While several NFL teams were busy conducting their first official day of OTAs yesterday, NFL team owners met in Boston for the beginning of the quarterly league meetings.

The league proposed several changes at the meetings conducted on Monday, including the possibility of shifting the official start date for the league year and moving back the dates of the draft and the NFL combine to May. These proposed changes, if implemented, would be effective in 2014, with May 15-17 as the date currently being  set aside for the 2014 draft.

The NFLPA has reportedly signed off on the proposed changes by moving the start of free agency to the first week of March.

The league stressed that these changes are not final.

The league also continued to discuss the future of the Pro Bowl, per Pro Football Talk. Talks about the discontinuation of the Pro Bowl continue, though sources agree it is unlikely. As Mike Florio points out (a point disguised by a bunch of incoherent babbling), as long as the Pro Bowl continues to produce ratings and in turn, make money for advertisers, it’s sticking around. However, it’s a very real possibility changes to the way the game is played will be made.

Gronk underwent a fourth surgery on his forearm on Monday.

More news from Boston, this time on the status of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who successfully underwent a fourth surgery on his left forearm on Monday.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, doctors put in new plates that had been keeping the tight end’s broken bone in place. Doctors also believe that Gronkowski’s previous injection is now gone, though they will still need to wait until all the test results are cleared to officially confirm.

The estimated recovery time for Gronk is 10 weeks. It will be up to the coaching staff to determine whether or not he begins the season on the PUP list.

Also of note on Gronk’s health is some info from The Boston Herald: “On the horizon is back surgery, and that will be tackled next. As we learned Friday, a back problem has crept into the picture. According to a source, the surgery avenue will be explored in a month’s time as doctors will decide if a piece of disc needs to be removed.”

Expected recovery time for the back surgery is four months.

Other News:

• The San Diego Chargers are reportedly keeping high-profile draft pick Manti Te’o away from the media. According to NFL.com, the Chargers announced on Monday that Te’o will be unavailable to the media until the team beings minicamp on June 11th, calling the move an “organization decision.” Though the media is less than pleased with the Chargers’ decision, the move does seem to be in the best interest of both the team and the player.
• The New York Jets have not determined a course of action for running back Mike Goodson, who was arrested last Friday on drugs and weapons chargers, but according to Jets owner Woody Johnson, the team is “at a point of investigating the facts.” Johnson also willingly provided some humerous headlines for the tabloids today, telling the media the team is trying to be thorough and conduct themselves appropriately. “We’re trying to win games and do the right thing,” Johnson said. “Truth, justice and the American way. We live by it, we really do.” UPDATE: Goodson’s pre-indictment conference is set for June 12 in Morris County Superior Court, according to the court.
• What would a Tuesday edition of the blitz be without an obligatory Tim Tebow mention? Well, here it is: Tim Tebow, Reggie Bush, Vernon Gholston, and Ryan Leaf – among others – were named to NFL.com’s list of the most over-hyped NFL draft picks of all time.
• RG3 tweeted out a photo for Redskins fans on Sunday, thanking them for the excess of wedding gifts he and his soon-to-be-wife received from their Bed, Bath & Beyond registry. “Thank you to the Fans who are helping buy ALL the items from our wedding registry at Bed Bath & Beyond …,” tweeted Griffin.

Kristine Reese is the NFL editor and lead Jets writer for Aerys Sports. You can follow her on Twitter @KristineReese.

It’s Monday and I hope you have that coffee IV inserted! I have some headlines to share with to get this day off to a not so dreadful beginning!

Here we go!

Jay Cutler Dance Party, Y’all!

I know that like me, you may have found yourself wondering what exactly a dance party with Jay Cutler would be like.

Wonder no more, friends!

According to NBCChicago:

Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari are hosting an 80s dance party at Joe’s on Weed, 940 W. Weed St., in Chicago. The event is organized through the Jay Cutler Foundation and proceeds will benefit diabetes sufferers. The fundraiser, scheduled from 7-11 p.m. on July 18, will feature a special musical performance from 80s star Billy Ocean as well as an 80s tribute band The Breakfast Club.

As the musical selections may hint, the Jay and K-Cav are experienced in throwing 80s-themed parties.

Tickets for the 21+ event go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday and can purchased online.

Gronk could have more surgery

News seems to be getting worse for fans of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. » Continue reading “Monday Morning Blitz: Cutler Party, Gronk, RG3 Wedding Gifts and Bad Tats”

Gronk

It’s Monday! Put that IV of Coffee in and let’s talk some NFL!

* What on Earth, Gronk? So our favorite tight end with the New England Patriots, Rob Gronkowski, has quite the stubborn infection in his broken left forearm. According to NFL.com, sources report this could put into question Gronk’s availability for the start of the season.

According to NFL.com, doctors need to replace the current plate, which is the second plate to be placed, in his arm, but they can’t do so if the tissue is infected.

While Gronk is nearing the end of a six-week cycle of antibiotics, the player, his agent and team officials are supposed to meet soon to determine the proper course of action.

The surgical procedure around the tissue requires a 10-week recovery time, which would put Gronk in danger of missing the Patriots’ season opener.

Bad news for the Patriots. And bad news for Gronk. What are you doing, son! Stay healthy! We want to see you play!

For more information on Gronk, check out this story. And this one from USA Today, too.

* RG3 on the AP Track For Comeback. Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan believes his star QB Robert Griffin III is on the fast track to return from offseason knee surgery in top shape.

“He’ll set a record for coming back because that’s how hard he works,” Shanahan said on NFL Network. But he remained cautions as well. ”It takes time,” the coach said. “Robert will do it the right way and we’ll find out in July exactly where he’s at. He will not come back until he’s 100 percent.” » Continue reading “Monday Morning Blitz: Gronk, RG3, Flacco And More”

Geno Smith

It’s the Monday after Easter. I’m sure you are all coming down from food and candy comas, so take a big sip of your morning beverages and check out these headlines!

* Geno Smith. So who should draft West Virginia’s Geno Smith? Charley Casserly talked with NFL.com about who could possibly pick up the potential number one quarterback. Now. He said Buffalo. But this was obviously recorded prior to the Bills signing Kevin Kolb. He did suggest Arizona. But didn’t find it likely considering the Bills obvious need. I guess we will just have to see what happens.

ESPN is reporting, per sources, the Kansas City Chiefs will meet with Smith today. If that’s the case… poor Alex Smith.

* RG3 News and Notes! A little more information about the talk between President Barack Obama and Robert Griffin III was revealed Sunday. The President had some advice for the quarterback who will enter his second season this fall. Noting an injury that ended his spectacular rookie campaign, the president advised RG3 to protect himself on the field.

Yeah…

Good advice coming from the President who advised Michael Vick to learn how to slide!

* NFL Community Reaches out to Kevin Ware. RG3 was one of many NFLr’s to reach out to Kevin Ware, the Louisville basketball player, who suffered a horrible leg injury during Sunday’s Elite Eight game against Duke.

* Cleveland Brown QB Problems? The Cleveland Browns signed quarterback Jason Campbell last week. If this leaves you scratching your head wondering why, we’re in the same boat! The Browns have a fine QB in Brandon Weeden, who will enter his second season this fall. So what is up? Per NFL.com,  Weeden will get “most” of the first-team reps in off-season workouts, meaning Jason Campbell will at least begin the Browns’ off-season program firmly in a backup role. And there is still the 2013 NFL Draft. The Brown haven’t ruled out selecting a quarterback next month, though an underwhleming draft class might work to the advantage of both Weeden and Campbell. » Continue reading “Monday Morning Blitz: Geno Smith, Brown QB Quandry, Matt Flynn and More”

Another Sunday morning, another Blitz. Finish making your Eggs Benedict first, though.

Much of the talk in Chicago has been about the whole Brian Urlacher not being with the Bears anymore and focusing on the free agent market. Former teammate Olin Kreutz spoke about Urlacher in a interview. Former Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache also had spoke about Urlacher in an interview with Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

In other free agency news, punter Shane Lechler signed a three-year contract with the Houston Texans Saturday. The Aerys Raiders blog, The Silver Lining, bids farewell to Lechler, who has played with Oakland since the 2000 season.

In the where are they now edition of…well okay I haven’t really created one. However, former NFL running back Maurice Clarett is focusing on a new sport. Clarett has been practicing rugby in Columbus, Ohio and hopes he can be part of the Olympics in 2016, reports NESN.

It was a busy Saturday in Dallas as members from the Cowboys, both past and present, were at the “Men Against Abuse” rally. Hall of Famer Roger Staubach was among the noted Cowboys at the rally. But the big surprise speaker was Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant. Also appearing at the rally was Cowboys player Josh Brent, according to the Dallas Morning News.

In New York, the Jets are…well the Jets. However, Gary Myers of the New York Daily News spoke with Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll regarding quarterback Mark Sanchez. As for that “other” Jets quarterback…well…Tim Tebow lost at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Tebow was nominated for Best Male Athlete. The winner was LeBron James. I’ve heard he’s a basketball player.

Meanwhile in Washington, it looks like things are going well for Robert Griffin III. Dr. James Andrews told ESPN that RGIII’s recovery was “ahead of schedule.”

Our shopping item for the week comes from eBay. For $10, you can purchase a kids sized Travis Taylor Minnesota Vikings jersey. I guess it would make a good Easter gift.

That’s all for this day. Make sure you enjoy the rest of your breakfast.

Looks like all the talk about RGIII and his injury are over with for now. A much greater issue hangs over the head of the Washington [Team Name Here].

There’s no shortage of people that want the team change their name.

This of course isn’t new. In 2009, a group of native Americans tried to get the United States Supreme Court to have Washington change its name. This has been going on for years and years. In fact, one April Fools Day, a radio station in Fredericksburg told listeners the team was changing its name to the Washington Presidents.

The term itself is derogatory towards native Americans and has a long history. There’s a very good report by Ives Goddard (PDF) if you want to get a full understanding of the term and how long it has been around (HINT: Since Colonial times)

George Preston Marshall, the owner and founder of the team, changed it to the current name from the Braves in honor of Coach William Henry “Lone Star” Dietz. Dietz coached for only two seasons in the NFL, leading the team to a 11-11-2 record. However, Dietz’s heritage has been called into question in years past. The following is text from author Linda Waggoner:

For the sake of space, here’s some of what is NOT true about Ewers’ “Lone Star” Dietz: 1) There is absolutely no proof he was an Oglala Lakota; 2) He did not attend Chilocco Indian school before arriving at Carlisle (he went to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., and Friends University in Wichita, Kan.); and 3) Dietz’s romantic story about his birth and childhood in South Dakota (which Ewers quotes verbatim) was entirely fabricated. Though Dietz may have had Native ancestry (but it may be impossible to prove whether he did), he was posing as “Indian,” and needing an origin story to make himself appear authentic, he created one.

I suggest reading Waggoner’s five part series on the topic.

The team has responded to this controversy as of late by…well…posting articles about the team nickname and how many high schools around the country use the name and are “proud.” I guess we should give them a little bit of credit for Using Max Preps as a reference.

But here’s the thing, lots of schools are changing their team nickname. One of the most notable examples was Stanford, who changed their nickname to the Cardinals in 1972, after being called the Indians for 42 years. Native American students petitioned the University for a name change.

Recently, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights filed a lawsuit against 35 schools that still use native American nicknames.

Of course, one of the players had to speak up about the name change controversy, right? Well, Jordan Black did so on Monday. Black said he didn’t understand the hoopla behind the call for the name change and wasn’t aware of anyone using the racial slur. Now, as a person of Nordic descent, I’m more offended as to why he questions whether or not he’ll eat a McRib, instead of the idea that I should be offended by the Vikings name. (It’s all apples and McRib’s, ya know)

Some media outlets have chosen not to use the Washington team name. The Washington City Paper, the same paper Daniel Snyder sued because he’s Daniel Snyder, have opted to call the team the Pigskins. The Kansas City Star states it is policy not to mention the team nickname. DCist also avoids using the name, calling them the Washington ‘Skins.

With the team having success this season and possibly next season, the controversy won’t fade away. A segment of the native American population wants to see this change happen. At some point, Mr. Snyder needs to realize that this topic can’t be swept under the rug.

It’s safe to say that Robert Griffin III has one of the coolest nicknames in the NFL. “RG3″ is like a nifty mix between Star Wars, killer robots, and spaceships or something. Plus it rhymes. But after he and his team, the Washington Redskins, pulled out a win against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, RG3 now has the TWO coolest nicknames in the NFL. Hello, “Black Jesus.” Yep, that’s what teammate Fred Davis dubbed his quarterback after the win.

I will NOT abuse the standard cliche that this guy walks on water. Instead, let me present to you the three types of people who will be spoil-sports and disagree with RG3’s new nickname.

1. Old people. I’m serious, dear readers. Old people everywhere are already complaining that the Black Jesus nickname belongs to Earl Monroe, a flamboyant basketball player who played professionally from the 60s to the 80s. Despite my love for Denzel Washington, I have to put him in this category of haters too:

2. The baseball-loving half of D.C. It was only two years ago that teammates named rookie pitcher for the Nationals, Stephen Strasburg, “Jesus” for his ability to throw. At least ten people in the city have to be upset about that. Anyone else think it’s weird that Washington D.C. keeps trying to nickname its sports stars Jesus?

3. New York City. I’m fairly certain New Yorkers will take any chance to argue that their whatever is better than your whatever, and with Jesus it’s no different. Tim Tebow, dubbed “Sexy Jesus” (after the photo below) was already being compared to RG3, football-wise, meme-wise, and now Jesus-wise. PLEASE, someone out there, call Tom Brady the Doubting Tom to Tim’s Sexy Jesus for the Patriots vs. Jets game. This weekend is your big opportunity for this sort of useless comparison!

It seems pretty obvious that those are the only people who may not like the nickname Black Jesus. Everyone else, start using it interchangeably with RG3, and make it happen!

Emily Ritter is a contributing writer to Aerys Offsides and covers Sporting Kansas City for Aerys Sports. She really has nothing against old people, baseball-loving politicians, or New York City, but loves a good nickname. Follow her on Twitter @ebritter2.

Billy Cundiff had quite the day Sunday

The Washington Redskins made it back to .500 Sunday afternoon after they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-22.

The difference was a 41-yard field goal with three seconds left by Washington kicker Billy Cundiff. It had been a rough day for Cundiff up until that point. He missed three field goals leading up to the game-winner.

Cundiff secured the win for Washington after Tampa Bay took the lead for the second time of the day with 1:42 left. Connor Barth hit his third field goal for the game, a 47-yarder, to give the Bucs a 22-21 lead.

On the last drive, Robert Griffin III was able to drive Washington down the field, which included a couple of completions to Santana Moss and Fred Davis.

It was another strong day for RGIII as he completed 26-of-35 passes for 323 yards. The rookie had seven carries for 43 yards and one touchdown. Griffin could have had a two rushing touchdowns, but a fumble at the end of the quarter went into the end zone and was recovered by Pierre Garcon.

Alfred Morris also stepped up for Washington Sunday, rushing for 113 yards and one touchdown.

Besides the kicking game, Washington had issues with third downs. They converted one third down out of 10 attempts Sunday.

The Redskins will need to take care of their problems by next week. They will be home to face the undefeated Atlanta Falcons.

Brandon Weeden

By Kristen Shilton

Do you remember your first job after college?

It was probably something entry-level, where you made just enough money to eat Ramen six nights a week and lived in a state of constant fear over screwing up and getting fired.

Despite everything you did in college, all the experiences you gained through volunteering and work study and part-time jobs and summer internships, you probably still felt overwhelmed in that first post-graduate role.

You made mistakes. You asked questions. You learned.

That’s the reality for the majority of young people entering the work force. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. So why are we willing to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt that we’ll improve, and allow ourselves the chance to grow, but not give it to, say, a rookie quarterback?

No matter how many millions a first-round draft choice gets, a rookie quarterback is still a rookie quarterback. He’s just like you were (or are). He’s unsure. He’s nervous. He’s got a national spotlight shining in his face and a million-people strong fan base riding on his back (which you, most likely, did not). » Continue reading “Time To Give Rookies A Chance”

Days after being cut by the IFL’s Allen Wrangler’s, Terrell Owens made an announcement that is really no surprise.

He wants back in the NFL! This surprised baby face should accurately depict how surprised I am certain you are…

Here’s the steps T.O. has taken. No more Drew Rosenhaus. Yeah. I know! He hired Jordan Woy.

The follow statement from T.O., first off does make me way to go grab some popcorn. Secondly? I know it’s hard to believe, but it makes me think he could be serious. Or wants all of us to think that anyway.

“I am making changes in my life so I can continue my career as a professional football player,” Owens, 38, said in the statement.

“I love the game of football and I know I can help a team,” Owens’ statement read. “I have had to go through some humbling times but I am more determined than ever to show a team that I can be a huge asset to them as a player and a team leader in the locker room.” » Continue reading “News Bits: TO Wants Back In Edition”