Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield paid tribute to Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger as the two players prepared to do battle in Monday Night Football.
Roethlisberger said this week "all the signs" are that the clash will be his last regular-season game at Heinz Field.
The 39-year-old is anticipated to retire after the 2021 season amid reports he has told former team-mates and people within the franchise that he expects to bring his illustrious career to an end.
The Steelers great, a winner of two Super Bowls, gave a strong indication his playing days are almost over as Pittsburgh strive to sneak into the playoffs without explicitly confirming he would retire.
And Mayfield, who was asked about the comments, revealed he was a huge admirer of Roethlisberger even though he will be looking to deny the veteran's bid for a last postseason appearance.
"There is a lot that I admire about his game and respect about it, to be honest with you," said Mayfield.
"His play, he extends plays, but he also trusts his guys thoroughly.
"He trusts his receivers, tight ends and all of those guys to make plays for him, and he has done it consistently, no matter who has been out there with him.
"When it comes to fourth quarter or coming back and sparking drives for a comeback and when a play is needed to be made, he has consistently done that for a long, long time.
"That is something you can't teach. He has just had that, and that is why he has had success for so long."
Six-time Pro Bowler Roethlisberger has spent an incredible 18 years with the Steelers and has 163 career wins to his name, a record in the NFL for players who have spent their entire career with one team.
Tom Brady is the only quarterback to have won more games with a single franchise, racking up 219 victories for the New England Patriots.
The Browns are 7-8 while the Steelers are at 7-7-1, but neither team are out of contention in a competitive AFC North.
Mayfield added: "With everything in our division and the situation at hand for both teams right now, regardless of Ben's situation, I think it will be a great environment.
"To add on top of that, just everything that he has given to that franchise over the years and the success he has had consistently for a very, very long time, I have nothing but respect for Ben.
"I am expecting just an even better environment. Both teams to be playing for the likelihood of the playoffs at hand.
"It is just one of those things that everything is aligning to where this game matters quite a bit, but for us, we need to handle it like any other game – one play at a time and do our job at the best possible level we can."
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski added about Roethlisberger: "Obviously, he is a great player, but I am really focused on trying to defend him Monday night. He is still playing at a really high level."
Remarkably, the Steelers have won 17 straight home regular season games against the Browns, the third-longest home winning streak against one team in NFL history, though Cleveland did win in the playoffs last season.
Pittsburgh have scored fewer than 20 points in eight of their 15 games this season, the most such games in one season since 2003, when they were held below 20 points nine times.
Roethlisberger, though, has a 24-2-1 record in his 27 career starts against the Browns.
Cleveland's last three games were a 24-22 win against the Ravens, 16-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders and a 24-22 loss at the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day.
It is only the second time in Browns history that they have played three consecutive games decided by no more than a two-point margin following a similar run in 2014.
Raiders release defensive end Chandler Jones after arrest
The Las Vegas Raiders released Chandler Jones on Saturday, less than 48 hours after the defensive end’s arrest.
The club confirmed the move with a post on social media.
Jones, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, has been away from the team since before this season after a flurry of social media posts criticising the team’s leadership. He was placed on the non-football injury/illness list on Sept. 20.
Jones was in the second season of a three-year, $51million contract.
Jones’ arrest was the latest in a series of concerning developments that led to the Raiders cutting ties with the veteran sack artist.
Jones said on social media Monday that he had been hospitalised and taken to a behavioural health facility “against my will.”
The 33-year-old continued his concerning and bizarre social media activity throughout the week, including multiple live videos.
In one video, Jones spoke about a variety of topics for about 25 minutes before breaking down in tears while discussing the death of former teammate Aaron Hernandez.
Jones has since deleted those posts and said that his account had been hacked.
Early Friday morning, Vegas-area police arrested Jones on accusations of violating a domestic violence temporary restraining order. He was detained at the Clark County Detention Center before paying his $15,000 bail.
There has been a wave of growing concern about Jones’ mental health, given his erratic behaviour.
After Jones’ arrest, the Raiders posted a statement on social media saying they are “hopeful that Chandler Jones receives the care that he needs. He, his family, and all those involved are in our thoughts. As this is now a legal matter, we will not be providing further comment.”
Jones has 112 career sacks over 11 seasons with the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals and Raiders.
Manchester rivals suffer three o'clock woe
Manchester City and Manchester United both lost on Saturday, breaking a decade-old wait for the two rivals to fall to a defeat in a 3pm kick-off.
It is rare for both United and City to play in the traditional Saturday slot, but that was the case as Erik ten Hag's side hosted Crystal Palace and Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions headed to Wolves.
Yet neither team will be in a rush to remember this particular afternoon in a hurry, as they both lost in a 3pm Saturday kick-off for the first time since September 28, 2013.
United lost 1-0, with Joachim Andersen's goal making Roy Hodgson the first manager to go unbeaten in five successive Premier League trips to Old Trafford. City, meanwhile, went down 2-1 at Molineux, with Hwang Hee-chan getting the winner for Wolves.
No Rodri, big problems
City lost to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday and, without star midfielder Rodri – who was serving the second of a three-match suspension for the red card he received against Nottingham Forest – they found themselves on the end of a defeat again at Wolves.
Since Rodri made his Premier League debut in August 2019, City have lost five of 15 matches without the Spaniard in the competition (W9 D1); by contrast, they have lost just five of their last 67 league games when Rodri has featured (W53 D9).
Travis Etienne keen to ‘put on great show’ on Jacksonville Jaguars’ London trip
Star running back Travis Etienne wants to “put on a great show” as the Jacksonville Jaguars make NFL history by playing back-to-back games in London.
The UK has long been a home away from home for the Florida franchise, who are breaking new ground by becoming the first team to play two regular season games outside of the United States.
The Jaguars kick off the 2023 International Games on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley – their 10th game in England as part of a multi-year commitment to play in the region.
Doug Pederson’s side remain in London to face the Buffalo Bills at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next weekend as part of an unprecedented 10-day stay that the talented Etienne is relishing.
View this post on Instagram“I feel this could be a time for us to rally together and just kind of grow, continue to build and just come together as a team,” the 24-year-old running back told the PA news agency.
“When we leave there, I want them to know the Jaguars were here, and we put on a great show and they can’t wait to see us again.
“I feel like it’s going to be an exciting time in London.”
It is a decade since the Jags first played in England and owner Shahid Khan told PA last year that the “goal is for London and the UK to always be a part of the Jacksonville Jaguars identity”.
Khan also said “we’ve been clear in our commitment to play a home game in London every year”, with Etienne getting his first taste of it in last October’s Wembley loss to the Denver Broncos.
“I really became aware of that (fanaticism) last year when I took my first trip out there to play the game,” he said of the 21-17 defeat in which he scored a touchdown.
“It was a tremendous experience for me just being in London for the first time and having a chance to go out there and showcase my skillset to the world.
“I took a loss on my first trip, so this trip I want to leave win a win.
“It’ll make me feel so much better and then have an opportunity to get two wins is going to be awesome.”
Last year’s London loss came during a five-game losing streak – the lowest point in a season that ended with the AFC South crown and stunning wild-card comeback win in a playoff run that ended in the divisional round.
It was quite the turnaround for a team that had recorded the NFL’s worst regular season record in the previous two seasons and led to heightened expectations this time around.
The Jags have begun 2023 sluggishly and are hoping to get back in the groove in London following losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and, more alarmingly, the unfancied Houston Texans.
“This was only week three and we have 14 more games ahead of us, so we can’t let this bleed into other games,” Etienne said.
“We have to understand that this is not last season. We have to put last season to bed.
“We have to focus on this season because the reality of the situation is we’re 1-2 right now and we haven’t been very good this season.
“Last season means nothing. If anything, last year put a target on our back so we’re going to get everybody’s best shot, so we have to go out there and give everybody our best shot each and every day we step on that field.”
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