CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid on Wednesday said "it feels disingenuous" that the NFL would schedule a workout for Colin Kaepernick on Saturday.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Reid said. "At this point, it feels like a PR stunt."

Kaepernick and Reid are former San Francisco 49ers teammates. In 2016, Reid was the first player to join Kaepernick in taking a knee during the pregame national anthem to protest social injustice. Kaepernick hasn't played in the NFL since that season.

Coaches for the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have said they expect to have a representative at the Falcons' practice facility on Saturday for the workout. In addition, John Elway told 9News that the Denver Broncos will be represented, and a Washington Redskins spokesman said that organization would be there. A source told ESPN's Ed Werder that the Dallas Cowboys also plan to be at the workout.

Reid reminded reporters that NFL head coaches and general managers typically are traveling or with their teams on Saturdays.

"What decision-makers are going to be able to attend a workout?" he asked. "The other strange thing, I saw there was a report other teams were interested in Colin but they reached out to the league about it. That's strange."

Reid said "strange" because most free agents or their agents are contacted directly by the team that is interested.

"They don't call the league," he said.

Reid has been one of Kaepernick's strongest advocates since they began kneeling during the anthem. They both filed grievances against the league, alleging collusion for not signing them to an NFL contract because of their protests.

They both reached settlements in February. Reid signed a one-year deal with the Panthers in late September 2018 and during this past offseason signed a three-year deal worth up to $24 million.

He continues to kneel during the anthem.

Reid compared Kaepernick to Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, who is putting up MVP-like numbers with his passing and running this season. Even at 32, Kaepernick can help a team, Reid said.

"He has a rocket for an arm," he said. "He's tall [6-foot-4], so he can see over the pocket. And he's mobile. He's Lamar Jackson before Lamar Jackson. And he can still throw the ball."

But Reid remains skeptical of the NFL's sincerity in scheduling the workout for Kaepernick.

"It's disingenuous," Reid said. "They want the appearance of giving Colin a chance, but they give him two hours' notice and tell it has to be on a Saturday when they know decision-makers are traveling. So is this real? We'll see."

Reid said Kaepernick was told on Tuesday he had two to three hours to let the league know if he would attend the workout before the offer was released to the media.

Sources told ESPN that Kaepernick and his reps were alerted to the workout at 10 a.m. Tuesday, ahead of a 4 p.m. ET personnel notice that was sent to teams.

"They didn't budge on it," Reid said. "They said it's Saturday or no go."

Sources told ESPN's Dan Graziano that the workout was also set up in response to an Oct. 10 statement by Kaepernick's representatives, who said they had received "little to no response" from the 32 NFL teams.

Carolina coach Ron Rivera deferred to general manager Marty Hurney when asked if the team would send a representative to the workout. Hurney did not immediately respond to messages.

Reid said he has been given no indication whether the Panthers would attend. He talked to owner David Tepper last week about giving Kaepernick a look after franchise quarterback Cam Newton (foot) was placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

"He communicated they weren't looking to add a veteran quarterback, but if they were, they'd be interested," Reid said. "So we'll see if they send somebody to be there."

Reid, who worked out with Kaepernick during the offseason, said the quarterback has been staying in shape with a trainer in New York City. He wasn't sure who Kaepernick would throw to at Saturday's workout.

Asked why the tryout is being held now, when 16 teams already have used backups this season, Reid replied: "Good question."

"It's interesting how that happens every year, how the quarterback storyline progressively gets worse in the sense more starters are out," Reid said. "And yet, Colin has never gotten a chance.''

But Reid said it's not too late for Kaepernick to make an impact in the NFL if this workout gets him that chance.

"He's in the prime of his career," Reid said. "He still has a cannon for an arm. He can still run. Too late for his career? No."

Former Wales coach Warren Gatland shares a few of the players he'd currently pick in his 2021 British and Irish Lions squad.

Gatland will coach the Lions for a third time when they tour South Africa and face the 2019 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks.

He led Wales to the World Cup semi-finals in Japan where they were beaten by South Africa, who defeated England in the final.

Listen to the full interview on BBC Radio 5 Live's Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

Saracens have brought in a major communications company to help manage the public fallout of the salary cap scandal, with the Premiership champions yet to formally appeal against their points deduction and fine.

Sarries are set to be docked 35 points and fined £5.36m after an inquiry into business dealings between owner Nigel Wray and some of the club's players.

Journalists were banned from asking director of rugby Mark McCall questions about the salary cap breach during Wednesday's regular media briefing.

The news conference was called to preview their match against Racing 92 on Saturday, when they will begin the defence of their European Champions Cup crown.

FTI Consulting, a global business advisory firm, were present at the briefing and will oversee how Sarries manage the situation publicly.

McCall confirmed the club have until Monday, 18 November to officially lodge their appeal.

In a statement issued on the same day the sanctions were announced, owner Wray said it felt as though "the rug is being completely pulled out from under our feet" and vowed to "appeal against all the findings".

Premiership Rugby has said a review "can only be on the basis that there has been an error of law, the decision is irrational or that there has been some procedural unfairness".

What did McCall actually say on Wednesday?

Former Ireland international McCall said it will be a "heck of a challenge" if the 35-point deduction stands, adding that it would be about the Premiership holders "trying to avoid relegation".

"It's a challenge we haven't had to experience before as a group and I think one that we'll get our head around and relish if we have to do that," he told BBC Sport.

"We're in a bit of adversity at the moment and I think over the years when adversity has come our way we've dealt with it pretty well.

"This is obviously probably adversity at a different level to what we've been used to before."

Saracens have won six of their opening eight games in all competitions and are likely to be without most of their England World Cup players for their European opener in France, with several yet to return to training.

"I genuinely don't think it's realistic that people can jump from being away for five months into something completely different," McCall added.

"For us to try and tell them playing against Racing's the biggest game - they played a World Cup final two weeks ago - so we've been having some individual conversations to see how they genuinely feel and try to make some decisions with them, rather than for them, as to when they come back."

What does it all mean for their European campaign?

Saracens centre Alex Lozowski, who spoke to the media after McCall, insisted the club can "absolutely" defend their European crown, adding they are "not going to lie down and give it away".

But European Professional Club Rugby director general Vincent Gaillard earlier said the sanction "isn't good news" for their tournament.

"Our concern rests in their capacity to put everything into the European Cup knowing that they will have to fight all the way to avoid relegation," said Gaillard.

"Perhaps other clubs will be happy that they are going to be a bit wounded but it's not good news for us.

"We would prefer that they are thoroughly behind the competition."

England international Lozowski said the Saracens squad had become accustomed to not being popular within the sport, after the silverware they have won over recent years.

"Since I've been here we've been pretty much been universally disliked so it's not really new to us," he said.

"That's what happens when you have success and win championships. What happened has, I guess, made that a bit worse but we are used to being disliked so it's nothing new for us.

"The target on our backs may be a little bit bigger now but looking at the people we have I'm pretty sure everyone's ready to deal with that."

What's the background?

The charges relate to a failure to disclose player payments in each of the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

Saracens previously claimed they "readily comply" with salary cap rules and were able to spend above the £7m cap because of the high proportion - almost 60% - of home-grown players in their squad.

The Allianz Park outfit have several of the game's biggest stars on their books, including seven of the 31-man squad that represented England at the World Cup in Japan.

One of the dominant forces in northern hemisphere club rugby, Sarries have won five Premiership titles and three European Champions Cups since 2010-11 - with two of those domestic titles coming in the timeframe that Premiership Rugby have been investigating.

Their three European successes have all come within the past four seasons.

CONCORD, N.C. — If you’re a follower of NASCAR’s top three series, you might want to relish the month of November.

This will be the last one that will look like anything you’ve seen over the past however-many years.

For the first time in 19 years, the series’ 2020 championships won’t end with a winner-take-all event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. They’ll end in the desert at Arizona’s ISM Raceway (which to me will forever be known as Phoenix Int’l Raceway).

That is going to be, in a word, weird.

It’s not weird because I think it’s a bad idea. Don’t get me wrong. Tradition is something I revere, like the Indy 500 on Memorial Day weekend, Daytona as the opening event of the NASCAR season and Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Labor Day weekend.

But sometimes you need to shake things up, and this is one of those times.

The winner-take-all event on a 1.5-mile oval in a traditionally warm climate near the end of November made sense. As a veteran of the second race of the season being at Richmond (Va.) Raceway in the middle of February, I’m all for warm-weather racing whenever possible. Nobody likes chattering teeth and frost bite while trying to line-score a 400-lap race from pit road.

Changing the schedule is a good way to generate new excitement and that is the name of the game these days.

Plus, Homestead had become sort of a one-trick pony: Rip the fence or run middle of the pack. In a winner-take-all format, you’d better be able to run inches off the wall or you’re not going to be the one covered in confetti and Gatorade. The one-mile ISM Raceway is a horse of a different color.

Wide-open, short-track racing? In the desert? Count me in.

When the season finale was at Atlanta Motor Speedway or Ontario Motor Speedway, it was a battle of attrition. The points were king. Get more of them and you’ll win no matter where you finish.

Winner-take-all? Better bring your big-boy britches and get busy, because it’s no-holds-barred.

ISM Raceway, with the renovations made and the layout changed, is more than up to the task of replacing Homestead as the season-ending venue. More action, faster lap times and more strategy are always good things.

NASCAR, as any entertainment-oriented pastime does, must deal with ever-shrinking attention spans and a much more crowded life than in years past. Used to be, people had four hours to devote to a race on the weekend. Now, four hours is an eternity. There’s too much to do, places to go, people to see (on-screen most of the time) and memes to digest.

Shorter is better in today’s world.

Still, there was a lot invested in the season-ending weekend for NASCAR. All three national series crowning a champion with three showdown races in three nights? That’s a recipe for success, and NASCAR baked it up for a good long while in South Florida.

Phoenix is hip and happening, though the ocean isn’t right next door. However, there is plenty to do.

The schedule change means NASCAR is shaking things up to make it work better in times that are vastly different from even 10 years ago. Over the years, the sanctioning body has been slower to react to change than it once was.

Now that NASCAR and ISC are finally becoming one entity and SMI is going private, there’ll be more changes like this in much quicker fashion than before.

No matter what, the competition aspects of the series finale weekend will have an extra level of hype at ISM Raceway. Things happen quicker, points will swing faster and one’s racing luck will play out at a lightning clip. The format is solid; four drivers enter, one driver leaves as the champion. That’s enough to make it interesting in many different areas.

Still, there was nothing like getting off the airplane in Miami, grabbing the rental car and getting down to Homestead had a familiar feeling. There’s nothing like traffic in South Florida — except for traffic in pretty much every other major city in the country.

Phoenix will be no different in that regard, but the scenery will be different.

That’s the main thing here. Different is good, every now and then.

NAPLES, Maine – Ever since the return of stock car racing to Lanier Raceplex was announced earlier this year, fans and drivers alike have brought up memories of great races of the past at the speedway that opened in 1982.

On Saturday afternoon, new memories will be made when the Pro All Stars Series national super late model championship will be decided in the Lanier National 200.

While the championship will conclude a season that began at Richmond Raceway in March, the Lanier National 200 will pay $6,000 to the race winner, and an eye-popping $1,000 just to start.

Joining the PASS Super Late Models at Lanier will be three divisions of Legend cars and the Bandoleros. The Legends Pro/Masters will race for $500 to win, Semi-Pros will compete for $400 to win, and the Young Lions will race for $300 to win.

Among the early Lanier entrants are drivers like hometown favorite Shane Chastain and former All Pro Series racer Randy Gentry, who both raced Super Late Models at Lanier in the 1990s and 2000s.

For North Carolina teenager Kodie Conner, you might think he never had the chance to race there. But in his case, you would be wrong.

“I raced a Bandolero at Lanier and we actually won,” said Conner, driver of the Ameriprise Financial/Stephen Kidd/Accent Imaging/FK Rod Ends Toyota No. 45. “I saw that the track was repaved a few years ago and I feel like that is a good omen since we won the last time we were there. It’s good to go to a track that has been dormant for our type of racing. Everyone is pretty much on a level racing field not knowing what gear or springs to run.

“I’m just excited to be racing with PASS again; the series is awesome.”

In addition to the great racing Atlanta metro fans will be able to see on the famed three-eighths-mile speedway, camping and trackside parking will be available for purchase the weekend of the race only.

Camping spots can be purchased at the track on race weekend for just $20.

One of Lanier Raceplex’s most famous views is from the tiered trackside parking along the backstretch. Fans can purchase unreserved spots for just $10 to get a truly unique viewpoint of the Lanier National 200.

Since being announced earlier this year, the Lanier National 200 has become oneof the most anticipated events of the season. Hosting oval track racing for the first time in nearly a decade, the Lanier National 200 will crown the 2019 PASS national champion.

Maine’s Mike Hopkins has a commanding lead in the standings, thanks to wins at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway.

Now that all infield buildings have been removed and hauler parking will be in the outside pit area, fans will have an unobstructed view of all the action, no matter where they sit.

The Columbus Crew have acquired United States international midfielder Darlington Nagbe from Atlanta United for at least $1.05 million in allocation money, the club announced on Wednesday.

Atlanta is receiving $700,000 in Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), $150,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) and an international roster spot, all for the 2020 season. The Five Stripes will also receive $200,000 in TAM for the 2021 season. Should Nagbe hit certain performance-based incentives, Atlanta will receive an additional $375,000 in allocation money.

"Darlington Nagbe is a proven winner and the type of player who can be a difference-maker in our team," said Crew president and GM Tim Bezbatchenko. "In addition to his skill set, we believe that Darlington is someone whose character and values fit well within our organization. As we stated heading into this offseason, we continue to look both domestically and internationally for players that will make our team better, and we believe Darlington is an important part of those efforts."

Nagbe, 29, will be reunited with Crew manager Caleb Porter, who coached the midfielder at the University of Akron from 2008-10, with the pair helping the Zips to a NCAA title in 2010. The two also worked together in MLS with the Portland Timbers from 2013-17.

Nagbe was born in Monrovia, Liberia, but settled in the Cleveland area when he was 11 years old. In a bid to return to Ohio, Nagbe reportedly tried to force a trade to the Crew prior to the start of the 2019 season, but a deal wasn't completed then. Now that deal has come to fruition.

Nagbe has been a key contributor over the course of two seasons in Atlanta, filling a role where he linked defense to attack. He helped the Five Stripes win the 2018 MLS Cup, as well as the 2019 U.S. Open Cup. Overall, Nagbe recorded two goals and seven assists in 62 league and playoff appearances. During his seven seasons with the Timbers, his offensive output was greater, recording 28 goals and 32 assists in 226 league and playoff appearances. He helped the Timbers claim the 2015 MLS Cup crown.

At international level, Nagbe has appeared 25 times for the U.S., scoring once, but has reportedly turned down call-ups under current manager Gregg Berhalter.

INDIANAPOLIS -- If the Colts are going to continue struggling in the kicking game, they're going to do so with veteran Adam Vinatieri for the immediate future.

Colts coach Frank Reich, after talking with general manager Chris Ballard, on Wednesday said Vinatieri, who is having the most disappointing season of his 24-year NFL career, is "our guy" when it comes to kicking.

"Chris and I have talked about the situation; we have confidence in Adam," Reich said. "Obviously, there have been other kickers in here working out. We have confidence in Adam. He's not just our kicker, he's a leader on our team -- a captain, a presence. This is important. We feel like we need him going forward and have the utmost confidence in him."

Vinatieri, who became the NFL's all-time leading scorer in 2018 and will likely be in the Hall of Fame once his career is over, has cost the Colts (5-4) at least two games this season with misses against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9. He missed an extra point against Miami, which meant the Colts had to go for a touchdown on their final possession of a 16-12 loss to the Dolphins last weekend.

Vinatieri's problems has twice caused Ballard to work out kickers. The Colts had six kickers in for workouts prior to Week 3, and then another four worked out for the team earlier this week.

Vinatieri has only made 70% of his extra point attempts (14 of 20) this season. He's on pace to have the worse success rate of any kicker with at least 20 extra point attempts in NFL history, according to ESPN Stats & Information. His 73.7% success rate on field goal attempts (14 of 19) is only slightly better than 2003, when he made a career-low 73.5% of his attempts.

Those types of poor numbers would normally result in a player getting released, but the Colts are going to continue to stick with Vinatieri because, Reich said, "you treat everyone fairly, but not everyone the same."

"I think it makes sense," Reich said. "And everyone understands it, with 24 years of what he's done, there's a sense we believe in him. If you're going through a rough patch, we're going to be a little bit more patient than normal."

The Colts are currently on a two-game losing streak and a game behind the Houston Texans for first place in the AFC South. They have three straight games against division opponents, including a Nov. 21 game at the Texans.

"His mental toughness, I really, really value that," Reich said of Vinatieri. "I believe in him. I believe whatever we're going through is just a phase. He's going to help us win games and get us where we want to go."

THE DAY JONAS GRAY destroyed your fantasy football team started out innocently enough, with a hot Epsom salts bath and breakfast at a forgettable downtown Indianapolis restaurant with his mom and brother. Had Gray known what would happen later that night, he might have tried to find his family better tickets for the Patriots-Colts game on Nov. 16, 2014. But Gray was an undrafted third-year running back living in a one-bedroom apartment outside of Boston. Nosebleed seats it was.

In the upper deck that night, Jerri Gray-Allen, a retired police officer who drove 300 miles from her Michigan home, tried to low-key it when her son scored his first touchdown. She clapped and high-fived and let out a small scream. But by the time Gray entered the end zone for touchdown No. 3, she had dropped to her knees. "My baby," she said to herself, "is finally getting his shot."

Up to that point, Gray's career had been defined by practice squads and wishful thinking. But that night in Indianapolis, the stars and, most important, Bill Belichick's game plan aligned. Gray erupted for 201 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first player in the Super Bowl era to account for more than a quarter of the league's rushing scores in a week. Those four touchdowns were the first four of his career. That hadn't happened since 1921.

His underdog story, played out in front of millions of eyeballs on Sunday Night Football, was intoxicating and endearing. Gray jumped into the arms of Rob Gronkowski and playfully head-butted Tom Brady. After the game, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck found Gray and repeatedly, earnestly, told him how happy he was for him.

Gray has a degree in English from Notre Dame, but when NBC's Michele Tafoya put a microphone in front of his face after the game, he was so nervous he wasn't sure what would come out. He'd watched those interviews on his TV for years, wondering what it would be like to be the man -- the one who gets the game ball and has everyone riveted to what he has to say.

"I remember saying to myself, 'Wow, this is so cool,'" Gray says. "'I hope I don't mess up.'"

In five days, Gray's moment would be over, all because of a cellphone charger and one harsh reality of playing for the NFL's greatest dynasty: Game plans trump a good story every single day.

GRAY'S BREAKOUT EARNED him the cover of the Nov. 24 issue of Sports Illustrated, under a headline that read, "Jonas Gray ... Because of Course." Gray's star was already fading by the time the magazine hit newsstands, but there will always be permanence about that night.

If you're a hard-core fantasy football owner, Nov. 16 is eternally known as Jonas Gray Day, the anniversary of one of the most seismic shifts in a fantasy football weekend. Gray earned 43 points that night, the second-highest-scoring game by any player in 2014. Two Boston-area brothers, Rob and Dave Gomes, started Gray that weekend and won $1 million in a DraftKings contest. (Gray's 2014 salary, by the way, netted him less than half of that amount.)

Gray was such an unknown that he was active in just 1.3% of ESPN leagues that week, and, according to ESPN senior fantasy writer Tristan H. Cockcroft, was still available to be picked up, essentially for free, in 91.6% of them.

"When we celebrate national one-hit-wonder day, my timeline on Twitter gets flooded with pictures of Jonas Gray," says ESPN NFL insider Field Yates. "Patriots running backs are always, for fantasy football purposes, tantalizing. There's always going to be value there, but it's unpredictable because they've had such a cast of playmakers come through."

That unpredictability was on full display the following weekend: By then, Gray appeared in 75.7% of ESPN's fantasy leagues and was started in 32.9%.

He didn't play a snap.

EVEN BEFORE THE Colts game that made him one of Belichick's most famous one-hit wonders, Gray was well-versed on the vagaries of football. He had been a four-star recruit out of Detroit Country Day High School but found himself buried on the depth chart at Notre Dame, with just 75 carries in his first three seasons.

Back then, Gray leaned on his sense of humor to keep him going. He did some stand-up comedy in the South Bend area, once opening for Dustin Diamond, who played Screech on "Saved by the Bell." "If you ask anyone there," says former Irish teammate Mike Golic Jr., "Jonas was funnier than Dustin Diamond."

Despite the setbacks, Gray believed he could play with anyone. He cracked the starting lineup in his senior year and exploded for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns on 114 carries. His hopes of being drafted in the NFL were in sight. Then on Senior Day, he tore his ACL, MCL and LCL. His knee, and his dream, crumpled.

Gray stood on crutches in the locker room after the game, and his teammates gathered around him, awkwardly struggling with what to say. But Gray didn't want their sympathy. He recited a line from one of his favorite books, The Count of Monte Cristo: Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.

He was eventually signed by the Dolphins, then spent the 2013 season on the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad. He joined the Patriots on a futures contract in January 2014. Though he missed out on the 53-man roster heading into the season, Gray, who stood 5-foot-10 with a walloping 230-pound frame, impressed in training camp. Belichick, in those first weeks of the season, told him, "You're close." In mid-October, after a knee injury sidelined Stevan Ridley, Gray was promoted and amassed 131 yards on 32 carries in his first three games.

Nobody could've predicted that Gray would get 37 carries against the Colts. But Belichick is a master at modifying his personnel to each opponent, plugging in no-name players with particular skill sets that expose every weakness. His practice squads are fluid, and they weigh heavily into this game of chess. "They can move you up at any moment," says former Patriots guard Chris Barker, who spent six rotations on New England's practice squad. "They can literally call you the Friday night before the [team] flight and say, 'All right, you're activated.' You've got to be ready to play."

The Indianapolis game came after a bye week, which gave Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels extra time to prepare. And fresh in their minds was the Colts-Pats matchup in the AFC divisional round 10 months earlier. In that game, a 43-22 Pats win, another bruising back named LeGarrette Blount had pounded his way for 166 yards and four touchdowns. (Blount, by the way, would have just five carries the next week in the AFC championship.)

Belichick had also noticed a weak spot in the Colts' defense, with run-stopper Arthur Jones out that week with an injury. So they stacked their offense with six linemen, two tight ends and a plan: Feed the 24-year-old Gray constantly. In the days before the game, Patriots owner Robert Kraft stopped Gray in the locker room and offered encouragement. "I think this is going to be a big week for you," Gray recalls Kraft saying.

All those years of waiting, and now Gray had a wall of blockers and the ball. It was his show. He ran up the middle and off left tackle. He scored his first touchdown with 8:37 remaining in the first quarter, bulldozing into the end zone before some of the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd could even settle into their seats.

"I was like a kid in a candy store," Gray says. "It was like nothing I could describe. To get to that point, the dedication it takes, the hard work, it's hard to even describe it to people. I mean, it's a blast."

After the game, a reporter in the locker room snapped a picture of Brady shaking Gray's hand and sent it to Gray's mother.

In that moment, Gray felt something he hadn't for years. He felt as if he belonged.

GRAY'S AGENT, Sean Stellato, is based in New England and has represented numerous Patriots over the years. He knows the Patriot Way, and the expendability implicit in that philosophy, but after watching that Colts game, Stellato was certain that Gray was going to be a star.

"When you have a client that has a huge game," he says, "it's like, 'Wow, this is the break he needed. This is the breakout.' But like I tell all my clients, you've got to stay paranoid. You obviously don't ever want to take the pedal off the gas when you have success. It can come and go, as we know, in the snap of a finger."

On the Patriots' plane ride back from Indianapolis, Gray thought of none of that. He could barely sleep, already thinking ahead -- if he could finish strong in the last six games, maybe he could make the Pro Bowl. Sure, it was premature, but anything felt possible.

The next day, LeGarrette Blount, by then with the Steelers, left the field during a Monday Night Football game at Tennessee after receiving zero carries. He was subsequently released, and the Patriots picked him up on Nov. 20, a Thursday. Blount was a proven veteran, and his addition seemingly made Gray redundant on the Patriots' roster. But Gray wasn't particularly worried. He figured that he could learn from Blount, that Blount would only help make him better.

The Patriots were playing Detroit that weekend, a team Gray had followed since he was a kid growing up in Michigan. Thursday night, Gray stayed up late watching film of the Lions on his cellphone and iPad, lying on his couch with ice packs on his legs.

He plugged his phone into a charger and fell asleep on the couch. Gray was too tired to notice that the charger was dangling precariously out of the wall socket.

ONE OF THE first things you learn in the House of Belichick is to never, ever be late. A tardy is the same thing as an absence. Bryan Stork, a rookie center for the New England Patriots back in 2014, once contemplated buying a snowplow blade just in case he got caught in a nor'easter on his way to a team meeting, but he eventually decided it would have been over the top.

The Patriots had an early team meeting on Friday, Nov. 21, and like always, Gray had set the alarm on his cellphone the night before. It never went off. He awoke to the sun, glanced at the kitchen clock and saw, to his horror, that it was 8:30 -- one hour after the meeting had started. He scrambled for his phone, which was dead. In the agonizing minutes it took to charge the battery, Gray was awash in panic. When the phone finally turned on, he saw a text from veteran nose tackle Vince Wilfork. "Are you OK?"

Kevin Anderson, who was the Patriots' football operations manager at the time, texted and stopped by to check on Gray. (The Patriots' fear, according to Gray, was that the instant success might've made him vulnerable -- maybe he was celebrating and had too much to drink. Gray says Anderson made note that he had not been drinking.) Anderson told him to stay home until he called him later. But the waiting was killing Gray.

He texted teammates, family and former coaches. He apologized for his mistake. Sometime around 5:30 p.m., Gray showed up at the Patriots' facility to talk to Belichick. He wanted to explain everything -- that he did his job but the phone charger didn't.

The coach didn't appear particularly angry, Gray says. Belichick was on a treadmill walking and reading notes. He repeatedly told him, "We just can't have it." He said there would be repercussions for the game against Detroit, though he didn't specify how much Gray would sit. (Belichick, through a Patriots spokesperson, declined to comment for this story.)

Two days later, Gray didn't play a single snap against his hometown Lions. When Belichick was asked in the postgame why Gray didn't play, he told reporters, "We do what we think's best, and that's what we did today."

At least outwardly, Belichick didn't blame Gray's absence on the missed meeting, or on the tweet that Gray sent the day before the game -- a comment about "how fast people can turn their back on you."

Gray had quickly deleted the tweet, which also mentioned that he would "keep it moving and grind harder." And it seemed as if Gray did.

"Whenever I saw him around, he was positive and happy," Chris Barker says. "I've never seen him mad about his opportunity to play."

But Gray believes that late wake-up forever changed his trajectory with the team. In the next game, against the Packers on Nov. 30, the Patriots used four running backs for 17 carries. Blount received 10 of them. Gray had one.

For the rest of the season, Gray recorded double-digit attempts only once -- 11, for 62 yards, against the Dolphins. In all, he had just 91 yards after his monster game against the Colts. He was a healthy scratch for Super Bowl XLIX.

EVEN THEN, GRAY believed he'd get another chance in 2015. He played well in the first game of the preseason, ripping off a 55-yard touchdown run against the Green Bay Packers. He spiked the ball and flexed his arms like he had in that extraordinary November game.

A few weeks later, Belichick and Nick Caserio, the director of player personnel, called him in for a meeting. Belichick told him they were going in a different direction, that they didn't need any bigger backs in 2015. He said it didn't diminish the role Gray played in their Super Bowl championship. "Still, to this day, it gets to me," Gray says, fighting back tears.

"I was pretty shocked."

He went to Miami but got caught in a numbers crunch. He had high hopes after signing with Jacksonville in December, but then tore his quad during training camp in 2016.

Now Gray is 29 years old and stuck in an existential limbo. Is he still a football player? Or a guy who continually works out because he can't let go?

Gray has three kids now and is back in the Boston area working for an energy company. He spends what little free time he has working out, and he says he's ready if football calls. He takes inspiration from his mom, who struggled to raise two boys alone before deciding, at 28, to enroll at a community college. Jerri Gray-Allen didn't abandon her dreams, and she went on to be a crime scene investigator with the Pontiac Police Department -- and she says she'd never tell her son to quit football.

"He loves the game. That's what he wants to do.

"Of course I was disappointed in the system," she says. "But I was never disappointed in Jonas. I know what type of person he is, and I know what type of player he is. I'm not just saying that because he's my son."

Because he hasn't played in a few years, Gray considers his football age to be closer to 25 than 29. He is filled with confidence. He watches the NFL and believes he's as good as, if not better than, some of the running backs who have opportunities he doesn't.

He wonders where he'd be right now if his phone had been charged on that November day.

"I don't think I'd still be with the Patriots," he says. "But I'd definitely be in the NFL. I probably would be somewhere with a large contract playing on a team. I probably would've left New England because they couldn't pay me."

EVERY NOVEMBER, THE memories rush back to that game in Indianapolis. He can't believe it's been five years. Gray says that he carries no ill will toward Belichick and that he "respects the hell out of him."

Gray attended an XFL summer showcase in July, and Stellato said his client is in the best shape of his life. But Gray wasn't selected in last month's draft. An XFL player personnel staffer, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that teams simply preferred younger running backs in the draft, though Gray could still be added to a roster before the league launches in 2020.

In the meantime, Gray waits for his chance. Every once in a while, he'll think of something funny and write it down for a comedy skit maybe somewhere down the road. But a comeback? That's no laughing matter to Gray. If an unknown kid can blow up the NFL, and fantasy football, on one November weekend, anything is possible.

"I think it's gonna happen," he says. "I really do. My story is still being written."

Remember Jonas Gray's legendary four-touchdown Sunday night against the Colts? What about Peyton Hillis' run to the cover of Madden NFL 12? Or maybe Chris Matthews' come-from-nowhere game in Super Bowl XLIX?

We asked our NFL Nation reporters to pick the greatest one-hit wonders in the history of the teams they cover, the players who broke out in a big way ... and faded away just as quickly. These are the 32 players who had one great game or season and never made a big impact in the NFL again.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE
NO | NYG | NYJ | OAK | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

QB Clint Longley, Nov. 28, 1974

What happened: In a must-win game against the Redskins on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys trailed 16-3 when quarterback Roger Staubach was knocked out with an injury in the third quarter. Longley, a rookie, had not thrown a pass in a game but completed 11 of 20 throws for 203 yards and two touchdowns, including a 50-yarder to Drew Pearson with 28 seconds to play for a 24-23 win.

The aftermath: Longley threw only 24 passes in five more appearances with the Cowboys and was traded to San Diego after he sucker-punched Staubach during the 1976 preseason. You don't do that to Captain America, who called it a "gutless punch." The good news? The Cowboys used parts of that trade to land the No. 2 pick in 1977. They selected running back Tony Dorsett. -- Todd Archer

New York Giants

WR David Tyree, Feb. 3, 2008

What happened: Everyone knows "The Helmet Catch" that helped the Giants win Super Bowl XLII. It was one of only 58 receptions in five seasons (regular season and playoffs) with the Giants for Tyree, who was a special-teams ace. But along with the improbable grab that he pinned against his lid, Tyree -- who admitted to dropping everything at practice during the week -- caught a 5-yard, fourth-quarter score in that Super Bowl.

The aftermath: It turned out that the Super Bowl was also the final game Tyree played for the Giants. He missed the 2008 season with an injury and appeared in 10 games for the Ravens in 2009. He's currently working for the Giants as director of player development. -- Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles

QB A.J. Feeley, 4-1 stretch as starter in 2002

What happened: Feeley was the team's third-string quarterback in 2002 before injuries to Donovan McNabb and Koy Detmer thrust him into action for the stretch run. He responded by guiding the team to four consecutive victories, saving the season and securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs before McNabb's return.

The aftermath: The Eagles traded him to the Dolphins for a second-round pick after the 2003 season. Feeley started eight games during his lone season in Miami, where he threw 11 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. He returned to Philadelphia as a backup in 2006 and 2007 before ending his career with the St. Louis Rams in 2011. But after that magical 2002 run, he went 4-9 as a starter. -- Tim McManus

Washington Redskins

RB Timmy Smith, Jan. 31, 1988

What happened: Redskins coach Joe Gibbs decided -- after previous solid showings in playoff games -- on the morning of Super Bowl XXII, to name Smith a starter. But no one told the young running back, fearing the pressure could overwhelm him. It worked out. Smith rushed for a Super Bowl-record 204 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-10 win against the Broncos.

The aftermath: His huge game on the biggest stage should have launched Smith into stardom. However, he managed only a combined 476 yards in two more NFL seasons before off-field issues cost him his career. -- John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

RB Rashaan Salaam, 10-TD rookie season in 1995

What happened: A Heisman Trophy winner at Colorado, Salaam was taken in the first round (21st overall) of the 1995 draft by the Bears. As a rookie, he rushed for 1,074 yards and 10 touchdowns and appeared ready to be Chicago's starting running back for many years to come.

The aftermath: After his rookie breakout, Salaam failed to rush for 500 yards the next season and was out of Chicago after the 1997 season. Salaam was out of the league for good after he appeared in two games for the Browns in 1999. Tragically, Salaam took his own life in 2016 at age 42.-- Jeff Dickerson

Detroit Lions

TE Joseph Fauria, 7-TD rookie season in 2013

What happened: The undrafted rookie from UCLA was a red zone star his first season in the league, catching seven touchdown passes -- including three against the Browns -- despite collecting just 18 receptions for 207 yards. While he emerged as a big target for Matthew Stafford that season, his celebratory dance moves, before the NFL relaxed its celebration rules, got him noticed by Jimmy Fallon.

The aftermath: Fauria suffered an off-field ankle injury during the 2014 season -- initially claiming he tripped over his dog, Lil Rufio, while the dog was relieving himself. Fauria actually injured the ankle while playing volleyball. He was eventually placed on injured reserve before being cut in 2015, after which he tried to latch on with the Cardinals, the Patriots and the Alliance of American Football's Arizona Hotshots, to no avail. Fauria has hosted a podcast and is trying to make a career in comedy and acting. -- Michael Rothstein

Green Bay Packers

WR Jeff Janis, Jan. 16, 2016

What happened: Janis had two catches during the entire 2015 regular season before his seven-catch, 145-yard, two-touchdown game in the divisional round of the playoffs at Arizona. It included a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown to force overtime.

The aftermath: Those who thought it would springboard Janis to a bigger role could not have been more wrong. Janis caught just 13 passes the next two seasons combined, including just two for 12 yards during the entire 2017 campaign. He signed with the Browns the following offseason but never played in another game, for them or anyone else. -- Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings

S Brian Russell, 9-INT season in 2003

What happened: Russell went from a practice-squad safety who joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002 to leading the NFL in interceptions. He had an interception in the first six games of the 2003 season and finished with nine. With teammate Corey Chavous snagging eight picks in the same season, the Vikings boasted one of the league's top safety duos.

The aftermath: Russell was moved to free safety in 2004 and recorded two interceptions, one in the regular season and another in the playoffs. He signed with Cleveland in 2005 and notched three more. Russell played for five teams in his nine-year career. -- Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

WR Quentin McCord, Dec. 22, 2002

What happened: McCord, a seventh-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 2001, caught seven passes for 182 yards and a touchdown in a 36-15 victory over the Lions -- and he didn't even start. "I thought, dang, this kid could be pretty good," fellow receiver Brian Finneran said. "I thought that was his coming-out party and that he could play in the league for a while."

The aftermath: McCord had just 23 catches for 427 yards and that one score in 25 career NFL games, all with the Falcons. McCord spent a season on the Raiders' practice squad (2004), had a cup of coffee with the Arena Football League's Georgia Force, then played with Winnipeg and Edmonton in the Canadian Football League. He last was with the Kentucky Horsemen of the AFL's developmental league (2009) in the same city where he played his college ball. -- Vaughn McClure

Carolina Panthers

RB Nick Goings, 7-TD season in 2004

What happened: Goings went from fourth on the running back depth chart to starter in 2004 thanks to injuries. He responded with 821 yards and six rushing touchdowns, plus 45 catches for 394 yards and a score. During an eight-game stretch, he had an NFL-leading five 100-yard rushing games. His three-touchdown, 121-yard rushing performance against Arizona in Week 11 earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

The aftermath: Goings had only 57 carries for 195 yards the next four seasons combined before his career ended after his fourth concussion. He was released in 2009 and, ultimately, is remembered more as a special-teams player. -- David Newton

New Orleans Saints

S Chris Reis, Feb. 7, 2010

What happened: Three of the greatest moments in Saints history involved unheralded special-teams players recovering footballs. None was bigger than Reis coming up with the legendary surprise onside kick to start the second half of Super Bowl XLIV. Reis landed on the ball and, eventually, pulled it out of a chaotic pile -- thanks to a big assist from teammate Jonathan Casillas.

The aftermath: Reis, who went undrafted out of Georgia Tech, spent four seasons with the Saints as a core special-teams player and backup safety. But he appeared in only two more games after his heroic Super Bowl moment, landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury in 2010. He never played again in the NFL, but his legacy is secure in New Orleans. -- Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

WR Micheal Spurlock, Dec. 16, 2007

What happened: Spurlock became the first Buccaneer in the franchise's 32-year history to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a regular-season game when he streaked down the sideline in the first quarter of a Week 15 game against the Falcons. Legendary Bucs radio announcer Gene Deckerhoff infamously shouted, "Run, Micheal, run!" while Matt Vasgersian exclaimed on the TV call, "Could it be that the great curse has been lifted?!"

The aftermath: Ironically, after Spurlock was cut and re-signed by the Bucs, he did it again against the Falcons on a squib kick in 2010. He spent the final six seasons of his career (2009-14) with seven teams, including the Bucs. He finished with five combined kick- and punt-return touchdowns. -- Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

RB LeShon Johnson, Sept. 22, 1996

What happened: A third-round pick by the Packers in 1994, Johnson was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals in 1995, then suffered an injury in training camp in 1996 that lingered until Arizona's Week 4 game against New Orleans. Johnson broke out against the Saints, rushing for 214 yards, which remains the second-best rushing performance in Cardinals history. It was all the more remarkable because he had just 4 rushing yards to that point in the season and hadn't played the week before.

The aftermath: Johnson had a few more good outings that season but never rushed for 100 yards in a game the rest of his career, which was interrupted by a battle with cancer in 1998. He returned to play for the Giants in 1999 but never regained the form or production he had for that brief time in Arizona. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams

KR Tony Horne, three kickoff-return-TD season in 1999

What happened: Horne, an undrafted free agent from Clemson, was a dynamic kick returner for the Rams 1998-2000. During the 1999 season, which included a victory over the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV, Horne averaged 29.7 yards per kick return and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including one for 101 yards. In a divisional-round win over the Vikings, he returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to give the Rams a lead they would never relinquish.

The aftermath: Horne returned to the Rams for the 2000 season, averaged 24.2 yards per kick return and had a 103-yard return for a score. After the season, he signed as a restricted free agent with the Chiefs but was released in the preseason. -- Lindsey Thiry

San Francisco 49ers

LB Chris Borland, 107-tackle rookie season in 2014

What happened: Perhaps the only player listed here who made the conscious decision to be one-and-done, Borland walked away from the NFL after a strong rookie season in which he posted 107 tackles, a sack and two interceptions. Borland looked to be next in the Niners' linebacker lineage but cited concerns about potential brain injury when he retired after the season.

The aftermath: The 49ers spent the years after his retirement struggling to replace Borland at inside linebacker, cycling through multiple options, including the ill-fated first-round selection of Reuben Foster. Now, it seems the Niners finally have the combination they want in Kwon Alexander and Fred Warner, while Borland has taken to doing advocate work in a number of important fields. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks

WR Chris Matthews, Feb. 1, 2015

What happened: Matthews came out of nowhere to catch four passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIX against the Patriots in a performance that might have earned him MVP honors had the Seahawks won. Matthews had recovered a crucial onside kick in the NFC title game two weeks earlier, but, before the Super Bowl, the CFL import had yet to catch an NFL pass outside of the preseason.

The aftermath: Matthews made the team the next season, in 2015, but was buried on the depth chart and caught only four passes in nine games before the Seahawks released him. Then-offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell spoke that summer about needing more consistency from Matthews, who finished his career with 16 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown in 22 regular-season games. -- Brady Henderson

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

RB Terry Miller, 7-TD rookie season in 1978

What happened: Miller ran for 1,060 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in 1978, averaging 4.5 yards per carry as a 16-game starter for Buffalo. His performance ranks 27th in Bills history for rushing yards in a single season.

The aftermath: Miller had just 484 yards and a single score in 16 games the next season before being phased out of the Bills' offense completely in 1980, when rookie Joe Cribbs took over as the team's starting back. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Miami Dolphins

RB Lamar Smith, 16-TD season in 2000

What happened: Smith was primarily a backup running back in his first six seasons but was the Dolphins' workhorse in 2000, when he rushed for 1,139 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season. He also had one of the best playoff performances in team history that season, rushing for 209 yards on 40 carries in a 23-17 win over Peyton Manning's Colts -- the Dolphins' most recent playoff victory.

The aftermath: Smith was the Dolphins' lead back the next season but averaged just 3.1 yards per carry and would never eclipse 1,000 yards again. He finished his career as a backup in New Orleans in 2003. -- Cameron Wolfe

New England Patriots

RB Jonas Gray, Nov. 16, 2014

What happened: In his fourth career game, Gray rushed for 201 yards and a franchise-record four touchdowns in a 42-20 victory against the Colts. How rare was the accomplishment? It was the first by a player without a previous NFL touchdown since 1921. Gray landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated the next week.

The aftermath: In the days after the game, Gray was late to the facility once and quickly slipped into coach Bill Belichick's doghouse. He finished the season with 412 rushing yards and was released in September 2015. Gray had 45 total carries for the Dolphins and Jaguars in 2015, but he injured his quad and was released by Jacksonville in 2016 and didn't play another down in the NFL. Gray's name was in the pool for the recent XFL draft, but he was not selected. -- Mike Reiss

New York Jets

WR Stephen Hill, Sept. 9, 2012

What happened: Hill, a second-round pick in 2012, had five catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills in his first NFL game. The Jets took some heat for drafting Hill, who caught only 49 career passes in Georgia Tech's triple-option offense. New York's top scout had compared him to another Georgia Tech alum, Calvin Johnson. At 6-foot-4, Hill ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine. He lived up to his billing -- for one day.

The aftermath: Hill's deficiencies (shaky hands, poor route running) showed up after he was rushed into the starting lineup out of necessity. He was out of the NFL by 2015. The worst part for the Jets? They traded up for Hill, passing on wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and linebacker Bobby Wagner, among others. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

RB Jay Graham, Nov. 16, 1997

What happened: The rookie third-round pick delivered a breakout performance in his first NFL start, gaining 154 yards against the Eagles by using sharp cuts and showing no hesitation. Graham was thrust into the starting lineup before the 10-10 tie after Bam Morris was a late scratch. Graham carried the ball 35 times, the third most in franchise history.

The aftermath: Graham injured his ankle in overtime of that game against the Eagles and was never the same. He played only six more games for Baltimore and gained 123 more yards -- leaving with an injury settlement from the Ravens before their 2000 Super Bowl season because of ankle and knee problems. Graham is one of seven Ravens running backs to eclipse 150 yards rushing in a game but is the only one who failed to do so again. He ended his career with 13 combined carries for the Packers (2001) and Seahawks (2002). -- Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals

RB Ickey Woods, 15-TD season in 1988

What happened: Woods rushed for 1,066 yards as a rookie, led the NFL in yards per carry (5.3) and was a consensus second-team All-Pro selection. Oh, and don't forget about the Ickey Shuffle. The second-round pick out of UNLV busted out his signature dance often. He scored 15 touchdowns in 1988, the second-highest total in the league that season.

The aftermath: Woods was never the same after he suffered a knee injury in the 1989 preseason. After his rookie season, he played in only 21 games over the next three campaigns. He registered 36 carries during the Bengals' three-win season in 1991 before he retired. -- Ben Baby

Cleveland Browns

RB Peyton Hillis, 13-TD, Madden cover-worthy season in 2010

What happened: Traded from Denver for just a sixth-round pick and reserve quarterback Brady Quinn, Hillis exploded out of nowhere in Week 3 of the 2010 season after an injury to starting running back Jerome Harrison. The former fullback rushed for 144 yards and caught seven passes to take over as Cleveland's primary ball carrier. He went on to finish with 1,654 yards rushing and receiving on the season. After his breakout, Hillis remarkably appeared on the cover of the Madden NFL 12 video game via fan voting.

The aftermath: Hillis never recaptured the magic of his 2010 campaign. The ensuing offseason, he was unsuccessful in negotiating a contract extension. Then injuries disrupted his 2011 campaign and the Browns let him walk as a free agent. Hillis played three more seasons, never totaling more than 310 rushing yards again. -- Jake Trotter

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB Tommy Maddox, 20-TD season in 2002

What happened: The former XFL MVP was named the 2002 Comeback Player of the Year after taking over for Kordell Stewart in Week 4. He helped Pittsburgh to an AFC North title and a postseason victory, throwing three touchdown passes in the wild-card win over the Browns.

The aftermath: Though he began the 2003 season as the Steelers' starter, Maddox never re-created the magic of 2002. In 2004, the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger, effectively ending Maddox's career in Pittsburgh. He started the first two games of that season but was replaced by Big Ben after he suffered an elbow sprain late in Week 2. Roethlisberger took over as starter after that, and Maddox started again only when Roethlisberger was hurt. He wound up winning a Super Bowl ring in 2005 as a backup. -- Brooke Pryor

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

RB Steve Slaton, 10-TD rookie season in 2008

What happened: Slaton, a third-round pick in 2008, was quickly named the starting running back for Houston as a rookie. He started 15 games and finished the season with 10 total touchdowns and 1,282 rushing yards, which ranked sixth in the league. Slaton's best performance came against the Colts, when he ran for 156 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

The aftermath: Slaton began the 2009 season as the Texans' starting running back but fumbled four times in the first five games. Later that season, he was benched for Ryan Moats. He finished the campaign on injured reserve with a shoulder ailment. Slaton was cut by the Texans in September 2011, after which he played three games for the Dolphins that season and scored one touchdown. -- Sarah Barshop

Indianapolis Colts

OLB Jonathan Newsome, 6.5-sack rookie season in 2014

What happened: The 2014 fifth-round pick had a team-high 6.5 sacks during his rookie season, which ended with the Colts reaching the AFC Championship Game. Newsome appeared to be the Colts' next pass-rushing threat when he sealed his rookie season with a strip sack of Denver's Peyton Manning in an upset victory in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The aftermath: Newsome, who had just one more sack in his NFL career after his 2014 breakout, was released after the 2015 season following an offseason arrest. He has been in the CFL since 2016, playing for Saskatchewan, Ottawa and the BC Lions, for whom he had four sacks this past season. -- Mike Wells

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Rob Johnson, Aug. 31, 1997

What happened: Johnson, who started the 1997 season opener in place of an injured Mark Brunell, threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns in addition to running for 31 yards and another TD in the Jaguars' victory in Baltimore. It was the only time he started a game for Jacksonville, which had named Brunell the starter in its inaugural season in 1995 -- the year Johnson was drafted in the fourth round.

The aftermath: The Jaguars traded Johnson to Buffalo in the offseason for one first-round pick and one fourth-round pick in the 1998 draft. They used the first-rounder to select running back Fred Taylor, who became the franchise's leading career rusher. Johnson started 26 games in four seasons with the Bills, only twice topping his performance against Baltimore in yards and passer rating, before appearing in a combined 10 more games with three other teams. -- Mike DiRocco

Tennessee Titans

WR Justin McCareins, 7-TD season in 2003

What happened: McCareins emerged as one of Steve McNair's top receivers in 2003. The 2001 fourth-round pick caught 47 passes for 813 yards and seven touchdowns in his third season. McCareins' 17.3 yards per catch ranked third in the NFL.

The aftermath: The Titans traded McCareins to the Jets for the 42nd pick in the 2004 draft, which became defensive end Travis LaBoy. McCareins -- who caught 141 passes for 2,062 yards and seven touchdowns in 64 games with the Jets -- eventually returned to Tennessee on a one-year deal and caught 30 passes in his final season. -- Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

QB Tim Tebow, 7-4 stretch as starter in 2011

What happened: Sure, Tebow started three games as a rookie in 2010 to close out the mess of a 4-12 season when coach Josh McDaniels was fired. But his 2011 season was the stuff of legend. Tebow was put in the starting lineup in place of Kyle Orton after a 1-4 start. The Broncos went to an option-based offense to suit him in Week 9 and won six of their final nine to finish 8-8 and win the AFC West. Toss in an overtime playoff win over the Steelers -- Tebow to Demaryius Thomas for the win -- and Tebow's time was unforgettable.

The aftermath: The Broncos signed Peyton Manning two months after the playoffs, which ended with a 45-10 loss to the Patriots; Tebow was traded to the Jets and never started another NFL game at quarterback. Tebow, who is a college football analyst for ESPN's SEC Network, has played the past four seasons as a minor league outfielder in the New York Mets organization. -- Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs

WR Sylvester Morris, Sept. 17, 2000

What happened: In the third game of his NFL career, Morris caught six passes for 112 yards with three touchdowns for the Chiefs in a 42-10 win over the Chargers. Kansas City appeared to finally have a big-play wide receiver in the rookie first-round pick.

The aftermath: Morris played the rest of that season, catching 48 passes for 678 yards, but never had another touchdown. He tore up his knee during an offseason practice in 2001 and never played another game for the Chiefs or any other NFL team.-- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers

RB Branden Oliver, Oct. 5, 2014

What happened: Thanks to injuries to running backs Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead, Oliver -- an undrafted rookie -- got a chance to shine early in the 2014 season. In Week 5, he ran for a career-high 114 yards in a 31-0 victory over the Jets in San Diego. Oliver finished the rout with 182 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns. He led the Chargers with 582 rushing yards that season but had just two more touchdowns the rest of the way.

The aftermath: Turf toe and an Achilles tendon tear derailed a career with the Chargers that lasted until 2017. Oliver, who had just 191 rushing yards 2015 through 2017, was released by the Colts during final roster cuts last year. -- Eric D. Williams

Oakland Raiders

QB Terrelle Pryor, Oct. 27, 2013

What happened: On the first play from scrimmage against the Steelers, Pryor -- then a quarterback -- faked the inside handoff to Darren McFadden before taking off through a massive hole on the right side. Ninety-three yards later, he had the longest touchdown run by a quarterback in NFL history. The Raiders beat Pittsburgh 21-18 on a day in which Pryor passed for just 88 yards. But Al Davis' final draft pick -- Pryor was taken in the third round in the 2011 supplemental draft -- captured the imagination of Raider Nation in a big way.

The aftermath: Pryor never won another game for the Raiders. After beating the Steelers, he lost two straight, injured a knee and didn't start again until a loss in the season finale. Pryor -- who was never a gifted passer and saw defenses flood the box when he was under center -- transitioned to receiver. He spent time with Cleveland, Washington, Buffalo and the Jets, last playing in November 2018. -- Paul Gutierrez