The Fan Controlled Football playoff race is heating up, and one team has asserted itself as the top title contender. Last weekend, the undefeated Bored Ape FC managed to outlast the one-loss Knights of Degen...
Terrell Owens: I 'Guarantee' I Can Still Run a Sub-4.5 40-Yard Dash at Age 48
May 19, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 14: Terrell Owens #81 of the Knights of Degan reacts during the game against Bored Ape FC during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 - Week Five on May 14, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens, who plays for Fan Controlled Football's Knights of Degen, still believes he's among the fastest football players, even at 48 years old.
I guarantee you I can run under 4.5. I can run a 4.4 now. ... Would that still move the meter to make somebody pull the trigger of doing it? Who knows. But I know I can run. Like I said, speed is part of the football game, but there's a lot of people that run 4.4s, you know what I mean. But that doesn't mean that they can actually play. For me to do that at my age and understand and be knowledgable about the game, that's beneficial for any team.
Owens' comments aren't far-fetched, either. In 2020, when he was 46, he challenged then-Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is one of the fastest in the NFL, to a 40-yard dash. He finished with a time of about 4.4 seconds, per ESPN.
For comparison, Hill ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds at his pro day. A number of wide receivers in the 2022 draft class also ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds at the NFL combine.
Owens, a Hall of Famer, had a tremendous NFL career, catching 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns in 219 games. It would be interesting to see him race Hill and some of the other speedy NFL wide receivers in 2022.
FCF 2022 Results: Johnny Manziel Lifts Zappers to 1st Win After Terrell Owens Trade
May 14, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 14: Johnny Manziel #2 of the Zappers looks on in the first half of the game against the Shoulda Been Stars during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 - Week Five on May 14, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
The last winless team of the 2022 Fan Controlled Football league season is winless no more, as quarterback Johnny Manziel helped the Zappers score their first victory Saturday.
With Johnny Football rotating in at quarterback throughout the game, the Zappers took down Shoulda Been Stars 28-24 to improve their record to 1-4.
The win came in the Zappers' first game without Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens, who was traded to the Knights of Degen this week.
In addition to the Zappers' triumph, three other FCF games were scheduled for Saturday. Here is a look at the entire Week 5 slate and how each game played out.
FCF Week 5 Schedule and Scores
Zappers def. Shoulda Been Stars 28-24
Kingpins def. 8oki 34-28
Bored Apes Football Club def. Knights of Degen, 18-16
Glacier Boyz def. Beasts, 34-18
FCF Week 5 Recap
Glacier Boyz 34, Beasts 18
Glacier Boyz ended their two-game losing streak with an impressive 34-18 victory against Beasts in the final game on the Week 5 schedule.
History was made on the first play of the game, as the Glacier Boyz scored the fastest touchdown in FCF history. On the opening possession, Beasts quarterback Alphonso Howard bobbled a bad snap and lost the ball in the end zone when he was sacked.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
Trailing 8-0 after four seconds, Beasts did settle in to erase the bad taste of that first turnover. Martavis Bryant got the first touchdown of the day for Beasts on a 13-yard catch from Howard.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
Andrew Jamiel was a big-play machine for Glacier Boyz. He caught two touchdowns in the win, including one with 21 seconds remaining in the first half to extend the lead to 20-6.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
It was a good day for Glacier Boyz wide receiver. Jordus Smith also had a touchdown reception. He also received a hearty endorsement from Terrell Owens as a potential NFL-caliber player.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
Beasts tried to make things interesting late in the fourth quarter. Chris Barrett threw an interception with Glacier Boyz leading 28-12. Howard found Bryant in the end zone with 41 seconds remaining on fifth down to cut the deficit to 10.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
Beasts were unable to convert on a two-point conversion to make it a one-score game. Glacier Boyz ran out the clock to secure the win and improve their record to 2-3.
Glacier Boyz will look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season against Zappers next week. Beasts (2-3) will attempt to end its two-game losing streak on May 21 vs. Shoulda Been Stars.
Bored Apes Football 18, Knights of Degen 16
Bored Apes Football remains undefeated after an 18-16 win over Knights of Degen thanks to stellar play by the defense.
With Knights of Degen driving and a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, running back Terelle West had the ball knocked out of his hand inside the five-yard line. The Apes recovered in their end zone to preserve the lead and run out the clock.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
The Knights scored 16 consecutive points after falling behind 6-0 in the first quarter. They led most of the game thanks to some terrific play by Ed Crouch.
Crouch kept the ball on an option play, avoided two defenders and made a cutback to the middle of the field to find the end zone in the final minute of the first half
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
The Knights defense nearly came up huge at the end of the first half. They got a stop on 4th-and-1, but the Apes were able to use their one fifth-down play to make something happen.
Deondre Francois took advantage of the extra down with a 32-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 16-12 at the break.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
Clinging to a 16-12 advantage, Knights of Degen had an opportunity to extend their lead. But Bored Apes Football got a stop on 4th-and-goal to give the offense another chance to take the lead.
They were unable to capitalize on this opportunity when Francois threw an interception that was initially returned for a touchdown. The touchdown was called back due to a penalty, but the turnover stood with just under eight minutes left to play.
Huge INT for @fcfbafc Touchdown got called back on a penalty but the turnover stands.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
After the Bored Apes defense got a stop, Francois redeemed himself by hitting Darren Woods in the end zone for the go-ahead score with 3:25 left to play.
.@fcfbafc finds the endzone and cradles the baby. Take an 18-16 lead, as they look to stay undefeated on the season. pic.twitter.com/CWAEzORVyL
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 15, 2022
The Apes' defense made its stand and got the turnover on the next drive by the Knights to secure the win.
Bored Apes Football is the last remaining undefeated team in the league with a 5-0 record. They will look to secure their sixth straight win next week against 8oki. Knights (3-2) will attempt to get back on track when it takes on Kingpins.
Zappers 28, Shoulda Been Stars 24
Shoulda Been Stars entered Week 5 as a big favorite over the winless Zappers thanks to their 3-1 mark, and while they almost completed a huge comeback, they were unable to stave off the upset.
After falling behind 22-0 in the first half, Should Been Stars staged a furious comeback and got down to the Zappers' 15-yard line with two seconds remaining in the game, but they were unable to score the go-ahead touchdown.
While Manziel is the face of the Zappers, it was former University of Memphis quarterback Jason Stewart who took the bulk of the snaps Saturday.
On the strength of a pair of touchdown passes, Stewart staked the Zappers out to a 14-0 lead in the opening half:
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
That touchdown had a decidedly Texas flavor, as Manziel starred and won the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M before playing for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, while Williams played collegiately at Baylor and for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.
It was from that point that Shoulda Been Stars made things interesting, starting with a touchdown pass from quarterback Slade Jarman to wide receiver Tyis Boykin with 15 seconds left in the first half:
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
All signs pointed toward Shoulda Been Stars completing the comeback with momentum firmly on their side, but Stewart bounced back with a touchdown pass to running back Shuncee Thomas to put the Zappers back on top:
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
Since Manziel is only playing in a part-time role rather than taking every snap this season, the emergence of another quarterback was of the utmost importance, and Stewart clearly came to play Saturday.
Now, the Zappers will look to keep rolling when they face the Glacier Boyz next week, while Shoulda Been Stars will attempt to bounce back against the Beasts.
Kingpins 34, 8oki 28
The Kingpins held on for a much-needed win, defeating 8oki 34-28 to improve to 2-3.
After scoring with two seconds left to cut the deficit to six, 8oki had a chance to tie it with a Hail Mary, but quarterback Mitch Kidd's pass was intercepted in the end zone to seal the victory for the Kingpins.
The teams traded touchdowns for much of the game, particularly in the first half when each side found the end zone twice.
The Kingpins got the scoring started with a dump-off from quarterback Tirri Jones to running back Daryl Virgies:
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
8oki answered with one of the most remarkable plays of the season, as Kidd fired the ball from his own end zone to wide receiver Malik Elion for a 49-yard score:
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
The lead was short-lived, though, thanks to a 38-yard touchdown run by Virgies with less than a minute left in the opening half to put the Kingpins back on top:
YOU CAN NOT STOP HIM, YOU CAN ONLY HOPE TO CONTAIN HIM.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
The see-saw affair continued early in the second half with Kidd's third touchdown pass, this time to running back Malcolm Ballard to make it 22-20 in favor of 8oki:
The long drive for @fcf8okifc results in a easy TD.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 14, 2022
While 8oki did make it interesting with a late touchdown and Hail Mary attempt, the deficit proved too much to overcome.
Both 8oki and the Kingpins are 2-3, and both teams have big games on tap next week, with 8oki facing Bored Ape Football Club and the Kingpins taking on Knights of Degen.
While the NFL is busy dominating the spring news cycle with its schedule release, Fan Controlled Football is carving out a niche as a viable spring league...
Terrell Owens Traded to Knights of Degen From Zappers in Fan Controlled Football
May 11, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 07: Terrell Owens #81 of the Zappers looks on prior to playing the Beasts during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 - Week Four on May 07, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens was traded from the Zappers to the Knights of Degen in a three-team trade on Wednesday in the Fan Controlled Football league.
Knights of Degen: Received Owens and wideout Jacoby Herring, traded quarterback Dentarrius Yon and wideout Isiah King.
Zappers: Received quarterback Jason Stewart, King and the Nos. 5 and 12 picks, traded Owens and the Nos. 1 and 16 picks.
Beasts: Received Yon and the Nos. 1 and 16 picks, traded Stewart, Herring and the Nos. 5 and 12 picks.
While the league approved the trade, the fans can still veto it, though that will require a 70 percent supermajority.
Per the FCF website, the league features "real games played in a single, high tech studio arena and streamed live on Twitch," with fans voting on which plays will be called by the teams. Games are a seven vs. seven format on a 50-yard field.
Johnny Manziel Injured for Zappers in FCF; Terrell Owens Gives Mic'd Up Commentary
May 8, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 07: Terrell Owens #81 of the Zappers and Julio Jones talk prior to a game between the Zappers and Beasts during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 - Week Four on May 07, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
Fan Controlled Football's Zappers, led by former NFL players Johnny Manziel and Terrell Owens, had a rough night against the Beasts on Saturday, dropping to 0-4 on the season with a 28-0 loss.
The Zappers lost Manziel to an unspecified injury early in the game, and he was replaced by Brian Allen. Manziel, the team's top quarterback, entered Saturday's game having complete 5-of-11 passes for 74 yards, in addition to four carries for eight yards and a touchdown.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 7, 2022
Owens, meanwhile, didn't produce any highlight-reel plays without his quarterback, getting targeted just twice. However, he did provide some great commentary, even trying to convince NFL free-agent wide receiver Julio Jones to join the FCF.
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 8, 2022
After the game, Owens admitted falling to 0-4 on the season was "tough" and described some of the team's biggest challenges.
"I mean, it's tough when your top quarterback goes down, QB1 goes down," Owens said. "Obviously, like I said, not a lot of chemistry. Next guy gotta be ready to play, so other than that, it's just a lack of execution on our part."
Owens was also asked if he would request a trade from the Zappers with the team well out of playoff contention.
"I'm not sure," Owens said. "I'm not sure if that's an option. If it is, maybe I'll try to see what that's about. If not, like I said, we just have to regroup and just keep going."
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 8, 2022
Owens entered Saturday's game with eight catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
The NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals from 1996 to 2010. He caught 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns in his career.
Fan Controlled Football is heading into Week 4 of the 2022 season, also known as Season v2.0. The expanded eight-team league has brought back most of the same excitement, fun and novelty fans saw in Season 1, but with a bit of a twist...
Terrell Owens Scores TD as Zappers Lose to Knights of Degen in FCF Action
May 1, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Terrell Owens #81 of Zappers reacts before the game against the Glacier Boyz during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 - Week Two on April 23, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens played his third Fan Controlled Football game for the Zappers on Saturday.
The Zappers, who also roster ex-Clemson signal-caller Kelly Bryant and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams, lost 36-34 to the Knights of Degen.
However, the 48-year-old Owens caught a touchdown pass from Bryant on 3rd-and-goal with 30 seconds left to give the Zappers a 12-6 edge.
FORTY EIGHT YEARS OLD AND STILL SCORING TOUCHDOWNS TERRELL OWENS IS DIFFERENT pic.twitter.com/zayCKdLPjm
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 1, 2022
He also caught a clutch pass on 4th-and-7 to continue a Zappers drive earlier on:
Need a first down on 4th and 7? That's T.O. time ⏰
— Fan Controlled Sports (@fancontrolled) May 1, 2022
The Zappers found themselves down 36-34 in the final minute with the chance to take the lead.
Owens caught a clutch pass that got the Zappers across midfield, and he had a chance to be the hero soon afterward when Bryant fired a pass down the seam to him in the end zone.
However, the pass went just outside T.O.'s reach, and the drive eventually ended with the Knights of Degen's defense coming through with a sack.
Still, the fact that the 48-year-old Owens is out there catching touchdown passes is impressive enough as his return back to competitive football continues.
FCF 2022 Week 3 Rosters, Schedule, Live Stream and Format
Apr 29, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 16: Julian Charles #12 of the Shoulda Been Stars looks on in the second half of the Fan Controlled Football League game against the Zappers on April 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
The second season (season v2.0) of Fan Controlled Football is rolling along into Week 3 this weekend. However, things are getting a bit more serious at this point in the season.
After having weekly redrafts to construct new rosters for the first two games, the Week 3 draft is particularly significant because all quarterbacks and skill position players will be locked into their teams for the remainder of the season. Offensive-line and defensive units will continue to be shuffled, as drafts going forward will only be two rounds starting in Week 4.
Fans hoping to check out the action in Week 3 have multiple options from FCF's long list of streaming partners. They can also get in on the play-calling by downloading the FCF App.
Here's all the information you need for Week 3, including scheduling, live-stream, format information and rosters for Saturday's games.
Week 2 Scores, Week 3 Schedule and Live Stream
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 16: Daryl Virgies #39 of the Kingpins carries the ball against 8OKI in the second half of the Fan Controlled Football League game on April 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
Week 2 Results
Bored Ape FC 32, 8oki 14
Knights of Degen 28, Kingpins 8
Glacier Boyz 44, Zappers 6
Shoulda Been Stars 24, Beasts 6
Week 3 Schedule (all games, Saturday, April 30)
Zappers vs. Beasts: 1 p.m. ET
Bored of Ape FC vs. Kingpins: 3 p.m. ET
Shoulda Been Stars vs. Glacier Boyz: 7 p.m. ET
Knights of Degen vs. 8oki: 9 p.m. ET
Live Stream
DAZN, NBCLX, Twitch, fuboTV and the FCF App.
Season V2.0 Rules and Format
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 16: Staff member Todd Howard instructs a member of the Zappers prior to the Fan Controlled Football League game against the Shoulda Been Stars on April 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
The rules of FCF are quite different from traditional American football and other indoor leagues, so it's worth a refresher even three weeks into the season.
Starting lineups consist of seven players, featuring one quarterback, three skill players (wide receivers, slot receivers and running backs) and three-man offensive lines. In weekly redrafts, quarterbacks and skill players are drafted individually, while offensive lines and defenses are taken as units.
Games are played on a 50-yard indoor field with offenses beginning on their own 10-yard line to drive 40 yards to the end zone. There are also no kicks in FCF, meaning no field goals or punts. Games are expected to fit into a one-hour window, so there's a running clock—except in the last 30 seconds of the half and overtime.
There are a slew of rules that are unique to FCF. A game's opening possession is decided by rock, paper, scissors instead of a coin toss. All extra points are two-point conversions by default, and they feature a one-on-one battle between a receiver and defensive back from the five-yard line while the quarterback has just four seconds to throw the ball.
Speaking of quarterbacks, teams are required to insert their backup signal-callers in at least one out of three possessions (barring injury). This added a little extra to think about during each weekly redraft, considering it wouldn't be wise to wait until the last round to select a backup quarterback because of how much they will be expected to play.
FCF is in the midst of a seven-week schedule, which will culminate with the playoffs and championship game.
The full season schedule, per DAZN, is as follows:
Week 3: Saturday, April 30
Week 4: Saturday, May 7
Week 5: Saturday, May 14
Week 6: Saturday, May 21
Week 7: Saturday, May 28
Playoffs: Saturday, June 4
Championship: Saturday, June 11
Week 3 Rosters
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 16: Johnny Manziel #2 of the Zappers looks on during the Fan Controlled Football League game against the Shoulda Been Stars on April 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
Here's a look at all eight teams for Week 3, including their team owners and starting lineups. Remember, all skill position players are now locked into their squads.
Glacier Boys: Quavo Huncho, Adin Ross, Richard Sherman and Deestroying
QB: Devlin Isadore, Chris Barrett
RB: Brycen Alleyne
SR: Andrew Jamiel, Cedric Byrd, Harrison Dreher
WR: Keyon Thomas
OL: The Trenchmen
DEF: The D-Block
Beasts: Marshawn Lynch, Renee Montgomery and Miro
QB: Alphonso Howard, Dentarrius Yon
RB: Quinn Porter
WR: LaMarcus Caradine, Jacoby Herring, Jordus Smith
SR: Tra Chandler
OL: The Trenchmen
DEF: The Hitmen
Shoulda Been Stars: Rachel Lindsay, Austin Ekeler, Altered State Machines and Druski
QB: D'Vonn Gibbons, Slade Jarman
RB: LaDarius Galloway, Tracy Gaston
WR: Just'N Thymes, Travalle Calvin
SR: Tyis Boykin
OL: The Wall
DEF: The Hitmen
Zappers: Bob Menery, Ronnie Singh, Trevor May and Dalvin Cook
QB: Johnny Manziel, Brian Allen
RB: Shun’Cee Thomas, Josh Robinson
WR: Terrell Owens, Terrance Williams
SR: James Harden
OL: Block Party
DEF: Shut Down Squad
Kingpins: NFT Kingpins
QB: Tirri Jones, Jason Stewart
RB: Daryl Virgies
WR: Collin Andrews, Vance Leonard
SR: Elijah Rogers, Tony Dixon
OL: Block Party
DEF: Heavy Hitters
Bored Ape FC: Bored Ape NFT
QB: Deondre Francois, Vidal Woodruff
RB: Jakobie Baker, Darren Woods
WR: Keyston Fuller
SR: Maurice Thomas, Kevin Felder
OL: Force Field
DEF: Shut Down Squad
Knights of Degen: Knights of Degen
QB: Ed Crouch, Danny Southwick
RB: Terelle West
WR: Yedidiah Louis, Jordan Williams
SR: Drake Wells, Eterrious Giles
OL: Force Field
DEF: The D-Block
8oki: 8oki
QB: Mitch Kidd, Brandon Pearson
RB: Malcolm Ballard
WR: Joseph Boykin, Patrick Smith, Malik Elion, Justin Nicholls
Johnny Manziel Connects with Terrell Owens as Zappers Lose to Glacier Boyz in FCF
Apr 24, 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Terrell Owens #81 and Johnny Manziel #2 of Zappers talk with a coach in the first half against the Glacier Boyz during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 - Week Two on April 23, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
The Zappers lost to the Glacier Boyz 44-6 in Week 2 of Fan Controlled Football, but former NFLers Johnny Manziel and Terrell Owens proved they've got a significant connection brewing.
Manziel ran out of the pocket and threw across his body to find Owens deep, just short of the end zone.
JOHNNY MANZIEL THROWS ACROSS HIS BODY ON THE MOVE TO TERRELL OWENS.
Later in the night, Manziel and Owens were caught on camera chatting it up on the sidelines in what was one of the most memorable moments of the evening for the Zappers.
Owens, a Hall of Famer, suited up for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals over his 15-year career from 1996 to 2010. The 48-year-old caught 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns in that span.
Manziel was a 2014 first-round pick but struggled to find his footing in the NFL and was out of the league following the 2015 season. That said, he was a prolific college quarterback at Texas A&M, so there's no surprise he's made some dazzling plays in the FCF.
As the weeks continue, Manziel and Owens will only deepen their connection, though it really won't pay off unless they start winning games. Hopefully next week the duo can link up more consistently to help the Zappers get their first win of the year.
