Malik Willis has TD pass and Packers sack Jalen Milroe 5 times in 20-7 preseason win over Seahawks

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers gave Seattle Seahawks rookie Jalen Milroe some hard lessons about life in the NFL.

Milroe played the Seahawks’ entire preseason finale Saturday as coach Mike Macdonald rested starting quarterback Sam Darnold and Drew Lock. The third-round pick from Alabama lost three fumbles and was sacked five times in the Packers' 20-7 victory.

"He’s playing his tail off," Macdonald said. “There’s things we're going to learn from. Taking care of the football is probably the No. 1 thing. He knows that. We learn from it and go from there. I think it was definitely worth it to get him out there. Having this experience, he’s definitely going to be able to build off this in the future.”

Milroe went 13 of 24 for 148 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown to Cody White. He rushed for 31 yards on seven carries.

He was asked afterward what he learned from the experience.

“No matter good, bad or ugly, keep going,” Milroe said. “Keep fighting. Keep being starving. Have an optimistic mindset as you approach the field, despite anything. Good, bad ... you’ve got to be the same person each and every day.”

While the Seahawks kept their starters on the sidelines, the Packers played many of their regulars for much of the first quarter as they built a 10-0 lead. One Green Bay starter who didn’t play was quarterback Jordan Love, who practiced on a limited basis this week as he recovers from surgery on his left (non-throwing) thumb.

“Hindsight’s always 20-20, but I just thought in my gut I feel like a lot of years we’ve come out of the preseason saying, ‘Hey, I wish we would’ve given these guys a few more reps,’” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “And we were able to do that for most of our guys today.”

Malik Willis, who won each of the two games he started in place of an injured Love last season, quarterbacked the first two series for the Packers. After throwing a deep pass into coverage that Ty Okada intercepted on the game's first series, Willis bounced back to lead a 14-play, 96-yard drive.

Willis' 1-yard TD pass to Romeo Doubs capped a drive that included a 39-yard completion to rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden. Willis also ran around right end for a 6-yard gain on fourth-and-2 from the Seattle 42.

Milroe got off to a rough start, losing two fumbles in Seattle’s first three series.

Brenton Cox’s strip-sack created the first fumble, which Kingsley Enagbare recovered at the Seattle 30. On Seattle’s next series, Milroe crossed the first-down marker on fourth-and-1 before Ty’Ron Hopper forced a fumble that Kalen King recovered near midfield.

Hopper, a 2024 third-round pick, has had an impressive preseason.

“I would say he's one of our most improved players, I think, from a year ago,” LaFleur said.

Milroe also fumbled a shotgun snap late in the fourth quarter after the Seahawks had moved inside the Green Bay 25.

“All those are on me,” Milroe said. “I’ve got to be better with ball security. It’s tough. You’re in the trenches, they’re going to swipe at the ball. Some big, strong dudes. They’re heavier than me. You’ve got to protect the ball.”

Milroe's touchdown pass to White came with 11:59 remaining. White ended up with three catches for 69 yards, plus a 35-yard punt return.

Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo suffered a concussion and cornerback Tyler Hall hurt his knee when the two players collided in the second quarter. Bobo was moving forward to catch a punt when the right side of his head ran into Hall, who was blocking on the play.

Macdonald said Hall would undergo imaging but added that initial testing indicated the knee was fine structurally.

Macdonald also said guard Christian Haynes didn't play due to a pectoral injury. He said the Seahawks are still evaluating how long Haynes might be out but added that “it's not as serious as we thought.”

The Seahawks host San Francisco and the Packers host Detroit on Sept. 7 in their regular-season openers.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Seattle Seahawks' Jalen Milroe thorws during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Seattle Seahawks' Jamie Sheriff and Patrick O'Connell stop Green Bay Packers' Chris Brooks during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

Green Bay Packers' Will Sheppard celebrates his touchdown reception in the stands with fans during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers' Kingsley Enagbare recovers a fumble by Seattle Seahawks' Jalen Milroe during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers' Malik Willis throws during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

BOSTON (AP) — When Zdeno Chara signed with the Boston Bruins in 2006, the No. 3 he wore early in his career had already been retired by the Original Six franchise.

So he picked No. 33 without giving it much thought.

“Little did I know how meaningful 33 was,” Chara said on Thursday night before his number was raised to the TD Garden rafters not far from where Larry Bird's No. 33 already hangs in Celtics green.

It is the 13th number retired by the Bruins, and the latest in a collection of Hall of Fame defenseman that runs from Eddie Shore to Bobby Orr to Raymond Bourque.

“It's a huge honor,” Chara told reporters. "I can’t explain to you how honored I feel. I’m humbled about being selected to be one of the numbers being retired. Being with that history, forever."

The 2009 Norris Trophy winner and a 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Chara spent 14 of his 24 NHL seasons in Boston, leading the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship. His 1,680 games is the most of any NHL defenseman; at 6 feet, 9 inches (2.06m), he is the tallest player in league history, and his 108.8 mph (175.1 kmh) slap shot in the 2012 skills competition remains the NHL record.

But his teammates and other Bruins attending Thursday's ceremony said Chara's biggest contribution was signing with a team that hadn't won a playoff series in six years — “the best decision I ever made” — and turning them into champions.

“Things really changed when Zee came here as a free agent,” Bourque said. "From that point on, the culture and everything that comes with that, and the success and the run that they had, he was such a big part of that.

“He’s a legend,” Bourque said. “He really deserves to be up there.”

Bourque was among the former Bruins greats in attendance, along with Orr — both of them, like Chara, Boston defensemen who finished their careers elsewhere on their way to the Hall of Fame. They arrived via gold carpet that led them past adoring fans and the statue of Orr flying through the air following his Cup-winning goal in the 1970 finals.

Other fellow retired number honorees in attendance included Cam Neely, Willie O’Ree, Rick Middleton, Terry O'Reilly and John Bucyk. The current Bruins sat on the bench, all wearing Chara jerseys.

Five members of the 2011 roster — Patrice Bergeron, Mark Recchi, Dennis Seidenberg, David Krejci and Tuukka Rask — carried the retired number onto the ice, and teammate Andrew Ference served as emcee.

In his speech, Chara read the names of every player on the Bruins last Cup winners. Asked why, he said after: “Without championships, you are not going to be successful, you’re not going to be recognized.

"The championships, that’s what they do. They raise everyone, they extend careers for everyone,” he explained. "They create dynasties. They create stories. They create memories. They created what we’re experiencing tonight.

"It’s very simple: Once you win the championship, everything gets so much better for everyone. And the most beautiful thing about it: You create extended families with each other. It’s true. You have bonds, you have friendships that are now still forever. It’s amazing; it’s like you’re seeing your brother. You trust the person; you know everything about them. And anytime anybody needs something, you’re there for them.

“That’s what winning championships do,” he said. “Not just for a career, but for the rest of your lives, it means something very special.”

The ceremony at center ice featured a “Big Zee” ice sculpture flanking the podium and a large No. 33 behind it. Fans were asked to get in their seats two hours early, and the full TD Garden erupted in a giant shout of “Zee!” followed by an extended cheer of “Thank you, Chara!”

A highlight video featured former Bruins Brad Marchand and current coach Marco Sturm, Chara's teammate from 2006-10. Many of them spoke of the way Chara led by example.

“He wasn’t really a ‘Rah, rah!’ guy,” former Bruins forward and current team president Neely said, “but when he spoke, it was with a purpose.”

And so, when it was time to raise his No. 33 to the rafters, Chara stood by with his wife, Tatiana, while their children — Zack, Ben and Elliz — pulled the ropes.

“That’s the biggest reward for me: To see my children and my family doing it instead of me. I think I get better joy watching them doing it than the joy of me doing it because it's so much more meaningful,” he explained. "They deserve that more than me."

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara speaks during his number retirement ceremony before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara leads his family over to his number "33" to raise it to the rafters before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, center, waves to the crowd during his number retirement ceremony, as Bruins' players with their number already retired, from left, Willie O'Ree, Rick Middleton, Terrry O'Reilly, Cam Neely, emcee Andrew Ferrance and Bobby Orr look on before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara's number "33" is raised to the rafters at TD Garden before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Bobby Orr applauds, left bottom, as former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara waves to the crowd during his number retirement ceremony before an NHL hockey game between the Boston Bruins and the Seattle Kraken, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)