SoccerVibes

Author: admin

  • This One Promise Caused Former Houston Astros Star to Waive His No-Trade Clause

    This One Promise Caused Former Houston Astros Star to Waive His No-Trade Clause

     

    The Houston Astros were able to move their star reliever after the Chicago Cubs made him a promise.

     

    Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly walks to the mound before the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals.

    Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly walks to the mound before the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals.

    This deal came with the understanding that he would ultimately have to waive his no-trade clause for it to happen, a decision that was made to get this deal finalized.

     

    Pressly made use of his no-trade clause in a few instances. He declined the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers as potential suitors during the process. Both teams were involved up until Jan. 24 when the list was cut down, and it ended up with the Cubs being the final candidate.

     

    Recently, information came out as to why he decided to waive accept this move to Chicago rather than stick around with the Astros.

     

    Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY stated Pressly was “reluctant” to waive the no-trade clause, but ultimately it came down to how he would be utilized by the Cubs.

     

    The insider reported Pressly “finally agreed when informed that he would be the Cubs’ full-time closer and only a late-inning reliever for the Astros.”

     

    Clearly, his preference is to be in those high-leverage situations where the team relies on him to get the save and close out a win.

     

    When looking at arguably his best season with Houston in 2021, it’s easy to understand why.

     

    That year, he had a 2.25 ERA, 0.969 WHIP, 81 strikeouts to 13 walks), and recorded 26 saves while he only gave up four home runs in the 64 innings he pitched.

     

    In 2024 the Astros ultimately decided to move him out of the closer role in favor of their new signee Josh Hader, and Pressly went into a late-inning relief role instead.

     

    This did not work out perfectly, as he posted a 3.49 ERA, 1.341 WHIP, 58 strikeouts to 18 walks, and ended up with four saves and gave up four home runs in the 56.2 innings he pitched.

     

    While this is not a huge decline, especially when when factoring in his 2022 and 2023 numbers, he definitely seemed to perform better in a closer role rather than as a setup or late relief man.

     

    Whether that is just because he prefers situations in which he is the last pitcher on the mound or it’s for a more technical reason, Chicago offered him the closing role which is what allowed Houston to move him and his contract out of town.

     

     

  • 2026 OL Landry Brede has a tie to West Virginia

    2026 OL Landry Brede has a tie to West Virginia

     

     

    Mentor (Oh.) 2026 offensive tackle Landry Brede is a versatile option up front.

     

    Brede, 6-foot-5, 280-pounds, could slot as either an offensive tackle or guard at the next level in large part due to his athleticism at his size. This past season he did not give up a sack.

     

     

    And West Virginia is now in the mix after a scholarship offer after a conversation with offensive line coach Jack Bicknell.

     

    “Coach Bicknell is who I talked to and he said he liked my film and talked about his experience in college and the NFL which was impressive,” he said.

     

    Brede is the teammate of 2025 quarterback signee Scotty Fox and he traveled with the signal caller to Morgantown before for a visit. Now, he is hoping to return for another.

     

    “Now my quarterback from last year is there so it’s a great opportunity to play with him again,” he said.

     

    Brede is looking into making a visit to Morgantown in the near future but has yet to set a date for when that will occur. Still, with the coaching change he wants to get to know the new staff better.

     

    The Rivals.com three-star prospect wants to find a coaching staff with who he has a strong connection as well as the school that is going to best prepare him for the next level.

     

    “To be able to get me to the best I can be,” he said.

     

    info icon

    Embed content not available

     

    • Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.

     

    • SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.

     

     

     

     

     

  • BYU roundup: Cougar safety Tanner Wall honored as First Team Academic All-American

    BYU roundup: Cougar safety Tanner Wall honored as First Team Academic All-American

     

    BYU junior safety Tanner Wall runs the ball up the field after intercepting a pass during the Big 12 game against Oklahoma State at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024.

    BYU safety Tanner Wall was today named to the 2024 Academic All-America® First Team by College Sports Communicators.

     

    The CSC Academic All-America award recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To be eligible for nomination, the student-athlete must be a starter or significant contributor in addition to their academic achievements.

     

    A redshirt junior from Arlington, Virginia, Wall is majoring in finance and currently has a cumulative GPA of 3.89. One of eight Cougars to receive recognition on the 2024 CSC Academic All-District teams earlier this month, Wall earned a place on the Academic All-America ballot before being selected as one of 25 first-team FBS honorees, who collectively boast an average GPA of 3.82.

     

    A 2024 Co-Captain, Wall started all 13 games at free safety and finished the year as BYU’s co-leader in interceptions with three and was fourth in total tackles with 53, including 31 unassisted. For his on-field efforts, he was named All-Big 12 Third Team by College Football Network. Wall has achieved recognition on both the Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team and Commissioner’s Honor Role in each of BYU’s two seasons in the Big 12. He was also named to the Academic All-Big 12 Football First Team in 2023 with the 2024 team yet to be announced.

     

    Wall was one of five BIg 12 athletes to earn first-team Academic All-America recogntion this season, including defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter from the University of Colorado, who was named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. Joining Wall and Hunter on the first team representing the Big 12 were defensive back Beau Freyler from Iowa State, running back Tahj Brooks from Texas Tech and offensive lineman Easton Kilty from Kansas State. In addition, K-State defensive lineman Brendan Mott, Cincinnati offensive lineman Luke Kandra and Kansas tight end Jared Casey earned second-team honors.

     

    Established in 1952, the distinguished Academic All-America® program is the longest running and premier award for athletic and academic success across championship college sports at all NCAA levels, the NAIA, two-year colleges and Canadian institutions.

     

    Wall becomes the 28th BYU football player to earn CSC Academic All-America® status and the 16th to earn first-team honors. Overall, BYU players have combined to earn 33 different Academic All-America awards, including 17 first-team citations, since Virgil Carter became the program’s first Academic All-American in 1965.

     

    BYU gymnast earns Big 12 honor for second straight week

    BYU’s beam queen Brynlee Andersen was named Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week for the second week in a row, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.

     

    The Cougars faced rival Utah in their Big 12 home opener Friday evening at the Marriott Center. BYU scored a 195.325 and tallied its highest floor score of the season with a 49.025.

     

    Andersen competed on both beam and floor, earning a new career high with her floor routine, scoring a 9.825. She tallied a 9.9 on the balance beam, the second-highest score of the competition. She has now scored a 9.9 or above for three consecutive meets on the apparatus.

     

    Cougars lead Big 12 with 83 Commissioner’s Honor Roll awards for fall 2024

    The Big 12 Conference announced Monday that 5,201 student-athletes from all 16 member institutions with GPAs of 3.0 or higher, were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll for Fall 2024 across all sports. Over 69% of all Big 12 student-athletes made the honor roll while 985 student-athletes honorees attained a perfect 4.0 GPA.

     

    Additionally, the Conference has released the 2024 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team which features 882 student-athletes.

     

    “We continue to see an increase in student-athlete academic performance across the conference, which continues to show our student-athletes and athletics’ departments commitment to the pursuit of academic excellence,” said Jenn Hunter, Big 12 Chief Impact Officer.

     

    BYU combined for a conference-best 83 selections across the five sports. BYU men’s cross country (22) and women’s volleyball (11) also led their resective sports outright.

     

    BYU Selections on the 2024 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team:

     

    Lucas Bons, Sr., men’s cross country, Mechanical Engineering

     

    Mark Boyle, Jr., men’s cross country, Accounting

     

    Casey Clinger, Sr., men’s cross country, Business Administration

     

    Carter Cutting, So., men’s cross country, Pre Business

     

    Max Davis, Jr., men’s cross country, Biology

     

    Sebastian Fernandez, Jr., men’s cross country, Chenical Engineering

     

    Hayden Gray, Jr., men’s cross country, Exercise Science

     

    Luke Grundvig, Jr., men’s cross country, Computer Science

     

    Isaac Hedengren, So., men’s cross country, Psychology

     

    Landon Heemeyer, So., men’s cross country, Mechanical Engineering

     

    Noah Jenkins, So., men’s cross country, Open Major

     

    Caleb Johnson, So., men’s cross country, Economics

     

    Kyle Lund, So., men’s cross country, Statistics

     

    Tyler Matthews, So., men’s cross country, Mechanical Engineering

     

    Joey Nokes, Sr., men’s cross country, Exercise Science

     

    Jake Orr, So., men’s cross country, Pre Business

     

    Gabe Parham, Fr., men’s cross country, Pre Business

     

    Garrett Stanford, Jr., men’s cross country, Strategic Management

     

    Jacob Stanford, Jr., men’s cross country, Information Systems

     

    Creed Thompson, Jr., men’s cross country, Computer Science

     

    Davin Thompson, Jr., men’s cross country, Computer Science

     

    Aidan Troutner, Sr., men’s cross country, Masters Accounting

     

    Andie Aagard, So., women’s cross country, Open Major

     

    Riley Chamberlain, Jr., women’s cross country, Family Life

     

    Anastaysia Davis, Sr., women’s cross country, Elementary Education

     

    Elizabeth Dildine, Sr., women’s cross country, Communications

     

    Lexi Goff, So., women’s cross country, Neuroscience

     

    Jacey Farmer, Jr., women’s cross country, Dietetics

     

    Meghan Hunter, Sr., women’s cross country, Communication Disorders

     

    Jenna Hutchins, So., women’s cross country, Communication Disorders

     

    Grace Hutchison, So., women’s cross country, Public Health

     

    Taylor Lovell, Jr., women’s cross country, Exercise & Wellness

     

    Kylie Olsen, So., women’s cross country, Open Major

     

    Raygan Peterson, So., women’s cross country, Communications

     

    Carmen Riano Ansray, Sr., women’s cross country, Masters Exercise Science

     

    Taylor Rohatinsky, Jr., women’s cross country, Exercise Science

     

    Talen Alfrey, Jr., football, Exercise Science

     

    Tyler Batty, Sr., football, Graduate Studies

     

    Kaden Chidester, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Raider Damuni, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Kevin Doe, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Koa Eldridge, So., football, Global Supply Chain

     

    Will Ferrin, Jr., football, Business Management

     

    Cody Hagen, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Pokai Haunga, So., football, Open Major

     

    Ace Kaufusi, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Orion Kaufusi, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Logan Lutui, Sr., football, Exercise Science

     

    Blake Mangelson, Sr., football, Family Studies

     

    Bruce Mitchell, So., football, Business Management

     

    Enoch Nawahine , Jr., football, Human Resource Management

     

    Connor Pay, Sr., football, Entrepreneurial Management

     

    Landon Rehkow, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Dalton Riggs, So., football, Business Management

     

    Ropati Hinckley, Sr., football, Graduate Studies

     

    Josh Singh, Sr., football, Geography

     

    Cannon Skidmore, So., football, Pre-Business

     

    Petey Tuipulotu, So., football, Finance

     

    Sam Van Der Haar, So., football, Communications

     

    Tanner Wall, Sr., football, MBA

     

    Lytiana Akinaka, Sr., women’s soccer, MBA

     

    Erin Bailey, Jr., women’s soccer, Communications

     

    Halle Dixon, Fr., women’s soccer, Communications

     

    Avery Frischknecht, So., women’s soccer, Exercise & Wellness

     

    Addison Gardner, So., women’s soccer, Communications

     

    Kelsey Hoopes, So., women’s soccer, Physical Education

     

    Mika Krommenhoek, So., women’s soccer, Graphic Design

     

    Emma Neff, So., women’s soccer, English

     

    Tylie Pratt, So., women’s soccer, Open-Major

     

    Matlyn Summers, So., women’s soccer, Pre-Business

     

    MacKenzee Vance, Jr., women’s soccer, Graduate Studies

     

    Tara Warner, Sr., women’s soccer, Physical Education

     

    Hannah Billeter, Jr., women’s volleyball, Exercise Science

     

    Kaieva Johnson, So., women’s volleyball, Communications

     

    Brielle Kemavor, So., women’s volleyball, Open Major

     

    Mia Lee, So., women’s volleyball, Family Life

     

    Claire Little, So., women’s volleyball, Communications

     

    Brielle Miller, So., women’s volleyball, Environmental Science

     

    Alyssa Montoya, Sr., women’s volleyball, Exeercie & Wellness

     

    Kate Prior, Jr., women’s volleyball, Exeercie & Wellness

     

    Macy Short, Jr., women’s volleyball, Economics

     

    Elyse Stowell, Sr., women’s volleyball, Psychology

     

    Kalia Thurnstrom, Sr., women’s volleyball, Entrepreneurial Management

     

     

  • Ipswich Town wages: Who is the best paid player at the Tractor Boys and everything you need to know about Ipswich’s salary bill

    Ipswich Town wages: Who is the best paid player at the Tractor Boys and everything you need to know about Ipswich’s salary bill

    How much does every Ipswich Town player earn annually and who receives the most into their account?Ipswich Town made a famous return to the Premier League after 22 long years following their second-placed finish in the Championship at the end of the 2023-24 season.

    Kieran McKenna has brought back hope at the Portman Road Stadium, with the Ipswich Town faithful bouncing with joy once again. That joy, however, could be short-lived as the Tractor Boys linger in the drop zone.

    There’s certainly no denying the fact that Ipswich do not possess the same financial muscle as other teams in England, given that they are the team with the lowest annual payroll in the Premier League. What they do possess, though, are players with immense potential. The likes of Liam Delap, Omari Hutchinson, and Leif Davis have been impactful this season inspite of the fact that they have barely any top-flight experience under their belt.

    Article continues below

    So, who is the highest earner at Portman Road this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?

    GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

      • Nottingham Forest FC v Ipswich Town FC - Premier League

        Goalkeepers

        Kosovo international Arijanet Muric, who previously played for Manchester City, is Ipswich Town’s highest-paid goalkeeper and also among the top earners at the club.

        29-year-old Englishman Christian Walton makes it to the second spot, while Cieran Slicker is the lowest-paid goalkeeper.

        Name Salary
        Arijanet Muric £1,820,000
        Christian Wlaton £1,040,000
        Cieran Slicker £416,000
    • Manchester United academy product Axel Tuanzebe is the top-earning defender at Ipswich Town with a salary of over £2m. However, fans won’t be too happy with the fact that Tuanzebe is higher on this list than someone like Leif Davis or Dara O’Shea. Ben Johnson is the third-highest paid defender.The likes of Conor Townsend, Harry Clarke, Cameron Burgess, and Luke Woolfenden all earn under a million pounds and are the lowest-paid defenders.
      Name Salary
      Axel Tuanzebe £2,080,000
      Dara O’Shea £1,820,000
      Ben Johnson £1,560,000
      Jacob Greaves £1,300,000
      Leif Davis £1,300,000
      Conor Townsend £780,000
      Harry Clarke £520,000
      Cameron Burgess £416,000
      Luke Woolfenden £390,000
    • Kalvin Phillips

      Midfielders

      Kalvin Phillips, on loan from Manchester City, is the highest-earning midfielder as well as the highest-earning player at the club, earning a whopping £7.8m.

      Jens Cajuste and club captain Samy Morsy are the second and third-highest paid midfielders, respectively.

      Jack Taylor and Massimo Luongo are the joint-lowest paid midfielders.

      Name Salary
      Kalvin Phillips £7,800,000
      Jens Cajuste £1,820,000
      Samy Morsy £1,560,000
      Julio Enciso £780,000
      Jack Taylor £520,000
      Massimo Luongo £520,000
    • Ipswich Town FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League

      Attackers

      One would have guessed Sammie Szmodics, Liam Delap, or club-record signing Omari Hutchinson to be the highest-paid attacker at the club, but it’s George Hirst who is earning more than any other Ipswich Town forward. In fact, Hutchinson is the joint-lowest paid player in attack along with Nathan Broadhead.

      Szmodics, Chiedozie Ogbene, and Jack Clarke are the joint-second highest-[aid attackers, with Delap taking the fifth spot on this list.

      Name Salary
      George Hirst £1,430,000
      Sammie Szmodics £1,300,000
      Chiedozie Ogbene £1,300,000
      Jack Clarke £1,300,000
      Liam Delap £1,040,000
      Conor Chaplin £780,000
      Wes Burns £520,000
      Ali Al-Hamadi £520,000
      Nathan Broadhead £312,000
      Omari Hutchinson £312,000
    • Ipswich Town FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League

      Top 5 highest-paid Ipswich Town players

      As you might have already figured out, Phillips the top earner at Ipswich and by quite some distance. He is earning almost £6m more than Tuanbeze, the next best earner at the club.

      Cajuste, O’Shea, and Muric round out the top five with all three earning £1.82m annually.

      Name Salary
      Kalvin Phillips £7,800,000
      Axel Tuanzebe £2,080,000
      Jens Cajuste £1,820,000
      Dara O’Shea £1,820,000
      Arijanet Muric £1,820,000
    • Ipswich Town v Shakhtar Donetsk - Pre-Season Friendly
      Getty Images Sport

      Top 5 lowest-paid Ipswich Town players

      Backup goalkeeper Slicker is the lowest-paid player at Ipswich with a salary of just £156,000.

      Broadhead and Hutchinson are the joint-second lowest-paid players, with many fans sure to question whether the latter should be paid such a paltry salary given his impact this season.

      Woolfenden and Burgess round out the top five lowest-paid players.

      Name Salary
      Cieran Slicker £156,000
      Nathan Broadhead £312,000
      Omari Hutchinson £312,000
      Luke Woolfenden £390,000
      Cameron Burgess £416,000

    • Total salary costs Ipswich Town

      But what does that mean for the overall picture? In which area of the pitch are Ipswich Town spending the most money, and how much do they spend annually on salaries for the first team?

      The Tractor Boys are allocating the highest portion of their budget to the midfield position, spending £13m on the wages of their midfielders annually.

  • Rumored Commanders free-agent target casts doubt on Jonathan Allen’s future

    Rumored Commanders free-agent target casts doubt on Jonathan Allen’s future

    Attention has officially turned to what should be another eventful offseason for the Washington Commanders. Their fairytale run to the NFC Championship game was extraordinary. Building on this phenomenal momentum is crucial.

    Adam Peters has a significant amount of work ahead. He’s got 30 free agents to navigate before turning his attention to potential acquisitions. The general manager acknowledged that things were going to look different by the time organized team activities resumed. Just how much remains to be seen.

    The Commanders are in a strong position to strengthen. They have almost $100 million in salary-cap space and seven draft selections. They also have an accomplished figure leading the front office with a clear plan in place for the team’s future.

    Washington’s immediate success centered on head coach Dan Quinn surrounding himself with people he trusted. Most of the coaching staff were familiar with his tendencies. The head coach also relied on several players who’d worked alongside him at previous stops.

    This was a recipe for success. Don’t be surprised if the Commanders do something similar this time around if the right opportunities present themselves.

    Commanders linked with Cowboys DL Osa Odighizuwa in 2025 free agency

    Jeremy Fowler of ESPN highlighted this possibility when discussing defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa’s future. The respected insider named the Commanders as a team to watch if the Dallas Cowboys let him test the market. He also believes Quinn was a big fan of the player during their time with Washington’s bitter division rival.

    “Teams we’ve talked to think [Osa] Odighizuwa is the top defensive tackle because of his versatility, durability and pass-rush traits. Washington is a team to potentially watch — coach Dan Quinn has been big fan of Odighizuwa from their Dallas days together.”

    Jeremy Fowler

    This is an interesting revelation. Odighizuwa and Quinn are linked, but there’s another factor to this equation that must be resolved before the Commanders make their move.

    Jonathan Allen is heading into the final year of his deal. He worked hard to get back from a torn pectoral this season to help in the playoffs. However, the Commanders would save $17 million on their salary cap by releasing or trading the Pro Bowler this offseason.

    Washington needs more in the trenches. Their defeat to the Eagles proved that, but how Peters handles the defensive side is a complex conundrum.

    It’s a precarious situation. Daron Payne and second-round rookie Johnny Newton should be around, leaving Allen under the microscope. He’s been a mainstay since joining the Commanders as a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2017. At the same time, Peters won’t hesitate to ring the changes if he feels like it’s the best thing for the franchise.

    Odighizuwa’s run-stopping came in for criticism this season. What the UCLA product does better than almost any interior defensive lineman is generate pressure from inside.

    His 60 total pressures ranked third league-wide according to Pro Football Focus. Odighizuwa was fourth in quarterback hits, fifth in hurries, and 12th in both sacks and run stops. Having familiarity with Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. only sweetens the pot.

    This will be largely dependent on Allen’s future. If the Commanders opt to remove him from the equation, this looks like a ready-made replacement. And at 26 years old, there’s still time to develop further in the coming seasons.

  • Kornet has hilarious reaction to Grimes posterizing him in Celtics-Mavs

    Kornet has hilarious reaction to Grimes posterizing him in Celtics-Mavs

     

    “Sometimes you end up on the defeated side of the endeavor.”

     

    Luke Kornet hilariously breaks down Quentin Grimes’ poster with Abby Chin

     

    The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Boston Celtics in a 2024 NBA Finals rematch Saturday at the American Airlines Center, but Mavs guard Quentin Grimes did produce one of the best dunks of the season.

     

    And unfortunately for Celtics backup center Luke Kornet, it came at his expense.

     

    Grimes posterized Kornet with a thunderous one-handed slam in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter. The dunk brought the crowd, and the Mavericks bench, to their feet.

     

    It was actually the NBA’s highest-graded dunk of the season so far.

     

    What does Kornet think of the dunk and its high score? He responded with typical Kornet humor during an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin.

     

    “Obviously, dunk score is a very crucial element to our game,” Kornet said with a smile, as seen in the video player above.

     

    “What do I think (of the dunk)? You know, they say humility is the virtue of knowing God is the author of all good things, and he made Quentin Grimes well. Because that boy — he’s got some quick twitch, as they say. Frankly, when someone has an opportunity to display their athleticism, it’s on me to try to combat that, and sometimes you end up on the defeated side of the endeavor and you have to willfully accept it.

     

    So kudos to him. It was a great jump, great dunk.”

     

     

    Mazzulla praises ‘aggressive’ D-White after bounce-back performance

    The Celtics were still up by 20 points after the dunk, but Kornet isn’t the type of person to respond by pointing to the scoreboard.

     

    “Yeah, but the thing is, you don’t want to kind of go the whole ‘scoreboard’ route because then it undermines like, hey, no, that happened. You don’t want to try to back out of it,” Kornet explained. “You accept the things that happen.”

     

    Kornet deserves credit for at least challenging the dunk. A lot of players in his situation would have made what is commonly referred to as a “business decision” and just let Grimes dunk without any resistance.

     

    “The business decision is always to do the thing that you think helps the other team score less and your team score more,” Kornet said. “I was a little late on that one, which happens. And then he got to my body before I was able to kind of get to his, which was sort of the problem.

     

    “I mean, you can break it down in a lot of ways. The dunk score obviously shows all this.”

     

    Kornet played well against the Mavericks with two points, five assists and a team-high 10 rebounds during the Celtics’ 122-107 win in Dallas.

     

    Next up for the Celtics is a matchup with the Rockets on Monday night at TD Garden. The C’s beat the Rockets in Houston on Jan. 3. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.

     

     

     

  • Eagles Get Shocking Injury Update Before Super Bowl

    Eagles Get Shocking Injury Update Before Super Bowl

     

    When Philadelphia Eagles veteran edge rusher Brandon Graham went down with a torn triceps in Week 12, it not only seemed like Graham’s season was over but, in all likelihood, so was his time in Philadelphia.

     

    “Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham will miss the remainder of the season, he told reporters Sunday night, after tearing his triceps during Philadelphia’s 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams,” ESPN’s Tim McManus wrote on November 24. “Graham, a longtime team captain, has played his entire 15-year NFL career in Philadelphia.”

     

    Graham, 36 years old, is playing on a 1-year, $4 million contract he signed in March 2024 and now, at the 11th hour, might make a surprise return for the Eagles when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on February 9.

     

    “No firm update on Brandon Graham’s status on 94.1 WIP tonight,” PHLY’s Zach Berman wrote on his official X account on January 28. “He said he’s taking it ‘one day at a time.’ ”

     

    “I ain’t heard nothing, man,” Graham said. “I’m just excited to be here, excited for this team, excited for this moment … I feel good. …This has been the easiest injury, I’d say, out of the injuries I’ve had. Upper body stuff is a little bit easier. ….It’s just making sure I’m building muscle, I’m getting stronger and doing the right things to where I’m not re-hurting it. We’ll see what the docs say, see what’s going on, and go from there.”

     

    Graham has played in the Super Bowl twice for the Eagles, and his strip sack of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with 2:21 remaining in Super Bowl LII gave the ball back to Philadelphia and helped seal the first Super Bowl win in franchise history.

     

    He also played in the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII following the 2022 season.

     

    Graham had 3.5 sacks on the season before his injury, including a sack of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in Week 12 before he was hurt.

     

    Graham was the 2009 Big Ten Most Valuable Player and selected by the Eagles in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2010 NFL draft out of Michigan. He earned NFL All-Pro honors in 2016 and made the Pro Bowl in 2020.

     

    Graham has $97.7 million in career earnings through the 2024 season.

     

     

    While the Eagles had the NFL’s best defense in 2024, they did so without an elite edge rusher outside of Josh Sweat, who could also be out the door alongside Graham next season.

     

    While Nolan Smith is emerging talent on the outside, it’s still Sweat who makes the engine move for the Eagles with rushing the passer from the outside.

     

    Pro Football Network currently has Sweat listed as the No. 3 overall NFL free agent available in 2025 and with the Eagles staring down just $18.9 million in projected salary cap space next season and Sweat projected to land a 3-year, $45 million contract, it doesn’t seem viable for him to stay in Philly.

     

    From PFN: “The lack of elite pass-rushers in this class boosts Sweat’s overall value in free agency, given the impact the pass rush can have on a game. Also playing into Sweat’s hands is an impressive 16.8% tackle rate, which makes him the most all-around pass-rush weapon in free agency this year.”

     

    Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame

     

     

  • Detroit Lions lose offensive positional coach to Jets

    Detroit Lions lose offensive positional coach to Jets

     

    The Detroit Lions coaching staff departures continue, as an offensive coach leaves to join Aaron Glenn and the Jets.

     

    The Detroit Lions will have another coach on the offensive staff to replace this season. As first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the New York Jets are hiring Lions tight ends coach Steven Heiden to be their next offensive line coach.

     

    It’s an unexpected move, seeing as Heiden played 11 years in the league as a tight end, and has spent most of his coaching career at that same position. However, he did spend a single season as the Arizona Cardinals’ assistant offensive line coach in 2018. Heiden has served as the Lions tight end coach for the past two seasons, joining the team shortly before Detroit drafted tight end Sam LaPorta in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

     

    “Coach Heiden has done a phenomenal job getting those guys ready, particularly a young player like LaPorta,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Heiden back in 2023.

     

    Under Heiden, LaPorta set the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end in their first two seasons (146).

     

    Heiden will join former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn with the Jets, as he continues to build out his staff. Reportedly, that staff may also include Lions pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who is believed to be the top candidate to fill New York’s offensive coordinator position.

     

    It’s been a huge offseason of attrition for the Lions’ coaching staff. Here are all the coaches who have departed or the Lions have parted ways with, per various reports:

     

     

  • Kalen DeBoer gives honest evaluation of first year at Alabama

    Kalen DeBoer gives honest evaluation of first year at Alabama

     

    Kalen DeBoer’s first season at Alabama didn’t go exactly as planned as the team finished 9-4 with a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan.

     

    But, he knows what comes next in 2025. The Crimson Tide have to be better fast to measure up to the Alabama standard.

     

    DeBoer recently talked about the opportunity for the entire Alabama program looking inward.

     

    “Yeah, we know that we need to be better,” DeBoer said. “That’s the expectation I had, you know from day one is that we perform at a championship level, and we certainly fell short of that. Whether you’re 0-12 or 12-0 in a regular season, you know you’re always going to really critique and be detailed on how you got to improve. And I appreciate what our staff is doing, what our players are doing, to really look inward, work together and continue to move forward.”

     

    There were some bad losses for Alabama, including to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma that really stand out. It all but ended their College Football Playoff hopes.

     

    Of course, a sputtering offense in a postseason loss to Michigan didn’t inspire too much confidence. But Rome wasn’t built, or rebuilt, in a day.

     

    “A lot of good things are already happening,” DeBoer said. “It already feels just a lot different internally as we turn the page into 2025, from the first team meeting, which was less than two weeks after our last bowl game. So, just excited about what’s happening. The work that’s being put in. Haven’t had a chance to be around the guys a lot, just because we’ve been on the road recruiting and only get a few days here, especially as a head coach, the only time of the year down in January to get out.

  • Arsenal brace for dramatic Ollie Watkins transfer twist as £64m deal ‘agreed’ and medical planned

    Arsenal brace for dramatic Ollie Watkins transfer twist as £64m deal ‘agreed’ and medical planned

    In order to finalise a January deal, an Aston Villa striker—not Ollie Watkins—is scheduled for a medical. Watkins was included in the starting lineup for Villa’s Champions League match against Celtic, even though the club rejected an offer of £60 million from Arsenal earlier this week. As an avid supporter of Arsenal, the 29-year-old has acknowledged that playing for the Gunners would be an absolute dream. That would imply that he is amenable to a transfer, but Villa and Unai Emery don’t seem to share that sentiment, since Jhon Duran is also drawing a lot of interest this month.

    The Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr and Chelsea have both been linked to a move for the 21-year-old, and it appears that the latter is getting close to signing him. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports that Duran will undergo a medical examination in London on Thursday prior to finalising a £64 million (€77 million) transfer.

    Emery is not expected to approve both transactions, which would indicate that Arsenal needs to work hard on Watkins. With Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen as their backup, Al-Nassr is acting swiftly to get a striker as the Saudi Arabian transfer market ends on Thursday, January 30. Based on that, Duran might still be at Villa Park, which would allow Arsenal to officially sign Watkins. Villa may not have a better time to sell than now, despite their insistence that they do not want to, considering his age, form, and contract status. Additionally, Duran is obviously a ready-made successor, so if one were to leave, the other would be assured of regular minutes going forward. But Villa