| The 32 NFL teams have been valued for 2025 by Sportico. Dan Shanoff of The Athletic with some highlights: Proving that on-field success doesn’t always correlate with off-field financial realities, the Dallas Cowboys once again sat atop Sportico’s 2025 NFL Franchise Valuations Ranking. The ranking, now in its sixth year, compiles and estimates a combination of “team value” (including local and national revenues) and team-related business and real estate holdings where the franchise owner holds equity. The Cowboys — currently embroiled in a stand-off with its star player over contract size, but also the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary series — led the league for the sixth straight year, with a $12.8 billion valuation, up 24 percent from Sportico’s value for the franchise in its 2024 ranking. In a vivid demonstration of the perennial financial strength of being an NFL team owner, all 32 teams saw year-over-year valuation increases from 12 percent (No. 27-ranked Carolina Panthers, now $5.76 billion, up from $5.13 billion in 2024) to 34 percent increases for the No. 2-ranked Los Angeles Rams (2025 valuation: $10.43 billion) and No. 3-ranked New York Giants (2025 valuation: $10.25 billion). The 2025 top 5 remained the same from last year’s edition: Cowboys ($12.8 billion)Rams ($10.43 billion)Giants ($10.25 billion)Patriots ($8.76 billion)49ers ($8.76 billion) Highest riserThe Detroit Lions ($5.88 billion), whose 19 percent valuation increase from 2024 to 2025 (mirroring the team’s surge in on-field success), saw it jump from No. 28 to No. 25. What about the Super Bowl champs?The Philadelphia Eagles ($8.43 billion) saw a 25 percent jump in valuation year over year, with a rise up the rankings from No. 8 in 2024 to No. 6 this season. Two other teams jumping two spots — both into the top half of the league — are the Denver Broncos ($6.55 billion), going from No. 17 to No. 15, and the Kansas City Chiefs ($6.53 billion), up from No. 18 to No. 16. There was no indication of any “Taylor Swift premium” assigned to the Chiefs’ valuation. For what it’s worth, Swift was given a net-worth valuation of $1.6 billion from Forbes in 2024. A slightly quirky Bears valuation?The 2025 ranking lists the Chicago Bears at No. 11, with a $7.45B valuation, up 19 percent from 2024. Last week, Sportico reported that the Bears resolved an ownership issue over a sliver of the company that valued the team at $8.8B, which would have ranked 4th on the 2025 list. You can view the entire 2025 list, the methodology and historical rankings here. 1 Dallas Cowboys $12.8 billion 24%2 Los Angeles Rams $10.43 billion 34%3 New York Giants $10.25 billion 34%4 New England Patriots $8.76 billion 20%5 San Francisco 49ers $8.6 billion 25%6 +2 Philadelphia Eagles $8.43 billion 25%7 Miami Dolphins $8.25 billion 22%8 -2 New York Jets $8.11 billion 19%9 Las Vegas Raiders $7.9 billion 18%10 Washington Commanders $7.47 billion 19%11 Chicago Bears $7.45 billion 19%12 Houston Texans $7.17 billion 19%13 Atlanta Falcons $7.05 billion 19%14 Seattle Seahawks $6.59 billion 18%15 +2 Denver Broncos $6.55 billion 19%16 +2 Kansas City Chiefs $6.53 billion 20%17 -2 Pittsburgh Steelers $6.51 billion 17%18 +1 Green Bay Packers $6.48 billion 20%19 -3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers $6.47 billion 18%20 Minnesota Vikings $6.28 billion 18%21 +1 LA Chargers $6.21 billion 19%22 -1 Tennessee Titans $6.2 billion 17%23 Cleveland Browns $6.14 billion 19%24 +1 Baltimore Ravens $6 billion 17%25 +3 Detroit Lions $5.88 billion 19%26 Buffalo Bills $5.87 billion 16%27 -3 Carolina Panthers $5.76 billion 12%28 -1 Indianapolis Colts $5.72 billion 15%29 +1 Arizona Cardinals $5.66 billion 17%30 -1 New Orleans Saints $5.63 billion 18%31 Jacksonville Jaguars $5.57 billion 17%32 Cincinnati Bengals $5.5 billion 17% |
| NFC NORTH |
| MINNESOTAVikings QB J.J. McCARTHY is in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. Here are the comments from his board of experts: McCarthy drew all Tier 4 votes because he has yet to play in an NFL game, not because voters are necessarily down on him. “I would have hope for him with that coach and that system if he can stay healthy,” a former GM said. “He has that slight build. He looked pretty good in the (2024) preseason, in a short period of time. I believe in the head coach and the system. He has the arm strength, he is athletic, he is smart, he has all those things.” Playing indoors could be another plus, a head coach said. “I just hope he is not an (injury-prone) guy,” this coach said. There’s a perception among some voters that Minnesota had reservations about McCarthy this offseason. “I don’t just hear slam dunk stuff out of there,” the head coach said. McCarthy was back on the field for Saturday’s preseason opener after recovering from the torn meniscus he suffered in his right knee last preseason. He had surgery to repair the meniscus in August 2024 and another procedure in November to reduce swelling in the knee. “How healthy is he going to be?” another coach said. “They are only doing one joint camp, with New England. He plays on Monday night at Chicago to open the season. I’m pretty interested to see what that looks like.” |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSGiants QB RUSSELL WILSON is in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. Here are the comments from his board of experts: Wilson, now on his third team in three seasons, has fallen in the Tiers rankings from tied for first (2020) to fourth (2021), eighth (2022), 16th (2023), 22nd (2024) and 26th (2025). “If you are a quarterback who has to create time — instead of one who knows where everything is, hits his back foot and throws it — then this is what happens to you,” a defensive coach said. Giants coach Brian Daboll has repeatedly said Wilson is the starter entering the season. The fact that Daboll needs to make such declarations reflects Wilson’s tenuous status. “He has pelts on the wall for two-minute offense, and you have to give him credit for that,” a head coach said. “I think he is a legitimate starter. I wish he would play better, but he’s been in three offenses in the last three years. You know how that goes.” Pete Carroll, Sean Payton and Mike Tomlin all decided to move on from Wilson in recent years. “What he had that was magical about him — the ability to create plays on the move — is gone,” a defensive coordinator said. Wilson’s time as a full-season starter might be ending. “He can still do some things, but I think he is just declining. Some of the throws he was good at are not there for him anymore,” another defensive coordinator said. “I did not feel like he was ripping throws. Even his deep throws were like airball stuff, hoping George Pickens makes a play.” |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAFalcons QB MICHAEL PENIX, Jr. is in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. Here are the comments from his board of experts: Penix started three games late in his rookie season. It wasn’t much to go on. “I would make him a 3 because, small sample size, but I thought the guy played really well in that two-minute drill against Washington,” an offensive coach said. “How you play in two-minute is the X-factor for quarterbacks in the NFL. For a young guy, he went in there, and he was slinging it. I think you can win with him and a healthy run game.” Getting the first-team reps this offseason should help. “His poise, his arm strength made a difference,” an exec said. “He can make a lot more throws than Kirk (Cousins) could make (last season). His decision-making was really good. His accuracy was spotty at times, but outside of that, he finished strong. He gives you hope.” A former GM thought Penix needed better vertical weapons. “If he had that, and if he were playing for Bruce Arians, it would be awesome,” this former GM said. |
| NEW ORLEANSSaints QB SPENCER RATTLER is in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. Here are the comments from his board of experts: Rattler, who started six games as a fifth-round rookie in 2024, appears in Tiers this year in case New Orleans does not go with second-round rookie Tyler Shough. (Jake Haener has also rotated in with the Saints’ first-teamers but is not considered a serious contender to start.) “You watch Rattler play against Tampa Bay in his first game, then watch him play against Tampa Bay in his last game, I mean, there was a lot to love there,” the lone voter placing Rattler in Tier 3 said. “He improved. I thought Rattler definitely had a chance to be a starter.” The Saints went 0-6 and averaged 10.8 points per game on offense with Rattler in the lineup last season. They were 5-5 with a 24.8-point average when Derek Carr started. “I saw Rattler — he’s up and down,” a defensive coordinator said. “Not real high on him.” |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYFor some reason, the NFL has allowed WR RASHEE RICE’s disciplinary hearing to not occur until September 30, so he is good to go for at least the first four games. Kansas City wide receiver Rashee Rice will reportedly have his disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Sept. 30, according to ESPN, meaning he will likely be eligible for the Chiefs’ first four games of the season. The Chiefs begin the season against the Chargers in Brazil on Sept. 5, then face the Eagles, Giants and Ravens — a game that will take place two days before Rice’s NFL hearing. Rice’s status has been up in the air due to his involvement in a multi-vehicle crash in Dallas in March 2024. The news comes following word of Rice’s sentencing to 30 days in jail and five years’ probation for his part in the crash. So let’s say, hypothetically, the Rice gets a four-game suspension for his knucklehead driving that starts after the Ravens game – the next four games are Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, Commanders. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CLEVELANDThis update on QB SHEDEUR SANDERS from YahooSports.com: Shedeur Sanders’ positive momentum just took a turn for the worse, as he suffered an oblique injury early Wednesday and didn’t participate in joint practice with the Eagles. The Browns have termed Sanders “day to day” with the injury but also said it was “unlikely” he’ll play Saturday in Philadelphia. We’ll see who gets the start in his presumed stead, and if it’s fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, there’s a serious chance to make up some ground in what’s shaping up to be a battle for the backup QB spot behind Joe Flacco.– – -A highly touted prospect dodges charges in Texas from the arrest that took him off draft boards. And the Browns are there waiting with a contract for WR ISIAH BOND. Nick Shook of NFL.com: Former Texas receiver Isaiah Bond will not face criminal charges stemming from his April sexual assault arrest and announced Thursday that he’s signing with the Cleveland Browns. Collin County (Texas) district attorney Greg Willis announced on Thursday that a grand jury returned a “no bill” account on the sexual assault charge against Bond, concluding proceedings against Bond and freeing him up to pursue his NFL career, which will lead him to Cleveland. “First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Cleveland Browns for believing in me and allowing me the opportunity to continue my career in the NFL,” Bond said in a statement posted to social media. “Football has been my passion since I was six years old, and playing at this level is a blessing I will never take for granted. I understand that playing in the NFL is a privilege, and I’m thankful every day to live my childhood dream. “I know there have been questions and reports about the recent allegations. I am grateful for the decision of the prosecutor and the courts not to pursue charges. I will learn from this experience as I grow in wisdom, character, and faith. On the advice of my attorney, I will not discuss the details of this case, but I want to be clear: from the very beginning I have refuted these allegations and maintained my innocence. I stand firm by that today.” The Browns have not yet announced they have signed Bond. Bond surrendered to authorities on sexual assault charges in April. After posting bail, he released a statement firmly denying the allegations. Bond subsequently filed a federal complaint alleging false allegations and a coercion attempt. A top prospect with demonstrated talent but limited production at both Alabama and Texas, Bond went undrafted in April after his arrest. NFL.com‘s Lance Zierlein compared him to Dolphins star receiver Jaylen Waddle prior to the draft, noting Bond’s premier speed and untapped potential. – – – Browns QB JOE FLACCO is in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. His teammate KENNY PICKETT is also rated, the only member of Tier 5 in 2025. Here are the comments from Sando’s board of experts: Flacco: Flacco is making his first QB Tiers appearance since 2021. Voters are slightly higher on him now, at age 40, than they were back then, at 36. “He’s still playing?” a defensive coordinator asked. Flacco is the favorite to start in Week 1, with Kenny Pickett limited by a hamstring injury and the two rookie draft choices, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, working in the background. “I respect him, particularly in that scheme,” another defensive coordinator said of Flacco. “He pairs well with what (Kevin) Stefanski wants to do.” Little-known fact: Flacco has a higher completion rate, yards per attempt and passer rating over the past two seasons than he had in his career previously. “Flacco has no regard for ball security, so you don’t know when he is going to throw into a crowd,” an offensive coach said. “He’s going to make some throws because of that, but he’s also going to have bad plays and turnovers.” Flacco’s two pick sixes for Cleveland in the playoffs after the 2023 season come to mind as examples. “I think Joe is a good backup,” a third defensive coordinator said. Pickett: Pickett and Ben Roethlisberger combined to start 38 games for the Steelers when Matt Canada was the team’s offensive coordinator. The offense averaged slightly more yards per play (4.9 to 4.8) and EPA per play (-0.05 to -0.06) in the 22 games Pickett started than in the 16 games Roethlisberger started. “Sometimes, guys just get into bad situations, so you really don’t know what they are,” a defensive coordinator said. “That is why sometimes you see guys go somewhere else and you say, ‘Hey, the guy can play a little bit.’ They can all play if they are drafted in the first round. Do they get in the right system?” Pickett has made 22 of his 25 career starts so far with Canada as his offensive coordinator. Canada’s only NFL job was with the Steelers from 2020 to ’23. He has not coached since. “I liked Pickett coming out of college, but he really collapses in the pocket, he doesn’t like to get people around him,” an offensive coach said. Pickett has been limited in camp and missed the preseason opener as he recovers from a hamstring injury. He’s competing with Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders for the starting job in a Browns offense that ranked last in EPA per play over the past two seasons. “I was never a big Pickett guy,” another defensive coordinator said. “When they had success against us, it was because of their run game and defense.” |
| AFC SOUTH |
| INDIANAPOLISColts QBs DANIEL JONES and ANTHONY RICHARDSON are both in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. Here are the comments from his board of experts: Jones: Voters overwhelmingly thought Jones would win the starting job in Indy. That said much about his primary competition, Anthony Richardson, who ranked ahead of only Spencer Rattler and Kenny Pickett in Tiers voting this year and then dislocated his pinkie finger in the preseason opener. “I get nervous with Jones,” an offensive coach said. “I understand if you are not very good on offense and cannot protect, there will plays when you look bad, but there are too many times where he has a guy wide open and he throws it in the dirt or 10 feet over his head. I just don’t think he is naturally accurate, and I did not think he was in college.” Jones had 10 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions over the past two seasons with the Giants. Richardson has 11 and 13 for Indy over the same span. “A couple years ago, Jones was probably worthy of being a 3,” a defensive coordinator said. “He still might be that. He has to show it.” An offensive coach with NFC East experience thought Jones, who carried the ball on designed runs a career-high 10 percent of the time last season, has been miscast. “Why keep running this guy?” the coach asked. “He can do it, but he’s f—ing 6-5. He takes hits. He doesn’t have that slither at the end of those runs.” A defensive coordinator said he thought Jones could be like the 2024 version of Darnold with a defense, running game and the right coordinator. But concerns over Jones’ ability to process linger. Richardson: An overwhelming majority of voters expected Daniel Jones to beat out Richardson for the job, well before Richardson dislocated his right pinkie finger on a sack in the preseason opener. Faith in Richardson’s long-term development has cratered, with 11 voters placing him in Tier 5, reserved for players who should not start at all. “I think it is a pipe dream right now, based on what I have seen, to say he is a starter in the NFL,” an exec said. “The accuracy is not there. If you want to do college football RPO-type stuff, that is your guy. But some of the stuff last year was not starter quality.” Voters remain mystified by Richardson’s decision to briefly exit a Week 8 game at Houston because he was too “tired” to stay on the field. “That is a tough one to overcome,” a head coach said. “If you can, more power to ya.” The decision showed zero feel for the quarterback’s leadership role on a team. “He’s a freaky athlete for his size, but he’s been hurt every year because of it,” a defensive coordinator said. “Unless he is rearing back and throwing the ball as far as he can and somebody runs underneath it, he’s not accurate and can’t make any of those throws.” Richardson has completed 50.6 percent of his career passes. He has completed more than 10 passes in a game seven times in 15 starts. “They are not ready to say that they f—ed up, but they are hedging,” a defensive coach said. The manner in which Richardson injured his finger — turning to throw left when he had an unblocked rusher coming from the right — was telling for some. “The Anthony Richardson experiment is over,” one voter said. |
| JACKSONVILLEG BRANDON SCHERFF says he’s done after 10 years, having played out his contract with the Jaguars last year. Nick Shook at NFL.com: Brandon Scherff has called it a career. In an interview for the University of Iowa football program’s website, the five-time Pro Bowler and 2020 first-team All-Pro guard revealed he retired from football during the summer following a 10-season career with Washington and the Jacksonville Jaguars. “It’s been something I could never dream of,” Scherff said in the piece spotlighting Scherff ahead of his induction into the Iowa athletics hall of fame. “Sometimes I would tell my wife that she has to pinch me, because I’m playing a kid’s game, and being able to do it as a job is pretty amazing. Now, having kids and being able to see them after games is absolutely wonderful. So I would say it’s a dream come true. And I will be forever grateful to have had that chance.” A first-round pick out of Iowa in the 2015 draft, Scherff quickly proved Washington correct in spending their top selection on him, proving himself as a rock-solid, dependable guard from his very first season. Despite battling a number of injuries, Scherff appeared in 11 or more games in all but one season: 2018, a campaign cut short by a torn pectoral. Scherff occupied a place among the NFL’s elite guards throughout his career, but never commanded the spotlight. Arguably the most noise he made was when he signed a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Jaguars amid their well-publicized spending spree in the 2022 offseason. Upon completing that deal, Scherff retained value this offseason and drew plenty of interest on the open market, but never came close to signing a deal. Instead, Scherff walked away from football this offseason in a fashion fitting for his position, doing so without pomp, circumstance or even an announcement. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW YORK JETSJets QB JUSTIN FIELDS is in Tier 4 of the rankings compiled by Mike Sando of The Athletic. Here are the comments from his board of experts: Fields peaked among Tiers voters as a low 3 entering 2023. His average tier vote entering 2025 (3.74) is about what it was after his 2021 rookie season (3.72). The difference is that Fields has played enough to make it tougher for voters to envision meaningful growth. “(The Jets) know who he is, what he is, and they are going to try to structure things for him,” an offensive coach said. “The problem is, the hardest thing to fix with a quarterback is keeping their eyes up the field, seeing the field and not being affected by the rush. And those are three of the worst things that he does.” The Steelers started 4-2 with Fields in the lineup last season. They ranked 20th in offensive EPA per play to that point in the season, while ranking fifth in combined EPA on defense and special teams. That formula could work for the Jets. “This is another guy who, in the pure-pass world, you say probably not,” a head coach said, “but you put him in Tier 3 because he is the run game, probably, and then on top of that, the Jets are hopefully going to play good defense. If they put together an RPO play-action system, this guy could easily be a really positive thing for them.” Fields’ ability to run and his limitations as a passer lock in the Jets for one style of play. “At the end of the third quarter, you will be down 8-10 points,” another offensive coach said. “Great, you kept it close. Now, what?”. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| WARNING SIGNSJeffri Chadiha of NFL.com identifies five teams whose vibes he doesn’t like, mainly injury related, in training camp – including both of last year’s Super Bowl teams: The start of preseason football is always a great sign because it tells us we’re getting closer to the real thing. The teams have moved deeper into training camps. The conversations about which players are going to survive cutdowns become more intense. We’re also gaining a clearer sense of what kinds of problems could be on the horizon for some squads in the near future. And in this version of The First Read, we’re exploring those potential issues. There already are a handful of ominous situations percolating in different corners of the NFL — such as the contract squabbles involving Micah Parsons in Dallas, Trey Hendrickson in Cincinnati and Terry McLaurin in Washington — and it’s hard to ignore them today. If you watch enough football, then you know when to worry about something and when to dismiss it. With that in mind, here are some early warning signs that have popped up since the start of training camp and throughout the first full week of preseason games. 1) RAMS Matthew Stafford’s ability to stay healthy is in question. The good news in Los Angeles is that the Rams quarterback is apparently nearing a return to practice after missing all of training camp thus far with an aggravated disc in his back. The bad news is that Stafford did not practice on Monday — contrary to what head coach Sean McVay anticipated over the weekend — because he didn’t feel good enough entering the day. All of this underscores the larger point that back injuries can be tricky, especially for a player entering his 17th NFL campaign at age 37. The Rams are coming into this season with legitimate Super Bowl hopes that ride on this team limiting injuries. Health woes played a major role in Los Angeles starting 1-4 last season, and Stafford wasn’t one of the players dealing with significant issues (star wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were the most notable guys in that group). The Rams obviously can ill-afford to have Stafford go down for prolonged stretches. They can’t even have him compromised or playing through something as painful as a back problem can be, not after the offseason addition of wide receiver Davante Adams made this offense as dangerous as it’s been since Los Angeles won the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. McVay was encouraged by the way Stafford performed in a throwing session on Saturday, which opened the door for him to return to the field. What we don’t know is whether one awkward twist or a vicious tackle might undo all that progress once the games turn real. 2) Some Chiefs already are dealing with injuries. Nobody should be surprised that Kansas City cornerback Kristian Fulton and wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown have missed time during training camp this summer. Fulton has never played an entire season in his five-year career, while Brown hasn’t logged a full slate in the last three seasons (he missed 14 games in 2024 with a collarbone injury). Now they’re both recovering from health problems that could impact the Chiefs this season. Fulton just returned to practice after recovering from knee surgery to clean up an unspecified ailment. Brown has been dealing with an ankle/foot problem that has kept him out of practice since July 29. Look, we know Kansas City has much bigger names on the roster than these two veterans. It’s also important to note that both players are tasked with critical roles for this team this season. The Chiefs signed Fulton to a two-year, $20 million deal in the offseason with the idea that he would man an outside cornerback position and allow star cover man Trent McDuffie to spend more time in the slot. That plan could help Kansas City improve a secondary that quietly ranked among the worst in the league in explosive plays allowed last season. Brown was supposed to help the Chiefs re-energize their deep passing attack last year before he went down. He’s not as critical to those hopes this year — second-year pro Xavier Worthy is looking to take a big leap in his development — but K.C. is preparing for star receiver Rashee Rice to face a league suspension for his role in a street-racing collision in Dallas. If the Chiefs start the season without two of their top three receivers, that will make life much harder on quarterback Patrick Mahomes. We know everyone is talking about the offensive line and the progress of rookie left tackle Josh Simmons. These two issues should receive comparable attention. 3) The Chargers must adjust to life without Rashawn Slater. There hasn’t been a more devastating injury since the start of training camp than the patellar tendon tear that ended Slater’s season before it started. The Pro Bowl left tackle had received a four-year, $114 million extension just 11 days before his left leg collapsed in practice. The Chargers were preparing to field one of the best offensive lines in football with Slater operating as a bookend to right tackle Joe Alt. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh now has moved Alt, the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and a former left tackle at Notre Dame, into Slater’s spot. Trey Pipkins slides into the right tackle position as part of that same reshuffling of the line. Harbaugh’s hope here is that Los Angeles doesn’t lose too much with these changes, but let’s face it: It’s not going to be the same without Slater. Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman want to rely on a dominant run game, which is why they signed free-agent running back Najee Harris, who is recovering from an eye injury sustained this offseason, and used their first-round selection in April on running back Omarion Hampton. Harbaugh even has responded to critics who claim the Bolts need more weapons at the skill positions — and the team did just reunite with veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen recently — by saying the offensive line should be viewed as a weapon. Harbaugh sees that unit as the tip of the spear he wants to use on the rest of the league. He’s going to find out how resilient that bunch is real soon. 4) The Browns’ QB situation will generate a LOT more chatter in the coming weeks. Cleveland already had the league’s most fascinating quarterback competition going on with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett operating alongside rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. That battle became even more interesting after Sanders, the fifth-round pick whom many expected to go much higher in the draft, completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in his preseason debut at Carolina. It’s important to apply some perspective to this performance — after all, Sanders was playing largely because Pickett and Gabriel, the two players listed ahead of him on the unofficial depth chart, were nursing injuries — but we know that’s not going to happen in today’s hot-take landscape. There’s a reason Sanders has been the fourth quarterback in the Browns’ rotation throughout the spring and summer. There’s also a reason why he attracts more attention than any other quarterback on the Browns roster. There’s a large contingent of people who believe Sanders is talented enough to earn the starting job at some point, even though the Browns haven’t shown any interest in pushing that narrative. His play in a nationally televised game is only going to inspire more of that talk, even though it already feels like the 40-year-old Flacco is the team’s most likely starter at this stage. He is the most accomplished signal-caller on the roster — one who came off the couch to lead this same team to the playoffs in emergency duty two seasons ago — and that means plenty for a team that wants to start winning more games. The injuries to Pickett and Gabriel also forced the Browns to sign Tyler Huntley, who played against the Panthers, as well. But Sanders has been the player who generates the most conversation, and that will continue as long as he keeps playing at a high level. So, buckle up for plenty of talking heads dissecting what Sanders did this past weekend and what it will mean going forward. It will make for fun debates. It just won’t make life easier for the Browns as they try to clarify the most important position in sports. 5) Philadelphia has more questions up front with the Landon Dickerson injury. The Eagles now have some sense of what they’re dealing with after Dickerson collapsed during practice on Sunday night and needed to be carted back to the locker room. Reports say he injured his right knee during the session, but the initial diagnosis is the best possible news for Philadelphia. There’s now a possibility Dickerson could return before the start of the regular season, as surgeons apparently only need to trim a portion of the meniscus to resolve the issue. If Dickerson had been looking at a complete tear, it would’ve involved a season-ending operation. The Eagles are facing a major challenge for an offensive line that has been arguably the best in football over the last few years. Philadelphia lost right guard Mekhi Becton in free agency, but the team has been encouraged by the play of Tyler Steen at that spot throughout training camp. Losing Dickerson would be an entirely different story. He’s been one of the best guards in football — as he was named to each of the last three Pro Bowls — and the options to replace him aren’t great. One that might make the most sense is moving Steen to left guard and finding an answer on the right side in the interim. However this all plays out, it looms large for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The 2024 Eagles boasted one of the league’s top offenses, with a line that blew open enough holes for running back Saquon Barkley to join the 2,000-yard club and earn Offensive Player of the Year honors. We’ll see how Philly fares if Dickerson misses time. |
| CONNOR ORR’S GAME-BY-GAME PREDICTIONSConnor Orr of SI.com goes through all 272 games and assigns a winner and loser, then totes it all up. You can see all those selections here, Below, we have his explanation of why this matters and his final compilation: Welcome back to my annual exercise of predicting all 272 NFL regular-season games. The theme this year was restraint. This time of year, we’re often swept away by countless narratives, including the idea that there are certain teams preparing to cross a threshold from good to great. (This year’s Broncos come to mind.) There are three teams in particular on this list—the Cardinals, Jaguars and Panthers—that I expect I will end up wrong about. However, this is the point of the exercise. As I say every year, it’s easy for someone to go through a team’s schedule and say, ‘Oh sure, nine wins.’ The issue is ignoring the context of everything else happening around those teams. It all matters. So while these may be the record predictions you agree with least, I want to encourage you to focus on the process itself. Every other pie-in-the-sky win-loss projection that you see is simply feeding you dessert. This version is forcing you to eat some damn vegetables. AFC EAST Buffalo Bills (12–5)Projecting the Bills to win the AFC East was the easiest and safest part of this venture. Buffalo has a clear advantage in nearly every category on its roster over every other team in the division. If you look at the losses on the schedule, one in particular stands out: Carolina after the bye. For a team that can sometimes get in its own head, I wanted to have the Bills lose an absolute head-scratcher when it was clear the team was looking ahead to a far more consequential matchup against the 2024 conference champion Chiefs. (I’m bringing this up since I know it will be the top complaint among people reading this). I continued Buffalo’s tradition of closing the season strong after similarly solid finishes every year since 2020. New England Patriots (8–9)Different iterations of this exercise had me flipping between eight and nine wins, though the one victory I want to focus on is the post-bye win over Buffalo at home—at a time when the Bills should be rounding into peak condition. I wanted this to stand out as a proof-of-concept victory for Mike Vrabel and the Patriots, a team that I believe will be absolutely thorny for opponents all year but have moments of perplexing silliness and underwhelm. Case in point: a sloppy loss to the clearly inferior Saints in Week 6 and a close loss to the Falcons at home in Week 9. This would seem to be the rhythm for a team probably a year from actual liftoff as a playoff contender, though I wanted to illustrate progress and get Vrabel into position where he should be (rightfully) attaining Coach of the Year votes. New York Jets (7–10)A quiet and distraction-free Jets environment may only lead to a slight increase in victories over last year’s bottoming-out campaign. But now that the team is able to be left alone, we’ll see a more rational and consistent product. This Jets team is going to run the ball, which will allow it to keep some games close. I have the Jets going 1–1 in what I would term “revenge” games that will be obvious storylines. I think the Jets will come out with some energy and a bit of that new coaching staff mystique against Aaron Rodgers in the opener. This defense, while under a different coordinator, has been around Rodgers for two seasons and has an understanding of how he operates. However, I think the Jets will get pummeled by former interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, now the coordinator of an underwhelming Falcons defense that could potentially surprise people if the right pieces develop. I think fans will leave with a sweeter taste in their mouths after watching this team climb out of a 2–6 hole to start the season and log a four-game winning streak in the leaner months of the season with little to play for. Miami Dolphins (6–11)This was an exercise in ripping off the Band-Aid. Miami’s youth movement could hit early, but I just found myself tired of trying to buck narratives with this Dolphins team. I agree with the team’s fan base that the front seven is getting massively faded by the national media, though I have for years been saying that Bradley Chubb is highly underrated in terms of his ability to impact a game. All that said, I had a choice to make between growth and attrition. We have Tyreek Hill being an outward distraction and the man responsible for getting him the ball trying to clean up the mess and set the emotional thermostat for the locker room. While it may seem blasphemous, I had to pick a side. Also, three of Miami’s final five games come in cold weather, while another two come against the Buccaneers and Bengals. AFC NORTH Baltimore Ravens (12–5)This is a season of erasing the “almost” game. This defined Baltimore’s year in 2024, with critical games against the Chiefs and Bills, among others, ending up as losses because of some wayward toe placement or flubbed catch. From what I understand, Lamar Jackson has taken another massive leap this offseason in terms of leadership—an overlooked platitude that could, in my mind, end up as the ingredient to close critical early-season games against Buffalo and Detroit. This schedule doesn’t appear as much of a gantlet when you take into account that Baltimore has one of the easiest slates in terms of travel. Still, back-to-back road games against the Packers and Steelers to finish the season will loom large. Both of those teams will be homing in on a playoff spot and will need wins to close the year. Cincinnati Bengals (10–7)This is now the most consistently heartbreaking team in the exercise. The defense is incredibly worrisome, and the Bengals are realistically one wide receiver injury away from competing with the Browns for last place in the division. However, I think I make up for that by having this team follow a familiar arc: losing four of its first five games before coming together for a frantic post-bye scramble. I am painfully in the bag for this team. I have picked Joe Burrow—much to the chagrin of our magazine editors—to be the MVP in each of the past three preseasons. The Bengals’ Super Bowl run left a mark on me, but not enough to proceed without extreme caution. Finishing the season with the Cardinals and Browns at home is a massive help. Pittsburgh Steelers (9–8)I’m going to couch this prediction by saying this: If Aaron Rodgers were able to commit to a version of an offense that Arthur Smith tried to run in Atlanta—a more physical, run-based approach that ties in the pass—I would switch the Steelers and Bengals, with more confidence that Pittsburgh could edge out Cincinnati’s inconsistencies. But if Rodgers is going to play the aging rockstar offense—i.e., you’re going to sit here and watch me play what I want on guitar for three hours—I don’t think it’s worth much in the win department. Rodgers is still a prolific, future Hall of Fame passer, who will go down as one of the all-time greats. That doesn’t mean all the other things we believe about him—that he is somewhat difficult to adjust to as a wideout—are untrue. I have Rodgers, oddly, going 1–1 in his psychological Super Bowls this year, but not how you might think. I like the Jets throwing the kitchen sink at him in the opener, but Rodgers recovering to spite the Packers a few weeks later. Contrary to what people may think when viewing this back-loaded schedule, I have Pittsburgh closing strong to finish the season above .500. Cleveland Browns (2–15)When the Browns have been bad during the Paul DePodesta–Andrew Berry era, they have been strategically bad. While this projected outcome doesn’t mirror the season when the team gutted the roster and prepared for the most brazen attempt at tanking that we’ve seen over the past quarter century, it’s not great. The Browns have patched holes but have a choppy and aging offensive line situation, a veteran quarterback who struggles against all-out pressure and a good defense attempting to stave off a total freefall after a solid 2023 campaign and a much worse 2024. The wins on this schedule feel more or less random because they are. You can make an argument that the Browns are not as good as almost any of their opponents, but you can also see a situation where, perhaps, the Vikings are down an offensive linemen or two by Week 5 and Myles Garrett cooks against a rookie quarterback. AFC SOUTH Houston Texans (10–7)I faded the Texans a bit last year and overrated the Colts. This year, it appears, I have come to a similar conclusion. In fairness, Houston was stagnant offensively, which prompted a change at offensive coordinator. What scares me is that I feel like I only got to 10 wins despite being very fair to this year’s Texans. For instance, I have them beating the Rams in the opener and the Buccaneers in Week 2. I have them splitting a season series with the Jaguars, sweeping the Titans, splitting with the Colts and beating the Broncos. Still, I found that 10th win to feel a little hard to muster. I’m sure Texans fans will disagree, but the fact is that Houston will also lose one or two games that we would deem uncharacteristic (Jets and Titans last year, anyone?). Indianapolis Colts (9–8)In total transparency, I filed these predictions about a week before the Colts’ preseason opener. And boy was it disappointing to see that Daniel Jones still looks a lot like Daniel Jones. I thought his brief stay in Minnesota, in addition to Anthony Richardson clearing out an obvious opportunity for him to take the starting job and run with it, would ignite something in the former first-round pick. It’s totally O.K. if Jones was simply overdrafted and already maximized, but my experience in watching him in person was similar to that of Dave Gettleman’s. There’s just something about this guy in practice from time to time that leads you to believe all the lights are going to come on and he’s going to fillet a defense. Anyway, my Colts prediction now feels wildly optimistic, even if I think the defense improves vastly thanks to a coordinator change and the offense gets better by virtue of just logging steady quarterback play. Jacksonville Jaguars (7–10)Now we get to the bane of my existence. I have no idea what the Jaguars are going to be. This team started over with a first-time head coach and first-time coordinators at every spot, save for special teams. Instead of addressing a position of obvious need in the draft, the team swung for the fences with a positionless wide receiver-slash-cornerback and risked massive draft capital for the right to do it. I liken them from a prediction standpoint to last year’s Jets. It was either “Of course they’re good—they have Aaron Rodgers and Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams and Garrett Wilson and so on and so on” or “Of course they’re a disaster—they have Aaron Rodgers!” This team is either going to be fun and absolutely a joy to watch, or the same kind of humdrum product that dazzles before disappointing as it was during the end of the Doug Pederson era. Tennessee Titans (4–13)I had the Commanders at five wins a year ago, and I imagine I could look similarly ridiculous if Cam Ward takes off for the Titans. Las Vegas has Tennessee sitting at 6.5 wins, which, to me, is a tremendous display of confidence not only in the No. 1 pick but in second-year head coach Brian Callahan. The team opens the season with a cross-country road trip at Denver in the heat and elevation, before getting the Rams, Colts and a road game against the Texans. While you could argue that the Colts game is winnable, it’s definitely a coin flip at best. I tried to show improvement by Ward in giving Tennessee two wins over the final three weeks of the season against New Orleans and a stunner against, yes, the mighty Chiefs. AFC WEST Kansas City Chiefs (11–6)Having Rashee Rice for any extended period of time is a boon for Kansas City, but I am largely done examining this team with any degree of seriousness. I mean, the basement for a Patrick Mahomes–led team is 10 wins and the ceiling, at least the way the division looks to me in 2025, is 12 wins. So, I decided to split the difference and have Kansas City eke out the division by a game. I have the Chiefs losing a highly ridiculous game to the Giants to start the season 1–2, mostly so we can round out those Patriots comparisons and talk about why the latter-year Tom Brady teams tended to start slow. Denver Broncos (10–7)This team smacks of a preseason hype victim. Vegas is correctly sitting at 9.5 wins for Denver, which builds in some of the uncertainties we don’t want to see right now. In my head, this defense will finish in the top three in EPA and Bo Nix will progress instead of regress. I have Denver absolutely smoking at 7–4 heading into a late-season bye. I have the Broncos completing a season sweep over the Chargers, which I find admittedly unlikely, but a sleeper loss to the Raiders on short(ish) rest after a road game on the East Coast on Sunday Night Football against the Commanders. I think this might need a little bigger dose of sobriety but such is the state of play when a Sean Payton team gets hot. Los Angeles Chargers (10–7)I have the Chargers finishing in third place but still making the playoffs. I toyed with a version of this prediction matrix that had L.A. winning the division, which doesn’t sound so far-fetched when you remember that Jim Harbaugh took a really bad team to the playoffs in 2024. The roster continues to churn and get better. This offense is going to be more stable, even without the help of Rashawn Slater, who is a devastating loss but is backed by Joe Alt moving to left tackle and the experienced Trey Pipkins III slotting over on the right side. Outside of getting swept by the Broncos which, again, I don’t see happening the more I think about it, I feel like this is a pretty agreeable breakdown with L.A. winning the games it is supposed to win and falling only to the teams that have an overwhelming advantage defensively (and, yes, once against the Raiders, just because). Las Vegas Raiders (8–9)The Raiders are going to be frisky in 2025, winning some games they should not (hello, Chip Kelly Bowl in Philadelphia in Week 15) and losing some games they should not (hello, loss to the Colts in Indianapolis in Week 5). It’s always impossible to predict the boost a team gets from a new coach and GM. Still, it’s important to remember that last year this relatively poor roster came super close to beating the Rams and Chiefs twice, in addition to logging an early-season win over the Ravens. If the Raiders can develop a running game with Ashton Jeanty, that can make the team, at the very least, powerful enough to control the clock and prevent an offense from doing something incredibly deleterious that hands a victory away. NFC EAST Philadelphia Eagles (10–7)What is an Eagles season without a bit of drama, causing the fan base to consider turning on a coach who has reached two Super Bowls in a matter of three seasons, winning one? That’s the impetus behind an early-season slide that has the defending champions starting the season with a win over Dallas before a three-game skid featuring losses to the Buccaneers, Chiefs and Rams. Having the Giants twice in three weeks before the bye will help them rebound for an eventual sprint effort to capture the division. Washington Commanders (10–7)I built in a red-hot start for the Commanders before a bit of a slide once they reach six wins. The combo of road games at Dallas and Kansas City, plus a home game against an always-surprising and innovative Seattle defense, will prove to be Washington’s first real test of the season. The Commanders also bear the brunt of the poor start I slated for the Eagles, meaning that Philadelphia has to go all out—and beat Washington twice in the final weeks of the season—to save face and reach the postseason. Dallas Cowboys (9–8)When creating a fantastical world of your own imagination, there’s no reason not to build in a three-game losing streak amid a potential holdout by Micah Parsons. Truly, this is the stuff that dreams are made of—an owner getting skewered and a star player not backing down, despite the pressure on him to sign a deal. From there, it’s going to be your fairly typical Cowboys season—winning some big games in prime time, losing some really, really confounding games late in the season and coming up short in the critical moments against truly premium players and coaches. New York Giants (6–11)I have a running bet with friends that the Giants will exceed the Vegas-suggested 5.5 win total in 2025, though I did not realize how stressful finding those wins would be. For example, when I tried to look for solid pockets of wins, I ended up having the Giants defeat the Chiefs, figuring Rashee Rice may not be with the team and Abdul Carter could make work of a rookie left tackle still early in the season. However, one of these wins is against the Chiefs. This is partially a best-case scenario overview of a tough schedule, and partially a show of faith that the Giants will end the season with one major positive: a post-bye victory over the Commanders after the official switch is made from Russell Wilson to Jaxon Dart. NFC NORTH Detroit Lions (10–7)In my initial run at these projections, I had a three-way tie in the NFC North, with the Packers, Lions and Vikings all finishing 9–8. That’s kind of where I am on this division, which is supposedly a gantlet but may be in line for a bit of regression. The Lions passed the baton to an offensive coordinator, John Morton, who last called plays for the Todd Bowles–era Jets. I wanted to begin the season with a bit of drama, having the Lions lose the opener at Green Bay and then get leg-swept by the Ben Johnson–led Bears, which will create some horrible Freezing Cold Takes. Eventually a five-game winning streak toward the end of the season will push the Lions into the playoffs, a bit shaken, à la the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles. Green Bay Packers (9–8)This Packers team has a streaky potential to me. I think there could be weeks when this offense is white hot and weeks where it looks out of rhythm—a bit like the 2023 team that had longer NBA-like runs of brilliance and confusion. I did want to reflect it all coming together offensively toward the end of the season with two consecutive wins over very good defenses in Baltimore and Minnesota—an acknowledgement that when this offense is fully understood and coherent, it’s going to be really good. Minnesota Vikings (10–7)Arguably the most difficult projection, the Vikings are coming off a 14-win season and are replacing a veteran in Sam Darnold with J.J. McCarthy, who is essentially a rookie. McCarthy could—and should, ultimately—be better than Darnold. But is he now? The Vikings were also buoyed last season by a generationally good defense. Those are also hard to sustain, even though DC Brian Flores is in a renaissance period in terms of creativity. So, when in doubt, try to hit it down the fairway. I have Minnesota losing some games for very specific reasons, like in Chicago because of the new regime energy at Soldier Field in the opener, or Pittsburgh, with T.J. Watt cooking against a young passer. These added up and, while I’m sure Vikings fans aren’t going to be pleased, the season has to be uneven to reflect the unevenness of the young starting QB. Chicago Bears (7–10)The Bears, like the Broncos, have major hype potential, which is a massive pitfall for someone in my position. Everything about the team looks and seems great, but how much can we depend on an offensive line built through free agency and a young quarterback who is both brilliant and confounding? Much will be made of the losing streak I have the team going on from Weeks 8 to 14, but just look at the opponent set: at the Ravens, at the Bengals, the Giants (who, yes, will be bad, but have three good pass rushers who could take advantage of a banged up offensive line at this point), at the Vikings, the Steelers, at the Eagles and at the Packers. You’ll need to have a genius for a head coach to survive this particular run. Ben Johnson was hired to do that with Caleb Williams. NFC SOUTH Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12–5)This may be surprising that I have the Buccaneers ending up with the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but not when you look at the schedule as a whole. There are some really long stretches of time without something we would consider a quality opponent—especially down the stretch. But I also have Tampa Bay logging some big wins against legitimate contenders, just like it did a season ago—Philadelphia, Detroit and Buffalo all go down at the hands of this sneaky deep roster. Atlanta Falcons (9–8)I feel like Falcons fans will be unhappy but, like the Vikings, the quarterback is all a matter of projection right now. The rest of the offense that we have celebrated as a collection of stars is nothing more than an idea in our heads. Until we can see it, and see it consistently, it’s hard to slot this team as a division winner. The Commanders before the bye, and a combo of the Bills and 49ers after it, is a real pitfall for this team to navigate early on and has some ramifications for later on in the season. I snuck in a surprising loss to the Panthers as a kind of classic “overlook our opponent” scenario. Carolina Panthers (6–11)These predictions are being published just before Week 2 of the NFL preseason, and boy did I like what I saw from Bryce Young against the Browns. He’s firing now and gets rid of the ball with such confidence. I like Tetairoa McMillan as a contested deep-ball threat, but I think it’s going to take time to get him proficient in traffic. So, I have a mix of good and realistic bad. That includes a three-game winning streak in Weeks 3 to 5, giving Carolina a winning record for the first time since 2021 (under Matt Rhule!), and a post-bye loss to the Saints, a team that I have slated for the No. 2 pick next year. New Orleans Saints (3–14)This could end up as dicey as the time this exercise brought the column a national appeal when the GM of the Buccaneers confronted me about it. Three wins is a difficult mark to place on any team, especially one with a developing offensive line and a Rolodex of veteran talent. I am falling into a similar trap with the Saints—assuming they will sell off some assets and prepare for a regenerative draft in 2026, as I did with the Buccaneers a few years back. We all saw where that got me. The three wins are the product of being unseen and unknown in Week 1, and being able to outpace opponents—the Patriots and Panthers—in later weeks with defenses that I feel could be susceptible to Kellen Moore’s quick-huddle approach. NFC WEST San Francisco 49ers (11–6)With the Rams in a bit of an unknown space, I look to Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy and a—possibly—healthy Christian McCaffrey for a bit of stability. With this schedule, I didn’t get overly cute, save for losses to Chicago at home and at Indianapolis toward the end of the season. The 49ers of 2023, if you’ll remember, had a three-game losing streak against middle-tier opponents that was similarly eye-popping at the time but was merely a sign of exhaustion. Los Angeles Rams (10–7)As I write this, Matthew Stafford is lying in a silver airstream bus atop a chair that is emitting some rays into his body to make his back feel better. So, yeah, I don’t feel awesome about this. Let’s hope the Stafford injury is the red herring of the offseason, though if it is not, we have the potential of a total exercise-imploding injury that can reshape the NFC West. I have early losses to Houston—DeMeco Ryans could bring the heat on Stafford, knowing his mobility is challenged—and Jacksonville. Who else with a bad back doesn’t love a cross-the-globe flight to London and a 6:30 a.m. start time in your home market? Seattle Seahawks (9–8)A late adjustment had the Seahawks drop from 10 wins to nine, though this reflects my overall confidence in an offense that will transform under one-day head coach Klint Kubiak and the impressive Mike Macdonald. The four-game losing streak in Weeks 11 to 14 reflects the typical rigors of a long season, be it a roster-altering short-term injury or a period of sleepiness that Macdonald needs to rouse the team out of like that stretch where Seattle lost to the Giants and McCaffrey-less 49ers in back-to-back weeks a year ago. Arizona Cardinals (6–11)As I mentioned at the top, I’m ready to get waxed for this one. Everything is pointing up for the Cardinals. This roster is being built the correct way, and all the key tentpole positions are in place. This is the year of the takeoff—unless it simply isn’t. This happens from time to time and is a reminder that there is not always a logical ascent pattern, especially when the rest of the division is a collection of absolute stalwart head coaches (not to say Jonathan Gannon is not!). That’s why many of Arizona’s wins here are quality wins; they are just a little few and far between. Projected playoff seeds NFC1 – Buccaneers2 – 49ers3 – Eagles4 – Lions5 – Rams6 – Vikings7 – Commanders AFC1 – Ravens2 – Chiefs3 – Bills4 – Texans5 – Broncos6 – Bengals7 – Chargers |
| DRAMA AT THE NFLPAThis from Jack Baer at YahooSports.com: The latest twist in the drama that has consumed the NFL Players Association features a lawyer who reportedly squared off with former executive director Lloyd Howell and is now facing some charges herself. Heather McPhee, associate general counsel for the NFLPA since 2009, was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday after multiple employees filed complaints against her with the union’s human resources department, according to ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Jeff Passan. McPhee reportedly faces accusations of failing to follow supervisors’ directions, bullying colleagues and disrupting the union’s work environment. The decision to place her on leave reportedly comes months after her own allegations helped trigger an FBI investigation into the NFLPA, the MLBPA and their OneTeam Partners licensing company. Matt Curtin, the head of the NFLPA’s licensing arm and a member of the OneTeam board, is among those who filed complaints against McPhee. There were several other problems facing the NFLPA by the time Howell resigned last month, but the only one that prompted action by federal authorities was the OneTeam matter. In June 2024, the eight-member board of directors, which included Howell, signed a resolution that could have personally entitled them to considerable compensation from the OneTeam partnership. McPhee reportedly wrote multiple memos suggesting the NFLPA could face legal jeopardy if it went through with the bonus plan and urged the union to investigate claims that the board members had allocated equity shares to themselves. The plan ultimately did not go through. Per The Athletic, OneTeam brought in $101 million for the NFLPA alone from early 2024 into 2025. The NFLPA reportedly owns 44% of the licensing firm, with the MLBPA owning 22% and three other unions representing MLS, the USWNT and WNBA owning much smaller shares. Outside investors make up the remainder of the ownership. ESPN notes that McPhee has not been deemed a whistleblower in the FBI case, leaving her with fewer legal protections against any retaliation. The NFLPA has been operating under new leadership since Howell announced his resignation, with former SAG-AFTRA executive director David White acting as interim head. |
