Latest news with #AllQuarterCentury
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
ESPN's quarter century all-star team has a giant-sized mystery.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. No two NFL stars are the same though many share recognizable qualities and common ideas. It doesn't matter if they play for the New York Giants or someone else. All want to get paid. All hope they'll one day be remembered among the greats when their playing days are over. The 'alphas' often think about their legacy. How will they be remembered? Have they set their family up for financial success? How many more years of pain can they squeeze out of those weary and battered bodies? Michael Strahan, New York Giants (Photo by) Michael Strahan, New York Giants (Photo by) Photo byThose are the questions they ask themselves. That being said, you know what? Come to think of it, these guys may be more alike in their makeup than most may have thought. Must read: Abdul Carter Headlines a List of Giants Postseason Award Contenders They won't admit it, but they seek the approval and respect of their peers. And, they work their hind parts off for that respect because if their peers, opponents, and teammates respect them that's truly all that matters. All of that has been said to say this. It's easy to wonder what some of the Giants greats of the past quarter century think about this ESPN all-star team. The Giants are snubbed from ESPN's All Quarter Century Team (minus a practice team addition) It's hard to argue with the brilliance and creativity. ESPN dropped some quality content as Aaron Schatz and Seth Wilder cooked up one heck of a write-up in their NFL All Quarter Century team. There's only one problem. There are no New York Giants on the roster! That is, unless you include Michael Strahan's mention as a practice squad member. Okay, so it's been a rough go these past few seasons with Brian Daboll at the helm despite the postseason appearance his team produced in his first season as head coach. Truth be told, we can probably chalk that up to some bad moves by Joe Schoen and the front office. Must read: Kayvon Thibodeaux's Long-Held Promise Haunts in a Crucial Year The Giants can't get one guy on the list though? Not one? Sure, this team has been bad or mediocre more often than they have impressed us over the past quarter century, but this team has had some talent. What about Michael Strahan? Can we at least bump him up to the active roster? What about Eli Manning? He's 2-0 vs. the QB1, Tom Brady, on the Super Bowl stage. No one wants Eli on the squad, huh? Well, goodness gracious. You guys are a tough crowd and tough to please. Must read: A Giants Backup Role Might Not Fit Jaxson Dart's Grand Vision Here's something of note. Bill Belichick was named the team's head coach. Do we give the G-Men a nod because he was once Big Blue's defensive coordinator? No? You guys aren't rolling with that either, huh? Oh well... Maybe Abdul Carter and Malik Nabers can fight their way onto the 2025 all-star team. It will take another 25 years to get there, but at this point, Giants fans and the media have to hope for something.
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Wade Phillips reacts to making ESPN's All Quarter Century team as Defensive Coordinator
Wade Phillips reacts to making ESPN's All Quarter Century team as Defensive Coordinator ESPN released its All Quarter Century team this week with a 53-man roster of players, plus key coaching staff members. Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder picked the team, and former Denver Broncos coach Wade Phillips got the nod at defensive coordinator. "[H]e took the Broncos to No. 1 in defensive DVOA in both 2015 and 2016, with a Super Bowl championship," Schatz wrote of the team's former coordinator. Phillips, 77, reacted to the selection on his Twitter/X page. "So Honored to be picked as ESPN All Quarter Century Defensive Coordinator," Phillips tweeted. "Work your whole life and these kind of things make it worthwhile. Can't thank ESPN enough for including assistant coaches!Great players make the difference and I was lucky enough to coach so many." Congrats to Phillips on the well-deserved honor. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Newsweek
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Commanders Saved From Shame by Three Unforgettable Legends
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Regardless of how things ended in January, Washington Commanders fans have to be thrilled with the events of the past year-plus. Josh Harris has been a revelation as he and Mark Clouse have ushered in an era that will hopefully erase the pain caused by Dan Snyder. Adam Peters is the new GM. Dan Quinn enters year two as head coach hoping to build upon the success seen during his first run. Their quarterback is Jayden Daniels, a Pro Bowler during his first NFL season who earned Offensive Player of the Year honors at season's end. Champ Bailey #24, Washington Commanders news Champ Bailey #24, Washington Commanders news Photo by/Newsweek/Getty Images Make no mistake. Washington isn't patting itself on the back following a deep postseason run. They don't feel as though they overachieved. In fact, it's the opposite. Seeing their season end one game short of the NFL's biggest game left them feeling relatively unsatisfied. So, they added to their roster, signing Deebo Samuel, Deatrich Wise, and Javon Kinlaw among others. They traded for Laremy Tunsil. They drafted Josh Conerly and Troy Amos. Suddenly, the roster is stacked. Did we mention that it didn't always be this way? Must read: PFF's Commanders Evaluation Is Music to Jayden Daniels' Ears Three Commanders save the franchise from total omission from an elite roster of legends When it's all said and done and NFL stars call it a career, they want to know they've made an impact, that they'll be remembered. It's all about legacy, setting their families up for success, and earning the respect of the guys they played with. Washington, for the most of the past quarter century, has endured name changes and relative obscurity as evidenced by their near-omission on an intriguing all-star team of NFL legends. ESPN's Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder recently dropped their NFL All Quarter Century team, a talented grouping of 53 players and coaches. It even has a practice squad. When smoke cleared and dust settled, three familiar faces were on the list. Two never played under the Commanders team name, but you get the idea. We all still have a soft place for all of them. Trent Williams (2010-19) Unfortunately, Trent Williams' career will be remembered for an ugly standoff with the front office, but for ten seasons, he was one of the best O-lineman this franchise has seen in a while. He earned Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2015 and seven of his 11 Pro Bowl nods playing in the burgundy and gold. Champ Bailey (1999-2003) It feels like this can be stated now. If Washington had a time machine, they'd probably go back and rethink the trade that landed Clinton Portis in exchange for Champ Bailey and a second-round pick. Oh well, you live and you learn. Portis earned a Second-Team All Pro nod and Pro Bowl mention during the 2018 NFL season, but during his seven-year run in the DMV, Champ earned three First-Team All-Pro mentions with the Denver Broncos. Bailey also earned two of his four Second-Team All-Pro mentions and eight of his 12 Pro Bowl mentions in the Mile-High City. Not only that, he's a Pro Football Hall of Famer whose career in Denver outlasted Portis's time with Washington by three seasons. Yep! It's safe to state that Denver certainly won this trade. Bobby Wagner (2024-present) Bobby Wagner is the lone Commanders star still active whose name appears on ESPN's quarter century all-star squad. He'll probably be best remembered as a Seattle Seahawks legend, but his time with Washington has been very fruitful. Wagner earned a Pro Bowl nod, his tenth, and his fifth Second-Team All-Pro nod. Better yet, he's been a fantastic influence on the young stars on both sides of the ball. Must read: Former Rival Says Commanders' New Roster Addition Should Concern the NFL Wagner has been a revelation and has been, without question, an important cog in this turnaround. Worth mentioning: Fear not if you have suffered for a while. Washington's future looks better and brighter now. Jayden Daniels is the real deal. Who knows? Years from now, in 2050, maybe he'll find his way onto an all-star team of the next 25 NFL seasons. For more Washington Commanders and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans punter Shane Lechler, DE J.J. Watt named to NFL All Quarter Century team
Texans punter Shane Lechler, DE J.J. Watt named to NFL All Quarter Century team The Houston Texans have been an above-average roster over the past several seasons and they've had some impactful players along the way. Perhaps bigger than defensive end J.J. Watt, who is expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when the time comes in 2027. Who else deserves love? How about the punter that set up Houston's defense in the 2010s, Shane Lechler, a prominent figure in the locker room and around the league for decades. Well, ESPN believes he might be the G.O.A.T. of the 2000s in special teams. Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder unveiled their NFL All Quarter Century team, which includes a slew of Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers and some of the most impactful players in the game. Technically, four players made the cut, but only two are known for their time in H-Town: does anyone really think of Houston star Ed Reed or Vince Wilfork? Watt is the first in a long line of promising defensive ends in Houston, where he established himself as perhaps the league's best past rusher for over five season. He spent 10 seasons with Houston, and reamins the franchise's all-time leader in tackles for loss (172) and sacks (101). Watt was named first-team All Pro five times and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times. He also earned Defensive Player of the Year three times, starting in 2012 after recording a franchise leading 20.5 sacks. "We wanted to save a spot for Watt because he can play as an edge rusher or interior lineman," Schatz wrote. "He is one of only three players in history to win Defensive Player of the Year three times, and he has the best plus-EPA of any player since 2000 (minimum 50 games)." "Another way to describe Watt's greatness is with a look at defeats. That's a metric that adds together turnovers, tackles for loss and plays that prevent a conversion on third or fourth down. There have been only a dozen seasons of more than 40 defeats since 1991. Watt has three of them, including a record 57 defeats in 2012." Lechler is widely considered the best punter of the new century and his consistency with hang time, arch angle, plus length of punt easily clears all other participants. He was only in Houston for five seasons, but it made the difference in helping Houston win multiple division titles. "One of the greatest and longest-tenured punters in NFL history, Lechler was named a first-team All-Pro in his rookie season. Throughout his 18-year career, he racked up more first-team All-Pro selections (six) than any other punter in NFL history (no one has had more than four). Lechler led the league in gross punt average in five seasons, and his career average in yards per punt is an NFL record for punters who have played over 120 games." The Texans open up the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams.
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Eagles greats, both past and present, land on the quarter-century all-star team.
Eagles greats, both past and present, land on the quarter-century all-star team. A handful of current and former Eagles made the cut as ESPN releases its NFL all-quarter-century team. They say artists are super-sensitive about their creations. It makes sense when one thinks about it. There's nothing like being appreciated for one's talent or creativity. NFL stars are also at times sensitive. If you haven't figured that out, stick around for a spell. If you're still confused, ask any Philadelphia Eagles star how he feels about his ratings on EA's Madden NFL game. There's a flip side to those coins. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing one's peers respect them. Why do you think players get so charged up when they see their inclusion on that player-influenced Top 100 list the NFL puts out every season? Being seen as 'great' is one thing. Being seen as great by the guys you played for and against is something else entirely. Landing on a list of all-stars is always an honor, and recently, a handful of Eagles earned a cap tip from ESPN. The worldwide leader in sports recently released an all-star team of a different sort, and get this. They even have a practice squad. Five Eagles make the cut and land on ESPN's NFL All Quarter Century team This is a pretty good idea by Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder, actually. ESPN pieced together an NFL All Quarter Century team that's probably ending any NFL regular season with a 17-0 record. Patrick Mahomes has probably never been third string in his life, but he's behind Tom Brady and Peyton Manning on the All Quarter Century team's 53-man depth chart. Naturally, the hunt was on for a few Eagles, and guess what? Five were named. Julio Jones Okay... We know... We know... Julio Jones will never be remembered as an Eagle, but tenure doesn't matter. His short stint in Philadelphia earns him a mention on this list of Eagles. Terrell Owens Though he'll most be remembered for sit-ups in his driveway and how his Eagles tenure ended, Terrell Owens was a revelation in Philadelphia, piecing together one of the greatest single seasons we have seen from any wide receiver in the history of this organization. Lane Johnson The lone current Eagle on this list, it's easy to agree with a recent and growing sentiment. Lane Johnson might be remembered as the greatest right tackle of all time. He has constructed a resume worthy of Canton, Ohio, one he keeps adding to with each passing season. Jason Kelce Perhaps the most beloved Eagle of all time... No disrespect is intended to the next Bird on this list. Jason Kelce will never again have to pay for a meal or a beer in Philadelphia, unless he wants to. Brian Dawkins If Kelce is the most beloved Eagle ever, Brian Dawkins is a close, close second. Not only that, he's the organization's first superhero. He'll forever be Philadelphia's 'Weapon X'. In conclusion, somewhere, the 1972 Miami Dolphins are relieved. Put ESPN's squad on the field, and they're beating everyone and keeping the cork in that champagne bottle. While we could all rally for a few more Birds, we have to give Schatz and Walder credit again. This is a mighty fine NFL roster!
