Just being able to be here and bond with my teammates, being able to get away for a little bit and focus on ball and coming together as a team.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Bryce Young and other former Alabama players now in the NFL as the 2023 season approaches.

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Former Panthers and Ravens WR Steve Smith loves Cedric Tillman

High praise from the former star wide receiver

It may have been a shock to some when the Cleveland Browns selected Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman in the 2023 NFL draft. However, it is no surprise to former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith.

High on Tillman to make an immediate impact at the NFL level, Smith had this to say:

“No one is talking about Cedric Tillman, but Cedric Tillman is a guy who understands exactly how to play football. He is Mr. Dependable. A lot of contested catches. He does not have the same speed as [Jalin] Hyatt but I believe he has the ability to contribute a little bit more. He understands how to get off of press coverage and he fights for extra yards… he is my sleeper as well.”

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Steve Smith Sr. thinks Chiefs rookie WR Skyy Moore needs more touches

Steve Smith Sr. might secretly be a #Chiefs fan because he’s echoing #ChiefsKingdom on this one.

Former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. thinks the Kansas City Chiefs need to do a better job of getting second-round pick Skyy Moore involved on offense.

In Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Moore’s offensive snap share was again on the decline as JuJu Smith-Schuster’s snap total rose in his second week back from a concussion. Moore played just 23 offensive snaps, which was his lowest total since Week 10. The rookie wasn’t targeted once during the game. He did have one carry that went for 12 yards, but that was his lone touch of the day.

Smith Sr. recorded a clip for Underdog Fantasy shared on TikTok this past Monday where he’s swooning over the rookie receiver.

“Skyy Moore, the Kansas City Chiefs are saying that they’re no longer going to put him on punt return,” Smith said. “Skyy Moore drops this punt return because he takes his eyes off. So he gets it, but he’s peeking. Every punt returner does it. But coaches, they don’t get on him, they didn’t cuss him out. But look at this route right here, little, small little route. He should be down, but all of the sudden gets going. He’s staggering, falling, gets hit and the hit actually allows him to get his balance.”

@underdogfantasy

The Chiefs need to get Skyy Moore touches #skyymoore #kansascitychiefs #fantasyfootball #fantasyfootballtips #fantasyfootballadvice #underdogfantasy #cuttoit

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Smith Sr. is a big fan of what Moore is able to get done in the open field too, pointing out how he was able to get some extra yards on a play against the Rams back in Week 12.

 

“Bro, I’m telling you, when Skyy Moore gets it all together, he’s going to be trouble,” Smith said.

Perhaps the Chiefs should take a page out of the future Hall of Famer’s playbook here and make a concerted effort to get Moore some more opportunities on offense. It seems like it could be an especially prudent strategy with Mecole Hardman and potentially Kadarius Toney still dealing with injuries.

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Flashback Friday: Panthers dominate Giants to end Jim Fassel’s tenure

In the latest Giants Wire Flashback Friday, we head to 2003 when the Carolina Panthers dropped the New York Giants to end the Jim Fassel era.

The Jim Fassel era in New York Giants history is littered with highs and lows. Fassel, who took the Giants to the playoff three times and the Super Bowl once, was so revered by the team that when they fired him in mid-December of 2003, they let him coach the team for the remaining two games of the season.

The final game that year was against the surging Carolina Panthers, coached by Fassel’s former defensive coordinator, John Fox. The Panthers came into Giants Stadium on the Sunday after Christmas with a 10-5 record and headed towards the Super Bowl.

Fassel’s team was 4-11 and had lost seven straight games. His team wanted him to go out with win. They sure didn’t show it.

The Panthers took an early 20-0 lead on Steve Smith’s 53-yard punt return, a 27-yards interception return for a touchdown by Ricky Manning Jr. and field goals of 42, 33 and 34 yards from John Kasay. The Giants could not recover and lost miserably, 37-24, in Jesse Palmer’s third and final start as their quarterback.

The loss wasn’t the story, however. That belonged to Fassel and his weird, but sad, farewell. Fox felt for his friend and the two hugged on the field after the game.

“I spent the very first moment with him when he was hired and the very last,” said Fox. “I feel proud to have been associated with him. He has a lot to be proud of, as I told him.”

After the game, Fassel was greeted by throng of about 200 of the Giant faithful in the end zone to wish him well. The players all hugged and praised him after the game as well.

“It’s definitely a sad feeling,” said Giants receiver Amani Toomer. “I wish we could have given him a win. A lot of things happened this year. It’s kind of a relief to have it over. We wish it didn’t happen the way it did.”

Unfortunately, winning is what counts. Fassel’s 58-53-1 record over seven years wasn’t bad but the eight-game losing streak to kill another season was too much for ownership to bear. It was the first Giants team to finish the season with eight consecutive defeats since 1966, the worst season in franchise history (1-12-1).

“I feel maybe it is a better place than when I came in,” Fassel said. ” I know a lot of the older players have said that to me and that has stuck with me a lot.”

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Panthers great Steve Smith Sr. reacts to Baker Mayfield trade

Steve Smith Sr., who had been a harsh critic of Baker Mayfield in the past, says he’s praying for the best after the Panthers’ big trade.

Carolina Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr. is a man of his word.

One month ago, the franchise’s all-time leading receiver addressed the possibility of his team acquiring Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield—who hasn’t exactly been his favorite player. Here’s what he said:

“I’ve been very critical of Baker Mayfield. I’ve said a lot of negative things towards him. Take it for what you want. Assume whatever you wanna assume. But I’ll say this—if Baker Mayfield is released or happens to come to the Carolina Panthers, how will I respond?

“My response is—you support your team. You may not like—just like the people watching this or listening to this, they didn’t like me. But they supported the team, the team that I was on. So if Baker Mayfield comes to the Carolina Panthers, as the preseason color analyst, I will accept him the same way you accept Sam Darnold. The same drum that I’m beating for Sam Darnold, and all those other guys, I have to beat it for Baker Mayfield.”

Well, it’s time to beat that drum for Baker.

Smith Sr. took to Twitter to do so on Wednesday, shortly after the Panthers agreed to a trade for the former No. 1 overall pick. Good on ya, Smitty . . .

So whether he keeps on rolling, beating or pounding for the Panthers—we know Smith Sr. is black and blue, through and through.

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Steve Smith uses Giants to play April Fools’ prank in May

Steve Smith Sr. is not joining the New York Giants’ coaching staff, but he sure had people believing he was.

For a brief moment on Thursday, it was believed that retired NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. had joined the New York Giants’ coaching staff.

It seemed that way because Smith, who was decked out in Giants gear, was on the field during OTAs and released a video stating he had been added to Brian Daboll’s group of assistants.

Unfortunately, the fun only lasted a few minutes.

After getting wind of Smith’s video, the Giants quickly released a statement informing reporters that the retired wideout had not joined the team’s staff. Rather, Smith was in East Rutherford filming for NFL Network.

Smith himself later confirmed that he was just joking around.

Although Smith is not joining the Giants — much to the disappointment of fans — he did work with the team’s defensive backs for a few days while he was in town. In fact, Adoree’ Jackson even gave him a shout following a pick-six on Thursday.

“It was crazy talking to Steve Smith today. He was talking about whatever you do, try to make a play a day, and the play that you think that you did well, you look on film and it might not be as good as you think. And the play that you didn’t think was good ended up being as good play,” Jackson told reporters.

“What’s crazy is before we actually talked something similar about that in the meeting room about the quarterback being under center and watching the moves and what may happen. Quick game, or if it’s play-action, a deeper, developing route. … So I saw it, listened to it, and then you actually see that route, but I listened to it. Understanding that it’s that first move, second move, third move, trying to react, and talking to Steve Smith about that. That’s a testament to Steve and Coach Wink [Martindale] and Coach Rome [Jerome Henderson] about trying to take the next step to the next level by dissecting everything.”

Smith may not be joining the Giants’ coaching staff, but it’s clear he had a positive impact in just a few days.

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Steve Smith is a big fan of Titans WR Kyle Philips

Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith is a big fan of Titans fifth-round pick and WR, Kyle Philips.

Tennessee Titans fifth-round pick and wide receiver, Kyle Philips, just received a big endorsement from former NFL wideout, Steve Smith.

One of the best traits Philips brings with him to the NFL is his route-running ability, something we discussed in our instant analysis of the Titans’ fifth-round pick.

Smith minced no words when talking about Philips’ route-running, even going as far as to say the rookie, who he picked as his favorite mid-round receiver, has “a PhD in route-running.”

“A guy I have is Kyle Philips out of UCLA,” Smith revealed. “I don’t know if you know, but he is fresh out of medical school because he’s doing surgery on DBs. That young man has a PhD in route-running. He can play in the slot… And I just believe with what they have already, he can go to work. They fill a void; he’s not a big guy — he’s 5’11 — he’s not a real fast guy — he’s 4.5 — but he’s a route technician, and you know what that spells? Trouble. They already have a running game, so the play action with a PhD in route-running, I can see this young man making an impact immediately, and also obviously playing on special teams as well.”

Fellow former NFL receiver, James Jones, concurred with Smith’s assessment.

“I like it, Steve. I really like it. Just watching him on film, you’re right, he can run routes. He’s putting people in blenders out there.”

The Titans can only hope Philips is as good as Smith thinks he can be.

As things stand now with Tennessee’s wide-open receiving corps., the UCLA product will have a good chance to not only make the roster, but to see significant snaps in his first season.

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Ron Rivera says Jahan Dotson reminds him of DeSean Jackson, Steve Smith

Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew named DeSean Jackson, Terry McLaurin and Steve Smith as players they see in Dotson.

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Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera met with the media after his team selected Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson No. 16 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.

The Commanders picked Dotson after moving down from No. 11 after a trade with the New Orleans Saints. Washington acquired the No. 98 and 120 overall selections in the trade.

So what does Washington’s coach think of his new wide receiver?

Rivera said Dotson reminds him of DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith — both potential future Pro Football Hall of Famers. At around 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Smith played three seasons for Rivera in Carolina before finishing his 16-year career in Baltimore.

Jackson has played for the Eagles, Commanders, Buccaneers, Rams and Raiders and will be entering his 15th NFL season in 2022.

At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Jackson is known for his big-play ability.

Dotson is built similarly to both players, as he stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 178 pounds.

It’s unfair to compare Dotson to either player. Any NFL receiver who weighs 185 pounds or less is often unfairly compared to Jackson. Smith was one of the NFL’s most physical players throughout his career despite his size.

In comparing Dotson to Jackson and Smith, Rivera noted how each of those players plays bigger than their size.

What else did Rivera like about Dotson? He loved his interior route-running and ability after the catch. It sure sounds like Rivera sees Dotson as a slot receiver.

General manager Martin Mayhew said Dotson reminds him of Terry McLaurin because of his ability on contested catches.

Those are all lofty comparisons for Washington’s new receiver.

 

Panthers great Steve Smith Sr.: We have not seen ‘the best of Sam Darnold’

Like Panthers owner David Tepper, Steve Smith Sr. believes Sam Darnold needs more talent upfront to help reach his potential.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper wasn’t the only man caping for Sam Darnold on Wednesday. He was joined by franchise great and future Hall of Famer Steve Smith Sr.

On last night’s edition of NFL Total Access, the Panthers’ all-time leading receiver said the team has to, first and foremost, address its offensive line through the draft. And if they do by finally pulling together more than just an okay front, maybe we’ll start to see the best of 2018’s third overall pick.

Smith Sr. is no stranger to going to bat for Darnold. He expressed the same sentiment back in November, when he said putting the fourth-year quarterback behind such an inept line was like putting an “underage driver in rush-hour traffic.”

“He’s under duress so much, how do you know Sam Darnold is this bad? They put him on the move and the brother’s running for his life,” Smith Sr. said. “I haven’t seen a dude running like that that much since I saw a dude snatch a dude’s purse in New York.”

Tepper’s comments during his pre-draft press conference echoed those of Smith Sr.’s. He too thinks the organization has to do a better job of supporting the 24-year-old.

“I do think we have a very good quarterback in Sam Darnold, just as an aside,” he said unprompted.

“The first three games, as I recall, we won. We had this running back that has some talent that got injured. That might’ve affected some different momentum that we had. I think his name is Christian McCaffrey.

“And then—as you saw—the fourth game, the Dallas game, Sam was still there. Then we had a center [Matt Paradis] that got injured. So there was a lot of different things on the team, then Sam himself got injured. So there’s a lot of different things that happened last year that hopefully will not repeat this year—that do give me some hope.”

Well, that “hope” better be good enough for the Panthers in 2022—because Darnold’s 2021 was nothing short of hopeless.

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