| NFC NORTH |
| GREEN BAYOT ZACH TOM, easy to remember, easy to spell, is no more. Kari Anderson of YahooSports.com: Green Bay offensive tackle Zach Tom is now going by Zach Bako-Bewele, he told reporters on Sunday. Bako-Bewele said that he legally changed his name, combining the last names of his paternal grandparents, who are Nigerian. “Especially when I start having kids and stuff, I want to have a name that I can pass down where it represents where they came from, where I came from,” Bako-Bewele said. “People will see that name and have a good understanding of who I am and where I come from.” So who was “Tom”? This from The Athletic: Bako-Bewele said “Tom” is his dad’s last name but his paternal grandfather’s first name. “They don’t really do names the same way,” Bako-Bewele said of his Nigerian ancestors. So his grandfather was Tom Bako-Bewele. His father is Michael Tom – and he is a professor at LSU who has a PhD from Penn State. Michael Mudi TomPh.D. Pennsylvania State University, August 1990.Major area of research interest: Analysis of nonlinear partial differential equations of mathematical physics. His mother, Vanessa, also works at LSU in the Information Services Department. |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSConnor Hughes files this report for YahooSports.com from Giants camp: The first week of Giants training camp is over. Well, the first stretch of practices leading into their first day off is over. Players are free to do whatever they like — within reason — Sunday at The Greenbrier before returning in pads Monday. Here are a few takeaways and notes after four workouts. Malik Nabers is backThere was no bigger positive at the start of Giants camp than seeing Nabers on the field Wednesday and Thursday, then again Saturday. The Giants gave him a scheduled day off Friday — part of the plan. Trainers want to push him, pull him back, gauge how his body reacts and then throw even more at him. Nabers took part in individual drills. He looked solid. He still appears to favor his surgically repaired knee slightly, and his acceleration is not quite where it was before the injury. Both are expected. Nabers is running routes, cutting, bursting and sprinting. He showed no tentativeness while working through the ladder portion of practice, flashing wildly impressive footwork. There have been varying degrees of pessimism surrounding Nabers’ rehabilitation in the ensuing months, along with questions about whether he would return for the start of the season. With the opener against Dallas six weeks away and Nabers already on the field, it is hard — barring a setback — not to envision him suiting up to open the 2026 season. He might be on a snap count, but even a limited Nabers would be a good thing for the Giants. As Jaxson Dart said Wednesday, Nabers has an “aura” and is someone “everyone” must locate whenever he is on the field. What else do the Giants have at wideout?This has been among the more alarming developments early in camp. With Nabers sitting out team drills, few receivers have stepped up to fill the void. Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin form the first rotation at receiver, followed by Odell Beckham Jr., Malachi Fields and Braxton Berrios. Fields began working more with the starters by week’s end. He made a 50-yard catch on the first play of Saturday’s practice. Berrios, who has picked apart the soft spots in the second-team defense’s zone, is the lone player consistently making plays, though. Nabers’ return will absolutely help the group — he draws attention, which frees up others — but you would still like to see someone, anyone, step up. That has not happened. Among the first group, Slayton made one impressive grab on a deep crosser Friday. Mooney put together a nice stretch of catches during 7-on-7 drills Thursday. That is about it. This is worth monitoring as receivers on other teams become available in trades. The Giants love Dart. They believe he is a franchise quarterback. They must surround him with as much talent as possible to maximize and accelerate his development. They should aggressively pursue another receiver if the right one becomes available. What’s Odell Beckham Jr. up to?Beckham drew the loudest reaction of camp with a toe-tapping touchdown catch at the ack of the end zone Saturday. He shook free for an 18-yard score on a pass from Jameis Winston. It was good to see because he had been quiet until then. Quarterbacks simply have not thrown his way. Media members are not allowed to record practice, and we do not have access to All-22 film or instant replay. It is difficult to tell whether Beckham is open and not getting targeted or the play design simply is not going his way. This also is his first training camp after sitting out last season and most of the previous one. Some rust is inevitable. He needs to get going, though, if he wants to make the team. Buy your Isaiah Likely stockLikely is more of a utility weapon than a traditional tight end. The Giants move him throughout the formation, and he has displayed clear early chemistry with Dart. Likely attacks all three levels of the defense, and the Giants appear intent on featuring him. You hope a receiver steps up. In the meantime, Likely appears to be the No. 2 option behind Nabers. The offensive line as a wholeI have covered training camp every year since 2014. The running game always looks the same. Backs head into the line, get slapped on the helmet or shoulder by 10 different defenders and keep running downfield. It is usually difficult to tell how things are coming together until the preseason begins. That has not entirely been the case at Giants camp. The line has blocked several runs perfectly each day. You see Cam Skattebo or Tyrone Tracy get five or six yards downfield untouched — uncommon, at least in the camp practices I have covered. Granted, most of the teams I covered were not very good. Your lead back is …As for that running game, it is clear Skattebo is the top back. Tracy and Devin Singletary are the preferred options in passing situations, but Skattebo is first up in almost every running drill and receives the majority of the carries throughout practice. Last year, especially early, there was closer to a 50-45-5 split among Skattebo, Tracy and Singletary. That is not the case now. Skattebo said earlier this week that it is no secret Harbaugh wants to run the ball. He is excited to chase the 300-carry, 2,000-yard rushing season he discussed at the team’s town hall. QB1 in Year 2It has not been a great start to the summer for Dart. He looked great in the first practice, completing 11 of 16 passes, but has completed 26 of 51 (51 percent) since then. That latter total includes an 8-for-9 team period in a drive-the-field situation. The defense was playing prevent to protect an 11-point lead, and Dart dinked and dunked his way to a field goal. Noteworthy, but nothing to panic about yet. Dart is learning a brand-new offense that is very different from Brian Daboll’s. He also is working without Nabers. As Dart becomes more comfortable and gets his No. 1 wideout back, his play should improve significantly. It has not been all bad. Dart made a stunning throw to Mooney, placing it perfectly between two defenders. His 50-yard pass to Fields was another that could not have been placed any better. At the moment, the offense is simply struggling with consistency. Abdul Carter’s improvementOne reason the offense has struggled is Carter. He routinely has been in the backfield, pressuring Dart and generally making life miserable for the offense. There is a real confidence and swagger to him this year, backed by his declaration that his goal is to be “Defensive Player of the Year.” The Giants will likely move Carter throughout the formation once the games begin, but for now, he is rushing exclusively against Andrew Thomas. That has created some entertaining battles. It also makes Carter’s disruption even more noteworthy. Thomas is among the best offensive linemen in the NFL. Beating him is no small task. The players put on pads Monday. That will be the real test. Defenders usually are at an advantage when players are in shorts. Quick hits and tidbits– There is no bigger star at camp right now than Berrios. He is everywhere on the field and has caught everything thrown his way. Most of those catches have come on short and intermediate routes — normal for a slot receiver — but he caught a long touchdown pass from Winston on the first day. – There were quite a few interceptions during 11-on-11 periods over the first three days. No one player has dominated, but Dennard Wilson’s defense has gotten its hands on the ball. Tremaine Edmunds, Paulson Adebo, Darius Alexander, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Micah McFadden all have interceptions. Colton Hood also had a pick-six, but it was nullified by a questionable offside penalty. – Theo Johnson is a frustrating player to watch. He has ridiculous talent and makes incredible plays, then drops the easiest passes. He had drops in each of the first three practices while also making a handful of impressive grabs down the seam. The Giants could have a formidable 1-2 punch at tight end if he improves his concentration. – It is wild how many plays the Giants run. Truly crazy. Rep after rep after rep. After wrapping up individual drills, they do nothing but 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 work. I have never seen a camp quite like this. As Harbaugh said earlier this week: They’re not practicing. They’re preparing for the game. |
| WASHINGTONJohn Keim of ESPN.com on the Commanders receivers after WR TERRY McLAURIN: There are multiple battles going on this camp, starting with: Who will be the No. 2 receiver opposite Terry McLaurin? Washington probably will mix and match depending on the matchups and the game plan, but players still have to earn time — whether it’s third-round pick Antonio Williams or past draft choices Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey. They also have veterans Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson. So the battle is not only to earn time as a No. 2 but also potentially just for a roster spot. Also, they could still sign a wideout: Stefon Diggs remains a player of interest, but other current free agents don’t appear to be on their radar. — John Keim |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAJeff Howe of The Athletic on Matt Ryan’s new role with the Falcons – and his hires Coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Ian Cunningham: Matt Ryan was long drawn to a calling, one that still beckons ever so gently. Or maybe, a decade since his MVP season as the Atlanta Falcons quarterback and a week removed from downhill mountain biking with his three boys in Jackson Hole, Wyo., such a beckoning wasn’t gentle at all. Essentially out of necessity, the Falcons’ 41-year-old president of football was ripping passes Thursday during a handful of individual periods in the team’s second practice of training camp. Quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. were unavailable to practice, so Ryan jumped out of the proverbial phonebooth and lent a hand. And a back. “My back was killing me when I came back last week,” Ryan said with a mix of levity and humility from his new office overlooking the Falcons’ practice field. “I’m thinking I’m like 20 years old, and I’m good to go down this (mountain). “So we might need a little help throwing just in some of these individual drills. I’m like, ‘My back’s killing me, guys!’ In a normal space where my back wasn’t bothering me, I’d say, yeah, it’s nice to scratch that itch a little bit and go out there and throw. But the last couple days, I’ve been grinning (through the pain).” Ryan’s evolved calling, the one in his actual job description, has been a bit more appropriate for this chapter of his life. Falcons owner Arthur Blank redesigned the organization’s leadership structure following the 2025 season, its eighth in a row out of the playoffs, and hired Ryan on Jan. 10 to take charge of the football operations, while collaborating with Greg Beadles, who succeeded Rich McKay as the president and CEO on the business side. After a consulting firm determined the Falcons’ vision was too misaligned, Blank opted to make a necessary change and bring in Ryan. Ryan was instrumental in the Jan. 17 hiring of coach Kevin Stefanski and the Jan. 29 appointment of general manager Ian Cunningham. Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year with the Cleveland Browns, was widely viewed as one of the best offseason candidates. Cunningham, the Chicago Bears assistant general manager since 2022, had been considered one of the top GM candidates in the league for a couple of years. Despite Ryan’s absence of experience in an executive role, the Falcons had an impressive hiring cycle and are poised to enter a new era, with Ryan once again leading the way. And to think, this was never part of the plan. ‘I know how you’re wired’Ryan, the No. 3 pick in the 2008 draft, spent 14 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Falcons, and ranks ninth all-time in passing yards, 10th in touchdowns and seventh in both completions and attempts. He spent his final season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 and had been working as a CBS studio analyst in his retirement before Blank stoked a fire within Ryan that he didn’t know he had. Ryan and his family still live in the Atlanta area, and they’ve remained close with Blank and the organization. So when Blank call on Ryan, the owner strung a unique chord. “I didn’t have grand aspirations after finishing up playing of kind of getting into this,” Ryan said. “But that’s how life works. You don’t know what’s in front of you.” Ryan loved his job in TV and imagined he’d be over the moon to do it for another decade. He also enjoyed a friendly work-life balance with set studio hours, and he knew that would be the biggest sacrifice if he returned to competition. Ryan leaned on a handful of people for advice, including San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch and Jacksonville Jaguars executive VP of football operations Tony Boselli. Ryan wanted to know how the former players transitioned into the front office. Ryan also soaked up knowledge from CBS teammate Bill Cowher, the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers coach, to get a feel for constructing a roster and how to lead a successful building. The more thought Ryan gave it, the more he felt compelled to seize a potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His wife, Sarah, also recognized Ryan needed to see it through. “The thing that just kept coming up in my head was like, ‘I think you’re going to regret this if you don’t go for it,’” Ryan recalled. “(Sarah) kind of felt the same way. She’s like, ‘I know you. I know how you’re wired, and I know being involved in this type of way is something, at the end of the day, if you don’t go for it, you might live with regret over that.’ That was the thing that really pushed it over the edge.” With Ryan on board and 10 teams searching for head coaches, the Falcons operated more swiftly on Stefanski. It was tabbed as the second-best hire of the cycle, according to The Athletic’s poll of executives and coaches around the league. Stefanski was the first Browns coach since Marty Schottenheimer in the 1980s to guide the team to the playoffs more than once. Though they lost more than they won in his other four seasons, the Browns’ most glaring issues stemmed from roster construction and salary cap management with quarterback Deshaun Watson. With a cleaner slate and potentially Stefanski’s most offensively gifted roster, there’s reason to be optimistic about his potential in Atlanta. Plus, as the Falcons will face their share of adversity, Ryan was drawn to Stefanski’s experience in navigating such murky waters. “There’s so much that’s learned through the ups and the downs, so I really view that as a strength of Kevin’s that he’s been through it,” Ryan said. “And he’s been through all of it.” Stefanski, 44, and Ryan both grew up in the Philadelphia area, and Stefanski’s younger brother competed against Ryan in basketball and ran in similar football circles. While Stefanski and Ryan weren’t close before joining forces with the Falcons, they were at least familiar enough with one another. Ryan’s presence strengthened the attractiveness of the job, Stefanski said. In prior hiring cycles, candidates privately expressed concern over the Falcons’ ambiguous vision and reporting structure, so Blank’s realignment piqued Stefanski’s interest. “I was extremely comfortable with the setup here, and obviously, Matt stepping into his new role was a huge part of this for me, understanding who he is, understanding what he’s about as a person,” Stefanski said. “He’s the type of person you want to partner with.” Ryan also had a close connection to Cunningham. Bears general manager Ryan Poles was Ryan’s college teammate and the best man in his wedding, so Poles’ pair of confidants have hit it off wonderfully. “I’ve always thought if your personal values align, you tend to see football the same way,” Cunningham said. “Now coming here, it makes complete sense why (Poles) and I connected. Because Matt’s values and similarities in terms of how he views football and how he treats people and what it’s about, it’s all the same. I feel like we’re just aligned across the board.” Cunningham’s front office roots came with the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens, two of the league’s premier executive branches, and he distinguished his reputation through the Bears’ rebuild. Cunningham, also 41, will carry the same team-building values to the Falcons. ‘That is gold, man’Ryan has maintained a core value since his playing days: TSVR. He used to blast it on the whiteboard, and it stands for “time spent, value received.” Ryan, like any quarterback, needed to outwork opposing defenses to find his edge as a player, so it might feel natural to cede daylight to the outside world while immersing himself in an endless amount of self-orchestrated assignments. It’s his first year on the job, after all. There’s no blueprint, no precedent. And with a first-time GM and a coach out to prove himself all over again, there’s no shortage of motivation in the building. It’s just important to harness that energy. “Let’s make sure we’re spending time on the things that are going to reap the most value, that we’re going to actually get bang for our buck,” Ryan said. “I didn’t know in February or March or April or May where I could provide value, so there is a lot of getting out over your skis in terms of spending time. “This first year is a lot of figuring out what the rhythm is for us. And I think I’ll be better with that balance. I’m hoping I’m better with that balance in a year. But I think like anybody taking on a new job, that there’s a lot of figuring out where the most value is.” Cunningham, with his scouting background, has loved watching film with Ryan. Cunningham will tell Ryan what matters from an evaluator’s perspective, while Ryan will convey what’s most important for a quarterback and everyone else on the field. The combination of intel has unlocked a new level of analysis for Cunningham. Ryan has also described how specific off-field attributes matter in locker rooms. He can also share insight about a player’s emotional intelligence, or what drove a teammate to greatness or why specific issues might have derailed teams. “That is gold, man,” Cunningham beamed. Stefanski has been the steadying presence. Ryan appreciated the way Stefanski meticulously crafted his coaching staff to complement one another, along with the way he mapped out the offseason program to maximize the runway to establish chemistry. Stefanski has also displayed a clear way of defining the types of players to acquire who will fit the vision of the team. On a macro scale, Ryan essentially establishes the guardrails within the football operation. It’s his responsibility to ensure everyone is working toward the collective goal, while Cunningham handles the day-to-day roster decisions, acquisitions and contract negotiations. With that, Cunningham and Stefanski grew close this offseason while living across the hall from each other in the team dorm. They were truly with each other around the clock, and that hasn’t exactly changed with Ryan, Cunningham and Stefanski all having their offices in the same corridor. Stefanski, who has worked to immerse himself with the Falcons’ history and alumni, has no better resource than Ryan. “There’s not much Matt doesn’t know about Atlanta or the Atlanta Falcons,” Stefanski said. “I enjoy rolling up your sleeves and going to work with people who like to work, and that’s Ian; that’s Matt. We’re all similar enough in how we view building a football team and those type of things. And we also challenged each other.” Like, when the quarterbacks need a little time off to recover, Cunningham and Stefanski might know a guy. And if that guy’s back hurts in the maddeningly frustrating way a 41-year-old’s back happens to hurt, maybe his friends find the words of encouragement to convince him to loosen the right wing. “He’s still got a little bit of juice,” Cunningham said as his face lit up. “How cool was that, man? Like, you get to come back, former MVP, spent majority (of his career here), and then now help lead this organization, and then be able to get back out there and get your juices going and throw around with some of the guys. It’s pretty cool to see him actually take it seriously. “But he’s getting a little old. I don’t think he’s Philip Rivers.” Ryan is back in the league — and with the Falcons — in another way. He has loved the new chance to compete at the highest level for an organization that has meant so much to his family. And if the chance to spin a few dozen passes happens to arise every now and again, even better. |
| CAROLINAJeremy Fowler of ESPN.com on who might be the Panthers third receiver: Wide receiverXavier Legette versus David Moore for WR3. Legette, a first-round pick in 2024, entered camp with heat on him after a subpar start to his pro career. This camp, Letette is well-positioned to win the third receiver job opposite Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. The Panthers view Legette at his best when playing fast, and they don’t want to overload his plate as a result. But Moore has been with head coach Dave Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik every step of the way, from Seattle to Tampa Bay to Carolina. He is trusted and reliable. If Legette slips, Moore — who should have a role regardless — can step into a larger one. — Jeremy Fowler |
| NEW ORLEANSWR Ja’LYN POLK surprisingly retires. A second round pick in 2024, he says he’s done at age 24: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk has been placed on the reserve/retired list, the team announced Sunday. Polk, 24, made the surprising decision to retire less than a week into training camp. Saints coach Kellen Moore said Polk has been excused from the last two practices for personal reasons. The Saints acquired Polk and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots last September in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. Polk never played for the Saints as he was traded after the Patriots had placed him on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. This season, Polk was expected to compete for a roster spot in a crowded Saints wide receiver room that includes three new receivers who were drafted this year, including first-round pick Jordyn Tyson. Polk will retire having played one season for the Patriots, who selected him with the 37th pick of the 2024 NFL draft. He will finish his NFL career with 12 catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games. The Saints have also lost DT BRYAN BRESEE for the season. Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com: New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn ACL, coach Kellen Moore told reporters Sunday. Bresee’s noncontact injury occurred during the Saints’ first practice of training camp last week. Bresee worked with the first unit in 11-on-11 drills during that practice. “First day. It was like a freak accident,” Saints nose tackle Davon Godchaux said. “Hardly wasn’t even any contact. Just really was a pass rush move and he felt his knee buckle.” Sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo last week that Bresee was feared to have a torn ACL. The injury was confirmed with further testing. Bresee, 24, was poised to be a key part of the Saints’ interior defensive line for the third straight season. The 2023 first-round pick has started 26 games, including 15 last season, and has 14.5 career sacks. The Saints recently picked up the 2027 fifth-year option on his rookie contract worth $13.9 million. The Saints have been using veteran Nathan Shepherd and second-year tackle Vernon Broughton on the interior of the first-team defensive line in Bresee’s absence. “We need some guys to step up. Bresee just went down. We’re going to need Vernon to step up. We need [John Ridgeway III] to step up. We need the whole interior to step up. And I have faith that they will,” defensive end Chase Young said. Broughton, a 2025 third-round pick, played only one game last year before missing the rest of the season with a hip injury. The Saints have given him a lot of first-team reps during their first week of camp, but Godchaux said it won’t be just one player replacing Bresee. “I mean, I think we all got to step up. … Everybody’s the guy because D-line is a position where … you do have starters, but everybody’s going to play every game,” Godchaux said. “… Who’s the hot hand? Some guys have their games. It’s maybe a heavy run game, maybe my game, maybe a heavy … pass game. But everybody’s got to step up. Me, Vern, Shepherd, [Christen] Miller, depending on a lot on him … Khristian [Boyd], everybody. When your number is called, you have to step up.” Bresee previously tore his left ACL at the beginning of his 2021 season at Clemson. |
| NFC WEST |
| SAN FRANCISCOThe 49ers will see WR RICKY PEARSALL in 2027. Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com: Injuries have hampered the 49ers for years, and that once again appears to be the case in 2026. On Saturday, the 49ers placed receiver and former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve. General manager John Lynch said that Pearsall will undergo season-ending surgery to address his nagging PCL injury that has bothered him since the 2025 season. Lynch said that Pearsall will undergo surgery in the next couple of weeks. The timeline for Pearsall’s recovery is six to 12 months. Pearsall initially sustained the injury during the 49ers’ loss to the Jaguars in Week 4 of the 2025 season. The injury led to Pearsall missing all or parts of 10 games. Pearsall did not undergo surgery this offseason and, by all accounts, did not experience any major setbacks prior to the start of training camp, when he began to experience swelling in the knee. “We reevaluated after [the season], and the consensus was that that [surgery] wasn’t the step to take,” Lynch said earlier this week, via ESPN. “He did well throughout the offseason, ran into some other road bumps. At that point between all the docs that we consulted … the decision was made. As [team physician] Tim [McAdams] said, it’s declared itself. And the course of action that everyone felt was appropriate was having surgery.” The 31st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Pearsall’s career so far has been marred by obstacles. Just before the start of his rookie season, Pearsall sustained a gunshot wound to the chest, which led to him being placed on the reserve/NFI list until Oct. 19. Pearsall caught 31 of 46 targets for 400 yards and three touchdowns that season. Last year’s knee injury limited Pearsall to nine games. He caught 36 of 53 targets for 528 yards. He caught one pass during San Francisco’s season-ending loss to the Eagles in the NFC wild card round. As noted above, the 49ers have dealt with a considerable amount of injuries over the years. Last season alone, the team dealt with significant injuries to several key players that included tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, pass rusher Nick Bosa and quarterback Brock Purdy. The 49ers, desperate to find a solution to their injury issue, recently looked into whether or not excessive exposure to electromagnetic force (EMF) is contributing to the team’s alarming injury rate. Pearsall’s injury coincides with the 49ers’ officially re-signing former All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel, who is back in San Francisco after spending the 2025 season with the Commanders. Samuel played a key role on the 49ers’ NFC championship-winning squads in 2019 and 2023. Ryan Paganetti did some research of 49ers injury which he published on Twitter: @RyanPaganetti1 in 41.8 million. Using Aaron Schatz’s Adjusted Games Lost rankings, here is where the 49ers ranked in regular season injury burden each year: 2008: 6th healthiest2009: 9th healthiest2010: 4th healthiest2011: 8th healthiest2012: Healthiest 2013: 10th most injured2014: 5th most injured2015: 7th most injured2016: 9th most injured2017: 10th most injured2018: 7th most injured2019: 6th most injured2020: Most injured2021: 4th most injured2022: 9th most injured2023: 4th healthiest2024: Most injured2025: 5th most injured The 49ers ranked among the NFL’s 10 healthiest teams for five consecutive seasons from 2008 through 2012. Odds of that occurring in independent random rankings: approximately 1 in 336. They then ranked among the NFL’s 10 most injured teams in 12 of the next 13 seasons. Odds of that occurring in independent random rankings: approximately 1 in 124,640. Odds of both sequences occurring consecutively, assuming every season is an independent random draw: Approximately 1 in 41.8 million. This is not a statement implying causality whatsoever. What, if anything, materially changed between 2012 and 2014? Paganetti doesn’t say it, but we know you are wondering. We found this in an ESPN.com story about the power plant adjacent to Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers have trained in Santa Clara since the late 1980s with the substation coming in a few years later. The station, which is operated by Silicon Valley Power, expanded in 2014 in conjunction with the opening of Levi’s Stadium. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREJamison Hensley of ESPN.com on how the Ravens plan on replacing departed C TYLER LINDERBAUM: One of the top priorities of Ravens training camp is finding the replacement for Tyler Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bow player who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. The competition is between recently signed Ethan Pocic and Danny Pinter, who has been working with the first team for most of the offseason. The battle mightnot heat up immediately because the Ravens are being cautious with Pocic, who sustained a torn Achilles in December. This ultimately could be decided by experience: Pocic has made 97 career starts and Pinter has totaled 10. — Jamison Hensley |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONEDGE JADAVEON CLOWNEY has circled back to the Texans after playing for six other teams. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Jadeveon Clowney says he feels like he’s back home after signing with the Texans. Clowney, who arrived in Houston as the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft but left in 2019 and has played for six different teams since, re-signed with the Texans on Sunday and said he believes Houston is the perfect place for him. “I felt like they got a good team and I can help contribute. It was a really easy decision,” Clowney told the Houston Chronicle. “It wasn’t about the money.” The Texans traded Clowney to the Seahawks in 2019 and he played one year in Seattle. He then played one year with the Titans, two with the Browns, one with the Ravens, one with the Panthers and one with the Cowboys. And now he’s back where his NFL career began. “I’ve grown up and learned the game a lot more since leaving,” Clowney said. “I feel like I can help the younger guys. I’ve learned how to lead and what it takes to get to a Super Bowl. I feel like I can help this team.” Clowney has never played in a Super Bowl, but he thinks he can do it with the Texans, this season. “I just know this team is good enough to go, and I can help,” Clowney said. “We’ve got to get to work and stay locked in.” The 33-year-old Clowney is on the tail end of his career, but he had 8.5 sacks last season, and if he can make that kind of contribution to the pass rush in Houston, he can make an already good defense better. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDMike Reiss of ESPN.com sees wide receiver as a position of strength for New England. A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs are sure-fire locks, and Mack Hollins’ role as a bigger presence who can account for safeties in the run game is valued by the coaching staff. Then there’s Kayshon Boutte (who has been the early star of training camp), 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams, as well as inside options Pop Douglas and Efton Chism III. That’s seven roster-worthy receivers, which is one or two more than the norm if everyone is healthy. Thus, teams looking for WR help might consider a call to New England. — Mike Reiss |
| THIS AND THAT |
| THE SECSaw this on Twitter, so true: @ESPNInsightsThis season, the SEC will start a 9-game conference schedule 🗓️ A likely result of the additional conference game is that every SEC team has a strength of schedule in the Top-20, according to ESPN Analytics. @CougarStats“Who has the strongest SOS?” “The SEC.” “Why?” “Because they play a bunch of SEC teams.” “How good are SEC teams?” “Really good, because they play a bunch of SEC teams.” “How do you know if SEC teams are better than teams from other conferences?” “They are better, because they play a lot more SEC teams than teams from other conferences.” The SEC teams follow a pretty similar pattern with their non-conference schedule – one Power 4 opponent, and one only, then two games from the Group of 5 and below: As you can see from the list below – Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina play traditional (and perhaps mandated) in-state rivalry games. Missouri-Kansas (The Border War) is also an admirable rivalry game renewal. Oklahoma (Michigan) and Texas (Ohio State) are playing Big Ten powerhouses (Mississippi at Minnesota is the other SEC-Big Ten game). Florida State (Alabama), Louisville (Ole Miss) and Clemson (LSU) are ACC teams willing to take on two SEC teams. The other four games are kind of random with Arkansas at Utah being the toughest for the SEC. Alabama Florida State East Carolina, ChattanoogaArkansas at Utah Tulsa, North AlabamaAuburn Baylor Southern Miss, SamfordFlorida Florida State Florida Atlantic, CampbellGeorgia Georgia Tech Western Kentucky, Tenn StKentucky Louisville South Alabama, Youngstown StLSU Clemson Louisiana Tech, McNeese StMiss. State at Minnesota Louisiana Monroe, Tenn TechMissouri Kansas Troy, Ark-Pine BluffOklahoma at Michigan UTEP, New MexicoOle Miss Louisville Chalotte, WoffordSouth Carolina Clemson Kent State, TowsonTennessee Georgia Tech Kennesaw State, FurmanTexas Ohio State Texas State, UTSATexas A&M Arizona State Missouri State, CitadelVanderbilt NC State Delaware, Austin Peay So the SEC plans on going 32-0 in the games in the right-hand column (could ULM beat Mississippi State? Could Troy beat Missouri?) Then the 16 boldfaced games will determine how much they will brag. |
| ROMO ON THE BRINK?Andrew Marchand of The Athletic dishes on how CBS Sports might not be all that upset with Tony Romo’s legal difficulties: When CBS Sports signed Tony Romo to a 10-year, $180 million contract in 2020, a top sports media executive called me immediately after and said, “This is the worst contract in media history.” It may end up being just that. CBS has called a timeout on the deal after Romo’s arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Following the arrest has been a steady drip of new information, including 45 minutes’ worth of multi-angle video of the traffic stop during which Romo is given a citation for an open container of alcohol that contradicted him saying he had no drinks. The incident led the network to announce that Romo “is on leave from his role at CBS until further notice.” CBS elevated J.J. Watt to team with Jim Nantz in the network’s No. 1 NFL booth and offered no further comment. Romo’s contract calls for him to receive a nearly implausible $72 million over the next four years, but he is going to have to make quite a case to get his top job back. It’s not impossible, but it is going to take some work. CBS clearly does not want the cloud from this story to shade its most important property. In less than two weeks, it has its NFL seminar for on-air talent and production staff, which includes a session in front of the media. Romo was supposed to be there. On Sept. 13, the first Sunday of the NFL regular season, the network’s showcase game matches the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. Romo was supposed to be there. On Sept. 21, Romo now has a scheduled court date in Wisconsin. On Sept. 27, CBS’ late-afternoon marquee game is from Brazil between the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. Romo was supposed to be there. Right now, CBS doesn’t want Romo any of these places. If he misses the first month of the season, when does he return? How does he return? With CBS slated to air a Super Bowl in February 2028, would he have a chance then? His poor performance in recent seasons is a factor here. Romo comes across as a very affable guy and many have described him to me over the years as a “big kid.” But he is not known as a hard worker, and it has shown on the air. Prior to his massive new deal, Nantz and Romo were welcoming comparisons to Pat Summerall and John Madden. Since then, the duo has regressed and Romo often sounded unprepared, saying odd things. Last January, the higher-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars were at home to face the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round, and Romo appeared on the pregame show. When the camera found him, he said of the Jaguars, “I’m telling you, they can win this game today.” The remark drew almost immediate scorn on social media for its vacuity because, of course, the higher seed with home-field advantage team could win. The Bills needed a late touchdown from Josh Allen to be victorious, but that’s not the point. Like all on-air TV contracts, Romo’s deal includes a morals clause, one that networks can challenge if a star is unable to represent their brand in a positive fashion after a public embarrassment. If Romo were still working at a Madden-like level, his case to keep his job would be stronger. Since he was already trending the wrong way, he has some work to do. Networks build their marketing campaigns around their top crews. If every time Romo says something off, there is a GIF referring to a portion of his arrest video, is that a problem for CBS? Could he return on the No. 2 crew with Ian Eagle or could CBS tell him he has to go even further down the lineup, perhaps to convince him to walk away? Appearing in the studio could become an option, but that might be too out front for CBS. Six years ago, one of the reasons CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus and president David Berson signed Romo to the crazy contract right before the pandemic was because ESPN was in hot pursuit. Before ESPN eventually landed Joe Buck and Troy Aikman from Fox, its “Monday Night Football” booths were consistently a hot mess. In 2020, CBS outbid ESPN in part because the overall negotiation for rights to the game packages was about to begin. At that time, prior to COVID, there was some thought inside Disney to potentially not only keep “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, but also to go after CBS’ Sunday afternoon package for ABC. Going into the negotiation with Romo on CBS’ side instead of on Disney’s roster was considered a boon to the Tiffany Network. Now? Not so much. That is why we are here, staring at what might be the worst contract in sports media TV history. Romo could still make a comeback, but he is going to have to put in a lot of work, both off- and on-air. But if he is not welcomed back, there is no way he is going to just give up the $72 million he is owed. Romo’s deal may indeed end up the worst in sports media history. At this point, he and CBS are both going to need quite a comeback to avoid that fate. Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing has thoughts – along with those of Colin Cowherd: Colin Cowherd has never been the biggest fan of Tony Romo the broadcaster, and he’s not sure whether CBS has been either. Cowherd joined Ethan Strauss on his House of Strauss podcast Friday, where the FS1 host discussed Romo’s now unclear future with CBS. In the wake of being arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated last week in Milwaukee, CBS placed Romo on leave “until further notice” Friday morning. With no timetable for his return, Romo will be replaced by J.J Watt in their lead NFL booth alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson. But Cowherd wonders if Romo’s relationship with CBS started to break when they signed him to a 10-year $180 million contract back in 2020. “When you go into contract negotiations, there was a moment in time that Tony Romo had tremendous leverage over CBS,” Cowherd noted. “And he squeezed them for every nickel.” Romo was an immediate star on CBS when he joined in 2017. And when his first contract was up, ESPN pursued Romo for their Monday Night Football booth, giving the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback all the leverage he needed to command an industry-altering contract from CBS. “Even if you have leverage, it will create resentment somewhere upstairs,” Cowherd insisted. “And I’ve always thought with the CBS execs, they don’t defend him quite as quickly. Or, when this recent story came out, reportedly, for the first two days nobody from CBS contacted him. That’s what I heard from somebody who would know. And I thought, is there resentment upstairs? Because he had them. He had them dead to rights, and he got every penny he wanted.” Tom Brady now makes significantly more from Fox than Romo does at CBS. The difference, however, is Brady wasn’t fielding offers from other networks; he didn’t have his sights set on broadcasting until Fox came calling. Fox had to lure Brady with money and opportunity, and they set the price. CBS probably never expected Romo to end up costing them $180 million until he started a bidding war. Brady’s number also doesn’t automatically give Kevin Burkhardt leverage. Because as great as Burkhardt is as a play-by-play voice, Brady is the indisputable star of that booth. That’s not the case with Romo, where Nantz is the more important entity to CBS. So if Romo squeezes CBS for every nickel and gets a massive pay bump, it gives Nantz leverage to do the same. “It made executives uncomfortable,” Cowherd told Strauss. “There was a lot of questions, they had to take calls. There’s a very well-documented trip by Sean McManus down to Dallas to talk to Romo…I find the Tony Romo dynamic with CBS fascinating.” It was within Romo’s rights to get every dollar he could from CBS. He didn’t owe them any sort of hometown discount when ESPN came calling with an open checkbook. But that doesn’t mean CBS walked away from the negotiations feeling great about their relationship with Romo. Early in his broadcasting career, Romo was arguably the best game analyst on TV. But his appeal faded significantly in recent years, with fans eager to point out every mistake, exaggeration, and weird noise he makes in the booth. As Cowherd noted, even past leadership at CBS once held what was described as an “intervention” with Romo in 2023 to encourage better preparation habits. Publicly, CBS stood by Romo amid mounting criticism in recent years, although the contract he leveraged likely played a role. It would have been hard for the network to admit a $180 million mistake by demoting Romo. But CBS may have gotten its leverage back in the last week. |
