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Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
In a class of their own
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – In 1981, John's Island native Charlie Brown was asleep during the NFL Draft. He started to wake up when teams started to call. He really woke up when Joe Gibbs and assistant Charley Taylor and the Redskins took him in the eighth round. 'Just so happens he's the one that discovered me at South Carolina State.' said Brown. 'A lot of people don't know that. And also he had an opportunity to coach me as well. So, I was pretty fortunate to live out my boyhood dream idolizing the great Charley Taylor.' A two time Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Redskins, Charlie helped Washington win Super Bowl 17 with the fun bunch. Brown wasn't the only member of South Carolina State's draft class in 1981 to make it to the league. Five bulldogs were drafted, Georgetown's Robert Geathers Sr. went in the third round. Three more alums were given free agent deals including Wadmalaw Island's Leroy Robinson. 'I think it's the best draft class probably in HBCU history if not in the top two or three. But definitely we are the best in the MEAC and South Carolina State school history.' Charlie said. And SCSU has produced a lot of pro talent. Along with cornerback William Judson, guard Edwin Bailey, and linebacker Angelo King, the class appeared in four Super Bowls, three NFC Championships, three AFC Championships and two Pro Bowls. But one number sticks out to brown, 44. 'Dan it's been 44 years, that's a long time where nobody has given us publicity. And it's not about great teams at South Carolina State. It's about the 1981 draft class. And I want people to recognize us and honor us.' Like he did on the gridiron, Charlie is going to fight to be recognized across the state and along the east coast. 'And we all have had the same experience and I think people need to know what our experience was like. It wasn't easy. It was a tough road, it was a tough battle but it was a lot of fun and we got it done.' It took a lot for Johns Island native Charlie Brown and his Bulldogs teammates to make it to the league. Like he did on draft night, Brown feels its time for others to wake up. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
14-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Washington D.C. ready to work with Commanders on historic RFK stadium site
What's the future of the Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy (RFK) stadium site? A meeting to discuss this matter was held on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Eastern High School in Washington, D.C. A new website has been launched to present the matter to the public at The site's summary statement begins: 'The District now has control of the RFK campus, the largest unused tract of land in the District. These 174 acres can now be transformed into a vibrant hub of housing, world-class recreational facilities, green spaces, and economic opportunities for District residents and visitors alike.' Could the Washington NFL franchise (formerly Redskins), now the Commanders, be returning to the historic part of the city where they won five NFC Championships and three Super Bowls. The Redskins played at RFK from the 1961 to 1996 seasons. Of course, there will be very energetic residents of the city who will come down on both sides of the aisle on this one. Both sides were welcomed to attend the meeting in the high school auditorium, where they could voice their concerns or their support, whichever it may be for them. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and some city representatives were scheduled to attend, and a presentation was going to be included in the docket, permitting the vision of the project to be publicly demonstrated. Commanders owner Josh Harris has previously discussed how he himself decades ago was many times at the stadium as a fan of those very successful Redskins teams, so he is quite aware of what a good NFL team can mean for the city's pride. On this day in 1983, John Riggins rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns, while Darryl Grant returned an interception 10 yards for a touchdown to seal the Redskins 31-17 win over the Cowboys in the 1982 NFC Championship Game at RFK Stadium.#HTTR #WashingtonFootball — David Menassé (@Frekiwolf) January 22, 2021 Harris recently said, 'It is our responsibility to make this an amazing economic development opportunity, for where it is, it can create a lot of jobs and help that area.' What happens to the surrounding land of the RFK site? This may be where the most heat will come in future debates because certainly not everyone will get what they want out of the land. There will have to be compromises made and a spirit of working together.
Fox Sports
04-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Inside Nick Sirianni's unusual Eagles meetings that ‘built the brotherhood'
NEW ORLEANS — You can usually hear laughter outside the Philadelphia Eagles' full-team meeting every Monday. It's time for film. It's time for coach Nick Sirianni to do something a little different. All the players know what's coming. And they look forward to it. What's the overarching message? "You can't be great without the greatness of others," Sirianni tells his players again and again. That's what this week is all about: greatness. The Super Bowl is The Autobahn to legacy in the NFL, and it's no coincidence that Sirianni has gotten his teams here in two of his first four seasons as a head coach. He knows as well as anyone how hard it is to beat the Kansas City Chiefs, who are vying for the first-ever three-peat, a run kicked off when K.C. beat Philly two years ago. But these Monday film studies are not typical, where coaches usually emphasize that "the eye in the sky don't lie." That's what most NFL players, coaches and fans think of when they hear about team meetings. Those sessions are about hand placement. They're about leverage. They're about quality coverage — or about beating it. They're about X's and O's. [Prepare for the epic Eagles-Chiefs matchup on FOX Sports' Super Bowl LIX hub ] Sirianni does, of course, conduct those types of sessions. But he supplements them with a different kind of film. Let's call them the Emotional Highlights — the moments when members of the Eagles organization have shown love for one another, whether it's mic'd up on the sideline, sharing praise in the media or celebrating big plays in the huddle or, even better, in the end zone. Sirianni plays a mashup of feel-good moments from every game to show how important they are to him — and to the team's long-term success. "It's just not X's and O's," Sirianni told me Monday during Super Bowl Opening Night. "This game is so much more than that. I think what you see from our team is guys that don't want to let each other down, that truly love each other, that are selfless, that are celebrating together. "And so, just like you do with the fundamentals of football or the execution of the play, you try to do the same thing with the brotherhood, because at the end of the day, it's not the best groups of individuals that win football games, it's the best teams. And the more parity there is, as you go further in the NFL [postseason], the more that's important." In some ways, this is the way that Sirianni is reaching this new generation of players. He's looking past the old-school and antiquated coaching methods of screaming at players until success arrives. Anyone who knows Sirianni knows that's not his style. "He does a great job," quarterback Jalen Hurts said when asked about the meetings. "Everyone has their own different approach to how they go about their business, and he's able to try and navigate his way. He's been able to lead us to two NFC Championships and two opportunities here [in the Super Bowl]. … He's been able to get us to where we are now." There was one expression I kept hearing from Eagles players. They feel like they have a "college locker room." Tight end Dallas Goedert thinks the team has a rare sense of continuity. That's in a literal sense. The core is largely the same over the past three years, particularly on offense. That's unusual for the NFL, where players are constantly coming and going in trades and free agency. But there's more to it than simply having the same players. In college, athletes live together. They train with each other in winter conditioning after the season is over. It's an atmosphere that creates close relationships. The NFL doesn't always do that. And perhaps that's why Sirianni loves these film sessions, which show his appreciation for … well, appreciation. "He always preaches togetherness," cornerback Darius Slay said. "He always shows the video after every game, like talking about how we become great, how we always appreciate each other. So one thing we know, we all stay tight as a team, man. We see each other as family." "It's always a cool little reflection, a little reminder of who we are," receiver Parris Campbell said. The atmosphere of openness creates an easygoing workplace. Sirianni is, for example, the person that defensive tackle Josh Sweat said he calls more than anyone. And safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson does the same. Sirianni urges his players: "Call me." Anytime, anywhere. To prove it, on Opening Night with Sirianni on a podium, Sweat tried to FaceTime with his coach. (Sirianni did not pick up, and probably didn't even have his phone on him.) Why does Sweat call Sirianni so often? "Lots of complaining. Always complain to him. That's my complaint line," Sweat said. "Why we got this? Why we got that? I just be messing with him." All that honesty — and playfulness — comes from the safe space for communication between Sirianni and his players. One of the many places he sets a foundation to strengthen relationships with his players and between his players is in these meetings. The team's general manager can see that. "When people are connected to each other, they want to play harder for each other," Howie Roseman said. "They want to do more things together. And I think this is an incredibly connected team, and that starts with Nick." Communication is the grease that moves everything. It's a huge organization with 79 players (including IR and practice squad), 25 coaches and 24 front-office members. It's important to correct players (or anyone) when they make a mistake. Fix it. And move on. That's the easy way of doing things. But Sirianni didn't feel like it was appropriate to stop there. "I think the guys like seeing those reactions," Sirianni said. "Everyone needs to know they're loved and appreciated. So to hear your teammate talk about you in the media and sing your praises in the media, we all like to hear that. And I think that it just further built the brotherhood of this football team." Prior to joining FOX Sports as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys to interview Dolphins assistant for DC opening
Miami Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow will interview for the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator vacancy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Crow previously interviewed for the New England Patriots' defensive coordinator position shortly before the team decided to hire Terrell Williams for the role. The Cowboys introduced Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach earlier Monday. The Dolphins hired Crow in 2024 after he spent the previous six seasons on Mike Vrabel's staff with the Tennessee Titans. Last week, Vrabel was announced as the new head coach of the Patriots, but opted against reuniting with his former assistant. Schottenheimer, 51, began his NFL coaching career in 1997, but hasn't crossed paths with Crow previously. In his first season with the Dolphins, Crow spent most of the year working with young pass rushers while Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips were rehabbing injuries. First-round pick Chop Robinson made impressive growth as the season went on, transforming into one of the NFL's most productive pass rushers in the second half of the year. Dolphins' top 2025 draft prospects: Missouri OL Armand Membou A few former Dolphins set to play in the AFC, NFC Championships Tyreek Hill on 'I'm out' comments: 'I deserve to feel like that' This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Cowboys to interview Dolphins assistant for DC opening
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dolphins' top 2025 draft prospects: Missouri OL Armand Membou
Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Armand Membou is such an athletic offensive lineman that he earned a spot on Bruce Feldman's 2024 "Freaks" list. That athleticism combined with a slightly shorter frame at 6'4, 320 pounds could make Membou an enticing prospect to play guard in the NFL. While he played right tackle most of his time at Missouri, he showed versatility to play either side, and has the requisite talent to play at guard too. According to Feldman, "Membou has clocked 20 mph on the GPS and squatted 650, cleaned 375 and benched 425." He's also battled-tested against top-tier talent in the SEC. While the No. 13 overall pick may be a bit too early for Membou, should the Dolphins trade back into the latter half of the first round, circle the Missouri alum as a possibility. Should he dip into the second round, Membou -- who will be a participant at the Senior Bowl -- would be a second-round steal. Position: G/T Projected round: Late 1st-early 2nd Height: 6'4 Weight: 320 Miami has several impending free agents on the offensive line, including Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, and Isaiah Wynn. But even bringing back one or multiple players wouldn't mean an interior offensive lineman isn't a priority in April. Membou's quickness is what can separate him from other interior prospects and make him a late first-rounder. Membou projects to be excellent in zone-blocking schemes, and his athleticism gets him out to the next level to help ball carriers in space. He's a very good pass protector as well, but doesn't have prototypical size to play tackle, so he could fit very well for the Dolphins as a guard, where they need to address both the left and right spots this offseason. The Dolphins need to institute a power mindset to their rushing attack, and Membou provided that in Missouri's ground game in 2024. Missouri went over 200 rushing yards five times last season and hit 100-plus in all but one game. The Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier admitted the need to invest in the offensive line, and Membou would be a fine chip to bet on with his position flexibility. There's plenty of potential and Membou could be an immediate starter at either right guard or left guard while providing emergency depth as a swing tackle in a pinch. A few former Dolphins set to play in the AFC, NFC Championships Tyreek Hill on 'I'm out' comments: 'I deserve to feel like that' Dolphins assistant to coach offensive linemen at 2025 Senior Bowl This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins' top 2025 draft prospects: Missouri OL Armand Membou
