“If you say Zay Flowers with my name, you’re a loser,” Brown said. “Zay Flowers fumbles too much, he can’t hold water, he sucks. Never mention me with that coward. He’s not me, and I’m being honest… That boy the reason Lamar Jackson can’t win! Zay Flowers is the reason Lamar Jackson can’t win. Ask any one of my quarterbacks, I’m the reason they win.”

Brown is right about one thing: Flowers is not like him. He’s better, according to the stats. 

While their careers never overlapped, the two wide receivers’ initial few years present an interesting picture. SleeperRavens on X pitted the stats of both receivers from their first three years against each other. The numbers show that Brown, despite being in a pass-heavy offense with the Steelers, could record only 2,062 yards and seven touchdowns. Flowers, on the other hand, totaled 3,128 yards and 15 touchdowns. In a run-heavy offense, no less.

Antonio Brown GOES OFF on Ravens WR Zay Flowers

“Zay Flowers fumbles too much, he can’t hold water, he sucks! Never mention me with that coward…Zay Flowers is the reason Lamar Jackson can’t win! pic.twitter.com/oP2ZgimjRV

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) June 23, 2026

Flowers recorded his best season with the Ravens so far in 2025, and is expected to go even bigger this season. However, even with a young Flowers assuming the WR1 role, his impact was not enough to take the Ravens to the playoffs last year, ending their regular season with a record of 8-9. Baltimore had the fifth-lowest passing yard total (3,278). 

But that didn’t stop Lamar Jackson from praising the young WR receiving a majority of his passes. Speaking to the media post the Ravens’ June minicamp, the veteran QB highlighted how important Flowers is to the Baltimore squad. 

“You know what his value is to this team. We love Zay. We need Zay,” Jackson said. “He’s one of the best receivers in the league, and he’s shown that. His value is out of this world. Zay Flowers is a 1,000-yard receiver and an NFL receiver for a reason. I’mma leave it at that.” 

Flowers has led his team in receiving yards in each of his three seasons in the league. His performance also earned him Pro Bowl nods in his first two NFL seasons. He’s pretty much on the same track as Brown, and his quarterback also has great things to say about him.

It is disappointing that Lamar Jackson is still without a Super Bowl win. But there have been plenty of other reasons why the Ravens have failed in the postseason, apart from Flowers. In his rookie season, the young WR caught five receptions for 115 yards and scored one touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Maybe with another strong performance from Flowers, Antonio Brown could arrive at a different judgment about the WR.

The post Antonio Brown Goes on Aggressive Rant Against Ravens WR for Being the “Reason Lamar Jackson Can’t Win” appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The promotion means Rodgers is leaving SEC Nation, where he had been one of the show’s main analysts alongside Tim Tebow, Paul Finebaum, and Roman Harper. Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel will take Rodgers’ spot on the SEC Network program and will also call Thursday night games with Barrie.

His new assignment moves him beyond that lane. Sources told Front Office Sports that he is being moved to a higher-profile role on ESPN and ABC game broadcasts. Specific assignments have not yet been announced, but the move signals that ESPN views Rodgers as a bigger part of its national college football coverage. Rodgers’ exit from SEC Nation shows ESPN’s confidence in his national-broadcast potential. Did Rutledge’s exit create the opportunity?

Not directly. Rutledge’s departure and Rodgers’ promotion happened around the same time, but they are separate decisions. ESPN is preparing for its upcoming Super Bowl coverage, and Rutledge has become one of the network’s key NFL personalities through NFL Live and Monday Night Football.

Glass Break: Chase Daniel and Jordan Rodgers are getting promotions in ESPN’s CFB analyst ranks.

Details at @FOS:https://t.co/DR4kSOMxcu pic.twitter.com/hehF8m69A9

— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) June 23, 2026

“I think most people are like, “Oh, cool. You’re moving on up,’ and the reality is there’s this ache in my heart for that show and having to think about stepping away from it,” Rutledge said on the Gramlich and Mac Lain Show on June 14. “And I’m so excited for Matt Barrie, who’s taking over. The show is in excellent hands… But that show has kind of been like my passion project for all these years.”

Her departure created an opening for a new host. ESPN filled that role with Barrie. Rodgers, meanwhile, is leaving the show entirely for a larger broadcasting assignment. His exit then opened the door for Daniel to join the SEC Nation cast. As for Rodgers, he will be an apt promotion within ESPN, considering his footballing credentials. Rodgers earned this promotion on his own credentials, not because of his brother.

Rodgers first made his name as a quarterback at Vanderbilt University. In 2012, he helped Vanderbilt finish 9-4 and win the Music City Bowl. The season remains one of the best in modern Vanderbilt football history. After a brief NFL stint with teams including the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he moved into media.

Jordan Rodgers built his career through sheer persistence.

His broadcasting career started with the SEC Network and ESPN. Over the years, he climbed from lower-profile game assignments to some of the network’s biggest SEC broadcasts. What stands out is the steady rise. Rodgers did not leap into the top jobs immediately. He spent years working games, studio shows, and SEC Nation appearances before earning this latest promotion.

“I did radio for a year and did some TV things, and I was already in place at ESPN before The Bachelorette started,” said Rodgers to the Hollywood Reporter. “So that was a long time in the works, and then everything got amplified and accelerated. Being a former athlete and competitor, I like the aspect of prepping for the unknown.

“You have a game that you study for, and then you show up and don’t really know what’s going to happen. I enjoy that aspect because even though we’re not sweating, we’re in suits, it’s prepping for a game, and a little bit of an adrenaline rush.”

Both Aaron and Jordan maintain considerable distance and have been notably estranged for years. While Aaron built a Hall of Fame-level football résumé on the field, Jordan has carved out a different path. His latest ESPN promotion is another sign that the network sees him as one of its rising college football voices. As for Laura’s replacement, Matt Barrie?

Barrie arrives with extensive experience. He has spent more than a decade at ESPN working as a SportsCenter anchor, play-by-play announcer, and college football host. He also previously hosted the College Football Final and has become one of ESPN’s most recognizable college football voices. Given his experience, Barrie looks like a logical replacement. He has years of live television experience and already knows the college football landscape.

The post Aaron Rodgers’ Brother Lands New ESPN Role Days After Laura Rutledge Successor Announcement appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound defender had been pledged to UT since early February, but he officially backed out of his commitment right after taking a visit to Austin. It seemed like a dream weekend for Cade Haug when he arrived in Austin on Friday, June 19, for his official visit with the Texas Longhorns. Initially, this trip was supposed to lock things in. On the surface, everything went beautifully.

The 3-star got VIP treatment like a 5-star, posed in the iconic burnt orange uniform for photos, and even had a proper sit-down with their new DC, Will Muschamp. If you were looking at social media over the weekend, you would have bet money that Haug was 100% solid on his commitment to the Longhorns.

NEWS: Texas ILB pledge Cade Haug has decommitted from the Longhorns, sources tell ESPN.

The 6-foot-2 defender from Kingwood, Texas, had been pledged to Texas since February. Haug reopens his recruitment holding interest from SMU, Houston, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, among others. pic.twitter.com/xzAtHqWPgw

— Eli Lederman (@ByEliLederman) June 23, 2026

But official visits aren’t just about good food and cool photoshoots. That’s where the real business takes place. Turns out the reason he de-committed was a very classic case of NIL money. Haug’s team and the Texas staff had very different ideas about what his NIL valuation should look like.

The Longhorns were upfront about how they view Cade Haug. In their mind, he was “Linebacker 2 or 3” on their future roster. Texas has been spending big to land some five-star recruits lately. And they simply weren’t willing to match the dollar amount Haug’s representatives were asking for.

However, without dragging things out, both sides decided it was best to split up. Even though he’s rated as a three-star recruit, he’s actually quite good. He has 330+ tackles in the last three years. After playing his first three years at Kingwood High School, he’s moving over to Katy High School, a big Texas football powerhouse, for his senior year to prove just how good he is. There’s a pretty good chance he might be upgraded to a 4-star.

Now that he’s back on the market, Haug’s team says his recruitment is “100% open” to anyone. He’s already got plenty of schools calling his phone, with teams like SMU, Houston, Oklahoma State, and Kentucky heavily in the mix.

Going to a major program like Katy High for his senior season means even more big-name schools are probably going to jump into the battle for his signature soon.

As for Texas, head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff aren’t just sitting around crying about it.

Longhorns got eyes on Houston star

Within an hour or so after his de-commitment, the Longhorns had already shifted their focus to a backup plan: Jerrell Bridges.

Bridges is an athletic linebacker from Midlothian High School who is currently committed to the Houston Cougars. In a wild twist of timing, Texas actually hosted Bridges on a visit the exact same weekend Haug was in town. Because that visit went incredibly well, the Longhorns coaching staff already has significant momentum to flip him.

Since Haug was the only linebacker committed to the 2027 class, his exit leaves a temporary hole. Linebackers coach Johnny Nansen and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp are using the upcoming recruiting dead period to re-evaluate their entire regional wishlist and extend new offers to high-profile targets.

They’ll be handing out some brand-new scholarship offers over the next few weeks to see who else wants to join the party in Austin.

The post SEC Program Loses Crucial Commit Just 2 Days After Official Visit appeared first on EssentiallySports.

As Rivals reported, Ben’Jarvius Shumaker flipped his commitment from Colorado back to Ole Miss on Tuesday evening, bringing an end to one of the craziest recruiting days of the year. It didn’t take long for him to realize Ole Miss was still the right fit. Just eight hours after committing to the Buffs, the 4-star DL from Ackerman, Mississippi became a Rebel once again. 

After shutting down his recruitment with Ole Miss Monday night, Ben’Jarvius Shumaker brought a brief hope to Boulder when he flipped to Colorado on Tuesday at 11 a.m. It took the nation’s No. 5 DL a little over eight hours for regret to sweep over him before he flipped back to the Rebels by 8 p.m. Shortly after re-committing, he addressed the whirlwind directly.

“After careful thought, prayer, and conversations with my family, I have decided to remain committed to Ole Miss and officially shut down my recruitment,” he wrote on X. “I apologize for any confusion that may have come over the last several hours. This process has reaffirmed for me that Ole Miss is where I am meant to be.”

BREAKING 4-star DL Ben’Jarvius Shumaker has flipped his commitment from Colorado back to Ole Miss

Shumaker flipped to the Buffaloes from the Rebels earlier today.

Read: https://t.co/lxrlClxmVL https://t.co/8JZHT0FVha pic.twitter.com/xSEetLwf0M

— Rivals (@Rivals) June 24, 2026

As much as the awkwardness of the situation, the ending still beats the journey for Pete Golding who ultimately won out the recruitment because Ben’Jarvius Shumaker isn’t just another 4-star prospect. The 6’3, 250-pound DL ranks No. 76 nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking and sits among the country’s elite trench prospects. Rivals is even higher on him, ranking him as the No. 54 overall player and the No. 5 DL in the nation. And the production backs up the hype.

Last season, Ben’Jarvius Shumaker piled up 69 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. Those numbers explain why programs like Tennessee, Texas A&M, Miami, Mississippi State, Texas, Colorado, and Ole Miss all fought aggressively for his commitment. But his latest decision might also have to do with another commitment that came after his Colorado flip. 

Ole Miss lands a DL running mate

As chaotic as Ben’Jarvius Shumaker’s recruitment became, Tuesday also delivered another huge victory for Ole Miss. Earlier in the day, Louisville, Mississippi, 4-star DL Mitchell Turner announced his commitment to the Rebels, giving Pete Golding’s program another elite in-state defender. The Rivals300 standout chose Ole Miss over Alabama, Texas, and LSU after an official visit that ultimately sealed the deal.

“On the official visit is the point when they moved ahead of Alabama for sure,” he said in his interview with Rivals. “Being on that visit, spending more time with the coaches and just being there changed things. It was a big visit for me, and that really put Ole Miss as the top.”

Mitchell Turner recorded 103 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery last season while helping Louisville reach the MHSAA 4A semifinals. Now if you add those numbers with Ben’Jarvius Shumaker’s production, Ole Miss has one of the most intriguing DL duos in the 2027 cycle.

In the end, Ole Miss survived the recruiting drama and emerged even stronger. Now, they have three in-state commits in the 2027 class counting Oxford native IOL Ford Wade. The journey may have been messy, but Pete Golding now has serious momentum and one unforgettable recruiting story attached to it.

The post Nation’s No.5 DL Flips His Commitment Twice in Eight Hours appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“In February 2024, I lost my dream job at ESPN,” McGee said in an emotional Instagram video. “There was an HR investigation. I participated in it. At the end of that process, I was terminated. I was never provided the specific details of the complaint that ultimately led to that decision. I disagree with the outcome. I still don’t fully understand all of the reasons behind it. And that uncertainty has been one of the hardest parts for the last two years.”

Questions about Max McGee’s exit gained attention in 2024 when a report from The Athletic stated that ESPN sources linked his departure to a complaint from a female employee. The report linked his departure while discussing workplace investigations, while he was working with Pat McAfee and others at ESPN.

Former senior vice president of production Lee Fitting was fired under the same process in August 2023, where complaints against him mentioned him making jokes at his female counterparts. The Athletic and many other sources reached out to McGee to tell his story. However, he was told not to entertain them. And so, he had been quiet.

That silence, however, came at a cost. 

“Since then, I’ve lost so many opportunities. I’ve gone through interview after interview. I’ve driven Uber. I’ve moved back home. I’ve questioned myself. I’ve been angry. I’ve been embarrassed. I’ve been disappointed. And I’ve wondered whether I’d ever work in television again.

“But I’ve learned something: You don’t always get closure. You don’t always get a perfect explanation. Sometimes all you can decide is whether you’re going to keep going. That’s what I’ve done. If you’ve ever lost something you worked your entire life for, then you probably understand why this has been so difficult.

“This isn’t the end of my story. It’s just a chapter of it.”

For Max McGee, it hit at a different level because he wasn’t a broadcasting prodigy who landed at ESPN straight out of college. After struggling academically, he dropped out of community college. He worked at Famous Dave’s in Cherry Hill for years while sending out application after application. More than 250 TV stations turned him down. Most people would’ve quit after 25 rejections, but he never quit. 

Finally, he got an opportunity in Lake Charles, Louisiana, forcing him to move 1,400 miles from home. Then came Myrtle Beach and Baltimore, where Max McGee was spending thousands of hours on TV through local markets that don’t usually get national attention. Finally, during the height of COVID, he took a shot that changed everything. 

He contacted an ESPN employee through LinkedIn and asked for an opportunity. Three months later, he was auditioning. After two weeks, ESPN called, and he finally landed his dream job.

That’s why his latest story is quite powerful as it is relatable to some extent. Sometimes, you can spend your whole life chasing something only to lose it faster than you ever imagined. But he insists this isn’t the end. The former SportsCenter host who once reached the top of the sports media mountain is now trying to climb his way back. And after hearing his story, it’s hard not to wonder what the next chapter looks like.

The post “I’ve Driven Uber”: Fired ESPN Host Who Worked With Pat McAfee, Shares Heartbreaking Life Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I put a call in to Jeff Kessler’s associate, Bob Pannullo. Kessler and Pannullo represent Brendan Sorsby,” draft insider Robinson L. Wittmore shared on X. “Pannullo believes the NFL is in direct violation of the CBA and the law. Notes that Sorsby plans to fight this both with NFLPA and in court. Pannullo acknowledged the compressed schedule to get NFL to act prior to date supplemental draft would have been held. Interestingly, he appears to believe, if no supplemental draft, Sorsby could be eligible to sign as a free agent.”

The NFL sent Sorsby a letter informing him of the denial of the supplemental draft, with clear reasoning. It mentions that the quarterback applied for the draft only three days before the June 22 deadline, leaving little time for the league to review his gambling issue. Per rules, the latest by when the supplemental draft should be held is July 15 or 16. And, Sorsby was the only player to have applied for the event.

Additionally, he did not provide any documentation to support his case in his application, per the letter and ESPN.

Ok folks. Here’s the scoop. I put a call in to Jeff Kessler’s associate, Bob Pannullo. Kessler and Pannullo represent Brendan Sorsby. Pannullo believes the NFL is in direct violation of the CBA and the law. Notes that Sorsby plans to fight this both with NFLPA and in court.…

— Robinson L. Wittmore (@RobiWittmore) June 23, 2026

The supplemental draft is a brainchild of the CBA. The NFLPA can, in essence, fight the NFL in case the draft is not held. But Sorsby’s case is tricky, as he cannot be a member of the NFLPA unless he signs with an NFL team. Whether or not the organization would band together for such a player is a big question mark.

Brendan Sorsby allegedly placed wagers totaling more than $90,000 during his collegiate career. More than 40 bets were placed on Indiana games while he was active on the roster. Betting on their own team is one of the most serious violations for a student-athlete in the NCAA’s rulebook, which acted by rendering Sorsby ineligible for this year.

The troubled QB had taken the fight to the court, hoping to play this year with his new team, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. It was his last year of eligibility anyway, and he had secured a great opportunity to bolster his draft odds by transferring to the school from Cincinnati. To everyone’s surprise, Sorsby was granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, which allowed him to play. But the college football world was going to take action against the Red Raiders if they allowed Sorsby to play. He and Texas Tech mutually agreed to part ways, as a result.

The NFL has a strict policy on any gambling violations; Calvin Ridley was suspended indefinitely in 2022 for betting on NFL games. But the argument from Sorsby’s team is that the league is overreaching its standards, applying them to his college career instead of his future one in the NFL.

Had he been eligible for the supplemental draft, there could have been plenty of quarterback-needy teams considering Sorsby. In 35 games, he threw for 7,208 yards, 60 touchdowns against only 18 interceptions, while also rushing for 1,295 yards and adding 22 touchdowns. ESPN’s Field Yates viewed him as a potential first-round draft selection.

Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, and the Cleveland Browns, who don’t have a confirmed starter in 2027 at this point, could have looked at Sorsby as a potential starter. Now he’s looking at a 2026 without football, unless he’s willing to take his services to the CFL or UFL.

If Sorsby is successful with this new plan, it could change the league. Players would want to enter the league as a free agent, as opposed to being selected by a team in a draft order that is not of their choice. We’ll have to wait and see what stance the NFLPA takes on this matter.

The post “NFL is in Direct Violation of the Law”: Brendan Sorsby Plans Legal Battle With NFLPA Backing, Reveals Draft Insider appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I have to wonder, because, Steele, they’ve got like the toughest schedule in all the country. If you look at the other teams that are up there, they play three of the other, what, top six?” Bobby Carpenter said on his Bobby Carpenter Show.

Looking at their schedule, 2026 might be the year where the Buckeyes need to be looking over their shoulder each week. According to Phil Steele’s and pretty much the majority of analysts’ metrics, the Buckeyes are officially staring down the single toughest schedule in the entire country. Ohio State is scheduled to play three of the other top six teams with the best national championship odds (+550).

“Ohio State plays THREE of the other top-6 teams in the national title odds… Texas, Oregon, and Indiana.”

–@Bcarp3

Despite arguably the toughest schedule in America, the Buckeyes still have the best championship odds (+550).

Presented by @FanDuel https://t.co/4bssTMfs38 pic.twitter.com/XN0jMoUo9g

— Bobby Carpenter Show (@BobbyCarpShow) June 23, 2026

“You have Texas there at third, they play Oregon as well at fourth, and then Indiana at six, so Ohio State plays three of the teams with the best odds to ultimately win a national championship.”

Not only that, but when you count them up, the Buckeyes are scheduled to play seven teams that will probably start the season ranked in the Top 25.

The venue split for these heavyweight fights puts Ohio State at a major disadvantage. On September 12, 2026, the Buckeyes fly down to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns in front of over 100,000 fans at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. After beating Texas in their last two meetings and ending their playoff and national title hopes, Steve Sarkisian is now waiting with a score to settle and a $40 million roster. Carpenter believes facing a team like Texas this early removes the usual three-week “cupcake” stretch teams use to settle new starters.

The travel demands and physical toll get even crazier for the Buckeyes at Big 10. Ohio State has to make a grueling 2,200-mile cross-country flight to Los Angeles to play the USC Trojans at the LA Coliseum. If that wasn’t enough, they also have back-to-back road tests at Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium and Indiana’s Memorial Stadium. The chances of them coming out alive each time are a pretty tall ask.

Ohio State insider CFB Sam weighed in with his perspective and some worrying numbers. Sam explained, “In my metrics, Ohio State’s schedule is as far away from the number two schedule in America as the number two schedule in America is as far away from the number twelve schedule. That’s the gap between number one and number two, right?”

The Buckeyes end their away schedule at Nebraska right before their final legendary showdown with Michigan at home. Not going to lie, it is a grueling stretch that will test their depth and mental toughness.

Bobby Carpenter believes Ohio State can reach double-digit marks

Because the schedule is such a minefield, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas are setting a very interesting line for the team’s success. Bobby thinks the official over/under win total might sit right at 9.5 wins.

Despite all the warning signs, the crazy travel, and the threat of these tough road trips, Bobby is still keeping the faith in Columbus.

“I think anybody would still look at this and say, hey, odds are for them to win 10… I still feel like I can’t imagine Ohio State not winning double-digit games, given everything that’s going on.”

Even with a historic scheduling gap separating them from the rest of the country, the former Buckeye LB is banking on the sheer talent of the roster to pull through.

The post Bobby Carpenter Warns Ohio State of Turbulent 2026 After Going Through Schedule appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I believe we are the globe’s team,” Guido told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “I can show you a ton of different data and metrics that prove that. That we are the most popular franchise in the NFL across the globe.”

Tafur reported that the Niners have 5-6 million fans worldwide, rank as a top-five NFL team in nine countries, and sit No. 1 in Mexico and the UAE and No. 2 in Australia. If that wasn’t enough, Tafur also revealed that nearly 200 countries have the Niners mobile app downloaded to follow their team. And the schedule backs up this pitch, too.

The Niners are set to play in the league’s first regular-season game in Australia this season (Week 1), and are also set to be the home team in Mexico City (Week 11), giving them two international dates. The NFL’s broader overseas push (there are nine international games this year) helps the backdrop, but the Niners are one of the few teams that can make this a successful trip.

So far, the Niners are 3-1 in their international trips from 2005, ‘10, ‘13, and ‘22. Their first trip was to Mexico City, where they lost to the Arizona Cardinals. Since then, San Fran has been unbeatable outside America – they even got their revenge on the Cardinals in ‘22 with a 38-10 victory. This offseason, Niners owner Jed York has already outlined what he’s willing to give up to play in Mexico again.

“For us, Mexico is one of our markets,” York said recently. “We will most likely give up a home game this season to play abroad, and Mexico is always No. 1 on my list.”

The international games this season also imply that the league believes the Niners can pull in the viewers. And Guido, like York, has expressed excitement to play overseas. Mexico City, for him, is even familiar enough to make it an upside for the team.

“After two unforgettable experiences in 2005 and 2022 in Mexico City, we’re excited to reunite with the Mexico faithful and look forward to the energy local fans will bring in creating a true home-field advantage for our team abroad,” Guido said back in February.

Interestingly, head coach Kyle Shanahan has made the football side of this argument before, saying, “there’s not much benefit” to playing internationally for their Week 1 matchup. The coach sees the travel and the shorter weeks that follow, but the CEO sees a franchise that can turn those same trips into proof of its global impact.

Al Guido is pitching the 49ers as more than a team with a strong overseas following. He wants them treated like a franchise that belongs on the league’s biggest stages. The fan data, the international schedule, and the Super Bowl talk all point the same way – San Francisco is turning their reach into a status symbol.

San Francisco is building a strong fanbase in the Middle East

The Faithful aren’t just limited to US borders. After establishing networks in the UK and Mexico, San Francisco secured marketing, fan-engagement and commercial rights in the UAE in 2025. Per Arab News, this was the franchise’s third such achievement across a span of at least three years. And, according to the publication, the Faithful saw an increase of at least 50% in both the UK and Mexico during these three years.

“Expanding into the UAE is a major milestone for the NFL, and we look forward to growing the Faithful fanbase in this market, following our recent success in Mexico and the UK,” Brent Schoeb, the 49ers chief revenue and marketing officer, told Arab News. They are the first NFL team to activate in the UAE.

In September of that year, the 49ers kicked off things with a youth flag football camp at a school in Dubai. And, San Francisco also has different social media accounts to cater to the Arabic-speaking audience. The Instagram handle has more than 64,000 followers already.

Football may be America’s sport, but the higher-ups in the league have never backed down from an opportunity to go beyond the limits. Thanks to the push from the NFL and the need to compete with other teams, the 49ers are building a steady market for themselves way outside the good old Bay Area.

The post “We’re the Globe’s Team”: 49ers CEO Declares San Francisco the World’s Most Popular NFL Franchise appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“I lost my f***ing mind,” said Quentin Jammer when asked about how it felt to not play in the Super Bowl, via Raw Room on YouTube. “I was ready to go home. I called my wife. I called my mama. I was like, “I’m getting on the plane. I’ll see y’all at home. Like, and they were like, “No, we out here.” Like, I’m not doing now. F*** that. I’m going. I’m leaving ’cause they told me like, then I knew they was f***ing scared to tell me. I forget who they got to tell me like they got.”

“I found out the day of. … They had, like, Sam [Garnes] tell me. Like, Sam is the assistant DB coach, man.”

Jammer goes off on Jack Del Rio for the Super Bowl snub! pic.twitter.com/iRRaj5yBeb

— Raw Room (@Raw__Room) June 22, 2026

Jammer also said that the news was broken to him as the team was riding in the elevator to get to the bus that would take them to the game.

Jammer had only missed four games in his 11-year-long stint with the Chargers. However, his role in the Broncos team was diminished from the beginning, with the Week 4 game against the Philadelphia Eagles recorded as his first in 2013. He’d made only 14 total tackles during the regular season that year, while Jammer never went less than 40 in the years before his Denver career. Leading up to the Super Bowl in the postseason, the former cornerback was able to add four more.

John Fox was the head coach of the Broncos that year, but a health issue kept him away for the latter half of the season. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio became the interim head coach. Jammer added later on the podcast that he was “pissed off” that it was best if Del Rio left him alone.

Unfortunately, Jammer’s AFC Championship game ended up being his last. He entered free agency after Super Bowl XLVIII, but no franchise offered him a contract. However, the CB had quite a glorious football career.

The San Diego Chargers picked him in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played for them for 11 seasons before going to the Denver Broncos in 2013. In 183 games (162 starts), he made 735 tackles, 140 pass deflections, 21 interceptions, and a defensive touchdown. He was named to the San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team.

Jammer added that he wasn’t “mad” about Del Rio’s decision to restrict him from the Super Bowl game, but he enjoyed the Broncos’ loss that night.

The Broncos got ‘karma’ for their decision, says Quentin Jammer

When asked about his reaction to Denver not making it across the finish line, Quentin Jammer made his opinion clear.

“I laughed my ass off for a bit,” he said. “I was over it as soon as the ball snapped and hit Peyton Manning upside the head and he jumped out of the back of the end zone. I laughed, and I was pretty much over it after that.

“You know what? That’s karma right there.

There was never a proper reason given behind holding Jammer back for that game. NBC only said that he “struggled down the stretch” for the Broncos that year. In his place, they had Maurquice Cole play, who was signed only days before the AFC Championship game. Cole recorded no stats in the Super Bowl game.

It was a tough pill to swallow for Quentin Jammer, who came to Denver intending to win a Super Bowl. He said in his introductory press conference in 2013 that there was “[no] better place to go than Denver to have a chance to play for a championship.” Little did he know, that he would fail to achieve this very goal with his new team.

The post “I Lost My F—ing Mind”: Quentin Jammer Reveals How Jack Del Rio Left Him Humiliated Before Super Bowl XLVIII appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Just hours after Pete Golding’s program absorbed the sting of 4-star DL Ben’Jarvius Shumaker flipping to Colorado, the Rebels landed a much bigger headline. Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett reported that elite 2027 DL Mitchell Turner committed to Ole Miss, choosing them over Alabama, Texas, and LSU.

Mitchell Turner is ranked the No. 40 overall prospect in the Rivals300. Last season, he piled up 103 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery while helping Louisville reach the MHSAA 4A semifinals and finish 10-3. He is also one of Mississippi’s better baseball prospects, hitting .585 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs this past spring. And despite all the attention from SEC powerhouses, one Oxford visit changed everything.

“On the official visit is the point when they moved ahead of Alabama for sure,” he told Rivals. “Being on that visit, spending more time with the coaches and just being there changed things. It was a big visit for me, and that really put Ole Miss as the top.”

 

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For Ole Miss, Mitchell Turner is the latest proof that keeping elite in-state talent home is becoming a trend. Lane Kiffin may be gone but Pete Golding is continuing the trend because for the fourth time in the last five recruiting cycles, Mississippi’s No. 1 prospect has chosen the Rebels. And the 6’3, 280-pound Louisville standout may be the most important one yet. And if there was one coach who kept showing up throughout his decision-making process, it was DL coach Randall Joyner.

“The way Coach Joyner breaks down things and coaches, the way he motivates people and gets them going make him one of the best,” he said. “Coach Joyner’s track record of developing defensive linemen made Ole Miss always stand out. The way he develops players was a very big thing for me. The way he gets guys from my area — my state — to the NFL… how can you turn it down?”

Mitchell Turner isn’t wrong. After five seasons coaching Ole Miss’ DL, Randall Joyner really exceeded expectations in 2024. The Rebels led the country with 52 sacks and 120 tackles for loss, both program records, behind stars like Jared Ivey, Walter Nolen, JJ Pegues, Suntarine Perkins, and Princely Umanmielen. While Joyner helped close the deal, he also pointed to Pete Golding’s presence as a major reason he committed.

Pete Golding’s vision continues to shape the Rebels’ future

It was when Pete Golding took over that Ole Miss intensified its pursuit of Mitchell Turner. That’s why the relationship steadily grew and the future Rebel liked what he saw from the coach leading the program.

“Coach Golding being the head coach was a very big thing also,” he said. “The system won’t change. No matter what, he’s going to be calling the plays. He’s the head guy, and he’s a very down-to-earth guy. He just wants ballplayers who come in and get better every day.”

Mitchell Turner now becomes Mississippi’s fourth top-ranked prospect to commit to Ole Miss over the last five cycles joining Suntarine Perkins (2023), Will Echoles (2024), and Caleb Cunningham (2025). He also becomes the highest-ranked player in the Rebels’ 2027 class, surpassing 4-star QB Keegan Croucher. His reason for his final decision is simple. 

“The development, staying home and the people,” he said. “The people make the program wherever you go.”

With Mitchell Turner’s commitment, Ole Miss moves forward with the No. 23-ranked 2027 recruiting class. Pete Golding also secured its first 2028 commitment when unranked McComb WR Latedrick Mallard, another in-state prospect, committed to the program. And if you’re trying to build long-term recruiting dominance inside your own borders, that’s the kind of victory that matters most.

The post Nation’s No.3 DL Commits to SEC Program appeared first on EssentiallySports.