NFL
Draft Day
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
On April 24th, the NFL world flocked to Lambeau Field where over 100,000 fans from across the 32 NFL teams showed out to see who the newest additions to NFL rosters would be as the home of the Packers hosted the 2025 NFL Draft.
The first couple of picks were as expected in the sense of which players were going with which pick, but there was a little shakeup with who would be taking those players.
The night began with Miami QB Cam Ward going first overall to the Tennessee Titans.
Ward has an incredible story of climbing from FCS Incarnate Word to Washington State before finishing his college career for the Hurricanes in Coral Gables.
Ward took the ACC by storm leading all of FBS with 39 touchdowns, and I think could see even more success in the NFL in a pro system.
Not many were shocked to see Travis Hunter go off the board with the second pick, but there was a “Draft Day”-like trade made as the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to pick up the second overall selection from the Cleveland Browns.
The Jags and first year Head Coach Liam Coen get what many have called “the Unicorn” of football as Hunter is expected to continue to play both offense as a wide receiver and contribute as a defensive back on the flip side as well like he has for Coach Prime at Colorado and Jackson State.
This can be a franchise changing and possibly league changing selection if it goes how DUVAL expects. Like the way the Shohei Ohtani has changed the Dodgers and the game of baseball as a two-way player, Hunter can be that for the Jags and the NFL.
The trenches took the show for much of the first round as eight of the next eleven selections (3-13) were a combination of four offensive linemen and four defensive linemen.
The hometown Atlanta Falcons would stay in the state of Georgia and select a Georgia Bulldog from Athens as LB/DE Jalon Walker would become the newest “Dirty Bird.”
Rece Davis shocked many by bringing up the fact that the Falcons had never picked a UGA player in the first round in the modern history of the draft, but this selection finally addresses a need that the Falcons have had for a number of years in pass rush.
I think you may see Walker more as a defensive end in the Atlanta version of the red and black, but the versatility of Walker makes him an extremely appealing selection for the Falcons.
Walker was the second Kirby Smart disciple off the board as four picks earlier, the San Francisco 49ers would select Georgia Edge rusher Mykel Williams.
The 49ers have a huge history of developing pass rushers, and Williams becomes a fantastic option to play opposite of Nick Bosa for San Fran.
The Falcons made a late trade for the 26th overall pick from the LA Rams in order to add another SEC pass-rusher with the selection of Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr.
I was concerned when I saw the Falcons give up a 1st rounder for next year’s draft as part of the trade, but love where Atlanta goes with this pick.
In the span of about an hour, Atlanta completely changed the outlook of the defensive side of the ball in the Benz.
As Ohio State O-Lineman Josh Simmons was selected by the Chiefs to wrap up the first round, the final tallies have come in.
The trenches continued to run the show as 8 O-Line and 10 D-Line were taken in the first 32 picks.
There were also only 2 QBs (Cam Ward 1st overall and Jaxson Dart 25th overall) and 4 DBs off the board.
Non-surprisingly the SEC led the way with 15 picks hailing from the SouthEastern Conference and the Big Ten setting a conference record with 11 1st round selections.
We mentioned earlier that there was a lot of “chalk” in the first round, but a couple of surprises of names that have to wait for day two would be Will Johnson (Michigan CB) who has been dealing with questions about injuries over the years and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado QB) who, along with his dad, have been vocal about being “picky” of what team to select.
With The 1st Pick
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
“With the First Pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Cameron Ward, Quarterback, Miami…”
That’s not only the phrase that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell uttered making Cam Ward the first overall selection in the Draft on Thursday night, but it’s also a phrase that many people would have laughed at even a year ago. Cam Ward’s path is one that isn’t replicable but it’s one that is special and untraveled.
Ward’s story really takes off at Columbia High School, a (in relation to Texas High Schools) smaller school less than 60 miles southwest of Houston. The Columbia High tradition isn’t of star quarterbacks going to the NFL, their tradition is…. the wing-T offense.
In an offense that is well known for quarterbacks that are more magicians than gunslingers, Ward’s offense ran the ball four times as much as throwing.
Cam’s family knew the talent that ward possessed in the arm, and his mom, Patrice (who was a basketball coach at Columbia) went to the coaches to talk about it. Cam finally told his mom to not say anything else and he would “show everyone in time.”
The first glimpse of stardom came at a 2019 football camp at Incarnate Word. UIW’s head coach at the time was Eric Morris who was the one who recruited Patrick Mahomes to Texas Tech when he was the offensive coordinator for the Red Raiders.
Morris saw Ward standing out pass after pass and asked his QB Coach, Mack Leftwich and asked, “Who is this kid?” and the response was “I have no clue.” As the day went on and Ward continued to impress Morris and Leftwich tracked down his name and directly after the camp to look at the tapes and were surprised to see the Wing-T offense.
Through a relatively light recruiting process, Ward would land at Incarnate Word and hit the ground running as a freshman. In year one as a collegiate quarterback, Ward would upset the FCS #19 McNeese State on the road in his first college start and average 47 pass attempts per game including 65 pass attempts in one game.
Two seasons at Incarnate Word would see 71 touchdowns and just shy of 7,000 passing yards, then questions would come.
Ward has said that he would have been content to play his entire career as an FCS quarterback, but after his sophomore season, Eric Morris would get the chance to become the Washington State offensive coordinator.
Because of the trust between Morris and Ward, Cam would follow to the Pacific Northwest. Although Morris would only spend one season with the Cougs before returning to the Lone Star State to North Texas, Ward stayed for two seasons at Washington State then declared for the NFL Draft.
Ward thought that a mid-round selection would determine his path, but his cousin, Quandre Diggs (NFL Pro-Bowl Safety) convinced him to return to college. Ward says that Diggs told him “If you’re not a first-round pick, you’re looked at as a project. Sometimes it works, sometimes you get buried in the organization.” With that in mind, Ward welcomed offers to transfer and finally landed in Coral Cables, Florida with Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes.
It turned out to be a great decision as Ward paced the FBS with 39 touchdowns and finished second in the nation with 4,313 passing yards. That sets Ward up for the night he’s always dreamed of.
In the shadows of Labeau Field, Cam Ward became a Tennessee Titan and looks to get the franchise that has struggled mightily the last few years back on track, and through all the naysayers, against all odds, Cam Ward is the number one pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
On The Clock
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the 2025 NFL Draft just days away, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the entire league guessing. Sitting at the No. 5 overall pick, they’ve become one of the hardest teams to predict, maybe even the hardest.
What once seemed like a sure thing now feels wide open, and nobody really knows what they’re going to do.
For months, the Jags were closely tied to Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham.
That talk didn’t slow down before or after the NFL Combine, or even once free agency hit.
But now? Doubts are creeping in. ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one of the most plugged-in voices in football, recently said on the Unsportsmanlike Podcast that he no longer thinks Jacksonville is going to take Graham at No. 5.
“I don’t believe Mason Graham will go No. 5,” Schefter said. “I feel pretty comfortable in saying that.” Instead, he hinted that the Jags could be looking at offense. Names like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan have started getting thrown around as possible targets.
It’s a bit of a shock, especially considering how consistently Graham’s name had been tied to Jacksonville. But not everyone is sold on Graham’s fit, especially among analytics-driven teams. Ole Miss tackle Walter Nolen is a higher-ranked prospect, but Nolen has some character red flags to clear up.
There’s also talk that Jaguars head coach Liam Coen wants to bring in another offensive weapon to help quarterback Trevor Lawrence. That would make sense. Lawrence has had a lot on his plate, and adding a dynamic playmaker, whether it’s a running back like Jeanty or a wide receiver like McMillan, could help take some of the pressure off him and last year’s rookie sensation, wideout Brian Thomas Jr.
Other options on offense include LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou if they’re looking to beef up the O-line instead. But no matter who it is, it’s clear that offense is on the table in a big way.
Another twist? Jacksonville might not even stay at No. 5. Some pundits see the Jags as a team that could trade down, and that’s something that starts to make a lot of sense once you look at their roster.
Right now, they’ve only got 59 players under contract, the fewest in the NFL. Even if they use all 10 of their picks, they’ll still be relying on a bunch of undrafted free agents just to fill the team out. Trading back and getting more picks could help with that.
James Gladstone, the Jags’ new GM, comes from the Rams, where he helped turn things around with a massive draft haul of 24 picks over two years.
He’s already said he wants to build through the draft, so don’t be surprised if he tries something similar in Jacksonville.
Then there’s the Travis Etienne situation. Schefter named him as one of the players who could be traded during draft week. No one’s saying the Jags are definitely shopping him, but it’s interesting that his name came up at all.
Etienne hasn’t exactly lit it up lately, averaging just 3.8 yards per carry over the last two seasons, and the O-line hasn’t helped much. Still, he’s been a big part of the passing game and could be a fit in Coen’s offense.
But if the Jaguars do take a running back early, it could mean fewer carries for Etienne, and maybe even a fresh start elsewhere for him.
The running back position is important in Coen’s system, so if they’re planning a change, they’ll have a replacement ready.
The Jaguars are a great example of what makes the NFL draft so interesting. They could really go in any direction with their current No. 5 pick by drafting for offense, for defense, by trading down, or maybe even a surprise move I haven’t even thought about yet.
One thing’s for sure though, with a new coach, a new GM, and a franchise QB still looking to fully break out, this pick has to count. And until they’re on the clock, the mystery rolls on.
New Lead Jag
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Jacksonville Jaguars recently hired Los Angeles Rams director of scouting James Gladstone as their next general manager.
Gladstone, 34, becomes the NFL’s youngest GM, and joins the Jaguars after nine seasons with the Rams.
First hired as a senior assistant in 2016, Gladstone became their player personnel coordinator, director of scouting strategy, and director of special projects before becoming director of scouting in 2021.
“It’s my honor to introduce James Gladstone as the new general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars,” Claims Jaguars owner Shad Khan.
Gladstone’s job offer is about one month after the Jag’s fired Trent Baalke after four unsuccessful seasons.
Jacksonville also enters the 2025 season with new head coach Liam Coen, and a new executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli (a franchise great) joining the front office earlier this month.
The Jaguars ended the 2024 season at 4-13 and third in the AFC South. Jacksonville has the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In 2019, the Rams began a quiet overhaul of many of their draft and scouting processes under Les Snead and then-executive Brad Holmes.
When Holmes got the Detroit Lions job in 2021, Gladstone ascended to his top role within the department and was generally thought of as Snead’s right hand in Los Angeles.
Gladstone took on the overhaul, and he led the Rams into advanced processes by collaborating with Snead, Sean McVay, and other analysts to blend McVay’s on-field vision with the identification of middle- and late-round draft picks. At that time the Rams were dependent on these mid-to-late bloomers because they did not have first-round picks.
Gladstone ran the Rams’ scouting and draft meetings year-round but also put a scout’s eye on prospects himself and evaluated each class alongside the remote senior scouts.
Gladstone, Jake Temme and Nicole Blake evolved the Rams’ internal scouting system, called JAARS, into a blend of analytics modeling, scouting intel, reporting, filings, medical and psychological profiles (for current and prospective players), and coaching analysis and intel to connect every piece of the Rams’ building together.
After the picks-for-players model and subsequent Super Bowl-winning season in 2021, the Rams imploded from an organization standpoint in 2022. They opted to take on a record amount of dead money while shedding veteran players and high dollar contracts.
With Gladstone as scouting director, they drafted 14 rookies and brought in 26 undrafted free agents, and five of them became starters (including star receiver Puka Nacua, and Defensive Rookie of the Year finalists Kobie Turner and Byron Young).
In 2024, the first season since 2016 that the Rams had a first-round pick, the 10-member class also featured five starters including Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse and finalist Braden Fiske.
The Jags start the season with a new coach, a new GM, and a new vice president of football operations.
Let’s hope this overhaul in the front office will create wins on the field.
The Combine
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s that time of year again. NFL Combine week is here!
As a long-suffering fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the end of February is when hope springs eternal. The annual scouting showcase kicks off in Indianapolis, bringing together top college prospects, NFL coaches, scouts, and media for a jam-packed week of workouts, interviews, and nonstop rumors.
While most fans tune in for the 40-yard dashes and bench press reps, this event is just as much about front-office chatter, draft strategy, and free agency buzz.
The combine runs from February 24 to March 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium, with on-field workouts starting Wednesday. Players will be split into different position groups throughout the week:
Wednesday, Feb. 26 – Kickers & Punters (Workouts) | Punters, Kickers, DL, LB (Media)
Thursday, Feb. 27 – Defensive Linemen & Linebackers (Workouts) | DBs & TEs (Media)
Friday, Feb. 28 – Defensive Backs & Tight Ends (Workouts) | RBs, WRs, QBs (Media)
Saturday, March 1 – Running Backs, Wide Receivers & Quarterbacks (Workouts) | O-Line (Media)
Sunday, March 2 – Offensive Linemen (Workouts) | No Media Availability
For Jaguars fans, this is a big week. Head coach Liam Coen and new GM James Gladstone, who spent the last nine years as the scouting director with the Los Angeles Rams, spoke to the media on Tuesday, giving us insight into their offseason plans and how they envision the new-look Jags to come together.
Executive VP Tony Boselli is due to speak to the media on Wednesday. This will be one of the first real updates from the new leadership since Coen’s introductory press conference.
While the combine is all about scouting draft prospects, there’s always free agency talk going on behind the scenes.
The official free agency period starts March 12 at 4 p.m., but teams can begin negotiating March 10.
The franchise tag deadline is March 4, so this week will be a key time for teams to decide whether to lock up their biggest free agents before they hit the market.
For Jacksonville, offensive line, defensive line, and secondary are top priorities. Running back isn’t a huge need since Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby are under contract, but with Etienne set to hit free agency in 2026 and a deep RB class in this draft, the Jags could still grab one for the future.
Jacksonville holds nine picks in the 2025 draft, including the No. 5 overall selection. They’re expected to focus on the trenches, especially the defensive line. Here are a few big name D-line prospects to keep an eye on:
Mason Graham (DT, Michigan) – He’s been one of the most popular mock draft picks for the Jags. If he puts up big numbers at the combine, he could solidify himself as the best defensive tackle in the draft.
Kenneth Grant (DT, Michigan) – Another Michigan beast on the D-line. He’s huge and athletic, and if he tests as well as expected, his draft stock could explode.
Cam Jackson (DT, Florida) – The Jags love drafting Gators, and Jackson could be the next in line. He ended his college career strong and could boost his stock with a solid performance this week.
Once the combine wraps up, all eyes turn to free agency (March 12) and the NFL Draft (April 24-26).
This week will give us a better idea of what the Jaguars might do, whether it’s locking in their draft strategy or making moves in free agency.
Get ready for a week of rumors, scouting reports, and plenty of buzz around the future of the franchise. Can this long-suffering Jags fan dare to dream?!
Southern Needs
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2025 NFL Draft starts April 24, 2025. I looked at the AFC South and examined the potential first round picks. Now let’s take a look at the NFC South.
Carolina (5-12): The Panthers hold the 8th pick in the draft. They drafted quarterback Bryce Young with the top pick in the 2023 draft.
They had the ninth overall pick but they traded D.J. Moore and several other draft picks to Chicago to move up. One of the picks they traded was the 2024 first round pick, which turned out to be the first pick overall.
C.J. Stroud was drafted second in that draft and he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl in 2023.
Thus far Young has looked like a bust. He played poorly and got benched last season. He got back in the starting lineup Week 8 and he played much better. The biggest team needs are edge, defensive tackle, wide receiver and center.
I can see the Panthers drafting WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) or edge James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee). I think the biggest focus should be on defense but they have a chance to add a weapon to help Young.
McMillan had 84 receptions, 1,319 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. He was a Consensus All-American and First-team All-Big 12.
Pearce had 23 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery in 2024. He’s a two-time First-team All-SEC selection (2023, 2024).
New Orleans (5-12): The Saints hold the 9th pick. They recently hired Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as head coach. They started the season with two wins before going on a seven-game losing streak.
The biggest needs are edge, WR, TE, CB and DT. They also need to strengthen the offensive line.
If Carolina does not draft James Pearce Jr. the Saints will. If he is not available I can see them drafting OT Armand Membou (Mizzou). He’s had 30 starts in three seasons and played in 36 games total. He was Second-team All-SEC in 2024.
Atlanta (8-9): The Falcons have the 15th pick. The team hired head coach Raheem Morris and signed QB Kirk Cousins. They expected to be a playoff team in 2024 and that did not happen.
Cousins was benched toward the end of the season for rookie Michael Penix.
The positions of need are edge, S, CB, C and WR. It seems like every year we talk about the Falcons not being able to rush the passer.
I think they will take edge Mike Green (Marshall) or edge/LB Jalon Walker (Georgia). Green had 38 solo tackles, 23 TFL, 17 sacks, 3 FF and 1 FR last year.
Tampa Bay (10-7): The Buccaneers have the 19 pick. They had a pretty good season, losing to Washington 23-20 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
The biggest needs are WR, OG, LB, CB and OT. Receiver Chris Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury in October and he might depart in free agency. 2025 is the final year of Mike Evans’ contract.
I think they will draft CB Jahdae Barron (Texas). He won the Jim Thorpe Award (2024), Consensus All-American (2024) and First-team All-SEC (2024). Last season he had 46 solo tackles, 5 interceptions, 11 passes defended, 3 TFL and 1 sack.
Big-Easy Hire
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The coaching carousel following the 2024 NFL season has finally quit spinning. The last head coaching vacancy was officially filled as my hometown New Orleans Saints get their man.
Kellen Moore, fresh off a Super Bowl win as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator, is stepping into a new role as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. \
The team announced the big move Tuesday, just two days after Moore helped the Eagles take down the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX. Quarterback Jalen Hurts walked away with the game’s MVP honors, and it didn’t take long for Moore to be at the center of coaching headlines.
Saints’ owner Gayle Benson said hiring Moore was all about finding the right person to bring back the winning culture the franchise and its fans expect. “It became clear that Kellen is the guy to do that,” she said. Benson also gave props to Darren Rizzi for stepping up as interim coach after Dennis Allen was fired midseason.
Moore, 36, decided to chase the head coaching opportunity after just one season in Philadelphia, where the offense was a force to be reckoned with. The Eagles averaged 27.2 points per game during the regular season and cranked that up to 36.3 in the playoffs, tops in the league. Even Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni tried to convince Moore to stay, joking after the Super Bowl win, “Let’s run this back, Kellen.”
But Moore was ready for a fresh challenge, and he’s got one in New Orleans. One of his biggest tasks will be fixing the Saints’ defense, which gave up 379.9 yards per game last season—one of the worst marks in the league.
Word is Moore might bring in former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who was recently an assistant with the 49ers, as his defensive coordinator. The two worked together when Moore was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2023.
The Saints were the last NFL team to lock down a new head coach, as league rules kept them from finalizing Moore’s hire until after the Super Bowl.
They were patient, though, even flying to Philly for an interview with Moore after the NFC Championship Game.
Other candidates included New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and Rizzi, who had filled in as interim coach.
Moore marks a shift from the Saints’ recent approach. He’s the first head coach hired from outside the organization since Sean Payton left after the 2021 season.
Unlike his predecessor Dennis Allen, who was a defensive-minded coach with more experience, Moore brings a younger, offensive-focused vibe that’s a bit reminiscent of when Payton first joined the team.
Moore’s path to coaching started after he retired as a player in 2017.
A standout quarterback at Boise State, he played in the NFL with the Lions and Cowboys before making the jump to coaching.
He was the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach in 2017 and later their offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. After a year with the Chargers, he moved on to the Eagles this past season.
Known for his offensive creativity, Moore’s play-calling has kept his teams competitive since 2019.
His offenses rank fifth in the NFL in points per game (26.4) and yards per game (376.5), with quarterbacks posting a 62.1 Total QBR, also fifth in the league during that span.
Saints fans are hoping Moore can bring that same firepower to New Orleans and get the team back on track. With his offensive know-how and a fresh perspective, there’s plenty of reason for excitement as he takes the reins.
Southern Draft
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2025 NFL Draft starts April 24, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. We are going to take a look around the AFC South and see what position each team should address in the first round.
Tennessee (3-14): The Titans are tied with Cleveland and the New York Giants for the worst record in the NFL. That earned them the first pick in the 2025 draft.
Quarterback Will Levis was drafted in the 2nd round, No. 33 by the team in 2023. He started the season opener and for a total of twelve games.
He passed for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and he completed 63% of his passes. He showed that he takes risks and throws bad interceptions. I think Tennessee has to look at their QB of the future.
The most likely candidate to pick is Cam Ward (Miami). This year’s quarterback class is considered weak but Ward is the best in this class.
He transferred from Washington State and played great at Miami. He threw for 4,313 yards, 39 TD’s, 7 interceptions and completed 67% of his passes.
He also rushed for 204 yards and 4 scores. Ward won the Davey O’Brien Award (2024), Manning Award (2024), ACC Player of the Year (2024) and Consensus All-American (2024).
Jacksonville (4-13): The Jags need help on the defensive line or in the secondary. They have the fifth pick so I think they will draft a pass rusher.
The best pick is Abdul Carter (Penn State). He was an off-ball linebacker his first two years before he was moved to edge rusher for the 2024 season.
In 2024 he had 43 solo tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. Carter was a Unanimous All-American (2024), Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2024) and two-time first-team All-Big Ten (2023, 2024).
He’s 6’3 and 259 pounds so he has great size and speed. He’s a great athlete that could have an immediate impact like another Penn State pass rusher has recently, Micah Parsons.
Indianapolis (8-9): The Colts were only one game under .500 so they are close to becoming a playoff team. They have the No. 14 pick.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson was drafted 4th in the 2023 draft. In his two seasons he has only played in 15 games. They are really hoping he can stay healthy and make a drastic leap going into his third season.
Indy can go in a couple of different directions with this pick. They could select an offensive lineman or defensive back.
If they pick a lineman it could be inside offensive lineman Armand Membou (Mizzou). He was a tackle at Missouri but he’s 6’3 and 332 pounds so he’s not the ideal size for an NFL tackle. He will probably be moved inside to guard.
If they pick a DB safety Malaki Starks (Georgia) might be the pick. He’s very smart and athletic so he would be a great fit.
Houston (10-7): The Texans were very inconsistent but they still won the division and a playoff game. Second year QB CJ Stroud regressed and the offensive line did a bad job protecting him. They can address the offensive line, defensive line or add a weapon on offense. They are picking No. 25.
I think they might draft guard Grey Zabel (North Dakota State). He’s listed as 6’6, 305 lbs. and he’s a two-time FCS national champion. He was also named first-team FCS All-American (2024).
Useless?
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Before the NFL crowns a champion in Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL world flocks to Orlando for the Pro Bowl (or what has turned into being called the Pro Bowl Games).
Instead of a full exhibition game, the NFL has made the change to a Flag Football game along with a collection of skills competitions and “field day” type events.
While there’s no question that the honor of being named to the Pro Bowl, does the actual event mean anything?
Before we dive into the current rendition of the pro football version of the All-Star Game, let’s look back at how we got here.
There have been many iterations of a “Pro Bowl,” and it began in January of 1939 as the NFL All-Star Game. The NFL All-Star Game saw that year’s league champion (starting with the 1938 New York Giants) against a team of all-stars from the other teams around the league. The first time that the phrase “Pro Bowl” was used came in the 1951 when the best from the American/Eastern Conference taking on the top of the National/Western Conference.
After the merger of the AFL & the NFL in 1970, the celebration of the game’s best turned into the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. The league’s exhibition match-up largely looked the same until 2023 (aside from the league flirting with a nonconference format from 2014-2016).
2023 marked the first rendition of the Pro Bowl Games with flag football and other random events that have changed each of the last three years.
Most fans remember that for three decades (1980-2009) the Pro Bowl game was held in Aloha Stadium in Halawa, Hawaii. The game would be moved to Miami for the 2010 rendition of the game before returning to Hawaii in 2011 until 2014.
There have been a couple of mainstays in the skills competitions over the last three years with Flag Football and dodgeball, but each year brings new competitions with some being more…creative…than others.
I’ve been able to be at this year and last year’s Pro Bowl Games and to be on the field in Orlando around the game’s best.
While many fans and even media have written the game off as a waste of time, this game still truly means something to many of the players bestowed with the honor of being named to the Pro Bowl.
That being said, you do have players each year that “opt out” of the Pro Bowl.
In fact, this year has 16 players named to either the AFC or NFC squad that won’t be in Orlando participating for a litany of reasons which doesn’t include the eleven combined members of the two teams that are competing in the Super Bowl a week later.
Full transparency, I was skeptical of what the point of the event was going into my first experience with the game a year ago, but after talking to players and folks around the game, for the players it’s a wonderful experience.
Obviously it’s a tremendous honor to be named to the rosters, but you have some players that are experiencing it for the first time as a young player and get to be around the best of the best for a few days and pick the brains of those that they likely grew up idolizing.
Others use it as a chance to catch up with friends or former teammates that they may not have seen since the last Pro Bowl.
Whatever the individual rational, there was one overwhelming theme that came up time after time. That it was a fantastic way for their families to get away and decompress after a long and grueling season and be around families that are wrapping up the same grind and strengthen the community between the families.
So, does the event draw the TV numbers or revenue that even this game once did? Not even close, but it absolutely means a great deal to the guys that this game is intended to honor.
New Direction
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Liam Coen was recently formally introduced as the Jacksonville Jaguars newest head.
During the press conference, he addressed the whirlwind of speculation from last week; he was set to return to Tampa Bay as the Buc’s offensive coordinator — with a substantial raise to keep him put.
The next day, Coen attended a clandestine meeting with the Jaguars that ultimately led to him accepting the team’s head coach position.
“The opportunity to coach in Tampa was a phenomenal one to get my feet wet in the NFL as an offensive coordinator and I thank them so much for that opportunity,” Coen said.
“As you continue to do more research and gain more information as you go, it started to become more clear with every hour that this was an opportunity that you just can’t pass up for so many different reasons. Ultimately, you want to do what is best for you and your family. That is what this came down to.I will always love and remember those guys in Tampa — my players, those guys, love them to death — but this is an opportunity to also go do it with new guys and go reach and touch people because that’s what coaching and teaching is and that’s what this opportunity is all about. Head and eyes up and moving forward.”
From when Coen was set to return to Tampa Bay to when he accepted the Jaguars job, one major change occurred in Jacksonville. Jacksonville fired their General Manager. Coen said the Jag’s decision had nothing to do with his decision.
“This was completely about an opportunity to work for an owner and a group of people with a group of players that needed some help,” Coen said. “That is what coaching is. Coaching is all about going to help people and be around people. That (the GM dismissal) was not a factor.”
Owner Shad Khan said Coen stood out from the opening round of interviews and finding a guide for quarterback Trevor Lawrence was paramount.
“This wasn’t a moment of regret for the Jacksonville Jaguars,” Khan said of the coaching search. “This was a moment of progress, optimism and confidence that we will achieve the ultimate goal as long as we have the right man. And that man was Liam Coen. Why? Liam’s outstanding body of work speaks for itself. Quarterback development is the bedrock of modern NFL and Liam has delivered that wherever he’s coached.”
In Jacksonville, Coen inherits a team coming off a 4-13 season and is two seasons removed from winning the AFC South and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. That playoff victory came in Doug Pederson’s first of three seasons as coach before his firing.
Coen has a roster that features QB Trevor Lawrence, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and defensive ends Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. The team also holds the Number 5 pick in this year’s Draft.
“This is not a four-win team,” Coen said. “Yes, that is the record (from last year) but this is not a four-win team. How do we go from winning games to not losing them? I think that is something we’ve got to address. That has to be in our veins, in our DNA and in our culture of winning. I’ve learned it from the Los Angeles Rams and a ton of other great organizations of how to go and win football games. That’s something we have to start as a team, as a group and show how we are going to do it.”
Coen confirmed Monday that he will call the plays as head coach.
Khan said that the next priority is to build out Coen’s staff, giving every indication that he is not in a rush to hire a new general manager. He did, however, ensure the team would have one announced by Feb. 28. Assistant general manager Ethan Waugh is serving as the team’s interim general manager.
Coen will have a strong voice in the hiring of the next general manager. His main task on the field is maximizing Lawrence’s skills.
By today’s standards, Lawrence is a below average QB. Coen’s success will depend on if he make Lawrence a high performer, or at least a solid QB.
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