Money

Jerry Jones loves money almost as much as he loves “Jerrah,” with publicity a distant third.

The Packers immediately signed Parsons to a record-setting contract for a non-quarterback: four-years, $188 million dollars with $136 million guaranteed. His $47 million dollar average salary is the highest ever. A rapid about face for a historically frugal organization that could make Packers fans OD on cheese.

As we’ve seen in each of the last two seasons with Dak Prescott and CDC Lamb, Jerry loves to talk about paying his studs. Then waiting and paying over market value for said studs.

Which made me remember/laugh about Jerry’s infamous quote regarding Ezekiel Elliot “spanking himself.”

While it seemed like something would get sorted out during a very public and messy feud, Jerrah The GM pulled the trigger on dumping Parsons.

The Cowboys got the absolute most out of his rookie contract. A four-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $17,079,793.

Injuries & Effectiveness

By all metrics, Micah Parsons has potentially entered the downside of his career. How much better could he be in year 5 and beyond?

Specifically for the position of linebacker that absorbs punishment on every play, akin to the running back on the offensive side of the ball. And we see how the market treats them.

Dallas has been bad at stopping the run.

Over the last four years – Parsons first four years in the league – the Cowboys finished 18th or worse in rushing yards allowed per game each season:

2024: 29th
2023: 18th
2022: 22nd
2021: 20th

In 2024 he played a career low 13 games. Parsons sat out all of the 2025 training camp and the preseason with back stiffness.

There’s also no clear indication he was going to be ready to play opening day thanks to the back injury which he recently received a second opinion on. The initial MRI “came back clean.”

Players Received

Two first rounders and a space eating defensive tackle, three-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark. The value of two first rounders speaks for itself.

Shoring up defensive tackle is the first step in building run defense. Linebackers are easier to find. A quality defensive tackle is not.

“I really like Micah,” Jones said. “I appreciate the four years we had him here. He’s a great player. No question, I could have signed him in April. … This was by design. I did make Micah an offer and it wasn’t acceptable, and I honored the fact that it wasn’t done how he wanted — through an agent.”

Jerry even compared the trade to “The Great Trade Robbery” of Herschel Walker to the Vikings in 1989.

“But Micah Parsons did an outstanding job for us for four years and a little bit of the way Herschel Walker may have had his greatest contribution to the Cowboys, what he brought to us when he left could be a tremendous thing for our fans and the success of this team.”

Conclusion

Just like the Luka Doncic trade, on its face, the Micah Parsons trade has an enormous WOW factor.

But when you dig in and get past the hype of the names involved, a year from now we could be singing the praises of the billionaire oil tycoon from Dallas.

Or, he did this to hype up viewership of the recent Dallas Cowboys Netflix special.

The post Did The Cowboys Win The Micah Parsons Trade? appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

Have you ever seen them in the same room at the same time? Bill Belichick is Gregg Popovich, Gregg Popovich is Bill Belichick. They are the exact same human being. Here is why.

Based on their respective styles in dealing with the media, we hear a lot of comparisons between New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. What we don’t hear anything about is how similar their careers have been in terms of development, duration, style, and success.

Let’s start with this statistical comparison of their head coaching careers. Then we will compare their personal lives. I’m throwing out Belichick’s time in Cleveland because one of the enduring parts of this comparison is longevity with each coach’s current franchise. The numbers are insane and almost identical.

Sure, Belichick has Tom Brady and Popovich had Tim Duncan, but outside of those core players, it’s a revolving cast that fills roles as needed without spending money. And they never deviate. Ever. Ask Deion Branch or Dennis Rodman about how that works.

The systems that both coaches have established for each franchise is greater than any individual player. Systems they learned while under the tutelage of some of the greatest coaches in both NFL and NBA history.

Belichick’s first coaching job was given to him by Ted Marchibroda in 1975, whose coaching tree includes Marvin Lewis, Eric Mangini, Jim Schwartz, Lindy Infante and Ken Whisenhunt. From there he joined the New York Giants and worked under head coach Ray Perkins, while working alongside fellow assistants Romeo Crennel and Bill Parcells.

When Perkins was fired, Parcells became head coach of the Giants and Belichick was promoted to defensive coordinator. New York won two Super Bowls in five years.

After four years in Cleveland, Belichick again worked under Parcells, this time in New England, and they would eventually lose to the Packers in Super Bowl XXXI. Belichick followed Parcells to the Jets as an assistant before eventually being hired by the Patriots.

Popovich’s journey from assistant coach to head coach is equally star-laden. After striking up a friendship with then University of Kansas head coach Larry Brown, Popovich joined Brown’s staff when he was named head coach of the Spurs in 1987 and stayed until 1992. He coached alongside notable coaches like Alvin Gentry and Ed Manning, father of stud NBA player Danny Manning.

In 1992 he joined the Golden State Warriors as an assistant under NBA Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson during the height of the “Run TMC” era. In 1994, “Pop” returned to the Spurs as the team’s GM.

15 games into the 1996-97 season, he fired head coach Bob Hill and hired himself as head coach. The Spurs went 20-62 that season (Popovich’s only sub-.500 season), secured the number one pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, drafted Tim Duncan and the rest is history.

Belichick was hired by New England in 2000. Since then, the other 31 NFL teams have used 140+ coaches. Popovich is the longest tenured coach amongst all four major professional sports.

Belichick’s Patriots have won 10+ games in 15 consecutive seasons and made the playoffs in 15 of 18 seasons, missing them only in 2000 (his first season), 2002, and 2008. Popovich’s Spurs’ teams have won at least 50 games for an NBA record 18 straight seasons and have made the playoffs 21 straight seasons.

Are they the same person? Well, we’ve never seen them in the same room at the same time, a la La Toya and Michael. The similarities are striking, both personal and professional.

Which leads to this:

Belichick and Popovich are three years apart in age. Both are of Croatian descent. Both have military education in their backgrounds, with Popovich actually serving time in the U.S. Air Force. Both played their chosen sport in college.

On the inside, they are true old-schoolers that emphasize team performance over individual achievements, even down to the way they sidestep acclaim heaped on themselves.

What kind of conversations does Belichick have with Parcells at this stage of his career? What does Popovich talk to Larry Brown about? Both Parcells and Brown experienced uncommon success in their coaching careers, but they have been eclipsed by their former pupils. What are those exchanges like?

Invariably, a new successful coach, and potentially coaches, will emerge from the coaching tree of both Belichick and Popovich. But will they ever beat the master? Have they set the bar so high that it’s beyond reach?

Is Bill Belichick the greatest coach in NFL history? Is Gregg Popovich the greatest coach in NBA history?

Finkle is Einhorn and Einhorn is Finkle. Bill Belichick is Gregg Popovich, Gregg Popovich is Bill Belichick.

More Patriots And Spurs Content For You: 

• Matt Bonner Haircut: Why Is Vincent Van Gogh Holding A Basketball?
• The Hall at Patriot Place Is The Place To Be
• 2007 Patriots: DE Jarvis Green Recounts How Manning, Perfect Season, Slipped Thru His Fingers
• Patriots Jerod Mayo Trying To End “Overspraying Epidemic”
• Let’s Reflect: “The Admiral” David Robinson’s 71 Point Game

The post Bill Belichick IS Gregg Popovich, Finkle IS Einhorn! appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

We can’t tell you what the meaning of life is but we can at least tell you what all the little things on an NFL jersey, particularly the helmets, stand for.

There are so many branding design elements at work on the current NFL uniform that it is difficult to keep up.

This piece aims to break down all elements of the NFL uniform from head to toe.

Helmets – NFL Decals and Stickers Explained

The Green Sticker on the Back of The Helmet and its Meaning

This little green circle worn on the back of the helmet near the top of the head indicates the player that has a radio communication device in his helmet. The radio only works one way; so the coaches talk and the players listen, unlike how they behave on social media.

The green sticker player was an offense only tool that started in 1994. You will only ever see the quarterback with the sticker on his helmet because he is calling the plays and making adjustments – it would make no sense to waste it on a player who barely sees the field in every sense.

In 2008, the league allowed defenses to assign the radio to one defensive player on the field. As of 2024 the defense can have three players with the green dot, because the nature of defense is more fluid. But, only one can be on the field at a time.

Cleveland Browns coach and NFL icon Paul Brown is credited with this invention in the 1950s during his dynastic run as NFL champions.

The Different Country Flags Decals on Back of Helmet and What They Mean

This started in 2022 as part of the NFL’s effort to “celebrate the growing number of nationalities and cultures that make up the fabric of the League with an initiative that will see players take the field with international flags on their helmets.”

Today, fans will see over 50 nations and territories represented. Here are the stipulations (in a league run by lawyers you know there have to be some):

Players can choose to wear alongside the American flag, the flag of an international country or territory if:

– They lived there for two years or more, or
– Have a parent or grandparent who were born there.

The league started its’ globalization efforts back in the early 1990’s during NFL Europe – which was awesome, YouTube it, kids. With international games now a fixture of regular scheduling, you will see a continued rise in international awareness to grow the audience.

The NFL Shield Stickers on Helmets

The first appearance of the NFL shield on a uniform was in 1969 as a celebration of the league’s 50th anniversary. But it was just on the uniforms as a patch and not a decal on the helmets.

Believe it or not the NFL shield on the helmets did not start until 1991. From Paul Lukas’ wonderful blog Uni Watch:

“The league logo didn’t reappear on NFL uniforms until the start of the 1991 season, when it was added to the base of the jersey collar, the upper-left pant leg, and the back-left base of the helmet.

This means, among other things, that the last NFL game without the league logo on the uniforms was Super Bowl XXV, and that the last play without the league logo on the uniforms was Scott Norwood’s infamous missed field goal attempt.

Memorial Decals on NFL Helmets

When important historic figures associated with the league, or individual teams passes away, the NFL lets them honor a person with a memorial decal.

I am not a fan of former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle and neither should any NFL fan be, as he undercut the American Football League and usurped the title of “commissioner” during a negotiating session to merge the AFL and NFL from the Raiders” AL Davis while he was using the restroom. But his memorial decal was one of my favorites. The NFL actually allows the designers some creative freedom in the design.

My favorite all-time “memorial decal” was courtesy of the 1989 Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles QB Coach Doug Scovil passed away midseason one day before a game with the hated Cowboys aka Bounty Bowl II. The Eagles would don a black strip of electrical tape over their helmet wings in honor of their fallen coach for the rest of the season.

The most recent example or variation of this was the black background, white typeface “MLK” stickers worn to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his eponymous day.

NFL Man of The Year Sticker on Helmets

The brown sticker of a man wearing a cap that looks like John Bender from The Breakfast Club is actually the logo for the NFL Man of the Year award. Talk about a LOAD of pressure; man of the year?!

Each team nominates a player at the beginning of the NFL season. That sticker is given to each team’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and they wear it on their helmet for the duration of the season.

The artwork is pretty cool. From the Internet:

“The NFL Man of the Year trophy was created in 1969 by artist Daniel Bennett Schwartz, depicting a nondescript caped lineman standing alone on the sidelines, outside of game action; it symbolizes that the award is intended to recognize any player, including one who may perform in a lower-profile playing position outside of the spotlight, whose humanitarian contributions and efforts are worthy.”

NFL Uniforms – Patches Explained

What Is The C on NFL Jerseys and What Does It Mean?

The “C” stands for Captain. The “C” patch (not to be confused with c-pap) on NFL players’ jerseys signifies their role as team captains. 

The team captain designation is a team-appointed position that designates certain players as leaders on and off the field. The NFL started allowing teams to add the C to their uniforms in 2007.

What do the Stars Mean Under the C on NFL Jerseys?

The number of gold stars on the patch represents the number of years that player has been named captain by a team. If he has been named captain for longer than four years, the “C” on the patch is gold.

The white stars represent an empty placeholder for the gold stars. For example, if a player has two gold stars and two white stars, that represents that player has been a captain for that team for two years.

How Many Captains are on an NFL Team?

No more than 6 can go out to midfield for the coin toss. The maximum number of captains the NFL allows to dress and wear the C on their jersey during a game is 8. In 2023, the Giants had 10 captains which seems like a boatload. And means they had one less captain than they did losses (11). By comparison, the 2023 Steelers had 4.

What do NFL Team Captains do?

Not much other than “morale” and being a “leader on and off the field.” Captain’s duties take place before the coin toss. The NFL spells this out in the rulebook, under Rule 18.

Coin toss procedures – Each team can send as many as six team captains to the center of the field. On each team, one captain is designated the “speaking captain” of the delegation. The visiting team or the team designated “visitor” by the referee (if no team is declared ‘visitor’) shall choose “heads or tails” or in the case of a special ceremony coin, the options on the face and rear of that coin.

Seems simple enough, but it can get sticky and really screw the team if a captain isn’t paying attention or doesn’t know what they are doing. Case in point: the Packers Jaire Alexander during the 2023 season.

Alexander was suspended for one game because he went out for coin toss on Sunday even though he was not a captain, and then nearly botched the call.

From the Internet:

“For people that didn’t know Jaire went out as a captain when he wasn’t supposed to, and after the Packers won the toss he said they wanted to play defense. Luckily the ref was chill and let him change his answer or else the Panthers would’ve gotten the ball to start both halves! Suspension is absolutely valid as he’s purposely defying what the coach wants.”

What Is The Brown Cape on NFL Jerseys and What Does it Mean?

One of my favorite questions I’ve heard about the NFL Man of the Year patch on NFL uniforms is, “Why is Darth Vader on NFL jerseys?”

While it make look like Lord Vader, it is actually a patch that signifies the player wearing it has been named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

As long as that player is active he will wear that on his jersey. The NFL started adding this patch to jerseys in 2017.

The post NFL Uniform Breakdown – What Do All The Things Mean? appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

Michael Irvin was a player defined by his will power and toughness on the field as much as his physical skills.

“The Playmaker” was the 15th of 17 children and had to work for everything he could get his hands on as a kid. And that approach and upbringing led to him becoming one of the greatest wide receivers in the history of the NFL.

The native of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida started at the University of Miami under future Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jimmy Johnson.

He was a first team All-American that set Miami career records for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving TDs. It culminated with the Hurricanes winning the 1987 National Championship.

From there he was drafted 11th overall in the 1988 NFL Draft. Ironically, it was the last first round selection made by iconic Cowboys’ coach Tom Landry. Ironic because jimmy Johnson would replace Landry just one year later as head coach.

At 6’2″ and 207 pounds, Irvin was a big, physical receiver who manhandled cornerbacks. In part because of Irvin’s ability to push off the defender with such ease, the NFL eventually changed its rules to adjust to wide receivers who emulated Irvin’s physical style.

Here’s what Michael said about his approach to taking on DBs:

“It’s something you should always think about. I tell young guys, how often are you going to play this dude? Say your opponent is in the NFC East and he’s a big trying to play physical. I could probably go around him. But since I’m going to see him twice a year, I’m gonna run through him.

“So I would attack his weakness if I want to beat him. I attack his strength if I want to break him. When someone attacks your strength and beats you, you’ve got nowhere to go.

“When I attack his weakness, he can be like, “oh, ok he beat my weakness. I’m just going to get physical now.”

“But if I come out and attack that strength – BAM, BAM, BAM (punches fist 3 times) – and I’m physical with you. The guy is like, “Oh my God, I don’t want to see this dude coach.”

And not even just that one time we play you. But if we play in the same division, you’re going to be thinking about that twice a year.”

Read the full interview with Michael Irvin here:

Who was the best cornerback you ever played against? 

Everson Walls was the best cornerback in the world. Early on when I got into the league, I remember the first time I went against Everson Walls. He came up, acted like he was going to jam me, then walked back, then came back and jammed me. And I fell to the ground.

And that’s when someone said to me, “why are you trying to run around him? Just go through him.” And that started that mindset I mentioned.

I’m not Tyreek Hill, I’m not Julio Jones. I don’t have that kind of speed. I don’t have time to waste. I’ve got to go through you to get to that football.

How does imposing your will and outsmarting your opponents like you mentioned about Everson Walls impact your approach to your life off of the field, day to day?

Well, it’s still the same. This is what’s hard about retirement from football. You have to understand you are not a football player anymore. I went to see my doctor because my knees were bad. And the doctor said, “You’ve got to stop running. Your knees are gone, no more running.”

Me and my wife left the doctors office and went home and I started getting dressed. And my wife said, “Where are you going?” And I said, “I am going running.” She said, “Didn’t you hear the doctor?” I said, “Babe, those are recommendations. He gives those to regular people – I’m not regular.”

I always think I can work though it, I can keep going. Like when I hit 40 years of age, my eyes went bad. And I’m thinking, “I can fix this.” But, you can’t – it’s not a football thing.

I went to the doctor and he said, “Oh yeah, this is presbyopia.” That’s what happens at the age of 40 and you look down at a piece of paper and see spots instead of letters.  So I started wearing the #1 progressive lens and it changed my life. I needed to know that. I was going to try and fix it myself which was impossible. So if you’re going though that, you need to see a doctor. And ask him about the #1 progressively lens in the world, varilux. essilorusa.com.

Is it weird for you to watch Cowboys’ games now and see another wide receiver wearing #88?

Actually it is not weird – I love it. Let me break this down for you, because Drew Pearson broke it down for me. I said, “Drew, I don’t want to do this.” He said, “No – wear it. But don’t just wear it, make my ceiling your floor.”

And then he said, “Michael if they retire it, it goes in the rafters. And the only time we see the number is when I leave the earth and go to eternity, then they pan up during the game and talk about me, then go right back to the game. But if you wear it, every time you make a play, I get my flowers.”

So now, every time Cede Lamp or Dez Bryant makes a play, they talk about me. If one of those guys drops a ball, they say “Michael Irvin would not have dropped that.” So I get my flower.

Every Sunday, I get my flowers – I don’t have to wait until I go to eternity.

Faster in your “prime” – you or Deion Sanders?

Man, Deion. one of the greatest athletes in the world.

Who wins in a fight between Erik Williams and Mark Tuinei?

Ahh, that’s a good one! Ahh that’s a great question! Tuinei is a BAD Samoan from Hawaii, you know what I mean? But Big E is a NASTY MUG. Man, I don’t know who would win – all I know is I would not fight either one of them!

Who was the toughest dudes on those 90s Cowboys teams? 

We had a lot of tough guys. And I’m gonna mention someone you might not think of, but Charles Haley. Not the biggest dude in the world, but he’s a monster man. Erik Williams got that knee operation. And Charles Haley said to him, “Ill tell you when you are ready to play.”

A year later, Big E came back on the practice field. And Charles Haley said, “He’s not ready.” They called the entire team over and they lined Erik Williams and Charles Haley up.

And Troy Aikman said, “Blue 18, Blue 18, HUT” and snapped the ball. And these two men came off the line…and I have never seen anything like that in my life. It was so loud, you could hear it EVERYWHERE.

They collided and they both got up and looked at each other. Erik Williams said, “He’s READY” and the whole team went “CRAZY.”

Charles Haley was the toughest dude on those Cowboys teams.

Were you on the practice field the day Jimmy Johnson uttered the famous like to your kicker, “The asthma field is over there.”?

I was on the practice field. And you did NOT laugh – you were always serious with Jimmy. What tripped me out was to learn years later that Jimmy had asthma! YES! Coach, how are you kicking that man out for having asthma and YOU had asthma?”

“I wasn’t playing, he’s got to play. And he’s not ready to play.”

Tell me a great under the radar Jimmy Johnson story.

I came in one day, me and another player went out on a Thursday night. We’d go out to eat and then we went out. We came in the next day and we were late to meetings. We walked in at the same time.

And he said to me, “Michael you are my leader. I’m so disappointed in you. Get your butt in that meeting and you sit in that chair and you be a leader.”

Then he pointed at the other guy and said, “And you – you get your pads, get your stuff, and get the HELL OUT!” He fired him on the spot – on the spot.

That’s the kind of thing you were always aware of with Jimmy. Whenever you were with Jimmy you were always on your p’s and q’s and ready to play.

What’s the biggest similarity between Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer?

Both are great men. They just went about things differently.

Jimmy believed that I have to press, and keep you pressed, to bring out the best out of you. Barry, who is a great man, approached it from the standpoint I’m paying these guys $5 and $6 million dollars a year – I don’t need to hover over them.

But the reality is, yes you do. Because everybody isn’t as hungry as your top guys. You have to hover over these guys.

Emmitt Troy and I went to Coach Johnson once and said, “Coach we don’t need all these pre-practice speeches” – he literally gave a speech before EVERY practice. And he said, “I know you guys don’t need it – I ain’t saying it for y’all. I’m saying it for the 53rd man on the roster and I’m not gonna stop doing it.”

Favorite play of your career? When Michael Irvin lays his head on the pillow at night and thinks about his life, what is your absolute favorite play or the one thing you go back to thinking about? 

When I was a kid I used to throw rocks in the neighborhood and they’d come to my mom’s house and say, “Your son broke my windows – he’s never going to be anything.”

So then when I got into the NFL, and I scored that first TD on an ‘A route’ in Super Bowl 27, and the first thing I thought about was all those people. And how I just scored a TD in the Super Bowl in front of all of them.

And then, 18 seconds later, I caught the second TD. When I threw my leg up, spun around and jumped into the endzone – it was the greatest moment in my life.

Wanna find out more about the #1 progressive lens in the world, go to essilorusa.com. And YOU TOO can see perfectly like The Playmaker.

The post Michael Irvin Tells Incredible 90’s Dallas Cowboys Stories (VIDEO) appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

Tom Brady’s retirement announcement stunned the NFL world.

The morning after his appearance at the 80 For Brady movie premier, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots legend, announced his retirment in a simple yet emotional video posted to social media.

Tom Brady will be eligible for the HOF one year after Ben Roethlisberger, who also announced his retirement after 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers a year ago.

The Hall requires that a player must have been retired at least five years before he can be considered. With Brady’s FINAL retirement today, February 1st 2023, five years from now will be 2028.

Tom Brady was more likely to take his team to the Championship game (70%) than any QB is to complete a pass.

He’s the best QB in NFL history, twice.

Brady has the most TDs, Yards, Wins, total MVPs and Super Bowls in history

A lock first-ballot hall of famer (like Barry Bonds should have been), Tom Brady will be eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame in the Summer of 2028.

I think Tom deserves a lot of credit for knowing when his run was over and pulling the trigger.

Sure, Twitter will be flooded with a million + keyboard warriors saying “I would’ve played for another year just for the X millions of dollars he could make for one more year – must be nice to not need that money!”

It is easy to forget that these public icons are people too. Just think about how exhausting it is to travel across the country, sleeping in random hotel beds, eating random food at random places, while essentially being a voice on the other end of the phone to friends, family, and loved ones. It has to be EXHAUSTING.

Tom Brady has won more Super Bowl rings than any player in NFL history after winning a seventh championship in Super Bowl 55.

Amongst Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Brady has almost twice as many rings as his next closest competitors.

Joe Montana has four. Terry Bradshaw also has four.

Tom Brady was the first player to:

– Win an NFL championship in 3 different decades

– Start & win a Super Bowl for a team in both conferences

– Win multiple titles after turning 40

Some more crazy Tom Brady stats:

• Most touchdown passes in NFL history
• Only quarterback with 600 career touchdown passes in the regular season
• Most passing yards in NFL history
• Most regular season wins in NFL history
• Most playoff wins in NFL history (35)
• Thirty-five career playoff wins are 19 more than any other QB (Joe Montana was second with 16)
• Most Super Bowl appearances (10) and wins (seven) in NFL history
• Five-time Super Bowl MVP, most in NFL history
• All-time playoff leader in touchdown passes, passing yards, and completions
• Fifteen-time Pro Bowl selection, most in NFL history

With both Brady announcing his retirement today and Ben Roethliesberger announcing his retirement a year ago, what if Aaron Rodgers follows suit?

And, just two years removed from the retirement of Drew Brees, the NFL finds itself at a pivotal moment for a changing of the guard for the pivots in the league.

Is it possible the NFL could go from a “QB driven league” to something else REAL quick?

With the success of Patrick Mahomes and Jaylen Hurts, maybe nothing changes at all.

Tom Brady Initial Retirement Statement on Instagram in 2022: 

“I have always believed the sport of football is an “all-in” proposition — if a 100% competitive commitment isn’t there, you won’t succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game. There is a physical, mental, and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life.

This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.

I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.

To my Bucs teammates the past two years, I love you guys, and I have loved going to battle with you. You have dug so deep to challenge yourself, and it inspired me to wake up every day and give you my best. I am always here for you guys and want to see you continue to push yourselves to be your best. I couldn’t be happier with what we accomplished together.

To all the Bucs fans, thank you. I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived here, but your support and embrace have enriched my life and that of my family. I have been honored to play for such a passionate and fun fan base. What a Krewe!!!

To the city of Tampa and the entire Tampa-St. Petersburg region, thank you. It has been wonderful to be a resident of such a fun place to live. I want to be invited to our next boat parade!

To the Glazer family, thank you for taking a chance on me and supporting me. I know I was demanding at times, but you provided everything we needed to win, and your ownership was everything a player could ask for.

To Jason Licht, thank you for your daily support and friendship — I will never forget it. I had never been through free agency, and I had some trepidation about how we could achieve success. Your leadership gave me confidence, and I will always be grateful.

To my head coach, Bruce Arians, thanks for putting up with me! Your firm leadership and guidance were ideal. There is no way we could have had success without your experience, intuition, and wisdom. I am very grateful.

To all the Bucs coaches, my sincere thanks for all the hard work, dedication, and discipline that goes into creating a winning team. I have learned so much from all of you and will value the relationships we have.

To every single Bucs staffer and employee, thank you. Each of you is critically important, and I was greeted with a smile every day. That means so much to me. Your work is made up of long hours and hard tasks, but please know I see each and every one of you. Thank you so much.

To Alex Guerrero, thank you. I could never have made every Sunday without you; it’s that simple. Your dedication to your craft and our friendship and brotherhood are immeasurable. We have an unbreakable bond, and I love you.

To Don Yee and Steve Dubin, thank you. You’ve been with me every step of the way since I left the University of Michigan and before I entered the league. What a journey it’s been, and I couldn’t do it without you.

To my parents and entire family (and extended family of countless friends), I love you and thank you for your never-ending support and love. I could never have imagined the time and energy you have given for me the past 30 years in football. I can never repay you. And just know I love you so much.

And lastly to my wife, Gisele, and my children Jack, Benny and Vivi. You are my inspiration. Our family is my greatest achievement. I always came off the field and home to the most loving and supportive wife who has done EVERYTHING for our family to allow me to focus on my career. Her selflessness allowed me to reach new heights professionally, and I am beyond words what you mean to me and our family. Te amo amor da minha vida.

My playing career has been such a thrilling ride, and far beyond my imagination, and full of ups and downs. When you’re in it every day, you really don’t think about any kind of ending. As I sit here now, however, I think of all the great players and coaches I was privileged to play with and against — the competition was fierce and deep, JUST HOW WE LIKE IT. But the friendships and relationships are just as fierce and deep. I will remember and cherish these memories and re-visit them often. I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

The future is exciting. I’m fortunate to have cofounded incredible companies like @autograph.io @bradybrand @tb12sports that I am excited to continue to help build and grow, but exactly what my days will look like will be a work-in-progress. As I said earlier, I am going to take it day by day. I know for sure I want to spend a lot of time giving to others and trying to enrich other people’s lives, just as so many have done for me.

With much love, appreciation, and gratitude,

Tom“

The post When Will Tom Brady Be Eligible For The Hall Of Fame? appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The Washington Redskins was the name of the Washington Football Team before the Libtards took over. The once proud Redskins are now called the Washington Commanders – what does that even mean?

The Redskins were founded in 1932 by owner George Preston Marshall.

The Redskins have been a feast or famine franchise. The 5 championships they have won were attained during two 10-year spans. From 1936 to 1945, Washington went to the NFL Championship six times, winning two of them.

From 1982 to 1991 they appeared in the playoffs seven times, captured four Conference titles, and won three Super Bowls in four appearances.

In the second period, and most successful time in franchise history, head coach Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with 3 different QBs and 3 different RBs. This is the greatest dynasty in NFL history that is strangely not recognized as such. A master tactician, Gibbs has also won championships as a NASCAR team owner.

Washington Redskins Stadium: RFK Stadium.
Washington Redskins Logo: A Native American Indian wearing a headdress.
Washington Redskins Colors: Burgundy, Gold, and White.
Washington Redskins Mascot: Chief Zee.

How Many Super Bowls Have the Washington Redskins Won?

3 – 1982 (XVII), 1987 (XXII), 1991 (XXVI)

NFL championships: 2 – 1937, 1942

The post A Look Back at the Washington Commanders’ Historic Success appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The Tennessee Titans were originally founded by Bud Adams in 1959 and known as the Houston Oilers. The Oilers won 2 AFL Championships before merging into the NFL in 1970. In 1997, the Oilers left Houston, relocated to Nashville, TN and changed their name to the Titans.

The Titans are the only team in the NFL to have two players rush for 2,000 yards in a season–Chris Johnson (2009) and Derrick Henry (2020).

The Titans have made it to the Super Bowl one time in their history, losing to the Rams by a TD in Super Bowl XXXIV. The Titans have made the playoffs 25 times since 1960.

Tennessee Titans Stadium: Nissan Stadium
Tennessee Titans Logo: The logo contains the sun as a circle, 3 stars to match the state flag of Tennessee, a stylized “T” to look like a sword, and flames to look like a flame or solar flare.
Tennessee Titans Colors: Navy, Titans blue, red, silver, white.
Tennessee Titans Mascot: T-Rac.

How Many Super Bowls Have the Tennessee Titans Won?

0 – The Titans have appeared in one Super Bowl, but won 2 AFL Championships; 1960 and 1961

The post The Tennessee Titans’ Journey to NFL Glory appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aka “Tompa Bay” aka The “Fightin’ Tom Bradys” were formed in 1976 at the same time as the Seahawks. From 1977 to 2001 the Bucs were in the NFC Central division with the Bears, Packers, Vikings, and Lions. Every year when the Tampa Bay Bucs would play Green Bay, you could count on at least 2 Chris Berman “Bay of Pigs” invasion references.

Their NFC Central foes absolutely feasted on Tampa for year. From their inception, the Bucs lost 26 straight games in their first two seasons and didn’t win a game in year one.

In 1979 behind OC Joe Gibbs and QB Doug Williams, Bucco Bruce’s Boys became the first post AFL-NFL merger expansion team to win their division, win a playoff game, and host a conference championship. Then their fans endured 14 consecutive losing seasons from 1983 to 1996. But then, things got interesting.

HOFer Tony Dungy was brought in as head coach, taking over from roster architect Sam Wyche. 1997 the Buccaneers had their first winning season since 1982 and made the playoffs. Behind a stifling defense, they made the playoffs in 4 of 5 seasons.

Jon Gruden replaced Dungy and Tampa won its first Super Bowl in 2002, and absolute dismantling of the Raiders, Gruden’s former team.

In 1998 they moved out of original stadium “The Big Sombrero” Tampa Stadium that had hosted several Super Bowls, into Raymond James Stadium.

The Buccaneers and Ravens are the only two NFL franchises who are undefeated in multiple Super Bowl appearances.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Stadium: Raymond James Stadium
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Logo: Bucco Bruce. A mustached pirate wearing a plumed slouch hat, with a large hoop earring in his left ear with a dagger in his teeth, winking.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Colors: Buccaneer red, pewter, orange, black
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mascot: Captain Fear

How Many Super Bowls Have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Won?

2 – 2002 (XXXVII), 2020 (LV)

The post The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Road to Super Bowl Success appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The Super Bowl – has God ever created a greater spectacle? Not as far as I’m concerned.
I fell in love with the NFL’s “The Big Game” as a 9 year-old watching Joe Montana engineer a game-winning drive in Super Bowl 23 to slay the Bengals and never looked back.

Super Bowl XXIII was the first time I recorded the entire game on the VCR – had to use 2 tapes lol. Watched it for months after. This was pre YouTube, when it was on ONCE and lost to history/memory.

On this Super Bowl page you will find lists of all-time winners and losers, Super Bowl MVPs, game recaps, lists of the greatest games, and interviews with the men, like Terry Bradshaw, Sam Wyche, Franco Harris, who made this game into the iconic culmination of the NFL season, transcending sports and touching all aspects of American life, that it has become in 50+ years.
The best part of my journalistic career was covering Super Bowl LII in Minnesota from Radio Row for a week in 2018. I recapped my entire experience in this post – “What’s It Like On Radio Row?”
The piece and this page is written from the perspective of a Super Bowl fan — not some stuffy journalist — because that is what I am; a fan of the greatest measure and culmination of a year of courage, self-denial, and discipline that the game represents.
The Super Bowl is like a time capsule. Watching an old game takes you back and gives you a feel for society and culture at that same time, and how it has changed, just like the game itself.

At any point in the last 40 years, mention a game and I can tell you exactly where I was, the Super Bowl MVP, and what I was doing in my life during the game.

So click through the links I have created below and enjoy a slow walk through NFL history. Feel free to comment and share your favorite Super Bowl memories and let’s get nostalgic!

The post Super Bowl: The Greatest Spectacle in Sports appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The Seattle Seahawks entered the NFL as an expansion team in 1976. Until 2001, the Seahawks were in the AFC West – it is still weird for us old schoolers to accept that they are in the NFC West now. And, we still pine for the Kingdome the stadium they played in from their inception until 1999.

Seahawks fans are known as the “12th Man” because their loudness gives them such an edge during home games, it feels as though there is a “12th” defender on the field. The fans set a Guinness World Record for crowd noise against the Saints in 2013, chiming in at 137.6 decibels during the game.

The Seahawks are the only NFL team in the American Pacific Northwest. They are also the only team to have ever played in an AFC Championship Game and an NFC Championship Game. The Seahawks have appeared in three Super Bowls, winning one when they smashed the Denver Broncos 43-8.

Iconic head coach Chuck Knox aka “Ground Chuck” created the first great era of Seahawks teams with his smash mouth, run-first style on offense.

Seattle Seahawks Stadium: Lumen Field.
Seattle Seahawks Logo: The team’s logo is a royal blue and forest green osprey’s head based on Kwakwakaʼwakw art masks.
Seattle Seahawks Colors: College navy, action green, wolf grey.
Seattle Seahawks Mascots: Blitz, Boom, Taima the Hawk.

How Many Super Bowls Have the Seattle Seahawks Won?

1 – 2013 (XLVIII)

The post The Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLVIII Triumph appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty Niners) are a professional football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), and joined the NFL in 1949 when the leagues merged. The 49ers were the first major league professional sports franchise based in San Francisco, and are the 10th oldest franchise in the NFL. The team began play at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco before moving to Candlestick Park in 1971, and then to Levi’s Stadium in 2014. Since 1988, the 49ers have been headquartered in Santa Clara.

San Francisco 49ers Stadium: Levi’s Stadium
San Francisco 49ers Logo: The current San Francisco 49ers logo features an oval/ellipse, which alludes to the game ball’s shape and the initials “SF” inside it.
San Francisco 49ers Colors: Scarlet red and metallic gold.
San Francisco 49ers Mascot: Sourdough Sam
How Many Super Bowls Have the San Francisco 49ers Won?
5 – 1981 (XVI), 1984 (XIX), 1988 (XXIII), 1989 (XXIV), 1994 (XXIX)

The post The San Francisco 49ers – A Super Bowl Dynasty appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were founded in 1933 and are the 7th oldest franchise in the NFL. Prior to the merger in 1970, the Steelers SUCKED. At one point, they were the oldest team to have never won a championship. But since the merger, the Steelers are one of the perennial best teams in football.
The have won 6 Super Bowls which is tied with the New England Patriots for the most in history. They have played in 16 conference championship games and won 11 of them – both the most in NFL history.

The Steelers have been in 8 Super Bowls, which is tied as the second most appearances with the Broncos and Cowboys – their once hated rivals in the 70s.
Interestingly, the were once called the Pittsburgh Pirates when they entered the NFL, taking their name from the MLB team. They changed their name to the Steelers in 1940.

Pittsburgh Steelers Stadium: Heinz Field
Pittsburgh Steelers Logo: The 3 colors colors represent the three materials used to make steel: yellow for coal, red for iron ore and blue for steel scrap.
Pittsburgh Steelers Colors: Black, gold and white.
Pittsburgh Steelers Mascot: Steely McBeam
How Many Super Bowls Have the Pittsburgh Steelers Won?
6 – 1974 (IX), 1975 (X), 1978 (XIII), 1979 (XIV), 2005 (XL), 2008 (XLIII)

The post The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Road to 6 Super Bowls appeared first on I-80 Sports Blog.