Fran Brown is bringing another Syracuse icon back around the program this week, and this time it’s Dwight Freeney.
Brown said after Monday’s practice that Freeney will be at practice either Tuesday or Wednesday as Syracuse continues building toward its season opener. It’s another example of Brown mixing the program’s past with its present, the same way he has with former Orange coaches and players like Tom Coughlin, Ed Orgeron, Keith Bulluck, and Kevin Johnson.
Freeney’s place in Syracuse history is already locked in. He was an All-American in 2001, finished as a finalist for the Bednarik and Nagurski awards, and landed in the Top 10 of Heisman Trophy voting that same year. His 4.5 sacks against Virginia Tech remain a single-game program record, and his work against Hokies quarterback Mike Vick is still remembered as one of the best individual performances in an Orange uniform.
After his Syracuse career, Freeney was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts and went on to play 16 NFL seasons. He retired as a top 20 career sack leader in league history.
This won’t be Freeney’s first recent stop around the program under Brown. He was honored at the JMA Wireless Dome in 2024 when his No. 54 was retired, and he also took part in the program’s coaching clinic this past March.
Syracuse opened Week 4 of training camp on Monday, and this is the final week of camp before the team shifts into game-week preparation beginning Aug. 31. The Orange open the season on Sept. 5 against New Hampshire.
Friday’s practice will be the final on-site camp coverage of the summer, with live coverage also planned for all Syracuse home games at the JMA Wireless Dome.
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Syracuse Could Get Pulled Deeper Into A New Ross-Simmons Fight
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The ACC is reportedly weighing similar rules, and if that happens it could drag Syracuse further into the middle of the Ross-Simmons situation rather than settling it. The conference is looking at language that would make players who declared for the NFL Draft or signed pro contracts ineligible to return, a framework that would only sharpen the uncertainty around cases like this one. For Syracuse, the issue is no longer just about one players path, but about how quickly the rules around that path may harden around the sport. [Read more 🡒]
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Justus Ross-Simmons, meanwhile, remains part of the larger conversation around Syracuses roster as Brown addressed the wide receivers eligibility situation and voiced support for him while he continues working toward his degree. With the quarterback decision settled, the attention now shifts to how the rest of the offense comes together, and whether the Orange can get one more key piece sorted before camp arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Enters Final Camp Week With A Real Receiver Depth Concern
Day one of Week 4 of Syracuse Orange training camp brought the program into its final full week before game preparation begins, and the receiving room is suddenly one of the more unsettled spots on the roster. Justus Ross-Simmons was on hand but did not take part in practice as his eligibility dispute continues to play out after a court ruling and an NCAA stay, leaving Syracuse to keep moving forward without a player it had hoped to count on.
The depth issue is only sharper because of the injuries to Terrell Wilfong and Calvin Russell III, which have already thinned out the group. In their absence, transfers Cole Weaver and Zamondre Merriweather are expected to take on the lead roles, and the next few practices will go a long way toward showing how quickly Syracuse can settle on a workable rotation before the season turns from camp mode into game-week urgency. [Read more 🡒]