Latest news with #NFLExecutives
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers' Christian McCaffrey Receives Disappointing News on Monday
49ers' Christian McCaffrey Receives Disappointing News on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey dealt with some pretty significant injury issues early in his career with the Carolina Panthers. Advertisement So when he missed 13 games last season with Achilles tendinitis that sidelined him for the first eight games of the year then a PCL sprain that knocked him out for the final five games, 49ers fans likely were likely spiraling heading into the offseason. As he heads into his final season before his 30th birthday, McCaffrey's durability is being called into question. In Jeremy Fowler's annual offseason top 10 positional rankings for ESPN, McCaffrey dropped quite a few spots from the previous year when he was the top-ranked runner in the NFL according to executives, coaches and scouts. In the 2025 rankings, McCaffrey dropped four spots to the No. 5 position, and his injury history is a big reason why he's no longer perceived as the best at his position. Advertisement San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images 'He's a great player, but he's always had durability issues, even in college,' an anonymous NFL personnel executive said. 'He's an elite trainer and takes great care of himself. He's just not a big body and will lose a step eventually.' Despite his injury woes, McCaffrey is one of, if not the top running back in the league when healthy. He's just one season removed from leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,023) and total touchdowns (21), and he's rushed for over 1,000 yards in every season he's played 16 or more games since becoming a starter. Though his stock has diminished in the eyes of some NFL executives, others still seem to believe McCaffrey. Advertisement 'He's still the prototype — and the best player on the field at times,' one NFC scout told Fowler. Related: Former All-ACC Running Back Making an NFL Comeback This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Reuters
13-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
NFL cancels accelerator program, aims to revamp for May 2026
May 13 - The NFL has canceled its accelerator program, designed to promote diversity hiring practices for head coaches and front office positions, citing a need for improvements. The next accelerator event, which connects individuals of diverse backgrounds with owners and team executives, was scheduled to take place next week in Minnesota. According to reports, league officials determined that the program needed a revamp to improve effectiveness. "Every offseason, we take a step back to reflect on the positives and areas for improvement of our programs and assess ways to make them more impactful," Dasha Smith, NFL executive vice president and chief administrative officer, said in a statement. "This year, we assessed and identified additional opportunities with the Accelerator -- including combining the coaching and front office programs to ensure the Accelerator continues to be as impactful as possible." Smith noted that the next accelerator event would take place in May 2026, which "will allow us to reimagine the program, reflecting on the feedback and engaging with stakeholders so we can ensure a successful program in the future." League officials emphasized that the cancellation does not mean it will end the NFL's commitment to diversity. Rather, it allows the league to strengthen its efforts to ensure that everyone receives fair opportunities. "We're steadfast in our commitment to strengthen our talent pipeline and create an environment that reflects the diversity of our fan base," Smith said. "The NFL strives to be a unifying force, and we are confident the next evolution of our efforts will take us one step closer to that goal." The NFL began holding accelerator events at its spring meetings starting in 2022 after league officials perceived that owners were passing over highly qualified individuals of color for vacant positions. The NFL also has the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minorities for open general manager, head coaching and coordinator positions. So far, however, just two individuals have landed jobs as a result of the accelerator program: Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans general manager, fired in 2024) and Aaron Glenn (current New York Jets head coach). --Field Level Media
