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nflfanpointii · 6 years ago

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40 is the new 35 when it comes to NFL quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Drew Brees

Back in the day, it was less common for quarterbacks to excel past their mid 30’s. Sure, there was Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, and John Elway. But that short list is dwarfed by a painfully longer one filled with Hall of Fame quarterbacks who seemed to crap out well short the 40 year marker.

Even these all time greats experienced precipitous drop offs in their mid to late 30’s. For Roger Staubach, Steve Young and Fran Tarkenton, it came at 37. For Bart Starr, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino and Dan Fouts, 36. For Johnny Unitas, George Blanda, Bob Griese, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, 35. For Otto Graham, Joe Namath, and Troy Aikman, 34.

This makes it all the more amazing that so many older quarterbacks are still playing at an elite level in today’s NFL. There might very well be five to seven future Hall of Famers starting in the league right now. Tom Brady and Drew Brees are officially in their 40’s. Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger are both 36. Aaron Rodgers is 34 and Matt Ryan is 33; and both signed extensions in the past couple years at times in their careers when former quarterbacks usually retired.

It’s true, quarterbacks are more protected by the rules of the NFL than ever before, and this certainly has played a part in their new found longevity. In 1978, the league restricted contact between defensive backs and receivers to within five yards of the line of scrimmage. This resulted in a dramatic increase in passing attempts per game, which in turn suddenly made the quarterback position more valuable.

Since 1993, quarterbacks could simply escape the pocket and throw a pass out of bounds without incurring an intentional grounding penalty. This made it harder for pass rushers to get to them before they got rid of the ball, therefore avoiding a sack or quarterback hit.

Roughing the passer penalties have become more and more common as the definition has broadened to include late hits, forcible hits below the knee, hitting the helmet, and landing on the quarterback with one’s own body weight.

Last year, former Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was flagged twice for roughing the passer while making what seemed to be perfectly executed sacks. Ironically, it was probably a hit on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers the previous season that may have led to the rule change that cost the Packers two victories a season later.

One would think that with these modern day quarterbacks dropping back more times throughout a game than ever before, their careers would be shorter, not longer. That’s why I think there’s more to it than the implementation of more rules that inherently protect the quarterback.

Because they played before GMO’s and modern day fast food chains, many old school players of the past had access to better food. But that doesn’t mean they took full advantage of their timely access to healthier lives. Joe Namath smoked cigarettes on the sidelines for god’s sake.

I doubt they were paying attention to the pH of their foods like Tom Brady or paying upwards of $200K a year like James Harrison did on therapy treatments like massage and acupuncture. The modern day athlete has to be almost obsessive in their quest for success. Talent alone won’t cut it anymore if you want to stick around in today’s NFL.

Extremely strict diets, fitness, and recovery programs have taken the place of binge eating like Babe Ruth, snorting cocaine like Diego Maradona, and binge drinking like Lawrence Taylor. The two oldest current quarterbacks in the NFL also happen to keep two of the strictest diet and fitness regimens across all sports.

Drew Brees has been working with Todd Durkin in San Diego, CA since his days with the Chargers. Brees loves working with Durkin every offseason. “Whenever I come back for the summertime to get in the best shape of my life for training camp, he’s always got something new or a few new things that make me feel like we’re way ahead of everybody else.”

What’s interesting to me, however, is that even though Brees isn’t Durkin’s biggest, fastest, or most agile athlete, he may have benefited the most simply because he’s willing to work harder than everyone else. And that’s saying a lot considering Durkin’s vast client list also includes Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers, Darren Sproles, LaDainian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, Alex Smith, Brandon Cooks, Reggie Bush, Charles Tillman, Zach Ertz, John Brown, Dontrelle Inman, Malcom Floyd, Ryan Griffin, Chase Daniel, Sean Canfield, Josh Freeman, and my fellow Saints Ignatius College Prep alumnus, Igor Olshansky.

”Drew Brees, first and foremost, is a special person. I will probably not have the opportunity to work with a guy like that in the next 20 years. His concentration and focus are amazing, and he works extremely hard. He’s not the biggest guy or the fastest guy, but he’s going to beat you with his athleticism, his smarts and because he’s such a competitor. I don’t care what it is, the dude wants to win at anything. He’s always restless and never satisfied,” said Durkin.

Brees is absolutely methodical in his training and game preparation. “I know where I’m going to be at a specific time,” he says. “I know what I’m going to be doing; I know what needs to be accomplished for me to feel confident and go out there and play at the highest level.”

His focus has shifted from the archaic meathead approach to training he learned in college at Purdue to a more functional and efficient approach. “I think maybe those [exercises] served the purpose at the time.” Drew says. “But now I’ve wised up to the things that I need to do in a position-specific and functional fitness kind of way to benefit me as a quarterback.”

If you have 30 minutes to kill, watch this video of Brees’ workouts with Durkin.

I’ve been a fitness trainer and instructor for 12 years and I’m telling you, Durkin is the real deal. I love his approach to fitness. I stopped lifting heavy weights years ago and have focused more on agility ladder work, TRX training, yoga, and generally maximizing my strength and endurance gains while also minimizing sheering forces on my joints, tendons, and ligaments.

Tom Brady takes his fitness protocol in an even more holistic, and dare I say, Eastern direction. He and his trainer/business partner Alex Guerrero founded the TB12 training facility next to Gillette Stadium in 2013. Guerrero, though highly controversial, isn’t a total quack in my opinion.

Of course claiming his supplements could curemultiple sclerosis, AIDS, concussions, and other diseases with no shred of testing or evidence based proof was incredibly disingenuous and downright dangerous. Settling with multiple investors out of court for defrauding them is no better either.

But I have to hand it to him: he has kept Tom Brady in phenomenal shape to survive and thrive in the NFL past the age of 40. Guerrero earned a Masters Degree in traditional Chinese medicine from a school in LA that closed after losing its’ accreditation. He is not a physical therapist and does not hold any Western degrees that would qualify him to do a lot of the work he does with his clients.

Yet, Guerrero is highly respected and retained by many professional athletes including Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Willie McGinest, Jimmy Garoppolo, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Chris Hogan. Instead of focusing on lifting huge weights and tearing muscle fibers, Guerrero prescribes more body weight moves and exercises with resistance bands that are designed to increase the muscles’ “pliability.”

Brady often sees Guerrero twice daily and receives intensely specific massages in which he tenses the muscles while Guerrero massages them. The goal is to lengthen the muscles and increase their flexibility so that Brady can withstand the weekly car crash that is an NFL football game.

The other main focus is to reduce inflammation in the body by maintaining a strict diet. Brady does not eat white flour, white sugar, MSG, iodized salt, coffee, caffeine, alcohol, fungus, dairy, nightshade vegetables and most types of fruit. This diet may sound strange, but it’s most likely derived from the Ayurvedic tradition which is over 5,000 years old and trusted throughout Asia as much as we trust Western medicine.

The part where Brady and Guerrero lose me is by making sweeping statements like everyone should drink 25 glasses of water a day, or eat this exact diet, or that everyone needs to consume TB12 branded electrolytes or wear TB12 branded muscle recovery pajamas.

I’m not 6’4” and 230lbs; I’m 5’6” and 130lbs, so I don’t need more than 65 ounces of water a day, unless Tom wants me to get hyponatremia and die of brain damage. Don’t just replicate a professional athlete’s diet and fitness regimen. These have been specially tailored to them. If you work for Google and sit at a desk for eight hours a day, you probably shouldn’t eat and drink exactly what Tom Brady does.

It’s okay to be skeptical too. Brees isn’t much more trust-worthy with his shameful peddling of Advocare products. It’s important to rely on evidence-based research conducted by independent bodies without a financial stake in the products they test. Even more important, think for yourself and do your own research before listening to athletes that have a financial stake in the health philosophies they are sharing with the public.

If you aren’t hip to eating according to your Ayurvedic dosha (My dosha is roughly 70% Pitta, 20% Vata, 10% Kapha) like Brady seems to, you can go the Western route and still learn something about how to function at a higher level, no matter what your lifestyle is. Drew and Brittney Brees got food sensitivity blood tests done back in 2004. That’s when Brees found he had significant sensitivities to gluten, dairy, and certain nuts.

“As you can imagine, I was shocked because I was consuming most of these things every day. And just to think how long I’ve had these sensitivities and had continued to feed them. Guys coming in fresh out of college are used to going to the training table and eating and drinking whatever they’re given.”

“In many cases, I see myself as a veteran player – pulling those young guys aside and, as part of teaching young players how to be a pro, talking to them about their diet, their sleep habits and their recovery. They’ll start to ask questions like, ‘Hey Drew, what do you do?’ That’s when I explain to them that I use coconut milk and almond milk products.”

It’s not just Brees’ direct teammates like Reggie Bush, Sean Canfield, Chase Daniel, Brandin Cooks, and Ryan Griffin who have followed his lead when it comes to diet and fitness. “It took the fourth or fifth time hearing, ‘You need to do this,’ and then reading about Drew Brees and Tom Brady and others who are your peers doing it,” Kirk Cousins said. “I realized, ‘If I want to hang with these guys, then it’s time to stop playing around.’”

18 of the 32 quarterbacks starting in the NFL are over 30 years old, and by September that list will grow to 21 with the 30th birthdays of Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor, and Andrew Luck. Even though five quarterbacks were drafted in the first round last year, there’s a good chance less than a third of the starting quarterbacks in the league will be younger than 30 years old.

40 might be the new 35, and it’s not just because of some changes in the rules. Players are spending highly on optimizing their health and performance through a multitude of practices both new and incredibly old. Cousins is right, it’s time to stop playing around.

#saints #new orleans saints #nfl #nola no call #mission miami #csc.com

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your-dietician · 2 years ago

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Tom Brady lauds Aaron Judge's historic season, praises Yankees slugger's mindset

New Post has been published on https://medianwire.com/tom-brady-lauds-aaron-judges-historic-season-praises-yankees-sluggers-mindset/

Tom Brady lauds Aaron Judge's historic season, praises Yankees slugger's mindset

Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady had major praise for Aaron Judge as the New York Yankees superstar hoped to ride the wave of his regular-season success into the postseason.

Judge joined Brady and sportscaster Jim Gray on the “Let’s Go!” podcast Monday, and the seven-time Super Bowl champion said he enjoyed watching a superstar athlete from another sport succeed.

“There’s nothing better than seeing, in my view, players in other sports that really accept what comes along with the success,” Brady said. “You’re in a big market (with the) Yankees, and you’ve continued to defy the odds.

“Really happy for you and all your success. Hopefully, you got a long career ahead of you. It’s going to be up to you to see what you do with it and how you take advantage of it.”

“All the decisions you make over the course of time will all add up to the level that you can reach. It’s really been impressive to watch you in your humility even through this season. Just an MVP-caliber season. We know how all those votes go and all that. I always feel like, you know, ‘Did you do the best you could?’ And, from my standpoint watching you, you were amazing this year. So congrats and good luck in the postseason.”

In Judge’s pursuit of the American League home run record, he entered Yankees lore and was compared to some of the organization’s greatest players like Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Joe DiMaggio and others.

He said it was a “shock” for him to hear his name in the same breath as those other top players who wore pinstripes.

TOM BRADY SWINGS FOR FENCES WITH AARON JUDGE RECRUITMENT

“It’s a shock because the names you mentioned — Roger Maris, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, this list goes on and on — these are guys you see all around Yankee Stadium,” Judge said. “You see ‘em with the World Series ring, the World Series championships, and you’re like ‘There’s no way. Those are legends.’

“Those are Yankee legends. Baseball greats. How could I ever be mentioned with those guys? I’m just starting my career. I’m just a couple years in. What’re you guys talking about? It’s always a humbling experience being in the same sentence. Being mentioned with some of those greats. It’s like you said, it’s tough to get used to because I’m Aaron Judge, a kid from Linden, California, that wakes up everyday trying to help the Yankees win a ballgame. I’ve never seen myself as someone up there with Babe Ruth or Roger Maris, but it’s something I never take for granted.”

Brady, who has also been in that caliber quite a long time with the likes of Joe Montana and Steve Young, had some advice for Judge on how to handle the superlatives. He said Judge had the right attitude and mindset for the moment he’s dealing with now.

“That approach he says he instills in himself, when you look in the mirror every day what do you see? Aaron sees himself,” Brady said. “And he doesn’t see, ‘Oh, this is kinda who you remind me of, these are the people that you’re being compared to.’ It’s the best way to do it. You wake up every day, and you look at the person in the mirror and you go, ‘Did I give it the best I could?’ And if you did, you’re usually very satisfied with what you’ve become. And if you didn’t, then you got that person looking right back at you knowing you cheated yourself,” Brady said.

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“I’ve always felt too, and I’ve looked up to those guys who really inspired me to play football at a young age growing up in the Bay Area, NorCal kid. I grew up with the Niners as may team and to watch Joe Montana and Steve Young and just to see how the success of that organization brought this community together.

“That community still loves the game of football because there was so much success. I think, Aaron, just continuing on the Yankee legacy – and obviously being in Boston for 20 years, I saw it first hand. I was at World Series games in 2001, the 9/11 year I was at. I think Game 3. I just know what those rivalries are all about and what the meaningful characters in those rivalries are. And Aaron mentioned a few of those, and now he gets to be part of that tradition. But you still feel the humility of where you started because you are who you are. You haven’t changed.

“Aaron, I’m sure, hasn’t changed. If he has humility, which I know he does, he looks at himself as a high school kid going to try and prove himself everyday going, ‘Man, I gotta go out there and I gotta do my job and I gotta work hard or else I’m not gonna be this person that lives up to his own expectations.’ He is who he is because of the characters that define him as a person, as a player and as a teammate. Not what other people may define him as, which always feels good when you’re internally motivated and the only way to have the consistency he’s had is to do that and to hit 62 home runs and to still have humility. That’s a personality trait. That’s a character trait. Those things aren’t gonna change in him.”

Judge thanked Brady for the kind words and acknowledged he tapped into the “Do your job mantra” that Brady’s former coach, Bill Belichick, had preached in New England.

“That means a lot. And one of the words you kinda hit on there was just doing your job. And it’s funny. Here, at Yankee Stadium, before we go out to our dugout, we have a little sign that just says ‘Just do your job.’ I always kinda tapped it on my way out to the field as just a reminder,” Judge explained.

“I coulda been 0-for-4 the night before. I coulda been 4-for-4 the night before, hit a walk-off, whatever. Well guess what? That’s all over with. When you step on this field, you gotta do your job. If that’s me making a play out in the field, if that’s moving a runner over, if it’s me just picking up a teammate that just struck out. Just doing little things. That’s part of my job. Going out there and do my job, everything else is just BS. Go out there and focus on one thing. That, for me, is what builds championship teams.”

Read the full article here

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junker-town · 5 years ago

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All 63 Super Bowl starting quarterbacks, ranked

From the forgettable (Earl Morrall and Chris Chandler) to the GOATs (Tom Brady and Joe Montana).

Coming into 2020, 61 different quarterbacks had started 53 different Super Bowls. At Super Bowl 54, we’ll get two big game debutantes trying to push their storied franchises back to glory.

Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs will take on Jimmy Garoppolo’s 49ers in Miami, a game that will either give San Francisco its first NFL title since 1995 or Kansas City its first in 50 god-blessed years. The winner will etch his name among the hall of immortals, joining legends like Terry Bradshaw, Joe Namath, and, uh, Trent Dilfer. The loser will dig a bottomless well of motivation to fuel his competitive fire from Feb. 2, 2020 until retirement.

Mahomes and Garoppolo will join a group of quarterbacks who range from elite to Rex Grossman. Their performances vary from historically terrible to enormously successful — and now we’re going to rank them.

Putting all 63 quarterbacks in order was a strenuous undertaking. Super Bowl success came first and foremost, with wins adding extra gravity to a successful stat line. This isn’t a straight-up ranking of every quarterback who has ever played in a Super Bowl — it’s a ranking of the performance and trustworthiness of all those players.

Let’s start at the bottom, with the architect of one of the least exciting championship games ever played.

Dead effin’ last

63. Tony Eason, Patriots, Super Bowl XX

Eason completed zero of six passes, was sacked three times, and fumbled once. He was responsible for -3 Patriot points. Steve Grogan came on in relief and threw for New England’s only touchdown in a 46-10 blowout.

The forgettable and uninspiring

62. Craig Morton, Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl V AND Denver Broncos, Super Bowl XII

61. Billy Kilmer, Washington, Super Bowl VII

60. Kerry Collins, New York Giants, Super Bowl XXXV

59. Earl Morrall, Baltimore Colts, Super Bowl III

Morton completed 16 passes in 41 attempts over two different Super Bowls, throwing seven (SEVEN!) interceptions in the process). Kilmer was so bad that the only passing play Washington found the end zone with was the product of Garo Yepremian meme-ing himself back in 1973.

Collins added an extra volume of books to the legend of the Baltimore defense with a four-interception performance in a blowout loss. Morrall’s passer rating against the underdog Jets was 9.3, and he was so bad a 35-year-old Johnny Unitas had to try and salvage things (he did not).

58. David Woodley, Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XVII

57. Joe Kapp, Minnesota Vikings, Super Bowl IV

56. Ron Jaworski, Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl XV

55. Chris Chandler, Atlanta Falcons, Super Bowl XXXIII

54. Boomer Esiason, Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XXIII

53. Neil O’Donnell, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XXX

Woodley is the first guy on the list to have thrown for a touchdown — one of four passes he completed that day. Kapp spent more time in the CFL than in the NFL.

Jaworski may be a Philadelphia legend, but he completed less than half his passes and threw three interceptions in his lone Super Bowl appearance. Chandler was so eminently forgettable he didn’t even merit a blurb in the first draft of these rankings. Esiason was woefully ineffective against the 49ers in his one and only Super Bowl. What can be said about Neil O’Donnell that hasn’t also been said about a bowl of corn flakes?

52. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams, Super Bowl 53

51. Rex Grossman, Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XLI

50. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers, Super Bowl 50

49. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl XL

Goff got absolutely flustered in his first big game by the Patriots blitz-heavy defense. The Indianapolis Colts are forever in Rex Grossman’s debt for gifting the franchise their first Super Bowl title in the state of Indiana.

Newton completed less than 44 percent of his passes and forced the world to witness another Peyton Manning Super Bowl win. Humphries did the unthinkable by actually getting the cursed Chargers to a Super Bowl, then needed 49 passes to throw for 275 yards. Hasselbeck dropped back 55 times and managed to score exactly 10 points against the Steelers.

48. Stan Humphries, San Diego Chargers, Super Bowl XXIX

47. Vince Ferragamo, Los Angeles Rams, Super Bowl XIV

46. Drew Bledsoe, New England Patriots, Super Bowl XXXI

45. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl 54

44. Rich Gannon, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl XXXVII

Ferragamo had a 4:7 TD:INT ratio in five starts leading up to Super Bowl XIV, so it’s an accomplishment he only threw one against the Steelers. Bledsoe threw twice as many interceptions (12) as touchdowns (six) in his career in the postseason. Garoppolo played like a Super Bowl MVP for 50 minutes, then crumbled into dust in the final 10 as the Chiefs ran past his Niners for the Lombardi Trophy. Gannon’s five turnovers against Tampa Bay is the reason Jon Gruden was able to command a 10-year, $100 million salary from the Raiders.

The inessential but useful

43. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl XXXIX

42. Trent Dilfer, Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl XXXV

41. Brad Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl XXXVII

40. Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans, Super Bowl XXXIV

McNabb threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns ... but also threw three interceptions and executed Andy Reid’s complete lack of clock management perfectly to help give the Patriots their third Super Bowl win in four years.

Johnson did enough to calmly stand back and watch Gannon’s Oakland team repeatedly shoot itself in the foot in 2003. Dilfer put together a tremendous 1962-ish stat line (12 of 25, 153 yards, 1 touchdown), but won anyway thanks to the Baltimore defense. McNair finished one yard shy of a bump up to the next tier thanks to Mike Jones (who?):

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39. Daryle Lamonica, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl II

38. Jeff Hostetler, New York Giants, Super Bowl XXV

Hostetler never threw for many yards but still won a ton of games in his career, a trend that continued when he took over for Phil Simms at Super Bowl XXV. Lamonica was an outstanding 1960s quarterback who couldn’t overcome the early Packers juggernaut.

The guys who were better than the quarterbacks of the early Super Bowl era, but I’m not gonna rank them ahead of Hall of Famers because I like a clean, hate-free inbox

Based on pure performance, these guys were mostly statistically better than the quarterbacks in the tier above them. But the combination of past performance and comparing the NFL offenses of the 1960s/70s to the play of the last 30 years makes a straight comparison difficult. These are the guys you’d like to have leading your team — but if you had the option to replace them with a Hall of Famer like Joe Namath or Fran Tarkenton, you wouldn’t say no.

37. Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XVI

36. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XLVII

35. Jim McMahon, Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XX

Anderson accounted for all three of Cincinnati’s touchdowns against the 49ers in his only Super Bowl; it’s not his fault he had to stare down a budding dynasty. Kaepernick had 364 total yards and two touchdowns and nearly kept the world from a million fluff pieces about Ray Lewis’ redemption, and for this he should be commended. McMahon was great — 256 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns — but really didn’t have to do much against the festering boil that was the Tony Eason-led Patriots.

The old guard Hall of Famers who are nearly impossible to compare to modern passers

34. Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings, Super Bowls VIII, IX, and XI

33. Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts, Super Bowl V

32. Joe Theismann, Washington, Super Bowls XVII and XVIII

31. Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowls I and IV

30. Joe Namath, New York Jets, Super Bowl III

29. Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl XI

28. Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowls VI, X, XI, and XIII

27. Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins, Super Bowls VI, VII, and VIII

Football has changed so drastically it’s tough to compare the low volume passers of yesteryear to the ever-evolving spread offenses of the past two-plus decades. Case in point: Griese threw 41 passes over the course of three Super Bowls. Tom Brady has thrown that many or more in six different Super Bowls.

Tarkenton made it to three Super Bowls and threw six interceptions and only one touchdown. Unitas had a 42.4 percent completion rate and 34.7 passer rating in the big game. Theismann’s two Super Bowl appearances saw Washington run the ball 94 times and throw it only 58 times — and one of those games was a blowout loss.

Dawson threw 17 passes to win Super Bowl IV. Namath found the end zone zero times to upset the Colts. Stabler was John Madden’s perfect quarterback. Staubach was keenly efficient and solid as a runner — he averaged 4.9 yards per carry — while going 2-2 as a starter in the NFL title game.

All these guys were great, but it’s still fair to wonder how they would have fared in a league where passing held greater importance (and was much easier for quarterbacks to do).

The more modern Hall of Famers who underwhelmed

26. Jim Kelly, Buffalo Bills, Super Bowls 25-28

25. Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XIX

24. John Elway, Denver Broncos, Super Bowls XXI, XXII, XXIV, XXXII, and XXXIII

Kelly climbed to the mountaintop four times and planted his flag on none of those trips; his Super Bowl passer rating is a robust 56.9. Marino threw for a then-record 318 yards ... but that was aided, in part, by the fact his Dolphins trailed by double digits throughout the second half.

No one in the NFL may have been better at rewriting his own narrative than John Elway. When you think of him in the Super Bowl, you think of an old man spinning like a helicopter blade en route to the Broncos’ first NFL title.

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In reality, he was fairly underwhelming in the big game; three touchdown passes, eight interceptions, and two games (out of five) where he threw for fewer than 125 yards.

But hey, he’s still got two rings, which is more than most quarterbacks.

The non-Hall of Famers who blew up

23. Mark Rypien, Washington, Super Bowl XXVI

22. Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers, Super Bowl XXXVIII

21. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons, Super Bowl 51

Rypien’s 292 passing yards in Super Bowl XXVI were 115 more than his career per-game average. Delhomme shredded the Patriots’ defense with big plays and came within one Adam Vinatieri kick of a ring (just like another quarterback who’s ahead of him on this list). Matt Ryan was nearly perfect, even when he was being asked to throw the ball entirely too often while sitting on a 28-3 lead.

20: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowl 54

19. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl XLVII

18. Doug Williams, Washington, Super Bowl XXII

Mahomes couldn’t find any breathing room against the 49ers until he trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter. Then he led the Chiefs to an 11-point win. He won MVP honors despite a 78.1 passer rating — Brock Osweiler’s career rating is a 78.0. Flacco diced up the 49ers so thoroughly he became a meme. Williams torched the Broncos with four passing touchdowns and a pristine 11.7 yards per attempt, making history in the process.

17. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl 52

Foles became a Philadelphia legend by being a more prolific version of Hostetler (and catching a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass in the dang Super Bowl).

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16. Jim Plunkett, Oakland Raiders, Super Bowls XV and XVIII

15. Phil Simms, New York Giants, Super Bowl XXI

Plunkett turned his career around after escaping New England, recording the second-highest Super Bowl passer rating of all time (122.8) for players with more than one start. Simms was nearly perfect in his lone appearance in the big game, completing 22 of his 25 passes, throwing for 268 yards and three touchdowns, and even adding a 22-yard scramble to completely demoralize the Broncos.

The modern (or future) Hall of Famers who were great

14. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls XL, XLIII, XLV

Roethlisberger has two championship rings, but he’s been kinda awful under the brightest lights; he’s never played a Super Bowl where he’s had more touchdowns than interceptions. Going by title game statistics alone, he belongs in the “inessential” group, but his 78-yard game-winning drive in the final three minutes of Super Bowl XLIII proves otherwise.

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13. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowls XLVIII and XLIX

Wilson would be a two-time Super Bowl champion if not for the only interception he’s ever thrown in the big game. His goal-line interception to Malcolm Butler sealed New England’s fourth NFL championship and derailed the Seattle quarterback’s budding legacy. He’s been essentially mistake-free outside of one jumped slant; he’s averaged 9.8 yards per pass in two Super Bowls while running for nearly 11 yards per carry.

He also benefitted from a crushing defense and the pile-driving running of Marshawn Lynch, which puts his performance on a curve. (And yeah, I understand considering Wilson and, later, Eli Manning future Hall of Famers is another debate altogether. I say Wilson is criminally underappreciated.)

12. Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowls XXXIV and XXXVI and Arizona Cardinals, Super Bowl XLIII

Warner has led three different Super Bowl scoring drives that either tied the game or gave his team the lead in the final three minutes. He’s only 1-2 on the grand stage thanks to the heroics of Roethlisberger and Tom Brady.

11. Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers, Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII

Favre remained the personification of an action quarterback, even if he was beaten out for MVP honors in his lone Super Bowl win by a kick returner. His magic ran out against Elway in 1998, however — his turnover on downs inside Broncos territory with 32 seconds left propelled the veteran gunslinger who preceded him to his first NFL title.

10. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, Super Bowl XLV

Rodgers was downright mean to Roethlisberger’s Steelers, throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns as, for one fleeting moment, Mike McCarthy allowed him to reach the peak of his potential.

9. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts, Super Bowls XLI and XLIV, and Denver Broncos, Super Bowls XLVIII and 50

Manning played exceptionally well to get his teams to the Super Bowl. Then, he put together a 77.4 passer rating and a 3:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His two title wins were over the No. 49 and No. 50 quarterbacks on this list. As great as Manning was, there’s not a ton of Super Bowl film on his highlight reel.

8. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV

Brees was the best version of himself in his only Super Bowl appearance, completing 82 percent of his passes and dashing advertiser’s hopes by delaying Peyton Manning’s second NFL championship.

7. Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXIX

Young won three Super Bowls but only started one of them — and what a start it was. He dusted the Chargers for a record six touchdowns, racking up 374 total yards in the process. If not for five years as Joe Montana’s understudy, he might have a strong argument to jump to the first tier.

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6. Eli Manning, New York Giants, Super Bowls XLII and XLVI

Manning was .500 as an NFL starting quarterback in the regular season, but something crazy happened when you paired him up with a dominant pass rush in the playoffs. He was 8-4 in the postseason, with two of those wins coming over Tom Brady and the Patriots with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line. His career passer rating was 84.1 — in the Super Bowl, it was 96.2.

The G.O.A.T. arguments

5. Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX

Aikman’s first Super Bowl was his best, a four-touchdown performance that ruined Buffalo’s hopes of snapping a two-game title game losing streak. He was worse in 1994 and still beat the Bills by 17. In fact, Aikman’s been the source of some of the least dramatic Super Bowls in NFL history; none of his three starts were decided by single digits.

4. Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers, Super Bowls I, II

3. Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV

Starr’s 452 yards over two Super Bowls make him the most prolific passer of the early Super Bowl era. Bradshaw went 4-0 in Super Bowls and his 112.8 rating ranks only behind Joe Montana on the list of quarterbacks who played in more than two Super Bowls. These guys were legitimately great regardless of era.

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, XLVI, XLIX, 51, 52, 53

Tom Brady in the Super Bowl:

6-3

315 yards per game

18:6 TD:INT ratio

65.3% completion rate

7.2 yards per pass

0 rushing touchdowns

95.6 passer rating

These are very good numbers! But, Brady was pretty subpar in Super Bowl 53, even if he walked away with a win. He threw a terrible interception on his first pass of the night, failed to find the end zone, and completed passes to only five players in his ninth Super Bowl appearance.

But still. Nine Super Bowls. Six wins. And he threw for 67 yards on what turned out to be his team’s game-winning fourth quarter drive. Brady stays at No. 2.

1. Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowls XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV

Joe Montana in the Super Bowl:

4-0

286 yards per game

11:0 TD:INT ratio

68% completion rate

9.4 yards per pass

2 rushing touchdowns

127.8 passer rating

A sixth championship ring might make Brady the better quarterback in the big game, but it’s tough to imagine a quarterback — any quarterback — with a better Super Bowl record than Montana, who was perfect under the brightest lights. Brady has the stronger history of comebacks — he’s led five different fourth-quarter, game-winning drives — but Montana is, well, flawless.

Brady is great, and he will probably hold the record for most NFL championships of any quarterback for a very, very long time. But if you need one man to step up in the Super Bowl, history suggests Montana was the safer bet.

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radarbrow2-blog · 5 years ago

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We're guessing Patriots fans disagree with this Nick Foles hot take

We're guessing Patriots fans disagree with this Nick Foles hot take originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com

The NFL takes usually get hotter as the weather gets colder. But Peter Schrager just turned the heat ALL the way up.

After Nick Foles led the Philadelphia Eagles to another comeback win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC Wild Card round, Schrager dropped this scorcher on NFL Network:

To clarify: In a big moment with the game on the line, Schrager doesn't want Tom Brady, Joe Montana or any Hall of Fame quarterback under center. He wants Nick Foles.

Brady is one of several QBs who would like a word.

Like any hot take, there's some kernel of truth in here. Foles has been brilliant for the Eagles when it matters most: He boasts a 10-2 overall record over the last two seasons (that includes last year's Super Bowl LII upset of Brady's New England Patriots) and now owns the best postseason passer rating in NFL history.

He's also posted some eye-opening numbers in high-pressure situations.

But let's pump the brakes here.

Yes, Foles has enjoyed a great two-year run, but his sample size still is very small: He's made just 44 career starts, while Brady has more than two full extra seasons (37 games) of playoff experience under his belt.

And while he did throw the go-ahead touchdown pass Sunday in Chicago, Foles' stat line -- 266 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions -- wasn't much to write home about.

Nothing against Foles, but we'll go with the five-time Super Bowl champion who has more postseason game-winning drives (11) than Foles has postseason games.

Then again, Brady will need to prove his worth Sunday in a tough AFC Divisional Round matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON SCHEDULE

Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/were-guessing-patriots-fans-disagree-154208959.html?src=rss

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ecoorganic · 4 years ago

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Rangers’ Win Sparks Conspiracy Theories About Rigged Draft Lottery

Fans always think the draft lottery is rigged.

A tradition unlike any other

For as long as sports leagues have been holding draft lotteries, fans have been accusing them of rigging the results. The most famous example of such a conspiracy theory is the idea that the

Knicks’ envelope in the 1985 lottery was frozen so that David Stern knew which one to pick out of the pile. The NHL has its own urban legend that the 2005 lottery was rigged to hand Sidney Crosby to the Penguins, a formerly proud franchise that was the subject of relocation threats. But the drawing for the 2005 lottery was conducted behind closed doors. All Gary Bettman did on TV was open some envelopes to reveal the results, so there was never any guess as to how the process had been rigged in Pittsburgh’s favor.

This year’s NHL lottery was different, though. The ping pong balls were picked right out in the open on national TV, allowing fans to start speculating wildly when the Rangers won.

This is the smoking gun moment.

Ah ha! The allegedly impartial arbiter from Ernst & Young dropped the Rangers’ ball! Therefore, it must be weighted differently from the rest!

If you search Twitter for fans accusing the league of tilting the scales in New York’s favor, you’ll find many, may results (of varying degrees of seriousness). That’s not because they all believe the fix was in for the Rangers. Accusing a league of favoring any team but yours (and especially big city teams like the Rangers) is just part of being a sports fan.

The reason people are especially geared up to cry conspiracy in this case is that the presumptive No. 1 pick, Alexis LaFrenière, is a total slam dunk. He had 42 goals in his first season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League—as a 16-year-old—and he has 217 points in 113 games over the past two seasons. He seems like a lock to be a star in the NHL for a long time.

Only players like LaFrenière are worthy of developing conspiracy theories about. You don’t hear anyone saying the NBA rigged the lottery in favor of the Cavs in 2013 so they could take Anthony Bennett. Conspiracy theories are ludicrous on their face, but when they involve stars like Ewing or Crosby, they become part of a player’s lore. Rangers fans should hope LaFrenière turns out to be the kind of player who warrants having speculation about a ping pong ball follow him around for the rest of his career.

What makes this example particularly exciting from a conspiracy standpoint is the added intrigue of the Ernst & Young guy’s butterfingers. If LaFrenière lives up to the hype, you’ll be seeing clips of that moment all over whichever new social media platform we’re all using in 2038 when the Rangers hoist their third Stanley Cup.

The best of SI

What does it mean for baseball that pitchers have stopped throwing as many fastballs? ... Analyzing the NBA bubble’s breakout stars. ... Players pushing to organize was the perfect capper for a wild weekend of college football news. ... What Tom Brady can learn from Joe Montana’s brief time with the Chiefs.

Around the sports world

Bills defensive lineman Ed Oliver spoke about feeling “violated” for being arrested on drunk driving charges despite blowing a 0.0 on the breathalyzer. ... MLB is reportedly considering a bubble format for its postseason. ... As the Big Ten was crumbling around him, Jim Harbaugh called for college football to roll ahead by arguing, “This virus can be controlled.” ... Ramón Laureano says he regrets charging at Alex Cintrón “because he’s a loser.” ... Andre Iguodala explains why he decided to wear “Group Economics” on the back of his jersey. ... Disney is making a movie about the childhoods of Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Thanasis.

If the NHL really wanted to rig it, this wouldn’t have happened

LeBron blocking a shot is the best

Clutch shot from Kuzma

I'm pretty sure Bol Bol has a longer wingspan than Jesus

Nebraska’s Scott Frost wants to find a way to play even if the Big Ten cancels football

Devin Booker is doing Steph Curry things now

Just stay in the hotel!

Not sports

Disney is rebooting Tron with Jared Leto starring. ... A guy using a metal detector in Scotland found what appears to be the remnants of a Bronze Age horse harness. ... James Gandolfini was apparently a big fan of the Green Day album Dookie.

Extremely good pun

NBC is turning Will Forte’s MacGruber into a TV series

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Sulfuric acid vs. sugar

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A good song

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newbirthny-blog · 5 years ago

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Your Part Matters

Your Part Matters -Dr. Powell

Big Idea of the Series: This four-week series explores the important part every Christian plays in the local church. It is easy to see only certain ministries as important, but God has created everyone with gifts that have a critical role in the lives of God’s people. No matter how old we are, or what role we play, every part matters.

Week 1

Text: Matthew 6:1–18

Topic: Attention, Priorities, God

Big Idea of the Message: God desires our worship and service never to be about gaining attention for ourselves.

Application Point: We will seek our attention from God as we serve others—and not the other way around.

Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:

1. Have you ever tried to draw attention to yourself? Think of a child who acts out in order to get attention from their parents. Or maybe you’re sixteen and you really want to impress someone, so you act a little crazy or outrageous to get the attention of your crush. Maybe you post outrageous things on Facebook or Twitter just to see who will comment or “like” your status. At some point in our lives, we all want to seek the attention of others. Unfortunately, our society has become one where immediate attention is the most important. Where the dramatic, most vocal, or outrageous acts get attention and where we can feel worthless if we don’t have immediate recognition.

2. “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” This quote has been attributed to American artist Andy Warhol (“Warhol Was Right about Fifteen Minutes of Fame,” Talk of the Nation, National Public Radio, October 8, 2008, https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95516647). With social media, it is easy for people to “go viral” for fifteen minutes. But then, what comes next?

3. Jesus spoke to people about trying to get attention, even for “spiritual” things. In Matthew 6:1, Jesus says, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Jesus then speaks about giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. There were religious people during the time of Jesus who would announce when they would give to the poor, so that everyone would see them give (v. 2). Or they would pray very loudly to make sure everyone could see how spiritual they were (v. 5). And when they would fast, they would disfigure themselves, so that everyone would know they were fasting (v. 16). Jesus told the people to give to the poor and not expect any recognition (vv. 3–4), to pray in private (v. 6), and to fast without making it obvious (vv. 17–18). Now, Jesus didn’t say this so that people wouldn’t give in public or pray out loud but to emphasize that the attention we seek should be from the Lord.

4. In the 1986 movie The Three Amigos, one of the trio does his best to get the attention of the other two in a unique and comical way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3qEvEGFdKE (the scene starts at 1:40).

5. Everyone has a part to serve in the church. But if we have a view that the focus should be on what can be seen, we will only view those who have a public ministry (worship team, teaching, or otherwise being onstage) as being important. God wants our service, no matter what it is, to be for others and the attention that we might seek to be from him.

Week 2

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12–18

Topic: Body of Christ, Members, Human Body

Big Idea of the Message: The church is the body of Christ. Each member makes up an important part of the whole.

Application Point: We will see every part of church service as important and critical for a healthy church.

Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:

1. “Even the smallest person can change the course of history.” This is what the elf queen Galadriel says to a young Frodo as he fears his journey ahead of him in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. No matter how insignificant you might think you are, you still can change the world for the positive or negative.

2. The apostle Paul related the church to being like a human body. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). The church is made up of many different people, and each person is like a different part of a body. Each part has a unique function that ultimately benefits the whole. And when they are all working together, the body functions effectively.

3. This video shows the anatomy of what happens when the human body walks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ObNnCTV6MY. Notice how all the tendons, muscles, joints, and ligaments move in a rhythm. Each small part plays a role in the whole step.

4. Now, let’s say the knee doesn’t want to do its part; after all, the foot is the one that is touching the ground! Would a person truly be able to walk a long distance without the function of a knee? No. So it is with our parts in the church. You might not be onstage, but your part matters and affects everything else. Paul says, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Corinthians 12:17–18).

5. Imagine if you came into church and everyone had an acoustic guitar. No one was greeting people at the door. No one was helping in the children’s ministry. No one was helping people find parking in the parking lot. Everyone was just walking around playing music and singing. Would the church be functioning the way it was supposed to? No. Or let’s say that you volunteer with helping set up coffee and food for hospitality. It’s not onstage. It’s not glamourous. Do you ever have the thought, “It doesn’t really matter if I show up or not; anyone can make the coffee. It isn’t like if the worship leader didn’t show up.” What Paul would say is that you don’t realize how massively important your part is to the body. Your service to the Lord and others is the joint that helps bend the knee to help the body walk.

Week 3

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:4–28; Romans 12

Topic: Spiritual Gifts, Gifts, Talents, Personality

Big Idea of the Message: God has given each person gifts to be used to minister and serve in the church.

Application Point: We will discover and use our giftings to build up the body of Christ.

Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:

1. This Ford video shows how every part is important to the performance and safety of a vehicle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZCwVhPwxw&list=PLCFM1h5Oz66g6IHRY1vsUIH226Ak7hviT. Whether it is cars or clocks, we understand that a big machine is made up of important smaller parts.

2. The church is made up of many parts and those parts aren’t just warm bodies doing some function. Each person has been given gifts and talents to serve the church. Paul lists many different giftings that each person processes for serving the church. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (1 Corinthians 12:4). These gifts include miraculous gifts, like prophecy, healings, and speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:9–10, 28). They also include enabling gifts, like teaching, giving wisdom, or having faith (1 Corinthians 12:8–9, 28). There’s also encouraging others, administration, showing mercy in helping others, and giving (Romans 12:8). These gifts aren’t just arbitrary; they interact with the makeup of who we are. Our temperaments and personalities interact with our giftings as well. These gifts aren’t just for ourselves but are for the body of Christ.

3. This clip shows a young woman who misses her cue to begin singing the national anthem at a British soccer match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z1t92mVpKc. We can feel very bad for this young lady. But how many Christians have missed their cue to use their gifts for the church?

4. The church is dysfunctional. But maybe the church would function better if we were all using our gifts for others. Maybe you have a natural ability to encourage others; when you don’t use that gift, those in the church who need encouraging won’t receive the gift you could bring. Or you have an amazing ability to be hospitable. Maybe some have faith in God for situations where others don’t, and those others need to have that faith spoken into their lives. God wants to use you to minister to others, in the church and outside the four walls. But that takes knowing your gifts and being willing to be used by God through those gifts.

5. Knowing our gifts and talents takes soul searching and prayer and goes beyond just a test or assessment. But there are tremendous resources available to help us understand more about who we are and how we are wired—from spiritual gifts tests (https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/) to the role our personalities play in giftings, seen through inventories like Myers-Briggs (https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/home.htm?bhcp=1) or Strengths Finder (https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/home/en-us/strengthsfinder). Enneagram is another personality resource that can help us understand ourselves better and the spiritual dynamics of each person (https://www.exploreyourtype.com/details). Ultimately, our relationship with God will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal our gifts and the desires that God will use for his glory.

Week 4

Text: Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; John 19:40

Topic: Joseph of Arimathea, Faithfulness, Empowering

Big Idea of the Message: God used the overlooked character of Joseph of Arimathea to show his power in the resurrection.

Application Point: We will let each moment be used by God to do amazing things for our church and the world around us.

Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:

1. Most people can name famous quarterbacks. People like Joe Montana, Brett Favre, and Tom Brady are memorable names of the most important players in history. But most people can’t name the offensive line that snapped the ball to those favorite QBs and protected them while they threw all those touchdowns. The offensive line in front of the quarterback is crucial to the team’s success. You could have the greatest quarterback in the world, and if the offensive line is off or can’t protect him, he won’t be making any memorable plays. So, the next time you watch a football game, remember that those huge guys on the line make the plays that ultimately lead to championships.

2. One of the most overlooked characters in the Bible is Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph was a rich man who had become a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). He went before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus after his death. Joseph was also a prominent member of the Sanhedrin Council (Mark 15:43). The tomb that Jesus was buried in was Joseph’s own personal tomb. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus in fine linen and spices for a proper burial (John 19:40).

3. Why is Joseph so important? He didn’t perform any tremendous miracles. He wasn’t one of the famous twelve disciples. He was a prominent and rich man who was a part of the establishment. Joseph was a man of influence in the community. It’s easy to think of Jesus’s disciples as fisherman, outcasts, and the least in society. But Joseph was believer in Jesus too and served him faithfully. Some people are prominent entrepreneurs in a community or civil servants that have influence. You may think that your wealth is all the church wants or that your talents are “spiritual,” but God wants to use you for extraordinary things. Joseph of Arimathea set the stage for the resurrection. God used a wealthy and influential man to be the one who humbly wrapped the body of Jesus and used his tomb to reveal the power of God.

4. This video shows the moment archeologists discover the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB-PjuUvB9g.

5. The story of Joseph of Arimathea reveals that even the simplest of actions, service toward others, and obedience in faith create an opportunity for God to do the miraculous. God uses every seemingly minuscule moment to reveal his grace.

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douglassmiith · 5 years ago

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What Tom Bradys Patriots Exit Teaches Us About the Value of Teamwork

As New England’s iconic ex-QB heads elsewhere, it focuses attention on the valuable role players that are the backbone of all organizations.

March 21, 2020 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It’s no secret the most talked-about figure in sports this week has been former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The first-ballot Hall of Famer announced via social media he would be leaving the franchise he helped rejuvenate and lead to six Super Bowl wins over the course of two decades.

Getting less buzz, however, are two relative journeymen QBs who’ve not only managed to stay in the league (a feat in itself, considering the average NFL career is just over three years), but are also cashing in by being good teammates — and teachers.

Case Keenum, previously with the Washington Redskins, signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Cleveland Browns to back up Baker Mayfield. Chase Daniel, previously with the Chicago Bears, signed a three-year, $13-plus million deal with the Detroit Lions to back up Matt Stafford. Here’s a breakdown of the value they bring, Super Bowl titles or no, and the lessons therein that you can apply to your own career.

Related: What Tom Brady Can Teach Entrepreneurs

Sacrificing Ego

On game day, both Keenum and Daniel know there’s a good chance they’ll be on the sideline, either sitting on the bench or standing near the head coach with a clipboard in hand. Both of them were signed not because of how fast they can run or how far they can throw, but because of the value they bring Monday through Saturday by helping the starter get ready.

Everyone who plays in the NFL wants to be on the field, but great backups know it’s their job to prepare the starter for any and all situations. Ego and pride run rampant throughout the league (as they can in business), and it gets a lot of players kicked off teams.

In your current role, whether you’re an entrepreneur, an employee or a manager, try to keep value ahead of visibility. What is it you bring to the team that keeps your business moving downfield? It might be something you consider small, like setting up a meeting or proofreading a document, but it’s important. There’s value in it — and you.

Mastering Your Job Description

When backups like Keenum and Daniel are signed by teams, coaches expect mostly three things:

An experienced veteran who can act as a sounding board for the starter.

A decent locker room guy who can impart wisdom in different scenarios.

A capable option if the starter goes down who can step in and keep the team competitive.

Notice those three adjectives: experienced, decent and capable. A head coach is happy when a backup meets those expectations. So much of our career trajectory is focused on moving up that we forget to master the title we currently hold.

In your own job, it’s important to review your job description once every three to four months. See what you’re doing consistently, and assess areas where you can step things up. This isn’t new information to any of us, but chances are you’ll have longevity by simply being experienced, decent and capable.

Related: How Michael Took Control of His Post-Football Career

Embracing Being on the Field (Even If You’re Not in the Game)

Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young was the backup to Joe Montana for four seasons on the San Francisco 49ers. His frustration of not getting on the field shifted when, as he outlines in his autobiography, he happened to sit next to Stephen Covey, author of the famous The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, on a chance plane ride.

As Young was lamenting his current situation to Covey, focusing on the cons rather than pros, the author stopped the quarterback in his tracks with some poignant questions: “Wait a second, is this the best team in the league?” “Do you play for the best coach?” “Is Joe Montana around you all the time?” “Can you ask him questions?”

Young answered yes to all four. He would go on to a Hall of Fame career.

There’s a good chance neither Case Keenum nor Chase Daniel will make it to Canton, but they’ve done enough to keep themselves valuable and employable. If you want to stick around at your place of work, sacrifice your ego, master your job description and embrace being on the field. There’s always a chance you might get called into a big game.

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laurelkrugerr · 5 years ago

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What Tom Brady’s Patriots Exit Teaches Us About the Value of Teamwork

As New England’s iconic ex-QB heads elsewhere, it focuses attention on the valuable role players that are the backbone of all organizations.

March 21, 2020 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Related: What Tom Brady Can Teach Entrepreneurs

Sacrificing Ego

Mastering Your Job Description

When backups like Keenum and Daniel are signed by teams, coaches expect mostly three things:

An experienced veteran who can act as a sounding board for the starter.

A decent locker room guy who can impart wisdom in different scenarios.

A capable option if the starter goes down who can step in and keep the team competitive.

Related: How Michael Took Control of His Post-Football Career

Embracing Being on the Field (Even If You’re Not in the Game)

Young answered yes to all four. He would go on to a Hall of Fame career.

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/what-tom-bradys-patriots-exit-teaches-us-about-the-value-of-teamwork/ source https://scpie1.blogspot.com/2020/03/what-tom-bradys-patriots-exit-teaches.html

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riichardwilson · 5 years ago

Text

What Tom Brady’s Patriots Exit Teaches Us About the Value of Teamwork

As New England’s iconic ex-QB heads elsewhere, it focuses attention on the valuable role players that are the backbone of all organizations.

March 21, 2020 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Related: What Tom Brady Can Teach Entrepreneurs

Sacrificing Ego

Mastering Your Job Description

When backups like Keenum and Daniel are signed by teams, coaches expect mostly three things:

An experienced veteran who can act as a sounding board for the starter.

A decent locker room guy who can impart wisdom in different scenarios.

A capable option if the starter goes down who can step in and keep the team competitive.

Related: How Michael Took Control of His Post-Football Career

Embracing Being on the Field (Even If You’re Not in the Game)

Young answered yes to all four. He would go on to a Hall of Fame career.

Website Design & SEO Delray Beach by DBL07.co

Delray Beach SEO

source http://www.scpie.org/what-tom-bradys-patriots-exit-teaches-us-about-the-value-of-teamwork/ source https://scpie.tumblr.com/post/613310621094756352

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your-dietician · 3 years ago

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Every NFL team's biggest do-over: Russell Wilson's Super Bowl pick, Jackie Smith's drop headline all-time list

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nfl/every-nfl-teams-biggest-do-over-russell-wilsons-super-bowl-pick-jackie-smiths-drop-headline-all-time-list/

Every NFL team's biggest do-over: Russell Wilson's Super Bowl pick, Jackie Smith's drop headline all-time list

For every thrilling pick six, last-second touchdown pass, and breathtaking run, there’s a gut-wrenching drop, a jaw-dropping turnover or a head-scratching coaching decision that has left a permanent mark on an NFL team and their fan base. Some of these moments have been forgiven over time, while others continue to haunt the franchise and the fans who witnessed the moment.

With the 2021 season just around the corner, we decided to take a look at each NFL team’s most desired do-over. As criteria for our list, we decided to identify plays where the team made the mistake as opposed to the opponent making a great play. For example, Joe Montana’s game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark against the Cowboys in the 1981 NFC Championship Game was more of a great play by Montana and Clark and not a breakdown by the Cowboys defense.

Without further ado, let’s get started.

Arizona Cardinals: Kurt Warner’s pick six (Super Bowl XLIII)

After falling behind early, the Cardinals threatened to take the lead over the favored Steelers just before halftime. Instead of blitzing Warner, Steelers linebacker James Harrison moved back into coverage, where he stepped in front of Warner’s pass for Anquan Boldin at the goal line. Harrison then completed the longest pick six in Super Bowl history, a play that helped the Steelers defeat the Cardinals, 27-23. While there were several other plays the Cardinals likely wished they had back, Warner surely wishes he would have focused more on where Harrison — the league’s Defensive Player of the Year that season — was before firing his ill-advised pass.

Atlanta Falcons: Don’ta Hightower’s sack/forced fumble (Super Bowl LI)

If given the opportunity to do it again, then-Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan would have called a running play with the Falcons ahead 28-12 and facing a third-and-1 on the Patriots’ 36-yard line with 8:31 remaining in Super Bowl LI. Instead of giving the ball to one of his backs, Shanahan called for a pass play which resulted in Don’ta Hightower forcing a sack/forced fumble of Matt Ryan that was scooped up by Alan Branch. The Patriots made it a one-possession game two minutes later, and would go on to pull off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Buffalo Bills: Bruce Smith’s safety (Super Bowl XXV)

While it did not give them their desired result, the Bills had no chance but to bring out Scott Norwood to attempt a 47-yard kick (he had never made a kick of that distance on grass) with eight seconds left their 20-19 Super Bowl XXV loss. One quarter earlier, the Bills’ inability to stop Mark Ingram on a pivotal third-and-13 was more of a great play by Ingram and not a lapse in defense by the Bills. A play that sticks out just as much — if not more — than those plays was Bruce Smith’s sack of Jeff Hostetler with 8:52 remaining in the second quarter. While the sack resulted in a safety, Smith was unable to jar the football loose from Hostetler, who held on to the ball despite Bruce grabbing his right wrist. Had Bruce been able to force a fumble and either he or a teammate recovered it in the end zone, Buffalo would have led 17-3. Given how methodical the Giants offense moved in order to score points, a touchdown there may have made the difference in what was the smallest margin of victory in Super Bowl history.

Baltimore Ravens: Third and just short (2011 AFC Championship Game)

Trailing 23-20, Baltimore still had one timeout as it faced a second-and-1 on the Patriots’ 14-yard line with 27 seconds left in the AFC Championship Game. After Lee Evans dropped what would have been a sure touchdown, the Ravens attempted another pass at the same defender (Sterling Moore) that fell incomplete. Baltimore then eschewed going for the win and likely regretted its decision after Billy Cundiff missed a 32-yard attempt. With the benefit of hindsight, the Ravens probably would have tried a run on third down before using their third and final timeout.

Carolina Panthers: John Kasay’s misstep (Super Bowl XXXVIII)

One of the best kickers of his era, Kasay committed a costly error when he kicked the ball out of bounds just after the Panthers had tied Super Bowl XXXVIII. With a short field to work with, Tom Brady quickly moved the Patriots into field goal range, where Adam Vinatieri booted the game-winning kick in a 32-29 win. If given the chance at a do-over, Kasay said he would have kicked the ball “right down the hash” instead of trying to pin the kickoff near the right sideline.

Cincinnati Bengals: Lewis Billups’ dropped pick (Super Bowl XXIII)

Points were at a premium in Super Bowl XXIII. The game’s first touchdown wasn’t scored until Stanford Jennings’ 93-yard kickoff return gave the Bengals a 10-3 lead at the end of the third quarter. Less than two minutes later, Bengals cornerback Lewis Billups dropped what would have been an interception in the Bengals’ end zone. Joe Montana — who never threw an interception in 122 Super Bowl pass attempts — hit Jerry Rice for the game-tying score. Cincinnati regained the lead (at 16-13) before Montana led the 49ers on an epic game-winning drive for a 20-16 victory.

Cleveland Browns: Right Right 88 (1980 AFC divisional playoff)

While a field goal would have given them the lead, the Browns attempted a pass on second down from the Raiders’ 13-yard line with under a minute to play in their 14-12 loss in the divisional round of the 1980 playoffs. Brian Sipe, after being instructed by coach Sam Rutigliano to “throw it into Lake Erie” if his receiver wasn’t open, threw a pass to tight end Ozzie Newsome that was intercepted by Oakland defensive back Mike Davis. Despite torrid weather conditions that contributed to the Browns being unsuccessful on four previous kicks, it’s safe to say that the Browns would have tried something other than Red Right 88, the play that ended their memorable season.

Chicago Bears: Rex’s gross pick six (Super Bowl XLI)

The Bears were still very much in Super Bowl XLI with 12 minutes to play. That changed, however, when quarterback Rex Grossman threw an ill-advised pass for Muhsin Muhammad that was intercepted by Kelvin Hayden and returned for a 56-yard touchdown, the final score in the Colts’ 29-17 win. Instead of throwing to Muhammad (who caught a 22-yard pass on the previous play) in a torrential downpour, the Bears would have been better-served giving the ball in that situation to running back Thomas Jones, who rushed for 112 yards on only 15 carries.

Dallas Cowboys: Jackie Smith’s drop (Super Bowl XIII)

Dallas was on the verge of tying Super Bowl XIII near the end of the third quarter. Facing a third down at its own 10-yard line, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach found a wide open Jackie Smith in the Steelers’ end zone. Smith’s drop was the first of three massive Cowboys miscues that allowed the Steelers to take a 35-17 lead en route to a 35-31 win. Staubach, if given the chance to try his fateful pass again, said he wouldn’t have lobbed his pass to Smith, who missed his one opportunity to win a Super Bowl in what was a 16-year Hall of Fame career.

Denver Broncos: ‘Giant’ mistake (Super Bowl XXI)

Despite having Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway at his disposal, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan called consecutive running plays from the 2-yard line midway through the second quarter of Super Bowl XXI. After Giants linebacker Harry Carson nailed Gerald Willhite for no gain on second down, New York linebacker Carl Banks stuffed Sammy Winder for a 4-yard loss on third down. Ahead 10-7, the Broncos failed to extend their lead after Rich Karlis missed a 23-yard field goal, the shortest attempted miss in Super Bowl history. Karlis ended the half with another miss (this one 34 yards), as Denver was outscored 32-10 following the Giants’ goal-line stand en route to a 39-20 loss.

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Detroit Lions: Questionable fourth-down decision (2014 wild card playoff)

Anthony Hitchens’ coverage of Brandon Pettigrew late in the Lions’ 2014 wild card playoff game against the Cowboys is one of the worst non-calls in NFL playoff history. That being said, the Lions’ decision to punt on the ensuing play — they faced a fourth-and-1 on the Cowboys’ 46-yard line with 8:25 left — was one they immediately regretted after Sam Martin shanked the punt. With a short field, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo turned a 20-17 deficit into a 24-20 victory. Along with the fourth-down decision, the Lions twice settled for field goals earlier in the game when a touchdown may have put the game away.

Green Bay Packers: Mike Holmgren’s hiccup (Super Bowl XXXII)

The Packers had no answer for Terrell Davis in Super Bowl XXXII. Despite missing just about the entire second quarter with a migraine headache, Davis had rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on his first 29 carries. His 30th carry resulted in his third touchdown that gave Denver a 31-24 lead with 1:47 left. While the Packers had not come up with a way to stop him, coach Mike Holmgren instructed his defense to let Davis score in order to give Brett Favre and the Packers more time at the end of the game. Favre ultimately drove the Packers to Denver’s 31-yard line before firing three straight incomplete passes. While Davis likely would have scored regardless, Holmgren’s decision to make it a certainty was not viewed well by Packers fans.

Houston Texans: A missed opportunity (2019 AFC divisional playoff)

Leading 21-0 in the divisional round of their 2019 playoff game against the Chiefs, the Texans probably felt OK settling for a field goal with 10:58 remaining in the second quarter to stretch their lead to 24-0. Houston likely regretted its decision not to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chiefs’ 13-yard line after Patrick Mahomes got the Chiefs on the scoreboard less than a minute later. Kansas City scored again shortly after Houston failed to convert on a fourth-and-4 run. Things only got worse from there, as the Chiefs scored 51 of the game’s final 58 points en route to a 51-31 win. Would a 31-0 lead have been enough to break the Chiefs’ spirit? Texans fans will never know.

Indianapolis Colts: Manning’s miscue (Super Bowl XLIV)

Three years after winning his first Super Bowl, Peyton Manning and the Colts had a chance to tie Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints after falling behind 24-17. Facing a third-and-5 at the Saints’ 31-yard line, Manning uncharacteristically locked into his receiver, Reggie Wayne, allowing Tracy Porter to step in front of Wayne en route to a 74-yard pick six that capped a 31-17 New Orleans win. It’s safe to say that Manning would like to have that pass back.

Kansas City Chiefs: Dee Ford’s penalty (2018 AFC Championship Game)

This one was easy. Had Ford stayed onside, Charvarius Ward’s interception of Tom Brady would have stood, giving the Chiefs the ball and a four-point lead with 54 seconds left in the 2018 AFC Championship Game. Instead, the Patriots went on to defeat the Chiefs in overtime. The Chiefs won the following Super Bowl, but they missed out possibly winning another Super Bowl during Patrick Mahomes’ first season under center.

Los Angeles Chargers: What about L.T.? (2006 AFC divisional playoff)

With the scored tied late in their 2006 divisional round playoff game against the Patriots, the Chargers inexplicably forgot about LaDainian Tomlinson, the league’s MVP during the regular season. After a 5-yard run by Tomlinson on first down, quarterback Philip Rivers then threw an incomplete pass on second down, stopping the clock. Adding insult to injury was that the Chargers wasted a timeout after the incomplete pass, which they badly needed after falling behind with 1:14 left. Instead of having the timeout, Nate Kaeding was forced to try a 54-yard field goal with eight seconds left, a kick that hooked wide to the right in a 24-21 loss.

Los Angeles Rams: Vince Ferragamo’s one mistake (Super Bowl XIV)

Vince Ferragamo, a backup who led the Rams to the Super Bowl following Pat Haden’s late-season injury, outplayed eventual game MVP Terry Bradshaw for most of Super Bowl XIV. But with the Rams trailing the Steelers 24-19 late in the game, Ferragamo made his only mistake when he forced a pass through the middle of the Steelers defense that was intercepted by Jack Lambert deep in Pittsburgh territory. Making matters worse was that Ferragamo missed a wide-open Billy Waddy, who was left uncovered on a post pattern. The Steelers put the game away on their ensuing possession and went on to win 31-19.

Jacksonville Jaguars: More pressure on Brady (2017 AFC Championship Game)

Despite not parlaying Myles Jack’s forced turnover into points, the Jaguars still held a 20-10 lead over the Patriots with less than nine minutes remaining in the 2017 AFC Championship Game. The Jaguars, however, missed a golden opportunity to increase their odds at victory after allowing Tom Brady to complete a 21-yard pass to Danny Amendola on third-and-18 from the Patriots’ 25-yard line. The Patriots ended up scoring a touchdown on the drive and would ultimately defeat the Jaguars, 24-20. If given the chance at a do-over, it’s safe to say that the Jaguars would have rushed more than four players on that crucial third-down play.

Miami Dolphins: Kim Bokamper’s missed pick six (Super Bowl XVII)

The Dolphins’ Killer B’s held Washington to just 13 points through the first three quarters of Super Bowl XVII. With a 17-13 lead, Miami nearly took control of the game after defensive end Kim Bokamper nearly caught his own deflection of Joe Theismann’s pass inside Washington’s 5-yard line. Had Bokamper hung on to the pass, he would have waltzed into the end zone while giving the Dolphins a double-digit lead. Instead, Washington scored the go-ahead touchdown on John Riggins’ iconic 42-yard run on its next possession. The Dolphins ended up losing the game 27-17.

Minnesota Vikings: Brett Favre’s faux pas (2009 NFC Championship Game)

The Vikings were on the verge of punching their Super Bowl ticket near the end of the 2009 NFC Championship Game in New Orleans. With the scored tied 28-28, the Vikings had the ball at the Saints’ 33-yard line with 19 seconds left. But after a penalty pushed them back 5 yards, quarterback Brett Favre — instead of running for several yards, calling a timeout and setting up a game-winning field goal attempt — forced an errant pass that was picked off by Tracy Porter. Minnesota never got the ball back and ultimately lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Saints in overtime 31-28.

New England Patriots: David Tyree’s helmet catch (Super Bowl XLII)

Former Giants receiver David Tyree’s catch in Super Bowl XLII was incredible, but it’s safe to say that, had this play been attempted 1,000 times, Tyree’s improbable helmet catch wouldn’t have been duplicated. Similar to Brady’s third-down completion in the 2017 AFC title game, Bill Belichick likely would have put more heat on Eli Manning (New England rushed four players) if he had the chance of a do-over. Unfortunately for him, Belichick can’t reverse history, as the 2007 Patriots go down in the books as the greatest team not to win the Super Bowl.

New Orleans Saints: Alvin! (2019 NFC Championship Game)

Alvin and the Chipmunk’s Dave never forgot about his Alvin, and Sean Payton should have given Alvin Kamara another touch late in the Saints’ 2019 NFC Championship Game matchup against the Rams. While they were victim of one of the worst missed calls in NFL history, the Saints nevertheless should have given either Kamara or Mark Ingram the ball on third-and-10 from the Rams’ 13-yard line with 1:49 left. Had the Saints run the ball, they would have forced the Rams to either call their third timeout or let 40 seconds drip off of the clock. Instead, the Saints — after temporarily taking the lead on Will Lutz’s field goal — gave the Rams just enough time to tie things up to force overtime. The Saints lost 26-23 in overtime in what was their best shot at returning to a Super Bowl with Drew Brees as their quarterback.

New York Giants: Manning’s misstep (2008 NFC divisional playoff)

Keith Hamilton’s phantom holding call (negating Jessie Armstead’s game-tying pick six) in the second quarter of Super Bowl XXXV against the Ravens was considered, but there’s nothing the Giants can/could do about a bad call. They could, however, have called a better play for Eli Manning with their season on the line in the divisional round of the 2008 playoffs. Down 20-11 and facing a fourth-and-1 on their own 44 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Giants passed on giving the ball to either Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward (who combined to rush for 138 yards on 31 carries that day) and instead had Manning lunge into the teeth of the Eagles defense. Manning was unable to convert, and the Giants’ title defense ended with a 23-11 loss to the visiting Eagles.

New York Jets: Killer B’s get the best of Rex (2010 AFC Championship Game)

The Jets rallied from 24 points down to pull to within five points of the Steelers with 3:09 left in the 2010 AFC Championship Game. After using all three of their timeouts, the Jets forced the Steelers into a third-and-6 from New York’s 40-yard line with 2:38 left. Rex Ryan’s defense was unable to stop Ben Roethlisberger, however, as Roethlisberger rolled to his right before hitting Antonio Brown, who was in single coverage against a linebacker, to ice a 24-19 victory. Ryan, whose team lost in the AFC title game for a second consecutive year, would undoubtedly try something else against Big Ben if given the opportunity.

Las Vegas/Oakland Raiders: Franco’s Immaculate Reception

The Tuck Rule play was also considered here, but similar to Keith Hamilton’s holding call, you can’t do much about a questionable call. Conversely, the odds of Jack Tatum deflecting Terry Bradshaw’s pass right to the feet of Franco Harris happening the way it did a second time is about as likely as Aaron Rodgers showing up in Green Bay anytime soon (too soon, Packers fans?). There’s also the chance that Jimmy Warren could have tackled Harris before he reached the end zone if given a do-over. Alas, John Madden’s team can’t reverse history, as the Immaculate Reception remains one of the NFL’s indelible plays.

Philadelphia Eagles: Barber closes down The Vet (2002 NFC Championship Game)

Down 20-10, the Eagles were on the verge of making it a three-point game with 3:27 left in the 2002 NFC Championship Game against the Buccaneers. After two consecutive completions to Antonio Freeman, Donovan McNabb looked his way one too many times. On first-and-goal from the Buccaneers’ 10-yard line, McNabb’s pass intended for Freeman was picked off by Rhonde Barber, who stepped in front of Freeman before racing across the field for the game-clinching score. In hindsight, McNabb probably would have thrown the ball to Duce Staley, who was open on the other side of the hash marks. The loss was the Eagles’ final game at Veterans Stadium, the franchise’s home for more than 30 years.

San Francisco 49ers: Garoppolo’s overthrow (Super Bowl LIV)

Despite two quick touchdowns by the Chiefs, the 49ers still had a chance to win Super Bowl LIV with 2:44 to go. Facing a third-and-10 on the Chiefs’ 49-yard line, Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew Emmanuel Sanders — who had managed to get behind the secondary — by several yards. Had Garoppolo not overthrown Sanders, the 49ers likely would have scored the go-ahead touchdown. Instead, Garoppolo was sacked by Frank Clark on the ensuing play. Damien Williams’ 38-yard touchdown two plays later sealed the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory.

Seattle Seahawks: The interception (Super Bowl XLIX)

This one was easy. Down 28-24 late in Super Bowl XLIX, a 33-yard-completion from Russell Wilson to Jermaine Kearse put the Seahawks in position to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. After a 4-yard run by Marshawn Lynch got Seattle to New England’s 1-yard line with 26 seconds left, the Seahawks elected not to give the ball to Beast Mode and instead called for Wilson to throw a slant pass to Ricardo Lockette. While Lockette was initially open, rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler jumped in front of him to record arguably the greatest defensive play in Super Bowl history.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The play before ‘the pick’ (Super Bowl XXX)

Neil O’Donnell’s second interception to Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown in Super Bowl XXX is largely to blame for the Steelers’ first Super Bowl loss. But had Andre Hastings not dropped O’Donnell’s pass on the previous play (he was wide open and likely would have given the Steelers a first down near midfield with about four minutes remaining), O’Donnell likely wouldn’t have made his costly mistake that turned a three-point game into a 27-17 loss. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Hastings was otherwise brilliant that day; he caught a Steelers Super Bowl record 10 passes for 98 yards while being one of the main reasons why the Steelers nearly upset the favored Cowboys.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Warner’s perfect pass (1999 NFC Championship Game)

Shaun King’s ruled incomplete pass to Bert Emanuel (it would have counted in today’s NFL) sealed the Buccaneers’ fate in their 11-6 loss to the Rams in the 1999 NFC Championship Game. But that play wouldn’t have mattered had Kurt Warner not hit Ricky Proehl for the go-ahead score with 4:50 remaining. Despite playing a near-perfect game against the “Greatest Show on Turf,” the Buccaneers’ pass rush just missed getting to Warner, whose pass just evaded the reach of cornerback Brian Kelly. Arriving just after Proehl pulled in Warner’s pass was Hall of Fame safety John Lynch, who said he replayed the play in his head countless times in the days following the game.

Tennessee Titans: 1 yard away (Super Bowl XXXIV)

Spearheaded by Steve McNair’s Houdini-like effort, the Titans clawed to the Rams’ 10-yard line with five seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXXIV. Trailing 23-16, McNair hit Kevin Dyson on a slant pass 5 yards from the end zone. While Dyson appeared to have a clear path to the goal line, Rams linebacker Mike Jones, who had been covering tight end Frank Wycheck on the near sideline, turned his head at the last second before tackling Dyson 1 yard shy of the goal line. Had Wycheck done a better acting job, there’s a chance that he could have kept Jones’ attention while helping the Titans force overtime.

Washington Football Team: An unexpected defender (Super Bowl VII)

Down 14-0, Washington was threatening to make Super Bowl VII a one-score game late in the fourth quarter. On second-and-6 from the Dolphins’ 10-yard line, Billy Kilmer found tight end Jerry Smith wide open in the back of the end zone. The problem was that Kilmer’s pass never got there as it hit the cross bar. Eventual game MVP Jake Scott picked off Kilmer on the ensuing play. And while Mike Bass did make it a 14-7 game moments later on his 49-yard fumble return, Washington was never able to close the gap on Miami, the NFL’s first and last undefeated team.

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junker-town · 5 years ago

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The 6 most memorable Super Bowls ever held in Miami

Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and John Elway won Super Bowl MVPs in Miami.

Miami, which has hosted more Super Bowls than any city, has seen everything from the Guarantee to Jerry Rice’s record performance to John Elway’s farewell.

The San Francisco 49ers are back in the Super Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium, at the same site of their last championship a quarter-century ago. It’s part of the rich history of football’s biggest game in Miami.

Twenty-five years ago, on Jan. 29, 1995, the 49ers crushed the San Diego Chargers to become the first team to win five Super Bowls, all in a 14-year span that defined greatness for the NFL before Bill Belichick and Tom Brady teamed up in New England.

One of the 49ers’ other championships also came in Miami: Super Bowl XXIII. That was the first time Miami had hosted the game at Joe Robbie Stadium, after the previous five had been at the Orange Bowl.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ last Super Bowl was 50 years ago in New Orleans, the only Super Bowl in a four-year span that wasn’t in Miami. New Orleans has hosted 10 Super Bowls, but 11 have been in Miami, or, more technically, the Miami area, since Hard Rock Stadium is located in the adjacent Miami Gardens.

This year will be the sixth Super Bowl at the venue, and quite fittingly for sport’s most corporate event, under its fifth different stadium name:

Joe Robbie Stadium (1989, 1995)

Pro Player Stadium (1999)

Dolphin Stadium (2007)

Sun Life Stadium (2010)

Hard Rock Stadium (2020)

With Miami home to nearly 19 percent of all Super Bowls to date, it’s only natural the city has seen their its share of memorable football moments. Here are the most notable of the Miami Super Bowls so far.

Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7

When the 49ers walloped the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX, that was expected. San Francisco was favored by 18.5 points, the largest spread in the game’s history. The only point spread even close was the Baltimore Colts favored by 18 over the New York Jets in Super Bowl III, also in Miami. That game, from January 1969, really put the Super Bowl on the map, thanks to a guarantee from Jets quarterback Joe Namath.

“I get up the podium and a guy in the back of the room is going, ‘Hey Namath, we’re going to kick your you know what,’” Namath recalled. “It was just, ‘I’ve been hearing that all week long. I’ve got news for you, buddy. We’re going to win the game, I guarantee it.’”

Namath has downplayed his guarantee as an offhand response to a heckler, but it matched the tone of what Namath was saying all week leading up the game, albeit not without the word “guarantee” that created the legend.

The Jets won, 16-7, fulfilling Namath’s promise while also further legitimizing the AFL two seasons before the two leagues merged into what would become the modern NFL.

Super Bowl V: Colts 16, Cowboys 13

Just two years after representing the NFL in the Super Bowl, the Colts were now in the AFC in the first season of the merger. The Colts won a close, but sloppy contest over the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13, on a field goal with nine seconds remaining by Jim O’Brien. It was the first of seven Super Bowls with a go-ahead score in the final minute or in overtime. The first two of these games were in Miami, along with the 49ers’ win in Super Bowl XXIII.

Though Baltimore won Super Bowl V, Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley took home Super Bowl MVP honors, the only player from a losing team to win the award.

Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cowboys met again in 1979, a rematch of their Super Bowl three years earlier, also in Miami. Both games were close in the fourth quarter until Pittsburgh pulled away. But this one was more of a shootout, the first of only three Super Bowls to feature both teams scoring at least 30 points.

The key play here came in the final minutes of the third quarter, with Dallas trailing by seven points. On third-and-3 from the 10-yard line, Roger Staubach found Jackie Smith wide open in the end zone, only to have the tight end drop the potential tying score.

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“Bless his heart, he’s got to be the sickest man in America,” said Verne Lundquist on the Cowboys radio call.

Dallas settled for a field goal instead of a touchdown, which seems significant since they lost by just four points.

Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16

Jerry Rice has three of the top nine receiving-yard games in Super Bowl history, and two of those happened in Miami. The first came in 1989, against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII. Rice caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl-best 215 yards and a touchdown.

Rice was such a focus of Cincinnati’s defense that he was essentially a decoy on the deciding play, a 10-yard touchdown pass zipped by Joe Montana to John Taylor with 34 seconds left to secure the come-from-behind victory. Rice still walked away with the Super Bowl MVP Award.

Six years later, Rice caught three of Steve Young’s record six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX, tying a receiving record that still stands. He caught 10 passes for 149 yards against the Chargers, which amazingly wasn’t even his best Super Bowl at Joe Robbie Stadium.

Super Bowl XXIX: 49ers 49, Chargers 26

Steve Young was at the peak of his powers during the 1994 season, leading the league with 35 touchdown passes and a then-record 112.8 quarterback rating. Efficiency was the name of Young’s game, and that year he became the first quarterback to complete 70 percent of his passes with at least 400 pass attempts.

Young won two previous championships with the 49ers, but as the backup to Joe Montana. Now in his fourth season as San Francisco’s starter, Young finally got past the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game, avenging playoff losses to Dallas in the two years prior. Against San Diego, Young was sublime, throwing for six touchdown passes that remains unmatched in Super Bowl history.

“Someone take the monkey off my back, please,” Young jokingly implored his teammates on the sideline in the final minutes of the game.

Super Bowl XXXIII: Broncos 34, Falcons 19

While this game between the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons was certainly memorable for the record-tying seven field goal attempts (though both teams combined to make only four), you might remember this as John Elway’s final game.

Elway completely flipped the script on his personal legacy in his final two seasons. He was headed for the Hall of Fame either way, but before 1997 he had no championships and three Super Bowl losses, none of which were particularly close. The Broncos then won two Super Bowls in Elway’s final two seasons. Elway threw for 336 yards in an MVP performance against Atlanta, beating his former coach Dan Reeves — with whom he and the Broncos lost three Super Bowls — in the process.

It was a true storybook ending.

Miami has given us a plethora of memorable Super Bowls, but we’re overdue for another. Five of the first six Super Bowls in Miami were close, decided by single digits. But beginning with that Young/Rice domination in 1995, the last four Miami Super Bowls have been blowouts, with an average victory margin of 16 points.

The AFC won six of the 10 previous Super Bowls in Miami, but the 49ers have two of the four NFC victories.

It’s been 10 years since the last Super Bowl in Miami, matching the longest drought for the city. The last time Miami had to wait so long, we saw the 49ers and Bengals give us a classic. Maybe the 49ers and Chiefs can also give us an exciting game this Sunday in South Florida.

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