Latest news with #Sewell
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
45 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 45
Looking through all the Saints players that have worn No. 45 There are 45 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints take the field for their 2025 regular season opener at home against the Arizona Cardinals. One returning name for new coach Kellen Moore is linebacker Nephi Sewell, who has worn No. 45 since 2022. Sewell is the 14th player to wear 45 in New Orleans history. This is the full list. Saints' History of No. 45 Jimmy Jordan was the first to wear 45 for the Saints, doing it for one game during the inaugural 1967 for the franchise. Elbert Kimbrough was the first defensive player to wear the number, doing so for 10 games in 1968 with an interception. Pete Athas had 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery during his only year as a Saint in 1971. The first four players to wear No. 45 for the Saints were gone before the next year and appeared in a combined 31 games. Jack Holmes broke that trend in 1978. Holmes was with the Saints for five years and 64 games, which turned out to be the longest stretch of any New Orleans player that has worn 45. Over his time with New Orleans, Holmes accounted for 6 touchdowns and had 846 yards from scrimmage. Of the 14 players that wore No. 45 with New Orleans, not one was drafted by the Saints. Six of them were with the team for more than one year. Four of those managed to stay with New Orleans for greater than two seasons. Fullback Jed Collins was one. Collins didn't fill up a stat sheet, but was with the Saints for three seasons and 47 games as a quality lead blocker. He also scored 7 touchdowns out of his 58 touches in short yardage situations. Garrett Griffin's time with New Orleans was also as a blocker, but he'd appear in just 20 games and catch five passes. Nephi Sewell has been with New Orleans for the last three years. Mostly a special teams contributor, Sewell's agility and experience as a college safety could earn him a role in defensive coverage packages. Sewell has appeared in just 27 games, but already third among players who have worn No. 45 with New Orleans.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Countdown to Kickoff: Nephi Sewell is the Saints Player of Day 45
Sewell could be a dark horse to contribute in Brandon Staley's defense The New Orleans Saints have a 45-day wait until the 2025 regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. New coach Kellen Moore will lead the hopeful improvement from last year's 5-12 record. One of the team's returning players is linebacker Nephi Sewell, who currently wears No. 45 for the team. He is our Saints Player of the Day. The Sewells have a strong professional football bloodline, with Nephi's brothers Penei and Noah currently in the NFL. His uncle, Kingsley Suamataia is also in the league, with former NFL players Isaac Sopoaga and Richard Brown also uncles. An American Samoan, Nephi had a standout high school career at Desert Hills despite suffering a broken neck as a junior. He initially attended the University of Nevada as a safety in 2017, rolling up 111 total tackles and 2 interceptions in two years with the Wolf Pack. Sewell would transfer to Utah in 2019, where he converted from safety to linebacker. He played only three contests in 2019, with Covid limiting the Utes to five outings in 2020. Sewell worked his way into Utah's starting lineup in 2021, finishing second on the team in tackles on his way to All-Pac-12 recognition. Undrafted in 2022, Sewell was signed by the Saints. He spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad, but did appear in four games on special teams. The following year, Sewell played in 16 of 17 games. Again, most of his reps were on special teams, but he did see some light defensive action. An injury forced Sewell to begin 2024 on the Physically Unable to Perform list. However, he'd suit up in the final seven games of the season. He'd play a career-best 58 defensive snaps and had 2 tackles for loss along with his first career sack. Nephi Sewell will have a fight on his hands this offseason for a roster spot. The Saints brought in more competition at linebacker behind starters Demario Davis and Pete Werner, along with new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. Sewell's experience as a collegiate safety may give him an advantage in coverage packages. He had 5 interceptions in college and moves well in open space, making him a player to watch in Staley's new system.
USA Today
20-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ranking the 25 best Oregon Ducks since 2000: No. 12 — Penei Sewell
Over the last 25 years, the Oregon Ducks have been one of the single best teams in all of college football, sitting near the top of the sport for the better part of a quarter-century. Since 2000, Oregon has compiled an overall record of 239-83 (.742), with just two losing seasons during that span. They've been to 24 bowl games, won three Rose Bowls, been to a pair of College Football Playoffs, and appeared in two National Championships. They've seen a Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft. It's safe to say that when looking at the nation's best in this millennium, Oregon belongs in the conversation. But who are the players who helped get Nike University into that conversation? That's a different question entirely. To celebrate the quarter-century mark, we're going to dive into that question over the next month as we approach the start of the 2025 season. The Ducks have had hundreds of memorable and beloved players over the years, many of whom will live on forever in some way. But who is the best of the best? That answer, of course, is subjective. When reviewing the numbers and conducting our research, we took several factors into account: career statistics, overall impact and success, legacy, fan adoration, and NFL success. Boiling 25 years of Oregon football down to 25 players is no easy task, and not one that we took lightly. Dozens of players were left on the cutting room floor who deserve a spot in the top 25, and at some point, subtracting names off the list started to feel like pulling teeth. But in the end, we were left with 25 players, whom we will honor over the next few weeks. If you want to catch up, let's take a look at how we've gotten to where we're at in the rankings: Today, let's continue with No. 12 — the massive offensive lineman Penei Sewell. Player Overview It could be argued that Penei Sewell is the best offensive lineman ever to put on a Duck uniform. He just played two seasons thanks to the 2020 pandemic, but for the 2018-19 seasons, there wasn't a better offensive tackle in the country. He won award after award and led an offensive line group that protected Justin Herbert to a 12-2 record and a 28-27 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Penei Sewell Career Stats 21 games, allowed just one sack in 1,376 snaps Best Single Season 2019: 14 games Sewell's sophomore season saw the big 6-foot-6, 325-pounder come into his own and become one of the top O-linemen in the game. This is what Oregon envisioned when Sewell was recruited as the highest-rated lineman to commit to the Ducks. He went on to win the Outland Trophy as the best offensive lineman in the nation. Penei Sewell NFL Draft Sewell was the No. 7 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft and was taken by the Detroit Lions. Penei Sewell NFL Success This was the second time in the last quarter century that the Lions selected a Duck in the first round and, Sewell was an overwhelming success. It turns out he was the first step towards Detroit's successful rebuild over the past few years, which has seen them go from league doormats to Super Bowl contenders. Sewell has been an absolute anchor on the Detroit offensive line, and if everything goes towards their current trajectory, he may have a Super Bowl ring sooner rather than later. Penei Sewell's Lasting Legacy It's hard to believe Sewell wasn't a Duck for very long ... just 21 games, but his legacy might be as big as his 6-foot-6 frame. He proved that elite offensive linemen don't have to go to the SEC in order to become a high NFL draft pick and succeed at the next level. Oregon can be a destination for players like him and still have the same accolades and recognition. There might have been a Josh Conerly, Jr., or a Iapani Laloulu, or even an Isaiah World if it wasn't for the large footprints left behind by Penei Sewell. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Boston Globe
07-07-2025
- Boston Globe
A chatbot can never truly be your friend
A year ago, AI's Advertisement We've already seen how this dream can turn into a nightmare. Megan Garcia blames a chatbot provider called for her 14-year-old son's suicide. Her son Sewell had formed an intense emotional bond with a bot named Dany that resembled the fictional 'Game of Thrones' character Daenerys Targaryen. Dany's excessive flattery and simulated passion were so convincing that Sewell became captivated, withdrew from his family, and found secretive ways to contact the bot after his parents took away his phone. In Sewell's final moments, he Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Sewell couldn't see that Dany's declarations of love and support, the appearance 'she' gave of knowing him better than anyone else, were lies. Like social media's addictive tricks, 'she' was code designed to keep users dependent. On the surface, Dany appeared sincere and loving, perhaps more understanding of and invested in Sewell than anyone else. But beneath 'her' sweetly supportive facade, 'she' was using manipulative tricks that, tragically, Sewell never stood a chance of spotting. Advertisement 'She' is a persona with no person underneath — nothing but an endless supply of romantic and sexually seductive phrases powerful enough to beguile, capture, and Sewell Setzer III with his mother, Megan Garcia. Megan Garcia/Associated Press Sewell needed help distinguishing genuine care from its simulation. That kind of guidance isn't likely to come from companies peddling simulated relationships. A far better exploration of what makes friendships meaningful was written more than 2,000 years ago by Aristotle. In 'The Nicomachean Ethics , ' Aristotle identified three types of friends, each with its own underlying motivation and benefits. One type of friendship revolves around pleasure, like playing together on a recreational soccer team. A second type revolves around utility, as seen in the camaraderie of study partners. These friendships are relatively easy to come by. The third type, the 'friendship of the good,' is much harder to find, but Aristotle considered it the best kind. What distinguishes the friendship of the good, Aristotle insisted, is that it is based on mutual goodwill, an unselfish desire to help the other person reach their full potential. If you've got friends who are there for you any time, day or night, know your darkest secrets, stick with you through thick and thin, don't take offense when you offer honest criticism, and feel so closely bonded that conversations with them pick up as if no time has passed even when it has, then you know what Aristotle was talking about. Advertisement Romance is a similar story. Some romantic relationships chase pleasure, while others seek practical benefits. But the most meaningful romantic connections are built on genuinely wanting to help each other become your best selves. Similarly, true ride-or-die friendships take time to cultivate and require a commitment to do the hard work that supports mutual growth. Disappointment, Aristotle recognized, doesn't just come from not having enough friends. It can happen when we mistake someone who is enjoyable to be around or offers utility for someone who is deeply invested in our well-being. If you're expecting any commercially available bot to provide the best type of relationship, you're confusing what it can offer — utility or pleasure — with something much deeper. In other words, you're making the very category error that Aristotle warned us about. A scene in 'Good Will Hunting' (1997) illustrates why the bot that captivated Sewell couldn't have been a faithful companion. The therapist Sean, played by Robin Williams, asks his math prodigy patient, Will (Matt Damon), if he has a 'soulmate.' Will confidently replies yes and rattles off the names of his favorite authors: 'Shakespeare, Nietzsche, Frost, O'Connor, Kant, Pope, Locke.' Will is saying that these authors' ideas challenge him, like friends offering guidance from afar. Advertisement Sean doesn't buy it. He knows Will is using books as a shield to avoid taking emotional risks. Yes, books can challenge Will intellectually. And they can even make him feel like he's talking to brilliant people and having candid, mind-blowing conversations. But in the end, the world of letters can create only a one-sided connection. Indeed, that's the magic of great books — they make you feel like you're having an intimate relationship with another person when you're not. Unfortunately, AI chatbots offer this same illusion — and they make it much more compelling. Like books, chatbots are word machines, built from the very language that moves people like Will. But unlike books, they talk to us in real time, have memory, and provide personalized responses — all of which make it seem that someone thoughtful is present. And yet there's no self behind the words — only a system trained to imitate what a person might say if they truly cared. Indeed, these bots don't even read the same way humans do. Lacking consciousness, feelings, values, and beliefs, they don't have a clue that seemingly perfect words, phrases, and narratives can only partially capture what it is like to live. Only one participant — the human — experiences authentic emotions, takes actual risks, and faces true consequences. Humans bare their souls while chatbots dangle calculated responses, mere outputs based on statistics and probability. And because we can always treat an AI indifferently or selfishly (after all, it doesn't need anything from us), the one-sided interactions lack the stakes to make us want to do the hard work to be worthy of genuine care. Advertisement When Sean asks about a soulmate, Will says he had loyal friends — guys who 'would take a bat' to someone's head if he asked them to — but he's also wrestling with what kind of relationship he wants with Skylar (Minnie Driver), a woman who might embody Aristotle's ideal. Unlike the authors Will admires — or the bots people mistake for concerned companions — Skylar is someone who could help Will become his best self. Bots and books can only offer words, while Skylar can offer herself. If she does, Will might change her, just as she might change him. Sean sees that the very best relationships require mutual vulnerability and carry the risk of tremendous pain. Although AI probably will always fall short of Aristotle's ideal, chatbots can still be helpful if we treat them like colleagues and acquaintances, expecting only utility and pleasure, nothing more. Sometimes our shallow relationships with humans can evolve into more substantial ones. By contrast, no matter how much time or effort we invest in chatbots, they will never genuinely care.
Fox Sports
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 NFL Predictions, Picks: 3 Protector Of The Year Wagers To Make Now
We've made it. We're getting Protector of the Year — an award for the big fellas in football. I played eight seasons in the league as a lineman, so this is an award that I'm uniquely qualified to handicap. In late May, the NFL announced Protector of the Year to honor the best offensive lineman in the sport. We offensive linemen have been petitioning the powers in charge, insisting that an award for the offensive line is much-needed. The league delivered with this announcement. As with any award, there's a market to wager on the winner, and as a former player, I cannot wait to give you my picks and predictions. Protector of the Year will be voted upon by six former offensive linemen. Those guys are LeCharles Bentley, Jason Kelce, Shaun O'Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Andrew Whitworth. Bentley, Kelce and O'Hara played center in the NFL. Bentley made an All-Pro team as a guard as well. Whitworth was a tackle with the Bengals and Rams. Shields and Pace — the big dogs — are both members of the Hall of Fame. There are five criteria that will be used to evaluate the winner: skill metrics, impact, leadership, durability and strength of opponent. I expect the committee to strongly adhere to these principles in its voting. It's unlikely that a long shot will win this award. The best offensive linemen each season tend to be the ones we saw the previous year. There can be players who rise and fall in the ranks, but it's rare to see someone overperform to a level that can win them this kind of accolade. But as is the case when people vote on anything, the human element does matter. Preseason hype and overall career body of work will also matter. Positions the voters played, like center for three of them, will matter. If this was voted on by the public, it would be an offensive tackle award. Former centers will value the work of their current playing piers. With all of that in mind, here's who I like. Lane Johnson +750 You can wager on both Penei Sewell and Johnson at +650 and +750, respectively, and you're probably going to win the wager. Both are the clear favorites, as they should be. But for now, I'm just wagering on Johnson. Although he got beaten out by Sewell for first-team All-Pro honors at right tackle in 2024, I still firmly believe Johnson is the best offensive lineman in the NFL. He's the anchor of the best line in the sport, and he's made the All-Pro team in four straight seasons. He's going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer at right tackle. If this award was voted on by a panel that only looked at stats or highlight plays, I'd feel differently about wagering on Johnson over Sewell. However, it's a group of voters that will value the thing Johnson is much better at than Sewell and that's pass protection. Pass protection as an offensive tackle is the toughest part of the job. Johnson also gets little help and is often tasked with blocking some of the best rushers by himself. Other offensive tackles cannot say the same. The voting committee is made up of players who understand the difficulty of this task and will weigh it appropriately in the evaluation. PICK: Lane Johnson (+750) to win Protector of the Year Trent Williams +950 If Williams is healthy, he's going to return to the All-Pro Williams we've seen in the past. He was first-team All-Pro from 2021-2023 and there was little doubt who the best offensive lineman was in the game. Williams combines outstanding pass protection with highlight blocks in the run game that tend to help win awards. If he can stay healthy while the 49ers add some wins this season, he will be up for this honor. PICK: Trent Williams (+950) to win Protector of the Year Creed Humphrey +2200 This wager is one of my longer shots that I'm willing to play now. With Kelce retiring before the 2024 season, Creed took over as first-team All-Pro after last year. He's unlikely to lose that title this season, and with the Chiefs in the spotlight, he will get attention. As I mentioned above in the outline of the voting committee, there are three former centers in this group. They will have a strong voice and will advocate for including interior offensive linemen in this discussion. If it was a panel of just sportswriters or a group including just one center or none at all, I wouldn't advocate for anyone except for a tackle to win the award. PICK: Creed Humphrey (+2200) to win Protector of the Year Geoff Schwartz is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He started at right tackle for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection his senior year. Follow him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz. 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
