Category: NFL

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Addresses Offseason Legal Issues for First Time
9 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Addresses Offseason Legal Issues for First Time

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has had a tumultous offseason after winning the Super Bowl as a rookie.

First, on April 10, police charged Rice with aggravated assault, collision involving serious bodily injury, and six counts of collision involving injuries for his alleged role in a hit-and-run crash in Dallas. Then, on May 7, police in the same city named Rice asa suspect in an alleged nightclub assault.

On Saturday, Rice addressed his legal issues for the first time in Kansas City.

"I've learned so much from that," he told gathered reporters. "All I can do is mature and continue to grow from that. This is a step in a better direction for me."

Rice and other Chiefs wide receivers hosted the Dream Big Youth Football Camp on Saturday morning at Kansas City's Central Park.

"Accidents and stuff like that happen, but all you can do is move forward and walk around being the same person, try to be positive so that everybody can feel your love and your great energy," he said.

In 2023, Rice caught 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns.

Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Rashee Rice, Sensitive
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Bills' Damar Hamlin Nails Anklebreaking Three to Win His Celebrity Basketball Game
9 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Bills’ Damar Hamlin Nails Anklebreaking Three to Win His Celebrity Basketball Game

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is a beloved figure in at least three cities. He is beloved in Buffalo, where he has played his entire three-year NFL career, and he is beloved in Cincinnati, which helped nurse him back to health after his terrifying cardiac arrest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, 2023.

However, Pittsburgh knew him first. He was born in nearby McKees Rocks, played his high school football at Pittsburgh Central Catholic and played collegiately for Pittsburgh.

On Saturday, hosting a celebrity basketball game to benefit his Chasing M's Foundation, Hamlin delivered his hometown a moment to remember. With time running out, he nailed a vicious stepback three-pointer to win the game 120-117 for his Blue team.

Participants in Hamlin's game included retired Panthers football legend Aaron Donald, ex-Pittsburgh basketball All-American DeJuan Blair, and a slew of other Pittsburgh- and Bills-adjacent figures.

In a game also featuring a professional in Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson, it was Hamlin who made the biggest play,

Buffalo Bills, Damar Hamlin, NFL
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Travis Kelce Wins David Njoku's Celebrity Home Run Derby in Dramatic Fashion
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Travis Kelce Wins David Njoku’s Celebrity Home Run Derby in Dramatic Fashion

Travis Kelce showed up and showed out at Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku's celebrity softball game on Saturday.

Kelce won the home run derby competition in the closing seconds, smacking his 11th homer on his last swing to narrowly defeat former Browns running back Kareem Hunt, who hit 10.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end triumphantly flipped his bat and sprinted around the field in a victory lap after clinching the win.

Njoku is hosting the charity softball game for the first time Saturday at Classic Auto Group Park, the home of the Cleveland Guardians' High-A affiliate Lake County Captains. NFL players aside from Kelce participating in the event include Browns stars Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper, among others.

Kelce grew up about 13 miles south of Classic Auto Group Park in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

"He's one of the purest human beings I've ever met in my life, honestly," Njoku said of Kelce on Saturday before the event. "Always means well. Just a great overall dude."

Now that Kelce is hoisting the home run derby trophy, the softball game is set to begin later Saturday afternoon.

Cleveland Browns, David Njoku, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Travis Kelce
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Lions Issue Statement After Breaking NFL Practice Rule
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Lions Issue Statement After Breaking NFL Practice Rule

The Detroit Lions violated player work rules set by the collective bargaining agreement during one of their practices this spring.

"On Friday evening the organization was made aware by the NFL and NFLPA that Organized Team Activities [OTA] practices held the week of May 27 violated player work rules pertaining to on-field physical contact pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement," the Lions stated. "As a result, the team’s OTA practice scheduled for Monday, June 10 has been forfeited.

"We take very seriously the rules set forth within the NFL’s Offseason Program and have worked to conduct our practices accordingly. We will continue to be vigilant with our practices moving forward.”

Per the collective bargaining agreement, practices held in phase three of the offseason program—the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth weeks of the offseason—can't include drills with live contact.

The Lions began their offseason program with three days of OTAs from May 21-23 and another three practices from May 29-31. They held mandatory minicamp June 4-6 and had another three days of OTAs scheduled for next week, June 10-12.

Detroit players and coaches now will have an extra day off and will report to voluntary OTAs on Tuesday.

Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions, NFL
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Every NFL Team's Odds to Win the NFC in the 2024 Season
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Every NFL Team’s Odds to Win the NFC in the 2024 Season

We're just months away from the start of the NFL season and before we know it, we'll be betting on games and spending our Sundays watching Red Zone.

Despite the season still being a few months away, sportsbooks have already released all of the futures odds you can think of for the 2024 campaign. One of the betting markets that is already available is the odds to win the NFC.

The San Francisco 49ers were the best team in the conference from the opening week all the way until the Super Bowl, but the upstart Detroit Lions almost managed to pull off the upset in the NFC Championship. Will those two teams meet in the NFC Championship next season?

Let's find out what the oddsmakers think and take a look at the odds to win the NFC for all 16 teams.

All odds listed in this article are via DraftKings Sportsbook

The San Francisco 49ers are understandably once again the betting favorites to win the NFC. There's no reason to doubt them after what they've done the past two seasons and have only made moves that have improved their roster for 2024. There's a strong they'll be the No. 1 seed in the conference again in 2024.

Despite the two powerhouse teams in the NFC East, the Detroit Lions are second on the odds list to win the NFC and advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Can they finally do it? Did they improve their defense enough to hang with the 49ers?

The Eagles won the NFC two seasons ago but imploded in the second half of the season last year. Eagles fans are anxiously awaiting the start of the season to see which version of Philadelphia will show up in 2024. Oddsmakers seem to still have faith in them.

Not only is the NFC East a toss-up between these two teams, but the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys have the same odds to win the NFC at +700. Of course, the Cowboys have to learn how to win in the playoffs if they want to pull it off.

The youngest team in the NFL got hot in the second half of the 2024 season and went on to upset the Cowboys in the wild card round of the playoffs. Can they take a step forward in this year's campaign?

The Falcons were seemingly a quarterback away from being a playoff team last year. Now that they have Kirk Cousins, they're amongst the top options to win the NFC, albeit still a step below the top dogs in the conference.

No rookie quarterback has ever started in a Super Bowl. The closest was Brock Purdy with the 49ers two years ago, but he was injured in the NFC Championship and the Eagles went on to win. Can Caleb Williams achieve the feat in his first year as the Bears quarterback?

The Los Angeles Rams will once again be a dark horse in the NFC but with the passing attack they have, they can beat anyone on any given Sunday.

Don't expect much from the Seattle Seahawks in their first year in the post-Pete Carroll era.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South last year. Can they run it back with Baker Mayfield as their quarterback once again? Do they have enough talent to compete with the top teams in the conference? Oddsmakers aren't so sure about that.

The Minnesota Vikings won't be NFC contenders in 2024.

While they look decent on paper, the Saints aren't in a position to make a run in the conference in 2024.

If Kyler Murray can play at an MVP level and their defense can step up in a big way, the Arizona Cardinals could be an interesting team to watch this season.

The Jayden Daniels era begins in the nation's capital.

It's a tough year to be a Giants fan. That's all there really is to say.

If Bryce Young can look like a competent quarterback in 2024, that's about as good of a win as the Panthers will get this season.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, NFC, NFC Championship, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, san francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders
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Former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard Accused of Sending Explicit Photo to Ex's Son
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard Accused of Sending Explicit Photo to Ex’s Son

Former Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has been accused in a lawsuit of sending sexually explicit content to the then-underage son of an ex-girlfriend, according to a court filing obtained Thursday night by Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald.

Per the filing, Howard sent the content to the son "because (his mother) refused to get an abortion." The attorneys for a separate woman who sued Howard in 2023—alleging he shared explicit videos of her without her consent—are attempting to have the 18-year-old added to that lawsuit as a plaintiff.

Howard, 30, was cut by the Dolphins on March 13.

"Xavien Howard operates by intimidation and force. Where he goes, destruction follows, and the lives of two individuals have been irrevocably altered because of him," attorneys Adriana Alcalde and Cam Justice wrote in the filing.

Through his attorney, Ted Craig, Howard denied the claims.

Howard has been selected to four Pro Bowls in eight seasons in the NFL. He has twice (2018 and 2020) led the league in interceptions.

Miami Dolphins, NFL, Sensitive, Xavien Howard
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College Football Coach Had Perfect Tweet After His Viral Interview on Golf Channel
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

College Football Coach Had Perfect Tweet After His Viral Interview on Golf Channel

When Citadel football assistant coach Everette Sands signed up to play in the Korn Ferry Tour's BMW Charity Pro-Am, he probably wasn't expecting to be interviewed by the Golf Channel.

We can guarantee that he wasn't expecting to be mistaken for Texas Longhorns legend and former NFL quarterback Vince Young, either.

In a viral interview on Golf Channel, Sands was mistaken for Young. After being told he "played for six seasons in the NFL" and was "arguably one of the best NCAA quarterbacks of all-time at Texas," Sands was asked how he took what he learned as a football player and applied it to golf.

Sands had a huge smile on his face, but handled the interview with grace.

"Now, I apologize, you have the wrong person. I'm Everette Sands from over at the Citadel. I'm a football coach! But the great thing about golf is not only am I competing against myself, but I'm competing against everyone else."

Once Sands realized the interview went viral after his round, he responded with a perfect social media post to encapsulate the moment.

"Had a great time at the [BMW Pro-Am] today. I even got interviewed after one of the holes today!!! #TheGrindDontStop"

The Golf Channel would certainly like to have that one back.

Golf, NFL, The Citadel, Vince Young
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Dak Prescott Describes Mindset Around Uncertain Cowboys Future: 'I'm a Gambling Man'
6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Dak Prescott Describes Mindset Around Uncertain Cowboys Future: ‘I’m a Gambling Man’

Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott worked out with the team at mandatory minicamp this week as he prepares for the new season without a contract extension signed.

Prescott, who turns 31 in July, is entering the final year of a four-year, $160 million contract that he signed in 2021. Despite the uncertainty about his future, Prescott is ready to roll the dice with his teammates.

"This is the urgency you should always have, to be honest," Prescott said when asked if there was a sense of urgency entering a contract year. "Maybe guys who wouldn't normally feel it, feel it. I don't mind it. I've been in this position before. I'm a gambling man. I'll gamble on myself and my guys."

Prescott made it clear that he didn't mean actual gambling.

"Not actually, guys," Prescott quipped.

Expectations are always high in Dallas, and as the starting quarterback, Prescott is certainly under the microscope.

However, Prescott put together another strong season under center for the Cowboys last season. In 17 starts, he completed 69.5% of his passes for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns to nine interceptions. His completion percentage and touchdown marks were both career highs.

Unless a contract extension is reached before the start of the season, the Cowboys' front office will need to determine if it's worth it to pay Prescott on a lucrative extension, or move forward without him after next season.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys, NFL
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'Big Dom' DiSandro Earns New Eagles Job Title After Viral Sidelines Dust-Up in 2023
6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

‘Big Dom’ DiSandro Earns New Eagles Job Title After Viral Sidelines Dust-Up in 2023

The Philadelphia Eagles security employee who went viral for his sideline spat with San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw has earned himself a new job title.

Dom DiSandro, known affectionately as "Big Dom" is now in charge of gameday coaching operations, according to a report from Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

DiSandro was previously the senior advisor to the general manager and chief security officer, so his role in charge of gameday operations is an add-on to his current role with the franchise. His new responsibilities, according to McLane, involve overseeing head coach Nick Sirianni's assistants on gameday. This new title will also make it more difficult for the NFL to discipline him directly if there's another sideline dustup in the future, according to McLane.

After getting into an altercation with Greenlaw in Philadelphia's Week 13 home game with the 49ers last season, DiSandro was handed down a suspension from the NFL that barred him from the sidelines for the rest of the season.

Safe to say it's water under the bridge within the Eagles' organization, so expect to see much more of DiSandro this fall when the team takes the field.

Dom DiSandro, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles
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Mike McDaniel Using Unusual Tactic to Motivate Dolphins to End Playoff Win Drought
6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mike McDaniel Using Unusual Tactic to Motivate Dolphins to End Playoff Win Drought

The 21st century has not been good to the Miami Dolphins.

A team that once won consistently has made just six playoff appearances since the 2000 season kicked off. Miami's last playoff win came on Dec. 30 of that year, an overtime wild-card victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

However, the Dolphins have put together a talented core in the 2020s. They own back-to-back playoff appearances to show for it—their first since 1997 to 2001—and are eyeing even greater success in 2024 under coach Mike McDaniel.

On Thursday, the ever-creative McDaniel revealed the history-minded tactic he's been using to motivate Miami this offseason. He told reporters the Dolphins were starting all meetings at 24 minutes past the hour—3:24, 5:24, 7:24, and so on.

“That’s how many years it’s been since the organization’s won a playoff game,” McDaniel said.

Before their current drought, the longest Miami had gone without a playoff win was just nine years—from 1973 to 1982.

The Dolphins will begin their quest to end that dry spell on Sept. 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Miami Dolphins, Mike McDaniel, NFL
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