This week, the Green Bay Packers will travel east to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers must be feeling the most confident they’ve felt since starting the season 2-1 (and being one fourth-quarter collapse away from 3-0).
Last week, the defense performed admirably against the Los Angeles Rams, allowing only three points. Even if it was against a backup quarterback, holding an NFL offense to three points is something to build on. The Packers will have the same opportunity this week when they face Kenny Pickett. Pickett isn’t a bad backup quarterback, but he’s not among the league’s best.
The Green Bay Packers make a secondary change ahead of their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Saturday, the Green Bay Packers promoted Innis Gaines from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The move is expected to provide much-needed depth in a suddenly thin secondary.
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The Packers did not need to make a corresponding move because they had 52 players on their roster.
The Packers listed Gaines as a safety, but he was the primary backup in the slot during training camp and the preseason. He went through drills at the same position during practice this week.
Gaines’ journey to the NFL is nothing short of extraordinary:
Gaines’ physical play style earned him the nickname “Thump” during his junior year of high school. Gaines’ high school resume and gritty play style made an impression on TCU, which offered him a scholarship. He was named to the Pro Football Focus Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2018. However, things quickly changed.
Gaines made his TCU debut as a junior, but he was sidelined with a torn ACL six games into the season. Gaines returned to the starting lineup in Week 1 of his senior season. For the second time, tragedy struck. Gaines tore his ACL again eight games into the season. Gaines went undrafted in 2020.
Despite his setbacks, “Thump” never gave up on his dream of playing in the NFL. He worked hard to recover from his injuries. In the meantime, he found work as a DoorDash driver delivering food.
The Packers took a chance on Gaines late in the 2020 NFL season, scheduling a workout to see what he was capable of. Green Bay must have liked what they saw because they signed Gaines to a contract extension through 2021.
Gaines spent all but one week of 2021 on the Packers’ practice squad. However, in 2022, the Packers released him in late August as part of an injury settlement.
After more rehabilitation, the Packers added him to the practice squad in October and promoted him to the 53-man roster on Nov. 29, completing his unlikely journey.
Gaines is not only an NFL starter, but he is also a DoorDash customer. “Whatever they tell you to do, I raise it a couple of bucks because I know how hard they work,” Gaines says of tipping drivers. I don’t always do $20; I’m not rich yet.”
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