Commanders are retiring Hall of Fame receiver Art Monk's No. 81 this season
Monk is the sixth player in franchise history to get that honor, joining
Darrell Green
, Sammy Baugh, Bobby Mitchell, Sonny Jurgensen and
Sean Taylor
.
The team announced that Monk would have his number retired Nov. 2 when the Commanders host the Seattle Seahawks for a Sunday night game in Week 9.
Monk was part of all three of Washington's Super Bowl teams during the organization's glory days and is arguably one of the greatest players in franchise history. He played 14 of his 16 NFL seasons with Washington before finishing his career with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
From his debut in 1980 through 1993, Monk caught 888 passes for 12,026 yards and 65 touchdowns during the regular season and 69 passes for 1,062 yards and seven TDs in the playoffs. An All-Pro pick in 1982 and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
___
AP NFL:
https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Lions raining camp medical preview: Defensive tackles
The Lions rookies report to training camp today with the veterans to follow later. So let's start the training camp medical preview with the defensive tackle position. This position may have the most medical question marks on the entire team - which may be a big reason for the selection of Tyleik Williams in the 1st round of the draft. In 2024, the Lions only kept four DT's on the initial 53-man roster (Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo), so there may not be many spots up for grabs. Here is the list of DT's starting with the players with the biggest medical question marks entering the season. Ages are at the start of the season. #1: Alim McNeill - 25yo While there isn't much long-term concern with the ACL, there are definitely short-term ramifications. Due to the late-season timing of the injury, McNeill likely won't be ready until mid-November. Even when he returns, it will take him time to get back to his previous level of performance. He may not get back to where he was until the 2026 season. Projection: McNeill will start camp on PUP (physically unable to perform list) and stay on it for a few weeks into the season. With an estimated 11-month return-to-play, he triumphantly returns on November 16 (Week 11) in an important clash vs the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. His snaps and production are limited at first, but by the end of the regular season, he is showing increasing flashes of his old self. #2: Mekhi Wingo - 22yo Last year as a rookie, Wingo's season ended with a reported meniscus tear - but there are no specifics beyond that. His duration of absence suggests that he had a meniscus repair as opposed to a simple trim. A repair might have a better long-term outcome but carries a longer absence in the short-term. He was still limited at OTA last month which raises some concern. His status for the start of training camp is a mystery. Projection: His meniscus injury should be ready by the start of camp, but a stint on PUP is possible. If the Lions decide to play the roster management game, they could choose to extend his PUP stay into the season. If he comes off PUP during camp, he almost certainly makes the 53-man roster based on his age and promising play last season. #3: Brodric Martin - 26yo Martin had a disappointing 2nd-season playing just 25 defensive snaps all year. The hope is that the lost season was simply due to the preseason knee injury that is now healed up. However, he was still limited at OTA in June which could be a harbinger of what's to come on cutdown day. Projection: If he's a full participant at the start of camp, there is hope he can rebound from last season. He'll have an extra preseason game (4 total) this year to prove himself worthy of his 3rd-round status. #4: DJ Reader - 31yo Coming off a ruptured quad tendon, Reader rebounded impressively last season by playing in 16 games. This offseason, he stated he was healthy and did not have any surgeries. His main concern going forward is durability due to the history of bilateral quad tendon tears and his age of 31. His limited participation in OTA was likely for precautionary reasons. Projection: Reader will pick up where he left off last year as a solid starter in the middle of the line. His snap count will need to be managed throughout the season to keep him healthy. #5: Levi Onwuzurike - 27yo This former 2nd-rounder's unprecedented recovery from this kind of back surgery has been remarkable. But the fusion carries durability concerns the rest of his career. Those concerns may have been why he was only able to secure a modest, 1-year contract ($4 million plus incentives) this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. While he was very reliable last season playing in 17 of 18 games, his reliability going forward remains something to watch. He had a limited participation in OTA likely to minimize his workload. Projection: Onwuzurike will be ready for the start of the season and be a key rotational DT. His workload both in practice and games may need to be managed given his back history. #6: Tyleik Williams - 22yo This rookie 1st-rounder will be counted on to make an immediate impact with McNeill out. His offseason was hampered due to a presumed mild hamstring strain suffered during his pro day in March. While he was still limited at OTA in June, he'll likely be ready for the start of training camp. Projection: Williams should be fully ready for the start of the season and play a significant percentage of snaps. #7: Myles Adams - 27yo Adams was surprisingly a limited participant in OTA despite being medically clean throughout his career. He played 82 defensive snaps last season without an issue. His status for the start of camp is worth watching. Projection: The practice-squad seems the likely role for Adams. #8: Pat O'Connor - 31yo O'Connor performed well last season as a backup. He was logging a significant percentage of snaps (~50%) towards the end of the year as defensive line injuries mounted. A calf injury ended his season in the final regular season game, but that's not a concern anymore as he was a full participant at OTA. Projection: Given his solid performance last year, he has an excellent chance to earn a job as a key backup this season. Whether O'Connor makes the 53-man roster may depend on the play of the younger players during preseason. #9: Roy Lopez - 28yo After four reliable years in the NFL, Lopez might have the cleanest bill of health of the entire defense, which bodes well for his durability going forward. The Lions seem to agree, as they gave him a 1-year, $3.5 million (plus incentives) contract that was mostly guaranteed. Projection: He'll make the 53 man roster and play a lot throughout the season. #10: Chris Smith - 25yo Smith played 47 defensive snaps last year which was his first regular season action in the NFL. He should be fully healthy going into the season. Projection: As one of the younger members of this group, Smith will be in the mix to earn a practice-squad, backup role with the team. Expect to see him a lot in preseason games. #11: Raequan Williams - 28yo Williams hasn't played in the NFL since 2021 which suggests he's a long-shot to make the team. He was on IR all last season with the Panthers for undisclosed reasons. Projection: It would be a surprise to see him make the 53-man roster.
New York Post
26 minutes ago
- New York Post
Ex-NFL star Everson Griffen's ‘unruly behavior' forced flight to turn around
A former NFL star had to be removed from a Delta Airlines flight after he allegedly caused a disturbance mid-trip on Wednesday. Ex-Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was headed to Minneapolis from Chicago when the alleged incident took place and forced the plane to return to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, TMZ reported. The specifics of the incident are unknown, and it wasn't immediately clear if Griffen was facing any legal ramifications. Advertisement A Delta spokesperson confirmed to The Post that a flight from O'Hare to Minneapolis/St. Paul returned to Chicago 'to have an unruly passenger removed.' 3 Minnesota Vikings' Everson Griffen (97) celebrates after a sack against the Carolina Panthers in the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. AP 'Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior and will always work with law enforcement to that end,' the spokesperson said. 'We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel as safety and security comes before everything else at Delta.' Flight logs showed Delta flight 1902 departed O'Hare at 10:56 a.m. CDT and touched back down in Chicago a little more than an hour later at 12:09 p.m. Advertisement The Chicago Department of Aviation, which oversees O'Hare, directed The Post back to Delta when asked for comment. Griffen, 37, posted to social media earlier in the day, expressing excitement about his trip in an Instagram Story video of him arriving at the airport, captioning it 'We out Chiccago.' The former NFL defensive end played over a decade in the league, spending 11 seasons with the Vikings and splitting the 2020 campaign between time with the Cowboys and Lions. Advertisement 3 Everson Griffen of the Minnesota Vikings reacts prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Getty Images Over the course of his 170-game career, he started 96 contests, recorded 88.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl four times. Griffen was placed on the non-football injury/illness list in November 2021 related to mental health issues, several days after the Vikings played the Packers. It came after a standoff with police at his home that started after he had called 911 and told the dispatcher that someone had been inside the house and he needed help. Advertisement 3 Everson Griffen celebrates after the Cowboys' win in a 2020 NFL football game against the New York Giants in Arlington, Texas. AP He also posted, and later deleted, a video on Instagram of himself holding a gun and saying people were trying to kill him. Griffen later said he was 'bipolar' in a post on Instagram. In May 2024, Griffen was arrested for DWI and possession of cocaine, and as part of a plea deal, he had his driver's license revoked. He was also ordered to commit no alcohol-related or careless driving offenses.
New York Post
26 minutes ago
- New York Post
Why Nathan Eovaldi is still getting $100K Rangers bonus — even after All-Star Game snub
Play like an almost All-Star, get paid like an All-Star. Despite not making the Midsummer Classic this year, Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was paid a $100,000 All-Star bonus in his contract, ESPN first reported Wednesday. That money was well deserved, at least based on his stats. Advertisement Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi got a $100K All-Star bonus. AP Eovaldi has been one of the best arms in baseball this season, as the two-time All-Star has a 7-3 record with a 1.58 ERA and 94 strikeouts over 91 innings. Opposing hitters have struggled overall with a .194 average and .237 on-base percentage against the veteran righty. Advertisement The only thing that kept him down was that he missed an entire month because of a tricep injury, which has kept him out of qualifying for statistical categories. 'I was very surprised when [president of baseball operations Chris Young] called and told me that they would be paying me my All-Star bonus,' Eovaldi told The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday. 'I was very thankful and appreciative. Representing the Rangers at the All-Star Game is always a goal of mine that I set out to achieve at the beginning of the season. So I'm thankful that they felt like I should have been on the All-Star team.' Eovaldi, 35, is halfway through his 15th major league season as he continues his impressive career. Nathan Eovaldi reacts after a strikeout. Getty Images Advertisement The 2008 11th-round pick of the Dodgers joined the Rangers three seasons ago and has been a standout since, helping the team to its first-ever World Series title in 2023. He was a key contributor during the playoff run, going 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA. Now, though, the Rangers are 48-49 and are 3 1/2 games out of an American League wild-card spot. Eovaldi is set to begin his second half of the season against the Tigers on Sunday when he's slated to go up against AL All-Star starting pitcher Tarik Skubal.
