Nashville alum Royce Newman may be just a rookie but the right guard has already made a big impact in the NFL.
The Green Bay Packers are now 3-1 going into Week5, and those victories included the walk-off field goal win over San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 27 and the Oct. 3 victory over the Pittsburg Steelers. Now it seems more attention is likely to be made as the season continues this fall.
Here are some fast facts of what sports columnists and other media outlets are saying about the rookie Royce:
- During his first start against New Orleans, Royce had already made history. The season opener marked the first time since 2006 that the Packers started the season with two rookie linemen.
- Sports Illustrated said earlier this season, Newman and his other offensive linemen are expected to see plenty of playing time this season.
- Mitch Widmeier at Zone Coverage says the secret to the thriller of the Monday Night Football game this week was the “makeshift offensive line.”
- Watch Royce talk o-line confidence in this press conference.
- Royce taps on helmets as a way of celebration, a tradition he says that probably started at Ole Miss.
- He is becoming a favorite teammate in the locker room, even going so far as to intriguing future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. According to Packer News.com, the columnist Ryan Wood quipped: “With his long, caveman hair and rapid ascension on the offensive line, Newman is quickly becoming a favorite among teammates.” Rodgers later referred to Newman as “about as interesting as they come.”
- Rodgers also recounted grilling Newman after he arrived at Packers Stadium for the first time, showing how attentive a leader he can be, as Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal writes about the behind-the-scenes interaction between Rodgers and Newman. “I think the biggest key is to, how do you empower a guy to get comfortable and show his personality as soon as possible?” Rodgers said. “Because when a guy can be comfortable, that’s when you can see them play to their full potential.
- The Packers showed more promise at home against Pittsburg. ESPN put Green Bay as in the top 5 of the power rankings and credited the offensive line as the biggest reason why.
- Zach Kruse of Packers Wire writes after the win against the Steelers: “The rebuilt group in front of Aaron Rodgers survived two demanding battles against two of the best defensive fronts in football despite not having All-Pro David Bakhtiari or Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins.
- He’s not the only Ole Miss alum making an impact.
- He also played in all 72 offensive snaps against Pittsburg.
Photo source: Packers News
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