We are 8-4 in the post season so far.

In the conference championship round, we thought the Ravens “superior roster” would overcome the brilliance of QB PATRICK MAHOMES and Hall of Fame Coach Andy Reid.  It did not.

Undeterred, we are going with the “superior roster” of the 49ers in the Super Bowl. We think/hope that San Francisco’s offensive line will control the Chiefs and allow the Niners arsenal of offensive weapons to flourish.  And when push comes to shove, we just don’t see Mahomes having enough support in his skill players to match.  San Francisco in a relatively high-scoring game, let’s say, 34-28.

The DB’s pick would be in the minority if we qualified as an ESPN expert:

We asked ESPN’s NFL analysts, writers, commentators, columnists and pundits to make predictions for the big game. More than 60 experts picked the winner of 49ers-Chiefs, the final score of the game and who they think will earn the Super Bowl MVP Award.

Here’s a breakdown of how they picked, plus betting odds from ESPN BET.

The Chiefs have the advantage, 49-15

Of the 64 experts who weighed in, the Chiefs were favored by 49 of them (76.6%), while the 49ers claimed 15 votes (23.4%).

The most common predicted final scores were 27-24 (picked by eight of our experts) and 27-21 (seven). The lowest combined total was 37 (20-17). The highest was 64 (34-30). The largest margin of victory predicted was 20 points (34-14). And 52 experts said this game will be decided by a touchdown or less.

Betting notes: ESPN BET currently favors San Francisco by 1.5 points. The over/under is 47.5 points at ESPN BET. Of the experts in this pool, 52 have the game going over that total, while 12 like the under.

ESPN’s Football Power Index: The FPI likes the 49ers (59.4%) by an average of 3.1 points.

Predicting a Chiefs win (49)

Alaina Getzenberg, Bills reporter: 27-24

Alden Gonzalez, writer: 31-27

Ben Baby, Bengals reporter: 34-14

Brooke Pryor, Steelers reporter: 27-24

Courtney Cronin, Bears reporter: 31-28

Dan Graziano, national NFL reporter: 20-17

Dan Orlovsky, NFL analyst: 24-21

David Newton, Panthers reporter: 32-27

David Purdum, sports betting reporter: 31-23

Elizabeth Merrill, senior writer: 31-28

Eric Karabell, NFL fantasy analyst: 34-17

Eric N. Moody, NFL fantasy analyst: 31-28

Eric Woodyard, Lions reporter: 23-20

Erin Dolan, sports betting analyst: 24-20

Field Yates, NFL analyst: 27-24

Jake Trotter, Browns reporter: 28-24

Jason Reid, Andscape senior NFL writer: 34-17

Jeff Legwold, Broncos reporter: 28-23

Jenna Laine, Buccaneers reporter: 28-24

John Buccigross, commentator: 29-28

Jordan Raanan, Giants reporter: 23-17

Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst: 27-24

Josh Weinfuss, Cardinals reporter: 33-24

Kevin Seifert, Vikings reporter: 31-26

Kris Rhim, Chargers reporter: 27-23

Lindsey Thiry, national NFL reporter: 28-25

Liz Loza, NFL fantasy analyst: 24-23

Marcel Louis-Jacques, Dolphins reporter: 27-21

Marcus Spears, NFL analyst: 28-24

Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: 27-23

Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst: 28-24

Michael DiRocco, Jaguars reporter: 27-21

Michael Rothstein, Falcons reporter: 27-23

Mike Reiss, Patriots reporter: 31-21

Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst: 31-21

Mina Kimes, NFL analyst: 27-24

Paul Gutierrez, Raiders reporter: 27-21

Rex Ryan, NFL analyst: 31-24

Rich Cimini, Jets reporter: 31-24

Rob Demovsky, Packers reporter: 27-24

Robert Griffin III, NFL analyst: 31-21

Sal Paolantonio, national NFL reporter: 30-20

Sarah Barshop, Rams reporter: 31-24

Stephen Holder, Colts reporter: 24-21

Tedy Bruschi, NFL analyst: 24-21

Tim Hasselbeck, NFL analyst: 27-17

Tim McManus, Eagles reporter: 34-30

Tristan H. Cockcroft, NFL fantasy analyst: 27-21

Turron Davenport, Titans reporter: 27-21

Predicting a 49ers win (15)

Brady Henderson, Seahawks reporter: 24-23

Daniel Dopp, NFL fantasy analyst: 31-20

DJ Bien-Aime, Texans reporter: 27-21

Doug Greenberg, sports betting reporter: 27-20

Jamison Hensley, Ravens reporter: 31-17

Jeremy Fowler, national NFL reporter: 27-24

John Keim, Commanders reporter: 20-17

Katherine Terrell, Saints reporter: 28-21

Michelle Beisner-Buck, NFL feature reporter: 27-24

Mike Clay, NFL fantasy analyst: 25-23

Seth Walder, analytics writer: 26-24

Seth Wickersham, senior writer: 20-19

Stephania Bell, NFL fantasy analyst: 27-21

Tim Keown, senior writer: 28-24

Todd Archer, Cowboys reporter: 28-26

Super Bowl MVP

Patrick Mahomes was the most common pick to win Super Bowl MVP, collecting 38 of the 64 votes (59.3%). Mahomes is looking to claim his third career Super Bowl MVP.

Travis Kelce and Christian McCaffrey were next with nine votes each (14%). Brock Purdy received three votes (4.6%), and Fred Warner received two votes (3.1%). Chris Jones, Deebo Samuel and Isiah Pacheco received one vote each (1.5%).

Odds below are from ESPN BET

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs (+130): David Newton, Brooke Pryor, Dan Graziano, Turron Davenport, Sarah Barshop, Jordan Reid, Lindsey Thiry, Robert Griffin III, Mike Reiss, Mina Kimes, Field Yates, Tristan H. Cockcroft, John Buccigross, Tedy Bruschi, Kris Rhim, Alaina Getzenberg, Ben Baby, Stephen Holder, Courtney Cronin, Rich Cimini, Liz Loza, Eric N. Moody, Jordan Raanan, Marcel Louis-Jacques, Elizabeth Merrill, Matt Miller, David Purdum, Dan Orlovsky, Rex Ryan, Jason Reid, Eric Woodyard, Marcus Spears, Eric Karabell, Erin Dolan, Jenna Laine, Rob Demovsky, Jeff Legwold

Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs (+1400): Jake Trotter, Michael Rothstein, Mike Tannenbaum, Sal Paolantonio, Kevin Seifert, Michael DiRocco, Alden Gonzalez, Josh Weinfuss, Paul Gutierrez

Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers (+450): Mike Clay, Jamison Hensley, Tim Keown, Brady Henderson, Michelle Beisner-Buck, John Keim, Doug Greenberg, Katherine Terrell, Jeremy Fowler

Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers (+225): DJ Bien-Aime, Seth Walder, Stephania Bell

Fred Warner, LB, 49ers (+15000): Seth Wickersham, Daniel Dopp

Chris Jones, DT, Chiefs (+8000): Matt Bowen

Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers (+2000): Todd Archer

Isiah Pacheco, RB, Chiefs (+3000): Tim Hasselbeck

NFC NORTH

DETROIT

Ben Johnson is not the only key member of the Lions offense who will be returning in 2024.  Jeremy Reismann of PrideOfDetroit.com:

Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow is not considering early retirement. Let’s get that out of the way first. The All-Pro offensive lineman told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press in no uncertain terms that he plans on playing in 2024.

“I’m not retiring,” Ragnow said at the NFL Honors red carpet event in Las Vegas.

Later expanding, “I just need a few weeks to get healthy,” he said. “I guess my typical offseason routine is kind of get right back into it, but I think as I’m getting older I need to understand that sometimes maybe less is more. And I just need some time to make sure I’m healthy and then we’ll get rolling again.”

Ragnow raised some eyebrows last week when talking to the media on locker clean-out day.

“I need to find a way to get back to Frank and I don’t regret any of this at all, but it weighs on you,” Ragnow said at the time. “And I’m just going to take some time and really figure everything out to make sure that I’m feeling good, not only for me the football player but for me to be the best husband and best father and everything with that as well.”

Some interpreted those comments as contemplation of retirement, and when asked about Ragnow’s future, Lions general manager Brad Holmes simply said he’ll give Ragnow all the space he needs to make a decision.

“We’re not going to pressure him to do anything or make any moves,” Holmes said. “But the communication will be diligent. It’ll be thorough, it’ll be respectful.”

Well, no pressure need. Ragnow will be back in 2024, and that’s great news for a Lions team looking to run it back to the NFC Championship and further.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

The DB has a sneaky feeling WR BRANDON AIYUK is going to be an MVP candidate on Sunday.  Part of a longer look at Aiyuk from Tim Keown of ESPN.com:

TO EXCEL AS a receiver in Shanahan’s offense, being fast isn’t enough; you have to be fast in a hurry. And being fast in a hurry isn’t enough, either; you have to be fast in a hurry with precision. And when you’re not being fast in a hurry with precision, you better be blocking for someone who is.

Shanahan is tough on receivers. His system requires more than merely beating a defender to a specific spot. It might mean getting to one hashmark 7.5 yards downfield at a very precise time, and then making a cut and getting to another spot 10 yards from there at another very precise time. The wizardry of the 49ers’ offense lies in the geometry and the timing.

“Kyle played receiver, he’s coached receivers, he’s been with receivers,” Aiyuk says. “So yeah, he’s more hands-on with that group. He has a vision for how he wants the group to look and carry themselves and get the job done.”

When Aiyuk came to the 49ers four seasons ago as a first-round pick, he was like the math whiz who thought the end result was the only thing that mattered. He’d get where he was supposed to be, and he’d probably be open, but he didn’t show his steps. He was productive, but his numbers his first two seasons — 60 catches in 2020, 56 in ’21 — stayed flat and far below the expectation for a first-round pick.

“But from the first time I watched him, you could tell what was coming,” receiver Jauan Jennings says. “No matter what was going on, you could look at him and know: that’s what a first-rounder looks like.”

There were murmurs that Aiyuk wasn’t a hard worker — a charge that mystified every coach in his past — and that he was a permanent resident of Shanahan’s doghouse, a concept that still causes both men to recoil.

“I don’t think there was one eye-opening moment where it all came together,” says Aiyuk, whom Lenoir describes as the “best stop-and-start runner in the NFL.”

“I think there were multiple different moments where you kind of see it in live time or you go back and watch the film and you’re just like, ‘OK, I understand now why they’re saying that, or I understand why this needs to be done this way.’ Over time, you just get to understand the full picture.”

He plays the one spot on the field where selfishness is both rampant and easiest to hide. Offensive linemen have to be selfless, but wide receivers?

“They don’t,” says guard Aaron Banks with a laugh. And that’s why it’s a testament to the 49ers’ receivers, and to Shanahan’s demands, that they are among the fiercest and most persistent downfield blockers in the NFL.

“I didn’t really block until I came here,” Aiyuk says. “Once you realize that’s how it needs to be done, you see that it’s the only way it can be done. It’s the standard we hold the entire team to.”

Against the Seahawks in Week 12, Aiyuk blocked cornerback Devon Witherspoon twice, more than 30 yards apart, on a game-opening, 72-yard run by McCaffrey. Every week it was someone else: Steelers safety Damontae Kazee; Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen; Seattle’s Julian Love. Aiyuk’s body of work earned him the title of best blocking wideout by ESPN’s Matt Bowen.

“What I see is just how strong BA is,” Jennings says. “The amount of linebackers and defensive ends he just tosses around? You don’t see that. He just manhandles people. I’m bigger so I’m more of a hitter, but the way he throws people around is more impressive. He just never stops.”

SEATTLE

English-born Aden Durde is the new DC of the Seahawks.  Brady Henderson ofESPH.com:

The Seattle Seahawks plan to hire Aden Durde as their defensive coordinator under new coach Mike Macdonald, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

Durde was the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line coach for the past three seasons under then-coordinator Dan Quinn. The only other NFL team he has coached for is the Atlanta Falcons, serving as a coaching intern in 2016, a defensive assistant from 2018-19 and the outside linebackers coach in 2020, all while Quinn was the head coach. Durde began his NFL coaching career as an intern with the Cowboys from 2014-15.

Macdonald, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, said in his introductory news conference that he will initially call Seattle’s defensive plays with the plan to eventually hand over those duties to a DC “when it becomes obvious that someone else is ready to go and we see it the same way.”

Tabbing Durde for that role means Macdonald has two of his three coordinator roles in place, with Jay Harbaugh hired to run special teams and the offensive playcaller role still yet to be filled. Macdonald also hired Leslie Frazier as assistant head coach.

Durde replaces Clint Hurtt, who coordinated Seattle’s defense for the past two seasons and was hired as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive line coach after the Seahawks fired Pete Carroll in January. Durde takes over a defense that underachieved in 2023, ranking 25th in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed. Seattle ranked 30th against the run in 2022 and one spot worse last season, allowing the most rushing yards of any team in the NFL over that two-year span.

A native of London, Durde played linebacker in NFL Europe for six seasons with the Scottish Claymores and Hamburg Sea Devils. He also spent time on practice squads for the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs. After his playing career, he spent six seasons as defensive coordinator for the London Warriors. He also served as head of operations at NFLUK, where he helped guide the International Player Pathway Program.

He appears never to have attended college.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

If the Chiefs defy the DB’s prediction, it could be because we undervalued rookie WR RASHEE RICE.  A good look from Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com on this wild card:

Rashee Rice didn’t know what he was walking into when he strolled onto the practice fields at Texas Christian University last April. He had been working out for weeks with his old college teammate at Southern Methodist, quarterback Shane Buechele, and the two had rekindled a reliable rhythm in their passing game connection. Only this time, Rice didn’t just find Buechele warming up in preparation for that day’s sessions. There in the middle of the field, tossing passes to a collection of professional receivers who were in town to train as well, was Buechele’s teammate at the time: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

To his credit, Rice wasn’t fazed by the chance to catch footballs from a player who had won his second NFL MVP award and Super Bowl ring a few months earlier. He stretched, lined up with the other receivers and ran his routes with an intensity consistent with a young man hoping to be selected high in that year’s draft. The pace of the workout exhausted him at times, but Rice also exuded confidence with every throw Mahomes rifled his way.

“You know that feeling you get when you shoot a 3-pointer in basketball and you know it’s going in?” Rice said recently. “It felt like that when I saw the ball in the air the first time he threw it to me.”

It seemed like that would be the last time Rice and Mahomes crossed paths, until the Chiefs used a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to add Rice to their franchise. He was a talented prospect at the time, a player who was supposed to need serious seasoning before he could help the defending Super Bowl champions. That characterization crumbled as soon the Chiefs sensed Rice could grow a lot faster. Now they’re heading into a Super Bowl LVIII matchup with the San Francisco 49ers knowing full well his presence could determine whether this game ends in their favor.

Rice’s ability to develop from an intriguing talent into one of the best first-year receivers in the league is noteworthy on its own. Throw in the fact that he literally was the key that unlocked a surprisingly inconsistent Chiefs passing attack, and that makes him even more impressive.

“This year came together for me when I got drafted by (Chiefs head) coach (Andy) Reid,” Rice said during Monday’s Super Bowl Media Night. “Wherever he puts me, he always says I need to make a play because I’m going to get the opportunity. And that’s what I try to do.”

“He’s super talented,” added Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. “So much so that now we’re designing plays to get him the ball and see what he can do with it. When the personnel department can get a guy like that, give him to the coaches and then watch him develop and grow quickly, that’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

The numbers Rice generated have been critical to the Chiefs attack. He produced 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns this season; only the Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua was more prolific as a rookie wide receiver. Reid’s appreciation for Rice’s role in this offense is even more telling when considering the way Rice’s opportunities increased over the course of the year. The rookie had only 41 targets in the first nine regular season games and 61 in his final seven (he didn’t play in Kansas City’s season-ending win over the Chargers).

It wasn’t lost on Rice that his ascendance in this offense began in the same place he’ll be playing this Sunday: Allegiant Stadium. He had eight catches for 107 yards in a 31-17 win over Las Vegas in Week 12, highlighted by a 39-yard touchdown scored after he grabbed a short crossing route and out-raced the Raiders defenders to the end zone. Rice fondly remembered that moment while wearing sunglasses and answering reporters’ questions during Media Night. A few minutes into the session, fellow wide receiver Mecole Hardman ambled over and teased the first-year pro about all the attention he was receiving.

Rice was such a limited presence for the Chiefs at the start of the season that he had just 17 receptions through the first five games. Now he’s preparing for the biggest game of his life fully knowing that the San Francisco 49ers must find a way to contain him. “Every week he’s gotten a little better,” Reid said at the start of the postseason. “He’s got a great relationship with Pat (Mahomes) and they talk through things. MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling) has been phenomenal for him [as far as] just sharing his knowledge and experience. He’s all ears. He wants to be great, and he’s willing to work at it.”

Added Mahomes: “I think he just has a better understanding of the entire offense. He still is going to continue to get better and better and learn more and more. He’s willing to learn, he’s always behind those veteran guys, asking questions and getting in the extra work. He’s a great football player and he has all the physical ability and I think he has the mental attitude to go out there and get better and better every single week. Obviously we need him to be great right now but I think he’ll continue to get even better after the season and into the rest of his career. That’s the type of attitude that he has.”

The most astonishing aspect of Rice’s success so far is how quickly it came. Reid is known for running a complex offense that demands quite a bit from the wide receivers in his system. They need to see the defensive coverages in the same way Mahomes does, while also being able to adjust routes on the fly based on the schemes presented to them. Younger players, especially those just entering the league, tend to struggle with that level of sophistication.

Second-year pro Skyy Moore still hasn’t found his footing — he had 22 receptions as a rookie and 21 this season before a knee injury sidelined him — while Kadarius Toney, a former first-round pick of the New York Giants acquired in a midseason trade last year, has yet to make any sizable impact in the system.

“There are a lot of details in this offense that may seem small or insignificant but everything is for a reason,” said wide receiver Justin Watson, a sixth-year pro in his second season with the Chiefs. “We’ll have two plays that every single route looks the same on paper but they are two different play calls that we like against two different defenses. You have to be able to take it from the page onto the field. It’s a big playbook and every route is different based on the coverage.”

Rice acknowledged that he needed some time to acclimate himself to such expectations when he arrived for his first training camp. As Nagy remembered those early days, he said, “We used to joke that Rashee was drinking water through a fire hydrant with all the stuff that was overwhelming him because he could barely get out of the huddle.” Rice also had problems dealing with the intensity Reid demanded in those summer practices. He even vomited during one of the first camp sessions after all the constant running in stifling humidity.

Rice impressed the veterans with his willingness to push through those setbacks — “He usually hit a wall and got winded but he always came back and made plays,” Watson said — and to stay diligent in his preparation. “The relationship I built with the older guys off the field allowed me to feel comfortable asking questions,” Rice said. “I know I’m young and I might have been asking crazy questions that they’d heard before. But it also made me open up and ask about things that could help me grow.”

Rice started the regular season as one of many Chiefs receivers hoping to make an impact. The top wideout from 2022, JuJu Smith-Schuster, signed a free-agent deal with the New England Patriots, and Reid believed he had several appealing options to replace his production. Rice ultimately was one of seven wide receivers kept on the roster when the regular season began. It didn’t take long to see that he had the best chance to be a difference-maker on this squad.

The Chiefs had big hopes for receivers like Toney and Valdes-Scantling, but they struggled with drops. Moore often disappeared in games before landing on injured reserve. The rest of the bunch — Watson, Justyn Ross and Richie James — had made their names as role players, the kind of targets who worked best as fourth and fifth options. That left Rice in a position to rise to the top of the depth chart for a team that was used to more prolific offensive production, especially during the tenure of All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill, who was traded to the Dolphins in 2022.

It wasn’t an easy process. The Chiefs loved Rice’s 6-2, 203-pound frame and the way he eluded tacklers after the catch, but he too often found himself out of position when Mahomes looked his way early on. Rice also fumbled in a loss to Buffalo and would have recorded another in a defeat at Green Bay if officials had not ruled he was down on replay. The first half of the season was also especially tough on him because he wanted to do more but couldn’t find his rhythm.

It wasn’t until a 21-14 win over Miami in Frankfurt in Week 9 that Rice began to display more maturation. He was playing faster, picking things up quicker and, as Nagy said, “It was starting to click with him.” Added general manager Brett Veach: “When we had that lull there with our receivers [struggling], he just got better and better. It was never a matter of talent with him. It was familiarity with the offense, being able to move him around and utilizing him as part of the game plan. In the beginning, we just put him in one position and had him run some plays. But as he made plays, and that talent we saw in college unfolded on Sundays, we slowly gave him more. So instead of being the second or third option, he started to become the primary.”

The Chiefs created more possibilities for Rice by streamlining their offense late in the season. Instead of relying on a system where Mahomes spread the ball around to as many as eight or nine different players, Reid relied more on his most dependable playmakers. A surprising 20-14 loss to the Raiders on Christmas Day — when the Chiefs offense gave up two defensive touchdowns to Las Vegas — resulted in that change, but it also helped that Rice had grown so much. Heading into the postseason, the Chiefs pinned most of their offensive hopes on him, Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and running back Isiah Pacheco.

Rice did his part on Super Wild Card Weekend, leading the team with eight receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in a 26-7 win over Miami. He’s spent this past week trying to prepare his mind for the 49ers while also taking more cues from his veteran teammates. “I’ve just gotten the vibe throughout the practice so they haven’t really had to say anything to me,” he said. “I’m on the same train everybody else is. We all came in ready to work. It’s just a little more intense than it usually is.”

Rice explained what a lot of Chiefs have said over the course of this postseason run — that all the ups and downs of this year turned out to be a blessing. Despite all the frustrating moments, Kansas City found a way to win its eighth straight AFC West title, along with three consecutive playoff games (the last two coming on the road). The offense wasn’t nearly as dangerous as the team has been accustomed to in previous seasons. On the other hand, the defense became elite and helped this bunch return to its fourth Super Bowl in five years.

It’s fair to wonder where the Chiefs would be if Rice hadn’t become a larger part of this narrative. After that Miami game in Germany, Nagy tried to prepare Rice for better things ahead, pulling the rookie aside and encouraging him to keep improving. Even though Rice only caught two passes for 17 yards in that contest, Nagy knew he could contribute far more to this offense once this time of year arrived. Rice appreciated that advice then, and he cited that moment as a critical step in his development.

Rice might not have started the year as a player opponents needed to fear. However, he’s coming into his first Super Bowl with exactly that type of expectation. “I’m bringing the Mamba mentality,” Rice said. “Obviously, I’m in the Super Bowl in my rookie year but what I’ve done best is to not let the moments overpower our goal. So I’m going to continue to stay focused on doing what I have to do.”

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI

Ben Baby of ESPN.com on change afoot in the Cincinnati WR room with the likely departure of WR TYLER BOYD:

Tyler Boyd has caught 513 passes with the Cincinnati Bengals. And one of his most memorable moments involved none of them.

In 2019, Boyd started cramping in the final seconds of a Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins. Had Boyd stayed down and been unable to make it to the line of scrimmage, a mandatory 10-second run-off would have ended the game and Cincinnati’s chances of a dramatic comeback.

So Boyd crawled along the turf, staggered to his feet and lined up in time for the Bengals to stop the clock and set up a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion at the end of regulation.

The Bengals eventually lost in overtime, sealing their status as the NFL’s worst team in 2019. But that play showed how valuable Boyd could be even without catching a touchdown pass. It’s one of the ways he has displayed leadership during his Bengals tenure, which started when he was a second-round pick in 2016.

But that tenure could be ending soon. Boyd, 29, is set to enter free agency, leaving his future as a Bengal uncertain. But his impact on the franchise’s turnaround is undisputed. Boyd had a major role in setting the foundation that transformed Cincinnati from the NFL’s worst team to a championship contender.

It’s one of the reasons why Bengals quarterback Jake Browning, whose locker is next to Boyd’s, interrupted Boyd’s final media scrum of the season.

“In the receiver room, obviously we’ve got a ton of talent there,” said Browning, who started the final seven games of the season after Joe Burrow suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist. “But a big, unsung hero of the locker room. I hope he’s back. But wherever he goes, someone’s going to be lucky to have him.”

Boyd entered the season as the longest-tenured player on the roster. His breakout moment came in the season finale in 2017, when he caught a game-winning touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens.

The former Pitt standout is one of four players — along with running back Joe Mixon, defensive tackle Josh Tupou, defensive end Sam Hubbard — who predated coach Zac Taylor’s arrival in 2019.

As Taylor worked on changing the franchise and establishing a winning culture, Boyd played an integral role, from helping the coaching staff’s message filter through the locker room to establishing an example for others, including young receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.

Two of Boyd’s key traits, a great attitude and daily consistency, were important for building the culture that Taylor wanted to create.

“He’s one of those guys, that through thick and thin, is always, ‘Whatever you need from me coach,'” Taylor said in May 2023. “He’s always been a great leader in the locker room. He’s always been someone I’ve been able to go to and know that I’m going to get a truthful response back on how things are going.”

When Boyd arrived, A.J. Green was still in the midst of his run as the team’s No. 1 receiver. Boyd led the team in receiving in 2018 and 2019 as Green battled injuries. Once Cincinnati drafted Higgins in 2020 and Chase a year later, Boyd’s role in the offense diminished significantly.

However, Boyd never expressed any frustration over a lack of targets. Instead, he showed the way forward for the two blossoming stars.

“With each one of those guys joining the team, his touches went down, and he kind of set the tone that it was not a ‘I gotta get mine’ type of receiver room,” Browning said. “And I think that’s an underrated part of the room in general.”

In eight seasons, Boyd had 513 receptions, 6,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. At the peak of his career, he was known as one of the most sure-handed receivers in the league. Between 2020 and 2022, he had four total drops in the regular season, matching the same number he had in 2023.

With Burrow signed to a big extension and Chase and Higgins also eligible for new contracts, Boyd is among those who could be too pricey for a Bengals team trying to manage the salary cap.

In that case, Cincinnati will not only need to replace their starting slot receiver but also try to fill a massive leadership void.

The type of leadership that was on display against Miami in 2019.

“I was just willing to do anything I could to help the team win,” Boyd said. “That’s what showed on that tape.”

CLEVELAND

Most of the NFL Honors selections were somewhat foregone conclusions.

Two that were in doubt were Coach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.  Both awards ended up going to Cleveland Browns.  In fact, the Browns won FOUR Awards:

The Browns were recognized by the Associated Press at NFL Honors for the success of the 2023 season.

With players and coaches nominated for four awards – Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year – the Browns took home all four awards on Thursday night.

Coach Kevin Stefanski earned his second Coach of the Year award in his four years as a head coach and is the 13th coach in history to win multiple Coach of the Year awards. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was named the Assistant Coach of the Year, recognizing him for the success of the Browns defense in his first season with the Browns as defensive coordinator.

“I’m very grateful for this award,” Schwartz said. “When it’s all said and done, I played a really, really small part in this. The main credit goes to our assistant coaches, our position coaches and our players. Just a great group to work with.”

DE Myles Garrett won his first Defensive Player of the Year award. Garrett attended NFL Honors to accept his award.

“I want to thank the Browns organization for y’all believing in me,” Garrett said during his acceptance speech of the award. “Jimmy and Dee Haslam, Andrew Berry, Kevin Stefanski, (Jim) Schwartz, and man, we had a hell of a brotherhood that helped support me and get me here as well. And I have a great team that has been around me for the last two years, helped support me in my wellness. […] My high school coach who I was able to bring here. Thank you, it’s been a blessing.”

Finally, QB Joe Flacco was named Comeback Player of the Year. Flacco also attended NFL Honors to accept his award.

“Big thanks to the city of Cleveland, just everybody in Cleveland,” Flacco said as he accepted the award. “I want to say thank you to my teammates for welcoming me into that locker room at that point in the year. To welcome a new guy is not the easiest thing, so I want to say thank you to those guys. I want to say thank you to the organization for giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do – and that’s play football. And I want to say thank you to the city, just for making me and my family feel at home for a couple of months. Truly special.”

The four awards – and recipients of each – encapsulated all that the Browns went through during the 2023 season. From putting one of the top defenses in the league out on the field each week – anchored by a player in Garrett who teams had to game plan for – to signing a quarterback 12 weeks into the season who led the Browns to a playoff berth, and a head coach who led them through the ups and downs of the season.

The Browns dealt with adversity throughout the 2023 season, losing key starters and role players to season-ending injuries from Week 1. They started five different quarterbacks over the course of the season and relied on the next man up mentality, which the entire roster embodied over the course of the season.

Through it all, they clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2020 in Week 17 against the Jets. They won 11 regular season games, which tied for the second-most in team history, trailing just the 1986 team’s 12 wins. The Browns finished the regular season 8-1 at home, which set a team record for wins at home.

After the Browns lost to the Texans in the Wild Card round, bringing an end to their season many of the players and Stefanski reflected on just what the 2023 season meant to the group. They recognized the uniqueness of the group in the locker room, from how the defense celebrated successes throughout games, offensive players picked one another up off the field and fully bought into the mentality of going 1-0 each week. The lived by the mentality of next man up, seeing young players and backup players step into key roles throughout the season and gain crucial in-game experience.

Stefanski now has not one, but two Coach of the Year awards.  He has one postseason win.

Stefanski’s win could not have been closer over the guy who knocked him out of the playoffs.

AP Coach of the Year

Stefanski wins with more 1st place votes

   Kevin Stefanski 21-18-6 = 165

   DeMeco Ryans 20-21-2 = 165

   Dan Campbell 3-3-9 = 33

   Kyle Shanahan 3-3-2 = 26

   John Harbaugh 2-2-10 = 26

   Sean McVay 1-2-10 = 21

   Mike Tomlin 0-1-2 = 5

   Shane Steichen 0-0-4 = 4

   Matt LaFleur 0-0-2 = 2

   Todd Bowles 0-0-1 = 1

   Mike McDaniel 0-0-1 = 1

   Sean McDermott 0-0-1 = 1

If there were 50 total votes, Stefanski did not appear on five of the ballots and Ryans did not appear on seven.

Dan Campbell only got a top three mention on 15 of the 50.  A lot of good coaching jobs there and we realize the vote does not include the postseason, but what Campbell has done in the last three years, culminating with two playoff wins would certainly put him in the top three on the DB’s ballot.

The name Andy Reid does not appear on the list.

On to Comeback Player of the Year –

AP Comeback Player of the Year

   Joe Flacco 13-26-8 = 151

   Damar Hamlin 21-7-14 = 140

   Baker Mayfield 10-10-13 = 93

   Matthew Stafford 1-6-7 = 30

   Tua Tagovailoa 4-0-1 = 21

   Breece Hall 0-0-3 = 3

   Brock Purdy 1-0-1 = 6

   Calvin Ridley 0-1-0 = 3

   Aaron Donald 0-0-1 = 1

   Lamar Jackson 0-0-1 = 1

   Kyler Murray 0-0-1 = 1

Flacco did not appear on three ballots, Hamlin was not on eight.

Flacco played in six games after sitting on the street.

Hamlin’s biggest achievement was living and making the Bills roster.  His football performance was underwhelming.

Sal Maiorana (five syllables in eight letters) of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle is outraged:

In what should have been the easiest decision the NFL Honors voters had this year, they somehow botched it. Botched it beyond belief, really.

Thursday night, in what can only be described as a rather stunning ballot, Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills did not win the league’s comeback player of the year award.

The voting panel, made up of 50 media members across print, television, radio and online digital, decided that Joe Flacco – who got off his couch in the middle of November and then played very well in helping the quarterback-challenged Cleveland Browns make it to the playoffs – was the true “comeback” player of the year.

What exactly was he coming back from? Being washed up following three miserable seasons with the Jets to the point where no team signed him until the Browns – desperate for anyone to play quarterback – took a flier on him? Really?

I generally don’t care at all about individual awards in sports. To me, it’s all about the team and what matters is winning games and winning championships. And I would guess that the vast majority of players in all sports feel the same way.

But awards are a fascination to many others in the media, and certainly among fans, so there is always tremendous attention paid to the process of determining MVPs and the like.

However, this result that was announced Thursday night at the NFL Honors event in Las Vegas, site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, just struck a nerve with me.

All Hamlin needed to do this year to win this award was step back on the playing field. He made worldwide news on Jan. 2, 2023, when he collapsed on the field in Cincinnati due to a freak incident that made his heart stop.

He nearly died right before our eyes, but the incredible work of the Bills’ training and medical staff saved his life. He spent several days in a hospital in Cincinnati, part of that in an induced coma, and once he was released he faced months of tedious rehabilitation not knowing if he’d be able to resume his career.

Yet he was back with his teammates in the spring doing light OTA work before participating fully in training camp and the preseason.

If that wasn’t enough for comeback player of the year, he then dressed for seven games counting the playoffs. Granted, Hamlin contributed very little this season because he was the fifth safety on the Bills’ depth chart behind Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Taylor Rapp and Cam Lewis. That should not have mattered in the voting, but apparently it did.

Joe Flacco thought Damar Hamlin should win comeback player of the year award

Flacco himself admitted earlier in the week during a radio appearance on CBS Sports that he really didn’t think he should be considered for the award, particularly ahead of Hamlin.

“For sure,” Flacco said when he was asked if Hamlin should win. “I don’t know how many snaps he played. I just think mentally, to get yourself back to the point where you feel comfortable doing that kind of thing is pretty cool. I don’t necessarily know what I’m coming back from. I would say most of the guys on that list, I’m not sure what we’re coming back from, so that’s probably my initial reaction.”

Among the others who received votes were third-place finisher Baker Mayfield who merely played much better than he had in 2022, and Matthew Stafford and Tua Tagovailoa who bounced back from injuries to have great seasons.

Hamlin won the Pro Football Writers of America comeback player of the year award, which I was eligible to vote for and selected him.

After playing 846 defensive plays in 2022, Hamlin played 17 in 2023.  As a football player, he did not return to even his prior level, much less improve.

So, we can understand not giving him a first place vote.

The DB is actually kind of partial to BAKER MAYFIELD’s arc – decent Browns starter, then decline resulting in being dumped in a trade by two-time Coach of the Year Stefanski’s team, cut by the woeful Panthers, re-emergence with a full 17-start season as a Top 15 QB.

We wrote the above before we saw that Mike Florio thought the same way:

Comeback player of the year

1. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers.

2, Damar Hamlin, Bills.

3. Joe Flacco, Browns.

This is always the hardest award to peg, because there’s no rule or even guidance as to what the player is coming back from. Many thought that Hamlin would clinch it the moment he suited up and played. But he didn’t play very much in 2023. Mayfield came back from two lost years (one to injury, and one to circumstance) to be the guy he was becoming in 2020. Of the three on my ballot, he’s the only one with a chance to land on a future ballot in a different category (like MVP).

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Some members of the media are saying – “Imagine how many games the Patriots would have won over the last decade if Robert Kraft weren’t so cheap.”   Or at least that is how Robert Kraft has heard it.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on the Patriots owner’s rebuttal:

The Patriots reportedly have spent less than any NFL team on players over the past decade. On Thursday, the owner of the Patriots argued that it’s not for lack of willingness to spend.

“I know there’s a perception that we have held back on spending,” Kraft told a group of reporters, via Phil Perry of NBCSportsBoston.com. “Let me just say, for our fans, that’s just not true. Look, we were blessed to have a coach in our system who was a great coach and also understood value. He ran a tight ship. . . . [O]ur coaches have always had the ability to spend at whatever level they wanted. I think Bill [Belichick] was always thinking about the future and really understood value. But we never held back with any of the coaches we’ve had over the last 30 years.”

Kraft has made similar comments in the past. Any decisions about spending weren’t his. They were made by the man to whom Kraft entrusted the entire football operation — the coach and de facto G.M.

“I can assure our fans that spending will never be held back or the reason that we don’t sign players,” Kraft added. “I’ve actually tried to get us to sign players who maybe would’ve cost more but wouldn’t have been the right players or value. So, we always leave that to the people we assign the responsibility to.”

Again, It was Bill.

“They’ve been able to get whatever they want,” Kraft said of the team’s football operations. “If cash spending became an issue for our family, and we couldn’t do it, then I would sell the team. Winning football games, after my family, is the most important thing in my life. Whatever we can do to help make that happen, we’re going to do.”

So, basically, the truth is that the Patriots haven’t spent much on players, relative to other teams. The perception is they’ve been trying to save money. Kraft sees it simply as the way Belichick did things.

“I’m sorry this misconception has been out there,” Kraft said. “I think people should just look at our record. We’re privileged over the last 30 years to have the best win-loss record of any team in sports. We went to 10 Super Bowls. There are teams that haven’t gone to one.”

Plenty of teams haven’t gone to one since Kraft bought the team in 1994, including the other three teams in the AFC East. Along with the Browns, Jaguars, Texans, Commanders, Vikings, and Lions.

Over the last 10 years, that list expands to include the Ravens, Steelers, Titans, Colts, Chargers, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Packers, Bears, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, and Cardinals.

NEW YORK JETS

Owner Woody Johnson, according to the headline on this Ryan Young story atYahooSports.com, “rips” QB ZACH WILSON.  Did he?  Let’s find out:

New York Jets team owner Woody Johnson didn’t hold back on Thursday night when talking about his team’s offense and quarterback Zach Wilson.

Johnson, speaking ahead of the NFL Honors awards show in Las Vegas ahead of the Super Bowl, slammed the Jets’ offense after their rough 7-10 season, mostly under Wilson. In his eyes, for head coach Robert Saleh and the rest of the franchise, it’s now or never.

“The discussions I’ve had in the last couple of months, they’ve seen me about as mad as I can be with what was going on, with the offense particularly,” Johnson said, via ESPN. “We have all this talent and we have to deploy talent properly. So I think they all got the message.”

The Jets looked like they’d be a very solid contender before the season began. But, just four plays into the season, starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with a season-ending Achilles injury.

The Jets never really recovered from that, and both Wilson and Tim Boyle tried to lead the team the rest of the way. Wilson, who was the former No. 2 overall pick, went 4-7 as a starter. He threw for 2,271 yards and had eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has one year left on his initial four-year deal, but the Jets are widely expected to trade or cut him.

 “You need a backup quarterback,” Johnson said Thursday. “We didn’t have one last year.”

Rodgers, despite sustaining a major injury and recently turning 40, has said he will play next season. Who Johnson and the Jets opt to bring in as a backup quarterback remains to be seen.

Either way, Johnson is already applying the pressure. Their playoff drought now spans 13 seasons, which is the largest in major men’s pro sports in the United States, and he doesn’t want it to get any longer.

“This is it,” Johnson said. “This is the time to go. We’ve got to produce this year.”

Never mentioned Wilson’s name, but indeed kind of a “rip.”

THIS AND THAT

EAGLES IN BRAZIL IN 2024, SOMEONE IN MADRID IN 2025

Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com with the news of the game in Spain in 2025:

The NFL announced Friday that it will play a regular-season game in Madrid in 2025.

It will mark the first time the NFL has played a game in Spain, and it will be played at the the iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home to Real Madrid C.F.

Madrid is the first new market to be confirmed for the 2025 International Games and will be the fourth European city to host a regular-season game, joining London, Frankfurt and Munich.

“Playing a game in Madrid in 2025 highlights the continued expansion of the league’s global footprint and the accelerated ambitions to take our game to more fans around the world,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with Real Madrid C.F., a global brand, together with the City of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid, to bring a spectacular regular-season game to Spain at the world-class Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.”

The NFL has played 50 regular-season games internationally through the league’s history, with London, Munich, Frankfurt, Mexico City and Toronto all hosting games to date. São Paulo, Brazil, will stage a game in 2024 at the Corinthians Arena — home to Brazilian soccer team the SC Corinthians — in the first NFL regular-season game in South America.

Following the expansion of the NFL schedule in 2021, up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams are eligible for a ninth regular-season home game were designated to play a neutral-site international game each year.

NFC teams have nine home games in 2024 and AFC teams nine home games in 2025.

In 2023, NFL clubs voted to increase league-operated international game inventory from four to up to eight games a season beginning in 2025. Those eight league-operated international games do not include club-operated games, such as the Jaguars hosting a game at Wembley Stadium in the U.K.

In addition to the game in São Paulo, Brazil, four other regular-season games will be played as part of the 2024 NFL International Games. London will host three — two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium — and the NFL will head to Germany for a third consecutive year, returning to the Allianz Arena, Home of FC Bayern Munich, for one game.

This from NFL Nerd:

The #Dolphins will be the favorite to host this game, as only them and the #Bears currently have marketing rights in Spain, plus the AFC will have the extra home game in 2025

Going back a few days – here was the Sao Paolo news:

The Philadelphia Eagles will play host to the NFL’s first regular-season game in Brazil, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday in his state of the NFL media conference at Allegiant Stadium.

The Eagles, who last played an international game in 2018, will face a to-be-announced opponent in São Paolo on Friday, Sept. 6, the day after the NFL season kicks off on Thursday night. This will be the NFL’s first Friday game on opening weekend in more than 50 years.

“We are just incredibly enthusiastic about our growth on a global basis,” Goodell said. “We are convinced we can be a global sport in the near future. Our ownership has committed to allow more games to be played on an annual basis, on a global basis. We are excited about the fans’ reaction and our media partners. I think this is a great opportunity for the league and we are committed to making it a global sport.”

The Eagles’ home opponents for the 2024 season are the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Brazil is new for us this year,” Goodell added. “We think this is giving us the ability to access more fans. Not just here in the States, but on a global basis. And I think it’s going to be a huge hit. We’re excited.”

Per NFL.com, the league counts 38 million fans in Brazil with an “increased” interest in recent years when it comes to the playoffs and the Super Bowl. The league’s website also noted 49,000-seat Corinthians Arena, which played host to World Cup matches in 2014 as well as Olympic soccer matches in 2016, as the likely site of the game.

The normal home team in Neo Quimica Arena is a soccer team called Corinthians.  And they loathe the color green.  Kevin Kinkead at CrossingBroad.com:

The Eagles will open the 2024 season at the 49,000 capacity Neo Química Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, home of the soccer team “Corinthians.” They were founded in 1910 and are one of the most popular clubs in South America.

Turns out, however, that their fans hate the color green. They absolutely despise it because it’s the hue of their biggest rival, a club called Palmeiras.

This was explained to me by a local sports fan named Stephen:

“Corinthians biggest rival is Palmeiras. who are green, and also from São Paulo. Corinthians and their fans despise green. The club itself actually have in their laws to never display green. Like players can’t use green cleats. A few years ago there was a big issue about one of their goalkeeper jerseys having green. The club ended up covering up the green with yellow decals. All of this to say. The Eagles being the home team in Arena Corinthians is very interesting. With clubs being religion to many people in Brazil. It’s highly possible that they ask them to wear black or white. They for sure won’t be wearing Kelly Green.”

Fascinating! On one hand, we could say “go Birds” and tell Corinthians fans to go pound sand. Or, we respect their club history and go with the all-black or all-white, which would be a little strange to begin the season, but cordial.

It’s no joke, though. There was an issue a couple of years ago where a Corinthians player was FINED for wearing green spike

HALL OF FAME

The Hall of Fame selectors decided not to enshrine TE Antonio Gates this year while putting in returner Devin Hester, who was below marginal at his primary position.  And they turned aside two nominees from the senior committee.  Jarrett Bell of USA TODAY:

Julius Peppers is in. Antonio Gates must wait.

It’s no surprise that Peppers, the former defensive end who ranks fourth on the NFL’s all-time list with 159 ½ sacks earned selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Peppers, who starred for the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears during a 17-year NFL career, has the rare distinction of being chosen to an All-Decade Team for two decades.

He headlines a 2024 class that includes Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Patrick Willis and Dwight Freeney as modern-day candidates. Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael were chosen as seniors candidates for the seven-member class, which was revealed on Thursday night during the NFL Honors show.

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Gates, however, was a notable omission as the only other first-ballot finalist besides Peppers. The former San Diego Chargers star, who blossomed after transitioning from a college basketball career, caught more touchdowns (116) than any tight end in NFL history.

Among the Hall of Fame merits:

* Peppers, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, is the only player in NFL history to post 100 sacks and 10 interceptions. His 52 forced fumbles rank second in NFL history (Robert Mathis, 54).

* Hester, the greatest kick returner in NFL history, is fittingly the first primary returner selected to the Hall. The former Bears star, elected on his third time as a finalist, has the most kick-return touchdowns in NFL history (19).

* Freeney, a former Super Bowl champion with the Indianapolis Colts, was a two-time finalist who generated 125 ½ career sacks.

* Johnson, the former Houston Texans dynamo, is one of only three players during the Super Bowl era to lead the NFL in receiving yards in consecutive seasons (along with Jerry Rice and Calvin Johnson). He was a three-time finalist.

* Willis played eight seasons as a San Francisco 49ers linebacker and earned five first-team All-Pro selections and seven Pro Bowl nods. A two-time NFL leader in tackles, he was elected on his fifth time as a finalist.

* Gradishar, the face of the “Orange Crush” defense for the Denver Broncos during the 1970s, was NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1978. A seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker, he never missed a game during his 10-year career.

* McMichael is the fourth member of the ’80’s-era Bears defense chosen to the Hall, following Mike Singletary, Richard Dent and Dan Hampton. Although he earned just two Pro Bowl selections in 15 seasons, his 95 sacks rank fourth all-time for defensive tackles.

Other finalists bypassed included seniors candidate Art Powell, who starred at receiver in the AFL for the New York Titans and Oakland Raiders; and Buddy Parker, who coached the Detroit Lions to consecutive NFL titles during the 1950s.

Matt Ehall on New York Post on the omission of Gates:

Being one the most dominant players to ever play your position apparently doesn’t make you a surefire Hall of Famer anymore.

Pro Football Hall of Fame voters somehow snubbed iconic tight end Antonio Gates in his first appearance on the ballot despite scoring more touchdowns than any other player at the position in NFL history.

Gates told TMZ in November he expected to make the cut, but he failed to make a list that includes Julius Peppers, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Patrick Willis and Dwight Freeney as modern-day inductees.

“You never want to have the thought process you can’t get in,” Gates said. “The mental part of it is that in order for you to be the best, you got to think you the best. Since forever … I feel like mentally I belong in there, but at the end of the day you got to let it play out and you can control what you can control and we’ll see how it goes.”

Gates’ omission left NFL fans stunned considering he is universally considered one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the sport.

He tallied 955 catches for 11,841 yards and 116 touchdowns in his legendary career, spanning 2003-18 with the Chargers — both in San Diego and Los Angeles.

Gates, 43, tallied double-digit touchdowns four times and cleared 1,000 yards twice.

While he may not have been the all-around player that Rob Gronkowski was, his offensive dominance at the position is on par with Travis Kelce.

Gates even scored more touchdowns than Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.

His exclusion left many in the NFL community stunned.

Former teammate Shawne Merriman tweeted: “Antonio Gates not being a first ballot is an absolute embarrassment, they should be ashamed.”

Former NFL offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger posted a video on X with the caption: “Antonio Gates isn’t a 1st ballot HOFer??? Embarrassing.”

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Perhaps Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network summed it up best.

He posted: “Wait, Antonio Gates didn’t get in? Huh?”

Of course, this does not mean that Gates is not a Hall of Famer and will not get in, probably as soon as next year.  Still, he sure seemed like a first-year enshrinee.