When Bill Belichick was asked if Cam Newton being unvaccinated played any part in the veteran QB’s release on Tuesday, the Patriots head coach was quick to dismiss the idea. “The number of players and coaches and staff members that have been infected by Covid in this training camp who have been vaccinated is a […]
Craig Ellenport
Why Preseason Games Still Matter
There’s a reason the National Football League doesn’t like it when games played in August are called “exhibition games,” and the league’s PR department does what it can to convince the media not to use that term. But it’s not just a PR thing. Generally speaking, the intensity level both on and off the field […]
All Coaches Can Learn From John Danowski’s Experience at Duke
When John Danowski interviewed for the job of head men’s lacrosse coach at Duke University, he found himself at a long conference room table, surrounded by 12 people from all parts of the university. “There wasn’t one question about lacrosse,” recalled Danowski. This was in July of 2006, and the school was still reeling from […]
How Gil Brandt Discovered ‘Bullet’ Bob Hayes
The NFL and the Reese’s Senior Bowl announced last week they will hold the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) Combine in Mobile, Ala. Select players from four HBCU conferences — CIAA, MEAC, SIAC and SWAC — and other HBCU institutions will be invited to participate in the event. “Throughout NFL history, HBCU athletes have […]
New Coordinators At Disadvantage If Players Skip OTAs
With the NFL Players Association recommending that its members not show up for in-person offseason training activities, there are a host of resulting issues. Last week, Joe Banner wrote about the greater potential for injuries. And while all 32 NFL teams must deal with players skipping out on OTAs, it is not a level playing […]
What Makes a Zero-Star Recruit NFL Material? Character
If you think it’s tough evaluating college football players for the NFL draft every year, just imagine how much tougher it would be if the pool of available players was exponentially bigger and the data on those players was more limited. Welcome to the world of college football recruiting. That’s not to say there isn’t […]
The 5 Key Objectives for an NFL Rookie Minicamp
Second overall pick Zach Wilson and the New York Jets were one of three teams that held rookie minicamps last weekend, while the remaining 29 NFL squads will begin their rookie camps this Friday. It’s a short three days, but it’s a very important time – both for the rookies who are getting their first […]
Scouting Top College Prospects Through the Eyes of a Pro Evaluator
As president of Pro Scouts Inc., a company that evaluates NFL players and provides in-depth reports to many NFL teams, Mike Giddings spends a lot more time studying pro players than college players throughout the year. But he does turn his attention to college prospects as the NFL Draft approaches, and his insights on the […]
Highlights From the 33rd Team’s ‘Path to the Draft’ Radio Special
Mike Tannenbaum and the 33rd Team had the privilege Wednesday morning of hosting a two-hour “Path to the Draft” special on ESPN New York Radio. Joined by a roster of big-name guests, the show dug into what teams can expect when the 2021 NFL Draft begins Thursday night, how teams prepare for the draft in […]
What Will Ravens Do With First-Round Pick Acquired for Orlando Brown?
The Kansas City Chiefs had one clear mission after their 31-9 beating at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV: Fix the offensive line. They had already started the O-line makeover with a few offseason signings, but the big move came Friday with the acquisition of Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Brown […]