New Orleans Saints Jeremy Shockey Sues Former Saints Teammate
Houser The New Madoff
Recently released New Orleans Saints defensive end Charles Grant and current Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against their former teammate, Kevin Houser, alleging Houser duped them and other current and former Saints players and coaches into investing more than a million dollars in a film tax credit scam.
Houser is the former special teams long-snapper who was the longest tenured Saints player when he was cut by the team before the 2009 season as news of the tax credit fiasco emerged. Grant and Shockey say Houser, who was a licensed securities broker, convinced them they were buying state tax credits for Louisiana Film Studios, but later it turned out LFS had never applied for the state tax credits.
In all, nearly two dozen former or current Saints players and coaches, including quarterback Drew Brees, Coach Sean Payton and Saints legend Archie Manning, invested $1.7 million to buy what they thought were tax credits for the film studio project in Elmwood. Grant and Shockey’s lawsuit is labeled a class action on behalf of the rest of the investors.
Grant and Shockey allege that Houser actually kept a portion of their money as a commission or finder’s fee. Also, they say that Houser kept secret the fact that the film studio owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to 47 Construction LLC, a company co-owned by Houser and his wife.
Houser’s attorney, Jimmy Castex, said his client and was a victim of the scam by the film studio’s former CEO, Wayne Read. A federal bankruptcy judge ordered the film studio’s assets liquidated last month.
Houser played for the team from 2000 to 2008, exclusively snapping the ball on punts and placekicks.
Sean Payton Steals Jerry Jones Bottle Of Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
I'm Thirsty
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton had some fun with his former employer Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Both are in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine and both attended Nap towns luxurious St. Elmo Steakhouse but on different nights.
Payton who was in attendance on Friday night gathered their in a private room with his staff and heard from a loose-lipped employee that Jones would be there the next night and had already called ahead to reserve a bottle of a pricey Caymus Special Selection cabernet sauvignon, of which the restaurant had only one remaining.
Payton made the request to have that one remaining bottle served to him that night but was told of the situation and it had Jerry’s name on it. Payton then demanded the bottle and insisted on having it, leaving the staff in an awkward position. Serve one of the most powerful owners in the NFL, or the coach who’s the toast of the NFL right now having just won the Super Bowl?
Here came the bottle of Caymus Special Selection, and the Saints party drained it.
Drinking Jones wine wasn’t enough and Payton gave the waiter some instructions, took out his pen. The next night as Jones and his party sat in the private room they found an empty bottle of Caymus Special Selection cabernet sauvignon on there middle of the table with these words hand-written on the label:
- WHO DAT!
World Champions XLIV
Sean Payton
Final Eight Plan Will Restrict Top NFL Teams From Pursuing Free Agents
Est. 1920
This year free agency for the top eight NFL teams will be a whole lot different from years past and may hinder those clubs in the pursuit of signings that would help them get over the hump. This is due to a deadline that passed in which no agreement was reached between the players and owners reps concerning labor negotiations thus making the upcoming season an uncapped season.
This year fans cannot assume that New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens or the San Diego Chargers can just sign whatever player they want in this years off-season. Because of the riff in the labor negotiations this has caused league-imposed financial restrictions on how those teams will be able to accomplish their off-season goals by limiting them in their pursuit of free agents. This more than likely will leave those executive vice presidents and general managers to be more stand offish come the opening of free agency March 5.
Here is the NFL’s explanation of the limitations the “Final Eight Plan” has on those teams that reached the divisional round of the playoffs and their restrictions in free agency.
During the Final League Year, the eight clubs that make the Divisional Playoffs in the previous season have additional restrictions that limit their ability to sign unrestricted free agents from other clubs. In general, the four clubs participating in the championship games are limited in the number of free agents that they may sign; the limit is determined by the number of their own free agents signing with other clubs. They cannot sign any UFAs unless one of theirs is signed by another team.
For the four clubs that lost in the Divisional Playoffs, in addition to having the ability to sign free agents based on the number of their own free agents signing with other clubs, they may also sign players based on specific financial parameters. Those four only will be permitted to sign one unrestricted free agent for $5.5 million (estimated) or more in year one of the contract, plus the number of their UFAs who sign with another team. They also can sign any unrestricted free agents for less than $3.7 (estimated) million in year one of the contract with limitations on the per year increases.
In the case of all final eight teams, the first year salary of UFAs they sign to replace those lost cannot exceed the first year salary of the player lost with limitations on the per year increases.
A lockout may or may not happen but it’s effects will be felt in a playing season.
Reggie Bush’s Side Piece Shows Off His Crib
Long has been the rumor that Latina model Carmen Ortega is the woman claiming to have had a threesome with Reggie Bush that caused his temporary breakup with Kim Kardashian a while back.
Ortega hasn’t taken to kind to the fact the she’s the forgotten one and decided to go MTV Cribs on Bush’s home, guerrilla style. Showing everyone that she still has a key and access codes to his place.
New Orleans Saints Linebacker Scott Fujita’s Feels The Wrath From Nike
Don't Mess With The Swoosh
New Orleans Saints linebacker Scott Fujita has found out first hand that Nike doesn’t like it when players tape over their Swoosh by dropping him after a seven year contract.
Fujita was putting tape around his cleats, to keep them tight. Nike decided after several warnings that it was too much and voided his contract. Fujita said the low point was when he didn’t receive his Nike schwag bag in his hotel room.
All the guys who are endorsed by Nike get Super Bowl schwag, with about $5000 worth of merchandise, including some products from their ACG line. Fujita said the worst part about being dropped was every teammate rubbing it in his face and parading around in all their new gear.
Drew Brees Teaches Crowd At Lucy’s Bar Pre Game Chant
That’s just awesome.
NFL Players Don’t Know Much About Economy
As long as these players walk away, lets hope they can do that, from there NFL careers owning a piece of land and a home then I’m all good with their lack of knowledge in the financial district.
Louisiana Senator Wants ‘Who Dat? Nation’ License Plate
Will Your Toyota Prius Have One?
The NFL tried to stop the production of ‘Who Dat?’ t-shirts leading up to the big game but now that the New Orleans Saints are Super Bowl champions Louisiana Senator A.G. Crowe wants ‘Who Dat? Nation’ license plates.
Senator Crowe, said he will promote the concept of a new specialty vehicle license tag at the spring legislative session to honor the Super Bowl champions and their die-hard ‘Who Dat Nation’ followers.
Crowe said that a share of the license tag fees would be donated to “a worthy cause” designated by the Legislature in conjunction with the Saints organization.
He said the money will represent “a pot of black and gold for someone, thanks to the world champion New Orleans Saints.”
The Senator wants to ge the NFL involved before moving forward with his plans of presenting the design of the fleur de lis, the state seal and the phrase ‘Who Dat Nation’ to the Legislature. Saying he wants to talk to officials of the NFL and the Saints organization about final designs and to avert problems with copyright laws.
Only 11 People Greet The Indianapolis Colts On Return
Where Were You, Mr. Blueberry?
There wont be a parade in Indianapolis after the Colts lost the Super Bowl 31-17 to the New Orleans Saints in Miami and there wasn’t even a hero’s welcome at the airport for the season they had put together.
That’s because only 11 people showed up to greet their team at Indianapolis International Airport Monday afternoon. The saying goes that winners are remembered forever and losers are forgotten at the drop of a hat but to be forgotten in its own city is always a little hard to imagine. But in Indianapolis the saying proved to be true and cold when you consider just last week that the area schools where fearful of students canceling school to attend a victory parade if the Colts won the Super Bowl that they pushed the start of the school day back two hours.
How did the Colts personnel handle the 11 die hard that did show up, they gave them no word when the buses left the ramp. So the closest the 11 got to the Colts was the other side of a security fence several hundred feet away.
Paul Calhoun who watched from a distance was still enthusiastic about his team saying he just wanted to show his civil pride and that the Colts still did what 30 other teams could not do and that was reach the Super Bowl.
Would Baltimore have treated their Colts this way?
Super Bowl Hangover Hits Washington Wizards Antawan Jamison
No Blame For Wanting An Extra Day Away From Flip
The Super Bowl hangover doesn’t effect only the working man it even hits NBA superstars like Antawn Jamison who missed his team practice because he was still in Miami.
Jamison was unable to meet up with his team who was in Orlando for it’s practice today. Jamison had a suite at Sun Life Stadium to watch the New Orleans Saints but couldn’t find other means to get from Miami to Orlando, like say a rental car. He did call the team to inform them of his problems and plans on joining the team in Charlotte later in the afternoon where the Wizards will play the Bobcats on Tuesday.
The Wizards who have had what head coach Flip Saunders called “a mini-all-star break before the all-star break,” with the snow in Washington DC keeping them stranded in Orlando over the weekend which caused their home game against the Atlanta Hawks to be postponed and rescheduled for Thursday, March 11.
Reggie Bush Fails To Come Through With Scholarships
Over Hyped Flop
He’s a Super Bowl champion now and that can never be taken away from him but what about the dreams of former Helix High School students Brandon Fountain and Matt Cobb?
In March 2007 they were presented a $10,000 scholarship from Bush, who graduated from Helix High School in 2003 before attending the University of Southern California. After college, he was drafted number 2 overall by the Saints in 2006 and signed a $26 million guaranteed contract. But after both students received an initial $2,500 installment on their scholarships in their freshman year they ran into problems the following year when trying to collect the next installment. The two families tried everything to collect the next installment and when they tried to contact the scholarship’s trustee, Jerry Michaels, they came up unsuccessful as well.
“Mr. Michaels never responded. A couple of weeks later, he (Brandon) sent more e-mails and still received no response,” said Fountain’s father, Bruce.
Finally they got a response but with disheartening news saying “the scholarship was he was out of funds and due to the economy he didn’t have the money,” said Cobb.
Michaels was then contacted by the local news who found out the the scholarship program setup by Bush but never contributed to the funds and never followed through.
While Bush spends money on an armored limousine to protect his girlfriend Kim Kardashian’s its the dreams of Fountain and Cobb that are dashed watching the Super Bowl. As they remember back to 2007 when Bush stood with them at Helix High and was credited for “giving back” to his former school, they are left with an empty promise and a scholarship with Bush’s name and without his assistance.
I wonder if this was where the TV show “The Office” got its inspiration to do the episode entitled Scott’s Tots (viewed here) this season?
Avery Johnson Gets His Hands On The Lombardi Trophy
Former San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, who was born and raised in New Orleans, managed to get his hands on the Vince Lombardi trophy as Saints head coach Sean Payton worked his way back to the locker room.
There’s no question about it Payton surely couldn’t have done it without the Little General.
Hair Wars: Tracy Porter
New Orleans Saints defensive back could have stolen some Super Bowl MVP votes away from Drew Brees last night when it stepped in front of a fourth quarter Peyton Manning pass and took it 74 yards for a score. Porter defiantly did take home the MVP award for best hair with his ode to the Super Bowl.
(Good Look)
Your 2010 All Day Super Bowl Schedule
New Orleans Saints By 14+
Super Bowl XLIV is here and here is the full broadcasting schedule for CBS, ESPN and NFL Network.
CBS
- The Road To The Super Bowl (11am-Noon) CST
- Phil Simms All-Iron Team (Noon-1pm)
- Studio Show: Super Bowl Today (1-5pm) – James Brown, Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, Charley Casserly; Reporters: Lesley Visser, Sam Ryan, Steve Tasker, Solomon Wilcots, Dick Enberg and contributor Katie Couric
SEGMENTS:
- THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS: James Brown takes a look at New Orleans four-and-a-half years after one of the nation’s worst natural catastrophes, Hurricane Katrina
- PLAXICO BURRESS: Plaxico Burress sits down with Bill Cowher for his first interview since being sent to jail in September of 2009.
- DREW BREES: Katie Couric sits down with the Saints quarterback.
- REGGIE BUSH: Bush is interviewed by NFL Today analyst Shannon Sharpe.
- NEW ORLEANS DEFENSE: Lesley Visser sits down with Darren Sharper, Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith as they prepare to face the Colts high octane offense.
- PEYTON MANNING: Dan Marino visits with him and talks about Manning’s first Super Bowl win three years ago in Miami, the Colts’ decision not to go for a perfect season, and facing the team that his father Archie played for, the New Orleans Saints.
- DWIGHT FREENEY AND ROBERT MATHIS: Boomer Esiason sits down with Freeney and Mathis as they get ready to take on Drew Brees and the Saints.
- INDIANAPOLIS RECEIVING CORPS: Sam Ryan visits with the Colts’ receiving corps and discusses the role Peyton Manning has played in the quartet’s success.
- WYNTON MARSALIS: Jazz impresario Wynton Marsalis pays a special tribute with music and words to his beloved city of New Orleans.
- BARACK OBAMA: Katie Couric interviews the President before the game.
- GUY FIERI: Will prepare the “perfect tailgate food.”
- MUSICAL PERFORMANCES: Steve Winwood & Daughtry
SUPER BOWL XLIV (5:28pm Kickoff CST)- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Steve Tasker, Solomon Wilcots
ESPN
- SportsCenter live from Sun Life Stadium (ESPN, 10am)- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski
- Sunday NFL Countdown (ESPN, 11am-1pm)- Chris Berman, Tom Jackson, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Cris Carter, Steve Young, Trent Dilfer, Tedi Bruschi, Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden, Chris Mortensen, Adam Schefter, Suzy Kolber and Ed Werder
Special Guests:
– Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade and Rob Schneider, stars of the upcoming movie Grown Ups (10:30am)
- Celebrity chef and television personality Emeril Lagasse, who lives in New Orleans, will discuss Cajun Super Bowl cuisine (11:30pm)
– Grammy Award-winning musician Kenny Chesney, a close friend to Saints head coach Sean Payton, will appear on the show (Noon)
NFL Network
- NFL GAMEDAY MORNING SUPER BOWL SUNDAY PREGAME FROM SOUTH FLORIDA (8am-4:30pm)- Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci, Warren Sapp, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Stacey Dales, Rich Eisen
- From the Sun Life Stadium booth: Fran Charles, Rod Woodson
- From NFC and AFC hotels- Scott Hanson, Kara Henderson
- From South Beach set- Alex Flanagan, Jamie Dukes, Tom Waddle
SEGMENTS:
- A look inside the Indianapolis Colts defense with Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis and Gary Brackett.
- How Colts WR Pierre Garcon and Saints LB Jonathan Vilma are bound together by the disaster relief effort in Haiti.
- A closer look at what the Saints organization and players mean to the city of New Orleans, straight from the fans.
- Steve Sabol gives his take on how the legacy of Colts icon Peyton Manning now includes taking on his father’s team in Super Bowl XLIV.
- Super Bowl Journey – Saints DT Anthony Hargrove visits the Miami rehabilitation facility that he was in a year ago.
- In Memoriam – A reflection on the NFL icons that were lost in 2009
- Sabol chronicles the best decade of Super Bowl matchups
Former Saints Quarterback Bobby Hebert Does The Stanky Leg
Former New Orleans Saints and Louisiana native Bobby Hebert is enjoying the teams first trip ever to the Super Bowl so much he’s busting out the the stanky leg while wearing a dress.
The “Cajun Cannon” might have been aided in this decision by some adult beverages. By the reaction of the crowd I guess you can get away with certain things especially when your the USFL’s All-Time leader in passing yards.
Saints Honor Deuce McAllister But Forget About Joe Horn
I'm Here, I'm Listening
The New Orleans Saints recently where going to have former Saints running back Deuce McAllister to be an honorary captain that is till they went ahead and added him to the roster.Now the question is raised as the Saints are going to their first Super Bowl in franchise history, where is former reciever and good will ambasdor Joe Horn?
When the Saints had to pick up and move their team to San Antonio, Horn came into this city and embraced it while telling us that New Orleans was home and to never forget the people of it, so now I ask in his defense are the Saints forget him?
“I never sat in the stands before, but I was up there with the fans, and they were just stunned to see me,” Horn said. “I wanted to sit in the nose-bleed section. I wanted to be with the rowdy of the rowdies, and I also wanted to be me, and that’s exactly what I was. The 50 to 100 people who got the autographs and the hugs from me, they got them, and they enjoyed themselves, and I enjoyed myself.”
“But they kept asking me throughout the game, ‘Joe, we love it that you’re up here with us, sharing your hot dogs, eating popcorn with us, enjoying the game with us, but why aren’t you down on the sidelines right now?’ “
It was because Horn wasn’t invited. Since his tenure ended in New Orleans and going to the Atlanta Falcons after he famously ripped head coach Sean Payton by saying the town wasn’t big enough for both me, he hasn’t exactly been very welcomed.
He has always been the most vocal player on the Saints just as he was after Hurricane Katrina and would tell anyone that would listen that this team needed to go back to New Orleans and help the people their rebuild.
After Archie Manning, Horn was New Orleans. He was the Saints and it’s only fitting to see the team open its arms for McAllister but at the same time it should have big enough arms for Joe as well.
1998 WB TV Show Predicts 2010 Super Bowl…….Very Uncanny
Talk about news of the weird comes this video from the TV show “Smart Guy” on the WB, if you happen to remember some of the shows on the WB bless your heart, back in 1998.
What makes the video eerie is that it predicts next week upcoming Super Bowl in Miami’s participants the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. But if you go back into time to 1998 who would have ever thought that a 3-13 Colts and a 6-10 Saints team would be appearing anytime in the near future in the Super Bowl.
Do we need to even watch the Super Bowl now since the “Smart Guy” just tells us that the first half score will be a blowout with the Saints leading 54-3?
HUGE TV Numbers For AFC & NFC Championship Games
Est. 1920
The NFC Championship game on FOX was of blockbuster magnitude as the New Orleans Saints thrilling overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings drew a 33.3 overnight and approximately 57.9 million viewers, which would be the second best NFC Championship average viewership of all time, behind only 1982’s Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers (“The Catch”) matchup that produced a 68.7 million viewers.
The NFC Championship game on FOX Sunday night was well above last years Arizona Cardinals/Philadelphia Eagles game which only produced 38.4 million viewers and it 33 o.3 overnight is up 5% from New York Giants/Green Bay Packers on FOX in 2008 (31.7) and . Ratings peaked at a 39.4 from 10:00-10:30 PM.
The Vikings/Saints is the most-viewed television program of any kind, excluding Super Bowls, since the series finale of Seinfeld in 1998 which saw 76.3 million.
The game did not dominate in all markets though, in Buffalo the NFC Championship game was actually outdrawn head-to-head by Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC, with Extreme Makeover drawing a 35.8 and the game drawing a 32.1.
CBS on the other hand did not post as great as number compared to FOX however did draw the highest overnight rating for the AFC Championship game in 16 years and saw 46.9 million actual viewers.
The Indianapolis Colts come from behind win over the New York Jets drew a stellar 28.4 overnight rating on Sunday afternoon, up 4% from San Diego Chargers/New England Patriots on CBS in 2008 (27.4).
The 28.4 overnight is the highest for the AFC Championship Game since Buffalo Bills/Kansas City Chiefs in 1994 (29.5) on NBC. Additionally, the 28.4 is the highest overnight for any NFL telecast on CBS, excluding Super Bowls, since the network resumed airing NFL telecasts in 1998. Ratings peaked at a 32.0 from 5:30-6 PM.
General Larry Platt, Creator Of “Pants On The Ground” Visits Minnesota Vikings
Visanthe Shiancoe & "Pants On The Ground" Creator
I for one had no idea who General Larry Platt was till a day after watching the Minnesota Vikings skull drug the Dallas Cowboys 34-3 last weekend. The whole “Pants on the Ground” only came into my world after watching Vikings quarterback Brett Favre do the rendition in the locker room after the game.
I thought Favre was being original and came up with on his own or with some help of a fellow Vikings player. Oh no, I was wrong and it turns out it comes from an American Idol participant named General Larry Platt.
Well the Vikings loved it so much that they invited Platt to a team meeting for a meet and greet and to perform the song. Left tackle Bryant McKinnie recorded and posted the performance by Platt (click here). Platt’s 15 minutes of fame doesn’t end just there as he will even be on the Vikings sideline of the NFC Championship game down in New Orleans. No word if they have discussed bringing him to Miami if they beat the Saints.
New York Jets Already Selling Super Bowl Gear
WTF
It seems that the confidence of head coach has trickled all through out the New York Jets front office and team shops as the Jets have begun selling AFC Championship and Super Bowl gear.
Are the Saints, Vikings or even the Jets opponents the Colts jumping the gun as well and the answer is no.
Deuce McAllister Retires From National Football League
It Was Fun
It was fun while it lasted, you know all those FOX camera shots of New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister sitting on the bench in street clothes talking to quarterback Drew Brees after the 236 touchdowns they scored against the Arizona Cardinals, because he has decided to announce his retirement after 8 seasons in the NFL.
Robert Meachem was shaken up against the Cardinals, so the team is expected to sign a wide receiver and in need of a roster spot McAllister is expected to file the paper work. McAllister was released by the Saints last February the two reconstructive knee surgeries in 2007.
Though he only played 8 seasons, two of which were marred by injury, McAllister is the Saints all-time rushing and touchdown leader at 6,056 yards and his 55 total touchdowns and 49 rushing TDs also are club records.
The two-time Pro Bowler was named honorary captain for the Saints Divisional playoff game against the Cardinals last week, but has since been officially been added to the team’s reserve-retired list.
2009 ALL-SGE-NFL Team
Est. 2009
The 2009 regular season of NFL has ended and just a few weeks away from the Super Bowl and that means Sports Grind Entertainment is handing out it’s first ever All-SGE-NFL Team. The 2009 All-SGE-NFL Team takes in several factors and wins and losses is not one of them but such factors as on the field performance, consistency, detrimental to the team and or big game impact. Off the field issues are not even considered.
2009 ALL-SGE-NFL Team:
OFFENSE
- Quarterback – Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints: Brees beat other worthy quarterbacks in 2009 because he help lead the Saints to their best record in franchise history (13-3). He also completed a league best 70.6 of his throws and a league best 34 touchdowns while failing to tenth in attempts. Brees finished sixth in the league in yards with 4,388 and only tossed 11 interceptions.
- Running Back – Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans: Johnson is only the sixth player in NFL history to ever finish with 2,000 yards while adding another 500 yards on the ground. He finished the season with 14 rushing and 2 receiving touchdowns on the year.
- Running Back – Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens: Rice is the first player in league history to lead his team in both rushing and recieving. His 1,339 rushing yards where good enough for sixth in the league and had 11 runs over 20 plus yards to bring his yards per carry to 5.3. Rice also caught a team high 975 yards.
- Offensive Tackle – D’Brickashaw Ferguson, New York Jets: Ferguson protected the blindside of a rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez that saw him touched 21 times, which as a team was good enough for fourth with 53 hits. He was part of an offensive line that cleared paths for a league best 2,756 yards of rushing.
- Offensive Tackle – Michael Roos, Tennessee Titans: Roos early on protected the blindside of Kerry Collins and then later on Vince Young to give up only 15 sacks upon the year as a group and allowing both quarterbacks to get touched a combined 44 times. Roos was also apart of an offensive line that helped Chris Johnson become only sixth man in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards.
- Guard – Jahri Evans, New Orleans Saints: Evans helped form an umbrella for Brees to sit back and pass for 4,388 yards and pushed way for at least 5 Saints players to score within the red zone of within 5 yards.
- Guard – Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota Vikings: Hutchinson like Evans helped Brett Farve one of the oldest quarterbacks in the league enough time to pass for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns. Hutchinson also created enough holes inside the red zone for Adrian Peterson to rush for 14 touchdowns within 5 yards.
- Center – Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis Colts: Saturday is defiantly an extension of the league most audiblized quarterback in Peyton Manning. He rebounded after missing four games last year that almost pushed him into retirement to play a full 16 games with only 2 false starts.
- Tight End – Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers: Gates lead all tight ends with 1,157 yards while only finishing fifth in receptions. He also finished with a league best 61 first downs providing sure hands and sure yardage when needed the most. Gates average of 14.6 yards a catch was also a league best amongst tight ends.
- Wide Receiver – Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys: Austin came into the season fighting for the third spot on the Cowboys roster for receivers instead finished the season as the number one option for quarterback Tony Romo, in the first four games he caught a total of 5 passes. He finished with 1,320 yards which was good enough for third overall and finished in the same place overall with his 11 touchdowns. Austin also finished second with catches of 20 yards or more and third of 40 yards of more.
- Wide Receiver – Andre Johnson, Houston Texans: Johnson reached the 100 reception plateau in 2009 and finished first overall with 1,569 yards. He was good for at 98 yards a game and was accountable for 69 first downs. Johnson lead the league in 22 receptions of 20 yards or more and finished second with 9 receptions of 40 yards or more.
- Kicker – Nate Kaeding, San Diego Chargers: Kaeding attempted 35 field goals and made 32 of them with his misses coming from 41, 43, 55 yards, two of the three misses came in victories. He was also 51 out of 50 extra points with his only miss being a block that came in a victory.
DEFENSE
- Defensive End – Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers: Peppers finished with 10.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions while returing one for a touchdown. He also had 42 tackles, 36 of them being solo and 7 pass deflections where all among the league leaders in all caterogies.
- Defensive End – Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings: Allen finished with a league best 14.5 sacks for defensive ends and recorded 51 tackles, 43 of them being solo. He also had 5 forced fumbles and 1 interception while deflecting 5 passes.
- Defensive Tackle – Jay Ratliff, Dallas Cowboys: Ratliff had the best season amongst defensive tackles in all of the league with 40 tackles and still created 6 sacks. He also block a field goal attempt and forced 2 fumbles.
- Defensive Tackle – Tony Brown, Tennessee Titans: Brown had 38 tackles on the year with 28 of them being solo. He also had 5 sacks on the year while forcing 3 fumbles in role thought to be lost with Albert Haynesworth signing with Washington.
- Linebacker – Elvis Dumervil, Denver Broncos: Dumervil lead the league with 17 sacks a turn around from the previous year were he only had 5. He also finished with 49 tackles and 42 of them being solo.
- Linebacker – Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers: Willis lead the league with 152 tackles and 114 being solo while creating 4 sacks. He had 3 interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. Willis went on to deflect 11 more passes and force 3 fumbles.
- Linebacker – Brian Cushing, Houston Texans: Cushing only a rookie went on to record 133 tackles to rank sixth among linebackers. He had 4 sacks and one he created for a safety, 4 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. The rookie wasn’t done as he created a league leading 14 pass deflections.
- Cornerback – Darrelle Revis, New York Jets: Revis held Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (twice), Marques Colston, Torry Holt, Terrell Owens (twice), Steve Smith, Antonio Bryant, Reggie Wayne, Roddy White, Chad Ochocinco to under 35 yards. He still was able to pick off 6 passes and return one for a touchdown.
- Cornerback – Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers: Woodson created 9 interceptions on the year and returned 3 for touchdowns. He also came up with 2 sacks and 4 forced fumbles while being moved all over the field in a new 3-4 system in Green Bay.
- Safety – Jairus Byrd, Buffalo Bills: Byrd a rookie was picked on a lot this year as team tried to test him by going over the top he made them pay recording 9 interceptions. He is a hard hitting free safety that had 45 tackles.
- Safety – Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints: Sharper had been thought to be over the age instead found himself in all the right places and right times in collecting 9 interceptions. He returned 3 interceptions for touchdowns.
- Punter – Shane Lechler, Oakland Raiders: Lechler punted the ball 96 times for 4,909 yards a league best 51.1 average every time his leg touched the ball. He had zero of his kicks blocked and zero returned for a touchdown. Lechler pinned 30 of his punts inside the 20 yard line.
- All-Purpose – Josh Cribbs, Cleveland Browns: Cribbs is the definition of all purpose. He had 20 receptions for 135 yards and 1 touchdown, rushing the ball 55 times for 381 yards and 1 touchdown, and in the return game he was used as kickoff and punt returner. He also had 452 yards and 1 touchdown on punt returns and 1,542 yards returning 3 for touchdowns on kickoff returns. Cribbs total yardage for every aspect he touched the ball was 2,510 yards with 6 touchdowns.
- Head Coach – Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals: Lewis Bengals finished the 2008 season 4-11-1 and was 1-7 on the road to rebound in 2009 and win the AFC North Division 10-6 and go 4-4 on the road. His team in 2008 allowed 364 points and only managed to put up 204 compared to 2009 when his team held opponents to 291 points and scored 305. Lewis and his Bengals also endured the loss of wide receiver Chris Henry who was tragically killed in season. His Bengals are also the first team to overcome the HBO Hard Knocks curse and produce a winning season in which they where filmed.
Cincinnati Bengals Marvin Lewis Wins NFL Coach Of The Year
2 Time Coach Of The Year
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis won the 2009 NFL Coach of the Year by leading the team to a 10-6 record and won the AFC North Division, just their second division title since 1990. Both division titles have been under Lewis and did so with the deaths of wide receiver Chris Henry and Vikki Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
The team rebounded from a 4-11-1 record and broke the curse of HBO’s Hard Knocks to help Lewis receive 20 1/2 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. Lewis beat Sean Payton of New Orleans Saints who got 11 1/2, Norv Turner of San Diego Chargers 9 and Jim Caldwell of Indianapolis Colts 7. Andy Reid of Philadelphia Eagles and Ken Whisenhunt of Arizona Cardinals had a single vote each.
Lewis is the Bengals first Coach of the Year award winner since the team’s founder Paul Brown won the award in 1970.
San Francisco 49ers To Play Denver Broncos In London In 2010
Est. 1920
The San Francisco 49ers will play the Denver Broncos next season at Wembley Stadium, the fourth straight year the NFL will stage a regular-season game in the British capital. The 49ers will be listed as the home team for the Oct. 31 game and giving up a home date. The Broncos have played seven international exhibition games in the past.
The game between the five-time Super Bowl champion 49ers and two-time winner Broncos may not be the only one in Britain next season. The NFL will continue to explore the possibility of playing a second game in the UK in 2010.
The 49ers and Broncos struggled to 8-8 records this season and missed the playoffs.
The NFL has played games at Wembley for the last three seasons, the first game featured the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants beating the Miami Dolphins 13-10. In 2008, the New Orleans Saints beat the San Diego Chargers 37-32. And this season, the New England Patriots defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 in October.
