The Lambeau Leap and other assorted jumps into the arms of adoring fans will be a casualty of the times we live in as the NFL moves to separate the fans from players and put some revenue on the board.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com: The NFL will allow teams to sell camera-visible signage to local sponsors for the first time, Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal reports.   The plan, a way for teams to defray pandemic-related revenue losses, was shared with team presidents Tuesday, according to Fischer.   The first six to eight rows in every stadium, including on-field suites, are off limits to fans this season in order to protect players, coaches and team staff from COVID-19 exposure. It also provides sponsorship opportunities.   Tarps, potentially with sponsor logos, will cover those lower-level seats, per Fischer. English Premier League teams repurposed empty seating sections for ads during return to play last week.   Owners will hear the plan at a Thursday meeting.   Restrictions will protect league sponsors, but certain exceptions may be in play for competitive categories, Fischer reports.   Currently, only sideline sponsors such as Microsoft, Bose, Gatorade and Oakley have highly visible TV exposure. The NFL prohibits all others from displaying signage below 40 feet of the playing surface.   It is not yet clear how many fans will be allowed to attend NFL games, but it could vary by stadium. – – – The NFL has cancelled the Hall of Fame Game – and “postponed” the enshrinement ceremonies.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL continues to say the regular season will start on time. The preseason, however, will not.   The Hall of Fame Game, the league’s annual preseason kickoff in Canton, Ohio, has been canceled, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.   The enshrinement ceremony for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 has also been postponed, likely until next year, when the Steelers and Cowboys are expected to face of in the 2021 Hall of Fame Game.   The cancelation of the Hall of Fame Game is the biggest concession the NFL has made yet to the pandemic. Although the league canceled the live event portion of the NFL draft, it still had the draft on its scheduled date and has gone through the offseason as if everything is proceeding as planned.   Whether further changes are coming in training camp, the preseason and the regular season only time can tell, but it’s clear that the pandemic is a force the league simply cannot control. – – – There is a virtual meeting today of NFL teams.  Jelani Scott of NFL.com on what is on the agenda: As teams approach the scheduled start of training camp next month, club owners are set to meet to discuss the current state of affairs within the league.   NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the NFL will host a video conference meeting with owners Thursday to address a number of topics, including training camp, 2020 season planning, “Inspire Change” social justice programs and workplace diversity.   USA Today’s Mike Jones first reported the news.   This latest meeting comes on the heels of several important developments regarding the league’s future plans. On June 11, the NFL announced its pledge to commit $250 million over a 10-year period toward efforts aimed to combat systemic racism.   In regard to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has fundamentally altered the league’s offseason, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated on Tuesday that it is “impossible to call” at this point whether or not the pandemic will prevent the season from taking place in the fall.

NFC NORTH

DETROIT The new owner of the Lions is quick to say she would not throw any hindrances if her football braintrust wanted to sign Colin Kaepernick.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Last season, the Lions fell apart after a strong start when quarterback Matthew Stafford got hurt. This season, would they consider signing Colin Kaepernick in an effort to improve the backup quarterback situation?   If they do, the Lions’ ownership will be supportive.   New Lions principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp said today that if the Lions’ coaching staff and General Manager Bob Quinn want Kaepernick, ownership will support that decision.   Hamp also said that if players kneel during the national anthem they’ll be supported by the organization, although she said she personally will not kneel.   So if the Lions do not sign Kaepernick, it is clear that decision is coming from Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia, not from higher up. So who exactly is behind Stafford at the moment?  Bob Heyrman of Bleacher Report says not much:   It’s unfathomable to think that Detroit’s plan B in 2019 started with Tom Savage and ended with David Blough with a laundry list of quarterbacks in between.  Our worst nightmare became a reality when Stafford was forced to be shut down after making just eight starts in ’19 with a reoccurring back injury that hampered the quarterback a year earlier.   Recently the Detroit Lions rushed to pay long-time journeyman backup Chase Daniel to a three-year deal to serve as Stafford’s primary backup.  Sure, he’s an upgrade, but Daniel is anything but a premier backup at this point in his career.   Daniel is soon to be 34-years old, and a reliable backup that will jive well with Stafford in the quarterback room.  The pair will probably bond well, and it’s great to have someone to help read coverages and tendencies while watching the film rather than having a couple of inexperienced quarterbacks with minimal assistance at Stafford’s disposal.   Daniel will be much more beneficial to the Detroit Lions on the sideline and behind the scenes than he would on the football field.   That being said, it would be in the Detroit Lions’ best interest to consider carrying three quarterbacks entering the 2020 regular season, and why not take a flier on Colin Kaepernick? With the recent injury history of Stafford along with the chance of anyone at any time contracting COVID-19, it may be a year many teams carry an extra quarterback on their active roster.   Last season the New Orleans Saints turned to Teddy Bridgewater after Drew Brees suffered an injury.  Bridgewater guided the Saints to a 5-0 record during that span.  The Detroit Lions need a backup with a higher ceiling than Daniel provides, so why not a quarterback with some Super Bowl experience?   Sure, Kaepernick will have plenty of rust to shake off after being out of the game so long, but he’s just 32 years old, and it’s a young 32 having not much wear and tear taking its toll on his body in recent years.   Another option would be Cam Newton, but his injury history becomes a significant concern; he’s suffered a plethora of wear and tear throughout his career.  Plus, Newton isn’t prepared to settle in a backup role.  The former MVP expects to be a starter.   By adding Kaepernick, the Lions can still carry Daniel as the teams’ QB3 and place David Blough on the practice squad. Detroit will receive the benefit of having Daniel in the film room and Colin ready once he’s back in game shape to enter the ball game if an injury occurs to Stafford.   The Detroit Lions should have signed Kaepernick last summer instead of Tom Savage, David Fales, Josh Johnson, and Jeff Driskel.  Bob Quinn has an opportunity to give the quarterback a chance he’s deserved by bringing him back into the league after he’s been clearly forced out by the NFL and its team owners.   It’s foolish to think Kaepernick can’t serve as an NFL QB2.  He’s a career 60% passer; he’s tossed for 72 touchdowns and just 30 interceptions.  He’s not perfect.  He struggled with touch passes and often thrown a fastball that short hops its intended target, but he’d be a significant upgrade to what we’ve been used to over the last few years.   Kaepernick has produced a respectable 89% career quarterback rating, and his dual-threat style is something the teams’ offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell welcomes after having plenty of success with Russell Wilson during his time coaching in Seattle.   Kaepernick has amassed 2300 rushing yards and scored 13 rushing touchdowns during his career.

NFC EAST

DALLAS An update on the health of RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT who seems well on the way to recovery in his bout with Wuhan Covid-19: Almost two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott appears to be on the road to recovery.   He updated fans on his current condition during a live video stream on his Twitch channel Wednesday afternoon.   “I would say I had maybe one or two days where I felt symptoms — even then it wasn’t too bad,” Elliott said. “I had a cough and a little bit of shortness of breath. But now I would say I feel good. I feel normal.”   Elliott said he has not gotten back to working out yet, and will use the next week to continue resting.   The running back was one of multiple Cowboys players who recently tested positive for COVID-19, and Elliott took issue with the fact that his named was leaked into the public eye.    Not long after the news broke, Elliott tweeted “HIPAA??” in reference to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which ensures health-care providers protect the confidentiality of a patient’s medical information.   Elliott clarified that his issue was not with his agent Rocky Arceneaux — who told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Elliott as “feeling good” after his diagnosis — but rather the reporters who contacted the agent.   “My agent only confirmed,” a message read in part on Elliott’s Twitter account. “The story was already written.”   Read another Elliott post: “My agent didn’t break the story to the media.”   While no other names of players who tested positive have been released, Dak Prescott and Dez Bryant — two notable current and former Cowboys who have worked out with Elliott this offseason — were reportedly not among the group who did.

WASHINGTON The wolves are howling as DC Jack Del Rio bucks the trends elsewhere in the NFL.   Matthew Paras of the Washington Times: Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is in hot water over his tweets late Tuesday that showed support for President Trump.   Responding to a fan who criticized him for being a Trump supporter, Del Rio tweeted: “I’m 100% for America, if you’re not you can kiss my A$$.”   Earlier in the evening, Del Rio had quote tweeted several pro-Trump accounts. The 57-year-old shared a fake picture attributed to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with the caption “Wow ?!! Proof….. C’mon AOC.” The original poster, Wendy Moran, declared Ocasio-Cortez “hates America” and included an image of a fake tweet in which the Democrat allegedly suggested keeping businesses closed until after the November elections.   Del Rio also tweeted “Fact not fiction” in response to a video that said Trump was not a racist.   The series of tweets prompted criticism from fans and notable figures. Former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl tweeted, “Coach Del Rio, are you saying someone is not American if they don’t support Trump?!” MLB Network’s Robert Flores tweeted “‘Attention to details!!’ Isn’t that what coaches say???” A fan told the coordinator to “stop confusing patriotism with racism.”   Del Rio’s tweet that suggested people kiss his behind garnered 2,000 replies and has more than 6,000 retweets and 29,000 likes. – – – George Preston Marshall’s granddaughter is pleased to see him heading to the scrap heap of history.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: The granddaughter of George Preston Marshall is glad her grandfather’s legacy is being challenged.   Jordan Wright, who grew up going to Washington games when her grandfather owned the team, had no idea at the time that Marshall was a racist who fought integration in the NFL and personally decided to give the Washington team a name that dictionaries define as a racial slur. She told the Washington Post she wasn’t the least bit disappointed to see the memorial to her grandfather taken down outside RFK Stadium.   “No, not at all — not one damn bit,” she said. “I was glad to see it come down. It’s past time to see it go.”   Wright also says the team’s current owner, Dan Snyder, should change the name that her grandfather gave the franchise in 1933.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS CNN correspondent and S MALCOLM JENKINS is worried about risk.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: Coaches have wondered how football can be practiced and played amid protocols calling for social distancing and Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins raised other concerns on CNN Thursday.   Unlike the NBA, the NFL is not going to be locking players, coaches and others in a “bubble” while trying to play this year. Jenkins noted that increases interactions with people outside of teams and creates other considerations for those needed to make the season happen.   “We kinda end up being on this trust system. The honor system, where we just have to kind of hope that people are social distancing and things like that. And that puts all of us at risk,” Jenkins said. “Not only us as players and who’s in the building, but when you go home to your families. I have parents who I don’t want to get sick. Until we get to the point where we have protocols in place and until we get to a place as a country where we feel safe doing it, we have to understand that football is a nonessential business and so we don’t need to do it. So the risk, you know, has to be really eliminated before we, before I would feel comfortable with going back.”   The risk of contracting COVID-19 isn’t going to be completely eliminated by the time teams report to training camp next month and it’s likely to remain through the entire 2020 season comes to an end. That may cause some players to think twice about playing, but it hasn’t caused the league to veer from its plans to move forward with the season as scheduled.

TAMPA BAY EDGE SHAQ BARRETT has yet to sign his franchise tag.  Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com: Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Shaquil Barrett said back in March that he would play the upcoming season under the franchise tag if he had to.   While the deadline to sign tagged players to long-term contracts is approaching in three weeks, Barrett said his decision on signing the tag remains uncertain at the moment.   “It’s still up in the air right now, about 50-50,” Barrett said on NFL Network. “We’ll find out a little more information on Friday.”   Barrett didn’t give any further indication of what could be coming Friday. He could be planning to sign his tender then or could be anticipating a new contract offer to be sent over from the Buccaneers.   Barrett is one of just five tagged players yet to sign their tenders. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and Broncos safety Justin Simmons are the other four who have yet to sign.   The tender for the 2020 season for Barrett is worth $15.8 million. Barrett was handed the tag by Tampa Bay after setting a franchise record with 19.5 sacks for the team in his first season with the Buccaneers last year.

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com crafts some interesting previews of each NFL team.  Here is some of what he wrote about #30 Cincinnati: A year ago, nobody knew if Joe Burrow could even be a great college starter. Now, he’s the face of an NFL franchise that needs saving.   The No. 1 pick of the draft went from a relative nobody to posting perhaps the greatest single season in college football history. Burrow went from a mid- to late-round prospect to the obvious top pick of the draft to the Cincinnati Bengals.   Burrow was the right pick, but he’s no sure thing. No quarterback is, especially one who was special for only one college season. But the Bengals need him to succeed.   Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty called Burrow “the most important player in the history of Cincinnati Bengals football,” citing the teams’ regular failures and a stadium lease that expires after 2026. Daugherty wondered if the Bengals might move if Burrow can’t turn the franchise into a winner. He said the “future of football in Cincinnati depends” on Burrow’s success.   Regardless of whether the situation is that dire, the Bengals need to get off the hamster wheel. They haven’t won a playoff game since Jan. 6, 1991. Since then, they have posted 13 double-digit loss seasons, including last year’s 2-14 debacle. Marvin Lewis got a lot of grief for not winning a playoff game, but at least he was consistently fielding competitive teams.   “It’s obviously been a long haul for all Bengals fans,” Carson Palmer, the first pick of the 2003 draft to the Bengals, said. “They’re craving a Super Bowl.   “I hope Joe’s the guy. That fan base deserves it. That fan base loves that team.”   Palmer is sold, saying the film of his 2019 season at LSU showed a future star.   “I think he’s a phenomenal talent,” said Palmer, who is promoting personal-care CBD products from Level Select. “He’s a great, great player. I think he has a really bright future.”   Burrow is the most valuable piece of the Bengals’ latest rebuild, but not the only one.   There should be serious questions about Zac Taylor coming into his second season as head coach. Taylor was hired with a very thin resume propped up by his association with Sean McVay, and did nothing to prove doubters wrong in his first season. Taylor and his offense need to show something this season.   The Bengals have some interesting pieces on offense, but we’ll see if A.J. Green is happy playing with the franchise tag. The defense needs a ton of work. It’ll be a slow process.   A promising rookie season from Burrow would be a start. He was born in Ohio. He was excellent with LSU last season. The Bengals have had flash seasons from some quarterbacks, but no bona fide franchise guy since Boomer Esiason. Esiason was the quarterback for the Bengals’ last playoff win almost 30 years ago.   One way or another, it’s a franchise-changing pick for the Bengals. If you believe the worst possible outlook, the future of professional football in Cincinnati rides on the outcome. No pressure. Best Case Scenario: Let’s say Joe Burrow is a special player. It’s not crazy; he just put up 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns last season in the SEC. The Bengals have the skill-position talent to spread the field and make life tough on defenses. It’s hard to see the Bengals getting enough stops to be a contender, but it’s at least possible the offense becomes one of the NFL’s best. That’s probably a little too heady with a rookie QB, but there is that chance.   Worst Case Scenario: If the Bengals’ offense is awful again and they are stuck with another double-digit loss season, it’s hard to see Zac Taylor getting a third season. Then it’s a reboot, a new system for Joe Burrow and more general Bengals malaise. And with a potentially bad defense, spotty offensive line and a rookie quarterback, another top-five pick is well within the range of outcomes.   Crystal Ball Says: The Bengals should be more entertaining than usual. If the offensive line is even decent, Cincinnati could score a lot of points. Unlike many other teams this low in the preview, there is some hope the Bengals are a breakout team. But there are a lot of holes to expect a major leap. And if the Bengals lose big again, they would have a tough decision on Zac Taylor. The DB is not clued in enough to know who the quality African-American coaching prospects might be – Eric Bienemy?  But we would think there were some more deserving of a head coaching job in the 2019 coaching cycle than Zac Taylor or Adam Gase of the Jets.

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS QB PHILIP RIVERS is “head coach in waiting” at a South Alabama high school.  He hopes that wait will be several years.  Andrew Walker of Colts.com: In May, Philip Rivers took a significant step forward in achieving one of his lifelong dreams when he was named the head football coach-in-waiting at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala.   But if both Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts have their way, that “in-waiting” tag will remain — for the next couple years, at least.   The 38-year-old Rivers in March signed a one-year free agent deal to become the Colts’ new starting quarterback, but both sides have acknowledged that with good health and quality play, they hope Rivers’ stay in Indy will extend beyond the 2020 season.   “I think it’s a one-year-at-a-time deal at this point, when you get to 38 and you’ve played as long as I have,” Rivers said of his opportunity with the Colts, via the Associated Press. “I think you take it one year at a time. We hope it’s more than one year, but I think it’s one year at a time and go from there.”   Rivers has said he had two childhood dreams growing up: playing in the NFL, and following in the footsteps of his father, Steve, who won 188 games in 25 seasons as a high school head football coach, mostly in Alabama.   Rivers has more-than fulfilled his NFL aspirations to this point. He comes to the Colts with 16 years of professional experience, all with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, where he became one of the greatest passers in league history.   An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Rivers ranks in the top 10 in several statistical categories, including passing attempts (seventh), completions (sixth), completion percentage (ninth), passing yards (sixth), passing touchdowns (sixth), passer rating (10th), first down completions (fifth), completions of 25 yards or more (fifth) and 300-yard passing games (fourth). His 123 career regular season victories as a starter also rank ninth in league history.   But Rivers still feels as if he has plenty left in the tank, and the Colts, led by head coach Frank Reich — Rivers’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator with the Chargers from 2013-15 — agreed with that assessment after evaluating the QB’s game film from the last couple seasons.   “Just having been there on the inside for the three years I was and knowing the quarterback position like I do, I was so confident that physically he was the right player and that he had not lost anything,” Reich said. “All of the throws I saw on film and as I go back and studied him compared to previous throws, I really didn’t notice any physical gifts diminishing at all.   “There were a lot of good guys out there,” Reich continued, referring to the free agent market this offseason. “There were some good quarterbacks out there to look at, but this was the right guy for us.”   Rivers, who officially signed with the Colts on March 21, does have a few more items to check off his list in the NFL — most notably, a Super Bowl title. He said the opportunity to compete for a championship certainly played a part in his decision to come to Indy, though it wasn’t the only reason.   “Certainly having the opportunity to come here with what this team has built and Chris Ballard and Frank and Mr. (Jim) Irsay and the whole organization, and what they’ve built and the direction where we’re headed here, made it exciting,” Rivers said. “It wasn’t the only thing. I do still love to play. I love to suit up and play. I love the camaraderie in the locker room. I love being a teammate. I love all that comes with it. The life lessons — still being able to come home after a day’s work or come home after a game win or lose, and have good discussions with my children and family about things you’ve learned and how to deal with things.   “There’s still a lot of value in it way beyond trying to lead a team to a championship, but certainly that is the ultimate goal, and having an opportunity to be on a team and be part of the team where that’s a realistic goal certainly was a positive.”   As for Rivers’ second childhood dream, it’ll just happen whenever it happens.   Rivers, who played for his dad at the high school level, is looking forward to the opportunity to one day coach his two sons, Gunner and Pete, who are entering the sixth and third grade, respectively. That gives him at least a couple years, if all works out, to make his mark with the Colts before he trades in his helmet for a headset.   “He and I have been talking about this for a long time,” Reich said of Rivers’ desires to coach after he retires from the NFL. “It’s really exciting for me to see that in him. He’s football through and through, and that’s just one of the things you love about him. He’s family through and through. His next step — and he has such a clear vision of that — really just speaks to the kind of person he is. We’re certainly excited to have him for however long we get him before he takes that head job.” We were curious about the geography as it was noted that Rivers had moved from San Diego to a beach house in “Florida” in the offseason.  That home is in Blue Mountain Beach east of Pensacola and that is 153 miles from Fairhope, Alabama per GoogleMaps. Fairhope is only 60 miles from Pensacola itself. Now Rivers had a long commute from San Diego to Orange County the last several years but this sounds a bit long for he and his kids. It’s 30 miles from St. Michael’s in Fairhope to Gulf Shores, Alabama – so we would guess the Rivers clan will be re-locating there at some point in the future.

JACKSONVILLE

TENNESSEE

AFC EAST

BUFFALO

MIAMI

NEW ENGLAND

NEW YORK JETS Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News has his anonymous sources and they say that Jets Coach Adam Gase is at the root of the disgruntlement of S JAMAL ADAMS (and many other players), as well as everyone else: The fissure between the Jets and Jamal Adams cracked open, thanks in part to a deteriorating relationship between the All-Pro safety and his head coach.   The Daily News has learned that Adam Gase is a major factor why Adams has felt uncomfortable with his long-term future with the team and requested a trade. The News first reported last week that Adams sought permission to seek a trade after no movement toward a contract extension this offseason.   However, Adams’ discontent runs much deeper than simply finances. The Jets’ best player does not want to play for Gase anymore for myriad reasons, according to sources.   The prevailing sentiment in Gang Green’s locker room is clear: Players don’t respect Gase, who has rubbed them the wrong way with his inability to lead and lack of support. The mercurial head coach also drew the ire of a litany of players during his tenure with the Miami Dolphins.   Too many people on 1 Jets Drive — including players, coaches and front office members — don’t trust or believe in Gase, whose disingenuous bent hasn’t been lost on people in the organization. They painted a picture of an insecure figure always willing to point the finger at others for the team’s failings last season. No player, or person, was immune.   Gase’s dislike for long-time trainer John Mellody paved the way for the respected employee’s ouster (aka “reassignment”) last week, according to sources.   Some team sources believe that Sam Darnold and David Fales are among the few returning players that actually tolerate Gase, a stinging indictment of a coach who has been associated with losing cultures for the better part of his football life.   Gase has worked for six teams in 17 NFL seasons. He’s been a part of a team with a winning record in only four of those 17 seasons. Moreover, Gase has been part of a team with a winning record just once in 14 seasons without Peyton Manning on his team. His five offenses without Manning at the helm have finished 21st, 24th, 25th, 31st and 32nd, respectively.   That backdrop has raised plenty of eyebrows on 1 Jets Drive. Gase’s awkwardness and poor communication skills haven’t endeared him to players.   Some simply don’t believe that he’s fit to be a head coach. He doesn’t comport himself as anything more than a glorified quarterbacks coach, according to some people in the organization.   So, perhaps it shouldn’t be entirely surprising that the organizational instability under Gase played a significant role in Adams’ decision to ultimately request permission to seek a trade last week.   Adams is amenable to playing for teams with a sound infrastructure and stable leadership without a new contract in 2020, according to people in the know. His desire to be a part of a turnaround with the Jets soured, in part, due to his lack of faith in Gase.   A bulk of the Jets locker room shares Adams’ sentiment. There’s a strong belief in the organization that the Jets will never become a winner as long a Gase is in charge. Most of all, people in the building believe that Gase’s desire for self-preservation will trump all else.   His mere presence is playing a role in driving away the organization’s best player. Did the ousted John Mellody have a hand in the fashioning of Mehta’s report?  Was Mellody fired for his leaks to the media?  Those are two questions that come to mind.

THIS AND THAT

DON BANKS Don Banks, a longtime sportswriter who passed away suddenly last August while covering the Hall of Fame Weekend, is the posthumus winner of the Dick McCann Award.  Banks had stints at his hometown St. Petersburg Times, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and Sports Illustrated among others.  Ben Pickman of SI.com: Longtime NFL reporter and former Sports Illustrated writer Don Banks has been named the 2020 Dick McCann Award winner by The Professional Football Writers of America. The award is given to a reporter who has made a long and distinguished contribution to pro football through coverage.   Banks, who covered the NFL for most of his 36-year career in sportswriting, died last August at age 56.   “I want to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to the PFWA for recognizing Don with this award, as well as to the loyal readers who supported him throughout his career,” his wife, Alissa Banks, said. “Don’s work was his passion, and he would truly be humbled by this recognition. I choose to think that he is celebrating this great honor right along with those who love and miss him.”   After Banks was hired in 2000, his popular “Snap Judgments” column on SI.com joined Dr. Z’s writing and Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback column as a “formidable triumvirate” of pro football coverage.   As Sports Illustrated senior writer Jenny Vrentas wrote of Banks in August, he established himself as “one of the most reliable media voices by always finding a way to make sense of what we were all watching and talking about.   “More importantly, he was also one of the most trusted people you could ever work with.”   At Super Bowl LIV in Miami, the NFL paid tribute to Banks by reserving a press box seat in his honor.   A week before his death, Banks started a new job as an NFL writer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

GATOR BAIT AND CHICKEN BAIT It turns out that the “Gator Bait” chant popular with University of Florida fans and now unilaterally banned by the school’s president over “racism” concerns has interesting origins.  Ryan Glasspiegel of Outkick The Coverage: A couple weeks ago, we brought you the story of how the University of Florida is banning the gator bait chant; Florida president Dr. Kent Fuchs released a statement saying there is horrific racial imagery associated with the chant.   Lawrence Wright, who played safety for Steve Spurrier’s Florida teams from 1993-1996 and apparently was the creator of the Gator Bait chant, told TMZ that the chant is not racist and is requesting a meeting with Dr. Fuchs to try and preserve it.   “Let’s have a conversation,” Wright told TMZ, about Dr. Fuchs. “Let’s talk. Lets see if, as family, we can get on the same page and unite.”   Wright predicted that we will see the gator bait chant this season. He said that the point of it is that any person who is not for the University of Florida — i.e. Florida State — is gator bait. Not explicitly stated here, but shown in the pictures accompanying the article, one can determine that Lawrence Wright is black. Meanwhile, Jay Cutler has re-surfaced as he fights a creature that is terrorizing is chicken population.  Joe Kinsey, also of Outkick: Jay Cutler just might be the most interesting man on Instagram this week thanks to the chicken serial killer Instagram Story he started Wednesday. And let’s not forget that Jay and Kristin getting a divorce meant Jay could finally control his Instagram account and that means we get actual interesting content.   This week the former gunslinger has a problem out on his Tennessee farm with chickens being killed and it’s gotten so bad that Wednesday night Jay was planning on sleeping in a tree stand to keep an eye on his animals, but a rainstorm came through and changed his plans. He was left depending on his trail cameras. At one point Wednesday Jay was questioning his cat on Instagram. Is it possible a farm cat would be slaughtering his chickens into chicken salad? That’s where Jay’s mind was at going into another tense night of sleep.   The big news this morning is that Jay no longer thinks his cat (sounds like it is named Thelma) could be the chicken killer. Jay has publicly apologized on IG to the cat and seems to have moved on to owls in his woods.   To the cat: while I’m not sorry you were accused of these vicious acts, I will be the bigger person and admit I was wrong. You are not the the suspect we are looking for. Take it as a compliment for your savage ways of life. Carry on Cat.   Could owls be killing Jay’s chickens? I’m not a farmer, but I grew up with enough corn around my hometown to know owls could definitely be snatching those chickens.