There were 281 reported concussions in the NFL during the 2017 season, the most ever since the league began releasing data in 2012. Data artist Josh Begley has compiled each one of them into a short film titled "Concussion Protocol."As chilling as the film is, Begley said its intent isn't to argue for the end of football."In the spirit of Saidiya Hartman, I am interested in 'defamiliarizing the familiar,'" he explained."When we watch American football, what are we seeing? By cutting together only these scenes of injury - moments of impact, of intimacy, of trauma - and reversing them, I hope to open up a space to see some of this violence anew."Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson tweeted that there were a lot more concussions than reported.

The high rollers are surfacing in Las Vegas and they're pledging their allegiances to the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.As of Saturday morning, four seven-figure bets have been placed on the Eagles with Las Vegas sportsbooks, according to David Purdum of ESPN.William Hill reported a bettor placing $1 million on the Eagles' money line at +155 odds, netting a potential profit of $1,550,000 should Philadelphia pull off the upset.The same book took a $1.6-million bet on the Eagles to cover a 4.5-point spread earlier in the week, and another $1 million on the money line.MGM's sportsbook reported a "multi-million dollar" bet on quarterback Nick Foles and the Eagles.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Boston's Museum of Fine Arts engaged in a spirited showdown of their own Friday ahead of Super Bowl LII.Using the hashtag #MuseumBowl, the museums tweeted out classic works of art with a Patriots and Eagles twist to show support to their respective teams.

One-on-one matchups will likely make the difference in a Super Bowl that's expected to be close in score.The New England Patriots enter as four-point favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles. These five head-to-head battles will come into focus when the game's in the balance.Patriots WR Danny Amendola vs. Eagles CB Patrick Robinson"Playoff Dola" is having another postseason to remember. With or without tight end Rob Gronkowski in the lineup, Amendola has been the object of Tom Brady's desire. He went for 11 catches and 112 yards in the divisional playoffs, and 84 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the AFC title game.The slot receiver came up huge in Super Bowl LI, but this year, he'll have to contend with the Eagles' Patrick Robinson, who is having a career year.Robinson was ranked fourth at his position this season by Pro Football Focus. Aside from batting down 18 passes and hauling in four interceptions during the regular season, he's been part of a shutdown secondary in the postseason. The highlight was his 50-yard pick-6 in the NFC Championship Game.Eagles DE Brandon Graham vs. Patriots RT LaAdrian WaddleWaddle started on the right side of the offensive line in the Patriots' divisional playoff game and picked up a knee sprain. Cameron Fleming played in his place in the AFC Championship Game, but Waddle has yet to appear on the injury report this week. Regardless of who starts, he'll be in tough territory against the Eagles' sack leader.Graham broke out for a career-high 9.5 sacks this season. His mandate in the big game is clear: get to Tom Brady. If Philadelphia's game plan is to replicate what made the New York Giants successful in their two Super Bowl wins over the Patriots, Graham will have to perform when it matters the most.Working in his favor is the fact he'll be lined up against the weakest portion of the Patriots' O-line.Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski vs. Eagles S Malcolm JenkinsAssuming Gronkowski is cleared from concussion protocol in time, he'll be featured in a clash of two of the best at their positions.The ultimate matchup nightmare, Gronk has no defensive equal. This year, he's been particularly disruptive, averaging 15.7 yards per catch and leading the Patriots in all receiving categories.At 6-feet, 204 pounds, Jenkins will be at a size disadvantage against the 6-foot-6, 265-pound behemoth. The task of slowing down Gronkowski is likely the most important one, and it can't be left to Jenkins alone.Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery vs. Patriots CB Stephon GilmoreExpect the Patriots to ask Gilmore - not Malcolm Butler - to shadow Jeffery. The team has been reserving Gilmore for the more physically imposing receivers.Jeffery, 6-foot-3, has seen his usage go up in the postseason. He's had a reception on every one of his targets and turned them into 146 yards and two scores.Gilmore, 6-foot-1, didn't allow a catch in the divisional round and had a crucial, game-sealing pass breakup on the Jaguars' last play in the AFC title game. While the 5-foot-11 Butler chases speedy Eagles receiver Torrey Smith, Gilmore will again have to come out ahead, this time against Jeffery, his former college roommate.Patriots LB Elandon Roberts vs. Eagles RB Jay AjayiThe Eagles can roll out a stable of running backs capable of doing the job, but in the playoffs, Ajayi has earned the lion's share of the carries. He's averaging a tick under four yards per carry and will need to provide quarterback Nick Foles with the protection a productive running game provides.The Patriots are capable of blowing up those plans, however, as they have all postseason. The Titans' exotic running game was bottled up and held to 65 yards, and Leonard Fournette was kept to 76 yards and a score.Roberts and fellow linebacker Kyle Van Noy are the Patriots outside of the secondary who lead the team in tackling. Neither grades out well in run defense and both will be tested when it comes to the power style of Ajayi and former Patriot LeGarrette Blount.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome addressed Friday's announcement from owner Steve Bisciotti that he'll be stepping down from his role after the upcoming season.Related: Ravens announce GM Ozzie Newsome will step down after 2018 seasonNewsome said he'll remain GM and continue to direct free agency and the draft in 2018, before handing duties over to current assistant GM Eric DeCosta in 2019.Though he'll relinquish the title of general manager, Newsome plans to stay with the Ravens in a significant role.

The NFL world looked down at the Los Angeles Rams in disbelief just over one year ago.The Rams, finally free of Jeff Fisher's mediocre reign, rejected conventional thinking and a slew of worthy veteran candidates to hire Sean McVay - then a 30-year-old with just three years of experience as an NFL offensive coordinator - making him the youngest head coach in league history.Yes, McVay was a rising star thanks to his impressive work developing Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins from a backup into a legitimate starter, but his jump up to head coach seemed years too soon. The move appeared to be a huge risk for the Rams, who'd flopped in their first season in L.A. and watched helplessly as No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff produced one of the worst seasons ever by a rookie quarterback.But fortune favors the bold, and just one year into the McVay era, the Rams look to have the NFL's next great head coach on their hands - and the heavy favorite to take home 2017 Coach of the Year honors.McVay isn't the only strong candidate, as Doug Pederson, Bill Belichick, and Mike Zimmer all deserve to be in the conversation. But it should be a short one that ultimately rewards the Rams' wunderkind thanks to the team's drastic improvement from its final year under Fisher.And when it comes to the Rams' offense, "drastic" might even be underselling the first-year progress under McVay. Here's a visual representation of just how much he transformed the overall unit in 2017:

Matt Ryan may be the face of the Atlanta Falcons, but owner Arthur Blank is seeking a contract that would be just as advantageous to his team as his star quarterback.Ryan is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2018 season and is owed $19.25 million in base salary for the final year of his existing contract.Although a number of quarterbacks are headed toward record paydays, Blank is hoping Ryan agrees to a contract that will allow the Falcons to be a sustainable contender for the foreseeable future."I don't care about the other quarterbacks' movement," Blank told D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "What I care about is taking care of our quarterback in a way that's respectful to him and in a way that is respectful to the franchise."Ryan won NFL MVP honors in 2016 and steered the Falcons to Super Bowl LI, ultimately losing to the New England Patriots in overtime."We want to treat Matt well," Blank said. "He's been a great quarterback for us for 10 years. Hopefully, he'll play another (10). … He thinks he's Tom Brady, and maybe he'll play to 44. Maybe we are at the midpoint of his career."I'm excited that he wants to play longer. But we also have to balance it out and make sure we have enough salary to keep the other critical parts on the team around. You don't win with one player. It's not like golf. It's the ultimate team sport, and you've got to have other pieces around him."The Falcons have ample time to reach a new contract but it'll be compelling to see whether Ryan agrees with Blank's vantage point.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans are being sued for their response to a sexual harassment complaint filed by a former employee in November 2016.The complaint was filed by former account executive Kristen Grimes against former director of football operations Jason Lowrey, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle.Lowrey was dismissed by the Texans on January 17 for undisclosed reasons.The Texans released the following statement:

Tyrod Taylor appears to be tired of playing games with the Buffalo Bills regarding his contract situation.After renegotiating his contract last March and accepting a $10-million pay cut over the 2017 and 2018 seasons, the seven-year pro recently told Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News he wants to remain with the Bills but isn't willing to take another pay cut.Taylor was scheduled to make $40.5 million combined over 2017 and 2018, but made $30.5 million instead to remain on the team, according to ESPN's Mike Rodak. He'll have a cap hit of more than $18 million in 2018 and would cost the Bills $8.64 million against the cap if they elect to release him before March 16.The 28-year-old helped the team to its first playoff appearance since 1999 in 2017 despite being benched midseason for rookie Nathan Peterman. He threw for 2,799 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions in 15 games in his third season as the Bills' starter.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Biscotti made a series of interesting announcements Friday at his end-of-season press conference about the future of his club.After revealing that longtime general manager Ozzie Newsome will step down into a lesser role after the 2018 season, Biscotti admitted that he has thought about firing John Harbaugh despite having just one losing season in the head coach's 10-year tenure."It was certainly a consideration, but not one that I was inclined to make this year," Bisciotti said, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley.The Ravens came one fourth-down stop from making the playoffs in 2017, extending their postseason drought to three years. Harbaugh has kept the Ravens competitive through that stretch despite the inconsistency of his offense, led by Joe Flacco, the fourth highest-paid player in the NFL.The 10-year veteran just put together his worst season since his rookie year, but Biscotti says he hasn't even thought of life after Flacco, who has four years remaining on his contract. Biscotti did say that he expects to add some offensive playmakers to help Flacco this offseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff offered some high praise for Kirk Cousins on Friday and is weary of him joining the NFC West.The Washington Redskins traded for Alex Smith earlier this week, which will almost certainly spell Cousins' exit from the nation's capital.Goff was asked about the prospect of Cousins signing with the Arizona Cardinals and it's clear he wants a respectful distance from the Redskins quarterback."I'm hoping he doesn’t," Goff said on "PFT Live" Friday. "He's a hell of a player. I'm a big fan of his, big fan of what he's done."Goff feels that Cousins may be underrated and it's clear that he wants the Cardinals to pursue other options this offseason."He's tremendous," Goff said. "I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he’s done. Some of the throws he made (that) we see on film. You rewind it, you watch it again. It's unbelievable."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another NFL player guaranteed a Super Bowl victory Friday - against the New England Patriots, of all teams.Related - Jeffery affirms SB guarantee: 'We're bringing that trophy back to Philly'Every time an athlete like Alshon Jeffery makes one of these guarantees, fans are puzzled.Why would you give the other team bulletin-board material? Why would you set yourself up for embarrassment? What is there to gain?Here are three reasons why football players guarantee victories in one of the most difficult contests in sports:Irritation(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Two weeks of intense media coverage can really weigh on a coach or athlete.A team like the Philadelphia Eagles has not only been repeatedly reminded they're not favored to win the Super Bowl, but they've also been dealing with nearly two months of people assuming their season ended when Carson Wentz's season ended.For Jeffery - who, after being part of the Chicago Bears' franchise-worst season, guaranteed a Super Bowl win last year - listening to everyone count out his team likely irritated him enough for him to say something he might regret.Potential fame(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The most renowned Super Bowl guarantee in NFL history belongs to "Broadway" Joe Namath, who called the New York Jets' upset win over the Baltimore Colts three days before Super Bowl III.Namath's guarantee was special for three reasons: 1) he was the first to do it, 2) his team was a 17-point underdog, and 3) the Jets actually won.Guaranteeing an upset win and following through could make a player somewhat of a legend, but few other successful big-game predictors, including Plaxico Burress in 2008 and Shannon Sharpe in 1999, garnered the same level of notoriety for their confidence as Namath did.Overconfidence(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)If you believe things can be spoken into existence, you almost need to publicly guarantee a win. But in the case of NFL players, it's more likely they just have an absurd amount of confidence.Given the extremely low odds of making it from high school to the college level to the pros and then to the Super Bowl, NFL players develop extreme self-confidence just by being part of the 1.6 percent.When asked questions about how they could win, it must be tough not to snuff out the doubt when they're already planning the celebration party.In the words of George Costanza, it's not a lie if you believe it.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Both the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles are expected to be fully healthy for Super Bowl LII.The Patriots and Eagles held practices with full participation on Friday. New England removed all of its players from the injury report, while Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan overcame illnesses.

Super Bowl betting brings to mind images of all the big Las Vegas sportsbooks, and rightly so, as this city’s wagering outlets are truly something to behold during the big game. But up in the state’s cooler northern climate, plenty of folks are getting down on this matchup too.

Dalvin Cook still has a way to go as he recovers from a torn ACL, but Rick Spielman has high hopes for his young running back.The Minnesota Vikings general manager was very upfront with his expectations for Cook, confirming the 22-year-old is on track to return in time for the 2018 season. Spielman even went so far as to liken Cook's anticipated recovery to that of another Vikings great at the position, according to team reporter Eric Smith."He's progressed very nicely," Spielman said. "I talked to (Director of Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer) Eric Sugarman ... when we got back in town, and we don’t see any reason where he’s not going to be where Adrian Peterson was when he came off his knee (injury)."“We have no reason to believe Dalvin won’t even be stronger than he was before the injury. We’re very excited about getting him back on the field.”The connection to Peterson is likely based on the healing process with Cook's knee, but the comparison creates some rather big shoes to fill nonetheless. Peterson returned from a torn ACL in 2012 to reord 2,097 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns for an average of 131.1 yards per game, so only time will tell if Cook is able to close in on that type of production in what is hopefully his first full season in the league.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kirk Cousins isn't delusional about his future after the Washington Redskins traded for Alex Smith and signed him to an extension.After two years playing under the franchise tag in Washington, Cousins was surprised to find out the team had acquired a new veteran passer, but he's already looking forward to his next step, likely on a new team."I expect to be a free agent come March 14," Cousins told Sirius XM Radio on Friday, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. "We'll see if that plays out, and if it does, it's a unique opportunity I look forward to. Haven't had a chance to pick where I'm going to play since 2007, when I chose to go to Michigan State."Cousins says his top priority when choosing a new team will be which gives him the best chance to win. However, he pointed out winning can be a fickle process in the NFL."In this league, the winning thing comes and goes," said Cousins. "You look at what Jacksonville was able to do this year. Nobody expected that back in July, but they built a great team and they did a great job and went all the way to the AFC Championship."Players for the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals have already begun campaigning for Cousins to join their squads.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens are set to see some significant changes to their football operations in the near future.Team owner Steve Bisciotti held a press conference Friday and announced general manager Ozzie Newsome will step down from his role following the 2018 season. Bisciotti also confirmed assistant general manager Eric DeCosta will assume the role following Newsome's departure.Bisciotti said Newsome will remain with the organization following the move, however, and he will be "the highest paid scout in the league," according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.Bisciotti also admitted during the press conference that he had "a thought" about firing head coach John Harbaugh, but that it was only a consideration and "wasn't one (he) was inclined to make."Newsome has held the position of general manager since 2002 and has been an executive with the organization dating back to 1991 prior to the franchise's relocation from Cleveland to Baltimore.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even in death, Dallas Cowboys fan Robert Clyde Drew is holding firm on his belief that Dez Bryant's controversial non-catch in the divisional round of the 2014 playoffs should have counted."A loyal Cowboys fan, he died peacefully with his daughter by his side, knowing full well that Dez, did, in fact, catch the ball," Drew's obituary reads on the website of Wichita Falls, Texas funeral home Dignity Memorial.Drew passed away Jan. 25, which his family believes may have something to do with Super Bowl LII:"Robert Clyde Drew, beloved husband, father, and Papa, drew his last breath January 25, 2018, mainly, we suspect, to prevent himself from having to watch the Patriots and Eagles in the Super Bowl."- With h/t to the Dallas Morning NewsCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The man who guaranteed he would be playing in Super Bowl LII before even joining the Philadelphia Eagles is at it again.Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery was asked Thursday what his team needs to do to beat the New England Patriots in the big game and wasn't too pleased with the way he was questioned."Ain't no 'if,' man," said Jeffery, according to Martin Frank of The News Journal. "When we win on Sunday, ain't no telling what we're going to do. But we're probably going to celebrate, have some fun ..."We're bringing that trophy back to Philly."Jeffery, who scored two touchdowns in the NFC Championship, is at all intimidated by the Patriots' experience winning big games either."Man, I don't give a damn about all of that," said Jeffery. "That's in the past. We're in the present. It's 2018. It's a new year... It's time for new things."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Super Bowl LII sees the No. 1 seeds from the AFC and NFC - the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles - face off in Minnesota for the right to call themselves the NFL's king for the next calendar year.Few would argue that the Patriots and Eagles boast two of the NFL's most talented rosters, but which Super Bowl contender has the advantage in key categories? Let's find out.QuarterbackEven at 40 years old, Tom Brady is still among the league's best quarterbacks. And while his play toward the end of the regular season was worrisome (six picks over the last six games) the likely 2017 MVP has turned it back on in the postseason. He tossed 53 passes against the Tennessee Titans and torched the vaunted Jacksonville Jaguars defense to the tune of 290 yards and two touchdowns. The old man's still got it.On the opposite sideline is Nick Foles, who's building one of the most unusual careers in NFL history. From a backup to a one-year wonder and back again, seemingly for good, only for fate to throw another curveball with Carson Wentz's injury forcing Foles back into the limelight. The Eagles' veteran pivot had one of his best performances ever in the NFC Championship Game, but Philadelphia is likely hoping the Super Bowl doesn't come down to Foles' arm.Advantage: PatriotsRunning BacksMaybe the most talent-rich position across the two teams, both the Patriots and Eagles could easily take this category.For New England, it starts with Dion Lewis, who excelled in a feature-back role late in the season after a career primarily spent as a pass-catcher and third-down specialist - a role now filled by James White with the Patriots. White's impressive scoring output has continued this postseason. The scatback has three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) and has caught seven passes. He'll likely be one of Brady's top weapons to counter Philadelphia's aggressive front seven. Lastly for New England is Rex Burkhead, who's battled injuries in his first season with the team but is perhaps the most well-rounded runner on the roster.Jay Ajayi sits atop the Eagles' depth chart following a midseason trade from the Miami Dolphins. He's a strong in-between-the-tackles runner, but lacks home-run speed and, at times, has struggled with ball security. A familiar face for New England - LeGarrette Blount - backs up Ajayi. The bruiser scored 18 rushing touchdowns for the Patriots last season, so they know the kind of impact he can have in the red zone and in short-yardage situations. Finally, Corey Clement rounds out the Eagles' backfield. The rookie wasn't used as much as a runner after Ajayi was acquired, but he has good receiving skills and agility.It's close, but the Eagles take this one on the back of their runners' slightly more varied skill sets.Advantage: EaglesReceiversNew England's passing game revolves around star tight end Rob Gronkowski, and for good reason - he's one of the league's most unstoppable weapons.Brandin Cooks isn't quite the game-changer the Patriots likely thought they were trading a first-round pick for in the offseason, but his rare speed must be respected at all times. Danny Amendola isn't on the level of Julian Edelman or Wes Welker, but he's the nearest thing New England has right now, and his ability to come through in the clutch is invaluable.Meanwhile, Alshon Jeffery is the Eagles' go-to man, especially in the red zone. Zach Ertz is perhaps the league's best non-Gronk tight end, and Nelson Agholor finally clicked this season while working mostly from the slot.The Patriots and Eagles are fairly evenly matched in terms of offensive weapons, but Gronkowski is the ultimate scale-tipper.Advantage: PatriotsOffensive LineBrady has enjoyed some elite offensive lines over his 18 years in the NFL; this year's version isn't one of them.The veteran was sacked 35 times this season compared to just 15 in 2016 (albeit in four fewer games). The line has improved of late, however, holding up against the Jaguars' athletic front seven. Whether they can do so again against Fletcher Cox and Co. remains a question mark, as consistency has been an issue for the unit all campaign long.The Eagles likely feel the most confident in their advantage up front more than in any other area. Right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce were arguably the best players at their respective positions this year, and their elite athleticism gives Philadelphia the license to run plays other teams can't. Halapoulivaati Vaitai - who replaced the injured Jason Peters - is the lone weak spot on the line, but the Eagles have done a solid job of protecting the young left tackle.Philadelphia takes this one handily.Advantage: EaglesDefensive Front SevenCox is a monster in the middle of the Eagles' defensive line, a true game-wrecker in both run and pass defense. Containing the Pro Bowl defensive tackle is likely keeping Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels up at night.And Cox is just the tip of the iceberg, as Philadelphia owns one of the league's deepest front sevens. Brandon Graham doesn't have gaudy sack numbers, but he's consistently among the top pressure-creating rushers; Timmy Jernigan is the Robin to Cox's Batman; while Chris Long and rookie Derek Barnett bring experience and athleticism to the group. Elsewhere, the underrated Nigel Bradham has kept the linebacking corps ticking following the loss of Jordan Hicks in October.The Patriots sorely miss linebacker Dont'a Hightower, who was not only the defensive leader but one of the few difference-makers on the front seven. Trey Flowers is by far New England's best pass-rusher, but he's unlikely to trouble the Eagles' dominant offensive line without help, maybe from James Harrison.In short, Philadelphia beats out New England in terms of both quality and quantity.Advantage: EaglesSecondaryNeither the Eagles nor the Patriots boast a dominant secondary, but both units are more talented than the stats suggest (New England finished 30th in pass defense, Philadelphia 17th).New England's cornerback duo of Stephon Gilmore and Malcolm Butler should be one of the league's best, but inconsistent play from the two - especially Butler - means this isn't a strength on which New England can always rely. Safety Patrick Chung is one of the more underrated Patriots players, just ask Bill Belichick.Malcolm Jenkins provides both veteran leadership and versatility from the safety spot, supporting an underrated cornerbacks corps of Ronald Darby, Jalen Mills, and Patrick Robinson, who capped a career year with a pick-6 in the NFC Championship Game.New England arguably has more talent, but it doesn't always show, so Philadelphia sweeps the defensive categories.Advantage: EaglesSpecial TeamsThe Patriots always have a standout specials teams unit. Stephen Gostkowski remains an elite kicker despite a few issues on extra points over the last few seasons; there are only a handful of other players you'd want with the game on the line.Meanwhile, the Eagles have rookie kicker Jake Elliott. The first-year man missed five field goals this season, but he showed off his impressive leg with a 61-yard boot in Week 2.New England ended the regular season as the NFL's third-best special teams unit Football Outsiders' DVOA metric, while Philadelphia finished 16th.Advantage: PatriotsCoachingBelichick has already cemented his place as the greatest coach of all time in the eyes of some, and while the Patriots win this category (sorry to ruin the suspense), it would be a disservice to Doug Pederson to call it a landslide.The Eagles head coach has revitalized the franchise in just two years, fixing the mess left by Chip Kelly. Pederson's development of Wentz was impressive, but how he's guided the offense under Foles, adjusting and adapting his scheme, has been one of the best coaching jobs in recent memory.Still, Belichick stands alone on the top of the NFL coaching mountain - but underestimate Pederson at your peril.Advantage: PatriotsCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers are adding to their list of potential general manager candidates.The team announced that it's interviewing former Detroit Lions GM Martin Mayhew on Friday.Mayhew worked with the Lions from 2008-15. He proceeded to hold the director of football operations role with the New York Giants and is presently a senior personnel executive with the San Francisco 49ers.The Panthers interviewed Jimmy Raye III on Thursday and are interviewing Lake Dawson on Friday. However, interim GM Marty Hurney is considered the favorite to land the job on a full-time basis.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook still has a strong hatred for the Dallas Cowboys.Westbrook, who's been covering the Super Bowl LII festivities for 6abc, was at the Mall of America in Minneapolis earlier this week when a Cowboys fan approached him for an autograph.He obliged, but made sure to get in a shot about the Eagles' NFC East rivals.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is setting some lofty goals when he returns from the ACL injury that cut his rookie season short.As Tom Brady attempts to win his sixth Super Bowl with the New England Patriots on Sunday, it'll only raise Watson's personal bar."If Tom wins, it's going to six, right? I want to be at seven," Watson said Friday on "Good Morning Football," according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "Whatever it takes to be the best, the greatest, and not just for me, but for any athlete, especially quarterback ... if you don't want to chase Tom Brady and being above him, you're selling yourself short. I always put my mentality with (being) the best, and Tom Brady is the best right now, so whatever I have to do to get to that level at age 40, that's what I'm going to do."After being drafted by the Texans 12th overall last year, Watson got his first NFL start in Week 2. He'd proceed to complete 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,699 yards, and 19 touchdowns over seven games (six starts) in his rookie season. He added another 269 yards and two touchdowns on 36 rushing attempts.Brady and the Patriots needed a 25-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Brandin Cooks for a come-from-behind victory over Watson and the Texans in Week 3. Watson threw an interception on the Texans' proceeding drive to seal it for the Patriots.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs shocked the football world by shipping quarterback Alex Smith to Washington in exchange for the Redskins' third-round pick and Kendall Fuller - a talented 22-year-old cornerback who is coming off a very good year and excels in covering out of the slot.The transaction itself is terrific for the Chiefs, but more than anything, it shows the confidence they have in Patrick Mahomes II. Moving all the way up from the 27th to the 10th pick to secure the quarterback in last year's draft was certainly a gamble - and cost Kansas City its first-round pick in 2018 - but that gamble is about to pay off.Mahomes played behind a putrid offensive line in college but lived (and thrived) out of structure. He is a natural and extreme playmaker who is a very good athlete and possesses rare arm talent, which he uses in highly unconventional ways and without hesitation. We have seen very few quarterback prospects like Mahomes in recent memory.A year has passed since he was drafted and Kansas City obviously has seen a lot of Mahomes in practice, the meeting rooms, interactions with his teammates, preseason games where he played very well, and even in Week 17 in Denver, where he was also quite impressive, albeit up-and-down, against a strong defense.With Smith and Mahomes so different in terms of their risk-taking tendencies and physical attributes, you would think Kansas City would have to totally change its offense as it hands the reigns over to its new signal-caller. Some changes will be made and the way the quarterback executes within the scheme will be very different. But this is a system that should suit Mahomes well.Reid is rightfully thought of as one of the pillars of the West Coast offense and has been successful in blending the old Bill Walsh principles with the extremely prevalent spread system that we see at the college level. It was many years before Mahomes came out of the Texas Tech spread college system, but Smith was one of the first top NFL prospects to enter the league after playing his college ball in such an attack.Many spread systems in college allow for easy throws, and while Mahomes executed those well at that level, he also regularly showed what he is capable of to all areas of the field. With a year under his belt, Mahomes and the Chiefs offense should go together well and make for a reasonably smooth transition from the veteran to the youngster.Mahomes also has a strong cast of characters around him in Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill. These three premier weapons make game planning extremely difficult for the defense.Kansas City may also be in a position to land Mahomes one more offensive asset, either through free agency (swapping Smith for Fuller freed up about $16 million in cap space) or on the draft’s second day, preferably at wide receiver and/or guard.Chiefs fans should be very excited about the transformation their team is in the midst of. Mahomes may not immediately play to the level Smith did in 2017, but the gunslinger is going to complete passes his predecessor couldn't dream of making, and as he matures, defending him in this system is going to be a nightmare for opposing defenses.Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns and spent 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast." Find him on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sadly for football bettors, Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles represents the last great wagering opportunity for seven months.There are, thankfully, plenty of ways to wager on the big game, with prop bets among the most entertaining. Whether it's gambling on a specific player or situation, a sheet of prop bets can make even the most lopsided blowout worth watching.Here are five prop bets that stand out for Sunday's action:Will Tom Brady throw a first-quarter touchdown?YesNo2.41.5Brady hasn't thrown a touchdown in the first quarter of his last seven games, but it's unlikely the Patriots will be able to run the ball much on the league's top-ranked rushing defense. That will put the ball in the legendary quarterback's hands, and the Patriots will want to get off to a hot start to set the tone. The value on betting Brady connecting on an opening-quarter touchdown is too good to pass up.Will Nick Foles throw an interception?YesNo2.11.66During the playoffs, the Eagles have done a great job of limiting the risky throws for which Foles is known. The veteran backup has yet to throw a postseason interception after throwing one in each of his last two regular-season games. If you believe the Patriots will hold a lead in this game, then it's likely the Eagles will have to take risks and throw the ball a great deal. There's good value in betting Foles will be picked off at least once.New England penalty yardsOver 50.5Under 50.51.851.85Bill Belichick's Patriots teams are known for their discipline. New England was whistled for just one penalty in its AFC championship victory over the Jaguars, and hasn't had more than 50 penalty yard since a loss to the Dolphins in Week 15. Grab the under here.Opening kickoff will be a touchbackYesNo1.851.8The first player to touch the ball in the Super Bowl is the kicker, and it's a safe bet either Stephen Gostkowski or Jake Elliott will be fired up with adrenaline. Both have plenty of leg to find the end zone on the opening kickoff, so bet on a touchback being the result.Total New England sacksOver 2Under 21.71.9While the Patriots lack a star pass-rusher, they have at least three sacks in four straight games. With two weeks to prepare for this contest, it's a safe bet New England will have a scheme to take down the slow-footed Foles at least three times.SummaryPropOutcomeWill Tom Brady throw first-quarter TD?YesWill Nick Foles throw an interception?YesOver/Under 50.5 penalty yards for PatriotsUnderWill opening kickoff be a touchback?YesOver/Under 2 total Patriots sacksOver(All props courtesy: PlayNow.com; Odds as of Jan. 31, 2018)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No receiver has ever won the NFL MVP award. That streak should come to an end this year.In a season in which Tom Brady was dominant yet unspectacular and Todd Gurley's career year was good enough for second in the league in rushing, Antonio Brown stood out above all others with his year-long dominance.The Pittsburgh Steelers receiver was the only unanimous first-team All-Pro selection after posting 101 receptions and 1,533 receiving yards while averaging 15.2 yards per catch.He missed the majority of the final three games of the season with an injury, but had he continued at his weekly rate, Brown was on pace to put up 1,857 yards. That total would have ranked as the third-most receiving yards in a single season.Brown entered Week 15 of the season playing at his best and ready to take hold of the MVP race. He had just recorded 11 catches and 213 yards in a come-from-behind win over the bitter rival Baltimore Ravens and was expected to be the focal point in a matchup of the AFC's best with the New England Patriots.He hauled in two passes before suffering a torn calf muscle while attempting to make a touchdown catch. The injury sidelined Brown for the rest of the season and resulted in him being crossed off of MVP ballots everywhere. But he shouldn't have been.Missing two games should not eliminate a player from contention. Brown was unable to make an impact against the Patriots, or in the week that followed, but he likely would have been held out of a meaningless season finale against the Browns anyways.In spite of his injury, he still closed the campaign as the league leader in receiving yards. And in the weeks following Brown's injury, other MVP candidates failed to make open-and-shut cases in their quests for the award.Brady led the league in passing yards and attempts, but one could argue his season doesn't stand up to his MVP campaigns in 2007 and 2010. In those seasons, he finished with a passer rating of 117.2 and 111. His rating was 102.8 in 2017. His QB rating was a career-best 88.2 in '07 and 81.3 in '10. It stood at 70.2 this year.Gurley led the league in all-purpose yards, but did he dominate games like Brown did? AB had six games of 10-plus catches and 100-plus yards. He's the first player to ever have multiple seasons with at least five such games.For the Steelers, Brown was often the difference between winning and losing. And he had the highlight reel to boot.There was his helmet-catch touchdown against the Titans in Week 11:

Of course, Rob Gronkowski found a way to incorporate his favorite number into Super Bowl LII.The New England Patriots tight end, who's good to go for the game after clearing concussion protocol, revealed in a blog post on his website that 69 of his family members and friends will be flying into Minneapolis on Sunday.Related: Gronk reveals how much he'd pay to wear No. 69 in a gameGronkowski finished the regular season with 69 catches, which he was very happy about.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Being mentored by a two-time Super Bowl champion is not something every rookie quarterback experiences upon entering the league.This could be a reality for one of this year's top QB prospects, including Sam Darnold, as the New York Giants hold the No. 2 overall pick.While being drafted by the Giants would bring less of an opportunity to start immediately, Darnold told the New York Post he would welcome working with Eli Manning."It would be amazing (to be mentored by Manning)," Darnold said. "If I do get drafted by New York and he was there, it'd be an amazing opportunity to get better."The former USC signal-caller has already had the opportunity to pick the brain of the Manning family via the Manning Passing Academy."It was a great opportunity for me to get better, and I learned a lot from Eli," said Darnold. "He's a great guy, great personality, him and Peyton both."With the quarterback-needy Cleveland Browns owning the No. 1 pick, the Giants are no sure bet to land their player of choice, leaving the quarterback class far from sorted out.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles are set to meet at Super Bowl LII in Minnesota, the setting for a battle between two No. 1 seeds that stormed their way through both the regular season and the postseason.Naturally, both teams have players at the top of their games - but these four are in particularly scintillating form heading into the big one.Danny AmendolaAmendola was the hero for the Patriots in their stunning AFC Championship Game comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, catching two touchdowns and converting on a crucial 3rd-and-18 in the fourth quarter.The wideout had a relatively quiet regular season, though he filled in admirably for Julian Edelman and racked up nearly 700 yards. But Amendola has really turned it on in the playoffs. His two touchdowns made him the star of the AFC title game, and he was actually even more productive in the divisional-round victory against the Tennessee Titans, catching 11 passes for 112 yards.No Super Bowl player may be in better form than New England's diminutive slot receiver.Nick FolesSeriously, who saw this coming from Foles?The backup quarterback came out hot in his first start in relief of Carson Wentz, tossing four touchdowns and re-energizing the Eagles in Week 15. However, his play quickly dropped off in the next two games, and few believed he was capable of maximizing the talent around him come playoff time.How wrong we were. Foles kicked off the postseason with a low-key solid performance in the divisional round against the Falcons, completing nearly 77 percent of his passes while under consistent pressure from Atlanta's pass rush.He really took flight in the NFC Championship Game, putting on one of the best playoff performances from a quarterback in quite some time. The veteran eviscerated the lauded Minnesota Vikings defense to the tune of 352 yards and three touchdowns while completing nearly 79 percent of his passes.James WhiteWhite is the reigning scoring king of the NFL postseason.The running back exploded onto the scene thanks to a three-touchdown performance in Super Bowl LI, and that came after he had a receiving score in the divisional round.White has continued his hot streak into this postseason, racking up two touchdowns against the Titans and one against Jacksonville.If you want a sure bet to get on the scoreboard in Super Bowl LII, look no further.Fletcher CoxCox's impact doesn't always show up on the stat sheet, but no defender enters Super Bowl LII in better form than the Eagles' monstrous defensive lineman.While the 27-year-old has one sack and 10 total tackles through two games, his most impressive stat is the fact Philadelphia has held opposing offenses to a combined 17 (!) points this postseason.Of course, the rest of the Eagles' defense deserves a ton of credit, but the team's scheme starts and ends with Cox.The Patriots' game plan will center around stopping Cox from disrupting both the run and pass game with consistent interior pressure - an unenviable task for Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia.(Photos courtesy: Getty)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Johnson is casting his line into this year's free agent pool, and he's hoping to land the Arizona Cardinals a prize fish.The star running back addressed his team's void at quarterback following the retirement of Carson Palmer during a sitdown interview with the NFL Network on Thursday, and made his pitch to a certain Washington Redskins pivot who is scheduled to hit the open market.When asked if he was extending an invitation for Kirk Cousins to join the Cardinals, Johnson got straight to the point."Yes. We're the best team to come that needs a quarterback," Johnson said. "We went 8-8 with a lot of injuries and we have a great defense. We have a new offense, a new system coming along, we'll all be learning at the same time, so why wouldn't you want to come here?"Johnson isn't the only member of the Cardinals who would like to see Cousins join the team. Star cornerback Patrick Peterson also supported the idea, saying Cousins "can definitely get us over the top," according to Nick Shook of NFL.comThe Cardinals' 2017 campaign was up-and-down, to say the least, and the season-ending wrist injury suffered by Johnson in Week 1 set the tone for the rest of the year. Johnson is expected to be fully healthy for the 2018 season, however, and regaining his form from a year ago would be an attractive asset for any incoming quarterback.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has been one of the league's most vocal players in trying to combat police brutality and racial inequality this season.It doesn't appear that he's going to stop his efforts anytime soon."I don't see it slowing down,” Jenkins said Thursday via Bob Glauber of Newsday. "That's the funny thing about it. It’s not like you get involved for one year and you go home and chill out. I don’t see this slowing down."Jenkins revealed he won't protest during Super Bowl LII but will continue his efforts for criminal justice reform throughout the year.Eagles defensive end Chris Long also lauded Jenkins for his efforts this year."Malcolm and I didn’t know each other when I got here, and we have some overlapping interests," Long said. "Listen, we’re on the same team. We spend a lot of time together. We don’t have to agree on every minutiae as far as social justice is concerned, but we overlap on so much that we decided we can be really productive if we work together. He’s done a great job of accomplishing real action, and he included a lot of players. I’ve been excited to be a part of it."For the time being, the Eagles are solely focused on Super Bowl LII, but their efforts in trying to better their communities will live forever.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick used Thursday's press conference to clarify his earlier remarks about playing in Mexico City.The Patriots defeated the Oakland Raiders 33-8 at Mexico City's famed Estadio Azteca, but Belichick appeared to be nonplussed by the experience."Personally, I wouldn't be in any big rush to do it again," Belichick said on WEEI via ESPN in November. "It's a long way to go for a game. There's a lot in terms of all the logistics of it. They are not used to having an NFL team, so you have to go in there and handle a lot of the logistics. It took a lot of manpower, a lot of hours, a lot of energy out of our organization to do that. We are exhausted from the trip."Belichick circled back Thursday and made it clear that he had nothing against the country itself, merely the distance traveled for the game."With certainty, I did not intend it to be a negative thing," Belichick said Thursday via ESPN's Mike Reiss. "We had a good time there, the people were great, it was a long way to (play) a game, without a doubt, but there was a great atmosphere and it was a good game."The Patriots aren't scheduled for the NFL International Series during the 2018 season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater could become a free agent during the 2018 signing period, a decision that will ultimately be left up to the NFL and NFLPA, general manager Rick Spielman said Thursday via ESPN's Courtney Cronin.Bridgewater started the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list but was cleared to return to practice Oct. 16. It's unclear whether Bridgewater's contract will be tolled for next season due to his time spent on the PUP list. If it is tolled, Bridgewater is eligible to become a free agent.Spielman said the decision is out of his jurisdiction."If it goes into that area, it's not a Minnesota Viking (decision), that's an NFL and player union that will have to decide that area," Spielman said.NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said he's unclear about how the contract tolling will unfold, but said the union has access to Bridgewater's medical records if it turns into a legal issue."The tolling agreement is inextricably tied, when it comes to that last year and in the Bridgewater case, one of the critical issues is whether he was medically cleared or medically able to play," Smith said. "We'll continue to look at that issue, we stay in touch with his agent."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While it was widely believed that Carson Wentz would be vital to whatever success his team had, it should come as no surprise that the Philadelphia Eagles are in the Super Bowl after the bold moves they've made.Over the last two years, the Eagles went from a middling club that couldn't get out of its own way to one of the league's most well-constructed teams.They've taken risks along the way, whether it was going all in for their franchise passer or splurging in free agency. As they approach their first Super Bowl appearance since 2004, we take a look at the moves that have paid off the most.Pederson returns to PhillyAfter being mired in mediocrity under Chip Kelly, who ravaged the roster in search of very specific players, the Eagles took a new direction after the 2015 season, giving personnel control back to vice president Howie Roseman and hiring a new coach with familiar roots.Bringing in Doug Pederson to help erase Kelly's mark on the team was a good PR move, as he had started nine games for Philadelphia at quarterback in 1999 and had the background of a blue-collar journeyman. He also worked in Philly under longtime head coach Andy Reid, whom the fanbase missed after the Kelly experiment.While Pederson served as Reid's offensive coordinator for three years with the Kansas City Chiefs, he had no professional head coaching experience and had only worked under one head coach in his career.The move paid off, however, as he led the Eagles to a 13-3 record, recruiting an all-star coaching staff along the way. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, offensive coordinator Frank Reich, and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo have all been considered for head coaching jobs since joining Philadelphia.Wild for Wentz, bye bye BradfordVery few expected the Eagles, who had just signed veterans Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel to new contracts, to move up the 2016 draft and steal one of its top quarterbacks.The Eagles sent two first-round picks, as well as a second, third, and fourth, to the Browns in exchange for a fourth-rounder and the second overall pick, which was used on a small-school QB who wasn't a consensus blue-chip prospect.Two years later, the Eagles are thrilled with Wentz - their franchise passer and MVP candidate - and figured out a way to pawn off Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings for a decent return in first-round pick Derek Barnett.Picking Wentz seemed a tad risky, as many expected the Eagles to go for a cornerback instead, but adding Barnett to an already solid defensive line has made an immediate impact. That unit will be a major factor Sunday against the Patriots.Despite being one season into Daniel's three-year, $21-million contract, the Eagles ate a big chunk of guaranteed salary to move on from their highly paid backup in the 2017 offseason and bring back former starter Nick Foles, who has been instrumental in getting the Eagles to the Super Bowl after Wentz's injury.Trade trend pays offAn increasing number of players have been traded over the last few seasons, and the Eagles are at the forefront of the roster-movement revolution.In the last 11 months, they've added three players via trade, and have arguably been on the winning side of each transaction.Last April, defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan was acquired from the Baltimore Ravens along with the 99th overall pick (CB Rasul Douglas) for the 74th pick (DE Chris Wormley) and started all 15 games he played in, earning himself a four-year contract.A few weeks before the 2017 season, cornerback Ronald Darby was brought in from the Buffalo Bills for a 2018 third-round pick and receiver Jordan Matthews, whose production dropped off dramatically this season. Darby was a starter down the stretch for the Eagles, recording three picks through seven starts.The Miami Dolphins traded away All-Pro rusher Jay Ajayi at the deadline for a fourth-round pick after he frustrated them with his inconsistency. He's worked well in a rotation with LeGarrette Blount and Corey Clement, putting up 197 total yards through two crucial playoff games.Free-agent frenzyThe Eagles have also been one of the most active teams in free agency over the past two years. At first, the moves were necessary to clean up Kelly's mess, but the motivation to bring in new faces paid off handsomely.In 2016, Roseman brought in starters Nigel Bradham, Brandon Brooks, and Rodney McLeod, and gave extensions to Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, Lane Johnson, Malcolm Jenkins, Vinny Curry, and Fletcher Cox.In 2017, they added Pro Bowl receiver Alshon Jeffery, Blount, Torrey Smith, Patrick Robinson, and Chris Long, who was the only one not to start at least eight games.Ertz, Johnson, Brooks, Cox, Jenkins, and Jeffery were all named as either 2018 Pro Bowl starters or alternates, along with their injured franchise quarterback.Each free-agent signing - like the trades and hirings - forced the Eagles to bet on themselves. Their reward? A chance to win the Lombardi Trophy.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Super Bowl LII

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long has been recognized as the 2018 NFLPA Byron "Whizzer" White Community MVP Award winner for his charitable efforts this season, which included donating all of his game checks to charity.Long was one of five finalists and received the award over J.J. Watt, Von Miller, Andy Dalton, and Colin Kaepernick. The award is considered the highest honor the NFLPA can present to a player. Long will receive $100,000 to be donated to his charity - The Chris Long Foundation.Along with donating his 2017 salary, the Eagles defender also founded an initiative called Waterboys.org that works to provide clean water for communities in East Africa.Long was not the Eagles' nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award, as players in their first year with a new team are ineligible.This is the second year in a row an Eagles player has won the award after Malcolm Jenkins - who was nominated for this season's Walter Payton Man of the Year award - took home the honor last year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank took umbrage with a clever tactic used by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft earlier this year.The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI, rallying from a 28-3 deficit to emerge victorious in overtime.To commemorate the comeback victory, the Patriots were gifted rings encrusted with 283 diamonds, a play on the 28-3 deficit.Although the Patriots were delighted, Blank was predictably unenthused."I said to Robert, 'You didn’t have to do the 28-3 in the ring,'" Blank told Mark Leibovich of The New York Times. "It kind of pissed me off."It's unclear what Kraft has planned should the Patriots defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII on Sunday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was cleared from the concussion protocol Thursday, ensuring his availability for Super Bowl LII versus the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.Gronkowksi, who was listed as a full participant in practice on the team's injury report, had been in the concussion protocol since absorbing a headshot during the AFC Championship Game.The 28-year-old led New England in receiving during the regular season with 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns.The only player on either team not to be a full participant in practice Thursday was Eagles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan, who sat out completely while continuing to battle an illness.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith anticipates a difficult negotiation process with the NFL regarding the next collective bargaining agreement."We prepare for war," Smith said during his press conference Thursday, according to Bleacher Report's Natalie Weiner.The current CBA is scheduled to expire after the 2020 season.Smith also said he doesn't believe player protests against police brutality and racial inequality led to declining television ratings this season, noting that other sports, including NASCAR, experienced declining ratings with no correlation to protests.The 53-year-old, who has served as executive director of the NFLPA since March 2009, added that this season has been one of the best of his career in large part due to player protests."For me, this has been one of the most thrilling and fulfilling years I've had in this job ..." he said, according to Yahoo Sports' Shalise Manza Young. "Players responded with more respect than they were given."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's highly unlikely Le'Veon Bell will star in the Meadowlands anytime soon.Bell, who's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, is seeking a gargantuan new contract, but he appeared to rule out the New York Jets as a potential suitor Thursday.A fan pleaded with Bell to sign with the Jets, posing a scenario in which his team offered the running back $60 million to play in New York.He hastily declined.

"Dreams and Nightmares" by Philadelphia native Meek Mill will be blaring from the speakers at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota when the Eagles take the field for Super Bowl LII.The track has been a staple in the Eagles' locker room and on the field during pregame warmups this season, so it only made sense to run out to it Sunday."If you're going to go with a Philly song, that's the one you're going with," defensive end Brandon Graham told NFL.com's Mike Garafolo.

The Philadelphia Eagles are just days away from playing in Super Bowl LII, but a number of players in the starting lineup may have to overcome a slight obstacle before the game.Mulitple Eagles players are currently battling through a form of illness, including defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, cornerback Ronald Darby, and linebacker Mychal Kendricks, according to Tim McManus of ESPN.It isn't the first time Eagles personnel have felt under the weather recently, as both head coach Doug Pederson and running back Kenjon Barner were also sick last week. Despite the setback, Kendricks doesn't believe it will hinder his team in any way on Sunday."I'm getting over it right now. It's like a cold, dude. I don't know. The whole team has it, though," Kendricks said. "I don't think it had anything to do with us being out here. I think it started sometime last week. Something we've got to get through. We'll be fine. It's not that big of a deal.""It's that time of year. No one's dying," Kendricks added. "It's all good."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now retired from the NFL for seven years, former quarterback Brett Favre has become more outspoken about the dangerous of playing professional football.Favre is the NFL's ironman. He played for 20 seasons and set the record for the most consecutive starts with 297. The Hall of Famer played through breaks, bumps, and cuts, and has often been asked how to make the sport safer."Well, I think first of all, how do you make the game safer? You don't play. Is that gonna happen?" Favre said to CNN's Christiane Amanpour.He has recently said he'd prefer his grandsons play golf over football. He's been involved with a documentary on concussions as the executive producer."The contacts are going to be much more violent. And so concussions will continue to be a serious issue," Favre said. "There's only so much that helmets can do. So we'll look at it from a treatment standpoint. And the only other option is not to play."Reported concussions in the NFL reached a record high of 281 in 2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Do you like football ... and eating? Well, we've got some treats for you!With the New England Patriots looking for their second straight Super Bowl title this Sunday in Minnesota against the Philadelphia Eagles, fans around the world will be looking to cook up some special eats for the big game.And if you want to feel like you're at U.S. Bank Stadium while watching from the comfort of home, there are a few signature stadium foods to prepare.

Ryan Shazier of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been discharged from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Rehabilitation Institute on Thursday and will transition into an outpatient therapy program.The hospital provided no additional information about Shazier's health or his status.Shazier celebrated the development with a post on Instagram.

Who says playing cornerback is a young man's game? Not Terence Newman.The Minnesota Vikings cornerback played the 2017 season as the second-oldest defensive player in the league behind James Harrison and wants to come back for more after his team was so close to the big game."I want to play (next season), because we made it to an NFC Championship. We fell short. We fell way short," Newman told KFAN 1003 on Thursday. "I want to be able to have an opportunity to win a ring. It's that simple."The 15-year pro is set to become a free agent in March. Newman has spent the bulk of his career with head coach Mike Zimmer, playing under him the last five seasons. He played all 16 games in 2017, starting seven of them, while recording 35 tackles, five pass defenses, and one interception for the top-ranked defense.Newman will turn 40 on Sept. 4, two days before the 2018 season is set to kick off. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Newman would become just the second defensive back to play at 40 or older, joining Darrell Green, who played to age 42.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Covers.com is the biggest and best source for sports betting information, providing unrivaled and original content sports bettors cannot live without.So you think you’ve missed your opportunity to get the best of the numbers on Super Bowl proposition bets? Well, in some cases, you might be right on time. In fact, you might even have time to spare – if you’re willing to look at some of the heavier favorites.

Copying Tom Brady's hydration routine could be very dangerous for the average person.In his book, "The TB12 Method," the New England Patriots quarterback recommends people drink at least half their body weight in ounces of water each day."That's the minimum," the book instructs. "Ideally, you'll drink more than that, and with added electrolytes, too. This makes sense, considering the composition of our bodies."Related: Brady claims drinking lots of water prevents sunburnsBrady himself reportedly drinks more than 37 glasses of water a day, but nutritionist Ariane Resnick warns that consuming that much H2O puts people at risk of hyponatremia - a condition that occurs when the sodium level in blood is too low, increasing the risk of a stroke."Increase your water intake by two to four glasses a day and you will be better hydrated, your skin may look less wrinkled, and you'll likely feel better," Resnick told Holly Van Hare of the Daily Meal. "But I'd avoid trying to become a human aquarium."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The dogs are coming, and the Philadelphia Eagles have proven they have the bite to back up their bark this postseason.Opening as the biggest underdogs since 2009, the NFC champions enter Super Bowl LII with their MVP-level quarterback on the sidelines and arguably the best dynasty in NFL history standing in the way of their first-ever Lombardi Trophy.But the New England Patriots aren't bulletproof, as evidenced by the AFC Championship Game. The Jacksonville Jaguars had the Patriots on the ropes before ultimately losing their nerve and allowing Tom Brady and Co. to engineer a dramatic comeback.The Eagles boast similar strengths to the Jaguars and could form a game plan to take down the favored Patriots. Here's a blueprint for what they must achieve in order to do so.Put offensive line in a position to dominateThe Patriots lack game-changers in their front seven. Defensive end Trey Flowers is the closest they've got, but he's not a pass-rusher that can disrupt entire lines, nor does he require consistent double teams.Meanwhile, the Eagles possess one of the league's best and most athletically-gifted offensive lines. The battle between New England's underwhelming front seven and Philadelphia's dominant offensive line may be the game's biggest positional mismatch, and the Eagles must take advantage.Philadelphia needs to exploit New England's linebackers and defensive line by using the athleticism and speed of center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson. The unit needs to move the Patriots horizontally and take advantage of the front seven's overall lack of sideline-to-sideline speed.The Eagles' offensive line is proficient in run blocking and pass blocking, but, as a way to also protect Nick Foles, head coach Doug Pederson should make use of his three-headed backfield - especially rookie Corey Clement, who has the kind of speed and agility to make plays on the outside.Attack with a 4-man rush, but stay flexibleAsk most NFL defensive coordinators how to beat Brady, and they will likely say a strong four-man pass-rush. The logic is sound. Brady, for all his gifts and innate feel for the pocket, isn't a mobile quarterback.In the past, the teams with the most success against the five-time Super Bowl champion have beat up on him with a four-man rush to the point where he lowers his eyes and focuses more on the pressure around him - think both Super Bowl-winning New York Giants teams and the 2015 Denver Broncos. The Jaguars tried this approach as well, allowing their talented four defensive linemen to wreak havoc while using the extra men in coverage to clog the passing lanes and disrupt New England's short-to-middle air attack.Unfortunately, as the Jaguars quickly found out, Brady has somehow found a way to improve his game despite his advancing age. The veteran signal-caller led the league with a passer rating of 96.6 while under duress, according to Pro Football Focus, far exceeding the league average of 67.4. Brady wasn't just dinking and dunking his way out of trouble, far from it. He also had a big-time throw percentage of 10.3 percent (5.2 was league average).So the Eagles have a conundrum: go with the tried and tested method against Brady, or move away from their scheme and bring more pressure through blitzes.Philadelphia posted the second-highest pressure rate with a four-man rush at just over 38 percent, according to PFF, so it's likely aggressive-minded defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will stick with what's worked and hope Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham can have career games. But the Eagles must not be afraid to adapt. They can't make the same mistakes the Jaguars did and sit back and not expect Brady, McDaniels, and Belichick to find a counter to the four-man attack.Keep Foles in rhythm with more RPOsPederson deserves credit for designing an offense that's not only effective but also quarterback friendly, first for Carson Wentz and now Foles.A major part of Philadelphia's success under Foles is the reliance on the run-pass option (RPO). An example of an RPO is when the quarterback reads an unblocked defender and goes through the motion of handing the ball off to the running back. At which point, the quarterback decides whether the look the defense is giving him is more suited to a run, or if the fake has opened up a passing route, such as a shallow cross or slant.The Eagles used it with Wentz, but Foles is a less instinctive passer, so Pederson has used RPOs to scheme open his receivers for easy throws to provide rhythm (he has a 93.9 percent completion percentage on RPOs this season, according to PFF).This will be vital on the biggest stage of them all. The Eagles can't afford a slow start from Foles caused by the magnitude of the moment, so Pederson should dial up some RPOs early to keep New England guessing and carve out some room for the running game to flourish.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been just over three months since Zach Miller suffered one of the worst injuries in NFL history, but he's not yet ready to throw in the towel.The Chicago Bears tight end has undergone a total of nine surgeries since tearing an artery in his left leg during a Week 8 game against the New Orleans Saints, but hopes to one day make it back to the gridiron, he told Scott Voorhees of 1110 KFAB on Tuesday, per Phil Thompson of The Chicago Tribune."To be honest with you, they haven't told me that I cannot play," Miller said. "Every doctor I've seen, all the surgeons I've been with, the outlook is pretty positive. My knee is stable, I just had the PCL and the LCL, but everything else was good. I didn't tear my ACL, I didn't tear an MCL, it's stable right now so I just got to heal up and we'll cross that road when it's time."Obviously I would love to continue to play football, it's just got to be the right situation and hopefully if I'm physically able to do it we can, but if not then that's just the way it goes and we got to move on and do something else."There was initial worry that Miller needed to have his leg amputated as a result of the torn popliteal artery, but vascular surgeons were able to graft tissue from his right leg to complete the successful surgery.If he is able to return to the field, it would be one of the most remarkable comeback stories in league history. Miller broke into the league with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009, and has been a member of the Bears since signing a futures contract in December of 2013.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.