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NFL Thursday night: Pick-6 pair have Alabama football roots

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NFL Thursday night: Pick-6 pair have Alabama football roots


Two defensive backs with Alabama football roots returned an interception for a touchdown during an NFL preseason game on Thursday night.

Former Alabama safety Jordan Battle’s pick-six came in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 27-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Former Troy cornerback Reddy Steward’s pick-six came in the Chicago Bears’ 34-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Battle picked off Indianapolis starter Anthony Richardson and returned the interception 14 yards for a touchdown as the Bengals tied the score at 7-7 with 3:01 left in the first quarter.

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Steward picked off former Samford quarterback Chris Oladokun and returned the interception 48 yards for a touchdown as the Bears took a 20-7 lead with 22 seconds left in the first half.

Battle wasn’t the only Alabama alumnus who scored for the Bengals. Rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Logan Woodside

The touchdown was the second of the preseason for the third-round draft choice. Burton caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Woodside during Cincinnati’s 17-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Bengals’ preseason opener on Aug. 10.

Burton had four receptions for 56 yards against the Colts.

And Steward wasn’t the only Alabama prep standout who scored for the Bears. Former Saraland High School star Velus Jones Jr. ran 39 yards for a touchdown with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.

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A wide receiver in his first two NFL seasons, Jones has been working at running back this preseason, and against Kansas City, he ran for 111 yards on 13 carries, caught two passes for 11 yards and made two tackles – one on special teams and one after a fumble.

Battle and Steward are in different circumstances.

A third-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Battle started the final seven games of his rookie season. But he’s back competing for playing time this year after the Bengals signed safeties Vonn Bell and Geno Stone.

Battle also had five tackles on defense and one tackle on special teams against Indianapolis.

A two-time All-State selection for Austin High School in Decatur before becoming an All-Sun Belt Conference choice at Troy, Steward is trying to convert a long-shot opportunity to make the Bears’ roster as an undrafted rookie.

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The pick-six was Steward’s second interception of the game. Steward also intercepted Oladokun with 11:28 left in the second quarter with the Chiefs at the Chicago 3-yard line. He intercepted the pass at the goal line and returned it 11 yards. Steward also had two tackles in the game.

Twenty other players with Alabama football roots got on the field as the final week of the NFL’s preseason started on Thursday night:

Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle returns an interception for a touchdown during an NFL preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.(Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Indianapolis Colts 27, Cincinnati Bengals 14

· Travis Bell (Jeff Davis) started at defensive tackle for the Bengals. Bell did not record any stats.

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· Colts defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (Alabama) made one tackle. Davis had not practiced at training camp until Tuesday, when he was cleared after being held out because of high blood pressure.

· Allan George (Andalusia) started at cornerback for the Bengals. George made eight tackles.

· Colts safety Ronnie Harrison (Alabama) made two tackles on defense, registered one tackle for loss and recorded three tackles on special teams.

· Shedrick Jackson (Hoover, Auburn) started at wide receiver for the Bengals. Jackson had an 8-yard reception.

· Cedric Johnson (Davidson) started at left defensive end for the Bengals. Johnson made three tackles. He lost a sack to a penalty on a teammate.

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· Ryan Kelly (Alabama) started at center for the Colts.

· Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) made two extra points. He did not have a field-goal attempt.

· Colts cornerback Jaylin Simpson (Auburn) made one tackle on special teams.

· Braden Smith (Auburn) started at right offensive tackle for the Colts.

· Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (Park Crossing) did not play.

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Indianapolis and Cincinnati kick off their regular-season schedules on Sept. 8. The Colts host the Houston Texans, and the Bengals host the New England Patriots.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun passes under pressure during an NFL preseason game against the Chicago Bears

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun passes under pressure during an NFL preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Chicago Bears 34, Kansas City Chiefs 21

· Khari Blasingame (Buckhorn) started at fullback for the Bears. Blasingame also had a 4-yard run.

· Byron Cowart (Auburn) started at defensive end for the Bears. Cowart made one tackle.

· Bears tight end Gerald Everett (UAB/South Alabama) did not play.

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· Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy) started at defensive tackle for the Chiefs. Farrell did not record any stats.

· Chris Oladokun (Samford) started at quarterback for the Chiefs. Oladokun completed 9-of-16 passes for 66 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions and ran four times for 6 yards.

· Justyn Ross (Central-Phenix City) started at wide receiver for the Chiefs. Ross had two receptions for 16 yards.

· Chiefs tight end Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) had a 3-yard reception.

· Kadarius Toney (Blount) started at wide receiver for the Chiefs. Toney had two receptions for 26 yards.

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· Bears cornerback Ro Torrence (Bessemer City, Auburn) made three tackles on defense, broke up two passes and made one tackle on special teams.

· Bears punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama) averaged 44.3 yards on three punts, with a 39.0-yard net.

· Chiefs wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) had a 49-yard reception and a 30-yard kickoff return.

Kansas City kicks off the NFL’s regular-season schedule on Sept. 5 when the Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens. Chicago opens on Sept. 8 with a home game against the Tennessee Titans.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.





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Alabama Trending Towards Securing Commitment from Elite Recruit

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Alabama Trending Towards Securing Commitment from Elite Recruit


Nothing is set in stone just yet, but it’s looking like Alabama is going to build on its trenches.

According to On3 / Rivals’ National Recruiting Reporter Sam Spiegelman, the Crimson Tide are trending toward receiving a commitment from four-star 2027 interior offensive lineman Ismael Camara.

Should Alabama nab the talented recruit out of Gilmer, TX, it would be the second high-ranked interior lineman of the 2027 class.

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Earlier this season, the Crimson Tide had secured a commitment from Jatori Williams, the four-star lineman out of Phenix City, AL, and one who is the fifth ranked player at his position in the country.

Camara spoke with Spiegelman and revealed that he, along with 20 other recruits will be in Tuscaloosa for the LSU game – a game that holds such importance.

Not only that, he spoke on the relationship that he holds with offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic, and how that relationship resonates with him.

“Coach Kap told me two things when we first talked — he has the best job in the world and that all the things he wants from his players are passion, a good attitude, maximum effort, being a good teammate, being prepared and available, and being coachable. That requires zero talent.”

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He then went on to say how much the persistence in maintaining that relationship is something that he will always hold onto.

“I appreciate him investing in me like that, and I am trying to get better to live up to the standard at ‘Bama.”

The “Standard” is a real thing, and it’s not something that the brass take lightly. Nick Saban spent 17 seasons implementing a culture of greatness and players that have the dog in them to be great.

So Kalen DeBoer and his staff don’t want to lose sight of it. It may have been in question for a little, but for the time being, what you’re seeing is what you’re getting.

But the “Standard” is something that means a lot to Camara too, and it’s what has set apart Alabama from other schools.

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“When we got into the facility and saw all the nattys, the SEC championships and Heisman Trophies, I really had the butterflies,” Camara said. “The way they treated each other and the way they treated me — it was not just an honor for me to be there, it was an honor for them to be there. They practiced like that. They operated like that. They hung together like that. That was when I really started to understand what makes Alabama ‘Bama,’”

Aside from it being a big game on the schedule, it’s a big game for the coaches take make sure the people they’re bringing in for the future know that the staff’s future is just the beginning for these young men.



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Alabama man charged with threatening synagogues, mosques

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Alabama man charged with threatening synagogues, mosques


A Needham, Alabama man has been charged by federal prosecutors with making threats to rabbis and imams across the South.

Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker faces a charge of an interstate communications threat after investigators say he made multiple threatening calls and messages to Jewish and Muslim religious leaders.

The threats were made to rabbis in Alabama and Louisiana, an imam in Georgia, a church in North Carolina and more.

According to court documents, agents discovered multiple firearms in Shoemaker’s home as well as a suitcase containing ammunition and papers listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of religious leaders and other prominent figures.

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Shoemaker told agents he did not intend to carry out an attack, but engage in “psychological warfare.” 

An FBI agent attested that Shoemaker came to the department’s attention after making a series of threats including to a Mountain Brook rabbi earlier this month.

“I want you to die because you want the death of us,” Shoemaker said during one call. “You want the West to die off.”

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The FBI agent also noted a 2024 threat from Shoemaker to an Islamic center in Louisiana, and a threatening message to a Georgia imam earlier this year.

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama — and frontrunner for Alabama’s next governor — has recently drawn attention to the Muslim community, calling “radical Islam and Sharia Law … the greatest national security threat facing the United States.”

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He also called Islam “fundamentally incompatible with our Western values.”

“So, wake up America. The Quran instructs Islamists to fight Jews and Christians, along with anyone else who doesn’t believe in Allah,” Tuberville said. “Simply put, Radical Islam teaches that it is righteous to kill Christians—[that] it’s righteous. There is no peaceful coexistence with this type of people. None.”



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How to Watch Alabama vs North Dakota: Live Stream NCAA College Basketball, TV Channel

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How to Watch Alabama vs North Dakota: Live Stream NCAA College Basketball, TV Channel


The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in this college basketball matchup on Monday at Coleman Coliseum, and you can catch all the action with ESPN Unlimited.

How to Watch Alabama vs North Dakota

  • Date: Monday, November 3, 2025
  • Time: 8:00 PM ET
  • Channel: SEC Network+
  • Stream: ESPN Unlimited (watch now)

The Alabama Crimson Tide tip off the 2025‑26 season with plenty of momentum and transition under coach Nate Oats. After making a deep NCAA Tournament run last year, the Tide reload with young lead guard Labaron Philon Jr. stepping into a starring role and rising forward Keitenn Bristow bringing hype on the front line. Alabama’s roster also adds size and versatility through transfers like Noah Williamson, while returning shooters and athletes across the lineup support Oats’ up‑tempo, high‑spacing system. With their core freshened and expectations still high in the SEC, the key question is: can they take the next step and turn deep-tournament potential into a title-contending run?

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks enter the 2025‑26 season with a blend of rebuilding and hope under seventh‑year head coach Paul Sather. Fresh off a 12‑21 season (5‑11 in the Summit League), they’ll lean heavily on senior guard Eli King for leadership while integrating seven newcomers into the rotation. The schedule opens with a tough road game at Alabama Crimson Tide, setting the tone early for a season shaped by growth more than expectation. With only one returning starter, chemistry will take time—but if the freshmen acclimate and the Hawks tighten defensively, they could surprise in Summit League play.

This is a great college basketball matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live stream Alabama vs North Dakota on SEC Network+ with ESPN Unlimited: Start your subscription now!

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