Tag: NFL

Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony Renteria: Nelson signs with Raiders Crabtree out; Peterson still not signed with a team; Brees picks up two-year extension

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Photo credit: @JSM8ith former Green Bay Packer Jordy Nelson joins the Oakland Raiders as both sides came to an agreement Thursday afternoon

On the Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony:

#1 Former Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson, who was let go by the team on Tuesday, is looking at getting picked up by the Raiders. Former Oakland Raider wide receiver Michael Crabtree was released by the Raiders

#2 Former Arizona Cardinals Adrian Peterson, aged 33, was let go on Tuesday. Peterson went 12,276 yards rushing as of Wednesday night, but has not been picked up by a team.

#3 New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees signed for a two-year, $50 million extension with $27 million guaranteed in his first season of the deal.

#4  The New York Mets’ Tim Tebow was reassigned to the Mets’ minor league farm system. Tebow went 0-4 striking out four times at the plate. Tebow, aged 30, has a left ankle strain.

#5 NFL Network announced that tight end Derek Carrier will come back to the Raiders. He last played with the team in 2012. He has 36 career catches for 327 yards.

Tony Renteria does the Sports Headlines Podcast each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

49ers’ signing of Sherman is a stellar move

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Photo credit: @NFL

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Contributor

Not like the San Francisco 49ers needed any validation from this guy typing here, but the signing of cornerback Richard Sherman was a huge win for the organization and for Sherman.

According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Sherman and the 49ers came to terms on a three-year deal worth $39.15 million on Saturday after five hours of negotiating. Sources also mentioned that Sherman represented himself during those negotiations.

News broke out Friday that Sherman was having dinner with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and spent most of Saturday meeting with team officials in Santa Clara, where he also took a physical.

He became a free agent once the Seattle Seahawks released the veteran cornerback Friday to avoid paying the $11 million salary he was due in 2018. It will be very weird at first to see Sherman don the Red and Gold this season after spending his first six seasons in Seattle tormenting the 49ers for much of that time.

While in Seattle, Sherman was voted First-Team All-Pro three times and voted to the Pro Bowl four times and alongside safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, formed the feared “Legion of Boom” secondary. From 2012-16, Seattle led the NFL in scoring defense for four straight seasons.

Sherman, the 6-foot-3, 195 pound cornerback, will turn 30 on March 30, is coming off a torn right Achilles tendon suffered in November that limited him to just nine games. It was the first time in his career that Sherman didn’t play a full 16-game schedule. The original timetable for Sherman’s return to football-related activities was 6-to-8 months, which would make him available by mid-May to early-July.

Since entering the NFL out of Stanford in 2011, Sherman leads the league with 32 interceptions and 99 passes defended.  Opposing quarterbacks are completing just 47.4 percent of their passes with a 50.9 passer rating, which is first in the NFL among cornerbacks with a min of 300 targets in coverage according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Jacksonville’s A.J. Bouye (54.9), Los Angeles Chargers’ Casey Hayward (57.7), Los Angeles Rams’ Marcus Peters (60.7), and the retired Darrelle Revis (66.0) round out the top five.

Sherman is long and rangy with extreme football smarts that makes him one of the more feared cornerbacks in the game today, when healthy.

Sherman arguably made the biggest play in Seahawks history in the final minute of the NFC Championship game in January 2014 when he deflected a Colin Kaepernick pass intended for wide receiver Michael Crabtree in the end zone. Linebacker Malcolm Smith, now with the 49ers, intercepted the pass which sealed Seattle’s second NFC title and propelled the organization to its first and only Super Bowl title.

That season, Sherman finished with a career-high eight interceptions.

Since that game, the 49ers have lost nine straight head-to-head matchups with their bitter rivals from the Pacific Northwest.

With Sherman on board, the 49ers have a veteran cornerback that they can pair with Ahkello Witherspoon, who had a strong rookie season with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Witherspoon is similar in size to Sherman.

Outside of the promising Witherspoon, the 49ers didn’t have a premier cornerback on the roster last season. By signing Sherman, the 49ers filled one of their biggest holes heading into this offseason and gives the team  a legitimate cornerback that opposing offenses will need to account for.

After watching their divisional rival the Los Angeles Rams add two top-flight cornerbacks in Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib in separate trades within the last two weeks, landing Sherman wasn’t a bad fallback plan for the 49ers and the vocal Sherman, who wanted to play for “a contender.”

With just over $70 million in salary cap space according to Overthecap.com, the 49ers can still address the offensive line and remain play for former Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who is an unrestricted free agent and the most coveted cornerback on the market.

The 49ers are expected to be one of the better story-lines heading into the 2018 season and have just gotten more interesting with the addition of Sherman, who gets to remain in the NFC West and face Seattle twice a year.

A win for Sherman, who will play with the ultimate chip on his shoulder, especially in those matchups. Motivation can be fuel for anyone. For Sherman, who many believe has lost a step due to the Achilles injuries (he had a “procedure” to clean up his left Achilles this offseason too), will be out to prove that he is still the best cornerback in football.

49ers Sign Cornerback Richard Sherman: Match Made in Heaven?

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Photo credit: @BaySportsOne

By: Joe Lami

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The most exciting off-season in a decade is officially underway for the San Francisco 49ers, as they inked all-pro cornerback, Richard Sherman, to a three-year deal on Saturday afternoon. According to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, the deal is reportedly worth up to $39 million.

The deal comes the day after Sherman was released by the Seattle Seahawks as the team continues to tear apart the Legion of Doom. Sherman spent all of his seven seasons with Seattle and made it his priority to sign with a contending team. He will now have the opportunity for revenge playing against the Seahawks twice a year.

Sherman is the ideal cornerback the 49ers were looking for. The big-bodied 6-foot-3-inch 195 pound defensive back can bring loads of experience with him to a rather young 49ers organization. Once the most-feared corner in the league, Sherman has 32 interceptions, 99 pass deflections, and 279 tackles in his career.

However, despite all of the experience and accolades, Sherman is not a lock, as he is coming off a torn Achilles after getting surgery on his other Achilles. Sherman is also turning 30-years old later this month, which leaves some to question how much more he may have in the tank. Last season was the first time he didn’t play all 16 regular season games when he finished with nine.

Regardless, the signing is an exciting one for San Francisco at a position that they desperately need. The move shows that John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan think they aren’t far off from bringing San Francisco back to the playoffs and competing with Los Angeles for the NFC West title.

Tony Renteria Sports Headlines Podcast: Manning offered up to $10 million from Fox or ESPN; Jones’ rant and Goodell protest costs him $2 million; Is Aldon Smith done?

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Photo credit: @KNBR

On the Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony:

1 ESPN and Fox in a bidding war for Peyton Manning’s TV services the networks have offered as high as $10 million for Manning’s talents as an NFL analyst

2 Dallas Cowboys will have to pay the NFL $2 million for owner Jerry Jones speaking out on behalf of Ezekiel Elliott last season, who was suspended for six games last season. Because the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell would not lift or lighten the suspension and Jones went on a rant and also told the other owners not to renew Goodell’s contract which landed Jones and the Cowboys with a fine.

3 Oakland Raiders’ Aldon Smith–Will he be done or will he get another chance in football?

4 LeBron has selected four teams he is willing to considering during free agency the Cavs, Lakers, Rockets and 76ers where do you see LeBron ending up next season?

5 The Oakland A’s open their season at the Coliseum on March 29th a day game. It’s been years since the A’s played a home opener in the day time.

6 The A’s named former pitcher and Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers as special assistant to team president David Kaval.

Tony Renteria does the Sports Headlines podcast each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News, and Commentary: Texans and Dolphins won’t kick out players who didn’t stand for anthem; D-Backs bring back the golf cart; A’s Maxwell–How will he cope?

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Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

That’s Amaury’s Podcast (where you get all the latest):

1 Houston Texans had said according to the players agents that players who refused to stand for the anthem last season will not be signed for this season, the Texans later said the agents got it all wrong and that what they said was “false and without merit.” The Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross won’t make players stand for the anthem. Ross had said during a Jackie Robinson event honoring the former Brooklyn Dodger that the players have to stand for the anthem this season as he told the NY Daily News. Ross later said he never told the NY Daily News that the players had to stand for the anthem.

2 The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back the golf cart. Do you believe bringing pitchers in from the bullpen by cart will really speed up the game and make that much up in time?

3 Thing aren’t going well for Oakland Athletics’ catcher Bruce Maxwell during February 23’s Cactus League opener. He took a back swing by the Angels’ Jerry Marte after less than a week he got back into the lineup.

4 A’s need to stay healthy. How key will it be for the A’s to come into spring had some injuries with Matt Chapman, Jorge Mateo, Grant Holmes, Rento Nunez, and Sean Manea, who were day-to-day at some point this spring?

5 The A’s released 34-year-old Brandon Moss, who said he would consider retiring if a big league club wouldn’t sign him.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio talent for the Oakland A’s and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor: Either way, Foster could be gone or suspended for six games

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Photo credit: @112BREAKING

On the San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor:

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ruben Foster is either looking at a six-game suspension or getting released by the 49ers for his alleged domestic violence charge. The 49ers are waiting for to hear back from Los Gatos Police. Foster is charged with domestic violence, criminal threats, possession with a assault weapon. Foster is accused of dragging his girlfriend to the doorway of his Los Gatos home and throwing her belongings out the balcony and front doorway of the home.

Dave takes a look how this most recent charge impacts the team after they had a cavalcade of players who previously were arrested or had issues with law enforcement over domestic violence issues or DUIs. If the police do not charge Foster, the NFL can turn around and charge Foster for domestic abuse violating his contract and suspend him six games.

Dave Zizmor does the San Francisco 49ers podcast report at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

 

 

Eagles outlast Patriots 41-33 for first Super Bowl win

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Photo credit: @Eagles

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, February 4, 2018

In his broadcasting days, John Madden often mentioned how “missed extra points have a way of coming back to haunt you.”

In this see-saw edition of the Super Bowl LIII (52), three missed extra point attempts nearly cost the underdog Philadelphia Eagles, but a timely defensive play helped preserve the Eagles’ first NFL title in 57 years.

For the first time since 1960, the Eagles are NFL champions. After two previous Super Bowl losses, the NFC champion Eagles held on and defeated the AFC champion New England Patriots 41-33 in a wild championship game at US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night.

This was the ninth Super Bowl for New England, which was seeking its sixth NFL title. The Patriots, a slight favorite in what was easily the wildest offensive shootout in Super Bowl history, never punted in the game.

The victory put the icing on the postseason cake for Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles, who was voted the game’s most valuable player.

Foles, a journeyman who contemplated retirement, took over after starter Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury. Foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards, three touchdowns and was picked off once. He also caught a key touchdown pass at the end of the first half.

Tom Brady, the Patriots’ 40-year-old quarterback, threw for an NFL postseason record 505 yards on 28 of 48 attempts. Brady also threw three touchdown passes, but his only sack played a key role in the outcome of the game.

With 2:21 left, the Eagles’ Zach Ertz hauled in a pass up the middle from Foles for what was ruled an 11-yard touchdown reception.

Ertz had catch at the goal line, and the play was initially ruled a touchdown, the video review concluded that Ertz had possession as he crossed the plane of the goal line. Philadelphia led 38-33.

On the two-point conversion attempt, Foles’ pass to Corey Clement was incomplete, which seemed to give the Patriots the window of opportunity they needed.

New England’s next possession was thwarted when Tom Brady was strip-sacked by Brandon Graham at 2:09. It was the first sack of the game for either team. Four plays later, Jake Elliott made a 46-yard field goal with 1:05 left, extending the Eagles’ lead to 41-33.

The Patriots were unable to reach the end zone in their final possession, with Brady throwing a Hail Mary incompletion as time expired.

Super Bowl LII was a back-and-forth battle all night. Philadelphia opened the scoring with Elliott’s 25-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. The Patriots responded nearly four minutes later with a Stephen Gostkowski 26-yard field goal.

With 2:34 left in the first quarter, the Eagles surged ahead on Nick Foles’ 34-yard pass to Alshon Jeffrey in the left side of the end zone. Elliott missed the PAT kick, and Philadelphia had a 9-3 lead after one quarter.

The Eagles made it 15-3 when LeGarrette Blount ran 21 yards for a touchdown. Trying to get the missed extra point back, Philadelphia tried a 2-point conversion, but Foles’ pass to Jeffrey was incomplete.

New England cut their deficit to 15-6 at 7:24 of the second quarter when Gostkowski booted a 45-yard field goal. Five minutes later, the Patriots pulled to within 15-12 on a 26-yard touchdown run by James White, but Gostkowski missed the PAT kick.

New England tried a gadget play that had Brady as the intended receiver, but the pass from Danny Amendola was incomplete. With 34 seconds remaining in the first half, the Eagles reached into their bag of tricks on 4th-and-goal from the Patriot 1 yard-line. Lined up in the shotgun, Foles was an eligible receiver and caught Trey Burton’s pass in the end zone.

At halftime, the Eagles led 22-12 – the first time in NFL history a game went into halftime with that score, as reported by NBC.

New England wasted little time finding the end zone in the third quarter. On the Patriots’ opening possession, Brady found Rob Gronkowski for a 5-yard TD, cutting Philadelphia’s lead to 22-19.

On the Eagles’ ensuing possession, Foles completed a 3rd-and-6 pass to Corey Clement at the back of the end zone. After a video review, the play was ruled a touchdown, and Philadelphia led by 10 again at 29-19.

Again, the Patriots marched right back and cut their deficit to 29-26 on Brady’s 26-yard TD pass to Chris Hogan.

Jake Elliott’s 42-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter put Philly up 32-26, but New England took its first lead of the game at 9:22 when Brady and Gronkowski connected for a touchdown for the second time in the game – this time from four yards out. Gostkowski’s extra point put the Pats up 33-32 for their only lead in the contest.

Blount was Philadelphia’s leading ground-gainer, picking up 90 rushing yards on 14 carries. While Clement caught four passes for 100 yards, Nelson Agholor snared nine passes for 84 yards, and Ertz caught seven passes for 67 yards.

Three New England receivers gained over 100 yards through the air. Amendola caught eight passes for 152 yards, Hogan gained 128 receiving yards on six catches, and Gronkowski caught nine passes for 116 yards and two TDs.

Attendance was 67,612. The winners share was $112,000, and the losers share was $56,000.

AFC edges NFC 24-23, despite rain-soaked Pro Bowl

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Photo credit: Shawn McCullough

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Sunday, January 28, 2018

Tennessee tight end Delanie Walker snared an 18-yard touchdown pass from Oakland quarterback Derek Carr with 1:31 to play, giving the AFC a 24-23 win over the NFC in Sunday’s Pro Bowl in rainy Orlando, Fla.

It was the second touchdown reception in the game for Walker, who was named offensive MVP. Walker caught four passes for 29 yards. He has a touchdown catch in each of his three Pro Bowl appearances.

Defensive honors went to Von Miller of Denver. Miller had three tackles, one sack, one pass deflection and ended the game with a strip-sack of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff.

Carr completed 11 of 15 passes for 115 yards, including the game-winning pass to Walker on a post pattern.

Each of the three AFC quarterbacks, Carr, Smith and Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw interceptions. The game had considerable sloppiness due to the heavy rain. Some fans left Camping World Stadium early, while others donned ponchos. The rain also prompted players on both teams to find protection for their cellphones.

The NFC had a 20-3 halftime lead, but the AFC responded with 14 points in the third quarter.

Early on, two Minnesota Vikings turned in big plays – Adam Thielen made a touchdown catch on the NFC’s opening possession, and Harrison returned an interception 79 yards for a TD.

Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson had two interceptions, giving him five career all-star picks. AFC quarterbacks combined to throw three picks. Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Casey Howard picked off a pass by Seattle’s Russell Wilson.

Winner’s share was $64,000. Loser’s share $32,000.