Patriots RB James White retires, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on White's retirement, NFL adjusting roughing the passer calls, Saints Taysom Hill on shifting from QB to TE, and more NFL news.
Patriots RB James White retires
Patriots running back James White is retiring after nine seasons in the NFL, all spent with New England. White made the announcement only hours before the team's first preseason game of 2022, CBSSports reported.
White had been working to recover from a serious hip injury, one that caused him to miss 14 games last year. The team was confident he would return, giving him a new two-year deal in March. White was a dual-threat as both a running back and receiver.
In July, White, only 30, realized a comeback might not be possible, as he was still walking uncomfortably due to his injury.
"It’s been an honor to represent my family, my teammates, and the people of New England as a Patriot!" White said in his announcement on Thursday. "Reflecting on my nine years in the NFL, and all the sacrifices it took to get here, there are many people that were just as much a part of this journey."
White was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He won three Super Bowls with the team. He holds Super Bowl records for receptions and points scored, both set in Super Bowl LI, and is tied for the most receptions in a playoff game.
Brady and Belichick on White's retirement
Following Patriots running back James White's retirement announcement, New England's head coach Bill Belichick and former quarterback Tom Brady weighed in.
"James defines the term 'consummate professional,'" Belichick said, according to MassLive. "His dependability, consistency, unselfishness, and performance under pressure are elite. Combining great intelligence, quickness, and elusiveness, James was a perfect fit for our pass offense."
"While soft-spoken, he brought exceptional leadership and competitive toughness to the team," Belichick added. "He was a multi-year team captain and one of the most respected, best team players I have ever coached."
Former New England Patriots and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady also commented on his former teammate White, who he played with for six seasons, winning three Super Bowl titles within that span, NBC Sports reported.
"Teammate, champion, football player through and through," Brady wrote on Instagram, posting a picture of himself with White on the field. "Congrats on the perfect career @sweetfeet."
NFL adjusting roughing the passer calls
The NFL is going to make an adjustment to "roughing the passer" calls, except it's not what you might expect. The adjustment hopes to reduce the number of roughing calls, CBSSports reported. After consultations with the league's officiating department and competition committee, referees will ease some of the roughing calls which have led to many fans feeling the defender had no choice but to collide with the quarterback. Officials will still enforce "forcible" contact to the head or legs of the quarterback, which will be ruled as roughing, while incidental contact should not draw a flag, according to the league.
Saints Taysom Hill on shifting from QB to TE
Taysom Hill joined the New Orleans Saints in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and mainly served as backup quarterback before transitioning to tight end this year.
Hill, 31, says the position change is not necessarily what he wants to be doing and not exactly his choice, but emphasized the importance of helping the team, CBSSports reported.
"That's the nature of the NFL," Hill said. "This isn't necessarily what I want, it's what's best for the team, and I'm good with that."
"Things aren't up to me," Hill added. "I'm willing to do what I need to do to help us win football games. ... I love playing, and so it creates opportunities for me to add value and be on the field and compete."