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Travis Kelce Workout

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Travis Kelce working out with ropes

Six-time pro bowler. Super Bowl Champion. Five consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards or more. That’s right we’re talking about the one and only Travis Kelce.

Kelce has worked insanely hard to get where he is today, which is on top of the NFL. He is the best tight end in the league he and earned it. Let’s take a look at the workout that Travis Kelce does to keep himself in elite shape.

Related: Derrick Henry Workout

Early Life & College

Travis Kelce group up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio with his brother Jason who also plays in the NFL. He played quarterback in high school and ended up heading to the University of Cincinnati to play college ball.

Kelce didn’t stand out much in college except for his senior season where he had over 700 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns. That was enough to attract the attention of the Kansas City Chiefs who drafted him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was drafter 63rd overall.

Travis Kelce playing for the Kansas City Chiefs as a tight end in the NFL

NFL Career

Unfortunately, Kelce had to undergo knee surgery in his first season playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. But he quickly followed that up with back-to-back 800+ yard receiving seasons, propelling the Chiefs into the playoffs in 2015.

Travis then completely took off since 2015. As mentioned before, he currently has five straight seasons of 1000+ yds. During this period the Chiefs have been to three AFC Championships and two Super bowls, winning one. Sounds like things are working out pretty well for Travis Kelce so far in his career.

Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs holds the Lombardi Trophy for winning the Super Bowl in 2020.

Travis Kelce Workout

Travis Kelce lifts heavy weights like the rest of the players of course. This includes back squats, dumbbell lunges, and barbell rows at low reps with heavy weights. But generally, he will go for volume and hit 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions. Front squats are his go-to for compound exercises.

Related: Saquon Barkley Workout

“I think front squats really tie in everything with core, your lower extremities, and hips.”

Here is a quick example of a full body workout done by Travis Kelce:

  • Front Squat: 3×8 reps
  • Bench Press: 3×8 reps
  • Dumbbell RDLs: 3×8 reps
  • Bicep Curls: 3×10 reps
  • Skull Crushers: 3×10 reps

But Kelce doesn’t always spend time with just the heavy lifts.

Travis Kelce Shoulder Workout

Since he has already built a strong base with those heavy lifts changing gears to the lighter stuff is helpful. Travis spends a lot of extra time on shoulders to protect himself from grappling with the 300-pound lineman he encounters on the field.

“Doing a lot of trap stuff, scapular stuff, lats, and really triceps . . . peels back more so that your posture is better, and your overall athletic build is in a more safe position,” says Kelce.

Related: Aaron Donald Workout

Here is an example of a shoulder workout for Travis Kelce:

  • Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly: 3×12 (upper back, rear deltoids)
  • Band Pull Aparts: 3×15 (rear deltoids, traps, rhomboids)
  • I-T-Y-Ws: 3 sets at 15 seconds per position (traps, scaps)
  • Stability Ball Pushups: 3×12 (chest, shoulders, core, back)

Travis Kelce Speed Workout

Kelce was once in Paris for fashion week in 2019 and realized he hadn’t trained the entire week. They walked to a bridge that crossed over a canal and ran eight 400-meter sprints. Yes, that actually happened. It shows the drive that this superstar athlete has.

Travis Kelce workout with dumbbells

Travis will work in sprint workouts into his fitness regime about twice a week. He mostly stays in the range of 20-50 yards sprints as those distances simulate the majority of his plays in the NFL. Kelce’s routes range from five-yard ins and out to thirty-five-yard post routes. So, he needs to be ready for anything in or near that range of sprinting, similar to Christian McCaffery.

Example of Travis Kelce Sprint Workout:

  • 3 x 40-yard sprints (30 second rest in between)
  • 3 x 30-yard sprints (20 seconds rest in between)
  • 4 x 20-yard sprints (10 seconds rest in between)

T.J. Watt Workout

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T.J. Watt workout on the Pittsburgh Steelers

When you think of the best pass rushers in the NFL you can’t ignore one name. T.J. Watt. He quickly became one of the best defensive ends in the league since being drafted in 2017.

But being a premier pass rusher in the NFL doesn’t just happen with pure talent alone. Watt spends lot of time during the season and in the off-season on improving his fitness. The TJ Watt workout is a huge reason why he maintains his spot as one of the league’s best edge rushers.

Related: Christian McCaffery Workout

College Career

Watt followed his brother J.J’s footsteps and attended the University of Wisconsin. His junior season was his breakout year which saw him produce 11.5 sacks and 63 combined tackles in 14 games. That was enough for T.J. to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft.

He completed 21 reps on the bench press at 225 lbs at the NFL Combine. Although only at the 57th percentile in for the linebacker position that didn’t stop him from making an immediate impact in the NFL.

T.J. Watt NFL Career

Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers 30th overall, T.J. Watt started off quick with seven sacks in his rookie season. He then followed that up with back-to-back 13+ sack seasons in 2018 and 2019 that also saw him force 14 fumbles! That’s about a turnover caused every other game. Incredible.

T.J. Watt celebrates a sack while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers

When you didn’t think he couldn’t get any better, well of course he did in 2020. Watt had a career high 15 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, and 41 QB hits. All of those numbers were enough to lead the league in those categories. T.J. helped the Steelers get into the playoffs for the first time in three seasons in 2020.

Watt recently signed a HUGE contract extension for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021.

TJ Watt Workout

TJ Watt focuses his workout on becoming bigger, faster, and stronger. That’s pretty obvious though. Let’s get into more details with that.

Related: Aaron Donald Workout

Luckily, Watt has both J.J. and Derek to work out with in the offseason so he gets plenty of motivation. Brotherly competition breeds fantastic results in the Watt family.

Squats are the biggest lift for T.J. Watt, and he uses many variations to get the results he wants. Zombie squats and Camber bar squats are the most popular in his family. Watt will hit a few heavy squats to gain overall strength and then pair it with a plyometric box jump to increase explosiveness.

Along with heavy lifting, the flexibility aspect is one that T.J. spends lot of time on in order to “get the right points in the ankle and in the knees to allow you to bend those corners.” This is important because if you haven’t forgotten he has to actually play football rather just lift weights! T.J. will spend lots of time getting massages and working the mobility of his hips, ankles, and knees.

Nutrition and Diet

Along with his workout routine T.J. Watt is also very strict with his diet. He consumes up to 8,000 calories a day during the offseason! “His idea of a cheat-day meal was Chipotle,” says a former Wisconsin Badger teammate… Chipotle really isn’t even unhealthy in the first place.

Related: Tom Brady Nutrition and Workout

Watt makes sure to get 9-10 hours of sleep every night and receives at least two massages a week. “It’s the best way you can possibly recover,” says Watt. Staying very hydrated throughout the entire day is also a big focus of T.J.’s.

Kyler Murray Workout

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Kyler Murray workout with bands

Kyler Murray is one of the most exciting players in the NFL today. With his escape ability and unique play-making abilities, Murray has quickly become one of the best at his position. But being a quarterback doesn’t mean you can’t be elite while training.

Kyler Murray makes sure to workout just as hard as the rest of the stud players in the league. Along with studying tons of film, Murray spends a lot of time in the weight room and doing speed drills. Let’s take a look at the Kyler Murray workout that keep him at the top of his game!

RelatedAaron Donald Workout

College Career

Murray spent one year at Texas A&M before transferring to Oklahoma to back up Baker Mayfield. He learned a lot as the backup there and tore up the Big 12 in the 2018 season. Kyler threw for over 4,300 yards, 42 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions.

All of that ended up leading the Sooners to a Big 12 Championship and a college football playoff appearance. Oklahoma would end up falling to Alabama in the playoff semi-final game 45-34.

Murray would go on to win the Heisman trophy that year and was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals.

NFL Career

The Arizona Cardinals organization wasn’t in the best place when they drafted Murray hence why the drafted first overall. He still won offensive rookie of the year honors as he led the 5-10-1 Cardinals with 24 total TDs to 12 INTs.

Kyler’s sophomore season was even better as he threw for26 TDs and ran for another 11, totaling 37. With only 12 INTs in 2020, Murray’s performance led the Cardinals to a significantly improved record of 8-8. Then came the 2021 season.

Kyler Murray has led his team to a 7-0 start, the only team undefeated at this moment in the season. He has 17 total touchdowns (14 passing, rushing) to only 4 interceptions. WOW. What a start to the year. Murray is definitely on pace to lead his team to their first playoff appearance since 2015.

Kyler Murray Workout

Murray spends a lot of time in the weight room with lifts that focus on fast-twitch muscle fibers. This is to improve his explosiveness which will help maintain his quickness and speed on the field. Instead of working a traditional back squat, Murray uses a pit shark to eliminate the load on his spine.

RelatedDerrick Henry Workout

With the pit shark squat, Kyler hits as many reps as he can within a 4-6 second set time to mimic an NFL play. The weight will be a little lower than usual though (60-70% of his 1 rep-max) and he will have about 40 seconds off between sets, again to mimic a real NFL play.

Kyler Murray workout with trainer Stephen Baca

Kyler Murray Speed Workout

Kyler also focuses on sprinting, plyometrics, hopping, and bounding with his trainer, Stephen Baca. Baca has Murray sprint 10-15 yards in sets of 6-8. Along with those, he will also add in longer distances (60-80 yards) with the bounding and hopping as mentioned previously.

Related: Christian McCaffery Workout

Due to Murray’s hamstring injury towards the end of the 2020 season, Baca has put some extra focus on braking. Yes, that’s right – braking. Kyler moves so quickly that it puts a lot of stress on his hamstrings to slow down when he’s moving full speed.

To combat this issue, Murray works on a lot of single leg exercises such as glute bridges, RDLs, and hamstring curls. This will ensure that his legs can handle the quick stops and starts that happen during games.

How far can Josh Allen Throw?

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Josh Allen throwing

Josh Allen has quickly become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. From his underrated mobility, high football IQ, and rocket arm, the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills has it all. His team clearly sees the same thing we do as they just signed Josh to a 6-year $258 million deal.

Allen makes sure to workout hard during the offseason so he can be ready to roll come game time. He utilizes a throwing coach, various drills and exercises, and form to ensure he doesn’t lose a step. So, how far can Josh Allen throw?

Josh Allen Early Life and College Career

Allen was born in Firebaugh, California – a small little town outside of Fresno. Raised on a farm, he learned the family trade producing mainly cantaloupe, cotton, and wheat. You could say that the farm work he participated in was the original workout for Josh Allen while he was growing up.

While in high school, he received zero NCAA Division I scholarships to play, which prompted him to head to a junior college, Reedley College. After a year there, he transferred to Wyoming to play but suffered a broken collarbone in 2015.

Josh Allen Throwing Wyoming

The following two seasons Josh Allen finished throwing for over 5,000 yards and 44 TDs to only 21 INTs. His raw physical abilities were the reason he was so sought after in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Related: Aaron Donald Workout

NFL Career

Originally thought to be a physical specimen that could never hack it in the NFL, Josh Allen has proved everyone wrong. The Buffalo Bills move up to draft Allen 7th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, which has paid off handsomely.

After an injury in his rookie season, Allen led the Bills to the playoffs with a 10-6 record in 2019. Josh ended up with 20 passing and 9 rushing TDs on the year. The Bills lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Texans to end that season.

In 2020, Josh Allen lit the world on fire – throwing for 37 touchdowns and rushing for another 8, while compiling over 4,500 yards. Impressive. Allen finally made the jump the Bills expected him to make when they first drafted him. He led his team to the AFC Championship in 2020 where they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Allen has once again started off the season hot in 2021 and has the Bills at 4-1.

Josh Allen Throw

Allen completes a lot of different workouts to improve and maintain the zip he has on his throws. Working with Jordan Palmer throughout the offseason has allowed him to have the strongest arm in the NFL.

Josh allen throwing on a beach

Josh Allen can throw the football over 80 yards in the air! He was once quoted saying “The farthest I’ve ever thrown in 83.” We still think he can probably top that if he wanted to but no need to throw his arm out.

Related: Christian McCaffrey Workout

Allen’s running back, Zach Moss, disagrees with the number 83. “Probably 100 yards… plus I think, if he just wants to zip it instead of putting air … on the ball, I think he can probably throw it 100-plus.”

Hopefully, we can one day see Josh Allen throw a football the length of a football field. Give the people what they want to see Josh!

Derrick Henry Workout

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Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans performing footwork and sprint workouts

Have you seen how strong Derrick Henry is? It’s no surprise he’s found great success in his role as the running back for the Tennessee Titans. Derrick Henry will credit his workout effort and his overall work ethic as to why he’s been so successful in the NFL.

Ever wonder what a Derrick Henry workout looks like? We did some research and found out what the running back does to stay at the top of his fitness.

Related: DK Metcalf Workout

High School and College Career

Henry played high school ball at Yulee High School in Yulee, Florida where he completely dominated. I’m sure at some point one of your friends has shown you his hilariously impressive stat line from high school.

He averaged almost 9 yards per carry and over 250 yards rushing over his four-year career at Yulee. Oh, don’t forget to add in the 153 touchdowns, which averages out to over 38 in a season. Incredible!

Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans from High School in Yulee, Florida

Derrick Henry’s high school dominance landed him a full ride to the University of Alabama to play under legendary coach Nick Saban. Do you think his dominance stopped once he got to the next level? Of course not.

Henry went on to rush for over 3,500 yards in three seasons Tuscaloosa, averaging 6 yards per carry. He capped off his college career with a 36 carry, 158-yard performance in a 45-40 victory on the national championship stage. What a way to end his career and put himself in the spotlight for the NFL.

Derrick Henry NFL Career

Drafted 45th overall in the second round by the Tennessee Titans, Henry began his career as an NFL running back. He started off as a backup in the 2016 season where he only managed 490 yards on the ground. But this was just a warmup for Henry.

He ended up splitting carries with DeMarco Murray the next year and posting over 700 rushing. But of course, his NFL development didn’t stop there. Henry continued to improve every season in the big leagues.

How about boosting his rushing total to 1,059 yards in 2018 and then 1,540 yards in 2019. Henry just keeps getting better and better each and every year. His huge year in 2019 helped lead his Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship, where they would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans running down the field in the NFL against the Jacksonville Jaguars

Derrick Henry Workout

Since coming into the league in 2016, Henry has been known as one the strongest running backs in the NFL. This obviously makes him one of the toughest to bring down due to his incredible physique. Henry makes sure to test his body during his workouts with heavy lifting and speed training.

Derek Henry’s workouts consists of power exercises such as Hex Bar Deadlifts and Power Cleans, strength exercises such as bench press and squats, and sprint workouts.

Related: Russell Wilson Workout

Lower Body Workout

Derrick Henry focuses on Squats and Deadlifts when it comes to his lower body workouts. Here is an example of his main lower body lifts:

Back Squats: 400 lbs (4 sets of 4 repetitions)

Hex Bar Deadlifts: 500 lbs (4 sets of 6 repetitions)

Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans doing hex bar deadlifts

Sprint Workout

Henry does sprint work throughout the off season, working mostly on uphill inclines. He will do some footwork drills while holding a football and then perform about a 20-yard sprint uphill to finish it off.

Related: Christian McCaffrey Workout

Depending on the time of the offseason, his sprint work could be a little longer than normal. For example, Henry might do 10 sprints uphill back before OTAs start but then reduce that amount to 5-6 sprints once training camp starts up.

Derrick Henry Upper Body Workout

Henry usually sticks to the basics when it comes to his upper body workouts. The bench press and power clean are his go to’s. Derrick Henry can bench 440 pounds! Although it’s not quite what Aaron Donald can bench, for a running back that’s insane.

Still not impressed? He can also power clean 345 pounds. Just wow.

In terms of sets and repetitions, Henry tries to stick with low reps to focus on power and strength. His upper body workout would look something like this:

Bench Press: 375 lbs (4 sets of 5 repetitions)

Power Cleans: 315 lbs (3 sets of 3 repetitions)

Tua Tagovailoa Starting for Miami

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Tua Tagovailoa starting over Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Miami Dolphins

It’s Tua Time in Miami, and the immediate question is why now? It was well known that 2020 first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa would eventually become the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback, but don’t forget this is coming off back-to-back blowout wins does not seem like an ideal time to switch things up.

Most would have been fine with Tagovailoa sitting for longer, or even all of the NFL season, and learning behind veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had been playing very good football through six weeks. But after taking a step back, this move makes a lot more sense.

The way Dolphins coach Brian Flores has handled a difficult quarterback situation shows his plan will set Tagovailoa up for success. The timing of the decision comes as a surprise, but Flores’ process has seemingly always had the rookie QB as his top priority. Flores has watched Tagovailoa in practice, and if he deems him ready to start now, then the move might be well-timed.

But still, Flores resisted to cave to any outside pressure.

Flores did let Tagovailoa get his feet wet by inserting him into the game. Tagovailoa had five plays, two throws and a moment he’ll remember forever.

Then, when everyone felt Fitzpatrick was most secure in his starting job, Flores made the move to Tagovailoa. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision, either.

“Expect the unexpected from coach Flo,” one team source told ESPN.

One player told ESPN he was surprised by the move, but noted Tagovailoa keeps improving and he makes one or two “wow” highlight plays in practice every week.

The biggest thing to know about the Dolphins’ move is that it’s more about Tagovailoa’s development than Fitzpatrick’s play.

Fitzpatrick has been a great mentor to Tua

Fitzpatrick did nothing to lose his job. In fact, Fitzpatrick’s play would give every reason to believe he strengthened his grip on it. He ranks seventh in the NFL in QBR and he’s the most beloved player in the Dolphins’ locker room.

Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Miami Dolphins smiling at practice

But everything about the 2020 season was about preparing for life with Tagovailoa as the starter and finding the ideal moment to make that transition. Although it’s a blow for Fitzpatrick to be benched while playing his best football of the season, Flores’ QB plan has never really been about him in the grand scheme of things. It has always been about Tagovailoa.

It will be 351 days since Tagovailoa’s scary, career-threatening hip injury when he makes his first pro start on Nov. 1 against the Los Angeles Rams (1 p.m. ET, Fox). Don’t underestimate the impact that anniversary has on the decision to start him.

Another factor to consider is the Dolphins are entering their Week 7 bye, which means two weeks to prepare. It’s worth wondering if Miami’s plan was always to start Tagovailoa after the bye week. That would mean it was initially scheduled for Week 11 before schedule changes happened because of the coronavirus impact.

A look at history related to Tua Tagovailoa starting

The Dolphins’ move is reminiscent of the 2004 New York Giants benching Kurt Warner, who was playing well and had led his team to a 5-4 record in the first half of the season, for rookie Eli Manning.

The Manning-led Giants struggled, going 1-6 the rest of the way and missing the playoffs. Manning threw more interceptions than touchdowns, but the experience was invaluable. Manning led the Giants to the playoffs each of the next four seasons, including two NFC East titles and a Super Bowl championship.

It’s possible and maybe even likely the Dolphins’ offense takes a step back initially with Tua Tagovailoa starting his first career game in the NFL. Miami has two rookies, right guard Solomon Kindley and right tackle Robert Hunt, protecting Tagovailoa’s blind side. Although the offensive line is much improved through six games, Fitzpatrick did a lot to cover up its faults.

Fitzpatrick has been a great teammate

Another impact on how this transition has played out? The Dolphins are ecstatic to have Fitzpatrick in the fold to show Tagovailoa the way. Fitzpatrick will support him and teach him, and that’s a rare trait in today’s NFL. That dynamic between the experienced QB and the rookie has had a big impact on how this has all played out.

Talk about a great teammate in Fitzpatrick. How many journeymen quarterbacks with little time left in the NFL would be happy to do what Fitz has? Not many, I’m sure.

Tua Tagovailoa throwing the football for the Miami Dolphins

Flores believes this is the right time for Tagovailoa, and it makes more sense. The Dolphins (3-3) are in the thick of the playoff race and it will be invaluable to get their rookie QB the experience he needs. This is a franchise in a rebuild with promises to prioritize the long-term over the short-term outlook.

Tagovailoa is the Dolphins’ most talented quarterback and biggest star since Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino. And this is before he has even started a game.

Tua Time begins in a bit of a surprising way, but early indications are the rookie quarterback ready for success.

This article was first published by ESPN.

Dolphins Owner says NFL Season will ‘definitely’ happen.

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Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is optimistic that the 2020 NFL season will go on as planned amid the coronavirus pandemic. His current plan is that it will be with fans in the stands.

“I think there definitely will be a football season this year,” Ross said Tuesday during an interview with CNBC. “Real question is, will there be fans in the stadium? Right now — today — we’re planning to have fans in the stadium.” That’s a bold claim. But I hope he’s right.

The NFL hasn’t made any firm decisions on whether to allow fans into stadiums during the 2020 season, but the league released its schedule earlier this month and plans to play its full 16-game slate on time, starting Sept. 10.

“We all miss our sports,” Ross said. “The NFL, I think, will be ready to go. I know we’re all looking forward to it. I know I am.” I know we all agree with him on that point. Having sports back will give us all a reason to get back to normal life.

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, home of the Miami Dolphins

Dolphins have plan for 2020 season

Earlier this month, Dolphins CEO/president Tom Garfinkel revealed mock-up plans for how the team could host a limited capacity of fans while adhering to social distancing in Hard Rock Stadium. The mock-up plan, to be featured if and when the NFL and government give clearance, could include 15,000 fans in the stadium, all attendees wearing masks, staggered entrances and exits, and people ordering food from their seats.

The Dolphins have been proactive throughout the pandemic in creating plans for when football is ready to resume. Hard Rock Stadium became the first public facility to earn the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s STAR accreditation, the standard used for facilities to implement cleaning, disinfecting and infectious disease prevention work practices to control risks involved with infectious agents like the coronavirus.

Dolphins owner expects fans in Stadium for 2020

Ross noted again Tuesday that the Dolphins are “prepared” for scenarios with and without fans in the stands. The NFL began allowing teams to reopen facilities, if permitted by local guidelines, to limited staff on May 19.

Speaking as chairman of his real estate company Related, Ross said retail and hotel companies have been most affected. But he’s hopeful the economy and cities will start to bounce back. I think we will have to wait and see as the summer goes on if the Dolphins owner is correct about fans in the stadium.

“We all want to see life back to normal,” Ross said.

This article was first published by ESPN.

Aaron Rodgers Looks up to Michael Jordan

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Aaron Rodgers and Michael Jordan are very similar

As a California native, there weren’t many chances for Aaron Rodgers to attend Chicago Bulls’ games growing up.

And, of course, by the time he finally lived within a couple hours of the “Windy City,” the chance to see one of his childhood inspirations had long past.

As you’d probably expect, though, the Green Bay Packers great still found himself enamored like most kids who had a passion for sports in the 1990’s. All by one iconic sports figure whose reach transcended nearly every boundary: Michael Jordan.

Thanks to the mega-popular ESPN documentary, “The Last Dance,” MJ’s already prominent name has seen a resurgence over the last month. So much so that Rodgers was asked during a conference call on to share his thoughts on the doc. Much like the rest of the world, Rodgers has been a dedicated viewer.

Aaron Rodgers was a huge fan of Michael Jordan, 90s Bulls

“Yeah for sure. I have been watching. It’s been a lot of fun. I was fortunate enough in 1998 to sit in the top row at Arco Arena and watch MJ’s last game. I was always an MJ fan since the early 90’s and loved the runs that he was on and always looked up to him,” Rodgers told reporters. In case you were wondering, MJ’s Bulls won that game, 103-88.

Michael Jordan cries with his first NBA championship trophy in 1991

As his own star has risen since being drafted 24th overall in 2005, Rodgers has had the opportunity to meet many people, among them being the NBA legend. He mentioned on the call that their mutual love of golf has allowed them to forge a bond. He also noted that Jordan invited him to play in Las Vegas a few times and that the two played several times at Lake Tahoe.

“I’ve gotten to know him a little bit over the years and always enjoy our interactions. I have a ton of respect for what he accomplished in the game. He’s the greatest basketball player of all-time. Really I’d love to debate anybody on that,” he said.

In addition to Jordan, Rodgers added that he’s gotten to know several members of those 90’s Bulls teams. This includes Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler and, of course, the “Robin” to Jordan’s “Batman,” Scottie Pippen. He met Pippen at his golf tournament last year.

Interestingly, Rodgers didn’t say whether he’s met the third part of Chicago’s “Big Three”. But that player did pique his curiosity.

“I’m not quite sure, though, who the Dennis Rodman of our team is but I really did enjoy that part of the doc as well,” he joked. This is shortly before saying he’d probably nominate offensive tackle David Bahktiari to that role. Good choice, A-Rod.

Rodgers has similarities to MJ

Similar to Michael Jordan, Aaron Rodgers is known as a no-nonsense type of player who is all about his business when the whistle blows. Jordan’s brand of leadership, featured throughout the doc, has been one of the many things that has stood out. For Rodgers, a man entering his 16th NFL season in 2020, it’s been nothing short of inspiring to watch.

Aaron Rodgers hoists the Lombardi trophy after winning the Superbowl in 2010 with the Green Bay Packers

“Obviously, he’s one of the most driven athletes of all-time and he’s impacted so many guys over the years. Incredible players like Kobe Bryant, obviously that was a big part in it, but even guys like myself,” he said. “Seeing his approach to the game, his leadership style, how he demands the most out of himself and his teammates. I definitely resonate with a lot of the things that he says.”

At 36, Rodgers is inching closer to his own “last dance”. But, as last year’s trip to the NFC Championship game proved, he still knows how to win. As his illustrious career winds down, it’ll be fascinating to see if he’s able to add more accolades to his trophy case. Just like Mike.

This article was first published by ESPN.

Matt Stafford puts Detroit Home on the Market

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Matt Stafford house in on the market in Detroit

The home of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been featured for years on the Instagram account of his wife, Kelly. It’s the place where the team has held its annual Halloween party, and it has been the subject of a few videos that have gone viral over the past half-decade.

And now, with the Staffords expecting their fourth child and having three young children, it’s for sale.

“I personally do not want to live on a lake or have a pool with four children under the age of a little over 3,” Kelly Stafford said in an Instagram story Friday. “So that is the reason that it is on the market. It makes us super sad. That house has been incredible. We’ll never own another house like it.

“So it is a super sad thing but it just makes us feel better knowing there are no real dangers of having tiny ones running around all the bodies of water. So that is the reason.”

Matt Stafford throwing for the Detroit Lions

Matt Stafford puts Detroit house on market

The Staffords put their five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in suburban Detroit on the market for $6.5 million. It features an infinity pool overlooking a lake and an indoor half-court basketball court with hardwood from the original Detroit Pistons floor at the Palace.

Redfin estimates the home is worth $5,150,142, more than a million below the Staffords’ asking price.

The 7,720-square-foot home is on 1.27 acres of property and has been on Redfin since Thursday. It has 23 total rooms, including two laundry rooms and two family rooms along with a three-car garage.

The listing describes the Stafford home, in all caps, as “Michigan’s most magnificent estate! For the ultimate entertainer!”

Matt Stafford bought the house in 2013 for $3.5 million after it was initially listed for $4.2 million.

While Stafford has been the subject of trade rumors in the past year — since debunked by general manager Bob Quinn — the quarterback has three years left on his contract. Quinn and coach Matt Patricia have both said they view Stafford as their quarterback now and in the future. Stafford said that he hopes to be the quarterback in Detroit for a while.

This article was first published by ESPN.

Big Ben Roethlisberger Shaves Beard to Throw

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Big Ben Roethlisberger grew a long beard in the offseason

Break out the shears.

Ben Roethlisberger is throwing footballs to teammates again, and following through on his promise to get a haircut and shave to mark the occasion.

Ben Roethlisberger shaves beard

“I’m not going to shave or cut my hair until I can throw a football again,” a then-clean-shaven Roethlisberger says to the camera. “Throw it to one of my teammates, a legit NFL pass.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback posted a short video of his vow followed by a quick compilation of throws to running back James Conner and wide receivers Ryan Switzer and JuJu Smith-Schuster on a football field. Then the video cuts to freshly shorn Roethlisberger in a barber’s chair getting his beard trimmed.

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The 38-second video ends with a simple declaration from Smith-Schuster: “He’s back.”

Roethlisberger and his teammates worked out at Quaker Valley High’s Chuck Knox Stadium. They then got haircuts at Norman’s Cut N Edge Barbershop in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, after the throwing session.

Though there’s no official update from the team on Roethlisberger’s status, coach Mike Tomlin told fans on a conference call that the quarterback’s rehab was progressing as scheduled.

Big Ben working out after missing 2019 season

“He’s doing great thus far,” Tomlin said last week. “He’s in great physical condition. Rehabilitation in regards to the injury itself is going well. I hear nothing but positive reports from that standpoint. There have been no bumps in the road.”

Roethlisberger had surgery about eight months ago to repair his throwing elbow from a season-ending injury suffered in Week 2.

Ben Roethlisberger throwing a football

Both Roethlisberger and the Steelers’ front office have maintained that he’ll be ready for the season and are optimistic about his ability once he does take the field.

“I think that the possibility is real that he could be a better football player coming out of this surgery. Just as much as he might be a more regressed player,” general manager Kevin Colbert said at the NFL combine. “So, I think we have to give that the nod and I’m encouraged and excited about where he can go.”

This article was first published by ESPN.