The 49ers’ defensive end is still recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered during an alleged altercation with rapper Lil Baby and his entourage at a San Francisco nightclub in February.

White walked without a limp during the celebrity hoops event at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona. He dribbled a basketball casually at times, though socks covered the ankle wound, and White didn’t make any explosive movements.

After the game, White spoke with R.org about his recovery.

“I feel pretty good,” White said. “I’m just taking everything one day at a time and seeing where we are.”

When asked if he would be ready to participate at the start of training camp in July, White did not want to look that far ahead.

“I’m just going to take everything one day at a time and see where we are,” White said. “You can’t really focus on where you’re going to be. You have to focus on where you are.”

White, who was shot while attending a Super Bowl LX party and had emergency surgery the same day, was asked if he worried the injury could potentially be a major one when it happened.

“I’m just keeping positive spirits that everything is going to take care of itself,” White said. “I’ve been through injuries and everything.”

White was traded from the New England Patriots to the San Francisco 49ers in October for a sixth-round pick.

He had 12 tackles, six quarterback sacks, and 1.5 sacks in nine regular-season games for San Francisco. White added four tackles and a sack in two playoff games.

A second-round pick of the Patriots in 2023, White is heading into the final year of his contract.

When asked if he’d like to put down roots and grow with a perennial contender like the 49ers, White sidestepped the question.

“Grow where you’re planted,” White said. “I’m just trying to be where my feet are and make the best of the situation where I’m at.”

White helped lead his team to victory in the basketball game.

He was happy to help raise money for the Make a Difference Foundation and show love to his former teammate Wilson after playing together in New England in 2023.

“He’s a really good guy,” White said. “My locker was right down the street from him on the Patriots. We built a relationship, and this is all about the community and giving support.”

It all started with offensive lineman Joe Thomas, who went on to become a six-time first-team All-Pro and two-time second-team All-Pro with the Cleveland Browns.

“My first year as a head coach, I had a guy drafted fourth pick overall (out of Wisconsin in 2007), right? Joe Thomas was kind of a really cool moment and I didn’t even truly understand what that was,” Bielema said to R.org.

“I remember one time (then Wisconsin offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) Paul Chryst referred to Joe as a ‘generational player’ and at the time I’m like what exactly does that mean?

“I’m 35 years old. I’m trying to figure out the world myself.”

However, this experience didn’t make Bielema overly enthusiastic about the draft. The 56-year-old Silvis, Illinois native found himself too wrapped up in spring practice, every year, to really get all that much into the draft. Meanwhile, more of his players kept getting selected.

Russell Wilson, who would go on to make 10 Pro Bowls and win Super Bowl XLVIII, got drafted on the same day as Wisconsin’s annual spring intra-squad scrimmage (Despite their branding, there is no such thing as a “spring game.” These are intra-team scrimmages) in 2012.

“We just literally got to my house,” Bielema said of that day. “I got a call from (Seattle General Manager) John Schneider that thought it was going to happen with the Seahawks.”

How Witherspoon Pick Changed Beilema’s Thought Process

Turns out it was another Seahawks draft pick, 11 years later, which finally helped him fully appreciate the draft. Devon Witherspoon is one of the best cornerbacks in the game today, and when Seattle took him 5th overall, out of Illinois in 2023, Bielema was there with the young defensive back and his family, at the pivotal moment his life changed forever.

“When I came here, Pat Pearson (Illinois Football Director of Branding and Creative Media), when we’re getting ready to have Spoon get drafted,” Bielema continued, “he’s like, ‘you got to go to the draft.’ I’m like, ‘I’m going to the draft, man. I’m not going to do that.’ And then that moment, with Spoon changed the direction of my whole thought. I saw his life change in front of my eyes.

“I knew it happened, but to see it happen, to hug his mom and his family, I can say honestly right now, other than winning a football game, this is probably one of my more fulfilling moments as a head coach.

“To witness this, with these guys, because you realize that journey they dreamed about when they were kids is now becoming a reality, and it’s pretty cool.”

From there, Bielema became a regular at the NFL Draft parties held for his players every year. As he’s completely turned the Illinois program around, we’re now seeing many more Illini players drafted in these recent years.

These days, Bielema typically attends several draft parties every year, flying around the country as a true “jet-setter.” Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan (a University of Illinois alum) has made a private jet available to Bielema for this.

NFL Experience With the Draft

Bielema has experienced the draft from the National Football League side as well. He was the defensive line coach with the New England Patriots in 2019 and the outside linebackers coach with the New York Giants in 2020. As he pointed out in the lead-up to the 2024 Citrus Bowl, he owns a Super Bowl championship ring worth $88,000 from his time with the Patriots.

Bielema provides a great behind-the-scenes perspective from both collegiate and professional angles on this event. He lifted the lid on what often goes on during the draft’s final day (rounds 4-7).

“What I have found, both in this business and then on the other side of it in the NFL, a lot of times, when teams like kids in those fifth, sixth, seventh rounds, or even going to the fourth round, they keep it to themselves,” he said.

“They don’t want other people to know it, so that they can kind of surprise people, including the players on draft day.”

NFL Draft season is notorious for teams presenting “smokescreens” (basically just leaking false information) about who they’re going to select, so it’s not surprising to hear that NFL personnel consistently try to keep it covert.

And before making those selections, NFL scouts and front office professionals go to great lengths to do their due diligence on the prospects. Bielema then told a story about his (now former) quarterback Luke Altmyer, one of the more accomplished QBs in Illini history.

In his final game, the 2025 Music City Bowl, Altmyer led the Illini on a last-minute drive that culminated in a walk-off field goal. These moments were captured by the Illinois football content creation team, and NFL teams wanted to see and hear the footage.

“There’s some really cool audible audio,” Bielema added. “I know you guys (media members who cover Illini sports) have listened to it with coach (Barry) Lunney (Illinois Offensive Coordinator). I give Pat Pearson all the credit in the world.

“He’s going into that game, he’s like ‘coach, can we record this and talk about, you know, just the interaction between Barry and Luke on the field?’ There’s actually NFL teams that have asked me about that audio, because it just shows the trust that coach Lunney had in Luke.

“And I think that was the best culmination of a player that I just mutually respect, not just in how he plays, but how he manages the game, as you could ever find, was Luke Altmyer in that Tennessee game.”

Altmyer was not drafted but later signed a free-agent deal with the Detroit Lions. Moving forward, Bielema will continue to see more of his players drafted every year and with that, more NFL Draft parties to attend.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP cashed in big this offseason after signing a three-year, $45 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. The deal made him one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. It was well earned considering Walker became the first running back since the Denver Broncos’ Terrell Davis to win Super Bowl MVP honors (in 1998) after rushing for 135 yards in the Seattle Seahawks’ win over the New England Patriots.

As Walker prepares for his first season with the Chiefs, he took the time to sit down for a one-on-one interview, talking about his departure from the Seahawks, his objectives for the 2026 season in Kansas City, and the running backs he looked up to.

Interview with Kenneth Walker

Q: Do you have any concrete objectives as you begin your first season in Kansas City?

Walker: I would say with the team, just make a positive impact in whatever way I can. I would say for me, just stand on top of my routine, making sure I get this playbook down, go out there and ball.

Q: You’re coming off the biggest game of your career in the Super Bowl. Obviously, it’s a big deal. Zach Charbonnet suffered the injury earlier in the playoffs. Did you envision rushing for 135 yards in the Super Bowl and that you would be the focal point?

Walker: I guess so. I watched Terrell Davis the night before. He was the latest running back to be Super Bowl MVP. I definitely watched his highlights before. I just had a mindset of just going out there and balling whatever way I could. I ended up getting the ball and really being a focal point on offense.

Q: Out of curiosity, did TD or any of the all-time greats reach out to you after that game?

Walker: People don’t reach out to me. I’ve never talked to him (Davis). But I talked to Shaun Alexander (Seahawks great). I always talk to him, he’s pretty cool.

Q: What did Shaun say to you? He was one of the best running backs and an MVP 20 years ago.

Walker: Yeah, it was just really conversations over the years. We’ve always talked. After the game, he was proud of me. I think, before the game, got to see his kids, I think he had like 12 or 13, so I talked to them, and got to take pictures with them. But we always have conversations.

Q: Who was the running back you looked up to most while growing up? Who would you mold your game after?

Walker: I don’t really mold my game. Well, I don’t mold my game after any running back, honestly. But I do watch highlights of guys. I love watching Adrian Peterson, just like how aggressive he ran with the ball, how good AP was. It’s just cool to watch his highlights. I’m at the Chiefs now, so I love watching Jamal Charles too. I was watching him when I was younger, but it’s cool to watch him again. And being at the Chiefs, it all makes sense.

Q: It’s funny you brought up Jamaal Charles, I’ve spoken to him before, he’s a great guy. Have you spoken to Adrian Peterson or any of these other guys?

Walker: I ain’t never talked to either of them. Like the only guy I talked to was Shaun Alexander. Another guy I watch is LeSean McCoy, so I talked to him a little bit. But that’s pretty much it. I ain’t really talked to many backs at all.

Q: Any notable advice from McCoy?

Walker: He’d be a lot of times, you see in the media, people can talk down on you, but he was one of the few to really speak highly of me, so I appreciate him.

Q: If I put you on the spot and asked you to name your one favorite player while growing up, who would you say?

Walker: Yeah, Adrian Peterson has got to be. Because I watched his stuff so much growing up, bro. I’m talking about before middle school games, I watch his highlights. So I gotta say AP.

Q: That makes sense. You’re a powerful running back, but he had speed. You have speed too, so it’s like you blend the two together. I want to ask you, how did your mindset change during the Seahawks’ playoff run after the Charbonnet injury?

Walker: My mindset was always the same. Really just when I get my opportunity to make the best of it, it was just my opportunity to start to happen more often than it was when Zach was in. It was really just making the most of my opportunities whenever I got the ball.

Q: Have you talked to any of your Seahawks teammates since you left? Maybe exchanging texts and wishing them the best of luck or them to you and vice versa?

Walker: A few of my teammates reached out over social media or text. I talked to Zach. I still talk to Zach. I talk to Coby (Bryant). all those guys. I talk to most of the guys still, but yeah, a few of them reached out.

Q: I’m guessing you and Zach, obviously two running backs that teamed up together and killed in the running game, you guys are always going to remain close?

Walker: Yeah, definitely, yeah. We’re always close. The media will try to separate you, say this, say that, but like we knew off rip that we were going to be close, making sure we had that bond no matter what. So yeah, I still talk to Zach pretty much daily.

Q: As you enter your fifth year, what is the biggest difference between the Kenneth Walker of now compared to his rookie year?

Walker: I know a lot more, more detailed in my game, passing, running, everything. Like I’m more detailed. Rookie year was just really figuring everything out, how the playbook was and everything. But I feel like I’m much more detailed, and I got an understanding of everything.

Q: Is there a certain area where you want to improve entering the season?

Walker: Really just everything I can improve on, everything. You never want to get satisfied. I feel like once you get satisfied, you might as well just stop playing — not just football, but anything in life. You might as well just stop doing it. So I want to just improve my game everywhere. I feel like I can do anything.

The former two-time Pro Bowl linebacker helped lead the Steelers to their last playoff win during the 2016 season in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pittsburgh is currently on a seven-game postseason losing streak and they’ll look to end that streak this season.

Obviously, the team made a major move in hiring Pittsburgh area native Mike McCarthy, replacing longtime head coach Mike Tomlin. Shazier — who played and coached for Tomlin — said his former coach’s legacy in Pittsburgh is an “amazing one.” Tomlin never had a losing season in 19 years as the Steelers’ head coach.

“I think his legacy in Pittsburgh is an amazing one,” said Shazier in a one-on-one interview with R.org. “I don’t know if there’s many coaches that you can say that’s never had a losing season. For me he was a great coach. He left a great mark on my life and I’m always going to remember every moment in every aspect that I’ve had to spend time with him.

“He’s taught me so much leadership, and even the things that I do at the foundation and the way I raise my kids in a way I move around life, he just does a really good job of,” Shazier continued. “He did a really good job of not just raising men, but also coaching us.”

Tomlin Deserves Credit

Tomlin struggled to lead the Steelers to postseason success in recent years, with five of those seven losses being by double digits. It was a major reason the franchise and Tomlin decided to go in different directions.

Shazier said that Tomlin was able to keep the Steelers in contention on an annual basis is an accomplishment in itself.

“When you think about it, he got to two Super Bowls,” said Shazier. “He won a Super Bowl. I feel like the city of Pittsburgh has been blessed to have somebody like that. Because not every city can say every year that they play ball, that there’s a chance that they can win a Super Bowl, that they’re going to be in the playoffs, that they want to be having a winning season.

“Even when you thought that things weren’t looking good, he always found a way,” Shazier continued. “You always want to have a leader that you feel can find a way when it doesn’t seem like there’s a way.”

The 54-year-old Tomlin will be taking an analyst job with NBC’s Sunday Night pregame show for the 2026 season. Shazier won’t predict whether or not Tomlin will coach again, but said he has a “great legacy” even if he decides not to coach again.

“He’s still a young guy, I think he’s gonna do a great job being an analyst,” said Shazier. “He loves the game of football, so I think that’s why he’s going to do such a great job at it. But time will tell with his decision. He’s coached a long time, he’s had a great, great legacy, and a lot of people don’t get the opportunity to start as early as he did and coach as long as he did.

“He already has more coaching, a longer coaching life than a lot of coaches already have,” Shazier continued. “So if he decides to retire for good, I’m happy for him and when he talks on TV, I know he’s gonna do great. If he decides to come back and coach, I think he’s gonna do amazing either way.”

Aaron Rodgers Return?

The Steelers are hoping that Aaron Rodgers comes back for a second season in Pittsburgh. According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, that appears to be the case as it’s expected that the four-time MVP will return for what will be his 22nd season.

Rodgers had a solid debut year in Pittsburgh, throwing 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions for a 94.8 passer rating. He helped lead the Steelers to their first division title since the 2020 season.

With Rodgers in the fold, reuniting with McCarthy — the two were a longtime pair and won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers — the Steelers have a shot at advancing deep into the playoffs and winning their first playoff game in a decade.

“I think the one thing that Aaron brings to the table is that he’s a leader,” said Shazier. “He’s won a Super Bowl before. It’s really nice that he’s going to have a former coach that he’s had before, so they have the same terminology. But I think the one thing that the Steelers are transitioning is we have a younger team. With us having a younger team in certain areas, we have an older defense, but the offensive side is younger. With that veteran leadership, somebody that’s been in that role before, and he still has a really strong arm. He still has the same mindset.”

Rodgers will be the oldest player in the NFL if he plays in 2026, as he’ll turn 43 years old in December. Shazier mentioned that Rodgers already has a rapport with tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receiver DK Metcalf. He will also provide veteran leadership to the young quarterbacks in rookie Drew Allar and Will Howard.

“He can provide that type of knowledge and leadership to the younger guys, for the offensive guys — the offensive line, for the receivers,” said Shazier. “We have an older receiver core, which is still nice, but he can communicate with those guys, because he built a relationship with Pat, with DK last year, then adding Michael Pittman Jr., I think is awesome as well. But then also the leadership to the quarterbacks behind him, with Drew Allar and Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. Those are a lot of guys that can still develop and just learn from him. I think that can provide so much support to the two young guys.”

Allar was an accomplished quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions, starting three seasons and leading the program to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Allar was one of the more highly regarded quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Steelers selected him in the third round. The 6-foot-5 quarterback was the fourth passer selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“I think Aaron, just the leadership aspect, Will learned a lot from him last year, and the guys can learn from him,” said Shazier of Rodgers providing mentorship for the young quarterbacks. “He has a great arm, and then he’s one of the top passes of all time. What can’t you learn from him. I think that’s one thing that’s great to have for Drew Allar and Will Howard are the younger guys, and then I think just Drew Allar has all the talent in the world.

“That’s why you saw the team was very excited about drafting him before he got injured this season, he was one of the guys that people were expecting to go very early,” Shazier continued. “To be able to get him at this point that we got him, I think that’s a really good space for us, and it also adds some competition. The one thing I think that’s great about sports is iron sharpens iron. With us getting Drew Allar and having Will Howard, a lot of them guys that compete as well, while also learning from a guy like Aaron and Coach McCarthy, who is great at developing quarterbacks.”

Rodgers’ Legacy

When asked what he believes Rodgers’ legacy will be whenever he does retire, Shazier kept it simple — he’s gonna go down as one of the best to ever do it.

“I think his legacy is going to be the same legacy that he has always had, which is being one of the best players to have ever played the game of football,” said Shazier. “He has one of the best arms that you’ll ever see. He had the best arm that anybody had seen before Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen got into the league. I think that he’s going to be one of those guys that’s going to be cemented as a top 10 quarterback, one of the guys that people think has all the talent in the world.”

Shazier said he believes the Steelers have the pieces to win a Super Bowl with Rodgers.

“He’s won his Super Bowl and one thing that’s great about the Steelers is that we have veteran leadership all around the team,” Shazier said. “I think that we can go on one more run. I think that we have the pieces, especially on the offensive side now and I would love to see Aaron hoist another Lombardi Trophy for the city of Pittsburgh.”

Shazier — who currently works in alumni relations with the Steelers and previously worked as a coaching assistant for the team — will be preparing for “Wings For Life World Run” on Sunday, May 10, which starts at 7 am ET. The event will raise funds for research and help find a cure for spinal cord injuries, something that Shazier has gone through after seeing his NFL career end due to that exact nature of injury during the 2017 season.

The 33-year-old learned how to walk again following the injury and announced his retirement from football in 2020.

“This is my first year doing it,” said Shazier. “I have my foundation, and we’re here in America, and we started small in Pittsburgh, and now we’re expanding to Pennsylvania, all of Pennsylvania, all of West Virginia, all of Ohio. Hopefully, we’ll be able to be global, like Wings for Life. But as we continue to grow, I was just learning more and more about different avenues to support individuals with spinal cord injuries, and I found out about Wings For Life and what they do.”

During Verse’s two seasons, the former Florida State Seminoles standout has emerged as one of the top young defensive stars in the league. The 25-year-old Verse won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 after racking up 66 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

He has clinched back-to-back Pro Bowl bids in his first two years, racking up 7.5 sacks in 2025 and helping the Rams finish seventh in that department.

After losing in a tight divisional round playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 season, the Rams inched even closer this past season, losing a close one in the NFC Championship Game to the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks would eventually throttle the New England Patriots on the way to winning the Super Bowl.

Verse revealed what it’ll take for the Rams to dethrone the Seahawks this upcoming season, whether he’s talked to former Rams teammate Cooper Kupp since he won the Super Bowl in Seattle, and what his Defensive Player of the Year aspirations are in this one-on-one interview.

Interview with Jared Verse

Q: What do the Rams need to do to get over that hump and win the Super Bowl? Because you guys are getting closer and closer each year.

Verse: We keep beating ourselves. When you stop beating yourself up, you win, it’s easy to win. We have all the pieces we need. We got great DB’s, we got great linebackers, our defensive line is the best. We got amazing outside linebackers. If you ask me, we got the best outside linebackers. I’m a little cocky in that aspect, bro. We got amazing safeties, quarterback is the reigning MVP, amazing running back, o-line, wide receivers, kick returners, kickers, punters, snappers. I don’t care. We got the best of the best.

The only thing that can stop us is ourselves. After the season I told everybody once we got back, I said, ‘We gotta stop beating ourselves.’ During the first week back, everyone’s always ready and everything like that. This is the second week back, and I wanted everyone to tackle today, and it was harder than I expected the second week back, when we can really measure success and how hard you’re willing to go.

Q: Like you mentioned ,the key to beating the Seahawks and the Niners — which are two very talented teams — is not beating yourselves, not shooting yourselves in the foot?

Verse: 100 percent, it’s easy to go up against a team you should beat because you have a more talented roster. When both rosters are excelling the Seahawks have a very talented roster. The Niners have a very talented roster. When you put two talented rosters against each other, or all three of us against each other, it’s who executes better.

The second and third time we played the Seahawks, they executed better, it’s as simple as that. That’s why we lost. Against the Niners when we play them in Australia — they match up in the 2026 season opener — we got to execute better.

Q: What makes the Seahawks so hard to beat? Why are they so tough?

Verse: They have a good offensive team. I think the defense, they have a great defensive line. They got great players. But like I said before, it was nothing that we didn’t expect, or they didn’t throw anything at us that was a left hook or anything like that. It was just things where we beat ourselves. We didn’t do this, we didn’t do that, a drop here, and missed tackle there, doing this after third. It was just a lack of execution on our part.

Q: Out of curiosity, Cooper Kupp, a Rams favorite, got to win the Super Bowl this past season. Have you talked to him at all since then? Did you wish him congratulations? I know your rivals now, but did you say anything to him?

Verse: I haven’t gotten to see Cooper in a while since we actually last played. I told him before they even won the Super Bowl, ‘Go win that.’ He’s like a big brother to me. That’s a real stoic dude. When he talks, you listen. The way he attacks the game and every aspect, he’s going to be successful, no matter where he goes.

Q: As you approach your third season, in what ways do you want to be better and what are key objectives for you this season?

Verse: I’m not gonna get too heavy into it. I’ll just say it’s as simple as I’ve spent many reckless days and nights watching my phone, learning what I’ve done wrong, learning what I gotta do better. Hey, I gotta be quicker here, stronger here, doing this as a third. I want to be simple and just say, ‘Oh yeah, I need to add this move.’ It’s not as simple as that. I gotta be more flexible. It’s not as simple as that. I’ve done everything I can to be in the best position to put myself in the best position for this next season, and I’m gonna continue to do so.

Q: You’re always looking for ways to get better. Are there any concrete objectives when it comes to accolades or is it more so you just want to be better on the field?

Verse: There’s no specific way I can say, ‘Oh yeah, I want to do this. I want to do that.’ Obviously I want to be more flexible. But on the grand scheme, I just want to be better.

Q: And if I were to ask you moving forward in your career — I know it’s team-based — you’d want to win Defensive Player of the Year down the road?

Verse: There’s probably 1000 something players in the league right now that play defense — you ask every last one — they’ll probably say the same thing.

The 28-year-old recently completed his third season by posting a career year, leading the Rams with 12 sacks while producing a career high 82 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. Young clinched his first Pro Bowl bid as a result and helped lead the Rams to the NFC Championship Game.

“Definitely think I took a different approach last season going to year three than I did any other season my first few years and focusing on more little things,” said Young in a one-on-one interview with R.org. “Being more intentional, improving my craft and sustainability and my needs and versatility and just working out different things. I started doing karate, so I definitely think that played a huge role in contributing to my success.”

The Rams came up a little short in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, falling 31-27. It was their second straight narrow loss to the Seahawks after losing in overtime to them, 38-37, in Week 16. The Seahawks would go on to win the Super Bowl, dominating the New England Patriots on the grandest stage, 29-13.

Seahawks Are the Biggest Hump

It’s clear the Rams were the Seahawks’ toughest opponent last season, and it’s also obvious that Los Angeles needs to get through Seattle in order to get over the hump in winning the Super Bowl.

“We have to finish,” said Young on the key to beating the Seahawks. “That’s a complete team. That’s a team where you can’t give them a chance, you won’t give them much type of chance, because that’s how you lose. You can’t make mistakes like that, the small mistakes we made, because that’s how you lose.

“Beating a team like that is eliminating the mistakes and capitalizing off their mistakes,” Young continued. “Just keep playing that type of football, we could play that brand of football. I think that’s the key to beating teams like that, because they score, they’re going to make big plays, because that is a good team. They’re hungry, they’re trying to continue that repeat, so it’s our job.”

Stafford’s Return is Huge

A big key to the Rams getting over the hump and potentially winning their first Super Bowl since 2021 lies in the return of Matthew Stafford. The reigning MVP decided to return for an 18th season after completing the best season of his long NFL career last year. Stafford threw 46 touchdowns and 4,707 passing yards, leading the league in both categories for the first time.

Stafford made his announcement that he’s returning for another season while receiving the MVP award at the NFL honors show.

The veteran quarterback’s strong play is a reason to believe the Rams are a Super Bowl favorite heading into next season.

“I wasn’t surprised,” said Young. “I was happy for sure, but I wasn’t really that surprised. I know his mentality and he wants to win. I know he wants to get there (Super Bowl) and how close we were. I definitely found out when everyone else was watching it. I knew he probably wouldn’t have hit us with a bombshell, so I was waiting for that. I found out that night (about his decision to return) too.”

Preparing for the Future

The Rams will obviously run it back with Stafford in their quest to win another Super Bowl, but they’re also preparing for the future. Los Angeles decided to select Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Simpson was regarded as the second-best quarterback prospect behind Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

The 23-year-old Simpson is expected to learn under Stafford and take over as the franchise quarterback whenever he decides to retire. The selection was interesting, given that the Rams could have gone with a player ready to contribute to a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Instead, they chose Simpson to prepare for the future.

“I think he’s a good quarterback, he’s a great kid,” said Young of Simpson. “With the front office, trusting everything that they do is in the best interest of this team. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes. We got some great players, got some D-linemen, got some tight ends. Got some receivers in there. I can’t wait to see what these guys bring to this. I have no doubt that these guys will come in, definitely help motivate you regardless of what pick they are.”

NFL Idol

When asked who the linebacker was he most modeled his game after while growing up, Young said it’s Von Miller, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection who won a Super Bowl with the Rams during the 2021 season. Young unfortunately missed out on playing with Miller, considering he was drafted in 2023. Miller is still playing to this day, having completed his 15th season with the Washington Commanders.

“Von Miller,” said Young of his favorite player. “The type of player he is, we have kind of the same deal. I like his finesse moves, his speed and quickness and he does everything the same. He makes everything look the same, he does it definitely. O-linemen never know what’s coming. He’s always going to play at that high level and I still love to watch him.

“I actually haven’t ran into him,” Young continued. “It’s weird, because I don’t think I’ve played on a team that he’s been on so far. If I have, I don’t think we’ve been in the same space. I feel like that day is going to come and I look forward to speaking with him.”

The 28-year-old receiver had spent the past five years as the Indianapolis Colts’ go-to receiver, posting over 1,000 receiving yards in two of those seasons. He’ll have a lot more help in Pittsburgh this time around as he’ll team up with DK Metcalf, a fellow 6-foot-4 receiver who is a two-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro selection.

With Pittman Jr. and Metcalf at 6-foot-4 and over 220 pounds, they’re the biggest starting wide receiver duo in the NFL. The veteran receiver says a number of Steelers reached out to him shortly after the trade, including Cam Heyward, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Pat Freiermuth, and Ben Skowronek.

“We have a really great base group of guys,” said Pittman Jr. in a one-on-one interview with R.org. “Obviously, everybody knows DK, and then me coming here, so it made some news. But we have a lot of guys that are also in that room, Roman (Wilson), you got Ben (Skowronek) too who also does some special teams and offense too. But I think it just presents a challenge to defenses that if you’re going to try to cover DK, then it’s going to leave me open. If you’re going to try to cover me, it’s going to leave DK open. You try and cover us, it’s going to leave Rico (Dowdle) and Jaylen (Warren) open to run up the field. There’s so many weapons, and there’s so many great players, even our tight ends and everything.”

Rodgers Decision, NFL Idols

Pittman Jr. said he hopes four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers will return, but that he’s also confident in the Steelers’ other two quarterbacks, Rudolph and Howard.

“We’re just waiting to hear from old man Rodgers and see what his plan is,” Pittman said while smiling. “If he’s going to come back, then that’s going to be great. And if not, then we got two guys that we believe in and we’re going to roll.”

The veteran receiver is the son of former longtime NFL running back Michael Pittman, who spent 11 seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

When asked who was his favorite player while growing up, Pittman Jr. said he actually admired Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis and standout defensive back Patrick Peterson. The 6-foot-4 said he initially committed to play at USC with the idea he’d play both sides of the football before the USC Trojans had him settle at wide receiver.

He also named receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Marshall as some of his favorites growing up. In other words, he idolized big receivers who played a physical style, similar to how he plays the game.

“My favorite player growing up was actually Ray Lewis and Patrick Peterson when he was at LSU, even when he got into the league. But those are my guys. And then when I started playing receiver, I kind of started looking at Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, Julio Jones, Megatron (Johnson), AB (Antonio Brown) was also a guy that I like to watch.

“There’s so many great guys like Keenan Allen, Davante Adams, there’s so many great receivers,” Pittman Jr. continued. “But I was always a defensive guy. I don’t know why, I just really loved watching defensive guys play. I actually thought I was going to be a defensive player, but then USC told me that when I got there, because they had told me that. To get me there, they said that I could play both. And then I got there and they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna play receiver now.’ And then there was nothing that I could do about it. So I was already locked in.”

Goals for 2026

When asked if he has any statistical objectives this season, Pittman shut down that notion. He said he has team-oriented goals, and the rest will take care of itself.

“I don’t really set statistical goals, because I feel like that limits your mindset,” said Pittman Jr.

“And then it’s like, ‘Hey, once I hit that, I can let off the gas a little bit.’ So to kind of combat that, I just show up each and every day, and I have my daily targets that help me reach the broader goal, which is obviously division champion, and then conference champion, and then Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, All-Pro and then if you hit those, the chances are that your stats are going to be be pretty darn good,.

“That’s kind of like, how I do just an example of a daily target,” Pittman Jr. continued to say. “For example, come in and catch 250 jugs and walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes and make sure that I do this much time of studying film, and if I hit those targets, it puts me on a path to attain those goals. That’s how I like to look at it, instead of just putting up a random goal, because then it’s like, ‘Okay, I got this goal, but how do I get there?’ You want to set up that roadmap, so then maybe you can even go past that.”

The 41-year-old quarterback just signed a one-year deal to return to the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that he started six games for last season. While Flacco is the oldest active quarterback in the NFL — Aaron Rodgers is still contemplating his return — he said it’s a “year-by-year” approach and that he hasn’t reached the stage yet where he’s seriously considering retirement.

“It’s mostly a year-by-year approach,” said Flacco in a one-on-one interview with R.org. “But I mean listen, everybody that I talked to asked me how much more you got in you. It’s not like I haven’t had to think about it a little bit. I do my best to keep my body in shape, and I don’t know if there’s ever going to come a time where I feel like I can’t do it. But obviously that’s not true, and I’m going to have to come to the realization. But honestly, playing football is what I’ve done now for the majority of my life, and it is a part of me. When I was in my first and second and third year, I never said, ‘Oh, am I going to play next year?’ I never really asked myself that question. And I really still haven’t gotten there.”

Flacco entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2008. It didn’t take long for him to solidify himself as not only the franchise quarterback but one of the better quarterbacks in the league. The Delaware alum led the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game in his rookie season, and by his fifth season, he was already a Super Bowl champion.

Full Commitment

The veteran quarterback continued to hammer home that he’s still committed to playing football as he prepares for his 19th season.

“Football is what I do, and I’m just going to continue to do it until maybe all of a sudden, some weird feeling pops up that signals that I don’t maybe want to do it anymore,” said Flacco.

“My kids are getting a little bit closer to high school, and at some point I’m going to want to be around to watch them. But even that’s a couple years away, and I don’t know if I’m very good at predicting the future. It’s kind of tough to think about that far in advance.”

Flacco had a productive season in 2025. After starting out the year as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback, he was traded to the Bengals to sub in as the starter due to Joe Burrow’s injury. Although he went 1-5 as the starter, his numbers were among the best in the league, throwing 13 touchdowns against four interceptions for a 91.0 passer rating.

He will enter the 2026 season as a potential backup once again to Burrow, with fellow veteran quarterback Josh Johnson also on the Bengals’ roster. However, considering Burrows’ injury history, who missed nine games last season and seven games during the 2023 season,  there’s a reasonable chance Flacco once again steps into the starting role.

Weighing His Options

One of the biggest things Flacco was looking for in free agency was an opportunity to start. However, the options were limited, which led to Flacco re-signing with the Bengals.

“I think it’s always the initial thing,” said Flacco. “But I think there’s other situations that are good, and I feel comfortable with where that may not be the case. I wish I had an opportunity to say yes or no and they all came with a starting tag behind it. But that’s not always the case. There’s a plan, and I’m not necessarily in full control of that plan, but I have to trust a certain process of it.

“And, yeah, that is the number one priority,” Flacco continued to say of wanting to start and wanting to win. “But it doesn’t necessarily always lead to what you want and maybe some of those opportunities really aren’t as good as they may seem. I got to be careful when I’m  making those decisions.”

Flacco opened up about why he was always open to a return to Cincinnati, even though he won’t be the starting quarterback there.

“I said from the beginning when I left there, I could see a world where I ended up signing back here,” said Flacco. “I really like the organization and mainly the coaches and the teammates that I was able to play with there. I think when you make those connections, it gives you a little soft spot for an organization like that, but just like we talked about it, ideally you like to go play somewhere. But if there isn’t one of those opportunities that present itself, then that is a place that I feel very at home at and comfortable with.”

Feeling Fresh

The former Super Bowl MVP is among the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history, ranking 14th in passing yards all time. When asked how he feels at age 41 compared to earlier in his career, Flacco said it’s just “different” but that he still feels good as he prepares for his age-41 season.

“It’s just different,” said Flacco. “I think when you’re young, you have all the energy in the world, and you have nothing to go off of, besides just being green and kind of taking every moment for what it is and just trying to be in the moment, but really struggling to do so. As you get older, you gain perspective on certain things. You’ve been through so much that you’ve had, that you have experience in terms of dealing with certain feelings towards different things. You go through the dog days of grinding and saying this NFL season is long, the years are long.

“Then you kind of go through a maturing process where you realize where you kind of come back to your 12-year-old self, and you’re like, Holy s***, I play in the NFL,'” Flacco continued to say. “I’ve been able to do it for 10 to 11 years, I gotta hold on to this. I gotta find a way to take care of my body and continue to do it. At some point you kind of realize when you were a little kid as to how cool this thing is. And man, I’m pretty good at it. Why wouldn’t I want to do this as long as possible? I think being able to hold on and play as long as I was, as long as I did in the beginning part of my career, has helped me have that perspective and driven me to play the last six or seven years.”

As mentioned before, Flacco is the oldest quarterback in the NFL. However, last season, he matched up against a quarterback even older than him in 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers and Flacco dueled on Thursday Night Football, with the Bengals quarterback coming out on top.

He isn’t the only quarterback to play at an older age with guys like Tom Brady. He played until age 45, while Peyton Manning played until 39. Both had long, successful careers themselves. Flacco said he never sought advice from any of those guys when it came to longevity.

“I have not, it’s interesting. I’m so bad when it comes to reaching out to people and asking for things,” said Flacco. “I still have room to grow there. I haven’t talked to those guys about it, but what I’ll say is that — especially because he was a little bit ahead of me — he (Brady) set the standard. He let you know that he showed you the possibilities to a whole other level. He’s done something, he did something, he did a lot of things that nobody’s ever done, and his passion and his drive to just continue to play the game was incredible.

“I think what you realize is it’s very mental,” Flacco continued to say. “It’s making that decision that something’s important to you, and then you find a way to make sure you can do it. But no, I haven’t had a chance to actually ask Tom questions about that. But just in terms of setting an example, you can actually see and almost reach out and touch, he did an unbelievable job at that.”

Idolizing Brady, Manning

Flacco said that he looked up to Joe Montana, but it was Brady and Manning that he really looked up to considering they were the top guys from the time that he was a teenager.

“It’s interesting, I always liked watching other positions probably more,” said Flacco. “I always counted myself as a Montana guy, I always liked Joe Montana. But I really didn’t get to see Joe play that much like Peyton and Tom. I think Tom came into the league eight years before me. So college career and from the time I was like 14 or 15 years old, it was Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Ultimately those two guys are probably what has driven the guys that are my age to be what they are.”

When asked if he ever received any advice from Brady or Manning, Flacco said he did not. It’s worth noting that Flacco matched up multiple times against Brady and Manning in the playoffs, defeating both of them in the postseason. Flacco actually defeated both Brady and Manning during the 2012 postseason on his way to winning the Super Bowl.

“No, man,” said Flacco on ever receiving advice from Brady and Manning. “When we were battling and I was in Baltimore, I don’t know if anybody wanted to hand us any advice because we were one of those teams that could jump up and get you at any moment — and we did. I don’t think they were huge on offering that out. And like I said, I wasn’t seeking it. Maybe if I really pressed them on it, maybe. But I don’t know. I don’t know if they would have given it all away.”

When asked what his remaining career objectives are, Flacco said it’s what he’s always done — play football, win games, throw for a lot of yards, and throw for touchdowns.

“I’d like to do everything I’ve wanted to do,” said Flacco. “I want to go out there and win football games. I want to throw a bunch of yards, and I want to throw for touchdowns. I want to do all of it. But ultimately it always comes back down to winning football games.”

Chambliss: He’s just a pro on and off the field. He’s a pro, he moves like a pro, very technical in what he does, whether it’s in his interviews after the game. But just the way he dials up, passes against defenses. His ball placement as well, it’s just elite. Like I said, he just moves like a pro.

The major news ahead of Super Bowl LX has been that arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history was passed over for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Despite owning the most Super Bowl wins (six), Super Bowl appearances (nine), and the third-most victories all time among head coaches, Belichick will not be inducted this year. The 73-year-old also holds the NFL record for playoff wins (31) and led the New England Patriots to 17 playoff appearances in 19 seasons from 2001 to 2019.

Some voters may have kept Belichick out because of the “Spygate” and “Deflategate” scandals, with a report indicating that Bill Polian – a former executive with the Indianapolis Colts during Belichick’s prime – played a significant role in that sentiment.

“I think it’s ridiculous with Bill Belichick – it’s wrong,” said Romo in a one-on-one interview with R.org about Belichick being left out of the Hall of Fame. “There’s nobody I can think of, a coach who’s more worthy to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer than Bill Belichick. We’re talking Vince Lombardi levels. That’s where this guy is at.”

Romo added that Belichick’s football knowledge and appreciation for the game’s history are unmatched.

“He could probably tell you about Vince Lombardi’s technique that he taught the right tackle on their sweep play,” Romo said.

“The stuff he knows, the history – nobody loves the sport more, appreciates it more, or has won more. It doesn’t make sense. Football is a meritocracy. You earn it, you get it, and this just isn’t right.”

NFL Considering Changes

When asked whether personal feelings against Belichick influenced the vote, Romo reiterated that winning should matter most.

“The NFL has never been about anything other than earning it,” Romo said. “You win, you deserve the credit. No one has won more in the playoffs or won more Super Bowls. He deserves to be appreciated the way he should be. This is just wrong.”

The NFL is reportedly considering removing voters for bylaw violations related to the Belichick snub, something Romo said he could understand.

“Usually when something happens that isn’t right, you start to look inward,” Romo said.

Eli Manning Also Left Waiting

Overshadowed by the Belichick controversy is Romo’s former rival, Eli Manning, being left out of the Hall of Fame for a second straight year. Despite winning two Super Bowls against the Tom Brady-led Patriots – including ending the undefeated 2007 season – Manning remains on the outside.

Romo, who spent 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and faced Manning regularly, said induction is inevitable.

“I think it’s just a matter of time,” Romo said. “He’s more than deserving. He came up clutch in big moments, and the voters know that.”