Just as the football-watching world was ready to count C.J. Stroud out, the Texans’ sophomore quarterback reminded everyone what he’s capable of. For much of 2024, his age-23 season, Stroud flaunted wisdom and precision well beyond his years. But his performance in the first half of the AFC wild-card round against the Chargers Saturday was...
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders addressed his former player Travis Hunter's decision to deactivate social media accounts in response to comments about Hunter's fiancée, Leanna Lenee.
Hunter and Lenee’s Instagram accounts were deactivated Dec. 23, days after Hunter won the Heisman Trophy. During the ceremony, social media discussion about the event included several harsh criticisms of Hunter and Lenee as a couple. Hunter's account has since been reactivated.
Sanders gave his reaction to Hunter's situation in an interview on the "Tamron Hall Show."
"It hurt me that he did," Sanders said of Hunter's deactivation. "What the enemy wants you to do is stop."
Sanders criticized Hunter for neglecting the business side of his decision. As a former college and future pro athlete with an NIL valuation of $5.2 million, according to On3.com, Hunter's social media account activity is likely directly tied to endorsements.
"You have endorsements, you have people that have sponsored you to talk about their product," Sanders said. "We have to activate right now."
Sanders was also critical of Hunter for backing down and suggested his response will make him vulnerable to "attacks."
"When somebody stays still, now you got a chance to attack, and I hate the stillness of that. Keep on moving. Don't let the enemy get you while you're still and you're having a pity party on yourself," Sanders said, adding that's what he told Hunter about the situation.
Hunter addressed the situation during a Twitch live stream, saying his fiancée cried herself to sleep and drank due to the backlash.
Lenee previously posted a video on her TikTok account in an effort to end the negativity Dec. 16.
"I’m tired, emotionally and mentally. I’ve seen people trying to make me out to be a person that I am not," Lenee said in the nearly eight-minute clip.
She also addressed the negativity about her response to Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy.
At least one social media video appeared to show Lenee remaining in her seat moments after Hunter was named the 2024 Heisman recipient. Deion Sanders then appeared to prompt Lenee to stand up. Lenee did eventually briefly embrace Hunter before quickly sitting back down during the audience's standing ovation.
Other video footage appeared to show Lenee remaining seated while Hunter greeted and posed for photos with fans at an event in New York City the day after the Heisman ceremony. Some fans attempted to analyze Lenee's demeanor during her time at the event and even suggested she was irritated.
"When his name was called, I instantly was going to get up. If you watch the video, his mom didn’t get up, so I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I don’t get up, I just sit here,’" she said. "As soon as I seen Travis get up, then I thought it was appropriate to stand up, greet him, congratulate him.
"But then there was a camera right in front of Coach Prime, and I knew they were going to film that moment and, because of how people are online, I was like, ‘I don’t want to be in that shot.’ So, I sat down.
"I got out of the camera, purposefully, so they can have their moment. That’s all it was. No one told me to stand up. No one had to tell me to celebrate with him. I was just sitting there crying. I wanted to take it in. I was super excited for him. But I wanted the moment to be about him and his family."
Hunter's teammate, quarterback Sheduer Sanders, has also addressed the controversy. The Buffaloes quarterback suggested critics should stop weighing in on Hunter's personal life.
"All y'all athletes, entertainers, artist etc. if y'all genuine trying to holla at Trav y'all know how to get in touch with him or someone around," Sanders wrote on X Sunday. "At this point y'all just posting for the algorithm trying to look cool."
Hunter and Lenee's engagement was publicly confirmed earlier this year.
Hunter is projected to be a top selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Minnesota defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, who helped the Gophers to an 8-5 finish, including a 5-4 mark in the Big Ten, has resigned his post to accept the same position at Miami, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Saturday, confirming a report.
The Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce this week after a 4-13 season, his first full season on the job. Two days later, they let general manager Tom Telesco go after his first year.
It's been reported that Tom Brady, who bought a 5% stake in the franchise last year, will have a big say in who becomes the next head coach. And it's no secret Brady and Sanders have a relationship.
The Raiders also need a quarterback, and Sanders' son, Shedeur, is widely regarded as one of the top two QBs in the class. Some mock drafts have him going No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans.
But Coach Prime recently said there are teams in the league he would not let Shedeur play for.
The father-son duo joined Brady on his "Let's Go" podcast last year. Sanders also recently said the "only way" he would consider an NFL job is "to coach my sons."
The Pro Football Hall of Famer joined Colorado ahead of the 2023 season after spending three seasons at Jackson State. Several Jackson State players followed Sanders to Boulder, including his sons and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who could be a top five pick in April.
The Raiders have interviewed Aaron Glenn, Ben Johnson and Steve Spagnuolo for their open head coaching job, and they're scheduled to speak with Pete Carroll and Robert Saleh next week.
The Minnesota Vikings are tied for the second-best record in the NFC this year, but their first playoff game will be on the road.
That's because the one team ahead of them is the 15-2 Detroit Lions, who won the NFC North with a victory over Minnesota in Week 18.
The Lions earned a top seed and a bye, while the Vikings head to Arizona to face the Los Angeles Rams. The game was originally scheduled for LA, but it was moved due to wildfires.
It's not the first oddity in the NFL playoffs. In the past, seven-win teams have hosted wild-card round games.
However, that could change soon.
According to CBS Sports, the NFL will take another look this offseason at changing its playoff format.
Jonathan Jones of CBS said one proposal is to give the top four teams based on winning percentage home games, instead of automatically giving them to division winners.
If that system were in place this year, it would mean the Lions, Vikings, Eagles and Commanders would host games on the NFC side. For the AFC, it would be the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens and Chargers.
The Commanders and Chargers are on the road this weekend against the Buccaneers and Texans, respectively, because the latter two teams won the NFC and AFC South divisions.
Jones later added, though, that team owners have not shown "much of an appetite" to change the format.
Ahead of winning the division, Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown suggested change.
"Obviously, if you win the division, you should obviously make a playoff spot, but having a 14-win team having to go on the road is kind of crazy. But I guess I don't make the rules," he said at the time.
The last time the playoff format was changed was ahead of the 2020 season, when it was expanded from 12 to 14 teams. That resulted in just one team in each conference receiving a first-round bye as opposed to two. It also led to six wild-card round games, instead of four.
LAS VEGAS — There was a lot of nostalgia that naturally came with Reilly Smith’s first time playing at T-Mobile Arena since winning his first Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights two seasons ago. In reflecting on his six years in Vegas, however, the 33-year-old forward considers so much more than his championship ring: his...
Forward David Pastrnak scored a power-play goal with 2 seconds left in overtime, goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped 39 shots, and the Boston Bruins snapped a six-game losing streak with a wild 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon.
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