Latest news with #NFLChampionshipGame
NBC Sports
30-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Dave Klein, who covered the first 54 Super Bowls, dies at 85
Dave Klein, one of only two sportswriters to attend the first 54 Super Bowls, died Wednesday, Steve Politi of NJ Advance Media reports. Klein was 85. Klein began his career at the Star-Ledger in 1961, following in the footsteps of his father, Willie, who was the longtime sports editor at the time. His brother, Moss, joined the staff in 1972 and became the Yankees beat writer four years later. For all the big events Klein covered, he was most known for his coverage of the Giants. 'We are saddened to hear of Dave's passing,' the Giants said in a statement. 'He devoted much of his professional life to covering our organization and keeping our fans informed. Our thoughts are with Dave's family, friends and readers.' Klein was one of only 338 media members credentialed for Super Bowl I on Jan. 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The league honored Klein, longtime Star-Ledger columnist Jerry Izenberg and Detroit News columnist Jerry Green, n 2016 as the only three writers to cover every one of the first 50 Super Bowls. Klein finally missed a Super Bowl during the COVID season of 2020 when the Bucs beat the Chiefs in Tampa, Florida. Klein wrote 35 books, including 'The Game of Their Lives' about the 1958 NFL Championship Game.
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What was the Rams best NFL draft class? Analyst says it happened in the 1940s
What was the Rams best NFL draft class? Analyst says it happened in the 1940s The Los Angeles Rams have had a lot of good draft classes in their franchise's history. The 2024 group is among the best of the most recent NFL classes, while the 2023 class of Puka Nacua, Byron Young and Kobie Turner is also elite. The Rams also had a ton of incredible classes in the 1970s, 80s and 90s that shepherded in successful eras in the team's history. But Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano went back even further to find the Rams' top class. He picked the team's 1945 class as the franchise's best group ever because of the two Hall-of-Famers taken: Elroy Hirsch in the first round and Tom Fears in the 11th round. "The then-Cleveland Rams used a first-round pick on Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch, who led the NFL with 66 receptions, 1,495 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 1951," Manzano wrote. "Hirsch, a Wisconsin native, quickly turned Hollywood after the team moved to Los Angeles, becoming an actor and starring in his own biopic, the '53 film 'Crazylegs.' In the 11th round, the Rams took Tom Fears, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, before his family moved to Southern California." While the Rams have drafted a lot of Hall of Fame players during the history of the franchise, this is the only one with two players in Canton. The Rams went 9-1 that season and won the NFL Championship Game. The group went to three consecutive championship starting in 1949 and won again in 1951. Here is the full list of drafted players from 1945:
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bob Long, member of Packers teams that won Super Bowls I and II, dies at 83
Bob Long, a wide receiver who was on the Packers' teams that won the first two Super Bowls, has died at the age of 83. Long went to Wichita State to play basketball, but after finishing his basketball eligibility he decided to give football a try, and in one year of college football he led the NCAA in touchdown catches. That two-sport athletic talent caught Vince Lombardi's eye, and the Packers took him with the 44th overall pick in the 1964 NFL draft. Long played four seasons in Green Bay and the Packers won the championship in three of them, winning the NFL Championship Game after the 1965 season and then winning Super Bowls I and II in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. After Super Bowl II the Packers traded Long to the Falcons, where he was the team's leading receiver through nine games in 1968 before his season ended because of injuries sustained in a car accident. The following offseason, Lombardi became the head coach and general manager in Washington, and he called Long to tell him he'd be trading for him to bring him to Washington. "Vince had Bobby Mitchell and Charley Taylor in Washington, but he called me up and said, 'Do you still have your basketball hands?'" Long recalled years later in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I said, 'yes, but I'm not as fast after I was in a bad car wreck in Atlanta.' He said, 'You still don't make mental mistakes, do you?' I said, 'No.' "He said, 'Bobby Mitchell is retiring, and I need a veteran.' You don't turn down Vince Lombardi, so I went to Washington." Long started all 14 games in Washington that season. Lombardi died the following offseason, and Long's tenure in Washington ended as well. Long concluded his NFL career with a brief stint playing for the Rams. In retirement, Long returned to Wisconsin and lived there the rest of his life, saying he loved being around Packers fans.
NBC Sports
19-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Bob Long, member of Packers teams that won Super Bowls I and II, dies at 83
Bob Long, a wide receiver who was on the Packers' teams that won the first two Super Bowls, has died at the age of 83. Long went to Wichita State to play basketball, but after finishing his basketball eligibility he decided to give football a try, and in one year of college football he led the NCAA in touchdown catches. That two-sport athletic talent caught Vince Lombardi's eye, and the Packers took him with the 44th overall pick in the 1964 NFL draft. Long played four seasons in Green Bay and the Packers won the championship in three of them, winning the NFL Championship Game after the 1965 season and then winning Super Bowls I and II in the 1966 and 1967 seasons. After Super Bowl II the Packers traded Long to the Falcons, where he was the team's leading receiver through nine games in 1968 before his season ended because of injuries sustained in a car accident. The following offseason, Lombardi became the head coach and general manager in Washington, and he called Long to tell him he'd be trading for him to bring him to Washington. 'Vince had Bobby Mitchell and Charley Taylor in Washington, but he called me up and said, 'Do you still have your basketball hands?'' Long recalled years later in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. 'I said, 'yes, but I'm not as fast after I was in a bad car wreck in Atlanta.' He said, 'You still don't make mental mistakes, do you?' I said, 'No.' 'He said, 'Bobby Mitchell is retiring, and I need a veteran.' You don't turn down Vince Lombardi, so I went to Washington.' Long started all 14 games in Washington that season. Lombardi died the following offseason, and Long's tenure in Washington ended as well. Long concluded his NFL career with a brief stint playing for the Rams. In retirement, Long returned to Wisconsin and lived there the rest of his life, saying he loved being around Packers fans.
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Saquon Barkley contract extension: Record-breaking deal with Eagles, report says
Saquon Barkley contract extension: Record-breaking deal with Eagles, report says The Eagles are signing running back Saquon Barkley to a record-breaking extension for a running back coming off the best season in team history. ESPN is reporting that Barkley is getting a two-year extension worth as much as $41.2 million, making him the first running back to have an average annual value of more than $20 million per season. According to the report, $36 million of that deal is guaranteed at signing, and Barkley can earn an extra $15 million in incentives and escalators. The extension is through the 2028 season, when Barkley will be 31 years old. This comes one year after the Eagles had signed Barkley to a three-year deal worth as much as $37.8 million in free agency last spring. Barkley, 28, outperformed that contract by rushing for 2,005 yards, plus another 499 in the playoffs. He became the ninth running back in NFL history to surpass 2,000 yards. Celebrate Eagles' Super Bowl win with our new book Barkley's rushing yardage, including playoffs, of 2,504 yards set an unofficial NFL record, breaking the previous high of 2,476 yards set by Terrell Davis in 1998. Barkley easily broke the Eagles' previous franchise record of 1,607 rushing yards in a season, set by LeSean McCoy in 2013. He also broke McCoy's record for rushing yards in a game with 255 against the Rams on Nov. 24. That broke McCoy's mark of 217 yards in 2013. Barkley also broke the franchise record for rushing yards in a playoff game, with 205 in the NFC divisional round against the Rams. That broke the previous mark of 196 yards set by Steve Van Buren in the 1949 NFL Championship Game. The extension means that top offensive players in Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, and offensive linemen Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson are all signed through at least the 2028 season. Center Cam Jurgens is a candidate to get a multiyear extension before his rookie contract expires after the 2025 season. And right tackle Lane Johnson is signed through 2026. Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@ Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
