Aug 20, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) warms up prior to a game against the Washington Commanders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Patrick Mahomes will have an unlikely ally in his corner as he takes the field for this year’s Super Bowl.
The NBA’s Detroit Pistons revealed on Sunday that they gave a gift to the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Mahomes before his Super Bowl showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Mahomes had apparently been wearing a Pistons jersey in a childhood photo. The Pistons got wind of this and sent Mahomes and his family a custom-made jersey as well as a Pistons hat.
“Mahomes fam- Hope you like your new threads!” an accompanying note read. “We thought it was time for a refresh. -Your Pistons fam”
The two-time NFL MVP Mahomes was born in 1995, so (based on the style and the era) he was probably wearing a No. 33 Grant Hill jersey in that old photo. Now Mahomes has himself a custom Pistons jersey in his own name.
Of course, Mahomes is a native of Texas. But he does have a connection to Detroit in that he was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB Draft … but obviously didn’t sign with them. For the Pistons, it stands to reason that they are rooting for Mahomes and the Chiefs since they have a bit of beef history with Philadelphia sports teams.
Aug 26, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan during a NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Seth Ryan may really be a chip off the old block.
According to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN on Sunday, the New York Jets have requested permission to interview Seth, the son of ex-NFL head coach Rex Ryan, for their wide receiver coaching job. Seth is currently an assistant WR coach for the Detroit Lions.
The Jets would obviously be a fitting landing spot for Seth since his father was head coach of the Jets from 2009 to 2014. In fact, many of Rex’s most infamous moments came while he was in charge of the Jets.
As for Seth himself, he is still only 28 years old and first made a name for himself as a receiver on the Clemson team that won the national title in the 2016 season. Seth then became an offensive quality control coach for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 before joining the Lions in 2021. Now he could be headed for a third NFL team in the Jets.
Sep 19, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (31) walks off the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was asked if he wants to continue playing football after his frightening experience in January’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin sat down for his first interview since his on-field collapse Jan. 2 while playing the Bengals. The full interview will air Monday on “Good Morning America,” but FOX aired a portion on Sunday’s Super Bowl pregame show.
The safety had a hopeful answer when asked if he wanted to return to the football field eventually.
“Eventually. That’s always the goal as competitor,” Hamlin said. “I’m trying to do things to keep advancing in my situation. I’m allowing that to be in God’s hands.”
The answer to the question is not up to Hamlin. The safety will consult with doctors and experts to determine his path to playing again, if possible. The motivation is certainly there, though.
We do know Hamlin has been able to attend games since his health scare. At the very least, he will be considered a Bill for life.
Sep 9, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles looks on before a game against the Dallas Cowboysn at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been left with a major void after Tom Brady retired, and they may try to fill it with one of the top veteran quarterbacks on the free-agent market.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported on Sunday that the Bucs will explore the possibility of signing Jimmy Garoppolo. Their salary cap situation could make that difficult, however.
“The plan for Tampa Bay is to retool while still competing. This has been the plan for a couple of years,” Garafolo said. “They knew they were going to have to pay these debts at some point. They will be in the veteran quarterback market. Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the players that they like, but they just may not have the finances to get it done.”
The Buccaneers pushed a lot of their salary cap issues down the road while trying to maximize the time they had with Brady. Now that Brady has retired and the Bucs do not have the option of signing him to an extension, they will be left with a dead cap hit of $35 million. That has contributed to Tampa Bay being way over the salary cap heading into 2023.
Tampa Bay would have to get extremely creative and/or move on from a lot of players in order to free up the cap space needed to sign Garoppolo. The 31-year-old quarterback is expected to be pursued by at least one other team, which should drive us price up quite a bit.
Sep 13, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) before playing against the Baltimore Ravens at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Derek Carr has forced the Las Vegas Raiders into a decision with him that many expected all along.
Carr visited with the New Orleans Saints last week after the Saints and Raiders agreed to the framework of a trade. However, Carr refused to waive his no-trade clause. Carr exercising his no-trade clause has forced the Raiders to release him.
Cutting Carr will cost the Raiders $5.625 million in dead cap money.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero says that Carr’s contract was an issue. The quarterback was scheduled to be guaranteed $40.4 million if he remained with the Raiders past Tuesday.
Many people viewed Carr’s contract as too expensive. Now he will be a free agent and able to sign with a team of his choice, and perhaps on terms that allow his new team to build around him.
Not agreeing to a trade served two purposes for Carr. One, he didn’t allow the Raiders to get something in return for him. Two, his decision prevented his next team from having to give up assets and weaken itself in order to get him.
The consequence is that Carr will now need to sign a contract on different terms that might not be as favorable as the one he had with the Raiders.
Oct 3, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter addresses the media at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Derek Jeter made a big announcement on Sunday.
Jeter appeared on FOX’s pregame show ahead of the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. During his appearance, FOX announced that Jeter would be joining the MLB on FOX team for the 2023 season.
Jeter seemed to be headed towards a career in broadcasting after his time with the Marlins didn’t go as he hoped.
In late 2017, Jeter’s ownership group was approved to purchase the Marlins. Jeter became the CEO of the team, but he left the NL East squad in February 2022 after growing frustrated with his ownership group for not spending money.
Prior to Jeter signing on with FOX, there was talk that he might join YES Network, which is the TV home of the Yankees.
At FOX, Jeter will reunite with his former Yankees teammate, Alex Rodriguez. He’ll also be part of a team that includes one of his former Red Sox rivals, David Ortiz.
Between Rodriguez, Ortiz and Jeter, FOX will be loaded with big-name former players on their analyst team.
Jan 22, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) prepares to throw the ball in the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers during a NFC Divisional playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Rodgers is taking some time to decide on his future, but that’s not stopping teams from showing interest in him.
If Rodgers decides to play again in 2023, the Green Bay Packers could trade him elsewhere. The New York Jets have been viewed as a team that would make sense as a landing spot. It’s no surprise that they have shown interest in the veteran quarterback.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Sunday that the Jets have inquired about Rodgers.
Rodgers has two years left on the big-money deal he signed with the Packers before last season. He has a $58.3 million signing bonus for 2023 and a cap hit of $31.6 million. His signing bonus has already been spread out until 2026. There has been talk that he could restructure his contract if traded.
The Jets went 7-10 last season. They were fourth in the league in both points allowed and yards allowed. They have a strong defense in place and some nice offensive weapons in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. They seem to be a good quarterback away from being a playoff team.
There is another AFC team that Rodgers has also frequently been linked to.
August 14, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Andy Reid is looking to further cement his Hall of Fame legacy by winning a second Super Bowl, and there is apparently a chance Sunday could be his final game with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jay Glazer of FOX Sports asked Reid if Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles could potentially be the coach’s final game if Kansas City wins. Reid did not rule it out.
“I did ask Andy if you win this game, will this be the final time we see you coach?” Glazer said during FOX’s Super Bowl pregame show. “It wasn’t a no, but he said, ‘Look, I’m not getting any younger. I still have a young quarterback. I have a decision I have to make after this game.'”
There had been no talk prior to Glazer’s report of Reid potentially retiring, and we highly doubt he would walk away during Patrick Mahomes’ prime. The fact that he mentioned Mahomes’ age in his response to Glazer likely proves which way Reid is leaning.
Few coaches in the NFL seem to enjoy their job more than Reid. We were reminded of that when he shared his three keys to life earlier this week. The 64-year-old remains one of the best at what he does. It would be a surprise if he retired regardless of what happens in Sunday’s game.
Chiefs fans, you’ll love this Andy Reid cheeseburger shirt. Reid loves his cheeseburgers, and you can wear it. This makes a perfect gift for you or a friend. You can buy it here.
Mar 4, 2020; Dallas, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) laughs while warming up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Zion Williamson has been sidelined for over a month with a hamstring injury, and the New Orleans Pelicans star will not be back on the court anytime soon.
Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced on Sunday that Williamson suffered a setback while rehabbing from his injury. The former No. 1 overall pick will miss at least a few more weeks after the All-Star break.
Williamson, of course, has battled numerous injuries during his young career. He missed all of last season after undergoing foot surgery. Williamson then got off to a strong start this year and averaged 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists through 29 games before injuring his hamstring on Jan. 2.
The Pelicans have remained in the postseason picture during Williamson’s absence. They entered Sunday with a 29-28 record and in 7th place in the Western Conference.
Apr 10, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) during warmups before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
The Golden State Warriors believe the Portland Trail Blazers withheld pertinent medical information before the two sides agreed to a trade involving Gary Payton II, and the NBA is now looking into the situaton.
The NBA has launched a review of the Warriors’ complaint that they were misled by Portland, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Golden State agreed to a trade with the Blazers on Thursday that would send Payton to the Warriors for five second-round picks. The deal also involved Detroit and Atlanta, as James Wiseman was being traded to the Pistons and Saddiq Bey to the Hawks.
The trade is in jeopardy of being rescinded after the Warriors had concerns about Payton’s health following a physical. The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported Friday that Payton has been playing through pain and “the Blazers training staff had been pushing him to gut through it, giving him Toradol shots. This had not been relayed to the Warriors during the negotiation process.”
The Warriors seem to believe the Blazers withheld information and negotiated in bad faith. Payton’s agent has denied that the guard ever used Toradol injections to play in games.
Now that the NBA is investigating the Warriors’ concerns, we may not hear a final resolution on the trade for several days.
