the-nfl Page 17 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The Vikings’ coach and GM are having a staring contest with the sun
It’s no surprise that journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs re-entered the atmosphere. Players are backups for a reason, and it was only a matter of time before Dobbs reminded folks why he was available multiple times this season. What is a surprise about this current predicament is after the Vikings us...

We’re witnessing the vindication of Steve Wilks
Once was a coincidence — but, not really. Twice was proof of the pattern. Steve Wilks keeps getting the short end of the stick. And the owners that fire him always wind up paying for it....

Russell Westbrook has a point about fans crossing the line
When attending an NBA game involving Russell Westbrook, you might want to be careful what words you let slip out of your mouth. Westbrook has never been with the foolishness of fans, but in the past few years, it’s like he’s been on a crusade to confront any fan who crosses him. Westbrook had anothe...

Patrick Willis should already be a Hall of Famer
Patrick Willis should already be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For eight seasons he was an enforcer for the San Francisco 49ers. He was drafted by a proud franchise that had fallen into disarray, and was intricate part in bringing it back to prominence. Willis did this all while playing a positi...

Proximity to Aaron Rodgers once again working in Nathaniel Hackett’s favor
The great thing about fall guys in the NFL is they’re interchangeable. It could be a quarterback, a coordinator, a distraction, the head coach, the owner, or Roger Goodell, and usually there’s enough vitriol to spread around. Take the New York Jets for example. They’re one of the most scrutinized fr...

The new Barry Sanders documentary has brought out the love. And some hate
Barry Sanders is one of the greatest players to ever step onto a football field, so when he abruptly retired following the 1998, season it left everyone stunned. One individual who calls Sanders the GOAT RB is Grammy award-winning rapper Eminem. Growing up around Detroit during the Sanders era of do...

Justin Fields and Josh Dobbs capped a week littered with awful QB play
There are far more important things to be thankful for in this world than being a fan of an NFL team with consistent quarterback play. Beginning with that caveat, many Americans do spend a lot of hours watching football. The product is exponentially better when the quarterbacks are above average....

Firing Frank Reich isn't going to fix the Carolina Panthers
In 1995, the Carolina Panthers had the best season of any expansion franchise in the history of the NFL. They went 7-9 during a year in which they did not have a home stadium, and played those eight games at Clemson. The next season they went 12-4 and played in the NFC Championship Game, and the 200...

The Broncos are the NFL’s biggest walking plot twist
An 18-week NFL schedule creates a plethora of nexus points where the season diverts from its expected path. Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles four plays into the season, the New England Patriots crashing, CJ Stroud flying out the rookie gates, Frank Reich being fired after 11 games and two rookies ...

The NFL Must Ban Native Headdress And Culturally Insensitive Face Paint in the Stands (UPDATED)
Editor’s Note: On Nov. 27, Deadspin published an opinion piece criticizing the NFL for allowing a young fan to attend the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 26 wearing a traditional Native American headdress and, based upon the available photo, what appeared to be black ...

Week 12 NFL Takeaways: Live by the field goal, die by the field goal
On Sunday, the NFL made up for its Thanksgiving product that was more sleep-inducing than wolfing down a half-pound turkey in one afternoon. Jordan Love’s late-season turnaround was worthy of a hat tip, but the rest of the day would have been better spent arguing about the 2024 election. ...

The Patriots have hit rock bottom
Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Maybe the New England Patriots should have called Drew Bledsoe to see if any juice is left in that big arm. It’s not like he was able to move when he was young, anyway....

Today’s NFL is mediocre, Tom Brady? How about the AFC East throughout your career?
Finally, someone out there has the guts to stand up to Tom Brady. Yes he has six championship rings and is the only player in NFL history to reach 600 career touchdown passes. However, that doesn’t make him infallible. After all, his 2007 New England Patriots did pull a 2015-16 Golden State Warriors...

Mac Jones’ confidence lives in the gutters of New England
Mac Jones might be the lowest quarterback currently getting live reps in the NFL. Not from a statistical standpoint, although he isn’t exactly wowing anyone. But watching Jones on the field, it’s painfully evident his confidence is shot. He threw two interceptions in the first half of Sunday’s game ...

All the talent in the world can’t save Brandon Staley from his fate
The Los Angeles Chargers are in a tough position entering Week 12. Struggling to keep their playoff hopes alive at 4-6, they take on the 8-3, AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens at home in a game they cannot afford to lose. With all the talent on this Chargers team, there’s no good reason for them to be tw...

The Washington Commanders are still cooking up the Dan Synder-era mess
Josh Harris’ first season of Washington Commanders ownership must feel like Calvin working the WacArnold’s night shift. It seems like a distinguished opportunity at first to own a legacy franchise. Until you start contrasting them against the league’s most respected franchises. Being congratulated o...

It's sad that Sherrone Moore is the 1st Black head coach in the history of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry
On Saturday at high noon, Michigan and Ohio State will take the field in what may be the most anticipated matchup in the history of the greatest rivalry in all of sports. And for the first time since the Maize and Blue and Scarlet and Gray have been battling, a Black man will be serving as a head co...

These were the best NBA games ever played on Thanksgiving or Christmas
It’s been more than two decades since we’ve seen an NBA game on Thanksgiving. And for the sake of communion and fellowship, we’re better for it. It’s not like the TV won’t be on anyway. With Fox News and CNN rotting our brains and the NFL providing an annual doubleheader, there’s plenty to go numb f...

Aaron Rodgers can't stop being a total idiot
It’s been nearly two weeks since America last rolled their eyes at Aaron Rodgers, thus giving him the attention he so desperately craves, so you knew he was going to say something galaxy-brained and bone-headed before the week was up. Luckily, we have Pat McAfee paying him for that, so we were not d...

For one week, at least, Monday Night Football regained its crown as king of must-see NFL action
I have lived long enough to be aware that there are people who have no idea of the enormity of Monday Night Football. The Brady-Manning Bowl of 2005 was an MNF broadcast. For three and a half decades, there was no bigger regular-season NFL stage than that primetime matchup on ABC. ...