J Balvin to Headline This Year’s NFL Kickoff Concert

J Balvin is ready for the American football experience

The 37-year-old Colombian superstar will headline the 2022 NFL Kickoff Concert at the NFL Kickoff Experience ahead of the Buffalo Bills versus Los Angeles Rams game on Sept. 8.

J Balvin“I got a glimpse of the incredible NFL fandom during the Super Bowl Halftime performance in Miami in 2020,” Balvin said in a press statement. “That year we closed things out with a great game and a massive party. This season, to kick things off, we’re celebrating even harder and getting even louder.” 

The NFL Kickoff event will take place on Alamitos Beach in Long Beach. Doors to the free and open-to-the-public event will open at noon PT, and Balvin’s performance is slated for 4 p.m. PT.

The full performance will be streamed on NFL.com, the NFL app, and select NFL social media platforms. Parts of J Balvin’s performance will also be televised on NBC and NFL Network’s pregame show coverage.

Additionally, the NFL Kickoff Experience will offer the attendees interactive games, photo opportunities with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, all 56 Super Bowl rings, and more.

Registration for free tickets is required via the official website at nfl.com/2022kickoff.

The NFL Kickoff Concert will follow Balvin’s return to the 2022 VMA stage on August 28, where he will perform “Nivel de Perreo” with Colombian newcomer Ryan Castro. This will mark Balvin’s first VMA performance since his 2019 collaboration with Bad Bunny on “Qué Pretendes.”

If Balvin — who is a five-time nominee — wins, he’ll become the most-awarded Latin artist in VMA history; he’s currently tied for that distinction with Ricky Martin.

Aguayo Drafted in the Second Round of the NFL Draft

Roberto Aguayo is headed to the National Football League

The 21-year-old Latino kicker, who played for Florida State, was picked in the second round of the NFL draft.

Roberto Aguayo

Aguayo, the 59th pick overall, was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the highest-drafted kicker since Mike Nugent in 2005.

The NFL’s lengthened extra point has put new emphasis on the play, now effectively a 33-yard attempt. Aguayo was perfect on his 198 PATs in college. More pertinent, the 2013 Lou Groza Award winner was 69-for-78 (88.5%) on field-goal tries and didn’t miss on any of his 49 attempts inside 40 yards.

Aguayo, quarterback Jameis Winston‘s teammate at FSU, expressed a desire to play for the Bucs and seems likely to hold the job for years to come.

But Aguayo wasn’t the only Latino footballer picked during this year’s NFL draft…

Blake Martinez is headed to the Green Bay Packers

The Packers selected the Latino inside from Stanford with the 131st pick, which arrived late in the fourth round, and contained a bit of a premonition from his mother, Carrisa Martinez.

“The funny part of it was, (my mom) was always telling me throughout the process, she was like, ‘I believe you’re going to end up at the Packers,'” Martinez said on a conference call. “And obviously it was just a lucky guess type of thing, but it’s just funny. My mom said right after, ‘Moms are always right.’ And I’ll take it.”

When his moment arrived, Martinez donned a green Packers hat and matching gray T-shirt, and immediately posted a family photo on social media. His father, Marc, had bought the gear in a pre-draft shopping spree that accumulated gear from all 32 teams — just in case.

Martinez, who stands 6 feet 1 1/2 inches and weighs 240 pounds, earned All-American honors in 2015 and was also named first-team all-Pac-12.

He recorded a team-high 141 tackles last season, and his 10.1 tackles per game led the conference.

The Packers, according to director of football operations Eliot Wolf, were enamored of Martinez’s all-around game. He flashed the ability to blitz, evidenced by 13 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks over the last two years. He expressed confidence in his ability to cover, and Martinez said he served as the main coverage linebacker in nickel and dime packages last season. His 40-yard dash time of 4.67 seconds is far from blazing, but Wolf said the Packers have no qualms about his mobility or range.

“I felt like this last year I improved tremendously on that,” Martinez said. “I feel 100% confident to go out there and cover whoever I need to cover.”

Oklahoma’s Zack Sanchez was picked in Round 5 by the Carolina Panthers.

The 21-year-old Latino cornerback, picked 141st overall, is a ball-hawk who intercepted 13 passes over the past two seasons. His seven picks in 2015 tied for fifth nationally. Sanchez was not afraid to gamble, and sometimes paid for his mistakes. During his career at Oklahoma, he also recorded 134 tackles and three touchdowns.

“He’s instinctive. I think when you get into the fourth or fifth rounds, and find a cornerback with some instincts, this is a great pick,” said NFL Network’s Mike Mayock.

Thomas Duarte is switching coasts…

The 21-year-old half-Mexican American receiver, who played for UCLA, was picked in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins.

The 231st pick overall, the 6-foot-2, 231-pound Duarte was drafted as a tight end.

Duarte turned pro with a season of eligibility remaining. He ranked second on the Bruins last season with 53 receptions for 872 yards and a team-best 10 touchdown receptions.

Quintanilla Joins HBO’s Emmy-Winning “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”

It’s about to get real for Carl Quintanilla

The Latino award-winning broadcast journalist and CNBC anchor has joined HBO’s Emmy-winning Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Carl Quintanilla

HBO and Gumbel made the announcement on Monday.

“Carl’s experience and on-air skills figure to boost our lineup tremendously,” said Gumbel in a statement. “Since the focus at Real Sports is primarily on financial and social issues in the world of sports, Carl’s background makes him a great fit for what we like to do.”

Quintanilla’s responsibilities at CNBC will remain the same; he’ll still anchor weekday programs Squawk on the Street and Squawk Alley.

“The quality of [Real Sports‘] reporting is as good as there has ever been on television, led by correspondents I’ve admired my entire career. I couldn’t ask for a better team on which to play a part,” added Quintanilla.

Real Sports has a long history of bringing on correspondents who work with other networks.

Veteran TV sports reporter Andrea Kremer is the chief correspondent of the NFL Network‘s recently formed health and player safety unit. Soledad O’Brien, who joined the show last year, also reports for Al Jazeera America. And Mary Carillo has several other jobs including a significant presence on NBC Sports during coverage of the Olympics.