A 2022 fifth-round pick by the Commanders, Howell made his first career NFL start against the Cowboys during the regular season finale of his rookie campaign. That next season, the North Carolina ended up being a full-time starter for Washington. He went 4-13 in his 17 starts, completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and a league-leading 21 interceptions.
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine kicks off in a little less than a week. There will be 319 participants attempting to boost their draft stock by impressing the scouting community with their performances in the on-the-field drills as well as official and unofficial interviews with different teams. This big event of the offseason is a great way to get a better understanding of this year's draft hopefuls and last before individual Pro Days.
After missing rookie minicamp, OTAs, and the early portion of training camp with a hamstring injury, Burden entered the season playing catch-up. Rather than rushing the process, he focused on building trust with offensive play-caller Ben Johnson, quarterback Caleb Williams, and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. That patience paid off. As the season progressed, Burden transitioned from a rotational weapon into a reliable weekly target, no longer resembling a first-year player by the stretch run.
Congratulations to Sam Darnold, the first USC quarterback to win the Super Bowl. I will always remember Sam's amazing performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl game against Penn State. Sam was a redshirt freshman that year. He had the heart of a champion then and still does now. Sam Darnold's odyssey, from first-round bust to Super Bowl champion, is straight out of a Hollywood movie.
"I think that if that's something that he wants to do, the answer is absolutely yes," McVay said when asked whether he expects Stafford to be back in 2026. "... I think what's great is he's going to take his time, talk with [his wife] Kelly and the girls and see what's best."
Tate is a big, quarterback-friendly target who wins with polish and ball skills more than gimmicks. He tracks the ball cleanly, extends his arms to pluck it away from his frame, and plays above the rim on contested throws, plus he's a savvy route runner who uses tempo and body position to create space.
He never started at Narbonne until his senior year. His football coach, Manuel Douglas, remembers a meeting with Nwosu, who wanted to give up the sport. "Coach, I'm not going to make it in football," Nwosu told him. "What are you an idiot?" Douglas said. "You're 6-2 and too small for basketball." Douglas said, "He always had the grades. He just had to wait his turn. He had a moment he was going to quit and I wasn't going to let him."
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Tuesday that the team is opening up linebacker Fred Warner's practice window in hopes he can make a comeback for the playoffs. Warner dislocated his ankle in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wasn't expected to come back this season. The team hopes Warner will be well enough to play in the NFC Championship if the 49ers were to make it to that game.
According to the criminal report affidavit, the alleged incident happened at approximately 3:42 a.m. on Jan. 12 at a noodle bar inside the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. Addison was asked to leave several times by casino security but refused, the affidavit states, and had to be redirected several times toward the exit while being escorted out. He was taken into custody for trespass after warning, the report says.
PHILADELPHIA - Chants of "PUR-DY! PUR-DY!" rained down from jubilant 49ers fans in the stands as Brock Purdy triumphantly ran off Lincoln Financial Field in December 2023. Only 10 months earlier, Purdy felt "shocks" of pain in his right elbow, unable to throw because of a shredded ligament in an NFC Championship Game loss that ended the 49ers' Super Bowl bid and cast his career in peril.
The spectacular one-handed catch looked like the kind of play that could only be made with sudden adjustment. A reaction with no thought or practice required. But that's not how it went down for Rams star receiver Puka Nacua. Nacua's fourth-down touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season season finale had its roots in a conversation with quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The crowd inside Gillette Stadium, as it would be for some much more important home games in January, went absolutely berserk. It was a sign of things to come for Henderson, who as the Patriots' speed compliment to running back Rhamondre Stevenson in the backfield, is uncatchable when he finds so much as a crease. He scored touchdowns on four runs of 50-plus yards this season, which is tied for the most by a rookie in NFL history.