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Friday, September 28, 2012

Phil Dawson sets another NFL record





September 27, 2012


ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo:
Phil Dawson now has 11 FG made of 50+ yards since start of last season, the most of any kicker (Janikowski and Akers w/ 8).


ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo:
Phil Dawson: 3 FG of 50+ yds in this game, tying the record for most 50-yd FG made in a game (done 6 times previously, 2x in 2011).


ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo:
Phil Dawson is the 1st player in NFL history to kick 3 50-yd FG in a single half.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Anthony Gonzalez moves from NFL to grad school




Anthony Gonzalez made a lot of big catches at Ohio State but is best remembered for making this leaping catch of a Troy Smith pass at Michigan in 2005 that set up the game-winning touchdown.

By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer

September 27, 2012

Columbus -- The application for the Stanford Graduate School of Business, from an accomplished 2006 Ohio State graduate, didn't include a lot of relevant work experience. There was some activity with his profession's labor group and a charity with which he'd become involved.

Other than that, there was just that one job -- professional football player.

Throw in his status as a first-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts and Academic All-American at Ohio State; that helicoptering, game-saving catch against Michigan in 2005 and the national championship game in 2006; and the idea that, if needed, Peyton Manning could be a reference, and Anthony Gonzalez got in.

And now he's no longer a football player.

The former St. Ignatius and Ohio State star began classes at Stanford last week, turning 28 on the second day of class. After two solid years with the Colts in 2007 and '08 and three years since battling injuries, Gonzalez is content to move on from football.

"One hundred million percent, no doubt," Gonzalez said Wednesday during a phone interview with The Plain Dealer from Northern California.

After catching 94 passes for 1,240 yards his first two years in the league, a litany of injuries -- both knees, ankle, back -- limited him to 11 games and just five catches between 2009 and '11. He signed with the New England Patriots in the off-season, but after a virus, wisdom teeth surgery and a scheduled second sports hernia surgery after there were complications from the first, the Patriots released Gonzalez in May. Gonzalez had already laid the groundwork at Stanford, and he took that as a sign.

"I'm actually happy they released me," Gonzalez said. "My body definitely was and still is telling me you shouldn't be playing professional sports right now."

He still trained and thought about going to preseason training camp, but no teams called for a while. When one did at the end of the preseason, Gonzalez said no.

"That was a big moment," Gonzalez said, "and honestly, there was a huge overwhelming sense of relief. I finally made the decision. Deep down it's what I really wanted, but it was still really difficult to do."

So now he's in the two-year business program, thinking he'd some day like to open his own business. The possibilities in Silicon Valley excite him, but he's also just enjoying life as an anonymous student. As he meets new people, they ask and he explains his background. And he finds they don't care much.

"The people here are so accomplished and so humble, it's not that big a deal," Gonzalez said. "I tell people and they say, 'That's interesting.' But I don't think I have one of the most interesting backgrounds I've heard."

Neil Cornrich, the Beachwood-based agent for Gonzalez, said another team could call later in the season, and he thinks there's a chance his client could reconsider. But he's also not surprised at this path.

"All the successes he's had, academically and in football, he has a chance to surpass by going into the world of business," Cornrich said.


Six years after he caught 51 passes, including eight touchdowns, during Ohio State's 2006 season, Gonzalez is back in class and out of the game. His body, his head and his heart are telling him he's in the right place.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Phil Dawson among UT Athletics 2012 Men's Hall of Honor inductees





Major Applewhite (Football, 1998-2001), Phil Dawson (Football, 1994-97), Winthrop Graham (Track, 1987-89) and Jim Hudson (Football, 1962-64) are among the eight-member class.

September 17, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas -- Eight distinguished and decorated former University of Texas student-athletes are to be inducted into the Men's Athletics Hall of Honor later this fall.

The 56th Men's Hall of Honor class includes Major Applewhite (Football, 1998-2001), record-setting quarterback and 1999 co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year; Phil Dawson (Football, 1994-97), All-American kicker; Winthrop Graham (Track, 1987-89), Olympian and national champion hurdler; and Jim Hudson (Football, 1962-64), safety on UT's first national championship team.

Founded in 1957, the Longhorn Hall of Honor is one of the most cherished athletics traditions at The University of Texas. Its governing body -- the Longhorn Hall of Honor Council -- is made up exclusively of men who have lettered at UT. Each year, a selection committee nominates 16 candidates whose names are distributed to the Hall of Honor Council. To be eligible for nomination, a letterman must have completed his eligibility 10 years prior to the year of election. The four nominees receiving a majority of votes are inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.

Vintage selections Mike Dean (Football, 1968-70), Preston Davis (Track/Cross Country, 1963-65), Hub Ingraham (Football, 1950-53) and Dr. Carey Windler (Team Orthopedist, 1987-present) round out the class.

The induction banquet for the 2012 class is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 19 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. The dinner ceremony begins at 6:15 p.m., and tickets are $60 each. Those interested in attending this special event can purchase tickets through the T-Association by calling 512-471-6864.

Applewhite, currently the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the Longhorns, was UT's team captain as a senior in 2001 when he capped his career by throwing for a school-record 473 yards in the Holiday Bowl. His bowl-game-record four passing touchdowns pushed UT past No. 20 Washington 47-43, and Applewhite was inducted into the Holiday Bowl Hall of Fame last summer. The 1999 co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year set school records in career (8,353) and season (3,357/1999) passing yards. Applewhite established UT freshman records with 2,453 passing yards and 18 TDs and was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 1998. That same year against Oklahoma, Applewhite found wide receiver Wane McGarity with a 97-yard pass, the longest scoring play in UT history. Following his playing career, Applewhite spent one season as a graduate assistant coach at UT, and then coached quarterbacks at Syracuse in 2005. He served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Rice (2006) and Alabama (2007), and Applewhite returned to his alma mater as a running backs coach in 2008.

Dawson was a four-year starting placekicker who finished his career with 13 Longhorn records, including all-time marks for scoring (339), field goals (59) and field goal accuracy (74.7 percent). Dawson made 15-straight field goals in 1996-97, a UT record, and connected on six-straight field goals of at least 50 yards in 1995-97 to establish another program best. A two-time Lou Groza Award semi-finalist, Dawson also was named First Team All-Big 12 in 1996 and voted First Team All-SWC as a freshman. Currently in his 14th NFL season with the Cleveland Browns, Dawson resides in Austin, Texas, during the offseason.

Graham is the first UT male track athlete to win medals at two separate Olympics, claiming two silver medals in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1992 games in Barcelona. He also won two World Championships representing his native Jamaica. A six-time All-American at UT, Graham won the NCAA Outdoor title in the 400 hurdles in 1989. He holds the top 10 times for UT hurdlers, topped by his 48.04 mark in Seoul. Since leaving UT, Graham has remained an active supporter of UT Athletics and is currently in the natural foods business in Austin, Texas.

Hudson played defensive safety and quarterback during a UT career that paralleled with the Longhorns' rise to national prominence. The defensive standout had a team-high five interceptions on UT's 1963 national championship squad. He also ignited UT's win over Bear Bryant and top-ranked Alabama, 21-17, in the 1965 Orange Bowl with a 69-yard scoring pass to George Sauer. Hudson played six seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets. A native of La Feria, Texas, Hudson has previously been inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame. He currently resides in Austin, Texas.
Davis won SWC Cross Country titles in 1963 and 1965, and the three-year letterman won the 1966 conference title in the 880-yard run in a school and league record time. Davis was a finalist in the 1,500 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1968, the same year he won the Jerry Thompson Mile at the Texas Relays. Following a private coaching career, Davis is retired and living in southern California.

Dean was a two-year starter for the Longhorns during the 1969-70 national championship seasons. A top blocker despite a slight, 200-pound build, Dean is a member of the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.

Ingraham lettered in both football and baseball while also serving as a member of the Air Force ROTC. Ingraham was a multi-dimensional player on offense and defense for the football team. He has continued to represent UT with the Texas Exes and other active community committees.

Windler has been the orthopaedic surgeon for UT's men's athletics teams since 1986. He received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston after graduating with honors from Texas Tech. Windler has served as president of the Texas Orthopaedic Association and named a Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Ebner a special find for Pats



Former rugby player impressing Belichick with hard work and football instincts

By Mike Reiss

September 14, 2012

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots have placed a heavy emphasis on special teams entering Sunday's home opener against the Arizona Cardinals, as it's an area in which the Cardinals have shown a knack for making game-changing plays.

This provides a nice springboard to spotlight one of the Patriots' more compelling individual storylines from the young 2012 season -- the unexpected rise of rugby-turned-football player Nate Ebner, the sixth-round draft choice from Ohio State whose draft-day selection was so far off the radar that analysts were tongue-tied to say anything about him.


Tom Brady had a hand for Nate Ebner (No. 43) and the defense after a fourth-quarter defensive stop against the Titans last weekend.

Yes, it's the same Ebner who played a team-high 22 special-teams snaps in this past Sunday's 34-13 season-opening win over the Titans, finishing with a team-high two special-teams tackles. One of those tackles was Larry Izzo-like, as he fearlessly surged down the middle of the field and dropped dangerous returner Darius Reynaud with a sound one-on-one open-field takedown.

Such plays, coupled with consistent work since he overcame injury to take the field in the second week of training camp, have caught the eye of some of the team's more established veterans.

"He's going to be an impact player and help the team out a lot," said linebacker Tracy White, now in the 10th season of a career in which he's carved out a niche on special teams. "He has good instincts and he's a hard-nosed player. From the way he goes about meetings and studies, he knows what he's doing. He's telling me things at times."


White recalled one play on the punt-protection unit from last week that reflected Ebner's veteran-like presence. The two line up side by side on the punt team, and in addition to communicating what they see in front of them, there is an element of them reading each other once the ball is snapped.

"He said something about what he saw -- I saw it, too -- and to hear it come from a rookie, it was surprising," White said.

In some ways, the Patriots' selection of Ebner was similar to what they pulled off in 2008 when they drafted UCLA's Matthew Slater in the fifth round. While other teams might have viewed the Patriots as reaching for Slater, who wasn't a front-line contributor on offense or defense in college, the Patriots had a specific special-teams type role in mind (Slater earned a Pro Bowl berth for special teams in 2011).

Ditto for Ebner, whose early impact in that area hasn't seemed to surprise coach Bill Belichick. It's been Ebner's solid work on defense, where he played just three snaps for Ohio State in 2011, that has seemingly come out of nowhere, as he had an interception in the preseason and was consistently around the ball in practice.

"Instinctively, he kind of has a nose for the ball [and understands] leverage, and how to play off blockers and read the quarterback," Belichick said. "It's not perfect, but he has a little bit of a knack for that. He sees other things around him and has a way of putting it together."


If not for Ebner's surprising work on defense, the Patriots might have kept veteran safety James Ihedigbo at the final roster cut-down. Instead, they have Ebner and second-round draft choice Tavon Wilson as their top reserves behind Steve Gregory and Patrick Chung.

Belichick highlighted Ebner's solid size (6-foot, 210 pounds), good speed and quickness, toughness, and sound tackling as some of the things he has going for him. All of which leads to the question: How could he have played just three defensive snaps last season for Ohio State?

"I don't have the answers to anything like that," Ebner politely said Friday as he taped his wrists for practice. "All I can say is that I learned a great deal at Ohio State. There were great coaches, it was a great place to be and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I learned so much there, and it was a huge part of me being where I am today."

Belichick drew a comparison between Ebner and former Patriots offensive lineman Stephen Neal, a collegiate wrestler who ultimately became a solid contributor for the team from 2004 to 2010. When the Patriots were scouting Neal, they were projecting what he might be able to do.

"It's hard to see instincts on a wrestling mat," Belichick said. "You don't know how those things are going to turn out, but I would say Nate has better-than-average overall [instincts] and a feel for the game that I don't want to say you can't coach, but some guys have more than others. I would say at this point early in the running, it seems like he has a pretty decent instinctive nature for the game."




Ebner says his football instincts come from hard work at practice. "And then the more games and experience you get, the better your instincts become," he said.

Ebner, who hails from Dublin, Ohio, said his instincts come from hard work on the practice field. He took the same approach at Ohio State.

"All the days that were out there grinding, I'd say you develop your instincts through that," he said, adding that he's a harsh critic of himself in terms of never wanting to make the same mistake twice. "And then the more games and experience you get, the better your instincts become."

For Belichick, underrated director of player personnel Nick Caserio and the rest of the team's scouting staff, seeing Ebner make an early impression is part of the reward for their hard work. Belichick compared it to the scouting of Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman in 2009, and how the team switched him to receiver and punt returner. Quarterback Matt Cassel, who had hardly played in college, was a similar example of a player with whom the team was making a projection in the draft (seventh round, 2005).

"There are some unknowns when you do that," Belichick said. "Sometimes you're right, sometimes you're wrong or sometimes for whatever reason it just doesn't work out. That's pretty unscientific. You take the information you have, do the best you can to analyze it and look at it, but it's far from a sure thing."

The early returns on Ebner indicate otherwise.

In a week when the Patriots are placing a heavy emphasis on special teams, the Patriots' out-of-nowhere rookie drew praise from Belichick.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Former All-American Nelson to serve as honorary captain





SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

BY TROY HYDE

For the second straight weekend, a former Hawkeye legend will make his way back to Iowa City and serve as Iowa's honorary captain.

Former Hawkeye All-American center Bruce Nelson will take that honor Saturday as the Hawkeyes try to bounce back from a loss against Iowa State by playing FCS No. 7 Northern Iowa.

Kickoff for the game at Kinnick Stadium is set for 2:42 p.m. Iowa leads the all-time series with the Panthers 14-1 and has won 14 straight games.

Nelson was a first-team All-American in 2002 as the Hawkeyes posted a perfect 8-0 mark in the Big Ten Conference. He also helped Iowa to its first-ever BCS appearance when the Hawkeyes took on USC in the Orange Bowl.

Like many other Hawkeye greats, Nelson joined the Iowa program as a walk-on after graduating from Emmetsburg High School. He redshirted his freshman season and then started 48 straight games the next four seasons.

Nelson also was named a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and CNNSI.com, and he was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, presented annually to the top center in the nation.

The Hawkeyes won 11 games in 2002 and set a single-season school record in points with 484, touchdowns with 60 and points per game at 37.2. The Hawkeyes also led the Big Ten in scoring in 2001 at 31.6 points per game and featured a 1,000-yard back in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Nelson also excelled in the classroom, as he earned academic all-Big Ten recognition in each of his final three years. Nelson was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.

Nelson will accompany the Iowa captains to the center of the field for Saturday’s pregame coin toss. He will also be with the Hawkeyes in the locker room before and after the game, and on the sidelines during the contest.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Giants Players Have Healthy Message For New Rochelle Kids




New York Giants football players Selvish Capers (left), Matt Broha (middle), and Markus Kuhn (right) stand with Albert Leonard Middle School Assistant Principal Rodney Arthur and Albert Leonard students at the school Tuesday. Photo credit:Justin Stock

By Justin Stock

September 12, 2012

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Three New York Giants players visited New Rochelle schools Tuesday to promote health and fitness, part of the National Football League's effort to fight childhood obesity.

The Giants and the American Heart Association partnered for the event.

Offensive lineman Selvish Capers said he wanted to make sure students knew how important staying active is.

“I’m just really excited to be here and promote NFL Play 60,” said Capers.

NFL players use the program and to get kids active as a way to reduce the incidence of obesity.

Capers and students jumped rope and did running drills and other exercises in the Albert Leonard Middle School gym. Players then spoke to Isaac Young Middle School students in their auditorium.

Giants defensive end Matt Broha said the experience was all about the students.

“It’s just having fun with the kids,” he said.

Broha, Capers and defensive tackle Markus Kuhn had lunch with New Rochelle firefighters, and made a stop at a local grocery store before leaving town.

Other Giants players visited other locations around the area including West Point, and schools around Piscataway, N.J.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Phil Dawson is "booming kickoffs"





From Mary Kay Cabot's "Cleveland Browns 2012 preview: roster breakdown by position"

September 9, 2012

SPECIALISTS

Starters: K Phil Dawson, P Reggie Hodges, LS Christian Yount, PR Josh Cribbs, KR Jordan Norwood.

Backups: Benjamin, Skrine, Norwood.

Analysis: The Browns aren't worried about two blocked Reggie Hodges punts in preseason, because they didn't have all their starters on the field. The coverage teams should be improved with Cribbs helping out and all of the young guys.

Phil Dawson is one of the best in the business and is also booming kickoffs. Cribbs will return punts and kicks, but the Browns hope to get speedster Benjamin in on the action.

NC Sports clients' plays among best in Ohio State history



September 8, 2012

From Bill Livingston's "Smith’s a catch among catches"

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A great catch defies gravity, boundaries and defenders' obstruction.

A great catch makes you accuse your eyes of lying.

A great catch can inspire a team, ignite a crowd and transform a player.

Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Devin Smith made a great catch last Saturday against Miami (Ohio). It earned a two-page photo spread in the current Sports Illustrated. It was the top catch in the first week of college football, according to ESPN. It might turn out to be the best of the season.

Big-game context, of course, is what Smith's one-handed, back-of-end zone, beyond-belief catch lacks. It was not against Michigan, the ancient rival, or Wisconsin, the new one.

"We really try to evaluate, 'Who can make a big play?' I ask the question all the time, 'Who can physically score the touchdown?' I didn't know Devin Smith could. I have not seen it. Now I know he can," said coach Urban Meyer. "I'm not talking about the one [by Smith last season] against Wisconsin, where the guy scrambles the run, catches it and falls down. I mean, go make a touchdown."

I've been covering Ohio State football since Chris Spielman was a freshman. Here are the rankings of the best Buckeyes catches I have ever seen:

1. Devin Smith vs. Miami (Ohio), 2012: There have been many bigger catches, in terms of context, but none that was more difficult (see http://tinyurl.com/9n7ggzw). One demand of a great catch can be reacting to an off-line throw. A great touchdown catch also beats a great nonscoring catch, in my view.

On Smith's snag, the ball seemed so clearly overthrown that the Miami defender, playing behind him, extended his arms to try to make the interception. But a twisting Smith leaped backward, caught the ball with one hand and -- now for the surreal part -- never steadied it against his body, including on the landing.

"I finally saw some still shots of it, and that as a good a catch as I've ever seen," Meyer said.

2. Cris Carter, 1985 Citrus Bowl against Brigham Young: The catch is in the first 20 seconds of this clip (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xu9SgfabTU). Said quarterback Jim Karsatos, "When I finally saw it on film, he was tiptoeing the sidelines, and he jumped up and caught the ball left-handed by the point of the football at least a yard out of bounds. Then he somehow levitated back in bounds to get both his feet in bounds. I swear to this day he actually levitated to get back in bounds. It just blew me away."

Carter will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday. He had the best hands of any Ohio State player ever.

"One day, he caught a backhanded pass when it was 10 degrees outside, and everyone looked around like, 'What the heck was that?' " said Meyer, who was a graduate assistant when Carter played at OSU.

3. Anthony Gonzalez against Michigan, 2005: (See www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHjWpxcFWbE.)

Riding the shoulders of a Michigan defender, twisting to make the catch, then absorbing the hit and fall, Gonzalez's play was at least the equal of Troy Smith's play-extending, inside-out move against the Wolverines' pass rush. It made possible the Buckeyes' rally from a nine-point deficit with seven minutes to play.


4. Michael Jenkins' "Holy Buckeye" play against Purdue, 2002:

Notable for artistry, context and poise, with quarterback Craig Krenzel checking down from covered tight end Ben Hartsock to Jenkins, the play included a route adjustment by the other wideout, Chris Gamble. (See my discussion of the play at http://tinyurl.com/6vkqhfd). Although it kept the perfect season alive, it is downgraded slightly since Krenzel's throw into the wind was right on the money.

5. Mayfield's Mike Lanese against Michigan, 1984:



Lanese, a Rhodes Scholar, flew through the air to convert a third-and-11 on Mike Tomczak's off-target pass. The catch prolonged the drive that sent the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl. The catch is about 61/2 minutes into the clip (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FGynpv8xCo).


Or how about Terry Glenn's 75-yard score against Pittsburgh in 1995?
(See www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb-3Xvi591g.) Glenn was OSU's only Biletnikoff Award winner as college football's best wide receiver.

Or Jenkins' 45-yard snag in double-coverage to get OSU away from its own goal-line, enabling the Buckeyes to run out the clock in a 19-14 win at Wisconsin in 2002?

Or Chris Vance's catch (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=feBEFypINE8) at the end of a rout against Purdue in 2001? It lacked all big-moment context but still was remarkable.

Friday, September 07, 2012

Phil Dawson "looks sharper than ever"





From Rick Grayshock's "Cleveland Browns Season Predictions"

September 5, 2012

Browns player (other than Thomas or Mack) most likely to make the Pro Bowl.

Steve: Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, the model of consistency when healthy, could have himself another Pro Bowl-caliber season.

Matt: Richardson is the easy pick, so I am going to go with Haden. Even with a possible suspension, Haden will still be the AFC’s 2nd best cornerback for 12 games and will head to Hawaii. He will get some star studded match-ups this year (DeSean Jackson, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, Stevie Johnson, Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, etc.) and if he gets the better of them, the publicity will follow. We all know that the Pro Bowl is nothing more than a popularity contest.

Scott: If Joe Haden avoids suspension, I think this could be the year he gets named to the Pro Bowl. If he doesn’t my vote goes to D’Qwell Jackson who could lead the league in tackles once again.

Andrew: Phil Dawson. I don’t understand how the whole Pro Bowl selection thing works for special teams guys, but Phil Dawson is 8th among active kickers in career FG made, and among the 7 ahead of him, only Sebastian Janikowski is younger. Dawson has the 12th best career FG% with only two guys ahead of him being retired (the implication being, a lot of the guys ahead of Dawson are young guys whose % is likely to go down with age). And yet Dawson has never been a Pro Bowler and was once named 2nd team All Pro in 2007. To me, Dawson looks sharper than ever and seems to continuously get better with age. Maybe this year will finally be the year he gets a little respect and earns a Pro Bowl bid.

Craig: Josh Cribbs makes a triumphant return to special teams full time. Cribbs is lighter this year. He will be focused on special teams. It is a contract year. I’ll bet on Cribbs.

Kirk: Because of his dazzling plays, big name, and high draft status, Richardson is the easy choice here for most likely to make it. I’ll give honorable mention to Phil Dawson for a lifetime achievement and D’Qwell Jackson.

TD: D’Qwell Jackson – one of the most underrated players in the game. He will get his due this year.

Rick: I think Richardson is a possibility. Haden is a possibility. D’Qwell Jackson could make 180 tackles 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, and I’ll never see how that makes him a Pro Bowl player. Cribbs? Don’t think so. Phil Dawson should get to go before he retires, but I’m going to say Reggie Hodges. He is money, and should have plenty of opportunities to show what he can do.

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Browns Captains: Joe Thomas, D'Qwell Jackson, Phil Dawson Earn The Honor





By James Brady

September 1, 2012

The Cleveland Browns are still getting their roster set as of Saturday, accounting for injuries and waivers to really set their final 53-man roster in place.

They've got a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday to open up their season, and at least one thing is finalized: the team captains.

Mary Kay Cabot took to Twitter to announce that left tackle Joe Thomas, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and kicker Phil Dawson will be the three main team captains this season.

On top of that, she reports that a fourth game captain will be named each week. The captains make sense, as Thomas is one of the best offensive tackles in the game and a truly elite guy to hold down that left side.

He's a leader and is the model of consistency, while Jackson works harder than anybody else in the locker room.

Dawson has always been a solid kicker and the Browns have a pretty good group of captains at this point.

We'll see if any of the prominent rookies make it to be a captain during the season.

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