NFL Page 644 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

It's time to take the Deshaun Watson (to the Jets?) trade rumors seriously
John McClain has been covering the NFL in Houston since the Oilers were there, and isn’t someone who’s associated with throwing stuff out there to see if it sticks....
![Former NFLer, Notre Dame D-lineman Louis Nix III found dead at 29 — report [UPDATED]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/epq7no4utqeiwx2ubshp.jpg)
Former NFLer, Notre Dame D-lineman Louis Nix III found dead at 29 — report [UPDATED]
Updated Feb. 27, 2021 at 9:30 p.m.: Louis Nix III, a former Notre Dame defensive lineman who was drafted by the Texans, and played four games for the New York Giants in 2015, was found dead on Saturday after having been missing since Tuesday, according to a report from Action News in Jacksonville....

The Diversity Dozen: 12 Black NFL assistant coaches who deserve more attention
With the start of the 2021 NFL season seven months away, the conversation about the lack of Black head coaches tends to go dormant after the Super Bowl, as those potential candidates aren’t eligible to be hired for another 11 months....

Actress Shailene Woodley confirms engagement to <em>Jeopardy!</em> nerd Aaron Rodgers
It’s officially official. ...

Is it too early to be optimistic about the NFL’s stadium capacity optimism?
Tailgates, gameday traffic, long restroom lines, and tens of thousands of people packed in stands sound crazy right now. And it should. But we could be living in a completely different world by September....

Attention-seeking adolescent apologizes for heckling Cam Newton
Free agent quarterback Cam Newton showed his class over the weekend after being called “ass” by a heckling kid at one of his football camps....

Cam Newton puts corny, clout-chasing child in his place after kid calls him ‘ass’
Update (February 22, 2021): The kid apologized....

DeSean Jackson’s free agency will be a revealing tale
Thirty-four-year-old wide receivers aren’t hot commodities in the NFL. But it doesn’t mean they can’t be intriguing....

Given that it's Philly, we can assume racism led fans to wanting Wentz over Hurts
A month before the disgruntled Carson Wentz was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles to the Indianapolis Colts, there was a poll conducted by Philly sports radio outlet, 97.5 The Fanatic. ...

Hey Eagles, Jalen Hurts is your quarterback – don’t be stupid
Carson Wentz has been traded, yet somehow the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback situation is not firmly answered, and I have no idea why....

Ryan Leaf talks to Deadspin about CTE, substance abuse, and Vincent Jackson's tragic death
We’re getting a little more clarity on the death of former Chargers and Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, and it’s a sad yet familiar story. According to Florida police, Jackson suffered from chronic alcoholism and his family feared that he showed signs of brain trauma stemming from his foot...

He Wentz to the Colts
The Carson Wentz waiting game is finally over. Wentz has been traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he will be reunited with his former offensive coordinator Frank Reich. And just like that, “Wentzylvania” is no more....

The Steelers sure don’t sound too hot on Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh has a Ben Roethlisberger problem....

Dolphins dual-threat Jason Sanders becomes league’s highest-paid kicker with $22 million deal
In the never-ending battle of “kickers are people too,” Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders would like to have a word. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dolphins have given Sanders a five-year, $22 million extension that includes $10 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid kicker in ...
![Ariel Young emerges from coma almost two weeks after accident caused by Britt Reid, but has 'long road to recovery' [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/chcfbhb5oktr3bbsjfbp.png)
Ariel Young emerges from coma almost two weeks after accident caused by Britt Reid, but has 'long road to recovery' [Updated]
Updated on February 16, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.: Ariel Young, the five-year-old that was injured in the car accident with Britt Reid, is out of her coma. An initial update was posted by Tiffany Verhulst last night on the GoFundMe page for Ariel’s family that says “Ariel is awake.” However, while this pos...

Jim Caldwell talking to us about Matt Stafford is the perfect time for us to talk about Jim Caldwell
What can the Rams expect with Matt Stafford?...

I guess I’m still supposed to care about Johnny Manziel?
I’ll be honest, I haven’t cared about Johnny Manziel since long before he was investigated for the domestic abuse of his then-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley. If you’ll recall, Manziel was charged with misdemeanor assault following allegations that he struck Crowley several times after the couple left a...

Presumptive No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence to have labrum surgery on non-throwing shoulder
Trevor Lawrence is a right-handed thrower, so surgery on his left shoulder is not the biggest concern that he could possibly have. Still, when you’re going into the draft as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick, it’s a big deal....

J.J. Watt's time with Texans is over as franchise star and Houston hero is released, free to go to... Steelers?
As Houston continues to revamp their team and try to resurrect their franchise from the lifeless pit of despair that former head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien left it in, the Texans and J.J. Watt have mutually agreed to part ways. Watt was released today, allowing him to search for a new te...

Texans releasing J.J. Watt offers peek into racially coded language — what’s 'classy' & who gets to be the 'face of a franchise'?
When the Texans decided to release J.J. Watt on Friday, it marked the end of an era in Houston — and the continuation of an era in media’s use of coded language....