Well Come FA Streams

ESPN Bears reporter Jeff Dickerson passes away

by Leave a Comment

Jeff Dickerson, a long-time Bears beat reporter for ESPN radio in Chicago, passed away Tuesday after a year-long battle with colon cancer. He was 44.

A graduate of Buffalo Grove High School and the University of Illinois, Dickerson began covering the Bears for ESPN in 2001. He also hosted “Dickerson and Hood” along with Jonathan Hood on the station, worked as a sports reporter for ABC Channel 7 in Chicago and served as a TV analyst for Loyola’s men’s basketball.

Sadly, Dickerson’s wife, Caitlin, passed away due to cancer in 2019. His passing leaves their 11-year-old son, Parker, without both of his parents. Dickerson is also survived by his parents, George and Sandy Dickerson.

Jimmy Garoppolo surgery could mean 5-to-6-week recovery, Dr. Nirav Pandya says

by Leave a Comment

More than an hour after sustaining the thumb injury that jeopardizes the remainder of his season, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led the 49ers on a game-tying, fourth-quarter touchdown drive.

“It definitely does suggest that perhaps it wasn’t a very, very severe injury and the thumb wasn’t completely unstable,” UCSF orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nirav Pandya told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday.

Dr. Pandya said he believes there were other factors that could have led to Garoppolo being able to finish the game Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans after sustaining a sprain to the ulnar collateral ligament of his thumb. Garoppolo reportedly also sustained a fracture or bone chip to the thumb.

The adrenaline from the game likely enabled Garoppolo to make it through, Dr. Pandya said.

“Also what happens is the finger itself can actually swell up and that will give you a sense of stability so that you’re not compromised that much,” Dr. Pandya said. “So, a lot of times, these injuries will manifest 24 to 36 hours later. The swelling goes down, and you’re able to examine it a little more.”

Garoppolo’s status for the 49ers’ Week 17 game against the Houston Texans remains in question with rookie quarterback Trey Lance emerging as the likely starter for the crucial game.

Garoppolo sustained the injury when Titans defensive lineman Denico Autry slammed him to the turf for a sack in the second quarter of the 49ers’ 20-17 loss.

“What can happen a lot of times with these ligaments is that the ligament can be stretching, and if there’s a lot of force, it can actually pull a piece of the bone off,” Dr. Pandya said. “For Jimmy moving forward, if there is damage to both of those structures [ligament and bone], that can definitely be more of a five- to six-week recovery time with the likelihood of probably needing surgery.”

Garoppolo did not take part in the 49ers’ brief practice Monday. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo would be re-examined Wednesday.

“It didn’t feel great [Monday],” Shanahan said. “He wasn’t able to throw, and we’ll see how it is on Wednesday. Hopefully, it’ll get better.”

There are different levels to which Garoppolo can be impacted. At one end of the spectrum is surgery. Or if the damage is not as severe, he could continue to play with some degree of instability.

If Garoppolo is cleared to play, the 49ers would have to determine whether Garoppolo or a healthy Lance is the better option.

RELATED: Is Jimmy G’s tenure with 49ers over?

Dr. Pandya said the track record of quarterbacks with this injury leads to concern for Garoppolo’s ability to play and function at a high level.

“The ability to grip and pinch becomes very hard,” Dr. Pandya said. “Unfortunately for a quarterback, that’s what you need to do. So, another position, maybe you could get away with taping or bracing it. But it becomes really hard, especially if there’s a lot of damage to that ligament.

“It’s hard enough being an NFL quarterback and, then, you have a thumb that doesn’t allow you to throw accurately. Even a couple milliseconds here and there throws off timing, throws accuracy off.”

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

NFL, NFLPA Reach Agreement on Revised Isolation Times for COVID-19 Positives

by Leave a Comment

Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The NFL and NFL Players Association reached an agreement Tuesday to limit the isolation period for asymptomatic individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 from 10 days to five.

Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafolo

Memo to NFL teams a short while ago stating players are eligible to return five days from when a positive test was collected. So for <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Colts</a> QB Carson Wentz (and any player who tested positive yesterday or before), that means he can be cleared as soon as Saturday. <a href=”https://t.co/niFRQRc5Zn”>pic.twitter.com/niFRQRc5Zn</a>

This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a five-day isolation period for individuals with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic, followed by five days of masking:

“The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after. Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others.”

The change in the NFL would apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated players.

The league and players’ union already agreed to amend rules regarding testing and return-to-play protocols. Players who are vaccinated and asymptomatic aren’t required to undergo regular testing. In addition, players in that group can return more quickly after entering the COVID-19 protocols.

Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero

Note that return to play isn’t contingent on being asymptomatic. You need:<br><br>- 5 days since initial positive swab<br>- At least 24 hours since last fever<br>- Other symptoms (e.g. cough) “resolved or improved”<br>- Cleared by team doctor in consultation with ICS and NFL

The latter step was because of new information regarding the risk for a person with COVID-19 to spread the virus to others.

“It’s not about loosening our standards,” said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer. “If anything, we’re just bringing a higher degree of precision in measuring ourselves against a more precise ruler.”

The NFL has had to postpone games and seen a high number of players placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list amid the surge in new cases because of the omicron variant.

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the NFL had a record-high 106 players land on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.

Raiders statement on the passing of the legendary John Madden

by Leave a Comment

The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden.

Few individuals meant as much to the growth and popularity of professional football as Coach Madden, whose impact on the game both on and off the field was immeasurable.

Hired as Head Coach of the Raiders by Al Davis at the age of just 32, Madden coached the Silver and Black for 10 seasons and compiled a remarkable 103-32-7 regular season record. From 1969-78, the Raiders posted winning records in each season, won seven division titles and qualified for the playoffs eight times. In 1976, Madden coached the Raiders to a 13-1 record and a 32-14 triumph over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI, marking the franchise’s first World Championship of Professional Football.

As professional football grew in popularity and influence, Madden and his Silver and Black teams played a significant role in some of the AFL and NFL’s seminal moments, including the “Sea of Hands,” “Immaculate Reception,” “Holy Roller” and “Ghost to the Post,” among others. Madden cemented his role as a football icon in the broadcast booth, serving as a leading color analyst for all four major television networks—CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC. His work on Monday Night Football, the inception of the annual All-Madden Team and his role in the Madden NFL series of video games made the Madden name synonymous with pro football.

In 2006, Madden was presented for enshrinement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame by Al Davis, who opened his speech by calling Madden, “A brilliant coach. A loyal and trusted friend. A Raider.” The thoughts and prayers of the Raider Nation are with Virginia, Joseph, Michael and the entire Madden family at this time.

Brian Kelly looks to NFL, fills LSU football defensive coordinator spot with Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Matt House

by Leave a Comment

LSU is hiring Kansas City Chiefs assistant Matt House as its new defensive coordinator.

House, who coaches the Chiefs’ linebackers, will join LSU following the NFL season. He becomes the first coordinator hired by new LSU coach Brian Kelly.

“Matt checks every box we’re looking for in a defensive coordinator,” Kelly said in a prepared statement. “He’s led elite SEC defenses, recruited and developed all-conference and All-American performers at multiple positions, and garnered ample experience in both the NFL and as a coordinator at multiple collegiate stops.

“He possesses a great understanding on how to defend the type of offenses we will face each week in our conference, and his ability to put players in position to make plays aligns perfectly with the identity that we want to develop with our defense.”

Before joining the Chiefs in 2019, House served as Kentucky’s defensive coordinator. He also has college coordinator experience from Florida International (2015) and Pitt (2013-2014). House is a Michigan native who attended Michigan State and began his coaching career at his alma mater in 2001.

The Chiefs have made back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, winning two years ago, with House on staff.

LSU considered several other coordinator candidates, including current Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White, before hiring House.