Cornerback Charvarius Ward has a clear preference when comparing his current team, the San Francisco 49ers, to his former squad, the Kansas City Chiefs, ahead of their Super Bowl LVIII matchup."It's better over here," Ward said when asked about the difference between the two clubs, per Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports.When asked in what way playing for the 49ers is better, Ward replied, "In every way possible."The Dallas Cowboys traded Ward to the Chiefs in 2018 after signing him as an undrafted free agent. He became a full-time starter the following year after an impressive end to his rookie campaign with Kansas City.Ward suited up for the Chiefs in their victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. He finished the contest with three tackles while playing 98% of the defensive snaps.The 27-year-old played two more seasons with the Chiefs before signing a three-year, $42-million deal with the 49ers in 2022. He's started all 34 games with San Francisco in his two years with the club and has blossomed into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Ward led the league in passes defended this year with 23.Ward expressed confidence that the 49ers can defeat his former team on Sunday."I know we've got a great team," Ward said, according to Jerry McDonald of The Mercury News. "Everybody expected us to be in the Super Bowl. When I was in Kansas City, and we won (against the 49ers), we just knew we were going to win the Super Bowl. That's how this team feels this year."The Middle Tennessee product has 381 tackles and 10 interceptions in 90 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Earlier in Super Bowl week, we looked at the betting market for the game itself. If you have a side to bet, you can tailor your prop betting portfolio to fit that result, but ideally, there will be a path to prop victory even if the side or total doesn't come through.Chiefs: Under 23.5 rushing attemptsNeither the Chiefs (4.5 yards per carry allowed) nor the 49ers (4.3) were in the top half of the league's run defenses, so both sides are theoretically vulnerable. However, playing in perfect conditions for the first time this postseason, the Chiefs probably don't want to take the ball out of Patrick Mahomes' hands (unless they have a big lead like they did in Baltimore).In a back-and-forth game in Buffalo, Kansas City crept over this total, but the Chiefs got a boost from two outliers - six Mahomes scrambles and a handoff to Mecole Hardman.During the regular season, the 49ers excelled in first-half offense, particularly during the scripted portion of their play-calling. If they grab an early lead, the Chiefs may be less likely to commit to a high-volume run game.Patrick Mahomes: Under 25.5 rushing yardsIn a big game, Mahomes is more likely to pull the ball down and take off. However, that doesn't necessarily translate to yardage. Against the Ravens and Bills, Mahomes ran six times each but didn't crack 25 yards even before kneel-downs.Nursing an ankle injury before Super Bowl LVII, Mahomes shocked the Eagles with his mobility for 44 rushing yards, but San Francisco's linebacker duo of Dre Greenlaw and speed demon Fred Warner should be more prepared for the threat of Mahomes' legs on high-leverage downs. In their last meeting during the 2022 regular season, Mahomes didn't have a rushing attempt.Deebo Samuel: Over 16.5 rushing yardsLike Mahomes, Deebo Samuel becomes a bigger rushing threat in big games. Getting injured early in the divisional round game meant Samuel couldn't have that impact against the Packers, and his questionable availability against the Lions might have kept his rush attempts down.Now that he's got a clean bill of health, the Niners should give Samuel the ball out of the backfield more often. The 49ers' biggest games during the season were against the Rams, Seahawks (twice), Eagles, and Cowboys. He had 18 carries for 106 yards in those five games after 13 totes in three playoff games last year. Facing a vulnerable run defense, Samuel could go over on a single big carry if the Chiefs' secondary can't tackle.Over 2.5 rushing touchdowns (+150)We cashed a bet on Mahomes to go under 1.5 passing touchdowns in the AFC title game, citing the Chiefs' increased usage of Isiah Pacheco near the goal line since mid-November, and the 49ers just allowed the Lions to score three rushing touchdowns.Christian McCaffrey is a good bet to contribute, and if it isn't him near the goal line, Kyle Shanahan's likely to give it to Samuel, Elijah Mitchell, or even Kyle Juszczyk. Brock Purdy - a popular bet to go over his rushing total - could score as well.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kadarius Toney clarified on Monday that his frustration in a viral rant on Instagram Live was directed at his former team, the New York Giants, and not the Kansas City Chiefs."I never attacked the Chiefs, never said anything about the Chiefs," Toney said on NFL Network, according to ESPN. "Who I was referring to was the Giants fans and the people in my comments, my comment box, not even on my live recording, so you wouldn't even know they were there."The 25-year-old wideout said, "I'm not hurt. None of that," in a social media post that drew plenty of speculation after he was ruled out of the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. Toney was listed with hip and ankle injuries before the matchup. His absence was also described as a personal matter in regard to the birth of his daughter.Head coach Andy Reid said after the Chiefs' AFC title win that Toney's injuries weren't fabricated."Well, obviously, he's been on the injury report. That part is not made up by any means," Reid said last week, according to The Associated Press.The Chiefs acquired the Florida product in an October 2022 trade with the Giants. Toney still holds plenty of animosity toward his former club after being in uniform for 12 games with the NFC East franchise. He's previously posted content on social media directed at the Giants since being traded to Kansas City.Toney hasn't played since Week 15 against the New England Patriots, where he deflected a pass that was ultimately intercepted. It marked the latest publicized misstep in an uneven 2023 campaign for the third-year receiver. His most notable gaffe from the regular season was when he was called offside on what would've been a go-ahead touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14.Toney caught a touchdown and tallied 77 punt return yards to help the Chiefs take down the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. While Toney isn't listed on the Chiefs' injury report ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, it's unclear if he'll be active on Sunday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play in his fourth Super Bowl in only six years as a starting quarterback."You want to get to the Super Bowl. That's your ultimate goal, and to be able to be in my fourth one, it truly is surreal, and I just try to appreciate it every single time," Mahomes said at Super Bowl Opening Night, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN."You don't even know if this will be your last, and I've been blessed to be in a lot with a great organization with a lot of great players around me, so I just try to maximize those opportunities."The Chiefs are set to play in their second straight Super Bowl after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in the big game last year. They would be the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to win consecutive Super Bowls with a victory over the San Francisco 49ers.Mahomes has won two Super Bowls since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2017. He could be the fifth starting quarterback in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowls with a win on Sunday, joining Troy Aikman (three), Terry Bradshaw (four), Joe Montana (four), and Tom Brady (seven).However, the 28-year-old Mahomes said he isn't focused on passing Brady's Super Bowl record anytime soon."I'm not even close to halfway, so I haven't put a lot of thought into it," Mahomes said. "Your goal is to be the best player that you can be, and I know I'm blessed to be around a lot of great players.""So right now, it's do whatever I can to beat a great 49ers team and try to get that third ring. Then, if you ask me that question in 15 years, I'll see if I can get close to seven, but seven seems like a long ways away still."The Texas Tech product had his fewest passing yards and touchdowns this season since 2019. However, he's elevated his play in the postseason, throwing for 718 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in three playoff games this year.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers are expected to hire Greg Roman for a prominent spot on their staff led by head coach Jim Harbaugh, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Roman is heading to L.A. on Monday as the two sides work out the details of their agreement, according to Rapoport.The 53-year-old reunites with Harbaugh after spending four seasons as his offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014.Roman also worked on John Harbaugh's staff with the Baltimore Ravens for several years, serving as the team's tight ends coach (2017), assistant head coach (2018), and offensive coordinator (2019-22).Harbaugh, who joined L.A. as head coach on Jan. 24 to replace Brandon Staley, recently said he was focused on building a new Chargers coaching staff. The role of offensive coordinator is currently vacant. Kellen Moore coordinated Los Angeles' offense in 2023 but recently joined the Philadelphia Eagles in the same role.Known for his run-heavy schemes in Baltimore, Roman's best season as a coordinator came in 2019 when quarterback Lamar Jackson was named NFL MVP while helping the Ravens finish the campaign with the league's top-ranked scoring offense. The AFC North team brought in Todd Monken to replace Roman in 2023.Harbaugh, Roman, and Co. are inheriting a Chargers team that ranked only 21st in points scored and 18th in total yards in 2023 and finished the year with a 5-12 record. Star quarterback Justin Herbert missed four games due to injury and passed for 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions across 13 starts.The Chargers are also hiring Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady as their pass-game coordinator, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The 44-year-old interviewed for the team's OC vacancy.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles will kick off their 2024 regular season on international soil.Philadelphia will host the NFL's first-ever game in Brazil in Week 1 on Friday, Sept. 6, commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday."We embrace the opportunity to grow our fan base around the world and bring Eagles football to the 38 million sports fans in Brazil," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. "One of the world's most culturally diverse nations, Brazil is an international melting pot, and we look forward to experiencing its warm, vibrant, and welcoming environment later this year."It'll be the first time since 1970 that the league plays an opening-week Friday night matchup. Philly's opponent and kickoff time will be announced at a later date."This landmark first international game in South America demonstrates the ongoing expansion of our global footprint," Goodell said. "Playing on Friday night of Week 1 is a unique way to highlight our international growth and ambitions."The game will take place at Neo Quimica Arena - also known as the Corinthians Arena - in Sao Paulo, which hosted multiple games in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, including the tournament's opening match. The stadium was also a venue for the 2016 Olympics.The NFL has strongly pushed to expand its market globally in recent years, having already staged games in the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany. In 2023, the league also sent officials to Madrid to scout possible locations for regular-season contests.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Jones doesn't know why the Kansas City Chiefs have become villains in the eyes of some fans, but it's a role he's ready to accept."For some reason, everybody used to love us," the Chiefs defensive lineman told NFL Network's Michael Robinson at Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday. "We used to be one of the most favorite teams. Now everybody's like, 'We're ready for the Chiefs to lose.'"I don't know why, what changed, what dramatic incidents happened to where everybody felt like we should lose now, but that's okay. They can continue hating."The defending champion Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, marking their fourth appearance in the big game in five seasons. The two teams met in Super Bowl LIV in 2020, with the Chiefs defeating the 49ers to capture their first Super Bowl title in 50 years.Despite claiming two Super Bowl victories under head coach Andy Reid, Jones believes some fans may exaggerate the Chiefs' recent success."We haven't won as much as people think," Jones said. "We only won two, right? We only won two out of three."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers kicked off Super Bowl week at Opening Night on Monday, and it didn't disappoint. From legendary UFC announcer Bruce Buffer introducing both teams to Patrick Mahomes talking about his dad bod, Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night was must-watch TV.Here are the best moments from the event:Proper introductions Was there a better way to welcome the Chiefs and 49ers to Las Vegas than letting Buffer introduce them?

Several members of the San Francisco 49ers are displeased with the team's practice field conditions in Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The 49ers are using the practice facility at UNLV before they take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The NFL put in a sod field on top of field turf and started laying it last week, according to Schefter.The NFL hardness score for fields averages 78, with no field being less than 70. But the 49ers' field in Las Vegas is reportedly considered in the 50s.San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that his team won't change "anything" regarding its preparation for the big game, according to Omar Ruiz of NFL Network."It improves each day, so hopefully it will get better and better," Shanahan added, per Cam Inman of The Mercury News.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also addressed the situation Monday."Work has been done every single day," Goodell said, according to Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We've had 23 experts out there, we've had the union out there, all of them think that's a very playable surface. It's softer than what they practice on, but that happens. ... All of our experts, as well as neutral field inspectors, have all said unanimously that it's a playable field."The NFL ordinarily requires Super Bowl practice fields to meet specific standards by December. The league, however, has approved each Super Bowl practice facility after inspecting its playing surfaces along with the NFL Players Association.The Chiefs, who are considered the home team in the Super Bowl this year, are practicing this week at the Las Vegas Raiders' training facility.The 49ers are holding their first walk-through practice on the field Monday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After years of success as the Kansas City Chiefs' defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo is interested in once again becoming an NFL head coach."I would love another shot," Spagnuolo said Monday at Super Bowl Opening Night, according to Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano. "But I'm OK if we keep going to Super Bowls."Spagnuolo amassed a 10-38 record during his lone stint as a full-time NFL head coach with the then-St. Louis Rams from 2009-2011. He also went 1-3 as the New York Giants' interim sideline boss in 2017.However, he's widely viewed as one of the league's best defensive minds. Spagnuolo has fielded a top 12 scoring unit seven times and a top 11 yardage defense on five occasions, including this year with Kansas City. The Chiefs ranked second in both points (17.3) and yards (289.8) allowed per game in 2023. Yet he hasn't received much public interest for head coach vacancies.Spagnuolo will look to earn his fourth Super Bowl ring when the Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday. He's previously captured Lombardis with the Giants (XLII) and Chiefs (LIV and LVII).Spagnuolo has been with K.C. since 2019. He's also served as a defensive coordinator with the Giants and New Orleans Saints.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants are hiring Shane Bowen to be their new defensive coordinator, a source told The Athletic's Dianna Russini.The 37-year-old Bowen previously served as the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator from 2021-23.Tennessee's defense allowed 335.1 total yards and 21.6 points per contest with Bowen at the helm in 2023.Bowen spent two years as the outside linebackers coach and two seasons as a defensive assistant with the Houston Texans prior to joining the Titans.New York launched a search to fill its defensive play-caller vacancy after parting ways with Don "Wink" Martindale following two seasons. Head coach Brian Daboll and Martindale reportedly had a contentious relationship that fizzled out after the firing of two assistants close to Martindale.The Giants finished 27th in total defense (361.7) and surrendered an average of 23.9 points per game in 2023.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes expressed confidence that his team will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come."I don't want anybody to think that this was a one-shot, Cinderella, magical journey that just happened," Holmes said Monday, according to ESPN's Eric Woodyard. "No, it's real. ... I understand if you have a season like this, it's easy to feel like this was kind of a one-shot, magical, lucky, cute story. Which I'm tired of hearing. It was none of that."The Lions went 12-5 this season, matching the team's best win total in franchise history. Detroit won a pair of playoff games against the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell faced backlash for some moves they made last offseason. The team spent first-round picks on running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell before selecting defensive back Brian Branch and tight end Sam LaPorta in the second. Many felt like those picks should've been spent on higher-value positions.However, all four rookies played significant roles for the team. LaPorta, in particular, excelled, earning a second-team All-Pro nod and Pro Bowl selection. Gibbs also made the Pro Bowl as an alternate."I'm not up here to give 'I-told-you-sos,' but I would say I told you so was when we selected the player," Holmes said. "As long as Dan (Campbell) and I are convicted in selecting these players, you sleep like a baby. And we slept like a baby after we selected those players, and all the criticism that came and transpired the day after the draft, or the week after the draft, you can't be a prisoner of the moment."As the offseason draws closer, Holmes said he's focused on making decisions to help the club win playoff games rather than earn summer superlatives."Over the next few months, every move that we make is to win in December. It's not to win March, April, and May, which, it's easy to do. If that's your aim, you can win March, April, and May. But no, everything is intentional," the 44-year-old said. "It may look strange. It may look like, 'Well, why did they do this?' But trust me, it is to win in December. So, that's why we made the moves that we have made."The Lions are currently slated to have around $47.7 million in cap space to make moves for 2024, according to Over the Cap. Detroit also owns the No. 29 pick in the first round.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Super Bowl is far more than a football game. It transcends sports, and this year - heightened exponentially by the Taylor Swift storyline - is no different.Sportsbooks are keen to do everything they can to serve anyone watching the game Sunday. That includes targeting the odd Swiftie interested in bets completely unrelated to the action on the field.In some spots within the betting market, you'll find all sorts of ludicrous things to bet on, such as whether or not Travis Kelce will propose to Swift on the field after the game, or if Usher will debut a new song during his performance, or what the temperature will be at Las Vegas' Harry Reid Airport at kickoff.But for now, we'll focus on five outrageous bets you can make on theScore Bet for the big game.Taylor Swift's shirt color Stacy Revere / Getty Images Sport / GettyYou read that right.You can place a wager on the predominant color of Swift's shirt (excluding a jacket) at the opening kickoff.Red, for obvious reasons, is the heavy favorite at -300, which is an implied probability of 75%. White is +250, black is +1000, yellow is +3000, and any other color is +2400.There's some historical data for this outrageous betting market. Swift wore red for the AFC title game, but she's also worn white and black multiple times while cheering on Kelce.Did we really just try to break down Swift's future wardrobe decision?T-Swift's broadcast appearancesHere's another prop that many NFL fans who can't stand the Kelce-Swift love story will be hoping hits the under.The line for the number of appearances Swift makes on the Canadian broadcast during the game (excluding pre- and postgame) is set at 5.5. The over is priced at +120.You have to imagine they'd cut to Swift nearly every time Kelce makes a catch - they've done so during most broadcasts this season. Interestingly enough, Kelce's odds to go over 5.5 receptions is set at -285.Swift to be shown during halftime showFinally, the odds that Swift will be shown at least once during the Super Bowl halftime show are set at +120.TV producers love to cut to Swift enjoying the show and singing along while others are performing, as evidenced by the Grammys on Sunday night. This has been going on for years at awards shows.The question remains: Is Taylor a big Usher fan?Color of Gatorade dumped on winning coach Michael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / GettyThis market has become a staple in Super Bowl betting over the past few years, but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous.A red-pink combo is a slight favorite at +325 over purple at +350. Blue (+400), orange (+400), yellow/green/lime (+400), and clear/water (+1000) round out the remaining possibilities.When the Chiefs won in 2020, Andy Reid was showered with orange Gatorade. Last year, the Chiefs players doused Reid with purple Gatorade.What will the winning team go with Sunday?Coin tossPerhaps the most outrageous of them all.Wagering on the opening coin toss is synonymous with Super Bowl betting. It's widely known as a horrible bet to make if you have to pay -110 odds a side, yet people still will because it's the Super Bowl. A coin flip is the most obvious 50-50 outcome in the world, so why would you pay a price in which you have to win 52.4% of the time just to break even?theScore Bet is offering the coin toss at even money on both head and tails, which instantly makes it the fairest bet you can make since the book isn't taking any juice. With that said, it's still a ridiculous bet since, after all, it's a coin flip.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brock Purdy recently made headlines by revealing that the San Francisco 49ers were interested in luring Tom Brady out of retirement during the offseason.Purdy, who underwent elbow surgery last March, told ESPN's Nick Wagoner in January that 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told him he would be the team's starter unless Brady wanted to play for them.Shanahan confirmed to Peter King of NBC Sports he was "serious" about pursuing the legendary signal-caller and that his interest was driven by questions about Purdy's status for the start of the 2023 campaign."I actually thought it was giving Brock the biggest compliment," Shanahan said. "I let him know he's our guy long term. No question. And if Tom Brady wanted to come here and start for one year, that's the only way you're not starting when you're healthy this year."He added: "I mean, if Brock never got hurt, this wouldn't have been a consideration at all. I'd never have brought it up. But I've got to think about the team. What if he's not ready in September?"Brady rebuffed San Francisco after retiring for a second time. Purdy was ultimately healthy enough to be under center in Week 1, with the 49ers bringing in veteran Sam Darnold to be his backup.Purdy told Wagoner that while he understood needing to step aside for the most accomplished quarterback in NFL history, he was still irked after leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game - where he suffered his elbow injury - during his rookie season."That meant so much to me," Purdy said. "I remember him saying, if we can get Tom Brady, we're going to try to get him. And I was like, 'Yeah, he's the GOAT. I get it.' But something deep down inside me was sort of like, 'Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system. And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.' ... More than anything, I was like, 'OK, now let's go.'"The former Mr. Irrelevant topped his accomplishments from last season, guiding the 49ers to a Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs while being named an MVP finalist.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a drama-filled and lengthy head coaching search, the Washington Commanders ended up with their third choice.Washington offered the job to Mike Macdonald, but he instead became the Seattle Seahawks head coach after the club "swooped in with more money," sources told The Athletic's Ben Standig and Dianna Russini.The Commanders pivoted to former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn after missing out on the ex-Baltimore Ravens assistant.Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was also believed to be the favorite for Washington's top job before he opted to return to Detroit."Any full-court press of the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator may have remained shelved if Johnson had the courtesy to attend a Tuesday meeting that many viewed as a formality to his hiring," add Standig and Russini.Washington reportedly made a last-ditch effort to stop Macdonald from taking the Seattle job.The Commanders were the last team to land a new head coach after the hiring cycle began with eight vacancies. The NFC East club, taken over by Josh Harris in July 2023, moved on from Ron Rivera following four seasons in charge.Quinn served as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach between 2015-20, going 43-42 in the regular season and 3-2 in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl appearance during the 2016 campaign.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former three-time Pro Bowl running back Le'Veon Bell is trying to get back to the NFL.Bell said Friday night on Snapchat that he'll start working toward his comeback in March, though he implied he's only interested in playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers."And I'm gonna be honest with myself. I got to go out there and be like, I'm going to put my foot in the ground. Do I feel it? Am I hurting? Can I go out there and really play again?" Bell said, according to ESPN. "And bro, I'm telling you all right now when I go out there and train in March, and if I hit April and I make this decision to come back to play in the NFL again, mark my words down, I will be better than I ever was."He added: "And I will only come back for that one team. You all know who it is. I don't have to say no team. You all know who it is."Bell previously admitted in an appearance on the "Steel Here" podcast he wants to retire with the Steelers and aspired to play again for the team before retiring.Bell started his career with Pittsburgh and quickly became one of the NFL's most dynamic running backs. He totaled over 1,800 yards from scrimmage in three of his first five seasons, including a franchise-record 2,215 yards from scrimmage in 2014.However, his time with the Steelers began to unravel when he was franchise tagged for a second time in 2018. Bell elected not to sign the tag and sat out the entire 2018 season before signing with the New York Jets the following offseason.The Jets released Bell during his second year with the team in 2020, and he later spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Baltimore Ravens. He hasn't played in the NFL since 2021.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will return to Carolina in the same role under new head coach Dave Canales, a source told ESPN's David Newton.Evero had head coaching interviews with the Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Seattle Seahawks this hiring cycle. He also had teams interested in hiring him as a DC.A lateral move to another team would've needed the approval of the Panthers, who signed Evero to a new three-year contract in 2023, according to The Athletic's Joe Person."This is really important for me," Canales said of potentially keeping Evero, according to Person. "Especially as a first-time head coach who's like, 'I'm here to make sure we get our football right.'"The Panthers gave up the fourth-fewest yards last season but finished 29th in points allowed while playing alongside the worst offense in the league.Evero was the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2022, and the unit finished seventh in yards allowed and 14th in scoring defense. He previously coached as an assistant for the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, and San Francisco 49ers.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Commanders hired Kliff Kingsbury as their next offensive coordinator, the team announced Monday.Kingsbury is signing a three-year deal, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.Washington also hired Dallas Cowboys secondary coach and pass-game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. as its next defensive coordinator.Whitt Jr. has been with the Cowboys for the last three seasons. He served as the secondary coach and pass-game coordinator for the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons before landing in Dallas. The 45-year-old was also the cornerbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers from 2009-17.Kingsbury was a senior offensive analyst for USC last season after spending four years as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. The 44-year-old was Texas Tech's head coach for six seasons before his Cardinals stint.Arizona's offense was about league average with Kingsbury calling the shots. The Cardinals ranked 16th in EPA/play during his four-year tenure, according to Ben Baldwin's database, and never ranked higher than 10th in points per game in a single season.Kingsbury withdrew his name from the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator job after contract negotiations broke down. He was reportedly set to take the role, and both sides were expecting a deal to get done.UCLA head coach Chip Kelly was also a potential candidate for the role.The Commanders named former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their new head coach Saturday. This is the first significant hire Quinn has made since taking over as head boss.Washington has struggled mightily on offense in recent years. The club ranks 28th in offensive success rate since 2019, per Baldwin's database, and failed to rank inside the top 20 in points per game during that stretch.Sam Howell was the team's starting quarterback for all 17 games in 2023. He got off to a hot start, throwing for 2,783 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first 10 games. However, he was benched twice in December, and the team lost its final eight games of the season.The Commanders have resources to help Kingsbury turn their offensive woes around. Washington has the most cap space in the NFL with $73.6 million, according to Over the Cap, and it owns the No. 2 selection in the upcoming NFL draft.USC quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to be one of the first picks off the board, and Kingsbury spent the 2023 season coaching the Trojans signal-caller.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games wrapped up on Sunday, with the NFC defeating the AFC 64-59 to secure their second straight victory.The festivities kicked off Thursday with five events before concluding with the flag football game Sunday evening.Here's a rundown of how each contest unfolded:(Note: Each skills challenge is worth three points)Sunday's events Move the ChainsFive players from each conference attempt to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a wall and pull the 2,000-pound wall across a finish line.Participants:

Patrick Mahomes Sr., the father of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was arrested in Tyler, Texas, on Saturday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to ESPN.Mahomes Sr. is facing a charge of driving while intoxicated for a third time or more. He was released from Smith County jail Sunday afternoon, and his bond was set at $10,000.According to state law, the charge is a third-degree felony and carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison if Mahomes Sr. is convicted, per ESPN.Court records state that Mahomes Sr. had a previous DWI charge in 2018. The 53-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 days in jail. He served the time on weekend days to fulfill his requirement between February 2019 and February 2020.The Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. Kansas City is trying to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles since the New England Patriots (2003 and 2004).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders are working to hire Luke Getsy to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy, sources told Albert Breer of The MMQB.Getsy spent the last two seasons engineering the Chicago Bears' offense. He worked with Aaron Rodgers as the Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach before that, and helped the future Hall of Famer win back-to-back NFL MVP awards in 2020 and 2021.The Raiders pivoted to Getsy after failing to finalize a deal with Kliff Kingsbury. Las Vegas was reportedly on the cusp of landing Kingsbury before contract negotiations broke down.Kingsbury, who served as an analyst for USC in 2023, is rumored to be a prime candidate to become Dan Quinn's offensive coordinator on the Washington Commanders. Kingsbury was the Arizona Cardinals' head coach from 2019-22, and helped develop a slew of NCAA quarterbacks - including Patrick Mahomes - in the college ranks before landing his first NFL job.The Raiders' offense ranked 23rd in points and 27th in yards this season. They finished the campaign with rookie Aidan O'Connell at quarterback, and must decide whether to move forward with him as their starter. Las Vegas also has a pending free agent in star running back Josh Jacobs, and a slew of question marks along the offensive line.The Raiders named Antonio Pierce their permanent head coach in January after going 5-4 with him as the interim boss to finish the 2023 season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick thanked the club's fans for his 24 seasons Sunday."Nowhere in America are sports fans as passionate as New England and for 24 years, I was blessed to feel your passion and power," the legendary coach wrote in the Boston Globe. "The Patriots are the only NFL team representing SIX states but in reality, Patriots Nation knows no borders."

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson would love to continue his career in Chicago despite some rocky moments between the two sides."Heart's definitely in Chicago, mind's definitely on the money," Johnson said at Saturday's Pro Bowl practice, according to NFL.com's Grant Gordon. "So, I mean, we'll figure out if we can make them both come together and get something done. I'm looking forward to see what's to come."Johnson and the Bears failed to agree to an extension last offseason, which led to the cover man missing the early portion of organized team activities in the summer. The 24-year-old was mentioned in trade rumors before reportedly requesting a move ahead of this year's deadline.The 6-foot, 196-pound corner played out the season with the Bears, starting in 14 games. Johnson finished the campaign with four interceptions, 10 pass deflections, a forced fumble, and a touchdown.Johnson believes that production, which led to his first Pro Bowl selection and a second-team All-Pro nod, established himself as one of the NFL's top corners."Probably the only thing I have (against me) was not getting turnovers," Johnson said. "But now, this year I started getting some turnovers, creating."Johnson had just one interception in his previous three seasons. He also had two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.Johnson said that he's aiming to be the highest-paid cornerback in the league in January. The Utah product believes there's no reason that can't come to fruition now."I feel like I've always been an exceptional cover guy," Johnson said, per Gordon. "So just being able to impact the game and make plays in the air is something I wanted to do, and I went out and did that. And now everybody knows I can take the ball away. So, I feel like there's really not a box I can't check."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants blocked the Seattle Seahawks from interviewing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka for the same role, sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS.Teams have to get permission to interview candidates for lateral moves.Kafka interviewed with the Seahawks for their head coaching job and the interview went well, according to Jones. The club ultimately hired Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald. Kafka also interviewed for the Tennessee Titans' head coaching position.The 36-year-old has been the Giants' offensive coordinator for the last two seasons. He was the Kansas City Chiefs' quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator before Brian Daboll brought him to New York.Macdonald is looking to fill out his coaching staff after he was hired in late January. He reportedly hired former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier as an assistant head coach.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is unsure of his future with the club heading into free agency."In terms of Baltimore, man, that's home," Madubuike said at the Pro Bowl, according to Grant Gordon of NFL Network. "But, you know, business is business, and that side is going to take care of itself."The Ravens selected Madubuike in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year opens in March.Madubuike had his best season as a pro in 2023, recording 57 tackles with 13.5 sacks and 33 quarterback hits. His 13.5 sacks ranked first among all defensive tackles and ninth out of all defensive players in the league. His tremendous season secured him Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors."Put up some great numbers, made my first Pro Bowl, All-Pro, and just very, very thankful," Madunuike said.He added: "I'm excited for the future, I feel like this (Pro Bowl) isn't the last one I'm going to be in."Baltimore currently has $7.3 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap. The franchise has many starters set to hit free agency on the defensive side of the ball, including Patrick Queen, Jadeveon Clowney, Arthur Maulet, Geno Stone, and Madubuike.The Texas A&M product has 153 tackles and 21.5 sacks in 59 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins hired Baltimore Ravens assistant Anthony Weaver as their new defensive coordinator, the team announced Saturday.Weaver served as Baltimore's associate head coach and defensive line coach during the 2023 campaign.The 43-year-old will replace Vic Fangio, who parted ways with Miami after one season in a surprise move. Fangio joined the Philadelphia Eagles as their defensive coordinator.Weaver had an eight-year NFL career split between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans from 2002-08. He began his coaching career at Florida before joining the New York Jets' staff in 2012.The former defensive end spent one season as Houston's defensive coordinator in 2020 before returning to Baltimore in 2021.Weaver received head coaching interest from the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons this hiring cycle.He'll take over a defense that ranked 22nd in scoring defense and 10th in total yards allowed.Weaver is the third Ravens defensive coach to leave the team following a season in which the unit topped the NFL. Former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald left for the Seattle Seahawks' coaching job, and ex-defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson accepted the Tennessee Titans' DC role.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is meeting with the Dallas Cowboys about their defensive coordinator vacancy, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Zimmer, 67, has been out of the NFL since the Vikings fired him in 2021 after eight seasons in charge. He acted as a consultant for Jackson State in 2022.The Cowboys require a new DC after the Washington Commanders hired Dan Quinn, who was with Dallas for the last three years, as their new head coach.Zimmer worked for the Cowboys from 1994 to 2006, starting as a defensive assistant before working his way up to DC in 2000. Before joining Minnesota, he also had stints as a DC with the Atlanta Falcons (2007) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2008-13).The Vikings boasted one of the NFL's most consistently strong defenses under Zimmer but struggled in the final few years of his tenure. Minnesota ranked inside the top 10 in scoring defense five times and topped the NFL in 2017 in both points and yards allowed.Dallas produced its best defense of the Mike McCarthy era in 2023, finishing fifth in scoring defense. However, in a one-and-done playoff appearance, the unit was embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots are in talks with Ben McAdoo to join their offensive coaching staff, sources told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.McAdoo would likely assume the role of an assistant head coach and help new Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, Breer adds.The 46-year-old McAdoo didn't coach in the NFL last season. He was the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator in 2022 after being an offensive consultant for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021.McAdoo coached the New York Giants from 2016-17 but was fired 12 games into his final year after posting a 2-10 record.The Patriots hired Van Pelt on Thursday. The 53-year-old was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2020-23.New England has struggled to consistently move the ball since Tom Brady left in 2020, ranking 25th in EPA/play over the last four seasons, per Ben Baldwin's database.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kliff Kingsbury is pulling himself out of consideration for the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator vacancy despite earlier reports that he was expected to take the job, his agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter.It was reported on Thursday that the Raiders were likely to hire Kingsbury. A deal was never signed even though both parties expected it to be completed, according to The Athletic's Vic Tafur.However, negotiations broke down over the last 24 hours, and Kingsbury withdrew from the process, per Peter Schrager of NFL Network.Kingsbury is considered a strong candidate for the Commanders' offensive coordinator position on new head coach Dan Quinn's staff after recently interviewing for the job, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.And he's still an option for other gigs around the NFL, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.Kingsbury was one of several candidates who interviewed for the Raiders' position, joining UCLA head coach Chip Kelly, former Chicago Bears coordinator Luke Getsy, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan.The Raiders reportedly viewed Kingsbury as the "most creative" of those interviewed, Tafur adds.They also spoke to Commanders coordinator Eric Bieniemy and former Houston Texans OC Pep Hamilton about the job, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports.Kingsbury spent 2023 as a senior offensive analyst at USC. There, he worked with Caleb Williams, who is regarded as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the head coach of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals from 2019-2022, where he commanded a team led by quarterback Kyler Murray. He also worked with Patrick Mahomes while at Texas Tech.Las Vegas is in the process of building Antonio Pierce's staff after the former interim coach was hired on a full-time basis this offseason. Pierce went 5-4 in 2023 and led the team to victories in three of its last four games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen as their new OC, the team announced Saturday.The Wildcats averaged 29.1 points and 339.5 yards per game last season.Coen has bounced between Kentucky and the Los Angeles Rams for several years. He was a position assistant from 2018-20 with the Rams, spent 2021 as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator, returned to L.A. in the same role in 2022, and then went back to Kentucky as OC in 2023.The 38-year-old's stint as the Rams' coordinator in 2022 coincided with quarterback Baker Mayfield's brief time in Los Angeles. Mayfield said Thursday that the team's OC hire would directly impact his pending free-agency decision.Mayfield appeared in five games working with Coen. He threw for 850 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions while completing 63.6% of his passes. The Rams went 2-3 in those contests.The Buccaneers have been searching for a new offensive coordinator since the division-rival Carolina Panthers poached Dave Canales to be their new head coach.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud isn't all that shocked he found immediate success in the NFL."No, it wasn't (surprising)," Stroud told Grant Gordon of NFL.com. "I have confidence in myself. I wasn't surprised much."The 2023 No. 2 overall pick put together one of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback in recent memory. Stroud threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only five interceptions as he led the Texans to their first postseason appearance since 2019.Stroud also guided Houston to a playoff victory over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round before losing to the Baltimore Ravens the following week.But the 22-year-old said there could be more in store for the 2024 Texans."Really excited," Stroud added. "We've got a lot of good pieces coming back, probably add some pieces that we need. Lot of moving parts, but it should be fun."Most of the Texans' offense is expected to return in 2024. Wide receiver Nico Collins - who led the team in receiving - is under contract through next season, and rookie receiver Tank Dell will be back from a fractured fibula that ended his year prematurely. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik also isn't leaving despite receiving head coaching interest.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Once upon a time, the Detroit Lions kept finishing third. The NFL franchise that's synonymous with suffering used to dominate a divisive consolation matchup.Following their last NFL championship in 1957, the Lions swept the first three installments of the Playoff Bowl, a relic of the '60s that prolonged the seasons of conference runners-up. The game's premise offended Vince Lombardi, the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, who was a reluctant occasional participant. The creation of the Super Bowl instigated its demise.Detroit's collapse in last weekend's NFC title game recalled past near misses. At the start of the '60s, good Lions teams routinely finished behind the Packers in the NFL Western Conference standings. They got to battle the Eastern runner-up for third place at Miami's famed Orange Bowl a week after the conference winners played for the league championship.Today, NFL recordkeepers count the Playoff Bowl as an unofficial exhibition series, which shortchanges certain clubs. The Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams both triumphed twice in Miami. Landslide defeats bookended the Dallas Cowboys' lone victory. The Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles combined to go 0-5, but each won an NFL title in that period, softening the blow.The Herald-Palladium / Newspapers.com Baltimore Colts players celebrate a win with coach Don Shula. Bettmann / Getty Images A coach and a player compiled immaculate records. A young Don Shula won five Playoff Bowls in Miami - three as a Lions defensive assistant, two as Colts head coach - before he led the Dolphins to bigger prizes. Star defensive tackle Roger Brown, who went 5-0 with the Lions and Rams, insulted his own achievement."Why are you waking the dead?" Brown asked The New York Times' Richard Sandomir in a 2011 interview. "I was in five of them, and to have played in it five (of) the 10 years it was in existence is pitiful."Brown's contempt for the Playoff Bowl - some called it the "Superfluous Bowl" - mirrored Lombardi's. The namesake of the Super Bowl trophy stockpiled five NFL championships in Green Bay during the '60s."There's only one place here, and that's first place," Lombardi told the Packers during the dynastic run, according to obituaries published when he died. "There's a second-place bowl game, and it's a hinky-dinky football game, played in a hinky-dinky town, played by hinky-dinky football players."Vince Lombardi. Bettmann / Getty ImagesLions defenders, including Roger Brown (76), surround Packers QB Bart Starr in 1962. Bettmann / Getty ImagesIn the summer of 1959, NFL commissioner Bert Bell toured training camps to pitch the Playoff Bowl concept to players. He received "unanimous approval" from those polled, the Miami News reported. After Bell suffered a fatal heart attack at an Eagles game that season, successor Pete Rozelle implemented the third-place matchup as a posthumous tribute that would air nationally on CBS.The NFL hoped to hog the spotlight deeper into January to upstage the insurgent American Football League, the direct competitor that launched in 1960. Incentivized to buy in, the first Playoff Bowl players were compensated in cash - each winner got $600, and losers got $400 - within 10 minutes of the final whistle. Three-quarters of the remaining gate proceeds went to the nascent NFL player pension fund.Future Hall of Famers dazzled in Playoff Bowl I. Browns halfback Bobby Mitchell caught a short pass and carried it 89 yards to the end zone late in the contest. Lions cornerback Dick "Night Train" Lane, one of the sport's great ballhawks, blocked the extra-point conversion with his helmet to seal Detroit's 17-16 win."We prepared for the Playoff (Bowl) with the same thoroughness we did for any game during the (1957) championship season," Lions coach George Wilson told the Miami News. "I think the game is worthwhile from every standpoint."The Miami Herald / Newspapers.com Wilson's next third-place win was emphatic. His defense knocked Eagles quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, another Canton enshrinee, out of the 1961 game with a separated throwing shoulder. To salt the wound in the fourth quarter, Lions QB and holder Earl Morrall rolled to the right on a fake field goal and connected with an eligible lineman for a touchdown that widened the final score to 38-10.Decorated Playoff Bowl winners included the iconic quarterback Bart Starr, who participated twice with underachieving Packers teams. Starr's 99-yard touchdown strike to Tom Moore, the highlight of the 1963 edition, initiated a 40-23 blowout of Cleveland but failed to impress his exacting coach."It was like an American Football League game," Lombardi sniped postgame. "The Browns had no defense."Latrobe Bulletin / Newspapers.com

Bobby Wagner is making it clear that he's not going to leave the Seattle Seahawks just because Pete Carroll is no longer the head coach."It doesn't affect anything," Wagner said Friday at the Pro Bowl Games, according to NFL.com's Grant Gordon. "I wanna keep playing ball, I wanna keep showing I can play at a high level."Carroll agreed to step down as Seattle's coach after 14 seasons, although he'll remain with the Seahawks as an advisor. Seattle then hired Mike Macdonald, who helped the Ravens lead the league in scoring defense as their defensive coordinator in 2023.Although Wagner said he heard great things about Macdonald from Baltimore players, the veteran linebacker isn't "married to the idea" of returning to Seattle."Obviously, I want to be in Seattle, but I also know the business; I've been around a long time," he said.The former All-Pro said in December that he's "100%" committed to returning in 2024 for his 13th season, according to The News Tribune's Gregg Bell.But whether he's playing with the Seahawks or elsewhere, Wagner admitted that Seattle's sideline won't be the same without Carroll."When you think of (the) Seahawks, you think of Pete Carroll," he said, per Gordon. "It's natural because he's been there for ... 14 years. And so, not seeing that face connected to the Seahawks is always gonna be surprising."Wagner led the league in tackles for the third time in his career after recording 183 in 2023. The Utah State product has played 11 of his 12 seasons with Seattle and was a member of the team's Super Bowl XLVIII-winning roster.Wagner, who doesn't have an agent, signed a one-year, $5.5-million deal with Seattle last March after playing for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. Free agency begins March 13.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers may be playing in Super Bowl LVIII, but linebacker Fred Warner isn't too pleased with the defense's quality of play in the postseason."Not good enough," Warner said Thursday. "Not good enough at all. ... As long as I've been here, we've relied heavily on winning games on defense, holding teams to minimal points, suffocating teams, dictating how the game is going to go based off of how we go. And that hasn't been the case."The Niners surrendered 21 points to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round and then allowed 31 points to the Detroit Lions in the NFC title game.Their 26 points allowed per game is much higher than their regular-season mark of 17.5. The Niners have been particularly susceptible to defending the run after being gashed for an average of 159 yards per game this postseason.Warner said the Super Bowl matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs will present the 49ers an opportunity to "correct" the issues that have plagued them over recent weeks."They're probably looking at the tape, they're thinking they have a great opportunity ahead, as they should," Warner said.The first-team All-Pro defender attributed the defensive unit's struggles to a combination of factors, including execution.The last time San Francisco met Kansas City in the Super Bowl, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led a furious comeback with three touchdowns in the final 6:13 of the game to secure a 31-20 win. The results of that 2020 Super Bowl matchup have stuck with Warner ever since."That scarred me for life. Now to this day, it doesn't matter if it's preseason, regular season, (or) playoff game: I never start getting excited until that clock hits zero," he said.While the Chiefs will bring plenty of familiar faces to the Super Bowl LIV rematch, Warner says the game will feature "two completely different teams" that'll each have new faces on either side of the line of scrimmage.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Stefon Diggs says his future with the Buffalo Bills is out of his hands."I don't know," Diggs told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe when asked if he felt he'd be with the Bills next season. "I feel like, as far as with the money and all that type of stuff, I can't control none of that."He continued: "It's a long offseason in front of us. As far as what the future holds, I don't have any surprises for you right now."The 30-year-old's relationship - and future - with the Bills appeared rocky last offseason before he and head coach Sean McDermott resolved issues Diggs called "family matters." Diggs is currently under contract through the 2027 season with a $27.8 million cap hit in 2024, though his dead cap hit comes in at $31.1 million, per Spotrac.The wideout has spent the last four seasons in Buffalo and has been a focal point of its offense. His 1,183 receiving yards in 2023 represent his lowest total since he joined the team.Speculation around his relationship with quarterback Josh Allen has been called into focus, but Diggs says he's tired of talking about it. Diggs was caught being animated on the sideline earlier this season and had a spat with the quarterback in last year's playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals."I've kinda touched on that multiple times," Diggs added. "I kinda let everyone feel how they feel. It's not an opinion-based business. It's a money-based business and a number-based business. So, for me, I try to leave the personal out of it. My personal relationship with him is my personal relationship.""For me, I get tired of it. The same story over and over. It is what it is."Allen has also previously come to his receiver's defense, stating he was "tired of hearing all this nonsense" about Diggs last October after a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.Buffalo suffered another playoff defeat at the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs this season. Diggs, who dropped a crucial pass near the end of the game, finished with just three catches for 21 yards.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints are working to hire San Francisco 49ers passing game specialist Klint Kubiak as their new offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Kubiak, son of Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak, can't be officially hired until after the 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.The 37-year-old has been in the NFL since 2013. He acted as the Minnesota Vikings' OC and play-caller in 2021 after two years as quarterbacks coach. The Vikings ranked 13th in scoring offense and 10th in total yards during his lone season at the helm.Kubiak has also had two stints with the Denver Broncos and two spells in college with Texas A&M and Kansas.The Saints reportedly were also interested in other names, including former Philadelphia Eagles OC Brian Johnson and Shane Waldron, the latter of whom opted to take the Chicago Bears' OC job.Kubiak will take over for longtime OC Pete Carmichael, whom the Saints fired in January after 15 seasons in charge of the offense.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh believes his former Michigan quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, will be the first quarterback selected at the 2024 NFL Draft."Arm talent, athleticism, 'it' factor, winning with numbing repetition," Harbaugh replied when asked what McCarthy offers during an appearance on "The Herd."Harbaugh added, "Don't be surprised ... when he goes, he's the No. 1 quarterback off the board. That's my prediction right now."The new Chargers coach continued to praise McCarthy, saying he'll impress NFL teams during the pre-draft process."He's got it," Harbaugh added. "The competitiveness that he has. And (when) they get around him and they really start digging in and they start talking to him. Yeah, that's an early prediction for the 2024 NFL Draft."McCarthy was Harbaugh's quarterback during Michigan's run to the national championship this past season. However, he's part of a loaded quarterback class that also includes the likes of Caleb Williams, Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye, among others.Harbaugh's Chargers own the No. 5 pick in the draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he expects to sign a contract extension with the club this offseason."I believe that will happen," Tagovailoa said Friday, according to Pro Football Network's Adam Beasley. "But I'm gonna let my agents, gonna let ... (general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel), let those guys talk about that and let them move forward accordingly."Tagovailoa is slated to earn $23.17 million next season after the Dolphins exercised his fifth-year option, per Over the Cap. He'd be eligible for the franchise tag or free agency after the 2024 season if he doesn't ink a long-term extension with Miami.The No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft earned his first Pro Bowl nod after throwing for 4,624 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions on 69.3% passing in 2023, all career highs. His yardage mark also led the NFL.Despite posting his best statistical season to date, the 25-year-old acknowledged there are parts of his game that can improve."There's probably four things that I wanna get better at," Tagovailoa said. "Am I gonna share? Probably not. But I'm looking forward to OTAs when we get to see you guys again, and you guys can see us."Tagovailoa has totaled 12,639 yards, 81 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions in 53 career games. The Dolphins have posted a 32-19 record in his 51 starts.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Super Bowl is over a week away, but eager sports bettors are putting their money down early for the Chiefs-49ers rematch from four years ago.Many wagers have already been placed on the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes winning their second straight Super Bowl.According to betting splits from both theScore Bet and ESPN Bet, 84% of the wagers placed on the moneyline have backed the Chiefs as slight underdogs, while 73% of the bets placed on the spread also supported Kansas City.Here are the betting splits as of Friday morning:SplitChiefs49ersML bets84%16%ML handle80%20%Spread bets73%27%Spread handle76%24%The opening spread had the 49ers as 2.5-point favorites, but that was immediately bet down and eventually settled at the 49ers -1. However, as the week's gone on, the line's crept back up and currently sits at 49ers -2 and -127 on the moneyline.As for the total, the over - which currently sits at 47.5 points - accounts for 71% of the bets and 87% of the handle.The Mahomes love continues in the player prop markets. His passing touchdown totals of over 1.5 (-145) and over 0.5 (-1000) are the two most-backed (in terms of volume) bets so far. Christian McCaffrey over 3.5 receptions (-300) and Travis Kelce over 5.5 receptions (-285) are the third and fourth most-backed props, respectively.In the anytime touchdown market, McCaffrey's amassed the most wagers, with bettors opting for the -230 odds that he'll cross the goal line. Kelce (+105), Isiah Pacheco (-120), Deebo Samuel (+160), and Brandon Aiyuk (+150) round out the top five picks.McCaffrey also leads the way in the MVP market, earning the most bets at +450. He's followed by Kelce (+1400), Mahomes (+130), Samuel (+2000), and Brock Purdy (+225).Purdy's only garnering the most attention in the most rushing yards market, where he's priced at +15000. The quarterback piled up 48 rushing yards last week versus the Lions - his second-highest output of the season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs haven't had a lot of experience as underdogs in the playoffs, but it's a role they've embraced on their journey to Super Bowl LVII.When asked about the Chiefs' underdog status on Thursday, quarterback Patrick Mahomes explained how he and others on the team have used it to their advantage."We just haven't had that aspect, so it kind of lit fire under some guys, including myself," Mahomes said during a press conference. "At the end of the day, it's playoff games and you want to win. This is what you play for, and I think that fire would have been - regardless of if we were an underdog or not, that fire would've been lit because this is the time of year that you work for and you put in those hard practices for."I think we have that mindset - if we're going to practice the way we do and we're going to work the way we work, we're not going to let it slide by, and we're going to make sure that we maximize our opportunity every time we're out there."The Chiefs enter Super Bowl LVIII as underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers, just as they were in the divisional round against the Buffalo Bills and the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens.So far this postseason, Mahomes has completed 68% of his passes for 718 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite the Ravens and Lamar Jackson coming off another disappointing playoff run, head coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence that the star quarterback is the man to get Baltimore another championship."Lamar Jackson is a phenomenal success ... In my opinion, there's nobody better in this league, especially nobody better for the Baltimore Ravens," Harbaugh said.He added: "I'm excited about the future. I'm excited about taking this offense to the next level next year."Jackson is likely to earn his second career MVP award at the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 8. But despite his outstanding regular-season play, the passer once again struggled to hit those heights in the AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.The 27-year-old had a season-worst completion percentage (54.1), tied his most sacks taken (four), and produced his third-worst passer rating against the Chiefs.Jackson has finished with a sub-80 passer rating in five of his six postseason games, with the exception coming in a clinical performance in the divisional-round win against the Houston Texans this season. He averages a 98.0 passer rating during the regular season.After guiding what appeared to be the best Ravens team of the Jackson era to an NFL-best 13-4 record, Harbaugh said he's taken the loss to the Chiefs hard."I'm heartbroken with the fact that we didn't win that game at home, in front of our crowd for the first time in all these years," Harbaugh said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest.Follow the links below to see his 2024 rankings.Half PPR

The head coaching carousel has stopped, as all eight vacancies are now filled. Let's grade each franchise's decision.It's a welcome-back moment for Morris, who served as the Atlanta Falcons' interim head coach in 2020. We didn't account for his 4-7 record from that time in our grade, though. Instead, we considered the praise he's received from players such as Jalen Ramsey and coaches like Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan.He comes with previous head coaching experience and possesses the chops to elevate the Falcons' defense, which has been average at best recently. Morris also seems to be assembling a great sideline staff, luring Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson to be the offensive coordinator.Morris' track record doesn't incite excitement, as he's only had a winning campaign in one of his three years as a full-time head coach. But that was over a decade ago, and there's plenty here that suggests his second time around will be different.Canales takes over a Carolina Panthers team that finished with the NFL's worst record in 2023. Getting the most out of Bryce Young, last year's No. 1 draft pick, has to be his top priority - and his experience suggests he can. As the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Canales coached the best campaign of Baker Mayfield's career in 2023. That came one season after he helped Geno Smith win Comeback Player of the Year as the Seattle Seahawks' quarterbacks coach. The 42-year-old also worked with Russell Wilson during some of his best campaigns.Still, Canales' limited leadership experience prevents us from giving him a better grade. He's only called plays for one season at the NFL level despite coaching in the league since 2010.The Las Vegas Raiders removed the interim tag from Antonio Pierce's title after he led the team to a 5-4 record following Josh McDaniels' dismissal. The Raiders rallied around Pierce, with multiple players expressing a desire for the team to retain him as leader. There were even reports that Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby would request a trade if the club went in a different direction.Despite those endorsements, expectations should still be tempered. The 45-year-old has only been coaching in the NFL since 2022, and the Raiders are taking a risk by believing that the 2023 run was a sign of things to come rather than a flash in the pan. Las Vegas gambling on Pierce over proven commodities like Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel is a high-risk, high-reward swing.The Los Angeles Chargers' decision to hire Harbaugh feels like a home run. L.A. desperately needed to learn how to win after missing the postseason in four of the last five seasons. And Harbaugh's resume speaks for itself: he's got a Super Bowl run and a national championship at the college level under his belt. He wins wherever he goes.The only uncertainty around Harbaugh's hiring comes down to who he picks as his offensive coordinator. While Harbaugh's a proven commodity, he's never worked with a quarterback of Herbert's caliber. If he nails his coordinator pick, Los Angeles should start playing up to expectations.Bill Belichick is gone, but it feels like 'The Patriots Way' is still alive with Mayo's promotion. Maybe that's not a bad thing. After all, Mayo learned from the best of the best and should be hungry to create his own identity as a sideline boss.However, the choice begs a big question: If the Patriots moved on from Belichick because they felt the product had gotten stale, why would they hire someone from within? But, thanks to the sour end to the Belichick era, Mayo shouldn't feel much pressure to succeed his former boss.Macdonald moves to Seattle after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens for the past two seasons. Baltimore rode the NFL's top-ranked scoring defense this season to the AFC's No. 1 seed while leading the league in takeaways and finishing sixth in yards allowed. Macdonald's unit excelled in 2022 as well, ranking among the top nine in points allowed, yards allowed, and takeaways.Hiring someone who's consistently slowed down high-powered offenses could prove beneficial for the Seahawks. It also allows them to maintain a similar identity to the one they had for 14 years under Pete Carroll - but with the youngest coach in the league instead of the oldest.There are still some reasons for pause, though. Macdonald's age and the fact that he's worked almost exclusively for the Ravens raise questions. But we believe Macdonald has what it takes to be an elite head coach.The Titans going from Mike Vrabel to Brian Callahan might not be the flashiest move, but it could ultimately be an upgrade. Vrabel is known for his leadership qualities, but he's also developed a reputation for creating stagnant, unpleasant-to-watch offenses. That's where Callahan comes in.Callahan has been the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator for the last five seasons, working with Joe Burrow for four of them. Burrow was fully healthy for two of those campaigns, and the Bengals finished seventh in points scored and have a Super Bowl appearance and two conference title games to show for it. Callahan's expertise makes him the perfect mentor for Will Levis, who showed flashes of brilliance but fought inconsistency during his rookie year.The 39-year-old has no head coaching experience, so there's no guarantee he can manage an entire roster. But, if the Titans wanted an offensive reform after spending a second-round pick on Levis, they got as good a candidate as any.During Quinn's time as a defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, his units consistently ranked near the top of the league in yards allowed, scoring defense, and takeaways, among other categories. They also finished among the top five in both yards and points three times, including a pair of seasons in which the Legion of Boom led both categories.However, during his first stint as head coach, Quinn failed to replicate this success. The Falcons ranked in the bottom half of most defensive categories during all but one of his five full seasons with the team. The 53-year-old was fired after his 0-5 opening record in 2020 on the heels of back-to-back 7-9 finishes.But if he can coax out above-average production from a defense that ranked last in both yards and points allowed in 2023, find a good offensive coordinator to handle that side of the ball, and hit on the No. 2 pick in the draft, Washington could turn things around.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen says he "absolutely" believes he'll be back with the team in 2024."I don't see myself going anywhere," Allen said, according to Grant Gordon of NFL Network.Allen is entering the final year of a four-year contract extension he signed in 2020 worth slightly more than $80 million. He's set to have a $34.7-million cap hit in 2024, according to Spotrac. The club can save approximately $23 million if it releases or trades him this offseason.Los Angeles needs to shed salary before the 2024 campaign. It's currently $45.8 million over the cap, with Mike Williams, Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Allen all having $30-million-plus cap hits.The Chargers introduced Jim Harbaugh as head coach Thursday. Allen said he's spoken with Harbaugh since the hire."He's been watching for a long time, and we actually played against each other: Stanford-Cal," Allen said. "He just wants me to continue to be a leader. Continue to be who I am. And he's going to do his job."Los Angeles finished 5-12 last season, with the offense ranking 21st in points per game. It suffered significant injuries to key players, including quarterback Justin Herbert, Allen, and Williams, who went down with a season-ending ailment in Week 3.Allen had 108 catches on 150 targets for 1,243 yards with seven touchdowns last season. The Chargers drafted him in 2013.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pending free-agent quarterback Baker Mayfield indicated that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' next offensive coordinator will be a key factor in where he plays next season."It all just kind of depends," Mayfield said Thursday at the Pro Bowl Games, according to NFL.com's Grant Gordon. "Obviously, Tampa, we're going through a little bit of an OC search right now. It'll start there. They were the first ones that gave me a chance, and (I'm) thankful for them. We'll see. Taking it one day at a time."Mayfield thrived this past season under offensive coordinator Dave Canales. The 2018 first overall pick produced career highs of 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and a 64.3% completion rate during his 2023 campaign. He led the Bucs to an NFC South title and a win in the wild-card round against the Philadelphia Eagles.However, Canales left the Bucs after the season to become the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers. His departure has slowed down the discussion regarding a potential extension after Mayfield said his agent and the team engaged in discussion."I think they know that we've got to know who's calling plays before anything's done," Mayfield said.Tampa Bay has seen many of its reported OC candidates accept the same role with other teams, such as Alex Van Pelt, who was hired by the New England Patriots on Thursday.The 28-year-old quarterback seemed to find a productive fit after signing a one-year, $4-million contract last March. Mayfield split his 2022 campaign playing for both the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. The Oklahoma product spent the first four seasons of his pro career with the Cleveland Browns.Mayfield is among several starters from the Bucs' 2023 roster set to explore free agency this spring. Mike Evans, Devin White, Lavonte David, and Antoine Winfield Jr. will be free to negotiate with other clubs at the start of the new league year.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

UCLA head coach Chip Kelly is a potential candidate for the Washington Commanders' vacant offensive coordinator position, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The 60-year-old Kelly is believed to have an interest in making an NFL return after spending the past six seasons with the Bruins.Kelly had at least two interviews with the Las Vegas Raiders for their OC position, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. However, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce reportedly hired Kliff Kingsbury instead.Kelly possesses experience at the pro level after head coaching stints with the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-2015) and San Francisco 49ers (2016).Known for his up-tempo offense, Kelly has led UCLA to a 35-34 mark since joining the program prior to the 2018 season. The Bruins have posted winning seasons the past three years, including an 8-5 mark in 2023 and a 35-22 victory over Boise State in the L.A. Bowl. UCLA is set to move to the Big Ten later this summer.Kelly has struggled to recapture the success he had with Oregon from 2009-2012, where he led the Ducks to a BCS Championship Game appearance in 2010.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to hire former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter.Kingsbury spent 2023 as a senior offensive analyst at USC after being fired by the Cardinals at the end of the 2022 campaign. The 44-year-old posted a 28-37-1 record across four seasons in Arizona, making the playoffs just once.Led by quarterback Kyler Murray, the Cardinals' offense had solid moments under Kingsbury. However, the unit failed to replicate that success throughout a full season and didn't rank in the top 10 in scoring during the Kingsbury era.Kingsbury previously served as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator (2012) and Texas Tech's head coach (2013-18). He's worked with multiple high-profile quarterbacks throughout his coaching career, including Murray, Patrick Mahomes, and Caleb Williams, who's projected to go first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.Las Vegas' offense ranked 23rd and 27th in total points and yards in 2023, respectively. The team parted ways with offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi in November, along with head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, after a 3-5 start to the campaign.It was another disappointing year for the Raiders, who started three different quarterbacks: Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O'Connell, and Brian Hoyer. After removing the interim tag on head coach Antonio Pierce earlier this month, Las Vegas is expected to pursue a new quarterback in the upcoming offseason.The Raiders also interviewed UCLA head coach Chip Kelly for their OC opening before ultimately choosing Kingsbury, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams are promoting linebackers coach and pass rush coordinator Chris Shula to defensive coordinator, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Shula has been with the team since 2017 when he joined the organization as an assistant linebackers coach. He made his way up to linebackers coach in 2021 and took the reins as the defensive backs coach the following season before returning as linebackers coach in 2023.The 37-year-old served as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll before becoming a defensive quality coach for the San Diego Chargers in 2015.Los Angeles had been looking for Raheem Morris' replacement since he took the Atlanta Falcons head coaching job in late January.The Rams' defense ranked 18th in points per game allowed and 11th in success rate last season, per Ben Baldwin's database. The unit exceeded preseason expectations, as Los Angeles' defensive depth chart isn't talent-heavy outside of Aaron Donald.Shula is the grandson of legendary Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots hired Alex Van Pelt as their offensive coordinator, the team announced Thursday.Van Pelt, 53, spent the past four seasons as the Cleveland Browns' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Browns dismissed him Jan. 17 following their wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans.The Patriots add an offensive mind who boasts plenty of experience from stints with the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, and Cincinnati Bengals.Van Pelt impressed the Patriots' top brass during his interview at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, according to MassLive's Mark Daniels. He beat out several other candidates for the role, including Nick Caley and Luke Getsy, who were also reportedly brought in for in-person interviews.The Pittsburgh native also reportedly interviewed for the Buccaneers' OC vacancy, according to Fox Sports' Greg Auman.New England also named DeMarcus Covington as its new defensive coordinator and Jeremy Springer as the special teams coordinator Thursday.Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is embarking on his first season at the helm following the departure of Bill Belichick in January.New England owns the No. 3 selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team could be in the market for a new quarterback after experiencing uneven play over the past two seasons from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.The Patriots finished 30th in total offense last season, averaging 276.2 yards per contest and tying for last in the league in scoring average with 13 points per game.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers made headlines by landing Jim Harbaugh last week, and the head coach's introductory press conference in L.A. didn't disappoint.Los Angeles introduced Harbaugh to the media and fans on Thursday. The 60-year-old, who's returning to the NFL after leading Michigan to a national championship this past season, provided several viral moments during his first appearance with his new team. Here are some of the best:"You're a legend"Harbaugh started taking questions from the media with a hilarious interaction with KCAL News sports director Jim Hill, a longtime sports anchor who played defensive back in the NFL.