Latest news with #FootballFocus
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Free agency options to replace Frank Ragnow are very limited
Free agency options to replace Frank Ragnow are very limited Longtime Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement on Monday, leaving behind a seismic hole in the team's offensive line. Ragnow battled through lingering injuries throughout his short professional career, all while anchoring one of the best overall units in football and being named to four Pro Bowls. The search for a replacement won't be easy, especially this late into the offseason. The Lions will most likely try to fill the void with someone already in the building, but they will need to add some depth regardless of who the starting center is in Week 1. Unfortunately, it's slim pickings in June. One available free agent is former Tennessee Titans center Daniel Brunskill. Brunskill started 10 games at center for the Titans last season, earning average pass block and run block grades from Pro Football Focus for an overall grade of 55.3. That ranked him 50th out of 64 qualifying centers in 2024. Brunskill also has significant experience at right guard, making him a decent candidate for added offensive line depth depending on how the Lions shift things around post-Ragnow. He is 31, so any deal here would likely be a one-year band-aid. Connor McGovern is another available center option. Originally drafted by the Broncos in 2016, McGovern has bounced from Denver to the Jets and Saints in the last few years. Prior to 2023, he started virtually every game he was available for with the Broncos and Jets, also getting some run at guard early on in his time in Denver. Pro Football Focus graded McGovern at 58.9 overall, ranking him 39th in the league in 2024. If the Lions want to take a shot in the dark with a signing, they could get a younger option in 26-year-old Nick Harris. The Browns drafted Harris in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but multiple knee injuries pushed him out of the lineup and off the team by 2024. A preseason trade with the Seahawks in 2024 brought Harris back to the Browns, where he started just two games at center. The limited work makes this one of the less-than-inspiring choices available, but Harris's relative age makes him a depth option that could find a role down the road. With the choices available, all signs point to the Lions sticking with a guy in-house, but as preseason cuts begin late this summer, there's a chance some better options for center depth become available. More: Lions salary cap ramifications of Frank Ragnow's retirement
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Reason Gary Lineker's final interview with Mohamed Salah was 'scrapped' revealed
Gary Lineker's interview with Mohamed Salah was due to air after his BBC exit (Picture: PA) The alleged reason for Gary Lineker's final blow from the BBC ahead of his exit has been revealed. Lineker, 64, bowed out of presenting Match of the Day last month after 26 years at the helm. It was initially claimed that the sports pundit was due to interview Liverpool star Mohamed Salah before his exit, but the BBC has scotched reports that the reason they put a stop to the interview was because they feared discussions would turn political. The broadcaster has now made it clear that 'the only reason' the interview was cancelled was because of when it was due to air. A source allegedly told The Sun: 'The plan was for the interview to be shown across the BBC the weekend of Gary's final Match of the Day. 'That would include on Football Focus the day before, as well as online and on social media.' Last month, Lineker signed off from hosting Match of the Day after 26 years (Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire) But 'out of nowhere, it got cancelled' by Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski, who took over the role from Barbara Slater last April. 'Some people think they didn't want Gary and Mo to talk about Gaza,' said the source. 'Salah has spoken out in his support for Palestinians living in Gaza, and Gary has made his feelings clear too.' Bosses reportedly feared the ongoing war would 'come up naturally in conversation'. Consequently, the BBC preferred to 'axe' the interview rather than 'risk possible editorial issues'. 'They'd only just overcome one storm, so to face another would have been a nightmare.' It's reported there is 'no love lost' between the pundit and the BBC's Director of Sport (Picture: Ash Knotek/Shutterstock for AWEu) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page But when contacted for comment, a BBC spokesperson told Metro that the interview was actually scrapped for a different reason. 'The only reason the interview was cancelled was because it was planned to air after Gary's last match of the day, and it would be wrong to suggest anything else,' they said. It comes after a source also previously told The Sun that Lineker was 'well-liked' among his co-stars ahead of his departure. Lineker's final MOTD aired last Sunday, which he fronted alongside pundits Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, with whom he also presents the Rest Is Football podcast. He announced his departure from the BBC following a row after he shared a post about Zionism, which featured a depiction of a rat, historically an antisemitic insult. Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid presenter on a £1.4million salary, issued an unreserved apology over the Instagram Story, as it was confirmed he would leave his presenting role at the Beeb early and would no longer front coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season's FA Cup. Lineker fought back tears in his final MOTD sign-off (Picture: PA/BBC) 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references,' he said in a statement at the time. 'I very much regret these references. 'I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in.' Lineker deleted the post 'as soon as [he] became aware of the issue.' In his final sign-off from the highlights show, he struggled to speak through tears. Lineker described his time on the programme as 'utterly joyous' as he thanked his co-stars and those working behind the scenes. 'Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years. You've made my job so much easier,' he began. The footie icon said it was a 'privilege' to front the highlights show for so long (Picture: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images) Lineker continued: 'Also, a huge thank you to those you don't see at home. The work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort, from the editors to the analysis team to the commentators to the producers to the floor managers to the camera operators to the PAs to the subs. Thank you, all. You're the very best. 'Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work, and I got applauded. 'It's been an absolute privilege to have hosted Match of the Day for a quarter of a century; it's been utterly joyous.' Reflecting on his final show afterwards on his podcast, Lineker admitted he 'struggled' to 'keep it together' when a montage of his career highlights was shown. Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Mark Chapman will replace the Leicester-born star and share the presenting role from the next Premier League season, with Lineker wishing them 'all the very best when they sit in this chair'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. Arrow MORE: Race Across the World star dies in car crash aged 24 Arrow MORE: When is the Ballon d'Or 2025 and what are the odds on the winner? Arrow MORE: Doctor Who fans notice glaring issue with Billie Piper's shock return
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker's final blow in BBC feud as Mo Salah interview 'blocked over Gaza'
Gary Lineker presented his final ever Match of the Day last weekend after leaving the BBC early but a new report has now claimed one of his final interviews was brutally axed The BBC decided to cancel what would have been Gary Lineker 's final Match of the Day interview shortly before his farewell appearance on the show, it has emerged. Lineker, 64, bowed out from the iconic highlights show last weekend after 25 years at the helm. His exit from the corporation came shortly after the former England star issued an apology for sharing an anti-Semitic post on social media, prompting him and the BBC to come to terms on an agreement to part ways this year instead of after the 2026 World Cup. And it has now emerged, via The Sun, that Lineker's final interview in his role - which was due to be with Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool talisman - was axed at short notice. The report speculates that the move may have been made by the BBC amid concerns that Lineker 'would say something controversial about Gaza' during his chat with Salah. A source confirmed to the publication that the interview was due to be played across Match of the Day and Football Focus over the weekend of Lineker's final show before Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC's director of sport, pulled the plug. They added: 'Out of nowhere, it got cancelled. Some people think they didn't want Gary and Mo to talk about Gaza. 'Salah has spoken out in his support for Palestinians living in Gaza and Gary has made his feelings clear too. It felt like it may have come up naturally in conversation. 'It seems they axed it rather than risk possible editorial issues. They'd only just overcome one storm so to face another would have been a nightmare.' The BBC, however, said of the decision: 'The interview was cancelled because it was planned to air after Gary's last Match of the Day. It would be wrong to suggest anything else.' Lineker bid an emotional farewell to viewers at the end of his final show in the hotseat, saying: 'Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits that I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years, you've made my job so much easier. 'Also, a huge thank you to those you don't see at home: the work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors, to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs, thank you all, you're the very best. 'Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous. I'd like to wish Gabby, Mark and Kelly for when they sit in this chair - the programme is in the best of hands. 'And my final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all of your love and support over the years. It's been so special - and I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye. Goodbye.'
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Gary Lineker's bitter feud with BBC worsens as final interview with Mo Salah BLOCKED amid fear pair ‘would discuss Gaza'
BBC chiefs delivered a final snub to Gary Lineker when they axed his last interview without warning — just before his final Match of the Day. He was due to talk to Liverpool goal hero Mo Salah, but there were fears Lineker — involved in an Advertisement 3 Gary Lineker had an interview with Mo Salah axed without warning — just before his final Match of the Day Credit: AFP 3 There's 'no love lost' between Lineker and the BBC's director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski Credit: BBC A source said the plug was pulled by director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, who got the job last summer. The Sun has revealed there was 'no love lost' between An insider said: 'The plan was for the interview to be shown across the BBC the weekend of 'That would include on Football Focus the day before as well as online and on social media. Advertisement read more on Gary Lineker 'Out of nowhere, it got cancelled. "Some people think they didn't want Gary and Mo to talk about Gaza. 'Salah has spoken out in his support for Palestinians living in Gaza and Gary has made his feelings clear too. "It felt like it may have come up naturally in conversation. Advertisement Most read in News TV 'It seems they axed it rather than risk possible editorial issues. "They'd only just overcome one storm so to face another would have been a nightmare.' Eagle-eyed fans spot awkward Match of the Day gaffe on Gary Lineker's farewell show The Sun revealed Gary, 64, was l It included an illustration of a rat — historically used as an antisemitic slur. Advertisement With the BBC coming under increasingly intense pressure, Lineker The ex-Spurs star is understood to be focusing on his Goalhanger Podcasts business, as well as considering rival broadcasters' offers. He had been The BBC said: 'The interview was cancelled because it was planned to air after Gary's last Match of the Day. Advertisement 'It would be wrong to suggest anything else.' However a source insisted: 'A cross-platform interview with the Champions' star player could have aired anytime. "Salah wanted to speak to Gary so to axe it entirely seems short-sighted.' 3 Gary and Mo have both spoken out in support for Palestinians living in Gaza Credit: Alamy Advertisement Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens OTAs: 5 under-the-radar players to watch on offense
Ravens OTAs: 5 under-the-radar players to watch on offense We're looking at five under-the-radar players to watch during the Baltimore Ravens' four remaining OTA sessions and the mandatory minicamp OTAs aren't mandatory, and Baltimore's MVP candidate was absent for Day 1, but made his debut in front of the media for the start of Day 2. Lamar Jackson was back at the Under Armour Performance Center on Wednesday, and the place was buzzing as the MVP candidate looked sharp and in elite shape during his first practice. The training programs are divided into three phases: one mandatory minicamp for the entire roster and one rookie minicamp for each group. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed. Baltimore will hold seven more OTA sessions on June 3, June 5-6, June 9-12, before a Mandatory Minicamp on June 17-19. With the team off until Tuesday, we're looking at five under-the-radar players on offense to watch. OT Corey Bullock Bullock was an honorable mention All-Big Ten after starting 11 games for the Terrapins in 2023. According to Pro Football Focus, Bullock was ranked as the second-highest-rated pass-blocking guard in the Big Ten conference, with a 79.6 grade via the Terrapins' official website. Bullock spent the entire 2024 season on the practice squad. G Darrian Dalcourt A Maryland native, Dalcourt made five starts along the Alabama offensive line at guard and played in eight games in 2023, playing 332 snaps and logging seven knockdown blocks. Dalcourt has experience against high-caliber SEC competition. He spent the 2024 season on the Ravens' practice squad. WR Dayton Wade Wade displayed big-play potential all last summer, including a 56-yard touchdown catch against the Falcons. With Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor as the core three, Wade could not overtake Tylan Wallace, Deonte Harty, and Devontez Walker. Wade caught 27 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns during his last season at Ole Miss. Devontez Walker The rookie had one catch on three targets for a 21-yard touchdown over nine regular-season games in 2024. The former UNC star was a healthy scratch until his NFL debut in Week 7 against Tampa Bay. The highlight of his first year was a 21-yard touchdown reception against the Giants for his first NFL catch in Week 15. Most of Walker's work came on special teams, as he logged 153 snaps and 55 on offense. With the addition of Hopkins, Walker will enter 2025 as the No. 4 or No. 5 wideout at best. OT Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, Oregon State Christian-Lichtenhan (6-8, 315) started all 12 games at left tackle for the Beavers, allowing just two sacks and being charged with one penalty on the year. RB Sone Ntoh, Monmouth Ntoh (5-11, 220) scored a touchdown in 21 of 23 games and ranked second in program history with 39 rushing touchdowns during his final two seasons at Monmouth. In 12 games during his final season, Ntoh logged 487 yards and 25 touchdowns on 1,109 carries, en route to earning AP FCS All-America Honorable Mention and Phil Steele first-team All-CAA. His 25 rushing touchdowns set a program single-season record and led the FCS.
