Month: December 2022

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill will “very likely” miss the remainder of the season (including playoffs) after he suffered a right ankle injury last Sunday in the Titans’ 17-14 loss to the Chargers, that may also require surgery.

Tannehill suffered a right ankle injury after a tackle from Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack on a first-quarter scramble in the Titans’ 17-14 road loss to the Bolts. The 34-year-old then went to the blue medical tent before being carted to the locker room. Rookie backup Malik Willis took over temporarily but Tannehill returned with a heavily taped ankle to played the rest of the game.

Tannehill was not present during practice on Wednesday, with Willis as the starting quarterback during the open portion of the Titans’ practice.  Willis started two games for Tannehill after he suffered a sprain of his right ankle on Oct. 23 against the Indianapolis Colts, before the veteran QB returned to the lineup.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Tannehill was “seriously in doubt” to start Saturday against the Houston Texans. Tennessee heads to Houston game on a four-game losing streak. Tennessee closes the regular season with a Dec. 29 home game against the Cowboys before ending the year with a Jan. 8 road game at Jacksonville in a game that could determine the AFC South winner.

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Former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman, who won a Super Bowl alongside quarterback Peyton Manning in 2016, died after battling a rare form of cancer. He was 31. Hillman’s family wrote in a statement posted on his Instagram account. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie K. Hillman Jr.  Ronnie quietly and peacefully transitioned today in the company of his family and close friends. We, as the family, appreciate the prayers and kind words that have already been expressed. We ask that you would give us time to process our feelings as we prepare to lay our precious R.J. to rest.”  Hillman’s family had previously announced that the former NFL running back had been diagnosed in August with renal medullary carcinoma, a rare and aggressive former of cancer that affects the kidneys. They said treatment was unsuccessful and Hillman was put into hospice care.

The 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back starred at San Diego State and was a third-round pick by the Broncos in the 2012 NFL Draft.  He shared the Broncos backfield with fellow running backs Knowshon Moreno, Montee Ball and C.J. Anderson in 2013, the same hear Manning set the NFL record for single-season touchdown passes (55). The Broncos posted 7,317 yards of offense that season, the second-most in NFL history.  Hillman earned a career-high 974 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns in 16 games in 2015, and the Broncos went on to win a Super Bowl that postseason. In 2016, Hillman split time between the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers before joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2017 before being released.

The Broncos said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of former Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman. A key contributor during the winningest four-year period in franchise history, Ronnie was part of two Super Bowl teams and led the Broncos in rushing during our Super Bowl 50 championship season.  Soft-spoken with a warm smile and quiet intensity, Ronnie was drafted by the Broncos in 2012 and grew into a dynamic player and well-respected teammate. Ronnie will be fondly remembered by our organization, which extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time.”

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Legendary NFL running back Franco Harris, who made the “Immaculate Reception” and remains the Pittsburgh Steelers’ all-time leading rusher, has died at age 72. Harris’ family told The Associated Press that Harris died Wednesday; his cause of death was not disclosed.

Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement: “The entire team at the Pro Football Hall of Fame is immensely sad today. We have lost an incredible football player, an incredible ambassador to the Hall and most importantly, we have lost one of the finest gentlemen anyone will ever meet.

The Steelers selected Harris with the No. 13 overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft. He won the NFL’s Rookie of the Year award in 1972 after rushing for a then-team-rookie record 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Steelers reached the postseason for just the second time in franchise history.

Harris also won four Super Bowl titles and was the Super Bowl IX MVP. He made the “Immaculate Reception,” one of the most famous plays in NFL history, during a 1972 divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders. Harris played for the Steelers from 1972 through 1983. He spent his final season in 1984 with the Seattle Seahawks, retiring with 12,120 rushing yards (the most in NFL history at that point). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. The running back made the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons and was an All-Pro in 1977.

The Steelers previously scheduled to retire Harris’ No. 32 jersey at halftime of their game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday in Pittsburgh. That game will kick off at 8:15 p.m. EST at Acrisure Stadium. Friday will mark the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception.

Harris is survived by his wife, Dana Dokmanovich, and son, Dok.

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Indianapolis Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday announced Wednesday that they will bench Matt Ryan and start veteran quarterback Nick Foles in Week 16. Saturday told reporters: “I feel like Nick will give us a better chance to win these last three games.” Ryan joined the Colts in an off-season trade from the Atlanta Falcons, He completed 67% of his throws for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and a league-leading 13 interceptions in 12 starts this season, going 4-7-1 as a starter.

The 6-foot-6, 243 pound Foles signed with the Colts as a free agent in May. Foles has started 56 games over his 11-year career spent with the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears . Over those stops, Foles has 14,003 passing yards with 82 touchdowns, 43 interceptions and a passer rating of 87.3; he was named a Pro Bowler in 2013 and earned MVP honors in Super Bowl LII. The 11-year veteran is 29-27 in his career as a starter.

Saturday said the Colts haven’t decided if Ryan or Sam Ehlinger will back up Foles on Monday, and that the team’s plan at quarterback will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis to close out the season. The Colts will host the Los Angeles Chargers at 8:15 p.m. EST Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

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