The List: Season begins with new champs, big contracts, and more issues in DC
Hello everyone and welcome back to another NFL season! The coronavirus pandemic has affected many areas of society, and football is no exception. The NFL Draft was done remotely, with commissioner Roger Goodell announcing picks from his home. The league also did not have preseason games, and interviews were conducted via teleconference.
Despite dozens of players opting out of the season due to pandemic-related issues, the regular season began as scheduled, with the Chiefs defending their first championship in 50 years in the opening game against the Texans last Thursday night.
With Week 1 in the books, it is time for my first installment of The List. I will change the format this year, from “Winners” and “Losers” (those things should be decided on the field, shouldn’t they?) to the “Good,” “Bad” and “Ugly.” I will also include game recaps, stat leaders, and what games to watch in the upcoming week.
THE GOOD
Chiefs defend their title: Kansas City fans were finally able to celebrate an NFL Championship for the first time since the 1969 season after the Chiefs defeated the 49ers, 31-20, in Super Bowl LIV on February 2 in Miami. A lot has happened since then, including a worldwide pandemic and racial unrest throughout the U.S. The champs made news in the offseason as well, signing three of their top stars to contract extensions. Tight end Travis Kelce earned a four-year, $57.25 million deal and defensive lineman Chris Jones agreed to a seven-year, $85 million pact. However, the Chiefs player who had by far the best summer was quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Coming off his MVP performance in the Super Bowl, Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million extension in early July that is the largest contract given out in the history of American sports, passing the 12-year, $430 million deal baseball star Mike Trout signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. Add in the two years left on his current contract plus $25 million in playoff incentives, and Mahomes could essentially make $503 million before all is said and done. If that was not enough, Mahomes got engaged to his high school sweetheart, Brittany Matthews, in early September, on the same day he received his Super Bowl ring.
The Chiefs began their title defense by beating the Texans at home last Thursday night, 34-20. Mahomes was his usual stellar self, passing for 211 yards and three touchdowns, one to each of a trio of talented pass-catchers that included Kelce (six receptions for 50 yards), Sammy Watkins (7-82), and Tyreek Hill (5-46). However, the star of the night was Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a member of the 2019 LSU National Championship team who was playing in his first NFL game. CEH ran 25 times for an NFL week-high 138 yards and a score in the victory. Jones started strong after signing a big new contract, posting four tackles and 1½ sacks against Houston. The Texans were led by Deshaun Watson, who signed a four-year, $156 million extension just a few days before the season began. He threw for 253 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Houston’s other star was Will Fuller, who caught eight passes for 112 yards in a losing effort.
Other “big money” players win: Mahomes signed the biggest contract over the summer, but he was certainly not the only big-money deal in the NFL this offseason. While many Americans struggle to get by, teams gave out new contracts like candy on Halloween. Here are some players who signed new deals and won in Week 1:
Lock-down cornerback Tre’Davious White earned a four-year, $70 million extension with the Bills, and he earned his reputation in Buffalo’s 27-17 win over the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon. Although White did not make a tackle, his defensive coverage forced Sam Darnold to look away from whichever receiver he was covering throughout the game.
The Chargers locked up Keenan Allen to a four-year, $80 million deal and the star receiver posted four catches for 37 yards in a 16-13 win in Cincinnati. The Los Angeles defense held first overall pick, Joe Burrow, to less than 200 yards passing, but they got lucky when Randy Bullock missed a potential game-tying 31-yard field goal with two seconds left.
Running back Alvin Kamara signed a five-year, $75 million extension on Saturday, then had two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving) in a 34-23 Saints win over the Buccaneers the next day. He was overshadowed by Tom Brady’s debut with Tampa Bay, but Brady struggled while Kamara and the Saints took the victory.
The Texans traded star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals in the offseason. Although the player he was dealt for, running back David Johnson, scored the first touchdown of the NFL season, Houston lost to Kansas City. Hopkins struck big just a few days before his first game, signing a two-year, $54.5 million extension with Arizona that is the richest deal in per-season salary for a non-quarterback in league history. He then went out and caught 14 passes for 151 yards in a 24-20 Cardinals win over the defending NFC champion 49ers.
Several players in the Sunday night game recently signed new contracts. Rams Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey agreed to a five-year, $105 million extension several days before the season and wide receiver Cooper Kupp signed a three-year, $48 million deal the day before the game. Kupp caught four passes for 40 yards and Ramsey made six tackles in a 20-17 victory of the Cowboys in the opening game of the brand new, $5 billion SoFi Stadium. Although Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott did not get his desired contract extension, he did sign a one-year deal worth more than $31 million in the offseason. He threw for 266 yards and a touchdown, but his early fourth-quarter pass to rookie CeeDee Lamb on fourth down fell a yard short, and Dallas could not generate any offense in its final two drives.
Both games on Monday night featured players who signed large contract extensions before the new season. Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (who signed a four-year, $65.6 million deal a week before the season) had one interception and one tackle in Pittsburgh’s 26-16 win over the New York Giants in the early game. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns, with a pair to JuJu Smith-Schuster. Roethlisberger was making his return from an elbow injury that cost him the final 14 games of last season.
In Monday’s late game, last year’s rushing champion, Derrick Henry, ran 31 times for 116 yards as the Titans held off the Broncos, 16-13. Henry signed a four-year, $50 million extension in the offseason.
The “Best of the Rest”: Russell Wilson showed why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-25 Seahawks win over the Falcons. Wilson’s favorite target was Tyler Lockett, who caught eight passes for 92 yards. Running back Chris Carson caught two touchdown passes, and second-year receiver DK Metcalf and veteran tight end Greg Olsen had one apiece.
Mitchell Trubisky passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns, and he led the Bears to a come-from-behind 27-23 win over the Lions. Dealing with a 23-10 deficit and unhappy receiver Allen Robinson, Trubisky responded with three touchdown drives, finding Anthony Miller with the game-winning pass with 1:54 left. Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford led a final drive deep into Chicago territory, but rookie running back D’Andre Swift dropped a pass in the end zone with 11 seconds left.
The Patriots began a new era, with 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton running for a game-high 75 yards and two touchdowns in New England’s 21-11 win over Miami. Newton threw for just 155 yards, but Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed three interceptions for the Dolphins.
Finally, second-year running back Josh Jacobs ran for 93 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 4:08 left, as the Raiders defeated the Panthers, 34-30, in their first game representing Las Vegas. Derek Carr threw for 239 yards and a score. For Carolina, Newton’s replacement, Teddy Bridgewater, passed for 270 yards and a touchdown, and star running back Christian McCaffrey had 96 yards and two scores.
Statistical leaders: Wilson was joined in the 300-yard passing club by Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (364), new Indianapolis quarterback Philip Rivers (363), and Buffalo’s Josh Allen (312). However, the NFL’s top passer in Week 1 was Matt Ryan, who threw for 450 yards and two touchdowns, but his Falcons lost to Wilson’s Seahawks. Although he did not reach 300 yards passing, Jacksonville’s Gardner Minshew II continued to show why he has a cult-like following in the NFL. Last year’s sixth-round pick completed 19 of 20 passes and threw three touchdowns in a 27-20 Jaguars win over the Colts.
In addition to Edwards-Helaire and Henry, Pittsburgh’s Benny Snell Jr. was the only other player to reach 100 yards rushing this week. He ran 19 times for 113 yards in the win over the Giants. Jacobs and McCaffrey each had star-caliber games in the Raiders-Panthers contest despite both failing to reach 100 yards.
Ryan’s big yardage game helped three players reach the 100-yard receiving mark, and all three had nine catches. Russell Gage (114 yards) and Calvin Ridley (130) had impressive games, but the best was Julio Jones, who posted a league-high 157 yards in a losing effort. In terms of receptions, Hopkins and Davante Adams topped the NFL with 14 apiece. Adams had 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Packers’ win against the Vikings. Minnesota’s Adam Thielen had six receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns, and New York Giants second-year receiver Darius Slayton registered six catches for 102 yards and two scores, but both their teams came out on the losing end in Week 1.
NFL unveils new safeguards against COVID-19: In addition to eliminating preseason games and conducting press conferences through Zoom and other video conferencing software, the NFL is implementing two new innovations designed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The league is working with the Oakley sports equipment company to develop a helmet with a mouth shield underneath the facemask.
The other piece of equipment the NFL is using this season is called the Proximity Recording Device, which can be worn either on the wrist (for players) or on a lanyard (for coaches and other team personnel). The device lets teams know which other devices are close to each unit and for how long, that way, if someone on the field or in the pressbox contracts COVID-19, the league can tell who was close to that person and react accordingly. Also, team personnel are divided into three tiers, with Tier 1 being essential (players and top coaches). The device reads if a person in either of the lower two tiers gets closer than six feet to someone in Tier 1. At that point, a red light will appear, and if they are too close for a prolonged period, the device will emit an alarm. Although playing during a pandemic is a challenge for any sports league, especially football, which has continual body contact, these two innovations should help the NFL keep the coronavirus under control during games. On Wednesday, the league announced that there were seven positive tests among the 40,479 administered between September 6 and 12.
Teams varied in pregame protests: The other big non-football issue over the past six months has been several deaths of African-American citizens by police and others. As in years past, NFL players once again protested during the National Anthem and at other times before games during Week 1. Players wore shirts with messages related to the cause on them, and commercials and video packages aired during NFL coverage the entire weekend.
The season started with the Texans staying in the locker room for the National Anthem, then coming out to the field and linking arms with the Chiefs during a moment of silence. There was a mix of players standing, kneeling, raising fists and staying in the locker room throughout the league.
Some of the more notable demonstrations included: All 22 Seahawks and Falcons players on the field took a knee after the opening kickoff; All the Patriots stood while the Dolphins stayed in the locker room (as they said they would in a video posted earlier in the week); Every Colts player and coach stood for the National Anthem, except for head coach Frank Reich, who took a knee; and all Chargers and Bengals players stood in the center of the field and locked arms.
Despite Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ usual stance that all players must stand during the National Anthem or risk being benched, defensive tackle Dontari Poe was the lone Dallas player to kneel. The bigger misstep was Jones himself, who gave a half-hearted attempt at putting his hand over his heart (come on, Jerry, set an example, you’re better than that!).
Titans running back Derrick Henry showed arguably the best way of bringing attention to the cause. He wore a black suit jacket with the names of victims of racial injustice in white text.
NFL players featured in new commercials: In addition to league-sponsored messages against racial injustice, several players were featured in ads during Week 1 games. Jake from State Farm insurance was in separate commercials with Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. Rodgers was playing fetch with his dog and Mahomes was making some amazing cornhole trick shots. Progressive insurance began its second season of “At Home with Baker Mayfield” ads with Mayfield trying to get a groundskeeper to help him cover all the empty seats in FirstEnergy Stadium before it rained. Mayfield also joined Giants running back Saquon Barkley in a Hulu spot in which their heads were placed on other, less-athletic bodies. Even Patriots coach Bill Belichick got into the act, getting a man to try a Subway sandwich, then cut the sleeves off his suit jacket.
However, my favorite has to be the ESPN commercial in which NFL players celebrated the new season by lip-syncing the Celine Dion song “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” (with an especially solid performance by Gardner Minshew II).
Sanu signs with San Francisco: With tight end George Kittle possibly missing time with an injury, the 49ers turned to a former foe, signing wide receiver Mohamed Sanu. The ex-Atlanta and Cincinnati starter was traded to New England midway through the 2019 season and finished with 26 receptions for 207 yards in eight games with the Patriots. Sanu’s best season was 2018, when he had 66 catches for a career-high 838 yards and four touchdowns with the Falcons.
Hall names modern era nominees: Former Colts and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning led the list of 130 modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame that was released on Wednesday. Other first-time eligible players include running back Steven Jackson, wide receivers Calvin Johnson, Wes Welker and Roddy White, offensive linemen D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Logan Mankins, defensive back Charles Woodson and defensive linemen Jared Allen and Justin Tuck. The list will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in January. The induction class will be named on February 6, 2021, one night before Super Bowl LV.
THE BAD
Washington team loses identity: In addition to all those huge contracts and the challenges surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the issues regarding the Washington Redskins finally came to ahead. Years of protests and resistance by owner Daniel Snyder ended when fans and 87 investment firms and minority shareholders in the team persuaded major sponsors FedEx, Nike, and PepsiCo to cut ties unless the name changed. Snyder relented in mid-July, but by then, it was too late to rebrand the team in time for the 2020 season, so the name became the Washington Football Team.
In typical “The List” style, I have a take that may rub some people the wrong way, but I disagree with this whole situation, although not for the reasons others have stated. If you want an idea of my feelings on this matter, you should read my story about the team’s history. George Preston Marshall, a laundromat owner, was awarded the new Boston team in 1932, which he named the Braves. The following year, he changed the name to the Redskins, and in 1937, he moved the team to his hometown of Washington, D.C. Marshall was a noted racist who almost single-handedly tried to prevent integration in the NFL. He only relented in 1962 after the U. S. government threatened to revoke his stadium lease if he didn’t sign a black player. None of this is an excuse to keep a blatantly colorblind name, but it does show a background of stubbornness in Washington’s ownership.
All of these fans, investors, and sponsors should remember our nation’s history as well, one in which Native Americans helped keep the first European settlers in this country alive during their early struggles. Years later, the Native Americans were “rewarded” when our government created several pieces of legislation that forced them onto reservations so they could sell the land and make more money. I would like to know why aren’t these people protesting actual atrocities against actual Native Americans perpetuated by the U.S. government, and instead are creating controversy over the names and logos of sports teams such as the Redskins or baseball’s Cleveland Indians?
I think the sponsors, especially FedEx, deserve some of the blame for this situation as well. The team has been called the Redskins since 1933. FedEx signed a $205 million contract for the naming rights to the team’s stadium in 1999. Why does it take 20 YEARS for FedEx to get offended enough to threaten to pull their name and logo from the stadium? Same thing with Pepsi and the beverages at the stadium and Nike pulling team apparel from its website (like anyone who wants Redskins gear can’t go to another site on the internet and find some). The sponsors and investors may not be as hypocritical as the individuals who protested the name change, but they are not blameless, either.
Finally, there is Daniel Snyder, an obstinate owner in the mold of Marshall who refused to change with the times. He would have been better off moving the team or staying stubborn on the Redskins name. Not only did Snyder not stand firm on the name, but by not reacting fast enough, he lost out on dozens of potential new names to a trademark-happy actuary and will now have to spend more than a year to come up with a new moniker and logo. Hopefully, it’s better than a big yellow “W” inside a maroon box.
Honestly, I have not uttered the term “Washington Football Team,” since the change, and will continue that trend until a new name is announced. Maybe I will list the team as Washington FT or WFT in my stories, which is fitting, since Snyder has run the franchise like a third-division soccer team for years, so why not treat it like one in print? Maybe I can add an “a” and turn it into WaFT, since the stench of this name change issue has wafted all the way to me here in upstate New York. Most likely though, I will refer to them as either Washington or the “former Redskins.” No matter what the name, lifelong fans of the team deserve better than this nonsense. Rant. Over.
Whatever you want to call the team, Washington came from 17-0 down to defeat Philadelphia, 27-17. Peyton Barber ran for two touchdowns and Dwayne Haskins Jr. threw for 178 yards and a score in the victory. Carson Wentz passed for 270 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and tight end Dallas Goedert caught eight passes for 101 yards and a score for the Eagles.
Not all big contract players won: Four notable players who signed large offseason deals came out on the losing end of results on Sunday. After 16 seasons with the Chargers, Philip Rivers moved his wife and nine children east, signing a one-year, $25 million contract with the Colts. Rivers threw for 363 yards and a touchdown, but he also tossed two interceptions as Gardner Minshew II and the Jaguars won, 27-20.
San Francisco’s George Kittle signed a five-year, $75 million extension just before the season, but had just four catches for 44 yards in a loss to the Cardinals. The All-Pro tight end also suffered a sprained left knee in the game, leaving him questionable for a Week 2 tilt against the Jets.
Running back Dalvin Cook agreed to a five-year, $63 million extension with the Vikings on Saturday, and he responded with a 50-yard, two-score performance against the Packers. Despite his efforts, Green Bay’s combination of Aaron Rodgers to Davante Adams was too much and Minnesota fell, 43-34.
Finally, despite getting suspended for hitting Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with his helmet last season, Myles Garrett cashed in with the Browns. Garrett signed a five-year, $125 million extension that was the richest overall deal for a non-quarterback, and includes $50 million in guaranteed money. However, he had just one tackle and the Browns got trounced by the Ravens, 38-6. Reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair to tight end Mark Andrews.
The injury bug returns for a new season: Several players suffered injuries before and during Week 1, starting with Broncos star linebacker Von Miller, who dislocated the peroneal tendon in his ankle last Tuesday at practice. The injury required surgery to repair the tendon, which flipped over the ankle bone, and will result in Miller missing the season (since the surgery usually is followed by 5-6 months of rehab).
During Sunday’s game, two Cowboys players suffered devastating injuries. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch broke his collarbone and will be placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. Tight end Blake Jarwin suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. Another Dallas star, linebacker Sean Lee, will be out six weeks after undergoing hernia surgery last week.
Colts running back Marlon Mack suffered a torn Achilles during a second-quarter run in the loss to the Jaguars. His campaign is over, and his time with Indianapolis might be as well, since he is a free agent after the season. Browns tight end David Njoku sprained his MCL and will miss at least the next three weeks. Jets running back Le'Veon Bell will face the same fate after injuring his hamstring against the Bills. Former Seahawks “Legion of Boom” leader and current 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman was also placed on injured reserve after straining his calf Sunday against the Cardinals. Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin had six catches for 79 yards in a loss to the Saints, but he suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter and is questionable for this week’s game against the Panthers. Finally, Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry injured his hip Sunday and his status for Thursday night’s game against the Bengals is questionable.
Players who did not play in Week 1 after suffering pre-game injuries include: Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (sprained AC joint in his shoulder); Titans pass rusher Vic Beasley (knee); Eagles running back Miles Sanders (hamstring); 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (Jones fracture in his foot).
Players who suffered injuries during games include: Raiders tackle Trent Brown (calf); Bills linebackers Tremaine Edmunds (shoulder) and Matt Milano (hamstring); Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker (hamstring); Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle); Eagles defensive ends Vinny Curry (hamstring) and Brandon Graham (concussion); Lions cornerback Desmond Trufant (hamstring); Chargers running back Justin Jackson (quad), Steelers running back James Conner (ankle) and Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (high ankle sprain).
The NFL cracking down on coaches: According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, one of the best ways to stem the spread of coronavirus is to wear a mask. However, some NFL coaches apparently did not get that message, so the league sent out a memo to teams advising that those who do not wear a mask properly could see “accountability measures being imposed against offending individuals and/or clubs.” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid opted for a face shield that fogged up early and often, but several other head coaches around the league did not wear their masks properly. The biggest culprit was Rams coach Sean McVay, who spent most of Sunday night’s game with his mask completely off his face.
Gostkowski’s winning kick hides an awful game: Stephen Gostkowski was spoiled during his 14-year run in New England. He made 98 percent of his extra points and 87 percent of his field goals while earning four Pro Bowl selections and winning three titles. Gostkowski played just four games last season after suffering a hip injury. The Patriots released him in March and he signed with the Titans just days before the season began. Gostkowski’s first game with Tennessee was memorable for mostly the wrong reasons. He missed three field goals and an extra point before redeeming himself by hitting a game-winning 25-yard field goal with 17 seconds left, giving the Titans a 16-14 win over the Broncos. Honestly, this performance was ready to go in the “Ugly” category before that final kick.
Small helmet change leads to big issues: Before Monday night’s game against the Giants, Steelers players decided to put the name of Antwon Rose Jr., an African-American teenager killed by police in 2018, on the back of their helmets. However, one player with different ties decided to do something different. Alejandro Villanueva, an Army graduate who served three tours in Afghanistan before joining Pittsburgh in 2014, covered up Rose’s name and replaced it with Army Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who was killed during a tour of duty in Iraq. Many of Villanueva’s teammates were surprised by this gesture, and Rose’s mother, Michelle Kenney, expressed frustration on Facebook, saying “While he was so busy being negative what it actually did now forced more people to engage in this conversation.”
I have a few thoughts on this matter. First, none of Villanueva’s teammates should be surprised by what he did. This is the same guy who was the only Steelers player on the field while his teammates stayed in the locker room in 2017 when the National Anthem protests were at their height. Second, Cashe was black, and he was also posthumously awarded the Silver Star for heroism in combat. Finally, prior to the game, Villanueva spoke with head coach Mike Tomlin, who is also black, and Tomlin expressed support. My overall opinion is that you cannot accept certain forms of “protest” and not others. As long as the gestures are done respectfully, this type of response should not be present. There are far more important issues than a name on a helmet worn during a football game.
Former Pro Bowl cornerback Talib retires: Aqib Talib, a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback, retired last Wednesday. A member of the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 championship team, Talib totaled 35 interceptions with 10 returned for touchdowns. He also had 462 tackles and 125 passes defensed in 12 seasons with the Buccaneers, Patriots, Broncos, and Rams. Talib will join many former players in media roles. He will host a podcast named “Call to the Booth.”
THE UGLY
Fox Sports host bashes Cowboys’ Prescott: The always-outspoken, ever-controversial Skip Bayless addressed Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott last Thursday on the “Undisputed” show on FoxSports1 that he co-hosts with former NFL star Shannon Sharpe. Prescott had said in a recent interview that he suffered from anxiety and depression during the offseason. If we stopped right there, most of us would sympathize with Prescott after having to quarantine and hermit ourselves during the coronavirus pandemic. However, there is more. Prescott learned that his older brother, Jace, committed suicide at age 31, which again, who wouldn’t understand how that would lead to anxiety and depression?
Well, apparently Bayless doesn’t understand. He talked about how a quarterback is a team leader and said that Prescott talking about his issues somehow detracts from that fact. “I don’t have sympathy for him going public with the ‘I got depressed, I suffered depression early in COVID, to the point that I couldn’t even go work out,’” he said. Not only does Bayless not get the risks involved with depression and anxiety, which are becoming more common in society, but he also doubled down the following day on the show, even after fans and athletes alike took him to task on social media.
I will not hold him solely responsible, however. There is plenty of blame for FOX and FS1 for hiring him in the first place, as well as for their weak “We have addressed the significance of this matter with Skip…” response (that sound you hear is Bayless getting a gentle pat on his diapered bottom for his comments). A simple Google search after Prescott’s comments would have revealed that September is Suicide Prevention Month, September 6-12 was National Suicide Prevention Week and September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day. Apparently, Bayless was either too lazy or too set on having his voice heard to spend 30 seconds looking up something meaningful about a topic he was going to talk about on his show. (I spend several hours researching every story I write for this site, you mean to tell me you couldn’t take a minute or two and educate yourself? Just to emphasize my point about quick research, International Raccoon Appreciation Day is on October 1, in case anyone is interested.)
This is why networks like ESPN and FOX Sports are an embarrassment, because they hire imbeciles like Skip Bayless and race-baiters like Stephen A. Smith as their loudest voices, then pay them so much money (Smith earns $8 million a year and Bayless gets $6 million) to spew their nonsense on the air. I’m begging these big-name companies to fire these talking heads after they make ignorant, insensitive comments (and hire me or one of the other great writers or Podcast hosts at Inside the Hashes), but I know it won’t happen.
Kaepernick and Reid are speaking out again: The player at the center of the original National Anthem kneeling protests, former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is in the news again. No, he wasn’t signed by a team for the 2020 season, but his image did appear in the NFL’s social justice video before the Chiefs-Texans game last Thursday, as well as in video packages aired at the start of Sunday’s studio pregame coverage. Kaepernick responded on Twitter by saying the league was using his image as “propaganda” for a cause while “actively blackballing” safety Eric Reid, who joined Kaepernick in taking a knee before games in 2016. Reid tweeted about the situation as well, calling the video “half-hearted at best,” “disingenuous PR” and “diabolical.”
Like with Bayless, there is plenty of blame to go around. Goodell has said he was wrong for not getting behind Kaepernick’s protest when it originally happened, but he doesn’t seem to be doing very much to change his way of handling racial inequality. A few politically correct videos do little to nothing in the overall picture. Players, fans and league sponsors want to see action, and if Goodell continues in this way, the league could start seeing losses where it counts the most, in the wallets of owners.
Kaepernick and Reid are not blameless in this, either. Kaepernick made $11.9 million in the 2016 season, but the team went just 2-14 and Blaine Gabbert was the starter by the end of the year. Kaepernick was released and tried to sign with another team at first, but when no one would make him a starter or offer him “starter money” after his bad season, he instead decided he wanted to fight for social justice issues, rather than play football in the NFL. His half-hearted workout in November 2019 in Atlanta did not make teams interested in taking a chance on him. As for Reid, he continued to play in San Francisco until the end of the 2017 season, then signed with the injury-riddled Panthers in late September 2018. Despite registering a career-high 130 tackles last season, Reid was released by Carolina, taking his $8 million salary off the books. Although he has not yet signed with a team for this season, I am not sure Kaepernick’s “blackballing” claim has merit, since he has played at least 10 games in each of his first seven seasons. As long as Kaepernick’s image is used by the NFL (I guess it’s alright for him to be in a video game, though) and Reid is unsigned, I suspect we will keep hearing about this issue.
Two stars struggle: Many experts and fans alike call Tom Brady the “GOAT.” However, his first game as a member of the Buccaneers did not end in the result he was used to when he was with the Patriots. Brady threw for 239 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, including a 36-yard pick-six return by Janoris Jenkins in the third quarter. The Saints won the game, 34-23.
The other struggling star was Giants running back Saquon Barkley. He caught six passes for 60 yards out of the backfield, but the Steelers keyed in on him in the running game, holding him to just six yards on 15 carries. Meanwhile, Benny Snell Jr. ran for 113 yards after replacing an injured James Conner, and Pittsburgh went on to win, 26-16.
WHAT’S UP NEXT
Week 2 begins with a matchup between the Browns and Bengals, Ohio rivals who each boast a quarterback that was selected with the top pick in the NFL Draft (Cleveland selected Baker Mayfield in 2018 and Cincinnati took Joe Burrow first in April).
Other games of note: Two teams with new quarterbacks square off when Tom Brady plays his first home game with the Buccaneers against Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers; the Chiefs and Chargers face off in an AFC West slugfest that marks the first time the Chargers will play at SoFi Stadium; the Patriots and Seahawks battle it out on Sunday night in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX; and the Saints travel to Las Vegas on Monday night and face the Raiders, who will be playing their first game at Allegiant Stadium.
OTHER SPORTS NEWS
Sports overload: For most of you reading this, the NFL (or at least football) is the best sport, but it is not the only one that had memorable moments over the past week. Last Thursday marked the start of the NFL season, with the Chiefs and Texans facing off in Kansas City. However, the day was a rare occasion in the sporting world. The four major American pro sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL) all had games, a feat that hasn’t happened more than a handful of times, usually in late October during the World Series and when the NBA is just starting play. However, September 10 also featured an NCAA football game between Miami and UAB, the Major League Soccer game between the Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes, three WNBA games, and semifinal action in the Women’s U.S. Open tennis tournament, marking the first time those sports all played on the same day.
Cubs pitcher throws gem: Alec Mills, a 29-year-old right-hander, threw a no-hitter on Sunday as the Cubs defeated the Brewers, 12-0. The no-no was the 16th in franchise history and the first for the team since Jake Arietta tossed one in 2016. Mills’ five-strikeout performance was the second no-hitter of the 2020 season, joining White Sox ace Lucas Giolito, who accomplished the feat against the Pirates on August 26. This marks the first time that both Chicago teams had pitchers throw no-hitters in the same season.
Party like it’s 1999: On Monday night, the Dallas Stars defeated the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2 in overtime, to win their Western Conference Finals series four games to one and reach their first Stanley Cup Final since the 1998-99 season. The Stars won that series thanks to a questionable “foot-in-crease” goal by Brett Hull in the third overtime of Game 6 (sorry Sabres fans). This year’s squad won the West with defense and goaltending, led by Anton Khudobin, who allowed just eight goals in the five Western Conference Finals games. Dallas awaits the winner of the Lightning-Islanders series.
NBA conference finals set: In the East, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics overcame underdog situations to reach the conference finals. Miami upset Giannis Antetokounmpo and the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games, while Boston knocked off the defending champion Toronto Raptors in seven. In the West, the Denver Nuggets came back from being down three games to one and defeated the heavily favored Los Angeles Clippers in seven games, while LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers needed just five games to topple a Houston Rockets squad led by James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
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