SEATTLE — Just in case the Seahawks need additional motivation before Sunday’s NFC championship, famous sports writer and podcaster Bill Simmons seemingly forgot that the Seattle franchise has a Super Bowl title to its name.

If that’s not a sign that a championship ring is long overdue, then I don’t know what is.

Simmons, who is the ...Read more

DENVER — On Tuesday, LeBron James infiltrated the city of Denver. He has stayed, and will linger for at least a few days, long after the Lakers’ team plane flew back over the Rocky Mountains with a win over the Nuggets.

His digital likeness has become a beacon, now, for a Broncos fan base looking for a shred of hope in their backup ...Read more

DENVER — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s ankle surgery “went well,” according to head coach Sean Payton.

Nix had the surgery on Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala. It was performed by Dr. Norman E. Waldrop III, a foot and ankle specialist at Andrews Sports Medicine.

Payton, speaking with reporters Wednesday after Denver began its practice ...Read more

CHICAGO — Chicago Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy is set to become the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, according to an NFL Network report Wednesday. Bieniemy will resume a role he held in Kansas City from 2018-22.

Bieniemy’s stint with the Bears was brief but productive. In his lone season on coach Ben Johnson’s staff, ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Wieners Circle was more of a cathartic, broken hearts club Tuesday evening when it hosted a Caleb Williams look-alike contest as a love letter to the Chicago Bears quarterback, despite a gutting end to the season.

Men’s nails were manicured and painted in a plethora of colors.

Iced matcha lattes were a necessity.

And wired ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brandon Aiyuk’s sketchy status hovered like a dark cloud over this past 49ers’ season, and that won’t be the case next season.

“It’s safe to say he’s played his last snap with the Niners. It’s unfortunate, a situation that just went awry,” general manager John Lynch said in Wednesday’s end-of-season ...Read more

CHICAGO — Who is to blame for the overtime interception?

With the Chicago Bears driving into Los Angeles Rams territory in sudden death Sunday, the Bears needed only a field goal to win the game. On second-and-8 from the 48-yard line, quarterback Caleb Williams launched a pass deep down the right side of the field intended for receiver DJ ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The reason for league-wide interest in assistants from the Los Angeles Rams is fairly evident.

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor, Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell and Jacksonville coach Liam Coen all either jumped directly from Sean McVay's staff to their current jobs, or got their NFL start with the Rams. That's one AFC championship ...Read more

The Los Angeles Rams are not a perfect football team. They haven’t been consistent. They have strengths – and weaknesses. They’ve let games get away and they’ve just gotten by.

Absolutely, they can win the Super Bowl.

This Rams’ season – next up: Sunday’s NFC title game against the Seahawks in Seattle – isn’t a lesson in ...Read more

CHICAGO — Long, blank stares across players’ faces Sunday night in the Chicago Bears locker room at Soldier Field reflected the abrupt ending of the season.

Harrison Mevis’ 42-yard field goal in overtime propelled the Los Angeles Rams to a 20-17 victory and the NFC championship game. Fourteen hours later, Bears players were filling ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — The Harbaugh family could ruin the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ plans for an offensive coordinator.

Former MiamiDolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who met with the Bucs Friday in Tampa, Fla., is expected to become the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator barring a change of heart, according to multiple reports.

McDaniel has...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield is no fan of new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski and said Tuesday he can’t wait to play the former Browns boss, who the Bucs quarterback said ghosted him after he was traded to the Panthers in 2022.

Mayfield was responding to a post from Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter on the social...Read more

DENVER — Whichever way the Denver Broncos’ 2025 season finishes — if the coming weeks bring glory or despair — the story of the end begins in a tiny corner of a hallway inside Empower Field.

This is where Bo Nix chose to rest, finally, on Jan. 17. Slumped with his arms across his chest on the floor, still in a crumpled Broncos jersey ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Charges against Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison have been dropped following his arrest in Tampa, Fla., last week.

A “Notice of Termination of Prosecution” was issued Tuesday via the state attorney and is included in Hillsborough County Court case filings.

Addison was accused of first-degree misdemeanor ...Read more

NEW YORK — Hiring John Harbaugh doesn’t guarantee the New York Giants will win another Super Bowl soon or even turn themselves around in 2026.

But what Harbaugh did on Tuesday was offer hope that he can make this a competent, football-first operation again.

The words he used most in his first official day on the job were “work,” “...Read more

NEW YORK — Chris Mara spoke on behalf of Giants ownership Tuesday after John Harbaugh’s introductory press conference, confirming Mara’s rise to a more prominent role and influence in the organization as his brother, co-owner John Mara, battles cancer.

“I’m just helping him anyway I can,” Chris Mara said of how he has assisted John ...Read more

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — They were all there to take a good, hard, long look at him. All there to see him up close.

All there to check out who just might be their quarterback of the future. Their franchise guy.

The one who would begin the (very) long process of rebuilding.

The Las Vegas Raiders sent their A-team to the College Football Playoff...Read more

NEW YORK — Fifteen months after he was fired by the Jets, Robert Saleh is leading a franchise again.

Late on Monday night, the former Jets coach and 49ers defensive coordinator agreed to a five-year deal to become the Tennessee Titans’ new coach.

Saleh, 46, was reportedly scheduled to meet with the Cardinals about their coaching opening. ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Robert Saleh is again leaving his job as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator for an NFL head-coaching post, this time with the Tennessee Titans.

“He wanted to make sure it was right and not just any job,” Saleh’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, told the Bay Area News Group. “He felt really good where this ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — If the Pittsburgh Steelers' history of coaching searches means anything in their fourth such venture since 1969, the Rooney family has a type of coach that's made their franchise one of the most successful ones of the modern era.

Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin each came from the same background as assistant coaches of ...Read more