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Steelers MMQB: NFL Offseason News

By Kim Myers

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What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:

  • NFL Minicamps conclude
  • Manziel to drop “Money Sign”
  • Terrelle Pryor cut by Bengals; changes position
  • HBO’s Ballers debuts featuring NFL names and logos
  • Panther’s owner donates $100K to Charleston Shooting Victims
  • Ben Roethlisberger Foundation Charity Weekend

It’s officially summer vacation for the NFL. The goal for the next few weeks will be to stay in shape and stay out of trouble for many players across the league. Should be interesting to see which team has an arrest first. Looking at you, Baltimore.

No more money sign

Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel spoke to the media for the first time all offseason last week and announced his trademarked “money sign” will not be back. Maybe it’s because he’s growing up and maturing or maybe it’s because he knows it’s very unlikely he’ll score another touchdown, who can say?

Manziel also admitted to being a distraction for the team and feeling bad about that. He also proclaimed that he has made Cleveland his home, but doesn’t seem to want to say publically that he feels bad about that, yet.

Pryor switches it up after getting cut

After getting cut by the Cincinnati Bengals last week, Terrelle Pryor’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told NFL Media weasel Ian Rapoport that he was changing positions to wide receiver. I guess if you realize you can’t make it as a quarterback for neither the Raiders nor Bengals, it might be time to think of a life change.

Before joining the Bengals Pryor had said, “If I can’t play quarterback, I can’t play football.” Not sure if he realizes that he kind of just admitted that he can’t play football but I’m sure the lack of teams calling him up to fill their open receiver positions will at least point him in that direction.

Ballers

HBO has debuted their new show, Ballers featuring NFL players with cameos and stars Dwayne Johnson as a former Miami Dolphins player, turned financial advisor. Neither the NFL nor the Dolphins have said anything about the show using the team names and logos.

Former Dolphins Coach Don Shula, Redskins WR DeSean Jackson, and Steelers WR Antonio Brown all had cameo appearances in the premier episode. The show is aimed to I guess glorify the life of the NFL athlete but at the same time highlight the struggles they go through handling the large amount of wealth they can acquire, and potentially lose, in such a short amount of time.

Panthers Donation

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson donated $100,000 to the families of the nine victims killed in Wednesday night’s shooting at the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. He donated $10K to each of the nine victim’s families and $10K to the church itself, a historical church that dates back to 1787 where a gunman opened fire during a bible study last week.

Panthers director of communications confirmed the donation with a brief statement.

"“We don’t want to comment on the specifics of the donation, but know our hearts are one with those who grieve the loss of these individuals.” Steven Drummond"

BRF Weekend Ben Roethlisberger’s first order of business for his summer vacation was his charity weekend events for the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. The Foundation works to support police and fire departments all across the country with K-9 units and service dogs. The foundation also works with the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. The first event of 2015 BRF weekend included Triple 7s, a casino-night inspired party featuring table games, billiards, ping pong and an open bar with a silent auction with all proceeds benefitting the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation. I was honored to be a guest at the event on Saturday night and had an amazing time playing black jack and watching Ben play ping-pong and pool against lucky bidders. His event concludes Monday, June 22nd with the BRF Invitational at Treesdale Golf Club in Gibsonia, PA. Ben’s foundation has raised over $1 million for police and fire departments and during the first three years of the BRF Weekend fundraiser they’ve raised $80,000 directly to the Make-A-Wish foundation. A great cause for donations and a night I’ll never forget!

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