Latest news with #OaklandRaiders
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Jon Gruden Says This NFL QB Reminds Him of Joe Montana
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. Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has seen his share of quarterbacks over his nearly four decades in coaching, so when he stated one current NFL quarterback reminds him of San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana, it turned more than a few heads. Despite his 117 career wins, .511 career win percentage, and Super Bowl championship, Gruden had been out of football since 2021 when he was promptly fired by the Raiders coach after it was revealed he used racist and homophobic language in emails while he was still coaching in the NFL. The 61-year-old has been adamant about his desire to get back into coaching, and his name has been floated for a few college jobs over the last 12 months — a proposition he said he was open to last September. "Yeah, I'm interested in coaching," Gruden told CBS Sports. "My dad was a college coach, I was a college coach at Pitt...I know I can help a team, I know I can help young players get better, and I know I can hire a good staff, and that's the only thing I can guarantee. But yeah, I'm very interested in coaching at any level, period." Head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders looks on during pregame warm ups prior to the start of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at RingCentral Coliseum on November 07, 2019... Head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders looks on during pregame warm ups prior to the start of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at RingCentral Coliseum on November 07, 2019 in Oakland, California. More Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images More NFL: Rams' Sean McVay Drops Concerning Matthew Stafford Injury Update No NFL team had seemed willing to bring Gruden on until the New Orleans Saints hired him as a consultant in 2023, but that position hasn't opened the door to any other NFL opportunities. However, Gruden has popped up here and there at a few training camps as guest of the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions. Gruden was at Lions practice on Monday, which is when he had the revelation that there were quite a few similarities between Montana and Jared Goff. "I hate to throw comparisons out but the number, the continuous movement that he plays with, he always reminded me of [Joe] Montana," Gruden stated, via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News. "From the days I was with the 49ers—my dad coached at Notre Dame with Joe—but there's a similar personality, a similar playing style. He is one tough cat in the pocket." Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on January 5, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. BetVictor... Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on January 5, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. BetVictor Canada predicts the Lions winning the Super Bowl More Photo byMore NFL: Ex-Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce Resurfaces With Surprising New Job Gruden's remarks may miss the mark for some. Goff's resume, which includes four Pro Bowls, five 4,000-yard seasons, and three seasons with 30 or more touchdowns, doesn't compare to Montana's. The 49ers icon was an eight-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro, four-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time NFL MVP, and Offensive Player of the Year. While Goff may not be as accomplished as Montana, he is currently the seventh-highest paid QB in the NFL ($53 million per year), and he has the second-most passing yards (16,887), fourth--most touchdowns (115), fourth-highest passer rating (100.2), and fourth-best completion percentage (67.9) since he became the Lions' starter in 2021.
2 days ago
- Sport
Eric Allen turns 14-year career as a standout cornerback into a Hall of Fame nod
Among all of the impressive accomplishments that helped Eric Allen make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the fact that he maintained his elite level of play so he never had to move from cornerback in his 14 seasons stands out. From his first game as a rookie as part of Buddy Ryan's fierce defenses in Philadelphia in 1988 to his final game as a savvy veteran for the Oakland Raiders in 2001, Allen shut down opposing receivers as well as anybody. 'I take tremendous pride in that,' Allen said. 'But to be able to be on the corner from day one to the last game of my career, being a starter and being an effective player, it means a lot. ... I'm not a DB, I'm a corner. I'm not going to be all snobby. But it's different positions.' And few played it as well as Allen and now he had gotten the ultimate recognition when he will be officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday. "I played against a lot of really good corners. I think Eric was one of the smartest I've played against," said Rich Gannon, who played against Allen early in his career and was a teammate at the end with the Raiders when Allen and Charles Woodson would match up against Jerry Rice and Tim Brown in heated practice sessions. 'He was really clever. He jumped certain routes, recognized certain things. He's one of those guys, if you're going to throw in his direction, you better see him. You just can't put your foot in the ground and think the receiver's got separation. He'd bait you. He'd act like he got beat or he was off. He had great recovery skill, good recovery speed. There just wasn't a lot of weakness in his game.' Allen credits his preparation for his success that included six Pro Bowl berths, one All-Pro selection in 1989, two second-team selections and 54 interceptions. Allen grew up playing both ways and envisioned himself as being Marcus Allen, growing up in San Diego. Those running back skills paid dividends in the NFL with nine interceptions returned for touchdowns, including one in a playoff win for Philadelphia over New Orleans in the 1992 season and a league-leading four in the 1993 season alone. "That always seemed like a requirement for the position, don't just intercept it but when you catch it, run. That's your opportunity to show your moves," he said. 'So when you get the ball, it's your time to turn to Marcus Allen. It was a requirement. If you play the cornerback, if you catch the ball and you get to try and score.' Allen's career started in Philadelphia in 1988 with his rookie season ending with a playoff loss in the famous 'Fog Bowl' game at Chicago. It ended with another famous playoff loss when the Raiders lost to New England in the 'Tuck Rule' game following the 2001 season. 'That's crazy,' he said. 'I talk about that a lot too. Two things that were definitely beyond our control.' Allen's biggest memory of the Tuck Rule game came just before that fateful play when he overheard Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis discuss the play call that had a slant as the first option. Allen told linebacker William Thomas to cover the first open widow and Allen was there to jump the route if Brady waited — which is exactly what happened but Woodson forced what was called a fumble on the field only to get overturned on a replay that still haunts the Raiders from that game today. When coach Jon Gruden was traded away from Oakland a few weeks later, Allen decided it was time to retire and missed the Raiders run to the Super Bowl in 2002. 'I just thought that was maybe the perfect time to book end my career,' he said. All that was left was the wait for the call from the Hall of Fame that came earlier this year when former Arizona State teammate Randall McDaniel delivered the news. 'The people around me, my circle, it really kind of relieved for them,' Allen said. 'I was never panicked or ever in a situation where, oh, man, I'm not going to get in. I came to peace about this a long time ago, Whenever I get in will be perfect.'
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Eric Allen turns 14-year career as a standout cornerback into a Hall of Fame nod
Among all of the impressive accomplishments that helped Eric Allen make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the fact that he maintained his elite level of play so he never had to move from cornerback in his 14 seasons stands out. From his first game as a rookie as part of Buddy Ryan's fierce defenses in Philadelphia in 1988 to his final game as a savvy veteran for the Oakland Raiders in 2001, Allen shut down opposing receivers as well as anybody. 'I take tremendous pride in that,' Allen said. 'But to be able to be on the corner from day one to the last game of my career, being a starter and being an effective player, it means a lot. ... I'm not a DB, I'm a corner. I'm not going to be all snobby. But it's different positions.' And few played it as well as Allen and now he had gotten the ultimate recognition when he will be officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday. "I played against a lot of really good corners. I think Eric was one of the smartest I've played against," said Rich Gannon, who played against Allen early in his career and was a teammate at the end with the Raiders when Allen and Charles Woodson would match up against Jerry Rice and Tim Brown in heated practice sessions. 'He was really clever. He jumped certain routes, recognized certain things. He's one of those guys, if you're going to throw in his direction, you better see him. You just can't put your foot in the ground and think the receiver's got separation. He'd bait you. He'd act like he got beat or he was off. He had great recovery skill, good recovery speed. There just wasn't a lot of weakness in his game.' Allen credits his preparation for his success that included six Pro Bowl berths, one All-Pro selection in 1989, two second-team selections and 54 interceptions. Allen grew up playing both ways and envisioned himself as being Marcus Allen, growing up in San Diego. Those running back skills paid dividends in the NFL with nine interceptions returned for touchdowns, including one in a playoff win for Philadelphia over New Orleans in the 1992 season and a league-leading four in the 1993 season alone. "That always seemed like a requirement for the position, don't just intercept it but when you catch it, run. That's your opportunity to show your moves," he said. 'So when you get the ball, it's your time to turn to Marcus Allen. It was a requirement. If you play the cornerback, if you catch the ball and you get to try and score.' Allen's career started in Philadelphia in 1988 with his rookie season ending with a playoff loss in the famous 'Fog Bowl' game at Chicago. It ended with another famous playoff loss when the Raiders lost to New England in the 'Tuck Rule' game following the 2001 season. 'That's crazy,' he said. 'I talk about that a lot too. Two things that were definitely beyond our control.' Allen's biggest memory of the Tuck Rule game came just before that fateful play when he overheard Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis discuss the play call that had a slant as the first option. Allen told linebacker William Thomas to cover the first open widow and Allen was there to jump the route if Brady waited — which is exactly what happened but Woodson forced what was called a fumble on the field only to get overturned on a replay that still haunts the Raiders from that game today. When coach Jon Gruden was traded away from Oakland a few weeks later, Allen decided it was time to retire and missed the Raiders run to the Super Bowl in 2002. 'I just thought that was maybe the perfect time to book end my career,' he said. All that was left was the wait for the call from the Hall of Fame that came earlier this year when former Arizona State teammate Randall McDaniel delivered the news. 'The people around me, my circle, it really kind of relieved for them,' Allen said. 'I was never panicked or ever in a situation where, oh, man, I'm not going to get in. I came to peace about this a long time ago, Whenever I get in will be perfect.'
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Eric Allen's late-career run with Raiders cemented Hall of Fame credentials
Everything was falling into place. After his three-year run with the New Orleans Saints turned sour, and he threatened to retire if he wasn't traded, Eric Allen landed with the Oakland Raiders in 1998. The team had started the season 6-3, and Allen was enjoying arguably his best season, even in a career that already included three All-Pro selections with the Philadelphia Eagles. Advertisement In Week 10 against the Seattle Seahawks, Allen snagged his fifth interception of the season, and he thought he could return it for a touchdown. As he planted his foot and attempted to cut, however, he heard a zipper sound in his knee and immediately crumpled to the ground. Allen had missed just one game in 10 years and had no idea what happened. Once he walked off the field and talked to the training staff on the sideline, he told them to put a sleeve on his knee so he could re-enter the game. 'They were like, 'No, EA, you're injured,'' Allen told The Athletic recently. 'I was like, 'What are you talking about?' … They're like, 'Eric, we think you tore your ACL.'' Back then, a successful recovery from a torn ACL was far from guaranteed. Allen was a week from turning 33, and he was soon pestered with questions about whether he'd retire. With Allen out, the Raiders lost five of their final six games and missed the playoffs. Allen underwent surgery on his knee, but he wouldn't commit to playing again until he saw how his body responded on the practice field. 'A trainer who was still there, Scott Touchet, me and him were like married,' Allen said. 'And the training staff just really helped me always focus on tomorrow. Don't worry about yesterday. Don't worry today. Just worry about tomorrow.' Six months later, Allen returned to the field. And when the 1999 season began, he started in Week 1. He wasn't quite himself that season, but the 2000 campaign would be a special one. He tallied six interceptions — taking three back for touchdowns — and was one of the Raiders' best players as they made a run to the AFC Championship Game. Allen believes that season is why he's set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next weekend. He produced a Hall-worthy prime with the Eagles, but his Raiders run displayed the longevity necessary to punch his ticket to Canton, Ohio. 'It just seemed like that season cemented what I'm about to do right now,' Allen said. Immortalized in football history.@EricAllen619 | @ProFootballHOF — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 7, 2025 Allen felt like he was in a fever dream when the Eagles drafted him in 1988. They had a legendary head coach in defensive guru Buddy Ryan. That season, their roster featured three All-Pros in Reggie White, Randall Cunningham and Keith Jackson and other talented players such as Mike Quick, Cris Carter, Jerome Brown and Seth Joyner. The Eagles hadn't produced a winning season in years, but they were confident they had both the coaching and talent to end the drought. Advertisement Allen hit the ground running. He started from Day 1, and by his second season, he was a bona fide star. He notched eight interceptions in 1989 and earned first-team All-Pro recognition. The Eagles had turned the corner and reached the postseason for the second straight year. Although Cunningham was an MVP-caliber quarterback, the hallmark of the team became its 'Mean Green' defense led by White. 'It all started because we had maybe the best defensive lineman in all of football (as) our spearhead,' Allen said. 'We were just trying to make sure we didn't let him down.' The Eagles made the postseason again in 1990, but they lost their opening game for the third season in a row, and Ryan was fired. In Week 1 of the 1991 campaign, Cunningham tore his ACL and was out for the year. While it was a debilitating injury, the Eagles still went on to win 10 games on the back of a defense that surrendered the fewest yards in the league. 'I just remember going into every game and looking on the (opposing) sideline and just you feel the respect,' Allen said. 'I'm not saying (the other team's players) were fearful, but you felt the respect. Their offense is like, 'I'm not sure how we're going to get a yard.' It seemed like every series, Reggie would take over a series, (or) I would take over a series, (or) Seth would take over a series. It was just such a dominant group.' Those Eagles teams never maximized their potential, though. They reached the playoffs four times from 1988 to 1992 but never moved beyond the divisional round. White left in free agency in early 1993, and back-to-back losing seasons followed. As 'Mean Green' dissolved, Allen left to sign with the Saints. He maintains it was time to move on, but his next stop proved to be far more tumultuous. He's IN 👏 Former Eagles Cornerback, Eric Allen is a 2025 Pro Football Hall of Famer!@EricAllen619 | #FlyEaglesFly — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 7, 2025 The Saints didn't sniff the playoffs in Allen's first two seasons, but things really hit rock bottom three games into the 1997 season. During halftime of an embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Allen and new head coach Mike Ditka got into an explosive argument that had to be broken up by players. Allen made his trade request after the season. Advertisement 'I'm going in and basically saying, 'I'm not playing for you guys.' And, at that time, I am not sure if any position player had ever really done that,' Allen said. 'I was like, 'Hey, this is a mess. This is not where I want to be at the end of my career. I want to be in playoff games.'' Allen had his sights set on one destination in particular: San Francisco. But that was a non-starter for New Orleans, since they were in the same division, which led to a stalemate. Allen heard from former teammates and coaches who tried to convince him to consider other destinations, but he rebuffed them all. That was until Allen got a call from Willie Shaw, the Raiders' defensive coordinator. Shaw had recruited Allen to Arizona State in college, so they'd had a relationship for almost two decades. Allen didn't want to play for the Raiders, but out of respect, he agreed to visit Oakland. A San Diego native, Allen had grown up a Raiders fan who idolized Marcus Allen and Cliff Branch and revered John Madden and Al Davis. He figured meeting Davis alone was worth the trip. The first person Allen ran into at the facility was a young, red-faced man he didn't know. They had a 'great conversation' about football, but he left without getting his name. Next came Willie Brown, who at the time worked for the Raiders as the director of staff development. That meeting went well, too. Then came Shaw, who laid out his plan for Allen to start across from a rookie they planned to draft, a youngster named Charles Woodson. Last up was Davis. 'We were just talking about the history of the Raiders, and I (asked), 'Why didn't you draft me in 1988? You guys needed a corner,'' Allen said. 'And he's going back and forth. He's like, 'You played a little safety. We wanted a pure corner.' I was like, 'I was a pure corner.' So, we're going back (and forth). He says, 'Let me take you to go talk to the head coach.'' Advertisement When Allen walked into the office, he saw the same red-faced coach he'd met when he arrived: Jon Gruden. 'He looked so young, I didn't know who he was,' Allen said. 'So he was like, 'What are you going to do?'' The two had another football conversation, this time about who Allen would like the Raiders to target in free agency to improve the defense. One of the players he mentioned was safety Anthony Newman, whom he played with in New Orleans. Allen left the facility without committing to anything. Several days later, he got a call from Newman — the Raiders had signed him. 'I thought that was such an impactful moment. They believed so much in getting me there that they were willing to bring in a good player, but a guy who had been released,' Allen said. 'And so I tell my wife, 'That's where we're going. We're going to Oakland.' So, I flew up within the next couple of days. 'It was one of the best decisions football-wise that I made.' When Allen looked through the peephole and saw Randall McDaniel, his former college teammate at Arizona State, standing at his door, a wide smile immediately formed on his face. McDaniel had gone on to become a star guard with the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2009. For him to show up at Allen's home unannounced could only mean one thing — after 19 years of waiting, it was Allen's turn to become immortalized. Hall of Fame Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee. Congrats @EricAllen619 who got to celebrate the news with his family! What a special moment. 👏 — Michael Yam (@Mike_Yam) February 7, 2025 Allen always thought Canton would come calling. He retired with 54 interceptions, tied for 21st in NFL history, while 16 of the 22 others with at least 54 interceptions have been inducted. He felt that, eventually, something had to give. 'I always had this calmness about it,' Allen said. 'I'm not a Bible-thumping dude, but God did give me a peace about this, so I was never really stressed.' Advertisement When Allen is inducted, Eagles and Raiders faithful alike will claim him as their own. He never won a Super Bowl, but he's beloved by both franchises. For the Eagles, he'll always be remembered as part of an iconic defense. With the Raiders, he helped make the team relevant again. Largely out of his affinity for the franchise, Allen still works as a personality for the Raiders' in-house media production team. The Eagles earned his fandom as a pre-teen when they drafted San Diego native (and eventual Pro Bowl returner) Wally Henry. Allen already had a passion for both clubs before he played a single snap in the NFL. He believes that came through on the field and played a role in him becoming a Hall of Famer. 'It wasn't just, 'Hey, I play for this team,' it was like, 'I'm playing for my team,'' Allen said. It's like that childhood dream. … I think a lot of the fans, if they had an opportunity to play, they would play like that.'
Associated Press
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Former Clemson player, assistant coach Willie Anderson dies at 72
Willie Anderson, the only person in Clemson football history to earn both first-team All-ACC honors as a player and serve as a full-time assistant coach on a national championship team, has died, the school announced Friday. He was 72. Clemson said Anderson died Wednesday in Sumter, South Carolina. No cause of death was given. Anderson was a three-year starter at Clemson at middle guard and linebacker from 1972-74. He started 31 of Clemson's 33 games over those three seasons. In a game against rival South Carolina in 1974, Anderson made 21 tackles in a 39-21 win at Memorial Stadium. He was named first-time All-ACC that season. Anderson signed a free agent contract with the then-Oakland Raiders and later played the 1975 season with the Birmingham Vulcans of the World League of American Football. He joined the Clemson coaching staff in 1976 and was promoted to a full-time position as tight ends coach in 1979. He went on to coach the team's defensive ends in 1980 and helped the Tigers win their first national championship the following season. ___ AP college football:
