Lamar Jackson beat out Josh Allen at quarterback, and Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for the Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro Team.
The New York Giants went 3-14 this season, and a lot of people were surprised over owner John Mara's decision to retain general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll for a fourth season.
Apparently, multiple Giants players were also "surprised" about the team retaining Daboll, according to a report from ESPN.
While multiple players were "surprised" about Daboll coming out, some said they were fine with it because Daboll is a player-friendly coach.
The players said the Giants head coach was open to feedback and incorporates a schedule that "hardly wears them down," according to the report.
The report also said the players like Daboll as a person but see signs that his program is not "destined for success."
Daboll’s tenure could not have gotten off to a better start, going 9-7-1 in his first season, winning a playoff game over the Minnesota Vikings and being named Coach of the Year.
Since then, it has been all downhill.
The Giants regressed in 2023, going 6-11, making what people thought the 2024 season to be a make-or-break season for the coach and general manager.
Instead of improving, they went further in the other direction, going 3-14 in what was supposed to be a celebratory 100th season for the franchise.
It was a season that included fans flying banners with messages directed at ownership, benching starting quarterback Daniel Jones and cutting him days later.
Despite all of that, Schoen and Daboll will get another chance to right the ship.
One of the big issues this season was a lack of communication between coaches and players, according to the report.
Some players spoke of "being misled and left to dangle in the wind on issues, including their roles changing or snaps dwindling, without sufficient explanation."
The biggest question Schoen and Daboll face entering next season is solving the quarterback position.
The team has the third selection in the NFL Draft, behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, and may not have a chance to select this year’s top two quarterbacks in Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward.
Regardless of who is playing quarterback for the Giants next season, both Daboll and Schoen are entering next season on the hot seat with a lot of pressure to win from a starving fanbase and restless ownership.
Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson underwent surgery Thursday after tearing his Achilles for a second time, the team announced, adding that Watson "will likely miss significant time during the 2025 season."
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Notre Dame is on its way to making history after defeating Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night to advance to its first national championship game since the 2012 season, with the hopes of winning its first title in nearly 40 years.
However, after the Fighting Irish’s victory, head coach Marcus Freeman was asked by ESPN reporter Molly McGrath how much the win meant as it relates to him becoming the first Black head coach to reach a title game.
Freeman, who fielded similar questions in the lead up to this game, refocused the conversation on his team and the significance of their win.
"You know, I’ve said this before, I don't ever want to take attention away from the team. It is an honor, and I hope all coaches – minorities, Black, Asian, White, it doesn't matter – great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this."
He continued, "But this ain’t about me, this is about us. And we’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s something special."
Some on social media took issue with the question. Among those critics was NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who praised Freeman for his response.
"Terrible question but great response by Notre Dame head coach," Favre wrote in a post on X. "Sports should bring people together not separate."
Freeman has fielded similar questions about his race and the significance of his achievements since defeating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last week. Each time, he has recentered the focus on the achievements of the program.
"You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity, and you’re grateful anytime your name is mentioned with being the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I’m talking about your team and everybody that put the work in to get your program to this point and those that have come before you," he said during a press conference early this week.
"Again, this isn’t about me. This isn’t about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people committing to something bigger than themselves to put your team in a position to be here. I understand that, and I'm very grateful for it," he continued.
Freeman added that his achievements creating more opportunities for the future generation of coaches is "great," but he added that "the attention on one person takes away what really gives your program a chance to get here."
The focus for Notre Dame will now be on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will take on Texas and the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game where they will face Notre Dame on Jan. 20.
The betting public is squarely behind favored Ohio State against Texas on Friday, with the overwhelming number of bets and money wagered being placed on the Buckeyes to handle the underdog Longhorns.
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If Tom Brady can't bring a six-time Super Bowl-winning coach to Las Vegas, seems he and Raiders owner Mark Davis will settle for one ring and a college national title.
