Tag: NFL

Is Todd McShay leaving ESPN? Media network makes major decision on future of NFL Draft expert

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Yes, NFL Draft guru Todd McShay is leaving ESPN. The long-term staff member will need to find a new workplace to call home. The famous sportscaster is one of the many affected by the rapid clean-up at ESPN

Alongside McShay, ESPN is laying off some of its biggest stars, including Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Matt Hasselbeck, LaPhonso Ellis, Ashley Brewer, Jason Fitz, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Jalen Rose and Joon Lee.

These layoffs come after ESPN’s parent company, Disney, previously had three rounds of releases to eliminate 7,000 jobs, which were ordered by the company’s CEO, Bob Iger.

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How did Todd McShay become a draft analyst?

Todd McShay joined the world of professional football scouting in the summer of 1998. McShay interned at The War Room, a scouting publication founded by former NFL scout Gary Horton. Horton spent 10 years in the NFL, working for the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Following a productive internship, Todd McShay was hired full-time by The War Room in 1999, remaining with the organization until ESPN acquired them in 2006. While no longer independent, McShay continued working for The War Room, rebranded as Scouts Inc. At ESPN, he began working with fellow draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

Once McShay joined ESPN, he and Kiper Jr. started the most efficient double-act in the draft industry. They regularly appear together on several ESPN programs, including College Football Live, SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. They recently covered the 2023 NFL Draft with typical effectiveness, and millions of people viewed their coverage on TV and social media platforms.

Is this the first time Todd McShay is leaving ESPN?

No, it isn’t. In September 2021, Todd McShay announced he was taking a hiatus from ESPN to focus on his health and family. That came three days after working on the sidelines during an ESPN college football broadcast, after which viewers expressed concern on the internet about his well-being during an on-air segment.

It surprised ESPN viewers, as McShay had never taken such a leave from work since he joined the network. He was away till Oct. 27, 2021, after which he returned to on-air work with ESPN.

He has stayed active since, and it remains to be seen what his next move is following the reports of his layoff by the network. He will be sorely missed by NFL draft enthusiasts and fans of his excellent coverage.

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June 30, 2023
Darren “Droz” Drozdov, former WWE wrestler and NFL player, dies at 54

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Darren “Droz” Drozdov, a former WWE wrestler and Denver Broncos’ defensive lineman, has died at age 54, his family announced on Friday.

“We are sad to share our beloved Darren passed away this morning of natural causes,” his family said in a statement shared by the WWE. “There are no words to convey the deep sense of loss and sadness we are feeling right now. “

Known to wrestling fans as “Droz” and “Puke,” Drozdov’s career was cut short following a wrestling accident that left him quadriplegic during a taping of “WWF SmackDown!” on October 5, 1999. Despite his injury, his family said Drozdov “maintained a championship mindset and lived every day to the fullest even though he was unable to move from the neck down for the past 24 years.

WWE MONEY IN THE BANK 2023:What to know about Saturday’s event in London

Here’s everything to know about Drozdov:

How was Darren Drozdov injured?

Drozdov suffered a serious neck injury during a taping of a “WWF SmackDown!” match with wrestler D’Lo Brown in 1999 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Drozdov, who was 30 at the time, landed on his head after Brown performed a wrestling maneuver on him called a powerbomb, fracturing two vertebrae in his neck and paralyzing him from the neck down. The episode never aired.

Drozdov used a wheelchair for the remainder of his life and later regained movement in his upper body and arms, according to Pro Wrestling Stories. Drozdov didn’t blame Brown for the accident. “I have no hard feelings toward D’Lo because (expletive) happens and everyone who gets involved in athletics, including WWE, knows the risks that exist,” Drozdov told Fox Sports in 2014.

Drozdov continued to work with WWE following his accident as a writer and columnist. His family said WWE provided Drozdov with “the proper care and treatment needed to live in his condition over the past 24 years.”

Why was Darren Drozdov nicknamed Puke?

Drozdov was infamous for his ability to vomit on command, an ability he demonstrated during his WWE audition in front of CEO Vince McMahon, who requested he throw up in a trashcan in his office.

Did Darren Drozdov play in the NFL?

Before his wrestling career, Drozdov briefly played in the NFL. He played for the Denver Broncos from 1993-94, where he notoriously vomited on the ball during “Monday Night Football.”

On Friday, the Broncos said Drozdov “embodied the spirit of perseverance & determination through adversity,” adding, “our hearts go out to his family.”

Did Darren Drozdov play college football?

Drozdov was a defensive tackle for the University of Maryland’s football team from 1989-1992.

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June 30, 2023
The NFL is addressing gambling suspensions with training and conversations with the players’ union – KXAN Austin

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NFL chief compliance officer Sabrina Perel has been busy this spring.

As the leader of the NFL’s efforts to educate the approximately 17,000 players, coaches, team personnel and others about the league’s gambling policies, she’s in the middle of an annual pilgrimage of sorts.

With training camps opening in less than a month, she’s already visited with more than a dozen NFL teams, and leaves them with the same parting message: “You need to follow the policy at all times. … because this truly does impact the entire team.”

The reason the NFL has been motivated to get its personnel on the same page was again in the spotlight Thursday when the league suspended four more players for violations of its gambling policy. Three received at least yearlong bans for betting on NFL games and one a six-game suspension for wagering on non-NFL games.

It brings the total to 10 players disciplined over the past two years as the league vows to increase training efforts across the board with an eye toward protecting the integrity of the game.

Experts believe the rash of suspensions is part of a new reality for the NFL and other leagues with more violations likely on the horizon. But they don’t think it’s near reaching a critical mass that could cause fans to question the product on the field.

“I think we are still going to see some growing pains. I think we’re going to see probably an uptick while these suspensions play out,” said Oklahoma State professor John Holden, who holds a Ph.D. in sports law and corruption of sport.

The NFL believes blanketing its personnel with information is the best remedy in an era where the association between the league and gambling companies continues to grow.

“To ensure the integrity of the game, we have to double and triple and quadruple down on our education efforts,” NFL executive vice president of public affairs Jeff Miller said. “And that’s just what we’re doing.”

Of those suspended for gambling policy violations since the start of 2022, three players and one assistant were disciplined for betting on non-NFL sports.

Holden thinks the suspensions playing out in the NFL are more than a statistical anomaly. He believes there are likely more investigations that will be revealed in the coming months.

“I wouldn’t expect that we’ll see a ton more of guys getting suspended for betting on NFL games. At this point, that message should be getting home,” he said. “The other stuff, betting from the team facility on NBA games or MLB games, college football. … I think it’s probably going to be something that we see every year.”

That carveout that allows players to place wagers on other sports is not collectively bargained for, Miller said, adding that it’s part of discussions with the NFLPA and “has existed for a long time” and not different from what the NBA, MLB and NHL allow.

“The only distinction being the availability of it,” Miller said. “And so, on the area where it governs league personnel or team personnel or coaches or others, it’s a decision that we can make more unilaterally.”

Miller said conversations will be ongoing with the union.

A message left with the NFLPA was not immediately returned and the union has yet to comment publicly since the latest round of suspensions.

At the introductory news conference for new NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell on Wednesday, NFLPA President JC Tretter declined to answer a question regarding what actions the union was planning following the recent rash of gambling policy infractions.

Creighton sports law professor David Weber said while wading into gambling on non-NFL games “provides players some avenue to engage in this form of entertainment, it puts the risk of compliance with the policy squarely on the player.”

Former NFL quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Boomer Esiason believes players have lost the right to cry ignorance of the rules.

“Any player that comes out and says, ‘Well, they didn’t tell me,’ that’s a pile of crap,” Esiason said Thursday during his WFAN radio show. “It’s on the player to be the professional that you’re supposed to be and earn the money that you’re earning and play in a league that you’re privileged to play in, and protect that league’s integrity by not betting on the league.”

As far as the seemingly contradictory league policy that prohibits coaches and other league personnel from wagering on non-NFL sports, Perel said that she didn’t anticipate any changes.

“There’re just so many people who either have inside information or have access to inside information,” she said. “And we just kind of feel like, to have them gambling in any regard, it’s a little counterproductive to what we’re trying to do to make sure that there’s no negative appearance or association of the fact that they might be betting on other sports.”

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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June 30, 2023
Former NFL lineman Mark Schlereth has successful heart surgery

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Mark Schlereth is recovering from heart surgery in Denver.

Schlereth, a former NFL great who now is a color commentator at Fox Sports and a sports talk radio host in Denver, posted a photo from the hospital with the news that his surgery was successful.

Quick shout out to my family all the love and support the last two days during my heart surgery… I love you all also wanted to thank the great people/nurses @PorterHospital you are all phenomenal. Special thanks to Dr @srissundaram glad it was successful. Zane was 0 stress. pic.twitter.com/P11Qsaaguy

— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) April 7, 2022

“Quick shout out to my family all the love and support the last two days during my heart surgery,” Schlereth tweeted.

“I love you all also wanted to thank the great people/nurses Porter Hospital you are all phenomenal. Special thanks to Dr. Sri Sundaram. Glad it was successful. Zane was 0 stress.”

Zane, the tot with zero stress, is Schlereth’s grandson.

Mark Schlereth is recovering after successful heart surgery in Denver.
Getty Images

Schlereth, 56, played guard in the NFL from 1989 through 2000, first with Washington and later Denver. During his NFL career, Schlereth made two Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls.

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April 9, 2022
NFL Draft offers Giants a chance to fix most glaring need

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Sign up here to get Inside the Giants delivered to your inbox each Wednesday morning.

A case can be made that the Giants should dispense with all the draft rhetoric, push aside all the other needs at all the other spots on the field and just do it.

Fix the damn offensive line, once and for all.

They own the No. 5 and No. 7 overall picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, positions from which they could instantly fill two of the five starting spots on the line. The first part of this is easy. If Evan Neal of Alabama or Ickey Ekwonu of North Carolina State is on the board at No. 5, race up to the podium with the card that bears the name of either of these two stud tackles, and that’s that.

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April 6, 2022
Derek Stingley Jr. is NFL Draft’s most boom-or-bust prospect

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There may not be a more polarizing player in this year’s NFL draft than LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

The 20-year-old had an amazing freshman season in 2019 with six interceptions and 15 pass breakups to help the Tigers to the national title. But he has only played in 10 games over the last two injury-filled years, has no interceptions in that time and NFL teams have to wonder about his durability.

“I find this one to be extraordinarily tough,” former Jets GM and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum said, “and I’d much rather be in the media making this decision than a real one because this is one that really keeps you up at night. If in three years, we said that he was one of the two or three best football players from this draft, I wouldn’t be surprised and if we said in two or three years there were questions about his durability, I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s what makes the draft process so difficult.”

Stingley was widely considered to be the best cornerback in this year’s draft class going into the 2021 season. But he suffered a Lisfranc injury and had surgery on his foot on Sept. 29, missing all but three games. Stingley’s draft stock has fallen and many people now rate Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner ahead of him. Stingley has gone from being a surefire top-10 pick to someone who could slip into the late teens or maybe even the 20s.

Derek Stingley Jr. at the NFL Combine.
AP

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. still believes Stingley is the best cornerback in this class.

“Stingley, Jr. was a lock-down corner as an 18-year-old true freshman in 2019 when LSU won a national title and finished 15-0,” Kiper said via email. “He also went up against Ja’Marr Chase every day in practice that same year. They had some epic battles. COVID hit in 2020 and he was injured in 2021 and forced to shut it down early on due to the injury.

“He’s several years removed now from that one great season, that’s why Sauce Gardner has moved ahead of Stingley, Jr. on some analysts boards. I really like Gardner, but am sticking with Stingley, Jr., provided there are no issues with the injury which we won’t know for sure until his pro day.”

That pro day is on Wednesday, six months from Stingley’s surgery. He was unable to participate in drills at the NFL Scouting Combine, but now teams will get to see how healthy he is. Stingley is not lacking in confidence.

“I know myself and I know that when I’m at the best version of myself, I’m the greatest,” Stingley said at the combine.

NFL GMs may not be so sure. Tannenbaum said the risk factor may be too great for teams picking in the top 10.

Derek Stingley Jr. intercepts a pass during a 2019 game against Auburn.
USA TODAY Sports

“He has incredible ability, but when you’re picking high, you want to check as many boxes as possible and the fact that he’s played in 10 games in two years, that gives me a lot of concern,” Tannenbaum said.

Kiper said teams will have a tough call to make.

“Stingley, Jr. does provide a difficult evaluation,” Kiper said. “You always want a player drafted early to finish strong both in terms of the regular season as well as the entire draft process. That wasn’t the case with Stingley, Jr., but was the case with Gardner.”

Kiper believes Stingley could go to the Jets at No. 10 or shortly after that.

“Washington or Minnesota would be excellent landing spots for Stingley, Jr.,” Kiper said. “Same for the New York Jets, who select at 10. Washington is at 11 and Minnesota is at 12. The Jets need a true #1 lockdown CB and Washington and Minnesota have CB as one of their major needs.”

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April 4, 2022
NFL teams ‘monitoring’ potential Terry McLaurin trade opening

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has the attention of other NFL teams.

According to The Athletic, teams are monitoring his contract status in Washington “in case an opening to acquire McLaurin emerges.”

The 26-year-old and the Commanders are reportedly expecting to amp up extension talks sometime around the NFL Draft, which takes place from April 28-30. According to the report, both sides anticipate a June or July resolution.

During last week’s NFL owners’ meetings, Washington head coach Ron Rivera said the Commanders “wouldn’t entertain” calls about McLaurin.

“I think the biggest thing is just [telling] everybody patience,” Rivera said. “We’ve got plenty of time. We’re mapping things out as an organization. We’re prepared for all that stuff.”

McLaurin is entering the final year of his four-year rookie deal that includes a $2.79 million salary in 2022, with a $3.04 million cap hit. But he could demand a lot more money being a first-option wide receiver in a current market that has wideouts landing mega deals.

McLaurin has recorded 222 receptions, 3,090 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns during his three seasons in Washington.
Getty Images

The Ohio State product is coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard season — and has remained productive since arriving in Washington in 2019, while playing with eight different starting quarterbacks.

If McLaurin and the Commanders fail to reach a contract extension, the team could franchise tag him for the 2023 season — which would result in Washington paying the receiver $20.16 million.

McLaurin left his future open-ended in January, telling The Athletic, “We just have to see what the future holds. I’m proud of the way I conducted myself and looking forward to seeing what’s next.”

Although McLaurin is no Davante Adams or Tyreek Hill when it comes to the receiver pool, the Packers and Chiefs could use his talents. The Falcons are also in need of receivers, following Calvin Ridley’s full-season gambling suspension in 2022, and Russell Gage’s exit to Tampa Bay last month.

McLaurin has recorded 222 receptions, 3,090 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in his three seasons in Washington.

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April 4, 2022
Travon Walker, Kayvon Thibodeaux’s status in 2002 NFL Draft

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As Kayvon Thibodeaux is sinking, Travon Walker is doing more than just floating.

He is making waves.

Six months ago, Thibodeaux was viewed as the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Then Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson put together the better season and surpassed Oregon’s Thibodeaux as the top edge rusher and likely No. 1 pick in a light-quarterback draft class. It happens.

Except now it seems Thibodeaux has been leapfrogged again, by Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker, who recently became the betting favorite to be the No. 2 overall pick ahead of offensive tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Evan Neal, safety Kyle Hamilton and Thibodeaux. What is going on here?

“That’s the million-dollar question: Where is Thibodeaux going to go?” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “He really doesn’t have many pass-rush moves at all. He’s strong and he’s got that great first-step quickness — and that’s what he relies on. In the NFL, the pass-rush moves have to be developed. How he is coached is going to go a long way in determining what kind of player he is going to be.”

Kayvon Thibodeaux
AP

Even with an ankle injury that caused him to miss three games last September, Thibodeaux was the better playmaker with 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles in 10 games. Walker totaled 7.5, six and zero, respectively, in 15 games.

But box scores can lie.

“Walker’s tape is freaky,” one NFL scouting source said. “I would probably take him over Hutchinson because he has more upside. Aidan is going to be a really good player for many, many years because he is a grinder. Walker is similar, but he’s a better athlete who is bigger, faster and stronger, and still coming into his own.”

Walker was so overshadowed on his own team that he didn’t even earn All-SEC honors. Georgia’s historic defense fielded three first-teamers — all of whom are projected first-round picks lower than Walker — and three defensive linemen other than Walker named either first- or second-teamers.

But the buzz around the 6-foot-5, 272-pound Walker started to pick up right before the NFL combine and exploded after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds — the fastest time ever for a player weighing more than 270 pounds. The rest of his dazzling athletic display included a 35.5-inch vertical leap, a 10-foot 3-inch broad jump, a 6.89-second three-cone drill and a 4.32-second 20-yard shuttle.

Travon Walker
AP

“I think it’s more a case of Thibodeaux slipping than Walker rising,” the scouting source said. “Teams have been on Walker since the fall.”

Whereas Walker offers much-desired scheme versatility — including every-down effectiveness lined up on the interior or edge — there is some concern whether Thibodeaux is better on the interior. In that case, the 6-4, 254-pounder might be too light and at risk of losing quickness by adding muscle.

The two scouting knocks on Thibodeaux prior to Oregon’s Pro Day last week were that he looks “stiff” and gives inconsistent effort — worsened by his impromptu decision to pull out of combine drills after running the 40-yard dash (4.58 seconds) and bench pressing 27 reps. Because Thibodeaux has been on the radar since leading the nation in fourth-quarter sacks with seven as a true freshman in 2019, there might be some over-analysis of flaws happening.

Kiper counts Thibodeaux’s floor as No. 9 to the Seahawks but likes the fit with the Giants at No. 7. The Seahawks and Lions (picking No. 2) both sent seven representatives to Oregon’s Pro Day and the Giants sent five including general manager Joe Schoen to watch Thibodeaux finish his athletic testing and go through position drills. Afterward, Thibodeaux said it is “ridiculous” to call anyone else the best player in the draft.

Kayvon Thibodeaux
Getty Images

“He will be motivated to prove himself in the NFL,” a second scouting source said. “You see crazy explosiveness in flashes. Look at his get-off.”

Walker is a one-year starter with less overexposure. One year ago, Odafe Oweh was a first-round pick after a sack-less final season at Penn State. But Oweh went No. 31 and succeeded with five sacks and two starts as a Ravens rookie.

Much more will be expected of Walker as a top-five pick — and the box scores will tell the truth.

“What he was asked to do at Georgia isn’t what he’s going to be asked to do in the NFL,” a third scouting source said. “Just turn him loose.”

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April 3, 2022
Commanders allegedly kept ticket revenue from other NFL teams

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The latest accusation of wrongdoing by the Washington Commanders entails stealing from the league’s other 31 teams.

The Commanders did not hand over to the NFL the full 40 percent of ticket sales from home games to be added to the pot and dispersed evenly among visiting teams, according to a FrontOfficeSports.com report. So, Washington is alleged to have skimmed off the top while getting its full 1/32nd of the pie from other teams’ home games.

The House Oversight Committee that has been investigating the Commanders and owner Daniel Snyder for months dating back to allegations of sexual misconduct and a hostile work environment has expanded its scope, according to the report citing two anonymous sources, claiming one person informed Congress of the ticket scheme.

If the allegations are proven accurate, it could be the “death knell” for Snyder’s ownership, a league source told Pro Football Talk

. Owners can vote to force another to sell under extreme circumstances.

Dan Snyder
Getty Images

Washington reported the second-lowest attendance (52,751 fans per game) in the league for the 2021 season. Other game revenues such as concessions and parking are not pooled to be shared league-wide.

“My understanding is that the early returns of ticket sales are going very well in Washington,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at the owners’ meetings last week, per Front Office Sports. “They are making a lot of progress. We are very optimistic going into the season.”

Goodell also said last week that Snyder “has not been involved in day-to-day operations” since he was levied a $10 million fine and ceded control to his wife Tanya in July 2021. The Washington Post refuted that report and said Snyder is running the organization on a daily basis.

Revenue from ticket sales is factored into making the league’s annual salary cap.

The NFL declined comment on the report of a ticket scheme.

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April 3, 2022
Colin Kaepernick shows off arm for NFL scouts: ‘Can help you’

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Colin Kaepernick can still sling it.

The embattled 34-year-old quarterback, who last played in the NFL in 2017, put on a throwing exhibition for scouts and team personnel in attendance at Michigan football’s spring game, at the invitation of coach Jim Harbaugh.

Throwing to undrafted and free agent receivers, Kaepernick looked good, including a deep bomb that found his receiver’s hands on his final pass.

Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh watches as former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick throws during halftime of the Wolverines’ spring game.
AP

“That I can help make you a better team,” Kaepernick told WXYZ Detroit when asked what his message was to NFL teams. “I can help you win games. I know right now the situation likely won’t allow me to come in and step into a starting role. I know I’ll be able to work my way to that though and show that very quickly.

“To the teams that have questions, more than anything I’d say I’d love to come in for a workout, I’d love to sit down with you and have that conversation about how I can help you be a better team.”

Kaepernick, formerly a starter who took the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, has been out of the league for five years and is widely believed to have been blackballed after he caught criticism for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.

Though other players, such as safety Eric Reid, also kneeled, Kaepernick was the face of the movement, which caused then-President Donald Trump to call him a “son of a bitch.”

Colin Kaepernick
USA TODAY Sports

Harbaugh, who coached Kaepernick in San Francisco, has been supportive of him in the past. By having him throw at halftime of the spring game, Harbaugh essentially gave scouts an excuse to see Kaepernick live. The exhibition was sponsored by Wolverines Against Racism, a student organization at the university.

It seems unlikely at this point that any team would sign Kaepernick, but he’s made it clear that he’s ready, willing and able to play professional football.

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April 2, 2022