Sean Payton finally lands ex-Lions coach he targeted for years
Sean Payton finally lands ex-Lions coach he targeted for years
Sean Payton finally got his man.
After losing several members of his staff this spring, the Denver Broncos' coach managed to land someone he had been targeting for years: new director of game management/OL assistant Evan Rothstein.
'Evan, I tried to hire before," Payton said in March. "I tried to hire Evan when he was leaving Detroit, Rothstein. He ended up in New England, but I had interviewed him in New Orleans. So every season, I've always kind of paid attention to what he's doing. He's real smart. He's a football coach. He's also someone who has a great way about him, both analytically and from a preparation standpoint. So finally that worked out."
Rothstein worked for the Lions from 2012 to 2020 before landing with the Patriots, where he held various positions for four seasons before landing in Denver. When he was with the New Orleans Saints in 2021, Payton attempted to hire Rothstein, but the coach ended up in New England. Four years later, Rothstein has joined Payton with the Broncos.
Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Top 10 injury news of the Lions 2024 season - #1: Aidan Hutchinson
The most critical injury to the Lions season - and the #1 injury story of 2024 - occurred on October 13, during the 47-9 blowout win over the Cowboys. During this otherwise festive game for Lions fans, disaster struck in the third quarter when Aidan Hutchinson fractured his tibia and fibula. Repercussions were felt the rest of the season culminating in the playoff loss. LEFT TIBIA/FIBULA FRACTURE VIDEO - October 13, 2024 IMPACT ON 2024 SEASON This was the top injury news of the season because of the devastating impact to the team. Behind Jared Goff, Hutchinson was likely the second-most critical player on the entire team due to his positional value, elite performance, and irreplaceability. Advertisement Pass rush was already a major concern entering the season even with Hutchinson healthy. It got worse in Week 3 when two front-seven starters - Marcus Davenport, EDGE and Derrick Barnes, LB - had season-ending injuries. When Hutchinson was hurt in Week 6, the situation looked dire. With the defensive line struggling to generate a pass rush, the Lions responded by trading for Za'Darius Smith in Week 10. No one was able to come close to replacing Hutchinson's production though. When you look at the final team stats, Hutchinson still finished with the team lead in sacks despite missing 13 games. Here are the season sack totals: Hutchinson 7.5 Smith 4.0 (in 8 games with Lions) Alim McNeill 3.5 DJ Reader 3.0 Al-Quadin Muhammad 3.0 Further season-ending injuries to key defenders McNeil and Carlton Davis (both in Week 15) compounded the loss of Hutchinson. Credit to the rest of the team for losing only one more regular season game following Hutchinson's injury - finishing with a 15-2 record and the #1 seed. Advertisement However, the lack of pass rush caught up to the team in the 45-31 playoff loss to the Commanders. The defense did not register a single sack and only forced one punt all game. SPECULATION ON SUPER BOWL RETURN The big, recurring question after the injury was whether Hutchinson might return for the Super Bowl. Typically, a tib/fib fracture carries a 6+ month timeline, so a Super Bowl return at the 4-month mark would have been aggressive. However, the Super Bowl is not a normal game, and there are many examples of players who have returned extremely early in recovery to play in that game - Terrell Owens (ankle fracture) 2005, Thomas Davis (forearm fracture) 2016, and Brandon Graham (triceps) 2025. Advertisement The Super Bowl speculation was started in the days after the injury by sources close to Hutchinson, who stated an early return was a possibility due to the uncomplicated nature of the injury. Dan Campbell, in the first week after the injury, also offered an anticipated 4-6 month timeline. In December, Hutchinson himself fueled the speculation by saying he was "on track" to play in the Super Bowl. While he would not have been close to full strength for the big game, a limited return would still have provided an emotional boost to the team and fanbase. Unfortunately, the Lions did not make it that far to see if the inspirational return might happen. INJURY OUTLOOK The outlook for Hutchinson's recovery is very good, as the injury spared his joints and there were no signs of any complications. But there are still some hurdles to overcome. Residual effects of the injury, or discomfort with the metal hardware are possible. The other hurdle is a mental one, which could include a tweak to his technique. Does Hutchinson need to adjust his technique to avoid a recurrence? Hutchinson's tib/fib fracture is at least the second time his leg has whipped around in a powerful fashion. The first time was in 2023, when the impact spared Hutchinson, but injured Alim McNeill's MCL. McNeill was placed on IR and missed four weeks. Advertisement Here are the still frames comparing the two incidents: Aidan Hutchinson leg whip 1 Aidan Hutchinson leg whip 2 Whether this leg action is a fluke or something more pervasive would require exhaustive film review - not just of Hutchinson but of other elite edge rushers. The results of this kind of review would help determine if a technique adjustment is warranted. Can he overcome the mental hurdles? If Hutchinson is worried about a recurrence, this could impact his aggressiveness and productivity. If he decides to adjust his technique, this will take time and reps before he's comfortable again. Either way, it may take some time to mentally get back to the level he was playing at prior to injury. EXPECTATIONS GOING FORWARD Hutchinson was deemed a "full" participant at June OTA which signals that he will be ready for the season. This recovery timeline is in-line with typical expectations for a tib/fib fracture. As far as a return to previous level of performance, that remains to be seen. I think the odds are good, and Vegas agrees, as he is currently one of the top 3 consensus betting favorites to win the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The other favorites are Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett. CONTRACT IMPLICATIONS Hutchinson is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract and is eligible for an extension. His 5th-year option was picked up, but I don't expect the Lions to wait until then to extend him. He will start the 2025 season at a youthful 25 years old and should be in his prime for many more years. Advertisement Despite his injury, expect him to get the biggest, non-QB contract in the history of the NFL very soon, so he can continue to make these kinds of ridiculous plays in Honolulu Blue.... This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Top 10 injury news of the Lions 2024 season - #1: Aidan Hutchinson
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Suns hit with ‘no leverage' reality in Kevin Durant trade talks
The post NBA rumors: Suns hit with 'no leverage' reality in Kevin Durant trade talks appeared first on ClutchPoints. The 2025 NBA Finals is nearing its conclusion, and in essence, so is the 2024-25 NBA season, but talks about the possible trade destination of Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant are already taking up so much space in the headlines. The future Basketball Hall of Famer has been linked to a number of teams, but so far, nothing serious has truly come out of it, as Durant remains in Phoenix's fold. Advertisement What there is little to deny is the intent of the Suns to move the former NBA Most Valuable Player somewhere else. They tried to accomplish that before the 2025 NBA trade deadline last February, but ultimately kept him for the rest of the campaign. With the Suns failing to make the NBA Playoffs, their attention has shifted largely to restarting trade talks involving Durant, who have a short list of preferred landing spots. Phoenix will want a big return for the all-time great, but they may not have that much power on the negotiation table to demand such, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Wrote Rankin: 'The Suns have 'no leverage' in part because of Durant's age and because he wants to start fresh elsewhere, league sources say. The idea of Kevin Durant returning to a team that entertained deals for him before the 2025 trade deadline isn't a pleasant one.' Durant's list includes the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat. The Spurs are rumored to be the 'specific team' that the 15-time NBA All-Star would want to get traded to, but San Antonio hasn't come up with a package enough for Phoenix to pull the trigger. The former Texas Longhorns star, who will turn 37 years old in September, has a year left on the four-year $194.22 million contract extension he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, before Phoenix acquired him in 2023 via a blockbuster four-team trade that involved the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Advertisement Durant is set to earn $54.7 million in the final year of his current deal, which will be for the 2025-26 season. But wherever Durant lands, that team will have an aging but still very much dangerous offensive weapon that averaged at least 26.0 points per game in the last nine seasons (excluding 2019-20). Related: Spurs rumors: Ex-San Antonio VP reveals major hold up in Kevin Durant trade Related: NBA rumors: Shams claims Heat, Rockets 'a piece or 2 away' from Kevin Durant trade
Tom's Guide
40 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
How to watch British & Irish Lions tour 2025 for FREE
You can watch the British and Irish Lions tour of Australiaacross 9Now and RugbyPass TV streaming for free until the final game on August 2. The free matches are split across both platforms as the Lions vs Argentina grips rugby fans around the world. Together, the two platforms will stream every try, scrum and box kick live. But how can you watch British and Irish Lions tour free from anywhere? Can you get the free 9Now and RugbyPassTV streams in the U.K. and Canada too? And what phones is the app available on? Here's our full (and quick) guide to how to watch the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on 9Now and RugbyPassTV. Fri, June 20► Lions vs Argentina► 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. UK / 5 a.m. AEST (Sat)► FREE on RugbyPass TV (U.S.) 9Network has teamed up with 9Now to broadcast the three decisive test matches against Australia on their streaming platform. You don't need any subscription to watch the 2025 Lions action, just register for a free account or download the app on your mobile device. OUTSIDE Australia right now? ACCESS 9NOW FROM ANYWHERE WITH A VPN. Looking for the schedule of the games 9Now are broadcasting? We've got that right here: Click to see full fixture list ▼ While RugbyPassTV may not have access to the three test matches, US residents can still watch the seven warm-up fixtures on RPTV. All you need to do is create an account and you'll be good to go! Alternatively, you can download the iOS or Android app. Traveling outside the States? ACCESS RPTV FROM ANYWHERE WITH A VPN. Full warm-up schedule below: Click to see full fixture list ▼ 9Now (Aus) and RugbyPassTV (U.S.) are only showing their fixtures for free in those select countries. Rugby lovers traveling or working outside Australia or the U.S. will need to use a VPN to access their free Lions stream in the U.K. and Canada. There are lots of VPNs but NordVPN is the one you can rely on to unblock and stream the test matches like a pro.... and you can save 70%. Looking to watch your FREE Lions stream from outside Australia or the U.S.? If you're traveling abroad, use NordVPN to access your usual platform as if you were back home. We test all the providers and we rate Nord as the best VPN. There's 24/7 support available, a money-back guarantee and, best of all, there's currently over 70% off with this deal. For a limited time only, new subscribers can also get up to $50 of Amazon vouchers. Save 70% off with this NordVPN deal It's really easy to use a VPN to watch the Lions for free. 1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch the free British and Irish Lions stream on 9Now, choose 'Australia' from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 9Now, sign in, and watch the rugby on 9Now for free. Luckily, both 9Now and RugbyPassTV are available on a wide range of platforms. 🇦🇺 If you're using 9Now, you can stream it on most devices including Chromecast, Roku and Smart TVs. 🇺🇸 RPTV may not be supported on as many platforms, but you can still stream it from your phone, laptop, as well as on Apple TV and Android TV. This may be the first time that Nine Network have broadcast a British and Irish Lions tour but they're no strangers to streaming sport. French Open and Australian Open tennis is a regular on the platform and they currently hold the rights to the NRL Premiership and the State of Origin. There have been no major complaints about its streaming quality and the free-to-air coverage is now available in HD with 4K streaming over on the Nine Entertainment-owned Stan Sports platform. Of course, for the best streaming experience, 9Now says "you need a minimum of 0.6 Mbps." If you want to get the best out the British and Irish Lions tour, 9Now recommends "1.8 mbps for good picture quality." RugbyPass TV may be a relatively new player in the rugby union streaming space, but with the backing of World Rugby, it's quickly become a go-to platform for fans. Not only does it offer live coverage of all warm-up matches, but you can also enjoy access to classic Lions content — including legendary fixtures from the iconic 1997 tour of South Africa. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
