Skipping The Game

We always hear that cliché in football that you play for the guy next to you. That works if everyone is one the same page.

Potentially high draft picks are leery about playing in a meaningless bowl game with the risk of potential injury. We have seen that over the years when players have been hurt, impacting their standing in the draft.

Michigan had four starters skip the Peach Bowl. It might have been a factor in the team's 41-15 rout by Florida.

A freak injury can cost a player millions down the road. You can't blame them for looking out for themselves.

The End of 2018

Today is the last game of the regular season for all teams. For some, it's a bitter end to a campaign that never worked out.

A number of coaches will be fired on Monday. Some will get another head coaching job, but others will either take a step down or never make it back to the NFL.

Assistants will be forced to relocate one more time if they are able to find a job.

Some players have already decided to retire. For others, they don't even know that they have played their last game.

Playing Odell

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr will miss the season finale at home against the Cowboys. It will be his fourth consecutive week on the sidelines because of his quadricep injury.

For a guy with a $95 million contract, Beckham has now missed 21 of his 81 total games. The Giants are 25-35 when he has played.

He is only 26 with this future ahead. He wants to break the records of Jerry Rice.

Some players get hit with an injury jinx. Their career is often cut short because of it.

Rob Gronkowski has certainly had his issues with injuries and missed games.

The No-Show Bowl

Two things that college bowl games have in common are strange names due to sponsorship and fake attendance numbers.

The 13th edition of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl was no exception.

It's great to see companies step up and pay for naming rights, but they do come up with some strange names.

I watched parts of the game. There was no way 51,000+ people were watching it at NRG Stadium in Houston. Too many empty seats were in view.

The Bowl Was Never Played

It was very unfortunate that Boston College and Boise State were forced to end their game in the 1st Responder Bowl because of lightning in the Dallas area.

The initial one hour delay ended the game because of more lightning strikes.

Nobody ever thought this could happen. Seniors on both teams will never get a chance to close out their career with a win or loss.

Bowl games are made for television. Could they have waited longer and played the game before only the fans in the stadium? Do they buy insurance against catastrophic events that can influence the game?

It's probably never a good idea to make players, coaches and fans to wait for two hours for a football game. You can do it in baseball. It seems to work.

Brady Going Forward

Tom Brady said he will play the 2019 season. He will be a year older, but it doesn't really matter at this point.

TB will play to the end of his career, whenever that is. His passion is so great to see.

Go Raiders

The Pats and their fans got a great holiday gift when the Chiefs and Texans lost their games.

If the Pats beat the Jets, they will be the #2 seed and get a first round bye. They can get the #1 if the Chiefs lose to the Raiders.

Everyone should be focused on the Pats winning Sunday. Can't worry about the Chiefs.

Jason's First

The Pats finally clinched the AFC Eastern Division today with a 24-12 win over the Bills. It was their tenth consecutive year of winning the title.

As Coach Belichick would say, it's just a step along the way. Once the playoffs start, it's a one game season for all teams.

It was a big day for Jason McCourty. He not only had an interception, but will be going to his first playoff game in his ten year career.

No More Gore This Season

Dolphins RB Frank Gore has been an ironman throughout his NFL career while playing in 126 consecutive games.

It will all come to an end on Sunday due to a season-ending foot sprain suffered in the game against the Vikings.

Gore has played 14 seasons and at the age of 35 has no plans to retire.

He ranks 4th all-time in career rushing yards with 14,734. He has a chance to pass Barry Sanders with 15,269.

Turning The Coaches Over

Over the last two weeks, the fate of several coaches will be determined. Their staffs will be greatly impacted.

Every year, the NFL shuffles the deck with some coaching staffs. People end up at all sorts of other places.

The whole idea is to have another job next season. It might involve another move, but they do it.

Josh Gordan

Pats fans and everyone else were shocked to hear of the indefinite suspension of WR Josh Gordan for violating his agreement with the NFL regarding substance abuse.

It remains to be seen if he ever plays again. It's a sad story because he is so gifted and talented.

The response from the media and sports talk radio was very disappointing. So many are throwing him under the bus for not being able to finish the season.

A guy like Lawrence Taylor never would have remained in the NFL with his well documented troubles throughout his career, but that was during a different time.

Maybe One Wearing

The Pats will have another chance on Sunday to clinch the Eastern Division when they host the Bills.

Their two prior attempts for a "hat and t-shirt day" have been met with losses.

At this point, Coach Belichick probably doesn't even want to see this stuff. If they make an early exit in the playoffs, nobody will ever wear this stuff again.

The Pro Bowl Farce

The Pro Bowl selections were announced today. The same thing happens every year. Players that deserve don't make it while others are there because of the voting process.

Fans enjoy being part of the selection, but I don't think it's the best way to do it.

Legacies are defined by honors such as this.

How Many Are There?

The Saints and Panthers had a great game tonight on MNF.

Whenever they showed the crowd, I wondered about the Panther fans. They didn't show up. So many empty seats.

In the end, tickets were sold or distributed. That's all that really matters.

People at the stadium are the "studio audience".

Things Will Change

The Pats lost 17-10 to the Steelers today. They had so many chances to win that game, but it didn't happen.

Fans are in a panic because their record is 9-5. The Dolphins are two games behind them with two games to play.

Kyler Murry

The star of Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray shines very bright. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy, he was also the 9th overall pick in the MLB draft by the Oakland A's.

He has a $4.6 million signing bonus in his pocket and plans to attend spring training. He will also be leading his team in the playoffs for the National Championship.

He has talked about playing both sports. How will this effect his position in the draft? He is also listed at 5'9" which might effect his value.

No matter what happens, he is already a winner with all that cash.

Love The Steelers

As the Pats get ready to play the Steelers in Pittsburgh, there is a chance they could lose this game. That would complicate the playoffs for another week.

Who knows what will happen over the next three games.

The Steelers are such a great franchise.

Time To Give Up Money

It remains to be seen whether QB Eli Manning is back with the Giants next season.

He is set to earn $23.9 million, an amount which might make him expendable.

He should take a page from the 2015 playbook of brother Peyton when he signed with the Broncos.

Peyton agreed to a $4 million pay cut from his $19 million salary. The team gave him incentives of $2 million each for winning the AFC Championship and Super Bowl. He was successful on both.

Eli needs to give up some money if he plans to stick around.

Lamar Time

It looks like time is running for Ravens QB Joe Flacco as Lamar Jackson has taken over the starting job after posting a 3-1 record during his absence.

Flacco will need to look for a new team next year as he enters free agency. There should be a number of possibilities out there, but it won't be in Baltimore as a starter.

No Time To Lose

Several teams that are out of the playoffs are trying to finish out the season on a positive note.

It's foolish to think that they should play to lose in order to get a better pick in the first round of the draft.

Future success of a player is never guaranteed. Fans deserve the best effort from their team and want to see wins.

A Great Footnote

Rob Gronkowski is such a part of the Pats legacy. He will be forever known as Gronk.

The light is shining brightly on him after yesterday's final play of the game loss to the Dolphins.

He was on the field as part of the "Hands Team", but he was forced to play defense.

It didn't work out and the Pats lost. That play will always be part of him.

Three Weeks Left

Fans are in a panic after the Pats lost to the Dolphins on the final play of the game.

How will this impact their playoff hopes with three games left in the season?

Teams need to play their games. Let's see what happens to each of them.

The Heisman

The Heisman Trophy gets awarded tonight. It has become a recognition for the top college quarterback. It doesn't even guarantee future success in the NFL.

The list of winners in recent years is filled with players who never lived up to their potential.

Miami Tradition

When the Pats play the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday, we know that Tom Brady has a 7-9 record and has lost four of the last five games there.

What does that mean? Can the Pats win? Who knows?

The team has a history of bad games in Miami in December. It goes back a long time.

Bowling Like It's 2018

The college bowl season begins a week from Saturday with five games. There will be 39 of them leading up to New Year's Day.

The "Final Four" will play on December 29th, with the winners facing off for the National Championship on January 7th.

With a few exceptions, ESPN will televise all of them.

The whole idea of bowl games is to reward teams and throw some money at them. As long as everyone is doing well financially, the game is a winner.

The Intersection of Joe & Alex

Back on November 18th, Redskins QB Alex Smith was sacked in a game against the Texans. As his right leg was caught in the ground, he suffered a vicious fracture of his tibia and fibula.

It reminded Redskins fans of the ugly injury of former QB Joe Theismann against the Giants when he suffered a career ending broken leg after getting sacked by Lawrence Taylor.

It happened 33 years to the day, with the same losing score of 23-21 in both games.

Hopefully, Smith makes a full recovery.

Browner Gone

It was a surprise to hear that former DB Brandon Browner was arrested back in July for breaking into his girlfriend's house and attempted murder.

He pled guilty to reduced charges and received a prison sentence of eight years.

How did his life get to this point? In a five year career, he was part of the Seahawks "Legion of Boom" and won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks and Pats.

All that is gone now as his plea avoided him getting a life sentence.

Mike Done

I think everyone was shocked to hear of the firing of Packers coach Mike McCarthy after yesterday's loss to the Cardinals.

It happened so fast. Was this already in the works and only a matter of time? The team's 4-7-1 record didn't help.

McCarthy will have his choice of the upcoming coaching vacancies. He gave Green Bay 13 years, but it didn't end well for him.

Ending For Some In 2018

The Pats beat the Vikings 24-10 today at Gillette Stadium.

The playoffs change week to week.

Teams end their seasons trying to the very end.

College Playoffs

College football really owned this day with their playoffs. So many great games.

I watched some of the Mountain West Conference Championship game between Boise State and Fresno.

It was a very exciting game that went into overtime before Fresno won 19-16.

MAC Time

I watched a good portion of the MAC Championship game between Northern Illinois and Buffalo.

It went down to the very last play of the game on 4th down when Buffalo couldn't convert.

The college game is very exciting when the score is close. This was a great game to watch.

A Title For Everyone

The Massachusetts high school Super Bowls will be held at Gillette Stadium on Friday and Saturday.

At least all of the teams get to play in the Big House, but there are too many divisions and games.

Fans will have the options to watch two games on Friday and six on Saturday as they crown champions for eight divisions.

The MIAA needs to take another look at this. With so many divisions, does it minimize the title of State Champion?

Need More Than Wins

The NFL likes to brag about how many of the teams are still in the hunt for a playoff spot.

It's a little harder than just winning games. The NFL Network outlined a scenario with the Packers.

Not only do they need to win their last five games, they need help from other teams in the form of losses.

At this time of year, a team can only do what they need to do. They really can't count on help from others, but in most situations, it's their only hope for a playoff spot.

Is There Eli In 19?

The Giants are 3-8 with no hope of the playoffs. Coach Pat Shurmur said the team is sticking with QB Eli Manning.

The season is lost. Manning is probably not part of the team's future. If he wants to keep playing, it will be with another team.

A Giant Loss

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr said that his team needed to win its final eight games for any playoff hopes.

They were on a two game winning streak before they took on the Eagles in a must-win situation.

Big Blue lost a 16 point lead before losing 25-22. With a record of 3-8, they are out of the Wild Card hunt.

Beckham got his money earlier this season, but he can't buy wins.

Teams Look To The Playoffs

As of Week 12, there are only a few teams out of the playoff picture. It will change week to week as it does every year.

Some teams are hanging on, but need so many other things to happen.

That makes the NFL playoffs so great. So many teams have a chance to the end.

Jets Not Flying Next Year

The 7-3 Pats will be hosted by the 3-7 Jets tomorrow. The season is basically over for Gang Green. They can look forward to next year. That's what they do on a regular basis.

They will have $100 million to spend in salary cap money. They can do all sorts of creative things.

There is no doubt that GM Mike Maccagnan will make some bad moves and the team will be where they are now.

So Many Points

I never realized there would be 15 college games played today on various television networks.

There is no doubt they were all different. Some of the games were not the best display of football.

It's hard to believe that the over and under for Oklahoma and West Virginia was 85.

Oklahoma leads 59-49 with 9:59 left.

How will this end?

No Longer 126-0

I always enjoy statistics that come out after a game. The Rams beat the Chiefs 54-51 on MNF the other night.

The Chiefs will always have the distinction of being the only NFL team to ever lose a game when they scored over 50 points.

Those teams had a NFL record of 126-0. That all changed the other night.

It's Way Too Cold

It was unfortunate that a lot of high schools had to play their Thanksgiving Day game on the night before. The weather will be so cold on Thursday morning.

The game day temperatures will be like cold NFL playoff games in January.

The End At UMass

I was surprised to hear that UMass parted ways with Coach Mark Whipple after five seasons.

Things have not gone well for him during his second stint with the team. Back to back 4-8 seasons set things in motion.

He still has two years left on his contract and will work out a settlement for the $500,000 owed him.

Whipple won a Division 1AA National Championship in 1998 during his first time with the team from 1998-2003 before he left for a coaching job in the NFL with the Steelers. His record was 49-26.

UMass has struggled with their Independent schedule. His record of 16-44 was not good enough to keep his job.

Who will UMass get at this point? The salary is a turn-off for the big-time coordinators looking to move up. Recruitment and retention could become an issue.

It's a long road ahead as the team looks to another season.

Andy's Time

UMass WR Andy Isabella compiled amazing numbers in his team's loss to #5 Georgia. He ranks very high in all statistical categories among Division 1A programs.

What does this say about his future in the NFL? Most predict that he could go in the fourth of fifth round. Will that happen?

He has a lot of film that teams can look at. UMass played a very tough schedule during his time there.

How do the "experts" view all of this?

UMass Ends 4-8

UMass lost to 5th ranked Georgia by a score of 66-27. They beat the point spread and influenced the over/under for those who bet.

They finished up the season at 4-8 and look forward to next year.

I'm sure many will complain that they should've done better.

I think we all expected more, but it was all hype in the end.

Nobody Knows The Truth

Sports talk radio in Boston continues to get worse. One station continues to push a story that Coach Belichick wanted to trade Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.

There might be some truth about Gronk when he was waffling about retiring. The Brady situation might never be fully known.

That doesn't stop some from promoting their own agendas for the sake of ratings.

More Than 66 On Saturday

UMass plays 6th ranked Georgia on Saturday at 4pm. The line is 41 1/2 against them, with the over and under of 66.

How will this game get played out? Nobody really knows in the end.

Leaving Money On The Table

The opportunity for Steelers RB LeVeon Bell to play this season has come and passed. He will sit out the rest of the season and leave $14,544,000 on the table by not signing for the franchise tag.

It was strictly a business decision by him as he is seeking a huge contract for next season when he becomes a free agent.

Was this the right move? Players at that position have a short career span. Will some team step forward and offer him a huge amount of money? That remains to be seen.

Time For Todd

The Jets had one of their worst games ever while they took a 41-10 beating from the Bills.

Nothing went right for them. They had two yards of offense in the first quarter. The Bills moved the ball at will. It was a total mauling of the Jets.

The New York tabloids are calling for the firing of Coach Todd Bowles. With a career record of 23-35, he will probably last to the end of season, but will be gone after that.

Ownership is standing behind him because it's easier to fire him at the end of the season.

The Mediocre Teams

ESPN probably thought it had a great game on schedule tonight when the 49er's host the Giants. That will not be the case as they are 2-7 and 1-7 respectively.

The season has spiraled out of control for both teams. There is more talk about moving on from Eli Manning who counts for $23.2 million on the salary cap.

Big decisions need to be made by the Giants front office. They are on a very short leash at this point.

Now 7-3

The Pats lost to the Titans today, 34-10. They were totally outplayed and now have their bye week to get back on track.

The worst thing about the loss is that we will be forced to listen to all sorts of nonsense on talk radio and social media.

People are quick to turn on the team. They expect the Pats to win every game. They are so delusional.

A Short Game

UMass lost 35-16 today to BYU. They really struggled on both sides of the ball. The kicking game was horrible.

The most noteworthy item was the game lasted only 2:45. That is unheard of in college football at this level.

When both teams run the ball a lot, they burn the clock and the game gets over quicker.

Dez Time

Dez Bryant finally signed a contract with the Saints the other day. During today's practice, he might have suffered a season ending injury with his Achilles tendon.

Fans were hoping to watch him play at the age of 30. Time has been catching up to him.

Not Ready To Fire

Whenever a team owner says that a coach won't be fired during the season, it's a good bet that they will be dismissed at the end of the season.

Jerry Jones said that about Jason Garrett and his Cowboy staff as the team flounders at 3-5 and has a good chance of missing the playoffs.

Jones must feel there is no point in doing it now, so he will wait until the end of the season.

He should also fire the GM, but he is the owner and GM.

Maybe Tebow Time

Tim Tebow got his chance at professional baseball with the New York Mets because of his celebrity status. He has played reasonably well at this point, but is still stuck in the minor leagues at the AAA level.

The new Mets GM has indicated that Tebow might get invited to the major league spring training camp. Making it to the Big Apple would help sell tickets which the Mets want to do in a big way.

Not All Play There

The high school football playoff system in Massachusetts is really messed up.

How can a team that is 0-7 be involved in a playoff game? Teams with a losing record should not be part of anything.

The MIAA governing body has too many "Super Bowls". They can't even play them all at Gillette Stadium.

All of those kids deserve a chance to play in the Big House and not some venue that is just a placeholder.

Dallas Time

The eight division alignment in the NFL is great from a competitive viewpoint. Teams always have a chance to make the playoffs unless their season starts badly.

The Cowboys lost 28-14 tonight to the Titans. They are now 3-5 in the NFC East. They need to play well over the second half of the season to have any chance of additional games.

A Time To Get Fired

It was only a matter of time before the Browns fired Coach Hugh Jackson. That happens when you go 3-36-1 in two-plus seasons.

They also sent offensive coordinator Todd Haley packing.They named defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as interim head coach.

Jackson and Haley had been fighting over the direction of the team.

After flaming out in Cleveland, will they get recycled in another job? There is no doubt it will happen. This is nothing new for the NFL.

Mabe A Giant Change

The Giants are 1-7, but don't need to worry about losing on Sunday as this is their bye week.

Coach Pat Shurmer has not committed to starting Eli Manning when they travel to face the 49er's.

Eli's numbers are not good this season, but he is not the only issue. The team has many problems that probably won't get resolved this season.

Manning's desire to retire as a Giant appears to be in jeopardy.

Will They Trade?

The NFL trading deadline in Tuesday at 4pm. Will the Pats make any deals?

Coach Belichick is ready to trade. He recently said; "we are open for business". He is a big advocate of trading if the right deal comes up.

We are hearing about Donta Hightower being involved in a possible deal. He was inactive tonight with a knee injury.

At The Half

The Pats need to beat the Bills tomorrow night in order to get a two game lead in the AFC East. The Chiefs continue to set the standard at 7-1 in the AFC.

Teams are at the midpoint of the season. For some, it's a matter of playing the rest of the schedule and getting paid.

The Giants are 1-7. It's not looking good for them and other teams.

Back To High School

NFL players and coaches have so many prior connections to one another.

When the Jets play the Bears tomorrow, it will be a reunion for head coaches Todd Bowles and Matt Nagy

Bowles was a star at Elizabeth, NJ high school which won a state championship in 1980 when Nagy's father was a defensive line coach. This was two years before Nagy was born.

Young Nagy and Bowles later coached together on Andy Reid's staff with the Eagles in 2012.

Bowles wanted to interview Nagy in 2017 to be his defensive coordinator, but was blocked by Reid.

It will be an important game for both teams.

Another Gonk Game

I have no doubt that TE Rob Gronkowski will play against the Bills on Monday night. He has too much money to lose if he doesn't.

He needs to manage his body and ensure that he makes all of his financial incentives, based on playing time and numbers.

Fans need to realize that Gronk has a short career window.

A Short Bus Trip

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson took a 12 hour bus ride to get to tonight's game in Jacksonville.

The media made it sound like he was on a crowded Greyhound bus, but it was nothing like that.

He was accompanied on a luxury bus by the team's strength and conditioning coach and an assistant trainer.

The team didn't want Watson to fly in light of his recent collapsed lung and bruise dribs.

It was the best way to get him to the game. They are lucky the trip wasn't much further.

No More Apple In The Big Apple

Giants CB Eli Apple is a great example of the hype that surrounds a first round draft pick.

Big Blue selected him 9th overall in 2016. Things never quite worked out.

He was traded to the Saints for a 4th round pick in 2019 and a 7th in 2020. It was the best deal they could get for a player they had given up on.

Maybe he can become the player everyone expected.

The Raiders Lost Season

Many thought the Oakland Raiders were foolish to give John Gruden a $100 million contract to coach the team.

They are off to a 1-5 start with no relief in sight. There are numerous controversies around the team.

Gruden is looking to the future. He traded WR Amari Cooper to the Seahawks for draft picks. He is slowing dismantling the team to build it in his vision.

The Raiders will be in the competition for the #1 overall pick in the draft if they keep playing this way.

Someone Gets An Opportunity

It looks like the Pats caught a break with the injury to RB Sony Michel during yesterday's win over the Bears. He will miss several games and force the Pats to make a roster move to fill his position.

Who stands to benefit from Michel's injury? Will it be Mike Gillislee who is unsigned or practice squad member Ralph Webb?

The NFL is a cut throat business. Injuries provide opportunities to others. It has always been that way.

Money Lost

There is no doubt that Pats TE Rob Gronkowski lost money today when he was not active for the game
against he Chicago Bears.

His contract has so many financial incentives based on his ability to play. He lost one today.

We all want him to play every game because he is so good and helps the team win.

Dad Get Involved

It looks like Odell Beckham Jr will be dominating the New York sports pages for the rest of the season.

His father has now gotten involved on social media with a tweak of owner John Marra.

This is no help to the team as they try to prepare or their Monday night game against the Falcons.

Time To Lose Six

Giants owner John Marra must be wondering why he gave Odell Beckham Jr a 5 year/$95 million contract. The team is 1-5 and continues to spiral downward.

Nothing had changed with Beckham. His idea of leadership is to go on ESPN and criticize the offense, coaching and QB Eli Manning. He continues to act childish on the sidelines with his tantrums which he claims is passion for the game.

Marra thought he could spend his way to a championship. I'm sure Beckham wants to win, but he also wanted his money.

The team and fans have nothing to show for it.

Ways To Get Signed

It always helps to have connections to coaches and the front office when it comes to getting a job from another team.

The Bills recently signed 13 year veteran QB Derek Anderson who will start on Sunday against the Colts.

He previously spent seven seasons with the Panthers. During that time current Bills GM Brandon Beane had the same position. Bills head coach Sean McDermoott was also on the coaching staff of Ron Riverva.

He has four starts in the last seven years, but his connections helped land him in Buffalo. It never hurts to sign a player they are familiar with.

Playing The Games

Some teams are 1-5 and have no hope left to the season.

It must be very difficult for teams to play the rest of the schedule, knowing that it doesn't matter for them.

Stay Off The Field

Fans never belong on the field at any time during or after the game. Storming the field can be dangerous for everyone.

LSU has been fined $100,000 after their fans rushed onto the field after the team's win over #2 ranked Georgia.

It was the second violation for LSU. They were fined after a similar situation in 2014 involving a win over Mississippi.

Season Out Of Control

The Giants are 1-5 with little hope of making the playoffs. The talk has already begun about what to do with QB Eli Manning.

He has completed a career high 68.7% of his passes, but the team is having trouble scoring points. The offensive line isn't giving him time to throw the ball deep.

Their recent loss was the 19th in their last 23 games. His career record is now 112-108 and could drop below .500 before the season ends.

With two Super Bowl wins on his resume, this is not the way Manning thought his career would end.

See You In January

The Pats had a big 43-40 win over the Chiefs tonight. It was such a great game. They needed this win.

The Chiefs are a great team. They will probably play the Pats in the AFC Championship game if all goes well.

Kliff's Guy Doing Well

There are always interesting prior relationships between players, coaches and teams.

Chiefs QB Patrick MaHomes played at Texas Tech and was coached by Kliff Kingsbury who was a sixth round pick of the Pats in 2003.

Kingsbury spent the season on IR and was able to learn from Tom Brady.

The Pats and Chiefs will be a great matchup between a young and old quarterback.

Bill Not Talking

Coach Belichick refused to get into any detail over the importance of Sunday's game with the Chiefs during his press conference today.

He is well aware of the uphill battle the team will face if they lose and hope to host the AFC Championship game, if they even get to that point.

There are 11 games left in the season. The next three weeks will tell a great deal.

The Bill & Andy Show

The Pats and Chiefs game on Sunday night will feature a great matchup between head coaches.

Bill Belichick holds a 5-2 lead over Andy Reid, but four of those wins were from his days with the Eagles.

While coaching the Chiefs, Andy leads 2-1, including two recent blowouts.

Belichick does not want this on his record.

Odell Gets The Headlines

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr is grabbing the headlines on the back page of the New York Post, but for all the wrong reasons.

His comments from an interview with ESPN seem to imply an issue he had with the coach's play calling and QB Eli Manning.

Their season is unraveling as they prepare to play the Eagle tomorrow night. A loss will leave them at 1-5 and little hope for the rest of the season.

Every Game Is Big Now

The Pats and Chiefs should be a great game on Sunday night. It will feature Tom Brady against Patrick MaHome who is piling up big offensive numbers.

The 5-0 Chiefs are playing very well. The 3-2 Pats need this game very badly. Their defense needs to step it up. If they get behind early, it could be a long night.

Fake Records

I find college football records and rankings to be very artificial. Teams are not as good as their record shows.

Every program schedules easy wins to pad their record. It happens at all levels of the NCAA and NAIA.

Football is a business at every school. People are concerned about how much it costs to field a competitive team at whatever level.

They want a winning team. There is no guaranteed that it might happen.

Odell's Style of Leadership

When the Giants overpaid WR Odell Beckham Jr they thought he would show leadership.

Apparently he thinks his comments to ESPN showed leadership. Most agree that it was wrong for him to air his issues in public.

The Giants lost again today in the final seconds to the Panthers, lowering their record to 1-4. Beckham has backed off some of his comments, but his words are out there.

He had a great game with 8 catches for 131 yards and one TD. He also threw a 57 yard TD pass to Shaquon Barkley.

Maybe he should be playing quarterback. He just hasn't mentioned it yet.

The Giants need to go 8-3 the rest of the way to finish 9-7 and have a remote chance at the playoffs.

Almost The Worst

When the offense scores 42 points, it's usually good enough to win. It wasn't for UMass today as they gave up 58 to South Florida and fell to 2-5.

The season is slowly slipping away as UMass just can't play four quarters of defensive football. The second half told the story of the game. They were outmatched by South Florida who increased their record to 5-0.

UMass continues to rank among the worst defenses of the 129 Division 1 schools.

Students Don't Support Their Team

The University of Alabama keeps winning college football championships, but now student fans are getting bored and not showing up to games.

Coach Nick Saban called them out for their lack of support. Former NFL QB Tim Tebow agreed with Saban on social media.

Alabama's problem is not unique. UMass has historically had poor support from students at games. Nothing ever changes.

Cheer For Adam

Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri spent ten years with the Pats before left in free agency to the Colts. The team didn't make much of an effort to keep him here.

He is now in his 13th season with Indianapolis where he continues to excel. He has made so many big kicks for both teams.

it will be a shame if he hears one boo tonight at Gillette Stadium. Anyone who does that has no clue of what he did here.

Fans can do whatever they want, but they would be ignorant if they don't applaud him.

Gronk's Costly Injury

Pats TE Rob Gronkowski is questionable for tomorrow night's game with an ankle injury. He played against the Dolphins with an issue and left in the second half.

There is no doubt he will be a last minute decision. The last thing he wants to do is to miss a game.

Any absences will impact his ability to earn the incentives in his contract.

Jets and Giants Going Down

Fans of the Jets and Giants must be wondering which team will have the worse record by the end of the season.

They are both off to a 1-3 start and need to get on a roll if they have any playoff hopes.

Can they make it at 9-7? To do that, they both need to go 8-4 the rest of the way. That might be too lofty of a goal at this time.

Just Another Frank Day

Pats fans saw Dolphins RB Frank Gore get 41 yards on 11 carries in his team's loss in Foxborough. It was just another day in his 15 season career.

He is the 4th all-time NFL rusher. Will he make it to the Hall of Fame?

He has longevity and durability on his side. Will that be held against him in the voting?

Still Kicking At 45

Former Pats kicker Adam Vinatieri shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 45 in his 23rd season.

While kicking for the Colts, he broke Morten Anderson's career field goal record when he made his 566th in today's loss to the Texans.

He also played his 341st game, breaking a tie with George Blanda for 4th place. If he plays the entire season, he will tie Gary Anderson for second.

He needs 31 points to become the all-time leader with 2,544.

His resume is filled with regular and post-season records that might never get broken.

Not Just Another Game

The Pats are ranked among the lowest on defense and offense categories. Not much has gone right after their opening win over the Texans.

When it comes to stats, Tom Brady is really struggling. You would not want him on your fantasy team.

They have always had the ability to turn it around and win games. Let's see what happens now.

First Big Game of 2018

Nobody on the Pats wants to say it, but their game with the Dolphins is very critical. The Pats are 1-2 and the Dolphins 3-0. A loss to them could make for an uphill battle in the Eastern Division.

The Pats need to worry about themselves, but also need some losses by other teams in their division.

Bentley To The Sidelines

Pats rookie LB Ja'Whaun Bentley made an instant impact on the team's defense in their first three games. Unfortunately, he will miss at least the next eight weeks as he was placed on IR with an "upper body" injury.

Fans can only imagine what it is because that's the only information they will get from Dr Bill.

The fifth round pick from Purdue was a starter in Week 1. Hopefully, he can return and not miss the entire season.

Crazy Talk Again

Callers to sports talk radio are going off the deep end with their criticism of the Pats after going 1-2 and looking bad in their losses.

Some of the comments don't make any sense. One caller said that Belichick is trying to get himself fired so he can go coach the Giants.

Fans have become spoiled from the team's success and have a sense of entitlement. I don't listen to these shows for long.

It will only get worse if they lose to the Dolphins on Sunday.

Still Making Millions

All it took was one play for the season of the 49er's to turn for the worse. QB Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL while trying to run with the ball in the team's loss to the Chiefs.

He will join a long list of players who have suffered this injury. His time will be taken up by rehab.

Most players make it back to their former level, but some don't. Every player is different.

He waited so long for this opportunity to be a starter. He also makes so many millions whether he plays or not.

Slow Start For 2018

The Pats are 1-3 and face the 3-0 Dolphins on Sunday. The schedule doesn't get any easier. There are no given victories. The Lions certainly proved that.

Will the team resolve its problems that lead them to this bad start? The offense and defense rank among the lowest in the league.

They have been through this before, but this team is unique to this season.

Lack of Success

When the Pats face the Lions and former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia tonight, it will be against a team lead by one of his former assistants.

All eight of them did not have much success in the NFL with only Al Groh having a winning record at 9-7. The others are all under.500, including Patricia so far.

The list includes some impressive names who all did great jobs as assistants: Nick Saban, Al Groh, Jim Schwartz, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Josh McDaniels and Bill O'Brien.

Belichick holds a 14-8 record against them in the regular season and 2-0 in the playoffs.

How will it end tonight?

Big Win For UMass

UMass had a big win today over Charlotte, 48-31, to increase their record to 2-3.

It will be a tall order to go 5-2 the rest of the season to finish 7-5. That would get them to a bowl game.

They are a tale of two teams. Going into today, their offense was tied for 14th with Alabama for total yards with 1,634 and an average of 409 yards per game.

The defense will eventually ruin their season. They are ranked 127th in Division I. They are giving up an average of 469 yards and 41.8 points per game. This will never get them to the post-season.

Browns Win

The Cleveland Browns finally won their first game since Christmas Eve of 2016 after beating the Jets 21-17 on Thursday Night Football.

They are now 1-1-1. It's a long way from making the playoffs, but better than their winless season of 2017.

Jets QB Sam Darnold went 15/31 for 169 and two interceptions. After a big start against the Lions, Darnold is beginning to look like a typical Jets QB.

Fans have high expectations from him. It remains to be seen what happens.

Not Time For Winston

The Tampa bay Bucs are off to a 2-0 start lead by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in place of Jameis Winston who is serving a three game suspension.

Ryan has excelled with 819 yards and eight TD's. Will the Bucs give the ball back to Winston?

It will be a tough decision either way. Winston has struggled at times to live up to his hype. Fitzpatrick is a 35 year old journeyman who has been around the league.

I think the Bucs should stick with Fitzpatrick and see what happens.

The Silent Bell

The Steelers have begun the season 0-1-1 with a tie with the Browns and loss to the Chiefs.

RB Le'Veon continues his holdout and has not signed his franchise tag of $14.5 million. Every game he misses costs him $852,941.

Neither side appears willing to move. Bell claims that it's all about his future. Players are disgruntled. WR Antonio Brown was absent from practice the other day.

One player does not make a team, but things are not going well in Pittsburgh.

Vontae Davis

Bills CB Vontae Davis took the unusual step last Sunday when he retired at halftime during his team's 31-20 loss to the Chargers.

He changed his clothes and left the stadium after his team went back on the field. He talked about not feeing right about playing and his body told him to retire.

He must be serious as he is leaving most of his $5 million salary on the table.

His ten year career came to an abrupt end.

A Chance For Josh Gordon

I think the Pats made a great deal today when they traded a 5th round draft pick for Browns WR Josh Gordon.

He comes to the team with all of his issues. He has the chance of a lifetime to resurrect his career.

His talent is so immense. He lead the league in receiving in 2013, but has played 11 games since then.

There is no guarantee that he will do anything to help the team.

Maybe In December

The Pats lost to the Jaguars 31-20 today and now have of record of 1-1. What does that mean in the overall season?

It was not a good day on the road for the Pats.

It might happen again this season.

Good Start To His Career

Jets QB Sam Darnold had a good start last Monday night against the Lions. He had a line of 16/21 for 198 yards with two TD's and one interception.

Fans were excited about the 48-17 win, but they need to pump the brakes as it was over the Lions.

The Jets face the Dolphins tomorrow at home. He needs to have another good game and build on that.

Thursday Night Nonsense.

Boston College is now 3-0 after beating Wake Forest last night. They have a great start on their way to a bowl game.

I'm not a big fan of Thursday night games after playing on the previous Saturday. It's an extra day of rest and practice compared to the NFL, but the only reason games are played is because of the money.

College rosters are so much bigger which allows more players to be rotated onto the field. Most teams play their starters unless the score gets out of hand.

I still think it's a bad idea.

Sign of the Week

Every team in the NFL is tweaking their bottom five roster spots. The Pats signed three players today and will continue to have roster moves throughout the season.

It's like a big revolving door for those bottom five and practice squad slots. So many great stories will come from this.

The Life of Riley

Pats WR Riley McCarron found out how one mistake can derail a career in the NFL. He muffed a punt in the Pats win over the Texans and was released the next day. Nobody has picked him up so far.

What will happen to him? Will the Pats resign him at some point? Is their dialogue between them? Coach Belichick remarked that it was a good lesson for McCarron.

As BB would say: "It's all about ball security".

The Worst Field

The Oakland Raiders have one of the worst stadium situations in the NFL. It's easy to see why they moved to Las Vegas when the city agreed to help finance a stadium. That was never going to happen in Oakland.

I don't believe in any public subsidy of a sports stadium or arena. Oakland was left with a "take it or leave it" situation.

The Oakland Coliseum is the worst place to play a game. Their match tonight against the Rams on Monday Night Football was played on a field that has the outline of the baseball diamond of the Oakland A's.

Raider fans deserve better than this. Team ownership could have done a better job in trying to get a stadium built in Oakland.

The Start of 2018

The Pats won today against the Texans to open the season, but sports talk radio will go negative this week.

There were many mistakes in their win. It wasn't perfect. They turned the ball over twice. That's never a good sign.

How will this season end?

Traditional Mismatch

College football has so many great rivalries. Some of them eventually end because the teams have gone in different directions. It's nice to get together one more time.

We saw that today with Boston College and Holy Cross when they had their ultimate mismatch. Holy Cross was able to keep the score at 62-14. It could have been a lot worse.

Like any other Division 1 school, BC is hoping to get seven wins which will lead to a bowl bid.

They key is to get some easy wins which every team does to help their win/loss record.

Sam's First Record

It's hard to believe that QB Drew Bledsoe made his debut with the Pats 25 years ago this week in a loss to the Bills.

At the time, he was the youngest starting NFL quarterback ever at the age of 21 years and 203 days. He went on to have a great career.

When the Jets open on Sunday against the Lions, Sam Darnold will be the youngest ever at 21 years and 97 days.

This will be his first record. Hopefully, he will have many with the Jets.

You never know with draft picks.

Pats Now Lions

When Mike Patricia left the Pats to become head coach with the Lions, it was inevitable that some former players from Foxborough would end up on the roster.

That has certainly happened after signing John Atkins, Eric Lee and Marquis Flowers once they were released in the final roster cut. They joined Matt Cassel, Ricky Jean Francois and Tavon Wilson who were already with the Lions.

It's a good sign when former players sign with another team. It means the Pats have good depth and competition for every roster spot.

No Experience Needed

Giants QB Alex Tanney is one of the luckiest players in the NFL. He remains the backup to Eli Manning after the team released Davis Webb, a third round pick from last year who was expected to be part of their future.

Tanney has quite a story after entering the league in 2012 as an undrafted free agent. He set the all-time Division III passing record with 14,249 yards while at Monmouth.

He had stops with the Chiefs, Cowboys, Browns, Buccaneers, Bills, Colts and Titans before hooking up with the Giants.

His only playing time was one game with the Titans that closed out a 3-16 season.

The Giants are taking a risk with him and Kyle Lauletta as the options if Manning gets hurt.

Brandon Bolden

Many fans thought the Pats would resign RB Brandon Bolden like they did last year when they released him in the final cutdown.

It didn't happen this time as he signed with the Dolphins. This might be a good career move for him.

He fought his way onto the Pats roster in 2012 after being undrafted and excelled on special teams. He always produced when given a chance to run or catch the ball.

His playing time might increase with the Dolphins. Once he got cut for the second time, it was time to move on.

Who Starts

I don't understand why some teams have such a hard time in naming their starting quarterback.

Any team with this type of situation is probably not going to the playoffs.

It's easy to see why teams have concerns with their quarterback.

Names To Forget

Just because a player made the 53 man roster, it's not guaranteed that they will collect a game check for next Sunday's game against the Texans.

Coach Belichick has always tweaked the bottom five roster spots going into the season.

More names will come and go.

More Moves

It's hard to comprehend all of the personnel actions around the league on NFL cutdown day. Some of the names being released are quite shocking, but that is life in the NFL.

Whatever roster the Pats have after signing their practice squad tomorrow will not be the one that starts the season.

Fans are looking forward to the next moves by Coach Belichick.

Moving Jordan

It looks like the Pats were going to cut safety Jordan Richards. Instead, they traded him to the Falcons for a conditional seventh round pick.

Does this put Richards in a better spot? He is now with a team that was willing to trade for him, but still needs to make their roster.

Will this help the chances of Jason McCourty? We will know after 4pm tomorrow.

Career Finale For Some

Tonight is the final preseason game for NFL teams. Most teams will rest their starters and other players. For many, it's their last chance to make an impression on the coaching staff or scouts from other teams.

No matter what, careers will end tonight for many players. They have played their last football game. Many will ty to keep their dream alive, but it won't happen.

A Good Trade For All

It didn't look like the Jets would keep three quarterbacks on their roster. They traded Teddy Bridgewater and a sixth round draft pick to the Saints for their third round pick next year.

Bridgewater will be the backup to Drew Brees. It might be a short term relationship as he is only signed through this season. His $5 million salary made sense for the Saints, but Bridgewater has a host of health concerns with his knees.

It's great opportunity for Bridgewater as he was stuck behind Sam Darnold and Josh McGown.











































heBridewater is a low risk with his $5 million salary, but his knee injuries might temper the interest of the Saints

Dollars For Dez

Giants WR Dez Bryant finally got his money with a 5 year/$95 million contract. The team has really tied their future to him with such a huge financial commitment.

How will this deal work out? They have given him a ton of guaranteed money. Will he see this contract to the end? What will his level of play be?

He said he wants to win another championship and make the Hall of Fame.

It will be an interesting run.

Eric Decker

The end came yesterday for WR Eric Decker when he announced his retirement from the Pats.

His recent play in preseason games sealed his fate. He was facing an uphill battle to make the roster. He made his last stand in Foxborough.

In his retirement announcement, he acknowledged that it was over and time to move on with his life.

During his eight seasons with the Broncos, Jets and Titans, he had 439 receptions for 5,816 yards and 74 TD's.

Unemloyment Week

This is a big week in the NFL for coaches and players. The 53 man roster will be released on Saturday.

The plan calls for 1,184 players to be without a job. There are 320 practice squad spots available, but not everyone qualifies.

The Pats are no different than any other team. Some very tough decisions will need to be made.

UMass Wins

UMass finally piled up points on a team when they beat Duquesne 63-15 today. They had a 21-0 lead early in the first quarter and never let up. Coach Mark Whipple kept the offense going full-throttle.

I don't blame him for doing that. Over the last five seasons, UMass has a 15-45 record. It must have felt nice to be on the other end finally.

They will have their hands full next week when they travel to Boston College. It would be a huge win for the program if they could stage an upset.

Try Not To Lose Anyone

The Pats will plays the Panthers in their third preseason game tonight. This game is always considered the marque one of the four.

At this point, they need to get back to Foxborough without losing anyone else for the season.

It was very unfortunate that rookie first round pick OL Isaiah Wynn ruptured his Achilles tendon during the second series of last week's win over the Eagles.

Teams lose players every year. It happened to Julian Edelman a year ago. The goal is to not lose more.

The Downward Spiral

Former OL Richie Incognito is a textbook example of a player having mental health issues. He was arrested at a funeral home in Scottsdale, Arizona while making arrangements for services of his father.

He became verbally abusive to employees with threats and started to kick funeral caskets. When the police showed up, they found six guns and a silencer in his car.

He was recently held for a psychological evaluation after throwing a weight at a person at a gym.

The former Bills, Dolphins and Rams player has certainly had a controversial career. His latest actions seem like he is unraveling.

Does he have aggression caused by CTE? Hopefully, he gets the help he really needs.

Kenny Britt & More

WR Kenny Britt was released today by the Pats. It was not unexpected as he has not been able to practice because of a hamstring issue suffered in June's mandatory mini-camp.

He joins joins Jordan Matthews and Malcolm Mitchell who have been released, in spite of depth issues at the position. Their early release gives them the opportunity to sign with another team, but what are their chances?

The team has several young receivers on the depth chart. They are raw, but have talent. Is it enough to make it?

Whatever 53 man roster we see on cutdown day, will not be the one that opens the season.

The End For Victor Cruz

WR Victor Cruz found out last season that he was done. He just never announced it. Injuries betrayed him and robbed him of his career.

He fought his way onto the Giants roster in 2010 after they signed him as an undrafted free agent.They released him after the 2016 season because he would not take a pay cut. He signed with the Bears for 2017, but was released.

He was always great with the media and it has paid off. He will now be an analyst for ESPN. His future is very bright.

His signature salsa dance will always be remembered. In 70 games, he had 303 receptions for 4,549 yards and 25 TD's. He was 2nd team All-Pro in 2011 and made the Pro Bowl in 2012.

He also helped the Giants beat the Pats in Super Bowl XLVI.

Who Starts For The Jets?

Leave it to the New York Jets to have a quarterback logjam with first round pick Sam Darnold, veteran Josh McGown and the returning Teddy Bridgewater.

They could keep all three at the expense of a roster spot. There is talk of trading Bridgewater, but is there a market out there for a guy who missed two seasons from knee injuries after a brilliant rookie start to his career?

The Jets front office has a lot running on Darnold. He is the man and the future that fans are lead to believe. Whoever plays quarterback for the Jets will be on a short leash.

Making the playoffs is so critical.

Hogan Dollars

WR Chris Hogan is in the final year of his 3 year/$12 million contract. Things have worked out well for him and the Pats.

The team is trying to sign him to an extension, but they are far apart. At his age, he probably won't have another chance at a big contract.

Will he go the route of Danny Amendola? He needs to be careful because some players price themselves out of the league.

It's Not The Super Bowl

It's foolish for fans to think that tonight's game between the Pats and Eagles is anything other than a preseason match.

The Super Bowl win for the Eagles is way in the past. Many players on both teams were not part of it.

The only thing that both teams can do is to look forward to improvement in all phases of the game.

Their Time In The Apple

New York Jets and Giants fans have the opportunity now to watch a rookie who might be the savior of their franchise.

Nobody knows how the season of QB Sam Darnold or RB Saquon Barkley will play out.

They draw a lot of attention and have so much potential ahead of them.

Through 2020

There are many who refuse to believe anything that Tom Brady says. Based on his latest interview, it sounds like he wants to play at least two more seasons after this one.

He is very aware of his football mortality. All he can do is to keep going forward and see how it plays out.

Manziel 2

Johnny Manziel had another chance to start at QB for the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL.

He lead them to a 24-17 defeat against the Ottawa Redblacks with a line of 16 of 26 for 168 yards. Ran the ball 3 times for 36 yards.

Did he impress any NFL team?

They Want Him Paid

Boston sports radio talk shows are starting to sound stupid with their comments about Tom Brady's pending new contract.

They won't be happy until he is the highest paid quarterback in the NFL and gets the last dollar from the Krafts.

Brady seems to have no issues with this deal. Isn't that good enough?

Players Won't Have Jobs

Every team is dealing with roster issues, whether to keep or release. The preseason games mean something.

It's impossible to predict the final 53 man roster and practice squad for any team.

Coach Belichick will continue to make roster moves throughout the season in the best interest of the team.

A Little Bit of Luck

Preseason games have so many story lines. Colts QB Andrew Luck finally made it back to play after 585 days.

Issues with his shoulder have sidelined him since the end of the 2016 season.

It remains to be seen whether he continues to make the progress he needs to show, but it was a big first step.

Preseason 2018

The preseason finally starts tonight when the Pats play the Redskins. The goal is to walk away from the game without any major injuries on either side.

Some of the new rules will be very confusing for players and fans.

How will the new kickoff rules work? Will the referees make correct decisions on what is or isn't a catch? I think new rule about lowering one's head will be very confusing for everyone.

Hopefully, it gets better after four games.

Speculating Nonsense

The newest thing for Boston sports talk radio is to speculate whether Tom Brady has an issue with his arm.

They base it on observing him shaking his arm at practice and throwing the ball less. The fact that he skipped OTA's is now a concern according to them.

We will never know if he has an issue. Everything will be on display once the regular season starts.

With Help From Sony

The knee injury to rookie RB Sony Michel gives Jeremy Hill and Mike Gillislee an opportunity to make the team.

He will miss the rest of training camp and possibly several regular season games. The team will need to make a hard decision on what to do with his roster spot.

Players don't want to see their teammates get hurt, but injuries help keep the careers of others alive.

Malcolm Mitchell

The Pats drafted WR Malcolm Mitchell in the 4th round of the 2016 draft. He had a great rookie season.

It all came to an end today when the team released him because of his ongoing knee injuries. He has not been on the field since his great game in the Pats last Super Bowl win.

He missed all of last year while on Injured Reserve for his knee. They will have some type of financial injury settlement with him.

Will some team take a chance on him? No matter what happens, he has done well for himself with his book that advocates for kids to read at a young age.

Johnny Throws To The Other Team

QB Johnny Manziel finally got back onto the field when he lead the Montreal Alouettes to a 50-11 defeat against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

It was a disaster from the beginning. He threw four interceptions in the first half before being pulled during the third quarter.

His final line of 11/20 for 104 yards will not help his chances of making it back to the NFL.

Try To Make Money

I went to a game for the Massachusetts Pirates tonight in the National Arena Football League. It was very entertaining and a good product on the field.

I just wonder how they can be a viable business financially. Only about 1,500 fans were in the stands. There is a certain amount of overhead just to play the game.

They have a lot of sponsors listed in their program, but that can only get you so far.

Roster 2018

Fans don't know how the final roster is made. A great amount of thought is put into the final decision. We never know how it plays out. The roster is very fluid.

No Action For Him

I really think WR Dez Bryant over-estimated his worth on the free agent market. He turned down a 3 year/$21 million offer from the Ravens. He wanted a one year deal with the hope of cashing in during 2019 free agency.

Nothing has worked out for him. His time in Dallas is not ending well with his war on social media.

I think teams are looking for a cheaper and younger solution for receivers. He might have options once the season starts and players get hurt.

A Chance To Show

Pats WR Jordan Matthews looked like a sure bet to make the roster, especially in light of the four game suspension for Julian Edelman.

He suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp which resulted him being released today. It opens the door for others. Eric Decker stopped by for a meeting and workout with the coaching staff.

As players get injured, it provides an opportunity for a player who might not have many options.

Safe Kicks

The new rules for the kickoff are hard to follow. Players and coaches are trying to get clarification. I'm sure there will be issues in the preseason games.

I understand the concern over the high rate of concussions on this play. Nobody wants to see anyone get hurt.

It's a very exciting play for the fans. The leagues must find a way to make it safer while keeping it an important part of the game.

Millions of Reasons To Stay

We always hear rumors of Alabama coach Nick Saban returning to the NFL. Why would he ever do that with the deal he has?

He just got another contract extension through 2025 which will pay him $7.5 million annually, in addition to regular bonuses of $400,000.

He has a system in place that has resulted in five National Championships and a record of 132-20. There is no reason to leave.

Don't Ask About Alex

Tom Brady abruptly ended his press conference yesterday when he was asked about Julian Edelman's suspension and a link to his personal trainer Alex Guerrero.

It won't be the last time the question is asked. I think he will react the same way each time. He has no plans to talk about it.

Odell Is Boring

There is too much time spent on discussing a new contract for Odell Beckham Jr. He wants to be the highest paid offensive player other than quarterbacks.

The Giants have him on their books for $8.4 million for 2018. Why don't they see how the season starts for him? He is coming back from a major injury.

Odell is lucky that he has people in the media advocating for him.

Day 2 of Camp

I attended Day 2 of training camp for the Pats. The place was packed on a hot and humid day. Players went through drills for over two hours. So many different things were happening on the field.

It's a very exciting time of the year. The roster will be fluid. Players will come and go. Many decisions will need to be made that will impact careers one way or other.

How To Waste Money

NFL players have no problems squandering their money on things they show off with.

Steelers WR Antonio Brown was a great example when he arrived at training camp in a helicopter with his three kids and girlfriend.

He earns a ton of money and can do what he wants with it, but the league has a horrible history of players going through all of their cash before they are 40.

Not Giving Any Answer

Coach Belichick held his first press conference today before the start of practices tomorrow.

As usual, he was asked about Malcolm Butler and his decision not to play him in the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles.

It was inevitable that the question would be asked, but the answer remains the same.

He is moving on to the 2018 season. There is nothing anyone can ever do that will make him answer that question.

Packing Profits

The Green Bay Packers released their annual financial statement as a publicly held company.

Their profits fell by 50% as the team missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Their share of the annual $8 billion broadcast revenue was $225 million.

In spite of the steep drop in profit, they still finished $34.1 million on the positive side.

Two things are consistent with NFL teams: they all make money and their overall value increases every year no matter what.

Manziel Moving

Johnny Manziel has seen little playing time in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. He caught a break when he was traded to the Montreal Alouettes involving several players.

He will be reunited with Coach Mike Sherman who recruited him to Texas A&M. He has a coach and team that wants him. He needs to make the most of this opportunity.

Darrelle Revis

Darrelle Revis decided to retire before the decision was made for him. He was starting to show his age over the last two seasons. Teams were no longer afraid to throw the ball his way.

He leaves the game with Hall of Fame credentials. Revis Island was one of the all time best during his prime.

Unfortunately, time caught up with him as it does with every player.

Camp 2018

Tomorrow is the day for Pats rookies to report to training camp. This is the first day of their NFL career.

They all bring a different story of how they got there. It will be unique to each of them.

Some will have a very productive career. Others will stick around until their NFL life has been used up because they can be replaced by a cheaper rookie.

For many players, this is the final stop in their football career. They just don't know that yet.

Beach of Brady

Tom Brady took a lot of comments today on social media after pictures were posted of him and his wife on a beach in Costa Rica. They were saying he had a "dad's body".

We shall see where this leads to. Brady was never a big guy with a lot of muscle. I think people were expecting him to have a different body.

More T.O. Time

I would love to see Terrell Owens play in the NFL again or the CFL if he chooses that route. He has a lot to offer to a team. Will it ever happen? I don't think so.

He is saying all the right things and keeping the decision to himself.

Cash For Cooks

Former Pats WR Brandin Cooks cashed in with the Rams after signing a 5 year/ $80 million contract. He was never going to get that type of money to stay in Foxborough.

When the Pats traded him, it worked out great for everyone involved. It remains to be seen how much of the money he will ever collect.

Incidental Trauma

The NFL is trying to make the game safer by eliminating leading with one's head. Penalties will be called, except when it comes to "incidental" contact.

The stakes are high. A deliberate hit will result in player ejection. The "incidental" contact aspect will give the referees some breathing room on calling penalties. That works best for all.

Demarco Murray

Demarco Murray has reached the end of the line after he announced his retirement at the age of 30. Time caught up to the former 2014 Offensive Player of The Year.

He had some great seasons with the Cowboys before he left for the Eagles. It was the beginning of the end.

He put up some very respectable numbers, but in the end, the NFL just used him up.

A Time To Skip

It's crazy to think that Terrell Owens will not be at his Hall of Fame induction. He has chosen to skip the day and celebrate it at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The Hall has decided to avoid talking about him at the ceremony. His name will be mentioned, but that's all.

He has a right to do whatever he wants, but what motivates him to skip such a special day in his life?

Gronk Rumors

The trade rumors continue to stay alive when it comes to Rob Gronkowski. He is looking for a new contract and the only way to get it might be from another team.

The Pats would never get a good value for him. He is almost impossible to replace in the offense.

The game has taken a toll on his body. One must wonder how many years he has left.

The Odd Couple

Twenty years ago, nobody ever would have thought that Randy Moss could mentor anyone. Here we are after all these years and he is trying to help Bucs QB Jamis Winston who is under a three game suspension.

How will this work out? Winston burst into the league with a lot of potential and off the field baggage. It has come back to haunt him with his latest actions.

Randy did his misdeeds in another time. Hopefully, he can impart his wisdom of being around the NFL for so many years.

Grievance Time

I don't understand why the NFL owners never worked with the players over the new policy regarding the National Anthem. It was only a matter of time before the Players Association filed a grievance over the new policy.

They should have known this would happen. Now they can fight it out in public.

No Rush For OBJ

Too much ink has been dedicated to whether the Giants will give Odell Beckham Jr. a big contract. It gets boring very quickly with him.

He needs to play through this season and then see what happens. The Giants would be foolish to spend a lot of money on him right now.

Snow More Fun

The NFL continues to live up to its nickname of the "No Fun League" with it's latest rule about snow on the field.

The offense will now be penalized 15 yards if they try to clear snow away to facilitate a field goal or extra point.

Teams have been doing this for years with varying degrees of success. I never thought it was a big deal. Fans enjoyed it, especially if it helped their team.

AFFL

The American Flag Football League was made for the NFL Network. The game is an interesting concept that has great potential in a time where there is no NFL action or news.

It has been billed as a safe way to play the game because the rules are meant to avoid any contact.

In the segments I watched, there was accidental contact that must have hurt. I wondered whether one player took a shot to the head. A number of players took tumbles to the ground. Inevitably, someone will tear their knee up.

Dollars For Now

When the CBA expires after the 2020 season, players should seek more guaranteed money and fewer years in their contracts.

This is the stance advocated by some. It makes a lot of sense to get the money as soon as possible.

Players rarely see all of the dollars in their contract. They might do better this way.

T.O. Doing It His Way

Terrell Owens always tried to do things his way. It didn't work out all the time, but he was his own person.

Rather than attend his Hall of Fame induction in Canton, he will give his speech at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he was a star player.

Nobody has ever skipped the induction ceremony. He has his reasons. He will certainly generate a lot of coverage of his actions.

He is stealing the spotlight once again.

Jason's Picture

Three years ago today, the life and career of Jason Pierre-Paul changed forever when he lost part of his right hand from a fireworks accident.

He posted a graphic picture of his injured hand as a reminder to people to be careful with fireworks.

In spite of his desire to help and prevent accidents, people will be injured today as a result of their actions.

Edelman's Gift

The Pats are ready to move on without WR Julian Edelman for the first four games of the season, in light of the upholding of his suspension.

Several receivers on the roster are breathing a sigh of relief because it gives Coach Belichick more flexibility. Things might change when Edelman comes back, but he is keeping someone's career alive by not being on the team.

The End For Kam Chancellor

Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor is a great example of how one play can end a career. He suffered a neck injury last season in Week 10 during a game against the Cardinals. He ended up missing the rest of the season.

Chancellor has been told that he risks paralysis if he continues to play. By making his announcement, it appears that he will not be medically cleared to play. As a result, his salaries of $6.2 million and $5.2 million will be fully guaranteed in 2018 and 2019.

In his statement, he said that this was not the way he wanted his career to end.

No Team For Dez

WR Dez Bryant is still is waiting for a team to sign him. At this point, he is looking for a one year contract as a chance to perform and set himself up for a long term deal.

Will this work out in his favor? Is any team even interested in him?

Johnny On The Bench

QB Johnny Manziel has been trying to resurrect his NFL career by playing for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL.

After three regular season games, Manziel has yet to see any action. He remains on the bench as a backup.

How will this end? Without any game action, Manziel's value to any NFL team decreases.

Worthless Apology

Bucs QB Jamis Winston has cut a deal with the NFL to only get a three game suspension for his event with a female Uber driver. The league realized that it would probably lose in court, in light of the Ezekiel Elliot issue last year.

Winston owes the victim a sincere apology over his conduct. Unfortunately, the league is mandating it as part of the agreement. He has no choice but to apologize.

I wonder how the victim feels about this.

Giant Family Issues

Players get into all sorts of trouble no matter the time of the year. Giants CB Janoris Jenkins is certainly facing a big problem afer the body of a family friend was found in a property owned by him. His brother was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter.

Where does Jenkins fit into the picture? No matter what, he will need to answer some questions from law enforcement.

Only One On Defense

The NFL Network did some great programming with it's Top 100 Players for 2017 as voted by their peers. It was not a surprise to see MVP Tom Brady top the list again.

I was surprised to see LB Von Miller as the only defensive player in the top ten. The offense always gets the credit when a team wins. Apparently, it holds true for lists like this.

No Tebow Time In Orlando

Former QB Tim Tebow continues with his attempt to make it to the big league with the New York Mets. If it wasn't for his name, he wouldn't have a chance at baseball. His journey continues.

He recently turned down an offer to join the Orlando franchise in the new Alliance of American Football. Coach Steve Spurrier reached out to him to gauge his interest.

Both agreed that Tebow should keep pursuing baseball. It's probably his best option as most think that all doors to the NFL are closed.

Jameis Time

Tampa Bay Bucs QB Jameis Winston has created a mess for himself with the latest criminal allegations involving him and a female Uber driver.

The team faces a major decision whether to let the 2018 season play out and make a decision before March to pick up his fifth year option at $20.9 million.

They could be on the hook for his full 2019 salary if they keep him for this season and gets hurt.

If he suffers a season ending injury, Winston must pass a physical in March 2019 or the money becomes fully guaranteed.

The team would be better off if they just release him now and move on.

Erik Kramer

The life of former QB Erik Kramer is really spiraling out of control with his latest incident. He was arrested the other day on a domestic violence charge involving his former wife.

Life after the NFL has been tough for Kramer who lasted 13 seasons from 1987 through 1999 with the Falcons, Lions, Bears and Chargers.

He has suffered from depression, most likely caused by head injuries suffered while playing. He tried to commit suicide in 2015 by shooting himself in the head.

His former wife said it's caused from concussions. He probably suffers from CTE.

The Trashers

The NFL Network had a program with their Top 10 Trash Talkers.

NFL Films does such a great job putting mics on players and coaches. They reveal the real passion and intensity of the game.

Former Pats WR Randy Moss was rated #3. He had a lot of great lines. It's very difficult to rank players on anything.

They Can Be Friends

Writers try to stir things up, even when the facts might not be true. I saw that in a story saying the Falcons should be concerned that WR Julio Jones is spending time with Terrell Owens.

The writer said that the team should be leery of such a friendship, in light of some of the selfish things T.O. did as a player.

Jones is old enough to make his own decisions. The writer was purely speculating. Who knows what really happens?

Six Wins To Go

The number of college bowl games continues to grow. As a result, teams with .500 records are playing in meaningless games. On the other hand, it means television money for the participating schools and more donations from alumni.

The Pac-12 will now be requiring teams to have at least six wins in order to play in a bowl. This came as a result of teams with 5-7 records becoming eligible.

Teams with losing records only show what a joke the entire system is. The games are not about to go away, but fans deserve to see the best teams out there.

Cash For Gash

Why do former players sell their championship rings and other personal items? Do they need money and can't get it any other way or have they decided that the item has outlived its usefulness?

Former Pats RB Sam Gash is selling his rings from his time with them when they won the 1996 AFC Championship game, but lost to the Packers in the Super Bowl.

Gash left the team after the season and finally won a Super Bowl in 2000 with the Ravens before ending his career with the Bills.

Not Really Brady News

Tom Brady did an interview with Oprah Winfrey where they discussed a number of topics.

I don't think it's any big revelation that he said the end of his career is sooner rather than later. At his age, he is really playing year to year.

He is entering the unknown.

Getting Hacked

Some players get drafted to the wrong team and never get a chance to show their skills. The Jets selected QB Christian Hackenberg with the 51st overall pick in the 2016 draft.

It just never went well for Hackenberg. He never appeared in a regular season game and was only active for five.

Before the recent draft, he was traded to the Raiders for a conditional seventh round pick. That's all off the table now after he was cut.

Hackenberg's only hope is to get invited to a training camp by some team.

A Bit of Luck

Colts QB Andrew luck is finally throwing a football for the first time since his shoulders surgery 17 months ago. He faces a long road to get back on the field.

The ball was smaller than the ones used in the NFL, but it's a positive step even if his throws were only 20 yards.

Can the Colts depend upon him to be the starter? This will all play out during training camp.

Who Moves Next?

Was Rob Gronkowski ever offered in a trade before this year's draft? Rumors say the team made calls three days before. He met with Coach Belichick the next day and declared his intention to play this season.

Owner Robert Kraft tried to squash all the rumors. There might be some truth to some of it. Fans will never know. Does it really matter?

Gronk is on the team and showed up at minicamp. He wants more money. Nobody can really blame him.

It's a big chess game right now. Hopefully, it all works out.

Malcolm's Cause

Pats WR Malcolm Mitchell missed last season with a knee injury after a successful rookie year. The team has a lot of depth at the position. His roster spot isn't guaranteed.

No matter what happens in the future, he has already carved a second career as an advocate for reading. He has visited a number of schools to promote his passion and distribute copies of his children's book, "The Magicians Hat".

Numerous corporate sponsors are behind him. He has a great opportunity to make this a lifetime endeavor.

More Strange Events In Foxborough

It continues to get more bizarre with the Pats. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski continue to skip the team's voluntary OTA's.

The latest report on Julian Edelman's suspension for PED's is strange. Whatever they found in him is not on the list of banned substances. He might be taking something that the league is trying to put on the banned list.

This is all shaping up to be one strange season.

T.O. Not Going

Terrell Owens still must be angry that it took him three tries to get into the Hall of Fame. He was bypassed by the selection committee, in spite of being 2nd in career yards (15,934) 3rd in TD receptions (153) and 8th in catches (1,078).

He has decided to bypass the induction ceremony in August. Former 49er's teammate Steve Young has asked him to reconsider because it might cause big damage to his relationship with the Hall.

T.O. has already said that he plans to celebrate the day elsewhere. That is his choice, but he is taking a very hard stance with his feelings.

Dwight Clark

The 49er's and the NFL lost one of its icons last week when Dwight Clark died of ALS at the age of 61. His illness was fast and aggressive.

A local Bay area newspaper did a revealing story of three players from the 1964 team who died of ALS in the 1980's.

Was CTE resent in any of their brains? I haven't read anything to indicate that Clark's brain will be donated for research.

I think there is a likelihood that concussions played a role in the demise of all of them.

Strange Foxborough Stories

Things are getting really strange in Foxborough during the team's mandatory OTA. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowksi finally showed up after missing the optional OTA's.

Yesterday, Julian Edeleman was hit with a four game suspension for using PED's. Today, there was a wild story that the team was trading Gronk, but the deal was suddenly pulled.

Was this a real story? The same source that broke Edelman's suspension was also the source of the Gronk story.

We are probably only seeing the beginning of many strange stories this summer.

Here's Johnny

Johnny Manziel finally made it back on to the football field after 887 days. He played 22 snaps in his CFL debut.

His Hamilton Tiger Cats lost 36-18 to the Toronto Argonauts. He entered the game late in the second quarter. He was 9/20 for 80 yards, while running the ball twice for ten yards.

It's important for him to get good game film. He will get more opportunities than other players because of who he is.

He has a long journey to get back to the NFL.

Gronk Getting Closer

Rob Gronkowski made some good points about feeling healthy in the NFL. It has been tough for him to stay on the field throughout his career.

The Pats should give him a very heavy incentive laden contract for at least three years. They should restructure it so he gets money now. He might not be playing in three years.

The need to work it within the salary cap so it doesn't hurt them in the future.

As The Pats Turn

Boston sports talk shows are becoming boring with all of their conspiracy talk about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

How will they react to the team's first mandatory OTA? The Brady and Belichick drama will take another turn tomorrow.

Gronk In Town

Fans should be so pleased that Gronk will be at the Pats mandatory OTA's on Tuesday. There is so much drama with him and Tom Brady.

Everyone has their own ideas how this will work out.

Tom's Week

The media made a big deal of Tom Brady throwing passes at his annual Best Buddies flag football charity event held at Harvard. Everyone will be buzzing when he shows up to the team's first mandatory OTA next week.

Will he speak to the media? Everyone will be looking at his dynamics with Coach Belichick.

Nobody really knows what is going on with their relationship. There is so much speculation. It's laughable at times.

Keeping Two or Three

What will be the status of 7th round pick QB Danny Etling of Louisville? Coach Belichick places great importance on every roster spot.

Will the team carry three quarterbacks? Who will be the backup to Tom Brady? The team has great confidence in veteran Brian Hoyer who is in his second stint with the team.

Many important decisions will be made before the opening of the season.

Reggie Decided To Retire

Some players on the Eagles are wasting time discussing whether it's fun to play for the Pats. It was reported that former Colts WR Reggie Wayne abruptly retired after a few days at the Pats training camp when he was signed as a free agent.

During an interview on the NFL Network, he said he realized his career was over and decided to retire on his own.

Coach Belichick was asked about whether players have fun. His response was typical when he said their only goal is to win games.

This story is getting more life than it should.

Is It Over For RGIII?

The career of Robert Griffin III started on a high note six years ago, but injuries have taken their toll.

He is now fighting for a spot on the Ravens. Joe Flacco and first round pick Lamar Jackson are locks on the roster.

Where does this leave RGIII? Will he even be on a team this year?

Marsh Talk

Former Pats DE Cassius Marsh had no problem trashing the Pats from his spot on the 49er's. He said he hated all of his time there after being traded by the Seahawks last season.

He claims that he asked for his release before he was signed by the 49er's because his playing skills were not being used properly. He was so disgusted that he thought of leaving the game.

His comments certainly went viral and made him a social media and internet star.

In the end, they don't matter to Coach Belichick. Marsh is gone and is having success with the 49er's. That is the only thing that matters.

Joe Namath

It's hard to believe that Joe Namath turns 75 on Thursday. What a life he had lead. His impact on the NFL can never be fully measured.

His impact on pop culture in the 60's and 70's was immense. His guarantee of a win in Super Bowl III was one for the ages.

He seems to be in good health, based on a recent interview. He is one of the legends of the game.

Some Won't Stand

The NFL owners attempted to come up with a policy that addressed the issue of standing for the National Anthem.

If players don't want to stand, they can stay in the locker room until the start of the game. Whenever a player chooses to kneel, the team will be fined. It will be up to each team to set their own policy about
the fines.

This will only open another can of worms. Owners failed to negotiate this item with the NFLPA, unlike the NBA which doesn't have this problem.

One could bet money that it will happen during the first week of the regular season if it doesn't start sooner in the pre-season.

The Inevitable ACL Injury

The NFL Network mentioned that a third player has been lost for the season due to an ACL tear which happened during OTA's. Season ending injuries are a fact of life in the NFL. It happens every year according to reports.

The story went on to mention that 20 players suffered ACL tears last year before the first regular season game was even played. It will happen throughout the league.

The Pats lost Julian Edelman and Derrick Rivers last year. Who will it be this season?

The Kraft Spin

Pats owner Robert Kraft is trying to keep all parties happy in light of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski being absent from the OTA's. He said it was an excellent opportunity for other players to get snaps and improve their skills.

He referred to the issue as "Quality Depth Management". This sounds like typical corporate jargon, but there is not much else he can say.

OTA Drama

Boston sports talk radio is going to focus on the latest events at the Pats OTA's. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were both absent, but were seen going to the TB12 facility at Patriot Place.

This will only stir the conspiracy theories over what is happening between Brady and Belichick.

At some point, owner Robert Kraft needs to step in. Opening his wallet would be a big step.

Missing Players

The Pats started another phase of their OTA's today involving passing drills, 7 on 7's and 11 on 11's. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were both absent.

This is all about money and their contracts. They are playing their cards close to the vest. Neither wants to look like they are money grabbing, but they are dissatisfied with their current situation.

How will the team react? Who will be the first to make a step?

Johnny Manziel Gets Another Chance

No matter what happens, Jonny Manziel can never say he didn't get a chance to make it back to the NFL.

His latest opportunity came when he signed a contract with the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL. He will compete with QB Jeremiah Masoli for the starting job. His $122,000 salary is a far cry for his NFL days, but that is the reality of his situation.

Coach June Jones said that Manziel will not be guaranteed anything and will need to compete for the job and make the roster.

It Was Edelman

I saw an interesting post from a writer who listed the most overrated player on each NFL team. I was surprised to see that he picked Julian Edeleman for the Pats.

He based this on him playing slot receiver in an offense lead by Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady. He claims that anyone could be successful in this scenario.

I don't believe this for one second. Edelman has made the most of his opportunity. Nothing was guaranteed for the former seventh round pick.

Back From The Cleveland Days

Coach Belichick is never hesitant to take a page from the past. He will be utilizing a taekwondo master to help his defensive linemen work on their hand skills.

Joe Kim has worked for ten NFL teams over the years, including the Browns from 1992-95 when Belichick was head coach.

Hall of Fame member Andre Tippett had a black belt when he played for the Pats and was a big advocate of martial arts. His results speak for themselves.

The Price Goes Up

NFL owners were smiling today when they saw the Panthers sold for $2.275 billion to David Teppen who has a net worth of $11 billion.

He is a minority owner with the Steelers and passed all the financial tests for the league when it concerns ownership.

There is a commitment on his part to never move the team. This should work out fine.

Three Worthy Candidates

It's never easy to pick candidates for the Pats Hall of Fame. Fans who are voting have a choice of Richard Seymour, Matt Light and Mike Vrabel. All of them are worthy of induction.

Unfortunately, players from the pre-Kraft ownership era continue to be excluded from the list of finalists. There are many stars.

It's also hard to understand why Bill Parcells was not on the list this year.

Antonio Garcia Gone

The NFL career of OL Antonio Garcia never got off the ground with the Pats after they selected him last year in the third round with the 85th overall pick.

When he showed up at training camp, he developed blood clots in his lungs and was placed on the non-football/reserve list.

He lost 40 pounds as a result and was trying to get his strength back when the Pats decided to move on by releasing him.

He has another chance to make a roster after the Jets claimed him off waivers. Hopefully, things work out for him.

Older Adam

It's hard to believe that Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri began his NFL career before some of his teammates were born. He made his debut with the Pats against the Dolphins on September 1, 1996.

Last year, he had one teammate born after that date. Now, he has two more as he stays youthful at 45.

How long can he keep playing? He continues to do his job at a great level.

James & Junior

I will never believe for one moment that the great James Harrison is done with football. He doesn't need to be signed to a roster at this point. Why should he attend OTA's and training camp? He knows what to do and showed that with the Pats last season when they signed him.

He has a chance to be a part-time player like the late Junior Seau. At some point, Coach Belichick might call him late in the season.

Kurt's Dream

Hall of Fame member Kurt Warner has a new story about him trying to play again at the age of 47. He claims to have an offer to return to the NFL as a backup.

It's more like he has a contract with Hollywood to produce a story of his life that needed a better ending. His return to the NFL would be against all odds and be a great story.

Peyton's Time

We can see why Peyton Manning turned down tons of money to talk about football for the networks. He is more interested in becoming part of the Carolina Panthers future ownership.

It seems like a no-brainer for him to do this. He has a huge connection with the area.

Peyton needs to be back into the game as an owner or GM.

Antonio Gates

It looks like the great TE Antonio Gates has played his last game with the Chargers. The team has decided to move on.

Has Gates played his last NFL game? There are rumors that the Cowboys and Falcons have an interest, but does the soon to be 38 year old have anything left in the tank?

He is a stellar example of an undrafted player who had great success. The Chargers signed him out of Kent State after the 2003 draft. He went on to catch 927 balls for 11,508 yards and 114 TD's.

His production has decreased in recent years, but he is still a viable option for a team with a need.