Latest news with #OffensivePlayeroftheYear
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Sean Payton regretted his Alvin Kamara comparison at the time, but may have got it right
Sean Payton regretted his Alvin Kamara comparison at the time, but may have got it right Kamara's numbers, play style mirror Marshall Faulk's career We're entering the part of the offseason where we start to get kind of wistful. A little nostalgic. Introspective, maybe. Look back on years past, and consider how comments made before look with the benefit of hindsight. Back when he was leading the New Orleans Saints as their Super Bowl-winning head coach, Sean Payton had a blunt reaction to being asked about comments he'd made comparing rookie draft pick Alvin Kamara to Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk, who he had coached in college at San Diego State. Payton had complimented how quick a learner and adept a receiver both players had been (similar body types helped; Faulk played at 5-foot-10 and 211 pounds, while the Saints list Kamara at 5-foot-10 and 215), but that's where the comparison stopped. "Stop," Payton told reporters back in 2017. "Marshall Faulk's a first ballot Hall of Famer. We're not doing that to a rookie running back. This kid has got really, really good football intelligence. He has good transitional speed. But even when I made the comparison back in training camp it was prefaced with, hey, not making a comparison to Marshall, I'm just saying he's a guy that learns very quickly and that's how Marshall was. I just don't want to see Marshall Faulk headlined with Alvin Kamara, that's all." But you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube, and Payton's comparison has only looked more apt with time. He's right that Faulk was a different caliber of player than Kamara, but he was also right to compare the two in the first place. At this stage in his career, Faulk had appeared in 121 games, totaling 2,155 carries (17.8 per game) with 548 receptions (4.5 per game), amassing 14,889 yards from scrimmage with 79 touchdown runs and 31 touchdown catches. He had also been selected for six Pro Bowls, was a six-time All-Pro, had won league MVP, and was named Offensive Player of the Year three times. Kamara doesn't have as many accolades, but his five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro appearances are nothing to sneeze at. Through his first eight years he's appeared in 115 games, recording 1,543 rushing attempts (13.4 per game) and catching 573 passes (4.9 per game). He's gained 11,541 yards from scrimmage. So while they have averaged the same number of yards per carry (4.4), the four extra rushes per game that Faulk got made a very big difference. And now Kamara is on the verge of doing something special. He's 238 receiving yards away from joining Faulk, Marcus Allen, and Tiki Barber to become the fourth running back in NFL history to gain at least 5,000 yards as both a rusher and receiver. Look at the numbers: Marshall Faulk: 12,279 rushing yards, 6,875 receiving yards Marcus Allen: 12,243 rushing yards, 5,411 receiving yards Tiki Barber: 10,449 rushing yards, 5,183 receiving yards Alvin Kamara: 6,779 rushing yards, 4,762 receiving yards It feels like a safe assumption that Kamara will go the distance and join those great players in the 5,000-yard (10,000?) club, but just how far can he go? Kamara's contract is set to run out after the 2026 season, so he has at least two more years to keep building on his legacy. He's talked before about not wanting to play football until his body breaks down, and his abundance of interests away from the field gives him options. If he decides to keep playing after this contract runs out, he might close the gap with Faulk in the end. Maybe. And here's one more stat for the road. Since the two-point conversion was adopted in 1994, just two players have successfully converted it seven times. Those two players? Marshall Faulk, and Alvin Kamara.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Christian McCaffrey returns to 49ers practice, showing no ill effects from injuries
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field this week with a very important piece back after missing most of last season with injuries. Running back Christian McCaffrey is fully recovered from the Achilles' and knee injuries that limited him to just four games last season in a major boost to the Niners. McCaffrey took part in the first team practice open to the media this season on Thursday, showing no ill effects from the injuries that led to a frustrating 2024 season. 'Christian is as ready as any player I've ever been around,' coach Kyle Shanahan said. "When he gets hurt, he's got to rehab and get better. Right now he's healthy as can be. We've got to kind of protect him from himself, but Christian has a good idea of what he needs to do right now. He's doing a lot less than he normally would do, but I know he is excited on how healthy he feels and the fact that he can get out there.' McCaffrey looked like his old self in drills, showing the speed and explosiveness that helped him win Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. McCaffrey skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason last year awaiting a new contract and barely got any time on the field. He went down early in training camp with Achilles' tendinitis that sidelined him for the first eight games. He returned and played four games before injuring his right knee in Week 13 in Buffalo, then missed the final five games. He rushed for just 202 yards on 50 carries in four games and was unable to match his sensational 2023 season. The Niners hope having a healthy McCaffrey will help them bounce back from a 6-11 season in 2024. 'He's still really good at football, so that's exciting,' tight end George Kittle said. 'One year removed from being Offensive Player of the Year. Still very good at football, looks great. ... Having Christian out there is awesome.' McCaffrey won the award after leading the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tying for the league lead with 21 touchdowns. McCaffrey had missed just one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game in the 2023 season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf — after missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina. The Niners have had good attendance this offseason thanks in part to getting lucrative contract extensions done early with stars Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner. That's in sharp contrast to recent years when contract disputes didn't get resolved until after the start of training camp or later. 'I'm a huge fan of getting all the things done early,' Kittle said. "I'm glad they decided to do that. That's awesome for us because now we have everybody in the building that's just focused on playing football, and focusing on just getting a little bit better every single day. I'm huge fan us getting them all done. It's good for football because now all we're focused on is football." The one notable absence has been star left tackle Trent Williams, who took part in the start of the offseason program but has been away the past couple of weeks. Shanahan said he expected Williams back soon with mandatory minicamp starting June 10. The Niners have several players still recovering from injuries and not taking part in the start of offseason practices, including receiver Brandon Aiyuk and safety Malik Mustapha . Shanahan also said that safety Ji'Ayir Brown had ankle surgery in the offseason and will be out until training camp. Receiver Ricky Pearsall injured his hamstring during offseason workouts and likely won't be ready until training camp. Rookies Alfred Collins and Marques Sigle also are currently sidelined with injuries. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos is also away from the team awaiting the birth of his child. /hub/NFL
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Christian McCaffrey returns to 49ers practice, showing no ill effects from injuries
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field this week with a very important piece back after missing most of last season with injuries. Running back Christian McCaffrey is fully recovered from the Achilles' and knee injuries that limited him to just four games last season in a major boost to the Niners. McCaffrey took part in the first team practice open to the media this season on Thursday, showing no ill effects from the injuries that led to a frustrating 2024 season. 'Christian is as ready as any player I've ever been around,' coach Kyle Shanahan said. "When he gets hurt, he's got to rehab and get better. Right now he's healthy as can be. We've got to kind of protect him from himself, but Christian has a good idea of what he needs to do right now. He's doing a lot less than he normally would do, but I know he is excited on how healthy he feels and the fact that he can get out there.' McCaffrey looked like his old self in drills, showing the speed and explosiveness that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. McCaffrey skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason last year awaiting a new contract and barely got any time on the field. He went down early in training camp with Achilles' tendinitis that sidelined him for the first eight games. He returned and played four games before injuring his right knee in Week 13 in Buffalo, then missed the final five games. He rushed for just 202 yards on 50 carries in four games and was unable to match his sensational 2023 season. The Niners hope having a healthy McCaffrey will help them bounce back from a 6-11 season in 2024. 'He's still really good at football, so that's exciting,' tight end George Kittle said. 'One year removed from being Offensive Player of the Year. Still very good at football, looks great. ... Having Christian out there is awesome.' McCaffrey won the award after leading the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tying for the league lead with 21 touchdowns. McCaffrey had missed just one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game in the 2023 season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf — after missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina. The Niners have had good attendance this offseason thanks in part to getting lucrative contract extensions done early with stars Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner. That's in sharp contrast to recent years when contract disputes didn't get resolved until after the start of training camp or later. 'I'm a huge fan of getting all the things done early,' Kittle said. "I'm glad they decided to do that. That's awesome for us because now we have everybody in the building that's just focused on playing football, and focusing on just getting a little bit better every single day. I'm huge fan us getting them all done. It's good for football because now all we're focused on is football." The one notable absence has been star left tackle Trent Williams, who took part in the start of the offseason program but has been away the past couple of weeks. Shanahan said he expected Williams back soon with mandatory minicamp starting June 10. Injury updates The Niners have several players still recovering from injuries and not taking part in the start of offseason practices, including receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and safety Malik Mustapha (knee). Shanahan also said that safety Ji'Ayir Brown had ankle surgery in the offseason and will be out until training camp. Receiver Ricky Pearsall injured his hamstring during offseason workouts and likely won't be ready until training camp. ___
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Christian McCaffrey returns to 49ers practice, showing no ill effects from injuries
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field this week with a very important piece back after missing most of last season with injuries. Running back Christian McCaffrey is fully recovered from the Achilles' and knee injuries that limited him to just four games last season in a major boost to the Niners. McCaffrey took part in the first team practice open to the media this season on Thursday, showing no ill effects from the injuries that led to a frustrating 2024 season. 'Christian is as ready as any player I've ever been around,' coach Kyle Shanahan said. 'When he gets hurt, he's got to rehab and get better. Right now he's healthy as can be. We've got to kind of protect him from himself, but Christian has a good idea of what he needs to do right now. He's doing a lot less than he normally would do, but I know he is excited on how healthy he feels and the fact that he can get out there.' McCaffrey looked like his old self in drills, showing the speed and explosiveness that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. McCaffrey skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason last year awaiting a new contract and barely got any time on the field. He went down early in training camp with Achilles' tendinitis that sidelined him for the first eight games. He returned and played four games before injuring his right knee in Week 13 in Buffalo, then missed the final five games. He rushed for just 202 yards on 50 carries in four games and was unable to match his sensational 2023 season. The Niners hope having a healthy McCaffrey will help them bounce back from a 6-11 season in 2024. 'He's still really good at football, so that's exciting,' tight end George Kittle said. 'One year removed from being Offensive Player of the Year. Still very good at football, looks great. ... Having Christian out there is awesome.' McCaffrey won the award after leading the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tying for the league lead with 21 touchdowns. McCaffrey had missed just one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game in the 2023 season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf — after missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina. The Niners have had good attendance this offseason thanks in part to getting lucrative contract extensions done early with stars Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner. That's in sharp contrast to recent years when contract disputes didn't get resolved until after the start of training camp or later. 'I'm a huge fan of getting all the things done early,' Kittle said. 'I'm glad they decided to do that. That's awesome for us because now we have everybody in the building that's just focused on playing football, and focusing on just getting a little bit better every single day. I'm huge fan us getting them all done. It's good for football because now all we're focused on is football.' The one notable absence has been star left tackle Trent Williams, who took part in the start of the offseason program but has been away the past couple of weeks. Shanahan said he expected Williams back soon with mandatory minicamp starting June 10. Injury updates The Niners have several players still recovering from injuries and not taking part in the start of offseason practices, including receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and safety Malik Mustapha (knee). Shanahan also said that safety Ji'Ayir Brown had ankle surgery in the offseason and will be out until training camp. Receiver Ricky Pearsall injured his hamstring during offseason workouts and likely won't be ready until training camp. Rookies Alfred Collins (calf) and Marques Sigle (unknown) also are currently sidelined with injuries. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos is also away from the team awaiting the birth of his child. ___ AP NFL:
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Christian McCaffrey returns to 49ers practice, showing no ill effects from injuries
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field this week with a very important piece back after missing most of last season with injuries. Running back Christian McCaffrey is fully recovered from the Achilles' and knee injuries that limited him to just four games last season in a major boost to the Niners. McCaffrey took part in the first team practice open to the media this season on Thursday, showing no ill effects from the injuries that led to a frustrating 2024 season. 'Christian is as ready as any player I've ever been around,' coach Kyle Shanahan said. 'When he gets hurt, he's got to rehab and get better. Right now he's healthy as can be. We've got to kind of protect him from himself, but Christian has a good idea of what he needs to do right now. He's doing a lot less than he normally would do, but I know he is excited on how healthy he feels and the fact that he can get out there.' McCaffrey looked like his old self in drills, showing the speed and explosiveness that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. McCaffrey skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason last year awaiting a new contract and barely got any time on the field. He went down early in training camp with Achilles' tendinitis that sidelined him for the first eight games. He returned and played four games before injuring his right knee in Week 13 in Buffalo, then missed the final five games. He rushed for just 202 yards on 50 carries in four games and was unable to match his sensational 2023 season. The Niners hope having a healthy McCaffrey will help them bounce back from a 6-11 season in 2024. 'He's still really good at football, so that's exciting,' tight end George Kittle said. 'One year removed from being Offensive Player of the Year. Still very good at football, looks great. … Having Christian out there is awesome.' McCaffrey won the award after leading the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tying for the league lead with 21 touchdowns. McCaffrey had missed just one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game in the 2023 season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf — after missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina. The Niners have had good attendance this offseason thanks in part to getting lucrative contract extensions done early with stars Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner. That's in sharp contrast to recent years when contract disputes didn't get resolved until after the start of training camp or later. 'I'm a huge fan of getting all the things done early,' Kittle said. 'I'm glad they decided to do that. That's awesome for us because now we have everybody in the building that's just focused on playing football, and focusing on just getting a little bit better every single day. I'm huge fan us getting them all done. It's good for football because now all we're focused on is football.' The one notable absence has been star left tackle Trent Williams, who took part in the start of the offseason program but has been away the past couple of weeks. Shanahan said he expected Williams back soon with mandatory minicamp starting June 10. Injury updates The Niners have several players still recovering from injuries and not taking part in the start of offseason practices, including receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and safety Malik Mustapha (knee). Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Shanahan also said that safety Ji'Ayir Brown had ankle surgery in the offseason and will be out until training camp. Receiver Ricky Pearsall injured his hamstring during offseason workouts and likely won't be ready until training camp. Rookies Alfred Collins (calf) and Marques Sigle (unknown) also are currently sidelined with injuries. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos is also away from the team awaiting the birth of his child. ___ AP NFL:
