NFL - NEWS & NOTES

No but it would have been enough to get Forrest Gump to cut it.

 

Kyren Williams invigorated by Rams' potential with addition of rookie RB Blake Corum

The 2023 season was packed with pleasant surprises, including the sudden emergence of Kyren Williams.

After rushing for just 139 yards on 35 attempts as a rookie, Williams exploded in 2023, racking up 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns on 228 carries tallied in just 12 games. When Williams was on the field, the Rams offense was a multidimensional threat on every down.

With a breakout season now under his belt, Williams will no longer operate in the shadows of the NFL. He's ready to build on his newfound fame.

"Honestly, it's growing off of what I did last year. Being a leader out there on the field and being somebody that people could come to or watch, observe and see what they need to do to be successful," Williams said Tuesday during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. "It really doesn't take much. You have to be dedicated and work to where you want to be. The end goal may not happen tomorrow or the next day, but eventually if you continue to keep working each and every single day, that's going to get to where you need to be.

"So, for me it's just living by that and just picking off of what I did last year -- being able to create more explosives in the run game, also being able to create more explosives in the pass game. I'm super excited that we went to go draft Blake Corum. (He's) somebody that can run the ball very well and hopefully it allows me to get to the slot or run routes out of the backfield to showcase my skills."

Williams' mention of Corum is important. Los Angeles had struggled to find reliable production in its backfield prior to Williams' surprising 2023 showing, and now, the Rams might have two backs capable of making a significant difference, thanks to the addition of the former Michigan star.

The shifty, sneakily explosive Corum won at the collegiate level with his vision and burst, two traits that should help him find success at the next level. And considering he'll be paired with Williams, the Rams should have a fresh back available to throw at opposing defenses on every down, no matter the situation.

"Obviously, we talk together about what we can do as a unit with every guy. Myself, Ronnie (Rivers), Zach Evans, Boston Scott and even Blake Corum, we talk about what we can do as a whole," Williams said when asked about the potential of the Rams' backfield. "We are just working each and every single day to be where we want to be. There's not conversations where we are like, 'Blake, I can't wait until I hit this run and you hit this run.' We are just grinding, and when those times come, those are conversations that you have on the sideline during the game.

"Like 'I'm (going to) hit this 15-yard run and when you come in bro, please get a first down.' It's stuff like that during the game type of talk, but there's not really -- right now at practice we are just trying to get each other better. Watching each other move and coach at what we need to get better."

Last season, Williams was clearly the Rams' best backfield option. The next closest rusher was Royce Freeman, whose numbers (77 carries, 319 yards, two touchdowns) paled in comparison to Williams' totals. And when Williams was absent, so too was Los Angeles' rushing attack, leading to three losses in the four games Williams missed.

Although he's a rookie, Corum should help buttress the backfield in the event the Rams lose Williams again. And if both are available, Los Angeles shouldn't find themselves as dependent on one back.

Ideally, that means Williams' potential rises even more with Corum's inclusion. But we won't know for sure until we see how coach Sean McVay intends to use them, either in tandem or individually.

Either way, Williams isn't about to lower his goals entering 2024. In his mind, he's just getting started.

"You know, I'm always going for that No. 1 spot," Williams said when told he was projected to be the fourth-best running back in terms of fantasy football production. "I don't like to be anything else (if) not number one. If you're not first, you're last. So, I'm going to continue to work."

NFL.com

 

Report: 49ers had “good meeting” with Brandon Aiyuk, not seeking to trade him

49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk requested a meeting with the team, which happened Monday.

Aiyuk still doesn’t have the long-term extension he seeks, but the meeting proved productive.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that it was a “good meeting” that led to an understanding that the 49ers have no interest in trading Aiyuk and Aiyuk has no interest in a trade.

“They’re moving forward, and they want Aiyuk to be a part of the team in 2024,” Pelissero said, via Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area. “So what I would anticipate here is all parties involved will go ahead and enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, regroup sometime after that. They’ve still got several weeks here to see if they can hammer out a deal that locks in Brandon Aiyuk with San Francisco for the long haul.”

Aiyuk skipped the entire offseason program, including the mandatory minicamp. He is under contract for the fifth-year option of $14.1 million in 2024, and he reportedly wants $30 million or more per year.

The sides, though, have not come to an agreement after months of discussion.

Aiyuk made 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season after 78 receptions for 1,015 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022.

PFT/Charean Willians

 

Browns WR Amari Cooper doesn't mince words: 'I'm trying to get paid this year'

Amari Cooper's minicamp absence came down to one clear objective: He wants to get paid.

In fact, Cooper admitted as much when asked to prove his speed during a recent interaction caught on camera.

"I'd pull a hammy or something trying to race you," Cooper said to an individual from the betting company Betr. "I'm trying to get paid this year."

At 30 years old, Cooper is squarely in the final window of his career in which he can make significant money via a multi-year deal. It's why he sat out of mandatory minicamp and accepted the likelihood he'd be fined for his absence, all with the knowledge the additional money he might make will outweigh what he'd lose by not attending.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry explained Cooper's absence as a matter of business earlier in June, adding "it does not change our affinity for Amari." There's no guarantee, though, that they'll complete a deal anytime soon. But on the bright side, animosity doesn't seem to exist between the two parties.

With this in mind, no one can blame Cooper for admitting he's trying to get paid in 2024. The transparency is refreshing. Now, we wait to see if he'll cash in, or play out the final year of his five-year, $100 million deal without long-term security.

NFL.com/Nick Shook
__________
__________________

I must be missing something. His base salary this 2024 season with the Browns pays him $20M... He's already earned, $116,672,334 over his 5 year contract that started in Dallas. Id better get him a car-package ASAP... poor bastard!

 

Titans DT Jeffery Simmons 'can't wait' to trash-talk Bears QB Caleb Williams in Week 1

Jeffery Simmons won't shy from his reputation as a trash-talker.

As one of the ascendant stars of the NFL, Simmons has earned the right to jaw with opponents, even if that occasionally requires officials to get involved.

"I've had the ref come to me with like 'you have to calm it down,'" Simmons said Tuesday during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. "Sometimes, the ref probably heard me really talking smack. He's like 'nine-eight, calm down.'

"It's been like that a couple times."

Naturally, the two-time Pro Bowler's admission prompted Eisen and his crew to dig deeper on the subject, and before long, Week 1 -- Tennessee's date with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears -- became the focus.

Williams has already proven to be a lightning rod for criticism before even taking an NFL snap. Simmons said he's going to take aim at one of Williams' fashion choices.

"Painted nails. I can't wait to say that to him," Simmons said. "Most definitely. Oh, it's gonna be one of them games. I mean, he probably gets smack-talked by his teammates right now, but especially a game like that. My first game, of course I missed the last end of the season. ... It's gonna be the first game of the season. They've got us coming to Chicago. All the hype's gonna be around them of course. I think when special, even prime-time games … everybody just counts Tennessee out, which we all know. A game like Chicago, I'm sure (they're) thinking we 'bout to get beat bad. That also make me even talk more smack and boost me up a little more, get into a different mode, as well. I'll be in a different mode that game.

"I get it. You've got a first-round pick like Caleb Williams, which is a great player. Watching a couple games when he was at USC, he's a hell of a player. But it's a different league, and I'm excited to play him the first game."

Plenty of rookies have heard similar (or worse) from veterans eager to welcome them into the NFL with a bit of brutality. Thanks to a privilege provided by the schedule makers, Simmons is relishing his opportunity to remind the top pick that he's graduated to a much higher -- and tougher -- level of football, and to respect his elders.

Sports fans might recognize such an approach in another league: the WNBA, where other players have targeted rookie Caitlin Clark with the goal of reminding her she's now in the big leagues. Simmons aims to do the same with Williams, a player who has been in the NFL headlines for well over a calendar year, despite not yet having played an NFL game.

It's not just about intimidating a rookie, though. Simmons knows he needs to be the voice for a Titans team that many will likely overlook in 2024.

"That's the goal. That's my mindset," Simmons said. "Then again, I really don't care who it may be. If it could be Tom Brady's first game of the season, I want to go out there and set the tone, not just for him but for who we are trying to be as a defense and as a team in Tennessee.

"Like you said, it's one of them games where it's his first real NFL game. Just hopefully, (I'm) not out to hurt no one, but our goal is to get to him and, like you said, welcome him to the NFL."

NFL.com/Nick Shook
_________
__________________

Go get him, Simmons.

 

Somebody needs to pimp slap Steven A Smith he's a loud mouth so damn annoying he is imo

 

He acts like he has mental issues calm down and shut the hell up

 

only the NFL economy structure…

1. None of the recent WRs had to wait to become free agents to get paid
2. There are several players considered lower level that are getting paid more than him in average per year.
3. He’s 30, this is his last and only chance for the same type of contract that players are receiving $30M per year. If he gets hurt this season, or even pre-season for that matter, he doesn’t sniff a decent contract.

The new norm is close to $30M for WR, he is 33% below that despite his consistent top ten finishes without a steady QB. He came to Cleveland with an injured Baker Mayfield, then had to deal with the Deshaun Watson bullshit the past two seasons.

I normally side with your way of thinking on these contracts, but I can’t blame Cooper in this situation.

 

Now, all that being said. I’m ready to call his bluff and move on from him in 2025. The last thing I want is more dead money in 2025 and beyond. History has proven that many WR/RB lose their stuff post 30… he’s right there. He could be the anomaly that plays at a really high level to 34-36, but we have so much tied up in Watson, personally, I think it’s a high risk move.

 

Nobody is reporting a word about this except PFT and the Daily Mail along with the New York Times. So, for what its worth...
_________

BREAKING NEWS - NFL Sunday Ticket lawsuit results in $4.7BILLION ruling for plaintiffs after league was sued by 2.4million subscribers for allegedly violating antitrust laws
By ALEX RASKIN and ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED: 16:55 EDT, 27 June 2024 | UPDATED: 16:55 EDT, 27 June 2024

A federal judge in California is ordering the NFL to pay about $4.7 billion in a class-action lawsuit after ruling in favor of Sunday Ticket subscribers on Thursday.

The NFL is appealing the decision, according to multiple reports.

The lawsuit covers 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses who paid for the package of out-of-market games from the 2011 through 2022 seasons on DirecTV.

It claims the league broke antitrust laws by selling its package of Sunday games at an inflated price. The subscribers also say the league restricted competition by offering 'Sunday Ticket' only on a satellite provider.

The NFL released a statement in response to the verdict on Thursday.

'We are disappointed with the jury's verdict today in the NFL Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit,' an NFL spokesman said in a statement. 'We continue to believe that our media distribution strategy, which features all NFL games broadcast on free over-the-air television in the markets of the participating teams and national distribution of our most popular games, supplemented by many additional choices including RedZone, Sunday Ticket and NFL+, is by far the most fan friendly distribution model in all of sports and entertainment.

'We will certainly contest this decision as we believe that the class action claims in this case are baseless and without merit. We thank the jury for their time and service and for the guidance and oversight from Judge Gutierrez throughout the trial.'

 

There’s a chance you haven’t heard of Joe Delaney. That’s why we do this, every June 29.

On this day in 1983, Joe Delaney tried to save three drowning boys in a man-made pond. Delaney didn’t think twice about trying to help.

“I can’t swim good, but I’ve got to save those kids,” Joe Delaney said. “If I don’t come up, get somebody.”

One survived. Two died. Delaney drowned, too. He was 24, and he left behind a wife and three daughters.

Here’s the original AP story about the incident.

Four years ago, the diver who retrieved Joe Delaney from the pond successfully lobbied for a permanent memorial to Delaney at Chennault Park in Monroe, Louisiana, Joe’s hometown.

“It’s never left my mind,” Marvin Dearman said at the time. “Basically, he died in my arms, and it’s something I’ve never forgotten.”

I’ll never forget reading about it in the newspaper, 41 years ago. For longer than I can remember, we’ve written something about Joe’s sacrifice, every June 29.

Every year, we hear from people who didn’t know about Joe Delaney.

He’s a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, for his achievements at Northwestern State. He was a second-round pick of the Chiefs in 1981. He rushed for 1,121 yards as a rookie, winning the AFC rookie of the year award. Injuries limited him to eight games in 1982, but his career was still promising. And in many ways his life was still beginning.

After rushing for 193 yards against Houston as a rookie, Oilers defensive end Elvin Bethea said this of Delaney: “I’ve played against the best — O.J. Simpson, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton and [Delaney] ranks right up there with them. He is great with a capital G.”

Joe Delaney is also great with a capital G because he was selfless with a capital S. He saw that three boys needed help, and he acted.

Joe Delaney is a member of the Chiefs’ Ring of Honor. The NFL should have something that honors Joe Delaney for what he did, so that more people will know about him. Even if it’s something as simple as an award given to the top rookie running back every year.

While few ever make the extreme sacrifice, Joe Delaney’s story hopefully inspires others to make smaller sacrifices in the name of doing the right thing, whenever there’s a choice to be made between doing the right thing and doing the safe thing.

PFT/Florio

 

Brandon Aiyuk: If I’m not with Niners, I’d say probably Commanders or Steelers

The current expectation is that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be playing for the 49ers in 2024, but he has thought about what other options might be in play.

Aiyuk met with the 49ers this week and a report said that the meeting ended with both sides saying they were not looking for a trade ahead of the season. Aiyuk hasn’t gotten a contract extension, though, and the continued absence of one means that things could still flare up again before we get to September.

During an appearance on The Pivot, Aiyuk said he doesn’t feel the two sides are particularly close to striking a deal at the moment and he was asked what uniforms he could see himself wearing in 2024.

“If I were to take a guess, probably a Niner uniform,” Aiyuk said. “Probably a Niner uniform. If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, probably a Steelers uniform.”

The Steelers have previously been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Aiyuk and he was once college teammates with Commanders rookie quarterback Jaylen Daniels, but the fact the 49ers remain the likeliest choice should give nervous 49ers fans some solace about where the wideout will be this year.

PFT/Josh Alper

 

Slay has his back... Per NFL.com

If Amari Cooper believes an endorsement will help him secure the contract extension he's aiming for, he received one from a perennial Pro Bowl cornerback.

Philadelphia Eagles corner Darius Slay lauded the Cleveland Browns veteran as the most unsung wide receiver in the NFL.

"I really be thinking he's the most underappreciated receiver in the league," Slay said on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast.

Slay, a six-time Pro Bowler across 11 seasons with the Detroit Lions and Eagles, was asked initially by Long who he believed to be the league's most underrated receiver. Slay wouldn't characterize Cooper as underrated exactly, but was emphatic that he doesn't feel Cooper gets the recognition he's earned over 10 league seasons – or that he's getting treated as he should by the Browns.

"I'm seeing right now that Cleveland don't want to pay him, they need to pay that man that money," Slay said.

Headed into the final season of a five-year, $100 million pact, Cooper held out of mandatory minicamp as he's vying for a new deal.

Slay listed off plenty of reasons as to why the seven-time 1000-yard receiver is worthy of another pay bump.

"A guy that has been a consistent thousand-yard receiver and has been doing his thing and people still don't give him credit is really Amari Cooper," Slay said after thinking about Long's question.

Cooper is a five-time Pro Bowler, having earned all-star honors with the Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and Browns. The 30-year-old is also coming off arguably his most impressive season.

In 2023, Cooper tallied a career-high 1,250 yards and 17.4 yards per reception, hauling in 72 catches in total and five touchdowns. His production in two years in Cleveland has been a constant despite a revolving door under center as quarterback Deshaun Watson has struggled to stay on the field due to a suspension and injuries. Nevertheless, Cooper has produced.

Long pointed out Cooper's monster Week 16 showing last season against the Houston Texans in which he gobbled up 265 yards off 11 catches with a pair of touchdowns, having formed an instant connection with Joe Flacco.

"They were just playing catch out there," Long said.

"And getting groovy," Slay said.

Whether Cooper garners the fanfare or attention he should, he's certainly getting the respect of his piers.

"He really the one that's really being slept on," Slay said. "He been a consistent receiver for, since he been in the league and been dominating. He's really the only receiver that really, I truly think that has a true route tree as can run all the routes. Lot of guys got special abilities, can be running faster or somebody that's 6-6, 6-5, can just Moss you cause he's bigger than you. But Amari Cooper, off the line of scrimmage, he's amazing; after the catch, he's amazing; he can attack the ball."

And whether Cooper is getting the monetary support from the Browns that he should, he's most definitely got a rousing endorsement from one of the game's top defenders to add to his resume.

 

Somebody needs to pimp slap Steven A Smith he's a loud mouth so damn annoying he is imo


I agree Badd...........stick to Sports and preferably Basketball.....he is extremely annoying.

 

Every year, we hear from people who didn’t know about Joe Delaney.



Today is June 29th Will and what a great story.......I did not know that about him........May he Rest in Peace.

 

Have Lions constructed NFL's most-stacked offense?

Following doldrums-filled decades, the Lions roared to their first-ever NFC North title en route to their initial NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991.

Much of that success came thanks to a Detroit offense that produced at every skill position, begging the question as to whether the Lions have constructed the most-stacked stacked offense in the NFL?

Think not? Well, NFL Research argues that head coach Dan Campbell's pride of Lions offers the most statistically successful skill players.

In 2023, the Lions became only the second team in NFL history to see four players produce 10-plus scrimmage touchdowns in a single season, according to NFL Research. The feat, which matched the 2013 Denver Broncos, was accomplished by running backs David Montgomery (13 scrimmage touchdowns) and Jahmyr Gibbs (11), wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (10) and tight end Sam LaPorta (10).

Three of those players -- St. Brown (1,539 yards), Gibbs (1,261) and Montgomery (1,132) -- had 1,000-plus scrimmage yards and 10-plus TDs. The Lions were the only NFL team to have three such players, a mark tied for the most in a single season in league history, per NFL Research.

St. Brown has become one of the NFL's top receivers, Montgomery turned in the best season of his career and Gibbs and LaPorta were instant successes after dynamic rookie showings.

If Jameson Williams realizes his first-round potential, Detroit could have another game-changing option at Jared Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's disposal.

The Lions' offense has been a top-five group for back-to-back seasons now, so perhaps the best is still yet to come.

Detroit authored a campaign for the ages in 2023, winning its first-ever NFC North title prior to an NFC title game run in which the club collected two playoff wins – doubling its previous postseason win total since 1957.

Plenty of that Motown magic was due to Detroit's dynamic offense.

Can these new-age Lions keep on cooking? There's been an offseason focus on improving the Detroit defense, but the offense that has ignited the team's revival must maintain its potency, if not improve.

Goff, last season, memorably opined that the Lions have plenty of standouts on their squad, they just don't get the attention. Now, it's getting more difficult to ignore the Lions.

Horsepower's a big deal in the Motor City, and the Lions have plenty of it on the offensive side of the ball. Goff and Co. keeping their foots on the gas in 2024 might well dictate whether the Lions are one-year wonders or remain kings of the NFC North and contenders to reach the franchise's first Super Bowl.

NFL.com/Grant Gordon

 

Texans' DeMeco Ryans ready to start back from zero in 2024: 'It doesn't matter what happened last year'

The Houston Texans surprised in DeMeco Ryans' first season as head coach, coming back to swipe the AFC South title. With reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud, at the helm, they'll sneak up on no one in 2024.

Ryans told NFL Network's Rhett Lewis at the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame ceremony over the weekend that he's looking forward to the strides his young team makes come training camp and the preseason.

"The most exciting thing, what I love about the NFL is it doesn't matter what happened last year," Ryans said during the interview, which will air in part Monday on The Insiders at 7 p.m. ET. "You get to hit reset. To start back from ground zero, I love that, going back to our Day 1 fundamentals, installs, and seeing guys truly grow and seeing how far we can get before the Hall of Fame Game, see our young players get better and compete against each other. That's what I enjoy most. I still enjoy -- and it comes back to the Senior Bowl -- I still enjoy the growth and development of young players. That's what gets me going. That's why I enjoy coaching is to just have some type of imprint on those guys to help them to go and achieve whatever they want to achieve in their careers."

The Texans imported several veterans, including Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon, and Danielle Hunter, to buffer the young core.

One thing Ryans has preached to the 2024 edition of his roster is that year-to-year success isn't given. It's earned.

"That football season, 2023, is one I'll always remember," he said. "It was a special one because we were able to do it with special people. Getting C.J. and getting Will (Anderson) and Tank (Dell), so many young guys who contributed to flipping that culture in such a short period of time. It doesn't happen easy, it doesn't happen quickly without the right people. I'm very excited to have those guys and to work with those guys and to have the year that we had.

"People talk about how exciting of a year it was, but I throw up a stat to our guys this offseason, like, 'Look, I know we won some games, but guys, look, we had 10 games within one score, and these games were down to the wire and we had to find a way at the end.' That doesn't change. That's the NFL. It's about being smart, being confident in those crucial situations, like the last two minutes of a game. Can you go perform? Can you be clear-minded and go execute the details of your job to the highest level? That's what it'll come down to. So I just always remind them, like, 'Hey, we didn't just blow everybody out!' Those games can go either way, and you have to continue to prepare that way coming into this new season. It's not just going to happen again. You have to start back over at ground zero and work your way back up."

NFL.com/Kevin Patra

 

Panthers coach Dave Canales on offense: 'It all starts with the run game'

The Carolina Panthers' offseason focus centered on buffering the situation surrounding quarterback Bryce Young, improving the receiver corps and offensive line, and drafting running back Jonathon Brooks. On paper, the problem is much improved.

Joining The Season with Peter Schrager podcast last week, coach Dave Canales pointed to the importance of the running game to improve the overall dynamic of the offense in 2024.

"It all starts with the run game and having (guards) Robert (Hunt) and Damien (Lewis) in there because I love our backfield," Canales said. "Adding Jonathan (Brooks), an opportunity came to us with a really talented guy. And again, depth, talent, just keep adding key pieces. Challenge your roster. That's what this draft and this offseason was all about. I feel confident that we'll be able to have a successful run game, which, for me, opens everything else up."

Last season in Tampa Bay, Canales showed a propensity to stick with the run even when it wasn't all that effective. The Buccaneers rushed 439 times in the regular season, the 10th-fewest in the NFL despite averaging a league-low 3.4 yards per carry. Tampa also leaned heavily on one back, Rachaad White, who carried the rock 272 times, tied for second-most in the NFL last season. No other Bucs back reached the 50-carry mark.

The drafting of Brooks in the second round provides Canales with an interesting mix out of the backfield. The rookie, Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Rashaad Penny, Mike Boone and others are expected to battle for snaps during training camp.

An improved run game would help Young take a step forward following last season's struggles. Canales reiterated that the hope is to ask the quarterback to simply play his part rather than be Superman every snap.

"I'm just excited about the talent," Canales said of Young. "It's everything that we saw from over a year ago when we were doing the draft evaluation. It's all there. It's all still there. So it's like, wait, the guy's athletic. He can get the ball out quickly. He's a leader. He communicates well. Like, oh, he's got everything we need. OK, Bryce, just do your part, do your 1/11th, do your quarterback part, you're the point guard, and then, we'll everybody else do all there's, and we can dissolve the pressure of 'you've got lead, you've got to do this' and all that. 'You're the one.' No, that's just not true. I have not seen that model of football work and win. In Seattle, we didn't put it all on (Russell Wilson's) plate. So that's not the model we're going to try to create in Carolina."

Canales knows that turning around a two-win club is no easy task but sees building blocks in place to make strides in his first season in command.

"I see a great combination of some experience, high football character, some talent in spots," he said of his roster. "Now, there's a reason that we were 2-15, and we have to continue to bring more talent into our roster so you fill out the depth of it. The great teams that I've been on in Seattle over the years, up and down, the great ones, you had depth. I think that's really where we are: Can we establish our starters? Can we develop depth? We've got a ways to go."

NFL.com/Kevin Patra
______
______________

Well, they have to get better as the 'law of averages' states they cant get much worse... all eyes on Bryce Young.

 

Go on BB with your bad self a 23yrs old girlfriend and your 72 got to be IMPRESSED! if it's true

 

Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson dead at 24 after Maryland car crash



Khyree Jackson, the Minnesota Vikings' 2024 fourth round draft pick and former Oregon standout, is dead after an early morning car crash that killed two others, police said. He was just 24.

Jackson, who was drafted by the Vikings with the No. 108 overall pick in April, died in a car accident Saturday morning, along with two others, according to the Maryland State Police.

The Vikings released a statement on Saturday confirming the news of Jackson’s death.

"I am absolutely crushed by this news," head coach Kevin O'Connell said.

"Khyree brought a contagious energy to our facility and our team. His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his teammates to him. In our short time together, it was evident Khyree was going to develop into a tremendous professional football player, but what was more impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him. I am at a loss for words. My heart goes out to Khyree's family, friends, teammates and coaches."

Police in Prince George's County responded to reports of a crash involving three vehicles at around 3:14 a.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, state troopers found a maroon Dodge Charger, a silver Infiniti Q50 and a silver Chevrolet Impala that all had been involved in the crash.

Jackson, a passenger in the Charger, and 23-year-old Isaiah Hazel, who had been driving the car, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Police said that 23-year-old Anthony Lytton Jr., who had been sitting in the rear of the car, was transported to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The three reportedly had been teammates at Dr. Henry Wise Jr. High School in Maryland.

Police say the early investigation indicated that the driver of the Infiniti, identified by law enforcement as Cori Clingman, chad rashed into the Charger while attempting to change lanes. Police said she had been "driving at a high rate of speed" when she struck the vehicle, and later the Chevrolet.

Clingman had two other passengers in the car at the time of the crash, but none was injured as a result. The driver of the third vehicle was also uninjured.

Police said they "believe alcohol may have been a contributing circumstance in the crash." Charges are pending as the investigation continues.

Jackson took a break from football after high school, but he returned to the sport when he attended community college, where he made the switch from wide receiver to cornerback. He played two seasons under Nick Saban at Alabama before finishing his collegiate career at Oregon, where he was an all-Pac-12 first-team selection.

According to ESPN, Hazel played at Maryland and Charlotte, and Lytton played at Florida State and Penn State.

FOX