| The QB Tiers are in for 2025, as Mike Sando’s annual poll of 50 NFL execs and coaches is revealed at The Athletic Quarterback Tiers results are in for 2025, with 50 NFL coaches and executives coronating two first-time Tier 1 QBs — including, finally, Lamar Jackson. The panel combined to confer 46 top-tier votes on Jackson. That was twice his total from 2024, an indication the two-time MVP has proven his ability as a passer, including in the playoffs, at least to an extent. Among the other highlights, Joe Burrow is a unanimous Tier 1 choice for the first time, Matthew Stafford makes his Tier 1 debut and Jayden Daniels sets a QB Tiers record for highest debut by a second-year QB. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers plummets to Tier 3, Caleb Williams checks in fourth among 2024 first-round QBs and Russell Wilson falls to Tier 4. The 2025 QB Tiers results are complete with commentary from the panel of 50 voters, who were granted anonymity to share candid evaluations. The panel comprised six general managers, six assistant GMs, six former GMs, five other executives, eight head coaches and 19 other coaches, including 15 coordinators. Each voter placed 34 veteran quarterbacks into five tiers, from best (Tier 1) to worst (Tier 5). Quarterbacks were then ranked by average vote and placed into tiers based on vote distribution. The survey excludes rookies because voters have not seen them play in the NFL. Tier 1A Tier 1 quarterback can carry his team each week. The team wins because of him. He expertly handles pure-passing situations. He has no real holes in his game. T1 Patrick Mahomes Chiefs 1 Retained tier 1T1 Joe Burrow Bengals 1 Retained tier3 Josh Allen Bills 1 Retained tier 1.1 (-0.1)4 Lamar Jackson Ravens 1 Jumped 1 tier 1.1 (-0.5)5 Matthew Stafford Rams 1 Jumped 1 tier 1.5 (-0.1) Tier 2A Tier 2 quarterback can carry his team sometimes but not as consistently. He can handle pure-passing situations in doses and/or possesses other dimensions that are special enough to elevate him above Tier 3. He has a hole or two in his game. 6 Jayden Daniels Commanders 2 New to Tiers 1.77 Justin Herbert Chargers 2 Retained tier 1.8 (+0.2)8 Jared Goff Lions 2 Retained tier 2.1 (-0.1)T9 C.J. Stroud Texans 2 Retained tier 2.2 (+0.4)T9 Jalen Hurts Eagles 2 Retained tier 2.2 (-0.1)11 Baker Mayfield Buccaneers 2 Jumped 1 tier 2.3 (-0.5)12 Dak Prescott Cowboys 2 Retained tier 2.4 (+0.3)13 Jordan Love Packers 2 Retained tier 2.4 (-0.1)14 Brock Purdy 49ers 2 Retained tier 2.5 (+0.2) Tier 3A Tier 3 quarterback is a legitimate starter but needs a heavier running game and/or defensive component to win. A lower-volume dropback passing offense suits him best. 15 Kyler Murray Cardinals 3 Retained tier 2.7 16 Aaron Rodgers Steelers 3 Dropped 1 tier 2.8 (+1)17 Tua Tagovailoa Dolphins 3 Retained tier 2.8 (+0.3)18 Trevor Lawrence Jaguars 3 Retained tier 2.8 (+0.2)19 Geno Smith Raiders 3 Retained tier 2.9T20 Bo Nix Broncos 3 New to Tiers 3T20 Sam Darnold Seahawks 3 Jumped 1 tier 3 (-1)22 Drake Maye Patriots 3 New to Tiers 3.123 Caleb Williams Bears 3 New to Tiers 3.224 Bryce Young Panthers 3 Jumped 1 tier 3.4 (-0.4)25 Kirk Cousins Falcons 3 Dropped 1 tier 3.5 (+1.1) Tier 4A Tier 4 quarterback could be an unproven player (not enough information for voters to classify) or a veteran who ideally would not start all 17 games. 26 Russell Wilson Giants 4 Dropped 1 tier 3.6 (+0.4)27 Justin Fields Jets 4 Retained tier 3.7 (+0.1)28 Michael Penix Jr. Falcons 4 New to Tiers 3.8 29 J.J. McCarthy Vikings 4 New to Tiers 430 Daniel Jones Colts 4 Retained tier 4 (+0.4)31 Joe Flacco Browns 4 New to Tiers 4.132 Anthony Richardson Colts 4 Retained tier 4.2 (+0.4)33 Spencer Rattler Saints 4 New to Tiers 4.3 Tier 5A Tier 5 quarterback is best suited as a backup. 34 Kenny Pickett Browns 5 New to Tiers 4.6 Sando has some insightful comments from his panel on each QB. We will put them with their teams below – starting today with the five Tier 1 quarterbacks (Tier 2 on Wednesday, etc). |
| NFC NORTH |
| GREEN BAYSurgery on his non-throwing thumb is upcoming for QB JORDAN LOVE. Packers quarterback Jordan Love is undergoing a procedure to repair a ligament in his left thumb, but he won’t take long to recover. Green Bay General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced in his Tuesday morning press conference that Love will have surgery this week. But he should be able to return to practice next week and will be available for Week 1. Love suffered the injury to his non-throwing hand during the preseason matchup with the Jets. “That last play when he kind of split two guys, I think a helmet just got it,” Gutekunst said. Gutekunst noted that Love has had a good training camp so far. “I think as he gets back, we’ll kind of assess where he’s at,” Gutekunst said. “It’s one of those things where I think he’ll be back at practice next week. How much he can do leading into that Seattle game, we’ll kind of see. It’ll be day-to-day a little bit. You never want any of these guys to be out because you want to be working as a team. They all need the work, obviously. More importantly, he’ll be ready for Week 1, and that’s the most important thing.” Gutekunst added, “I think we’ll get him back in plenty of time. And I don’t foresee this affecting him long-term at all.” Love was at practice on Monday with his left thumb taped. A reporter noted to Gutekunst that Love was using his off hand to practice handoffs. “I think he had some options with what he could do,” Gutekunst said. “Obviously, you guys saw him out there, he certainly was able to function. But as we looked at all the options — and he did as well — the best option, I think, for him to get back the fastest and feel the best was to do this. And he wanted to go out there yesterday to kind of see how it felt. And once we got through that, we made the decision. And he should meet us in Indy on Wednesday.” The Packers will be in Indianapolis later this week for a Thursday joint practice with the Colts before the two teams play in an exhibition contest on Saturday. |
| MINNESOTAMatt Verderame of SI.com takes the pulse of QB J.J. McCARTHY: J.J. McCarthy has the unseen advantage of intelligence. Just ask Aaron Jones. Jones, 30, spent six seasons standing alongside Aaron Rodgers as a member of the Packers. And on Monday after a light, cool practice before fans at the TCO Performance Center, Jones shared his feelings that from a mental standpoint, the four-time MVP and a 22-year-old without a single NFL regular-season rep are on the same plane. “[McCarthy] is a very, very hungry and driven player, but also a leader,” Jones says. “He’s different. In terms of the smarts, I put him in that category with Aaron Rodgers, in terms of how smart he is and really having an understanding for the game.” If McCarthy is even in the same stratosphere as Rodgers from a mental standpoint, the Vikings are in a tremendous spot. Rodgers has long been known as the master of manipulating defenses post-snap with a variety of subtle and overt movements, getting safeties and linebackers to bite on non-existent routes. He’s also been brilliant at drawing the pre-snap neutral zone infraction, creating free plays to take shots with. In Minnesota, every fan is hoping the comparison rings true. For the first offseason in years, there’s real hope the Vikings have a championship contender on their hands, just one season removed from going 14–3 and being a Week 18 win away over the Lions from owning home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Of course, this offseason brought changes. Chief among them was the free-agency departure of quarterback Sam Darnold, with McCarthy stepping in to replace him. McCarthy was in to back up and eventually replace Darnold as a rookie in 2024 before sustaining a torn meniscus in August, knocking him out for the year. But now healthy and with Darnold in Seattle after throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns in purple and gold, McCarthy can put his autumn of mental reps to the test. On Monday, McCarthy took all the first-team reps in a light practice and had an uneven day. There were a few terrific throws including a dart to third-year receiver Jordan Addison in a red-zone drill. Then there was a moment when the Michigan product had to pull away from center in an apparent effort to be told the play, or at least a detail about it, again. And this is the crux of the Vikings and their 2025 season. The roster is loaded around McCarthy in a way most quarterbacks only dream of for their maiden voyage. Minnesota general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah beefed up both the offensive and defensive lines, signing a quartet of big bodies including defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, along with a pair of former Colts in guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly. All told, the Vikings spent $103.4 million in guaranteed money on the foursome with the hope of avoiding the issues up front which ultimately sank their 2024 campaign, when they allowed 22 quarterback hits and 11 sacks across consecutive losses in Week 18 and the wild-card round. “We’re making each other better,” Fries says. “There are some really good players on that defensive side of the ball and it’s helping me get so much better going against Jonathan Allen, going against Hargrave. Those guys are freaks. Those guys are tremendous rushers, play really stout in the run game. I’m really thankful I’m about to go against those guys every snap because it makes me a better football player.” For Minnesota, the story is going to be McCarthy and his development throughout what is essentially another rookie year but with the benefit of knowing the system and playbook. But it’ll really come down to the remade offensive line, the health of star left tackle Christian Darrisaw in his return from a torn ACL and MCL, and whether the offense can jell in time to compete in the league’s best division. Last year, the Vikings became the first 14-win team to ever not win their division. They’re also the first such team since the 1999 Broncos to move onto a new quarterback, and Denver did so because John Elway retired following consecutive Super Bowl victories. It’s a lot of pressure on McCarthy, but his ring from Michigan’s 2024 title team suggests he might be able to handle it. “He’s been amazing,” Jones says. “I’m honestly confident in what we have here. I feel like we have everything we need, all the pieces we need here. I feel like J.J. is going to surprise a lot of people.” |
| NFC EAST |
| PHILADELPHIAGood news for the Eagles on G LANDON DICKERSON: @JClarkNBCSBreaking news on Landon Dickerson! Good news! Source confirms He will have a minor procedure on his meniscus and does not need a full repair. He is considered week to week with some hope that he could be ready for the season opener. |
| NFC WEST |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB MATTHEW STAFFORD: Stafford is making his Tier 1 debut at age 37 after 11 consecutive seasons in Tier 2. His ability to work through a back injury that has sidelined him in camp will be key. “I always had a high admiration for him as a competitor, arm talent and playmaker, but always thought he was a gunslinger,” one voter said. “He still has that in him, but his mind, his ability to process, think and communicate stand out.” Stafford’s ability to process and play from the pocket has long endeared him to offensive coaches who prefer to play that way. “I guarantee all your 1s for Stafford came from offensive coaches,” a defensive coordinator said. “Offensive coaches kiss this guy’s ass all the time, especially guys from that system. He’s really good, though. I would take him over (Justin) Herbert because he is a better passer, with better timing.” It wasn’t just offensive coaches pushing Stafford into Tier 1. Far from it. Three GMs, one assistant GM, three former GMs, four other personnel execs and seven defensive coordinators accounted for the bulk of Stafford’s 26 top-tier votes. “That dude is something,” a defensive coordinator said. “Every time I watch him, I go, ‘Whoa!’ He is a high 2.” This coordinator reconsidered when asked what was keeping Stafford from Tier 1. “There is really nothing,” the coordinator replied. “He’s a 1. He’s that good. They are a play away from (the NFC Championship Game) last year. He worries the s— out of you.” |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITY Thoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB PATRICK MAHOMES: Voters still consider Mahomes the best even though others have surpassed him statistically. “I think Mahomes is the best quarterback to ever live,” an offensive coordinator said, “but the gap is smaller than it was a year ago.” This is Mahomes’ fifth season as a unanimous Tier 1 selection. Only Aaron Rodgers, with six, has more unanimous selections since QB Tiers debuted in 2014. “Mahomes is the best quarterback in the world,” a GM said. “Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson had better individual seasons. In fairness, the infrastructure around Patrick has eroded.” Mahomes led the league last season in game-winning drives (seven) and fourth-quarter comeback victories (five), per Pro Football Reference. Both were single-season career highs as Kansas City went 11-0 in games decided by eight or fewer points. “Mahomes has the Brady seat now, until someone proves otherwise,” an offensive coach said. “Last year, I saw a headline saying something to the effect of, ‘Mahomes’ worst year to date, and the Chiefs are undefeated.’ This is when this guy is too good for his own good.” The Chiefs’ shrinking victory margins correlate with the shrinking gap between Mahomes, Burrow, Allen and Jackson. “It would probably be Mahomes first just because he can beat you so many different ways,” a defensive coordinator said. “He ain’t fast, but he runs on you. He throws it from all over the place. I hate facing Lamar now that they have Derrick Henry. I hate to see Josh Allen, and then Joe (Burrow) has great targets, but you can get after him.” Mahomes ranked 10th in EPA per pass play, 17th in passer rating (93.5) and 26th in yards per attempt (6.8) last season. “Patrick is obviously still a 1, but he is winning out of need at the end of games,” a head coach said. “That is what it’s about, but Burrow, Lamar and Josh played better than him in quarters one through four.” No voters came close to placing Mahomes in any other tier. “Criticizing him is like walking into the Sistine Chapel and saying, ‘I like Michelangelo’s drawings, but his sense of color is off,'” a defensive coach with AFC West experience said. |
| LAS VEGASUpon his return to Seattle last week, QB GENO SMITH made what some reports label an “obscene gesture”. This coverage from Austin Nivison of CBSSports.com uses a more benign term: Back in March, quarterback Geno Smith was traded by the Seattle Seahawks to the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting him with coach Pete Carroll. Smith spent six seasons with the Seahawks, five under Carroll, and now the two are set to embark on a new chapter with the Raiders. Coincidentally, their first preseason game with the Raiders happened to be against none other than the Seahawks. For the most part, Smith received a warm reception in Thursday’s return to Seattle — with one notable exception. As the Raiders were coming out of the tunnel, Smith noticed one fan holding up a sign that read, “BIGGER BUST — GENO OR JAMARCUS RUSSELL?” Smith took exception to the sign and fired a couple of middle fingers in that fan’s direction as he ran onto the field. On Sunday, Carroll was asked about Smith flipping a couple birds toward a fan. The first-year Raiders coach was very succinct with his reply and staunchly defended his quarterback. “Did you see what the sign said?” Carroll responded. “Next question.” Smith did get support, not only from his coach, but also at least one teammate. Edge rusher Maxx Crosby also fired off a couple of middle fingers, and Carroll himself even leapt up in an attempt to snatch the sign away. Smith revived his career in Seattle as he proved he could be a starting quarterback in the NFL. However, following the 2024 campaign, Smith and the Seahawks were unable to come to terms on a contract extension. That prompted the trade that sent Smith to the Raiders, where he was reunited with Carroll, who was let go by the Seahawks after the 2023 season. As for the game itself, Smith saw very limited action, completing one of his three pass attempts for 15 yards. Smith spent most of his return to Lumen Field on the sideline as Aidan O’Connell and Cam Miller received valuable game reps. When we saw that Carroll was also aghast at the sign we expected more than a profanity-free comparison to JaMarcus Russell. Smith is infinitely better than Russell, so the sign is dumb, but we’re not sure it is worthy of Smith’s public notice. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB LAMAR JACKSON: Jackson has finally ascended into the top tier after two seasons of good health and great production in an offense showcasing his passing. He did so with 46 top-tier votes, twice his total from 2024 QB Tiers. “Lamar has really done a great job, and I do not think it has been him that has let them down (in the playoffs),” a defensive coordinator said. “It has been other parts of their team. He has taken leaps and bounds in the last couple years.” Jackson set career bests last season for passing yards (4,172), yards per attempt (8.8), touchdown passes (41), interceptions (four), passer rating (119.6), sack rate (4.6 percent) and rate of passes gaining 15-plus yards (21.3 percent). “There is a maturity of how he plays the game and when he turns on his magic,” another voter said. “We played them, and s—, he was almost perfect that day. He is definitely a 1.” Most voters thought Jackson should have won MVP last season. “It would have been his third,” an offensive coordinator said. “You can’t win three MVPs, still be in your prime and not be a 1.” Only Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield made bigger year-over-year gains in average tier vote, remarkable considering Jackson already ranked in the top five a year ago. “There was doubt before because it was off-schedule, it was running, it’s not sustainable, they have a great defense, they have this, they have that,” another voter said. “The offense has put the ball in his hands more, to sling the ball around.” Voters also thought the Ravens’ improved skill players were a factor. “I’m a firm 1 on Lamar now,” another defensive coordinator said. “Even last year’s game in the playoffs, he brought them back. (Mark) Andrews drops the ball at the end. Lamar is the total package, a very unique player.” |
| CINCINNATI Thoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JOE BURROW: This is Burrow’s fourth consecutive season in Tier 1 and his first as a unanimous top-tier selection. Rodgers (six), Mahomes (five), Tom Brady (four) and Russell Wilson (one) are the only other unanimous Tier 1 selections in the survey’s history. “He is the closest thing to Joe Montana that I have seen,” a head coach said. “That is about as big a compliment I can give you as a quarterback.” One difference: Montana’s San Francisco 49ers led the NFL in fewest points allowed during the 1980s, while Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals ranked 25th last season. “To me, it’s Mahomes and then Burrow if I had to rank them,” a veteran offensive coach said. “Burrow could be a 1 with a red cross on him. They don’t protect him, and he gets the s— knocked out of him constantly.” Burrow played all 17 games last season, leading the NFL in attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns. “He’s a stud, particularly with those freaks he has out there at receiver,” a defensive coach said. “I respect the arm talent, don’t get me wrong, but you have to be able to fool him presnap, and you have to be able to rush with four and get there.” – – – WR TEE HIGGINS on Cincinnati’s desire not to hinder its 2025 playoff chances with a slow start: The Bengals couldn’t dig themselves out of the 1-4 hole they dug for themselves at the start of the 2024 season and a history of slow starts led the team to shift gears this summer. Starters are playing more in the preseason as head coach Zac Taylor tries to make sure that the team is firing on all cylinders right away. Going with the first team worked out well last Thursday as Joe Burrow threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first quarter, but another one of the team’s stars isn’t leaning into the notion that a faster start to the year will solve all Cincinnati’s problems. During an appearance with Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio, Higgins said that he doesn’t “like the narrative of getting off to a hot start” because he believes the path back to the playoffs will come down to executing in all three phases and “finishing the game.” “It’s just stop with the narratives, just go out there and just play football,” Higgins said. “Execute as a team. That’s really all I can really say about it.” The nice thing for Higgins and the Bengals is that both starting fast and finishing strong are good paths to the record they failed to achieve last season. |
| CLEVELANDEDGE MYLES GARRETT was racing around northeastern Ohio at 100 MPH in the wee hours of Saturday morning. It is not the first time he has sped through a police radar gun. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: Almost three years after Myles Garrett flipped his Porsche 911 multiple times when he was speeding and swerved to avoid an animal, he was cited for speeding once again in the Cleveland area. Garrett, 29, was cited by Strongsville police for going 100 mph in a 60 mph zone Saturday at 2:01 a.m., according to the Strongsville police report. He was issued a $250 ticket, which he can pay without appearing in court. If he chooses to contest the ticket, his court hearing is Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in Strongsville. It was Garrett’s eighth citation for speeding since arriving in Cleveland as the first pick in the 2017 draft. Brad Stainbrook with the receipts (some of them): @StainbrookNFLSpeeds that #Browns Myles Garrett has been ticketed on since being drafted in Cleveland: 120mph/70 99mph/70 91mph/60 100mph/60 (April 2020) 60mph/45 (rollover crash) 100mph/60 (August 2025)– – -Matt Zenits of CBSSports.com on the reaction to QB SHEDEUR SANDERS’ debut: By the end of Shedeur Sanders’ performance in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Friday, there were glowing reviews on social media from celebrities such as LeBron James and Jamie Foxx, complimentary posts from other NFL players like Xavier Worthy and even a Nike post that included a picture of Sanders along with the caption “Only a matter of time.” As one Browns source joked, it may be the most talked-about preseason performance in the history of the NFL. All jokes aside, though, it was a strong performance from Sanders that Cleveland’s staff felt good about and viewed as a confidence-builder and building block for the fifth-round draft pick. Even beyond the game, where Sanders went 14 for 23 for 138 yards with two touchdown passes, the Browns staff saw Sanders take a noticeable step forward with his preparation and locking in behind the scenes last week knowing that he was in line for more reps and to start that game vs. Carolina. The big question now: How does the performance from Sanders impact Cleveland’s quarterback dynamic moving forward? Here’s the reality from talking to sources: While there were a lot of positives from that start against Carolina (for example that he was decisive and threw the ball well), there are “still a lot of things there that need to be cleaned up,” including from a pocket presence standpoint and handling pressure. It was also emphasized that it’s important for people to not get ahead of themselves based on a team’s first preseason game. The feedback prior to the game had been that Sanders had been “up and down” through the beginning of the offseason and training camp, Kenny Pickett and third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel being limited by injuries has created opportunity for Sanders, which he has taken advantage of, but Sanders does appear to still be QB4 for Cleveland at the moment behind expected starter Joe Flacco, then Pickett and Gabriel (Gabriel was drafted ahead of Sanders). The opportunity for an increased workload should continue through this week for Sanders. While sources believe Gabriel may be back to being a full-go this week, it seems like Pickett is still at least a week away from being a full participant. And coming off that stellar showing against Carolina, Cleveland’s staff is highly curious to see how Sanders follows that up this week when the Browns face the Philadelphia Eagles in their second preseason game. One thing that’s clear at this stage from talking to sources is that, even though it’s not standard for an NFL team to keep four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster, there’s a good chance the Browns end up having four on theirs with the combination of Flacco, Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders. The team doesn’t plan to cut anyone, so it would take a trade for Cleveland to move on from any of the four. Right now, it sounds more likely that all four remain with the Browns, including Sanders, who has already shown Cleveland’s staff — and others around the league — that he’s a 53-man roster caliber quarterback but will now get further opportunity to build on what sources described as a “good first showing.” |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOThoughts from Mike Sando’s panel of experts on QB JOSH ALLEN: Allen ranks a tick below Mahomes and Burrow even though some consider him the most challenging to defend. That’s because a few voters valued pure passing over running strongly enough to place a line after Mahomes and Burrow. “Josh Allen presents some issues that Mahomes doesn’t present, just how strong he is and how good of a runner he is,” one voter said. “I watched him single-handedly beat us. It’s just, God, you can’t tackle him. And he’s got a cannon.” Allen set career bests in 2024 for EPA per pass play, sack rate and rate of pass plays gaining more than 15 yards. “Josh Allen reminds me of (Brett) Favre when he was younger,” an offensive coach said. “He is like a bull in a china shop, trying to score 70 every week. Burrow does it like a surgeon.” The Favre comp seems less relevant after Allen suffered only eight turnovers last season. That was down from 22 in 2023, and a career low by far. “Josh Allen is the toughest quarterback to defend,” a defensive coordinator said. “He is a combination of Lamar and Burrow. Lamar is the better runner. Burrow is the better pure passer. Josh is right in the middle. He can sling the ball around for 400 yards. If you have that covered, he can run for 100 yards, too. “The only thing that has been an issue for him is turnovers playing hero ball, and that was better last year.” – – – Do we agree with Matt Kopnak on this one about QB JOSH ALLEN? @MattKopnakYou can debate who is the best QB, but you cannot debate the best face of a franchise. Josh is undeniably the number 1 person you want front and center promoting your team/city. That isn’t limited to football either that encompasses all American sports If not Allen, who? We don’t profess to know about LAMAR JACKSON definitively, but he has been a good one for Baltimore. What BAKER MAYFIELD has done with the Buccaneers in two years is remarkable. Is SAQUON BARKLEY now the face of the Eagles? PATRICK MAHOMES has been fine for the Chiefs and re-upped repeatedly with the small market team. Aaron Judge with the Yankees? Give Pete Crow-Armstrong time with the Cubs. |
| NEW ENGLANDAmong the reasons the Patriots will have a winning record in 2025 is that they struck gold with rookie RB TreVEYON HENDERSON. He had a 100-yard kickoff return last week. Thoughts from OC Josh McDaniels: @LosTalksPats#Patriots OC Josh McDaniels on RB TreVeyon Henderson: “Awesome individual. Really hard worker. Smart kid. Can process a lot of information… explosive… and tough… I don’t have many negatives to say…” McDaniels says the rookie is the fastest running back he’s worked with 🚀 |
| THIS AND THAT |
| GRUDEN WINS IN NEVADA SUPREME COURTRoger Goodell thought that he could rule, in a closed arbitration proceeding he controlled, as to whether or not Roger Goodell and others at the NFL had conspired unfairly to get Jon Gruden out of his coaching job at the Raiders. Jon Gruden wanted the case in a neutral Nevada court. After some initial success, Gruden lost 2-1 to a three-judge panel of the Nevada Supreme Court. The NFL celebrated, anticipating that they would not be subject to discovery and that Gruden’s team would not acquire NFL communications on the matter. But Gruden asked the Nevada Supreme Court for an en banc hearing before all seven members. He got it, and now he has won by a vote of 5-2. The ruling from the 5 judges calls the NFL’s arbitration scheme “unconscionable” as it applies to Gruden and says he should get the home game (or at least neutral site game) in the Nevada court. One wonders if an NFL settlement offer will be forthcoming, all Mike Florio expects the NFL to try to get the U.S. Supreme Court on its side (or at least keep the clock running and Gruden’s lawyer fees piling up). Florio: Jon Gruden made a Hail Mary pass in the Nevada Supreme Court. And it went for a touchdown. In November 2021, Gruden sued the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell for leaking to multiple media outlets emails from the supposedly confidential investigation into the Washington franchise. Gruden contends that the leaks were calculated to force his ouster. And indeed they did. He initially won before the trial court. After having the Nevada Supreme Court rule that his civil lawsuit must be resolved through arbitration, Gruden filed a motion for rehearing before the full court. First, they granted the request. Now, they have ruled in his favor. In a 5-2 ruling, the Nevada Supreme Court has found that the arbitration clause contained in the NFL’s Constitution and Bylaws “is unconscionable and does not apply to Gruden as a former employee.” The league primarily relied on the broad language of its constitution regarding the Commissioner’s power to have “full, complete, and final jurisdiction and authority to arbitrate . . . [a]ny dispute . . . that in the opinion of the Commissioner constitutes conduct detrimental to the best interests of the League or professional football.” n an eight-page decision, the Nevada Supreme Court found that the provision is unconcsionable because it “would allow Goodell, as Commissioner, to arbitrate disputes about his own conduct — exactly what is at issue here.” The Nevada Supreme Court then declared that the ability of Goodell to delegate the actual arbitration to another party does not matter. The court further explained that the league’s power to alter its constitution whenever it wants makes the arbitration clause unconscionable. Sepearately, the court refused to prevent Gruden from suing the league in court due to the presence of an arbitration clause in his contract with the Raiders. The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Undoubtedly, the league will attempt to appeal the outcome to the United States Supreme Court; that’s what the league did when the Missouri Supreme Court found that the lawsuit regarding the relocation of the Rams could not be forced into arbitration. If that happens, the case will continue to linger. The first question will be whether the Supreme Court will take up the case. If it does, the question becomes whether the league will disagree with the Nevada Supreme Court, forcing Gruden to arbitrate his claims. As it relates to the quest for the truth, it’s important that the case be litigated in court. That’s how everyone will find out how and why someone weaponized the Washington emails against Gruden. And why, more importantly, the attack happened during the regular season — thereby undermining the integrity of the entire campaign, as to all 32 teams. If the case is arbitrated, we may never know who ordered the proverbial Code Red against Gruden. And this: Gruden’s lawyers have issued a statement to PFT. “We’re very pleased with the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision, not just for Coach Gruden but for all employees facing an employer’s unfair arbitration process,” said Adam Hosmer-Henner of McDonald Carano LLP, the firm representing Gruden. “This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden’s reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable.” It’s likely if not inevitable that the NFL will file a petition for appeal to the United States Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court doesn’t take the case (or if it does and the NFL loses), it will be time for the case to proceed to discovery. And that’s when the NFL may throw money at Gruden in an effort to settle his claim that the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell leaked emails he had sent while working for ESPN to multiple media outlets. Here’s the most important question: Will he reject any offer the league makes? A July 2023 ESPN.comarticle about the leaked emails that forced Gruden to resign asserted that Gruden hopes “to burn the house down.” That can happen only if he first proves who, from a fairly tight circles of people who had access to the supposedly secret emails from the Washington investigation, leaked some to the Wall Street Journal for publication on a Friday and then, when that didn’t do the trick, leaked more to the New York Times on a Monday. At that point, things could get very interesting. On Tuesday, the NFL said it would appeal the Nevada ruling. |
| WEEK ONE QBs IN A WORDCody Benjamin with one word (plus an explanation) on 40 QBs who saw action in preseason Week 1: So how did each quarterback fare in the snaps they were given? Here’s how we’d describe 40 of the most notable signal-callers to play in Week 1 of the 2025 preseason, from a spicy Jaxson Dart in New York and a sharp Bryce Young in Carolina to an uneven Tyler Shough in New Orleans: 1. Joe Burrow (Bengals)Sharp. The MVP-caliber Burrow remains intact. Cincinnati’s starter got some legit run against the Philadelphia Eagles and finished 9 of 10 with two scores, including one to buddy Ja’Marr Chase. 2. Tanner McKee (Eagles)Pristine. There’s a reason the Eagles shipped Kenny Pickett to Cleveland. McKee’s been razor-sharp as a pure pocket passer in limited work. That continued against Cincy to the tune of 252 yards and two scores. 3. Anthony Richardson (Colts)Battered. The young man put in work to keep Daniel Jones at bay (barely) this summer. Then he failed to see a free rusher against the Ravens and dislocated a finger as a result. He just can’t stay on the field. 4. Daniel Jones (Colts)Passable. He was second up for Indy after Richardson and looked decent making quick strikes out of Shane Steichen’s option calls. Some miscommunications kept him from really opening things up. 5. Cooper Rush (Ravens)Concerning. The ex-Dallas Cowboys veteran lofted an easy interception on his first play in place of a resting Lamar Jackson. He doesn’t have much competition on the bench, either. 6. Cam Miller (Raiders)Clutch. Did Tom Brady strike gold helping the Raiders add the NDSU product in the sixth round? The rookie flashed sturdy downfield touch to headline a Las Vegas comeback against the Seahawks. 7. Geno Smith (Raiders)Feisty. Technically, Smith only threw four passes before resting in his debut as Las Vegas’ new starter. But he also had some choice gestures for antagonistic Seahawks fans as he took the field. 8. Jalen Milroe (Seahawks)Spry. No surprise here, but Seattle’s rookie signal-caller wasted no time showcasing his slippery speed on the ground. With Sam Darnold resting, the Alabama product gained 38 yards as a rusher. 9. Hendon Hooker (Lions)Shaky. The former third-round draft pick got the starting nod as Jared Goff rested against the Falcons. He proceeded to lose a pair of fumbles before coach Dan Campbell pulled him ahead of halftime. 10. Kyle Allen (Lions)Poised. If Hooker squandered his second crack at making headway in the race for Detroit’s No. 2 job, then Allen seized it. He was comfortable in the pocket and uncorked some perfectly placed deep shots. 11. Easton Stick (Falcons)Tempting. In the sense that his sharpness against Detroit, even under pressure, could convince Atlanta to be more proactive in shopping Kirk Cousins, the current No. 2 behind starter Michael Penix Jr. 12. Shedeur Sanders (Browns)Composed. The talk of the 2025 draft wasn’t perfect as Cleveland’s trial-run starter, but he stood tall even on the move, keeping his eyes downfield and saving his tightest throws for the red zone. 13. Kenny Pickett (Browns)Absent. Pickett was inactive for Cleveland due to a hamstring injury, but his omission from the opening preseason slate was especially glaring in light of Sanders’ play. His roster spot might not even be safe. 14. Bryce Young (Panthers)Focused. After closing 2024 with noticeably improved confidence, the former No. 1 overall pick continued to display nice anticipation and post-snap composure in limited work against the Browns. 15. Josh Johnson (Commanders)Proven. At 39, on his 14th different NFL team, Johnson was always destined to have a leg up in the fight for Washington’s No. 3 job. He moved the Commanders fairly well against the Patriots, in contrast to … 16. Sam Hartman (Commanders)Iffy. The former Wake Forest prospect got the start for Washington in place of a resting Jayden Daniels, and he struggled to find a rhythm, hitting 9 of 19 passes and tossing an interception. 17. Josh Dobbs (Patriots)Frenetic. The journeyman took a page out of his short-lived Vikings stardom with a fourth-and-goal touchdown scramble for New England, offsetting an uneven passing debut behind Drake Maye. 18. Jaxson Dart (Giants)Enticing. Was the first-round rookie flawless? No. But operating early against the Bills, the Ole Miss product didn’t flinch against pressure and lofted a perfect bomb of a score to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. 19. Russell Wilson (Giants)Quiet. This is kind of Wilson’s game now, despite the reputation for chucking it on play-action: dink and dunk to stay on the field (and fend off potential successors). How long he’ll hold the top job is unclear. 20. Jameis Winston (Giants)Flashy. Love him or hate him, Winston has never not been entertaining. The third quarterback to take the field for New York against Buffalo, he rifled one score and even picked up 12 yards on a scramble. 21. Tommy DeVito (Giants)Overlooked. Remember him? DeVito followed suit with an efficient outing (10 of 14) against the Bills, but as the fourth man up in an entirely remade quarterback room, he could soon be playing elsewhere. 22. Mitchell Trubisky (Bills)Fluid. It’s been years since Trubisky drew rave reviews for his athletic upside as a starter, but filling in for the resting Josh Allen against New York, he showed some nice off-balance touch early on. 23. Mike White (Bills)Valuable. In a future trade, perhaps? The ex-Jets backup had little trouble airing it out against the Giants, tossing two scores in competition with Trubisky. He could be a solid No. 2 elsewhere if it’s not in Buffalo. 24. J.J. McCarthy (Vikings)Reasonable. This was McCarthy’s first game-day action since last preseason, when he hurt his knee. His best play was a smooth fourth-down scramble. This remains a cautiously optimistic “wait-and-see” deal. 25. Sam Howell (Vikings)Improved. At least from training camp, where the ex-Commanders gunslinger got himself in trouble with plenty of forced throws. Against the Texans, he was much more settled in, finishing 11 of 13. 26. Max Brosmer (Vikings)Surprising. The undrafted rookie is a local favorite thanks to his college stint at Minnesota, and he recovered well from an early botched snap, firing a crisp fourth-and-goal touchdown late in his debut. 27. Davis Mills (Texans)Calm. The largely unchallenged backup to C.J. Stroud in Houston after Case Keenum’s exit, Mills was an unbothered distributor in limited work, hitting 4 of 5 throws in a 10-play touchdown drive to start. 28. Graham Mertz (Texans)Bullied. Vying for a reserve role, the sixth-round rookie struggled to complete 50% of his throws against the Vikings’ backups, finishing with three interceptions in his exhibition debut. 29. Stetson Bennett (Rams)Commanding. Coach Sean McVay praised the former Georgia standout for his seamless progressions against the Cowboys. The No. 3 behind Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo also threw two scores. 30. Joe Milton III (Cowboys)Tantalizing. It’s the same story with Milton, who previously flashed for the Patriots as a preseason weapon. He’s got a killer “fastball,” as Brian Schottenheimer put it, but was also uneven through the air. 31. Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)Comfortable. New coach Liam Coen had Lawrence making quick decisions to feed Brian Thomas Jr. and new target Travis Hunter. Lawrence threw just seven passes, but the former No. 1 pick looked at ease. 32. Cam Ward (Titans)Gifted. There was a bit of jumpiness from the No. 1 overall pick, who’s pretty clearly dependent on his arm talent. Fortunately, the arm is for real, as evidenced on an opening scoring drive against the Buccaneers. 33. Justin Fields (Jets)Mobile. It’s hardly a stunner, considering Fields basically made a name for himself with the Bears as a scrambler. But his touchdown run for New York confirmed he’s still got the juice to explode on the ground. 34. Kyler Murray (Cardinals)Erratic. In other words, an extension of his mercurial career in Arizona. Murray did hit all but one of his eight passes, but that one incompletion was an egregious red-zone interception against the Chiefs. 35. Bailey Zappe (Chiefs)Shoddy. The former Patriots prospect got five drives as a roster hopeful, but he completed just 8 of 17 throws with two interceptions against Arizona, entrenching Gardner Minshew as Patrick Mahomes’ backup. 36. Bo Nix (Broncos)Sloppy. Despite a promising 2024 debut, Nix was outperformed by backup Jarrett Stidham against the 49ers, taking a safety on an intentional grounding penalty after an opening drive that ended with a punt. 37. Quinn Ewers (Dolphins)Ghastly. The Texas product enjoyed a strong summer lead-up to his preseason debut, only to lose two fumbles on bad sacks and complete just 5 of 18 passes. Zach Wilson appears safe as the new No. 2. 38. Case Keenum (Bears)Composed. He’s 37, but he looked like a real challenger for the backup job behind Caleb Williams, operating Ben Johnson’s offense with calm efficiency, finishing 8 of 10 for 80 yards and two scores. 39. Tyler Shough (Saints)Uneven. The rookie provided a bit more pop than Spencer Rattler, who got the start for the Saints, though he also threw a pick-six. He may still be primed to open 2025 as new coach Kellen Moore’s No. 1. 40. Trey Lance (Chargers)Explosive. Lance wasn’t nearly as efficient through the air as he was in the Hall of Fame Game, but his 48 yards of rushing work kept L.A. moving. He might be the clear favorite to be Justin Herbert’s backup. |
