2020 NFL Pro Bowl Highlights

Joining the rest of the Sports World, the NFL Draft is the most recent major sports event to be disrupted by the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Draft was originally set to occur April 23-25 in Las Vegas. As of now it has not been cancelled or postponed, but many changes are expected to impact the original plan.

The grand event was set to occur near the Bellagio Hotel with plans to shut down an entire street. The NFL revealed plans for a red carpet stage to be set up in the famous fountain of the Bellagio. Any player participating in the draft would be shuttled by boat to the stage in the center of the water to walk the red carpet and have their pictures taken.

The main draft stage was to be set up next to the Caesars Forum Conference Center. The stage would be similar to stages of years past, with representatives from all 32 teams set up for the festivities.

However, recent shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders that vary by state have caused the NFL to throw out these plans. The revised draft structure would have the league broadcast from a remote location with teams on the clock and draft prospects filming from different locations to reduce the amount of people in a single area.

With even more information about the virus and how it’s spread coming in regularly, the set up may be changed even further. The league recently ordered all facilities to be closed which would make filming impossible. The most extreme option would have league officials filming the draft from home, in an unprecedented production of the annual event.

The most important thing for the upcoming draft is ensuring the safety and well being of all prospects, league officials, and crew. I’m sure this is not the way the prospects envisioned their rise to the largest stage in football, but they are still joining the highest ranks of professional athletes. With less than a month to go, the NFL will be regarded with high standards for how it handled these once in a lifetime events.

With most other professional sports seasons suspended, all eyes have been on the NFL and its numerous roster changes. The most surprising change has been the move of future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 years with the Patriots. Brady tells the media that he had a discussion with team owner Robert Kraft regarding his decision to leave the team, and that they parted mutually. Brady joins a loaded Buccaneers team hoping to win their first championship since 2002. The big game will be played at the Bucs own stadium in 2021 which ups the ante. The Bucs will start more first round picks than any team in the league, despite releasing their 2015 pick Jameis Winston.

In other QB news, Cam Newton had a less than amicable departure from the Carolina Panthers. The team made Newton aware of an impending release prior to their signing of Teddy Bridgewater. However, Newton took to social media to let fans know the separation was not mutual. Fans wonder if his social media rant will dissuade other teams from picking him up. He continued his social media posts with a video of him in the weight room promising a return to the big stage. Newton was seen working out with fellow Auburn Alum Darius Slayton of the Giants. Could this be foreshadowing where the Heisman winner lands?

Philip Rivers, formerly of the Chargers, signed a one-year $25m deal with the Indianapolis Colts. The Chargers announced they would not be pursuing Rivers in his free agency. The Colts have been without a reliable quarterback since the unexpected retirement of Andrew Luck last season, so the move makes sense to analysts.

With the MLB, NHL, and NBA seasons on hold indefinitely, fans will continue to watch the roster moves of NFL teams intently. The Draft is still a month away and as of now on schedule to proceed without fans. This should be an interesting start to the 2020 season either way.

Does Joe Burrow Want to be a Bengal?

As the projected number 1 pick in the NFL Draft, it is projected that Joe Burrow will be a Cincinnati Bengal come April. But is it possible the Heisman winner does not want to don the black and orange? Rumors have been circulating based on Burrow’s answer to a reporter asking if he wanted to play for the team. He responded “If they select me, they select me” which has led to speculation on the meaning behind those words (Heifetz).

However, Burrow and his family are attempting to quell these concerns. “We have no idea where that came from,” says his mother Robin, assuring the media that the rumors have no substance (Roling). This sort of drama usually surrounds the struggling team with the first pick, so this year’s theory is no different. As the combine and pro days approach, Bengals fans will be keeping an eye on their possible quarterback.

Former Browns Player Caught Near the Border

In other Ohio NFL news, fans of the Cleveland Browns were shocked to hear that former offensive tackle Greg Robinson was arrested for possession of almost 157 pounds of marijuana. He was pulled over alongside former Auburn teammate Quan Bray at a border checkpoint in Texas. The two were travelling from California to Louisiana with duffel bags full of the drug in the back of their rental car.

With Robinson coming due to become a free agent this offseason, it will be interesting to see how his arrest affects his landing on a new team. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Many NFL players have hoped to see marijuana removed from the banned substance list as it was in the MLB. Even if this were the case, because it has not been legalized in every state, Robinson would still be in hot water. As it is now, this mistake may have cost him his career.

References

Heifetz, D. (2020, February 18). Is Joe Burrow Already Trying to Break Up With the Bengals? Retrieved February 21, 2020, from https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2020/2/18/21142422/joe-burrow-cincinnati-bengals-carson-palmer

Roling, C. (2020, February 18). Joe Burrow’s family again refutes speculation that QB doesn’t want to play for Bengals. Retrieved February 21, 2020, from https://bengalswire.usatoday.com/2020/02/18/joe-burrow-bengals-draft-speculation-family-out/

The 54th NFL Championship was held on Sunday February 2nd in Miami Gardens, Florida. This was the eleventh game hosted in the South Florida region and the sixth game hosted in Miami.

The game was played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The Chiefs pulled out the win 31-20, their first Championship in 50 years.

The Chiefs entered the fourth quarter down 10 points, but managed to score three touchdowns in just over five minutes to seal the deal. This team was no stranger to the pressure. In each of their post season games this year, the Chiefs trailed their opponent, once by as much as 24 points. But in each case, Patrick Mahomes managed to lead his team to victory. 

The win marked the first Super Bowl won by Kansas City Head Coach Andy Reid. It was his first in 21 years of coaching, and it came in Reid’s seventh season with the Chiefs. 

The fans who watch the big game for the concert at half time were not to be disappointed. Jennifer Lopez (J Lo) and Shakira performed several songs each, bringing in musical guests Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and J Lo’s daughter Emme. Spectators were impressed with the multi-cultural influences of North African and Latin cultures, especially because the game was held in Miami.

As the confetti fell after the game, Patrick Mahomes was named MVP. Sports Broadcasters rushed to interview key players on the sidelines, such as Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and Tyrann Mathieu. Each player expressed how happy they were to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to their city.

Plans are already in the works for Super Bowl LV which will take place on February 7th, 2021 in Tampa. Will the Chiefs be back again to win it all? Or will a newcomer like Lamar Jackson lead his team to victory? We’ll have to wait to find out, next year at the Super Bowl.