He is also one of the few White Sox fans out there and thinks Michael Jordan is, hands down, the GOAT. (Photo: Rich Graessle / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The Bears on Saturday elevated receiver Nsimba Webster and tight end Jake Tonges from the practice squad to the active roster in advance of Sunday's game against the Eagles. The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Yeah, occasionally. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. Since arriving in Chicago as an undrafted free agent from Harvard in 2016, Braunecker has appeared in 47 games with seven starts over four seasons, catching 13 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown while also regularly contributing on special teams. Sunday was the realization of the NFL dream . The previous two Ive taken online classes one in exercise physiology, one in immunology and one in stem cell regenerative biology. [19], Braunecker is married to former University of Notre Dame swimmer Sydney Golic; she is the daughter of former NFL player Mike Golic.[20]. I know the Bears equipment staff takes cleanliness very seriously, but youre in a sport with a lot of close contact. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. [12], On September 3, 2017, Braunecker was waived by the Bears and was signed to the practice squad the next day. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Its also been interesting to me as well to learn alongside everybody else while this is going on. Former NFL player and ESPN radio host Mike Golic has had himself quite a year so far in 2020. Braunecker (concussion) didn't practice Tuesday, Stacey Dales of NFL Network reports. @oneoftenk. Braunecker (concussion) remains in the mix among the nine tight ends on Chicago's roster heading into training camp, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports. For the third consecutive week, Braunecker isn't taking the field due to a concussion. They were dating for quite some time before getting engaged in 2020, and they are now happily married. Is it going to be that bad? Its been interesting. Couches, chairs, heavy chairs, desks. His absence leaves Jesper Horsted and J.P. Holtz as the top tight ends in Chicago. This was just the second game all season in which he's caught a pass, making him a player who can't be trusted in fantasy lineups. He did score his only touchdown in 2019 though, against the Detroit Lions in week 10. In my opinion, if theres anything worthwhile to dedicate your entire life to, its something that has the ability to stop the world in its tracks. Veterans Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris, second-round draft pick Cole Kmet, former second-round pick Adam Shaheen, J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted, Eric Saubert and the undrafted Darion Clark are now the remaining tight ends. Braunecker had 13 receptions for 142. The Bears on Tuesday placed rookie linebacker Jack Sanborn on injured reserve and signed veteran linebacker Elijah Lee off the Chiefs practice squad. He caught six passes for 59 yards and a touchdown last year. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Braunecker (concussion) was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday's practice report. With Chicago running many formations of multiple tight ends, Braunecker saw three targets while Trey Burton was eased back into the lineup as he recovers from offseason groin surgery. For me its a combination of watching and reading the news and the scientific literature is coming out at a really fast pace, so New England Journal of Medicine and then PubMed, you can find a ton of stuff on there. How have you read about coronavirus or consumed the news about it? He wound up catching seven passes for 91 yards, which, considering the lackluster production that came from the Bears tight ends last year, wasnt bad team-wise. Braunecker (concussion) has been ruled out for Thursday's game versus the Cowboys. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: profiles | Braunecker got a spot start this past Sunday against the Giants, earning 71 percent of the offensive snaps and turning them into two catches (on four targets) for nine yards. The Bears on Wednesday claimed cornerback Michael Ojemudia off waivers from the Broncos and waived defensive end Taco Charlton. The Chicago Bears had 10 tight ends on their roster with training camp approaching. The Bears placed Braunecker (concussion) on injured reserve Saturday. With the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the world, Braunecker has been fielding plenty of calls and texts from people in the NFL wanting to get his take. When asked about a post-football career, which is what you ask of a Harvard grad when he enters the league, the molecular and cell biology major said he wanted to be an infectious disease doctor. That culminated in Feb. 2016, when offensive lineman Cole Toner and tight end Ben Braunecker, two prospects out of Harvard, were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. There are two sides to that. In 2016, the assembled media at Halas Hall met Ben Braunecker, an undrafted rookie tight end out of Harvard. Previously, he covered the NFL from 2010 to 2012 for Pro Football Weekly. Braunecker has a bit of an uphill battle to make the final 53-man roster as an undrafted player from an FCS program, but he is fortunate to be joining a team with a lot of question marks at his . The Bears on Saturday elevated running back Darrynton Evans from the practice squad to the active roster in advance of Sunday's game in Atlanta. While Blake and Simpson were tried for horrible crimes, permanently damaging their images, Depp was able to convince a jury that Heard defamed his reputation . Since arriving in Chicago as an undrafted free agent from Harvard in 2016, Braunecker has appeared in 47 games with seven starts over four seasons, catching 13 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown while also regularly contributing on special teams. I guess pretty much the same. I know I want to get into medicine and do research more than clinical work. Braunecker signed a two-year contract with the Bears on Monday, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Braunecker is more than just an undrafted free agent long shot with a high IQ. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. I dont think this virus is going anywhere for a while, or at least a couple months. Kevin Fishbain is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Chicago Bears. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. The 26-year-old Braunecker, who played his college ball at Harvard, has been with the Chicago Bears since signing with the team as a undrafted free agent in 2016. Braunecker's season will come to a close with six receptions for 59 yards and one touchdown. The gyms here are closed as well as they are in Illinois. He started for three years and was team captain for his senior year. Ben Braunecker 's tenure with the Bears has come to an end. ", "Ben Braunecker's first career touchdown gives Bears much-needed spark", "Ben Braunecker, DS #6 TE, Harvard: 2016 NFL Draft", "NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles Ben Braunecker", "Get to know the Bears' undrafted free-agent signings", "Bears elevate tight end Ben Braunecker to active roster", "Bears sign Paulsen, claim 2 off waivers", "Bears sign Jenkins, nine to practice squad", "Bears promote Ben Braunecker, put Zach Miller on injured reserve", "Roster moves: Hicks activated, Braunecker to IR", "Roster Move: Bears release Ben Braunecker", "Mike Golic's Daughter Sydney Announces Engagement To NFL Player", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Braunecker&oldid=1141233146, Players of American football from Indiana, Short description is different from Wikidata, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 01:19. He spent the 2013-16 seasons on the Bears beat for Shaw Media publications, including the Northwest Herald, Daily Chronicle and Joliet Herald-News. I have a lot of reservations thinking that OTAs and the offseason are going to happen. Well see how that goes, but thats my tentative plan when football is done. But Chicago Bears rookie Ben Braunecker isnt most college kids. Try a week on us. The 25-year-old will play a depth role behind Trey Burton (groin) and Adam Shaheen in 2019. The opportunity arose due to Adam Shaheen's (foot) absence and Trey Burton's (calf) presence on IR, but Braunecker now joins Shaheen on the injury report. [1], He was also a IHSAA State Finalist in the discus and shot put. It kind of wants me to get the ball rolling with all this but in due time. Braunecker put up career numbers with the Bears last season, logging six catches for 59 yards and his first touchdown across 11 games. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sports Mockery, Inc. 2022 | All rights reserved. Braunecker isnt the only one with this interest on the Bears linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe was pre-med at Western Kentucky and his father is an associate professor of public health at California State University San Marcos. I havent heard anything from anybody in the Bears about when we could come back. It has become a running joke in the league to comment on the ber-crowded tight ends room in Chicago, but the room is getting less and less crowded by the minute. Educated to be a writer at the prestigious Columbia College in Chicago, Erik has spent the past 10 years covering the Bears. Maybe not this fast though. Tight end Chase Allen and receiver Nsimba Webster were among seven practice squad players the Bears signed to 2023 reserve/future contracts. For average citizens, that was a new phrase to understand. [18], Braunecker was released by the Bears on July 23, 2020. [3] He was projected by many analysts to be a fourth to sixth round draft selection. The 6-foot-4 Braunecker made three starts for the Bears last season, including the playoff loss to Philadelphia . Some draft experts had him ranked as high as sixth among tight end prospects, but ten tight ends were called at the 2016 NFL Draft, and none of them were Braunecker. Look how the world has kind of screeched to a halt over a new virus. The team announced today that they've released the veteran tight end. The 25-year-old will have to fully clear the protocol before returning to game action, putting his availability in doubt for Thursday's matchup with Dallas. I ask because we could be entering a new normal where everyone is extra-focused on being clean. Braunecker likely will enter training camp below all three -- plus Adam Shaheen -- on the depth chart and may have a tough time making the Week 1 roster. Its not a surprise that a Harvard graduate can use his brain to fallback on, but the Molecular and Cellular Biology major has taken that to another level. CHICAGO -- The Bears have re-signed tight end Ben Braunecker to a two-year contract. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about tight end Ben Braunecker on ESPN. A couple months ago, people were saying, Well the flu kills 20,000 to 40,000 of people every year and nobodys talking about it. But as the cases doubled and everything went exponential, I began to see, wow, this is something pretty serious. At your first press conference at rookie minicamp in 2016, everyone was pretty impressed to hear your goal of being an infectious disease doctor. Ben Braunecker. Braunecker sustained the concussion Week 12 against the Giants and didn't play versus the Lions on Thanksgiving Day. Yeah, I mean, its huge. Its an unprecedented time. 10 subscribers [x] 20 subscribers [x] 30 . Harvard won 3 Ivy League titles during his career, compiling a 24-4 conference record and an overall record of 36-4. So that begs the question. Mitchell Trubisky shows signs of life in ugly win over Giants, Bears deep at wide receiver in final 53-man roster projection, Bears re-sign TE Braunecker to 2-year contract, 2018 Chicago Bears starters, 53-man roster, schedule prediction, Undrafted WR Tanner Gentry resurfaces on Bears' practice squad, Bears' final 53-man roster projection includes six receivers but not Victor Cruz, Mike Glennon flashes surprising mobility in rare Bears night practice, Mixed bag for Mike Glennon-to-Cameron Meredith connection, Mark Sanchez lights it up in two-minute drill, Mitchell Trubisky recovers after frustrating weekend at Bears camp. Braunecker was placed on injured reserve last Dec. 14 due to a concussion he sustained Nov. 24 in a victory over the New York Giants. Braunecker put up career numbers with the Bears last season, logging six catches for 59 yards and his first touchdown across 11 games. Since its pretty well known around the building, have people been reaching out to you to get your take on this? But there is an added twist this year with everything being shut down and quarantines happening. Where are you at now in terms of your post-football career? But you bring up an interesting point whether or not this will change peoples thinking moving forward. Its interesting. Meanwhile, Trey Burton (calf) was placed on IR last Saturday, leaving TE reps up for grabs. #Bears released veteran TE Ben Braunecker. Braunecker sat out a second straight practice after suffering a concussion during Week 12's win over the Giants, and coach Matt Nagy said "it'd be a stretch" for the fourth-year tight end to suit up Thursday against the Lions, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. According to the Count's analysis of which prospects fared best, tight end Ben Braunecker was the standout performer. Braunecker is still working through the league's concussion protocol and will miss a third straight game. Subtractions in #Bears TE corps were inevitable but bummer for just released Ben Braunecker, whod developed into a decent special teams performer. Get the latest player news, stats, injury history and updates for Tight End Ben Braunecker of the Unsigned Free Agent on NBC Sports Edge. Ben Braunecker (born February 7, 1994) is a former American football tight end. [10] Going into the regular season, he was the Bears' third option at tight end, behind Zach Miller and Logan Paulsen. Just to try to stay as scientifically literate as possible and refresh as much as I can. Ben Braunecker - While the Bears have used Braunecker in-line at times, he's best suited at the U. Darion Clark - Clark hasn't played football since he was a high school quarterback, but at. He fought his way onto the roster as an undrafted free agent. Maybe a little bit more health- and I would just say sanitation-minded than your average football player, but I understand that, especially when youre young and a professional athlete, you have a healthy immune system, so you could fight off pretty much all the little bugs that try to get into you on a daily basis. Those work pretty well. This does save nearly $1.5M of cap space. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The. Weve already told him that, youre the guy that were coming to if we have questions. And why not how many football players spend their offseasons working in a Harvard research lab or taking an immunology class simply to stay mentally fresh? Ben Braunecker was born on 7 February, 1994 in Ferdinand, IN, is an American football tight end. The last time that Simmons has played for Brooklyn was Feb . Chicago likely released him to save money, and the addition of rookie Kmet had to play a factor, as well. Partnered with the USA TODAY Sports Media Group|Powered by, Signed a 2 year $2.7 million contract extension with Chicago (CHI), Signed to the active roster by Chicago (CHI), Signed to the practice squad by Chicago (CHI), Signed a 3 year $1.62 million contract with Chicago (CHI). TE Ben Braunecker earned $2,578,956 in his NFL career. Thankfully the lethality rate isnt higher, but still, I was shocked and I was one of those people whose minds had to be changed. Especially given his lack of special teams presence. A healthy scratch Week 10, Shaheen has been tending to a foot injury in the interim that is forcing a second consecutive DNP this weekend. Surprising Team Named As Potential Suitor For Baker Mayfield, Dallas Cowboys Reportedly Make Big Decision At Running Back, Quarterback Breaks Vertical Jump Record During Monster Day At NFL Combine, 16-Year-Old Swimming Phenom Pulls Off Remarkable Upset Of Katie Ledecky For First Time In Nine Years, XFL Player Who Was Released For Leaking Playbook Has Been Reinstated, Future Hall Of Famer Von Miller Just Made A Shocking Revelation About His Future, State Of Utah Released A Delicious Frog Legs Recipe To Encourage Locals To Hunt Them, Willem Dafoe Let Emma Stone Slap Him 20 Times For A Scene He Wasnt Even In, Get A Little Extra Wild This St. Patricks Day With Grunt Style Gear, Partake Like Seth Rogen With His Specially Designed Pottery And Homeware, Dr. Squatch Roars Out A New Jurassic Park Soap Collection (Limited Edition), UFC 285 Stream: How To Watch The Fight Live Online via ESPN+. [8] He was released on September 3,[9] but was signed to the practice squad the following day. ANALYSIS. The Bears on Thursday released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker. What kind of objects have you found to be helpful? Braunecker, who caught his first NFL touchdown last November before a concussion ended his season, talked to The Athletic from Arizona and offered his perspective on the new coronavirus. Simmons has been one of the most polarizing athletes in recent memory because of how unique his career arc has been compared to most players considered to be All-Star level players. Braunecker couldn't recover from the head injury on the short week after sustaining the concussion in Sunday's win over the Giants. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. Im sure its near-impossible during the season when youre already studying up on a playbook and an opponent, but have you kept up with some of the things you were studying at Harvard? If youve never heard of Ben Braunecker, youre probably not alone. 1 tight end since both Trey Burton (calf) and Adam Shaheen are on IR, but J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horstead and Bradley Sowell figure to lead the way until then. Whats your take on it? As a return specialist, he had 29 kickoff returns for 1,005 yards, while on defense, he recorded 101 tackles and seven interceptions. [4] He was placed on injured reserve on December 15, 2019. Last year Braunecker played in 11 games with three starts, recording six receptions for 59 yards and his first NFL touchdown. But that didnt stop Bears GM Ryan Pace who quickly picked up the phone at the conclusion of the draft and invited Braunecker to camp. Thomas from their practice squad to active roster. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Braunecker is the third Bears tight end to land on IR this season. Do you look at it differently based on your educational background? Hes played in just 47 games over his four seasons in the NFL and the most passes hes caught in a single season for Chicago is 6 in 2019. (Laughs). Things definitely seem to have changed from a public perspective, but early on, did you have to change anyones mind about how serious this was? All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Braunecker caught two passes for 24 yards in the Bears' 16-14 victory over the Broncos on Sunday. A post shared by Sydney Golic (@sydgolic). They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. We deliver captivating and engaging entertainment, videos, and news . Despite having showcased a step forward in his development, offseason additions Cole Kmet, Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris have now made . Braunecker likely will enter training camp below all three -- plus Adam Shaheen -- on the depth chart and may have a tough time making the Week 1 roster. Bears Begin Roster Cuts, Release Tight End Ben Braunecker, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Braunecker has been diagnosed with a concussion and was listed as a DNP on Monday's practice estimate. With Trey Burton on injured reserve, Adam Shaheen and Ben Braunecker not likely to play, and Bradley Sowell not being the answer, the Bears will have to look elsewhere for a tight end versus the . Harvard? Chelsea can re-sign former player for 71m in the next transfer window. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. Performance & security by Cloudflare. But, thats completely unofficial, nobodys told me anything. The Chicago Bears have begun thinning out their roster, and they have just released veteran tight end Ben Braunecker, who has been with the team since 2016. If youve got a home gym, then youre set up, but I do not. Hes been with the team since 2016. Its always interesting the first week of classes and trying to read primary research again is just like, wow. The Bears on Saturday elevated safety Adrian Colbert and cornerback Greg Stroman Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster in advance of Sunday's season finale against the Vikings. Hes playing football and hes working on his doctor stuff. Braunecker hauled in one pass for eight yards in the Bears' 17-7 loss to the Rams on Sunday. A lot of running. As a super-connected society as we are today, were very susceptible to transmissible or super-infectious pathogens. He can still be that legitimate weapon everybody envisioned. Braunecker attended Forest Park High School in Indiana, where he played for the football team on offense, defense and special teams. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. He doesnt have near the special teams value Braunecker does. I tell them all the time, I can give you my unprofessional, non-medical opinion, but really, seek info from the experts. Yeah, its been quite shocking, actually. Shaheens window passed the moment the Bears handed $16 million to Jimmy Graham and spent a 2nd round pick on Cole Kmet. When he's ready to return, Braunecker will be the No. If NFL Season is Cancelled, Bears Could Snag Top QB Prospect in 2021. On the season, there hasn't been a Bears tight end to reach 20 yards in a game, making Braunecker and the rest of Chicago's TE corps a weak fantasy option. Seemingly on pace for a third DNP in a row Sunday at Green Bay, he'll leave tight end in the hands of J.P Holtz and Jesper Horsted. The Bears cut Braunecker on Thursday. Ben Braunecker contract and salary cap details, full contract breakdowns, salaries, signing bonus, roster bonus, dead money, and valuations. It seems like every year bigger and bigger names keep making these career-transforming moves at an accelerated rate, so its interesting every year. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and played for the team through 2019. Sydney Golic And Ben Braunecker Net Worth Difference The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Parsons was quick to note that Simmons has all the tools and occasionally . The Bears on Saturday signed quarterback Nathan Peterman to the active roster, placed quarterback Trevor Siemian on injured reserve and elevated defensive backs Adrian Colbert and Harrison Hand to the active roster ahead of Sunday's game against the Packers. Braunecker emerged from Week 12 with a concussion, which hasn't allowed him to practice in the interim. If you enjoy montages, commentaries, and gameplay, glitches, and other things, stick around. Halas Hall is shut down even for players wanting to work out. Jesper Horstead and J.P. Holtz now figure to handle most of the responsibilities at that position going forward, with the former presumably in line for the No. Some of your teammates have recorded PSA videos for the Bears Twitter account about flattening the curve. [7], He entered training camp battling for a backup tight end position with Khari Lee, Tony Moeaki, Rob Housler, and Greg Scruggs. I ask because its been a weird week where everything is shut down, except for the NFL. [16], On March 11, 2019, Braunecker signed a two-year contract extension with the Bears. When asked about a post-football career, which is what you ask of a Harvard grad when he enters the league, the molecular and cell biology major said he wanted to be an infectious disease doctor. After 20-plus years on the radio hosting shows like The Bruno-Golic Morning Show (ESPN Radios first morning show), Mike & Mike, and Golic and Wingo, ESPN decided his work there was done when they announced on July 9 that the company would be cancelling Golics show with Trey Wingo. Sometimes I guess Im seen as the resident scientist on the Bears. There are some pretty good-sized rocks out here. Furniture. Muhammad appeared in 16 games with nine starts in 2022, registering 29 tackles and one sack. Copyright 2008-2023 BroBible. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and played for the team through 2019. More News Hes very motivated. Does it give you a greater sense of purpose? Teammates have taken a liking to him. With Adam Shaheen (foot) also absent from practice this week, the Bears are preparing to roll out J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Bradley Sowell at tight end in case neither Braunecker nor Shaheen are cleared in time. He played college football at Harvard. However, a recent announcement by Golics daughter Sydney that she just got engaged to Chicago Bears tight end Ben Braunecker will, as any father can tell you, is sure to brighten things up for him as he looks for a new job. As I mentioned, part of the reason why I wanted to get into this is because I see it as inevitable and its obviously extremely important. I follow the Bears and I hadnt ever heard of him before today. Sydney Golic and Ben Braunecker's Wedding Website - The Knot Sydney & Ben Home Travel Things to Do Wedding Party Photos Registry April 16, 2022 Scottsdale AZ Western Welcome Party Friday, April 15, 2022 5:00 PM-9:00 PM Attire: Cowboy Casual. Like his Facebook page or follow him onTwitter for more news and interaction. ! . I like infectious disease, but things can change especially when you go into a four-year commitment like medical school, more training after that like residency. NFLDraftScout.com ranked him the sixth best tight end out of the 102 available. Sometimes coaches ask me, too. Braunecker has sat out of every practice since sustaining a concussion during Week 12's win over the Giants, making it unlikely he plays Thursday against the Cowboys. February 26, 2023 12:30 pm ET. I will start to do Minecraft videos now. I usually use the offseason to take some time to get away and not pay attention to whats going on in the football world daily, but its been a pretty memorable offseason. Braunecker, who majored in molecular and cellular biology, would like to become a doctor specializing in infectious diseases when his football career is over. With only one legitimate tight end on the roster in Zach Miller (and all his previous injuries in tow), the Bears give Braunecker not only a great chance to make the team, but a chance to contribute as well. Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 23, 2020. Braunecker struggled with a severe ankle injury during the 2016 offseason and missed the entire preseason. It could also very well come down to which of the two can be the more effective contributor on special teams, though. Starter Trey Burton went on with a calf injury after making a painstakingly slow recovery from a groin injury. Nothing will be easy for Braunecker, but he is definitely up for the challenge. Guard James Daniels was a biology major at Iowa with aspirations to get into the medical field. More News Ben Braunecker: Let go by Chicago The Harvard product joined the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and he proceeded to spend four years with the organization. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 26 years old? Were waiting on Harvard shirts as a group. Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is now dealing with back soreness in addition to the knee soreness that he was already rehabbing from, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said prior to Friday's game at the Boston Celtics.