Tyrann Mathieu announces retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons

Tyrann Mathieu announces retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons

One of the best of his generation is calling it a career. Three-time All-Pro safetyTyrann Mathieuannounced in apost on his Instagram pagethat he is retiring from the NFL. The 33-year-old defensive back was entering his fourth season with theNew Orleans Saintsbut won't step onto the field this year. "As I hang up my cleats, I'm filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that's shaped me in every way," Mathieu wrote in his announcement. "From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing. Football gave me purpose, discipline, and memories that will stay with me forever. But more than anything, it gave me a community." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tyrann Mathieu (@mathieu_era) Mathieu was drafted in the third round, 69th overall by theArizona Cardinalsin the 2013 NFL Draft. A Heisman finalist at LSU in 2011, he slid to the third round due to off-field concerns following his dismissal from LSU in 2012. He ended up a steal for theCardinalsand finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. In 2015, he made his first All-Pro team as the Cardinals made the NFC championship game. He spent five seasons with the Cardinals and played well alongside standout cornerback Patrick Peterson. Arizona released him in 2018 and he signed with theHouston Texansfor one season before signing a multi-year deal with theKansas City Chiefsin 2019. Mathieu was part of the Chiefs Super Bowl-winning team in 2019 and made his second All-Pro team that season. He made his third a year later with the Chiefs in 2020. Kansas City did not retain him after 2021 and he made his way back to Louisiana to play for his hometownSaints. He started every game for New Orleans from 2022 through 2024. "To every coach who believed in me, every teammate who battled beside me, and every fan who showed up, cheered, and rode with me through the highs and lows, thank you," Mathieu wrote in his announcement. "You gave me strength when I needed it most, and your love carried me farther than I ever imagined." He did tease that he's not done with football yet, writing "this isn't goodbye - it's just the next chapter." Mathieu has a list of accolades. Three-time first-team All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl champion and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decades Team of the 2010s. He certainly has a case to be a Hall of Fame player. Mathieu entered the league three years after Earl Thomas, widely considered one of the best safeties of the 2010s and almost certainly a Hall of Fame player. They're equal on first-team All-Pro honors with three but Thomas holds an edge with seven Pro Bowls. Pro Football Referenceprovides an index of Hall of Fame players using statistics and awards to calculate aHall of Fame Monitor score(HOFm). It's not the definitive way of deciding who should make the Hall of Fame or not but is a useful tool for this exercise. All defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) are grouped together in this metric. Mathieu's HOFm score is 65.20 which is far below the defensive back average HOFm of 97. But Thomas only measures in at 79.03 and Mathieu's HOFm ranks ahead of Hall of Fame safeties John Lynch (64.28) and Eric Allen (58.95). Mathieu wasn't the best player on a title-winning defense but he was one of the best safeties in the league for most of a decade. That will get him serious consideration for induction. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tyrann Mathieu announces retirement from NFL

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

Tyrann Mathieu announces retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons

Tyrann Mathieu announces retirement from the NFL after 12 seasons One of the best of his generation is calling it a career. Three-time All-P...

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49ers receiver Jauan Jennings reports to training camp seeking a new contract

49ers receiver Jauan Jennings reports to training camp seeking a new contract

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jauan Jennings reported to training camp for the San Francisco 49ers as he seeks a new contract and the team expects him to be on the field when practice begins on Wednesday. General manager John Lynch said Tuesday that Jennings passed a physical when he reported for camp this week. "I anticipate him being out there," Lynch said. "You guys know our feelings on JJ. He embodies what we think a Niner is all about. He plays the right way and we love him. We're not going to get into the contract talks and all that. That takes care of itself. We love him and he's here." Coach Kyle Shanahan said Jennings hasn't formally requested a trade. Jennings is entering the final season of a two-year, $15.4 million contract and is seeking a long-term extension before the season. Shanahan said he would like to be able to reach an extension with both Jennings and right tackle Colton McKivitz before the season. "The way they feel about us is the same way we feel about them," Shanahan said. "That's the easy part. The hard part is the business side." The Niners were hoping to avoid the contract distractions this summer after dealing with disputes with Nick Bosa, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams the past two seasons that kept all of them out of training camp practices. They reached extensions early in the offseason with stars Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and George Kittle, but now have a potential issue with Jennings. The 2020 seventh-round pick has emerged as one of Purdy's most trusted options at wide receiver after having 77 catches for 975 yards and six TDs last season. With Deebo Samuel having been traded to Washington in March and Aiyuk working back from a knee injury, Jennings has a big role this season. "It's extremely important obviously," Purdy said about having Jennings at practice. "I love JJ and what he brings to our team. Obviously we've had so much success together and anytime you see something like this going on, as a player let's figure out something so we can get back on the field." Injury updates The Niners have several players starting camp in injury lists with the only expected long-term absences coming from players dealing with ACL injuries: Aiyuk, safety Malik Mustapha, linebacker Curtis Robinson and rookie quarterback Kurtis Rourke. Lynch said those players will likely start the season on injured lists but is hopeful they can return some time during the first half of the season. Receiver Ricky Pearsall, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and offensive lineman Andre Dillard all will start camp on the physically unable to perform list but are expected back on the field soon. Ben Bartch, who is in the mix to start at left guard, will also miss at least the first three days of camp on the non-football injury list after injuring his quadriceps working out on his own. Running back Christian McCaffrey and Williams are both "here and healthy," Shanahan said, but their work loads will be managed through camp after dealing with injuries last season. Roster move With questions at receiver, the Niners signed Equanimeous St. Brown to add depth at the position following a tryout on Monday that featured six receivers. St. Brown, the brother of Detroit star Amon-Ra St. Brown, has 63 catches for 928 yards in 62 career games for Green Bay, Chicago and New Orleans. ___ AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

49ers receiver Jauan Jennings reports to training camp seeking a new contract

49ers receiver Jauan Jennings reports to training camp seeking a new contract SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jauan Jennings reported to training...

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New Bears coach Ben Johnson has ‘lofty,’ historic goals for QB Caleb Williams in their first season together

New Bears coach Ben Johnson has 'lofty,' historic goals for QB Caleb Williams in their first season together

New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has some extremely high goals for Caleb Williams this season, which would put the second-year quarterback in an elite group if he can pull it off. Johnson made it clear Tuesday, one day before the Bears officially open training camp, that he wants Williams to complete 70% of his passes this season. Williams echoed that sentiment later, and added that he wants to throw for 4,000 yards, too. Not only would that make him the first quarterback in Bears history to reach the 4,000-yard mark, but Williams would become just the 10th quarterback in NFL history to hit both of those marks. 9 players in NFL history have done this in a season. Brees (4x), Burrow (2x) Cousins, Carr, Watson, Rodgers, Goff, Geno and Mayfield.https://t.co/JdNJzJ81rR — Jonathan Jones (@jjones9)July 22, 2025 "We certainly have goals that we strive for. It's not a secret," Johnsonsaid. "I would love for him this season to complete 70% of his balls, so you would like to think that over the course of practice we're completing 70% or more, or that's hard to just magically arise in a game. "It's a lofty goal, but it's one we're going to strive for." [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Williams, who the Bears took with the No. 1 overall pick out of USC last year, threw for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions as a rookie in Chicago. The Bears went just 5-12 under his watch, missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season and ended up firing head coach Matt Eberflus. That led to the Bears hiring Johnson, who was previously the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator. Williams completed just 62.5% of his passes last season, so that 70% mark Johnson set would be a significant increase. In fact, only four true starting quarterbacks who played the entire campaign last season completed 70% of their passes or better. Lions quarterback Jared Goff led the way with 72.4%. It would take a significant jump for Williams to pull that off, though it would undoubtedly both throw himself into the MVP conversation and mean that the Bears are among the best in the NFC if he can get it done. With Johnson now leading the way, and a very solid group around him, the goals in place for Williams aren't unobtainable by any means. He's very likely to make a significant improvement after his rookie season. Whether he can hit those admittedly lofty goals from Johnson, though, remains to be seen.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

New Bears coach Ben Johnson has ‘lofty,’ historic goals for QB Caleb Williams in their first season together

New Bears coach Ben Johnson has 'lofty,' historic goals for QB Caleb Williams in their first season together New Chicago Bears head ...

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Trump rehashes years-old grievances on Russia investigation after new intelligence report

Trump rehashes years-old grievances on Russia investigation after new intelligence report

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trumprehashed longstanding grievances over the Russia investigation that shadowed much of his first term, lashing out Tuesday following a new report from his intelligence director aimed at casting doubt onlong-established findings about Moscow's interferencein the 2016 election. "It's time to go after people,"Donald Trumpsaid from the Oval Office as he repeated a baseless claim that former President Barack Obama and other officials had engaged in treason. Trump was not making his claims for the first time, but he delivered them when administration officials are harnessing the machinery of the federal government toinvestigate the targets of Trump's derision, including key officials responsible for scrutinizing Russia's attempts to intervene on Trump's behalf in 2016. The backward-looking inquiries are taking place even as the Republican administration'snational security agencies are confronting global threats. But they have served as a rallying cry for Trump, who is trying to unify apolitical base at odds over the Jeffrey Epstein case, with some allies pressing to disclose more information despite the president's push to turn the page. Trump's attack prompted a rare response from Obama's post-presidential office. "Our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response," said Patrick Rodenbush, an Obama spokesman. "But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction." Gabbard's new report on the Russia investigation Trump's tirade, a detour from his official business as hehosted the leader of the Philippines, unfolded against the backdrop of a new report fromDirector of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbardthat represented his administration's latest attempt to rewrite the history of the Russia investigation, which has infuriated him for years. The report, released Friday, downplayed the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 election by highlighting Obama administration emails showing officials had concluded before and after the presidential race that Moscow had not hacked state election systems to manipulate votes in Trump's favor. But Obama's Democratic administration never suggested otherwise, even as it exposed other means by which Russia interfered in the election, including througha massive hack-and-leak operationof Democratic emails by intelligence operatives working with WikiLeaks, as well asa covert foreign influence campaignaimed at swaying public opinion and sowing discord through fake social media posts. Gabbard's report appears to suggest the absence of manipulation of state election systems is a basis to call into question more general Russian interference. Democrats swiftly decried the report as factually flawed and politically motivated. "It is sadly not surprising that DNI Gabbard, who promised to depoliticize the intelligence community, is once again weaponizing her position to amplify the president's election conspiracy theories," Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote on X. Several investigations found Russian interference in 2016 Russia's broad interference in 2016 has been established through a series of investigations, including special counsel Robert Mueller's report, which concluded that the Trump campaign welcomed the Kremlin's help but also found insufficient evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy. A House Intelligence Committee report also documented Russia's meddling, as did the Senate Intelligence Committee,which concluded its workin 2020 at a time when the panel was led by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who's now Trump's secretary of state. A different special counsel appointed by the Trump Justice Department to hunt for problems in the origins of the Russia investigation, John Durham,did find flaws,but not related to what Gabbard sought to highlight in her report. "Few episodes in our nation's history have been investigated as thoroughly as the Intelligence Community's warning in 2016 that Russia was interfering in the election," said Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. He added that every legitimate investigation, including the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee probe, "found no evidence of politicization and endorsed the findings of the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment." Gabbard's document was released weeks aftera CIA reportthat reexamined a 2017 intelligence community assessment on Russian interference. That new review, ordered by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, did not dispute Russia had interfered but suggested officials were rushed in the intelligence assessment they produced. Seeking investigations of former officials Ratcliffe has since referred former CIA Director John Brennan to the Justice Department for investigation, a person familiar with the matter has said. The departmentearlier this month appeared to acknowledge an open investigationinto Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey in an unusual statement earlier this month, but the status or contours of the inquiries are unclear. Besides Obama, Trump on Tuesday rattled off a list of people he accused of acting criminally "at the highest level," including Comey, his 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton and former national intelligence director James Clapper. He accused Obama, without evidence, of being the "ringleader" of a conspiracy to get him. Obama has never been accused of any wrongdoing as part of the Russia investigation, and, in any event, a landmark Supreme Court opinion from last yearshields former presidents from prosecutionfor official acts conducted in office. Trump launched his tirade when asked aboutthe Justice Department's effort to speak with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of Epstein, who was convicted of helping the financier sexually abuse underage girls. "I don't really follow that too much," he said. "It's sort of a witch hunt, a continuation of the witch hunt." Trump is under pressurefrom conspiracy-minded segments of his political base torelease more about the Epstein case. Democrats say Trump is resisting because of his past association with Epstein. Trump has denied knowledge of or involvement with Epstein's crimes and said he ended their friendship years ago. ___

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

Trump rehashes years-old grievances on Russia investigation after new intelligence report

Trump rehashes years-old grievances on Russia investigation after new intelligence report WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trumprehashed lo...

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Florida official encourages people with undocumented exes to call ICE hotline

Florida official encourages people with undocumented exes to call ICE hotline

Florida's top prosecutor is encouraging victims of domestic violence, or anyone with an "ex" in the United States illegally, to call his office. "If your ex is in this country illegally, please feel free to reach out to our office. We'd be happy to assist," Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a social media post. Uthmeier said his office received a tip from someone whose abusive former partner overstayed a tourism visa. The alleged abuser is now in the process of being deported, he said. Only the federal government can deport individuals in the country illegally, but Florida has been working closely with the Trump administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE already hasa tip linethat receives more than 15,000 calls a month, according to the agency. Staff collect information received from phone calls and turn over the information to specific programs within the Department of Homeland Security. "Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE," the agency says on its website. We recently got a tip from someone whose abusive ex overstayed a tourism visa. He is now cued up for deportation.If your ex is in this country illegally, please feel free to reach out to our office. We'd be happy to assist. — Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier)July 22, 2025 The agency said itdoes not offer rewardsfor aiding in immigration enforcement. ICE did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment. Uthmeier has been one of the most vocal supporters of the president's immigration agenda. As the federal government has ramped up detaining and deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally, Uthmeier, along with Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis, has prioritized using state resources to complement the federal efforts. Uthmeier,formerly the governor's chief of staff, was also involved with a controversial program in 2022 tofly migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyardin Massachusetts. Now, he's most known for his most recent idea, the detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." On June 19, Uthmeier posted a video to X suggesting that the "virtually abandoned" Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a 39-square-mile property with a 10,500-foot runway, could be easily converted into a temporary immigrant detention center to aid in Florida's efforts to locate and deport "criminal aliens." Alligator Alcatraz, which began receiving detainees earlier this month, can house up to 3,000 people. "We want to fill this place up,"Uthmeier told President Donald Trumpduring his visit to the detention facility on July 1. The attorney general said the president was the "inspiration" for the Everglades detention center, adding "hopefully there's more to come." Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached atagonilessan@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat:Florida official offers to deport your ex through ICE hotline

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

July 22, 2025

Florida official encourages people with undocumented exes to call ICE hotline

Florida official encourages people with undocumented exes to call ICE hotline Florida's top prosecutor is encouraging victims of domesti...

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