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New York Post
16-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Bill Belichick fires back at Robert Kraft's ‘big risk' comment in rare move
It appears there hasn't been any thawing in the relationship between Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. In a highly unusual move, Belichick has responded to comments Kraft made last month in which the owner said he took a 'big risk' by giving up a first-round pick to steal Belichick away from the Jets in 2000. 'As I told Robert multiple times through the years, I took a big risk by taking the New England Patriots head coaching job,' Belichick told ESPN. 'I already had an opportunity to be the Head Coach of the New York Jets, but the ownership situation was unstable.' 5 Patriots owner Robert Kraft (l.) and Bill Belichick (r.) during a press conference announcing Belichick's departure from the team on Jan. 11, 2024. AFP via Getty Images There was a bidding war for the Jets at the time between eventual winner Woody Johnson and Charles Dolan in the wake of former owner Leon Hess' death. Belichick noted that concerns also engulfed the Patriots' opening. 'I had been warned by multiple previous Patriots' coaches, as well as other members of other NFL organizations and the media, that the New England job was going to come with many internal obstacles,' Belichick told ESPN. 'I made it clear that we would have to change the way the team was managed to regain the previously attained success.' 5 Robert Kraft speaking on the 'Dudes on Dudes' podcast at Fanatics Fest on June 20, 2025. Darren Agboh/Shutterstock During an appearance last month on ex-Patriots stars Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman's 'Dudes on Dudes' podcast at Fanatics Fest, Kraft said his decision to hire Belichick, whom he gave roster control to, was the best decision he's made as the team's owner, noting he got questioned for giving up a first-round pick for a coach who had a 36-44 record over five seasons leading the Browns. 'I don't know if there are any Jets fans here. I think getting Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in [2000] was a big risk, and I got hammered in the Boston area, but he was with us for 24 years,' Kraft told the crowd at Javits Center. 'And we did OK.' After going 5-11 in his first season as the Patriots' head coach, Belichick led them to a Super Bowl title the following season as Tom Brady emerged as a franchise QB after Drew Bledsoe was sidelined by an early-season crushing hit from the Jets' Mo Lewis. 5 Robert Kraft (l.) and Bill Belichick (r.) after the Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVIII on Feb. 1, 2004. AFP via Getty Images Belichick, Kraft and Brady ultimately won six Super Bowls in New England, with Brady earning another ring with the Buccaneers. The 73-year-old Belichick, now he head coach at UNC after a stunning move to the college ranks, told ESPN he 'appreciated Robert giving me the opportunity' to shake up the Patriots' roster, but said 'you'll have to ask Robert' why he described Belichick's hiring as a 'big risk.' Belichick makes no mention of Kraft in his book 'The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football,' which was released in May. 5 Tom Brady (l.) and Robert Kraft (r.) at the FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and PSG at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025. Getty Images He was asked about Kraft's conspicuous absence in the book during his disastrous 'CBS Sunday Morning' interview in April. '[The book is] about my life lessons in football and it's really more about the ones I experienced directly,' Belichick said during the interview. While Belichick's departure from the Patriots following a 4-13 season in 2023 was portrayed as 'mutual,' Kraft has since described the coach's exit as a firing. Asked about that phrasing during the CBS interview, Belichick said, 'It was a mutual decision.' 5 Bill Belichick (l.) and girlfriend Jordon Hudson (r.) at the NFL Honors in New Orleans on Feb. 6, 2025. Getty Images It was after that interview that Belichick's relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson became further scrutinized, as Hudson shut down a question about how they met as she loomed off to the side. 'We're not talking about this,' Hudson interjected.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Quarter Century: 25 moments that changed the league
The NFL is entering its 2025 season, which means we're a quarter of the way through this century of football. All week long, Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Writer Frank Schwab will dive into the past 25 years in the league. More: All-Quarter Century Team | 25 best draft picks | Top 25 teams | Top 25 games It's hard to say the NFL is more popular than it was 25 years ago. It was wildly popular at the turn of the century too. But it seems like we're all paying closer attention year-round to the most popular sport in the United States. It makes the big moments seem even bigger. That's why we're going to count down the 25 moments of the last quarter century that changed the NFL the most. There are many on-field and off-field controversial moments on the list, but it's not a list of 25 controversies. There isn't much that's controversial about Tom Brady winning championships, but that definitely changed the game. It's a list of the moments that shaped the way we view the NFL now vs. a quarter century ago: Eli Harold (58), Colin Kaepernick (7) and Eric Reid (35) of the San Francisco 49ers kneel on the sideline during the National Anthem prior to a game in 2016. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) (Thearon W. Henderson via Getty Images) 25. Calvin Ridley suspended for betting The mere mention of point spreads or betting was taboo in the NFL 25 years ago. Then a 2018 decision by the Supreme Court paved the way for states to decide if legal sports betting would be allowed, and that has changed how games are presented and how they're viewed. It also opened up more punishments for coaches and players betting on sports than we had seen in the NFL's first 80 years combined. The biggest name to get caught was then-Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley, who was suspended a year for betting on NFL games while he was on injured reserve during the 2021 season. Ridley's bets were legal but broke the NFL's gambling policy, and was a sign that the NFL was in a new world when it came to betting on its games. 24. Wardrobe malfunction When you hear the term "wardrobe malfunction," you can thank the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show from more than 20 years ago. Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson's breast at the end of the performance, setting off a controversy that extended far beyond football. After that, the NFL reverted to headlining the wildly popular halftime show with just as many old rockers as it could find, to avoid any more negative attention. The NFL changed course again after a while to include more modern artists, including inviting Timberlake back to do the Super Bowl LII show. 23. The NFL goes abroad International games are a normal part of the NFL schedule now, but they weren't in 2007. That season, the Dolphins and Giants played at Wembley Stadium in London, which was the first time a regular-season game had taken place outside of North America. That was a success, and in the NFL's endless quest to increase revenue, the international series continues to grow. This season, there will be seven international games across five countries. There will be more to come. 22. Eagles hire Chip Kelly Kelly didn't work out with the Eagles in his three seasons as the team's coach. But when he was hired from the University of Oregon in 2013, NFL offenses all looked mostly the same. That changed, as Kelly brought in offensive concepts that were growing in college, like spreading the field, running no-huddle offense to increase the tempo, and run-pass option plays. When you watch the NFL in 2025 you see many of those concepts all across the league, and that started with Philadelphia's Kelly experiment. 21. New way to watch NFL: online streaming In 2000, the idea of having to subscribe to anything other than cable to watch an NFL game was ludicrous. Now fans needing multiple streaming services to catch every game. When did it start? The first game exclusively streamed online was a 2015 Bills-Jaguars game in London that was shown on Yahoo Sports. It was viewed by more than 15 million people and the NFL was happy with the result, which paved the way for the league to look at other outlets to broadcast games other than traditional networks. 20. Andrew Luck retires Over the last 25 years, NFL players retiring in the middle of their primes has become more prevalent. No retirement was more shocking than Luck's a few weeks before the 2019 season. Luck was just 29 years old, but stepped away due in part to lingering injuries. Luck kept a low profile in retirement until becoming the general manager of the Stanford football program. Luck was an ascending star and we'll never know what was next for him and the Colts in his prime. 19. Tom Brady wins Super Bowl with Bucs Brady's historical stature grew after leaving the Patriots. He already was a legend after winning six Super Bowls, but going to the Buccaneers and winning a title in his first season there took him to an even higher level. He changed the conversation about his legacy (and in some ways, Bill Belichick's legacy) by winning a title outside of New England. 18. Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest One of the scariest moments in NFL history happened early in a high-profile Monday night game between the Bengals and Bills during the 2022 season. What looked like a normal hit was anything but, as Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after tackling Tee Higgins. Hamlin had a cardiac arrest, and medical personnel performed CPR and used a defibrillator on him to save his life on the field. The game was canceled, the first time an NFL regular-season game was canceled and not replayed since 1935 (not counting labor disputes). Hamlin had a full recovery and has returned to be a key member of Buffalo's defense. Plus, the ordeal raised awareness of commotio cordis and got the NFL involved in medical advocacy regarding cardiac arrest research and prevention. 17. Rams move back to Los Angeles The Rams moving from St. Louis, including a legal battle over whether the NFL and the team lied to St. Louis as it planned to relocate, affected multiple franchises. The Rams moved to Los Angeles before the 2016 season, then into luxurious SoFi Stadium after a short time at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Chargers ended up moving from San Diego to Los Angeles before the 2017 season and ended up sharing SoFi Stadium with the Rams. The Raiders got caught up in the relocation as well, with the team trying to move from Oakland to Los Angeles but eventually being rerouted to Las Vegas. Those relocations, which are the only ones the NFL has navigated this century, changed football on the West Coast. The league had not had a team in the Los Angeles market for 21 seasons prior to the Rams moving back. 16. Dez Caught It The Cowboys are still complaining about a replay review that went against them in a divisional playoff game at the end of the 2014 season against the Packers. Bryant made a great fourth down catch near the goal line late in a close game, which seemingly set them up for what would have been a go-ahead touchdown. But the ongoing debate about what constitutes a catch popped up, and after a review Bryant's catch was ruled incomplete. The Cowboys' longstanding drought of not appearing in an NFC championship game (which dates back to the 1995 season) continued, and the ruling led to more debate on the catch rules. Eventually the NFL simplified the catch rules, and the dustup over this play was a big reason. Dez Bryant caught it. Or did he? (Photo by) (Mike McGinnis via Getty Images) 15. OT rules change after Chiefs beat Bills The 2021 season divisional playoff game between the Chiefs and Bills has an argument as the greatest game of the last 25 years. It also led to a huge rules change. After the Chiefs rallied in the last 13 seconds of regulation to force overtime, then won it on their first possession of OT, there was a lot of complaining that Bills quarterback Josh Allen never got a chance to touch the ball in overtime. That led to the NFL changing the longtime overtime rule, which allowed both teams a possession in overtime of a playoff game. In 2025, the NFL changed the regular season rules to guarantee both teams a possession in overtime. 14. Deshaun Watson's guaranteed contract There was a time when Watson was the hottest commodity in the NFL. Multiple teams were desperate to land the young Houston Texans quarterback in a trade. The Browns came over the top with a huge package of draft picks and also an unprecedented five-year, $230 million contract for Watson. The NFL has resisted guaranteed contracts, and the Watson deal obviously irked owners. There was a reason Lamar Jackson didn't get any attention when he was on the franchise tag in 2023. That became part of a collusion claim by the NFLPA. Watson flamed out badly with the Browns, and his contract will be part of the NFL conversation for years to come. 13. Deflategate This is when terms like "PSI" and "ideal gas law" became well-known by football fans. The Patriots were accused of deflating footballs below the minimum allowed by the rules, after the Colts brought the issue to the league's attention after the AFC championship game at the end of the 2014 season. The league conducted a full investigation, and even though there were many holes in the Wells Report on the issue, the NFL suspended Tom Brady four games. It was a stunningly harsh punishment given the unproven crime. And it gave Patriots haters more reason to discredit the team's dynasty. 12. Seahawks don't give the ball to Marshawn Lynch Super Bowl XLIX had the most debated play call of the century, and perhaps ever. The Seahawks, at the 1-yard line, called a pass instead of handing it to Lynch. Unknown (at the time) Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler made perhaps the most impactful single play in NFL history, changing who won a Super Bowl with one interception. The Seahawks looked like a growing dynasty at the time, but they'd never reach another Super Bowl. The Patriots played in four of the next five Super Bowls, starting with Super Bowl XLIX, winning three to solidify themselves as arguably the greatest dynasty in sports history. That play changed NFL history. 11. Spygate In this era, NFL fans like tearing down anything good, and Spygate allowed them to denigrate the Patriots dynasty. The Patriots were caught filming their opponents' signals, and the NFL got caught in the storm when it destroyed evidence right after its investigation and discipline against the Patriots. That would play a role in the over-punishment of the Patriots for Deflategate years later. Bill Belichick was fined $500,000, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and stripped of a first-round pick, and Patriots haters had a way of diminishing the team's dynasty for many years to come. Bill Belichick's Patriots were embroiled in multiple off-field scandals, but Spygate was the biggest. (Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) 10. Pacman Jones suspended a year In one of Roger Goodell's first big acts as NFL commissioner, he announced a new player conduct policy in April of 2007 amid numerous off-field incidents. The face of the new policy was cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, who was arrested multiple times and was suspended for the entire 2007 season. That set a new tone for player discipline from the league. 9. Michael Vick changes QB play There were other running quarterbacks before Vick, like Steve Young, Randall Cunningham and Fran Tarkenton. But Vick took it to another level with the Falcons, setting a new bar for quarterbacks who could make plays with their legs. Vick's 173-yard rushing game against the Vikings in 2002, which ended with an oft-replayed and electric Vick touchdown run in overtime, seemed like a turning point at the position. In 2002, an undersized dual-threat quarterback was an anomaly. Now it is common in the league, and that traces back to Vick changing the game. Of course, Vick's career was also defined by an infamous off-field scandal. 8. Michael Vick goes to prison for dogfighting In 2007, an investigation discovered evidence that Vick and three other men ran a dogfighting ring called Bad Newz Kennels. Vick eventually pleaded guilty and spent nearly two years in prison. The Falcons cut Vick. Vick would play seven more seasons in the NFL, including a Pro Bowl season in 2010 with the Eagles, but remained a controversial figure for his role in the dogfighting ring. 7. Chiefs draft Patrick Mahomes In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Chiefs traded the No. 27 overall pick, a third-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick to the Bills for the 10th overall pick. That got them ahead of the Saints, who liked a raw but talented quarterback out of Texas Tech named Patrick Mahomes. We didn't know it at that time, but that move by the Chiefs to draft Mahomes would change the entire NFL landscape, with the Chiefs taking over as the NFL's new dynasty when the Patriots' time was done. 6. Dan Snyder sells Snyder's missteps could have been a top 25 list of its own. No owner did more to ruin a franchise on and off the field, causing many longtime Washington fans to turn on the franchise until Snyder sold it. Finally, amid allegations of sexual harassment and also underreporting NFL revenues, Snyder sold the Commanders in 2023. That ended a terribly embarrassing era for one of the NFL's most historic franchises. It also allowed many fans to embrace their favorite team again. LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 18: Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder during a game between the Washington Redskins and the Houston Texans at FedEX Field on November 18, 2018, in Landover, MD. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images) (The Washington Post via Getty Images) 5. Tuck Rule The 2001 Patriots had plenty of moments that shaped the past quarter century. Drew Bledsoe getting injured on a hit by Mo Lewis, which led to Tom Brady taking over as New England's starter, was a huge moment. As was New England winning a Super Bowl later in the season. But we'll pick the Tuck Rule, which allowed the Patriots' playoff run to keep going when Brady's fumble — which would have finished a divisional round win for the Oakland Raiders — was reversed and ruled an incomplete pass. Who knows how NFL history is different if that little-known rule wasn't invoked? 4. Congress grills NFL about concussions In October of 2009, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith were called to testify in front of Congress about the league's handling of concussions and whether the league knew of a link between concussions and long-term health issues. That contentious testimony led the NFL to overhaul how it handles concussions within games and establish a protocol for when players can return after they have been diagnosed with a head injury. Go back and watch an old NFL broadcast; it's startling how flippant teams, players and broadcasters were about concussions when they happened. 3. Ray Rice video The NFL's history with domestic violence before Rice was too lenient. Rice was suspended two games for a domestic violence incident in 2014, but then when a shocking video surfaced of the Baltimore Ravens running back punching his fiancée, the NFL turned the suspension into an indefinite one. That led to an avalanche of criticism to the NFL for its handling of prior domestic violence cases, and a tougher policy with longer suspensions. Rice never played in the NFL again. 2. Roger Goodell becomes commissioner Goodell is a lightning rod for criticism, which is one reason he is reportedly paid more than any NFL player. Since taking over as commissioner in 2006, Goodell has been criticized repeatedly for the league's handling of player discipline for off-field transgressions and other messy incidents (many of which are on this list), but he has been on the job for nearly two decades because he has overseen tremendous financial growth for the league. Goodell's ultimate legacy will be complicated, but he has been a focal point of the league and its fans since taking over the top job, and many of his policies have shaped the league for better or worse. 1. Colin Kaepernick takes a knee No story in the NFL over the last 25 years drew a stronger reaction than Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, taking a knee for the national anthem during the 2016 season. It has been nine years since that happened — it quietly started during the preseason, with hardly anyone noticing — and Kaepernick is still a divisive topic among NFL fans and non-football fans as well. Kaepernick took a knee to bring attention to social injustice, and his intent got twisted to fit certain agendas. It became part of the 2016 presidential race when Donald Trump attacked the NFL and its owners, and when other players joined Kaepernick in taking a knee, the league desperately scrambled to figure out how to deal with an issue that went far beyond football and split the league in many ways. Kaepernick and 49ers safety Eric Reid reached a financial settlement with the NFL in their joint collusion complaint, after Kaepernick said the league conspired to keep him out after his protests. Kaepernick played with the 49ers during the 2016 season at age 29, but never played again as teams ignored him as a free agent. Politics have been a part of sports for a long time, but the intersection was never stronger than when Kaepernick and many other players around the league were taking a knee to bring attention to social injustice. In many ways, coverage of all sports and how social issues are incorporated in the discussion has changed significantly since then.
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Epoch Times
Panthers Sign Son of Former Wide Receiver Muhsin Muhammad, a Franchise Star
The Carolina Panthers have signed the son of a franchise legend. The Panthers signed Moose Muhammad III as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL Draft. Reports of the signing emerged after the draft, but the Panthers confirmed it in an article on the Moose Muhammad spent five seasons at Muhammad was born in Charlotte in 2001. His father, Muhsin Muhammad II, was playing for the Carolina Panthers. The elder Muhammad was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 draft. He appeared in just nine games as a rookie, catching 25 passes for 407 yards and a touchdown. After an unimpressive sophomore campaign, Muhammad broke out in 1998, starting all 16 games and catching 68 passes for 941 yards and six TDs. Muhsin Muhammad had his first 1,000+ yard season in 1999. He had 96 receptions for 1,253 yards and eight touchdowns and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. He followed it up with a career-high and league-leading 102 receptions for 1,183 yards and six scores. He did not record another thousand-yard season again until 2004, but he was a key part of the Panthers' 2003 Super Bowl run and set the record for longest touchdown pass in a Super Bowl that season—an 85-yard catch in the Panthers' 32-29 loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Muhsin Muhammad had the best year of his career in 2004, catching 93 passes for 1,405 yards and 16 TDs; the last two numbers led the league and were career highs. He was named a first-team All-Pro and selected to his second Pro Bowl. He signed with the Chicago Bears in 2005 and spent three years in Chicago, then returned to the Panthers in 2008, catching 65 passes for 923 yards and five TDs in his return season. He caught 53 passes for 581 yards and a touchdown in 2009. He retired at the end of that season. Related Stories 3/26/2025 2/18/2025 Muhsin Muhammad holds several Panthers franchise records. His 16 touchdowns in 2004 are the most in a single season in franchise history. He also has three receiving TDs in two separate games; a record he co-owns with fellow Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr. For the younger Muhammad, following in his father's footsteps will be a tough road, but he will have several teammates who started out as undrafted free agents (UDFA), particularly in the wide receiver room. Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen was a UDFA who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings after a tryout in 2013. Jalen Coker was signed as a UDFA in 2024 out of Holy Cross; he finished the season third on the team in receiving yards behind Thielen and 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette. The Panthers also have long snapper JJ Jansen and safety Demani Richardson on the roster. Running back Rico Dowdle (Dallas Cowboys), defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (Kansas City Chiefs), and linebacker Christian Rozeboom (Los Angeles Rams), were all signed as UDFAs by their respective teams in 2020. Moose Muhammad is not the only receiver with a compelling story and Carolina ties on the preseason roster. The Panthers signed veteran wide receiver
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Top pick Will Campbell ready to ‘fight and die,' which has to make Drake Maye happy
'With the fourth pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Will Campbell, tackle, LSU.' — Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner OK, so this is not 2015. It's 2025. And Goodell is no longer content with merely reading off the names and then otherwise staying out of the way. He now rides a bicycle around on the stage, as we saw in the run-up to the 2025 NFL Draft Thursday night in Green Bay, Wis. Advertisement But, yes, absolutely, that was indeed Will Campbell making an appearance at No. 4, all big and proud and emotional, and decked out in a green pinstriped suit that looked like it was borrowed from the wardrobe room of the Broadway musical 'Chicago.' As far as I know, there's no Mount Rushmore of Great Draft Night Introductory News Conferences. But Campbell spoke in such a way that Patriots fans could put aside the arm length/wingspan jabber for just a bit and embrace New England's glorious past while daydreaming about a promising future. While it'll be Campbell's job to help lead the Patriots to that promising future, the former LSU standout was more than happy to talk about the back-in-the-day Patriots, as in the days when he watched the games while growing up in Monroe, La. Campbell didn't take us all the way back to the first of the two Tom Brady-led New England dynasties — he was, after all, born on Jan. 6, 2004, a month before the Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII for the second of their three championships in four seasons — but he made it clear he has tuned in and been turned on. When asked during a video conference if he has any special memories of watching the Patriots, Campbell said, 'They always used to just dominate every time I turned the TV on and the Patriots were playing. They were dominating whoever it was. You know, Tom Brady, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Gronk, all those guys. Just dominating throughout the years that I was growing up. 'That's all I remember of them, just winning,' Campbell said. Campbell then talked in such a way that made it seem as though the Patriots still go to the playoffs every year, still compete for the Super Bowl, still get the prime-time television slots and the likes of Jim Nantz, Al Michaels and Joe Buck calling the games. 'I'm just super excited and thankful to be wearing that logo on the side of my helmet and across my chest,' Campbell said. 'It's a complete honor.' The only thing Campbell didn't say was that he believes in 'The Patriot Way,' the old-timey Foxboro football catchphrase that owner Robert Kraft has always loved and former coach Bill Belichick always, hated, hated, hated. But there was a Belichick Way, which held that you never talk about the past. Everything with Belichick was always about the next play, the next game on the schedule, the next season. Were he still running the shop, Belichick might not have been impressed that Campbell took the bait during the video conference and started talking about Brady, Amendola, Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. But so what? Aside from the mild surprise that Amendola came in at No. 2 on the Will Campbell Old-Time Patriots Depth Chart, there was nothing wrong, nothing, with talking about winning traditions that are no longer in place in Foxboro. "We're happy as hell." Inside the Patriots draft room as we select @will_campbell66. — New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 25, 2025 What Campbell was saying, I think, is that he has every intention of bringing the Patriots back to contention. Talk, of course, is cheap. And, yes, yes, yes, every newly minted first-round draft pick says exciting and upbeat things after extracting themselves from the Goodell embrace and trying on the crisp, new team cap. It's just that Campbell said it almost as a threat, as if directed at the defenses he'll be facing in 2025 and beyond. Advertisement During a brief on-stage interview with the NFL Network's Jamie Erdahl after the announcement, Campbell delivered a quote that surely had Patriots quarterback Drake Maye jumping up and down on his couch: 'I'm gonna fight and die to protect them with everything I've got.' Later on during this celebratory April night, Campbell talked more about Maye. 'He's a heck of a player, a heck of a leader,' Campbell said. 'He's the commander of our offense. I'm not only excited to play with him, but the rest of the team. I'm excited for the future that we have in Foxboro. And I think we've got a special season coming.' According to Campbell, he became aware of the Patriots' interest in him at about Week 5 of the 2024 LSU football season, which is when executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf showed up at one of his practices. 'And I told him this is where I want to be,' Campbell said. 'And I told (Patriots southeast area scout) Alex Brooks that I want to be a Patriot. 'I had great interactions with everybody throughout the process,' he said. 'I saw a lot of them, private workouts … just being up there, getting to meet everybody.' This is important information because it means Campbell was following the Patriots last season, and who knows, for a few seasons before that. It's just that he didn't mention it, because there's no sense living in the past. Not the recent past, anyway. As for the glory days? Campbell had some fun with that Thursday night. But my hunch is it's the last time you'll hear him talk about the pre-2025 Patriots.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carolina Panthers top 30 all-time greatest players: No. 1 (Julius Peppers)
When Julius Peppers took the field for the Carolina Panthers, fans knew they were witnessing something special. With a career spanning nearly two decades and a recent first-ballot Hall of Fame induction, Peppers' legacy is etched in Panthers lore and NFL history. From his very first season, Peppers was a force. Drafted second overall in 2002, the former North Carolina Tar Heel made an immediate statement, racking up 12 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, a rare achievement that underscored his talent and work ethic. Peppers' impact was so pronounced that the Panthers' defense quickly became a cornerstone of the team, marking a sharp improvement and helping the Panthers rise in the NFL ranks. His speed, power, and agility were unlike anything most had seen from a player standing 6'7' and weighing nearly 300 pounds. Carolina Panthers DE Julius PeppersJeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports In 2003, Peppers helped lead the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII, forming part of a defense that made the team a serious contender. Though the Panthers narrowly fell to the New England Patriots, Peppers' contributions in clutch playoff games solidified his status as a big-game player. That season remains a highlight for Panthers fans, and Peppers' role in bringing Carolina to the Super Bowl remains a crucial part of his legacy. Advertisement Related: Carolina Panthers Top 30 All-Time Greatest Players: No. 5 (Sam Mills) After eight seasons with the Panthers, Peppers briefly left for stints with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, where he continued to dominate, amassing additional Pro Bowl selections and reaching a career total of 159.5 sacks, ranking fourth in NFL history. But his journey wasn't complete without a return to Carolina. Rejoining the Panthers in 2017, Peppers brought with him invaluable experience and leadership, mentoring younger players and recording 5 sacks in his final season. His homecoming was a fitting end to an exceptional career. Related: Carolina Panthers Top 30 All-Time Greatest Players: No. 4 (Luke Kuechly) Peppers retired in 2018 with nine Pro Bowl selections, three First-Team All-Pro honors, and a place on the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Panthers' Hall of Honor in recognition of his impact, both on the field and within the community. In August of 2024 Peppers was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He was a first ballot entry. For Carolina fans, Peppers represents not only statistical greatness but also the heart and soul of the Panthers' defense for years. His journey from local high school star to NFL icon remains a point of pride for North Carolina fans, and his legacy as a Panther endures. Related: Carolina Panthers top 30 all-time greatest players: No. 3 (Steve Smith Sr.) Related: Carolina Panthers top 30 all-time greatest players: No 2 (Cam Newton)
