Now that he has spent an offseason program with the Miami Dolphins, former New England Patriots receiver Danny Amendola offered up a comparison between third-year Miami coach Adam Gase and Bill Belichick.
“Coach Gase is one of the guys. He’s our leader, he’s our head coach, but he’s also our boy. It’s cool, it’s refreshing to have that kind of relationship with a coach, something I haven’t had in a long time. … Back in New England, it’s almost like you had a principal and a principal’s office and s— like that; in a good way and a bad way, too,” Amendola said on the Comeback SZN podcast presented by Barstool Sports.
New Dolphins receiver Danny Amendola, seen here during the team’s minicamp in June, says coach Adam Gase is “one of the guys.” AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
In noting the comparison between Gase and Belichick, Amendola said he has respect for all his prior coaches — calling Belichick one of the best of all time — while expressing excitement with his present situation. Amendola signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Dolphins in March after spending the 2013-2017 seasons with the Patriots.
The interview, with Kayce Smith and Amendola’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, touched on how Amendola has developed a quick rapport with Gase; his top memories in New England; how he didn’t sense outside-the-norm friction within the Patriots last season; and the benching of cornerback Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII, among other topics.
In April, Amendola was passionate when discussing Butler’s benching with ESPN, which he echoed in the podcast.
“I don’t know the answer to that to this date,” he said. “I know we had 40-some-odd guys dressed up for the game, all of them didn’t play, and for whatever reason [Belichick] felt — he’s the coach, I can’t make that decision, I can only do my job. … In hindsight, it’s like, really, ‘What agenda are we on?’ It’s something I’ll probably never understand.”
After 11 seasons, seven Pro Bowls and winning one Super Bowl ring, Revis Island is officially off the map. Darrelle Revis announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday. The now-former cornerback hasn’t revealed what’s next in store for him just yet but enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame seems an eventual certainty.
Revis was among the top cornerbacks of his generation, but does he deserve to make it into the Hall on his first ballot? Of the 26 defensive backs enshrined in Canton, eight were voted in on their first ballot (Deion Sanders was the most recent one in 2011).
ESPN insiders, including two who will have a vote, give their take on Revis’ case to make it in his first year of eligibility.
Jeff Legwold, ESPN Broncos reporter and member of HOF selection committee. I’m always troubled by the “first ballot” discussion when it comes to the Hall of Fame because I believe a gold coat is a gold coat. The honor isn’t diminished if a player’s career wasn’t fully appreciated when he name first appeared on the ballot. In short, players like Rayfield Wright and Floyd Little, who each waited decades to be enshrined, are every bit the Hall of Famers Joe Montana and John Elway are.
That said, the most powerful arguments for those finalists selected in their first year of eligibility always come from former teammates and opponents. And Revis, in my initial discussions with people around the league in recent seasons, will have all of the support he needs from both. He was either consider the best or among the best at his position over an extended period of time. He was a player who impacted games and game plans and consistently did his best work against the best opponents. His former teammates consistently laud his work ethic in practice at a position where it is difficult to maintain physical dominance for multiple seasons.
Revis had just 29 career interceptions, and never more than six in a season, but that’s at least partially due to quarterbacks being so conditioned to avoid him at almost any cost. Revis has the ultimate respect of former teammates, former opponents and passes the eye test in how he played the game. He certainly will have strong support in his first year of eligibility at a time when the Board of Selectors, as a whole, has increasingly given a nod to first-year candidates. There will be three enshrinees in the Class of 2018 alone who were selected in their first year of eligibility — Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher and Randy Moss.
Matt Bowen, NFL writer and former NFL safety. With only 26 total defensive backs in the Hall of Fame, jumping in on the first ballot could be a challenge for Revis. However, he played at a level during his prime years that truly set the bar for the position. This is a guy who essentially erased half of the field with clinic room technique, footwork and the route recognition to suffocate wide receivers in coverage. Lock-down stuff. And with 29 career interceptions, to pair with his seven Pro Bowl nominations, Revis belongs in the discussion with the premier corners in NFL history. You want the best in Canton? Then get Revis ready for a gold jacket.
Mike Reiss, ESPN Patriots reporter. When assessing a player’s chances to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, it essentially comes down to two things: Who the player is, and what is his competition that year? That’s the view of Gary Myers, the former longtime New York Daily News columnist who chronicled the finest years of Revis’ career with the Jets and has been a longtime Hall voter. I concur with Myers, and when I look at the Class of 2023, I don’t see any major roadblocks that should impede Revis’ path. Myers has covered the NFL since 1978, and he said there was a stretch of time watching Revis that he viewed him as good of a cover corner as he’s ever seen, right there alongside Deion Sanders (and more physical and a better tackler than Sanders, too). Revis’ 2010 wild-card-round performance, in which he shadowed Reggie Wayne and held him to one catch for 1 yard, was perhaps best reflective of his dominance in that stretch of time. Some might ask the question if Revis’ body of work is long enough to warrant first-ballot consideration, or perhaps will be swayed by his less-than-stellar play in his final seasons. Not me. He was a transcendent player, and thus, more than worthy of first-ballot entry.
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer and member of HOF selection committee. No one asked whether Jerry Rice or Brett Favre would be first-ballot selections because there was no doubt. We’re being asked to evaluate Revis’ chances because there is some doubt.
All would agree that Revis was among the very best corners of his era. Seven Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro selections put him on a short list of corners with those types of accolades. He’s well down the list for interceptions — not just historically, but during his own playing career. That is something to at least discuss when the time comes. But he certainly will be a strong candidate for Canton.
Only five modern-era candidates earn enshrinement in a given year, which is the No. 1 reason great players miss the cut every year. Dwight Freeney, Jason Witten and Joe Thomas will also be first-time candidates when Revis becomes eligible, as will Kam Chancellor, who deserves consideration now that other guys with injury-shortened careers have made it in. There will be other candidates who have waited their turn and could be poised for enshrinement at that time. That makes it tough to say for sure whether Revis will skate through on the first ballot.
Aaron Schatz, editor-in-chief of Football Outsiders. I would definitely vote Revis in as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, as the best cornerback of this current century. He’s going to be the first Hall of Fame corner whose entire career has been charted by advanced stats companies. Those advanced charting stats tend to be very inconsistent from year to year, but not for Revis. In six full seasons (2009-2011, 2013-2015), Revis ranked in the top dozen for success rate five times, and the other year he was 22nd. He ranked in the top dozen for adjusted yards per pass five times, and the other year he was 25th. OK, you might say, “top dozen, that’s not impressive,” but trust me, given how inconsistent cornerback charting stats are, it’s absurdly impressive. Even more impressive is early on, before he really became Revis Island, the way he baited quarterbacks into throwing at him. In that amazing 2009 season, Revis was No. 1 in success rate, No. 1 in adjusted yards per pass, and No. 3 in YAC allowed after completions. Yet he also had the sixth-highest rate of team targets in the league! Quarterbacks just spent the season throwing into a black hole.
And it’s where the Cardinals receiver will finish his NFL career — whenever that might be.
Fitzgerald said Monday during his youth camp in his native Minnesota that he won’t play anywhere else during the rest of his career.
“If I’m not playing in Arizona, I won’t be playing anywhere,” Fitzgerald said, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I’ve built a good life for myself down there. Playing in the same place for 15 years is a true blessing.”
Larry Fitzgerald is third in career receptions with 1,234 — 91 away from tying Tony Gonzalez for second place. Christian Petersen/Getty Images
“It doesn’t really matter about the age, it’s about what you put into it and your mindset,” he told the newspaper. “Everybody kind of takes numbers and assumes this is when it’s supposed to end. As an athlete, fortunately, you write your own script. If you still produce and you play at a high level, you kind of determine how long you want to play.
“If I can stay at a high level, I still keep destiny in my own hands.”
And that means the questions about when Fitzgerald will retire will continue to be an annual occurrence.
What would a lineup of under-25 NFL all-stars look like? Glad you asked. We polled 43 of our NFL insiders — reporters, analysts, former players — to find out which players under age 25 will be the best at each position over the next three seasons.
The results included four Saints (the most of any team), three players drafted in April and nine players age 22 or younger.
ESPN Insider Field Yates wrote the analysis of each selection.
Quarterback
Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Percentage of vote: 65.1
Few quarterbacks have galvanized a franchise as expediently as Watson did the Texans in 2017. Watson, 22, has exceptional football IQ and character to lead teammates paired with unique arm talent (particularly in the vertical passing game) and dynamic athletic ability.
Which NFL teams have the most complete rosters? Pro Football Focus ranks them all from top to bottom.
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Regardless of what Gurley’s timed speed is — and you know he’s fast — his functional play speed is even better. A step for Gurley, 23, in the open field usually means six points. With outstanding receiving skills and a diverse list of open-field maneuvers, he’s a true dual-threat back.
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
Percentage of vote: 46.5
A projection for the 21-year-old Barkley based off a sterling career at Penn State, the Giants are hopeful that a skill set highlighted by an abundance of power, soft hands in the passing game and uncommon return skills will yield immediate returns. His polish on and off the field boosted his case as a can’t-miss draft prospect.
Runner-up: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Wide receivers
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
Percentage of vote: 53.5
Diggs, 24, has shown the ability to dominate in different ways at the NFL level. He excelled as a vertical threat as a rookie, chewed up catches in a volume role as a sophomore and took another step in his third season. When the ball is in the air, Diggs is a good bet to win in man-to-man coverage.
Tyreek Hill has scored touchdowns by rushing, receiving, kick return and punt return over the past two seasons. Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire
Hill has made his mark already as a speed threat in the NFL. It’s not hyperbole to suggest the 24-year-old is the fastest player in the league, routinely impacting the game as a receiver, runner and returner. Hill has a compact frame but plays with some power, too.
The reality of some NFL offenses is that tight ends are asked to serve frequently in a detached alignment, working in a slot role that requires immense athletic skills. Engram, 23, is in some ways a jumbo wide receiver, firmly cementing his spot as a bright spot in the Giants’ offense as a rookie.
Runner-up: Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers
Offensive tackles
Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans
Percentage of vote: 72.1
While some still believe that the value of a left tackle surpasses that of a right tackle, Conklin’s immediate emergence on the right side for Tennessee proves it’s a position of massive influence. Powerful and technically sound, the 23-year-old is currently recovering from a knee injury.
Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans Saints
Percentage of vote: 51.2 percent
During a time when NFL teams are finding the challenge of identifying ready-made offensive linemen more difficult, Ramczyk, 24, stepped into a starting role right away. He played every snap in 2017 and handled multiple positions.
Runner-up: Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens
Guards
Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Percentage of vote: 93 percent
Nelson was a near-unanimous pick, a reflection of his pedigree coming out of Notre Dame. The 22-year-old plays with a blend of nasty and surgical attention to detail. Indy hopes he’ll set the tone for the line for a decade.
Quenton Nelson hasn’t played a down in the NFL, but he was a near-unanimous selection for our under-25 team. Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
The 24-year-old Peat is a dancing bear, an impressive athlete for a player of his size with positional versatility.
Runner-up: Will Hernandez, New York Giants
Center
Pat Elflein, Minnesota Vikings
Percentage of vote: 60.5 percent
The center position involves more than just meets the eye; Elflein, 24, absorbs great responsibility pre-snap in getting the offensive line in sync. His acclimation to the pro game from his college days was an expedient one.
Runner-up: Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions
Interior linemen
Sheldon Rankins, New Orleans Saints
Percentage of vote: 53.5 percent
Rankins, 24, is unique in this sense: He’s an immovable object in the middle of the Saints’ defense that makes the group decidedly better against the run, while also adding value as an intention rusher.
Leonard Williams, New York Jets
Percentage of vote: 74.4 percent
Williams’ length stands out, as the long-levered and versatile 24-year-old defender makes it hard for an offensive lineman to stay engaged. His value will transcend his statistics, but those are already quite impressive.
Runner-up: Jonathan Allen, Washington
Pass-rushers
Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers
Percentage of vote: 93 percent
Bosa, 23, drew pre-draft comparisons to J.J. Watt, an almost unfair parallel for any player to face. And yet, he has been a dominant force with some shades of Watt in terms of next-level power and acceleration.
Myles Garrett had seven sacks in 11 games played during his rookie season. AP Photo/David Richard
Garrett was a bit limited by injuries as a rookie but made his mark all the same. He may have been the best talent on the Browns’ roster last season when the team went 0-16. Much more impressively, the 22-year-old may still be the most talented player on an improved roster.
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Percentage of vote: 51.2 percent
The younger Watt, 23, is a terrific athlete and has the reactive skills to be a factor in coverage. Oh, did we mention he’s already an immense force as a rusher for a defense that led the NFL in sacks last year?
Runner-up: Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars
Linebackers
Myles Jack, Jacksonville Jaguars
Percentage of vote: 74.4 percent
In a league where offenses stress a defense every inch of the field horizontally, Jack’s athletic tools stand out. The 22-year-old has already established himself as a ferocious tackler, cooling any concerns over a serious college knee injury.
Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Percentage of vote: 60.5 percent
Jones, 23, carries a rep as one of the game’s best coverage linebackers already. He runs like an oversized defensive back while also setting the tone as a hitter. He’s the quarterback of Atlanta’s defense.
Reuben Foster, San Francisco 49ers
Percentage of vote: 32.6 percent
Foster’s NFL career is young, but what already stood out was his feel for finding the football. The 24-year-old must stay healthy and will serve a two-game suspension to begin the season, but he could emerge as San Francisco’s best defensive player.
Runner-up: Kwon Alexander, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cornerbacks
Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints
Percentage of vote: 60.5 percent
Lattimore’s ability to play on an island is reflective of his confidence, reactive athletic ability and ball skills. It’s hard to quantify how much mental toughness impacts defensive back play; the 22-year-old Lattimore has a ton of it.
Marshon Lattimore was named 2017 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
No player earned a higher percentage of votes in this exercise than the 23-year-old Ramsey. The question may not be whether he’s one of the best players under 25, but rather whether he’s on track to becoming the league’s best defensive player.
Runner-up: Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills
Safeties
Landon Collins, New York Giants
Percentage of vote: 67.4 percent
Collins, 24, almost immediately emerged into a leadership role for the Giants. He’s a check-the-box safety, with the ability to do almost any task asked of him. He’ll make you remember his hits too, with excellent playing strength.
Jamal Adams, New York Jets
Percentage of vote: 65.1 percent
Adams oozes confidence with good reason. His pattern recognition and proactive athletic skills will align with a bucket of interceptions in time, while he’s also a player ready to run the alley as a box defender. The 22-year-old can hang in coverage versus tight ends.
Runner-up: Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Kicker
Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs
Percentage of vote: 55.8 percent
Butker, 22, had a historic season, as his 38 field goals for the Chiefs in 2017 were the most by a rookie in league annals. He has a cannon for a leg, nailing 38 of 42 attempts, connecting on all of his extra points and booming 78.2 percent of his kickoffs for a touchback.
It’s rare to see a specialist win the MVP of a bowl game for a major college program, be selected a unanimous All-American, forego his final college season or earn a fifth-round NFL selection. Dickson, the Seahawks’ 22-year-old fifth-rounder in 2018, did them all. They hope for him to become a major weapon.
Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans
