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The NFL Playoffs begun and while the Arizona Cardinals are off to whatever they do with nothing on their schedule, there is a former member of their squad that is not looking in the rearview mirror.
OLB Myjai Sanders was placed on waivers by the Cardinals, and claimed Houston Texans on Oct. 18, 2023.
With a change of scenery, Sanders and the Texans get the job done by committee, not relying on one specific star to do the heavy lifting.
Houston won the AFC South before upsetting the Cleveland Browns with a 45-14 blowout victory in their wild-card matchup.
His numbers on the Texans aren’t eye-popping as a Texan, with seven tackles in seven games. But when further analyzing the underlying stats, Sanders has made an impact for the underrated Texans.
In the wild-card round, Sanders was fifth in highest pass rush win rates (17%), according to ESPN Sports Analytics Writer Seth Walder on X (formerly Twitter).
Highest pass rush win rates in the wild card round so far, regardless of alignment
Aidan Hutchinson 33%
Charles Omenihu 25%
Kobie Turner 23%
Derek Barnett 19%
Myjai Sanders 17%— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) January 15, 2024
Before heading to Houston, Sanders’ time spent in the valley was topsy-turvy to say the least.
Being the 100th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, he made 13 appearances, grabbed 23 tackles and three sacks last year.
Gearing up for this season though, Sanders suffered a hand injury and did not feature in a snap for Arizona.
As he recovered from his setback, the Cardinals designated Sanders to return from Injured Reserve, opening a three-week practice window for him to take reps and get back into game shape on.
But before he got through his first week back, the 25-year-old was cut by Arizona.
Pushing that to the side, Sanders has turned a negative part of his career into a positive, looking to continue making his mark during the playoffs with Houston.
The Texans will now face the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round.
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More must-reads:
- Standout performances from Week 1 of NFL preseason: Rookie, backup QBs shine
- Eagles get big injury scare at practice regarding key starter
- The 'NFL Defensive Players of the Year ' quiz
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'Absolutely' - Browns Are Considering Surprising Quarterback Move
It's the Browns. When the Cleveland Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders this April, they had a total of five quarterbacks on their roster between their incoming rookies, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and the injured Deshaun Watson. And despite the kind of confusing nature of their stockpiling so many QBs, it sounds like the team could double-down on the the decision by the time the regular season kicks off. According to The Athletic's Zac Jackson, "the Browns absolutely might keep all four quarterbacks" heading into Cleveland's season opener. While also adding, "No, Shedeur Sanders is not going to start Week 1 for the Browns. But he's put a lot of pressure on his coaches and fellow QBs headed into this week — the biggest week of training camp as the Browns head to Philly." Fans reacted to the reporter's update on X: "At this point it's not even a QB room anymore. It's a pitching rotation now," a user said. "One as a starter, One as a backup, One to hold on field goals, And one listed as a wide receiver for tax purposes," another commented. "[Shedeur Sanders] should be developed and shouldn't be thrown out there week 1 but he should be considered to be put over Gabriel and Pickett," a fan pointed out. "While also finally getting meaningful reps with the 1's." "I'm a Shedeur fan who wants Flacco to start with Shedeur at QB2," another person replied. "Sitting behind a veteran QB can be very valuable, and you know he'd be ready if he had to come off the bench. Just my .02." "This isn't unprecedented," another user posted. "The Patriots kept 4 QBs in the 2000 season. Worked out ok for them. Not saying there's a Brady in their QB room. But if they have 4 guys who they think are NFL worthy (even if none are QB1 right now), they can make it work." The Browns have been bitten by the injury bug thus far in camp with Pickett and Gabriel both dealing with ailments this preseason — opening up a window for Shedeur Sanders to earn his way up the depth chart. Sanders played well in Friday night's debut with a 14-of-23 performance for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the way to a 30-10 win over Carolina. But head coach Kevin Stefanski says the team in "evaluation mode" when it comes to their QBs.
Roger Federer Announces Tennis Return For Final Match
20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will return to the tennis court to play one more match at this year’s Shanghai Masters. Federer, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Friday, played his final match on the professional scene in September 2022 at the Laver Cup. It was an emotionally intoxicating doubles match in which Federer reunited with his great rival, Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer Announces Tennis Return Three years on from his retirement, Federer plans to grace the courts in Shanghai to play a celebrity doubles match. The tournament confirmed on X that the legendary Swiss will return to China at the start of October, when this year’s edition will be up and running. “Roger Federer is coming back to Shanghai. Join us on October 10th for the @rogerfederer and Friends Celebrity Doubles Match!” The tournament relayed the news. While the full schedule of who Federer will partner or play with is unknown for now, that match will take place two days before the singles final of the 2025 Shanghai Masters. In a short video announcing his return for one more doubles match, the two-time Shanghai champion said, “Hello, this is Roger. I’m really happy to be returning to the Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai for the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Shanghai has always been a special place for me, with great fans and unforgettable memories, and a real love for the game. I look forward to seeing you there on October 10th. Shanghai, let’s meet.” Why Shanghai? Shanghai is the penultimate Masters 1000 on the calendar and has previously been voted as the best ATP tournament of the year by players. The tournament represents some of the world’s best brands, including Rolex, which is its title sponsor. The Swiss watchmaker company is one of Federer’s most valuable sponsors. Federer has endorsed Rolex since 2001, and that partnership continues to grow stronger post-retirement. Federer has visited Shanghai in each of the last two years and has toured the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, which serves as the main court in the tournament. In 2023, he was presented with the Icon Athlete Award by the tournament in honor of his illustrious career in front of a packed stadium. And last year, Federer watched on from the stands as Jannik Sinner defeated one of his former rivals, Novak Djokovic, in the final.
Yankees legend suffers major injury at team's Old-Timers' game
The New York Yankees brought back their Old-Timers' game for the first time since 2019, and it did not go well for one of the team's greatest all-time players. Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera suffered a torn Achilles while trying to chase down a fly ball. Rivera hit one time in the game and delivered a single off of former teammate Andy Pettite before injuring himself in the field. Rivera's agent said surgery will take place this week (via the Associated Press). It is not the first time Rivera has suffered a major injury while playing in the outfield. He tore his ACL during the 2012 season while shagging fly balls during batting practice and missed the remainder of that season. Rivera is one of the most decorated relief pitchers — and Yankees — in league history, finishing his career as Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader (652) while also having the honor of being the only unanimous Hall of Fame selection. He was also a part of five World Series-winning teams with the Yankees, including their back-to-back-to-back championship teams in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Saturday's Old-Timers' game celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 2000 team. While several teams have days to honor former players, and while some have the occasional game involving former players, the Yankees are the only team that routinely holds an actual game. It is typically one of the highlights of the regular season. Before the game, Rivera said he had planned to speak to the Yankees' current closer, Devin Williams, given his recent struggles coming out of the team's bullpen.
Green Bay Packers Veteran WR In Danger Of Being Cut After Poor Showing Against Jets
A veteran Green Bay Packers wide receiver didn’t leave a good impression on head coach Matt LaFleur’s coaching staff on Saturday when he took on his old team in front of 71,501 fans at Lambeau Field on Saturday night. Mecole Hardman, who has had flashes of being a strong contributor to the Packers during training camp, struggled in the Packers’ 30-10 loss to the New York Jets. The 2019 second-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs dropped his only target of the night and made a poor decision as a punt returner on special teams before muffing a punt on his second punt return opportunity. The Green Bay Packers coaching staff has a decision to make Matt Schneidman of The Athletic suggested that Hardman’s performance will prompt the Packers’ coaching staff to reevaluate the receiver depth chart. “Hardman, too, seemed penciled into the 53-man roster before Saturday night,” Schneidman wrote. “For a player who probably wasn’t slated to contribute much as a wide receiver come the regular season but still provided value because of his return experience, the preseason opener was a disaster. “Hardman fielded a punt on the fly at his 5-yard line (that’s a no-no) with a Jet and two Packers nearby and was tackled immediately for no gain by the Jets’ Qwan’tez Stiggers after he beat Packers rookie seventh-round cornerback Micah Robinson.” “I made two bad decisions, so that’s on me,” Hardman told reporters after the game. Hardman wasn’t the only Packers receiver to have issues against the Jets, as an issue from 2024, dropped passes, continued to plague the offense in their first preseason game of 2025. It’s an issue Hardman and the team will want to show improvement on when they play the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
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