Latest news with #NFCWildCardPlayoffs
Newsweek
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Packers' Matt LaFleur Doesn't Hold Back About Jordan Love
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Green Bay Packers enter the 2025 NFL season with high hopes of being a top-tier Super Bowl contender. However, there are some questions facing the team. One of the biggest questions has to do with Jordan Love. Will the third-year starting quarterback be able to take the jump into superstardom that fans expected from him last season? If he can, the Packers will be a legitimate contender. Love's 2024 season started off in rough fashion. He went down with a knee injury in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles that forced him to miss the next two games. After that, he was unable to find his rhythm. Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers participates in warmups prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers participates in warmups prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. Photo byHeading into the 2025 season, expectations are once again high for Love. There are also some concerns swirling about where Green Bay will be if Love does not take a big step from a production perspective. Read more: NFL Trade Watch: 5 Big Names Who Could Be Moved Despite the questions the young quarterback is facing, head coach Matt LaFleur spoke out singing the praises of him. LaFleur revealed that Love has made huge strides from a vocal leadership perspective. "Night and day," LaFleur said. "Even from last year, and I thought he took a big jump last year. Way more presence. As the kids say, he's got aura." He continued forward, talking more about Love and how he's looking ahead of the 2025 campaign. LaFleur sees a new sense of urgency in his quarterback. "You can see the urgency he's playing with right now," LaFleur said. "A lot of times in this [era], you're going to go as far as your quarterback goes. But it does take everybody around him playing at a high level." Read more: Browns' Shedeur Sanders Breaks Silence About His Injury During the 2024 NFL season with the Packers, Love played in 15 games. He completed 63.1 percent of his pass attempts for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Those numbers were solid, but they were not as good as expected. Love getting hurt in Week 1 might have been a big part of the lower production. All of that being said, the stage has been set for Love entering the 2025 season. He has a ton of talent around him offensively and is still considered to be a potential breakout superstar. It will be interesting to see if he can rise to the occasion. For more on the Green Bay Packers and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
New York Post
13-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Barry Sanders opens up on harrowing health scare: ‘I couldn't believe it'
Barry Sanders is sharing it all this June with the hope of inspiring his fans in a different way. A year ago, the Hall of Famer announced he suffered a 'health scare related to his heart,' and he recently shared in a CBS interview that it was a heart attack while attending a recruiting visit for his son. Sanders will be sharing more about the past year publicly in a documentary, 'The Marking of a Heart Attack', that will premiere on June 14 at 1 p.m. on A&E. Advertisement 'I couldn't believe it, honestly,' Sanders shared in the documentary, per CBS. 'I thought it was like heartburn, but it just kind of persisted.' On that morning last June, Sanders said that he could feel a burning sensation in his chest. Following an early exit from the recruiting visit, the Lions legend drove himself to the emergency room, where tests revealed that his enzyme levels were 'really high and getting higher.' 3 Barry Sanders at the 14th Annual NFL Honors held at Saenger Theatre on February 06, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Variety via Getty Images Advertisement From there, Sanders underwent a heart catheter procedure, which revealed he had suffered a heart attack. 'Of all things, I don't know why, that just never entered my mind,' Sanders said. 'I'm learning through this process that there aren't necessarily any warning signs, unless you do what we're encouraging people to do, which is to go the doctor, get tested for LDLC levels, or bad cholesterol. That's the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol. It's not something you're going to be able to feel. You don't have to fit a certain physical profile.' In the documentary, Sanders wants to encourage people to get ahead of this. Advertisement Sanders, along with four others who have experienced a heart attack or stroke, uncover the hidden risks and impacts to be aware of in the documentary. 3 Former Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders attends a ceremony honoring former wide receiver Calvin Johnson Jr. ('Megatron') being inducted into the Pride of the Lions during a game between the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Monday, September 30, 2024. NurPhoto via Getty Images A preventative measure Sanders pushes is visiting because he can only share his story, while everyone's heart health is vastly different. He has said his health has greatly improved since the incident from walking more, making dietary changes and taking his medications. Advertisement 'Sometimes it's hereditary and it's not like you're doing anything wrong,' Sanders said. 'There's a lot of different stories and examples out there. That's why it's important for people to have that conversation with their doctor.' 3 Former NFL player Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions reacts during the first half between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Ford Field on January 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Getty Images 'It's really been an education, for me, learning about how frequent this happens all over the U.S.,' he added. 'Conversing with these other individuals who are part of this documentary who have very insightful, gripping stories about the journey that they've been on. It's just really amazing. I think it will get a lot of people's attention.'
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Exclusive: Barry Sanders on His Heart Attack and the Success of the Lions
There have been many legendary players who have suited up for the Detroit Lions, but there might not be one more beloved and recognizable than Barry Sanders. Sanders is arguably the greatest running back the league has ever seen. More news: Exclusive: Seahawks' Sam Darnold on Rejoining the NFC West and Resurgence Sanders played for 10 seasons in the NFL, racking up 10 Pro Bowl nods, was the rushing yards leader in four seasons, is a Hall of Famer, and so much more. Sanders has been a staunch supporter of the Lions, well after his retirement, often showing up at games and alumni events. However, he experienced a harrowing situation in 2024 when he suffered a heart attack. Now, Sanders stars in a new documentary about his heart attack, which brings him together with four individuals who also experienced their own cardiovascular events. DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 14: Former NFL player Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions reacts during the first half between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Ford... DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 14: Former NFL player Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions reacts during the first half between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Ford Field on January 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Barry Sanders took to social media to reveal that he suffered a heart-related health scare over the weekend. MoreMore news: Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Offers Major Update on TJ Watt Minicamp Holdout What is the documentary you are in, and how does it detail your heart attack? "It's called "The Making of a Heart Attack." It'll be shown starting June 14, a couple of days on A+E, and it follows my journey of having a heart attack, along with several other individuals. You know, we all have moving stories. I think people will really learn a lot about, you know, some of the risk factors and how to bounce back and life after an incident like that, or hopefully even just trying to prevent it ... you can go to to learn more about it." Can you kind of, like, walk me through that day a little bit more and what was the feeling for you when the doctors had finally told you what was going on? "Well, I woke up, and I just felt sort of a burning, kind of like a heartburn type sensation right in the middle of my chest, and really just thought I was going to be able to kind of shake it off, you know. And so it just kind of lingered. I was just puzzled. Like, man, what did I eat last night? Did I pull a muscle? And so it just lingered, or lingered until, you know, just later on in that day, I just said, 'let me drive myself to the emergency room' and, and that's what I did. I drove and went to the emergency room. And I'm sitting there and they run all these tests. "They saw that certain enzymes were enzyme count was high. They were kind of puzzled, because I wasn't in distress, but other than this pain in the middle of my chest or heartburn, or whatever is what I thought it was, and so that's kind of, you know, that was kind of my process. And then they had a chance to look at, you know, the heart and realize that there had been some damage there. And I literally had a heart attack." What was it like to share that incident with four individuals? "I just learned a lot more about the sort of high cholesterol, bad cholesterol and heart attacks and strokes and and things like that. And just learning it, learning you know about their own individual journeys and how they fought and battled and became advocates to get the word out ... Yeah it really gives you a kind of broad example of what people are dealing with out there and just information out there that hopefully can help people." The documentary has Sanders sit down with four individuals of different backgrounds, age ranges, as they discuss how they experienced and lived through heart attacks. The documentary is called "The Making of a Heart Attack," and it will air on A&E, Saturday, June 14. Sanders spoke candidly about his experience with a heart attack, but he also talked about being proud that the Detroit Lions are now considered one of the elite teams in the NFL. How does it feel to see the Lions organization go from being the butt of criticism in the NFL to everyone discussing not if, but when they will punch their ticket to the Super Bowl? "Oh yeah. I think I speak for a lot of fans just in saying that, yeah. I mean, there's certainly a sense of pride and relief. And you know, so many fans have waited so long for this team to turn around, you know, and to really get his act together, you know. And ever since Coach Campbell came over and Brad Holmes, you know. And along with Rod Wood, and, of course, you know, Sheila Ford Hemp, but ever since they came over and really started putting together this team, then we've seen really improvements every year. "And you look at last year, 15-2 record ... I'm not going to say it was easy, but at times, it certainly looked easy, watching the games, you know, and seeing how some of the victories that they were able to pull out. I think I think the future is still very bright. I think I think you gotta look at the Lions as being one of the favorites this season." Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are now with other teams. Do you think that the Lions can still be dominant now that they have new coordinators on both sides of the ball? They were a big part of our success. We know what both those guys are made of, you know. I feel the nucleus and the important ingredients were what we were able to do here. It's mostly still here. We certainly will miss Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, but we feel like the pieces we have on offense and defense, you know, with Hutchinson coming back, you look at kids like Brian Branch. And you know, Alim McNeill, the list goes on and on. Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Laporta. I mean, it's a solid group. And so if we can stay healthy, we should see similar results that we've seen the last couple of years." You know, recently, there's been a lot of kind of drama, I guess you would say, on numbers being unretired. Warren Moon allowed Cam Ward to take his No. 1, would you allow anyone to wear your retired number? I would defer to the team, right? I guess a certain type of player, right, you know, because I was, I was excited to wear Billy Sims' number, it wasn't retired. He was on his way to being retired. He was that kind of player. Guy Lrm Barney, was No. 20 before Billy Sims, you know, I would be open to it if the team felt like it was a certain type of player that they were willing to invest, that sort of thing. I mean I'm saying that right now, but if it actually happened, who knows?" To listen to the entire interview, watch the video above, and watch "The Making of a Heart Attack" when it debuts on A+E on June 14. Also, visit for more information on joining Sanders to fight back against heart disease. More NFL: Jets' Sauce Gardner Makes Decision on Flag Football Olympics Involvement For more on the Lions and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Lions Coach's Latest Aidan Hutchinson Quote Will Excite Detroit Fans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Following a 2024 NFL season that saw the Detroit Lions go 15-2, the team quickly lost in their first playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders. It was a disappointing way to end an otherwise amazing year. Dan Campbell and company have had an entire offseason to think about that loss. They will be more than ready to get the 2025 season underway in September. Throughout the 2024 season, the Lions were hit with multiple major injury issues. Most notably, superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson missed a huge chunk of the season after suffering a season-ending broken tibia and fibula against the Dallas Cowboys. Aidan Hutchinson #97 of the Detroit Lions reacts during the first half against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Ford Field on January 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Aidan Hutchinson #97 of the Detroit Lions reacts during the first half against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Ford Field on January 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by ReyLosing Hutchinson was a devastating blow for the Detroit defense. He is one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL and was having an elite year. Read more: Vikings Linked as Possible Trade Suitor for Packers Star In the five games he played before the injury, the 24-year-old superstar had racked up 19 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. New updates have come out about Hutchinson. He seems to be back on his feet and ready to play at a high level once again during the upcoming 2025 season. Kelvin Sheppard, the team's new defensive coordinator who replaced Aaron Glenn, spoke out with a quote about Hutchinson that will excite Lions fans. "There's not a more resilient, mentally tough guy than that type of injury during that type of season that he was on course of having could have happened to," he said. "He's the most energetic guy on the field. I said, 'Hutch, you know how I know you back?' He's like, 'How?' 'Because you're touching that ground when you run that hoop.' That's that little thing he does like he's some supernatural cat, which he is." Read more: Bears Again Connected to Potential Major Late-Free Agency Move Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Detroit is going to need the best version of Hutchinson to accomplish its goal. There is one only one goal for the Lions, which is to win the Super Bowl. Nothing short of that would be considered successful. On the outside looking in, Detroit appears to have the kind of roster needed to make that kind of run. A healthy version of Hutchinson would have made a huge difference last year in the playoffs, and he'll be taking out his frustration for missing the run out on the field this year. Hutchinson seems poised for a big season. Hopefully, he stays healthy and can get back to making the elite impact for the Lions that he has made to this point in his career. For more Detroit Lions and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Packers Dealt Brutal Honesty About QB Jordan Love
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After his first season as the Green Bay Packers' starting quarterback, Jordan Love was immediately talked about as a superstar. While his first year starting was impressive, he hadn't truly proven anything yet. Entering the 2024 NFL season, Love was expected to have a huge year. That did not end up happening. Love was injured in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He never looked the same after the injury and had a very disappointing all-around year. As for the Packers as a team, they didn't live up to the hype either. Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers participates in warmups prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers participates in warmups prior to the NFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. Photo byHeading into the 2025 season, there is optimism that Love will bounce back strong. However, there are also concerns about what will happen if he doesn't. Read more: Packers Make Major Jaire Alexander Move One NFL analyst has spoken out with a brutal take about Love and the future for Green Bay. Henry McKenna of Fox Sports did not hold back when reviewing the contract the Packers gave to Love. "There's a good chance he'll be healthier and more consistent in 2025," McKenna wrote. "He should develop. He should evolve. He should convert more of his talent into wins. But we've seen the careers of so many talented passers go awry at this phase. There's a real chance Love continues to put the ball in harm's way — and, in turn, occasionally interfere with the Packers' playoff hopes." McKenna continued forward, revealing a conclusion to his opinion of Love. "I'm willing to give this contract more time. I'm willing to give Love more time. But I can't help but be worried about where things are headed." Throughout the 2024 season, Love played in 15 games. He completed 63.1 percent of his pass attempts for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. It was a good year, but it was far from great. Read more: Packers May Get Final Chapter With Aaron Rodgers After All At 26 years old, Love still has plenty of time to develop. He has only been a starting NFL quarterback for two years. He's facing a lot of pressure after receiving a four-year, $220 million contract extension, but patience is key with a young quarterback. Hopefully for Green Bay, he will have his breakout season in 2025. There is no denying the talent and potential that Love possesses, but he needs to show it consistently on the field. Love and the Packers will kick off the 2025 NFL season at home with a tough matchup against the NFC North rival Detroit Lions. That game is scheduled for Sept. 7 at 4:25 p.m. ET. For more Green Bay Packers and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
