The aging tackle still has a soft voice, still wears tie-dye T-shirts backing his Grateful Dead music and still is the long answer to the short question the Miami Dolphins need to resolve:

How did they get here?

And, by here, the idea isn’t Madrid, on Sunday, where the Dolphins play the Washington Commanders. Here is nowhere. Here is lost. ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For as cool as the moment was — for as much noise had been made thanks to Rico Dowdle’s choices on and off the field over the past two weeks — there was something unexpected about the scene Friday afternoon.

It was … quiet.

Warm, welcoming, happy. But quiet nonetheless.

Dowdle visited the Charlotte offices of the ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — This is one of those situations where everybody is a little bit wrong and a little bit right. That’s usually how it goes with conundrums. Problems with easy solutions don’t stay problems long.

A.J. Brown has been a problem for a while now. I don’t mean that in an existential sense. There is no capital P. At least, not yet...Read more

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — “I was taken out of context” ranks up there with “the dog ate my homework,” “my account was hacked,” and “Your honor, I was raised by circus clowns.”

But sometimes, it’s a valid explanation, such as this week’s hubbub over comments made by Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

The social-media furor ...Read more

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Falcons quarterback coach D.J. Williams, who talks to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. every day, saw the social media clip that mischaracterized the players’ internal support.

“I understand the world we’re in,” Williams said on Friday. “I’m at a perfect age where I was able to grow up without social media. Then...Read more

RENTON, Wash. — The last time quarterback Sam Darnold faced the Rams, he was on the wrong side of an emotional landslide. It was in the playoffs last January, when Darnold was playing for the Minnesota Vikings and the game was moved from SoFi Stadium to Arizona in the wake of the devastating wildfires.

Not only did the Rams roll to a 27-9 ...Read more

NEW YORK — Could a quarterback change finally be on the horizon for the Jets?

The Jets’ two-game losing streak came to an end on Thursday night as they lost to the AFC East-leading Patriots, 27-14. And once again, Justin Fields had another abysmal performance. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown pass.

When asked on ...Read more

Here’s a question for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross: What are you hoping to achieve in 2026 if you bring back the duo of coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa?

That’s not asked in an angry or smart-alecky tone. It’s asked in a neutral, businesslike tone.

The Dolphins can’t make ex-general manager Chris Grier the fall guy for...Read more

My wife, stepdaughter and I alternate who gets to decorate the Christmas tree every year.

Two years ago it was a celebration of Taylor Swift and her many illustrious eras.

Last year, my wife created a shrine to the seminal 1990s movie “Clueless.”

This holiday season we’re going with a 7 1/2-foot animated Chewbacca in a Santa hat. ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Every year during Andy Reid’s offseason training program, the Chiefs dedicate three separate days to analyzing and preparing for their AFC West rivals.

It’s a topic the Chiefs head coach briefly alluded to Wednesday but spoke to more specifically when I asked him about it in September 2022, before they played the ...Read more

FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots didn’t fall into a trap game on a short week.

Mike Vrabel’s squad extended their winning streak to eight games with a 27-14 win over the Jets on “Thursday Night Football.” The Patriots are now 9-2 on the season and in sole possession of first place in the AFC standings, at least until the Broncos play ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Read and react. That isn't just what Cooper Kupp does on the football field, adjusting his pass route to get open. It's what he does in his free time, too, tearing through close to two dozen books during the NFL season.

The Seattle Seahawks receiver, once a star with the Rams, is an enthusiastic reader of both nonfiction and ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson is being sued by a woman who alleges that Jackson recorded her without her consent during sex, repeatedly refused to delete the video and taunted her with it, ESPN reported.

Jackson was not available in the locker room after practice Thursday. A Rams official said the team was aware of the ESPN ...Read more

Here are my fantasy football best bets for Thursday's Week 11 matchup between the New York Jets and New England Patriots:

N.Y. JETS AT NEW ENGLAND

Obvious starters: Breece Hall (NYJ), Drake Maye (NE), Stefon Diggs (NE), Patriots D/ST.

Who to start: Mason Taylor (NYJ) deserves streaming consideration with Garrett Wilson out against a defense ...Read more

The Jets will be without their star receiver for the foreseeable future.

Garrett Wilson landed on injured reserve Thursday, meaning he will miss at least the next four games.

Wilson injured his right knee during Sunday’s win against the Browns. It is the same knee he injured during the Jets' loss to the Broncos in London that caused him to ...Read more

NEW YORK — The NFL wants the player report cards to stop.

The league filed a grievance against the NFL Players Association asking the union to stop its annual team report cards, according to ESPN, arguing that the grading system violates football’s collective bargaining agreement by airing public criticism of teams.

“We have responded to...Read more

Los Angeles Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines the matchups and makes his predictions for Week 11 of the NFL season.

All lines and over/under numbers are according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Last week, Farmer posted a 9-5 (.643) record. Through the first 10 weeks of the season, he is 97-52 (.651).

Using point spreads with the scores Farmer ...Read more

The good news first? Our solid 10-4 straight-up included nailing our Upset of the Week picks (Jets over Browns; “Aawwk!”) and a second upset with Texans over Jaguars. That makes us 4 for 4 on outright upsets the past two weeks. Also had another pair of ‘dogs-with-points last week on covers by the Dolphins vs. Buffalo and Raiders at Denver....Read more

MADRID, Spain — Mike McDaniel opens his Wednesday news conference in Madrid by asking the assembled media “¿Que tal?”

The translation of that Spanish term is “what’s up?” or “how are things?”

It might not be used much in South Florida because not every continent, region or even island speaks the same Spanish, but the intended ...Read more