Tag: Trent Green

Current, former Chiefs react to passing of Norma Hunt

Current and former members of the #Chiefs’ organization took to Twitter to mourn the death of Norma Hunt.

The Kansas City Chiefs are mourning the loss of Norma Hunt, widow of team founder Lamar Hunt and mother to team CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt.

Norma Hunt was an excellent ambassador for the team and the game of football for half a century. She was the only woman on record to attend all 57 Super Bowls. She leaves behind an incredible legacy, including The Norma Hunt Training Camp Fellowship, which has provided a number of opportunities for women to get their start in the NFL.

Current and former members of the Chiefs’ organization took to social media to send messages of condolences and share heartfelt words to let the NFL world know exactly the type of person she was:

Former Chiefs players congratulate Dick Vermeil on Hall of Fame selection

Former #Chiefs players flocked to social media to congratulate Dick Vermeil on being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio at the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the rest of the class of 2022.

After the news broke that Vermeil had made the Hall of Fame, the team released a statement from Clark Hunt, who was elated for the former Chiefs head coach. Vermeil was always known for connecting with his players, so the best messages of congratulations naturally came from his former players. Several flocked to social media to praise and congratulate their former head coach.

Here’s a quick look at several of those messages of congratulations:

Trent Green to replace Charles Davis on Bengals-Titans due to COVID protocols

COVID protocols will sideline Charles Davis for CBS’ telecast of Bengals-Titans

There will be a change in the announcer booth on Saturday when the Tennessee Titans play host to the Cincinnati Bengals on CBS.

The New York Post reported Thursday that Charles Davis will be out due to COVID-19 protocols and he will be replaced by Trent Green.

Chargers’ Austin Ekeler compared to legendary running back

Former Pro Bowl quarterback talked about which running back Austin Ekeler resembles.

The Chargers beat the Browns to improve their record to 4-1 on Sunday, 47-42.

A vital player in Los Angeles’ win over Cleveland was running back Austin Ekeler, who had three total touchdowns, all of which came in the wild, high-scoring fourth quarter.

This season, the undrafted running back has been a key piece in offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s system. He is responsible for seven of the team’s touchdowns, which is tied with Titans RB Derrick Henry for the most.

“Austin’s one of those guys that’s the ultimate competitor,” head coach Brandon Staley said. “What you can do is activate him in the passing game and in the running game to give you an advantage depending on how people are playing you. I feel like he showcased both of those things.”

Ekeler’s latest performances highlighted his versatility, something that former Pro Bowl quarterback Trent Green has also noted.

Green, currently a color analyst for CBS Sports, competed with various versatile running backs throughout his professional career, including Brian Mitchell, Marshall Faulk, and Priest Holmes.

When asked which running back Ekeler most closely resembles, Green elaborated.

“I would probably compare him more to Priest,” Green said. “It is amazing how strong [Ekeler] is. His strength is incredible. Even though he is small in stature, he is a between-the-tackle kind of runner.

He is an excellent receiver out in space. I would compare him more to Priest, because Priest was similar in stature, did not have a problem going in between the tackles, was good out in space in the screen game and out wide.”

Holmes spent much of his career in Kansas City and earned three consecutive first-team All-Pro Selections. He is considered the engine of the Chiefs’ original high-power offense.

Green and Holmes led the Chiefs to a 13-3 record during the 2003 season. Holmes also won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2000 and was a 1,000-yard rusher for Baltimore in 1998.

The sky is the limit for the Chargers’ offense. Not only does the unit have a star quarterback in Justin Herbert, but it also possesses a slew of skill players, which includes the do-it-all playmaker with Ekeler.

ESPN recently ranked every Washington quarterback between Mark Rypien and Ryan Fitzpatrick

ESPN Analytics ranked the top 30 quarterbacks since Mark Rypien’s last start in 1993. Who do you have at No. 1?

It’s been a rough 30 years for the Washington Football Team. Washington, which last won the Super Bowl in the 1991-92 season, has started 31 different quarterbacks since Mark Rypien started his final game for Washington in 1993.

Washington has tried everything when it comes to finding a franchise passer. It began in 1994 when it spent a top-five pick on Heath Shuler. In the last 27 years, Washington has spent first-round picks on multiple quarterbacks: Shuler, Patrick Ramsey, Jason Campbell, Robert Griffin III and Dwayne Haskins.

Washington has traded for big-name veterans like Brad Johnson, Mark Brunell, Donovan McNabb and Alex Smith. Johnson was outstanding during his short stint, and Smith’s time was marred by a devastating injury, despite an 11-5 record as WFT’s starting quarterback.

The team also drafted quarterbacks in lower rounds like Gus Frerotte and Kirk Cousins. Coincidentally enough, Washington took Frerotte and Cousins in the same drafts as first-round picks Shuler and Griffin, respectively. And, the less-heralded quarterback ended up being the better quarterback in both cases.

ESPN Analytics recently ranked every quarterback since Rypien last started a game for Washington in 1993 to each passer who started a game before Ryan Fitzpatrick started Week 1 in 2021.

John Keim, the dean of Washington beat reporters, commented on each of ESPN’s rankings.

Who do you think made the top five?

Per ESPN Analytics:

  1. Kirk Cousins
  2. Brad Johnson
  3. Robert Griffin III
  4. Gus Frerotte
  5. Jason Campbell

And Keim’s top five:

  1. Brad Johnson
  2. Kirk Cousins
  3. Robert Griffin III
  4. Alex Smith
  5. Trent Green

Keim didn’t exactly say who he had at No. 4 and No. 5 but did say Smith would be in his top five and Green, who was ranked No. 10, should be five spots higher.

I agree with Keim here. You can’t understate how magical Griffin’s 2012 rookie season was. Yes, he couldn’t follow up on it, but he was arguably one of the best players in the NFL that season.

We all know the Smith story and what happened.

The careers of Johnson, Cousins and Green followed similar patterns. The front office botched the situations of all three players in different ways. Owner Dan Snyder got involved when Johnson was in Washington, preferring the strong-armed Jeff George over the much better quarterback in Johnson. And, this was one year after Johnson led Washington to an NFC East title.

Johnson won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay shortly thereafter.

Everyone knows the story of Cousins. He was never re-signing in Washington.

Green is a player who had a breakout season in 1998 and it appeared Washington had its future quarterback. Again, the franchise botched the contract negotiations because it was for sale. Once they received permission to make an offer, Green had already agreed to terms with the Rams.

This is certainly an interesting list where I side more with Keim than analytics.

Ultimately, this list proves Washington is still searching for that guy.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes passes Trent Green for 2nd-most passing TDs in franchise history

In just 48 games, #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has the 2nd-most passing touchdowns in franchise history to only Len Dawson.

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes continues to move up the franchise leaderboards at a record pace.

Last season, Mahomes passed former Chiefs QB Bill Kenney for the third-most passing touchdowns in franchise history. Today, with two touchdown passes against the Baltimore Ravens, Mahomes passed former Chiefs QB Trent Green for second place in the same stat. He now has sole possession of the second-most passing touchdowns in franchise history.

Here’s a look at the new top 5 franchise leaders in passing touchdowns for Kansas City:

  1. Len Dawson: 237 TDs in 157 games played.
  2. Patrick Mahomes: 119 TDs (and counting) in 48 games played.
  3. Trent Green: 118 TDs in 88 games played.
  4. Bill Kenney: 105 TDs in 77 games played.
  5. Alex Smith: 102 TDs in 76 games played.

The craziest thing about all of this is that it has taken Mahomes just 48 games to reach 118 passing touchdowns. It took every one of these quarterbacks nearly double that amount of games to earn their spots on this list. He’s basically lapping every quarterback in franchise history.

Next up, the Chiefs’ record for passing touchdowns by a quarterback, owned by the great Lenny Dawson. He’s still a while away from reaching that record, but rest assured it’s coming. If Mahomes keeps up his current pace, he’ll have a chance to own the Chiefs’ franchise record for passing touchdowns before he makes his 100th start for the team.

Hold onto your pants, Chiefs Kingdom. Mahomes looks poised to continue doing some things that we never could have imagined in our wildest dreams.

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Ben Skowronek became obsessed with football thanks to his uncle, Trent Green

Ben Skowronek’s uncle is former Rams QB Trent Green, and he’s already gotten some advice as a current Ram himself.

Ben Skowronek is hoping to make the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster as a seventh-round rookie out of Notre Dame, bringing a physical presence to the team’s wide receiver room. He won’t be handed a roster spot, of course, and will need to show that his 6-foot-3 frame carries some value both on offense and special teams.

He had a distant connection to the Rams before even being drafted, too. His uncle is former Rams quarterback Trent Green, and someone Skowronek has looked up to throughout his life. In a recent interview with team reporter Sarina Morales, Skowronek discussed his relationship with Green and how the ex-NFL quarterback helped him become obsessed with football.

“Throughout this process, just talking to him, he’s given me advice since I was a kid and all that, so I’ve looked up to him,” he said. “I remember going to Rams games as a kid and after I got drafted, my family put up a picture from one of the games we went to and I was like, ‘Wow, that kid really grew up to be drafted by the Rams.’ So it was kind of surreal and full circle. He’s been great for me, just being able to bounce stuff off him. I think he’s the reason I fell in love with the game of football. Being able to go to these NFL games, going on the field after the games, talking to the players. I remember when he was with the Chiefs, after a game, I was just sitting on the curb talking to Dante Hall. It’s crazy stuff. Or Tony Gonzalez. Because of him, I really just became obsessed with the game of football.”

Skowronek spent four years at Northwestern before joining Notre Dame as a grad transfer. In total, he caught 139 passes for 1,856 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He now has a chance to stand out as a big-bodied receiver for the Rams, being one of their biggest pass catchers compared to the likes of Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson.

He has the mindset and frame to succeed in the NFL, it’s just a matter of impressing coaches in camp and throughout the early portion of his career.

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7 Chargers appear in Sports Illustrated’s ‘Greatest Draft of All-Time’

Find out which players represented the Chargers.

The Chargers have seen some elite players walk through the doors since the franchise originally started up.

Sports Illustrated selected the best player taken at each of the 259 picks in the modern seven-round draft, which dates back to as early as 1942.

The Bolts were represented with seven players.

Here’s who made the list:

9. Lance Alworth, WR, San Diego, 1962. (11, 136) Hall of Fame. NFL’s 100th anniversary team. All-decade. 7 Pro Bowls. 2 championship rings. 3-time AFL receiving champion.

32. Drew Brees, QB, San Diego, 2001. (20, 287) 13 Pro Bowls. 2006 NFL Man of the Year. 1 Super Bowl ring. 2010 Super Bowl MVP. 2-time NFL passing champion. 2008 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. NFL’s all-time leading passer with 80,358 yards – only QB with 80,000. Only 12 5,000-yard passing seasons in NFL history and Brees has five of them. No one else has more than one.

64. Dan Fouts, QB, San Diego, 1973. (15, 181) Hall of Fame. All-decade. 1982 NFL MVP. 6 Pro Bowls. 1982 NFL passing champion. His jersey number 14 retired by the Chargers.

145. Rodney Harrison, S, San Diego, 1994. (15, 186) 3 Pro Bowls. 2 Super Bowl rings. 1,206 career tackles, 34 interceptions. Named to the 50th anniversary teams of both the Chargers and Patriots.

164. Rickey Young, HB, San Diego, 1975. (9, 131) 1978 NFL receiving champion. 408 career receptions, 16 touchdowns. 3,666 career rushing yards, 23 touchdowns.

202. Earnest Jackson, HB, San Diego, 1983. (6, 81) 2 Pro Bowls. 1984 AFC rushing champion. 4,167 career rushing yards, 22 touchdowns.

222. Trent Green, QB, San Diego, 1993. (11, 120) 2 Pro Bowls. 1 Super Bowl ring. Quarterbacked the NFL’s top-ranked offense at Kansas City in both 2004 and 2005. 28,475 career passing yards, 162 touchdowns.

Chargers among best franchises at drafting quarterbacks

The Chargers have a great track record of drafting quarterbacks.

NFL clubs have a lot on the line when drafting players at arguably the most important position on the field.

ESPN’s Seth Walder ranked how all 32 teams have done when it comes to drafting quarterbacks. To stack the teams up, Walder used Pro Football Reference’s weighted career approximate value (AV) to measure production, stretching all the way back to the start of the common draft era in 1967.

The Chargers have had a lot of success at doing so, ranking No. 2 in the league, right behind the Patriots.

Here’s a look at Walder’s ranking for the Bolts along with the reasoning behind it:

Total drafted QB career AV above expectation: 197
Best value pick: Drew Brees, No. 32 in 2001
Worst value pick: Ryan Leaf, No. 2 in 1998

I saw the Chargers at No. 2, and for a moment, I thought, “Huh?” But then it clicked. Even with the Leaf disaster, the Chargers have drafted several successful quarterbacks … for other teams. The aforementioned Brees is one. Eli Manning and Trent Green are two more.

Add in Dan Fouts, a Hall of Famer drafted with the 64th overall pick who did play for them, and it all makes perfect sense.

The Chargers have a quarterback in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with Dan Fouts. The franchise could possibly have another in the near future with Philip Rivers.

Rivers wasn’t drafted by the Chargers. Instead, he was involved in the blockbuster trade with the Giants. Eli Manning was the original pick. Despite shipping Manning away, he still managed to have a productive career with New York.

The Bolts were also the ones who drafted Drew Brees, who has had a lot of success with the Saints, as well as Trent Green, who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Rams and two Pro Bowl appearances with the Chiefs.

While the franchise was victims of drafting one of the NFL’s biggest busts in Ryan Leaf, the other signal-caller’s success has outweighed the poor career from one player.

Los Angeles, who hadn’t drafted a quarterback in the first-round since 2004, is hopeful that their 2020 draft pick, Justin Herbert can pan out like the rest of the top tier signal-callers that they acquired in the past.

Report: CBS cuts ties with longtime NFL analyst Dan Fouts

CBS has decided to end Dan Fouts’ run with the company’s NFL broadcasts.

The wheels continue to spin in the NFL broadcast booth despite it being the offseason and there being a coronavirus pandemic. The New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reports CBS has let go long-time analyst Dan Fouts, a Hall of Fame player during his career with the San Diego Chargers.

Per the Post:

CBS Sports has let go of its No. 2 NFL game analyst, Dan Fouts, The Post has learned.

CBS is now targeting Fox’s second NFL analyst, Charles Davis, according to sources, as a potential replacement. Fox is trying to retain Davis. CBS has also eyed its own analyst Trent Green as a potential replacement for Fouts next to Ian Eagle.

Fouts, 69, retired from playing in 1987 and has been a sportscaster for decades, including on “Monday Night Football,” where he teamed with Al Michaels and Dennis Miller.