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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Kansas City Chiefs TE Jared Wiley reflects on his injury recovery process
During Monday's training camp press conference, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jared Wiley reflected on his mindset in rehab for his injury last season. "Just happy to be back. Honestly, it's tough to go through, definitely a humbling experience, but you know, to be able to be back out here and play the game that I love. It's been great." said Wiley "I mean, just knowing that, any snap could be your last for that season, or however long you'll be out, you know, just when you're feeling pretty good last year, you almost feel like you kind of made it a little bit, and something like that happens, it kind of dials you back a little bit." The 24-year-old recorded one reception for seven yards last season, spending most of his time on special teams for Kansas City. He would reveal his mindset while unable to play last year after the injury. I mean figuring out really kind of who I was outside of football, to be honest with you, like I said earlier, just having something like that stripped away from you, and then kind of having to find a way to, still stay involved as much as you can." said Wiley, "You really feel like you're missing out, again, to watch these guys play on Sundays and sit at the house just kind of feet kick back. That sucked" Wiley earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2023 for TCU. He had 47 receptions for 520 yards and eight touchdowns. He was expected to have a significant role as a rotational tight end in Kansas City's offense before suffering a torn ACL that prematurely ended his rookie season.
Indianapolis Star
4 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
'It's got a chance to be a special group': How Laiatu Latu, DeForest Buckner can lift 'D'
WESTFIELD -- The Colts starting offense lined up for a snap of 11-on-11 and saw something that made their heads spin. There stood DeForest Buckner and Laiatu Latu, next to each other. And even as the offensive line and the rest of the defensive line crouched into their three-point stances, the two remained standing up ahead of a snap. And then came the chaos. Buckner and Latu made life a chore for the offense in a practice that Shane Steichen designed to feel like a live scrimmage. Thanks to their ability to squeeze the edge and collapse the middle, multiple drives stalled for would-be sacks or resulted in desperate heaves above receivers' heads from Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones. 'It's great," said new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was nicknamed "Dr. Lou" with the Bengals for the ways he confused Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen with different looks in playoff games. "... Latu's not a veteran but really explosive guy and working with Buck and Kwity (Paye) when he's out there, Tyquan (Lewis) and the whole group, Samson (Ebukam) – it's got a chance to be a special group.' In those glimpses lies a model the Colts have to chase on defense in their current state. After all, the one they built this offseason to ride or die with is a little out of commission. Bringing in Anarumo, as well as veteran defensive backs coaches Jerome Henderson and Chris Hewitt, was a precursor to a rare free agent spending spree from general manager Chris Ballard in the secondary. He dropped $65 million combined on outside cornerback Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum before spending a third-round draft pick on Justin Walley. Ward and Bynum have more than looked their parts so far, and so did Walley, but he's been lost for the season to a torn ACL. It's just a part of the rash of injuries at the cornerback position that have had Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents out for weeks with hamstring issues and Pro Bowl nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II leaving Sunday's practice after screaming into his helmet with a knee injury. Additionally, strong safety Nick Cross has missed three straight practices with a hip flexor. It means that the infrastructure that Bynum and Ward were supposed to elevate has dropped down to rookies and career backups rotating through the other three starting spots. That brings elements of the group, for now, back closer to where it was last year. Moore was the Pro Bowler glueing that unit together, with Cross and Jones taking clear strides but issues at other spots, where Julian Blackmon played out of position with a separated shoulder and where Brents missed all but two games. But if there's hope for a better pass defense despite it, it rests in the defensive line. Like last year, it remains one of the most expensive units in the game. But unlike last year, it comes with the propensity to blitz from Anarumo and, the Colts hope, a better and more cohesive tag team between Buckner and Latu. Buckner was his usual All-Pro self when he played last season, but he went on injured reserve and missed five games. He still finished with 6.5 sacks for the seventh season in a row. Now, he's healthy and rejuvenated again. Latu struggled at times as a rookie, as he tried to live on his speed rushes, became predictable and reacted to quick throws and on critical downs by taking wide rushes out of his gap assignments. He amassed 36 pressures and 20 hurries but only four sacks. "He was frustrated his first year," Buckner said. "... I told him, I had those moments my rookie year as well. I told him that all my sacks didn't come until the second half of the season of my rookie season. ... There's an added pressure to being the team's No. 1 pick and being a first-round pick." Latu knew he had to become a more versatile and mysterious rusher. His 6-foot-5, 259-pound body can limit it to a degree, so he worked on specific moves to round out the overall package he can throw at opposing tackles. He's been showing that off in training camp with consistent pressures, including times where he flushed Lamar Jackson from the pocket in last week's joint practice with the Ravens. "My offseason, I definitely honed in on a lot of power and being able to work off of that. I feel like I've been demonstrating that more this camp as opposed to last year," Latu said. "... I didn't try to change my body. I'm relatively the same other than getting my muscles mass up and stuff. "Everything I've been doing has been to get better at being a D-End in the position on the field that Lou and the defense need me to be." Now, Buckner is able to see the tweaks Latu is making by the day and give him pointers on how to round it out with the knowledge he's gained from 141 career games over nine seasons. "Pass rush is just such a game of chess. It's the game within the game," Buckner said. "Being able to set up your go-to moves, you've got to set it up with a little bit of power to keep the offensive linemen guessing. "Once you set them up, you get them guessing and making them feel, 'OK, this guy can power me,' he's going to start setting a little bit more stout, and that's when you can start hitting them more on the edge." Between a 295-pound 3-technique and a 259-pound edge rusher both taken in the first round, the Colts have the means to keep offenses guessing. Kind of like when they both stand up to rush the passer.
New York Times
9 hours ago
- New York Times
Barcelona's breakout star for 2025-26: Marc Bernal looking to put 346 days of injury hell behind him
When Marc Bernal fell to the ground in the 94th minute of Barcelona's visit to Rayo Vallecano last August, he knew it was bad. That was why Pau Cubarsi and Dani Olmo covered their faces as soon as they came over to their team-mate. The then 17-year-old midfielder's dream was over for that season before it had even really begun — he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and suffered an associated injury to his outer meniscus, ruling him out for the campaign in just its third game. Advertisement When Hansi Flick was appointed as Barcelona coach in May last year, Bernal had spent the previous season with their second team, Barca Atletic, in Spain's third division. The German arrived with a good knowledge of all the club's young players and had asked for references on all of them. He had been told that one starlet had shown potential to be the first team's defensive midfielder for some time to come. He'd been labelled a 'new Sergio Busquets', something Barca had been looking for since the Spain international's departure at age 34 after the previous campaign. That summer of 2024 featured two international tournaments, the European Championship and the Copa America, meaning many key Barcelona players returned later than usual from their holidays after being on duty with their country. Flick therefore had to start his first pre-season in charge with a very young group and then also take some of them on the club's pre-season tour to the United States. That gave those youngsters a chance to get to know their new manager and gain some valuable minutes with the first team. Several stood out, but one of them totally kicked down the doors: Bernal. Flick loved the defensive midfielder's style of play. With Frenkie de Jong suffering from an ankle injury and the club having looked to sign someone in that position for some time anyway, the answer appeared to be right there at home, particularly given Barca's delicate financial situation. Previous coach Xavi had wanted Martin Zubimendi, then at Real Sociedad, in 2023, while the club were keen on Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munich. But when Flick saw the youth-team pairing of Bernal and Marc Casado, now 21, he decided there was no need to sign anyone else. The search for a defensive midfielder was halted. Forming a double pivot with Casado at the base of midfield in that pre-season, Bernal's talent did not go unnoticed. After a friendly against his Manchester City side, Pep Guardiola said, 'Marc Bernal has impressed me, the way he controls the ball, the way he plays.' Bernal is a player who is reminiscent of Busquets in many ways. Though he now stands at 6ft 4in (193cm), four centimetres taller than the Barca and Spain legend, he resembles him in terms of his intelligence on the ball, control and ability to start moves from the back. As was the case with the now Inter Miami midfielder, dressing-room sources — who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — say Bernal's attitude is impeccable. Advertisement The confidence Flick showed in him was not only evident in conversations, but also his decision to name him in the starting line-up for the first few games of last season. Bernal was caught out for one of the goals Monaco scored in the pre-season Joan Gamper friendly match, which Barcelona lost 3-0, but Flick kept him in the starting line-up when the season officially started. Bernal and Casado started the first La Liga match of the season together against Valencia, but Flick's choice between the two was clear when Pedri returned to the starting XI after a rest following his triumph with Spain at the Euros, with Bernal given the nod. He continued in defensive midfield against Athletic Club and Rayo before his injury in the latter game on August 27. Casado stepped up in Bernal's absence, even staying in the line-up when De Jong was available again. But the Dutchman eventually regained his place and went on to show some of his best form in his six seasons at Barca. Even so, Flick's second choice in the position is still Bernal. He has made this clear to the player himself, while also saying he wants to be patient with him and avoid any risk of an injury relapse. Bernal was finally medically discharged from his injury on Friday — 346 days after it happened — although Barca doctors advise that players under 20 who suffer that kind of knee issue generally take around a year before they are available for selection again (August 27 would be after Barca's first two La Liga matches against Real Mallorca and Levante). Sources close to the player say Flick has spoken to him a lot since his injury. Once Bernal underwent surgery, he even went to see him in hospital, giving him a self-improvement book called Supera Tus Limites (Overcome Your Limits) by psychologist Jordi Gil Martin. The German wrote a dedication to Bernal at the front of the book, which went beyond a 'get well soon' message, according to sources close to the player, reminding him he was still very young and had his whole career ahead of him, which Bernal was amazed by. Advertisement During his time away from the pitch, he has trained hard and gained muscle mass, especially in his upper body. He has also grown two centimetres in height. Voices close to him say it was possibly the hardest time of his life; in an interview with club channel Barca One, Bernal said sometimes he wanted to spend whole days sleeping. He lived at the club's La Masia youth facilities during his recovery, although he had to spend the first month and a half in a hotel opposite. The club offered him that option so he could be with his mother, as he needed help with everything in the first month after his operation, including washing himself, dressing, walking and cooking. Having turned 18 in May, he will leave La Masia to live independently elsewhere. Those close to Bernal are confident he has developed the tools to deal with any more tough times that might come his way in the future. He was also helped by seeing a coach he has worked with since the age of 14 on a weekly basis. While he was injured, the club renewed his contract until 2026, inserting a €500million release clause. Bernal's return to action will be gradual, and he is expected to start playing more from mid-September onwards. As fate would have it, his return could happen on the very pitch where he was injured: Barca's third league game of the season is away against Rayo on August 31. However, club sources say it may be delayed until a few weeks later, with the midweek Champions League fixtures coming into the picture from September 16. He could also step up to the plate when De Jong needs a rest or suffers an injury. A year on from his lowest point, everything is going Bernal's way. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
