Month: January 2021
Arians opens up on decision to take swing at Brady
One year ago at this time, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew they were at a quarterback crossroads.
With former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston ending his fifth season with the NFL’s first-ever 30-30 season (33 touchdown passes, and NFL-high 30 interceptions) and the 7-9 Bucs missing the playoffs for the 12th straight season, it was time for a major move.
And according to head coach Bruce Arians, once six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady became available for the first time in his career, it was time for Tampa Bay to push all of their chips in.
As Arians reflected Thursday on how far the franchise has come in 12 months — just over a week until playing in Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs — the subject during the Buccaneers’ media session shifted to why the Bucs gambled the organization on a passer who would be 43 during the 2020 season, even if he is arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
“You can’t hit a home run unless you’re going to swing for one,” Arians said. “You can’t do anything special in life sitting on a fence.”
In hindsight, no one would question the signing of the oldest free-agent starting quarterback the league has seen, not after Brady again defied time by throwing for 40 touchdown passes and 4,633 yards in leading Tampa Bay to 11 wins and its first Super Bowl appearance since 2002 — the season after Brady won his first Super Bowl at age 24.
Despite his six rings, Brady’s performance had dipped — with decreases in both pass yards and touchdown tosses in consecutive seasons. Yes, Brady had recently won a Super Bowl in beating the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, but his offense put up just 13 points that day — and Brady looked (gasp) older and slower in the Patriots’ playoff loss to Tennessee last season.
But according to Arians, once Brady became available, there was no hesitation in Tampa Bay.
“The question back then was, ‘If there was a quarterback that was a free agent, who would you want?’ ” Arians recalled. “Of course, it was Tom Brady, not thinking he’d become a free agent.
“Once he did, it was a pursuit that we wanted to make and [we] knew he had some interest.”
When asked about the Buccaneers’ supposed gamble on Brady, the NFL icon displayed the confidence of a man who had no doubt a record 10th trip to the Super Bowl was entirely possible.
“I’d like to think that I wasn’t that much of a chance after a lot of years,” Brady said. “Becoming a free agent and then having the opportunity to continue my playing career. … I love the opportunity that presented itself here, which is ultimately why I chose here. I really love the coaching staff, I loved the players that they had. I looked at those players and thought, ‘Wow, these are really great players. This would be a good opportunity for me.’ “
The ride was not always smooth. Brady’s Bucs began the season losing to fellow quarterback legend Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in the season opener, then again 38-3 on a Monday night to Brees on national television.
Tampa Bay looked wonky at times at 7-5, but since a Week 13 bye, the Bucs have won seven straight and have peaked into becoming the first team ever to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium.
“It just ended up being a great fit and as it’s played out, I’ve just thought, ‘Wow, this has really been a magical year.’ ” Brady said. “For me as a player to switch teams, that takes a lot. To move my family, to go to a different conference, to keep building the way we did and develop a rapport with the guys that we have here — so much of football is about the relationships that you get with your teammates [and your] coaches. The fact that we’re still playing feels really good for me and [I] understand that we’ve put a lot into it.
“Hopefully we can go finish the job.”
The final step will not be easy — against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, winners of 25 of their last 27 games, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Arians was asked Thursday if Kansas City’s young star could chase down Brady’s records one day, and replied, “There’s no doubt that if there was a player who could do it, it would be Patrick.”
But Arians also hinted that his team would always go down swinging, regardless of the odds or the challenge.
“That’s how you live life. Do you sit and live in a closet trying to be safe, [or are] you going to have some fun?”
–Field Level Media
Andy Reid disappointed Eric Bieniemy didn’t land head-coaching job
Deshaun Watson isn’t the only person who is disappointed not to see Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy land a head-coaching job.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that while the idea of having Bieniemy remain on his staff is great for his team, Reid was “really hoping (Bieniemy) would have an opportunity to take one of these jobs.
“You guys know what I think of him. I think he’s great. I think he would be great for any number of teams that opened up and help them win football games and also develop men into men. I just think he’s a great person.”
Watson, the Houston Texans’ star quarterback, reportedly had been lobbying for Bieniemy to take over in Houston, a job that ultimately went to another first-time head coach: David Culley, who previously served as an assistant to Reid.
Bieniemy, who played nine years in the NFL as a running back, is in his eighth season working for Reid and has been brought in for interviews for several head-coaching vacancies in the past few years. Six of those interviews occurred this year, according to ESPN.
The Chiefs will aim for a second consecutive Super Bowl title on Feb. 7 when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa.
Bieniemy’s coaching career dates to 2001, mostly as a running backs coach, for Colorado (two years), UCLA (three years), the Minnesota Vikings (five years), then back to Colorado as offensive coordinator (two seasons).
Bieniemy was hired in 2013 as the Chiefs’ running backs coach, and after five seasons, he was promoted of offensive coordinator.
Count Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill among Bieniemy’s fans as well.
“I’m not a GM or anything, but I will say coach Bieniemy has helped me out a lot (as) a man, player, just everything I’ve become for the Chiefs’ organization. It’s very shocking that he didn’t get a job,” Hill said.
“I know deep down inside he’s going to look at himself in the mirror and say, ‘What do I have to do better next year or whenever the case may be?’ He’s that kind of dude. He wants to get better and he wants to become a head coach. His time will come,” Hill added.
The Chiefs coasted to the AFC West title at 14-2 this season. They led the NFL with 5,005 yards passing, and they finished fifth with an average of 29.6 points per game.
Not that Reid wasn’t glad to see Culley, his wide receivers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2012 and in Kansas City from 2013-2016, get an opportunity.
“David will do a good job,” Reid said. “He’s a people person. He’ll bring energy to the building. One of the most loyal guys I’ve ever been around. He’s a great person. We were together 18 years. We had a few cheeseburgers together.”
–Field Level Media
Report: Lions to hire Mark Brunell as QB coach
The Detroit Lions continue to remake their coaching staff in their latest organizational reshuffle.
One day after the team announced former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn as the new offensive coordinator, NFL Network reported Thursday that the Lions are expected to add former three-time Pro Bowler Mark Brunell as the quarterbacks coach.
Brunell, 50, is the latest former player to join the Lions’ staff under new head coach Dan Campbell, the former NFL tight end who was hired last week.
Brunell joins other ex-NFL players on the sidelines in Detroit. In addition to Campbell, the ex-New Orleans assistant head coach, and Lynn, the former running back, the Lions have added Saints secondary coach and long-time defensive back Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator and Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley — a former three-time 1,000-yard rusher in Philadelphia — in the same role.
The Lions will hire Brunell to his first NFL coaching position after he retired months after the end of the 2011 season. Brunell’s only other coaching experience came at a pair of Florida high schools. He spent 2012 as an assistant coach at Providence School in Jacksonville, before becoming the head coach at Jacksonville’s Episcopal School. He went went 2-8 in 2013 and 8-3 in 2014.
It was Jacksonville where Brunell made his biggest mark in his 19 NFL seasons. After being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round in 1993 and serving as a backup quarterback to Hall of Famer Brett Favre for two seasons, Brunell was the target in the then-expansion Jaguars’ first trade in franchise history in April 1995.
Brunell would start 10 or more games for the Jaguars eight times, starting in their debut 1995 season through 2002, leading Jacksonville to a pair of AFC championship games in 1996 and 1999 and three seasons of 10-plus wins — including a franchise-best 14-2 mark in 1999. After being benched in 2003 for Byron Leftwich, Brunell bounced around with three other teams — Washington, New Orleans and the New York Jets.
Brunell remains the Jaguars’ all-time leader in wins (63), completions (2,184), attempts (3,616), passing yards (25,698) and touchdown passes (144).
–Field Level Media
Texas hires Montana State head coach as assistant
New Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian completed his coaching staff Thursday when he announced that Jeff Choate has joined the Longhorns as co-defensive coordinator, leaving his position as head coach of Montana State.
Choate was 28-22 in his four seasons coaching the Bobcats before the 2020 season was cancelled by the Big Sky Conference. He will also coach inside linebackers while directing the Texas defense with co-coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, with whom he had success at Washington and Boise State coaching on Chris Peterson’s staff.
“Jeff is an awesome final piece to an assistant coaching staff that, as I’ve said before, I’ll put up against anyone in the country,” Sarkisian said. “He is a highly respected, accomplished coach who has a long history of working with outstanding defenses and developing players. His experience as a head coach, extensive background with special teams and wealth of knowledge in many areas will be a tremendous asset to our staff.”
Sarkisian was hired by Texas on Jan. 2, replacing the fired Tom Herman, but stayed on as Alabama offensive coordinator through capturing the national championship on Jan. 11.
Sarkisian also announced that Jason Grooms, formerly assistant athletic director who oversaw football at Vanderbilt, has joined the Longhorns as his chief of staff.
–Field Level Media
Alabama QB Mac Jones could miss Senior Bowl with injury
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones is in danger of missing Saturday’s Senior Bowl after injuring his left ankle during Thursday’s practice at Mobile, Ala.
Jones, a Heisman Trophy finalist, said he wasn’t sure he would be able to play in the contest.
“I’m not going to go out there if I’m not 100 percent,” Jones said after the practice. “It’s not fair to my teammates to not be 100 percent and try and play and not play well. I’m going to make the decision, but hopefully I can get treatment and see how it feels.”
Jones is still nursing a right leg injury from the College Football Playoff title game victory over Ohio State earlier this month. He immediately knew there was an issue with his left leg when he sustained the injury.
“I kind of rolled my ankle a little bit. I was more worried about my right leg, but now my left leg is a little hurt,” Jones said. “I didn’t get to finish (practice), but I don’t want to risk it at this point. Get treatment and figure out how I feel.”
Jones is on the American Team. The other quarterbacks on the squad are Kellen Mond of Texas A&M and Jamie Newman, who played for Wake Forest before transferring to Georgia and then opting out of the 2020 season.
The team is being coach by the Carolina Panthers’ staff. Head coach Matt Rhule said Jones was having a highly productive practice prior to the injury.
“He went for a while there, started limping at the end, so I just said, ‘Hey, why don’t you go see the trainer?’” Rhule said. “Last thing I want to do is see the kid get banged up. He was having a hard time. I thought he had a good day, just had to get it himself healed up.”
Jones passed for an Alabama single-season record 4,500 yards and threw 41 touchdown passes this season, He finished third in Heisman Trophy balloting behind winner and teammate DeVonta Smith, and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence.
–Field Level Media
Ron Rivera’s family says he’s cancer free
Five months after Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera shared that he was undergoing cancer treatments, members of his family celebrated online Thursday that he has won his battle with cancer.
Rivera’s daughter, Courtney, works with the team’s social media, and she tweeted Thursday that she had “just gotten off the phone with mom and dad leaving the hospital @RiverboatRonHC is officially cancer free!!!”
Rivera announced on Aug. 20 that he was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer and needed to undergo nearly two months chemotherapy and proton therapy during the season. His treatment lasted until Oct. 26, but even though his energy levels were sapped during the process, he missed only three practices and never missed a game as his team captured the NFC East Division championship.
Although Ron Rivera and the team did not comment publicly Thursday, his wife, Stephanie, tweeted that, “Prayers have been answered. Thx to all the Drs & nurses who “Coached up” @RiverboatRonHC and me and gave us the winning game plan to defeat cancer. The PET scan said it all, cancer you lost this fight! #RiveraStrong.”
“I was amazed. Usually our patients, halfway in, stop working,” Dr. John Deeken, the medical oncologist and president of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, told ESPN in November. “Most of our patients toward the end of their treatment are very close to needing to be hospitalized because there are so many complications.”
–Field Level Media
Reports: Texans agree to five-year deal with coach David Culley
The Houston Texans have agreed to a five-year contract with David Culley to become the team’s new head coach, according to multiple reports.
The 65-year-old Culley was the receivers coach of the Baltimore Ravens for the past two seasons. He has never been a head coach at the college or professional levels during a coaching career that began in 1978.
Culley joins the Miami Dolphins’ Brian Flores and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin as the only Black head coaches in the league.
The Ravens will receive third-round compensatory draft picks in both the 2021 and 2022 NFL drafts due to a recently implemented minority hiring resolution passed last November.
Culley, who turns 66 in September, will be the oldest coach in NFL history at the time of his debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Bud Wilkinson (62 years, 133 days) is the current oldest from his 29-game stint with the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1978-79.
The Texans’ decision to tab Culley has come under extra scrutiny because franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson has made known his unhappiness regarding player and front office moves in the last few seasons.
Examples include the trade of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after the 2019 season and the hiring of general manager Nick Caserio earlier this month without Watson being offered input. Watson said he was promised that he would be involved and had even offered suggestions for hires.
Numerous reports indicate Watson has asked to be traded from Houston. The hiring of Culley is expected to have no impact on Watson’s feelings.
The Texans went 4-12 this season, and an 0-4 start cost head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien his job in early October. They had gone a combined 21-11 over the two previous seasons, including back-to-back postseason appearances.
In addition to his time with the Ravens, Culley’s NFL resume includes stops in Buffalo (two seasons), Kansas City (four seasons), Philadelphia (14 seasons), Pittsburgh (three seasons), and Tampa Bay (two seasons).
Among the candidates the Texans passed over were Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2010-13.
–Field Level Media
Steelers president: We can’t bring Big Ben back at cap hit
Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II on Thursday left the door open for the potential return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the 2021 season.
Rooney, however, said Big Ben’s 18th season with the Steelers would not come with the sizable $41.25 million cap hit. Roethlisberger is due to earn $19 million next season, with $4 million in salary and $15 million coming as a roster bonus on the third day of the 2021 league year.
“We’ve left that door open,” Rooney said, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We’ve been up front with Ben in letting him know that we couldn’t have him back under the current contract.”
Roethlisberger, who turns 39 in March, threw for 3,803 yards with 33 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 15 games this past season. The two-time Super Bowl champion and six-time Pro Bowl selection said after the wild-card loss to Cleveland on Jan. 10 that he has not made a decision about his future.
Roethlisberger threw for 501 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions in that 48-37 loss to the Browns.
Roethlisberger has thrown for 60,348 yards with 396 touchdowns and 201 interceptions in 233 career games since Pittsburgh selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.
Former Washington Football Team quarterback Dwayne Haskins signed a reserve/future contract with the Steelers last week. The transaction was seen as a low-risk move by the Steelers, who also have Mason Rudolph under contract while fellow quarterback Josh Dobbs is set for free agency.
–Field Level Media
