Latest news with #SuperBowl58
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Georgia WR announces NFL retirement to pursue new career
Georgia WR announces NFL retirement to pursue new career Former Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Chris Conley has chosen to hang up the cleats. The 10-year NFL veteran is retiring to pursue a career in filmography, he posted on his Instagram. Conley started by saying, "When I was a kid I wrote down a set of goals. On that list was 'Play 10 years in the NFL.' Now that this goal has been accomplished, it's time to set sights on something new." He will be attending film school at his alma mater Georgia. Conley was a four-star wide receiver coming out of high school when Georgia recruited him in 2011. Conley played four seasons at Georgia, becoming on of Aaron Murray's most dependable targets. Through 49 games at UGA, he racked up 1,938 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was a part of the Bulldogs' 2012 SEC championship, but unfortunately, he's infamous for catching the pass on Georgia's final play five yards away from the end zone. The Bulldogs lost to Alabama 32-28. At the NFL combine, he put on a show, running a 4.35 and vertical jumping 45 inches. In the 2015 NFL draft, The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the third round. In the NFL, Conley had stops with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and San Francisco 49ers. Through 10 years, he had 2,998 yards and 15 touchdowns on 226 receptions. With San Francisco, he played in Super Bowl 58, although he wasn't able to win it against Kansas City, but he made some outstanding plays on special teams. "The past 10 years have been a dream," Conley wrote. "Getting the opportunity to play in the league was an honor and whether it was catching touchdowns or blocking for them, I truly gave it my all."
The Herald Scotland
31-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
49ers should learn from Chiefs and stop making Super Bowl excuses
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP, was asked about the challenge of resetting and resuming the relentless football grind after a Super Bowl defeat - February's blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles preventing Kansas City from becoming the first team to capture three successive Lombardi Trophies. "I feel like I focus every year, because I know how special of a run that we're on and how many years left I'll have with all these great players and a great team," said Mahomes. "And every team is different and you don't want to miss an opportunity. "When you lose a Super Bowl, I think there's sometimes in those workouts - you might be a little tired - (but) you have that extra, added motivation to finish even harder or finish even stronger." NFL POWER RANKINGS: Where teams stand post-draft It was the latest insight into the mindset of Mahomes and his dynasty - and both might have a case as the greatest in league history by the time their runs conclude - especially in the face of their rare setbacks. And let's not forget, the 2024 Chiefs somehow won a franchise record 15 regular-season games and, then, the conference - even though they couldn't protect Mahomes (sacked a career-high 36 times), couldn't consistently run the ball and lost No. 1 wideout Rashee Rice to a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Compare that to the 2024 49ers, who followed up their overtime loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl 58 with a 6-11 campaign - their worst since 2018, when the team was forced to use three starting quarterbacks. And, yes, last season's Niners were stripped of several key players - Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Dre Greenlaw, Javon Hargrave - due to injuries for most of the year. Yet coach Kyle Shanahan, who previously signaled his most recent outfit was out of sorts from training camp on, admitted Thursday, "I felt guys weren't ready to come back. And I understood that. But I told them how I won't really understand it this year." The dreaded Super Bowl hangover, emotional debilitation or whatever you want to call it felt like the latest excuse for an organization that's had several as its championship drought now extends beyond three decades. There was former quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's fourth-quarter overthrow of wide open Emmanuel Sanders in Super Bowl 54, a game the 49ers probably win if the connection is made. There was safety Jaquiski Tartt's dropped interception in the fourth quarter of the 2021 NFC championship game - and if he hangs on, San Francisco (not the Los Angeles Rams) almost surely reaches Super Bowl 56. Then there was the late defensive collapse and Shanahan's controversial decision to receive the opening kickoff of overtime in Super Bowl 58 - which actually might have been the right call regardless - which Kansas City ultimately claimed 25-22 on a game-ending touchdown. The Niners have also been occasionally sideswiped by major injuries in recent seasons and always seem to be in the midst of significant contractual issues every summer - though that shouldn't be the case in 2025, especially now that Brock Purdy is no longer on the quarterbacking version of welfare. Still, funny how that stuff never seems to affect the Chiefs, who will reach the league's version of the final four no matter what roadblocks are thrown in front of them. Coach Andy Reid attributes much of it to his veteran leaders, players like Mahomes who don't skate during or skip out on the team's offseason program. "All the good leaders have been here," Reid said. "It's good to have them there. When they're there, it's a certain energy that comes with it. Expectations from all the ... new guys - free agent type or the college kids - and they set a tempo with that." Meanwhile, Shanahan's just glad to have perfect attendance for a change after so many years of having the spring and summer sidetracked in some capacity by financial standoffs between players and the front office. "I thought the coolest thing was everyone being there on the first day," Shanahan said in reference to the start of this year's offseason program. "We had every guy show up and I didn't have to call anyone and beg them, which said a lot." Sure does, even if Shanahan intended it as a compliment to his current crew after several expensive veterans were purged in recent months as the team cleared room for Purdy's five-year, $265 million extension. Tight end George Kittle, who was extended along with Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner, says having the business side of football resolved should help on the field. "I'm glad they decided to do that," said the six-time Pro Bowler. "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. "It's good for football because now all we're focused on is football." San Francisco's stars paid, the team drawing the league's easiest schedule (the Niners' 2025 opponents had a collective winning percentage of .415 last season), McCaffrey apparently back to 100% and after an atypically long offseason to rest and recover, Shanahan knows this year's squad has little to rationalize. "The year before last year coming off the '23 season was one of the shorter breaks that we've had, having that tough loss in the Super Bowl and coming back really just like six weeks later," he said. "It's never fun to have January off, but those extra five weeks add up a lot, and I think guys were itching to get back this time, excited to get back, ready to go for the first day, and it's been a lot more fun that way." As for the Chiefs, saddled with another tough first-place schedule full of prime-time games plus a Week 1 pilgrimage to Brazil, they'll turn the adversity of an embarrassing Super Bowl showing into their own fun. "I think it'll be good for us at the end of the day," said Mahomes. "I mean, obviously looking back you want to win the game, but a lot of those (younger teammates) hadn't lost one - hadn't ended a season on a loss that are on this team now. So I'm sure they'll be motivated to go back out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl and win it this year." A lesson the current 49ers have yet to learn and a goal they have yet to reach. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
49ers QB Brock Purdy meets with reporters after signing 5-year contract extension
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy met with reporters at a press conference Wednesday, a day after the team signed him to a five-year contract extension. The 49ers posted photos on social media on Tuesday after Purdy signed the deal. Terms were not disclosed but ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported that the deal is worth $265 million and includes $181 million in guaranteed money. At about $53 million per year, the contract puts him among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL on a per-year basis. One of the best stories we've seen. — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 20, 2025 Purdy's four-year, $3.74 million rookie deal had one year remaining heading into the 2025 season. After being picked by the 49ers with the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Arizona State, the onetime "Mr. Irrelevant" led the franchise to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season and Super Bowl 58 the year after. His resume also includes four playoff wins and a Pro Bowl selection. "Brock is a tremendous leader and a fantastic representative for the 49ers organization, and we are ecstatic to get this deal done," said general manager John Lynch in a prepared statement. "When we took him with the last pick in the draft, we knew he had potential to succeed in this league, but we had no idea how special of a player he would become. He has played at an exceptionally high level since taking over the starting job, and we look forward to seeing him continue to lead this team for years to come." Purdy damn relevant. — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 20, 2025 After taking over as starting quarterback in Week 14 of the 2022 season, Purdy won each of his first 10 starts, tied for the second-most wins by a quarterback to begin a career in NFL history. Purdy holds the league record for the most games with two or more passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 115.0 or higher (15) in a player's first three seasons. He also holds NFL records for the most games with a passer rating of 120.0, 130.0, 140.0 or higher in a player's first three seasons. In the 2023 season, Purdy set the single-season franchise records for passing yards (4,280) and passer rating (113.0) which led all NFL quarterbacks that season.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
How to watch: 49ers, Brock Purdy hold press conference following contract extension
The San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy were set to hold a press conference a day after the team officially signed Purdy to a five-year contract extension. 1:30 p.m. PT - Watch the 49ers press conference in the player above, on the CBS News Bay Area YouTube page, or on the CBS News and Pluto apps The 49ers posted photos on social media Tuesday after Purdy signed the deal. Terms were not disclosed but ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported that the deal is worth $265 million and includes $181 million in guaranteed money. At about $53 million per year, the contract puts him among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL on a per-year basis. One of the best stories we've seen. — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 20, 2025 Purdy's four-year, $3.74 million rookie deal had one year remaining heading into the 2025 season. After being picked by the 49ers with the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Arizona State, the onetime "Mr. Irrelevant" led the franchise to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season and Super Bowl 58 the year after. His resume also includes four playoff wins and a Pro Bowl selection. Purdy damn relevant. — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 20, 2025 After taking over as starting quarterback in Week 14 of the 2022 season, Purdy won each of his first 10 starts, tied for the second-most wins by a quarterback to begin a career in NFL history. Purdy holds the league record for the most games with two or more passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 115.0 or higher (15) in a player's first three seasons. He also holds NFL records for the most games with a passer rating of 120.0, 130.0, 140.0 or higher in a player's first three seasons. In the 2023 season, Purdy set the single-season franchise records for passing yards (4,280) and passer rating (113.0) which led all NFL quarterbacks that season.
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens' low ranking on NFL's 2025 must-watch games list feels like a snub
Ravens' low ranking on NFL's 2025 must-watch games list feels like a snub Months have passed since we watched the Baltimore Ravens' dreams end. Super Bowl 59 was supposed to be our moment. The 2024-25 season had a Cody Rhodes feeling to it. We were supposed to finish our story. Last year was about righting wrongs and placing the period at the end of the sentence. We expected a redemption story. We wanted our sequel to the horror epic that was an AFC Championship Game loss two weeks before Super Bowl 58. We added The King, Derrick Henry. Sadly, however, heartbreak came again. We watched Lamar Jackson embrace Josh Allen as the loser. Now what? The answer is simple. We dust ourselves off in Baltimore fashion and take our Lombardi Trophy, for real this time. The Ravens are snubbed in a ranking of the NFL's top games of the coming 2025 NFL season. It feels like nine months since Baltimore's dreams of Super Bowl glory ended vs. the Buffalo Bills. That hasn't lessened our excitement for another run, though. The NFL's schedule release approaches. We know who the Ravens' opponents are. We need only see when the games are scheduled. Something caught our eye, though: a recent ranking of the NFL's top games of the 2025 regular season. Give this one a gander, and let us know if something jumps out at you. Lamar 'Action' Jackson is one of the game's top signal-callers. He's a two-time Most Valuable Player. Why is the Ravens' game vs. the Los Angeles Rams ranked third? Why is a game featuring Lamar, the Ravens, Patrick Mahomes, and the Kansas City Chiefs ranked seventh? We throw the challenge flag. We demand a recount. Once upon a time, a field-goal attempt in Foxborough sailed wide of its mark in another AFC Championship Game. That, too, ended a Ravens date with glory. Baltimore won Super Bowl XLVII. You see where we're going with this, right? In some ways, the months since last January's Divisional Round loss in Buffalo have dragged. In others, they have flown by. We're going to say what everyone else is thinking. We seek glory and some closure, though it appears it may come later than we originally anticipated. Each game is a step in that journey forward. Each chapter will be an epic. Maybe we're splitting hairs over nothing, but we can't, for our lives, understand why the NFL doesn't seem to recognize that.
