Even the greatest NFL players eventually peak and begin that tumble back down the mountain. For some, the peak is long and luxurious; for others, that peak is short, and the fall comes after a couple years of prosperity. This list features players nearing the end of the road or those having held on a bit too long. Some call it long in the tooth; others call it over the hill. We’re calling this the All-Washed team for 2022. Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan source: Getty Images This was a close race between Matt Ryan, Ryan Tannehill, and Baker Mayfield. We’re giving Mayfield one more chance to prove everyone wrong. Tannehill has rookie Malik Willis breathing down his neck, but at his best never reached the heights of former league MVP Ryan. As the Atlanta Falcons faded back into obscurity after the debacle of Super Bowl LI, so has Matty Ice. Cold would be the best description for Ryan at this point, passing for just 20 touchdowns last year and falling short of 4,000 passing yards for the first time since 2010. Ryan hasn’t sniffed the Pro Bowl since his MVP year in 2016. It wouldn’t be shocking to hear Ryan call it a career at the end of the ‘22 campaign. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliot source: Getty Images Zeke’s demise is a couple years in the making, but he hasn’t been the same back over the last couple of years. Elliot went from the top feature running back in the NFL to being the overrated half of a dual threat running game in Dallas. Were it not for Jerry Jones’ loyalty to certain players, Elliot might have been cut already. His average rushing yards per game has declined each season following his rookie year. In 2021 this number fell all the way to 58.9 ypg. If Elliot can’t step up this season, his career in big D could end next offseason. Tennessee Titans WR Josh Gordon ( practice squad) source: Getty Images It feels like Josh Gordon is hanging on by a thread. Gordon recently signed to the Titans’ practice squad, and if he can’t make this roster, that might be all she wrote. There was so much promise early on for Gordon after Cleveland selected him in the 2012 supplemental draft. Gordon led the NFL in receiving yards in 2013 and, for his efforts, was named All-Pro and a Pro bowler. Gordon’s substance abuse issues seemed to take control of his life as he missed the ‘15 and ‘16 seasons, serving a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. We’ve seen more Josh Gordon comeback attempts than George Foreman. At 31 years old, Gordon needs to find a team to stick with this year and produce. Otherwise, he’ll go down as one of the biggest’ what if’ talents the NFL has ever seen. TE Jared Cook (free agent) source: Getty Images Cook is a two-time Pro Bowl tight end. He will forever be remembered for his clutch reception from Aaron Rodgers to eliminate the Cowboys in the divisional round playoff game in 2017. It won the ESPY that year for Best Play. After peaking in catches and receiving yards in ‘18, Cook hasn’t come close to that production. He caught 48 passes for 564 yards last season for the Chargers but is a free agent entering the ‘22 season. Jared had four TD receptions last year, his lowest since ‘17 with the Raiders. At age 35, it might be well into the season before Cook gets a call this year. Dallas Cowboys LT Tyron Smith source: Getty Images Tyron Smith has been beastly on that Dallas offensive line for over a decade. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time All-Pro, and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. But over the last couple of years, injuries have caught up with Smith, who will miss most of the ‘22 campaign with an avulsion fracture in his knee and the hamstring tendon pulled off the knee. Smith turns 32 years old during the regular season, and it just feels like time is winding down for the All-world tackle. If he does return this year, you have to wonder how effective he can be after such a brutal leg injury. Philadelphia Eagles DL Fletcher Cox source: Getty Images Fletcher Cox has been one of the better defensive linemen of his era as a six-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro. Cox had his most productive season in ‘18, the year after leading the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning defense. Fletcher made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro that season, recording 10.5 sacks, 34 QB hits, and 12 tackles for loss, all career highs. Last year Cox produced career lows in tackles for loss (7) and solo tackles (25) while making only 3.5 sacks in 16 games. Cox has primarily been healthy during his career, suiting up for at least 14 games in each of his 10 seasons as a pro. In professional sports, age catches everyone, and it may be Fletcher’s time. Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Lavonte David source: Getty Images Lavonte David has only been a Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro once in his career, but he’s been more than solid for the Bucs at the linebacker position for a decade. Many of those years went largely unnoticed because the team was so bad. David missed five games last season, which contributed to the lowest solo tackle total (63) of his career. Lavonte will be 33 before the end of the season, and this is usually around the time we see linebackers slowdown. Minnesota Vikings DB Patrick Peterson source: Getty Images Peterson was once expected the be the next big time shutdown cornerback in the NFL when he was drafted fifth overall by Arizona out of LSU. Patrick was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first eight years of his career. He’s a three-time All-Pro and was even named to the HOF All-2010s team. There’s been a noticeable drop-off in production over the past couple of years, even going back to Arizona. Now in Minnesota, a change in the defensive scheme could help the veteran cornerback immensely this season as they’re switching to more zone coverages. Cornerback isn’t a position that always ages gracefully in the NFL. Some even transition to safety as they age, and that could be the next move for Peterson if he wishes to play well into his 30s.
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Germany captain Michael Ballack says his side must use the confidence from their 3-2 quarter-final win over Portugal to knock out comeback kings Turkey on Wednesday in order to reach the Euro 2008 final.
Germany play Turkey in Basel s semi-final at the St Jakob-Park Stadium where Chelsea midfielder Ballack scored the crucial third goal last Thursday which knocked Luiz Felipe Scolari s Portugal out of the tournament.
Ballack says the win gave his side a huge shot of confidence, especially after the shock 2-1 group stage defeat by Croatia, and Germany must take advantage of the injury-hit Turks on Wednesday.
You always grow into the opponent and the task, said Ballack.
Portugal had been acting like the top favourites.
So if you can throw a tea…
It may be called rather fetchingly the Old Lady but the stadium for Sunday s Euro 2008 final between Germany and Spain has a dark past it was formerly a site for Nazi propaganda and racial experiments.
The Ernst Happel stadium, originally named Prater stadium after the area of Vienna in which it is located, opened in 1931 for the second Workers Olympiad after 23 months of construction.
A utopia made of steel, glass and concrete, the sleek structure by German architect Otto Ernst Schweizer was then considered the most modern stadium in Europe.
The venue, which was home to the celebrated Austrian Wunderteam of the 1930s, originally held 60,000.
It was later increased to 90,000 in the 1950s, before standing places were abolished.
Renovated in 1…
Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly lining up moves for Salzburg star Dominik Szoboszlai, while three Premier League giants are monitoring Ben White.
Szoboszlai, 20, has been linked with a move from Salzburg after starring for the Austrian club.
And several European heavyweights are eyeing the Hungary international.
TOP STORY – ARSENAL, TOTTENHAM PUSH FOR SZOBOSZLAI
Arsenal and Tottenham are ready to push to sign Salzburg star Szoboszlai, according to Eurosport.
But the report says RB Leipzig look likely to win the battle to sign the star, despite interest also coming from Milan and Atletico Madrid.
Contracted until 2022, an offer of around €20million will reportedly be enough.
ROUND-UP
Mancheste…
Man Utd ´an absolute disgrace´ and Bruno Fernandes ´embarrassing´ says Neville as Keane suggests sta
Gary Neville labelled Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes embarrassing and Roy Keane said Erik ten Hag s players should go into hiding after a 7-0 humbling by Liverpool.
Liverpool s three starting forwards – Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez – each scored twice, with substitute Roberto Firmino coming off the bench to add to the humiliation.
It was Liverpool s heaviest-ever win over United, their great rivals, and came just a week after the visitors to Anfield won the EFL Cup.
If United s Wembley win pointed to a bright future, this Sunday shoeing on Merseyside was a wake-up call.
United legends Neville and Keane offered no sympathy.
A stunned Neville said after the game: They ve not understood, I don t think, the dangers of this…
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of five key players rested by Real Madrid for the Copa del Rey tie against Numancia, while Karim Benzema is sidelined by injury.
Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos were excluded from the squad to face the second-tier team in the first leg of the round of 16 at Nuevo Estadio Los Pajaritos on Thursday.
Benzema, who has struggled badly for form this season, suffered a hamstring strain in the 3-0 Clasico defeat at home to Barcelona in December and will not be involved.
Gareth Bale has been picked though, as the Wales international seeks to regain full fitness after battling calf and hamstring issues in an interrupted first half of the 2017-18 campaign.
Here s our 19-man squad for our trip to Soria to face ! …
Paris Saint-Germain have announced the signing former France international Lassana Diarra on a free transfer.
Diarra has been a free agent since leaving Al Jazira last month and boosts the midfield options of the Ligue 1 leaders, although PSG coach Unai Emery previously indicated he would not be looking to make signings during the January transfer window.
The Spaniard namechecked 21-year-old Argentine Giovani Lo Celso as a possible solution to the club s defensive midfield issues earlier this month, while playing down a move for Diarra.
But the 32-year-old former Marseille and Real Madrid midfielder completed his return to Ligue 1 on Tuesday, signing a 18-month deal.
Diarra, who last featured for France in 2016, could make his PSG debut against Guing…
Swindon Town s board have released a statement assuring supporters they share the same promotion ambitions as manager Paolo Di Canio.
The statement comes after Di Canio criticised the club s prospective new owners for selling Matt Richie to fellow League One promotion-chasers Bournemouth without consulting the Italian.
Di Canio said he would review his position at the County Ground on Friday, prompting the club to issue the following statement on their website: The decisions made over the course of the last few days have not been made lightly, and in the case of the decision to sell Matt Ritchie, have been done in conjunction with the new owners.
Whilst the board understands Paolo s desire to gain promotion and is wholly supportive of this, the board s conside…
A number of European top clubs are closely monitoring Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, the player’s representative has revealed.
Mangala, 22, has largely impressed ever since he arrived at the club from Standard Liege, and he is being tipped to leave Porto for greener pastures at the end of the season.
The defender’s representative admits the summer exit is likely, and claims some of Europe’s top clubs are watching his client.
The Rossoneri, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are on his trail, agent Fabrizio Ferrari told Portuguese TV station Antena 1.
But the boy now thinks only of Porto, we ll talk again in June when the market reopens. He was an important investment for Porto, but he will be well worth it.
Eliaquim Mangala came throu…
Erling Haaland is not finding it difficult to deal with the transfer speculation that has unsurprisingly followed his remarkable run of goalscoring form.
The teenage Salzburg striker is enjoying an excellent campaign and has scored eight goals in five Champions League games to go with 16 in 14 in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Should Haaland score against Liverpool on Tuesday in their Group E finale, in which Salzburg could knock out the holders, he will become the first player to score in his first six Champions League matches.
Manchester United – managed by Haaland s former Molde coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – have been heavily linked with a move for the 19-year-old, while Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool have also been credited wit…
Frank Lampard has indicated Chelsea will look to sign at least one new attacker in January after having their transfer ban halved.
An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport brought an early end to the original two-window embargo last week, enabling the Blues to become active participants in the transfer market.
An inexperienced squad reached the Champions League last 16 with Tuesday s 2-1 home win over Lille and could now be reinforced.
Chelsea scored 11 times in their six Group H games and have notched a further 31 goals in the Premier League, but head coach Lampard outlined plans to seek a replacement for Eden Hazard.
I think it will be a bit fluid, Lampard told BT Sport after beating Lille at Stamford Bridge.
There will be discussions …