Media by Associated Press – FILE – San Francisco 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo looks to throw during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Jan. 30, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. Garoppolo expects his shoulder to be ready for training camp — wherever that may be. He told the AP Pro Football Podcast on Thursday, April 21, 2022, that his rehab is going well and it is helping him deal with uncertainty surrounding his future with the 49ers. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
Coaches and players in the NFL seem to have a hard time letting go of their NFL careers. Following Tom Brady’s 40-day retirement, former New Orleans coach Sean Payton did a recent interview that said he would be open to a return to coaching as soon as 2023, but he has no commitment to come back right away.
Payton is by far the most successful coach in Saints history. Payton went 152-89 and led the Saints to a win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.
While Payton’s tenure was successful on the field, there was some controversy. In 2012, Payton was suspended for a year due to the Bountygate scandal.
However, once Payton returned, the Saints would find success. While New Orleans never returned to the Super Bowl, the Saints made the playoffs in four of his final five seasons at the helm.
Payton has been linked to the Miami Dolphins with many rumors around the league, but the team chose to hire Mike McDaniel for this season.
Jimmy G will be ready for the start of the season
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is progressing well from an off-season shoulder surgery. Garoppolo, who is expected to be ready to play by mid-August, is now able to start working out and is able to make a full range of throws. The injury Garoppolo suffered occurred in San Francisco’s win over Dallas in the Wild Card round last season.
The 49ers would play two more games, including an NFC Championship game loss to the Los Angeles Rams, before Garoppolo was able to get some extended rest. This offseason saw Garoppolo’s name floated in a lot of trade rumors, but San Francisco was unable to move the veteran quarterback and his pricey contract.
Garoppolo passed for 3,810 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season.
Former first-round pick dies
Charles Johnson, who was picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1994 draft, died Tuesday night at the age of 50. The cause of his death was unknown. During his career, Johnson hauled in 354 passes for 4,606 yards in a career that spanned nine seasons.
As an individual, Johnson’s best performance came in 1996 when he caught 60 passes for 1,008 yards and three touchdowns with the Steelers. Johnson also spent time with Philadelphia, Buffalo, and New England.
While with the Patriots, Johnson earned his only Super Bowl ring in 2001. He also played in Super Bowl XXX in a losing effort with Pittsburgh.
Well, there’s always football
Philadelphia wide receiver Devon Allen can focus fully on football. At the 2022 World Athletics Championships last weekend, Allen was disqualified during the 110-meter hurdles in Eugene, Ore. Allen reacted too quickly to the starting gun and started the race one-thousandth of a second early.
This resulted in Allen being disqualified. Allen is a three-time U.S. champion in the event and qualified for the Olympics in 2016 and 2020.
Allen, who is trying to make the Eagles as a wide receiver, hasn’t played football since he played for Oregon in 2016. During his collegiate career, he caught 54 passes for 921 yards and eight touchdowns.
Raiders squeeze more out of fans
The Las Vegas Raiders led the NFL in ticket revenue in 2021, despite selling the 25th-most tickets. When the franchise made the move from Oakland to Las Vegas during the pandemic, Allegiant Stadium’s debut was pushed back due to the pandemic. The number for the Raiders’ net ticket revenue is reportedly $119 million.
Detroit finished last in the league with ticket revenue of $51 million.
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