Latest news with #No.99
USA Today
40 minutes ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Free agent Za'Darius Smith hoping to land back with Lions
Free agent Za'Darius Smith hoping to land back with Lions Former Detroit Lions edge pass rusher Za'Darius Smith made it known that he would prefer to end up back in Honolulu Blue this season. Smith, who was cut by the Lions in March, played eight games for the team in the 2024-25 season after being acquired from the Cleveland Browns following the leg injury to Aidan Hutchinson. In those eight games, No. 99 totaled four sacks and 12 tackles on a defense that was reeling by season's end. 'We both know where I want to be,' Smith told USA TODAY Sports at the 2025 BET Awards. 'Hopefully I can get back to Detroit because the coaching staff and everybody in the front office are great. When I'm there I feel like a leader and like I can influence the young guys and do great things. Hopefully I can get back to where I want to be in Detroit.' Smith, 32, is also in a relationship with Detroit rapper Kash Doll, with whom he attended the BET Awards. The Lions didn't make any long-term investments in edge rushers in the offseason despite letting Smith go. However, Hutchinson has been fully cleared for his return to football and Smith says he would still want a chance to work with him directly. 'I'm still a veteran. He's still a young guy. I can help him with a lot of things. He's already great but as a player there are some tools that I know that I can help him with,' Smith said. 'And there are some things as a young guy that he can help me with.' Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler who spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns before his half-season in Detroit. 'I'm going into Year 11. As a veteran (a championship) is the only thing that I'm missing,' Smith said. 'I did the sacks, All-Pro, Pro Bowl, so it's really just me getting a ring now and winning a championship.'
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
99 days until Saints' season opener: Every player to wear No. 99
99 days until Saints' season opener: Every player to wear No. 99 Everyone from Chase Young to Norman Hand and Tony Elliott Our countdown to the New Orleans Saints' season opener is kicking off. There are 99 days until their Sept. 7 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, so we're counting down the days by reflecting on every player to wear that jersey number in Saints history. No. 99 belongs to defensive end Chase Young, the subject of our Player of the Day feature. Young won it from defensive tackle Khalen Saunders after signing with the team last summer. Some fan favorites tackles who have used it include Shy Tuttle, Hollis Thomas, Norman Hand, and the great Tony Elliott, who was the first to put it on. With 99 days to go until kickoff, here's a look back at each player to use No. 99 with the Saints (via Pro Football Reference): Chase Young (2024-Present) Khalen Saunders (2023) Shy Tuttle (2019-2022) Adam Bighill (2017) Paul Kruger (2016) Aubrayo Franklin (2011) Jimmy Wilkerson (2010) Hollis Thomas (2006-2008) Shaun Smith (2004) Kenderick Allen (2003) Norman Hand (2000-2002) Darren Mickell (1999) Pio Sagapolutele (1997) Willie Broughton (1995-1996) Joel Smeenge (1990-1994) Tony Elliott (1982-1988) We couldn't find a photo for Elliott in the USA TODAY Sports archives as well as those at Reuters and Getty Images. Elliott was a key piece in the "Dome Patrol" defense opening up plays for Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson and should be recognized for his efforts.
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
99 days till the Arizona Cardinals' 2025 season opener: Who has worn No. 99?
99 days till the Arizona Cardinals' 2025 season opener: Who has worn No. 99? With 99 days till the Cardinals open the season against the Saints, we look at the players who have worn No. 99. It is officially time to start counting down to the start of the 2025 Arizona Cardinals season. They have their season opener on Sunday, Sept. 7 on the road against the New Orleans Saints. That is now 99 days away. As we have done for years, we will count down to the season opener. Some years, we focus on stats. Other times it is a season and often it is jersey numbers. Last year we focused on one player per number. In this countdown, we will look at the history of players using different numbers. Let's look at No. 99 Cardinals players to wear No. 99 No. 99 is a rare number because it was retired in 1950 for Marshall Goldberg, who was part of the Cardinals' one championship team. But it was unretired for two seasons for defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday. Here is the history of No. 99, in reserve order: DL J.J. Watt, 2021-2022 RB Bob Nussbaumer, 1949-1950 FB Marsahll Goldberg, 1946-1948 Watt had 12.5 sacks in his final NFL season with the Cardinals. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
San Francisco Chronicle
25-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Judge insists that despite hitting .395 with 18 homers, he doesn't 'feel too great at the plate'
DENVER (AP) — Aaron Judge insisted he doesn't pay too much attention to his numbers, which, for the record, are eye-opening — .395 average with 18 homers and 46 RBIs. Even more, the New York Yankees slugger hinted he's not as locked in as one might think. 'I don't feel too great at the plate,' Judge said after New York's 13-1 win over the slumping Colorado Rockies on Saturday. 'Always a work in progress.' Now that's a scary thought. After all, he's flirting with .400 well into May. He has certainly taken a liking to Coors Field in his first regular-season visit this weekend, homering in back-to-back games. 'The stadium is great," Judge said. 'Fans always show up in numbers and it's a packed house.' For the last two days, that's largely because of Judge, whose No. 99 jersey was quite popular around the park. He also drew the loudest cheers — and boos, when the Rockies intentionally walked him during a 10-run fifth inning. It was just his ninth intentional walk of the season. In this case, it helped set the table for the big inning in which the Yankees sent 14 batters to the plate. 'If I can get on base for those guys, they're going to do something special,' Judge explained. 'You never know what's going to happen — you've just got to stay ready to hit every single time.' Judge said he doesn't dwell too much on his numbers for one specific reason: They're reflections of the past. He prefers to look forward. 'My dad would always give me the quote, 'If what you did yesterday still seemed big today, then you haven't done anything today,'' the 6-foot-7 outfielder said. 'So it doesn't matter what you did yesterday. If you're still happy about your good game last night, then you probably haven't done anything today.' To manager Aaron Boone, it's not a surprise Judge is hitting so well. It simply speaks to the evolution of the player who's in his 10th season. 'Ultimately, if you're going to have real success, you've got to rely on a little bit of chase with him,' Boone said. 'He's just gotten so good at not chasing. You just don't see him leave the zone that often. As dangerous as he is and as much power as he (has), when you're not leaving the strike zone, I'm sure that can't be an entirely comfortable feeling for a pitcher.' ___
Hamilton Spectator
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Judge insists that despite hitting .395 with 18 homers, he doesn't ‘feel too great at the plate'
DENVER (AP) — Aaron Judge insisted he doesn't pay too much attention to his numbers, which, for the record, are eye-opening — .395 average with 18 homers and 46 RBIs. Even more, the New York Yankees slugger hinted he's not as locked in as one might think. 'I don't feel too great at the plate,' Judge said after New York's 13-1 win over the slumping Colorado Rockies on Saturday. 'Always a work in progress.' Now that's a scary thought. After all, he's flirting with .400 well into May. He has certainly taken a liking to Coors Field in his first regular-season visit this weekend, homering in back-to-back games. 'The stadium is great,' Judge said. 'Fans always show up in numbers and it's a packed house.' For the last two days, that's largely because of Judge, whose No. 99 jersey was quite popular around the park. He also drew the loudest cheers — and boos, when the Rockies intentionally walked him during a 10-run fifth inning. It was just his ninth intentional walk of the season. In this case, it helped set the table for the big inning in which the Yankees sent 14 batters to the plate. 'If I can get on base for those guys, they're going to do something special,' Judge explained. 'You never know what's going to happen — you've just got to stay ready to hit every single time.' Judge said he doesn't dwell too much on his numbers for one specific reason: They're reflections of the past. He prefers to look forward. 'My dad would always give me the quote, 'If what you did yesterday still seemed big today, then you haven't done anything today,'' the 6-foot-7 outfielder said. 'So it doesn't matter what you did yesterday. If you're still happy about your good game last night, then you probably haven't done anything today.' To manager Aaron Boone, it's not a surprise Judge is hitting so well. It simply speaks to the evolution of the player who's in his 10th season. 'Ultimately, if you're going to have real success, you've got to rely on a little bit of chase with him,' Boone said. 'He's just gotten so good at not chasing. You just don't see him leave the zone that often. As dangerous as he is and as much power as he (has), when you're not leaving the strike zone, I'm sure that can't be an entirely comfortable feeling for a pitcher.' ___ AP MLB:
