PALM BEACH, Fla. ( Associated Press) – For a few weeks, the Indianapolis Colts had a big gap at quarterback. Then the Deshaun Watson carousel started spinning, and soon enough, Matt Ryan was available.
Colts coach Frank Reich could not contain his enthusiasm for Ryan on Monday morning as AFC coaches met with reporters at the NFL owners’ meeting. Who can blame Reich?
The Colts’ play of musical chairs at the position has been going on for far too long, from Andrew Luck’s injuries and subsequent retirement by Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz. Ryan seems to be the right guy to settle down with for a while.
“I don’t see any declining game or skills,” Reich said of the 36-year-old Ryan, who was acquired from Atlanta after the Falcons’ failed attempt to trade for Watson, who moved from Houston to Cleveland.
“As soon as he became a possibility … we were very happy that Matt became available. “It is an honor to (general manager) Chris (Ballard) and his leadership. We were ready. We are not going to panic. “
Once the pieces began to coincide elsewhere, the Colts, who swapped Wentz for Washington earlier in March, sought permission from Atlanta to speak to Ryan, the 2016 league MVP. There was a virtual meeting in which Ryan, Reich and the Colts’ staff immediately clicked.
“I cut out a lot of our offensive plays,” Reich said. ‘Just kind of walking through some of your plays, talking offensive football, wanting Matt to introduce himself in our offense and some of things we can do.
“It was very quickly clear that there was an immediate connection in every way. Personally, but also football-wise. The way we think about the game. ”
BEAT THE STRIP
As if there is not enough for people to do in Las Vegas, the NFL will provide a major source of entertainment during its draft late next month.
The actual selections will start on Thursday 28 April with the first round, the next day followed by the second and third rounds, and the last four rounds on 30 April. The NFL Draft Experience will run concurrently, also on The Strip, located at the back. the High Roller and LINQ hotels, adjacent to Caesars Forum.
Construction on the theater where the essay will take place begins Friday.
“We were in the abyss two years ago and then the world closed,” says Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president who handles league events, noting that the virtual concept held in 2020 was originally was scheduled for Las Vegas. “Today we are in a completely different world than we were for the virtual concept. The Los Angeles Super Bowl felt like we were all back. ”
On Monday, the league launched NFL OnePasswhere fans can download the app to play games at Draft Experience, receive digital content, and enter sweepstakes games that include a trip for two to the Super Bowl next February in Glendale, Arizona.
The experience itself will feature immersive exhibits and a youth-focused Play 60 Zone. The three Vince Lombardi trophies won by the Raiders will be on hand, as well as a display of Super Bowl rings. There will be opportunities for fans to do a 40-yard dash, and a vertical jump against NFL players on LED screens. A player signature area is also included.
Every day at the end of the draft there will be free concerts in the theater where the actual draft will take place. Artists have yet to be announced.
“We adopt the city as a character in the play, to immerse ourselves in the character of the city,” says O’Reilly about the use of iconic locations such as Caesars and the Bellagio fountains as a backdrop for the concept. . “We must first get the core right, the selection process. And then we have this ‘free festival’, the Draft Experience. It’s like an oasis in our off-season. ”
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HALL OF FAME CONCERT
The Pro Football Hall of Fame goes back several decades for its principal performance at the Concert for Legends.
Journey will enter the stage on August 6, hours after the inaugurations of the 2002 class, which was switched to a Saturday afternoon.
Sam Mills, Bryant Young, LeRoy Butler, Tony Boselli, Richard Seymour are listed as modern era players this year. Coach Dick Vermeil, contributor Art McNally, and senior player Cliff Branch will also be entrenched.
“Journey has been entertaining its fans for nearly 50 years since the group’s founding, and we are delighted to work with Hall of Fame Village to bring these members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the Hall of Fame City,” says Jim Porter, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Founded in San Francisco in 1973, Journey is one of the most recognizable groups in rock and pop music, known for the mega-hits “Don’t Stop Believin ‘,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Any Way You Want It, “” Faithful “and” Light. “
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HARD BATTLE
The Detroit Lions will be the team in the spotlight during the preseason for HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series.
The five-episode series will debut on August 9th. This is the 17th edition of the Sports Emmy Award-winning series.
Camera crews will shoot most of the show at the Lions’ training camp in Allen Park, Michigan and will tell coach Dan Campbell how he is entering his second season in Detroit. The episodes will be told by Liev Schreiber, who marks his 16th season with the program.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to showcase the city of Detroit and the amazing culture we’re building with the Lions,” said Rod Wood, Lions president and CEO.
Hard Knocks was launched with the Ravens in 2001, followed by the Cowboys in 2002. It resumed with the Chiefs in 2007, followed by the Cowboys (2008), Bengals (2009), Jets (2010), Dolphins (2012 ), Bengal (2013). ), Falcons (2014), Texans (2015), Rams (2016), Buccaneers (2017), Browns (2018) and Raiders (2019). For 2020, the program focused on both Los Angeles franchises, and last year Dallas made its third appearance.
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