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Tag: CJ Stroud

  • NFL ref leaves Bills-Texans game after scary non-contact injury

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    Injuries have ravaged NFL teams throughout the 2025 season, and on Thursday night, the issue struck NFL officials during the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans game.

    Head referee Adrian Hill pulled up lame during a play on a Texans drive in the third quarter. He was seen in the end zone watching a play unfold. As he started to move, Hill grabbed his left leg.

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    Referee Adrian Hill on the field during a game between the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants at Soldier Field on Nov. 9, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

    Hill was helped off the field and needed to be carted to the locker room. Umpire Roy Ellison took over as the head referee for the rest of the game.

    Hill has been an NFL official since 2010, making his debut on Sept. 12, 2010, in a game between the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys as a line judge. He was promoted to a referee in 2019 after Pete Morelli and Walt Coleman retired.

    Ellison is a longtime official himself and has some controversy attached to his career in the NFL.

    COWBOYS’ CEEDEE LAMB CLEARS UP RUMORS ABOUT WHY HE, TEAMMATE WERE BENCHED VS RAIDERS

    Terrel Bernard injured

    Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (8) is attended to by medical staff after suffering an unknown injury in the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

    In 2018, he had a run-in with Bills defensive lineman Jerry Hughes. The NFL player confronted Ellison in the tunnel following a game between the Bills and Miami Dolphins. Hughes accused Ellison of calling him an expletive. Ellison was reportedly fined one game check for the incident.

    Both teams were also dealing with injuries during the game.

    Bills quarterback Josh Allen had to check out after being roughed up on a play. Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir, defensive back Maxwell Hairston and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins were each evaluated for a concussion. Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard suffered an elbow injury and was out for the rest of the game.

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    The Texans were playing without quarterback C.J. Stroud as well as safety Jalen Pitre, who were both injured.

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    Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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  • Cardinals are a team with flaws, but QB Kyler Murray’s play isn’t one of them

    Cardinals are a team with flaws, but QB Kyler Murray’s play isn’t one of them

    TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray has been around the NFL long enough to have seen a few things.

    The 27-year-old was the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019. He’s been a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

    He’s led the Arizona Cardinals to an 11-win season. He’s suffered playoff disappointment. He’s seen one head coach hired and another fired. He’s torn knee ligaments and missed nearly a year.

    With all that experience as background, he still believes the Cardinals are on the right track despite a 2-4 record this season, steadfastly supporting second-year coach Jonathan Gannon as the two embark on their first Monday night game together when they host the Los Angeles Chargers.

    Six years after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, Murray is in his NFL prime.

    “We’re 2-4, but when we go out there on Sunday and we’re on the field, you’re at that point where you’ve seen pretty much all of it,” Murray said. “It’s a good feeling. Obviously, we have to deliver and execute.”

    Murray said on an ESPN podcast this week that he feels this is the best he’s played through six games and the stats largely back that claim. He came into the weekend ranked No. 8 in quarterback rating, just behind Lamar Jackson and C.J. Stroud and ahead of others such as two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield.

    The Cardinals are still struggling to produce wins consistently. But their quarterback — for the most part — has never been better.

    “He’s one of the premier players in the world,” Gannon said earlier this season. “He’s always in control and he understands what’s going on. That’s the cool thing for me. The mental part of the game.”

    In many ways, Murray is still the same player who debuted in 2019. He’s a good passer despite being undersized, and can use his shifty speed to make big plays on the ground, including a 50-yard touchdown run against the 49ers two weeks ago.

    The biggest difference is his attitude. The quarterback was accustomed to almost uninterrupted success during his high school and college days, piling up wins and awards at a dizzying pace.

    Then he was drafted by the Cardinals. Turning around one of the NFL’s perennial also-ran franchises hasn’t been as easy. Arizona has been to the playoffs just nine times since 1949 and won its most recent title in 1947.

    “Getting into the league and dealing with failure, I took it super hard,” Murray said. “I think it was kind of a detriment.

    “You don’t want to learn how to lose, but at the end of the day you kind of have to learn how to deal with those things and continue to play the game at a high level. I guess you could say that’s maturity and age.”

    Murray’s maturity has been on display in various ways. During the offseason, he organized a few team-building trips, including one to Oklahoma and another to Los Angeles. Murray posted a photo of the California trip over the summer, which featured 12 teammates, including running back James Conner, rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride.

    Murray has quickly bonded with Harrison, who was the No. 4 overall pick out of Ohio State. The on-field chemistry is still a work in progress, but there have been plenty of good moments, including four touchdown catches. Harrison is expected to play on Monday despite suffering a concussion in last week’s game against the Packers.

    The Murray-Harrison combo has been a microcosm of the Cardinals this season: Occasionally fantastic, but too inconsistent to be a weekly winner.

    But Murray’s newfound maturity has allowed him to learn patience. It’s what keeps him going as the Cardinals try to get back to the playoffs for just the second time in nine seasons.

    “Honestly, the culture that we’re building, the mindset, the mentality of the team, the temperament of the team, nobody is going to waver,” Murray said. “Like I said, it’s a long season. Everybody’s confident.

    “We know what needs to be done, and we just have to go do it.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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  • Luke Combs Shotguns a Beer With Texans Owner Cal McNair in Final Houston Show

    Luke Combs Shotguns a Beer With Texans Owner Cal McNair in Final Houston Show

    There are two things to always expect in a Luke Combs concert: Him strutting and singing with a Solo cup in hand that is kept filled through the night and that he will make his way to the edge of the stage and shotgun a beer for everyone to see.

    What you don’t expect in a Luke Combs concert is for the owner and starting quarterback of your city’s NFL team to come out, and for said owner to join Luke in shotgunning a beer.

    That is exactly what happened at NRG Stadium in the final show of the Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour. In the middle of the song “1, 2 Many”, Combs stopped the song as he normally does but surprised fans by bringing out Houston Texans Quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans owner, Cal McNair, and other Texans players on stage.

    McNair stepped to the edge of the stage with Luke – who was also wearing a new battle-red Houston Texans fitted-hat – and the two shotgunned a beer together before throwing (or for Cal kicking) the can into the crowd in true Luke Combs fashion.

    The tens of thousands of fans that packed NRG Stadium erupted. “Give it up for your Houston Texans!” Luke yelled. “They’re gonna kick some ass this season!” while the Texans made their way back off stage.
    Before Combs was shotgunning and Solo cup strutting on stage, he was a 24-year-old in Nashville, Tennessee recording his first EP The Way She Rides. He says he didn’t even get on a plane until he was 25.

    “The first place, they sent me was to the great state of Texas.” Combs said. “It blew my mind. You guys have such an incredible culture here, such incredible pride. Texas is just as special as it was then as it is to me now.”

    It’s been a journey for Luke since Nashville. He’s since dropped nine projects, featuring five studio albums and three more EPs. Combs’ debut album in 2017, This One’s for You, exploded him onto the Country Music scene. The LP earned him his first Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and his first No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart with the track “Hurricane.”

    His sophomore album What you See Ain’t Always What You Get that released in 2019 was the birth of the tradition of shotgunning a beer on stage, with the single Combs made with the country music duo Brooks & Dunn, “1, 2 Many” featured on the LP.

    His fourth album brought fans a country rendition of Tracy Chapman’s classic hit “Fast Car”, which spent five weeks at the top of the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

    Now Combs was the final show of his latest tour, and he made sure to express his gratitude through the night and let those who have helped him get to this point know how much it meant to him, including the fans.

    “This has been the most incredible tour I’ve ever been on. So many memories with my brothers on this stage with me, with the fans. None of this happens without you guys supporting us and spending your hard-earned money.” Combs told the massive NRG crowd.

    “Thank you, from us to you. We’re gonna put on the best show of our lives for you tonight.” He added.

    click to enlarge

    Luke Combs showed love to the fans and the city of Houston throughout the show.

    Photo by Cody Barclay

    Combs left it all out on the stage for the final show of the tour. Playing tracks of old like “Beautiful Crazy” and “She Got the Best of Me” from his debut album, and of course the more recent hits like “Where the Wild Things Are.”

    It wouldn’t be a Luke Combs show in Houston without “Houston, We Got a Problem.” The big screen behind Luke displayed “DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS” and he showed more appreciation for the state. “I wanted to write a love letter to Texas. I wanted to tell Texas, that I love Texas.” He said to the roaring crowd.

    Even when it appeared Luke was done, he wasn’t. The first time he walked off stage and everything went to black, he abruptly came back and performed encores of his most popular tracks before officially wrapping the night up.

    “Texas, I love you!” Luke yelled as he finally walked off stage officially and for what would be the last time on the Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour.

    Sean Thomas

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  • Stefon Diggs’ services in Houston now guaranteed for just 1 year, report says

    Stefon Diggs’ services in Houston now guaranteed for just 1 year, report says

    HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The shock of Stefon Diggs’ trade to the increasingly talented Houston Texans roster should have worn off Thursday.

    But there’s still a stunning detail in Diggs’ jump from Buffalo to H-Town.

    League sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Texans will wipe out the three remaining years in Diggs’ deal after 2024, which means he’ll become a free agent in 2025.

    The Texans also reportedly gave him a raise in what could be his only season in Houston, moving the $3.5 million guaranteed in 2025 and adding it to the $19 million he’s assured to earn this season.

    The video above is about whether Diggs will be difficult to handle in the Texans’ locker room.

    So, why would the Texans keep the two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver under club control for one year?

    Schefter writes that the Texans anticipate getting the best version of Diggs, who can negotiate another long-term contract next offseason.

    Diggs is a nine-year NFL veteran who turns 31 in November, evidently betting that his best is yet to come. In 2020, he posted career highs in season receiving yards and catches in just 16 games.

    The adjusted contract wasn’t the only thing revealed about Diggs.

    He’s the 1 in 7-1-3

    The Texans and Diggs’ social media channels confirmed the University of Maryland alum’s arrival in Houston on Thursday. He sent a short message from the locker room at NRG Stadium to Texans fans.

    “What’s up, H-Town? It’s Stefon Diggs here. I’m excited to get going. I’m excited to get to work,” the star wideout said before pausing and closing with, “let’s go!”

    Diggs also posted several photos showing him sat at his locker with his name placard already up.

    One of the remaining questions left about Diggs – aside from, “Are the Texans true Super Bowl contenders now?” – is what’s his uniform number?

    Diggs wore No. 14 with two different teams throughout his career. No. 14 is already spoken for. Alex Bachman, another wide receiver on the roster, holds it.

    So, Diggs went old-school with his selection of No. 1. The 6-foot wideout wore the number as a Maryland Terrapin.

    The team also found an opportunity to get clever with the adoption. The Texans’ social media team built a graphic with C.J. Stroud, Diggs, and Tank Dell in that order. Stroud is No. 7 while Dell is No. 3.

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    KTRK

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  • Ohio State, Georgia reloaded after losing stars to NFL draft

    Ohio State, Georgia reloaded after losing stars to NFL draft

    ATLANTA — Only months after Georgia defensive linemen and Ohio State wide receivers combined to fill five first-round slots in the NFL draft, those positions again boast top talent for the teams preparing to meet in the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal.

    Georgia had three defensive linemen, including No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker, selected in the first round of this year’s NFL draft. Ohio State had wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave chosen with the 10th and 11th picks, respectively.

    Despite those important losses, Saturday night’s Peach Bowl will showcase evidence that No. 4 Ohio State and No. 1 Georgia reloaded with more star players.

    Wide receiver again is a strength for the Buckeyes as two players, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, have more than 1,000 receiving yards. Quarterback C.J. Stroud said Harrison and Egbuka showed their talent even when they had to play behind Wilson and Olave.

    “I’m not saying they’re better than Garrett and Chris, but they were playing really good to be freshmen,” Stroud said. “And I think when you come in with that type of attitude, I am not just going to be here to learn. I am going to be here to dominate. That’s when you learn and that’s when you become a great player. So it hasn’t been overnight.”

    The ability to reload with two 1,000-yard receivers is especially impressive because Ohio State lost AP Preseason All-American Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who will miss the game as he recovers from a leg injury and prepares for the 2023 NFL draft. Smith-Njigba is projected as a possible first-round pick even though he was hurt in the Buckeyes’ opener against Notre Dame and played in just two other games.

    Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Stroud is a key to Ohio State’s success at wide receiver.

    “It is great quarterback, great system, great coaches, great receivers,” Smart said Thursday. “They’ve come up under … first-rounders. Those kids watched those guys before them play.”

    Harrison Jr. was an AP first-team All-American. The sophomore leads the Buckeyes with 72 catches for 1,156 yards and 12 touchdowns.

    “I think what makes Marvin special is his discipline and his skill,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day. “He’s built a tremendous amount of discipline in his life, takes care of his body, prepares at a high level, just unbelievable amount of discipline, the way that he runs his routes. His work ethic is unbelievable.”

    Meanwhile, Georgia reloaded after leaning on its defense to win the 2021 national championship. After having Walker and two defensive tackles, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, taken in the first round of this year’s draft, the Bulldogs’ 2022 defensive front is led by Jalen Carter, also projected as a high first-round pick.

    Carter also was named to the AP All-America team.

    “Very good player,” Day said when asked about Carter. “Disrupts the game, and their entire front is really good and so is their back end. They really don’t have any weaknesses on defense. They’re very, very good, and you can see why they’re ranked one of the best in the country. They do a good job, and he is very good as well.”

    Carter helped Georgia rank second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 12.8 points per game. Ohio State ranks second in scoring with 44.5 points per game.

    “I’m very confident in the talent we do have on offense, and I feel like when it comes to us playing any team in the nation, I feel confident with our guys and our ability to sling the rock,” Egbuka said.

    Georgia had a record five defensive players selected in the first round and 15 players picked overall in the 2022 NFL draft. Linebacker Quay Walker, selected by Green Bay, and safety Lewis Cine, by Minnesota, were the Bulldogs’ other first-round picks.

    ———

    AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25

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