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It’s no secret 2024 has been a tough season for Richard Childress Racing, as Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon both failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Busch came close to a win a number of times, like in Atlanta and Daytona, even while struggling immensely throughout the campaign. Meanwhile, Dillon famously won at Richmond, but his playoff eligibility was revoked after he wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to get to Victory Lane.
As the two wheelmen look to finish the season strong, their team owner joined Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour this week to reflect on the year that was, as Richard Childress put it all into perspective regarding his team’s performance.
“It’s been one of those years,” Childress told Harvick, speaking on the team’s performance in 2024. “Crashes, we’ve been involved in so many crashes. I think Austin was involved in one in the first six races this year, so that put him so far behind.
“Kyle, he’s been involved in several crashes. I talked to him this morning, he said, ‘Maybe I should’ve been a little bit more patient,’ but you know, when you’ve got someone breathing down your back, you’re leading the race with 20, 25 to go, you just make the move that you think is right. I told him, ‘Man, don’t worry, we’re going to win some races.’ It’s been a tough year, but everybody has fought hard.”
Moving forward, it doesn’t seem as if driver changes are imminent for RCR, but the organization is going to look in the mirror and try to figure out what they’ve been doing wrong, as Childress revealed the team will come back stronger in 2025, learning from 2024’s mistakes.
“We see that we’ve got to make some changes,” Childress added. “We’ve got more changes coming that you’re going to hear about in the next month, probably, and we’re excited about next year. You know, you can’t dwell on the past, you’ve got to learn from the past.
“History teaches you, and that’s what we’ll learn from this year, and take it into next year with a positive attitude.”
Richard Childress Racing was injected with some new life when Kyle Busch joined the team, and everything went great at first. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing since halfway through 2023, but a few wins might’ve changed that perspective.
We’ll see if the team can get to Victory Lane again before the end of 2024, and give themselves some positive momentum for 2025.
More must-reads:
- Matt Campbell finalizes program-friendly contract extension with Iowa State
- Top Micah Parsons landing spots as Cowboys' contract talks deteriorate
- The '250-strikeout MLB seasons' quiz
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Troubling report surfaces on Patriots' first-round rookie
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye might not feel comfortable with his blindside protection early in the upcoming season. Following troubles at left tackle in 2024, the Patriots invested in the position by drafting LSU standout Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick in April's draft. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, Campbell has been trending down at training camp this summer. "All eyes are on him every practice, which is a tough spot for a rookie," Graff wrote of Campbell. "So far, he’s been about what you’d expect from a rookie. He has some strong moments, particularly in the running game. But there have been struggles in the passing game. He’s been beaten for a sack in just about every practice, which isn’t great considering he’s usually on the field each practice for only 15 or so passing plays in full-team drills. "He tends to get beaten to the inside after oversetting, and it probably doesn’t help that the Pats don’t yet know who their left guard is next to him. Still, extrapolate those numbers, and that’s allowing two sacks each NFL game if you throw the ball 30 times. Not great." Graff believes the future is "bright" for Campbell, but doesn't think he will be a top-20 left tackle in 2025. NFL scouts had questions before the draft about Campbell's 32⅝ inch (or 33 inches, depending on whether one believes the league or LSU) arm length. Some suggested he'd be better suited to play guard in the league than left tackle. If Campbell continues to give up sacks, the Patriots might consider moving the 21-year-old to the interior part of the offensive line. Per OurLads, Campbell is projected to win the left tackle starting job for Week 1. If Campbell doesn't develop quickly in the preseason, Maye's progress as a thrower in the pocket could take a hit in the upcoming season.
Bombshell Cowboys Report Emerges After Micah Parsons Trade Request
Since being selected 12th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Penn State, Micah Parsons has emerged as one of the league’s premier talents and the focal point of the Dallas Cowboys defense. Despite this, he has yet to secure a new contract. With the Cowboys having exercised his fifth-year option, guaranteeing a $24 million payday for next season, per Spotrac, Parsons now seeks a long-term extension that would set a new benchmark for non-quarterbacks in the NFL. The two-time All-Pro edge rusher has reported for camp but refrained from participating in on-field drills amid an increasingly bitter contract standoff. On Friday, a new twist surfaced as NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero revealed that conversations about trading Pro Bowl edge rusher Micah Parsons date back to the 2024 season. This came amid news that Parsons has officially requested a trade out of Dallas, posting on X that he "no longer wants to be here." Micah Parsons Career Accolades and NFL Milestones Parsons burst onto the national stage at Penn State, where he was named a Freshman All-American in 2018 after leading the Nittany Lions with 82 tackles and forcing two fumbles. As a sophomore in 2019, he earned consensus All-American honors, was voted the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and claimed Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP honors with 14 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles in a single game. Opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, he maintained his status as a top NFL prospect and was promptly drafted by Dallas in April 2021. Since then, he has racked up: NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2021) First-team All-Pro (2021, 2022); Second-team All-Pro (2023) Four-time Pro Bowl selection (2021-2024) Butkus Award (Pro) winner (2021) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2021) Last season, Parsons joined NFL Hall of Famer Reggie White as the only players in league history with at least 12 sacks in each of their first four seasons. The Contract Impasse: From “One Last Time” to Trade Request Despite being considered a generational talent, Parsons and the Cowboys have been deadlocked on a long-term extension through the entire offseason. On Thursday, Parsons posted a "one last time" GIF under a photo of himself with cornerback Trevon Diggs. This was followed up with a formal trade request on Friday, citing frustration over "closed-door negotiations without my agent present" and "narratives created and spread to the media about me." The crux of the dispute reportedly stems from a spring meeting between Parsons and owner Jerry Jones, in which Jones believed he had reached a handshake agreement on revised terms. When Parsons insisted that all further dialogue move through his agent, David Mulugheta, the Cowboys reportedly refused to engage, resulting in stalled talks and widening mistrust. Dallas has yet to conduct a single negotiation with Mulugheta, and Jones has publicly downplayed Parsons’s leverage by citing his four missed games last season, despite Parsons compiling 12 sacks in 13 appearances. The timing of Parsons’s request comes amid a record offseason for elite edge rushers, as Myles Garrett (four-year, $160 million), Maxx Crosby (three-year, $106.5 million) and T.J. Watt (three-year, $123 million extension) have all secured new deals.
Denver Broncos Coach Sean Payton Shares Bo Nix's Most Underrated Skill
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was one of 2024’s biggest risers in the NFL. The former Oregon Ducks quarterback ended the regular season on a high note, helping lead his team to the postseason. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton is entering his third season with the franchise and has full confidence in his quarterback. In addition to his accuracy passing the ball, Payton highlighted the aspect of Nix’s game that stood out the most through draft preparations and his rookie season. Payton Highlights Nix's Running Abilities When it came to the draft preparations, one of the aspects of Nix's game that caused Payton and the Broncos to target the former Ducks quarterback. “I’ve mentioned this before, when the combine came, he didn’t shuffle, he didn’t do a number of these drills that I thought he’s be exceptional at. Later, he told me he had turf toe, and it made sense. But when you watched him, you thought, 'Man, this guy is tough to sack.' And he won a lot of downs for us last year with his feet,” Payton said, per DenverSports.com. In 2023 with the Oregon Ducks, Nix rushed the ball for 234 yards and six touchdowns. He showed his playmaking abilities, which led to Denver selecting him No. 12 overall. Four quarterbacks were drafted before Nix, but Payton and the Broncos got their guy. In Nix’s rookie season, he had the third-most rushing yards on the team. Nix finished the regular season with 430 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He and running back Javonte Williams both led the team with four rushing yards “I don’t know if those drills would've changed where and how he was drafted. I remember talking to George [Paton] saying this is a real good foot athlete,” Payton continued. The Broncos coach went on to joke that he is glad Nix did not run at the 2024 NFL Combine, so no other team saw his abilities. If he did not have the turf toe, perhaps the former Ducks quarterback could have gone earlier in the draft. By the end of the season, Nix totaled 92 carries. When asked if the team sets a limit for Nix to run, Payton said it had more to do with protecting himself. “No, I think the audit would be more in regards to protecting himself at the end of those plays. And the timing of when’s a gotta have it,” Payton said. “It’s a strength.” Nix Stepping Forward The Denver Broncos finished the season with a 10-7 record, ending up as the No. 7 seed in the AFC. Making the postseason as a rookie was a strong start for the former Ducks quarterback, but the team is looking for more. Nix is a talented runner and will continue using his legs to make plays, but the Broncos' run game as a whole can open up this season. Denver signed running back J.K. Dobbins in free agency and selected RJ Harvey in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the potential of a strong run game, the Broncos’ offense as a whole will open up. Nix and the Broncos have the chance to continue to be a dominant team in a tough AFC division. RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Penguins' Erik Karlsson Trade Talks Reportedly Take New Turn
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in full rebuild mode entering the new NHL season, and it has seen the front office engage with other teams in different trade talks. Pittsburgh has a few veteran players who could net them some strong assets for the future, and a late offseason trade could come about. One of those players is veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has seen his name mentioned heavily of late. Karlsson still has a lot of value around the league, and it could see Pittsburgh land some quality pieces in return. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the market for Karlsson may not be as open as originally thought. Outside of the Carolina Hurricanes, Seravalli isn't sure where the veteran star could be traded. Karlsson wants to play for a contending team at this point in his career, and most teams have already filled up their rosters. If Karlsson is going to be traded, he may want to consider other options or even a team that is on the cusp of being a Stanley Cup contender. The veteran proved that he could still heavily impact games on the ice, and he just wants a chance to win a title before he calls it a career. With the Penguins last season, Karlsson put up 11 goals and 42 assists over 82 games played. The Penguins missed the playoffs again, and it seems that a trade of Karlsson could be coming down the pipeline soon. If Carolina were to land the veteran, it could increase their chances of getting over the hump. The Hurricanes already traded for defenseman K'Andre Miller this offseason, so Karlsson could give them a loaded blueline for the year. Carolina has fallen short each season, so landing Karlsson could be the missing piece to the puzzle. But for now, it seems that the Penguins will be patient to see what else may open up with training camp starting up soon.
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