logo
Drake Maye's seven-word reaction to UDFA receiver's rise in practice

Drake Maye's seven-word reaction to UDFA receiver's rise in practice

USA Today12 hours ago

Drake Maye's seven-word reaction to UDFA receiver's rise in practice
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had high praise for undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Efton Chism III.
The former Eastern Washington standout has generated a lot of buzz in the spring practices by catching nearly everything thrown in his direction. It should come as no surprise considering he had 120 receptions for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final college season.
The 120 catches broke former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp's record.
There was one OTAs practice period in particular where Chism caught 7-of-7 passes thrown in his direction. His ability to consistently get open and make plays is making an early impression on the Patriots, including the second-year quarterback.
'Chis had like 50 catches in OTAs,' said Maye.
Chism is quickly showing that he belongs at the NFL level despite being a clear underdog as an undrafted rookie. He is making a case for a spot on the 53-man roster before training camp even begins.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Aaron Rodgers Omits Manifestation, Hits Right Notes in Steelers Debut
Aaron Rodgers Omits Manifestation, Hits Right Notes in Steelers Debut

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Aaron Rodgers Omits Manifestation, Hits Right Notes in Steelers Debut

Aaron Rodgers Omits Manifestation, Hits Right Notes in Steelers Debut originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Two years ago during an interview that ran on ESPN just minutes before his debut with the New York Jets, Aaron Rodgers pontificated about his power of positive thinking. Advertisement "I believe in the power of manifestation, turning the desires of your heart into reality," he told interview and tennis legend John McEnroe. "First you've got to believe it. First we've got to believe we can go and make the run, and then once we start believing, and start playing the right way, then you see everyone else start believing. You won't be saying (bleep) like, 'What if it doesn't go right?' And then when everyone else in the city is believing, there's a never-ending, unstoppable wave of positivity and energy." Just four snaps into that game, Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles that ended his season and threw a wet blanket on his manifest destiny. Fast-forward to Tuesday at Pittsburgh Steelers' minicamp. There was Rodgers, digging deep again. Say what you want about the four-time MVP and future Hall of Famer, but there's no denying the dude takes himself very seriously. After making the Steelers twist in the wind for three months this offseason before signing a one-year contract last week to be their starter, the 41-year-old Rogers enlightened us all to a decision-making process in which football won out over retirement. Advertisement "I don't need it for my ego," he said. "I don't need it to keep playing. A lot of decisions that I've made over my career and life from strictly the ego, even if they turn out well, are always unfulfilling. But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling. This was a decision that was best for my soul." Other than getting a little sappy about his soul - at least he didn't invoke his manifestation, yet - Rodgers said all the right things about joining the Steelers. About his teammates. About his opportunity. About head coach Mike Tomlin. "There were conversations with other organizations, for sure," he said. "But again, the rapport that fell in between me and Mike made it to where, as I was going through my personal stuff, there wasn't any other option for me. It was here or not play. It starts with Mike Tomlin. I've been a fan of his for a long time. There's a few iconic franchises in the NFL. I played for one of 'em for 18 years. This is another one of those. There's something special about obviously this area. So many great quarterbacks are from Pittsburgh. I feel like Pittsburgh has been a part of my career from the beginning." Related: Aaron Rodgers Makes Life-Changing Announcement on 'Mystery Woman' Marriage Related: Steelers Rival Waiting To Put Rodgers in 'Graveyard' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

Aaron Rodgers Contract Features Major Super Bowl Bonus with Steelers
Aaron Rodgers Contract Features Major Super Bowl Bonus with Steelers

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Aaron Rodgers Contract Features Major Super Bowl Bonus with Steelers

Aaron Rodgers Contract Features Major Super Bowl Bonus with Steelers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Nothing against Aaron Rodgers, but no quarterback is a "bargain'' if he doesn't win. Having said that ... Advertisement The Pittsburgh Steelers have a "loaded-up'' plan to make the NFL playoffs. And they have signed Aaron Rodgers as the centerpiece of that drive. And true to his word, he's agreed to a one-year deal on the cheap, as he will only be making $13.65 million in base salary this year, which includes just $10 million in fully guaranteed money. But he can make more. A lot more. And all that has to happen is for the Steelers to accomplish a lot more. ... meaning, win the Super Bowl. Yes, that incentive is in Rodgers' contract, but interestingly, even if he does that - even if he does everything, including capture a fifth NFL MVP trophy - the total value of the contract jumps to just $19.5 million. Advertisement And that would be a bargain. There are six incentives baked into the deal that will pay Rodgers an extra total of $5.85 million if he hits them all. Here's the full breakdown of the details on the Rodgers incentives in addition to his base salary ... He gets $500,000 if the Steelers make the playoffs. He gets $600,000 more if the Steelers advance to the divisional round (This could be a wild-card win in which he plays at least 50 percent of the offensive snaps or a first-round bye). He gets $750,000 more if the Steelers earn a divisional round win as long as he plays at least 50 percent of the offensive snaps in that game. Advertisement He gets $1 million if the Steelers win the AFC Championship as long as he plays 50 percent of the offensive snaps in that game . He gets $1.5 million if Rodgers helps the Steelers to a Super Bowl win as long as he plays at least 50 percent of the snaps in that game. He gets $1.5 million if on top of it all, his 2025 brilliance is such that he the MVP award How realistic is it for Rodgers, at age 41, to play well enough to earn the full $5.85 million? How realistic is it for coach Mike Tomlin - who has never had a losing record but it starving for a playoff win or two - to oversee a Steelers championship team? Advertisement Rodgers does have a history of winning in the postseason; he is 5-1 in his past six opening round playoff games. But that seems like a long time ago after watching his mediocre work last year with the Jets. What the Steelers have done here overall, though - finally - is a safe and smart bet on Rodgers ... and one that remains highly affordable even if they win it all. Related: The Rodgers Era Begins: First Look At The Steelers New No. 8 Related: Aaron Rodgers Sends Perfectly Clear Mentorship Message This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.

Super Bowl Champion Optimistic About an NY Giants Breakthrough
Super Bowl Champion Optimistic About an NY Giants Breakthrough

Newsweek

time2 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Super Bowl Champion Optimistic About an NY Giants Breakthrough

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. This week, the New York Giants hosted one of their most notable wide receivers of this era of football. New Jersey native Victor Cruz was back around the team and got an early sense of what his former squad could look like during the 2025 NFL season. Although Cruz admitted to the New York Post that he "started to get the bug back" being on the field, the 38-year-old former pass-catcher had to put his analyst lens on instead of his cleats. Based on what he saw, Cruz is optimistic about the 2025 NY Giants. Although it's early, the one-time Super Bowl Champion got a positive sense of what the roster could do when they get to the regular season. "I think we have a good team," Cruz said, via The Post. "I think for the first time, [head coach Brian Daboll] has a team in a draft that you could feel he wrapped his arms around. These are his guys and we'll see how he develops them and, and get them ready to play." Since joining the Giants in 2022, Daboll has just one winning season. During his first season in charge, the Giants went 9-7. They faced the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the playoffs, pulling off an upset and winning 31-24 on the road. Victor Cruz #80 of the New York Giants in action against Nolan Carroll #22 of the Philadelphia Eagles during their game at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Victor Cruz #80 of the New York Giants in action against Nolan Carroll #22 of the Philadelphia Eagles during their game at Lincoln Financial Field on December 22, 2016 in Philadelphia, the Giants stepped foot in rival territory to take on the Philadelphia Eagles, that's where the run ended. The Eagles defeated the Giants 38-7. In the following season, the Giants finished the year with a 6-11 record. Although they third in the NFC East for the second year in a row, the losing record prevented them from going to the playoffs that time around. Last year was Daboll's worst year yet. With a 3-14 record, the Giants finished last in the NFC East and missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. New York made some big moves in the offseason, notably adding multiple veteran quarterbacks after cutting ties with Daniel Jones midway through last season. Russell Wilson will take over, while Jameis Winston will come in and play backup. The rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart will be waiting in the wings, learning from both veterans, which is a scenario that Cruz believes is a major benefit for the former Ole Miss quarterback. During Cruz's seven-year tenure in New York, he was fortunate to be in a situation where the Giants knew they had stability under center. While Russell Wilson might not be the franchise's long-term passer, they expect him to maintain the starting role throughout the year as they hope to re-enter playoff contention.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store