Rams linebacker Nate Landman wears his pride on body and helmet

Rams linebacker Nate Landman (53) celebrates after a tackle with Jared Verse (8) during a training camp session last week. (Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press)

The lion’s amber gaze fixes forward on Nate Landman’s left bicep, its mane fanning across the curve of his arm. Above Landman’s wrist, a zebra bends to graze, while a giraffe behind steps through a stand of wind-bent acacia trees.

Together, they form a tattooed sleeve of Zimbabwe — an inked landscape of home carried by the Rams’ newest defensive signal-caller.

“There’s not many Zimbabwe migrants in the United States,” Landman said, “so to represent my country and have this platform to do it is huge.”

At age 4, Landman’s family of six traded the southern tip of Africa for Northern California, chasing wider playing fields and educational opportunities for their children. Twenty-two years later, the red soil and wild coastlines of his first home still ride with him — in the way he stalks, strikes and erupts.

So when tight end Davis Allen cut through a seam and caught a pass during Saturday’s training camp session, Landman tracked him with the patience of a predator. He measured each step, sprang forward and then uncoiled, thumping the ball out of Allen’s grip to send it skidding to the turf.

After witnessing several of those jarring shots, safety Quentin Lake coined the nickname “Peanut Punch Landman,” a nod to Landman’s ability to force fumbles.

“He has just a knack for the ball,” Lake said.

The Atlanta Falcons were the first to detect that hunch, scooping Landman out of Colorado as an undrafted rookie. In each of the last two seasons, he forced three fumbles.

That instinct — and the trust he’s earned — fast-tracked Landman’s role with the Rams. Signed as a free agent in March, Landman wasted little time winning over Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, who stuck a green dot on Landman’s helmet, designating him as a commander of the defense.

“The way that he understands the game, he’s able to talk to everybody on the defense,” Rams inside linebackers coach Greg Williams said. “It was almost a no-brainer when coach Shula came to me and said, ‘I think Nate should have the green dot.’”

And for the Rams, that leadership and knack for creating turnovers came at a bargain. In a defense that doesn’t spend big at linebacker, Landman — who signed a one-year, $1.1-million contract — arrived as a low-cost addition with high potential return.

“He’s a great communicator. He’s got great command. He’s got the ability to elevate people,” coach Sean McVay said, adding, “I just like the way that this guy’s got a great vibe.”

Read more:Why Ahkello Witherspoon is the 'Yoda' of the Rams defensive corps

Before Landman became an on-field general for the Rams, he was in teacher mode, offering teammates a primer that had nothing to do with playbooks.

During a team meeting, Landman unfurled a map of Africa, tracing its outline with his finger before shading the small patch of land he calls home — wedged right above South Africa — to give his locker room a visual pin on where his story began.

“A lot of guys don’t know that Africa, the continent, is full of just individual countries,” Landman said. “They think it’s states and stuff. So it’s cool to be able to share that with them — not everybody believes when I say I’m from Africa.”

Amid that crash course, one question kept resurfacing.

Are there lions and deer roaming around?

“A lot of people are fascinated,” Landman said. “It’s such a rare thing, that’s why I’m so proud of it.”

Though it’s been a few years since Landman last stood on Zimbabwean soil, his family ties still tether him there. And as football sent him crisscrossing the United States, his homeland’s hues and emblems have come along for the ride.

The tattoo sleeve climbs into his chest, framing a map of Africa with Zimbabwe shaded deep. He still eats sadza nanyama, the maize-and-meat staple that fed his childhood. And in his parents’ home, light falls on a gallery of African vignettes and keepsakes.

His helmet bears the same allegiance, Zimbabwe’s flag tagged proudly on the back.

“I love wearing that Zimbabwe flag on the back of my helmet,” Landman said, “and I’ll do that as long as I’m in the NFL.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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What's different about Steen in third attempt to win Eagles' right guard spot?

What's different about Steen in third attempt to win Eagles' right guard spot? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s not like Tyler Steen did anything wrong last year.

It’s just that when he hurt his ankle a few days into training camp, it opened the door for Mekhi Becton to become a guard.

And Becton never left.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously it doesn’t feel great when you get injured and you’re not able to be out there and compete during camp,” Steen said. “So I just kind of had to get past that, and once I got back, just focus on trying to get better every day. 

“And then once the season starts, focus on preparing like you’re the starter. And then when the opportunity comes, you can take advantage of it.”

While Becton, the 11^th pick in the 2020 draft, did reinvent himself as a guard after failing as a left tackle with the Jets, Steen did get some opportunities to play. 

He replaced Becton early in the Saints game in Week 3 when Becton suffered a finger injury and then played most of the first Giants game and the entire Bengals game when Becton suffered a concussion. He also played the entire second Giants game, the meaningless year-end win.

Now, Becton is a Charger and Steen is back in the driver’s seat at right guard. He’s taken every 1^st-team rep in the first five practices of training camp, so the job is clearly his to lose.

“He played a lot of football last year,” Jeff Stoutland. “You gotta realize he played like 450-something plays. So I think that helps a player develop confidence and he’s acting that way right now. 

“We’ve identified some things (for him) to work on. Today (Tuesday) was a big day for Tyler Steen, in my opinion. He did some things that I’ve been talking to him about and he executed. He did a good job.”

Steen, a 3^rd-round pick in 2023, just turned 25, so he’s still a young player. But you get the feeling this could be his final chance to win that elusive right guard spot. Cam Jurgens beat him out when Steen was a rookie and last year it was Becton.

“Extremely eager,” Steen said about his opportunity. “I mean, everybody wants to play. I want to play. I want to start. So, yeah, I’m pretty eager to do that.”

Steen knew if he was going to finally hang onto the right guard job, he couldn’t come back to training camp in the same shape as last year.

The Eagles this offseason signed veteran Matt Pryor and acquired veteran Kenyon Green in the Chauncey Gardner-Johnson trade, both to compete with Steen. Pryor has started 39 games and Green 23. But Steen — who has only started three — wanted to do everything possible to make sure he didn’t lose the job again.

So far, so good. But it’s still early. 

“Really just tried to get stronger, work on my body, make sure I was going to be able to come into camp 100 percent and then just go from there,” he said.

“I think I focused on my body a little more. I think that was the only difference. I conditioned the same, worked out the same, most of those other things. And I think that helped me grow. It was a lot of mobility work and things like that.

“Lane does a lot of that really year-round. You see him doing a lot of mobility stuff before practice, after practice, in the weight room, in meeting rooms.”

Whoever winds up at right guard — and Steen is now the heavy favorite — will be looked at as the weak link on the best offensive line in football.

You have a 2^nd-team all-pro at left tackle, a three-time Pro Bowl left guard, a Pro Bowl center and a six-time Pro Bowl right tackle.

And Tyler Steen.

“It helps so much because those guys have set such a high bar for the room and for the other guys in the room,” Steen said. 

“I mean, it doesn’t get better than them. Like they’re the top of the league in what they do. And so setting that bar for everybody else in the room to strive for, I think it allows everybody to have something to push for and continue to work toward and strive toward.”

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/oCek42b

‘He was that good' — Former teammates reflect on what made Eric Allen a Hall of Famer

‘He was that good' — Former teammates reflect on what made Eric Allen a Hall of Famer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It didn’t take young William Thomas long to realize who he needed to follow around.

Eric Allen.

“When I first came in, I saw how Eric studied, how he was always watching film,” Willie T. said. “He had tremendous ability, but he didn’t just rely on that. His preparation was unbelievable. All those guys knew how to prepare — Seth (Joyner), Byron (Evans) — all those guys. But Eric was unreal. 

“When you have that kind of ability and that kind of preparation, you’re going to make a lot of plays, and Eric did. He was always making plays.”

Allen and Thomas were teammates with the Eagles from 1991 through 1994, when Allen left for the Saints. They reunited in Oakland in 2000 and 2001 and both retired after the Tuck Rule game, the Raiders’ playoff loss to the Patriots in 2001.

On Saturday, Allen will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

All those hours Willie T. spent watching Allen paid off. He had 27 interceptions of his own, 11th-most in NFL history by a linebacker. He and Ray Lewis are the only players in NFL history with 35 sacks and 25 interceptions. 

“Being around Eric made it easy for me to sit there and watch film,” said Thomas, a Pro Bowler after the 1995 and 1996 seasons. “I just watched him and did what he did. When you get out there on the field, it’s just like second nature. You’re going to go make a play.”

Allen had 54 regular-season interceptions and four more in the postseason. He’s the only cornerback in history with 58 total interceptions and nine pick-6’s.

“You know how most DBs are really receivers who can’t catch? Well, that’s not always true, because Eric can catch,” Thomas said during a visit to Eagles training camp last week. “He did some special things. Plays like in the Jet game (in 1993), where he went, what, 90-something yards (94 yards) for a touchdown? He returned it like he was a punt returner. Those are the kinds of things that made him special.”

Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Quick was only with Allen for three years at the end of his brilliant career, but that was long enough for him to truly appreciate what a unique talent Allen was.

“I think the thing that Eric had that was so special was his ability to change directions so quickly without losing speed,” Quick said at training camp this week. 

“And I thought he was a very skilled guy tracking the ball and separating receivers from the ball. I thought he was very skilled at that. To be honest, I don’t think, other than when we had (1981 Pro Bowler) Roynell Young, I don’t know if we had another corner who could line up man-to-man on me and give me trouble. He was that good.”

Allen had five interceptions in 1988, including one off Vinny Testaverde in Tampa in his first career game. He and Nate Allen are the only Eagles with INTs in their first NFL game in the last 50 years. Allen’s five INTs in 1988 are the most by any Eagles rookie since Herm Edwards had six in 1977.

“When he came into the league, I felt like he was a guy who was ready,” Quick said. “He didn’t really have to spend a whole lot of time like a lot of rookies learning how to play the position. 

“He knew how to play. He came into the league ready to play ball. I mean he needed to come in and learn the system that we were running at the time, whatever Buddy wanted him to do, but he’s a guy who came into the league ready to play mentally and physically.”

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio missed Allen by a year in New Orleans — he coached under Jim Mora through 1994 and Allen signed with the Saints in 1995. But teams he was with faced Allen 12 times during his years with the Saints, Panthers and Colts. 

Fangio didn’t coach against Allen, but as a defensive coach he developed a keen appreciation for the Eagles’ 2nd-round pick out of Arizona State.

“Yeah, I think he was really sticky in coverage, had great instincts and good ball skills, which is a lot of the things you’re looking for in a corner,” he said. “And he excelled for a long time, too. I mean, how many years did he play? Fourteen? That’s a long time for a corner to play at a high level. 

“He was a really good player. He had all the skills, the measurables, but he had great instincts and ball skills, which made him who he was. He did it over a long time and did it at a high level for a long time.”

Allen was elected into the Hall of Fame in his 24th year of eligibility, the 4th-longest wait ever by a player voted in by the modern-era committee. 

There are a lot of theories why it took so long, but Quick believes the Eagles’ defensive line — led by Reggie White, Clyde Simmons and Jerome Brown — was so dominant that everybody else flew under the radar.

“I would say it’s actually similar to what we had last year on the defense,” he said. “There was all this talk about the defensive front, and they were really good, but not so much talk about the secondary — Slay’s not letting anybody catch the ball, Quinyon’s not giving up any plays on his side, those two safeties, how well they played. They don’t talk about that as much because the defensive front was so dominant. But on the back end they’re pretty dominant as well. 

“It was the same with us. Maybe the numbers don’t jump out at you the way the numbers on the pass rush did, but that defense was so good in every area. The linebackers were really good, the safeties were really good, and what E.A. could do on one side of the field, just locking down a guy, it just made it much easier for Buddy to take those guys up front and do some special things.”

It was Allen who was so dominant against Quick in practice that Quick realized his career was coming to an end.

“I took a lot of reps against him and it made me realize that, ‘OK, my career is coming to an end,’” he said. “When I came back from my (knee) injury (in 1990) and I’m trying to beat press coverage, it was Eric Allen who gave me issues and I had to start thinking about, you know, what’s my next move? Because I’m not used to guys getting their hands on me. I’m bigger, stronger than most guys that played the position, and I can get away from them. So then I had to start thinking, ‘OK, do I need to move to tight end?’”

Fangio has coached a number of Hall of Famers over the years, including Sam Mills, Rickey Jackson, Kevin Greene, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Patrick Willis and Jared Allen. It’s quite a list. He knows what a Hall of Famer looks like.

I asked Fangio before practice on Tuesday if he believes Allen should be a Hall of Famer.

“How many interceptions did he have?” Fangio asks.

Fifty-four in the regular season and 58 total.

“Fifty-eight interceptions?” he said with that Vic Fangio grin. “Yeah. Belongs in the Hall of Fame.”

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/zJZpnUh

Eagles training camp notes: Stealing a drill, high praise for Quinyon and more

Eagles training camp notes: Stealing a drill, high praise for Quinyon and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles have been running a new drill in training camp this year and it has a pretty cool origin story.

It came from Tuscaloosa.

“Actually, we were talking about contested catches,” head coach Nick Sirianni said this week. “DeVonta Smith and I were talking about contested catches, and he brought up a drill that they used to do at Alabama and that was the drill. Some of our Alabama guys had some old tape of it. I was able to talk to a couple coaches that had done that. And so, it started as a contested catch drill that really is a good competitive drill to make an open field tackle.”

The drill features two defensive backs and one receiver. The first DB covers the receiver as the ball comes in, which is the contested catch part of the drill. The other DB has to hit a cone mark and then come downhill and square up for a tackle.

It’s just yet another drill to hammer home fundamentals. As you’d expect, this became Sirianni’s longest answer during his press conference earlier in the week. He loves to talk about fundamentals.

“Whether it’s on the sideline, whether it’s an angle tackle out in space, we want to do ordinary better than anybody else because those are the things that end up winning football games,” he said. “I think a lot of people can get enthralled by, ‘Look at this, how this play’s drawn up and that play’s drawn up.’ That’s very important, but at the end of the day, whether it’s my son’s football team, it’s a high school team, whether it’s a college team, winning football happens with teams that tackle better, the teams that take care of the football better, the teams that block better, the teams that take the football way better, the teams that block destruct better. We focus on doing the ordinary better.”

Praise for Quinyon Mitchell

Through the first five days of training camp, Quinyon Mitchell has been one of the best players on the field and he’s pretty much the only cornerback who can compete with A.J. Brown.

Mitchell got the first interception of training camp on Day 4 when he picked off an underthrown Jalen Hurts pass to Brown down the right sideline. That’s notable because while Mitchell ended up picking off two passes in the playoffs, he didn’t have a single interception in the regular season as a rookie. If there was a deficiency in Mitchell’s game last year, it was probably his hands.

On Tuesday, Vic Fangio was asked if a player can improve their ball skills and his answer was notable:

“Yeah, I think it can improve obviously with work and I think the work he’s put in has made it. He has improved. He had a nice interception yesterday, which I don’t know if he [would have made it] last year. But ball skills are a natural thing, too, so the improvement you can make is incremental. But any improvement he can make, he’ll make because he’ll work at it.”

That’s high praise from a longtime no-BS coordinator like Fangio.

Don’t sleep on Trot

The Eagles used their first-round pick in April on linebacker Jihaad Campbell and he’s off to a great start in his rookie training camp. It feels almost inevitable that he’ll eventually end up as the starter next to Zack Baun in Week 1.

But Jeremiah Trotter Jr. isn’t going down without a fight.

Through five practices, Trotter has worked with the first-team defense next to Baun and then next to Campbell on Day 5 when Baun was out with a back contusion. And it’s clear that the 2024 fifth-round pick from Clemson has improved a ton.

“I feel a little more comfortable,” Trotter said. “I know what it’s supposed to be like. I had a year in this system so I know how the coaches want it to look, how we’re supposed to play the defense. I feel like I’m playing out there a lot faster. I know where to be, I know what to expect.”

Even if Trotter isn’t a starter this year, having him on the roster will help with depth at the position, especially because Nakobe Dean is still recovering from a torn patellar tendon that he suffered in the playoffs. Either way, Trotter will continue to be a special teams staple but he’s showing in his second training camp that he can play on defense too.

We’ll see how this competition plays out over the next few weeks but it’s been encouraging that Trotter has played this well early.

“Just making sure I’m showing the coaches that I know what I gotta do,” he said. “Show them that they can trust me. I can go out there and make plays.”

A well-deserved honor

After practice on Tuesday, Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was given his plaque as the winner of the PFWA’s Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL.

It was a cool moment that included an impromptu speech from the legendary coach.

Jeff Stoutland getting the Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL from the PFWA. pic.twitter.com/Cm8GfCrQmG

— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) July 29, 2025

While the Chip Kelly Era in Eagles football never quite worked out the way the franchise hoped, he did bring Stoutland to Philadelphia back in 2013. And over a decade later, not only is Stoutland a legend in Philly but he’s going to go down as one of the greatest assistant coaches in NFL history.

Staying on the sideline 

In his first year as offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo this week said he will call offensive plays from the sideline instead of moving up to the coaching booth.

Patullo he didn’t even think about going upstairs.

“No, because I’ve been on the field for so long and when I called in New York into Fitz [Ryan Fitzpatrick] and I did a lot of that kind of stuff, I was on the field,” Patullo said. “I’m kind of used to it, so I have no problem doing it. And I like the interaction with the quarterback. I’ve kind of been in that mode the last four years here, so I’ve kind of pretty much always done that.”

Dealing with the heat

The Eagles moved up practice one hour on Tuesday because of excessive heat … but don’t talk about that with the Eagles’ defensive coordinator.

“It’s not hot today,” said Fangio, wearing an outfit of full sweats. “That’s a mindset. We’re going to play some hot games in September and if you cave to a hot day in training camp, we’re in trouble.”

Fangio has a point. The Eagles again play the Buccaneers in Tampa in September and that will likely be another brutal game in the heat. It wasn’t easy to get through that one in 2024.

By the time the Eagles wrapped up their nearly 2-hour practice on Tuesday, temperatures were well into the 90s and it felt even hotter.

“Fatigue makes cowards of us all,” Hurts said. “I think these last two days have been very challenging from a heat standpoint. So everybody collectively, as a group, just continue to push through those things. Control what you can. I think this was a good test and measure of where we are right now and where we desire to go.”

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/w3Cl6bM

Eric Allen recalls Eagles' free agency exodus that gutted the roster

Eric Allen recalls Eagles' free agency exodus that gutted the roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Reggie White, Seth Joyner, Clyde Simmons, Andre Waters, Wes Hopkins and Eric Allen.

It’s crazy imagining a defense with all those guys.

It’s crazier imagining an owner who let them all leave.

Those six defensive stars all joined the Eagles between 1983 and 1988 and made a combined 19 Pro Bowls. And then in the span of two years – from the end of 1992 through the end of 1994 – they all walked away.

White, who went on to win a Super Bowl and make six more Pro Bowls with the Packers, was a 1^st-ballot Hall of Famer in 2006. Allen will join him in Canton on Saturday.

It’s been more than three decades since the great mass exodus orchestrated by former owner Norman Braman, who preferred seeing his franchise decimated than paying free agents market value.

It remains one of the darkest periods in the Eagles’ 93-year history.

Imagine an owner who let six of the greatest defensive players in franchise history – including two Hall of Famers – leave without even trying to keep them? 

It wasn’t until Jeff Lurie bought the team and hired Andy Reid that the franchise truly recovered.

“How do you take the most dominant defensive player in the league off your team?” Allen said in a recent interview. “I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now.

“It was difficult. It’s like you’re brothers. We spent so much time together as a defense, and I’m not sure if players today do that, but we spent a significant amount of time together during the season, in the offseason, all the time. 

“We would go to each other’s camps. We’d hang out together. We’d take vacations together. We were really tight. We were definitely a brotherhood.”

The mass exit began when White signed with the Packers after the 1992 season without Braman even trying to keep him.

He was only 31 years old and was already a six-time all-pro with 124 career sacks.

“No one ever really did that,” Allen said. “A big-time player in his prime? Free agency was still new, and Reggie was one of the first to take advantage of that and leave. At first, our feelings were kind of hurt by Reggie leaving. But they weren’t even trying to keep him, so we understood. 

“How do you not even try to keep Reggie White? He was in his prime, and he was still getting 15, 17 sacks a year. 

“We had just lost to Dallas in the divisional round and we felt like all the pieces were in place to really make a run at some things. We thought we were close.

“Then Reggie was gone. Unbelievable. What’s going on here?”

Joyner, Simmons and Waters left after the 1993 season to join former head coach Buddy Ryan with the Cards. Hopkins signed with the Chiefs that summer, although he eventually rejoined the Eagles.

Allen stayed one more year before finishing his brilliant career with the Saints and Raiders.

With that defensive nucleus – along with guys like Jerome Brown, Byron Evans, Mike Pitts, Mike Golic, William Thomas and Andy Harmon – the Eagles allowed the fewest yards in the NFL from 1989 through 1993 and averaged 10 wins per year. They only won one playoff game during that stretch. But it wasn’t because of the defense.

“We were lucky free agency was there for us, but it was definitely a shock and sad to see your brothers all leave the team,” Allen said. “Because at the time that you’re drafted, you think this is going to be my team forever.

“I mean, you make this your home, you move your family there, raise your kids, you’re in a community, you’re doing things, and you kind of envision retiring as an Eagle. We all did. 

“You would see some of the veterans who were around. Harold Carmichael was always around and you see the way the city revered those older guys, and you think you’re going to get that opportunity, you know, 15, 20, 25 years down the line, to be one of those older guys going to games, telling stories about the old times, still being a part of the team. I think we all wanted that.

“So it was a changing time and it was really difficult, but you could see how and why those guys exercised their opportunity.”

By the time Allen left Philly, Braman was out and Lurie was in. But the damage had been done.

“I never wanted to leave, but I also didn’t want to be the only one from that group left,” Allen said. “Once Seth and Clyde went to Arizona and then we had a bad year in 1994 (going 7-9), I knew it was my turn.”

Allen was the last man standing in 1994 before signing with the Saints and then finishing his career with the Raiders from 1998 through 2001. 

Thomas, drafted by the Eagles in 1991, spent 2000 and 2001 with Allen in Oakland. They both retired after the infamous Tuck Rule game in Foxboro in the 2001 conference semifinal round.

“I knew we were going to have to rebuild, and I didn’t think that was a good position for me to be in,” Allen said. “Being the one guy left and having to tell all the young guys all the stories about all the great players who left? 

“It was definitely difficult leaving. But by then, it was something I knew I had to do.”

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/ZTN0ab3

NBA to host games in London and Manchester

The Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies will face each other in London and Berlin in January 2026 [Getty Images]

The NBA is to return to the United Kingdom for the first time since 2019, with a match in London in 2026 and Manchester in 2027.

London's O2 Arena has been selected to host a regular-season game between the Orlando Magic and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, 18 January 2026.

It will be the first NBA game in the UK since the Washington Wizards' win over the New York Knicks in January 2019, with London previously having hosted yearly matches between 2011 and 2019.

Manchester will host a regular-season game for the first time in 2027 at the Co-Op Arena, with the teams involved to be revealed before the start of that season.

The city previously held a pre-season match between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers in October 2013 at the city's other major indoor entertainment venue, which is now called the AO Arena.

The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, said: "London is now the undisputed sporting capital of the world and the NBA coming to The O2 in January 2026 will further cement our global status."

Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, added: "Manchester once again has shown what a magnificent draw it is for major events, and we are thrilled to welcome the NBA back to our city."

The NBA will hold two games in Europe in each of 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Berlin will host the other game in 2026 with Paris doing so in 2027, while in 2028 they will both host a match.

The teams involved in the 2027 and 2028 matches will be named before the start of those seasons.

The 2025-26 season gets under way on Tuesday, 21 October.

NBA's matches in Europe in 2026, 2027 and 2028

2026

• Thursday, 15 January: Orlando Magic v Memphis Grizzlies - Uber Arena, Berlin
• Sunday, 18 January: Memphis Grizzlies v Orlando Magic - O2 Arena, London

2027

• One match at Accor Arena, Paris
• One match at Co-op Live, Manchester

2028

• One match at Uber Arena, Berlin
• One match at Accor Arena, Paris

NBA announcement comes with four Britons in league

OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks made 92 appearances during the 2024-25 season, the third most in the Knicks' squad [Getty Images]

Mayor of London Khan met with NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer Mark Tatum in September 2024 to discuss the return of matches to London and has remained in regular contact.

BBC Sport understands Khan also recently met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver to discuss the league's return to London and the growth of basketball in the city.

The news comes in a summer that has also seen Nottingham-born Amari Williams, 23, picked up in the second round of the NBA Draft by 2023-24 champions the Boston Celtics.

When Williams makes his official debut for the Celtics later this year, it will make him the fourth active Briton in the NBA.

OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks is Britain's star name in the league, while Tosan Evbuomwan plays for the Brooklyn Nets.

Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio Spurs) completes the list of British NBA players, although internationally he represents Poland.

Belfast-born CJ Fulton also featured for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the summer league, putting him in a position to potentially be signed by an NBA side later this year.

In March 2025, NBA commissioner Silver announced that in collabaration with FIBA, the NBA is exploring the creation of a professional men's league across Europe.

At present, a proposed semi-open league of up to 16 teams that would include permanent clubs in European cities such as London, Manchester, Berlin and Paris is being discussed.

In terms of participation, basketball is currently the second most-popular team sport in the United Kingdom with one-and-a-half million participants on a weekly participants.

It is thought that there are around eight million UK-based basketball fans and it is currently the most popular sports league in the UK among Gen Z audiences.

from NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games https://ift.tt/QnY1LcU

How Tanner McKee becomes a sounding board for Jalen Hurts

How Tanner McKee becomes a sounding board for Jalen Hurts originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The first couple years, Tanner McKee was the one asking all the questions and Jalen Hurts was the one with all the answers.

Things have changed, and as McKee enters his third NFL season – and his first as Hurts’ backup – the relationship has become more balanced.

And when the Super Bowl MVP is asking questions of the 6th-round pick with one career start, that speaks volumes about the respect Hurts has for McKee’s grasp of the Eagles’ offense.

“I feel like each year that I am in the NFL, I feel like I learn more and I know more,” McKee said after practice Tuesday. “So I feel like we kind of have a better relationship of more him trusting me that like, I can be his eyes off the field and what did you see there? And what do you think there?

“I’ve always asked him questions of, ‘What are you seeing? What are you thinking?’ I think as I get a little bit older, it’s more of a conversation back and forth. Kind of, ‘What are we both seeing.’”

McKee was No. 3 behind Hurts and Marcus Mariota as a rookie in 2023 and No. 3 last year behind Hurts and Kenny Pickett. 

He finally got a chance to play late in the season and became only the second player in NFL history with two passing TDs and no interceptions in each of his first two career games. The other, ironically, was Mariota with the Titans in 2015.

It was those performances – in relief of injured Pickett vs. the Cowboys and then starting against the Giants a week later – that convinced the Eagles to trade Pickett to the Browns and move McKee up to No. 2.

He was that good.

Two years ago, McKee was an obscure rookie competing with Ian Book for the No. 3 job. Now he’s a backup that Hurts will turn to with his own questions about the offense. 

“Yeah, he’s just grown and continued to grow over time,” Hurts said Tuesday. “He’s been a true sponge. Personally, he’s been a big help in the room, just having those conversations and being able to get different opinions from his perspective. 

“He has a great eye for the game. Obviously, plays the position a little different than myself, but everything is rooted in the same beliefs. And so how you express it is just different between us. And I admire that in him and his help in the room. And he’s a hell of a player.”

One thing about Hurts. No matter how successful he is – and he’s 42-11 in his last 53 starts, has won six playoff games and is one of only five QBs in history to reach two Super Bowls before his 27^th birthday  – he won’t hesitate to reach out for help when he needs it.

“Yeah, some things you internalize on your own, and then some things you don’t have a grasp for and you ask,” he said. “And the availability of those things from a coaching perspective and a teammate perspective are very important when that moment permits.”

It’s that mastery of the offense along with his big arm, terrific size and uncanny accuracy that convinced the Eagles to move on from Pickett and promote McKee to No. 2.

“I was very excited with what happened,” he said. “Obviously, I love Philadelphia. I love being here. I want to be here as long as I can. So I was very excited when Howie (Roseman) called me and told me the news. And obviously just knowing that they have a lot of trust in me to go out and do my thing and perform. 

“And if something does happen to Jay, I’ll go out and move the ball and move the offense like how it’s supposed to be run.”

The future is intriguing for McKee. NFL teams covet 6-foot-4 quarterbacks with strong, accurate arms, McKee has shown he can play at this level. He is a starting-caliber quarterback.

As of now, McKee is signed through 2026, so at some point he’ll have to decide if he really does want to stay here and back up Hurts or go somewhere where he can compete for a starting job.

He’s not losing sleep over that.

Not yet.

“It comes down to controlling what I can control and being able to take advantage when opportunities arise,” he said. “Right now I’m focused on this season, I’m focused on what’s ahead of me right now. Being the two and being prepared to go in and play like a starter if anything happens to Jay. 

“That’s my role right now, that’s what I’m focused on. And then if anything happens in the future, I’ll take advantage of those opportunities.”

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/OUZ06T9

Deion Sanders: Shedeur didn't want me to come to Browns training camp

Deion Sanders visited his son Shilo at Buccaneers training camp, but his other NFL rookie son, Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, asked him to stay away.

Deion Sanders told Michael Irvin that Shedeur believes his current place on the Browns' depth chart doesn't justify any special attention like a Hall of Famer father on the practice field.

“Shedeur told me not to come," Sanders said. "He didn’t want me to come. He was like, ‘Dad, I may get three, four reps in practice. I don’t want you seeing that. No, I’m not where I want to be. Let me get where I need to be.' It's so funny because this is his first time ever, and he's dealing with it like a pro. He ain’t mad. He ain't bitter. He’s like, I got work to do but I’m going to put in this work. One thing, they're going to have to let me play, preseason is going to come. When preseason comes, watch me work.”

Deion Sanders said Shilo, an undrafted safety, welcomed his presence in Tampa.

"Shilo was the total opposite — come on down! Shilo, he was happy," Deion Sanders said.

Deion Sanders revealed on Monday that he is recovering from bladder cancer. He will continue in his role as Colorado's head coach, and continue to support his sons' NFL careers — from a distance, in the case of Shedeur.

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/fOQje3V

A look at the Hall of Fame chances of 12 former and current Eagles stars

A look at the Hall of Fame chances of 12 former and current Eagles stars originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Some are locks. Some are long shots. But they all belong in the conversation. It’s been a good few years for former Eagles with Pro Football Hall of Fame aspirations.

Brian Dawkins was enshrined in 2018 in his second year of eligibility, seniors committee candidate Harold Carmichael went in two years later and Eric Allen will be inducted on Saturday.

That’s three Hall of Famers in eight years after three in the previous half century. Not counting guys who only spent a couple years here.

It’s crazy that a franchise that’s been around for 93 years only has seven Hall of Famers who spent more than half their career here: Reggie White, Steve Van Buren, Chuck Bednarik, Pete Pihos, Tommy McDonald, Dawkins and Carmichael.

But they should be joined by several more in the coming years. With Allen about to finally get in after a 24-year wait, this seemed like a good time to look at a dozen current and former Eagles and assess their Hall of Fame chances.

Let’s take a look (in alphabetical order):

Saquon Barkley

This is a tricky one because running back careers are so short and unpredictable and running backs often go from all-pro to out of the league overnight. But there are reasons to think Saquon won’t decline like that. And a couple more big seasons puts Barkley squarely in the picture. And with this offensive line it’s certainly possible.

Barkley’s six years with the Giants were up and down, but he did have two 1,300-yard seasons and a third 1,000-yard season before coming to Philly and putting together one of the greatest seasons ever by a RB. 

He’s already got 7,216 career rushing yards, and his 4.7 career rushing average is tied for 7th-highest in history among backs with at least 7,000 rushing yards. Also working for him is his postseason success, mostly last year – 613 yards, seven TDs and a 5.6 rushing average in one playoff game with the Giants and four with the Eagles. That 5.6 is 5th-highest ever by a running back with at least 50 postseason carries. 

If Barkley gets the 2,784 yards he needs for 10,000 and keeps his career rushing average at 4.5 or higher, you’d think he’d be in, but Tiki Barber and Fred Taylor aren’t, so who knows? 

Most backs are running out of gas in their late 20s, but Barkley has a great opportunity to put up rare numbers for an older back over the next two or three years. His 3.8 yards per carry before contact last year is highest – by far – since Stathead began tracking that stat in 2016. That means he’s picking up nearly four yards before he even gets hit. That sort of production gives him a chance to extend his career and continue piling up big numbers.

Roob’s prediction: Three more seasons averaging, say, 1,500 yards gives Barkley nearly 12,000 yards, and as long as he keeps that average in the mid-4’s they can’t keep him out. All 14 eligible backs with 12,000 yards are in, and I’ll bet Barkley will join them.

Fletcher Cox

Fletch, who’ll be eligible in 2029, has a pretty strong Hall of Fame case, but there are also several things working against him. The positives? His 70 ½ sacks are 11th-most by a pure interior lineman since sacks became an official stat in 1982. He made six consecutive Pro Bowls and four all-pro teams – 1st team in 2018 and 2nd-team in 2014, 2015 and 2017. He started for two Super Bowl teams, winning one. He made the 2010s All-Decade team. Maybe the biggest thing working against Cox is just one 1st-team all-pro. The last interior lineman enshrined in the Hall of Fame who didn’t make at least two all-pro 1st teams is Leroy Selmon, who retired in 1984 and was inducted in 1995. It also won’t help that Cox was never the best lineman in the league, thanks to Aaron Donald. But six Pro Bowls, over 70 sacks, a Super Bowl ring and four 1st- or 2nd-team all-pros is a pretty strong resume. Cox will be eligible for the Hall in 2029.

Roob’s prediction: Cox is deserving. Over the last 25 years, only Geno Atkins and Donald made more Pro Bowls (neither is eligible yet either). It will take a few years, but I believe he will at some point be a Hall of Famer.

Randall Cunningham

Randall is an interesting case because he really changed the way the game is played, and that should be worth something. When he retired after the 2001 season, he was the all-time quarterback rushing leader with nearly 5,000 yards (he’s still fifth). But he also developed into quite a passer despite spending most of his career behind atrocious offensive lines and without elite wide receivers or top offensive coaches. Still, from 1987 through 1990, only Joe Montana (101) and Dan Marino (99) threw more than Randall’s 98 TD passes, and he took the Eagles to the playoffs every year from 1988 through 1992, except 1991, when he was hurt. Then there was his MVP season in 1998 with the Vikings. Including postseason, Cunningham remains one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history with 5,000 rushing yards and 30,000 passing yards (along with Cam Newton and Russell Wilson). Cunningham was 30 games over .500 as a starting quarterback during his 17-year career. What hurts Cunningham’s case: In his last 11 years, he was only a full-time starter three seasons, he only won three career playoff games, he was only a 1st-team all-pro once (in 1998) and he only made one Pro Bowl in his last 11 seasons. He only led the NFL in a major passing category once – passer rating in 1998. Last year was Cunningham’s final year of eligibility for modern-day selection, and his case is now in the hands of the senior’s committee.

Roob’s prediction: At his best, Randall was as good as anybody and nobody was more fun to watch. He was the first NFL QB with two seasons with 30 or more TDs and 13 or fewer INTs. Thanks to injuries, poor coaching and a lack of talent around him, there just weren’t enough of those seasons to get him to Canton.

Zach Ertz

Long-time Eagle put himself back in the Hall of Fame mix with a bounce-back 66-catch, seven-TD 2024 season with Jayden Daniels in Washington. The numbers have quietly piled up for Ertz, who is 6th in NFL history among tight ends with 775 catches and could pass Shannon Sharpe (815) with a good 2025. Every eligible tight end in history with 700 catches is already in the Hall. Ertz also has a 4th-quarter game-winning Super Bowl touchdown catch, some huge postseason numbers (54 postseason catches are 6th-most ever by a tight end) and 12 games with at least 10 catches, 3rd-most by a tight end. 

Roob’s prediction: Right now, Ertz is on the outside looking in. But if he keeps playing at the same level for a couple more years – and we know what kind of shape he keeps himself in and we know what kind of quarterback he has now – Ertz could work his way into the mix. Two more 63-catch seasons get him to 900 catches and I don’t know how you keep him out if he gets to 900. The most career catches by a tight end who’s eligible for the Hall of Fame but isn’t in is Heath Miller’s 641. If Ertz beats that by 250, how do you keep him out?

DeSean Jackson

I think a lot of people immediately dismiss DeSean as a one-trick pony. Deep threat and nothing more. That’s just not true. D-Jack finished with 11,263 receiving yards, and when you combine that with his 17.6 career yards-per-catch figure you make a pretty compelling case. Jackson is one of only six WRs with 10,000 yards and at least a 17.0 average, and he’s the only one who began his career after 1978. Only Jackson and James Lofton had 11,000 yards and a 17 average. Then there’s the big plays. Jackson’s 27 total touchdowns of at least 60 yards are most in NFL history (two more than Jerry Rice), and he led the NFL in yards per catch four times. A unique player who was better than you think.

What does Roob say? Jackson, eligible in 2028, has a compelling case, and when you’re the best in NFL history at one particular you deserve consideration. Nobody tracked a deep ball better than DeSean. But no all-pro teams, three Pro Bowls in 15 years (none in his last nine seasons) and no Super Bowl appearances is too much to overcome.

Malcolm Jenkins

Jenkins, who spent six seasons in the middle of his career with the Eagles, made three Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls – one as a Saint, one as an Eagle – as a safety and defensive leader. The stats don’t really measure Jenkins’ value, but one thing that makes you take notice is his seven career pick-6’s, four with the Eagles. That’s tied for 12th-most in NFL history. Only Eric Allen had more interception return TDs in an Eagles uniform. But Jenkins only had 21 career interceptions in 13 seasons, was never a 1st-team all-pro and only made 2nd-team once, back in 2010 with the Saints. During his career, 12 safeties had more INTs. He’s eligible in 2027.

Roob’s prediction: Jenkins was a very good, very clutch defensive back, and a winner, but he just doesn’t have the body of work for Hall consideration.

Lane Johnson

Johnson’s credentials are impossible to argue with. He’s one of only six offensive tackles in history with six Pro Bowls, multiple 1st-team all-pros and multiple Super Bowl championships. Every OT with six Pro Bowls, two or more Super Bowls and two all-pro 1st teams who’s eligible is already in the Hall of Fame, with the exception of Jim Tyrer, who’s on the outside looking in for non-football reasons. And Johnson should have been a 1st-team all-pro last year as well. Since 2019, Johnson has played 3,031 pass-rush snaps and allowed five sacks. That’s insane. The biggest thing working against Johnson is the two suspensions – four games in 2014 and 10 in 2016. But he’s done so much since then without a positive test that hopefully the voters won’t hold that against him. He’s been the best right tackle in football for nearly a decade. Definitely deserving. And still building his Hall of Fame resume.

Roob’s prediction: Johnson is playing as well as ever, and it’s a shame he was robbed of 1st-team all-pro last year. He may have done enough already. But if he plays a couple more years at a Pro Bowl level, he’ll be a lock. Two more Pro Bowls gives him eight, and 26 of 30 eligible offensive linemen with eight or more Pro Bowls are in Canton. 

Seth Joyner

It’s baffling that Joyner has never even been a Hall of Fame finalist. This is an 8th-round draft pick who – including postseason – piled up 27 interceptions and 52 sacks. Irrefutable stat: Joyner is the only player in NFL history with 50 sacks and 25 interceptions. He was one of the key guys on a defense that from 1988 through 1992 allowed just 17 points per game, 3rd-lowest in the NFL. He made three Pro Bowls – he should have made six – and was 2nd-team all-pro twice and in 1991 Defensive Player of the Year runner-up to Pat Swilling and 5th in MVP voting. Joyner was the greatest dual-threat outside linebacker of his generation, a ferocious pass rusher, world-class run stuffer and elite play maker with 26 career forced fumbles on top of his 52 INTs. The Hall of Fame voters should be ashamed of this snub.

Roob’s prediction: I would vote for Seth in a heartbeat. By any measure, he had a Hall of Fame career. But his only shot now is if the senior’s committee begins to understand just how good he was. Wake up, voters.

Jason Kelce

If there’s ever been a slam-dunk 1st-ballot Hall of Famer, it’s Kelce, who would join 1987 enshrinee Jim Langer and 1980 inductee Jim Otto as only the third 1st-ballot center in Hall of Fame history. This is a 6th-round pick who became one of the greatest centers in history. Seven Pro Bowls, six 1st-team all-pros and a Super Bowl championship? No other center has ever done all that. Only Otto, who played in the 1960s and early 1970s, made all-pro first team more than Kelce. First ballot in 2029. No brainer.

Roob’s prediction: Kelce will be the first 1st-ballot Hall of Famer the Eagles drafted since Chuck Bednarik. (Remember, they acquired Reggie White in the supplemental draft.)

LeSean McCoy

I’ll keep waving this flag because Shady deserves to be in Canton. Only three of 19 eligible running backs with 11,000 rushing yards aren’t in the Hall of Fame, and what sets Shady apart is that he also had 15,000 scrimmage yards, 500 catches and a 4.5 rushing average. He’s the only player in NFL history with 11,000 rushing yards, 500 catches and a 4.5 average. He made six Pro Bowls and two 1st-team all-pros and won two Super Bowls as a backup late in his career. Only McCoy and Marshall Faulk have had three seasons with 1,000 yards, a 5.0 average and 50 catches. During the decade from 2010 through 2019, McCoy had nearly 700 more rushing yards than anybody else. Also, McCoy’s 89 career touchdowns are more than 23 modern-era running backs already in the Hall. Shady, who made the All-Decade team for the 2010s, is eligible in 2026. Let’s go! 

Roob’s prediction: Shady will eventually get in. The numbers are just overwhelming. His unique combination of rushing yards, receptions, yards per carry and touchdowns is going to be hard for the voters to ignore. 

Donovan McNabb

McNabb won nine playoff games, 6th-most in history when he retired and still 13th-most all-time. Every other eligible QB with nine postseason wins is already in the Hall of Fame. And McNabb had success despite only brief stretches with a standout receiver – T.O. in 2004 and part of 2005, DeSean Jackson in 2008 and 2009, Jeremy Maclin also in 2009. McNabb was very good, but a few things will keep him out: 1) He didn’t win a Super Bowl and only five of the 30 quarterbacks in the Hall never won a championship (Warren Moon, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Dan Fouts, Fran Tarkenton), 2) He never led the NFL in any passing category, 3) And he had a relatively short period where he was elite. After 2004, his sixth NFL season, he went 42-39 with two playoff wins in his last seven seasons, and 4) He was never a 1st- or 2nd-team all-pro. The Hall of Very Good was made for 5.

Roob’s prediction: After 2004, McNabb was on Hall of Fame pace. But injuries and inconsistency marred the second half of his career. He just didn’t do enough.

Jason Peters

Now that Peters has finally retired, we know his first year of eligibility will be 2029, the same year as former teammates Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox. Peters is as close to a lock as anybody on this list other than Kelce. His nine Pro Bowls are 6th-most all-time by an offensive tackle, and every eligible offensive tackle with nine is already in the Hall (with the exception of Jim Tyrer for non-football reasons). J.P. is one of the most remarkable stories in NFL history. An undrafted tight end becomes the most dominating left tackle of his generation. No undrafted player in history at any position has made more Pro Bowls. And that torn Achilles in 2012 cost him a year in his prime. He hung around a while – seven years after his last Pro Bowl. He wasn’t the same but he was still good, and that shouldn’t hurt him. 

Roob’s prediction: A no-brainer. Peters is an all-timer, and the Eagles got him from the Bills for 1st-, 4th- and 6th-round picks. 

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/RTsu1HG

The 3rd-year Eagles DT poised for a huge jump in 2025

The 3rd-year Eagles DT poised for a huge jump in 2025 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Moro Ojomo is expecting to have a bigger role this year because he’s seen it before with the Eagles.

Now it’s his turn.

“One hundred percent,” Ojomo said on Monday. “That’s kind of the way the Eagles have gone. (Javon) Hargrave was gone, [Milton Williams] stepped into that. Milt is gone and now I’m getting an opportunity.”

And Ojomo is making the most of it. 

The 26-year-old was a seventh-round pick out of Texas back in 2023 and is turning heads early in this training camp. Not only is he getting a ton of reps — first-team reps — but he has been consistently wreaking havoc. Anyone who has watched the first four practices of the summer has jotted down No. 97 plenty of times. He’s always in the backfield.

It might seem strange that there’s so much hype around a former seventh-round pick who has exactly zero sacks in 25 regular season games in the NFL, but the Eagles have high hopes for Ojomo. He gave the Birds solid snaps last season and got his first NFL sack in the fourth quarter against the Rams in the divisional round.

And after Williams left in free agency to join the Patriots on a $104 million deal, the Eagles are expecting Ojomo to help eat up some of those snaps.

“I think Mo did a good job last year in the reps he got his reps will kick up this year,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “I think Milton’s reps will be divided up between him, Jordan (Davis) playing more. We’ll see what Ty (Robinson) can do, Gabe (Hall) can do and [Thomas Booker]. So I think it will be more of a committee eating up those reps than just one guy. But back to your question, I’m very happy with Mo, was happy with him last year and I expect him to play good for us.”

For the past two years, Ojomo has worked to improve but it meant something to him to watch the lineage of Eagles’ defensive tackles.

“It showed me everything,” Ojomo said. “Keep your head down and kind of wait your turn. At the end of the day, this is a talented organization. Just keep working and things will work out for you.”

Last season, Ojomo played 37% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in the regular season, which ranked tied for third among their defensive tackles:

Jalen Carter: 831 (79%)
Milton Williams: 501 (48%)
Moro Ojomo: 388 (37%)
Jordan Davis: 388 (37%)
Thomas Booker: 166 (16%)

With Williams gone, there are 500 snaps to replace this season. While Davis has worked on his body and his conditioning level to be more available in 2025, it seems like Ojomo is a more ready-made interior pass rusher. And based on what we’ve seen so far this summer, Vic Fangio wants to get Ojomo ready for a bigger workload.

“I think just starting out having more reps than I’m used to and getting acclimated to that and just getting used to being on the field more,” said Ojomo, whose jersey was drenched with sweat and smeared with blood (?) after Monday’s practice. 

Eagles Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens was drafted the year before Ojomo. On Monday, he smiled when asked how much Ojomo has improved over the last three seasons.

“A lot. A lot,” Jurgens said. “He works just as hard as anybody on this team and puts a lot of effort in. Not just in the weight room but on the field. He puts in a lot of time. He was kind of like a little pest to deal with his first year here. He just worked and played so hard. 

“And now he’s got a lot of those tools and he’s a lot stronger than he was and just talking to Fletch (Cox) and BG (Brandon Graham) and learning from them guys, all those little tips and tricks. I mean, he’s tough to go against now. Really tough.”

The Eagles’ offensive line is considered to be one of the best in the NFL and Ojomo appreciates getting to work against them. On Monday, he and Lane Johnson spent some extra time talking over a play from practice. Ojomo said he beat Johnson with something on a previous day but Johnson changed it up and didn’t get beat on Monday. Ojomo has always been game for intricate football conversations.

For the most part, Ojomo’s damage in training camp has come against new right guard Tyler Steen but he also had success against Landon Dickerson in 1-on-1s Monday.

Listed at 6-foot-3, 292 pounds, Ojomo has a slighter frame than a lot of defensive tackles, which can give him an advantage as a pass rusher.

“I think like I strike like I’m big and I move like I’m small,” he said.

After playing just 68 defensive snaps as a rookie, Ojomo played 388 in his second season and should see another significant jump in 2025. He has been waiting for this opportunity and working behind the scenes to get ready for it.

This season, all that work is going to be put on full display.

“You want pass rush to get to the point where you’re not thinking. It’s fluid,” Ojomo said. “It’s almost déjà vu. I’ve done this 100,000 times and I’m going to do it 100,000 more.”

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/9QyNHcT

Jim Harbaugh: We have to get on Justin Herbert's level

Jim Harbaugh made no secret of his fondness for quarterback Justin Herbert during his first season as the head coach of the Chargers and his second season is starting with more of the same.

Harbaugh called Herbert one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game this offseason and his answer to a question about Herbert's biggest weakness centered on Herbert's talent as well. During an appearance on NFL Network this weekend, Harbaugh said that the only thing holding Herbert back is that everyone around him doesn't operate in the same stratosphere.

"This is the truth, Justin Herbert's biggest weakness is all of those that he's counting on on offense — coaches, offensive line, playmakers, receivers, running backs — to get up to his level," Harbaugh said. "I wake up every day to try to get to his level. . . . I see him at the level, just the highest level as a quarterback. First five seasons, nobody's thrown for more yards in the history of the NFL, and everything he does is, you just don't change a thing, but whatever it is, conditioning, it's too easy. Everything we do, we try to pull him back, because you never have to talk him into doing anything. He's been in here every day."

Herbert's talent has not led the Chargers to playoff success since he's been with the team and that makes Harbaugh's biggest task for 2025 a clear one. The players that make up the rest of the offensive group may not be on the same plane as the quarterback, but that's been true of plenty of other successful teams and it's up to Harbaugh and his staff to find the mix that shows Herbert's raw talent is matched with winning instincts that makes the sum greater than the individual parts.

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/2d6ArYQ

Latest Jim Harbaugh experiment could have a major impact on Justin Herbert's season

Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers hope Bradley Bozeman, left, and Zion Johnson switching positions on the offensive line will bolster the offense this season. (Vera Nieuwenhuis, Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

For Jim Harbaugh, all competitors are welcome.

But along the interior of the Chargers' offensive line — an Achilles’ heel amid last year’s success, too often leaving Justin Herbert running for his life — the battle isn’t over who will start, but where.

Like last season, Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman are locked in as starters. What remains undecided is whether Johnson will line up at guard or center, and vice versa for Bozeman, as the two continue what Harbaugh called “not really a competition, but a competition to get our best combination.”

In training camp, the two are rotating between spots each practice, continuing a trial that began during organized team activities.

Read more:Rashawn Slater agrees to four-year, $114-million deal with Chargers

For Johnson, the move goes beyond uncharted territory. He has never taken a competitive snap at center at any level, aside from a handful of Senior Bowl reps in 2022.

Though the Chargers never mentioned playing him at center when they drafted him, Johnson says he always saw it as a real possibility given his size and defensive awareness. But the organization didn’t seriously explore the idea until the end of last season, when they started having him cross-train to see how he’d fare.

“It was pretty early in the offseason,” Johnson said of the pitch. “I want to help the team in any way possible, whether that’s left guard and now having experience at center. ... However they see fit, I’m willing to plug in.”

Saturday marked Johnson’s first full-padded practice at center, where he progressed in both pass and run protection but also struggled, missing stunts and committing a false start.

What the staff sees, Harbaugh says, is elite athleticism: quick first steps, an ability to climb to the second level — traits that hint at a real upside if Johnson can adjust.

Chargers offensive lineman Zion Johnson runs onto the field before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders in September. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

For now, Johnson’s biggest hurdle is the lack of consistent reps. Without them, it’s hard to build comfort with the nuances beyond blocking — from pre-snap reads and protection calls to, most important, snapping.

“Not having played center before, every rep is valuable,” Johnson said. “[I’m] trying to get the reps in and fit in where I can. ... Getting snaps before practice, getting snaps after, getting snaps in my room.”

Johnson’s position change is also a chance for him to prove worthy of a long-term contract. The Chargers declined the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option, making this the final year of his rookie contract.

That decision was one of several the Chargers have made to spur improvement on the offensive line. On Sunday, the Chargers signed two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater to a four-year, $114-million extension. With Slater and right tackle Joe Alt solidifying the edges, the line's interior remains the primary concern.

Mekhi Becton was the solution at right guard. The addition of Andre James briefly appeared to signal a change at center, but he hasn’t taken any first-team reps and was omitted by Harbaugh when discussing competition, largely because of Bozeman's two-year, $6.5-million contract with the team.

Upon his return, the front office made it clear to Bozeman that he would not only compete but also try his hand at both positions.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, right, acknowledges Bradley Bozeman during a game against the New England Patriots in December. (Greg M. Cooper / Associated Press)

“From the jump, that’s what we were going to be doing, we were going to be rotating and playing different positions,” Bozeman said. “I knew I was competing to start. Always been a competitor, never backed down from a challenge.”

For Bozeman, the challenge lies in re-acclimating to guard — a less daunting task for the soon-to-be 31-year-old, even though he hasn’t played guard in a game in nearly five years.

“I’ve mixed in a little bit of guard through the last couple training camps,” Bozeman said. “Went back and watched some old film, picked up some old tips for myself, so it’s like riding a bike.”

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman called the experiment “way too early to tell how things will shake out,” but said the transition has been “pretty seamless" so far, with the much more experienced Bozeman mentoring Johnson — despite the competition.

But in just over a month, the Chargers will face a decision.

They can either proceed with the experiment after a full preseason of reps — featuring an aging center making his first regular-season start at guard in years, and a guard making his first-ever regular-season start at center.

Read more:With Chargers back in San Diego, players hope to win back their traditional fan base

Or they could revert to last year’s pairing, where both started all 17 games but struggled mightily, especially in pass protection. Bozeman and Johnson each ranked near the bottom of the league in hits, sacks and pressures allowed, according to Pro Football Focus.

Even so, the staff believes the cross-training will boost the offensive line’s overall versatility, regardless of how the competition plays out.

With the Hall of Fame Game against the Lions in Canton, Ohio, days away, Harbaugh remains undecided on whether the starting unit will play in the preseason opener — a decision he said will be made later this week.

If Johnson starts at center, he’ll also continue taking snaps at guard, and Bozeman will do the same, with Harbaugh saying that’s “the best thing for our team and our offensive line. We’re going to continue to cultivate that.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Eagles stock up, stock down after 1st week of 2025 training camp

Eagles stock up, stock down after 1st week of 2025 training camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s early. Very early.

Let’s get that part out of the way. 

The Eagles have made it through just three practices in training camp and they haven’t even put on the pads yet, so take all of this with a grain of salt. Plenty will change over the new few weeks.

But here’s the first stock watch of the summer:

Stock up

CB Quinyon Mitchell

After Darius Slay’s departure, Mitchell is now playing the left cornerback position and hasn’t missed a beat. He has had several impressive pass breakups through three practices, including one downfield on A.J. Brown and one downfield on DeVonta Smith. Mitchell is just so smooth and sticky and plays like a savvy veteran. It’s hard to believe he’s entering just his second NFL season in 2025. Vic Fangio said the reason Mitchell is lining up on the left now is to prepare him for the possibility of traveling with top receivers. Mitchell is ready for that if Fangio chooses to do it.

DT Moro Ojomo 

The third-year defensive tackle has been really disruptive so far during these non-padded practices. Ojomo finally got his first NFL sack in the playoff game agains the Rams last year but has serious upside as pass-rushing interior defensive lineman. He has had several pressures in Week 1 of camp. A lot of his matchups have been against right guard Tyler Steen and that’s a battle to watch when the pads come on.

WR A.J. Brown

Whenever you watch Brown on the practice field, it really feels like you’re watching the best receiver in the NFL. There’s just no deficiency in his game and at times he’s just an absolute cheat code. He looks as good as ever. He has been making catches all over the field and some have been spectacular, like when he soared over Kelee Ringo on the sideline on a back shoulder throw or when he caught one in the breadbasket on the other sideline to get the offense out of a funk on Day 3.

WR DeVonta Smith

After a slow Day 1, Smith has caught a bunch of passes the last two days, including two touchdown catches in the red zone on Saturday from 11 and 6 yards out. Smith has looked really good operating out of the slot on occasion and that element of the offense looks like it will carry over with new OC Kevin Patullo.

OLB Jalyx Hunt

After losing Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham this offseason, Hunt is returning for Year 2 as the presumed starter opposite Nolan Smith. Expectations are high for Hunt, who has already been very disruptive this summer. He has mostly been on the right side of the defense, which means daily battles against Jordan Mailata, who raved about Hunt last week. Hunt came on so strong late last season and his growth has continued.

LB Jihaad Campbell

It was a pleasant surprise that Campbell was even on the field for Day 1 but he has looked the part. His length really stands out at the inside linebacker position but so does his movement. Most of Campbell’s reps have come with the second team but he got a few first-team reps on Day 3 and those should continue to increase. Campbell hasn’t made any highlight-reel plays yet but he looks like a first-round talent out there who could be a starter by Sept. 4.

Stock down

OG Kenyon Green

When the Eagles got Green as part of the return in the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade, many wondered if he would have a chance to win that starting right guard position. It doesn’t look like it early in camp. Green missed the first two days with a knee injury and when he returned on Day 3, he was the third-team left guard. The former Texans first-round pick will have to fight just to make the roster. 

CB Kelee Ringo

Big grain of salt here because Ringo is very talented and he’s going to have every opportunity to win the starting cornerback job opposite Quinyon Mitchell, but it wasn’t the smoothest first few days. Mitchell has gotten beat a couple times by Terrace Marshall and a couple times by A.J. Brown in camp. You can obviously explain away the reps against Brown because he’s one of the best in the league, but Ringo has been in position to make plays and just hasn’t yet. Ringo was the first RCB on the field on Day 1 but Adoree’ Jackson was out there first on Days 2 and 3. That’s a real competition and you’d have to imagine the Eagles would love for Ringo to take control of the position.

S Lewis Cine

It’s not that Cine has performed poorly through three days of camp but if you were hoping the former first-round pick would challenge for a starting position, that isn’t happening. While Reed Blankenship is one of the starters at safety, the other spot is up for grabs. While Sydney Brown, Drew Mukuba, Tristin McCollum and even Andre’ Sam have gotten first-team reps, Cine has consistently been working with the third-team defense. If it comes down to him vs. Sam for a final roster spot, Sam’s ability on special teams would likely give him the edge.

OL Hollin Pierce

The former Rutgers tackle has been playing guard for the Eagles and got reps the first two days of camp. But with Kenyon Green’s return, someone had to be the odd man out. Both Pierce and Laekin Vakalahi lost out on reps on Day 3, which means that developmental period at the end of practices becomes huge. Pierce is an intriguing prospect but the Eagles have 16 offensive linemen in camp and plenty of young players ahead of him.

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Jordan Love was surprised and excited by all the help the Packers drafted for him

The Packers spent their first-round draft pick on wide receiver Matthew Golden, their second-round pick on offensive tackle Anthony Belton and their third-round pick on wide receiver Savion Williams. That's a major investment in putting good players around quarterback Jordan Love, and Love appreciates it.

Love said on NFL Network that he wasn't even sure how long it had been since the Packers drafted a first-round wide receiver (it last happened in 2002), but he knew it had been a long time, and he knew it was a major sign that the Packers are putting resources into their passing game.

"I was definitely surprised, going into that first round, having the draft here in Green Bay, and hearing for the first time since 2000-and-whatever getting a receiver," Love said. "So I was excited getting Matthew Golden, then Savion, those are two guys that I think are going to add some dynamic weapons to our passing game. We've got a lot of weapons."

Asked what his goal is for this season, Love was blunt: "We're trying to win the Super Bowl."

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Evan Engram: It was easy being first in building with Jaguars, it's tough with Broncos

Evan Engram is early in his first season with the Broncos, but the tight end has already noticed one significant difference from his time with the Jaguars.

Engram thrived on the field for most of his time in Jacksonville and left the Jaguars with 234 catches in 43 games, but he made it sound like he's found a better cultural fit for himself in Denver. Engram said that "the way that this team connects, the way they push each other" has been his favorite thing about being with the Broncos and illustrated how that connection manifests itself at a training camp press conference.

"I tell people, all my family, it’s hard to be the first one in the building," Engram said, via DNVR Broncos. "I’m used to being the first one. In Jacksonville, I was always the first one. It was really easy. Here, it's kind of tough. A lot of guys doing it at the highest level. It's just a contagious environment. We all want to get better, and we all have high standards that we all want to achieve together."

The Broncos took a significant step forward in head coach Sean Payton's second season by going from 8-9 to making the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50. They lost to Buffalo in their first playoff game, but the commitment that Engram has noticed could help push them even further up the AFC ladder in 2025.

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Roob's Eagles Observations: A new twist that should pay big dividends on offense

Roob's Eagles Observations: A new twist that should pay big dividends on offense originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

An intriguing change we’ll see this year on offense, a thoughtful Saquon Barkley reflection on his performance in the Super Bowl and one thing that sets A.J. Brown apart from every other elite wide receiver.

We’re three days into training camp, and there’s so much going on I could do 100 Observations this week. I won’t, but I could. But I’ll make you a deal. If the Eagles make another Super Bowl this season, I’ll do 100 Random Eagles Observations on Super Bowl Sunday. Promise. 

1. I don’t think anybody would disagree that the Eagles’ offense underachieved a bit during much of last year’s regular season last year. With the talent they had? Fair to say 26.8 points per game was a little low. They reached 30 points only four times in their first 15 games (but four of their last seven) and weren’t top-5 in points, yards, first downs, third down or red zone. They were good, and very good later in the season and when the offense underachieved the defense carried the team. With this quaterback, these skill players, this offensive line, this should be a 30 points-per-game offense, and Jordan Mailata offered an intriguing way the offense can be better in 2025. “Well, I can probably pass block a little bit better, run block a little bit better. And I think as an individual, if we all do our individual stuff great, you know, it’ll all add up. But I think the operation, getting out of the huddle quicker so we have more time to operate on the back end, communicate our calls. I think that’s probably the biggest issue. And it’s probably the same constant thing that I would say last year as well, but that’s just something that keeps popping up is just our communication, our operation. It was good, but I think that could be greater. That could be better. And it all starts with just the operation of breaking the huddle and then going from there, communicating the calls. So I think that’s one way where we can free up some extra time so we don’t have to think too much, so that we can just react.” Kevin Patullo agreed Saturday that tightening up the operation would benefit the offense: “I think in general, when you can push the tempo as an offense, now you put the defense in stress, so that’s something we want to continue to do and just kind of operate faster. I think that’s something that can help everybody. It gives us more time to see things and just operate with more efficiency.”

2A. Three days of training camp practices with no pads is way too early to draw any conclusions, but it’s not too early to say Jihaad Campbell looks fast and athletic out there. He looks like a football player. He’s already ahead of schedule coming back from that shoulder injury, and it’s hard not to be excited about what he’s going to be able to contribute once the pads go on Monday or Tuesday. Campbell is an inside linebacker right now, but we’ve seen him working with edge rush coach Jeremiah Washburn after one practice, so that’s clearly Vic Fangio’s mind as well. The coaches are throwing a lot at him, and they wouldn’t do that if they didn’t believe he could handle it. Exciting player.

2B. Nakobe Dean is still a ways away, but he’s out there watching practice and taking mental reps off to the side, and at the end of practice on Thursday, when the massive wall-of-sound speakers at the practice fields began playing Jump Around by House of Pain – a song released eight years before he was born – Dean was laughing and dancing around looking nothing like someone rehabbing a torn patellar tendon. What does that mean? Maybe not a lot medically, but it was really good to see.

2C. What happens when Zack Baun, Campbell and Dean are all healthy? I don’t know exactly how all the pieces will fit together and how the reps will be split up, but I do know Dean is too good to not play. Fangio will find a role for him, and I don’t know if there’s ever been an Eagles team in history that had this problem of too many talented linebackers.

3. Jalen Carter has sat out the first three practices with a sore knee, but that kid showed me something at practice Thursday because after the final rep of each set of reps, all 11 defensive guys on the field sprint as a group to the end zone behind them before going back to the sideline. And Carter kept jumping from the sideline into that group and sprinting into the end zone with his guys. So he’s not practicing, but he’s running sprints with his teammates. He doesn’t have to do that. Nobody told him to do that. He’s technically injured and not participating. But here’s a legit superstar, a guy who made a Pro Bowl and 2nd-team all-pro before his 24th birthday, just being one of the guys, just being a fantastic teammate, just wanting to be out there hurting with his teammates. True leadership isn’t always rah-rah speeches, it’s being a terrific example to the people around you. And when the other guys on defense see a star like Carter fitting in with his teammates like that and putting in extra work, that means a lot. I loved seeing it.

4. The Eagles had three touchdown runs of 40 yards or more in their playoff win over the Rams – 60 and 62 yards by Saquon Barkley and 44 yards by Jalen Hurts. They had more 40-yard TD runs in that one game than the Colts, Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Cowboys, Packers, Teans, Colts, Jaguars, Chiefs, Vikings, Saints, Jets, Steelers, Rams, Seahawks, Titans and Commanders have in their postseason history.

5. There’s been so much hype this summer around Jalyx Hunt, and Dave Zangaro wrote Friday about how impressed some of his teammates have been with the second-year edge rusher. I’m seriously bullish on Hunt. I’ve got him down for eight to 10 sacks and I wouldn’t be shocked if he goes over that. He’s so strong and quick and athletic and he’s already come so far so fast, his ceiling is unlimited. I just can’t get over the fact that this kid began his college career as an Ivy League safety at Cornell in 2019 and was still playing safety at Cornell as recently as 2021. His first year as an edge was 2022, when he resurfaced at Houston Baptist (now Houston Christian). I mean, to be at the level he’s at now – starting for the Super Bowl champs – when he was a safety four years ago is absurd. He was drafted as a project, but he’s anything but. He’s going to be really, really good.

6A. Really fascinating comments from Saquon Barkley on Chris Long’s Green Light podcast about his performance in the Super Bowl. After he gained 2,447 yards through the NFC Championship Game, the Chiefs limited Barkley to just 57 yards on 25 carries in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. His 2.28 rushing average in that game is 12th-worst in NFL playoff history (minimum 20 carries) and worst in Super Bowl history. Sixteen of Barkley’s 25 carries went for two yards or less and he had only three carries longer than four yards. But the Chiefs’ decision to crowd the box and try to shut down Barkley paid off with Jalen Hurts and the passing game having a huge day in the Eagles’ 40-22 win. Barkley beautifully put it all in perspective: “I had a rough day that game. Listen, I’m a big believer in showing love and giving respect and I’m super excited we get to play them again this year, but Spags and all those guys over there on that defense, my hat is off to them. I played a game my second year where I had one yard rushing on 14 carries against the Jets. That game in the Super Bowl was harder for me than that game. They just did a really good job. … (At) the beginning of the game I understood where their mind set was, but of course I’m under the impression that I’m going to make something shake, that I’m going to make something pop. But it wasn’t my day. It wasn’t my time. I think the success I had leading up to that game opened up a lot of stuff, and that’s team football. The success that Jalen and A.J. and Smitty had in the years prior helped me out. Because it’s hard to load the box. It’s hard to bring that extra defender. Because now you have A.J. Brown and Smitty on an island. Yeah, good luck with that. So as a leader on the team and the player that I think I am, I didn’t play to the level I wanted to play in that game. Two days later, you’re excited that you won and I got my ring, but you’re like, ‘All right, what am I going to do next time in the game and how am I going to approach that game?’ Like, what did I do in the week of practice? Why didn’t I have the game I wanted to have? But that’s your human nature. I’m not mad that I didn’t play great. Like, I got a ring. But at the same time, next time I get there, I’m going to be ready for the next opportunity.”

Beautifully said.

6B. In that Jets game in 2019, Barkley actually had one rushing yards on 13 carries, and his 0.77 rushing average is 4th-worst ever by a running back (minimum 10 carries) and worst since Reggie Bush was 11-for-(-5) in Tampa in 2006. Those 13 carries went for 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, -1, -2, -3 and -4 yards.

7. It’s been encouraging to see how comfortable Jalen Hurts has been early in camp throwing to Jahan Dotson. This time last year, Dotson was still a Washington Commander, and he didn’t get traded here until Aug. 22, so he’s way ahead of where he was last year, and at least through three days Hurts hasn’t hesitated to throw him the ball when he’s open. I don’t know how much of an impact Dotson can make on an offense with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley, but this is a 25-year-old who was a mid-1st-round pick just three years ago who’s quick, knows how to get open and catches the ball well, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he catches 35 passes for 400 to 450 yards this year playing mainly in the slot. Like a Jason Avant type of season. Go back to the Super Bowl, and two of Hurts’ first four completions were to Dotson – a 27-yarder down to the 1-yard-line to set up a Hurts TD on the Eagles’ first drive and then a 15-yarder to midfield on the Eagles’ second possession. If Hurts trusts Dotson in key moments of a Super Bowl, he’s going to trust him this year. I haven’t seen one reason Dotson can’t be a factor.

8. JALEN HURTS STAT OF THE WEEK: Here’s one for the “Jalen Hurts can’t throw crowd:” Since Hurts became a full-time starting quarterback in 2021, he’s had 33 games with a passer rating of at least 100. Only four QBs have had more: Josh Allen (38), Joe Burrow (36), Patrick Mahomes (36) and Jared Goff (34).

9. One thing that sets A.J. Brown apart from most other elite wide receivers is his monstrous yards per catch average. He’s not just catching the ball, with his speed and elusiveness he’s running deep routes and with his strength and toughness he’s piling up big yards after the catch. Brown’s 15.8 per-catch average since his rookie year in 2019 is highest in the NFL (minimum 300 catches), and he’s 7th-highest in yards before the catch (10.1 yards) and 8th-highest in yards after the catch (5.6). So he’s a rarity in that he’s elite both before and after the catch. Since Stathead began tracking yards before and after the catch in 2018, Brown is the only player in the league who’s averaged 10 yards before the catch and five yards after the catch (Marquez Valdes-Scantling is at 5.5 and 11.9 but has only 205 career receptions).

10. This is a little thing but it really bugs me. And maybe I’m the only one. But every year since the Eagles moved training camp out of Lehigh to the NovaCare in 2013, they’ve blanketed the tall fence between the fan parking lot on Pattison Avenue and the NovaCare Complex entrance with huge posters of old training camp scenes from West Chester and Lehigh. So over here was a huge poster of Reggie White and some kids at West Chester and over there was a shot of fans watching practice at Lehigh taken from the hill behind the stands. I love that stuff. I loved West Chester and Lehigh and any reminder of those days is welcome. I get why the Eagles have camp at their own facility these days, but if you can’t have training camp anymore where all fans are actually welcome, at least pay homage to those halcyon days. But this year, those posters are gone, replaced by generic images from the NovaCare Complex. One more link to those great old training camp days that has disappeared.

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