Thomas Morstead has found a new team for 2025, but it's one of the Saints' oldest rivals
Thomas Morstead has found a new team for 2025, but it's one of the Saints' oldest rivals
Let's start with the good news. On Wednesday, fan-favorite former New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead announced that he's found a new home for 2025 after being released by the New York Jets. The sole remaining active player from the Super Bowl XLIV-winning team has spent time with the Jets, Miami Dolphins, and (briefly) the Atlanta Falcons after being released by the Saints a few years ago.
Now the bad news. Morstead says his 17-year NFL career will continue with the San Francisco 49ers, whose only other punter under contract is veteran specialist Mitch Wishnowsky. The 49ers are one of the Saints' oldest rivals, dating back to their days in the old NFC West. The 49ers have beaten the Saints in 49 of their 78 regular season meetings, also handing them an infamous last-minute loss in the 2011 playoffs. Just one other team, the Falcons, has beaten New Orleans more often with a record of 56-56 (including the playoffs). It's a generations-old grudge match every time these two teams share the field.
And Morstead could visit the Saints in Week 2 if he wins the 49ers' punting job. New Orleans will play hosts at the Caesars Superdome on Sept. 14 after opening their season with the Arizona Cardinals, also played at home. For their part the 49ers will be coming off a Week 1 road game with the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, so the Saints may have rest on their side. They'll need it. If he does win this battle, let's hope to see a lot of Morstead on that September Sunday afternoon.
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NBC Sports
9 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Florida coach Paul Maurice has Panthers back in Cup final, fueled by his mix of laughs and hard work
Wayne Gretzky joins Dan Patrick to discuss the NHL conference finals, Alexander Ovechkin breaking his all-time goal scoring record and if he views himself as the greatest hockey player of all time. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Paul Maurice keeps the day-to-day routine simple. Show up for work early and have copious amounts of coffee. Trust assistant coaches to do their jobs. Sit in on meetings when needed. Hammer home a consistent message with players. Swear a little bit sometimes, swear profusely at other times. Hey, it works. In the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season with the Panthers, Maurice's style — laugh-out-loud funny at times, incredibly smart and serious at others — continues to deliver results for Florida. He was 41-51 in his playoff career before coming to Florida; he's 41-21 in his playoff career with Florida. A coaching lifer, he already was well-respected within the game before the Panthers brought him aboard, but he never had anything close to a run like this until now. 'I'm not being disrespectful to the other teams I've coached,' Maurice said. 'The team here, this is the best team I've ever coached. It's not really that close.' Winners of the Stanley Cup last season, the Panthers will try for back-to-back titles starting Wednesday night when they visit Edmonton for Game 1 of a rematch. Florida beat the Oilers last year in seven games for Maurice's first Cup in a 30-year career. 'Oh, I'll never get tired of hearing that,' Maurice said. It's a hilarious game of tug-of-war that Maurice and the Panthers players are engaged in these days. Players don't want to be showered in praise for making a third consecutive Cup final; the coach insists that it's all about them and that he just pushes a few buttons here and there. The truth is that there's more than enough credit to go around. 'He keeps things light, but he expects us to work our hardest and he's very prepared and — I know I've said this before — he can get you up for a Tuesday night game against Columbus or whatever in the middle of the year and it feels like a playoff game,' forward Matthew Tkachuk said. 'His speeches and his ability to get us to run through a wall each and every game is a big gift.' The speeches aren't filibusters, however. Maurice thinks it's critically important to have the ability to go into the locker room, say exactly what needs to be said and depart without saying anything more or anything less. He's not afraid to tell his players that they're playing poorly. He's not afraid to tell his players that he loves them, either. He's also not afraid to make himself the butt of the joke. Florida was a 122-point, President's Trophy-winning team the season before Maurice arrived. The Panthers managed 92 points in Year 1 of his era. 'Coaching,' he quipped. The 30-point drop was in large part to the adjustment made by a stylistic change, and that change led them to the Cup final, but Maurice never misses a chance to make fun of how he turned a 122-point club into a 92-point club overnight. Panthers defenseman Seth Jones came to Florida around the trade deadline this season. He had a lot of learning to do — new systems, new expectations, new teammates, all of that. He also had to learn how to get coached differently, which he quickly realized wasn't a bad thing. 'It's different than what I've had,' Jones said of Maurice's style. 'I think he knows how to really take the temperature of the group and the situation of the group. And he can have a meeting where he's very intense, calling guys out or calling the team out. But he's also very good at throwing a joke in there, throwing a funny clip in there when we're doing video. He's very smart. I think he understands what the team needs at any given time. I don't think he gets too high or too low based on certain situations.' That, the Panthers have learned, is critical. Consider how the title series went last season. The Panthers won the first three games and were on the brink of the Cup. Then they lost Game 4. And Game 5. And Game 6. The brink of the Cup became the brink of a collapse, real fast. Maurice started talking to his players about freedom and playing with that feeling. Game 7 was flawless. The Panthers won, and at the parade about a week later, Maurice ended his rain-soaked, highly profane remarks by throwing his arms into the air and yelling 'Freedom!' at the top of his lungs to his team. 'He gets the buy-in from the players and he treats all of us the same, which I think is really important as a coach and not to treat guys differently,' Tkachuk said. 'He expects us all to work hard and treat each other with respect and everything, but he treats us all the exact same. He's been a great coach and we're super lucky to have him here.'
Fox Sports
11 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Bill Belichick's UNC contract buyout dramatically reduced. What does it mean?
When Bill Belichick agreed to become North Carolina's next head football coach in December 2024, many were surprised for a variety of reasons. There was one thing in particular that stood out about his five-year, $50 million contract that called into question Belichick's long-term fit with the program. The buyout on his contract would dramatically decrease on June 1, falling from $10 million to $1 million. As that detail became known, many speculated just how invested Belichick, 73, was in remaining in Chapel Hill for the long haul. However, the curiosity surrounding that date in Belichick's contract gained further attention for a different reason over the past month. Belichick's relationship with his girlfriend, 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, has drawn national headlines, leading some to speculate whether UNC would be willing to cut ties with him at some point this offseason. That said, June 1 has arrived, and Belichick is still employed by the Tar Heels, but could that change soon? Here's everything you need to know about Belichick, UNC and the June 1 buyout date. What are the details of the June 1 buyout date? While some have speculated that North Carolina could move on from Belichick due to the decrease in his buyout, it's actually only applicable if Belichick leaves on his own accord. So, if Belichick left to coach in the NFL, resigned or retired from coaching at any time beyond June 1, he would owe the school $1 million. Prior to Sunday, Belichick would've owed UNC $10 million if he left on his own volition. What would UNC owe Belichick if it fired him this offseason? North Carolina would have to pay Belichick substantially more money if it ended the relationship this summer. The first three years of Belichick's contract are fully guaranteed if he's fired without cause before the end of 2027. If he were to get fired this offseason, Belichick would be owed $30 million as he has a yearly salary of $10 million on his contract. How is Belichick and UNC's relationship going as of June 1? Despite the speculative noise surrounding a potential exit, Belichick and UNC have remained committed to each other, even as the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach has created some awkward headlines over the last month. Hudson seemingly became a household name in the college football world when she interjected when Belichick was asked a question about their relationship during his interview with "CBS Sunday Morning" in April. That interview led some to call into question just how involved Hudson is with not just Belichick's life, but also with UNC's football program. Emails obtained by The Assembly in March showed that Belichick asked UNC staff to copy Hudson on every email sent to him. In the aftermath of the "CBS Sunday Morning" interview, Meadowlark Media's Pablo Torre reported in May that Hudson was barred from UNC's football facility. UNC denied that was the case, though. "While Jordon Hudson is not an employee at the University or Carolina Athletics, she is welcome to the Carolina Football facilities," the school said in a statement on May 9. "Jordon will continue to manage all activities related to Coach Belichick's personal brand outside of his responsibilities for Carolina Football and the University." Later in May, Belichick told ESPN that Hudson "doesn't have anything to do with football," but admitted that he talked to the players about the off-field distraction. UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham didn't have any concerns about Belichick when he spoke with ESPN during the ACC spring meetings. "Bill [has] been great to work with," Cunningham said. "He talked about practicing like a pro and he runs a professional organization that is teaching students how to be professional in all aspects of their life. He is a very determined, professional individual, and that's the way he carries himself and the way he conducts the program." Later in May, Cunningham told Axios that UNC had sold out its season tickets for the 2025 season despite a price hike of 25% — something it didn't do in 2024 — and credited Belichick. How has UNC's football program changed under Belichick? Former UNC coach Mack Brown, who Belichick replaced, made headlines in May when he told SiriusXM College Sports Radio's "Dusty and Danny In the Morning," that the school had loosened up its academic requirements and made more investments into the football program ever since Belichick's hiring in December. "As far as North Carolina and Bill Belichick now, he's arguably the best coach ever," Brown said. "They've committed money to it. They've helped him with academics. They've lowered those standards some. So, there's absolutely no reason they shouldn't be successful … and they've changed the roster. I think they've signed maybe 60-something new transfers. "So, you've got a chance to succeed at the highest level, and I expect him to do that, and I'm proud for him." As there were rumors of Belichick asking for an increased name, image and likeness (NIL) budget contingent on his hiring, there was an expectation that it would be upwards of $20 million, CBS Sports reported in December . That seemed to help Belichick in the transfer portal this offseason, helping UNC land the ninth-best class, per 247 Sports. In terms of high school recruiting, Belichick helped UNC land the 36th-best recruiting class in 2025 and the program has the 20th-best recruiting class in 2026 as of Sunday, according to 247 Sports. What are the expectations surrounding Belichick and UNC entering 2025? Considering the success Belichick has had and the improved talent on the roster, it's easy to think that UNC should improve its record from the 6-7 record it posted in 2025. However, its win total is set at 7.5 wins at DraftKings Sports as of Sunday. Additionally, it has the sixth-best odds to win the ACC. Belichick and UNC will open its season against TCU, hosting the Horned Frogs in the final game of Week 1. What other details are there to know in Belichick's contract? Belichick's five-year deal with UNC includes a variety of bonuses and perks. Here's a closer look: An annual $100,000 expense allowance; $100,000 in expenses for relocating to North Carolina Bonuses between $150,000 for winning eight regular-season games to $350,000 for winning 12 regular-season games Bonus of $200,000 for leading UNC to a conference championship game to $300,000 if UNC wins that game; Bonuses for appearing in the final poll for the College Football Playoff, ranging from $250,000 for being in the top 25 to $500,000 for being in the top five CFP appearance bonuses, ranging from $750,000 for making the field to $1.75 million for winning the title Additional bonuses for bowl trips and the team's academic performance And perks such as country-club membership and up to 25 hours per year of private-aircraft usage The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brentford ‘Agree Deal' with Bundesliga Side Over Summer Move
Mark Flekken Nears Bayer Leverkusen Move as Brentford Weigh Up Replacement According to Sky Sports, Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement with Brentford for the transfer of Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken. The 31-year-old, who arrived in West London only last summer, is now expected to join forces with Erik ten Hag in Germany. Advertisement This move marks a swift turn in Brentford's goalkeeping plans, and although Flekken endured a mixed debut season in the Premier League, he remained a key figure for Thomas Frank's side. Flekken Departure Signals Busy Summer Ahead 'Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement with Brentford for the transfer of goalkeeper Mark Flekken,' reported Sky in Germany, a move that underlines Leverkusen's intent to strengthen further following their unbeaten Bundesliga-winning campaign. Photo IMAGO Flekken, previously with Freiburg, had his moments at Brentford, combining solid shot-stopping with assured distribution. Yet, questions over his command of the box and a few high-profile errors led to speculation about his long-term future. With Brentford finishing in the bottom half and conceding 65 goals, it's no surprise the club are looking to retool. Advertisement His departure also reunites him with Erik ten Hag, who is reportedly set to take the reins at Leverkusen following Xabi Alonso's exit. The link between Dutch football's modern guard continues to shape transfers across Europe. Kelleher Topping Brentford's Replacement List With Flekken's exit all but sealed, Brentford have already turned to Liverpool in search of a replacement. Sky Sports News reports that, 'Brentford have approached Liverpool for Caoimhin Kelleher as a potential replacement for Flekken.' Kelleher, valued at £20 million, has long been viewed as the best No.2 in the league. His cool temperament and clean distribution have impressed in limited opportunities behind Alisson Becker. But the 26-year-old now craves first-team football — and Brentford could offer that platform. Advertisement However, the Bees are not alone in their pursuit. 'They face competition from West Ham and Leeds for the 26-year-old,' Sky Sports adds. All three clubs are in need of a reliable keeper, and Liverpool's valuation reflects both his pedigree and potential. Brentford's Strategic Challenge Brentford's recruitment model has long been admired for its data-driven, forward-thinking approach. Replacing Flekken will be less about reputation and more about tactical fit — and if Kelleher is the profile they want, they may need to act decisively in what's becoming a competitive market. They must also weigh the cost. Spending £20 million on a goalkeeper is a significant outlay for a club like Brentford, even if the investment is for a long-term No.1. Photo: IMAGO Leverkusen's Project Gains Momentum Meanwhile, Flekken becomes a part of a growing Leverkusen project that shows no signs of slowing down. With a new manager incoming and Champions League football secured, the German side are positioning themselves as more than a one-season story. Advertisement In Flekken, they gain experience, Bundesliga familiarity, and a goalkeeper who thrives in a passing system, all vital as they look to consolidate their success. Our View – EPL Index Analysis For Brentford fans, Flekken's exit doesn't come as a total shock, but it does leave a gap that must be filled quickly and smartly. Flekken had his critics, but he also had moments of quality. His distribution allowed Brentford to build from the back, and he played a vital role in Thomas Frank's system. That said, inconsistency was always a concern. Losing him to Leverkusen may actually be a chance to upgrade in goal. Advertisement The links to Kelleher are exciting. Here's a goalkeeper who's been learning from the best at Liverpool and who deserves to be a starter. He's agile, composed, and has Champions League experience under his belt. However, £20 million is steep. For a club like Brentford, every investment needs to hit, and Kelleher would need to deliver from day one. What's clear is that the club must act fast. With pre-season looming and a competitive market for keepers, standing still won't be an option. The Flekken sale is smart business, but only if the next move matches the ambition.
