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Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jefferson's mitts continue to be Bombers' defensive star
Certain plays hit a soft spot for Willie Jefferson. It was the beginning of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' second possession during last week's home game against Toronto when Chris Streveler's pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage by Argonauts defensive end Anthony Lanier and caught by linebacker Cameron Judge, who returned the interception 47 yards to the house to give the visitors an early lead. It was a tremendously athletic and instinctual play by Lanier, who peeled off his pass rush and leaped with his 6-5 frame at the perfect moment to disrupt the throw. MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Willie Jefferson had a single-game career-high four pass knockdowns in the club's Week 9 victory over the Toronto Argonauts. Jefferson had to hide his appreciation for a good football play made by two men he knew well. 'Two of my guys. I wasn't happy for the play during the game. Afterwards, I was able to celebrate with Anthony Lanier and Cam Judge,' he said Wednesday. Jefferson played with Judge in Saskatchewan from 2017-18 and knew Lanier before he entered the CFL in 2021. 'Him making one of my plays and then Judge finishing the play, it was good to see those guys.' Indeed, Jefferson has earned the right to call a batted pass 'his play.' There's been no one better at getting their mitt on the ball since he entered the league in 2014, and he's the best to ever do it at the line of scrimmage. The CFL's active leader in career pass knockdowns with 85 also ranks third all-time behind Hall of Fame defensive back Eddie Davis (111) and Adrion Smith (105). Jefferson is also the only defensive lineman in league history to crack the top 10 in that stat. Jefferson, who even at 34 years old still has a knack for wrecking games, also got his in that 40-31 Week 9 victory. Along with a single-game career-high four pass knockdowns, he registered one sack, one forced fumble, eight quarterback pressures and one defensive tackle. His dominance was recognized by Pro Football Focus — an analytics company that tracks every player in the CFL — which gave Jefferson a 99.3 grade, the highest single-game mark since the organization began grading CFL games in 2023. The previous single-game high was 94.6, which was awarded to Vernon Adams Jr. while he was playing for the B.C. Lions in 2024. 'It was never a thing for me in college. It was either just rush the quarterback and make tackles or sacks. Same thing in the NFL (with the Houston Texans), it was never an emphasis on knocking a ball down,' said Jefferson, who will travel with the rest of his teammates to face the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Saturday (6 p.m. CT). It wasn't until he arrived north of the border that the product of Beaumont, Texas, learned about the art of swatting passes. 'Once I came to the CFL… the mindset was to get to the quarterback — win your one-on-ones, win on first down, we play in the backfield — but there was an emphasis on, 'If you can't get to the quarterback and you see the quarterback pulling up to throw the ball, get your hands in the throwing lane,' especially when we went zero (a blitz concept that leaves no safety help). It was, 'Get blocked, stay blocked, and if you have the opportunity to get your hands up, just get your hands up in the throwing lanes.'' Make no mistake, batting balls is not as easy as Jefferson can make it look at times. His 6-7, 244-pound frame certainly makes him a more viable threat to disrupt throwing lanes, but players and coaches agree that it's an art that the future Hall of Famer has refined. 'It's a game-changing ability,' said James Vaughters. 'It's a combination of height, co-ordination and anticipation. Understanding how the game works, understanding how teams can and want to beat us, and it's a great tool to have in our repertoire as a defence.' Added defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger: 'The timing of it is something you got to have a knack for, but the understanding of what gaps that the team likes to throw through, the timing of when they like to get rid of the ball, when to get your hands up, when you're in proximity to the quarterback, we work that, we talk about it, we practice it.' 'Willie's gift is God just gave him great size — very tall, very, very long arms — and that element of his game is unparalleled. I haven't seen anybody like that in my time in the CFL.' Jefferson became the Bombers' franchise leader in pass knockdowns years ago. His 61 as a member of the Blue and Gold is 21 better than the next closest player — current teammate Deatrick Nichols — and 26 better than third-place Jovon Johnson. As for players who play a similar position, that's where it can become humorous: Jake Thomas, who has four career knockdowns, is the active defensive lineman teammate nearest to Jefferson — a difference of 57. Vaughters is third with two for his career. 'I've heard people jokingly call him the human net before,' Thomas said. 'I don't know if I would use that term, but I think it's just, he has that intuition of knowing when to do it. Anyone can just stand there and put their hands up all day, but usually, when he's doing it, he's usually pretty spot on when to put his hands up. 'I don't know if I really have the vocabulary for one word to describe it, but it's definitely impressive to watch.' Jefferson said he got better at timing his reach from 2014-15 while playing against Bo Levi Mitchell (with Calgary at the time) and Zach Collaros (Hamilton) — two quarterbacks who have a tendency to throw the ball quickly. Eventually, he figured out which formations and downs-and-distances they were most likely to get rid of the ball quickly, and that's when he began to feast. 'Once you see the quarterback pull his second hand off the ball — they get it with two hands, and then when they pull the ball away and get ready to throw the ball — you know you can't get around, so you just want to stop them and get your hands up,' he said. 'That's pretty much the art.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Jefferson has already professed that his goal is to reach 100 pass knockdowns and 100 sacks for his career. Perhaps it would go down as one of those 'untouchable stats' if he were to accomplish that feat. He's at 76 sacks currently, which is still a long way from his dream 100. But, unfortunately for opposing quarterbacks, Jefferson has no designs on slowing down. 'Where I'm at right now, nobody's done this,' he said. 'I'm still chasing the 100 sacks, but the 100 sacks are a lot harder than 100 knockdowns. So once I get the 100 knockdowns, I'll try to extend that. But once I get to 100 sacks, I'm trying to extend that until I get to the point where I want to retire.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Jefferson, Harris, Riders' O-line get top marks in CFL's Week 9 honour roll
TORONTO - Winnipeg defensive lineman Willie Jefferson, Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris and the Roughriders' offensive line earned top marks on the CFL's Week 9 honour roll. Jefferson earned a grade of 99.3 in the Blue Bombers' 40-31 win over visiting Toronto on Friday after posting a career-high four pass knockdowns along with a defensive tackle, a forced fumble and a strip sack resulting in a Bombers touchdown.
Indianapolis Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Colts LB Zaire Franklin is back, ready to lead evolving Colts defense: 'I almost shed a tear'
WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Zaire Franklin couldn't take it anymore. Seven practices went by without the booming voice of No. 44 barking from the middle of the Colts defense. He was chiming in from the sidelines and from behind huddles, but each time the ball was snapped, he was a spectator. It's the place this team captain has rarely ever been in an NFL career who had never had a surgery until this ankle issue flared up in the spring. And now that he's back to individual drills for the second straight practice, it's a place he never wants to go back to either. "Man, it's a blessing," Franklin said. "I can't lie, I almost shed a tear yesterday when I got out on that field." Franklin has been in recovery from an ankle cleanup procedure he underwent in May. The injury dates back to a Week 9 game against the Vikings. Franklin wanted to keep playing with the team in the playoff hunt, so he played the final eight games and became the NFL's tackle king with 173 stops to reach his first Pro Bowl. He tried to use rest and recovery to reset the ankle to start the offseason, but by May, he and the team decided it was best to undergo surgery to make sure it was ready for another 17-game slate. This was new territory for a player who has only missed one game across his seven NFL seasons. The surgery brought weeks of uncertainty of when he'd return, and through seven camp practices, he still wasn't on the field. "When you're on that rehab process, it's so easy to get disconnected from the team and really be by yourself," Franklin said. "That's when a lot of that mental stuff starts to weigh on you. I was just very intentional and making sure I was locked in with the guys." Franklin has been that through all of training camp so far, consistently shouting out signals and tips to his fellow linebackers and bonding with new linebacker Joe Bachie. "When it came to my rehab, it was a process," Franklin said. "I didn't take anything personal. I gave myself grace. I committed to my journey and my plan, trusted the trainers I had behind me. Whether it was a step forward or a step back, I took everything one day at a time." COLTS CAMP OBSERVATIONS: Pass rush dominates line of scrimmage But now he's back, and soon, that'll involve running team drills with a defense that has evolved quite a bit since the last time he led it. The Colts signed All-Pro cornerback Charvarius Ward as well as Camryn Bynum in the offseason and added a potential new starting outside cornerback in third-round Minnesota rookie Justin Walley, who is commanding first-team reps while Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents recover from hamstring injuries. The group is undergoing a scheme change under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who is shifting from Gus Bradley's Seattle-style, Cover-3 heavy approach to one that thrives on aggressive man coverage. That's led to more pass breakups from the secondary and linebackers than a Colts training camp has seen in recent years. "That was probably the hardest part of the past two weeks," Franklin said. "I was itching to get out there, not only to be out there and compete with my guys but to just see my place in this thing." MOST ESSENTIAL COLTS: Can Zaire Franklin save the linebacking corps? His place will be critical as the player who wears the "green dot" of communication for the group, which Bynum has taken over in his absence. He's the only linebacker on the roster with much NFL experience on defense and must key a run defense that lagged at times last year but now must be serviceable enough to force offenses to drop back and throw against the playmakers Indianapolis has accumulated on the defensive line and in the secondary. That will mean repeating his play as one of the NFL's top tackler while also raising the efficiency, as he missed 31 tackles last year, per Sports Info Solutions. 'Obviously, he's one of the leaders on our team and makes a ton of tackles for us," coach Shane Steichen said. "Obviously, wearing the green dot at that position, the communication piece – getting him back on the practice field is huge." It's unclear yet how much of a role he'll have in Tuesday's joint practice against the Ravens, Thursday's preseason opener against the Ravens and or the two preseason games to follow. The primary focus is to get him ready for the season opener against the Dolphins on Sept. 7. But that time is coming, and he can finally see it on the horizon. "It feels good for me to be out there," Franklin said, "so we can be one band, one sound and get to hunting together."
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott says he's fully recovered from hamstring surgery
Dak Prescott is a full go for training camp. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback told reporters Tuesday, July 8 he is fully recovered from the hamstring surgery he underwent last November. Barring any sudden concerns arising during one last visit with team doctors, Prescott anticipates being a full participant at Cowboys training camp. Prescott, 31, suffered a partial avulsion to his right hamstring in a Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons last year. In more explicit terms, Prescott's hamstring tendon tore almost completely off of his thigh bone. He decided to undergo the season-ending surgery to repair his hamstring about one week later. Prescott's Tuesday announcement is not a big surprise. The three-time Pro Bowler had participated in all of the Cowboys' drills during spring practices, so all signs were pointing toward a full participation in training camp. Thanks to his injury, the 2023 MVP runner-up was unable to build on a season in which he led the league in passing touchdowns. Prescott finished last year with 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions on a 64.7% completion rate in his eight games played. He, along with the rest of Dallas' veterans and rookies, will report to Oxnard, California for the start of the team's training camp on July 21.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Jaguars' Jarrian Jones reacts to the Madden 26 cover
Jaguars' Jarrian Jones reacts to the Madden 26 cover The Jaguars' Jarrian Jones recently discussed the Madden 26 cover. Jacksonville Jaguars' cornerback Jarrian Jones is on the cover of Madden 26. Well, sort of. Featured on the cover of the game is Philadelphia Eagles' running back Saquon Barkley, leaping backwards over Jones, who was attempting to make a tackle during the two teams' Week 9 matchup last season. Jones, however, doesn't mind that this is how he made his way onto the cover of Madden. As he said recently, it was a great play by Barkley. "(Expletive) was kind of hard, for real," Jones said when asked about the Madden cover. "I've seen it. I don't have Twitter, so I seen it on Instagram. I was like, damn, they didn't put my number on there. The play was fire to me. Everybody DM'd me like I was going to be mad or something. I don't give a damn. He made a good play, it is what it is." While it is known that the player under the hurdling Barkley is Jones, on the actual Madden cover is a player with a black helmet, but no Jaguars logo, and a white uniform, but no No. 22 for Jones. When asked if he wanted his name on the jersey on the Madden cover, Jones said with a smile: "They got to pay me for it. That's why I say that. They have to pay more for it. But I don't care, really. I don't really play Madden anyways." Heading into his second NFL season, Jones will be spending more time lined up outside, but defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is looking to maximize Jones' versatility and is "really fired up" about what he's seeing from him during offseason programs.
