New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was named the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors show on Saturday.Gilmore joins Charles Woodson, Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Lester Hayes, and Mel Blount as the only cornerbacks in league history to win the award (Woodson split time between cornerback and safety when he won in 2009).A first-team All-Pro in 2019, Gilmore finished tied for the league lead in interceptions with six and pass breakups with 20. He yielded the third-lowest passer rating against (minimum 60 targets), trailing only teammate J.C. Jackson and Tre'Davious White of the Buffalo Bills.The 29-year-old topped Arizona Cardinals pass-rusher Chandler Jones and Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt in voting.Gilmore is the first player in Patriots history to be named Defensive Player of the Year.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The gruesome leg injury that Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith suffered in 2018 apparently almost cost him more than just football games.Smith told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap he's "very much lucky to be alive" following the post-op infection in his surgically repaired right leg."The initial surgery went great. The bone was lined up, I had several plates put in my leg, and everything looked great," Smith said. "I was getting ready to go home ... and that's when the initial infection was spotted."Smith continued: "I went septic, it was an infection that had gotten into my blood. ... Next thing I remember is waking up several weeks later, faced with the decision of amputation or limb salvage."The signal-caller broke his leg against the Houston Texans in November 2018. He suffered the infection later that year.Smith completed 62.5% of his pass attempts for 2,180 yards and 10 touchdowns against five interceptions in 2018, his first season with the Redskins, before suffering the injury.After missing the entire 2019 campaign due to the ailment, the 35-year-old Smith is now aiming to show he can still play in the NFL."There's enough there that I can go out there and play," he said. "Knowing that, yeah, failure is a possibility ... I need to prove that I can come back and play quarterback in the NFL, and if I can do that, that would be great, and it'll get figured out."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy may be inactive for Super Bowl LIV, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Although the Chiefs don't have anyone listed on their injury report ahead of Sunday's game, Kansas City would activate only two running backs against the San Francisco 49ers, using the free spot to add depth on the defensive line or another area, Rapoport reports.Including the playoffs, McCoy appeared in 14 games this season, amassing 465 yards and four touchdowns on 101 rushing attempts.The 31-year-old, who has played in just one offensive snap this postseason, was sidelined during the AFC Championship Game due to illness.Kansas City currently has Damien Williams and Darwin Thompson as other options in the backfield.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.While much attention is being paid to the side action leading up to Sunday's big game, the majority of the Super Bowl betting handle in recent years has come from prop bets, which are quickly defining the wagering experience for casual bettors."You're engaged until the very end," said Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader. "That's the good thing about props."At theScore Bet in New Jersey, bettors have been active in playing the 165 props on the board ahead of Sunday's clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. The ones drawing the most attention reveal as much about bettor opinion as do the sides themselves.Here are some of the biggest insights from the prop market ahead of Super Bowl LIV.MVP bettors like long shotsOutside of the coin toss, there are few props that generate as much interest as the Super Bowl MVP, which often features long odds and can be as dramatic as the game itself."When the dust all settles, the MVP over the last few years has been the prop that attracts the highest handle of these index props where you have multiple choices," Rood said.Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes (6-5) is the most popular play in the MVP market, though as the clear favorite, he isn't the biggest liability for theScore Bet. That would be Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (250-1), followed by San Francisco edge rusher Nick Bosa (30-1).Jimmy Garoppolo (+250) has seen very little action, which makes sense given how scarcely he's been used by the Niners during their playoff run. Outside of him, though, bettors have been taking shots up and down the board."We're getting a lot of play on everybody," Rood said. "It's a really popular prop."Bettors playing TD propsThe first touchdown scorer is another popular prop with enticingly long odds.Mahomes (15-1), again, is drawing plenty of interest, though he'd have to rush one in to cash. Tight ends Travis Kelce and George Kittle, both at 8-1, are also seeing early action to score first Sunday.Among the longer shots, Deebo Samuel (10-1) and Sammy Watkins (12-1) are intriguing options. Samuel scored the Niners' first touchdown in three of their final five regular-season games, while Watkins hasn't struck first since his three-touchdown performance in Week 1.Another popular prop is which players will score multiple touchdowns. Mahomes - of course - is getting strong support to cross the goal line at least twice, as is 49ers receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who hasn't recorded multiple touchdowns in a game since Sept. 17, 2017.Sharps eye low-scoring team betsAs per usual, the big-money bettors are playing the contrarian role to what the public likes most.While the over continues to build steam on one of the highest totals in Super Bowl history, bettors at theScore Bet have keyed in on a handful of low-scoring props that could help the book offset some of its over liability if they hit.Multiple monitored players are betting on whether there will be a score in the first five minutes, with "no" moving from even money to -120. Bettors also expect each team to punt before their first score.What could be one of the biggest disasters for theScore Bet is also the most unlikely scenario. A couple of bettors have laid money on both the Chiefs and 49ers to score exactly two points, with each priced at 3,000-1.Last year was nearly a scare for sportsbooks, as Sony Michel's touchdown with seven minutes left broke a 3-3 tie and busted long-odds prop bets on "no touchdowns scored." But scoring exactly two points?"I don't anticipate us having to (pay) that in this matchup," Rood said, laughing. "I think both teams will comfortably get out of the single digits."C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent wide receiver Antonio Brown expressed his disappointment regarding the off-field issues he's been involved in over the past months."I think I owe the whole NFL an apology and my past behavior," Brown said in an interview with Josina Anderson of ESPN. "I think I could have done a lot of things better."Brown started the 2019 season with the Oakland Raiders after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March. However, his time with the Raiders was short-lived. He was released in September following several incidents, which included a confrontation with general manager Mike Mayock and threats to retire over his helmet style.The New England Patriots signed Brown prior to the regular season but released the pass-catcher two weeks later following sexual assault allegations against him.In January 2020, Brown was arrested and charged with felony burglary with battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief, and he verbally abused members of the Hollywood Police Department after they responded to a separate domestic disturbance at his home.The 31-year-old is currently under investigation by the NFL."I feel like I never really got in a conflict with no woman," Brown said. "I just feel like I'm a target so, anybody can come against me and say anything (that) I have to face. There's no support, there's no egos, there's no rules in it, anyone can come after me for anything. No proof or whatever. 'He said, she's saying.'"The media will run with it, so even if I'm not guilty, I already guilty because they already wrote it, put it on TV and put that in people minds. So for me to have to sit here and hear those the allegations of me is just unfair to me every time."Brown's off-field issues were discussed during Roger Goodell's end-of-season presser Wednesday. The seven-time Pro Bowler was happy with what the commissioner had to say about his situation."I was pleased to hear that after 140 days that there was some positivity about me because as of late I've just been the cancer of the NFL," Brown said. "The problem child, the guy who gets in trouble, the kind of guy who has the bad narrative about him."When asked about whether or not he needs mental health help, Brown said, "We all need mental help."The receiver also denied he has developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy: "If I had CTE I wouldn't be able to have this beautiful gym, I wouldn't be able to be creative. I wouldn't be able to communicate."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Before this year's NFL Honors show, each of theScore's football editors looks ahead to the 2020 season and predicts the winner of every major award.MVPEditorPredictionMike AlessandriniKyler MurrayJack BrownePatrick MahomesAlex ChippinDeshaun WatsonMichael McClymontCarson WentzCaio MiariPatrick MahomesDan WilkinsDak PrescottDavid P. WoodsPatrick MahomesWith Lamar Jackson all but certain to take home this year's MVP, quarterbacks will have earned the NFL's top award for seven consecutive seasons. None of our editors expect that to change in 2020.Notably, no one believes Jackson will retain his crown. Winning back-to-back MVPs is a rare achievement. In NFL history, only Peyton Manning (twice), Jim Brown, Joe Montana, and Brett Favre earned the honor in two straight seasons.Three editors think Patrick Mahomes will capture his second MVP in three seasons. Arguably, only a knee injury kept Mahomes from truly challenging Jackson this season, and the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has been lights-out during the playoffs.Carson Wentz, Deshaun Watson, and Dak Prescott have all teased MVP potential. The latter two pivots were in the running during the first half of 2019 before Jackson pulled away, and Wentz likely would've won in 2017 if he didn't get injured.The biggest long shot here is probably Kyler Murray. But before you dismiss his chances, remember we're about to have our second straight quarterback who's named MVP in their sophomore NFL campaign.Meanwhile, our editors believe the days of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers contending for this award are over.Offensive Player of the YearEditorPredictionAlessandriniLamar JacksonBrownePatrick MahomesChippinMichael ThomasMcClymontSaquon BarkleyMiariDerrick HenryWilkinsPatrick MahomesWoodsSaquon BarkleyWhile no skill-position player got any love for MVP, some of the league's most exciting weapons are predicted to contend for Offensive Player of the Year.Derrick Henry was a near-unstoppable force in the second half of this season, racking up 1,273 rushing yards from Week 10 through the divisional round before being contained by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game. He's a free agent but is widely expected to re-sign with the Tennessee Titans, whose offense is built around the running back's unique skill set.Scott Taetsch / Getty Images Sport / GettyAfter a spectacular rookie season, Saquon Barkley struggled with injuries and missed three games in 2019, yet he still posted 1,441 yards and eight touchdowns from scrimmage. If the New York Giants can field a more competitive defense and stop playing from behind so often, Barkley's penchant for eye-popping plays should put him firmly in the hunt.It's hard to imagine Michael Thomas producing a better season than he did in 2019 - when he caught an NFL-record 149 passes - but at 26 years old, the New Orleans Saints receiver might just be getting started. Plus, Thomas should have Brees back for at least one more year.Defensive Player of the YearEditorPredictionAlessandriniNick BosaBrowneMyles GarrettChippinDanielle HunterMcClymontNick BosaMiariVon MillerWilkinsAaron DonaldWoodsDanielle HunterQuarterbacks are usually named MVP, and those who hunt them usually win Defensive Player of the Year. So, it's no surprise that edge rushers dominate our 2020 predictions. Aaron Donald is the lone interior player listed, and he's arguably the best pass-rushing defensive tackle to ever set foot on an NFL field.Two young players in Danielle Hunter and Nick Bosa lead the way with two votes each. The Vikings defensive end is heading into his sixth season but is still just 25 years old. Over the past two seasons, Hunter's 29 sacks trail only Donald and Chandler Jones among all NFL players. Bosa, meanwhile, looked like a game-wrecker in his first season, and he'll continue to be the biggest name on an insanely talented defensive front.The only thing missing from Von Miller's likely Hall of Fame resume - which includes a Super Bowl MVP, seven All-Pro nods, and 106 sacks - is a Defensive Player of the Year Award. Time is running out for the Broncos star, who will turn 31 in March.Coach of the YearEditorPredictionAlessandriniJon GrudenBrowneBrian FloresChippinBill BelichickMcClymontKliff KingsburyMiariAndy ReidWilkinsMike McCarthyWoodsZac TaylorUnlike the other categories, none of our editors are on the same page here.Despite being widely regarded as the best bench boss in NFL history, Bill Belichick has won this award just three times and hasn't done so since 2010. At this point, it would take something special for the Patriots' leader to be named Coach of the Year. Could the potential departure of Brady provide that opportunity?Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyIn the past, this award has often gone to coaches who oversaw a dramatic turnaround. Brian Flores (Miami Dolphins), Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals), and Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals) could all fit into this mold.The Dolphins showed far more fight than most expected in 2019, the Bengals are all but certain to start a new era with Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, and the Cardinals could be set for a leap in the second year of the Murray-Kingsbury era.Comeback Player of the YearEditorPredictionAlessandriniBaker MayfieldBrowneCam NewtonChippinBen RoethlisbergerMcClymontOdell Beckham Jr.MiariCam NewtonWilkinsBradley ChubbWoodsCam NewtonCam Newton missed 14 games of the 2019 season due to a foot injury, and with one year remaining on his contract, it's possible he and the Carolina Panthers could part ways.But the former MVP likely won't be short of suitors if he's released or made available by trade, and three of our editors believe Newton could have an immediate bounce-back year regardless of his 2020 home.Ben Roethlisberger and Bradley Chubb are working back from significant injuries that robbed both players of most of 2019, while the Browns' combination of Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. will be looking to get everyone back on the bandwagon after a hugely disappointing campaign.Offensive Rookie of the YearEditorPredictionAlessandriniCeeDee LambBrowneJoe BurrowChippinJonathan TaylorMcClymontJustin HerbertMiariJerry JeudyWilkinsTua TagovailoaWoodsJoe BurrowDefensive Rookie of the YearEditorPredictionAlessandriniChase YoungBrowneIsaiah SimmonsChippinChase YoungMcClymontJeff OkudahMiariChase YoungWilkinsPatrick QueenWoodsChase YoungWe won't know where any rookies are landing until the draft in late April, but our editors took their shots regardless.Unsurprisingly, Burrow and Chase Young lead the way for the offensive and defensive honors, respectively. Barring something wild at the top of the draft, the quarterback and the pass-rusher are the two players whose destinations - Burrow to Cincinnati at No. 1 and Young to Washington at No. 2 - are practically guaranteed.Chris Graythen / Getty Images Sport / GettyTua Tagovailoa (if he's cleared from a hip injury) and Justin Herbert should also be gone within the first five or six picks, and both quarterbacks should be ready to start from Day 1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cam Newton is putting any rumors claiming he won't be back with the Carolina Panthers for the 2020 season to bed.Newton insisted he "absolutely" will not be moved despite the Panthers hiring Matt Rhule and a new coaching staff during an appearance on "Tiki and Tierney.""I had an unbelievable conversation with Marty Hurney, GM, David Tepper, the owner, as well as coach Rhule, the new head coach," he said. "And I left that meeting inspired. I told them, I said, 'you won't find another person in that locker room with more to prove, not only to you but I've gotta prove to myself.'"Newton, 30, played in just two games in 2019 due to a foot injury that forced him to finish the campaign on injured reserve.The former league MVP has one year left on his contract and is set to become a free agent in 2021. He's scheduled to earn a base salary of $18.6 million in 2020 with a cap hit of $21.1 million. Newton's deal includes only $2 million in dead cap and offers $19.1 million in potential cap savings if Carolina cuts or trades him.The Panthers started Kyle Allen (12 games) and rookie Will Grier (two games) at quarterback in 2019.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.For just the seventh time in Super Bowl history, the betting line is likely to close at shorter than three points. But don't mistake that for a lack of confidence in the favorite.The Kansas City Chiefs (-1.5) have drawn nearly three times as much money as the San Francisco 49ers in the weeks leading up to Sunday's game, according to Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader.More bettors are riding the Niners (+105) on the moneyline, but Rood says his book is still taking twice as much Chiefs money overall. It's been a similar story at other bet shops, as public and big-money players alike are showing early interest in the betting favorite."I think it's got the opportunity to jump up to 2 or 2.5," Rood said. "I think you'll see enough support, especially if it comes in the ratio we've been seeing it."That said, the line has been mostly static across the U.S., including at theScore Bet in New Jersey, where the spread hasn't moved since opening at 1.5. That might be due to bettors' relative unfamiliarity with these two clubs on this stage, or because there are compelling arguments to be made for both sides.Sharp bettors have mostly stayed on the sidelines, likely waiting to see if early bettors push the line one way or the other. Rood says he took one five-figure bet on the Kansas City moneyline - an uncommon occurrence for a favorite in a title game - but it hasn't been enough to move the spread off the opening number."It's been one of the more static Super Bowls leading up to it," Rood said. "It's good not having to open yourselves up to be exposed to sides and middles. It's kind of nice for bookmakers to not have to worry about that."They could still be sweating the over, though, which is by far the biggest decision on the game. The total opened as low as 52 at some books and 53.5 at theScore Bet, where it's up to 55 as of Friday - in part thanks to a five-figure wager on the over.Even with a rising number on what's already one of the highest totals in Super Bowl history, the over has seen five times as much money as the under at theScore Bet and four times the tickets.But most of the action is yet to come. Rood said the betting handle on Sunday's game had more than doubled since Thursday afternoon, with a heavy slant toward the Chiefs and the over.In Rood's experience, 80-85% of the money comes between 6 p.m. ET on Friday and kickoff - with 50% coming in the final 24 hours."The activity level is really starting to amp up," he said.Rood expects to see more play on the San Francisco moneyline as kickoff nears, which has been the "sharp" play at some other shops. The under could see its day, too - five of the last six totals over 50 went under - as sharp bettors wait to pounce on the best number.Even if the current trends continue, books are likely to be well-positioned heading into Sunday thanks to a static early market and a lack of major liability. Well, except for the over."Every bookmaker in the country is going to be rooting for an extremely boring game with lots of punts," Rood said.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are healthy and ready to roll for Super Bowl LIV.Neither the Chiefs nor the Niners had players listed on their respective final injury reports Friday for the Super Bowl.San Francisco running back Tevin Coleman, who exited the NFC Championship Game with a shoulder injury, was the Niners' biggest question mark earlier this week. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday that Coleman will be "good to go" for Sunday's game.Linebacker Kwon Alexander and safety Jaquiski Tartt will also be ready to go Sunday. Alexander, Tartt, and Coleman were all full participants in Friday's practice.As for the Chiefs, defensive tackle Chris Jones, who guaranteed full participation in the Super Bowl last week, was a full participant in practice this week. He's battled a calf injury this postseason.Tight ends Travis Kelce and Deon Yelder, along with center Austin Reiter, are also available for Super Bowl LIV.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The best way to tell the story of Andy Reid's 21 seasons as an NFL head coach is to start with the binder.The binder has been mentioned through the years in countless news articles and books about Reid and his career. As the tale goes, when Reid showed up to interview for the Eagles' head coaching vacancy in 1999, he brought with him a binder stuffed several inches thick with detailed information about everything he had planned for building a championship organization, all the way down to how players should dress when traveling.Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and team president Joe Banner were suitably impressed. They hired the 40-year-old Reid - then the Packers' quarterbacks coach - even though he had no experience as a coordinator. You know the story from there. Reid spent 14 seasons with the Eagles, and he's been head coach of the Chiefs for the last seven. He's won 207 games - good for sixth all time - and he's been to the playoffs 15 times. But his name is also synonymous with the one game he hasn't won: the Super Bowl.Which brings us back to that binder. The binder has long served as a kind of shorthand for the Reid Method. It symbolizes his knack for organization, his granular attention to detail, his ability to master that which he can control.On one hand, the binder represents all the successes Reid has achieved by projecting those qualities. On the other, the binder is a metaphor for Reid's shortcomings, particularly his struggles when plans go awry or get sidetracked. His clock-management issues come to mind, as do his numerous postseason failures.Reid has a chance to change that narrative for good Sunday night, when the Chiefs meet the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. He has unquestionably been one of the NFL's best head coaches - in this century and beyond. But it's also impossible to overlook that one glaring hole in his resume.__________I lived in Philadelphia for most of Reid's tenure with the Eagles, and it never felt like he was fully appreciated there. He could be short and dismissive with the media, which fostered a perception of coldness and arrogance. Philly still embraced the personage of Buddy Ryan, who had sauntered proudly as the region's boorish id, even though Ryan never so much as won a playoff game.From the beginning, however, Reid was far ahead of his time, even if it took a while for some of his counterintuitive methods to be fully understood.He drafted quarterback Donovan McNabb when conventional wisdom suggested picking running back Ricky Williams. He emphasized passing the ball - despite the inevitable calls for more "balance" - because he understood the greater efficiencies to be gained from a pass-heavy offense, long before it was an article of faith in the analytics community, which didn't even exist then. He incorporated running backs into the passing game, knowing the value of getting the ball to a smaller, speedier back in space against a bigger, slower linebacker.Reid took over a 3-13 franchise with a garbage roster and won a playoff game by his second season. In Year 3, the Eagles reached the NFC Championship Game - something they'd wind up doing for four consecutive seasons. They lost the first three, including two at home. They then added Terrell Owens in 2004 and finally broke through to reach Super Bowl XXXIX.Scott Halleran / Getty ImagesThat Super Bowl loss to the Patriots did as much to cement Reid's reputation for poor clock management as any other. Trailing 24-14, the Eagles got the ball at their own 21 with 5:40 to play, still holding two timeouts. They slow-walked their drive, taking 13 plays and 3:52 before finding the end zone - without using a timeout. That was the first mistake. The second was Reid's decision to attempt an onside kick when a defensive stop would have given the Eagles the ball back. It failed, and the game was over.Reid would get the Eagles back to the playoffs four more times across his final eight seasons, with just one NFC Championship Game appearance - a blown late lead against the Cardinals. He took a chance on Michael Vick, who had gone to prison and served his sentence after pleading guilty to charges related to dogfighting, and tapped into the quarterback's singular dual-threat ability. But it wasn't enough to get the Eagles back to the Super Bowl.By his last two seasons in Philly, Reid seemed to be pressing too hard, and a kind of hubris had set in. There was the Dream Team that wasn't, the spectacular failure of defensive line coach Jim Washburn's Wide-9, and the baffling decision to name offensive line coach Juan Castillo defensive coordinator. Tragedy also struck: In August 2012, Reid's oldest son, Garrett, was found dead after a drug overdose in a dorm room at Eagles training camp. Philadelphia staggered to a 4-12 finish that season, and Reid was fired.__________Rather than take any time off, Reid jumped right into an opportunity to coach the Chiefs. He was never one for much introspection anyway. Asked last week by NBC's Peter King about how Garrett's death affected him, Reid didn't share too much:

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone is joined by theScore's Michael McClymont, Alex Chippin, Mike Alessandrini, and Alex Kolodziej to discuss their final thoughts on the Super Bowl.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Our team gives out their best bets to win Super Bowl LIV Most Valuable Player.Thomas CasaleGeorge Kittle (16-1)This is a tight game on paper and it's hard to envision anyone other than even-money favorite Patrick Mahomes being named MVP if the Kansas City Chiefs win. The value lies with the San Francisco 49ers, and the guy I like is Kittle.I've been writing about Kittle so much this week that people are going to think we're related. He has a mouth-watering matchup against a defense that already struggled to stop tight ends - it allowed 6.1 receptions and 60.9 yards per game, ninth-worst in the NFL - and will be without starting safety Juan Thornhill. Thornhill was one of the top pass-defending safeties in the league, allowing just 0.22 yards per coverage snap - the sixth-fewest in the NFL - before getting injured in Week 17, according to PFF.With Jimmy Garoppolo attempting only 27 passes in two playoff wins, Kittle has been more focused on run blocking. Expect that to change. Kittle saw at least eight targets in half of his games this season, finishing with six or more receptions 11 times.C Jackson Cowart Nick Bosa (18-1)As mentioned above, you can basically rule out every Chiefs player not named Mahomes because they aren't winning this game unless he plays well. But, as noted, there simply isn't any value on him. Count me out.Instead, my money is on Nick Bosa, the Niners' most complete and disruptive player on their vaunted defensive line. If Mahomes struggles, there's a strong chance the credit belongs to Bosa, who will be playing in his hometown of Miami. Two of the last six Super Bowl MVPs have been defenders, and Bosa has the talent and narrative angle to cash as a relative long shot.Alex KolodziejNick Bosa (18-1)Good luck trying to pinpoint which 49ers offensive player will break out with the way San Francisco distributes the ball.Therefore, I, too, am going with Bosa, who has a decent matchup against the left side of Kansas City's line - I expect him to avoid Mitchell Schwartz, who graded out as the fourth-best tackle in the league by PFF. Considering the number of times Mahomes drops back, regardless of game script, I think the opportunities will be there for the edge rusher to make some splash plays.Alex MorettoDeebo Samuel (25-1)I'm also looking to the 49ers, and I was shocked to see how far down the explosive Samuel landed. This is the sort of game and stage built for a guy with his skill set.Kyle Shanahan is the best in the business at scheming the ball into the hands of his playmakers, and there's no one else on this 49ers offense with the type of game-breaking ability that Samuel offers. He hasn't had a big postseason because the 49ers haven't needed him yet, but they will here. This contest should play out a lot like their regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks, in which Samuel topped 100 yards through the air and added another 30, plus a touchdown, on the ground.The potential of a few big plays makes 25-1 too lucrative to pass up.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield isn't planning to speak out next season like he did throughout a distraction-filled 2019 campaign."Let's just be honest, I put my foot in my mouth a lot this past year," he said Friday during an appearance on ESPN.Mayfield made headlines for his brash chatter throughout the season, beginning in June when he ostracized Duke Johnson for requesting a trade. In December, he criticized the Browns' medical staff for its handling of Odell Beckham Jr.'s sports hernia during training camp.The 24-year-old also frequently responded to critics, which included former NFL head coach Rex Ryan, who sat next to Mayfield on the ESPN set."I have to be me, but I don't need to reply to the stuff on the outside," he said.In September, Mayfield took a combative approach to Ryan calling him "overrated as hell" and a one-read quarterback: "In the wise words of Freddie Kitchens, if you won't wear orange and brown, you don't matter, and Rex Ryan doesn't have any colors right now for a reason, so it's OK."The Browns entered 2019 with lofty expectations but floundered to a 6-10 record. Mayfield threw 21 interceptions in his sophomore campaign, the second-highest total in the league behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Jameis Winston."I've never turned the ball over so many times, that might have been the most combined over my whole career," Mayfield said. "You can't win like that. That falls back on me, I'll take all the blame for that. It comes back on communication, just being on the same page, doing my job the best I can and not worrying about the outside stuff, not replying to you, not telling you that orange and brown don't matter."Cleveland made sweeping changes following the season, bringing in a new head coach and general manager in an attempt to right the ship in 2020.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carson Palmer's tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals wasn't as long or successful as many expected it to be when the franchise drafted him first overall in 2003.The retired quarterback recently took a dig at the franchise's mentality at the time, explaining that the lack of support on the field was the reason why he "wanted out" of Cincinnati."I never felt like the organization was really trying to win a Super Bowl and really chasing a Super Bowl," he told Damon Amendolara on CBS Sports Radio. "That's what today's day and age is. You can't just hope you draft well and not go after free agents and you end up in the Super Bowl. You got to go get it."The 2002 Heisman Trophy winner played for the Bengals from 2003-2010, amassing 22,694 yards and 154 touchdowns against 100 interceptions in 97 starts (46-51 record). However, he led the AFC North club to just two postseason appearances and didn't win either game.Palmer said he was determined to go to the Bengals even though he was warned against it."As I was interviewing NFL people, I was told time and time again - starting with (former Bengals quarterback) Boomer Esiason the night after I won the Heisman Trophy ... everybody I was talking to along the way (said), 'You can't go to Cincinnati. You got to go somewhere else. You can't play for the Bengals. You can't play for the Bengals,'" Palmer said."I, at the time, was going, 'This is awesome.' I was arrogant. I was a young, arrogant kid. 'I'm good enough. I'm going to change the whole thing around. I’m going to change the narrative.' Obviously I wasn't able to change that narrative and flip that."Prior to the 2011 season, Palmer was traded to the Oakland Raiders, with whom he played two seasons. The signal-caller then suited up for the Arizona Cardinals from 2013-2017, reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2015.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.It's Sunday morning and you're getting the itch, but Super Bowl LIV is still a good eight hours away. No sweat, the final round of the absurdly named Waste Management Phoenix Open and some specialty cross-sport props should help kill time. Plus, you've got more bets down than you can count and need to get organized before game time.You type them into a color-coded spreadsheet, in chronological order from when they should hit. And they all will hit. These aren't shots in the dark; they're cold, calculated, and collected. You've put in the work and sacrificed precious time at the office. You've read articles, analyzed box scores, and studied the trends. This is science.You print out the sheet and it's beautiful - so beautiful you have to upload it to Instagram. If it's not on the 'gram, did it even happen?Market Bet Risk/to winGame bet49ers ML (+110)500/550Alex Ovechkin more hits than 49ers TDs?No (-110)110/100Coin toss resultHeads (-105)52.50/50National anthem lengthUnder 1:58 (+215)50/107.5Raheem Mostert first rush attemptOver 3.5 yards (-130)65/50Team to commit first penaltyChiefs (-120)60/50Result of first coaches challengePlay stands (-105)105/100Will a non-QB throw a TD?Yes (+315)40/126Will DJ Khaled make an appearance at half time?No (-260)130/50Jennifer Lopez wardrobe changes at half timeUnder 2.5 (+170)50/85Most receiving yards in the game?Deebo Samuel (+650)50/325Will any player score two or more TDs?No (+220)50/110Patrick Mahomes total completionsUnder 24.5 (+100)100/100Jimmy Garoppolo first rushing attemptUnder 2.5 yards (-150)150/100George Kittle total receiving yardsOver 73.5 (-110)110/100Sammy Watkins total receiving yardsUnder 49.5 (-110)110/100Mecole Hardman yards of longest receptionOver 12.5 (-125)125/100This level of effort and organization is guaranteed to be rewarded; your sixth-grade teacher couldn't have been more wrong about you. Eat it, Mr. Elmwood.The Washington Capitals game kicks off just past noon and that's when your day of betting begins. Of course, the San Francisco 49ers will score more touchdowns than there are hits by Alex Ovechkin, who's averaging fewer than three per game this season. It's free money.The puck drops and Ovechkin is a heat-seeking missile. He's motivated by his disdain for the Pittsburgh Penguins and hits everything in sight, finishing the game with a whopping eight. Unless the entire Kansas City Chiefs defense contracts food poisoning, this bet is dead. But that's OK because today isn't about hockey. It's Super Bowl Sunday.Next up, Bryson DeChambeau and Gary Woodland butcher the final round of the Waste Management Open and you're on your way to an 0-3 start, but you aren't sweating it."It's kind of perfect, honestly," you tell yourself. "I'd rather get the losing out of the way early. This is great betting karma."You spend the next few hours watching Netflix in a mild panic. It takes you that entire time to get through just a single episode of the Aaron Hernandez documentary, and now the sun is starting to set. You've spent all season on the 49ers hype train and it's finally time to get that sweet validation.The pregame coverage is painfully slow and you've seen more overhead pans of South Beach than anyone could ever need. We get it, Miami is nice. Terry Bradshaw won't shut up about his four Super Bowl rings and anticipation has quickly blossomed into resentment. How has this game not started yet?You suffer through more mind-numbing pleasantries from Joe Buck and Troy Aikman before they finally pan to the field. You shriek like a preteen when Demi Lovato appears on the screen. You read a convincing article about the national anthem time and feel great about that under bet. It loses. Thanks a lot, Jackson.OK, now you're starting to doubt everything, including the inside info you got about the coin toss. Your friend's sister's nephew works at the plant in which the Super Bowl coin is designed and said its weight distribution gives it a slight predisposition to land on heads. That's a +EV outlook, so you run with it, and guess what? Heads it is. The perfect slump-buster, and just in time for kickoff. "DON'T LET ME GET HOT!" you shout, to an empty room.You're almost embarrassed about ever doubting yourself. You lean back in your chair with a conceited smile plastered over your face - you might not lose another bet all night.If only that were true.The 49ers commit a holding penalty on the opening kick return and Raheem Mostert is stuffed for no gain on their first play from scrimmage. Two more losses and you start to get that sinking feeling.Your lips are numb and the television becomes a blur. An abrupt enthusiasm in Buck's voice ushers you back to a state of consciousness. Chiefs touchdown. Everything is not going to be OK.The remainder of the first half is a dangerous, Patrick Mahomes-induced blur. He's dropping dimes left and right. He hadn't hit 24 completions since Week 15 but he's well on his way to it here. San Francisco's defense has never looked so inept.At least Mecole Hardman is getting involved. His 29-yard touchdown late in the half cashes his longest reception over 12.5 yards, but it also puts the Chiefs up 21-6. Jimmy Garoppolo's first rushing attempt is a knee to end the second quarter for another winner.Jennifer Lopez changes her outfit only once during her halftime performance and DJ Khaled is nowhere to be seen. Four winners in 20 minutes. The adrenaline is pumping and confidence is soaring once again - so much so that you double down with the 49ers +13.5 at the half.San Fran gets a quick defensive stop to start the third quarter and then marches straight into the red zone. It's happening. Deebo Samuel converts a big third down and it's first-and-goal.But Andy Reid is challenging the spot after going just 10-for-23 during the last four seasons. After 23 replays, you couldn't be more convinced."There's no way you can overturn this, let's go! We're wasting everyone's time," you bark. Again, no one's there to hear it.The referee jogs back onto the field."After reviewing the play," he starts. "It was determined the runner came short of the line to gain. The ball will be placed at the 8-yard line. Fourth down, San Francisco."Your heart sinks. Mostert is stuffed on fourth down and momentum has changed hands yet again. Mahomes decides it's not your night, as he methodically drives the Chiefs down the field and connects with Blake Bell for a one-yard touchdown to make it 28-6. This is really, really bad. Deep down, you know the game is over, and you're quickly proven right.Kyle Shanahan insists on establishing the run, George Kittle is still being used as a blocker, and punter Mitch Wishnowsky is getting way too much screen time. "Just put me out of my misery," you beg, through clenched teeth.Sammy Watkins is apparently listening, as he splits the safeties and drives the stake through your heart. It's 35-6. Reid takes a purple Gatorade shower and you can almost cry. Your friend told you early in the week to bet purple at 8-1, but you waited. Two days later, it was even money and you didn't see a point. It's hard to see a point in anything now.You're paralyzed by agony and decide it's in your best interest to not tally up your daily balance. That's a problem for tomorrow. It's just shy of midnight and a Monday sick day is essential for your well-being. Your apartment reeks of despair. When Chris Cornell sang "Fell On Black Days," this is what he was talking about.You swear off betting for the rest of the month and cry yourself to sleep.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every once in a while, the brightest star on football's most glamorous stage isn't who many thought it would be.The Super Bowl's history includes unexpected chapters scripted by under-the-radar players who surpassed their more illustrious peers to earn MVP honors.With the big game right around the corner, here are five names who could potentially become the next Desmond Howard, Deion Branch, or Malcolm Smith and come out of nowhere to claim Super Bowl MVP.Emmanuel Sanders, WR, 49ers Sanders has been quiet this postseason, managing just two catches for 33 yards. However, the veteran has been a clutch performer since arriving in the Bay Area midway through the regular season.He amassed 41 first downs in 2019, his best total since 2016. Sanders' 13.2 yards per catch represented the best output in his last five seasons; in 10 games with the San Francisco 49ers, he averaged an even more impressive 13.9 yards.The 32-year-old could also be a factor due to his trick-play potential. Along with his seven catches for 157 yards and a score against the New Orleans Saints in Week 14, Sanders tossed a touchdown to help the 49ers clinch a crucial victory.Sanders has two Super Bowl appearances under his belt. As a rookie, he collected 17 yards on two catches for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. He then accrued six catches for 83 yards in Super Bowl 50 as a member of the Denver Broncos.Mecole Hardman, WR, ChiefsHardman's big-play potential is undisputed. The second-round rookie out of Georgia was a home run hitter in 2019, scoring four 40-plus-yard receiving touchdowns, averaging 20.7 yards per catch, and returning a 104-yard kickoff to the house.His overall production this season wasn't extraordinary - 26 catches for 538 yards - but both his scoring gifts (seven all-purpose touchdowns) and effect on special teams could be major assets as the Kansas City Chiefs try to break through one of the league's best defenses.Tevin Coleman, RB, 49ersThe 49ers established themselves as a team of unpredictable heroes throughout 2019. Raheem Mostert is the latest trending topic in San Francisco's offensive unit after his 200-yard, four-touchdown effort in the NFC title game, and the club will be hoping to count on its deep rotational backfield again.Some might have thought Coleman burned out during a quiet second half of the season that followed his four-touchdown outing in Week 8. However, he proved he can still be an X-factor after collecting 105 yards and two scores in the divisional round against the Minnesota Vikings.Coleman has been battling a shoulder injury since the NFC Championship Game, but the Chiefs can't underestimate the 26-year-old's red-zone potential.Tyrann Mathieu, S, Chiefs Mathieu has revived his career since the Arizona Cardinals let him go following the 2017 season. The star defensive back performed well with the Houston Texans in 2018 and has shown during the Chiefs' 2019 campaign that he can once again be one of the best at his position.Mathieu enters Super Bowl LIV playing perhaps the best football of his career. The 27-year-old, who led the Chiefs in interceptions and passes defended during the regular season, has been all over the field and will need to shine again for Kansas City to succeed against the 49ers' solid running game and creative play-calling.The last defensive back to claim Super Bowl MVP honors was Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Dexter Jackson at the end of the 2002 season.Fred Warner, LB, 49ersThe 49ers' defensive unit has impressed throughout the entire campaign, and it's due in large part to Warner's services. The second-year linebacker, who's led San Francisco in tackles in consecutive seasons, has expanded his influence all over the field.He finished 2019 as one of only two players to record at least 100 combined tackles, three sacks, five passes defended, and one touchdown. Considering Patrick Mahomes' recent impact on the running game and potential matchups against stud tight end Travis Kelce, San Francisco will need its leading linebacker to stand out once more.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said Thursday that he's worried for former teammate Antonio Brown, who awaits trial for a felony burglary with battery charge.Smith-Schuster said it's clear Brown has changed since his days in Pittsburgh."It's different, for sure," he told Mike Florio on PFT Live. "I'm concerned, like you guys. It's a tough situation for a guy if you take away his job and his passion. Being a guy looking from the outside to the inside, he's definitely a different dude than who he was on the field."The two receivers have a complicated history. Smith-Schuster's 2018 breakout season coincided with a heightened level of animosity between the franchise and Brown, and his eventual trade to the Oakland Raiders.Brown criticized his fellow wideout on social media during the offseason, calling him out for a game-losing fumble that stopped the Steelers from making the playoffs.But he appears to be over the feud with his former teammate.

With one image and not a single word to accompany it, Tom Brady had the football world eating out of the palm of his hand Thursday.

Andy Reid pulled from his last Super Bowl team while trying to motivate his new Super Bowl team.The Kansas City Chiefs head coach asked Donovan McNabb - Reid's quarterback on the Philadelphia Eagles' 2004 Super Bowl squad - to address his club ahead of Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers."He's been there and done it," Reid said Thursday, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "He's been in the league, played a long time. It was good hearing from him."In Super Bowl XXXIX, McNabb went 30-for-51 passing for 357 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions. The Eagles fell short, losing to the New England Patriots 24-21.Rumors have circulated for years that McNabb threw up on the field in the heat of Philadelphia's furious comeback attempt. He disputed those claims recently in an interview with Bleacher Report's Master Tesfatsion.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday that running back Tevin Coleman will be "good to go" for Super Bowl LIV, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.Coleman suffered a dislocated shoulder during the first half of the NFC Championship Game. He was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.With Coleman out, Raheem Mostert picked up the slack, running for 220 yards against the Packers - the second-most rushing yards in an NFL postseason game.Coleman has been a key component of San Francisco's top-ranked rushing offense. In his first season with the 49ers, the 26-year-old rushed for 544 yards while averaging 4 yards per carry. In the divisional round, Coleman rushed for 105 yards on 22 carries.The former Atlanta Falcon signed a two-year, $8.5-million contract with the 49ers this past offseason.San Francisco safety Jaquiski Tartt and linebacker Kwon Alexander will also suit up on Sunday.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's the end of an era in Carolina.The Panthers and veteran tight end Greg Olsen have agreed to mutually part ways after nine seasons, the team announced Thursday."The team and I are both on the same page that it is best we go in different directions for now," Olsen said in a statement. "On the field, I will always cherish the nine seasons we shared together. The wins, the losses, standing at midfield holding the Halas Trophy as NFC champs."Olsen joined the Panthers via trade after four seasons with the Chicago Bears and immediately established himself as a dangerous weapon in Carolina's offense. The Miami product is the franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards and receptions by a tight end and ranks second among Panthers tight ends with 39 touchdown catches.The 34-year-old has called two games for FOX Sports while injured or on a bye week and is said to have a number of broadcast opportunities should he chose to retire.Olsen doesn't appear to be leaning toward retirement at this time, however. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN's Adam Schefter the tight end "is still interested in playing," adding he will be in touch with teams after the Super Bowl.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins would consider taking a pay cut to help facilitate a contract extension for Patrick Mahomes after the dust settles from Super Bowl LIV."I don't want to say I will be (open to a pay cut). I don't want to say I won't," Watkins told Kevin Patra of NFL.com on Thursday. "I just think I'm a special player. I think I deserve all the things I deserve. If I'm at home and thinking about it, if I have to do it to pay Pat, I maybe will. That's a guy that we should pay, and he needs to get paid. But you never know, that's a decision I'd have to go through. Or, I might just take off a year after we win the Super Bowl, you never know."Watkins is scheduled to count $21 million against the salary cap in 2020, the final season of his three-year pact. Mahomes, meanwhile, is expected to reset the quarterback market with his next deal, which reportedly could come down the pipes in the offseason.Watkins ranked third on the Chiefs in receiving during the regular season, posting 52 receptions for 673 yards and three touchdowns across 14 outings. He has nine catches for 190 yards and a score in two playoff contests."I don't think numbers prove anything," he said. "Numbers are just numbers to me. Numbers may mean a lot to the world, but I don't think that proves what I do for this team. Me bringing the great energy every day, me being the person that I am ... I don't think my value is all off scoring touchdowns or getting 1,000 yards receiving. I don't think I'm valued like that. I'm valued off being around the guy, being positive, coming into work every day, being a professional. I think if you would judge me off that, you would give me the world."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Melvin Gordon insisted Thursday that there is no bad blood between him and the Los Angeles Chargers and said he hopes to re-sign with the Bolts."Hopefully, I'm here. Hopefully, I don't have to wait 'til March to know where I'm gonna be playing," the running back said on "PFT Live."Gordon, a pending free agent, sat out the first three weeks of the 2019 season amid a contract dispute. He reportedly intended to leave the Chargers as a free agent when he decided to rejoin them in late September.The 26-year-old rejected a multi-year contract before the season that would've paid him $10 million annually. He reportedly sought an extension that contained an average annual value of $13 million. The Chargers granted him permission to seek a trade, but no deal ever came to fruition."When it comes to business, you have to take your emotions out of it," Gordon said. "It's not about if you deserve to be here or not. I've talked to (Chargers general manager) Tom (Telesco) plenty of times, he tells me, 'You deserve to get paid' but sometimes it just might not be the right situation."Gordon is coming off a disappointing season in which he ran for 612 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 3.8 yards per carry and losing two fumbles. The two-time Pro Bowler averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2018.Teams can begin making contact with free agents on March 16, two days before the market officially opens.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Orleans Saints believe they'll be secure at quarterback in 2020 even though they don't have any under contract and are waiting on a retirement decision from Drew Brees.New Orleans received contributions at quarterback from Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, and Taysom Hill in 2019, all of whom are pending free agents."It's gonna be hard for us to have all three of those guys back on the same roster, that's gonna be very difficult," head coach Sean Payton acknowledged Thursday on ESPN. "Taysom's a restricted free agent so that means there's a little bit more of a built-in protection for us. Once Drew makes a decision, then we'll be better able to look at both Taysom and Teddy."Teddy went 5-0 for us, and Taysom we've been playing on every position other than (quarterback), so he meets in the special teams room and he's unique. But look, we feel like that heir apparent potentially is in the building as well."The Saints' first choice at quarterback next season is Brees, who's expected to determine his playing future about a month after Super Bowl LIV. Payton said he spoke to the 41-year-old as recently as the Pro Bowl, noting he isn't using the possibility of retirement as leverage for more money.The other two internal options - Bridgewater and Hill - could look to secure starting jobs on the open market. Bridgewater settled for less money and a one-year deal to return to the Saints last offseason.Payton told FOX Sports Radio he expects Hill, who's attempted 13 passes over three seasons while serving as a gadget player for the Saints, to be a starting quarterback in the NFL "sooner than later."The Saints won their third consecutive NFC South title in 2019 but were eliminated by the Minnesota Vikings on Wild Card Weekend. They haven't reached the Super Bowl since capturing the Lombardi Trophy 10 years ago.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Alabama quarterback and top prospect Tua Tagovailoa is two months removed from hip surgery and confident the injury won't impact his professional career."I feel really good," Tagovailoa said Thursday on NFL Network. "We're on pace to make a full recovery, so I think that's really good. But we really can't tell until the CT scan and the MRI at the three-month mark. At this point, I'm feeling really good."Tagovailoa's final season in college came to an early end when he suffered a dislocated hip and associated fracture against Mississippi State.If medically cleared, he's widely expected to be a top-five pick in April's NFL draft.Tagovailoa said he intends to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, which is set to take place from Feb. 27 to March 1. However, his focus will be on erasing any doubts about his health rather than putting on the most impressive performance."My main goal is not to win the 40, not to win the bench press, but to win my medical," Tagovailoa said. "So I'm going to go over there looking to win my medical and then go in and interview with the teams. That's pretty much what I'm going to do. And then hopefully there's a pro day down the line, either late March or early April."Tagovailoa's agent said earlier in January that his client should be healthy enough by April to throw in front of teams.The quarterback has previously said he expects to be able to play in his rookie year.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.I can guarantee if you don't have a player prop on your card yet for Super Bowl LIV, it's only a matter of time until you get the itch.Standard player props - over/under completions for a quarterback, yards for a receiver, etc. - are widely available during the regular season. For Sunday's grand finale, it expands even more.Today, we'll focus on the 49ers' side. Here are the best bets.Deebo Samuel longest receptions over/under 27.5 yardsSamuel was quietly one of the best big-play rookie wide receivers, averaging 14.1 yards per catch while recording a long of at least 25 yards in eight of the last 10. Samuel's not a true home run hitter - he only had eight deep targets all year - but is exceptional at picking up yards after the catch. Despite making plenty of splash plays all year, I can't help but feel this number's a bit high. I'll take a Chiefs defense that was seventh in the league in explosive pass rate allowed in the regular season and a unit surrendering the second-fewest points to No. 2 WRs in the playoffs.Pick: UnderJimmy Garoppolo over/under 30.5 pass attemptsYou never want to use recency bias when handicapping a player prop. But the 49ers were reminded two weeks ago against the Packers that the less they use Garoppolo, the better the chance they have at winning. Considering they're facing one of the league's worst rush defenses, don't expect them to stray too far from the game plan. And with how solid San Francisco's defense has been since getting healthy, the offense won't have to play in too deep of a negative game script for Garoppolo to have to throw his way back into the game.Pick: UnderKyle Juszczyk longest reception over/under 10.5 yardsThough he hasn't been needed much in the passing game this postseason, Juszczyk's been a formidable target for Garoppolo out of the backfield. Despite recording the lowest amount of catches in a season since 2014, Juszczyk averaged a career-high 12.1 yards per reception in 2019. If he's used through the air at all, there's a good chance he shatters this number.Pick: OverRaheem Mostert longest rush over/under 18.5 yardsMostert's a tricky player to cap. The 49ers have a stable of backs who can go off at any point, and the NFC title game saw Mostert rush for more than 200 yards with four touchdowns. Is this a good time to sell high? I'm not exactly sure. But one area where I'll buy is the longest rush.Kansas City was lucky the offense pulled away from Tennessee in the second half two weeks ago. Running back Derrick Henry was picking up plenty of chunk plays on the ground before the Titans dug a hole and took the ball out of his hands. If San Francisco can keep things close throughout the game and keep a consistent load for Mostert, he should be able to crack this number against a Chiefs defense that was No. 28 in the NFL in explosive rush rate allowed.Pick: OverGeorge Kittle over/under 5.5 receptionsKittle may have disappointed on the stat sheet a few weeks ago, but it's tough to make an impact in the passing game when your quarterback attempts only eight passes. I don't love the prospects of going over the total on too many 49ers receivers, but this is one I can get behind. Kansas City was one of the worst teams in the postseason at containing tight ends and that position's been a thorn in its side lately. Opposing tight ends have caught 14 passes against the Chiefs the last three weeks combined, with at least one touchdown in each game.Pick: OverAlex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Does defense really win championships, or is Patrick Mahomes truly unstoppable?We'll find out in Super Bowl LIV in a classic matchup featuring the San Francisco 49ers and their stifling defense against the Kansas City Chiefs and their high-scoring offense.Here's how the best from each conference match up position by position:QuarterbackIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyMahomes is the league's hottest quarterback. The Chiefs gunslinger has led comebacks from deficits of 24 and 10 points during the postseason.In addition to the eight touchdown passes and 615 yards he's thrown for over Kansas City's last two games, Mahomes was also the team's rushing leader in both contests. The pivot is an offensive threat who can take over games any way he sees fit.For the 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo is enjoying a quiet postseason. He's enjoying it because the Niners are still winning games, just not as a result of anything he's doing with his arm. His stat line in the conference championship was nothing to write home about. Comp Att Yds TD INTGaroppolo687700Mahomes often eclipses those totals in one quarter.Advantage: ChiefsRunning backGaroppolo is doing so little because the 49ers' rushing attack is so potent. Since Garoppolo's first-quarter interception against the Vikings during the divisional round, the Niners have dialed up 70 runs and just 14 pass attempts.The 49ers are averaging 235 rushing yards per game in the playoffs, arriving at those gaudy totals against rushing defenses that were ranked higher than the Chiefs' unit during the regular season.If Tevin Coleman is unable to suit up for the Super Bowl due to his dislocated shoulder, Raheem Mostert has proven he's more than capable of carrying the load. Though he hasn't started a game all season, Mostert is coming off a 220-yard, four-touchdown performance, and he should be the primary focus of San Francisco's offensive game plan on Sunday.Meanwhile, the Chiefs' quarterback is leading their rushing attack. Damien Williams has been bottled up this postseason while averaging 3.2 yards per carry, though he's found the end zone three times.Kansas City's offense runs through Mahomes' rocket right arm. If the Chiefs are running the ball in the Super Bowl, they're protecting a healthy lead.Advantage: 49ersReceiversEzra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / GettyOne passing offense is averaging 95.5 yards per game this postseason, and the other is putting up 345 yards per matchup.The former is the 49ers, and they're still capable of going blow-for-blow with the league's best offenses, as evidenced by their 500-yard output in a 48-46 win over the Saints in Week 14. They can deploy the weaponry to mount an aerial attack, but their offensive identity is forged on the ground. And trying to beat Mahomes at his own game in the biggest contest of the year doesn't serve the Niners well.The one passing advantage San Francisco typically enjoys is at tight end with George Kittle, but Kansas City is perhaps the only team that can deploy a similar threat. Kittle and Travis Kelce are the NFL's premier talents at the position.When it comes down to it, the Chiefs rely more heavily on their stable of Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, and Mecole Hardman. Few defenses can keep up.Advantage: ChiefsOffensive lineOne team owns the advantage in run blocking and the other in pass blocking.Somewhat surprisingly, the Chiefs allowed the second-fewest quarterback pressures in 2019, even over 600-plus passing snaps, according to PFF. They produced a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 90.1. The 49ers finished middle of the pack in that department with an 84.8 rating.San Francisco earned a superior run-blocking grade, ranking fifth in the league with a 74.2 rating. The Chiefs ranked 19th with a 59.8 rating.Kansas City has kept Mahomes pretty clean all season, but the quarterback deserves much of the credit for his scrambling and ability to extend plays while outside the pocket.A superior scheme fuels the 49ers' road-grading run game. That's one of the team's strengths, earning San Francisco the advantage here.Advantage: 49ersFront sevenIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe 49ers enter the game with 57 total sacks this season. Since 2005, San Francisco is the seventh team to reach the Super Bowl with 55-plus sacks. The previous six all won.The collection of Dee Ford, Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Arik Armstead is a defensive front unlike any Mahomes has seen this season. And the Niners' linebacker corps - with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw leading the way - is also at full strength following the return of Kwon Alexander from a chest injury.San Francisco's front seven possesses the speed and talent to get after the quarterback, and that's the 49ers' only hope to stop Mahomes. His passing grade drops from 90.5 to 69.8 when under pressure, according to PFF. Only 12 of his 34 regular-season touchdown passes came when he was pressured.A returning player has also spurred the Chiefs' defensive front. With defensive end Chris Jones back in the lineup after missing the divisional round, Kansas City's defense registered seven pressures and three sacks against the Titans, pressuring Ryan Tannehill on nearly 40% of his dropbacks when Jones was on the field, according to Zebra Technologies. The group notched only one pressure when Jones was on the sideline.Luckily for Kansas City, Jones professes to be 1,000% ready for a full role in the Super Bowl.Advantage: 49ersSecondaryRichard Sherman has allowed a passer rating of just 36.4 in coverage this season, including the 49ers' two playoff games. Throwing the ball away on every snap would result in a 39.6 passer rating, according to PFF.It's no secret Sherman locks down the left side. He followed Davante Adams to the right side for just two plays in the conference championship. Like many of the passers Sherman faced in the regular season, Aaron Rodgers decided against throwing at him until the game was out of hand in the second half.Will Mahomes use the same game plan? Or will he test the Pro Bowl corner? Sherman has the football IQ, but he lacks the foot speed to keep up with Hill, Watkins, Robinson, and Hardman.Safety Tyrann Mathieu is the Chiefs' stud in the secondary, and he's led a late turnaround of the team's pass defense. But the 49ers employ perhaps the best cover corner of the past decade.Advantage: 49ersSpecial teamsMichael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / GettyOf the two clubs, only Chiefs special-teamers Mecole Hardman and Harrison Butker received All-Pro votes. Hardman was elected to the second team as a kick returner.But little has been asked of Kansas City's special teams during the playoffs. With the offense needing to come back from large deficits, Butker has attempted just one field goal this postseason, and punter Dustin Colquitt has seen the field only three times per game.Conversely, Robbie Gould has been a busy place-kicker for the Niners, including nailing a season-long 54-yard kick in the conference championship.However, Hardman's game-changing ability creates an advantage. His 58-yard kick return sparked the Chiefs' comeback from a 24-0 hole against the Texans in the divisional round. He's the ultimate X-factor.Advantage: ChiefsCoachingTwo offensive masterminds do battle for the Lombardi Trophy. Both are trying to change their career narrative and erase Super Bowl heartbreak suffered at the hands of the New England Patriots.Andy Reid, the senior of the two head coaches, last appeared in the Super Bowl 15 years ago when his Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Patriots by three points. He hadn't advanced past the conference championship round in the 14 seasons since.Kyle Shanahan was behind the Atlanta Falcons' offense that took a 28-3 lead against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, only to relinquish it in devastating fashion.One of the two savants will finally reach the mountaintop.While they each lead dynamic offenses, the 49ers own the defensive edge, both in talent and coaching.Advantage: 49ersCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Our betting team gives out their strongest Super Bowl wagers for Sunday's big game.Thomas CasaleKyle Juszczyk over 9.5 receiving yardsI'm going with a guy who has yet to record a stat in the playoffs. Juszczyk has been a bulldozer of a lead blocker for the 49ers' running game but he didn't register a carry or target in wins over the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. I expect that to change come Sunday.The Chiefs are one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to allowing receptions and yards to the running back position. Kansas City gave up an average of 6.3 receptions (third highest in the NFL) and 59.4 receiving yards (highest in the NFL) per game to opposing running backs during the regular season. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is legendary for exploiting a defense's weakness and he's used Juszczyk as a receiver in certain games this season. San Francisco's fullback has topped 9.5 yards receiving in six games and each time it came against a defense that struggled to defend running backs as pass-catchers.One way to attack Steve Spagnuolo's aggressive Chiefs defense is to hit the running backs quickly in the flats. Juszczyk will get a couple of opportunities to make a big play on Sunday. He should easily eclipse 9.5 receiving yards and don't be surprised if the bet cashes on the 49ers' first offensive play from scrimmage.C Jackson CowartShortest touchdown under 1.5 yardsOne of the most fun prop bets to root for is also one of the most reliable. Five of the last seven Super Bowls have featured a 1-yard touchdown, the lone exceptions being last year's 2-yard plunge - the only score of the game - and in 2015, when Marshawn Lynch didn't get the ball at the 1-yard line. Yikes.The shortest touchdown has been under 1.5 yards in 24 of the 36 combined games this year for the Chiefs and 49ers. That alone would imply 1-2 odds, so you're getting a relative value (-145) at shorter than 2-3. If the Niners control the pace of this game, you'll be in even better shape - 10 of the last 12 San Francisco games have seen a 1-yard touchdown, with the other two games featuring a 2-yard score.There's a chance you could get this prop polished off in the first quarter, which is always my kind of bet.Alex KolodziejPascal Siakam combined points + rebounds -0.5 vs. Jimmy Garoppolo total pass attemptsThe 49ers were reminded two weeks ago that the less they use Garoppolo, the better their chances are of winning. San Francisco's rush offense should have a similar approach in the Super Bowl, up against a Kansas City defense that's vastly worse against the rush than it is versus the pass. The obvious downside to this handicap is the scenario in which the 49ers are trailing and Garoppolo has to throw, but San Francisco's defense has the ability to counter KC's potent offense and keep things from getting out of hand. I don't think Jimmy G will have to win the game for the Niners' offense.I'm tying Siakam into this prop based strictly off the matchup. The Raptors face the Bulls, who can't stop anybody in the frontcourt - they allow the most fantasy points in the league to power forwards and the fourth-most fantasy points to centers. I'm taking Siakam over Garoppolo all day.Alex MorettoUnder 54.5Kyle Shanahan is a terrific football mind and he knows the last thing San Francisco needs in this game is to get involved in a shootout. The 49ers will conduct themselves on offense in a way that ensures they keep Patrick Mahomes on the sidelines as much as possible. Shanahan is the best there is at exploiting a defense's weakness and he will do just that, drawing up all sorts of pre-snap motion to run through Kansas City like they have every other team this year, sustaining long drives, milking the clock, and allowing their defense to stay rested on the sidelines.The Chiefs will still get theirs, but opportunities on offense should be limited for Mahomes against a San Francisco defense that has allowed just 13.7 points per game and 4.5 yards per play when fully healthy this season, which it is now. We get an inflated total here because of how both offenses rolled over their opponents on championship weekend, but the 49ers will ensure this game is played at a much different pace, and they should have no issue in doing so given the way they can command the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. I expect this game to finish below 50 points, let alone 54.5.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.When William "The Refrigerator" Perry broke the plane in Super Bowl XX, he changed sports betting forever.Perry, a 340-pound rookie defensive lineman, was a fan favorite for the Chicago Bears during the 1985 season. He was also a scarcely-used fullback, logging six touches for 11 yards and three touchdowns for the Bears (-10) ahead of their Super Bowl matchup with the New England Patriots.At the time, most books offered standard side action and a handful of team-related props for the championship game, but a stretch of lousy Super Bowls had eroded public interest in the game. Art Manteris, who then ran the Caesars sportsbook in Las Vegas, devised a plan to bring bettors through the doors for a game many expected to be a snoozer.Manteris offered bettors 20-1 odds that Perry, who hadn't logged a carry in Chicago's previous six games, would score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Other books followed suit, and heavy action on the bet forced the price all the way to 2-1 by kickoff.Sure enough, with 3:48 left in the third quarter, "The Fridge" had his shining moment. Instead of giving the ball to Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton at the 1-yard line, Bears coach Mike Ditka trusted the man who had become a marketing gimmick across the strip."He scored a touchdown, and my boss was going nuts," said Tony Miller, who worked at Caesars at the time. "Everybody was going nuts because we'd just lost a ton of money on a prop bet - and nobody even knew what prop bets were."Perry's 1-yard touchdown was of little consequence for the Bears, who took a 44-3 lead in an eventual 46-10 win, but a handful of bettors cashed big on the zany prop. Sportsbooks footed costly bills, with some suffering six-figure losses.It ended up being the greatest Super Bowl win they could have imagined.Nowadays, books offer hundreds of props for Super Bowl Sunday, and such bets draw the majority of money wagered on the big game. Miller, now the sportsbook director at the Golden Nugget, estimates that 60% of the betting handle for this year's Super Bowl will come from prop betting alone."The prop bets are just as popular as the game itself," Miller said. "They're just part of the culture now of Super Bowl wagering, and it's only going to continue."'Always in action'The Perry touchdown prop was originally intended as nothing more than a clever stunt to attract more customers for the Super Bowl. But it's no coincidence Manteris turned to such a risky prop bet to boost his book's biggest day.The two Super Bowls prior to the 1986 edition were decided by 22 and 29 points - then two of the three biggest blowouts in the game's 19-year history. The Bears' 36-point win in '86 became the biggest blowout to that point. Over the next decade, the NFL's marquee game would more frequently be decided by 30 or more points (three times) than by single digits (twice)."The Super Bowl, up until a little more recently, has been pretty much the worst game of the year," said Jay Rood, Bet.Works' chief risk officer and theScore Bet's head trader. "It's been Blowout City."Unfortunately for books, the worst game of the year is also the most important. They needed a way to attract more customers - and keep those customers entertained during even the most lopsided of contests.Despite their massive losses, the Perry prop had given bet shops precisely the attention they craved. Books started offering dozens of Super Bowl props to satiate the public's interest, and bettors ate it up. Prop bets were no longer a novelty for sportsbooks - they became a necessity."We thought we were doing a lot then," said oddsmaker Ed Salmons, "and it was nothing compared to now."Salmons, now the VP of risk management and oddsmaking at Westgate, remembers working his first Super Bowl as a teller at Las Vegas' Imperial Palace, since renamed The Linq. It was 1993, and Dallas (-6.5) was a decent favorite over Buffalo. With another potential blowout on the horizon, Salmons asked higher-ups if he could create his own prop for the game: Will Cowboys fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston have a rushing attempt?The Cowboys led 28-10 at halftime and eventually won by 35 points, but bettors stayed glued to the TV to see if Johnson would run the ball. Finally, with 3:16 left in the game, he earned one carry for zero yards. It was a worthwhile loss to keep paying customers in the casino."It's because of all of the uniqueness, the juicy prices," Miller said of the success of prop bets. "It's something they can watch and maintain throughout the entire football game. You are always in action, and that's what the customer wants."It's a perfect storm for public bettors, whose wagers constitute a large portion of the money laid on prop bets. Some sharp players will target the occasional prop, too, though most books have limits between $500 and $2,000.With such low limits, how do prop bets form a majority of the Super Bowl handle? It's simple: tons and tons of options.'They'll literally bet anything'While betting on a touchdown from "The Fridge" seemed outlandish in 1986, such opportunities are commonplace now. There are hundreds of bizarre offerings at sportsbooks each year - from whether little-known players like Perry will find the end zone to how many penalties or kickoff returns will occur in the game.Miller says his book is offering over 450 props for the big game, including a few seemingly impossible wagers at long-shot odds. If Super Bowl XX taught us anything, it's that no bet is too absurd.“People love shooting at the moon," Miller said.Sportsbooks have endured some brutal losses since that classic '86 prop, like when then-Eagles quarterback Nick Foles caught a touchdown pass on the famed "Philly Special" to cash tickets as high as 10-1 in 2018. Nearly every prop bet for that Super Bowl was graded "yes" or "over," typically a nightmare scenario for books."People always make the case," Salmons said. "They can see it, and then they bet what they can see. They always try to think positive with their bets."Most prop bettors love big numbers at plus-money, a tendency that can prove costly for shops. Salmons said his book was down $200,000 after the first play of Super Bowl 50 in 2016 when the Seahawks recorded a safety for the game's first score. Miller remembers losing $80,000 on it.Last year's Super Bowl nearly spelled disaster for books offering a "no touchdowns scored" prop, a bet that would have paid out at 1,000-1 at Westgate if not for Sony Michel's score with seven minutes left."If that happened, we were going to lose a ridiculous number," Salmons said. "That was probably the craziest thing I've seen."Even the most unlikely - and sometimes accidental - props can draw interest from bettors.Last year, Westgate offered a prop on whether Rams punter Johnny Hekker - who'd attempted 20 career passes to that point - would have a passing attempt (he didn't). Salmons hadn't considered dealing that prop again. But when he started working on an early draft of this year's prop sheet, he saw Kansas City punter Dustin Colquitt's name filling the space previously occupied by Hekker's.Salmons looked up the Chiefs punter's career stats and saw he'd attempted two passes before. So he decided to hang the prop for Colquitt, with "yes" at 30-1 and "no" at 1-150.Surprise, surprise: A few days before kickoff, "yes" has already received close to $2,000, pushing the price down to 20-1."That wasn't even meant to be a prop," Salmons said, laughing. "That's one I never would have thought of to use in this game. They'll literally bet anything."'Growing each year'Despite the wide offering of prop bets at U.S. books, some of the most popular ones originate offshore, where books can get creative without adhering to the regulations of local gaming commissions.Those props are seemingly endless, with odds for halftime show attire, broadcast shoutouts, player misconduct, Twitter fights, and more. In a true meta twist, you can even bet on how much money will be bet on the game in the U.S. (most of it is coming from prop bets)."In the future, as we get more and more educated and governed by these state bodies, we'll be able to do things like that," Miller said. "You see wagering on the presidential election. You see wagering on the Academy Awards."That's coming down the road, and you can bet some of it right now ... It's just more money and more handle and more revenue for sportsbooks."Salmons remembers when the gaming commission didn't allow the coin toss prop, now the most popular such bet by far. He doesn't remember being able to offer odds on the Super Bowl MVP - another beloved prop - until 2016, when Von Miller won it for the Broncos.Last year, a prop on the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach made its way to New Jersey. Salmons thinks some other fan favorites, such as the length of the national anthem, could soon be on their way. If you can calculate it, you might soon be able to bet it."They're definitely trying to loosen the strings up for us," he said.More props means more fun for bettors, but also more work for bookmakers. Miller said his crew takes between two and three hours to grade prop bets after the game, a stark contrast from the days before Perry's touchdown opened the floodgates.The real work comes in the weeks before the Super Bowl. Following the conference championship games, Salmons' team spends 16 hours over two full days manually setting the numbers for each prop. After all, if a book hangs a bad line, it could come back to bite them."At some point, computers will generate numbers that are as good as what these wiseguys bet," Salmons said. "When that happens, you probably can make 10 times the amount of props that we have right now. That's a day that's in the not-too-distant future."Technological advancements also create more in-game opportunities for books. Rood says he plans to offer about a dozen unique props for the second half of Sunday's game, with prices dictated by first-half action. In the future, that may include live updates for props on, say, Patrick Mahomes' passing yards or the likelihood of overtime or a two-point conversion."That's where prop betting will expand," Rood said, "because that's where betting in general has the opportunity to expand."The legalization of sports betting could play a key role in the growth of prop wagers, too. With the introduction of more casual bettors into the market over the past 20 months, prop bets are primed to attract an even greater share of the handle from the general public."It's been growing each year," Salmons said, "and I don't expect it to slow down."This year's Super Bowl handle is expected to surpass $300 million. That figure would shatter 2018's record of $158.6 million, and a lion's share of that money will come from prop bets inspired by Perry's plunge. And if Colquitt decides to sling it for the third time in his career, some bettors will be partying like it's 1986.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cleveland Browns are close to hiring Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt as their next offensive coordinator, reports Zac Jackson of The Athletic.A source confirmed to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the two sides have agreed to terms, giving incoming Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski his new right-hand man.Van Pelt has coached quarterbacks for the last six seasons - four with the Green Bay Packers and two in Cincinnati.The 49-year-old has one season of experience as an offensive coordinator, serving in that capacity for the Buffalo Bills in 2009. He rounds out a coordinator trio that features Joe Woods leading the defense and Mike Priefer on special teams.Cleveland's offense took a step back in 2019 under Freddie Kitchens and Todd Monken, ranking 22nd in both yards per game and points per game.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey has received high praise from one of the NFL's great dual-threat backs."He's a better version of me," Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk told Bill Voth of Panthers.com.This season, McCaffrey joined Faulk and Roger Craig as the only players to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. But Faulk believes the third-year pro's accomplishment was more impressive than his own."He had to do more with less help. I had a lot of help," Faulk said. "And how many quarterbacks did (he) have?"Faulk won a Super Bowl in 1999 as a member of the then-St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" and was named league MVP in 2000. He shared the field with Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and Hall of Fame finalists Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt at receiver.McCaffrey, on the other hand, carried the Panthers' offense in 2019, earning first-team All-Pro honors with young quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Will Grier under center after Carolina shut down Cam Newton early in the year.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Mahomes' NFL career is only three years young, but the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback already knows where he wants it to end."The people are what really drew me to Kansas City, and I hope I get to play there the rest of my career," Mahomes said Wednesday. "The people and how they accept you, how they care about you more as a person than they do as a player and how much passion they have for the Kansas City Chiefs."It's special, and it's somewhere where I want to be for the rest of my career."Mahomes will lead the Chiefs in their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years when they take the field for Sunday's championship game. The franchise is already prioritizing an extension for the 2018 NFL MVP, but Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said Tuesday a new deal could come in 2021."I don't want to say necessarily it has to be this offseason, but I will say that it's a priority to get him done. I hope Patrick is here for his entire career and that's going to be our goal," Hunt said.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hall of Fame general manager Ron Wolf doesn't believe the Cleveland Browns are close to rebounding from a postseason-less decade.After the Browns mutually parted ways with his son, assistant general manager Eliot Wolf, on Wednesday, Ron Wolf told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Cleveland and other teams that embrace analytics are "out of control.""When something goes wrong, who takes responsibility?" the elder Wolf said. "Their answer: 'Well, that's what the data told us.' What a crock. That's what got 'em 1-31."Cleveland on Monday hired Andrew Berry as its new general manager and executive vice president of football operations. Berry, a Harvard graduate, is believed to fit the franchise's vision of an analytics-driven model for team-building.The Browns also dismissed vice president of player personnel Alonzo Highsmith on Wednesday due to an apparent clash with chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta over the use of analytics."I wanted to go in a different direction because my philosophy on football is different from theirs,'' Highsmith said, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.Ron Wolf won three Super Bowls during his front-office career: one as general manager of the Green Bay Packers and two with the Los Angeles Raiders as a scout.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami has a decorated resume when it comes to hosting Super Bowls. The city is about to retake first place for most Super Bowls hosted (11) and has been the setting of several remarkable moments in pro football history.Joe Namath's upset guarantee. Lynn Swann's MVP performance. Joe Montana's game-winning comeback drive. Tracy Porter's iconic pick-6. They all took place in Miami.As Super Bowl LIV approaches, theScore ranks all of the past championship games hosted by the Floridian city:10. Super Bowl II, 1968 (Packers def. Raiders, 33-14)The NFL continued its dominance over the AFL as the Packers clinched their second straight Super Bowl and third consecutive title. Led by Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, Green Bay never trailed against the Raiders in what ended up being Vince Lombardi's last game as head coach.9. Super Bowl XXXIII, 1999 (Broncos def. Falcons, 34-19)After three Super Bowl losses, quarterback John Elway finally led the Broncos to glory - for the second time in as many years. Following Denver's first title campaign in 1997-98, the 39-year-old Elway was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII after spoiling the Falcons' Cinderella season in their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.8. Super Bowl XXIX, 1995 (49ers def. Chargers, 49-26)The Chargers were 18.5-point underdogs against the 49ers, who ended up cementing their dynasty with a fifth trophy. The contest featured a record-breaking six touchdown passes from Steve Young, a feat that earned him Super Bowl MVP honors and helped the signal-caller solidify his emergence from the shadow of Joe Montana in the Bay Area.

Deion Sanders believes the Pro Football Hall of Fame has become too lenient with respect to its inductees.Sanders, a Hall of Famer himself, shared his thoughts on the selection process and how the honor has changed in recent years."What is a Hall of Famer now? Is it a guy who played a long time?” Sanders said on "The Dan Patrick Show," according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "It's so skewed now. Once upon a time, a Hall of Famer was a player who changed the darn game, who made you want to reach in your pocket and pay your admission to see that guy play."That's not a Hall of Famer anymore. Every Tom, Dick and Harry, you're a Hall of Famer, you're a Hall of Famer, you're a Hall of Famer. They let everybody in this thing. It's not exclusive anymore. And I don't like it."At least six new members have been enshrined in every class since 2006 and the league added a centennial class in honor of its 100th season.The nine-time All-Pro cornerback was inducted into the Hall in 2011 but believes the criteria has allowed undeserving players to be selected."It should be based on, 'Are you that guy?'" Sanders said. "Not just because we have to meet a quota."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ahead of Super Bowl LIV, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gave his state-of- the-league address Wednesday.In a 45-minute session, the commissioner spoke on a number of issues facing the NFL in the wake of its 100th season. Here are five notable talking points from Goodell's press conference:NFL knows Rooney Rule is failingIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Rooney Rule is designed to ensure minority coaches and executives get a fair shot at the top jobs in the NFL. But the policy's effectiveness has consistently been questioned since its inception in 2003, and it came under particular criticism during this year's hiring cycle.Of the five open head coaching positions following the end of the 2019 season, the only minority candidate who secured a job was Ron Rivera - hired by the Washington Redskins.Notably, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh - two high-profile minority candidates who are set to face off in Super Bowl LIV - were passed over.Goodell acknowledged the league must work to improve the Rooney Rule and other diversity policies in order to change the troubling trend."Clearly, we are not where we want to be. It's clear we need to change and do something different," said Goodell, per Dan Graziano of ESPN. "There's no reason to expect a different outcome next year without changes."The lack of diversity in the NFL isn't exclusive to the sideline. New Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, who was hired Tuesday, became just the second African-American in his role across the league, joining Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins.League concerned about Antonio Brown's well-beingGoodell weighed in on the troubled free-agent wide receiver's situation, stressing the league's top priority is helping him overcome his recent struggles."I think the first thing for all of us is to think about the well-being of Antonio (Brown)," he said. "To understand what Antonio is going through. We don't talk about the wellness of our players publically, but I would tell you that you can be assured that the NFL and the NFLPA have a tremendous amount of resources that are available to all players."They are going to be made available to Antonio, and we want to help get him on the right track."Goodell added he's confident the league can do so.Brown is currently out on bail as he awaits trial for a felony burglary with battery charge. It's the latest in a series of off-field incidents for the star receiver, who played in just one game this season.The NFL is also investigating accusations of sexual assault and sexual harassment against the 31-year-old.Investigation into Patriots' taping incident won't be rushedMaddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyNews of the New England Patriots' videotaping scandal surfaced on Dec. 9. Over seven weeks later, the NFL is still investigating the incident.Asked why a determination has yet to be made given the video evidence and New England's admission of wrongdoing, Goodell said the league is focused on getting all the facts in a meticulous manner."It shouldn't (be relatively open and shut), because our responsibility is to make sure we're being extremely thorough," said Goodell, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. "We have a responsibility to 31 other clubs, we have a responsibility to partners, we have a responsibility to fans to understand all of what happened, and make sure that something that we don't know happened didn't happen."The Patriots said the videographers, who were filming a team video series called "Do Your Job," were unaware they were violating league rules by filming the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline.New England reportedly could face a fine in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and potentially the loss or reduction in the value of a draft choice. But it sounds like the league is in no rush to hand down punishment.Goodell isn't going anywhere soonGoodell has been in his role atop the NFL hierarchy since 2006. While the commissioner has not always been a popular figure, the 60-year-old has overseen an unprecedented era of growth for the league.Those hoping to see a changing of the guard following the completion of the league's upcoming labor and TV deals will apparently need to keep waiting."One thing I've learned is that your work is never done. There are always things to do," he said, per Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. "I haven't thought about retiring. It's not on my agenda. We have too much to do."However, Goodell said it's important for the league to form a succession plan.Updates on NFL's international growthJohn Walton - PA Images / PA Images / GettyThe NFL will continue to attempt to cement its presence outside the United States in the foreseeable future.Goodell announced the league will return to play regular-season games in Mexico City in 2020 and 2021. The participants and dates for next season will be confirmed when the 2020 schedule is released in late April."We had a great experience this past November down in Mexico," Goodell said, per NFL.com. "It was just a great event and we loved being there. We look forward to being back and we are proud to be able to say we're going to be there for two more games over the next two years."Goodell also addressed questions on possible expansion into two international cities, Toronto and London.The commissioner said it "couldn't be farther from the truth" that the NFL has turned the page on a possible franchise in Canada's largest city, per Jon Scott of Spectrum News Buffalo. But Goodell added the biggest issue would be building a stadium in Toronto that met the league's standards.With Los Angeles off the board, London has become the most speculated destination for NFL expansion. Goodell praised the progress of the international series in the U.K. but said there was no timeline for moving a franchise across the pond."Our job is to make sure London continues to grow. ... We have to get back to making sure we can (make a London team succeed) in a competitive way," he said, per Arash Madani of Sportsnet.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Entering the season, the San Francisco 49ers were an afterthought in a competitive NFC West featuring the defending conference champion Los Angeles Rams.But with creative coaching, an aggressive defense, and a top-tier rushing attack, Kyle Shanahan's squad defied the odds and will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.Here's how the 49ers built the team that's on the cusp of capturing the sixth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history:Key playersYearDraftFree AgentTrade/Waiver2007LT Joe Staley2014S Jimmie Ward2015DE Arik ArmsteadS Jaquiski Tartt2016DT DeForest Buckner2017TE George KittleFB Kyle JuszczykQB Jimmy GaroppoloDL Solomon ThomasWR Kendrick BourneLG Laken TomlinsonCB Ahkello WitherspoonCB K'Waun WilliamsDT Sheldon DayK Robbie Gould2018LB Fred WarnerCB Richard ShermanRT Mike McGlincheyCB Emmanuel MoseleyRG Mike Person2019DE Nick BosaLB Kwon AlexanderWR Emmanuel SandersWR Deebo SamuelRB Raheem MostertLB Dre GreenlawRB Tevin ColemanP Mitch WishnowskyDE Dee FordC Ben GarlandUnder-the-radar gems steal the showThearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhile many strong squads feature one or two superstars, a new player seemingly steps up for San Francisco every week. The team's depth and balance have never been more evident than during this postseason run.In the NFC Championship Game, little-known Raheem Mostert announced himself to the football world. The 27-year-old was the 49ers' leading regular-season rusher after posting 772 yards, but he's not the first running back who comes to mind in a backfield with Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida. Six squads have cut Mostert since he entered the league in 2015, and yet he still torched the Green Bay Packers for 220 rushing yards and four touchdowns.On defense, undrafted defensive backs Emmanuel Moseley and K'Waun Williams play vital roles for Robert Saleh's unit. The duo combined for four interceptions, 102 tackles, and 13 pass breakups this season. Arik Armstead and Jimmie Ward - both high draft picks widely called busts early in their careers - are also two key defensive chess pieces.From second last to a Super BowlJust nine months ago, the 49ers were selecting No. 2 in the NFL draft following a 4-12 campaign. They've been slotted inside the top 10 in each of the last four drafts, and the team hadn't qualified for the playoffs since 2013 prior to this season.The Niners joined the 1988 Cincinnati Bengals and 1999 St. Louis Rams to become the third team to reach the big game after winning four or fewer contests the previous year. The club is also the first to follow four straight 10-plus loss campaigns with a Super Bowl appearance.Building a champion in 2 yearsMichael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / GettySan Francisco sure turned things around quickly. Though a few key players have been with the team for a while, the majority of the 49ers' core pieces were added over the last two offseasons.After a rocky start to his tenure, general manager John Lynch was successful in the 2018 and 2019 drafts. First-round picks Nick Bosa and Mike McGlinchey play vital roles on the defensive and offensive line, respectively, while Day 2 selections Deebo Samuel and Fred Warner are already among the league's brightest young stars. The 49ers' reliance on rookies and second-year players makes their run at the Lombardi Trophy all the more impressive. The youngsters can play with the big boys.Lynch and Co. complemented their draft success with selective free-agency aggression. Richard Sherman has become one of the league's biggest bargains in recent years, with the veteran cornerback reigniting his career in San Francisco. Kwon Alexander and Dee Ford were acquired in 2019 to round out a defense that underperformed the year prior. Adding them, combined with the emergence of Moseley, took Robert Saleh's unit to the next level.Jerick McKinnon's troublesome knee injuries forced Shanahan to abandon a portion of his run-game strategy in 2018, so Coleman and Mostert were added to help pace his offense. Coleman provided a significant boost at times during the regular season while scoring seven touchdowns, and you know Mostert's story by now.When the 49ers felt they were a field-stretching receiver away from assembling a truly potent offense, Lynch traded for Emmanuel Sanders. The deal paid instant dividends, and it also provided more room for Samuel and star tight end George Kittle to operate.Winning in the trenchesIf any franchise lives by the mantra "games are won and lost in the trenches," it's the NFC champions. Few squads field similar skill on the offensive and defensive lines.The 49ers' O-line surrendered 139 pressures this season, the eighth-fewest in the NFL. McGlinchey and Joe Staley help keep Jimmy Garoppolo clean on the edge, forming one of the league's top tackle tandems. Laken Tomlinson, Mike Person, and Ben Garland (following an injury to Weston Richburg) man the interior and allowed a combined five sacks.As good as the team's offensive line is at pass-protecting, it's an even better run-blocking unit. San Francisco ranked second while averaging 144.1 rushing yards per game this season. The Niners also accumulated an absurd 471 yards on the ground over two playoff contests, largely due to the gaping holes blockers were opening.Meanwhile, the front four of Bosa, Ford, Armstead, and DeForest Buckner terrorized opposing offenses all year. The Niners' 48 sacks ranked fifth league-wide, with Armstead (10) and Bosa (nine) leading the way. Bosa, Ford, and Buckner also ranked inside the top 10 at their positions in Pro Football Focus' Pass Rush Productivity metric.The 49ers have at least four defensive linemen who can beat any blocker on any snap, so it's no wonder the team fielded the NFL's second-ranked defense.Shanahan and Saleh's brillianceLachlan Cunningham / Getty Images Sport / GettyShanahan and Saleh were the most impactful head coach and coordinator duo this season. The two consistently put their players in the best positions to succeed, strategically adapting to any scenario. As a result, the team's offense and defense both ranked inside the top eight in points per game, yards per game, and yards per play in 2019.Shanahan learned his offensive blueprint from his father, former NFL legend Mike Shanahan, along with Jon Gruden and Gary Kubiak. His scheme often utilizes pre-snap motion, and it heavily features outside zone runs, with the offensive line taking a lateral first step and attempting to block an area rather than a particular defender.That approach works best with explosive, one-cut running backs who can identify a gap on the outside shoulder of the tight end and burst through for a big play, and the 49ers have plenty of them. Shanahan's squad is one of the league's top teams on those runs largely due to Kittle being the NFL's premier blocking tight end.The 40-year-old boss also doesn't demand too much from his quarterback. He asks Garoppolo to make quick reads and put the ball in his playmakers' hands. Garoppolo's average of 2.48 seconds to throw was the fifth quickest in 2019, and his average depth of target (6.5 yards) was second-lowest.Shanahan is among the league's best at exploiting mismatches too, and he utilizes a unique array of talent, including fullback Kyle Juszczyk.Saleh, meanwhile, is similarly creative as a defensive play-caller. Evolving from his Cover 3 ideals forged during his time with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, he disguises coverages and blitzes more frequently than his mentor.Salah creates space for his edge rushers to attack the quarterback, and he deploys versatile defensive backs and linebackers to roam the second level. The mastermind behind San Francisco's defense revitalized a number of players this season, and he was just as much of a factor in the team's success as the scoring attack.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he'll meet with Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett within the next 60 days to discuss his indefinite suspension, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.It's expected Garrett will be reinstated when the meeting occurs, one source told Cabot.Garrett was suspended for his actions in the Nov. 14 fight between the Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. The pass-rusher hit Mason Rudolph in the head with the quarterback's helmet during the final seconds of Thursday Night Football as a brawl broke out between the AFC North rivals.The 24-year-old was initially suspended for at least the remainder of the regular season (six games). The first overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft also was fined $45,623 in addition to the $1.14 million in lost game checks.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a 50-year wait, the Kansas City Chiefs have finally made it back to the NFL's biggest stage. Awaiting them in Miami, with football immortality on the line, are the kings of the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers.The AFC champions rebounded in dominant fashion from last year's loss to the New England Patriots in the conference title game. Kansas City engineered an epic 24-point comeback win against the Houston Texans in the divisional round before downing the Tennessee Titans.Here's how the Chiefs built the team that's on the precipice of the franchise's second Super Bowl title:Key playersYearDraftFree AgentTrade/Waiver2013LT Eric FisherTE Travis Kelce2014G Laurent Duvernay-TardifS Daniel Sorensen2016DT Chris JonesRT Mitchell SchwartzWR Tyreek HillWR Demarcus Robinson2017QB Patrick MahomesDE Tanoh Kpassagnon2018DT Derrick NnadiWR Sammy WatkinsCB Kendall FullerRB Damien WilliamsCB Charvarius WardLB Anthony HitchensC Austin Reiter2019WR Mecole HardmanS Tyrann MathieuDE Frank ClarkS Juan ThornhillRB LeSean McCoyA second chance for Big RedIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyAndy Reid sits seventh on the all-time head coaching wins list, behind Don Shula, George Halas, Bill Belichick, Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau, and Paul Brown. Those six have combined to win 29 NFL championships, while Reid is still seeking his first.It was supposed to happen in Philadelphia, where Reid spent 14 years at the helm of the Eagles. He turned around the NFC East team almost immediately upon being hired prior to the 1999 season, racking up five straight campaigns with double-digit wins from 2000 to 2004 after going 5-11 as a rookie.That period also included four consecutive trips to the NFC Championship Game. Reid's Eagles lost their first three conference title contests - which helped cultivate the head coach's reputation as someone who couldn't quite get his team over the finish line - before finally breaking through in 2004, only to lose to the Patriots in Reid's lone Super Bowl appearance prior to this season's.After going 12-20 in 2011 and '12, Philadelphia moved on from Reid, who was snatched up by Kansas City. The head coach quickly rediscovered his winning formula to reward the Chiefs for believing he was still capable of leading a franchise to glory.Reid's offenses continued to be the envy of the rest of the league during his first five years in Kansas City, with two of his coordinators - Matt Nagy and Doug Pederson - taking head coaching positions. But, too often, Reid's lauded system was compensating for a lack of talent at the quarterback position instead of enhancing it.At QB, good isn't good enoughIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyMost teams would stand pat after finishing the previous season with double-digit wins and a quarterback coming off their second Pro Bowl appearance in four seasons. But the Chiefs aren't most teams. Instead of riding the safe option, the AFC West club boldly kickstarted its run to Super Bowl LIV by rolling the dice during the 2017 draft at the game's most important position.From 2013 to 2016, Alex Smith led Kansas City to its best run of success since the early '90s. Three playoff appearances, a division title in 2016, and 43 regular-season wins would usually cement the job of everyone involved, especially the quarterback with the pedigree of being a former No. 1 overall pick.However, the Chiefs weren't satisfied. While the offense showed flashes of greatness, it was held back by the limitations of its quarterback. Smith was efficient and rarely made mistakes, but there was a sense that the Chiefs' offense, with one of the league's best play-callers in Reid and talented playmakers like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, was capable of much more.For the ability to take Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 overall, Kansas City traded the No. 27 pick, a third-rounder, and its 2018 first-round selection to the Buffalo Bills. Previously, the Chiefs always relied on reclamation projects, mid-rounders, and unremarkable veterans under center. They never had their own guy. In fact, remarkably, Mahomes was the first quarterback taken by the Chiefs in the opening round since 1983.It feels ridiculous in hindsight, given Mahomes' all-time start to his career, but he was a divisive prospect. The big-armed Texas Tech standout was far from a sure thing, let alone someone capable of winning the MVP award in their first season as the starter. There were concerns about his erratic decision-making and struggles to stay on script.Fortune, though, favors the bold, and Kansas City was rewarded for its forward-thinking approach with perhaps the most talented quarterback the NFL has ever seen. Mahomes' list of achievements already includes: joining Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks to throw 50 touchdowns in a season, delivering two AFC West titles and back-to-back playoff byes, and leading the third-highest-scoring offense in league history.Speed, speed, and more speedJustin Edmonds / Getty Images Sport / GettyIf there's one defining trait to this iteration of the Chiefs, it's their game-breaking, mind-boggling speed on offense.It all starts, of course, with Hill, who's perhaps the fastest player in the entire NFL. Since being selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, he's been the most dominant downfield threat in the league thanks in large part to his safety-spinning top gear.

Stylistically, Super Bowl LIV promises to be a delight. To the casual observer, the Chiefs and 49ers appear to be a portrait in contrasts: Kansas City with its high-octane offense fueled by a quarterback who looks every bit the part of the game's biggest superstar, San Francisco with its ground-and-pound rushing attack that bullies opponents into submission.But a closer look reveals two teams that thrive by putting new twists on old concepts. It's not just Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes embarrassing opponents with his arms or his legs, or 49ers running backs Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, and Matt Breida running over or past this team or that.Both the Chiefs and Niners have constructed fully integrated systems powered not only by the skill and speed of their personnel, but by the way they blend that personnel and use elements of deception to keep defenses on their heels. The emphasis is on harmony, on the parts complementing each other to benefit the whole. And it's proved to be damn hard to stop.__________Mahomes is the obvious fulcrum for what the Chiefs like to do. He can run, he can throw, he can throw on the run, and he can make plays from the pocket. But the reason he was off most teams' radar in the run-up to the 2017 draft was because he played in an Air Raid system at Texas Tech - a style most NFL coaches believed was gimmicky and couldn't work in the faster, more physical pro league.The Chiefs' Andy Reid was not one of those coaches. Reid has long been intrigued by the innovations at the college level; as far back as 2010, when Michael Vick was his quarterback with the Eagles, Reid sought to marry his traditional West Coast offense to the spread, to tap into Vick's dual-threat skill set. By 2013, when Reid took over in Kansas City, he even hired a "spread game analyst."It would take a few years for many of the ideas Reid was toying with to fully reveal themselves. By 2017, the Chiefs traded up to No. 10 to select Mahomes - at the urging of now-GM Brett Veach - while planning to sit him behind Alex Smith for at least the first year. But in their first game that season, with Smith at the controls, the Chiefs unveiled a college-like offense heavy on pre-snap motion, jet sweeps, play-action, and run-pass options (RPO) to destroy the Patriots 42-27. By the next season, that offense belonged to Mahomes.And Mahomes proved himself capable of executing it, dazzling right away during his first full season as a starter. In Week 2 at the Steelers, Mahomes' video-game-like ability was already on display: 23-for-28 passing for 326 yards, six TD passes, and zero interceptions. It wasn't a fluke.He finished the season by throwing for 50 touchdown passes, an adjusted yards per attempt (AY/A) of 9.6, and a total QBR of 80.0 - all best in the league. Mahomes and the Chiefs reached the AFC Championship Game - a shootout loss to the Patriots in which they never possessed the ball in overtime - and Mahomes was named league MVP. He was only 23.But if it were simply about Mahomes and his ability, the Chiefs likely wouldn't be here. For one thing, they're stocked with speed. As Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal noted, four of the five receivers on their roster ran the 40-yard dash faster than 4.5 seconds. The group includes Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins, plus Mecole Hardman, who the Chiefs also traded up to nab in last spring's second round.Super Bowl tight ends George Kittle, left, and Travis Kelce. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesBut the Chiefs also have tight end Travis Kelce, who may be their biggest weapon outside of Mahomes. Kelce is the only tight end in history with four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and his ability to beat man and zone coverages by understanding the use of space and adjusting his routes accordingly is what sets him apart.But it's the way the Chiefs deploy Kelce and the rest of their receivers that makes this thing hum. Kelce, for one, is often lined up all over the formation. He's played more frequently out wide (308 snaps) than in the slot (292) this season, per PFF, and had a season-high 28 snaps from out wide during the AFC title game.The Chiefs led the league in RPO usage during the season, also per PFF. Including the playoffs, Mahomes ranked fourth in the league in play-action percentage (31.4); his nine TD passes, one interception, and 65.7% completion rate in those situations speak to how effective this is, even though the Chiefs run the ball just 38% of the time.These sleight-of-hand approaches take full advantage of Mahomes' dual-threat skills and his ability to improvise. The result is an offense that frequently schemes someone open:

Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky underwent surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, according to ESPN's Jeff Dickerson.The minor procedure, which Trubisky had just after the regular season ended, usually requires a couple of months of rehabilitation, Dickerson added.Under that timetable, the quarterback would be ready to go for the start of Chicago's offseason program.Trubisky is potentially entering a make-or-break campaign. Despite the quarterback's struggles in his third season, the Bears committed to him as their starter for 2020 in December.However, general manager Ryan Pace added that Chicago is still contemplating whether to exercise the former No. 2 overall pick's fifth-year option. The team must make a call on the roughly $25-million option by May 5.In 2019, Trubisky ranked 27th in touchdown passes (17), 32nd in yards per attempt (6.1), and 28th in both QBR (39.5) and passer rating (83.0).Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.There are hundreds of Super Bowl props for bettors to choose from but theScore Bet is offering an interesting one in a game featuring the NFL's two top tight ends. Bettors can wager on who will have more receptions in Super Bowl LIV, George Kittle or Travis Kelce. We break down the prop to see which player has the edge heading into Sunday's game.George KittleKittle has been quiet in the playoffs, catching just four passes for 35 yards, but that's because the 49ers have relied more on the ground attack. Jimmy Garoppolo completed six passes on eight attempts in the NFC Championship Game, as San Francisco rolled over the Green Bay Packers' defense for 285 rushing yards.Look for Kittle to have a bigger role on Sunday in a juicy matchup against the Chiefs. Kansas City was a bottom-10 team at defending tight ends this season, allowing 6.1 receptions and 60.9 yards per game to the position. Those numbers become even more alarming when you consider the Chiefs didn't face many quality tight ends. Oakland Pro Bowler Darren Waller is the top player to play Kansas City's defense this season and he racked up 13 receptions in two games.Another thing to keep in mind is the Chiefs will be without starting safety Juan Thornhill for this game. The rookie standout was a big reason for Kansas City's improved pass defense, and while the Chiefs didn't miss him against Houston and Tennessee, his absence is likely to be felt against an elite tight end like Kittle.Kittle saw at least eight targets in half of his games this season, finishing with six or more receptions 11 times. Garoppolo will need to throw the ball more than eight times on Sunday, meaning Kittle is likely to be a big factor.Travis KelceAs good as Kittle is, it can be argued he will be the second-best tight end on the field Sunday. Kelce had another 97-catch regular season in 2019. The Chiefs' All-Pro tight end has now eclipsed 80 receptions and 1,000 yards in four straight seasons.Kelce was limited to just three catches for 30 yards in the AFC Championship Game, although that followed a monster performance against Houston, where he caught 10 balls for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, Kelce’s recorded at least seven receptions in 10 of 18 games this season. It's a good bet he will see his share of targets in Kansas City's biggest game of the year. Kelce has been targeted eight or more times in 13 games this season. It also doesn't hurt to be playing with Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs quarterback has topped 270 yards passing in 11 of 16 games.Unlike his counterpart, Kelce doesn't have a strong matchup on paper. San Francisco’s defense is one of the best in the NFL at defending tight ends, as it gave up just 4.1 receptions per game to the position. Only two tight ends have caught more than four passes against the 49ers all season, so Kelce has his work cut out for him on Sunday.PickBoth players have the ability to put up monster numbers in the Super Bowl, although Kittle clearly has the better matchup against a defense that can be exploited by tight ends. Don't underestimate the loss of Thornhill. He allowed just 0.22 yards per coverage snap - the sixth-fewest in the NFL - according to Pro Football Focus. His absence will be felt against a versatile player like Kittle, who often lines up as a slot receiver.Kittle has been asked to focus on run-blocking in the 49ers' first two playoff games - expect that to change on Sunday. The prediction here is Kittle bests Kelce to finish with more receptions.Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.Copyright © 2020 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.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Evan Silva of Establish The Run joins Boone to discuss Super Bowl player matchups.

Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman died Tuesday night after a battle with brain cancer, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced."The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Chris Doleman after a prolonged and courageous battle against cancer," Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said in a statement.He added: "I had the honor of getting to know him not only as a great football player but an outstanding human being. One of the honors of my life was witnessing Chris get baptized in the Jordan River during a Hall of Fame trip to Israel. The legacy of Chris Doleman will live forever in Canton, Ohio, for generations to learn from how he lived a life of courage and character."Doleman underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in 2018 and had been fighting glioblastoma since.The Indianapolis native was the fourth overall pick of the 1985 NFL Draft and played in the league until 1999. His career is best remembered for his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings (1985 to 1993, 1999), with whom he led the league in sacks once - 21 in 1989 - and was voted to six of his eight career Pro Bowls.Doleman also played for the Atlanta Falcons (1994 and 1995) and San Francisco 49ers (1996 to 1998).A member of the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the pass-rusher amassed 150.5 career sacks, which rank fifth all time in the NFL.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers held the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and wanted to add a quarterback, but opted to select defensive lineman Solomon Thomas.That year's class, of course, featured Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. As Kyle Shanahan's squad prepares to battle Mahomes in Super Bowl LIV, the head coach admitted he should have scouted the 2018 MVP more extensively."I didn't look into (Mahomes) obviously as much as I should have (prior to the draft)," Shanahan told reporters Tuesday, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "We definitely looked into him, studied all of his tape. Was just a freak, could make any throw. ... We had the second pick in the draft. Did not feel, like from all the intel that you get and stuff, that he was gonna go that high."On draft day, San Francisco traded the No. 2 pick to the Bears (which Chicago used to draft Mitch Trubisky) and received the No. 3 selection as part of the return. The Kansas City Chiefs selected Mahomes 10th overall after trading up.Shanahan added, "You saw a bunch of talented guys in that draft. It's very tough when you watch college systems. ... You can see ability, you can see talent, but how's the mind? How do they play in the pocket? How do they process? That's not just an IQ score. That's some stuff I don't think you can totally test. You gotta go through that with them, so there's always a risk when you spend a first-round pick on a quarterback. With the situation we were in, (we) didn't want to be that risky."Shanahan was entering his first season as San Francisco's head coach and had targeted then-Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins. The team slapped Cousins with the franchise tag in 2017 and he was widely rumored to be a trade candidate."It was a little different situation for us just 'cause I think it's pretty well documented ... the relationship I had with Kirk being in Washington and I felt very confident that he wasn't gonna stay there," Shanahan said. "So anytime you go into a season knowing that a franchise quarterback was going to be available the next year, it made me a lot more picky."After failing to acquire Cousins, the 49ers traded for Jimmy Garoppolo and found themselves NFC champions two campaigns later. Garoppolo and Mahomes will face off Sunday for the right to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.After endorsing props in the cross-sport and novelty markets, it almost feels weird to dive into the basic game props for this upcoming Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Of the hundreds of props being offered, these are the most traditional.Here are the best ones to consider:O/U 3.5 first-half touchdownsI've tied this into a previous cross-sport prop, advocating Houston Rockets point guard James Harden's point total -7.5 over the first-half total between the Chiefs and Niners. Despite all the speed and big-play ability both offenses possess, I can't help but feel like this'll be a feeling-out process early. San Francisco's run-heavy approach should keep quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the sideline and I believe if there's any outpouring of points, it comes later rather than sooner.Pick: Under (-110)Team to score longest TD Kansas City's unsurprisingly the chalk here, considering the amount of threats at wide receiver that can hit a home run play. However, the 49ers are one of the few defenses that can counter this, as they finished second in the league in explosive pass rate success allowed. I don't think there's a huge discrepancy here between this prop, hence taking the plus-money play on San Francisco.Pick: 49ers (+110)O/U 7.5 Chiefs players to record a receptionMahomes has had no trouble distributing the ball this season. Eight different receivers recorded at least one catch as recent as the divisional round against Houston, but I have a tough time believing there'll be enough mismatches against San Francisco's secondary to get this one home. Tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and running back Damien Williams are essentially locks to bring at least one ball down. But after that, it gets a bit tricky.Mecole Hardman has been held to one catch or fewer in eight of the last 10; Demarcus Robinson has also been limited to a single grab in five of the last seven. For this to hit, Kansas City needs just about everyone to get involved, including a wild card such as Blake Bell or Darwin Thompson. I'd side with the under.Pick: Under (-165)O/U 102.5 total yards of combined TDsAs someone who doesn't necessarily agree with all the over steam, this is a nice correlated play on the combined total of touchdown yardage. San Francisco's aforementioned success in limiting explosive plays certainly helps, and Kansas City's not too far behind, ranking seventh in explosive pass rate success allowed.When Hardman takes the opening kick 100 yards to the house, you know who to thank.Pick: Under (-110)First team to 10 pointsOnly Baltimore and New England were better in first-quarter scoring than San Francisco, which put up 6.7 points in the opening frame this season. Kansas City was still respectable at No. 10 in the NFL (5.4), but the offense has had a real tough time getting things going of late, averaging just 3.3 points in the first over the last three games. In the race to 10, take the 49ers.Pick: 49ers (-105)Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans have given head coach Bill O'Brien the title of general manager after operating without a front-office leader for the 2019 season, owner Cal McNair announced Tuesday.In addition, Houston promoted executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby to executive vice president of football operations.

The New England Patriots will look to bounce back next year without one of their most lauded assistant coaches.Legendary offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia will retire, he told Mike Reiss of ESPN.The 71-year-old, who is widely regarded as one of the best positional coaches in the league, previously retired after the 2013 campaign but returned to the Patriots in 2016.Scarnecchia has been involved in five of New England's six Super Bowl wins, and his coaching career spans 48 years, including 36 in the NFL.The Patriots' offensive line struggled this past season amid injuries, and the team will now need to improve the unit without its respected leader.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.It's 6:17 p.m. EST. You just polished off a second helping of hot wings and the mood at your Super Bowl party is upbeat, if not enjoyable. Pleasantries are exchanged and conversation is still tolerable. Enjoy it while it lasts.The commercial break ends and FOX cameras pan to Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Here we go. With an almost reassuring abrasiveness, Buck welcomes you to Super Bowl LIV. The mood shifts as chatter wanes and people settle into their seats. The game is mere minutes away and a fleeting moment of excitement is swept away by an influx of nerves. An insignificant piece of metal is consuming your mind.Betting on the Super Bowl coin toss has become as much of a tradition as betting on the game itself. There's a pageantry surrounding the otherwise straightforward proceeding which captivates professionals and casuals alike to partake in what is as legitimate a 50-50 bet as there is.It's four seconds of pure, unbridled exhilaration, from the moment the coin is flicked into the air to the moment the winning side is announced. It's the sort of excitement you just can't get from betting Raheem Mostert under 71.5 rushing yards. It comes and goes within the blink of an eye, and it's that rush of blood to the head that has made betting the result of the coin toss so commonplace.

Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt applauded Tyreek Hill for his progress this year after the personal "challenges" the wide receiver faced in the offseason."His first year with us, there were some question marks coming into the league,'' Hunt said, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "We never had any issues with him. He always was where he was supposed to be, doing what he was supposed to be doing, accountable to the team, listening to his coaches, (being) a good teammate."I think we've seen that grow the last three or four years. Certainly I sense a heightened level of maturity from him this year, which is probably a byproduct of the challenges he went through earlier this year."Hill and his ex-fiancee, Crystal Espinal, were under investigation in March for the possible abuse of their 3-year-old son. In April, Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe opted not to press charges against the pair.Howe said he believed a crime took place but authorities didn't have the information to prove who inflicted the injury, which reportedly was a broken arm.An audio recording of a conversation between Hill and Espinal surfaced in July. The former couple discussed how their son was hurt and Hill denied the 2014 assault of Espinal, which he pleaded guilty to prior to entering the NFL.The NFL announced later in July that Hill wouldn't be suspended under the personal conduct policy.Kansas City subsequently rewarded the wide receiver with a three-year contract reportedly worth $54 million just prior to the start of the season."Part of it was our experience with him over the four years he had been with us," Hunt said when asked about Hill's extension and why the team waited until September. "We knew him as an individual. We clearly wanted as much information as possible from the legal proceedings that were going on. We wanted to make sure he was in a good place emotionally and that there weren't going to be any more surprises down the road."Hill racked up 58 catches for 860 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 regular-season games. He found the end zone twice in Kansas City's win in the AFC Championship Game.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.