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tkmedia · 3 years ago

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How new Hall of Famers Troy Polamalu and Bill Cowher formed lasting bond

7:29 AM ETPITTSBURGH -- More than 6,600 days after Troy Polamalu hesitantly answered the call from a Pittsburgh area code to begin his NFL career, he and the coach who helped make the call will enter the next phase of their storied careers.Former Pittsburgh Steelers Polamalu and Bill Cowher will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Canton, Ohio, becoming the first duo of player and the coach who drafted him, to get in in the same class."You wouldn't take my call when I drafted you because you didn't like the 412 area code," Cowher joked as he interviewed Polamalu after the safety got the famed knock from HOF president David Baker in February 2020."It's attached to bad weather," Polamalu replied, laughing. "Snow in April, you know all that good stuff. I wasn't too excited about that. Little did I know, it became home to me, my family, myself."A working relationship that began when Polamalu was 21 has evolved into a friendship between the coach and his former player, one that makes the dual induction even more special.Catch the 2020 Centennial Class ceremony in Canton, Ohio on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), followed by the 2021 HOF class induction on Sunday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN):• Peyton Manning changed QBing forever • Jimmy Johnson: 'How 'bout them Cowboys?' • Charles Woodson's legendary path in NFL • Get to know this year's HOF classes • Videos: Watch these HOF moments "He helped develop me and helped me as I matured into adulthood and really played a big father-figure role in my life, much like LeBeau," Polamalu said. "To have that confidence instilled in you, by a Hall of Fame coach. He's also from Pittsburgh, and he really embodies that blue collar mentality, as well. To not only have that sort of influence earlier in my career, it's also an honorable virtue that Pittsburgh stands by, blue collar work ethic."Their bond, though, was hardly instantaneous. Polamalu struggled during his rookie season in 2003 as Cowher tried to put his first-rounder in a variety of roles, at first attempting to shoehorn him into tightly defined positions. Finishing the season without an interception or a start, Polamalu's confidence was low."That rookie season for me was also when I started to question my purpose and whether or not football was for me or not because my rookie season was not enjoyable, nor was it very successful at all," Polamalu said. "So post-rookie season is where I kind of had a real conversation with myself that was like, 'Listen man, either you're going to go all in on this or all out, because if you're not all-in, there may not be a career.'"That was a turning point -- in both his relationship with Cowher and his career."Troy needed a year to develop and adjust to being in the league," Steelers owner and team president Art Rooney II said. "Bill helped him along with that. I know Troy appreciates that and it's part of their relationship."Bill Cowher and Troy Polamalu spent just five years together on the Steelers but have remained friends since and enter the Hall of Fame together. AP Photo/David ZalubowskiThey were together three more years, but Polamalu and Cowher found a rhythm that maximized Polamalu's ability and brought the two men closer together."As humiliating as it was, if I had not gone through the process of that molding, of really being put through the furnace of adversity and doubt and really attacking that in a way that's calculated, methodical, and not in an emotional way," Polamalu said, "it was like, I've got to go about doing this the right way and that paying off. Because that paid off, it set in motion the rest of my career."In 2004, Polamalu earned the starting strong safety job over Mike Logan and exploded for five interceptions and 97 combined tackles. Cowher and LeBeau found the right combination of discipline and freedom that allowed Polamalu to maximize the innate skills that set him apart."I remember the more you got to know Troy, there was a reason behind the things that he did," Cowher said. "... When Troy was on the field, you didn't want to harness him. You wanted to let him play. If he got uncomfortable, that made me uncomfortable. We gave him a lot of leeway, and that's why he's going into the Hall of Fame -- he's a very special player. A very special person."• Troy Polamalu's lasting bond with Bill Cowher • Bosa stoked about Chargers' new defense • Surprise! Harry making plays for Patriots • Can Cowboys' defense improve from 2020? • Texans OC: Taylor has command of offense After a 15-1 season in 2004, Polamalu helped the Steelers to their fifth Super Bowl in the 2005 season. He became known for his flowing locks spilling from beneath his helmet and his ability to transform from a soft-spoken enigma to a ball-hawking predator on the field.Cowher resigned in 2007, and Polamalu continued to build his Hall of Fame resume with another Super Bowl win in the 2008 season and by making seemingly improbable plays -- like the flying superman tackle of Titans quarterback Kerry Collins in 2010 that Polamalu now describes as taking a "calculated risk.""Unbelievable instincts," former Colts and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said of Polamalu. "Defensive coaches want you to do a certain thing, right? You're supposed to be in this position, that's the way the defense is set up. Well, with Troy, that was kind of out the window. Even though he was supposed to be here, he could tell the ball was going to go over there. And he ends up over there and I'm like, 'No, he's not supposed to be there.'"From a rocky start to a player who redefined the safety position, Polamalu will enter the Hall of Fame on Saturday as a part of its Centennial Class alongside Cowher during a weekend that will also feature the inductions of three other Steelers -- Alan Faneca, Bill Nunn and Donnie Shell."It helps define my career," Polamalu said of the induction. "I've been surrounded by a lot of Hall of Fame people in my life -- obviously being drafted by a Hall of Fame coach. Having played already with two Hall of Fame football players, it's an indication of my career, as well as that I've been surrounded by Hall of Fame people. And I've been very grateful for that." Read the full article

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paulbenedictblog · 4 years ago

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Fox news Owners to vote on resolution to incentivize minority HC, GM hires - NFL.com

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At some level of his order of the league tackle three months ago at Easy Bowl LIV in Miami, Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged a need to boost the opportunities for minorities to change into head coaches and overall managers.

"Clearly we're now not where we're trying to be on this stage," he stated. "It's definite we must always commerce. We now absorb got already begun discussing those changes, what stages we can have interaction subsequent to search out out better outcomes."

The name to motion grew even louder after handiest one of the five instructing vacancies at some level of the offseason turned into as soon as stuffed by a person of coloration, continuing a pattern by which factual three of the past 20 openings absorb long past to a minority. Now in possibly its most aggressive and controversial strive to contend with the topic, the league will most up-to-date a pair of resolutions this coming Tuesday at some level of the owners' virtual assembly that it hopes will stage the enjoying enviornment.

The first would have interaction away the longstanding anti-tampering barrier that permits clubs to block assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator positions with other clubs, even even supposing having coordinator abilities is normally the closing and most critical step in changing right into a head coach. The replacement would incentivize the hiring of minorities as head coaches or major soccer executives by rewarding teams with improved draft slots, extra than one sources told NFL.com.

The sources spoke on the situation of anonymity on fable of the restful nature of the topic. The league declined to observation Friday on this roar agenda for Tuesday's assembly. But if the resolutions absorb been to be voted in under the League Protection on Equal Employment and Administrative heart Diversity, they may well work as follows:

If a crew hires a minority head coach, that crew, within the draft preceding the coach's second season, would transfer up six spots from where it is slotted to desire within the third round. A crew would jump 10 spots under the same bellow for hiring a person of coloration as its major soccer executive, a build of dwelling extra normally known as overall manager.

If a crew absorb been to absorb each positions with various candidates within the same year, that membership may well possibly well maybe jump 16 spots -- six for the coach, 10 for the GM -- and doubtlessly transfer from the tip of the third round to the heart of the second round. One other incentive: a crew's fourth-round desire would climb five spots within the draft preceding the coach's or GM's third year if he's restful with the crew. That is regarded as critical because Steve Wilks and Vance Joseph, two of the four African-American head coaches hired since 2017, absorb been fired after one and two seasons, respectively.

If passed, the changes may well possibly well maybe be a radical departure from most up-to-date protocol. League officers absorb been trying for years to implement programs and procedures that can possibly well maybe boost vogue opportunities for minorities, from adopting the Rooney Rule in 2003 to growing fellowship positions to bringing in professional and college coaches for networking and empowerment summits to working with clubs to allocate extra entry-stage positions to various candidates. As well to the instructing hires, handiest two of the 32 GM positions within the interim belong to any person of coloration, alarming statistics thinking about 70 p.c of head coach hires at some level of the past three years came from two positions: quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.

The perception internally is the numbers can also even be reversed by eradicating probably the most limitations which absorb hindered minority mobility, similar to teams blockading assistants from interviewing for coordinator positions in diversified places. Many owners detect coordinator abilities as indispensable for first-time head coaches, nonetheless within the interim Eric Bieniemy in Kansas Metropolis and Byron Leftwich in Tampa Bay are the handiest minority coordinators on offense.

Below the proposed resolution, clubs may well possibly well maybe be prohibited from the discontinue of the regular season to March 1 from denying an assistant coach the chance to interview with a brand fresh crew for a "bona fide" coordinator build of dwelling on offense, protection or particular teams. Any dispute in regards to the legitimacy of the build of dwelling may well possibly well maybe be heard by the commissioner, and his dedication may well possibly well maybe be "closing, binding and now not self-discipline to extra evaluate."

If a minority assistant left to change right into a coordinator in diversified places, his faded membership would gain a fifth-round compensatory desire. And if a person of coloration leaves to change right into a head coach or overall manager, his earlier crew would gain a third-round compensatory desire.

One closing provision: Any crew that hires a person of coloration as its quarterbacks coach would gain a compensatory desire on the discontinue of the fourth round if it retains that worker past one season. The provision is an strive to procure a extra various pool of coaches working with quarterbacks, for the reason that pattern of leisurely is to hire head coaches with offensive abilities -- 24 of the past 33 hires absorb been from the offensive aspect of the ball -- and it be regarded as even extra functional to absorb labored with quarterbacks. Presently there are handiest two African-American QB coaches in Pep Hamilton of the Chargers and Marcus Brady of the Colts.

The league build of labor is moreover taking a sight at extra improving the Rooney Rule by doubling the number of minority candidates a crew have to interview for head-instructing vacancies. It moreover is anticipated to discover the rule to coordinator positions for the first time. Steelers proprietor Art Rooney II hinted at changes in January at some level of an interview with the NFL Community's Steve Wyche.

"I judge where we're appropriate now, is now not where we're trying to be, now not where we must always be," Rooney stated. "We now absorb got to absorb interaction a step encourage and sight at what's happening with our hiring processes. The very very first thing we are going to enact as half of our fluctuate committee is fundamentally evaluate this past season's hiring cycle and dangle obvious we perceive what went on and take a look at with the of us though-provoking each on the owners' aspect, administration's aspect besides to the folk who absorb been interviewed.

"The thing I judge now we must always sight at is encourage when the Rooney Rule turned into as soon as passed and build in stay in 2003, there turned into as soon as a duration there where we did look an boost in minority hiring on the head instructing build of dwelling. And I judge over a duration of time there absorb been 10 or 12 minority coaches hired. Since then that pattern seems to be to reverse itself particularly within the closing few years. We now absorb got to ascertain what's happening and perceive better what's happening and of course contemplate how we toughen the bellow."

The 1st step will most certainly be taken at some level of Tuesday's virtual assembly.

Practice Jim Trotter on Twitter at @JimTrotter_NFL

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junker-town · 6 years ago

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All 31 teams that could trade for Antonio Brown, ranked by realism

As Brown inches ever closer to a trade, we sort through the teams who could offer the most for him.

Antonio Brown keeps inching toward his seemingly unavoidable departure from Pittsburgh. Years of veiled trade threats boiled over at the end of a tumultuous 2018 season, and now his desire for a deal to free him from the Steelers is so undeniable even team owner Art Rooney seems to agree.

That means a four-time first-team All-Pro is on the trading block, and it’s unclear what the Steelers are expecting in exchange for the second-most prolific wideout in franchise history. The 30-year old’s past production suggests he’s worthy of a Khalil Mack, two first-round picks haul. But Brown’s age, reported locker room issues throughout his Pittsburgh tenure, and recent demands for a restructured contract with more guaranteed money will dull the luster of the offers Rooney’s team receives.

So who can come up with the best offer for a man with 9,157 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns over his last six seasons? Here are all 31 of Brown’s possible suitors, sorted by their combination of tradable assets, need, available cap space, and chance of landing him.

Tier I: We’ve got plenty to offer and the space to extend Brown

1. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are loaded cap space and trade capital, with nine picks in the upcoming draft. That includes the Jets’ second-round pick, which the Colts extracted from them after moving back from No. 3 to No. 6 in last year’s draft. Brown and T.Y Hilton would give Indianapolis one of the league’s most devastating 1-2 punches at receiver.

2. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are the odds-on favorite to land Brown, who would immediately become their top wideout. Plus, Brown has openly flirted with the team.

3. New York Jets

The Jets have typically been linked to Brown’s teammate Le’Veon Bell, but adding a playmaker to Sam Darnold’s arsenal would boost one of the league’s most anonymous receiving corps.

4. Oakland (?) Raiders

Jon Gruden spent his first season as Raiders head coach trading players for draft assets. With three first-round picks, 2019 may signal a switch in strategy as he looks to build his roster with a few marketable stars in advance of its 2020 Las Vegas debut. Adding Brown would also fill a need — of which the Raiders have many.

5. Buffalo Bills

The Bills need to give Josh Allen someone to throw to, first of all. They also have a top-11 pick in each round of the draft and a boatload of cap space (around $83 million) to give Brown the guaranteed money he wants.

6. Arizona Cardinals

Giving Kliff Kingsbury the opportunity to throw the ball in Brown’s direction 30 times a game would make the Cardinals infinitely more watchable, no matter who the quarterback is.

7. Denver Broncos

The Broncos won’t be loaded with cap room after the deal for Joe Flacco goes through, but they can get $11 million in savings by cutting Case Keenum. Getting a veteran receiver while Emmanuel Sanders recovers from a torn Achilles is a scenario that makes enough sense that NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported trading for Brown is an avenue the team is likely to pursue.

8. Detroit Lions

The Lions suffered through one of the worst seasons of Matthew Stafford’s career thanks to a depleted WR depth chart. Adding Brown through some combination of valuable draft picks and/or young players could be the litmus test that determines whether he’s capable of recovery.

9. Houston Texans

Houston has three of the draft’s first 55 picks and around $75 million in cap space this spring. Figuring out what to do with Jadeveon Clowney and Tyrann Mathieu will eat into that, but fitting Brown into the space Demaryius Thomas left behind when he was released would give Deshaun Watson one of the league’s most explosive receiving corps.

Tier II: We don’t have as much to offer, but we’re sure Antonio would be happy here

10. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys shipped away their 2019 first-round pick in their trade for Amari Cooper. Now they need to figure out how to extend him and quarterback Dak Prescott as they head toward the final seasons of their rookie contracts, plus lock down Demarcus Lawrence. Still, it’s Jerry Jones, so ...

11. Green Bay Packers

The Packers’ WR lineup was limited to Davante Adams and a pair of late-round rookies last fall, and making Aaron Rodgers happy is 1-3 on new head coach Matt LaFleur’s daily to-do list in Green Bay.

12. Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles could use another impact receiver to buttress Keenan Allen, and Brown could be the tipping point that pushes Philip Rivers to his first Super Bowl appearance.

13. Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson seems to get by with Doug Baldwin and an assortment of guys who never get selected in your fantasy draft; let’s see what he could do with another top wideout.

Tier III: We don’t have much to offer, end of sentence.

14. Tennessee Titans

The Titans need receiving help alongside a budding Corey Davis, but they only have six picks in the upcoming draft, all in the later part of each round. They also have an unsettled quarterback situation thanks to Marcus Mariota’s continuous string of injuries.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers have better draft capital but less cap space for an extension. Take what we just said about Mariota and replace the last four words with “consistently terrible decision-making,” and now it applies to Jameis Winston.

16. New York Giants

The Giants have their own wide receiver rumors to handle. They need to figure out if they’re really committed to Odell Beckham Jr. before they start throwing the assets they’ll need to rebuild at Brown.

Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Tier IV: We’d love to have Brown, but we don’t need another WR badly enough to make a Godfather offer

17. Chicago Bears

The Bears don’t have a great deal of cap space and they don’t have the picks to make a big offer after trading away two first-rounders for Khalil Mack. Still, the idea of Brown, Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, and Anthony Miller is exciting.

18. Minnesota Vikings

Imagine Antonio Brown, Adam Thielen, and Stefon Diggs on the same team. That trio would possibly be the best group of receivers in NFL history. It’s fun to dream about, but the Vikings can’t realistically make a trade for Brown. They don’t have much cap space to navigate free agency.

19. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams were wildly aggressive during the 2018 offseason, acquiring Ndamukong Suh, Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, and Brandin Cooks for a Super Bowl run. It worked, but now the Rams have only one selection in the top 125 picks of the 2019 NFL Draft and not enough cap space to keep all their impending free agents.

20. Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City did one thing really well in 2018: Score points. It was the Chiefs’ terrible defense that was the issue all year and will be the top priority in the offseason. So as fun as it is to imagine Brown on an offense with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce, there’s no way the Chiefs use up the cap space that they have to add another offensive weapon.

21. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta has Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Wide receiver is the last thing the Falcons need to worry about.

Tier V: We’d love to have Brown, but our cap situation (tugs collar)

22. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville will have a little more cap flexibility once it releases more players. But the team needs to focus on using that money to pay up for a quarterback before making a trade for a receiver a priority.

23. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles will get their cap reprieve when Nick Foles makes his inevitable departure, but that’ll just take the team out of the negatives and into the green. Philly would need some serious maneuvering to somehow make enough space for Brown. If the Eagles did manage to create that space, the team could improve its receiving corps just by making sure Golden Tate is around for another year.

24. Washington

The four-year, $94 million contract Alex Smith signed last season didn’t leave Washington much room to do much this offseason. The even bigger problem: Smith’s gruesome leg injury has left the team without a starting quarterback in 2019. After the team is done worrying about that problem, it won’t have much left over to go after a player as pricy as Brown.

25. New Orleans Saints

The Saints badly need someone to take the pressure off Michael Thomas’ capable shoulders, but they have almost no cap space. They also still need to keep their pockets relatively clear so they can give extensions to Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and Marshon Lattimore.

26. Miami Dolphins

Miami’s richest football tradition is a cap sheet that’s a complete mess, and the franchise may have to be razed down to its foundation before being rebuilt under new head coach Brian Flores.

27. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers just suffered through a down season on their “playoffs every other year” plan. Brown could be a key piece of their latest revival while giving Cam Newton his first true WR1 since Steve Smith, though money is tight.

Tier VI: There’s no way in hell the Steelers are trading you Antonio Brown

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

28. New England Patriots

The Patriots could lose three of their top four wide receivers to free agency this spring, and Bill Belichick has been aggressive at the position in the past with high-profile acquisitions like Randy Moss and Chad Ochocinco. The team traded for Josh Gordon this season and reportedly made a run at Odell Beckham Jr. last year. But do the Steelers want to deal an elite talent to a team that rules the AFC? Nope.

29. Cleveland Browns

The Browns have the cap space and assets to make a run at Brown, but combining a vindictive former Steeler with Baker Mayfield, whose default mode is “vindictive” to begin with, would make the pair a borderline superhero duo at Heinz Field.

30. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens need wideouts badly, but the Steelers f—ing hate them.

31. Cincinnati Bengals

Same for the Bengals. But even more.

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kenttsterling · 2 years ago

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Do tight ends tip #Colts hand? Coach hire to follow Rooney Rule! #Pacers beat Warriors!

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#Colts Vikings #Curry injury #Dan Snyder #Draymond ejected #Irsay Snyder #Jeff Saturday #Jim Irsay #Matt Ryan #Pacers Warriors #Youtube

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daliakristine-blog · 4 years ago

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the NFL and the 2 proposals

I personally do agree with the NFL's two proposals because firstly, they said this in the article, "during the past decade and a half, when teams were pushed to interview minority candidates, under the Rooney Rule, but little more. Teams that exploited loopholes in the recruiting process were rarely penalized." They already tried a different approach to make it more fair and diverse but it did not happen, they found ways to avoid it, so giving more advantages to the teams that do follow along with it would help not only that team but to the nonwhites who would want to be a coach.

Secondly another reason why I agree is because there are only two African-American coaches as it says in the article, "Currently, there are just two African-American quarterbacks coaches — Pep Hamilton with the Los Angeles Chargers and Marcus Brady with the Indianapolis Colts." The fact that they only have two nonwhite coaches currently is sad. The NFL is trying to do a positive thing by making it more diverse, so if it means giving the teams who do have nonwhite coaches advantages then that is what they are going to have to do. The world needs to see more equality and the NFL doing this is a good start.

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biofunmy · 5 years ago

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Only Three N.F.L. Head Coaches Are Black. ‘It’s Embarrassing.’

In late June, the sleepiest part of the N.F.L. calendar, several of the sport’s most prominent minority coaches and executives gathered at Morehouse College in Atlanta to try to dispel a persistent football myth: that there are not enough qualified candidates of color for the league’s coveted offensive coaching jobs.

At the event, known as the Quarterback Summit, about three dozen aspiring candidates for such jobs heard from seasoned professionals like the former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and other African-American coaches and executives, past and present. The coaching prospects — young men of color who have shaped offenses at various levels of the sport — also got to network. They discussed how to develop quarterbacks. They taped mock interviews.

The Quarterback Summit, organized by the N.F.L. and held for a second straight year, took on a new urgency when the number of minority head coaches and general managers plummeted by half (from eight to four and four to two, respectively) in the 2019 off-season, reversing years of progress.

Recently, the main avenue to head coaching jobs in the N.F.L. has been experience guiding an offense, a role in which minorities have been underrepresented. Among the 32 teams this season, there were two African-American offensive coordinators and 10 defensive coordinators.

The summit “was birthed out of looking at the last few hiring cycles, and the appetite for offensive coaches,” said Troy Vincent, the N.F.L.’s executive vice president of football operations. “When you look at the demographics, it’s embarrassing.”

After every N.F.L. season in recent years, as clubs fired coaches and top executives, the league — in which about three-quarters of the players are African-American — has come under fresh scrutiny over how few minorities are hired to fill those spots. In November, Richard Lapchick, the director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, issued his annual report on the hiring of women and minorities in the N.F.L. and gave the league its lowest grade since the institute began tracking this data in 2004.

“We’re celebrating the 100th anniversary of the N.F.L., yet we have only three head coaches of color,” said Rod Graves, a former N.F.L. general manager and league executive who now runs the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which promotes diversity in football. “For all the hoopla that football has become in this country, that kind of progress, or lack of, is shameful.”

As Graves noted, the December firing of Carolina Panthers Coach Ron Rivera, who is Hispanic, brought the number of minority head coaches to three — Mike Tomlin of the Steelers, Anthony Lynn with the Chargers and Brian Flores with the Dolphins — down from a record eight, in 2018 and other years. (Perry Fewell, who is African-American, replaced Rivera, but only on an interim basis.) There are just two general managers of color.

Vincent, Graves and other leaders at the summit have recognized that the emphasis on offense, and on promoting coaches who call plays and develop quarterbacks, has limited opportunities for minorities.

For years, African-American coaches have had an easier time being hired for defensive jobs, their roles apparently circumscribed by the kind of stereotypes that have long steered black players toward defense and away from certain offensive positions — quarterback, in particular, but also tight end and the offensive line.

In addition to the scarcity of minority offensive coordinators this season, there were only two African-American coaches for quarterbacks — despite the growing impact of black quarterbacks in the league — plus five for tight ends and one for offensive linemen.

The Quarterback Summit is just one of the efforts to increase diversity in N.F.L. coaching and front-office jobs. In 2003, the N.F.L. introduced the Rooney Rule, which requires that each club interview at least one minority candidate from outside the organization when trying to hire a head coach, assistant coaches or senior executives in football operations. Named after the longtime Steelers owner Dan Rooney, the rule was intended to help fix the racial imbalance, but the number of minority head coaches at any given time has never topped eight and the league has rarely penalized clubs for violating the rule.

Despite a stated goal of broader diversity, the N.F.L. does not set quotas for its teams; each franchise owner decides who fills the top spots on his or her team. So while 28 percent of management jobs at the league headquarters belong to people of color, the representation among the teams’ top front-office executives is 11 percent, a statistic that earned a failing grade from Lapchick.

“If we’re going to have any sustainability in terms of diversity, we have to focus on diversity of leadership,” Graves said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Some teams have recognized that becoming more diverse made them better on the field. A half-century ago, the Steelers hired an African-American scout, Bill Nunn Sr., and he found players at overlooked historically black colleges and universities who helped the team win four Super Bowls between 1974 and 1980.

“Every metric that you could use, these players outperformed their peers,” said Jim Rooney, who recently completed a book on his late father’s work. “It gave Dan an appreciation of talent pools that were overlooked and can give you an advantage.”

The Arizona Cardinals also broke barriers. They were the first team to hire an African-American head coach and general manager. The Cardinals also hired the first African-American female executive and the first African-American contract negotiator.

The N.F.L. has tried to build a pathway for minority coaches through the Bill Walsh N.F.L. Diversity Coaching Fellowship, which is named for the late 49ers head coach. Since Walsh started the program in the 1980s, nearly 2,000 developing coaches have had internships with N.F.L. teams during off-season workouts, minicamps and training camps. But as the college football season has expanded and the N.F.L. has reduced off-season workouts, the number of days available for such internships has declined.

Four years ago, Bruce Arians decided that more opportunity was needed. Then the Cardinals head coach, he approached Arizona’s executives about setting up the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship. Named after the team’s late owner, the fellowship pays former players who are from minority groups to coach for up to two years.

“We have to make sure we’re doing everything we can do to build a pipeline of play callers and quarterback coaches, who will eventually get to offensive coordinator and head coach,” said Michael Bidwill, the son of Bill Bidwill and the current owner of the Cardinals. More than a dozen other N.F.L. teams have since established similar fellowships.

One of the former players Arians hired was Byron Leftwich, who was a backup quarterback with the Steelers when Arians was Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator. Leftwich interned in 2016, became the quarterbacks coach the next year and the offensive coordinator in 2018.

“I don’t see myself as an African-American coordinator,” Leftwich said. “I’m a coordinator who happens to be African-American. This isn’t a gimmick.”

When Arians was hired as the Buccaneers head coach ahead of this season, Leftwich moved to Tampa Bay. The team is the first to have African-American coaches as offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators, and 11 of its 30 coaches are minorities.

“It’s the guys you know and trust, people who haven’t gotten opportunities who deserve them,” Arians said. “Our job as coaches is to create that next generation of coaches.”

Arians looks forward to the day when hiring minorities is not exceptional. For that to happen, there must be more diversity in offensive roles lower on the organizational chart, starting with quality control coaching. Pep Hamilton, the head coach of the D.C. Defenders of the X.F.L. who was an assistant with four N.F.L. teams, calls that job a “springboard.”

“You can’t teach experience,” Hamilton said. “Ultimately, you’re either prepared or not.”

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paulbenedictblog · 4 years ago

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Fox news Owners to vote on resolution to incentivize minority HC, GM hires - NFL.com

Fox news

Accurate via his speak of the league take care of three months within the past at Enormous Bowl LIV in Miami, Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged a want to elongate the alternatives for minorities to change into head coaches and total managers.

"Clearly we're not the assign we're looking out to be on this level," he said. "Or not it's distinct we must switch. We bask in already begun discussing these adjustments, what levels we can make a selection subsequent to decide higher outcomes."

The resolution to action grew even louder after simplest one of the necessary five coaching vacancies one day of the offseason used to be filled by a person of color, continuing a pattern by which proper three of the past 20 openings bask in long gone to a minority. Now in perchance its most aggressive and controversial try to take care of the matter, the league will fresh a pair of resolutions this coming Tuesday one day of the owners' virtual assembly that it hopes will level the taking part in arena.

The first would take hold of the longstanding anti-tampering barrier that allows golf equipment to block assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator positions with totally different golf equipment, even supposing having coordinator abilities is typically the last and most necessary step in becoming a head coach. The moderately loads of would incentivize the hiring of minorities as head coaches or main soccer executives by rewarding groups with improved draft slots, a pair of sources urged NFL.com.

The sources spoke on the location of anonymity attributable to the sensitive nature of the matter. The league declined to comment Friday on this explicit agenda for Tuesday's assembly. But when the resolutions had been to be voted in under the League Protection on Equal Employment and Build of abode of work Diversity, they would work as follows:

If a personnel hires a minority head coach, that personnel, within the draft preceding the coach's second season, would transfer up six spots from the assign it's miles slotted to take hold of within the third spherical. A personnel would leap 10 spots under the identical arena for hiring a person of color as its main soccer govt, a location more typically identified as total manager.

If a personnel had been to possess both positions with numerous candidates within the identical 12 months, that membership could perhaps well well also leap 16 spots -- six for the coach, 10 for the GM -- and potentially transfer from the head of the third spherical to the center of the second spherical. Every other incentive: a personnel's fourth-spherical take hold of would climb five spots within the draft preceding the coach's or GM's third 12 months if he's aloof with the personnel. That is assumed-about indispensable due to Steve Wilks and Vance Joseph, two of the four African-American head coaches hired since 2017, had been fired after one and two seasons, respectively.

If handed, the adjustments would be a thorough departure from fresh protocol. League officers were attempting for years to put into effect programs and procedures that can perhaps well well lengthen pattern alternatives for minorities, from adopting the Rooney Rule in 2003 to increasing fellowship positions to bringing in pro and college coaches for networking and empowerment summits to working with golf equipment to allocate more entry-level positions to numerous candidates. Besides to the coaching hires, simplest two of the 32 GM positions presently belong to someone of color, alarming statistics alive to with 70 p.c of head coach hires one day of the past three years came from two positions: quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.

The realization internally is the numbers could perhaps well well also additionally be reversed by removing just among the barriers that bask in hindered minority mobility, equivalent to groups blocking off assistants from interviewing for coordinator positions in other areas. Many owners gaze coordinator abilities as necessary for first-time head coaches, nonetheless presently Eric Bieniemy in Kansas City and Byron Leftwich in Tampa Bay are potentially the most clear-cut minority coordinators on offense.

Below the proposed resolution, golf equipment would be prohibited from the pause of the regular season to March 1 from denying an assistant coach the opportunity to interview with a fresh personnel for a "bona fide" coordinator location on offense, defense or special groups. Any dispute relating to the legitimacy of the location would be heard by the commissioner, and his decision would be "last, binding and not arena to additional analysis."

If a minority assistant left to change into a coordinator in other areas, his prone membership would receive a fifth-spherical compensatory take hold of. And if a person of color leaves to change into a head coach or total manager, his old personnel would receive a third-spherical compensatory take hold of.

One last provision: Any personnel that hires a person of color as its quarterbacks coach would receive a compensatory take hold of at the pause of the fourth spherical if it retains that worker past one season. The provision is an try to receive a more numerous pool of coaches working with quarterbacks, since the pattern of insensible is to rent head coaches with offensive abilities -- 24 of the past 33 hires were from the offensive aspect of the ball -- and it be plan-about grand more functional to bask in worked with quarterbacks. Currently there are simplest two African-American QB coaches in Pep Hamilton of the Chargers and Marcus Brady of the Colts.

The league location of commercial is also looking out at additional enhancing the Rooney Rule by doubling the different of minority candidates a personnel must interview for head-coaching vacancies. It is also anticipated to note the rule of thumb to coordinator positions for the main time. Steelers owner Artwork Rooney II hinted at adjustments in January one day of an interview with the NFL Network's Steve Wyche.

"I bask in the assign we're proper now, isn't the assign we're looking out to be, not the assign we must be," Rooney said. "We desire to decide on a step assist and glimpse at what's happening with our hiring processes. The very very first thing we'll attain as fraction of our diversity committee is completely analysis this past season's hiring cycle and effect distinct that we brand what went on and talk about with the participants alive to both on the owners' aspect, management's aspect in addition to the participants that had been interviewed.

"The object I bask in now we desire to glimpse at is assist when the Rooney Rule used to be handed and establish in assemble in 2003, there used to be a duration there the assign we did inquire of an lengthen in minority hiring at the head coaching location. And I bask in over a duration of time there were 10 or 12 minority coaches hired. Since then that pattern seems to reverse itself particularly within the old few years. We desire to gaze what's going on and see higher what's going on and truly insist how we give a take hold of to the matter."

The first step could perhaps well well also very well be taken one day of Tuesday's virtual assembly.

Follow Jim Trotter on Twitter at @JimTrotter_NFL

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junker-town · 6 years ago

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Here’s the latest on Antonio Brown trade rumors

The Steelers have agreed to try to find a trade partner and send away Antonio Brown.

Antonio Brown wants out of Pittsburgh, and it looks like the Steelers are ready to oblige by trading the star receiver.

That’s easier said than done with Brown under contract through the 2021 season. The Steelers won’t save much money by parting with the receiver, and it probably makes sense for the team to smooth things over with the seven-time Pro Bowler. But that reconciliation is looking increasingly unlikely.

Brown turns 31 in July, and has posted at least 1,200 receiving yards in six consecutive seasons — an accomplishment only he, Jerry Rice, Torry Holt, and Randy Moss can claim. Brown also led the NFL in receiving touchdowns during the 2018 season with 15.

But the drama between the receiver and the Steelers boiled over to the point that Brown sat out the team’s Week 17 finale to the 2018 season.

The saga may end with Brown playing elsewhere. That’d be a huge shakeup, and the 49ers, Cowboys, and Packers are all considered possible landing spots. We’ll keep track of all the rumors right here:

Feb. 19

Brown met with Steelers owner Art Rooney II and posted that the two came to an agreement that it was “time to move on.”

Had a great meeting with Mr.Rooney today we discussed a lot of things and we cleared the air on several issues! We both agreed that it is time to move on but I’ll always have appreciation and gratitude towards the Rooney family and @steelers organization! #CallGod #Boomin pic.twitter.com/DEgURchvhW

— Antonio Brown (@AB84) February 19, 2019

According to Pro Football Talk, that meeting ended with the Steelers agreeing to attempt to trade Brown. He still cannot hunt for his own trade, though.

Feb. 18

Brown went to Facebook Live to say he’s only interested in guaranteed money.

“If your squad want to win and your squad want a hungry wide receiver who’s the best in the whole world, someone hit my phone,” said Brown. “Tell them I ain’t doing no unguarantees. I ain’t even gonna play myself no more for this NFL. ... I think I done everything. What y’all think? What’s left for me to do? Win a Super Bowl? Gotta be the right team for that, right? ... If your team got guaranteed money, they want to get to know me and work with me, tell them to call me.”

Feb. 16

Brown posted several tweets to clarify his desire for a trade, even calling out quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and coach Mike Tomlin.

No conflict just a matter of respect! Mutual respect! He has a owner mentality like he can call out anybody including coaches. Players know but they can’t say anything about it otherwise they meal ticket gone. It’s a dirty game within a game. #truth https://t.co/MsSyBVd3Ny

— Antonio Brown (@AB84) February 16, 2019

After the coach tell the team I quit while nursing some bumps then invite me to watch the show with same guys thinking I quit i can not stand with that! I’m the bad guy doe we miss post season think about it https://t.co/imrJ8jnnBc

— Antonio Brown (@AB84) February 16, 2019

Raising tensions may be a good way for Brown to get himself traded, but it also scared off at least one team, according to NBC’s Peter King:

I think the more Antonio Brown tweets, the more he scares off potential suitors. (That’s not just something I think. In the case of one team, it’s something I know.)

Feb. 12

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Brown has officially requested a trade from the team. That report came just minutes after Brown said his goodbyes to Pittsburgh with a highlights video posted on social media.

Thank you SteelerNation for a big 9 years...time to move on and forward..........✌ #NewDemands pic.twitter.com/fbIoFNdqK4

— Antonio Brown (@AB84) February 12, 2019

Jan. 12

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Broncos are expected to be an interested suitor:

From @NFLGameDay: The #Steelers are going to get trade offers for Antonio Brown, and rival GMs predict they'll be able to at least get a 2nd rounder. The #Broncos are expected to be one of many teams interested. pic.twitter.com/Hz16So8pwV

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 12, 2019

“Among the teams who may be interested — just based on salary cap space — the Jets would be one, the 49ers, the Colts,” Rapoport said. “I am told to keep an eye on the Denver Broncos. They are one of the teams plotting a run for Antonio Brown.”

Jan. 5

The Steelers are reportedly open to the idea of trading Brown.

From @NFLGameDay: The #Steelers are open to trading WR Antonio Brown and we look into what it means (here is the link to my story from earlier: https://t.co/rCUmJ7vrQm) pic.twitter.com/BE4hehVbDh

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 5, 2019

“They are expected, over the course of the next couple of months as we head into the 2019 offseason to — at the very least — listen to trade offers,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said. “They haven’t shut the door on the possibility of [Brown] playing for another team.”

Jan. 1

There was some public flirtation between Brown and members of the 49ers on social media shortly after the reports of the receiver’s drama with the Steelers. A few weeks later, Brown posted an edited photo on his Instagram of himself in a 49ers uniform.

View this post on Instagram

When the goat embrace you.......

A post shared by Antonio Brown (@ab) on Jan 25, 2019 at 7:27am PST

Dec. 31

Brown was officially ruled out of a Week 17 game with a knee injury, but reports surfaced later in the week that alleged a blowup earlier in the week caused the absence.

Was told this afternoon by a source during Steelers locker room clean out that Antonio Brown threw a ball near/at feet of Ben Roethlisberger and walked out of practice. Post-Gazette reporting Brown skipped Sat walkthrough and expected to play Sunday. He didn’t. @TheAthleticPGH

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) December 31, 2018

Ben Roethlisberger brushed off the confrontation as nothing, and Mike Tomlin said that the knee injury and a lack of communication were the reason Brown didn’t play.

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warrenvalleygolf · 6 years ago

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12 celebrities to watch at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Source: Golf.com

By Pat Ralph Tuesday, February 05, 2019

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is set to tee off this week at iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links, and once again it’s loaded with some big-time celebrities. Here are 12 of the biggest names and familiar faces to keep an eye on this week along the Monterey coastline.

You can view the full list of celebrity participants here.

Tony Romo

After calling his first Super Bowl this past weekend for CBS alongside Jim Nantz, Romo will be teeing it up again at Pebble Beach this week. The former Dallas Cowboy and Pro Bowler made his PGA Tour debut at the 2018 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, where he missed the cut. He has also played in Web.com tour Q-school and attempted U.S. Open Qualifying several times in recent years.

Jake Owen

Before turning his interests to country music, Owen initially pursued a career as a pro golfer. He won his first tournament at age 15. He’s still a big golfer today, and he was awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the Web.com Tour’s Nashville Golf Open this past year.

Larry Fitzgerald

Romo won’t be the only participant at the pro-am with football ties, as the Arizona Cardinals wide receiver will take part again. Fitzgerald says that he’s a 10 or 11 handicap and that he packs a cut-off shaft during road weeks so he can practice his swing. Last month, the Pro Bowler made an ace while playing a round with former President Barack Obama.

Ray Romano

The actor and stand-up comedian participated in Golf Channel’s The Haney Project, in which Tiger Woods’s former coach helped celebrities and athletes improve their game. Romano’s been a regular participant in the pro-am and frequently plays in the American Century Celebrity Golf Classic.

Aaron Rodgers

Make that three football stars who will be in action at Pebble Beach this week. The Super Bowl champion and league MVP Rodgers enters with a reported 4.0 handicap index, and he has expressed interest in playing alongside viral sensation Hosung Choi.

Darius Rucker

The singer, who also frequents Pebble Beach every year for the pro-am, is a single-digit handicap and hosts an annual post-Masters pro-am. Rucker is good friends with Tiger Woods and sang at his wedding and father’s funeral. Rucker was also a VIP guest of Team USA at the 2016 Ryder Cup.

Matt Ryan

Oh look, another Pro Bowl and MVP quarterback playing at Pebble! Ryan, who tosses the pigskin around for the Atlanta Falcons, is an avid golfer and has participated in a number of tournaments such as the American Century Celebrity Golf Classic.

Tom Dreesen

The actor and stand-up comedian hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament called the Tom Dreesen Celebrity Classic.

Colt Ford

Before becoming a country music singer, Ford was a pro on the Web.com Tour.

Joe Don Rooney

The Rascal Flatts’s lead guitarist, who played in last year’s pro-am, says he’s played around 60 of the country’s top 100 courses.

Larry the Cable Guy

The comedian says he used to hate golf, but credits Boo Weekley with getting him into the game. He played in last year’s pro-am too.

Kelly Slater

The professional surfer is an avid golfer when not catching waves.

Link to article: Click here

The post 12 celebrities to watch at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am appeared first on Warren Valley.

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oldmarshcountryclub · 6 years ago

Text

12 celebrities to watch at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Source: Golf.com

By Pat Ralph Tuesday, February 05, 2019

You can view the full list of celebrity participants here.

Tony Romo

Jake Owen

Larry Fitzgerald

Ray Romano

Aaron Rodgers

Darius Rucker

Matt Ryan

Tom Dreesen

The actor and stand-up comedian hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament called the Tom Dreesen Celebrity Classic.

Colt Ford

Before becoming a country music singer, Ford was a pro on the Web.com Tour.

Joe Don Rooney

The Rascal Flatts’s lead guitarist, who played in last year’s pro-am, says he’s played around 60 of the country’s top 100 courses.

Larry the Cable Guy

The comedian says he used to hate golf, but credits Boo Weekley with getting him into the game. He played in last year’s pro-am too.

Kelly Slater

The professional surfer is an avid golfer when not catching waves.

Link to article: Click here

The post 12 celebrities to watch at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am appeared first on Old Marsh Country Club.

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bayspringsgolf · 6 years ago

Text

12 celebrities to watch at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Source: Golf.com

By Pat Ralph Tuesday, February 05, 2019

You can view the full list of celebrity participants here.

Tony Romo

Jake Owen

Larry Fitzgerald

Ray Romano

Aaron Rodgers

Darius Rucker

Matt Ryan

Tom Dreesen

The actor and stand-up comedian hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament called the Tom Dreesen Celebrity Classic.

Colt Ford

Before becoming a country music singer, Ford was a pro on the Web.com Tour.

Joe Don Rooney

The Rascal Flatts’s lead guitarist, who played in last year’s pro-am, says he’s played around 60 of the country’s top 100 courses.

Larry the Cable Guy

The comedian says he used to hate golf, but credits Boo Weekley with getting him into the game. He played in last year’s pro-am too.

Kelly Slater

The professional surfer is an avid golfer when not catching waves.

Link to article: Click here

0 notes

paulbenedictblog · 5 years ago

Text

%news%

New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

Fox news Bill Cowher first inducted into HOF 2020 Class - NFL.com

Fox news

The second man to take a Mammoth Bowl as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the predominant member of the Respectable Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class of 2020.

Longtime Steelers coach Invoice Cowher used to be the predominant to be inducted into the Hall as phase of the Centennial Class on Saturday prior to the Tennessee Titans-Baltimore Ravens Divisional Spherical playoff game.

"This feels devour I did after I won the Mammoth Bowl because I acknowledged, it took a while to waste obvious, used to be that true? This seems very surreal to me. Wow," Cowher acknowledged for the length of a stay announcement on the CBS pregame stammer.

The corpulent list of inductees, which is in a location to consist of 10 seniors, three contributors and the aforementioned two coaches, will seemingly be published on Jan. 15 on NFL Network's Ravishing Morning Football. These 15 will seemingly be a a part of the five as much as date-technology inductees, who will seemingly be announced on Mammoth Bowl Weekend for the length of NFL Honors.

Cowher will change into the second Steelers coach in the Hall of Fame, joining his predecessor Chuck Noll (1969-91), and the 22nd predominant Steelers inductee when he is enshrined this summer season. Three of his ragged gamers (Jerome Bettis, Dermontti Dawson, Rod Woodson) already cling gold jackets, and Cowher will soon be a a part of them.

The Steelers icon used to be one of eight coaching finalists to waste the rapid list and one of solely two to be selected for enshrinement.

"I used to be appropriate telling V (better half Veronica Stigeler), I've choice to grips, I am OK if it doesn't happen," Cowher acknowledged. "I've been so blessed. For these eight candidates, every body of you deserves to be there. Football is a total workers sport. I had some remarkable gamers, remarkable coaches, the ideal organization in soccer. I've lived a blessed existence. ...

"To give relief one thing to the game of soccer has been a phase of my existence. The virtues that it teaches you, the morals that you just may maybe maybe well maybe possess got the duty to transfer on, the platforms that we possess, I am a blessed man. And I've been very blessed to be surrounded by some very special folk."

A assorted Blue-Ribbon Panel created from many individuals of the general Respectable Football Hall of Fame Change Committee, Hall of Famers, coaches, soccer executives and quite a lot of leading historians scrutinized the deserves of with regards to 300 candidates nominated for consideration as phase of the Hall's special Centennial Class of 2020. The crew of nominees used to be reduced to a checklist of 38 finalists in December that were debated in a gathering and voted on by the Blue-Ribbon Panel on Wednesday to elect the 15-member "Centennial Slate" to the Respectable Football Hall of Fame.

A ragged linebacker for the Eagles and Browns in the early 1980s, Cowher made his bones as a definite teams and defensive backs coach with the Browns from 1985 thru 1988. After spending three years as defensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs, Cowher used to be employed by the Steelers in 1992 to eradicate over for the retiring Noll and change into appropriate the second Steelers coach for the reason that merger and the 15th overall.

Cowher coached the Steelers for 15 seasons from 1992 to 2006, leading Pittsburgh to a 149-90-1 licensed-season file, 10 playoff appearances and eight division titles (along with five in his first six seasons). He took dwelling AP Coach of the One year honors in his first One year on the job.

Under Cowher, the Steelers made two Mammoth Bowl appearances (XXX, XL) and won one in 2005. The Steelers won three boulevard playoff video games over the Bengals, Colts and Broncos to attain Mammoth Bowl XL, earlier than hoisting the Lombardi following a 21-10 take over the Seahawks. Cowher stepped down following the 2006 season.

Now 62 years outdated, Cowher has been a fixture on CBS' The NFL On the present time since 2007.

Statement from #Steelers President Artwork Rooney II on Invoice Cowherï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s probability to the @ProFootballHOF Centennial Class of 2020: pic.twitter.com/wnrgdyjyUE

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 12, 2020

I am so cosy for Invoice Cowher. Invoice had an unparalleled occupation and left his price on the @steelers organization, Pittsburgh and the NFL. The @ProFootballHOF purchased themselves a remarkable addition with @CowherCBS. Congrats Invoice. You deserve this remarkable honor.

ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Mike Tomlin (@CoachTomlin) January 12, 2020

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junker-town · 7 years ago

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There’s no easy answer for the NFL on player protests

The NFL can’t tell players what to do when it comes to their voice, but there are still some owners who want to.

ORLANDO — Athletic activism. Corporate responsibility.

Those are fancy phrases the league coyly coined before it arrived here for its annual meeting. The distilled version is this — what to do about players who still plan on kneeling for the national anthem?

There is a wide swath of opinion among NFL ownership.

There is a chasm.

Some (see the Texas duo of Jerry Jones and Bob McNair) want it to stop right now, forbid it for the 2018 season, mandate it, legislate it. Others call that foolish, not to mention unconstitutional (see Jeffrey Lurie and Christopher Johnson).

Some owners think of their relationship with players as owner/employee and that’s it. Other owners see their relationship with players as a partnership.

There is old-school thought. There is new-school thought.

There is fire raging in this dialogue among the owners.

“We’re going to talk about it more today, look at it in the May meeting and have more conversations with the players about it,” Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney said.

Rooney is viewed as a progressive owner. A fair one.

But even he struggles with the protest rights of players and the demands of business.

“I see the anthem issue as a little bit of both,” Rooney said.

One high-ranking NFL official told me on Monday that these owners meetings and subsequent ones are all about “moving the needle” toward no national anthem protests by the players. About getting there, in some circles among them, “come hell or high water.”

An NFL team senior vice president asked me: “And just how? I don’t know how you can force players to do something like this. How can you do that and be under the law? I guess that’s what we are going to be talking about here this week. Because I know a lot of people that want it have put a lot of time into finding a way to make it happen.’’

The NFL has agreed to donate nearly $100 million to social injustice causes in response to its players’ activism. The fact that it is continuing to discuss social injustice issues with players and finding roles to further assist them and their communities are moves opposite of mandates and more toward collaboration.

But owners shifting toward a hard line forbidding protests during the national anthem is still one potential conclusion.

One of the hurdles the league faces is that the players were not protesting the league’s lack of involvement in finding solutions. They were primarily protesting America’s attitudes, policies and treatment of social injustice.

A key for the league is to continue to find ways to partner and advocate the players’ concerns while not crushing their spirit.

“Me tell a player not to protest?’’ asked Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone. “Not me. It’s their constitutional right. But I’m not trying to be in that fight. You’re asking the wrong cat.’’

But Marrone must realize that as an NFL head coach, as a leader of NFL men, he is squarely in that fight.

New Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich said: “In a way, we all want the same things, but sometimes it’s tough to get it and tough to come together. There is social injustice and our players have spoken up about it. And I guess I’m naive enough to think that if we just trust each other and do the right things that we can find solutions together. I am in favor of players always having a voice.’’

What is that voice?

How much is too much in some owners’ eyes?

Colin Kaepernick still does not have a job. Free agent safety Eric Reid thinks he’s being blackballed because he took a knee alongside Kaepernick and continued to do so last season. The disparity, the atmospheric climate last season among some NFL teams whose players routinely protested during the national anthem compared to those teams and players that did not was clearly an ownership-influenced situation.

Owners have already found ways to let their players know exactly where they stand as owners on the anthem protest. Now these owners begin to share those thoughts here, with their peers.

There is diversity among them on the rights of players to protest involving the national anthem.

There is no diversity among them on the idea that the business model improves with the disappearance of anthem protests.

There should be no ambiguity among these owners on this — the days of simply telling NFL players this is what you will do when it comes to their voice, their causes, their rights is over.

The players have spoken.

Now it’s the owners’ turn.

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newsintodays-blog · 6 years ago

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NFL notebook: Steelers' Bell a no-show

New Post has been published on http://newsintoday.info/2018/09/04/nfl-notebook-steelers-bell-a-no-show/

NFL notebook: Steelers' Bell a no-show

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened their first practice of the regular season the way they ended the final practice of the preseason — without All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell.

Jan 14, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell (26) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Bell was absent when practice began Monday morning at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. He didn’t show up for training camp and has not signed his $14.54 million franchise-tag tender.

In 2017, he didn’t take part in offseason activities or training camp, his first year on the franchise tag. He didn’t show up for practice until the Monday before the first game of the season. The Steelers open the 2018 season Sunday.

“We are disappointed Le’Veon Bell has not signed his franchise tender and rejoined his teammates,” general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “Coach (Mike) Tomlin and the coaching staff will continue to focus on preparing the players on our roster for our regular season opener on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.”

—No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold was named the starting quarterback by coach Todd Bowles as the New York Jets close in on their Sept. 10 opener against the Detroit Lions.

Darnold, who won the job over veteran Josh McCown, will become the youngest opening-day starting quarterback in NFL history at 21 years, 97 days when he takes the field for the Monday night contest against the Lions.

“We feel like he gives us a good chance to win,” Bowles told reporters. “We’re not starting him because he’s a rookie and he’s not ready. We’re starting him because he gives us a good chance to win the game.”

—Colin Kaepernick and Nike unveiled a new ad featuring the quarterback as part of the company’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign.

The image, which Kaepernick tweeted out, shows a black-and-white closeup of the quarterback’s face and the words, “Believe in something. Even it if it means sacrificing everything. Just do it.”

According to ESPN, Nike has kept paying Kaepernick — who signed with the brand in 2011 — despite not using him in ads over the past two years, but planned to bring him back at the right time.

—Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson finally confirmed what everyone already knew: Nick Foles will start Thursday’s season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

Pederson made it official Monday when he addressed reporters in the auditorium at team headquarters, ending months of questions: “Nick Foles is the starter and we have complete confidence, obviously, in what he can do. We’re ready to go with Nick.”

The announcement follows a testy exchange Pederson had with reporters on Sunday when he was angry about a published report that said he had named Foles the starter. He said he never made such a declaration.

—Nathan Peterman, not first-round pick Josh Allen, was named starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills.

Peterman, a fifth-round pick in 2017, threw five interceptions in his first NFL start against the Los Angeles Chargers last season when former Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor briefly lost the job.

A stern test awaits Peterman, with the Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings on the schedule the first three weeks of the season. Allen, the No. 7 pick in the 2018 draft, is the No. 2 quarterback for the Bills to open the season.

—Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck returned to practice after taking a week off to recover from a minor foot injury.

He injured the foot Aug. 25 in a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers. As long as Luck does not sustain another injury, he is on track to make his first start since the end of the 2016 season when the Colts meet the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Luck, who turns 29 on Sept. 12, missed all of last season while recovering from surgery to his throwing shoulder, but all indications are his shoulder won’t be an issue when the season opens.

—Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon returned to practice and is expected to play in Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Steelers.

Aug 30, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The team’s No. 3 wideout was slowed by a hamstring injury last week.

Coach Hue Jackson said Gordon, who was away from the team during training camp while in rehab at the University of Florida, would not start against Pittsburgh. Rookie fourth-round pick Antonio Callaway will start in Gordon’s place, per Jackson.

—Bills running back LeSean McCoy will not be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and is eligible to play Sunday in the opener at Baltimore, the NFL said.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Washington Post that the running back’s status “has not changed” as police continue to investigate an alleged home invasion at McCoy’s Milton, Ga., house, which happened in July.

Meanwhile, the Bills are bringing in former Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch for a visit Tuesday, according to an NFL Network report, and coach Sean McDermott named Ryan Groy the starting center over Russell Bodine.

—The Dallas Cowboys intend to keep center Travis Frederick on the active roster instead of sending him to injured reserve, according to multiple reports.

The plan means the team expects Frederick to return sooner than midway through the regular season. If he were placed on IR, he could not be recalled until after Week 8, though the team would have a free roster spot to use in the interim. If kept on the active roster, Frederick can return to play whenever he is healthy.

No timetable has been given for Frederick’s return since he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome two weeks ago, after he saw several specialists to determine the cause of repeated stinger-like symptoms experienced during training camp.

—New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur expanded on the decision to waive quarterback Davis Webb to make room for other players claimed on waivers Sunday.

“I think I mentioned long ago there was no depth chart behind Eli (Manning),” Shurmur told reporters. “(Webb) got a lot of reps, and I think it was probably that where people start to assume because he’s taking second-string reps that he’s a second-string quarterback, and it didn’t play out that way.”

Meanwhile, tight end Evan Engram practiced on a limited bases but remains in the concussion protocol, and defensive end Olivier Vernon missed practice as he recovers from an ankle injury. Shurmur said the team is hopeful both players can play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

—The Denver Broncos will start rookie third-rounder Royce Freeman at running back, coach Vance Joseph told reporters.

Freeman will be the first rookie to be the Broncos’ Week 1 starting running back since Terrell Davis in 1995. He and third-year veteran Devontae Booker shared first-team reps throughout training camp and the preseason, but the rookie shined in preseason games with 15 carries for 84 yards and three touchdowns.

Joseph has been vocal about the team’s plan to use multiple backs throughout the season. He reiterated Monday that Freeman will handle the bulk of early-down work, while Booker is likely to take the lead in passing situations.

—Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker and outside linebacker Brian Orakpo said they will be ready for Sunday’s season opener against the Dolphins in Miami, while right tackle Jack Conklin is getting closer to a return.

Walker, who has been battling an apparent toe injury, and Orakpo (shoulder) each returned to practice last week after missing all of the preseason. The Titans have been extremely tight-lipped about injuries under new head coach Mike Vrabel, but both players expect to play.

Conklin, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the divisional playoffs in mid-January, was activated from the physically unable to perform list before final cuts and did limited work in individual drills at Monday’s practice. General manager Jon Robinson said Conklin is “progressing nicely,” but no timetable has been given for the tackle’s return.

—Starting left tackle Donovan Smith and rookie first-round defensive tackle Vita Vea both missed practice as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepared for Sunday’s game at the New Orleans Saints.

Smith sprained his right knee two weeks ago in practice and was given a timetable of two to four weeks to return. Vea, drafted 12th overall in April, has missed more than a month with a strained calf muscle, which initially was not expected to cost him regular-season games.

The Bucs also announced four roster moves, claiming defensive end Carl Nassib off waivers from the Cleveland Browns, placing defensive tackle Mitch Unrein on injured reserve, releasing defensive end Will Clarke and re-signing long snapper Garrison Sanborn.

—The Detroit Lions and safety Quandre Diggs agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2021 season, the team announced.

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Terms were not announced, but the Detroit Free Press pegged the deal at $20.4 million.

Late last season, Diggs moved from slot cornerback to safety after Tavon Wilson sustained a torn biceps. In five starts, he had three interceptions and a forced fumble. Diggs is expected to pair with Glover Quin at safety for the Lions.

—The 49ers officially placed running back Jerick McKinnon on injured reserve, two days after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a non-contract drill in practice.

McKinnon, 26, played four seasons with the Vikings before signing a four-year, $30 million deal with the 49ers in the offseason. He rushed for a career-best 570 yards last season.

San Francisco also announced it signed offensive lineman Matt Tobin and safety Antone Exum Jr. to one-year contracts, placed safety Marcell Harris on injured reserve and signed offensive lineman Zack Golditch to the practice squad.

—The Oakland Raiders signed veteran wide receiver Brandon LaFell and released wideout Johnny Holton, the team announced.

LaFell, 31, was released by the Bengals in early August after two years with the team. He will serve as another veteran target after the Raiders released Martavis Bryant — acquired for a third-round pick in April — during final cutdowns.

The Raiders also announced they claimed defensive tackle Brian Price off waivers from the Cowboys and waived defensive tackle Treyvon Hester.

—Quarterback Christian Hackenberg was signed to the Bengals’ practice squad, the club announced.

The former second-round pick will be joining his fourth organization of the year.

Hackenberg spent his first two seasons with the Jets and didn’t get into any games. He was traded to the Raiders in May for a conditional seventh-round draft choice and later was waived. The Eagles signed him last month and released him on Friday.

—The Browns are considering starting undrafted rookie Desmond Harrison at left tackle in their season opener.

The 6-foot-6, 295-pound Harrison played at Texas and later transferred to West Georgia. He could make history by replacing 10-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas, who retired in March.

If Harrison does not start, veteran Joel Bitonio could anchor the line at left tackle. Bitonio also is a possibility to start at guard.

—Chicago Bears pass rusher Leonard Floyd returned to practice wearing a club on his broken right hand. He sustained the injury Aug. 18 in a preseason game against the Broncos but is expected to be ready for Sunday’s season opener at Green Bay.

—The Cowboys re-signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson and placed fellow wideout Noah Brown on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. Thompson provides depth at a position that includes Terrance Williams, Allen Hurns and Cole Beasley.

—The Lions signed linebacker Marquis Flowers, a former member of the Patriots who will reunite with coach Matt Patricia. Detroit scooped up Flowers less than 48 hours after New England let him go.

—The Miami Dolphins signed center Travis Swanson three days after he was released by the Jets. Swanson figures to serve as a backup for Daniel Kilgore, who is set to replace Mike Pouncey in South Florida.

—The Green Bay Packers signed veteran linebacker Korey Toomer, who was cut by the 49ers over the weekend. The 29-year-old Toomer has appeared in 46 games (16 starts) in parts of five seasons with Dallas, St. Louis, Oakland, San Diego-Los Angeles and San Francisco.

—The Kansas City Chiefs claimed center Austin Reiter off waivers from the Browns and released Bryan Witzmann, who made 13 starts in 2017.

—Field Level Media

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