Former Steelers FB Roosevelt Nix Retires From NFL
Former Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix is calling it a career. Nix announced his retirement from the NFL with an Instagram post on Tuesday night. 
“This game has given me everything I could ask for and everything I needed. GOD blessed me with a talent that allowed me to touch so many souls all across the world and I’m truly grateful for it,” Nix wrote.
Nix, a defensive end at Kent State, first tried to break into the NFL as a linebacker. After going undrafted in 2014, he joined the Falcons on a three-year deal and switched to fullback. However, he didn’t see his first live action until 2015 with the Steelers.
Nix proceeded to appear in 60 games (11 starts) during his five seasons in Pittsburgh, serving primarily as a fullback and special teamer. He hauled in 12 receptions for 69 yards and one score across five seasons, plus two forced fumbles on special teams. The highlight of his career came in 2017, when he went to the Pro Bowl as James Develin‘s replacement.
Nix was named a Steelers captain prior to the 2019 season, but he was limited to only three games as he dealt with a knee injury. Last year, he signed with the Colts, but missed the final cut. After spending a full year out of the league, Nix has decided to move on to his next chapter.
Longest-Tenured GMs In The NFL
When we ran down the longest-tenured head coaches in the NFL, we found that just about half of the league’s current coaches have been in their positions for more than three years. That’s not quite the case with general managers, but there have been plenty of changes in recent years.
A handful of general managers have gotten to take their coats off and stay for a long while. Among coaches, Bill Belichick had joined his team prior to 2003. Here, you’ll see that five GMs have been with their teams since before ’03 (Belichick, of course, is also on this list). Two of those five – Jerry Jones and Mike Brown – are outliers, since they’re team owners and serve as de facto GMs. But the Patriots, Steelers, and Saints, have all had the same general managers making their roster decisions for well over a decade.
Here’s the complete list of the NFL’s longest-tenured GMs, along with the date they took over the job:
- Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
- Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
- Kevin Colbert (Pittsburgh Steelers): February 18, 2000[4]
- Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
- Rick Spielman (Minnesota Vikings): May 30, 2006[5]
- John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010[6]
- Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010
- Les Snead (St. Louis Rams): February 10, 2012
- Steve Keim (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2013
- Tom Telesco (San Diego Chargers): January 9, 2013
- Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014
- Ryan Pace (Chicago Bears): January 8, 2015
- Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016
- Jon Robinson (Tennessee Titans): January 14, 2016
- John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017
- Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017
- Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017
- Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017
- Dave Gettleman (New York Giants): December 28, 2017
- Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018
- Mike Mayock (Oakland Raiders): December 31, 2018
- Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019[7]
- Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
- Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
- Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 7, 2021
- George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 12, 2021
- Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
- Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
- Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
- Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
- Martin Mayhew (Washington Redskins): January 22, 2021
Footnotes:
- Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
- Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
- Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
- Colbert was initially hired as the team’s director of football operations and received the newly-created general manager title in 2011.
- Spielman was initially hired as the team’s VP of player personnel and received the GM title in 2012.
- While Schneider holds the title of GM, head coach Pete Carroll has the final say on roster moves for the Seahawks.
- In 2018, the Ravens announced that DeCosta would replace Ozzie Newsome as GM for Ozzie Newsome after the conclusion of the season. The Ravens’ ’18 season ended with their Wild Card loss to the Chargers on 1/6/19.
The Longest-Tenured Head Coaches In The NFL
Things move fast in today’s NFL and the old adage of “coaches are hired to be fired” has seemingly never been more true. For the most part, teams change their coaches like they change their underwear. 
A head coach can take his team to the Super Bowl, or win the Super Bowl, or win multiple Super Bowls, but they’re never immune to scrutiny. Just ask Tom Coughlin, who captured his second ring with the Giants following the 2011 season, only to receive his pink slip after the 2015 campaign.
There are also exceptions like Bill Belichick, who just wrapped up his 21st season at the helm in New England. You’ll also see a few others on this list, but, for the most part, most of today’s NFL head coaches are relatively new to their respective clubs. And, history dictates that many of them will be elsewhere when we check in on this list in 2022.
Over one-third (12) of the NFL’s head coaches have coached no more than one season with their respective teams. Meanwhile, less than half (15) have been with their current clubs for more than three years. It seems like just yesterday that the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury, right? It sort of was – Kingsbury signed on with the Cardinals in January of 2019. Today, he’s practically a veteran.
Here’s the list of the current head coaches in the NFL, ordered by tenure, along with their respective start dates:
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
- Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints): January 18, 2006
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008
- Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013
- Mike Zimmer (Minnesota Vikings): January 15, 2014
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017
- Jon Gruden (Las Vegas Raiders): January 6, 2018
- Matt Nagy (Chicago Bears): January 7, 2018
- Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018
- Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts): February 11, 2018
- Bruce Arians (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 8, 2019
- Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2019
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019
- Vic Fangio (Denver Broncos): January 10, 2019
- Brian Flores (Miami Dolphins): February 4, 2019
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019
- Ron Rivera (Washington Football Team): January 1, 2020
- Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers): January 7, 2020
- Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
- Joe Judge (New York Giants): January 8, 2020
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
- Urban Meyer (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 14, 2021
- Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
- Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
- Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
- David Culley (Houston Texans): January 28, 2021
2021 Cap Space For All 32 NFL Teams
There are still plenty of quality free agents left on the board as we look ahead to training camp. Cornerback Steven Nelson, tackle Russell Okung, and longtime Legion of Boom leader Richard Sherman headline the list, along with accomplished edge rushers like Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Olivier Vernon. That list will only grow larger, of course, as more teams shed veterans to redirect their funds elsewhere.
With that in mind, here’s a look at every NFL team’s cap situation, starting with the league-leading Jaguars:
- Jacksonville Jaguars — $32.7MM
- Denver Broncos — $28.9MM
- New York Jets — $28.5MM
- Cleveland Browns — $20.6MM
- Los Angeles Chargers — $19.9MM
- Detroit Lions — $17.9MM
- San Francisco 49ers — $17.8MM
- Cincinnati Bengals — $17.4MM
- Washington Football Team — $16.7MM
- Indianapolis Colts— $14.3MM
- Carolina Panthers— $14.3MM
- Minnesota Vikings — $13.5MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers — $13.1MM
- New England Patriots — $13.1MM
- New Orleans Saints — $11.4MM
- Arizona Cardinals — $11.3MM
- Buffalo Bills — $10.5MM
- Baltimore Ravens — $8.8MM
- Atlanta Falcons — $8.6MM
- Seattle Seahawks — $8.3MM
- Tennessee Titans — $8.3MM
- Kansas City Chiefs — $7.9MM
- Los Angeles Rams — $7MM
- Chicago Bears — $6MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $6MM
- Miami Dolphins — $5.3MM
- Green Bay Packers — $5MM
- Houston Texans — $5MM
- Las Vegas Raiders — $3.3MM
- Philadelphia Eagles — $3.2MM
- New York Giants — $2.4MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $489K
Latest On Barkevious Mingo
Linebacker Barkevious Mingo was arrested for an alleged child sex offense over the weekend. The Falcons released him less than 24 hours later, a decision that his lead attorney Chris Lewis disagrees with. 
[RELATED: Falcons Release Barkevious Mingo]
“We are extremely disappointed in the Atlanta Falcons’ rush to judgment in terminating Barkevious Mingo’s contract before gathering all of the relevant facts and prior to my client having his day in court,” Lewis said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). “The accusation against Mr. Mingo is a lie. Barkevious knows it — so does his accuser.”
Mingo cooperated with law enforcement upon learning of the warrant and immediately traveled to Texas to turn himself in, according to Lewis. Now, the attorney says, “he is ready to prove his innocence.”
Mingo never lived up to his first-round draft status, but he’s managed a lengthy career in the NFL as a special teamer with the Browns, Patriots, Colts, Seahawks, Texans, and Bears. Last year, he saw some time as a rotational ‘backer with the Bears and notched 2.5 sacks, leading to a one-year, $1.25MM deal earlier this year.
“Mr. Mingo understands the seriousness of an accusation like this and the immediate negative impact it can have on a person’s reputation, even when there is zero evidence,” Mingo’s lawyer said. “But, he also knows that he will be fully vindicated when the truth comes to light. When that happens, the true motivation of the accuser will be clear and unambiguous.”
NFL: 68% Of Players Vaccinated
JULY 7: This number has ticked up a bit over the past two weeks. Approximately 68% of players have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Five teams have hit the 85% threshold. Nearly all Tier 1 and Tier 2 staffers are fully vaccinated.
JUNE 25: Approximately 65% of NFL players have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to NFL medical officer Allen Sills (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). That’s roughly in line with the rest of the United States, though it’s well above the 48% rate for Americans ages 18-24 and 50% rate for ages 25-39.
When factoring in the youth of NFL players, Sills & Co. are ahead of the game. Still, the league office is hoping to push that number closer to 100%, even though players are not required to get vaccinated.
A few notable players have pushed back against the league’s protocols and expressed hesitancy regarding the vaccine, which has created issues for certain teams. Meanwhile, the NFL is incentivizing players to get their shots. For example, if a vaccinated player somehow tests positive for the virus, they’ll still receive their per-game roster bonuses. However, if an unvaccinated player tests positive and misses time, they’ll run the risk of losing their bonus money.
While players are exempt, Tier 1 and Tier 2 staffers are still required to get vaccinated. And, on a related note, players will once again be allowed to opt out of the season.
This Date In Transactions History: Chiefs’ Tamba Hali Retires
Today marks the three year anniversary of Tamba Hali‘s retirement. The linebacker’s 12-year run with the Chiefs ended earlier that offseason, when the team released him outright. A few months later, he decided against starting over with a new club. 
“I just need to continue to work out and do my music,” Hali said. “I don’t want to focus too much on football. I don’t see myself getting back into football. I see myself being involved with the Chiefs somehow, maybe as a specialist being able to teach the guys. I don’t want to lie to myself. I think the time has come.”
Hali began his 2017 season the PUP list and didn’t do much upon his return. The Liberian linebacker appeared in just five games, made zero starts, and did not record a sack. Clearly, that wasn’t in line with his usual work.
Hali left the Chiefs as the team’s No. 2 all-time sacker, behind only Derrick Thomas. The 2006 first-round pick went on to earn five consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2011-15, notching many of his 89.5 sacks during that stretch. In reality, he should have been a Pro Bowler in 2010, too – that’s when he set a new personal watermark with 14.5 QB takedowns. Unfortunately, his 2016 season wasn’t quite as memorable — Hali nabbed just 3.5 sacks and started only twice.
The 6’3″ edge rusher admitted that he was tempted to return — he was still only 34 and just 10.5 sacks shy of an even 100 sacks. Still, he said he was content with his overall body of work. With that, Hali took to the studio and started training jiu-jitsu under the instruction of Rener Gracie. Now, after rolling around with the likes of Lyoto Machida, Hali has a purple belt to go with the rest of his accolades.
5 Key Stories: 6/20/21 – 6/27/21
Been busy? Let’s get you caught up with a look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:
- The drama between Aaron Rodgers and the Packers continues. Lately, there’s been speculation that the quarterback could opt out of the season, saving him millions in fines should he choose to skip 2021. However, that’s not likely to happen. The deadline for Rodgers and the rest of the NFL players will come this week, on July 2.
- The Jets made a serious upgrade to their offensive line this week, signing longtime Washington starter Morgan Moses to man the right tackle position. Ron Rivera & Co. chose cap room over having the veteran, but the Jets got him at a reasonable rate — it’s a one-year, $3.6MM deal with incentives that can take him up to $5.3MM. According to Pro Football Focus, 2020 might have been Moses’ best year yet — he placed top-20 for tackles, up from so-so scores across 2017-2019. Barring any surprises, he’ll start at RT across from Mekhi Becton with George Fant and Chuma Edoga coming off the bench.
- The Steelers also continued their offensive line shakeup, parting ways with longtime guard David DeCastro. In his place, they signed former Pro Bowler Trai Turner. Turner, 28, comes to Pittsburgh with 89 career starts, making him the most senior member of the offensive line. The Steelers saved about $8MM by cutting DeCastro and spent ~$3MM to ink Turner. DeCastro, by his own admission, is still struggling with a chronic ankle issue. If Turner is healthy, it’s a clear win for the Steelers — they’ll have upgraded their interior while pocketing about $5MM in savings.
- Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard hasn’t backed down from his contract demands. He’s “dug in,” per one report, even though he has four years to go on his contract. Last year, Howard graded out as the second-best corner in the league, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Meanwhile, his $15MM AAV places him as just the sixth-highest paid cornerback in football, one spot behind teammate Byron Jones.
- The Browns also have some business to take care of with Baker Mayfield, but they’ve yet to exchange figures. For what it’s worth, both sides are preaching patience. Besides, Mayfield would be comfortable waiting — fellow draft classmates Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson could be on the verge of $40MM/year extensions, raising the roof on his own asking price.
PFR Originals: Patriots, Bucs, Broncos
In case you missed it, here’s a look back at some of our recent originals:
- You can never have too many talented pass rushers on your squad. Fortunately for teams in need, there are still some big-name veterans available in free agency. This week, our own Rory Parks broke down the best of what’s left, including Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Everson Griffen.
- When C.J. Mosley inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets during the 2019 offseason, the linebacker was expected to lead the team’s defense for at least the next half-decade. He’s certainly looked the part of a defensive stalwart through two games with the organization, collecting nine tackles, a pick-six, and a fumble recovery. Unfortunately, injuries have stalled him ever since. Now, the Jets could look to trade Mosley this summer, as Ben Levine writes.
- Teams in need of interior help should take a hard look at Kawann Short. The former Panthers star has played in just five games over the past two seasons, but he offers tons of upside — especially since he can be had for way less than his previous $16MM/year deal.
- As of this writing, the Broncos’ quarterback competition is basically down to Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater. However, in Sam Robinson’s recent poll, a good chunk of PFR readers predicted that it’ll be Aaron Rodgers under center.
- The Patriots are known for their summer surprises, whether it’s a noteworthy signing or an unexpected release. This year, the Patriots could make waves on the trade market, as Ben writes.
- The Bucs’ biggest NFC challenger in 2021? Many of you say it’ll be the Rams, but PFR readers see a wide open race.
Jets To Sign Morgan Moses
The Jets got their man. On Friday, Gang Green agreed to a one-year, $3.6MM deal with offensive tackle Morgan Moses (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Meanwhile, Moses can reach up to $5.3MM via incentives, including 80% or more playing time. 
The two sides were said to be discussing a multi-year deal earlier this month. Ideally, Moses would have liked a more substantial payday, but this is a solid outcome for both parties. Already backed by plenty of starting experience, Moses could cash in all over again in the spring if he plays up to par. It’s a solid move by the Jets, too, scoring one of the best free agents left in June.
Moses went six straight seasons without missing a game for the Washington Football Team and earned a lucrative re-up in 2017. However, Washington opted to revamp their tackle group this year by drafting Samuel Cosmi in the second round and signing longtime Bears left tackle Charles Leno.
According to the advanced metrics, 2020 might have been Moses’ best year yet as he placed top-20 for tackles, per Pro Football Focus. Before that, the advanced metrics framed him as a middle-of-the-road blocker from 2017 through 2019. The Jets are expected to slot him in as their starting right tackle, supplanting George Fant and Chuma Edoga as Mekhi Becton‘s bookend.