Give Us Johnny

Some former players are calling out the approach by Johnny Manziel to his rookie season. He continues to gather headlines whenever he is away from the Cleveland Browns.

The media will always follow Johnny. I don't think he minds it. They've created a competition where JM is breathing down the neck of incumbent Brian Hoyer. Fans will demand Johnny real early in the season.

Hoyer can't win unless he wins the first several games with the Browns.

They Wanted His Father

Some very qualified players never get a chance in the NFL. Others get one because of their background. Jerry Rice Jr, son of the Hall of Fame receiver, is one of them.

He played the same position as his father, but had a limited college career. He attended UCLA where he received his degree and then headed to UNLV where he pursued a master's degree while playing one season of football.

Apparently, the Washington Redskins thought enough of him to sign him to an undrafted free agent contract. His numbers are not overwhelming for his one season: 11 receptions for 86 yards and 1 TD.

He appears to be destined as a training camp body.

Coach Moss

It was a surprise to see former Pats WR Randy Moss be named associate head football coach at a private school in Charlotte, NC. On the other hand, his son goes there. It was a no-brainer for the trustees to have a former NFL star on their coaching staff.

Moss is probably just interested in coaching his son. I don't see him doing this on a long term basis. He was a coach's nightmare in the NFL until he came to the Pats. He eventually wore out his welcome here before the team traded him.

I think it's good that he is back in the game. Hopefully, he has changed because he has a lot to offer younger players.

Time For Lloyd

WR Brandon Lloyd had a very productive season with the Pats in 2012, but decided to sit out last year. He left money on the table and had people wondering why he would just walk away.

In a recent interview, Lloyd said it was the best thing he ever did and felt refreshed after stepping away from the NFL after 10 seasons. He recently signed with the 49er's, but faces an uphill battle for a roster spot and playing time.

The preseason will show the rest of the league if he still has anything left in the tank. There is a spot for him on some team as a third or fourth receiver. It's a question of whether he wants to go in that direction.

Who Coaches?

I was watching the NBA draft tonight and heard a great comment about former players who eventually become coaches. Every team has a coaching staff like that.

The same cannot be said about he NFL. There are many former players who are on coaching staffs, but overall, it pales in comparison to the NBA.

Every NFL team has a few coaches who played, but it's not a lot. They need more.

Is Week 1 Too Soon?

The Pats are always silent when it comes to injuries. Fans never get the real truth. Now, we are hearing that Rob Gronkowski might be available by Week 1.

Is this too ambitious? Will it really happen or will he end up on the PUP list? Gronk is such a crucial part of the offense. I hope he is 100% ready by then. The team shouldn't bring him back with the thought that a 50% Gronk is better than none. He is too valuable to get injured again.

The FXFL

I think the Fall Experimental Football League is a good idea and has a chance at success. The FXFL will debut in October in six cities. It's main purpose will be to give players a chance to keep playing football in the hope of having a shot in the NFL.

The league's future is very cloudy. They claim to have a television contract lined up for games on Wednesday and Friday nights. Players will be paid $1,000 per week and live with host families in their respective cities.

Teams are slated for the Boston and New York City area as well as Florida, Portland Oregon, Austin and Omaha, Nebraska.

Partnering with the NFL will be crucial for the league's survival. I think the league will wait to see how the season goes before they commit any financial aid.

Bill & Steve

Some coaches are able to hire their son onto their coaching staff. Coach Belichick did it with his son Steven. He is on the staff and will be there until the end of his dad's career. Nobody knows when that will ever be.

Rex Checks In

The New York Jets always entertain their fans. Owner Woody Johnson has said that an 8-8 record will not be good enough for a successful season.

Rex Ryan is angry at his former defensive coordinator Mike Pettine about a claim that he gave copies of the defensive playbook to people like Nick Saban. There is an insinuation that the Alabama coach could have given a copy to Coach Belichick because of their close relationship going back to Bill's head coaching days with the Cleveland Browns. Rex came out defending BB and praising his greatness.

 Pettine was a former high school coach that he mentored while on the Ravens staff. He was eventually hired and worked under Rex when he was defensive coordinator.

The next four weeks are traditionally the quietest time for NFL teams. You never know with the Jets. The New York tabloids are ready.
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Another Legal Step

It was inevitable that the Pats would be dragged into the wrongful death suit against Aaron Hernandez. The families of the two men who were victims of a 2012 shooting in Boston's South End are attempting to prevent the Pats from paying Hernandez another $3.25 million due from his 2012 signing bonus.

As with any civil lawsuit, the case will take 2-3 years before it goes to trial. In the process, there will be hearings and depositions under oath. Team officials will be called upon. How will the team react to all of this? Will they settle out of court?

This could get real ugly for the team when Hernandez goes on criminal trial for the murders. Present and former players may be called to testify. It could get messy for the team's image which they are so protective.

Flowers In Foxborough

Pats fans should not get too excited about the team signing free-agent CB Brandon Flowers who was recently released by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was considered too expensive for them to keep on their roster.

Flowers has been courted by at least ten teams, including the Steelers. He certainly doesn't want to leave any money on the table, but maybe a one year contract in Foxborough could be a possibility. That's assuming they could fit him under the salary cap. They need to add depth to the defensive backfield.

Just Another Step

The Washington Redskins suffered a setback after the US Patent Office ruled that their nickname was disparaging to Native Americans. This will guarantee another round of appeals by the team's owner who has vowed that he will never change the name.

The appeal process will take time and stall things for now. Could this case ultimately end up in the US Supreme Court? It's far from being over.

The New Season

Coach Belichick announced the start of a new season today during his first press conference since the draft. He was evasive as usual concerning the status of several players. He seems to be in mid-season form. He did a good job in stating the obvious.

After Thursday, everyone is one their own until the rookies report to training camp on July 16th. The season is approaching.

Dobson's Time

The Pats are having their mandatory three day mini-camp. Every NFL team has players who are not medically ready to practice. The Pats have their share.

WR Aaron Dobson is walking around in a boot after off-season foot surgery. He was injured late in the season, but still put up some decent numbers.

The 2014 season is very critical for him if he ever expects to have a playing career.

End of the Dream

The Arena Football League continues with its games. For some players, this is the end of the dream. The vast majority will never get an invitation to a NFL training camp. They know it, but the love of the game keeps them going. Some are just playing for a small paycheck.

They all know that this ride will end at some point. Nobody plays into their 40's. There is always someone younger waiting to take their spot.

Chuck Noll

Fans tend to be more focused on the present than the past, but the passing today of former Steelers Coach Chuck Noll brought me back to the great Pittsburgh teams of the 1970's. He lead them to four Super Bowl wins, but in the process, assembled a collection of Hall of Fame players.

Their Steel Curtain defense was one of the best in NFL history. The names of the players on both sides of the ball are a roll of honor for legends.

Younger fans can see these moments captured on NFL Films, but I knew I was watching greatness back then. I will always be a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here's Brian

As expected, the Cleveland Browns announced that Brian Hoyer will go into training camp as the team's starting quarterback. Will there really be a competition with Johnny Manziel? Will Hoyer get benched if the Browns get off to a bad start?

It's not a good position for Hoyer to be in. He has waited for his turn to start. He played well last year before he tore his ACL. Now, he might become a victim of the Johnny Manziel frenzy. There are many fans who want the team turned over to Manziel. I think it will only be a matter of time.

Sherman's Finest Hour

The verbal tirade by Richard Sherman at the NFC Championship Game certainly got him noticed. His post-game interview was extremely emotional. Many took it the wrong way. I thought he did a good job with it. There was a great deal of discussion about it by social media

All of that probably helped him get on the cover of the Madden 2015 video game. He joins a select group of players who will always be known for that.

Another Case To Draw Attention

I wonder how the latest NFL legal problem will work out. They have a new case involving former players who said they were given too many prescription drugs to deal with injuries. The league doesn't want to roll over and make another big financial settlement, but some of the details could get very ugly.

The NFL is a $10 billion money machine and growing. Nobody wants to see the cash cow slaughtered, but the league needs to actively address this legal case. Drawing it out in the court room for another three or four years is an option, but not good for their image.

The Best Career Move

Only a small group of coaches ever hit the financial jackpot during their career. Many are forced to make numerous moves in order to be continually employed. When a head coach gets fired, the assistants are often out of work.

Some head coaches only have success at the college or professional level. Nick Saban had a long resume with the NFL before getting fired by the Miami Dolphins. He resurrected himself at the University of Alabama.

His national championships teams have given him the opportunity that faces him now. He just received an 8 year/$55.2 million contract extension. He will earn a $6.5 million base salary and a $400,000 annual bonus for each coaching season.

His NFL coaching career had mixed results, but he hit the ultimate payday after going back to the college ranks.

Kicking Bernie To The Curb

Former QB Bernie Kosar has always been a hero in Cleveland. Bill Belichick found out the hard way while he coached the Browns and shipped Kosar out of town. He faced a backlash from fans. Kosar went on to play for the Miami Dolphins before retiring.

He was enjoying a career as a broadcaster in the Cleveland area until his latest controversy. He has been removed from the broadcast team for the Browns preseason games and replaced by Solomon Wilcotts.

This was a very sticky move. Kosar has experienced some speech problems in recent years probably due to the dozen concussions he endured during his playing days. Now, it looks like he is being kicked to the curb, because his speech isn't perfect.

No Johnny Baseball

The Johnny Manziel nonsense never ends. He was selected in the MLB draft by the San Diego Padres in the 28th round with the 837th pick. The Padres admitted that Manziel has not played since high school, but project him at shortstop.

This was nothing but a publicity stunt. Manziel needs to concentrate on trying to help the Cleveland Bowns at quarterback.

The New 50

The NFL never misses anything when it comes to marketing their brand. They know how to maximize the dollar. Great care is taken to protect "The Shield".

The 50th edition of the Super Bowl will be known as Super Bowl 50 when it's played in February 2016. The league decided to deviate from the traditional Roman numerals because the "L" would stand by itself. The marketing gurus felt that "50" would be the best selection.

I totally agree with them. It was a wise decision. It will be great for marketing. I have no doubt that they gave it a lot of thought.

Neck On The Line

A player's career can change at one moment in a game. It doesn't matter who it is. Some are never the same. Others are forced into retirement.

It remains to be seen what happens to David Wilson, the former 2012 first round pick of the New York Giants. He is trying to get medical clearance to return after having vertebrae fused in his neck.

He was injured last October in the game against the Eagles. He ended up playing in only five games after a mediocre rookie season.

His next step is very critical. He could end up with another stint on Injured Reserve or get released by the team. His career isn't over, but it's not headed in the right direction.

Clock Ticking Down On Reed

The great Ed Reed has reached the stage where he is trying to hang on in the NFL. It happens to everyone if they play long enough. The free agent will be 36 in September.

He played for the Texans and Jets last season. He was good enough to be on the field, but was just a shell of his former self.

Some team might invite him to training camp. He will need to battle the rookies and younger players for a spot on the roster. It shouldn't end this way for someone like Reed.

Nobody Is Moving

The owner of the Atlanta Falcons predicted that the NFL will have at least one team in London in the future. I think this is a very optimistic statement. The league is playing a couple of games every year, but no further steps have been taken.

I don't think they have nay solid plans to have a team there soon. They don't want to expand to an odd amount of teams or have any franchises relocating overseas when the Los Angeles market is available.

The NFL should stop the charade and just admit that they are playing games overseas to promote their product to a bigger fanbase. There is nothing wrong with that.

Rice Will Be Heating

It will be interesting to see how the NFL commissioner handles the discipline against Ravens star Ray Rice. The running back was able to skate through the legal system after being caught on video dragging his wife from an elevator in Atlantic City. It was a very ugly scene.

Rice will probably get fined by the league, but how many games will he miss? Will the league make him an example of violence against women? This is a very sensitive issue for the NFL. They have a huge female fan base.

I think he will be suspended for at least four games.

NCAA Playing Games

I was glad to see former college football players prevail in their class action lawsuit against the NCAA for using their images in video games produced by EA. The players sought compensation going back to 2003 by claiming the NCAA used their images in games without any royalties or compensation.

It has been a long journey for the players after filing their lawsuit in 2009. The NCAA could appeal and drag it out, but they might be better off if they pay up and cut their loses.

The individual awards won't be that much. There is a $40 million settlement to be divided among 100,000 eligible players. This is just another example of the NCAA being out of control.