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All the Jewish NFL players to watch in the 2023-2024 season
(JTA) — As the calendar turns to September, many Jews eagerly await an annual fall tradition that signals a new beginning: Week 1 of the NFL season.
This year, the season begins on Sept. 7, just about 10 days before Rosh Hashanah. Read on for our guide to all the Jewish players (listed alphabetically) and storylines to watch — plus a few free agents who could get another chance.
Jake Curhan, Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle
Jake Curhan, center, and Tyler Mabry celebrate after a touchdown at Lumen Field in Seattle, Jan. 1, 2023. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Curhan, 25, appeared in four games for the Seahawks in 2022, a step back from his 15 games and five starts during his rookie season the prior year. The 6-foot-1, 315-pound lineman who grew up attending Jewish summer camp is expected to take on a similar backup role this season. During his successful collegiate career with the California Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley, he took on the nickname “Bear Jew.”
A.J. Dillon, Green Bay Packers running back
A.J. Dillon warms up before a preseason game against the New England Patriots at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., Aug. 19, 2023. (John Fisher/Getty Images)
After a record-setting career at Boston College, Dillon enters his fourth season with the Green Bay Packers. Dillon, the team’s second-string running back, appeared in all 17 games last season, wracking up 770 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, a career high. Dillon, 25, spoke at the BBYO Jewish teen movement’s convention last year, where he shared his experience as a Jew of color and joked about missing Hebrew school for football practice as a kid.
Michael Dunn, Cleveland Browns offensive lineman
Michael Dunn, right, during a preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Aug. 26, 2023. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The 2023 season is already off to a seesaw start for Dunn, who was re-signed by the Browns on Wednesday, just one day after they had reportedly released him. The 29-year-old appeared in Cleveland’s first eight games last year, including two starts, before a back injury derailed his season.
Greg Joseph, Minnesota Vikings kicker
Greg Joseph celebrates with teammates after kicking a game-winning field goal against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Dec. 24, 2022. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Joseph is beginning his third straight season as the Vikings’ primary kicker. The South African-born Jewish day school grad has been involved with the Jewish communities of each city in which he has played during his four years in the NFL. The 29-year-old has become known for his clutch game-winning field goals, including two in a row that each made history last season.
The free agents who hope to return
Anthony Firkser during New England Patriots minicamp at the Patriots Practice Facility at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., June 13, 2023. (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Anthony Firkser (tight end): Despite appearing in at least 11 games in each of his five NFL seasons, Firsker, 28, enters this season without a roster spot. Firkser — who had a bar mitzvah growing up in New Jersey and spoke to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about his love of latkes — was cut by the New England Patriots this week as the deadline loomed for teams to finalize their 53-man rosters. The Harvard alum has five career touchdowns and could get a shot as another team’s second- or third-string tight end.
Josh Rosen (quarterback): Rosen — who had a bar mitzvah, was a standout at UCLA and was once seen as a lock to be the first Jewish star QB in several decades — has struggled to find his footing in the NFL. The 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Rosen has more interceptions (21) than touchdowns (12) in his 24 career games. Rosen, 26, last appeared in a game with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, and spent last season on the Browns’ and Vikings’ practice squads.
Sam Sloman (kicker): After making 10 field goals in his rookie 2020 season, the Georgia native has bounced around practice squads without seeing game action. Sloman, 25, played for the Vegas Vipers in the XFL in their 2023 season. Sloman took on the nickname “Kosher Cannon” when he played at Miami University in Ohio.
Other Jewish storylines
Josh Harris addresses the media at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Jan. 12, 2020. (Andy Marlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Off the field, the biggest Jewish storyline of the 2023-2024 NFL season is new Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, who purchased the team from embattled Jewish owner Dan Snyder earlier this year for a record $6.05 billion. Snyder is under multiple investigations over sexual harassment and toxic workplace culture allegations. In July, Harris said buying his hometown NFL team was “bashert,” using the Yiddish word for fate.
In the broadcast booth, a number of Jewish play-by-play announcers and analysts will entertain fans on various networks. Here are a few of the more well-known figures in the booth and in the studio: Kenny Albert (Fox Sports), Chris Berman (ESPN), Ian Eagle (CBS), Andrea Kremer (Amazon Prime), Steve Levy (ESPN), Al Michaels (Amazon Prime) and Tracy Wolfson (CBS). Plus, former Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman recently joined Fox Sports’ “Fox NFL Kickoff” program, the network’s signature pre-game show.
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The post All the Jewish NFL players to watch in the 2023-2024 season appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Putin Speaks to Trump, Condemns Israel’s Strikes on Iran, Kremlin Says
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meet in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to US President Donald Trump for 50 minutes on Saturday, condemning the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressing concern about the risks of escalation, the Kremlin said.
“Vladimir Putin condemned Israel’s military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Trump, for his part, described events in the Middle East as “very alarming,” according to Ushakov. But the two leaders said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran’s nuclear program, Ushakov said.
On Ukraine, Putin told the US leader that Russia was ready to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians after June 22, according to state news agency RIA.
Trump reiterated his interest in a speedy resolution to the conflict, the Kremlin aide said.
Putin also congratulated Trump on his 79th birthday.
The post Putin Speaks to Trump, Condemns Israel’s Strikes on Iran, Kremlin Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Sunday’s US-Iran Nuclear Talks Cancelled, Oman Says
FILE PHOTO: Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi attends a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 11, 2023. Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
The latest round of US-Iran nuclear talks scheduled for Sunday in Muscat will not take place, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X on Saturday. Oman has been mediating the talks.
Albusaidi’s statement came a day after Israel launched a sweeping air offensive against Iran, killing commanders and scientists and bombing nuclear sites in a stated bid to stop it building an atomic weapon.
A senior official of US President Donald Trump’s administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Sunday’s talks had been cancelled.
Washington, however, remained committed to the negotiations and hoped “the Iranians will come to the table soon,” the official said.
The post Sunday’s US-Iran Nuclear Talks Cancelled, Oman Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Says Talks with US ‘Meaningless’ After Israel Attack, But Yet to Decide on Attending
USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, Sept. 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Iran said the dialogue with the US over Tehran’s nuclear program is “meaningless” after Israel’s biggest-ever military strike against its longstanding enemy, but said it is yet to decide on whether to attend planned talks on Sunday.
“The other side (the US) acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime (Israel) to target Iran’s territory,” state media on Saturday quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.
“It is still unclear what decision we will make on Sunday in this regard,” Baghaei was quoted as saying.
He said Israel “succeeded in influencing” the diplomatic process and the Israeli attack would not have happened without Washington’s permission, accusing Washington of supporting the attack.
Iran earlier accused the US of being complicit in Israel’s attacks, but Washington denied the allegation and told Tehran at the United Nations Security Council that it would be “wise” to negotiate over its nuclear program.
The sixth round of US-Iran nuclear talks was set to be held on Sunday in Muscat, but it was unclear whether it would go ahead after the Israeli strikes.
Iran denies that its uranium enrichment program is for anything other than civilian purposes, rejecting Israeli allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons.
US President Donald Trump told Reuters that he and his team had known the Israeli attacks were coming but they still saw room for an accord.
The post Iran Says Talks with US ‘Meaningless’ After Israel Attack, But Yet to Decide on Attending first appeared on Algemeiner.com.