Here is to a successful Week 1 for the NFL, its fans and broadcast partners.

– – –

The NFL opener left Coach Andy Reid blind.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

As Thursday night’s season-opener pressed on, Andy Reid’s team pulled away from the Houston Texans en route to a 34-20 victory.

One of the biggest questions as the game crept forward was whether the Kansas City Chiefs coach could even see the game he was calling.

Reid’s face shield began to fog up like car windows on a midwinter’s eve.

After the win, the Super Bowl-winning coach was asked by Aaron Ladd of KSHB in K.C. about the face shield.

“That was brutal,” Reid said after the game. “I didn’t do very good with that thing. It will be better the next time. I appreciate you asking that, though. It was a bit of a mess, but we’ll get it fixed.”

Predictably, social media had a field day with Reid’s mask situation.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced coaches on the sideline to wear face coverings. Reid opted for the shield, while Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien chose a mask. We’ll see what the other 30 head coaches choose over the weekend.

Aside from adjusting his game plan for opponents each week, Reid might also have to tweak his mask-game. The fog will only get worse as the season gets colder.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Life hasn’t been easy for QB DAK PRESCOTT who has faced a lot of issues and still been a success.  On Thursday, he opened up on the help he’s had along the way.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

After Dak Prescott‘s older brother, Jace, died in April, the Cowboys quarterback sank into an anxiety and a depression he had never previously felt. Prescott talked at length Thursday about seeking help.

“When you have thoughts that you’ve never had, I think that’s more so than anything a chance to realize it and recognize it, to be vulnerable about it,” Prescott said, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “Talked to my family, talked to the people around me simply as I did at the time. Some of them obviously had dealt with it before, was able to have those conversations and then reach out further just to more people.

“I think being open about it and not holding those feelings in was one of the better things for me.”

Prescott discussed the death of his brother, who committed suicide, in an episode of “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” that will air this weekend. During a clip released by the show Wednesday, Prescott said his 31-year-old brother had “a lot of burdens on him,” including being the primary caregiver after their mother, Peggy, died of colon cancer in 2013.

On Thursday, Prescott spent six minutes of his 10:30-minute press conference speaking about mental health.

This offseason, Prescott spoke with Chad Bohling, a sports psychologist with the New York Yankees whom former coach Jason Garrett had visit the Cowboys.

“I’m a people person. I’m somebody that likes to be around people. I like to inspire. I like to put a smile on people’s faces, day in and day out, and I like to lead,” Prescott said. “When that’s taken away from you simply because you’re forced to quarantine and not be around people and get around people as much as you would like to, yeah, it’s tough.

“As I explained, it creates new emotions. Emotions that I’ve never felt before but obviously dealt with. And I obviously got the help that I needed and was very open about it. I think that’s why I was fortunate to get over it, as not all are. As I’ve said before, I don’t want to sit here and dwell on the things that were a struggle for me when I know I’m very fortunate and blessed and other people have it much more worse. But just to be transparent about it, that even in my situation, emotions and those type of things, can overcome you if you don’t do something about it.”

Prescott hopes by speaking out he can help others who face similar feelings. He stressed how important it is to talk to someone and to seek help.

“It saves lives,” Prescott said.

Prescott’s comments have supportively resonated with everyone but Skip Bayless.  Nancy Armour of USA TODAY:

If someone were to take issue with every one of Skip Bayless’ dumb or ill-formed opinions, there wouldn’t be time left for anything else. 

Sometimes, however, what he says is too ignorant and offensive – too dangerous – to be ignored.

Today is one of those days.

From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.

Bayless criticized Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for opening up about his mental health struggles, suggesting it indicated Prescott was weak. What Prescott really needed to do, Bayless said on Thursday’s “Undisputed,” was to “fight back” and not “give in to the depression.”

Rub some dirt on it while he’s at it, perhaps.

The stoicism and stiff upper lip that Bayless recommended have ruined people, both those who suffer from mental health issues and the loved ones who can only watch helplessly as they struggled in silence. That Bayless made his comments on World Suicide Prevention Day, after Prescott said his brother Jace’s suicide contributed to his depression, was all the more cruel.

“He had a lot of burdens on him,” Prescott said of Jace, who was with their mother daily when she was dying of colon cancer in 2013.

“Our adversities, our struggles, what we go through is always going to be too much for ourselves and maybe too much for even one or two people, but never too much for a community or too much for people in the family that you love,” Prescott said in a recent interview with Graham Bensinger. “So you have to share these things.”

For too long, we’ve been conditioned to do the opposite, believing, as Bayless suggested, that mental illness is a personal failing rather than the disease it actually is.

Would Bayless have told Jay Cutler to suck up his diabetes and throw away his insulin? Would he have been so blasé about Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera’s recent cancer diagnosis? Would he have said Von Miller was risking his status as leader of the Denver Broncos because he has asthma?

All of those are ridiculous. So is suggesting mental health is something one should just “rise above.”

“We do not agree with Skip Bayless’ opinion on Undisputed this morning,” FOX Sports said in a statement. “We have addressed the significance of this matter with Skip and how his insensitive comments were received by people internally at FOX Sports and our audience.”

Bayless deserves more than a stern talking to. That Prescott was brave enough to give voice to the anxiety and depression he experienced this spring is not only a testament to his strength, it will make a difference. If someone like Dak Prescott, the face of one of the most famous teams in the entire world, can admit he needed help, it will give countless others the courage to say they do, too.

By going public, Prescott is saving lives. Only those who are themselves weak and small would think less of him for it.

“Being a leader is about being genuine and being real,” Prescott said after he was told about Bayless’ comments. “No matter how big of a person you are, if you’re not mentally healthy … you’re not going to be able to lead people the right way,” Prescott added. “So, before I can lead, I’ve got to make sure my mind’s in the right place to do that. … It’s important to be vulnerable, to be genuine, to be transparent.

“I think that goes a long way when you’re a leader and when your voice is being heard by so many, and you can inspire.”

For generations, we’ve held up athletes as these superhuman beings who are immune to human frailties like pain or emotion. But that has done them a disservice, and too often kept them from seeking the help they need, be it for concussions, broken bones or mental health.

Fortunately, more and more athletes are speaking out. Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of all time, has devoted himself to mental health awareness in his retirement. Kevin Love is open about his struggles with mental health, and Paul George is one of several players to acknowledge the psychological challenge being in the NBA bubble has posed.

Athletes are role models, like it or not. The more they acknowledge that mental health is as important as physical health, the better we’ll all be.

Bayless gets paid a lot of money by Fox Sports to say outlandish things and stir controversy. But his comments Thursday went beyond that. They were insulting and irresponsible, and they crossed a line.    

Bayless long ago ceased to be worth listening to. Some days are a bigger reminder of that than others.

– – –

The Cowboys continue to clear room for QB DAK PRESCOTT.  Jeff Kerr of CBSSports.com:

As the clock continues to tick for an eventual Dak Prescott extension, the Dallas Cowboys are taking all the steps to make Prescott one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in NFL history in 2021. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cowboys and DeMarcus Lawrence have agreed to restructure Lawrence’s deal, creating a one-year voidable extension for salary cap purposes. Lawrence’s $15 million base salary was converted into a signing bonus, which cleared $12 million in cap space for this season.

CBS Sports NFL writer Patrik Walker confirmed the Lawrence restructure was set up to create more cap space for a Prescott extension in 2021, as the Cowboys quarterback is playing the 2020 season under the franchise tag. The Cowboys performed similar moves with Tyron Smith and Zack Martin earlier this offseason, creating $15.12 million in cap space between the two restructured deals this season. Here’s the catch to creating cap space now: all of the money can be deferred to the 2021 season — which is what the Cowboys intend to do in order to reach an extension with Prescott next offseason.

Per Walker, the Cowboys will have $29.5 million in cap space with the Lawrence restructure — all of which can be rolled over into the 2021 offseason. That $29.5 million will be paramount with a cap floor for 2021 set at $175 million. Prescott is making $31.4 million on the franchise tag in 2020, which he will play under this season. If the Cowboys wish to tag Prescott again for 2021 and fail to reach an extension, the quarterback will be making $37.7 million next year — not the ideal situation for both parties.

Patrick Mahomes is making an average of $45 million a season and Deshaun Watson an average of $39 million per year after the two received massive extensions this offseason. That drove Prescott’s price tag up as the market was reset. Prescott would be the third-highest paid quarterback in 2021 if he plays under the franchise tag once again.

Since entering the league in 2016, Prescott is sixth among all NFL quarterbacks with 15,778 passing yards, ninth with 97 touchdowns and eighth in passer rating at 97.0 (minimum 2,000 attempts). Prescott never missed a game in those four seasons as the Cowboys are 40-24 with him as their starting quarterback. Prescott’s 40 wins are tied for second-most in the NFL with Russell Wilson and just seven behind Tom Brady for the league lead.

The deck is stacked in Prescott’s favor to receive a lucrative extension from the Cowboys. It’s up to Dallas to deliver the winning hand.

More on DAK’s expected haul from Charles Robinson of YahooSports.com:

Here’s where Prescott is now: If he takes a step forward this season, his next contract with the Cowboys will very likely have to be the richest in NFL history in terms of average salary. Others can get into the quagmire of arguing whether he’s better than Mahomes or Watson, which is a waste of time that ignores how quarterback markets and escalating contracts work. This is a deal about leverage and performance. Prescott has all the leverage in the world and with one more season of improvement, he’s going to be in the realm of performance that makes a $40-million annual salary a guaranteed outcome.

This has nothing to do with Prescott’s agent and everything to do with Prescott himself. He’s in control of what he wants. And lest anyone forget, when he goes back to the negotiating table next offseason, he’ll be doing so in a year when the 2018 QB class — including Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold — will be working on their extensions. That means every cornerstone quarterback from Prescott’s 2016 draft class and the classes of 2017 and 2018 could conceivably all have long-term extensions in place before he does. None of whom played four years as a starter on a fourth-round rookie deal.

That reality of being an extremely cheap player for Dallas for so long is not going away. So when the Cowboys talk about doing a deal that works for everybody, it might be wise for them to look at what they paid Prescott for four years and remember they could have given him a raise at any point during that span to show they recognized what he had become. They didn’t, despite that being the kind of thing that would have been good for everybody. Instead, the Cowboys did what was good for them and paid Prescott a pittance for a four-year span. And now they don’t want to pay Prescott at the very top of his market, while also wanting a wider window of control.

That might be why Prescott has dropped hints along the way that this whole impasse has more to do with him than his agent. Sharp observers have caught the tells. Things that have gone beyond the simplicity of not taking a good-but-not-elite quarterback deal the past two years. Things like, for example, Prescott not denying his worth as a $40 million quarterback in an interview with Yahoo Sports in February. Things like Prescott staying away from relaying his hopes to retain offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to ownership in the middle of the Mike McCarthy transition — which Prescott said this week was partially due to his ongoing negotiation.

“Those discussions weren’t had,” Prescott said when asked if he’d ever expressed his desire to ownership that he wanted to have Moore remain as offensive coordinator. “Obviously this offseason being a little different, obviously with the pandemic and my contract situation, those talks weren’t made.”

It’s subtle, but that’s a sign of someone who is in a contract negotiation to win it — when he continues to steer clear of ownership even in the middle of a head coaching change and coaching staff shakeup. People can suggest that’s just Prescott listening to his agent, but he’s not a robot. If he wasn’t on board with that hard-line approach, he would have been talking to ownership about Moore’s status.

Prescott is driving this whole deal. And Dallas already got its discount on him from 2016-2019. That ended this year and where it goes from this point forward has as much to do with Prescott’s motivations as it does with his agent. It has to do with a player who has grown into his role as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback while simultaneously getting better every single year. And not only has he anchored himself as the team’s leader, he’s arguably the most important person in the franchise next to Jerry Jones. The only thing that could change that is if he runs into a wall this season and regresses.

If the Cowboys value him, which they appear to, they don’t want that kind of regression. And every indication is that Prescott is primed for the best season of his NFL career in 2020, followed by another offseason when he will not be shrinking at the negotiating table. If the last year has taught us anything, he’s not surprised by the hard edge of business aspects of the NFL and he’s more than capable of separating that from the football field when the season starts.

“Business is business, right?” Prescott said this week. “The moment you’re not on the football field, it turns into just the same as any other business, right? So not at all [surprised]. My job is to play football. My job is to give myself and my team the best opportunity to win. That’s what I’m going to focus on and I have people that will handle the rest.”

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

This will be WR LARRY FITZGERALD’s last season – if the Cardinals hoist Lombardi in Tampa, the scene of his only Super Bowl appearance to this point.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

Larry Fitzgerald enters his 17th season with the Arizona Cardinals. Over the past several, the questions about retirement have swirled around the future Hall of Fame receiver.

The one surefire way to know whether Fitzgerald will retire? The Cards winning the Super Bowl.

“That would definitely validate me,” Fitzgerald said Thursday, via the team’s official website. “You wouldn’t see me around here anymore if that happened.”

Fitzy riding off into the sunset after a Super Bowl win for an upstart Cardinals team would bring a close to one of the best careers in NFL history. Seemingly the last goal on Fitzgerald’s career list is raising a Lombardi trophy.

Unlike in the first run to a Super Bowl back in 2008, when Fitzgerald carried the Cards offense as Kurt Warner’s go-to target — notching 546 yards on 30 catches with a whopping seven TDs in four postseason games — the veteran receiver would be a complementary piece this time around.

The addition of DeAndre Hopkins and the surge of Christian Kirk leaves Fitzgerald to play a different role than he has most of his career.

“I’m not concerned about (being) the focal point or anything,” Fitzgerald said. “The ball comes my way, I’ll catch it, if I need to block I’ll block, whatever is required. Another catch, another touchdown, another yard is not going to make more whatever — my legacy is pretty much cemented. I just want to win a championship, I want to compete for a division title. Those are the things that are important to me.”

With Kyler Murray having the potential for a big Year 2, the trade for Hopkins, and an improved defense with first-round pick Isaiah Simmons and DPOY candidate Chandler Jones, the Cardinals have a chance to make some noise in 2020.

Playing in the toughest division in the NFL will make a playoff run more difficult. But after years of wallowing in the bottom, Fitzgerald has a team that enters the year giving him hope that a Super Bowl trip is at least possible.

AFC WEST

DENVER

The injury to WR COURTLAND SUTTON may not be as serious as first feared.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com:

With the realization of playing perhaps the entire season without Von Miller no doubt still settling in, the Denver Broncos likely sighed a bit of collective relief as it relates to one of their top offensive players.

Wide receiver Courtland Sutton was evaluated for a shoulder injury, NFL Network’s James Palmer reported Thursday, and it revealed he suffered an AC joint sprain, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. 9News’ Mike Klis first reported the sprain.

Sutton went for a ball and sustained the injury during practice, which forced him to leave. Sutton never returned to practice and was officially listed as limited in the team’s daily injury report.

The Broncos’ No. 1 receiver and the favorite target of second-year quarterback Drew Lock, Sutton had a breakout 2019 season with 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns in his second pro campaign. Set to start opposite rookie first-rounder Jerry Jeudy, Sutton is the centerpiece of the Broncos passing game. With rookie K.J. Hamler already dealing with a hamstring injury, losing Sutton would be a blow to the Broncos’ depth, but more so a huge loss overall to a burgeoning offense looking to find its game and hopeful of a promising season.

For now, the Broncos are playing the waiting game to see if Sutton can play in the opener, but are no doubt happy at the initial diagnosis, provided it could have been much worse.

KANSAS CITY

Expectations were high for RB CLYDE EDWARDS-HELAIRE entering Thursday night’s opener.  He exceeded them.  Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com:

The Kansas City Chiefs came into Thursday knowing their first game represented a final chance to celebrate last season’s Super Bowl. They left with a better understanding of how bright the near future already looks for them. That isn’t because Patrick Mahomes supplied his usual dose of jaw-dropping magic. That heightened excitement can be traced directly to the newest weapon in their explosive offense.

It says a lot that the Chiefs were perfectly content to turn their season-opener into a showcase for rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Their 34-20 win over Houston had a handful of compelling moments — from the Chiefs raising their Super Bowl LIV banner to both teams locking arms at midfield in a pre-game social justice demonstration to the Texans’ decision to stay in their locker room during the national anthem — but the first-year runner stole the show. You know something is a little off when Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is running the ball down after down. It’s as if the Chiefs decided to give Mahomes a little rest, just so he can be ready for tougher competition.

This contest included precious few deep balls. There certainly were no left-handed tosses or no-look passes. Instead, Edwards-Helaire set the tone from the moment the game kicked off, even though he battled through some initial anxiety.

“When we first ran out, (my) nerves were at an all-time high,” said Edwards-Helaire, who ran for 138 yards and a touchdown on 25 attempts. “I had a lot of emotions on that first carry, but after I got tackled, it was football and it was time to roll.”

There was little to indicate Edwards-Helaire would be this dominant so quickly. Mahomes has been the biggest story in this town for the last two years, as he won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in his first season as a starter and a Super Bowl in his second. When the Chiefs selected Edwards-Helaire in the first round of this year’s draft, it felt like they merely craved another weapon for their star quarterback to deploy. Now it seems very likely that the Chiefs — who attempted 34 rushes and 32 passes — will use Edwards-Helaire to control outcomes whenever possible.

The scariest part of what we witnessed inside Arrowhead was how consistently Edwards-Helaire performed under the spotlight. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy had warned him about controlling those emotions Edwards-Helaire felt in his first pro game. The assistant coach especially harped on Edwards-Helaire about the importance of ball security. Young players wanting to prove themselves on big stages can easily open themselves up to critical mistakes simply by trying too hard.

Edwards-Helaire took it all in. Then he went out and gave the Chiefs their most inspiring debut by a rookie ball-carrier since Kareem Hunt amassed an NFL-record 246 total scrimmage yards in his first game of the 2017 season. Edwards-Helaire didn’t write his name into any history books on Thursday and, to be honest, he didn’t have to on this night. When Hunt exploded onto the scene, the Chiefs were searching for as many weapons as they could find to bolster a serviceable offense. Scoring points hasn’t been an issue for this team ever since Mahomes became its leader.

What we’re witnessing now is simply evolution. The Chiefs know they can blow past teams with their explosive passing attack. They proved on Thursday that they can do something with Edwards-Helaire that is more devastating. They can control games and dictate outcomes more efficiently this year, often by using the same strategy that opponents once relied upon to neutralize Mahomes a couple seasons ago.

“We felt like he had a good camp and he’s a heck of a player,” Reid said of Edwards-Helaire. “We wanted to give him the ball, but we didn’t come in saying we’re going to give him ‘X’ number of carries. We liked the mix. We threw it well and we ran it well.”

AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH

Jason LaCanfora of CBSSports.com advises a bet on the Steelers this week:

Steelers -6 at Giants

The Pittsburgh Steelers are legit Super Bowl contenders and justifiably so. The Giants will be competing for the first-overall pick. The Steelers get back a Hall of Fame quarterback, they have one of the top defenses in the NFL that has playmakers at every level and a pass rush that won’t quit. They are a turnover machine and they’re facing a quarterback who fumbles seemingly every other snap and who has a weak offensive line in front of him and has a defense that has been a failure for years. Big Ben will be out to put on a show on Monday Night Football to show that he is back, and the Giants will put up almost no resistance. Getting this game at less than a touchdown is extreme value to me. Once we get a few weeks into the season, if these teams were to meet again this is definitely a double-digit spread.

AFC SOUTH

TENNESSEE

Credit Coach Mike Vrabel as a big reason for the successful signing of EDGE JADEVEON CLOWNEY.  Turron Davenport of ESPN.com:

Jadeveon Clowney said Thursday that he is convinced he made the right decision by joining the Tennessee Titans because of his previous experience with head coach Mike Vrabel.

“I knew when I was with Vrabel in Houston, I was second-team All-Pro and three Pro Bowls. I said to myself, ‘I think I can do that here in this system that worked so well.’ Mike Vrabel is one of the smartest coaches I ever had,” Clowney said during his first media availability since signing with the Titans.

“He knows football and how to put guys in position to make plays. That’s what he did in Houston and when I got here. He is already lining me all over the place, and I get to keep making plays. He believes that I am a playmaker. With Mike Vrabel, I made way more plays [than] I did when I was in Seattle.”

Jadeveon Clowney said he reunited with Mike Vrabel because he knows the Titans coach will put him in position to make plays. George Walker IV/The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK

Clowney pointed to his athletic ability and being able to match up against anyone as a reason he recorded 9.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits and 21 tackles for loss in 2017 when Vrabel was calling the shots for the Texans’ defense — all career highs.

Vrabel said Thursday that he knew the Titans had the inside track on signing the prized free agent.

“Not much of a sales pitch. We’re just looking for guys that want to be here,” Vrabel said when asked about courting Clowney.

The Titans’ defense has a lot of carryover from what Clowney did in Houston, where he spent five years before being traded last year to the Seahawks. Knowing he’d catch on fast, Clowney decided on Tennessee, which opens the season on Monday Night Football. The Titans expect the 27-year-old to be on the field making plays even though he wasn’t around for training camp.

There were other suitors, such as the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks. Plenty of players reached out to Clowney to say they wanted him to be a part of their defense. Before signing with Tennessee, Clowney made a phone call to fellow former South Carolina and Texans teammate Johnathan Joseph, who is now with the Titans. Joseph’s input helped seal the deal after he shared how he observed the players flying around the field.

“If I know one thing about Mike Vrabel, whatever team he has, he’s going to make sure they play hard and fly to the ball. I need to be a part of something like that at this stage in my career,” Clowney said.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on other machinations that have been revealed as Clowney sought a new team:

As the Saints and Titans closed in on signing defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, other teams became motivated to try to get him, if only to avoid competing with the team that ultimately acquired one of the top disruptors in the game.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, one team that got involved late is the team that made Clowney the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2014. Yes, the Texans contacted Clowney before he made his final decision to sign with the Titans.

It’s unclear how far the talks went or whether Clowney considered a return to the Texans a viable option. However, the thinking was that the Texans not only recognized his potential value to their defense but also realized what he’ll do for the Tennessee defense, a team Houston faces twice this year.

That’s why the Seahawks remained involved; they didn’t want to cross paths with him as a member of the Saints. And it’s why the Ravens were interested in keeping Clowney from joining the team that beat Baltimore in the playoffs — and why the Jaguars would have been willing to participate in the sign-and-trade that would have gotten him out of the AFC South.

THIS AND THAT

STATE OF PROTEST

One team stood on Thursday, another stayed in the locker room – then they joined hands in “unity.” Adam Teicher of ESPN.com:

The Houston Texans remained in the locker room for “The Star Spangled Banner” while the Kansas City Chiefs all stood on the sideline before the NFL’s season opener on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Texans were also in the locker room for Alicia Keys’ performance of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” a decision Texans executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby said was made so there would be “no misinterpretation of them celebrating one song and throwing shade on the other.”

Easterby told NBC that the team’s decision is “not about Black or white; it’s about change.”

“Lift Ev’ry Voice And Sing,” traditionally known as the Black national anthem, is expected to be performed live or played before every Week 1 NFL game.

The Chiefs left the field after both anthems and some fans booed as they headed back into the locker room.

When both teams returned to the field shortly before kickoff, players from both teams lined up together and linked arms as social justice messages, including “End Racism,” were shown on the scoreboard. A moment of silence dedicated to the fight for equality was then held, and some boos could be heard from the crowd.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien said after Kansas City’s 34-20 victory that players from both teams decided to meet in the middle of the field and lock arms. He said he did not hear the boos.

“I thought that that was a nice thing to do, so I’m not sure why they would boo that,” O’Brien said. “Maybe they were just booing us ’cause we had just come on the field as the visiting team. But yeah, I thought that that was a nice gesture.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid also said he didn’t notice the booing.

“I thought that was kind of a neat deal, both sides coming together for a cause and the story was told there,” Reid said of the decision to meet in the middle of the field. “We can all learn from this, and really it’s just to make us all better, even a stronger country than we already are. We have a chance to just be completely unstoppable when all hands join together and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Texans safety Justin Reid said he “personally wouldn’t have been opposed to delaying the start of the game,” but the team had a conversation about that possibility and questioned whether delaying the start of the game really sends “a message” if the players still ended up playing.

The Texans decided to stay in the locker room for the national anthem and the performance of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” because “we didn’t want anything that was divisive,” safety Michael Thomas said.

“We wanted to make a decision that everybody can agree upon, everybody can support. And it was really just making a decision that we were done with empty gestures. It wasn’t about anthem protests or anything. We are very intentional; we are very specific of what we’re trying to focus on when it comes to social justice — and that’s trying to fight for true justice for Black and brown people being murdered by police and they’re unarmed. And that’s by calling for the Senate to bring the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to the Senate floor for vote.

“And today, going out for either anthem — to us, it would’ve been a distraction. And we just wanted to, again, make a decision as a team, and we decided it would probably be best if we all stayed in. And that’s the decision we made, and we were just going to go out there and play.”

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt said he thought it was “unfortunate” there was booing during the moment of unity.

“I didn’t fully understand that,” Watt said. “There was no flag involved. There was nothing involved other than two teams coming together to show unity.”

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said the players met and decided to “let everyone know that we had their back,” regardless of how they chose to express themselves when the songs were played.

Mike Florio is flummoxed that anyone in the audience could have thought that the “Moment of Unity” was in any way political:

Before Thursday night’s NFL season opener, and after the national anthem played, the two teams gathered at midfield for a “moment of unity.” Audible booing could be heard from the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium.

Texans defensive end J.J. Watt expressed confusion over the reaction after the games.

“The moment of unity I personally thought was good,” Watt said, via James Palmer of NFL Media. “I mean the booing during that moment was unfortunate. I don’t fully understand that. There was no flag involved. There was nothing involved other than two teams coming together to show unity.”

He’s right. It made no sense to boo. It wasn’t political in any way. But even an expression of unity has become political in this upside-down era of ours, because apparently everything must be viewed through a political lens, in the eyes of those who tolerate political viewpoints that mesh with their own but chafe in the face of any political viewpoints different than theirs as an invasion on their “escape” from having to deal with things that make them uncomfortable.

So what about a plea for unity makes someone uncomfortable? And if someone is made uncomfortable by an expression of unity, doesn’t that say more about them than about the people striving for something so basic and fundamental?

On the other hand, Jason Whitlock mentions that the “moment of unity” occurred with Black Lives Matter displayed on the stadium scoreboards.

The booing you heard at Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night isn’t hard to understand.

Black Lives Matter is toxic and divisive.

Some of the 17,000 Kansas City Chiefs fans allowed to attend the NFL’s season-opening Texans-Chiefs clash booed during the pregame moment of unity because the “moment” was umbrellaed by the Black Lives Matter slogan scrolled across the jumbotrons.

Mystery solved. Chiefs fans aren’t stupid. They’re informed, passionate and fearless. They love Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. But they love their country more than the foolish players who have swallowed Black Lives Matter’s ideology, propaganda and vision for America.

Social media and the athletes addicted to Twitter and Instagram define BLM as a long-overdue fight for racial equality. Many Americans see BLM for exactly what it is — a clever disguise for Marxists and anarchists who seek to destroy American freedoms — and those citizens are growing more comfortable expressing their disdain for the BLM movement.

The booing you heard rejected BLM, not unity.  The booing you heard rejected the rioting, looting, violence and in-your-face harassment associated with the BLM movement.

– – –

It’s not difficult to understand why the so-called “moment of unity” triggered Chiefs fans. Unifying under the BLM umbrella is the equivalent of unifying at a Klan rally. No dice. No way. There are far better umbrellas.

We can start with sports.  Sports, football in particular, have been a moment of American unity for nearly a hundred years. Jesse Owens sparked a moment at the 1936 Berlin Olympics when he slayed Hitler’s Aryan superiority myth. Joe Louis ignited a moment when he knocked out German heavyweight Max Schmeling. Jackie Robinson birthed an entire movement when he integrated Major League Baseball.

With their performance and excellence, Jesse, Joe and Jackie harnessed the power of sports to promote unity and equality. Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe stood on the shoulders of Jesse, Joe and Jackie and carried sports’ unification power to the next level.

Sports don’t need Black Lives Matter to promote unity or equality. Football sure as hell doesn’t. Football players and football fans have been putting their differences aside and coming together to cheer, jeer and support Walter Payton, Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Lawrence Taylor, Peyton Manning and Deion Sanders for decades. America’s pastime embraced and celebrated a workforce that’s 70 percent black a long time ago.

BLM wishes it could match the NFL’s ability to unify and bolster equality.

BLM is toxic, divisive and highly political. BLM undermines unity.

The social justice warriors in the media chasing the right side of history need to redirect and chase the right side of truth. Quit lying to yourself and quit lying to athletes. The American public has deduced the lie.

BLM inspires racism, ideological polarization and hostility toward Christian values and American patriotism.

– – –

Black Lives Matter is toxic and divisive.  Football isn’t.

Staying in the locker room started, at least publicly, with the Miami Dolphins who released a “powerful” video.  Alain Poupart of SI.com:

The Miami Dolphins said all week they were discussing how they planned to deal with the issue of racial injustice before their 2020 season opener against the New England Patriots, and the powerful answer came Thursday night.

The Dolphins have produced a video when players take turns reciting a poem and declaring they would be “staying inside” during the playing of the national anthem and “Lift Your Voice And Sing.”

The video had 268,000 views in the first hour after it was posted on Twitter.

Among the players who took part in the video are Kyle Van Noy, Bobby McCain, Preston Williams, Ted Karras, Jesse Davis, Patrick Laird, Byron Jones, Davon Godchaux, Isaiah Ford, Christian Wilkins and Mike Gesicki.

New linebacker Elandon Roberts took part in the video and said, “So if my dad was a soldier, but the cops killed my brother, do I stand for one anthem, and then kneel for the other?”

The video ends with head coach Brian Flores looking into the camera and saying, “Before the media starts wondering and guessing, they just answered all your questions.”

This was the complete message of the video:

 Is it authentic? That’s the mystery. Or is it just another symbolic victory?

Now there’s two anthems. Do we kneel? Do we stand? If we could just right our wrongs, we wouldn’t need two songs.

We don’t need another publicity parade. So we’ll just stay inside until it’s time to play the game.

Whatever happened to the funds that were promised? All of a sudden we got a collapsed pocket? The bottom line should not be the net profit. You can’t open your heart when it’s controlled by your wallet.

Decals and patches. Fireworks and trumpets. We’re not puppets. Don’t publicize false budgets.

Ask the pundits and we shouldn’t have a say. If you speak up for change, then I’ll shut up and play.

If we remain silent, that would just be selfish. Since they don’t have a voice, we’re speaking up for the helpless.

It’s not enough to act like you care for the troops. Millions for pregame patriotism. You get paid to salute.

Lift every voice and sing? It’s just a way to save face. Lose the mask and stop hiding the real game face.

So if my dad was a soldier, but the cops killed my brother, do I stand for one anthem, and then kneel for the other?

This attempt to unify only creates more divide. So we’ll skip the song and dance. And as a team we’ll stay inside.

We need changed hearts. Not just a response to pressure. Enough. No more fluff and empty gestures.

We need owners with influence and pockets bigger than ours. To call up officials and flex political power.

When education is not determined by where we reside. And we have the means to purchase what the doctor prescribed.

And you fight for prison reform and innocent lives. And you repair the communities that were tossed to the side.

And you admit you gain from it, and swallow your pride. And when greed is not the compass, but love is the guide.

And when the courts don’t punish skin color, but punish the crime.

Until then, we’ll just skip the long production and stay inside. For centuries, we’ve been trying to make you aware.

Either you’re in denial, or just simply don’t really care. It’s not a black/white thing. Or a left/right thing. Let’s clean the whole bird, and stop arguing about which wing.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com ruminates on the impact of the video.

The jarring video from the Dolphins posted on Thursday night has become the latest example of a dynamic that will become only stronger as time goes by. NFL players have become more aware of their power than ever before when it comes to matters of social justice, and they are not afraid to use it.

As one head coach recently told PFT via text message, “[T]hese players want change and action and they want to be involved. I don’t think anyone wants to be on the wrong side of history. The players have a lot of power in this movement.  They know that the games cannot be played without them.”

The next test comes when millions of fans who haven’t been paying attention to every twist and turn of NFL news witness for the first time the renewed anthem protests, the messages in the end zone, the names on the helmet bumpers, and react negatively to these gestures with insults and worse. The league needs to be ready to show the players that the league truly has their backs when the inevitable blowback comes.

The league can’t and won’t make everyone happy. It needs to be very concerned about making the players happy, because the players’ power includes boycotting games.

Technically, it would be an illegal wildcat strike. As a practical matter, the league would risk horrible P.R. and employee relations by taking the union to court to force players back to work and/or to recover compensation for money lost by scrapped games. Indeed, NFL executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent already has said that the players have the “right” to skip games over social justice matters.

And so the challenge for the league will be to convince teams like the Dolphins that it’s not just talk, and that the league and the owners are truly on board with them. There’s no middle ground, no fence to ride, no needle to thread. If the league isn’t with the players on this, the league necessarily is against them. Unlike ever before, the players realize that they do something about it far more tangible than protest during the anthem.

They can walk out.

That said, if the NFL “changes”, will all the fans meekly follow?  Signs of discord at Gallup.  Paul Mirengoff of Powerline:

This Spring, Sean Doolittle, the left-wing, left-handed relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals, said that America doesn’t deserve the “reward” of having spectator sports because Americans didn’t stay on lockdown as long as we should have. Or something.

Deserve them or not, we have spectator sports. All of the ones I follow, and some I no longer do, will be in action this weekend.

It seems, though, that a growing number of Americans are asking whether sports deserve our attention. As we have discussed, both on our blog and in our audio programs, television ratings are way down for the NBA. I suspect this has much to do with the intrusion of politics, especially the expression and display of political slogans all over the place, including on the players’ jerseys. In any case, that’s the reason why, after being an NBA fan for more than 60 years, I’ve tuned the league out.

Some have tried to explain the ratings decline by blaming the pandemic, but this is counter-intuitive. You would expect that, with more time on their hands and fewer options, people would be watching more televised sports, not less. I’ve also noticed that the ratings for MLB telecasts, which contain very little to no political content, seem to be fine.

Television ratings are an imperfect measure of interest, though. People have other ways of watching games. The NBA appeals, in particular, to a young demographic. It’s possible that ratings are down because these fans are now taking advantage of other platforms to consume pro basketball.

Tellingly, however, a Gallup survey finds growing disapproval of the sports industry among the American public. Each year, Gallup surveys Americans on their views regarding 25 major industries. In its latest poll, released this week, professional sports suffered the biggest drop in support of any of the 25 industries, falling to 23rd, not that far above the federal government which came in last. (Farming and agriculture came in first, followed by the grocery industry.)

Professional sports are now viewed unfavorably by 40 percent of Americans, according to the survey, with only 30 percent viewing them favorably.

Last year, sports had a 45 percent favorability rating. But that was before various leagues embraced Black Lives Matter radicalism to one degree or another.

Gallup says:

“It is notable that sports has lost more support from Republicans and independents than from Democrats. In fact, Democrats’ view of the sports industry has not changed significantly in the past year, while Republicans’ has slipped from a +11 net-positive score in 2019 to a net -35 today, and independents’ from +26 to -10.”

As Brad Slager at Red State puts it:

“[A]t a time when they should be desperate for all the attention they can draw, the leagues and the players feel it is more important to deliver lectures than to deliver a diversion. And it is becoming more obvious that more fans are not interested in accepting that delivery.

The NFL season started tonight. Roger Goodell, who was wrong on free speech grounds when he tried to curb player expression during the playing of the National Anthem, is now trying to make amends, not on free speech grounds but based on professed sympathy with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Goodell is playing with fire. I hope he reads the Gallup poll numbers and takes them to heart.”

BIG PAYDAYS COMING

Hall of Famer Gil Brandt identifies nine players he thinks will get big paydays soon:

NOTE: All contract details come from Over the Cap or NFL.com reporting.

1 – Cam Newton

New England Patriots · QB

2020 base salary: $1.05 million, on a one-year, $1.75 million deal (worth up to $7.5 million with incentives).

If you think about Cam Newton’s pairing with Bill Belichick in relationship terms, it’s like the quarterback and coach are rebounding after being spurned by their respective former partners (Carolina in Newton’s case, Tom Brady in Belichick’s) earlier this offseason. Newton steamrolled past second-year pro Jarrett Stidham to win the starting QB job in the preseason, earning effusive praise from Belichick. If Newton can avoid the injuries that have ruined his past two seasons, he is a strong candidate to earn the Comeback Player of the Year award while extending New England’s streak of consecutive division titles to an unprecedented 12.

2 – Dalvin Cook

Minnesota Vikings · RB

2020 base salary: $1.3 million, in final year of a four-year, $6.4 million rookie contract.

The chances of Cook and the Vikings getting a long-term extension done in the immediate future were pretty much nixed by the team’s addition of trade prize Yannick Ngakoue; even with the reduction in salary Ngakoue agreed to, Minnesota has less than $400,000 in cap space for 2020, per Over the Cap. The team figures to potentially have difficulty finding room for a Cook extension in 2021, as well, presuming the cap is lowered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But as one of the top all-around backs in the NFL coming off his best season to date (1,135 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs, 4.5 yards per carry), he’ll provide the kind of play this year that definitely puts Minnesota in a tough spot next offseason. The Vikings will be forced to find a way to pay him or hang on to him via the franchise tag; either way, by the end of the season, the former second-round pick should be looking forward to a handsome bump in compensation. If, of course, he can stay healthy.

3 – Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints · RB

2020 base salary: $2.1 million, in final year of a four-year, $3.9 million rookie contract.

The Saints might work something out with Kamara soon. But if they can’t, the former third-round pick is going to justify a healthy payday with his 2020 play. Don’t pay too much attention to the fact that he’s never reached 900 yards rushing in any of his three seasons; he’s also caught 81 passes each time out. This matchup nightmare will bounce back from an injury-inflected 2019 in a big way — and earn big bucks in the process.

4 – Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns · RB

2020 base salary: $1.2 million, in Year 3 of a four-year, $7.4 million rookie contract.

Like other members of the 2018 draft class, the former second-round pick will first become eligible for an extension after the 2020 season. If he continues to excel like he did in his first two years, he’ll be worthy of a sizable new deal. Chubb built upon a strong rookie campaign by rushing for 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns at a clip of 5 yards per carry in 2019, and he should continue to thrive in the new run-friendly offense installed by head coach Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland.

5 – Darius Leonard

Indianapolis Colts · LB

2020 base salary: $1.1 million, in Year 3 of a four-year, $7.2 million rookie contract.

Look at the incredible amount that Leonard accomplished in his first two NFL seasons: 284 combined tackles, 12 sacks, 15 passes defensed, seven picks and six forced fumbles. Now consider that he should be even more effective in 2020, thanks to the acquisition of stud DT DeForest Buckner, and it’s clear the former second-round pick (who, like Chubb, is first eligible for an extension next offseason) is in line to make bank. Even with the projected drop in cap mentioned Dalvin Cook’s blurb, the Colts should have enough space to carry a generous new deal for the linchpin of their defense.

6 – Nelson Agholor

Las Vegas Raiders · WR

2020 base salary: $910,000, on a one-year, $1.05 million deal.

After failing to live up to his draft pedigree in Philadelphia, the 2015 first-round pick accepted a low-end deal with the Raiders for the opportunity to reinvent himself under Jon Gruden. Agholor should become a popular target for Derek Carr, especially with two players who were once expected to have an impact on offense (Tyrell Williams, on injured reserve, and Lynn Bowden, who was traded away) now out of the picture. A productive 2020 would resurrect his market value in 2021.

7 – Jason Peters

Philadelphia Eagles · OT

2020 restructured contract: One-year deal worth up to $8 million (with a $2 million signing bonus and $4 million guaranteed).

The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer accepted a modest (by NFL standards) one-year deal in July with the understanding he’d slot in at right guard for the season rather than at the left tackle spot from which he’s earned seven Pro Bowls over the past 11 seasons in Philly. That plan changed when Andre Dillard, the former first-rounder who’d been drafted to replace Peters, suffered a season-ending injury in late August. Per head coach Doug Pederson, Peters volunteered to move back to left tackle, meaning QB Carson Wentz can still rest easy knowing his blind side will be protected (and, of course, Peters also received a corresponding pay increase for the year). I expect Peters — whom I could honestly see playing until he’s 40 — to prove he still has enough in the tank to merit another deal in 2021 from someone, presuming he wants to keep playing.

8 – Markus Golden

New York Giants · OLB

2020 base salary: $1.1 million, on a one-year, $4.1 million deal.

After receiving surprisingly little interest from other teams following a 10-sack, 27-hurry 2019, Golden is back with the Giants, who helped ensure his return by using a May 5 tender — which required him to re-sign with the team or miss the year if he remained unsigned by anyone else by July 22. I expect the 29-year-old Golden to make himself an exceedingly attractive free-agency target in 2021. The $1 million incentive reportedly added to his contract will be money well spent for the team if he can trigger it by posting another strong season.

9- Xavier Rhodes

Indianapolis Colts · CB

2020 base salary: $1.5 million, on a one-year, $3 million deal.

It was stunning to see a player as talented as Rhodes struggle as badly as he did in 2019. The 30-year-old is either now on the downside of an outstanding career, or his final season with the Vikings was hampered by previously unknown injuries. I’m hoping the latter explanation is true, and that he corrects his personal trajectory in Indianapolis.

OWNER WEALTH

Are there really seven NFL owners poorer than Mark Davis?

David Tepper of the Panthers is the richest individual owner, but Yahoo counts families in this takeoff on the recent Forbes numbers

25 – Mark Davis, Oakland Raiders: $500 Million Net Worth

Owner since: 2011

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $2.9 billion

Legendary Raiders owner Al Davis bought the team for $180,000 in 1966 and commanded every aspect of the franchise. A maverick, a visionary and a champion of civil rights, he turned the Raiders into one of the most successful and popular teams in America. He hired the NFL’s first African-American head coach and the first woman chief executive, and he refused to let his team play in any city where black and white players had to stay in separate hotels. When he died in 2011, his son, Mark Davis, took over the reins. Not much is known about the younger Davis — who, unlike his dynamic and outspoken father, avoids the limelight — but Business Insider estimates his fortune at $500 million.

24 – Pat Bowlen Trust, Denver Broncos: $1 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1984

How much they purchased the team for: $78 million

How much the team is worth: $3 billion

Iconic Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was a successful lawyer and real estate developer before he bought the Broncos in 1984. During his 35-year tenure, Denver won 60% of its games, a winning percentage topped only by the Patriots. When Bowlen died at the age of 75 in June 2019, Celebrity Net Worth estimated his net worth at $1 billion. The Broncos are now held in a trust in his name until new ownership is decided.

23 – Steve Tisch, New York Giants: $1.1 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2005

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $3.9 billion

Steve Tisch, whose net worth is estimated at $1.1 billion, owns half of the New York Giants — John Mara, whose net worth is unknown, owns the other half. In 2005, he took over a 50% stake in the Giants, which his father, Bob Tisch, purchased for $75 million in 1991 — the entire team sold for $150 million. The elder Tisch co-founded the financial conglomerate Loews Corp. in 1946, and when he died in 2005, Steve Tish became half-owner of the No. 3 most valuable team in the NFL. His mother Joan was the largest Loews shareholder, and when she died in 2017, Steve Tisch inherited her fortune.

22 – Virginia Halas McCaskey and Family, Chicago Bears: $1.3 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1920

How much they purchased the team for: $100

How much the team is worth: $3.5 billion

Few teams have a longer and prouder lineage than the Chicago Bears, whose 1,000-game history began in 1920 — the franchise is one of only two remaining charter members of the National Football League. That year, George Halas bought the team for $100 — three years before his daughter Virginia was born in 1923. The oldest owner in the NFL, Virginia Halas McCaskey — whose net worth Forbes estimated at $1.3 billion in 2015 — is among the only owners whose family fortune comes directly from owning a team, as opposed to buying a team after becoming independently wealthy.

21 – Zygmunt Wilf, Minnesota Vikings: $1.3 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2005

How much they purchased the team for: $600 million

How much the team is worth: $2.7 billion

Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf is a German immigrant and the son of Polish-Jewish Holocaust survivors. His father and uncle formed a real estate company, which Hunt joined after working as a lawyer. After assuming control of the firm, he dramatically expanded the company’s portfolio, which now includes tens of thousands of apartments and vast commercial holdings. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he has a fortune of $1.3 billion.

20 – Martha Firestone Ford, Detroit Lions: $1.4 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2014

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $2 billion

Few people have benefited more directly from America’s love for automobiles than Martha Firestone Ford — it’s right there in her name. She’s the widow of William C. Ford, who is the grandson of Henry Ford. Her grandparents on her father’s side founded Firestone Tire and Rubber. Her late husband bought — fittingly, given the family’s lineage — the Detroit Lions in 1964 for $4.5 million. When he died in 2014, Martha Firestone Ford inherited the team. Her net worth is estimated at $1.4 billion.

19 – Dan Snyder, Washington Redskins: $2.6 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1999

How much they purchased the team for: $750 million

How much the team is worth: $3.4 billion

Dan Snyder made his money through his marketing firm Snyder Communications, which he formed after dropping out of college. He took the company public in 1996 and then sold it to a French company in 2000 — the year after he bought the Redskins — for $2.1 billion. Today, Snyder’s net worth today is estimated at $2.6 billion.

18 – Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles: $2.7 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1994

How much they purchased the team for: $185 million

How much the team is worth: $3.1 billion

Jeffrey Lurie, worth $2.7 billion, has owned the Eagles for more than a quarter-century. He took out a loan to buy the team, but he earned his fortune in the movie and media business. He became an executive in the General Cinema Corporation, founded by his grandfather in 1983, and later founded Chestnut Hill Productions.

17 – Jimmy and Dee Haslam, Cleveland Browns: $2.9 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2012

How much they purchased the team for: $987 million

How much the team is worth: $2.2 billion

In 1958, Jim Haslam bought a single gas station for $6,000. In the ensuing decades, he turned that into the truck stop empire that is Pilot Flying J, which has 750 locations in 44 states and did $29 billion in revenue in 2018. His son Jimmy, along with Jimmy’s wife, Dee, bought the Browns in 2012. Jimmy had served on the Pilot board of directors since he was a college student. Jim Haslam’s other son became the governor of Tennessee. Jimmy and Dee Haslam are worth $2.9 billion.

16 – Jim Irsay, Indianapolis Colts: $3 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1997

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $2.7 billion

Robert Irsay bought the Colts for $14 million in 1972, and his son, Jim, spent his childhood with the team, living with them in the summer and traveling with them on the team bus as a kid. A college football player himself, Jim Irsay worked various jobs for the Colts for his entire life, including ticket sales and public relations. When the elder Irsay died in 1997, Jim Irsay became the sole owner and led Indy to a successful run that included a Super Bowl. He is now worth $3 billion.

15 – Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints: $3.1 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2018

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $2.3 billion

Gayle Benson inherited not just the Saints, but also the New Orleans Pelicans, when her husband, wealthy businessman Tom Benson, passed away in 2018. He purchased the team in 1985 for $70.2 million. Gayle Benson, Tom Benson’s third wife, is worth $3.1 billion, although she’s currently locked in a legal dispute over the assets of her late husband with his daughter and grandchildren, who claim Benson was mentally incompetent when distributing his fortune.

14 – Denise York and Family, San Francisco 49ers: $3.2 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2001

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $3.5 billion

The 49ers are the No. 5 most valuable team in the NFL, and the family of Denise York owns 90% of it. Her father, construction giant Edward DeBartolo Sr., bought the team for $13 million in 1977. The wife of pathologist John York, Denise gained control of the 49ers from her brother, who owned the team for 23 years before running into legal trouble. Her family is worth $3.2 billion.

13 – Janice McNair, Houston Texans: $4 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2018

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $3.1 billion

When Robert McNair died in 2018, his widow, Janice McNair, inherited her late husband’s 80% stake in the 32nd and most recent expansion team to enter the NFL. Robert paid $600 million for the Houston Texans after selling his power generator company Cogen Technologies to energy firm (and soon-to-be criminal enterprise) Enron in 1999. Janice McNair is worth $4 billion.

12 – Robert Wood Johnson IV, New York Jets: $4.2 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2000

How much they purchased the team for: $635 million

How much the team is worth: $3.2 billion

Despite being perennially and predictably terrible, the Jets are consistently one of the 10 most valuable teams in the NFL. Their owner, Woody Johnson, is worth $4.2 billion, according to a report by Bloomberg made shortly after President Donald Trump nominated him to serve as ambassador to Great Britain in 2017. Most of his money is tied up in the Jets, but he’s not a self-made man by any means. He’s the most famous of the heirs of Robert Wood Johnson, who founded Johnson & Johnson in 1886.

11 – Stephen Bisciotti, Baltimore Ravens: $4.6 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2004

How much they purchased the team for: $600 million

How much the team is worth: $2.8 billion

Stephen Bisciotti, who was raised by a single mother in Baltimore, started the staffing firm Allegis Group with his cousin Jim Davis — also now a billionaire — in a basement in 1983. Today, Bisciotti is worth $4.6 billion and owns the Ravens, who won a Super Bowl most recently in 2013. In 2018, Allegis Group did $13.4 billion in revenue.

10 – Glazer Family, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $4.7 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2014

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $2.2 billion

Malcolm Glazer was the patriarch of the Glazer family, and when he died in 2014, he left his descendants an empire built on the First Allied Corporation, which includes millions of square feet of retail shopping space. He also willed them the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which he bought in 1995 for $192 million. In 2015, Forbes estimated the Glazer family to be worth $4.7 billion.

9 – Terrence and Kim Pegula, Buffalo Bills: $4.9 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2014

How much they purchased the team for: $1.4 billion

How much the team is worth: $1.9 billion

Fracking magnate Terrence Pegula, along with his wife, Kim, has an estimated net worth of $4.9 billion — but it wasn’t always that way. He founded his energy company, East Resources, in 1983 with a $7,500 loan. In 2010, he sold East Resources to the Royal Dutch Shell company for $4.7 billion. The undisputed monarchs of Buffalo sports, the Pegulas also own the Buffalo Sabres NHL team.

8 – Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons: $5.3 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2002

How much they purchased the team for: $545 million

How much the team is worth: $2.8 billion

If you’ve ever shopped at Home Depot, you’ve contributed to the $5.3 billion fortune of Arthur Blank. He co-founded the hardware giant with Bernie Marcus in 1978, became one of the richest people in the world, and stepped down as Home Depot co-chairman in 2001, a year before buying the Falcons. In 2012, he signed the Giving Pledge and vowed to donate the majority of his wealth to charity.

7 – Robert Kraft, New England Patriots: $6.9 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1994

How much they purchased the team for: $172 million

How much the team is worth: $4.1 billion

As a child, Robert Kraft sold newspapers outside of the former Braves Stadium in Boston. He began amassing his $6.9 billion fortune through a successful packaging and paper business and went on to assemble a sporting empire that now includes stakes in the UFC and the New England Revolution MLS soccer club. The jewel in his crown, however, is the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, which is — at this point, without a reasonable argument to the contrary — the greatest dynasty in football history.

6 – Stephen M. Ross, Miami Dolphins: $7.6 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2008

How much they purchased the team for: $1.1 billion

How much the team is worth: $2.8 billion

Tax-attorney-turned-real-estate-developer Stephen M. Ross amassed a $7.6 billion fortune, in part, through his Related Co. real estate firm. It’s responsible for $60 billion in property development and acquisition, including Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, which opened to the public in 2019. Ross also owns major stakes in a variety of restaurant chains, SoulCycle and Equinox Fitness.

5 – Shahid Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars: $8.5 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2011

How much they purchased the team for: $770 million

How much the team is worth: $2.3 billion

A self-made man now worth $8.5 billion, Shahid Khan is an engineer by trade. In 1980, he bought Flex-N-Gate, an auto parts supplier, from his former employer. He then put his engineering background to work in designing a hugely successful one-piece truck bumper, and in the ensuing decades, he grew his business to include 66 plants run by 24,000 employees.

4 – Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys: $8.6 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1989

How much they purchased the team for: $150 million

How much the team is worth: $5.5 billion

Jerry Jones, who is worth $8.6 billion, has both football and business baked into his DNA. He originally made his money as a successful oil wildcatter, but before that, he served as co-captain of the University of Arkansas’ 1964 national championship football team. Although they haven’t played in a Super Bowl since the 1995 season, the Cowboys are the most valuable team in not just the NFL, but in all sports, by a mile — the next-most-valuable team, the New York Yankees, is worth 20% less. All of this happened under the unprecedented stewardship of Jones, who revolutionized the modern NFL and changed how it’s marketed, sold, merchandized and contracted to the media.

3 – Stanley Kroenke, Los Angeles Rams: $9.7 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2010

How much they purchased the team for: $750 million

How much the team is worth: $3.8 billion

Real estate powerbroker Stanley Kroenke is worth $9.7 billion, much of which can be credited to the 30 million square feet of mostly commercial real estate in his bulging portfolio. Kroenke boasts a title coveted by the elite since the founding of America — landowner. He personally owns more than 2 million acres of ranches in the U.S. and Canada. A major sports mogul, his holdings are not limited to the Rams. He also owns the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Rapids and the Arsenal soccer club in Britain.

2 – David Tepper, Carolina Panthers: $12 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 2018

How much they purchased the team for: $2.3 billion

How much the team is worth: $2.4 billion

Widely hailed as the greatest hedge fund manager of his generation, David Tepper made a lot of money for his clients — and himself. His net worth is estimated to be $12 billion, making him the richest individual NFL owner by a longshot. A former Goldman Sachs junk bond manager, Tepper’s Appaloosa Management fund oversees $13 billion in assets — small potatoes compared to the $20 billion it managed at its peak.

1 -The Hunt Family, Kansas City Chiefs: $13.7 Billion Net Worth

Owner since: 1974

How much they purchased the team for: Inherited

How much the team is worth: $2.3 billion

The Hunt family is descended from American oil royalty. Their fortune can be traced to legendary wildcatter H.L. Hunt, who was once the richest man in the world and inspired the character J.R. Ewing on the TV show “Dallas.” He had 15 children, and his many descendants control a vast network of energy companies, resorts, and real estate and sports franchises, including the Kansas City Chiefs, which H.L. Hunt purchased for $25,000 in 1960. Hunt died in 1974. Hunt’s late son Lamar is believed to have named the Super Bowl. In 2016, Forbes estimated the Hunt clan’s net worth at $13.7 billion, making them one of the richest families in America.

Where are the heirs of Paul Allen (Seahawks)?

The Packers are public.

Others six family operations – the Adams Family with the Titans, the Spanos Family with the Chargers, the Rooneys in Pittsburgh, the Browns in Cincinnati and the Bidwills in Arizona.

Here is how Forbes listed them:

1. David Tepper, Panthers: $13 billion (Ranked 41st richest person in the country)

2. Jerry Jones, Cowboys: $8.6 billion (56th overall)

3. Stan Kroenke, Rams: $8.3 billion (59th overall)

4. Shahid Khan, Jaguars: $7.8 billion (66th overall)

5. Stephen Ross, Dolphins: $7.2 billion (74th overall)

6. Robert Kraft, Patriots: $6.6 billion (93rd overall)

7. Arthur Blank, Falcons: $6.1 billion (105th overall)

8. Terry Pegula, Bills: $5.5 billion (129th overall)

9. Stephen Bisciotti, Ravens: $4.6 billion (154th overall)

10. Janice McNair, Texans: $3.9 billion (197h overall)

11. Gayle Benson, Saints: $3.3 billion (249th overall)

T-12. Jim Irsay, Colts: $3 billion (T-278th overall)

T-12. Jimmy Haslam, Browns: $2.9 billion (T-295th overall)

14. Jeffrey Lurie, Eagles: $2.7 billion (319th overall)

15. Daniel Snyder, Washington Football Team, $2.6 billion (327th overall)