Rob Gronkowski is a human corn dog. Oh wait…that’s not what this article says? Because it should.

Can I hold that injured arm for you?

In other news, people continue to be crazy on Twitter. And it doesn’t look good for Green Bay Packers TE Jermichael Finley after an ex-girlfriend went tweet-crazy about him being an adulterous “piece of work.” This comes almost directly after Finley pledged to give $500 to a Boston charity for every dropped pass and touchdown this season.

Here’s a sampling of the accusations (you can find the whole thing here). After some exhaustive research, I’ve come to the conclusion that BD stands for baby daddy. There are two sides to every story (although in this case I think there might be as many as five sides!) I’m sure we’ll be hearing plenty more about it in the future.

Remember this?

Well the NFL could be one step closer to having an openly gay player, and I haven’t seen any dangerous rainbows flying around just yet. Openly-gay NFL prospect Alan Gendreau is hoping to snag a tryout with an NFL team after a mostly successful career as a kicker at Middle Tennessee State. You can learn all about him in this NY Times article, and get a detailed account about his thoughts on sexuality and football over at Outsports. Definitely worth the read.

Speaking of rainbows, the Jacksonville Jaguars unveiled their new uniforms and they are BRIGHT! My favorite part is the Jaguar on the helmet that looks like it’s trying to eat every player’s face. (The gloves though are awesome!)

Oh, and let’s not forget about that small thing coming up called the DRAFT! Here’s a little throw-back Wednesday for you to prepare. Now be honest with me. Which is worse: the Jags new jerseys or Favre‘s jean shorts?

There were just so many great tweets this week! Here’s a final one for you about James Harrison‘s move from the Steelers to the Bengals:

Have I mentioned yet that people on Twitter are crazy and I love it? Happy Wednesday!

Emily Ritter is a contributing writer to Aerys Offsides. She tweets at @ebritter2 but is now considering changing her handle to @emilylovely and using the term BD a lot.

Look at that ball go (via YouTube)

We’re getting closer and closer to one of the key offseason moments for the NFL, which is of course the NFL Draft. We’re about 10 days away, to be exact. I guess people like that sort of thing.

It’s been a relatively quiet weekend for the NFL, especially when you keep in mind all the crazy shenanigans going on in baseball and golf.

One of the big stories this weekend though is the Seattle Seahawks signing Antoine Winfield. Winfield chose the Seahawks over the Vikings.

Over at Halftime Voodoo, the Aerys New Orleans Saints site, they have the latest on all the free agency news and notes for the team.

For an update on the Flacco/Unitas news we had last Sunday, The Purple Nest offers their latest reaction to the story.

Once again, there is still talk about the whole Tony Romo with the Cowboys contract…thingy…This time though, Brett Favre had a couple of comments about Romo’s situation in Dallas. I won’t spoil the story, but I will say this…THANK YOU, FAVRE! (I don’t know what to do with myself anymore)

With the Draft less than two weeks away, there will be no shortage of features on potential players. The always excellent Judy Battista of the New York Times has a profile on Princeton draft prospect Mike Catapano.

Meanwhile, signs are slowly starting to point towards the Eagles having interest in West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, this according to NJ.com. Philadelphia has the fourth overall pick.

Elsewhere, it looks like Detroit will try to fill the void left by Jason Hanson with….a Norweigan YouTube kicking sensation or something enthusiast. Havard Rugland signed a contract with the Lions. You can see the video here (screencap posted above). I’ll try not to let my Norweigan bias affect how I write stories next season.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the story on a former UW-Milwaukee basketball player and his attempt to transition to the gridiron. Demetrius Harris, the leading rebounder for UW-Milwaukee, is being evaluated for the tight end position, according to the Journal Sentinel.

In Virginia, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Virginia held a fundraising effort Saturday. The most notable people featured at the event were FOX NFL studio analysts Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long.

In the Pacific Time Zone, more specifically California, legislators are considering digital billboards for Los Angeles, which would include ads for beer and gambling, according to the Los Angeles Times. The digital billboards would be allowed near stadiums and arenas, including the future football stadium site.

Finally, our shopping item of the day comes from Amazon. For less than $7, you can purchase this Dallas Cowboys…Stop sign…Yes, a stop sign.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

It was landing on his elbow as he got sacked that caused Roethlisberger’s injury. (J.D. Cavrich/www.altoonamirror.com)

The media storm hit Pittsburgh in full force Tuesday morning, just hours after Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger left the Monday Night Football game at Heinz Field against the Kansas City Chiefs after taking a sack.  Roethlisberger was evaluated in the locker room and subsequently sent to a local hospital that night for an MRI to further evaluate his injury.  His agent, Ryan Tollner, mysteriously called the injury “non-traditional” and said it was ”unique” and “not something the training staff typically sees.”

Twitter buzzed for hours as sports reporters speculated whether the franchise QB had sustained a shoulder separation or merely a sprain to the shoulder on his all-important throwing arm.  The following day, head coach Mike Tomlin described the injury as a sternoclavicular (SC) joint sprain.  » Continue reading “House Calls: Demystifying Ben Roethlisberger’s Injury”

For this week’s Tight End Tuesday, we are digging into the bunch of retired NFL players in order to celebrate the ol’ gunslingers birthday.

On Oct. 10, 1969, Brett Lorenzo Favre was welcomed into the world and boy were we lucky to be able to enjoy him each and every Sunday for 20 years!

Here is this week’s honorary Tight End Tuesday for the birthday boy, Brett Favre!

“Here is the thing to remember in all of this, there is never going to be another Brett Favre in the future.  So I think all football fans..should be lucky that we can enjoy him do what he does best on Sundays…He is truly one-of-a-kind player.  Where guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are admired, Brett Favre is cherished.  There is a big difference.” – NFL Films Steve Sabol on why he loves Brett Favre. » Continue reading “Tight End Tuesday: Brett Favre”

Upon scouring the Interwebs today, I’ve found a few things I’d love to share with you! So sit back, put your drink down and let’s talk!

According to the fine people at SBNation’s Stampede Blue, rookie quarterback Andrew Luck is a shy guy. See what I mean…

Andrew Luck and his buff, not shy teammates. Via the Instagram account of Donnie Avery

Yeah, I get it. He’s the new guy. He’s a little shy around his new teammates. Maybe he doesn’t have the washboard abs. The look, if you will. But he’s working out with some fit NFL dudes. And, he needs to at least show some confidence. For Andrew’s sake, he’ll channel this look some day and remember he was the number one pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and have the confidence a top QB should have! » Continue reading “Sunday Mix Up: Trolls, Polls And More”

March was a busy month in the NFL.  Like the NCAA, the NFL had it’s own March Madness.  The majority of the madness included the bombshell of bounty hunters, which was a hot topic up in Minnesota.   Before we officially, turn the page towards April and the NFL draft, let’s review the final week of March for the Vikings:

John Sullivan, who was the Vikings center on the 2009 team who battled New Orleans in the NFC Championship game, went on-air with KFAN-1130 and joined teammate Chris Kluwe in applauding Commissioner Roger Goodell on his harsh punishment towards the Saints’ personnel.  In one word, Sullivan summed up the Saints’ actions as “despicable:”

Center John Sullivan…agreed with Kluwe’s assessment and also wants to see the NFL penalize two other former Saints: safety Darren Sharper and defensive end Bobby McCray. … Sullivan questioned the meat behind the in-season suspension of Saints general manager Mickey Loomis — “seems like it would be more effective as a punishment during the draft,” he said

Sullivan made it clear: the Saints went after Brett Favre with an intent to hurt him » Continue reading “Vikings Round-Up: Final Week of March Madness”

The release of the NFL’s findings on the Saints bounty program and the penalties handed down by Commissioner Roger Goodell has sparked debate among Vikings fans considering one of their main targets was Brett Favre in the 2009 championship game.

The findings that pertain to the Vikings include:

• The investigation showed bounties being placed on four quarterbacks of opposing teams – Brett Favre, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, and Kurt Warner. Multiple sources have confirmed that several players pledged funds toward bounties on specific opposing players, with defensive captain Jonathan Vilmaoffering $10,000 to any player who knocked Brett Favre out of the NFC Championship Game in 2010.
• The following week, in the NFC Championship Game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saints defensive players were assessed $30,000 in fines for four separate illegal hits, several of which were directed against quarterback Brett Favre.
• Coach Vitt acknowledges that the defensive meeting preceding the 2010 NFC Championship Game may have “got out of hand” with respect to Brett Favre » Continue reading “NFL Comes Down Hard On Saints: Vikings Edition”

Current Seahawks QB Tarvaris Jackson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft.  As a Viking, you develop a “friendly hatred” toward the Green Bay Packers.  However, the events of the past 3 seasons may start to remove the world “friendly” from Tarvaris Jackson’s hatred toward the Packers.  But it’s not ALL the Packers he may “hate,” it’s 2 in particular and they happen to be quarterbacks: Brett Favre and Matt Flynn.

2009 and 2010 Season
The beginning of the 2009 off season, Tarvaris Jackson was battling fellow-QB Sage Rosenfels for the Vikings starting quarterback position.  During their QB square-off, head coach Brad Childress was also recruiting a “retired” Brett Favre:

The Vikings got an encouraging performance in their preseason open last week from quarterback Sage Rosenfels, who has been competiting with Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job. But neither of them have been consistently sharp in practice this month

And neither can compete with Favre’s ability or resume.

And just like that the Minnesota Vikings quarterback battle is no more:

“Even the first year [2009], we [players] never really got an explanation, a heads-up or something, but it was coach’s decisions.  We pretty much new and had our feelings about what was going on. In the back of our hearts, we pretty much knew he was coming.” - Tarvaris Jackson on Brett Favre joining the Minnesota Vikings

The 2010 off season was much like ’09 with no one knowing what Brett would do:

“I had a [phone] conversation with him before the first preseason game. He was wishing me luck, saying, ‘Go out there and be yourself. Be the quarterback you can be.’ So I figured he was really retired. A couple of days later, there he was talking to me in person, like, ‘Hey, I’m back.’ ”

It wasn’t until Chilly sent 3 veterans down to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to recruit Favre for one more go at bringing that elusive first Super Bowl trophy to Minnesota:

“When he came back, it was more of a surprise.”

And just like that, T.Jackson was once again replaced.

2011 Season: Time for Tavaris’ Fresh Start and to Open Up on the Past
Following the Vikings’ horrendous 2010 season, Jackson knew it was time to move on from the franchise that drafted him. Whatever team Jackson was going to pick, he wanted a chance to be the starter:

“[But] I’m not trying to be a backup.  I’m trying to go somewhere where I have a chance, and I don’t feel like I’d get that chance here [in Minnesota].  It’s time to move on.” – Jackson on new start

Enter new team: Seattle Seahawks.

When Tarvaris decided to sign with the ‘Hawks, he was able to breathe some fresh air because Pete Carroll was about giving him a chance to be their starter:

“He has not been in a good situation,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told Silver regarding Jackson, who was installed as a starter even before he was able to practice with the team. “He has been jerked around.  We wanted to put him in a stable situation.”

Added G.M. John Schneider of Jackson: “He’s 28 years old, and quite frankly was [expletive] on for four years.”

Tarvaris Jackson played through most of the 2011 season with a torn pectoral injury.  He threw for 3,091 yards, but only had 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

2012 Off-Season: HAHAHAHA!
Once again, here we are.  Jackson’s 2011 stats didn’t leave the ‘Hawks wanting more and on the search for a new quarterback.

Welcome Matt Flynn:

Flynn, a former seventh-round pick out of LSU, inked a three-year deal with Seattle on Sunday CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge confirmed…

The move means that Tarvaris Jackson, who started for Seattle much of last season, will almost certainly be the backup heading into training camp, although Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said in a statement that “We are really excited to bring Matt in here to compete with Tarvaris.”

And just like that, Tarvaris gets the “stable situation” rug ripped out right from under him.  And buddy, good luck winning the starting job considering your 2-year $8 million deal is nothing compared to the 3-year $26 million deal Flynn was given.  No one in their right mind would hand T.Jackson the job and pay Flynn a guaranteed $10 million to sit on the bench.

But, hey! That’s how the story goes:  Tarvaris Jackson just can’t compete with former Packers quarterbacks.

Since the reveal of the Saints’ Bounty Program investigation on Friday, there has been time to reflect on what events transpired and how it all makes sense now, especially as a Vikings fan.

Peter King talked to then-Vikings QB Brett Favre on Friday evening to get his opinions on the Saints’ Bounty Program (considering he was one of their main targets)

I caught Favre at the end of a day planting soybeans on his ranch in southern Mississippi Friday. The story had broken two hours earlier, and his cell phone kept vibrating. That’s how he knew something was up. When I told him the extent of it, and the Vilma story, I waited for his reaction. “Hmmmm,” he said, and paused. “That’s about it.” » Continue reading “Connecting the Dots to Bounty Gate: Vikings Edition”

Is any one else having severe deja vu?  All this Manning-Colts reports bring back bitter memories as a Packers (and more importantly, a Favre fan) during the summer of 2008.

So Colts fans, I understand how you feel.  Each day there is a different story (which usually is just a rumor).  The following day, the story has done a complete 180.  You don’t know which side is telling the truth or which side is just pulling a PR move to make themselves look better.  You will never know what actually happens behind closed doors, but most likely, we have an idea of how this Manning-Colts relationship is going to end. And for the sake of all parties involved, let’s hope Jim Irsay doesn’t look to Ted Thompson for advice. » Continue reading “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”