Tag: Wes Welker

Tom Brady set the league on fire the last time he had two superstar WRs

In 2007, the New England Patriots fell a David Tyree miracle catch short of an undefeated season. Along the way, the Patriots scored the most points in a single season in NFL history with 589 points. That team was led by quarterback Tom Brady and …

In 2007, the New England Patriots fell a David Tyree miracle catch short of an undefeated season. Along the way, the Patriots scored the most points in a single season in NFL history with 589 points. That team was led by quarterback Tom Brady and superstar wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker.

During that season, Moss caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and an NFL-record 23 touchdowns, while Welker totaled 1,175 yards, and eight touchdowns on 112 receptions. Sure, that was 13 years ago, but Brady hasn’t had playmakers even close to that of Moss and Welker, that is, until he became a Buccaneer.

Buccaneers receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards even with their respective seasons ending early with hamstring injuries. Godwin played in 14 games in 2019, and finished his outing with 86 catches to go along with 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns, career highs across the board. Evans saw action in 13 games and stamped his stat line with 67 receptions, 1157 yards and eight touchdowns.

As noted by Pro Football Focus, Godwin and Evans are one of five receiving duo’s to be graded 85.0+ since 2006, as were Moss and Welker. Brady might be slower than he was in his 2007 season where he lit the NFL on fire with 4,806 yards, 50 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, but his arm strength and IQ are still fully intact.

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The 28 players who caught postseason TD passes from Tom Brady

The players who caught postseason TD passes from Tom Brady are impressive.


 Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Brady is a postseason warrior. His best games came with the stakes at their highest. Here’s a look at the players who caught playoff scores from the G.O.A.T. as he prepares to move on from New England.

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Wes Welker is now 0-4 in the Super Bowl

Wes Welker has reached four Super Bowls with three different teams, losing all of them.

Fifth time’s the charm?

Following the 49ers’ 31-20 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV, Wes Welker‘s record in Super Bowls dropped to 0-4.

After unremarkable stints with the Chargers and Dolphins to begin his career, Welker landed with the Patriots in 2007 and quickly emerged as one of the best slot receivers in the NFL. New England reached Super Bowl XLII that season and Welker caught 11 passes for 103 yards in the title game.

The Giants shocked the Patriots, handing them a 17-14 defeat. 0-1.

Four years later, Welker returned to the Super Bowl with New England. He caught seven passes for 60 yards and rushed twice for 21 yards in Super Bowl XLVI. New York knocked off the Patriots again, 21-17. 0-2.

Two years later, after signing with the Broncos, Welker returned to the Super Bowl a third time. He caught eight passes for 84 yards and scored on a two-point conversion attempt. The Seahawks smashed Denver 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. 0-3.

After leading the league in receptions three times and earning five Pro Bowl nods, Welker hung up his cleats in 2016. He didn’t walk away from football, though. Welker was hired by the Texans as an offensive assistant and special teams assistant in 2017.

After two years in Houston, Welker joined San Francisco’s staff as their wide receivers coach before the start of the 2019 season. Welker returned to the Super Bowl yet again with the 49ers, only to lose again. 0-4.

He’s bound to win one at some point, right?

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Wes Welker explains why he was so tough on Julian Edelman

“He was good, and he listened, and he’s done really well for himself.”

Two of the greatest receivers in New England Patriots history shared a locker room for four seasons.

Wes Welker played with the Patriots from 2007-2012 and Julian Edelman was drafted in 2009. As soon as Edelman arrived, he was aware of the culture and had to adapt quickly to convert from a quarterback to a wide receiver. Edelman was drafted as an athlete and he started off his career by returning punts and trying to prove himself as a receiver.

Welker, who was similar in stature, was established as one of the league’s most dominant slot receivers. He saw potential in the seventh-rounder out of Kent State and helped mold him into a Super Bowl MVP that carries three championships and countless postseason accolades.

While speaking with NESN’s Doug Kyed, Welker detailed the tough love he provided while playing in New England.

“He was trying to get better,” Welker said. “I would have tried to do the same thing, for sure. He was trying to get better all of the time, and I was probably pretty tough on him because we needed him to step up. He may have a bitter taste in his mouth about that stuff or whatever, but it was all about trying to make our team better and make sure he knows, ‘If you do that, it’s not right. Don’t do that. You’re screwing up my play.’ He was good, and he listened, and he’s done really well for himself.”

Edelman has been Tom Brady’s go-to receiver ever since the 2013 season and it’s very likely that New England wouldn’t have had the success they had over the last decade without him. He has 118 catches, 1,442 yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs alone.

It’s also mind-boggling to look back at his 2019 season and see the numbers he produced while dealing with numerous debilitating injuries. At the age of 33, he recorded 100 catches, 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns.

“It’s incredible,” Welker said. “Shoot, the body starts to fail you especially when you start to get to that age. It gets harder and harder to get open. You’re almost using your savviness instead of your skillset. That’s always hard to do. It’s definitely very hard, especially when you start getting into your mid-30s to be able to put up those types of numbers.”

Edelman successfully underwent offseason surgery and should be ready for the 2020 season.

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Wes Welker details an ‘excruciating’ aspect of playing with Patriots

Being a part of the Patriots organization can come with its difficulties. 

Being a part of the New England Patriots organization can come with its difficulties.

That could be the tough-to-process playbook for some, and it could be the military-like culture for others. For Wes Welker, it was the etiquette the players had to carry when speaking to the media. Welker, the San Francisco 49ers wide receivers coach, spoke about the ‘excruciating’ process while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.

“It was at the point where I was like, ‘I don’t want to talk to the media,” Welker said, transcribed by NESN. “I don’t care. Like, fine. If you don’t want me to talk to them then I won’t talk to them.’ You can’t win.”

Welker is hoping to aqcuire his first Super Bowl ring, but he’s also enjoying the process with media days before the game. That’s why his approach with players and media availability is much more lenient.

“As long as they’re not too outlandish or anything like that, I think part of this deal is to have fun and enjoy yourself and not take it too seriously,” Welker said. “I never liked having to sit there and really feel like I said nothing but still be scared that I said something. It’s like, I’d rather focus on football than focus on saying something wrong at the podium.”

San Francisco will need to focus on football with the Kansas City Chiefs on the opposing side of the field. The 49ers had the league’s most dominant defense all season, but the Chiefs’ offense is heating up at the right time and they’ve been scoring at an unreal clip.

If Welker wants to secure his first ring, he’ll need to get his receiver corps to fire on all cylinders.

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Wes Welker remembers scolding from Bill Belichick after ‘foot soldier’ incident

Bill Belichick pulled Wes Welker aside.

Bill Belichick was not happy after Wes Welker put a toe — or perhaps the whole foot — out of line during the 2010 season. The New England Patriots coach and his former player, Welker, have made that much clear.

Welker trolled New York Jets coach Rex Ryan leading up to a playoff game in January 2011. A video had recently emerged indicating that Ryan had a foot fetish. So Welker riffed off that video by delivering a handful of foot-related puns during a meeting with the media leading up to the game. Welker’s antics landed him on the bench for the opening series of the game.

At Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday, Welker was asked whether he and Belichick ever discussed the benching.

“Oh yeah, absolutely. … It wasn’t good,” Welker told reporters. “All learning experiences. … That’s why I like my guys being themselves.”

Welker missed the first offensive series and the Patriots suffered a 28-21 season-ending loss to the Jets in the divisional round of the playoffs.

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Jimmy Garoppolo, Wes Welker dodge questions about Tom Brady’s future

“That’ll be pretty interesting when all that happens.”

Even when Tom Brady isn’t at the Super Bowl, he’s a topic of interest.

During Super Bowl LIV Opening Night, a few San Francisco 49ers found themselves answering questions about Brady, who isn’t playing in the big game for the first time since Feb. 2016 in Super Bowl 50. He and the New England Patriots have appeared in four of the last five Super Bowls, and they’ve won three of them. But Brady and New England could be headed for a breakup, with the quarterback set to enter free agency in March.

Garoppolo, who played for the Patriots from 2014 to 2017, was asked what he thought about Brady’s looming decision.

“I don’t know. I haven’t put much though into it — we’ve been wrapped up in this stuff. That’ll be pretty interesting when all that happens,” Garoppolo said on Monday during Opening Night.

Garoppolo isn’t the only 49ers employee with ties to the Patriots organization. Former Patriots receiver Wes Welker, one of Brady’s favorite targets and best friends, is San Francisco’s wideout coach. He, too, didn’t seem interested in discussing Brady’s pending free agency.

NFL’s conference title games will feature several former Broncos

Broncos fans will recognize several former Denver players and coaches during the AFC and NFC championship games this weekend.

The Broncos did not reach the playoffs this year but the team will be well-represented by former coaches and players in the NFL’s conference championship games this weekend.

49ers center Ben Garland and Emmanuel Sanders both played in Denver before landing in San Francisco. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is the son of former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. Defensive backs/passing game coordinator Joe Woods coached in Denver from 2015-2018.

Wes Welker, who was a key member of the Broncos’ record-breaking offense in 2013, now serves as San Francisco’s wide receivers coach.

In Green Bay, the Packers have three offensive linemen who spent time in Denver: Billy Turner, Jared Veldheer and John Leglue.

The Titans have four former Broncos on their roster: punter Brett Kern, wide receiver Kalif Raymond, linebacker Wesley Woodyard and cornerback Tramaine Brock. Kern earned first-team All-Pro honors and the third Pro Bowl selection of his career this season.

The Titans will take on the Chiefs in the AFC title game on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 1:05 p.m. MT on CBS. The 49ers will face the Packers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. MT on Fox.

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7 coaches who could replace Brian Daboll as Bills’ offensive coordinator

The Buffalo Bills may need a new offensive coordinator, should the Cleveland Browns hire Brian Daboll. Here are seven potential candidates.

The Buffalo Bills may soon commence an unexpected search for a new offensive coordinator.

Current Bills’ offensive play-caller Brian Daboll is reportedly one of three finalists for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching vacancy, impressing Cleveland brass with a “strong interview,” per ESPN.

Though Buffalo’s offense largely struggled under Daboll’s watch, his departure would leave a glaring hole on the team’s coaching staff. Quarterback Josh Allen impressed under Daboll’s tutelage, evolving from a project into a serviceable NFL starter with an incredibly high ceiling.

Replacing Daboll would be no easy task for the Bills. Here are seven candidates they should look at, should the Browns ultimately poach Daboll.

Chad Hall

Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Chad Hall (Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

Though unknown to a large portion of the Buffalo faithful, Chad Hall would perhaps be a front-runner for the team’s potential vacancy at offensive coordinator.

A former NFL wide receiver, Hall has been part of head coach Sean McDermott’s coaching staff since his arrival at One Bills Drive in 2017. Hall initially joined the staff as an offensive assistant, primarily aiding in the wide receivers room.

He retained that title in 2018 before being promoted to wide receivers coach in 2019, helping the Bills’ receiving corps construct an overall productive year in which John Brown caught a career-high 72 passes for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns.

With just three years of NFL coaching under his belt, Hall is still relatively inexperienced. He’s yet to call a play in the NFL, and at just 33 years of age, he’d be the league’s third-youngest offensive coordinator.

Yet, there’s something to be said for continuity. He’s well-liked within Buffalo’s front office, this made evident by his promotion to wide receivers coach last offseason. He’s also been around throughout McDermott’s entire stint as Bills’ head coach, already understanding his demands and offensive preferences.

Though the leap to offensive coordinator after just one year as a position coach could be steep, it’s one that Buffalo may be confident that Hall could handle.

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