Showing posts with label NFL History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL History. Show all posts

Monday, 10 November 2025

10 PICTURES SHOW DONALD TRUMP MAKING NFL HISTORY WITH MELANIA MYSTERIOUSLY ABSENT

Donald Trump was booed by fans at Northwest Stadium during halftime of the Lions-Commanders game (Image:Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)


Donald Trump was in attendance at Northwest Stadium as the Washington Commanders took on the Detroit Lions, with fans making it clear what they think of the 79-year-old amid the government shutdown

Donald Trump was in attendance to watch the Washington Commanders take on the Detroit Lions, though First Lady Melania Trump was not with the president at Northwest Stadium.

Despite the American government being embroiled in a shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — due to Trump's standoff with Democrats. What's more, the 79-year-old was 80 minutes late to the matchup, which the Lions eventually won in a blowout over the Commanders.

Trump was also the first president in almost five decades to attend a football game, despite wanting the Commanders to name their new stadium after him. Richard Nixon first did so in 1969, with President Jimmy Carter attending another game some nine years later.

Of note, the first lady was not in attendance at Northwest Stadium, with the president being joined by the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Commanders owner Josh Harris. With the 79-year-old watching the festivities, pictures of armed guards and security on the sidelines flooded social media.

What's more, Trump was booed heavily by fans at halftime when the president issued the Oath of Enlistment. Perhaps a reason for fans booing Trump is that the shutdown has also negatively affected the military, as evidenced by the NFL's "Salute to Service" featuring no military members.

Mirror U.S. Sports takes a look at the president's visit to Northwest Stadium to watch the Commanders' loss to the Lions.



Donald Trump arrives at Northwest Stadium

President Trump was in attendance to watch the Commanders take on the Lions with a number of Republican leaders, though First Lady Melania Trump was nowhere to be found



Fans' Differing Opinions on Trump

Fans closest to Trump seemingly were happy to see the president in such close proximity, with some reaching out to shake the 79-year-old's hand as he reached into the crowd



The President appears despite the shutdown

The United States is currently locked into the longest government shutdown in history, with the president's standoff against Democrats affecting almost every aspect of American life



Trump Issues Oath of Enlistment

While at Northwest Stadium, Trump issued the Oath of Enlistment at halftime to the newest members of the armed forces, which is the oath service members take when they join the military



The President's Men

Fans were able to watch the president at Northwest Stadium as he issued the Oath of Enlistment to the newest members of the armed forces, though the crowd gave different opinions



Trump Booed by the Crowd

As Trump was issuing the aforementioned oath, the fans in the stadium loudly booed the president, with various replays of the incident showcasing just how loud the crowd was



Trump Plays off Boos

Despite the heavy dose of boos aimed his way, Trump and those in the suite next to him, including Commanders owner Josh Harris, attempted to play off the incident by waving to the crowd




'It's Fun to Stay at the YMCA'

Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown (L) did Trump's infamous dance after scoring a touchdown in he first quarter of the game, though the president did not see it because he was late



It Takes Two

Commanders star tight end Ben Sinnott (C) also did the Trump dance after scoring a touchdown to cut the Lions' lead to 19 late in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand



Saluting the Commander in Chief

After scoring his own touchdown, Washington star wideout Deebo Samuel saluted the crowd, seemingly his way of celebrating with the president and those who took the Oath of Enlistment

- Jarrod Castillo




Monday, 10 February 2025

EAGLES RIDE DOMINANT DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE TO DRUB CHIEFS IN SUPER BOWL LIX

AP Photo/Matt Slocum


NEW ORLEANS - Throughout the long media buildup to Super Bowl LIX, virtually all analysts and prognosticators were saying the same thing: The Philadelphia Eagles are the better team … but you can never bet against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. How can the Eagles stop that Mahomes magic?

Breaking news: There was no magic.

No magic, and no Super Bowl three-peat, as the Eagles thoroughly dismantled the two-time defending champions, 40-22, to capture the franchise's second Vince Lombardi Trophy.

And while the margin of victory was 18 points, it wasn't even that close.

The crowd of 65,719 at Caesars Superdome was so heavily draped in Eagles green, it might as well have been a home game for Philadelphia. And the "home" team didn't disappoint. After the first few possessions, the game was never really in doubt.

"What a lesson to the entire world about what good teamwork does," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said during the trophy presentation. "We have selfless guys. We have guys that don't let each other down. We have guys that fight for each other, that play hurt for each other. They love each other.

"Love is a strong thing. It takes a lot of work to develop that. These guys are the best team … in the greatest team sport there is."

If you didn't know the score and were told that Eagles running back Saquon Barkley - who this season became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards - would have 12 carries for a mere 31 yards at halftime, and that quarterback Jalen Hurts would have a modest 123 passing yards, you might have thought the Chiefs were winning. At the very least, it had to be close, right?

Wrong.

Barkley and Hurts didn't have to do much, because the Eagles defense - which led the NFL in total defense in 2024 - was the story.

The Chiefs could muster just two first downs in the first half and were 0-for-7 on third down. Worse, Mahomes threw a pair of picks - one that rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean returned 38 yards for his first career NFL touchdown and another that Zach Baun picked off at the Chiefs' 14-yard line, setting up a touchdown pass from Hurts to A.J. Brown.

DeJean's touchdown capped what might have been the greatest three-play stretch a defense has ever had in the Super Bowl.

After Jake Elliott's 48-yard field goal gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead, Kansas City took over at its own 30-yard line. Here's what happened next:

First-and-10 at the 30: Mahomes is immediately sacked by Josh Sweat for a loss of five.

Second-and-15 at the 25: Mahomes is smothered by Sweat and Jalux Hunt for a 1-yard loss.

Third-and-16 at the 24: Mahomes finally had some time to pass. But rolling to his right, he threw an intermediate pass that was intercepted DeJean - who, like Barkley, was celebrating his birthday on Sunday. The 22-year-old took it to the house to give the Eagles a 17-0 lead.

"Three big plays in a row," said Sweat. "It's just that day."

By the time the production crew began setting up the field for Kendrick Lamar's halftime show, Philadelphia had a 24-0 lead and the Eagles defense had orchestrated perhaps the most dominant half of football in Super Bowl history.

"I take ownership of this loss more than probably any loss in my entire career," said Mahomes. "I put us in a bad spot."

A third-quarter field goal from Elliott made it 27-0 and the Chiefs offense continued to be smothered by coordinator Vic Fangio's defense. With 5:18 left in the third, Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a 46-yard touchdown. That score capped an MVP performance for Hurts, who completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards and two TD passes. He added another 72 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown - giving him seven total touchdowns accounted for in two career Super Bowls.

With the Eagles up 34-0 late in the third quarter, about the only drama left was to see if the Eagles could pull off the first shutout in Super Bowl history. It wasn't to be. Mahomes ended up throwing three touchdown passes in the final 16 minutes of the game - two to rookie receiver Xavier Worthy, who finished with eight catches for 157 yards - and one to DeAndre Hopkins. But it was too little too late.

The Eagles defense finished with six sacks and 14 pressures.

"We just followed the gameplan," said Sweat, who had 2.5 sacks. "We just said, ‘Let's play our game, take care of the guy next to us, somebody's gonna make the play.' Once you get it going, nothing can go wrong."

Amazingly, the Eagles didn't call a single blitz all game.

"It allows the guys to cover on the back end," said Sweat. "You [don't have] to add the extra man to do that. It's just big ups to the guys out there. … It gives us a lot of pride to get it done with a four-man rush."

Barkley ended the game with 25 attempts for 57 yards, adding another 40 yards receiving. The Chiefs kept their streak alive - they still haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher in the postseason since 2019 - but Barkley did surpass Hall of Famer Terrell Davis' record for the most rushing yards in a season, including the playoffs.

Barkley, who joins Davis as the only players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards and win the Super Bowl in the same season, reflected on his triumphant first year in Philadelphia.

"I looked to my left, looked to my right, and you see all the Pro Bowlers and all the All-Pros on that roster," Barkley said, recalling his first practice as an Eagle. "On that offense, the defense. You know, I ain't gonna lie, I didn't know we were going to have the number one defense. It kind of makes sense now, because with all the talent that we had, they gave us hell in practice and camp."

Probably not as much hell as they gave the Chiefs Sunday night.

Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

- Craig Ellenport, Athlon Sports


Monday, 4 November 2024

LAMAR JACKSON LEADS RAVENS ROUT WITH PERFECT PASSER RATING

BALTIMORE -- Practice makes perfect -- except if you're Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Despite practicing just once this past week, Jackson was sharp as he has ever been, recording a perfect 158.3 passer rating in Sunday's 41-10 rout of the Denver Broncos. This marked Jackson's fourth career game with a perfect passer rating, which is tied with Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history, according to ESPN Research.

"I feel like it doesn't matter if it's one day or half a day [of practice], he's going to be ready," Ravens running back Derrick Henry said.

BALTIMORE -- Practice makes perfect -- except if you're Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Despite practicing just once this past week, Jackson was sharp as he has ever been, recording a perfect 158.3 passer rating in Sunday's 41-10 rout of the Denver Broncos. This marked Jackson's fourth career game with a perfect passer rating, which is tied with Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history, according to ESPN Research.

"I feel like it doesn't matter if it's one day or half a day [of practice], he's going to be ready," Ravens running back Derrick Henry said.


Lamar Jackson celebrates with teammates after throwing for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos. Getty Images


"It's like your ideal point guard in a basketball situation -- somebody that sees people, sees their strengths, sees ways to get them won," Ravens wide receiver Nelson Agholor said. "He's a special player, and I think we all know that. He approaches the game a certain way to be the best version of him every time he steps on the field."

This was the first time Jackson had missed any practice time in the regular season this year. When asked after the game if Jackson would get as many rest days as he wanted going forward, Ravens coach John Harbaugh smiled.

Harbaugh said he could tell how sharp Jackson was early in the game. Jackson completed his first four passes and finished the first half by connecting on 11 of his first 12 throws, including two touchdown passes to Zay Flowers of 7 and 53 yards.

"I believe I mentioned it to one of the guys on the [headset] after the second or third series, 'Lamar is one fire. He's on fire throwing the ball,'" Harbaugh said.

Jackson didn't seem at full strength when scrambling, running for 4 yards on three carries. It was his fewest rushing attempts since December 2022, when he left a game against the Broncos in the first quarter with what became a season-ending knee injury.

Jackson's big plays all came with his arm. He was 5-of-5 for 157 yards and a touchdown on throws that traveled at least 20 yards in the air, which are the most such completions in his career.

"He's dangerous with his arm, and I think he showed that," Henry said. "If you want to take away him running the ball, [he'll] go over your head and throw it. If he has to run it, he'll do that as well. Hats off to him. He's an engine that makes this thing go -- 'MV3.'"

With a strong supporting cast, Jackson led the Ravens to seven straight scoring drives as Baltimore put up 40 or more points for the third time in five weeks. On the ground, Henry ran for 106 yards and scored two touchdowns, becoming the 10th player in NFL history to reach 100 career rushing touchdowns. In the passing attack, Flowers became the first Ravens player to total 100 yards receiving and two touchdown catches in the same game since Marquise Brown in 2019.

Now, midway through the season, Jackson is back to being the favorite for NFL MVP. According to ESPN BET, Jackson's odds improved to +225, which moves him past Josh Allen (+360).

Flowers summed up Jackson's performance with a one-word response: "Lamarvelous."

- Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer

Friday, 6 September 2024

RAVENS NEWS: QB LAMAR JACKSONAKES NFL HISTORY IN GAME VS. CHIEFS

© Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesLamar Jackson, quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens


Lamar Jackson has really improved in recent years, and now the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens has made history in the Week 1 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Lamar Jackson’s surprising admission on the last time Ravens faced Mahomes’ Chiefs

Ravens MVP Lamar Jackson reveals Tom Brady as his motivation for the new NFL season.

The 2024 season has kicked off for the Baltimore Ravens, who faced the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, with Lamar Jackson making NFL history during the game.

Lamar Jackson has shown significant improvement in recent years. Initially known more for his running ability than his passing, Jackson has refined his throwing skills and become a more well-rounded quarterback.

According to oddsmakers, the Ravens are strong contenders for the upcoming Super Bowl. However, their first challenge of the season was formidable, as they had to take on the reigning champions away from home.


Lamar Jackson passes Russell Wilson in astonishing NFL stat

Everyone is aware of Lamar Jackson’s remarkable skills. When he started his career, numerous analysts were convinced that he would do a better job as a wide receiver or a running back rather than a quarterback.

Nevertheless, he worked really hard to prove his critics wrong and improved his passing abilities. Now, Jackson is a very complete quarterback, being both a menace through the air and on the ground.

The 2024 season started with a tough game for Baltimore, as they had to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. While the Ravens struggled offensively in the first half, Lamar Jackson was able to make history in the first two quarters.

The quarterback used his rushing abilities to run for 63 yards on eight carries during the first half. With these yards, Lamar Jackson passed Russell Wilson as the third quarterback with the most rushing yards in NFL history.


Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.


While Wilson still has a chance to add more rushing yards, Lamar Jackson will likely play for more years to increase his numbers. Russell Wilson entered the season with 5,307 rushing yards, while Jackson had 5,258 prior to the game against Kansas City.


Who is the quarterback with the most rushing yards in NFL history?

The quarterback with the most rushing yards in NFL history is Michael Vick. Over his career, Vick amassed 6,109 rushing yards, setting the record with his dynamic playmaking and mobility as a quarterback.

Lamar Jackson is just a few yards away from breaking the record, and it appears he might achieve it this year. If he remains healthy, he could set a milestone that may remain unmatched for several years.

- Fernando Franco Puga

Friday, 14 June 2024

HIGHEST-PAID NFL PLAYERS: MOST GUARANTEED MONEY AT EVERY POSITION


 Who are the NFL's highest-paid players at every position? Plenty of record-setting deals have been made in the past year -- the quarterback position has been reset with a new highest-paid player four times. First Jalen Hurts, then Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert and finally Joe Burrow became the highest-paid player in NFL history as the 2023 season kicked off.

In August, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson reset the tight end market and San Francisco 49ers DE Nick Bosa became the highest-paid defensive player. In June, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson shattered the record for most guaranteed money given to a non-quarterback on offense, getting $110 million guaranteed.

We tracked the best-paid players at 16 different positions -- including long-snapper -- and will keep the numbers updated as more records get broken. To get the full picture on the top earners in this league, we sorted positions by two categories, which in a few cases have the same player at No. 1:

Three-year average (APY)

Total guaranteed money

Salary information courtesy of Roster Management System.

Let's start with Burrow and the highest-paid quarterbacks:


Quarterback


Highest three-year APY:

1. Joe Burrow, $62.9 million

Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2030)

2. Jared Goff (DET), $57.3 million

3. Trevor Lawrence (JAX), $55 million

4. Justin Herbert (LAC), $53.3 million

5. Lamar Jackson (BAL), $52 million

6. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $51 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Deshaun Watson, $230 million

Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Joe Burrow (CIN), $219.01 million

3. Patrick Mahomes (KC), $208.1 million

4. Trevor Lawrence (JAX), $200 million

5. Justin Herbert (LAC), $193.7 million

6. Kyler Murray (ARI), $189.5 million


Running back


Highest three-year APY:

1. Christian McCaffrey, $17.2 million

Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $14 million

3. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.7 million

4. Saquon Barkley (PHI), $12.6 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Christian McCaffrey, $36.3 million

Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $34.3 million

3. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $26.5 million

4. Saquon Barkley (PHI), $26 million


Wide receiver


Highest three-year APY:

1. Justin Jefferson, $35 million

Signed: June 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2. A.J. Brown (PHI), $32 million

3. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET), $30 million

4. Jaylen Waddle (MIA), $28.3 million

5. Cooper Kupp (LAR), $26.7 million

6. Stefon Diggs (HOU), $26.2 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Justin Jefferson, $110 million

Signed: June 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2. A.J. Brown (PHI), $84 million

3. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET), $77 million

4. Jaylen Waddle (MIA), $76 million

5. Cooper Kupp (LAR), $75 million

6. Tyreek Hill (MIA), $72.2 million


Tight end


Highest three-year APY:

1. Travis Kelce, $17.1 million

Signed: April 2024 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Darren Waller (NYG), $17 million

3. T.J. Hockenson (MIN), $16 million

4. George Kittle (SF), $15.3 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. T.J. Hockenson, $42.5 million

Signed: August 2023 (contract ends in 2027)

2. George Kittle (SF), $40 million

3. Mark Andrews (BAL), $37.6 million


Offensive tackle


Highest three-year APY:

1. Penei Sewell, $28 million

Signed: April 2024 (contract ends in 2029)

2. Laremy Tunsil (HOU), $25 million

3. Andrew Thomas (NYG), $24.2 million

4. Ronnie Stanley (BAL), $21.2 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Penei Sewell, $85 million

Signed: April 2024 (contract ends in 2029)

2. Ronnie Stanley (BAL), $64.1 million

3. Andrew Thomas (NYG), $61.9 million

4. Ryan Ramczyk (NO), $60.2 million


Guard


Highest three-year APY:

1. Chris Lindstrom, $21.8 million

Signed: March 2023 (contract ends in 2028)

2. Robert Hunt (CAR), $21 million

3. Quenton Nelson (IND), $20.9 million

4. Mike Onwenu (NE), $19 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Robert Hunt, $63 million

Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $62.7 million

3. Quenton Nelson (IND), $60 million


Center


Highest three-year APY:

1. Frank Ragnow, $14 million

Signed: May 2021 (contract ends in 2026)


2. Lloyd Cushenberry (TEN), $12.6 million

3. Erik McCoy (NO), $12.5 million

4. Ryan Kelly (IND), $12.4 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Frank Ragnow, $42 million

Signed: May 2021 (contract ends in 2026)

2. Ryan Kelly (IND), $34 million

3. Erik McCoy (NO), $33 million

4. Lloyd Cushenberry (TEN), $30 million


Cornerback


Highest three-year APY:

1. Jaire Alexander, $21.8 million

Signed: May 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $20.6 million

3. Marshon Lattimore (NO), $20.3 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Denzel Ward, $71.25 million

Signed: April 2022 (contract ends in 2028)

2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $71.2 million

3. Marshon Lattimore (NO), $68.3 million


Safety


Highest three-year APY:

1. Antoine Winfield Jr., $21.03 million

Signed: May 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $19.6 million

3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $18.6 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Antoine Winfield Jr., $45 million

Signed: May 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2.Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $42 million

T3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $36 million

T3. Jessie Bates III (ATL), $36 million


Edge rusher


Highest three-year APY:

1. Nick Bosa, $34.7 million

Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2029)

2. T.J. Watt (PIT), $30.5 million

T3. Josh Allen (JAX), $30 million

T3. Brian Burns (NYG), $30 million

4. Myles Garrett (CLE), $26.7 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Nick Bosa, $119.9 million

Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2029)

2. Myles Garrett (CLE), $100 million

3. Josh Allen (JAX), $88 million

4. Brian Burns (NYG), $87.5 million


Defensive tackle


Highest three-year APY:

1. Chris Jones, $31.7 millon

Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2. Aaron Donald (LAR), $31.6 million

3. Christian Wilkins (LV), $28 million

4. Derrick Brown (CAR), $24 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Chris Jones, $101 million

Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2028)

2. Christian Wilkins (LV), $82.7 million

3. Quinnen Williams (NYJ), $66 million

4. Aaron Donald (LAR), $65 million


Off-ball linebacker


Highest three-year APY:

1. Roquan Smith, $20 million

Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)

2. Fred Warner (SF), $19.5 million

3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $19 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Roquan Smith, $60 million

Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)

2. C.J. Mosley (NYJ), $51 million

3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $45 million


Kicker


Highest three-year APY:

1. Justin Tucker, $6.2 million

Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Matt Gay (IND), $5.9 million

3. Chris Boswell (PIT), $5.6 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Justin Tucker, $17.5 million

Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)

2. Graham Gano (NYG), $13.2 million

2. Matt Gay (IND), $13 million


Long-snapper


Highest three-year APY:

1. Luke Rhodes, $1.67 million

Signed: September 2023 (contract ends 2027)

2. Joe Cardona (NE), $1.63 million

3. Zach Wood (NO), $1.62 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Tyler Ott, $2.8 million

Signed: March 2024 (contract ends 2026)

2. Thomas Hennessy, $2.62 million

3.Joe Cardona (NE), $2.6 million


Punter


Highest three-year APY:

1. Michael Dickson, $3.9 million

Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Jack Fox (DET), $3.6 million

3. Tress Way (WSH), $3.3 million


Total guaranteed money:

1. Michael Dickson, $8.5 million

Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)

2. Jack Fox (DET), $7.5 million

2. Tress Way (WSH), $6.4 million


- ESPN staff

Tuesday, 19 September 2023

CHIEF'S PATRICK MAHOMES GETS HISTORIC PAYDAY WITH RESTRUCTURING

AP

The Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes have restructured his agreement, giving him $210.6 million between 2023 and 2026, the most money in NFL history over a four-season span. His compensation for those years is now guaranteed, the quarterback's agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

The Chiefs and Mahomes plan to revisit the agreement again after the 2026 season, Equity Sports CEO Chris Cabott, who negotiated the deal on behalf of Mahomes, told Schefter.

Mahomes became the NFL's highest-paid player in the summer of 2020 when he signed a 10-year extension worth $450 million. No player has since topped that contract in terms of total value, but several quarterbacks have passed Mahomes in average annual pay, including four this year -- Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow.