Davante Adams

EA Sports bumped Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady up to a 99 overall rating in Madden NFL 2022 on Thursday.

The ratings boost is temporary, but it makes him one of only seven players currently in the 99 club in this year's video game:

Brady joins Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks to be rated 99 overall, which is fitting since they are both on the cover of the game.

The ratings adjustment comes on the heels of perhaps the most emotional and important regular-season game of his 22-year NFL career.

Last week, Brady returned to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro to face the New England Patriots for the first time in his career after playing for the Pats for 20 seasons.

It wasn't a vintage Brady performance by any means, as he threw for 269 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions on just 22-of-43 passing, but the Bucs left with a 19-17 victory.

Perhaps most importantly, Brady surpassed Drew Brees during the game as the all-time leader in passing yards in NFL history.

Even at 44 years of age, Brady continues to play at an elite level and once again has the Bucs in Super Bowl contention after leading them to a title last season.

The Buccaneers are 3-1 through four games, and Brady ranks second in the NFL in passing yardage (1,356) and tied for third in passing touchdowns (10).

Given his continued level of performance and his status as arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, it is difficult to argue with his distinction as a member of the 99 club.

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore may not have ended up with the Green Bay Packers, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort from Davante Adams, who had made a recruiting pitch Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Gilmore sent a goodbye message to the New England Patriots on his Instagram page, providing an opening for Adams to show his interest. Though ESPN's Adam Schefter had initially reported the defensive back was going to be released, the Patriots wound up trading Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers for a 2023 sixth-round pick.

Hours after the trade went through, Adams revealed Gilmore never gave him a call:

According to Greg A. Bedard of Boston Sports Journal, the Packers were considered a favorite to land the corner prior to the Panthers deal.

Gilmore spent the past four years with New England, earning three Pro Bowl selections.

It would have been a significant addition for Green Bay if the cornerback proves to be healthy. Gilmore has spent the start of the year on the physically unable to perform list due to the quad injury that ended his 2020 season, but he is eligible to play after Week 6.

When on the field, the veteran is one of the best in the league at his position. Gilmore was named first-team All-Pro in both 2018 and 2019, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019 when he led the NFL with six interceptions. He added a league-high 20 passes defended with two defensive touchdowns that season.

Even after an injury-filled 2020, a vote of 50 league personnel rated Gilmore as the No. 4 cornerback in the NFL heading into 2021, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

He could've helped a Packers squad that has Super Bowl aspirations but question marks defensively. The unit is tied for 19th in the league in points allowed, while only three teams have allowed more passing touchdowns this season.

Pairing Gilmore with Jaire Alexander or 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes would've given Green Bay an elite secondary that puts the team one step closer to a championship. But unfortunately for Adams and Co., Gilmore will be heading to North Carolina rather than Wisconsin.

The NFL did not fine San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward for his hit on Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams last week, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Ward's hit temporarily knocked Adams out of the game, but Ward was not flagged, and Adams returned to the contest after clearing concussion protocol.

Pelissero noted that NFL Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration Jon Runyan determined the hit did not warrant a fine since initial contact was not to Adams' head or neck area.

Pelissero pointed out that NFL rules state a hit is not a foul if there is "incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle or block on an opponent," which is what officials and Runyan determined Ward's hit to be.

The hit did little to slow Adams down, as he enjoyed his best game of the season to date with 12 receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also made a key grab on the game-winning drive, as Packers kicker Mason Crosby hit a field goal as time expired to give Green Bay the 30-28 victory.

The Packers improved to 2-1 with the win, bouncing back well from a disappointing Week 1 performance that saw them fall 38-3 to the New Orleans Saints.

The Niners dropped to 2-1 in defeat, and they have a huge home game on tap Sunday against the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks.

Ward, who was a first-round pick by San Francisco in 2014 out of Northern Illinois, has been a key figure on the 49ers defense so far this season.

He has started all three games at safety, recording 16 tackles and one pass defended.

Ward has experience playing both safety and cornerback over his eight NFL seasons, and his versatility will undoubtedly play a big role in the Niners trying to slow down quarterback Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense.

Green Bay Packers star receiver Davante Adams sustained a huge tackle in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. Adams laid still on the field for a few moments before being checked out by team trainers.

Surprisingly, Adams was back on the field one play later. Despite the helmet-to-helmet contact, the hit was less severe than it looked.

The NFL released a statement Monday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, saying that Adams and the Packers completely followed concussion protocols before letting him back into the game.

Adams finished the game with another monster stat line, recording 12 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown. He made two big catches on the Packers' final drive that helped set up Mason Crosby for the game-winning field goal as time expired.

When asked about the hit after the game, Adams told reporters he was laying on the field because he felt like he had the wind knocked out of him. He said his chest was the issue, but he knew right away that he didn't suffer a concussion.

"How I was able to get through it is I'm different," Adams said. "That's probably the main thing. I've dealt with stuff like that, and just the mental toughness to get in there, to know it wasn't a concussion. So I went on the sideline, they evaluated and saw right away that I was straight."

When asked if he was in jeopardy of missing next week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Adams immediately responded, "No, I'll play next week."

The Packers are breathing a sigh of relief that Adams wasn't seriously injured. One of the best receivers in the NFL, Adams has made four straight Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro in 2020 after leading the league in touchdown receptions.

Adams is tied with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp with a league-leading 25 receptions through three games. He's tied for fourth in receiving yards with 309. No other Packers player has over 76 receiving yards. Running back Aaron Jones leads Green Bay (2-1) with three receiving touchdowns.     

What truly makes anyone the best at anything in professional sports? The standard can be defined when everyone in the stadium or arena knows the individual will get the ball and he or she still delivers. 

Davante Adams is that dude among the NFL's wide receivers. 

"He is the ultimate competitor," Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters. "I think he's the best receiver in the National Football League."

Everyone who watches the Packers knows quarterback Aaron Rodgers plans to throw Adams his fair share of targets each and every year. Yet opponents can't stop the 28-year-old first-team All-Pro. 

The San Francisco 49ers almost did Sunday with an illegal fourth-quarter blow that, somehow, didn't result in a penalty. With 7:47 remaining, Rodgers pushed the ball downfield to Adams. The receiver had both cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety Jaquiski Tartt trailing in coverage. Fellow safety Jimmie Ward worked his way back to the ball and dislodged it successfully, though the hit was clearly helmet-to-helmet contact initiated by Ward on a defenseless receiver. 

Adams slumped to the ground and needed assistance to the sideline. He returned to the game a couple of plays later. 

How? 

"How I'm able to get through it is I'm different," Adams said after the Sunday Night Football affair. "It wasn't a concussion."

The receiver's return to the lineup proved instrumental to the Packers' eventual 30-28 victory at Levi's Stadium. 

"I couldn't believe it," Rodgers admitted when asked about Adams' reentry into the lineup. 

San Francisco left the Packers 37 seconds after what looked like the game-winning touchdown by Kyle Juszczyk. Rodgers is a bad man, though, and capable of taking over a contest at a moment's notice. But the reigning MVP needs help. Help usually comes from his favorite target. It did again Sunday. 

Rodgers attempted three passes during the waning moments of the game. All three went toward Adams. Two of them were chunk plays to place the Packers in field-goal position. 

To be fair, the quarterback threw a perfect dime to Adams over the outstretched arm of a dropping linebacker—All-Pro Fred Warner—and in front of the split safety look. 

Still, Adams had to concentrate on making a crucial catch while making a slight adjustment to the pass while understanding the situation. Adams got to the ground, where the Packers were able to spike the ball for yet another opportunity. 

Two plays later, Rodgers found Adams again for 17 yards to put them in field-goal position. 

Mason Crosby sauntered onto the field for a 51-yard attempt. Boom. Game over. Packers win. 

"In my mind, the game was over," Adams said of his thought process as he went off the field after his last catch. "[Crosby] kicks the leather out of the ball."

The receiver also explained Ward's hit primarily affected his breathing since the majority of contact came at his chest, per ESPN's Ed Werder. Basically, Adams took a licking and didn't stop ticking. He played a vital role in the Packers' moving to 2-1 overall and all alone in first place in the NFC North. 

In total, his 12 receptions and 132 yards ranked second and first, respectively, among all Sunday performances. The most amazing aspect of Adams' performance is how well-rounded he is as a wide receiver. He excels running every route, as Underdog Fantasy's Josh Norris noted: 

Adams' extensive target share is a testament to his reliability and versatility as a receiver. A trust level must be established between Rodgers and his targets. The quarterback is not going to throw the ball to a specific option with any regularity if a certain familiarity isn't achieved. In Adams' case, the four-time Pro Bowl selection has been targeted an average of 137 times over the previous five seasons. During that span, no quarterback-wide receiver duo has connected more times for more yardage or touchdowns, according to NBC's telecast. 

A few other wide receivers are near-unstoppable when they get rolling. 

Julio Jones can still be a dominating force when healthy, though his health has been a consistent area of concern. Michael Thomas' production took a significant step back due to injuries the past season-plus. DeAndre Hopkins is Mr. Reliable for the Arizona Cardinals, but Adams has been a better red-zone target. Stefon Diggs, DK Metcalf, Justin Jefferson and Calvin Ridley are all emerging stars, yet Adams has produced at an elite level for multiple seasons. 

The Packers don't necessarily have a true No. 2 option in the passing game, either. Tight end Robert Tonyan is the closest. He played at a Pro Bowl level last season, but even so, consider the following: Rodgers targeted Adams 18 times Sunday. Everyone else on the Packers roster was targeted a combined 12 times. 

Green Bay dares opponents to slow Adams when the Packers don't really have any other major threat in the passing game. They still can't. That's why Adams is the absolute best in the business at the moment.

Green Bay Packers star Davante Adams said he didn't suffer a concussion on the big hit that briefly took him out of Sunday's 30-28 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The four-time Pro Bowler told reporters he initially had some trouble breathing but didn't experience concussion-like symptoms. He added he expects to suit up in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As Adams was looking to haul in a long pass by Aaron Rodgers, he appeared to absorb a helmet-to-helmet hit from 49ers safety Jimmie Ward. Ward said after the game he led with his shoulder and that it was a "bang-bang play."

In addition to the question of whether a penalty should've been called, many were surprised to see Adams return to the field so quickly.

The 28-year-old played a pivotal role later in the game. On Green Bay's final drive, he hauled in two passes for 42 yards to help set up Mason Crosby's 51-yard field goal as time expired.

That capped off a 12-catch, 132-yard, one-touchdown night for Adams. It's impossible to say with any certainty, but the Packers' late comeback may not have happened if Rodgers' favorite target wasn't available.

Adams' comments provided some clarity to one of the biggest talking points from Sunday night's encounter.

Aaron Rodgers did it again.

It looked as if the San Francisco 49ers were going to complete a dramatic comeback victory, but he marched the Green Bay Packers right into field-goal range in the final seconds without a timeout. Mason Crosby put the finishing touches on the possession with a 51-yard field goal to secure the 30-28 win at Levi's Stadium.

Rodgers' brilliance moved the Packers to 2-1 and atop the NFC North in the season's early going.

Jimmy Garoppolo did what he could, but it wasn't enough for the 49ers as they fell to 2-1.

Notable Player Stats

• Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB: 23-of-33 passing for 261 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
• Davante Adams, WR, GB: 12 catches for 132 yards, 1 TD
• Aaron Jones, RB, GB: 19 carries for 82 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches for 14 yards
• Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, SF: 25-of-40 passing for 257 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
• George Kittle, TE, SF: 7 catches for 92 yards

Aaron Rodgers Provides Cruel Reminder of What Could Have Been

In a different timeline, Rodgers may have been the hero on the other side in this game.

After all, the 49ers famously passed on him to take Alex Smith with the No. 1 pick of the 2005 NFL draft. What's more, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported San Francisco was "Rodgers' top choice when it came to a new destination" this offseason if he and the Packers parted ways. 

Unfortunately for the NFC West squad, he is still on Green Bay and was as brilliant as ever in Sunday's win.

The future Hall of Famer completed his first 12 passes, including a touchdown to Davante Adams, as he essentially played pitch-and-catch against a banged-up 49ers secondary from the start. He mixed in back-shoulder throws, fastballs through tight windows and floating deep balls, and it was 17-0 just like that.

While he watched that lead shrink to three from the sidelines as San Francisco scored on back-to-back possessions sandwiched around halftime, he reminded everyone in the stadium that you can count on one hand the number of quarterbacks in league history who can throw a better ball than him with the game on the line.

In the face of third-down pressure, he dropped a dime over an outstretched defensive back to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the back of the end zone for a momentum-crushing touchdown.

It was a sign of things to come, because he was even better on the last drive with two long passes to Adams to set up the field goal. And, as he has so many times, he stole the hope away from the hostile crowd with another incredible win.

Jimmy Garoppolo Answers Questions Even in Defeat

Whether head coach Kyle Shanahan likes it or not, the quarterback question is going to be a primary storyline for the 49ers all season after they selected Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick.

There are few better examples of what an elite quarterback can do for a team than what Rodgers did, and Garoppolo looked anything but elite when he threw an interception on a deep ball after his side fell behind by two scores. The pick was more of a credit to Jaire Alexander's greatness than anything else, but San Francisco looked well on its way to a blowout loss and quarterback mismatch.

Any calls for Lance weren't exactly quiet either when the 49ers ended the first half with five scoreless plays inside Green Bay's 5-yard line with Garoppolo under center until the rookie came in for the final play before intermission and ran it in himself with Trent Williams bulldozing a clear path.

The first half and the crowd's cheers whenever Lance entered the game could have derailed Garoppolo's confidence, but, to his credit, he answered the call throughout the second half.

He took the momentum from Lance's touchdown and built on it by leading a 13-play drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk right out of the half. He also responded when the 49ers fell behind by double digits again by leading another touchdown drive that Trey Sermon finished with a run.

While he wasted much of the goodwill he built up with those scores with a monumental fumble down three in the fourth quarter, the defense bailed him out and held the Packers to a field goal.

Garoppolo took full advantage by going 75 yards in eight plays for his team's go-ahead touchdown with 37 seconds left. The final play was a strike to Kyle Juszczyk for a score, but, as it turns out, even 37 seconds is too much time for Rodgers.

What's Next?

Both teams are home in Week 4 when the Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 49ers host the rival Seattle Seahawks.

Davante Adams has spent his whole career learning from one great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, but it's another who he credits for inspiring him to make defenders miss.

The Green Bay Packers wide receiver told reporters he watched film of Lamar Jackson evading would-be tacklers before Monday's win over the Detroit Lions.

"I think I led the league or was second in YAC [yards after catch] last year, so that was something I wanted to continue to improve upon," Adams said. "I watched probably 25 minutes worth of Lamar Jackson highlights before the game. That's not a joke, either. I'm being dead serious. I really did."

Adams recorded eight receptions for 121 yards in Green Bay's 35-17 victory, a strong bounce-back after he opened with a quiet 56-yard effort in Week 1. A night before Adams' 121-yard outburst, Jackson rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Ravens to a 36-35 upset of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jackson, already an all-time great running threat under center in his fourth season, has also spent his career remarkably healthy given his playing style.