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New York Times
6 minutes ago
- New York Times
Behind Aaron Rodgers, Rudolph perfects the art of staying ready: Steelers training camp observations
LATROBE, Pa. — Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph knows quite well how the twists and turns of the season can lead to an unexpected opportunity. In 2023, he was buried on the depth chart as the third quarterback behind Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky. Thinking his career could be coming to an end, he began exploring opportunities in real estate and started planning for life after football. Then, an injury to Pickett and ineffective run by Trubisky thrust Rudolph into a starting role, where he led an improbable three-game winning streak to help the Steelers qualify for the playoffs. Advertisement 'You're sitting at third string on the depth chart, a lot has to happen for you to get on the field. And a lot did happen that year,' Rudolph said. 'I'm grateful to God for giving me that window of opportunity.' On Saturday, opportunity once again presented itself, albeit in a much lower-stakes environment: For a light practice without pads, Mike Tomlin gave Aaron Rodgers and many other veterans the day off. The decision gave Rudolph the chance to work extensively with the first-team offense. 'You just try to do the best you can with them,' Rudolph said. 'I thought we had a good day and moved the ball, took care of the ball. It's always a quick turnaround with the Friday night (practice) and then getting yourself up for this one. But I thought the guys came out with a lot of energy.' When Rudolph signed a two-year deal with the Steelers this offseason, he sat atop the depth chart for several months and ran the show as QB1 during the first two weeks of OTAs. However, when Rodgers signed, Rudolph slid into a more familiar role as a backup. His job this season? Remain ready. Considering Rodgers' age and injury history, Rudolph being prepared to step in at a moment's notice could be critical. 'When you get in the season, are you studying more?' Rudolph said. 'Because you're not getting the physical reps, so are you doing more, doubling down on the mental work and the walk-through reps and stealing any throws you can get after practice? That's the way to be ready when you're called upon in the NFL as a backup quarterback to make sure you're sharp and you're not just coasting through the year, because you never know when your opportunity is going to come.' Throughout camp, Rudolph has been more than sharp when working against the second-team defense. During Friday Night Lights, he had unquestionably the best throw of the practice when he threaded the needle on a deep ball between two defenders and into the waiting hands of tight end Jonnu Smith. On Saturday, Rudolph began his day 1-for-3 in the Seven Shots drill. His touchdown came when the defense lost tight end Darnell Washington in coverage; Rudolph placed the ball well, putting it where only Washington's outstretched arms could catch it. In 11-on-11 drills, Rudolph's biggest completion came when Scotty Miller won on a whip route and then outraced cornerback Darius Slay for a massive gain. Then in a red-zone period, Rudolph connected with Connor Heyward on a slant just as the tight end was crossing the goal line. Advertisement While Rudolph is quite familiar with Saint Vincent College, saying it feels like 'home,' he's now in a new offense coordinated by Arthur Smith. He's been working in camp to pick up the playbook and master the new concepts. 'I think you try to fit the concepts that you have to the players,' Rudolph said. 'I think Arthur's done a good job of that. I watched all the games from last year with the overlays and the play tags… There's been a good many different concepts that have been installed, whether they had that last year, they just didn't fit the style. But I'm comfortable with what we got in. I think the guys have been executing it well.' While Rodgers' signing pushed Rudolph down the depth chart, he's embraced the opportunity to learn from a four-time MVP and Super Bowl champion. 'I had a buddy send me a video and (he) said, 'Bro, your eyes are glazing over talking about Aaron Rodgers, so relax, take it easy,'' Rudolph joked. 'But it's been great. He's been very helpful and just very friendly and open to questions — whether that be football or non-football, talking about his experiences over the years. (I'm) really enjoying it and trying to pick up anything I can from him. He's forgotten more football than most of us will ever know. It's a great resource.' Tomlin is a man of many sayings. One of the most popular among his players is 'don't get beat to the flat' — he's said it so many times that they printed up shirts that say DGBTTF. When shifty running back Kenneth Gainwell, the former Eagle, burned the Steelers last season, the team took note and signed him this offseason. 'He's good inside the backfield,' Tomlin said. 'He's good out of the backfield. He's a good route runner. He's a good outside-zone runner. He's got a well-rounded game. That's one of the reasons we were excited about acquiring him.' Advertisement Throughout camp, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith — who loves versatile players who can line up in different positions — has been deploying Gainwell in a variety of roles, including outside as a receiver. 'I've been doing this since I was seven, running routes,' Gainwell said. 'It's just something that I get to display in the NFL and on a different level.' The Steelers have an excellent cover linebacker in Payton Wilson, who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL Combine, the fastest of any player at his position. Tomlin has often matched up Gainwell against Wilson, including on numerous reps Saturday. The strength-on-strength matchup has made for many must-watch, competitive reps. On Saturday, Gainwell got the better of Wilson for the most part. Wilson is outstanding in coverage and has held up well against small, speedy backs, but Gainwell began the day winning on an out route. Later, referees called a holding penalty on Wilson after Gainwell won on a wheel route. 'I think it's a great challenge having a great linebacker who can cover real good,' Gainwell said. 'That's challenging myself, too. I'm embracing that challenge to go continue to get him better each and every day and get me better too.' The Steelers' cornerback room has been a position group in transition this offseason. The numerous additions include Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Brandin Echols and seventh-round pick Donte Kent. All those moves pushed James Pierre down the depth chart — and possibly off the 53-man roster. However, over the last two days, Pierre has forced the coaching staff to notice him. During Friday Night Lights, Pierre ended the two-minute drill (and the practice) with an interception of Rudolph. On Saturday, that ball-hawking prowess continued during one-on-one periods: Pierre intercepted Rudolph and Howard. Pierre also was all over Scotty Miller on the first rep of Seven Shots to force an incompletion. Advertisement As it stands, the top three corners — Ramsey, Slay and Porter — will be on the field a lot together. Echols, who has had a strong camp of his own, was playing second-team reps opposite Cory Trice Jr. However, on Friday Trice sustained a hamstring injury that could keep him out for more than a couple practices. So far, Pierre is taking full advantage of his opportunity. He could end up being one of the tougher decisions for the Steelers, as he provides good special teams value but also sits on the roster's fringe. It's hard to say now if he'll be on the 53-man roster, a decision that could be impacted by Trice's health, special teams math and if the Steelers believe they can sneak the 28-year-old Pierre onto the practice squad. Speaking of injuries creating opportunities, the defensive line has been hit particularly hard. On Saturday, the Steelers placed veteran Dean Lowry on injured reserve; Lowry very likely would have made the 53-man roster. In a corresponding move, the Steelers called up Breiden Fehoko, a 28-year-old who spent the last couple seasons on the practice squad. On Saturday, Fehoko walked into the meeting room to get, well, a unique reaction from his teammates. 'I got boos,' Fehoko laughed. 'But good boos. It's great being around the guys, the camaraderie. Believe it or not, you kind of miss Latrobe a little bit. I (was) at home, changing diapers and stuff, doing Target runs with the wife. I get a call to go to Latrobe. I'm on that plane.' As it currently stands, Fehoko probably is still slated for a practice-squad role. The Steelers kept eight defensive linemen out of camp last year. Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, rookie Yahya Black, Logan Lee, Daniel Ekuale and Isaiahh Loudermilk seem like the seven most-likely candidates to make the team. It's possible the Steelers only keep seven. If they keep eight, DeMarvin Leal, who has been playing a lot of outside linebacker, and offseason addition Esezi Otomewo are two more contenders on the fringe. That said, Fehoko lost about 30-to-35 pounds this offseason. Changing his body could add some versatility to his game, as he goes from just a run-stuffing nose tackle to a more mobile interior lineman who might be able to line up at the 3-4 defensive end position, as well. Advertisement 'Two years ago, when I first got to Pittsburgh Steelers, I was this submarine plugger, and I could barely move side to side,' Fehoko said. 'Now my body feels great. I feel so much more leaner.' My guess is Fehoko still ends up on the practice squad, but we'll see. 1. Pierre was all over Miller, forcing an incomplete pass from Rudolph (1-0, defense) 2. Washington got lost in coverage and caught a touchdown from Rudolph in the corner of the end zone (1-1) 3. Inside linebacker Cole Holcomb broke up a pass intended for Pat Freiermuth (2-1, defense) 4. With Will Howard at QB, nickel Beanie Bishop broke up a pass intended for Ben Skowronek (3-1, defense) 5. Howard connected with Brandon Johnson on a slant (3-2, defense) 6. Skylar Thompson threw incomplete for tight end Kevin Foelsch (4-2, defense) 7. Thompson threw incomplete for running back Max Hurleman (5-2, defense) Tomlin said Trice (hamstring) and tackle Calvin Anderson have soft-tissue injuries that could keep them out 'more than a few days.' While Pierre stepped up in Trice's absence, versatile lineman Spencer Anderson was deployed as a left tackle… On the flip side, Tomlin said he expects Calvin Austin III, Benton, Otomewo, fullback/ TE DJ Thomas-Jones, backup center Ryan McCollum and Porter back 'very soon.' The coach categorized all those players as 'day to day.' The Steelers will hold family day on Sunday and plan to be in pads. Traditionally, this is the time in camp when Tomlin likes to do short-yardage and goal-line drills. It could be a big day for the men in the trenches.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool leave massive clue star player is LEAVING
Liverpool have just left a massive clue that their star player is leaving the club. Adidas have finally returned to be the Reds' kit manufacturer after more than ten years away. You may have missed it with all the excitement but the launch of the new kit also left a major clue over the fate of one Reds star in particular. Shop the LFC Store LFC x adidas Shop the away range TODAY LFC x adidas Shop the home range today! LFC x adidas Shop the goalkeeper range today LFC x adidas Shop the new adidas range today! Notably, you will have seen a lot of the club's players missing from the kit launch. Out of the big stars the likes of Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Ibrahima Konate did not feature in the launch. Alisson Becker was also featured very sparsely in order to promote the goalkeeper kit. This is not a surprise. With the exception of Gakpo who is sponsored by Puma, the rest of the players are Nike athletes and therefore they will not have been able to participate in the kit launch. Virgil van Dijk who is also a Nike athlete, was a rare exception, he must have been given permission to appear in the advert given his status as a club captain. 🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas away range from 9am TODAY There's a strong rivalry between the two brands, which is why for example when Nike were doing kit launches someone like Mohamed Salah, who is a prominent adidas athlete did not feature in the promotional advertisements. But while the notable Nike and Puma absentees are to be expected there was a notable adidas exemptions in the promotional material. Darwin Nunez is an adidas athlete after switching over from Nike last season. In pre-season, he has been spotted wearing the latest adidas F50s, which suggests that he still remains an adidas athlete. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen in the promotional material for the new shirt, which is a surprise given the fact that he is a prominent and star player for the Reds.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
An unexpected shuffle on the O-line: Five things we learned this week at Raiders training camp
LAS VEGAS — On Saturday, for the first time since January, the Las Vegas Raiders took the field at Allegiant Stadium. They were there for their 'mock game' — basically a propped-up practice — in front of thousands of fans. 'We're just getting warmed up,' coach Pete Carroll said Saturday. 'We've got a lot of work to do.' Advertisement There was no tackling to the ground during the session, but the Raiders still came away with an injury — safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. got rolled up on by a teammate and had to be carted off the field. It was a lower leg injury for Johnson, who's been handling duties as the third safety for the defense. After practice, Carroll called it a 'significant' injury. Sneak preview 🍿#RaiderNation — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 2, 2025 The Raiders were in pads for four of their five practices during the second week of training camp. Competition ramped up on both sides of the ball, and things will go up another level next week when they travel to Seattle for their preseason opener against the Seahawks on Thursday. Here are five things I learned from Week 2 of Raiders training camp. In one of the most surprising developments of training camp thus far, it turns out Jackson Powers-Johnson isn't locked in as the starting center. He's been rotating with fifth-year offensive lineman Jordan Meredith, who started eight games at guard last year. Carroll believes Meredith is better off at center due to his lack of size. The coaching staff approached Meredith in the offseason about making the transition. 'It allows me to see the game from a different perspective,' Meredith said Saturday. 'In the center position, you have a lot of calls. When you're out there making the calls, it can get really fast. … The good thing about this is I've got really good (players) all around me and they're all very smart. If I'm making a call, they're also making the call. … We all communicate really well.' The Raiders are working to identify the best group of five for the offensive line. As part of that process, they also had Powers-Johnson slide over to starting right guard during practice Thursday. He was replacing Alex Cappa, who's held down that role since OTAs. The full lineup was: Kolton Miller at left tackle, Dylan Parham at left guard, Meredith, Powers-Johnson, and DJ Glaze at right tackle. On Friday, Powers-Johnson lined up as the backup right guard behind Cappa. On Saturday, he was back as the starting right guard. Advertisement Powers-Johnson starred at center in college, spent all of OTAs at center and has made it clear he prefers to play the pivot, but the Raiders believe his ceiling could be just as high at guard, according to team sources. He started multiple games at guard last year. 'Regardless of if it's center or guard, physicality, emotion, a finish to him,' Miller said Thursday. 'He's so dynamic. Having a lot of the guys be able to do both is big. So, wherever he's placed, he makes a big impact. … Wherever he's placed, watch out.' Decamerion Richardson wasn't expected to play much as a rookie but ended up appearing in 12 games and making seven starts. The results weren't pretty; according to Pro Football Reference, he allowed 10 yards per target (16th-most in the league) and 15.3 yards per completion (15th most). Despite that, the front office gave him a clean slate to work with this offseason. It's still early, but Richardson has taken advantage and displayed a lot of growth. 'He was like, 'Man, JB, I feel like how you were last year, man, they just keep throwing my way,'' fellow corner Jakorian Bennett said Thursday when asked to reflect on Richardson as a rookie. 'And I was like, 'Yeah, bro, it's going to happen like that. The game doesn't slow down for you.' So, I'm happy for him and glad things are kind of slowing down for him.' Richardson has worked frequently with the starters as of late, and he has been consistent in coverage and is starting to make more plays on the ball. He has everything Carroll likes in his corners from a physical standpoint — he's tall, long and fast — and has a lot of upside. Eric Stokes has been a constant in the starting lineup, so the primary player Richardson has been trying to fend off is Darien Porter, who was drafted in the third round this year and also has a lot of physical talent. Richardson and Porter rotated throughout this week. Advertisement 'Just the mental part of it,' Porter said Thursday when asked where he's made the most strides. 'It can be kind of daunting coming into the NFL as a rookie, especially at the cornerback position, but with the guys that I have in the room, with the coaches that I have, and with the practices and continued practices, I think confidence is just getting better by the day.' Bennett has been the odd man out in the rotation. There have been times where he's working with the second- or even third-team defense in practice. He was the Raiders' best corner in the 10 games he played last year, but he's struggled to stay healthy in his first two seasons and is on the shorter end (listed at 5-foot-10) for a Carroll cornerback. Although he's performed well in practices, Bennett hasn't gotten as many first-team reps as the others. 'It's nothing that I haven't been through before, you know?' Bennett said. 'Like in high school, I only started one year, my senior year. Going JUCO and going to Maryland. I always feel like the underdog, and not saying I'm an underdog right now, but just more so, I always had to get out the mud, you know. And, man, that's nothing I shy away from. That's who I am. I like to persevere. I like to be resilient, and that's when I see the best JB, when I'm just focused on me, focused on just being present and just controlling what I can control at the end of the day.' Nobody used 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers) more often than the Raiders last year. They used the grouping on 35.9 percent of their snaps (first) according to TruMedia. When it came to effectiveness out of 12 personnel, however, they were below average: just 4.8 yards per play, which ranked 23rd. Part of the problem was they didn't get what they expected out of Michael Mayer. He missed six games due to personal reasons, and he wasn't himself when he did play. He said he feels better mentally, emotionally and physically, and he's put forth a strong training camp so far. Another big issue was the Raiders were one of the worst teams in the NFL running the ball. Their blocking was poor, and they lacked a difference maker in the backfield. They hope the O-line is better this year, and they're expecting to be much better at running back with the addition of Ashton Jeanty. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly used 12 personnel often in the same role at Ohio State last year. Given the Raiders' lack of depth at receiver, the idea makes a lot of sense. Whether they're any good at it will start to emerge in the preseason. Advertisement Elandon Roberts is pretty locked in as the starting Mike linebacker, but there's a four-way competition at Will linebacker. Devin White has taken the majority of the snaps there since OTAs and has had such a strong training camp that Carroll declared him 'back' to his old self. Germaine Pratt will be White's biggest competition. He took White's spot during practice Friday, but White was back as the starter Saturday. The Raiders are also working in Tommy Eichenberg and bringing Jamal Adams along slowly. They typically use two-linebacker groupings, so the competition here will be intense, and however it shakes out, they should have quality depth. The Raiders signed defensive end Maxx Crosby to a massive extension in March, but that was different. He's a top five player at his position and is still in his prime. That's a deal you get done even if you've never met him. For the rest of the extension-eligible players on the rosters, an argument could be made for the Raiders to hold off and see how they perform this season before committing to them. Instead, they signed Miller to a three-year, $66 million extension with $42.5 million guaranteed on Wednesday. Miller thinks that should help the front office set a positive tone with the roster. 'You put in the work, you show up and it's all about buying in and keep buying in each year because nothing is given; you have to keep earning it each day,' Miller said. 'I think it sends a great message to the team and the organization that they take care of their guys.' (Top photo of Jackson Powers-Johnson, left, and Jordan Meredith: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
