Happy midweek, everyone! Today’s Pick Six newsletter is brought to you by Cody Benjamin, with tidbits on all the latest from around the NFL.
Be sure to subscribe right here, to ensure you never miss a daily dose of NFL updates. And keep on reading for everything from trade buzz to quarterback rumors flowing out of the combine:
Matthew Stafford latest: Raiders in, Steelers out? getty-matthew-stafford-rams.jpg Getty Images The Los Angeles Rams are letting Matthew Stafford talk with other NFL teams amid a contract holdup, and we’re already getting an idea of which clubs are serious about trying to acquire the veteran via trade. The Pittsburgh Steelers, for example, have yet to communicate with the quarterback’s representation despite initial reports of interest, and are apparently unlikely to enter a bidding war for Stafford. The Las Vegas Raiders, on the other hand, have reportedly enlisted Tom Brady to try recruiting Stafford to Sin City.
Travis Kelce future: Chiefs star expected to return Kelce hinted after Kansas City’s Super Bowl LIX defeat that he might be ready to hang up the cleats, emphasizing the physical and mental toll of returning for another NFL season. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach all but dismissed the retirement speculation on Tuesday, however, revealing at the scouting combine that the team expects Kelce to return for 2025, the final year of the tight end’s contract.
QB rumor mill: Rodgers’ preferred landing spot getty-aaron-rodgers-jets.jpg Getty Images Here are some of the latest rumblings regarding potential quarterback moves:
Aaron Rodgers reportedly prefers to play for Rams: If Los Angeles moves on from Stafford Steelers eyeing new deal for incumbent QB: But will it be Justin Fields or Russell Wilson? Colts planning to add QB competition: For third-year youngster Anthony Richardson
Seven big names who could draw trade interest Matthew Stafford isn’t the only blockbuster talent who could be moved, or at least warrant behind-the-scenes inquiries via trade talks, during the 2025 offseason. With free agency around the corner, we identified seven notable veterans who figure to draw interest from around the NFL. Among them: a recent Super Bowl champion, plus a Pro Bowl tight end who once hit 1,000 yards as a rookie.
Eagles QB Kenny Pickett
Offloaded by the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason during the team’s quarterback overhaul, Pickett isn’t exactly a needle-mover as a potential starter. Still, at just 26, with 25 career starts under his belt, fresh off a learning season as the No. 2 for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, he could be an attractive low-risk, high-reward option for a rebuilding squad. Think the New Orleans Saints, who just hired ex-Eagles coordinator Kellen Moore. Philly also has the young Tanner McKee in tow as a reserve.
Falcons TE Kyle Pitts
A running joke in Atlanta due to his relative lack of usage since a 1,000-yard debut in 2021, the former first-round pick is precisely the kind of building block the Falcons should probably be retaining and maximizing, given Pitts is still just 24 with a wide receiver’s skill set. But if they don’t have major long-term plans for the tight end, now would be the time to collect offers, ahead of his 2025 contract season. Imagine a contender like the Eagles making a luxury upgrade at the position by pursuing his upside.
Ravens GM addresses Justin Tucker allegations justin-tucker.jpg USATSI Longtime Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is facing allegations of sexual misconduct from 16 different women, who have accused the Pro Bowler of repeatedly exposing himself at massage therapy sessions from 2012-2016. Tucker denied the initial wave of allegations — from six women — but the NFL is currently investigating the claims. And Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Tuesday that Baltimore supports the investigation, pledging to make a decision on Tucker’s future once more information is gathered.
“The allegations are serious and concerning,” DeCosta told reporters at the combine. “The amount of allegations are serious and concerning. … We’ll wait as patiently as we can for as much information as we can, and we’ll make a decision based on that. … We’re fortunate the league has come down to Baltimore. … We’ll wait for the investigation to take place, and we’ll make a decision based off of that.”
Extra points: Garrett rumors, Peters retires, more Here are some additional headlines to hold you over:
Eagles could be interested in Myles Garrett: But the Browns have deemed the star ‘unmovable’ Giants GM ‘happy’ for Saquon Barkley: But he doesn’t necessarily regret letting Barkley walk Bills extend Khalil Shakir on four-year deal: And the extension is worth up to $60 million Jason Peters retires after 21 seasons: The longtime Eagles star is joining Seattle’s front office Browns expect Nick Chubb to hit the market: The running back’s contract expires in March Bengals set to ‘reward’ Ja’Marr Chase: With an apparently record-setting new deal
The NFC was the league’s most competitive conference in NFL history in 2024. There were three teams with at least 14 wins in a single conference for the first time in a season with the NFC North champion Detroit Lions (15-2), Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) and Minnesota Vikings (14-3) all crossing that threshold.
The Eagles will look to become the first NFC champion to go back to back since the 2013-14 Seattle Seahawks, but they’ll have plenty of competition in 2025. Look no further than their own division in the NFC runner-up Washington Commanders led by 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels, who should receive plenty of reinforcements since Washington has the third-most effective cap space in the league ($75.48 , million, per OverTheCap.com). The Lions will look to reload after bringing in new offensive and defensive coordinators. The NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams will remain feisty as will the Green Bay Packers, the two teams that challenged the Eagles the most in the postseason.
Which teams will rise up to crash the playoff party from the group of teams who watched the entire postseason on the couch? Can the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers bounce back after each suffering through injury-plagued seasons? Will the Chicago Bears take a leap under new head coach Ben Johnson? Could the Seattle Seahawks fly high after getting a Shanahan tree disciple as their offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak?
With the NFL’s new league year and free agency period coming soon, here are areas where each NFC team needs to improve in order to challenge for the conference crown in 2025.
Note: Effective salary cap figures courtesy of Over The Cap. Effective cap space is defined as the space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster.
Arizona Cardinals 2024 season result: 8-9 (missed playoffs) Needs: EDGE, DT, LB, OG, WR Projected effective cap space: $72,949,735 (4th in NFL) The surface-level metrics look decent for the Arizona Cardinals: No. 12 scoring offense (23.5 points per game) and No. 15 scoring defense (22.3 points per game). However, there’s a clear deficiency in their run defense. Arizona allowed 126.4 yards rushing per game, 20th in the NFL, and 4.6 yards per carry, the eighth-most in the NFL. Veteran, proven edge rushers to replace L.J. Collier and Baron Browning, both pending free agents, and Justin Jones would help as would veteran, proven defensive tackles. Both Roy Lopez and Khyiris Tonga are set to hit the open market. Linebacker is also a need with starter Kyzir White, the team’s No. 2 leader in tackles with 137, set to enter free agency.
Offensively, Arizona could use a veteran receiver to fill out a starting trio alongside emerging 2023 third-round pick Michael Wilson and 2024 fourth overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. to give quarterback Kyler Murray another option in key moments like on third down and in the red zone.
Prisco’s Top 100 NFL free agents for 2025: Sam Darnold, Tee Higgins, D.J. Reed headline list for free agency Pete Prisco Prisco’s Top 100 NFL free agents for 2025: Sam Darnold, Tee Higgins, D.J. Reed headline list for free agency Atlanta Falcons 2024 season result: 8-9 (missed playoffs) Needs: EDGE, DT, CB, S, C, WR Projected effective cap space: -$8,392,553 (28th in NFL) Defense is the side of the football begging for the Falcons’ attention this offseason. Atlanta allowed 24.9 points per game in 2024, the 10th-most in the league, and that was mostly because of its inability to affect the opposing quarterback on passing downs. The Falcons racked up the second-fewest sacks (31.0) and produced the third-lowest quarterback pressure rate (28.6%) in the entire NFL last season. The acquisition of four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matt Judon (5.5 sacks in 17 games) at the age of 32 was a failure. Judon and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, both pending free agents, need to be replaced. Time for the Falcons to shore up their defensive front.
The secondary is also an area that needs to be addressed ASAP. Cornerback Mike Hughes is headed toward free agency as is reliable safety Justin Simmons. Plus, nickel corner Dee Alford is a restricted free agent. Atlanta fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and replaced him with former New York Jets defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, a sign the franchise is aware a defensive overhaul is required. A more dependable option at the No. 3 wide receiver spot than return man Ray-Ray McCloud would also be helpful, but it’s not a super pressing need. Re-signing center Drew Dalman, Pro Football Focus’ fourth-highest graded center (78.8 PFF offensive grade) should be a priority.
Carolina Panthers 2024 season result: 5-12 (missed playoffs) Needs: EDGE, LB, CB, DT, S, WR Projected effective cap space: $23,896,637 (19th in NFL) The Carolina Panthers’ 2024 defense was one of the worst the NFL has seen in a long time. The unit ranked dead last in the league in almost every key metric. Top defensive lineman Derrick Brown going down with a meniscus injury didn’t help, but this unit probably would’ve still struggled mightily even if he was out there. Starting a past-his-rime Jadeveon Clowney and A’Shawn Robinson along the defensive line didn’t help.
Cornerbacks Mike Jackson, a pending free agent, (70.7 passer rating against as the primary defender, 28th out of 60 players with at least 70 passes thrown their way) and Jaycee Horn (71.6 passer rating) weren’t great.
PANTHERS DEFENSE, 2024 SEASON NFL RANK PPG Allowed
31.4
Last
Total YPG
404.5
Last
Rush YPG
179.8*
Last
Yards/Play Allowed
6.0
Last
Third Down Conversion Rate Allowed
50.2%
Last
Red Zone TD Pct Allowed
65.8%
29th
QB Pressure Rate
25.2%
Last
Sacks
32
T-29th
Passer Rating Allowed
105.4
Last
Worst by team since 1987 Falcons
Carolina needs help at every level of its defense, and after addressing that, acquiring a productive, veteran wide receiver younger than Adam Thielen would greatly aid the develop of quarterback Bryce Young and wide receivers Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker.
Chicago Bears 2024 season result: 5-12 (missed playoffs) Needs: OG, C, WR, EDGE Projected effective cap space: $69,929,590 (5th in NFL) Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, had a historic rookie season since he became only the fourth rookie with over 4,000 total yards and fewer than 10 interceptions in NFL history.
However, it was also rocky year for Williams. He was sacked 68 times, tied for the third-most sacks taken in a season in NFL history. Some of that was on the Bears’ pass protection (35.4% quarterback pressure rate allowed, 18th in NFL) and some of that was on Williams, whose time to throw average of 3.13 seconds was the fourth-longest in the league. The Bears cannot let the face of the franchise get taken down 68 times or anything close to that again otherwise Williams’ career will be wasted.
Upgrading the offensive line and No. 3 wide receiver spot — 32-year-old Keenan Allen is headed to free agency — will be huge. Defensively, getting another high-caliber edge rusher opposite Montez Sweat could make Chicago’s defense a top 10 unit in points allowed in 2025.
Dallas Cowboys 2024 season result: 7-10 (missed playoffs) Needs: DT, CB, DE, RB, OG/C, WR, LB, S Projected effective cap space: -$1,714,316 (26th in NFL) The Dallas Cowboys front office needs to come to the conclusion that being the league’s lowest spender in free agency — $20.47 million spent in free agency in the 2024, per OverTheCap.com — isn’t viable approach to win football games. They have too many needs to exclusively build the team through the draft.
Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, whose 60 quarterback pressures were the second-most in the league at the defensive tackle position, needs to retained in order for new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme to work in 2025. Cornerback Trevon Diggs may not be ready for the start of the 2025 season after undergoing knee surgery late in 2024, and versatile corner Jourdan Lewis is set to become a free agent. Retaining Lewis and signing another corner for depth behind him and corner DaRon Bland is critical. Dallas’ No. 3 cornerback spot after Lewis and either Bland or Diggs — both of whom dealt with injuries last season — needs to be better addressed than throwing 2024 fifth-round pick Caelen Carson into the fire like the Cowboys did a year ago.
Running back Rico Dowdle is probably the best running back to hit the open market, and re-signing him would allow Dallas for a lot more flexibility in the 2025 NFL Draft. Future Hall of Fam right guard Zack Martin’s retirement creates a need at either right guard or center, whichever position 2024 third-round pick Cooper Beebe won’t be playing next season. New offensive line coach Conor Riley, who coached Beebe at Kansas State, admitted he and the staff will assess where Beebe will fit best along the line in 2025. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb needs a more viable No. 2 wide receiver alongside him than an aging Brandin Cooks, who will be a free agent, or Jalen Tolbert. There’s a void at linebacker with the knee injury suffered by DeMarvion Overshown and veteran Eric Kendricks hitting free agency.
If the Cowboys aren’t aggressive in free agency, the 2025 season could go a lot like the 2024 season did.
Detroit Lions 2024 season result: 15-2 (lost in divisional round vs. Washington Commanders) Needs: DE, CB, OG, WR, DT Projected effective cap space: $49,194,317 (10th in NFL) The Detroit Lions, as injury-plagued as they were along their defensive line, still had seemingly everything in place to go all the way in 2024, but five turnovers in the NFC divisional round doomed the conference’s top seed to a 45-31 defeat against the Washington Commanders.
Detroit has needed to acquire a legit edge rusher rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson for years now, and it should be their top priority in 2024. Hello Myles Garrett? The Lions were also extremely young at corner opposite CB1 Carlton Davis, who is set to hit the open market. Reinforcing that spot will be key as will retaining right guard Kevin Zeitler, who was PFF’s third-highest graded offensive guard in 2024 (86.8 PFF offensive grade). Adding a scarier No. 3 wide receiver than pending free agent Tim Patrick and depth at defensive tackle are lower rung needs, but ones certainly worth addressing.
Green Bay Packers 2024 season result: 11-6 (lost in wild-card round at Philadelphia Eagles) Needs: C, CB, LB, DT, K, DE,WR Projected effective cap space: $46,074,742 (11th in NFL) The Green Bay Packers have been the NFL’s youngest team in each of the first two seasons with Jordan Love as their starting quarterback. Both years ended with playoff losses against the eventual NFC champion. They’re close to breaking through, but they just need a few upgrades here and there to truly be a serious contender.
Center Josh Myers, a pending free agent, struggled for Green Bay this season, and they should definitely replace him. Better depth at corner is desperately needed with Jaire Alexander struggling with a knee injury all year and pending free agent corners Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine not producing consistent results. Depth at linebacker would be helpful with starter Isaiah McDuffie and key backup/special teamer Eric Wilson headed for free agency. Steady defensive tackle T.J. Slaton is set to become a free agent, and retaining him at a fair price would be nice.
Kicker Brandon McManus is set to be a free agent after providing stability at the position for the first time in Green Bay post-Mason Crosby, so it would make sense to bring him back. The Packers need more out of both Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, so perhaps acquiring a veteran edge rusher could help raise each of their levels of play. Green Bay could also use a veteran, No. 1 wide receiver if you ask Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs. Is that Davante Adams on line one?
Los Angeles Rams 2024 season result: 10-7 (lost in divisional round at Philadelphia Eagles) Needs: OT, WR, CB, DT Projected effective cap space: $41,743,695 (14th in NFL) The Los Angeles Rams were closer to wining a Super Bowl than perhaps every team in the NFL outside of the eventual Super Bowl LIX champion Eagles. Los Angeles was 13 yards away from knocking off Philadelphia on the road in the final minutes.
Retaining Alaric Jackson, their left tackle who is set to hit free agency, would be helpful, unless they can find an upgrade. Finding a more reliable No. 2 and No. 3 wide receiver with Cooper Kupp on his way out after dealing with injuries and upgrading Demarcus Robinson’s spot could help. Upgrading Ahkello Witherspoon’s starting cornerback spot with some of the strong cornerback free agents available could provide a big boost. Depth at defensive tackle could be upgraded as well.
Minnesota Vikings 2024 season result: 14-3 (lost in wild-card round at Los Angeles Rams) Needs: CB, RB, OG, S Projected effective cap space: $61,014,188 (7th in NFL) The Minnesota Vikings will likely let Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold walk in order to give way to 2024 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy. Cornerback is a critical need with both Byron Murphy Jr. and Stephon Gilmore readying to become free agents, and it wouldn’t hurt to address their safety position either with Camryn Bynum becoming a free agent and Harrison Smith being 36 years old. Running back Aaron Jones is also going to test the open market after posting career highs in rushing yards (1,138) and carries (255) in 2024. The right guard spot could stand to be upgraded with Dalton Risner becoming a free agent.
New Orleans Saints 2024 season result: 5-12 (missed playoffs) Needs: EDGE, WR, TE, CB, OG Projected effective cap space: -$52,578,803 (32nd in NFL) In order for the Saints to really get out of NFL purgatory, they’ll need to let to rip off the Band-Aid and cut a slew of veterans in order to free up cap space and let young guys develop, for better or worse, in 2025. Cameron Jordan, Taysom Hill, Demario Davis, Ryan Ramczyk and Tyran Mathieu simply don’t make sense for the Saints anymore at their respective ages and costs for a New Orleans franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2020 when Drew Brees was last in uniform.
Top Saints cap hits in 2025
QB Derek Carr ($51.5 million) DE Cameron Jordan ($20.1 million) TE Taysom Hill ($17.98 million) OL Erik McCoy ($15.5 million) LB Demario Davis ($12.5 million) OT Ryan Ramczyk ($12.33 million) OL Cesar Ruiz ($12.3 million) DE Carl Granderson ($11.73 million) S Tyrann Mathieu ($11.3 million) RB Alvin Kamara ($10.1 million) Filling the voids left by Jordan and/or Granderson following potential cuts, getting a wide receiver who can help Chris Olave out and stay healthy and upgrading at tight end are all major priorities. Figuring out if keeping cornerback Paulson Adebo is also important as is shoring up the interior of the offensive line.
New York Giants 2024 season result: 3-14 (missed playoffs) Needs: QB, OG, OT, WR, TE, CB, S Projected effective cap space: $38,752,449 (15th in NFL) The New York Giants need a new quarterback to build around after the Daniel Jones era became a failure. New York was enamored with Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders at the East-West Shrine Bowl at the end of January. It feels like the Giants will pick Sanders if he falls to them at pick No. 3 in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Step two needs to be fixing an offensive line that allowed the fifth-highest quarterback pressure rate (38.4%) in the entire league last season. After that, upgrading the supporting cast of pass catchers after Malik Nabers needs to be a priority. The Giants offense is a mess.
Philadelphia Eagles 2024 season result: 14-3 (Won Super Bowl LIX vs. Kansas City Chiefs) Needs: DE, DT, LB, OG Projected effective cap space: $19,839,825 (20th in NFL) General manager Howie Roseman has done a fantastic job building out the Eagles roster by spending big on offense and drafting well on defense. However, the bill for some of his key defenders is due with 2024 first-team All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun, edge rusher Josh Sweat and defensive lineman Milton Williams set to become free agents. Given the depth the Eagles do have on their defensive line, Baun feels like the most irreplaceable of the three, but Roseman has never spent much money on inside linebackers in the past. Right guard Mekhi Becton is also set to hit the open market after a stellar year rebuilding his career as an interior lineman, and his retention is also a key element of the Super Bowl champion’s offseason.
San Francisco 49ers 2024 season result: 6-11 (missed playoffs) Needs: LB, DT, CB, S, OG, OT Projected effective cap space: $45,661,761 (12th in NFL) The San Francisco 49ers were decimated by injury last season. Just look at this never-ending list of 49ers injuries.
Notable 49ers games missed
LB Dre Greenlaw (15) DT Javon Hargrave (14) RB Christian McCaffrey (13) S Talanoa Hufanga (10) WR Brandon Aiyuk (10) LT Trent Williams (7) CB Charvarius Ward (5) DE Nick Bosa (3) TE George Kittle (2) WR Jauan Jennings (2) QB Brock Purdy (2) WR Deebo Samuel (1) Deciding whether or not to bring back the injury-plagued Greenlaw, figuring out a new solution at defensive tackle with Hargrave entering free agency and figuring out their plan in the secondary with Ward and Hufanga hitting free agency will be key this offseason.
Seattle Seahawks 2024 season result: 10-7 (missed playoffs) Needs: OG,C, LB, DT, WR Projected effective cap space: -$9,8816,604 (29th in NFL) The Seattle Seahawks offensive line needs upgrades on the interior ASAP. Seattle allowed the third-highest quarterback pressure rate (39.4%) and the Seahawks averaged the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game in the league (95.7) in 2024. Getting that corrected will help raise quarterback Geno Smith’s level. Figuring out if they can retain Ernest Jones and upgrade Jarran Reed’s spot are also important decisions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2024 season result: 10-7 (lost in wild-card round vs. Washington Commanders) Needs: WR, LB, OG, DE Projected effective cap space: $5,266,618 (23rd in NFL) Re-signing Chris Godwin, one of the top free agent receivers this offseason, is a top priority for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as is deciding pending free agent linebacker Lavonte David’s future with the franchise. Shoring up their left guard and edge rusher spots are priorities as well.
Washington Commanders 2024 season result: 12-5 (lost in NFC Championship game at Philadelphia Eagles) Needs: WR, LB, TE, S, DE, OT Projected effective cap space: $75,480,461 (3rd in NFL) The Washington Commanders are ahead of schedule on the heels of No. 2 overall pick quarterback Jayden Daniels’ 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year campaign that ended in the NFC title game. Acquiring another high-caliber wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin could really get this offense humming. Figuring out their inside linebacker, tight end and edge rusher positions with linebacker Bobby Wagner, tight end Zach Ertz and edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. entering free agency will also be priorities.
Jaire Alexander and the Green Bay Packers are headed for a split. A week after reports indicated the team was prepared to move on from the accomplished yet oft-injured cornerback, the Packers have now begun trade conversations with other teams regarding Alexander, according to NFL Media.
The 28-year-old All-Pro has been one of Green Bay’s top players when healthy, but he’s missed at least 10 games in three of his last four seasons. Also due close to $25 million in 2025, the second-to-last year of his contract, he admitted to reporters following the 2024 campaign that he didn’t know if he’d be back in Green Bay. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst also expressed uncertainty over the corner’s future.
Where could Alexander end up, provided the Packers continue trade talks and find a reasonable offer? Here are some of the most logical landing spots for the eighth-year veteran ahead of free agency:
Note: Trade agreements can be reached anytime until the start of free agency, but they cannot be finalized until the official start of the league year (4 p.m. ET on March 12).
player headshot team logo Jaire Alexander GB • CB • #23 View Profile
Minnesota Vikings Would the Packers prefer to deal their former star inside the NFC North? Probably not. But the Vikings have pulled this before, convincing the Detroit Lions to cough up T.J. Hockenson. And if Minnesota can’t retain some of its top free agents in the secondary, including No. 1 corner Byron Murphy Jr. and emergent safety Camryn Bynum, they could pivot to give coordinator Brian Flores an even higher-upside option.
Jacksonville Jaguars They just paid big bucks to Tyson Campbell in 2024, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t in dire need of secondary reinforcements. In fact, few teams might be more motivated to pursue a proven starter at this position. They’ve also got a staff connection to Alexander, with new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile spending 2024 as the Packers’ linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
Pittsburgh Steelers The Packers and Steelers just struck a deal for Preston Smith during the 2024 season, and they have reason to reconnect here. Pittsburgh has young standout Joey Porter Jr. at corner but could still use a proven counterpart, and with more than $60 million in projected salary cap space, money wouldn’t necessarily be an issue. Alexander’s feisty play style would fit right into the Steelers’ culture.
2025 NFL mock draft: Giants trade for Matthew Stafford, select Abdul Carter; Raiders move up to No. 1 for QB Chris Trapasso 2025 NFL mock draft: Giants trade for Matthew Stafford, select Abdul Carter; Raiders move up to No. 1 for QB
Las Vegas Raiders The Raiders have an up-and-comer at corner in Jack Jones, but they’ve also got three other key defensive backs, including top cover man Nate Hobbs, set to hit free agency. So it’s clear they’ll need to address the position. The real selling point here, though, is money: Alexander isn’t cheap on his current deal, but the Raiders are projected to have the second-most salary cap space of all teams. They can afford to do it.
Atlanta Falcons Just last offseason the Falcons committed top-tier money to No. 1 corner A.J. Terrell. But Atlanta could really use a proper running mate at the position. Their cap space is tight going into free agency, but Alexander might have an incentive to restructure his deal to make it work. Not only was he born and raised on the East Coast, but the Falcons also employ Jerry Gray as assistant head coach; Gray was the Packers’ defensive backs coach during some of Alexander’s best years, from 2020-2022.
PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley just continues to get stronger as the game goes on. Once Barkley gets going, so does the Philadelphia Eagles offense.
The Washington Commanders shut down Barkley in the first half, as he was held to 15 carries for 56 yards (3.9 yards per carry). The Eagles scored just once (a field goal) on six possessions, totaling 174 yards of offense.
In the second half, Barkley took over the game. He finished with 11 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns, 76 of those rushing yards and two of those touchdowns came in the fourth quarter. The Eagles scored on all four of their second-half possessions (not counting end of game kneel downs), including three straight touchdowns. They had 230 yards of offense.
There’s no secret the Eagles offense goes through Barkley. Once he gets going …
“That’s why we train the way we train, whether it’s on my own or in OTAs with the other guys,” Barkley said on getting better in the second half. “This offseason, we kind of had a college mindset. We were running with each other. When you have those guys up front, it’s easy to get stronger because they’re (carrying) a lot of the load, and leaning on those guys.
“Just keep trusting them, trusting the scheme and make the right reads because they’re doing a helluva job for me.”
What Barkley has accomplished in the second half this season can not be ignored. In the second half of games (including overtime), Barkley leads the NFL with 738 rushing yards and 7.2 yards per carry — both of which lead the NFL. Barkley has 320 rushing yards in the fourth quarter (and overtime), ranking second in the NFL only to Derrick Henry. His 7.1 yards per carry lead the league.
“He’s an exceptional talent,” said Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson. “And when we go back and look at the first half, the O-line, maybe we didn’t play as well as we needed to. We didn’t have the momentum. Second half, we gained that.”
Perhaps a few adjustments the Eagles offensive line made freed Barkley up, but there may be a coincidence the Barkley and the Eagles get stronger as the game wears on. The Eagles average 6.6 yards per play and 110.7 rushing yards in the second half of games this season, 15.9 offensive points per game (which leads the NFL).
Also the time Barkley gets going as well.
“It was huge that we were able to get that going, even though some of it was muddy early,” said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. “But that’s how it goes sometimes in the run game. It’s ugly sometimes. It’s grimy sometimes.
“But you continue to grind that out and that really helped us put that game away.”
The Kansas City Chiefs will be without one of the NFL’s best kickers for Week 11 and beyond as Harrison Butker has been placed on injured reserve, the team announced Friday. Butker is expected to undergo a procedure to trim the torn meniscus in his left knee, per NFL Media.
Butker will miss at least four games, including Sunday’s big showdown against the Bills.
Butker has made 18 of 20 field goals this season, as well as 21 of 22 extra points. He’s yet to miss from inside of 50 yards and is 2 of 4 on kicks of 50-plus. The three-time Super Bowl champion has made in excess of 88% of his kicks in every season of his career but one.
He last missed time in 2022, with the Chiefs using Matthew Wright and Matt Ammendola in his place during a four-game stretch. This time around, they announced the signing of Spencer Shrader off the New York Jets practice squad. Shrader has appeared in two games this season, making both of his field goal attempts and all three of his extra points.
Shrader went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent. He was waived and re-signed to the practice squad, only to be elevated for the season opener when Matt Gay was injured. The Colts released him in October, at which point he signed with the Jets. He played for New York last week against the Cardinals, connecting on field goals of 25 and 45 yards.
PHILADELPHIA — If there’s a test for Quinyon Mitchell throughout the NFL season, opposing quarterbacks don’t want him to take the exam. Thursday’s showdown against the Washington Commanders was a prime example.
Mitchell played 39 coverage snaps. He was targeted just once.
The play occurred with 4:21 left in the second quarter, a Jayden Daniels pass to Austin Ekeler. The Commanders were in no-huddle and Daniels was in shotgun on a crossing route. The pass was incomplete, the only time Washington even thought of testing Mitchell as the primary defender.
Mitchell’s assignment was Terry McLaurin. The Commanders didn’t even throw Mitchell’s way when he was covering McLaurin, who was targeted just twice on the night.
“I feel like we did, defensively, we did a good job with him and their offense just limiting explosives,” the soft-spoken Mitchell said. “I feel like we had great preparation and went out and executed.”
The Eagles defense shut down Daniels and his targeting of wide receivers throughout the night. Daniels attempted 32 passes, 11 of which were to wide receivers. Daniels went 4 of 11 for 28 yards with an interception, finishing with a 7.1 passer rating.
“It’s just good team defense,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “A lot of credit to Q [Mitchell] and [Darius] Slay and the underneath coverage that was helping them go other places with the football. Good team defense takes being on the same page, playing with great effort to the football, which I saw a lot in this game, and then just tackling well.”
There was no secret the Eagles looked to contain McLaurin and show down the Commanders passing attack. Commanders wide receivers had four catches for 28 yards. Ekeler accounted for 89 of Daniels’ 191 passing yards Thursday night, an outlandish 46.6%.
“I feel like they had a little plan of, ‘Hey, let’s limit Terry’ and stuff like that,” Daniels said. “So, we’ve got to go back and watch the film and figure out ways how I could get Terry the ball, how we could get Terry the ball.
“Because he’s an explosive player, what he’s done in this league and his resume. So, we want to give our best players the ball as much as possible. So, we’ll figure out ways to move down the road and do that.”
Mitchell credited his preparation for shutting down McLaurin, but knows his play his far from a finished product. It was nearly flawless Thursday.
“He’s a great receiver,” Mitchell said. “I felt like I got some good reps in there, but there are some things I’d like to clean up, too. Just continue to get better.”
Welcome to the Friday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!
It’s a big week here at CBS Sports and that’s because we have a monster game on Sunday with the Bills hosting the Chiefs at 4:25 p.m. ET in what could go down as the biggest regular-season game of the year. This game is so big that our pregame show, THE NFL TODAY, will be live from Buffalo on Sunday. If you’re going to be in the area, fans can join the CBS crew in Lot 6 at Highmark Stadium starting at noon.
I will not be there, which is probably for the best, because not only would I be shirtless, but I would probably try to become an official member of Bills mafia by jumping through a folding table that may or may not have been on fire.
We’ll be covering that AFC showdown in today’s newsletter, plus we’ll be taking a look at last night’s game between the Eagles and Commanders with some grades. We’ll also be making some bold predictions for Week 11, so let’s get to the rundown.
As always, here’s your daily reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. To get them signed up, all you have to do is click here.
Eagles outlast Commanders: Grades and notes for ‘Thursday Night Football’ untitled-design-2024-11-14t214334-599.png Getty Images The Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) took control of the NFC East on Thursday night with a 26-18 win over the Washington Commanders (7-4). After falling behind 10-3 in the third quarter, the Eagles scored 23 straight points to put the game away.
Here are our grades from the game:
COMMANDERS GRADE: C
At some point, Jayden Daniels was bound to have a bad game and it finally happened. Daniels couldn’t get anything going with through the air (191 yards) and he had no room to run (18 yards), which is a big reason why Washington’s offense sputtered for most of the final three quarters. The problem for Washington is that the defense wasn’t much better, especially during a second half where the Commanders got steamrolled for 141 yards on the ground (The Eagles totaled 228 rushing yards in the game). Stopping the run has been a weakness all season for the Commanders and it doesn’t look like they’ve fixed anything. Dan Quinn also made a bizarre decision in the fourth quarter when he passed up a shot at kicking a field goal that would have given his team a 13-12 lead. This loss hurts definitely hurts the Commanders’ chances of winning the division title, but they’re definitely not out of it.
Commanders notes
Commanders get run over. Going into this game, Washington was surrendering the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL (142.7) and that number is only going to get worse after the Commanders gave up 228 to the Eagles. That marks just the third time over the past five years that Washington has surrendered 225 rushing yards or more in a game. Commanders can’t beat the Eagles. With this loss, the Commanders are now 1-6 in their past seven games against the Eagles. Washington will get another crack at Philly in Week 16 and the Commanders will likely need to win that game if they want to have any shot of winning the NFC East. EAGLES GRADE: B
The Eagles defense did what no other NFL team has really been able to do this season: They shut down Jayden Daniels. They did that by applying constant pressure, which led to three sacks and a fourth-quarter interception by Reed Blankenship. On the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles struggled early, but then Saquon Barkley took over in the second half. Barkley rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone on a night where he totaled 198 yards (146 on the ground and 58 through the air). The Eagles did have to deal with multiple missed kicks by Jake Elliott, but he’s been so consistent throughout his career that they probably won’t need to worry about him as long as he’s able to fix things by Week 12. The Eagles didn’t play a perfect game, but they won comfortably, which will probably give them plenty of confidence going forward.
Eagles notes
Saquon is unstoppable. With 146 yards on the ground, Saquon Barkley now has rushed for at least 140 yards in four different games this season. That marks the first time since 2005 (Shaun Alexander) that a player has done that in his first 10 games. Barkley has also been quite the closer. For the second time this season, the Eagles running back rushed for at least 50 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, which is wild when you consider that no other player in the NFL has even done that once. Eagles survive meltdown by Jake Elliott. The Eagles kicker had the worst game of his career on Thursday night. Not only did he miss two field goals in the game for the first time since 2019, but he also missed an extra point. The performance marked the first time in Elliott’s career that he missed three kicks in one game. All-around dominance. The Eagles outgained the Commanders by 170 yards (434-264), which makes them just the second team over the past 30 years to outgain their opponents by at least 100 yards in six straight games, joining the 2019 49ers. Finally, you can check out our full takeaways from the game here.
Roger Goodell reveals timeline for possible international and regular-season expansion Roger Goodell has made it very clear over the past 12 months that he wants to expand the regular-season schedule while also adding more games to the international schedule. However, the NFL commissioner had never put a timeline on his plans until this week.
During an appearance at Liberty Media’s investor day, Goodell had some interesting things to say about possibly expanding the schedule (via Sports Business Journal).
Goodell wants to see 16 international games within five years. The NFL played five international games this year and will likely bump that up to eight for the 2025 season. By 2029, Goodell wants to see the NFL holding 16 international games. “We hope to be 16 within five years,” Goodell said. When will the schedule expand to 18 games? It seems that Goodell would like to see the schedule get expanded to 18 games at the same time that the international game gets expanded. “We could be doing more regular season than preseason, so we’re looking at a change from the 17-and-three format to maybe 18 regular season games and two preseason games,” Goodell said. “And that will open up more inventory to allow us to play more globally.” The one hold up with expanding the schedule. Although Goodell wants to see the schedule expanded, that can’t happen unless the NFLPA is on board. The current collective bargaining agreement runs through the 2030 season, which means nothing can be done about expanding the regular-season schedule before then unless the NFLPA approves it. Back in May, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones broke down what the players might ask for in exchange for agreeing to add an 18th game before the current CBA expires and you can check that out here. One thing Jones noted is that that players might ask for an extra bye, which would turn the current 18-week regular season into a 20-week season. The bottom line is that more international games are definitely coming and an expanded regular season is likely coming, and it’s all probably going to happen before the end of the decade.
Chiefs at Bills: Breaking down the AFC showdown in Buffalo As I mentioned at the top, this is such a huge game that THE NFL TODAY will be live from Buffalo on Sunday. And once again, if you’re going to be in the area, fans can join the CBS crew in Lot 6 at Highmark Stadium starting at noon.
We’ve got a lot to cover on this game, so let’s get to it:
Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen. Cody Benjamin put together a tale of the tape between these two quarterbacks, and according to his final verdict, Allen should have the edge in this game. If you want to know how he came to that conclusion, you’ll have to check out his story here. Chiefs offense is better than you think. The Chiefs haven’t been blowing teams out this year and they haven’t been lighting up the scoreboard, but their offense might be better than you think. One key thing they’re doing? They’re averaging the more time of possession per drive (3:22) than any team on record (data available back to 1991). That let’s Kansas City control the game. Doug Clawson took a look at a few other factors that make this offense so good and you can check those out here. The matchup that will decide the game. Garrett Podell broke down why the matchup between Josh Allen and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will decide the game. Allen has had some of his biggest games against the Chiefs and you can read about why he might have another one here. Don’t bet against Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs are set to be an underdog in this game for just the 15th time in Mahomes’ career. The reason you shouldn’t bet against him is because he’s 11-3 straight-up in the previous 14 games and 12-1-1 against the spread. You can read more about his impressive record here. With the Chiefs sitting at 9-0 and the Bills at 8-2, this game will be a rarity in NFL history: This will mark just the fifth time over the past 54 years that two teams with eight wins or more have played each other in Week 11 or before. You can read more interesting facts about the game here.
NFL Week 11 picks: Steelers and Bengals pull off upsets joe-burrow-bengals-usatsi.jpg USATSI It’s officially time for your favorite part of the Friday newsletter, which is where I round up five NFL writers and we all make some picks for the upcoming week. Just in case you’ve forgotten, our five writers are: Pete Prisco, Will Brinson, Jordan Dajani, Tyler Sullivan and myself. In Week 11, things got a little weird: We went 2-3 against the spread, but 4-1 straight up. For the season, that means we’re now 24-26 ATS and 24-21 straight up.
OK, let’s get to the Week 11 picks.
If you’re new here, here’s how things work: I’ll give you one Week 11 pick from each writer and then direct you to the rest of their picks. That way, if you like their pick, you’ll be able to click over and check out all of their Week 11 picks, but if you hate their pick, you can ignore the rest of their picks and move on with your life.
Pete Prisco — Browns (+1) 23-16 over Saints. From Prisco: “The Saints are coming off a nice upset victory in Darren Rizzi’s first game as interim coach. The Browns are coming off a bye. Cleveland has the better defense, which will show up against Derek Carr. Jameis Winston will play well enough to win it in his return to New Orleans against his former team. Revenge game.” For the rest of Prisco’s Week 11 picks, be sure to click here. Tyler Sullivan — Steelers (+3.5) 27-23 over Ravens. From Sullivan: “Mike Tomlin’s team has done a solid job against Jackson in his career. As a starter, the two-time NFL MVP is 1-3. Since becoming the starter, Russell Wilson has been able to unlock Pittsburgh’s downfield passing attack, which should come in handy against a Baltimore secondary that has been torched this season, surrendering a league-worst 294.9 passing yards per game.” For the rest of Sullivan’s Week 11 picks, be sure to click here. Will Brinson — Bills over Chiefs. From Brinson: “I’m backing Allen and Sean McDermott to get it done against Kansas City this week. The playoffs might be another story, but the Bills have had a lot of success against the Chiefs … in the regular season. Allen is 3-1 against Mahomes before the postseason rolls around in his career.” You can check out the rest of Brinson’s best bets for Week 11 here. Jordan Dajani — Dolphins (-7.5) 22-13 over Raiders. From Dajani: “I think that Miami’s upset win over the Rams on Monday night could serve as a turning point for the Dolphins.” For the rest of Dajani’s Week 11 best bets, be sure to click here. John Breech — Bengals (+1.5) 27-20 over Chargers. “Over the past three weeks, the Chargers defense has faced Spencer Rattler (Saints), Jameis Winston (Browns) and Will Levis (Titans). I feel like Joe Burrow is going to be a shock to their system.” For the rest of my Week 11 picks, be sure to click here. For more Week 11 NFL picks, you can check out out our CBSSports.com picks hub here.
NFL bold predictions for Week 11: Titans shock Vikings After giving you some bold predictions for Week 10 last Friday, Garrett Podell is back with five more for Week 11. Last week, Garrett correctly predicted that the Patriots would shock the Bears, so you’ll definitely want to see what he has to say this week.
Let’s take a look at two of his bold predictions for Sunday:
Titans use stingy defense to upset Vikings. “Sam Darnold has nine turnovers in his past five games… and he now leads the NFL with 13 turnovers this season, and averages the third-most turnovers per game (1.11) in his career among active QBs with at least 50 starts. Darnold won’t get away with his turnover problem in Week 11 against Tennessee. The Titans will force the Vikings to feel the consequences of their sloppy play, sending them back home with a loss.”
Ravens light up the scoreboard against the Steelers defense. “The Ravens are going to win, and they are going to that by scoring at least 30 points on a Steelers defense that is allowing the second-fewest points per game in the entire NFL (16.2). Why? Because Jackson and running back Derrick Henry are on pace to rewrite the history books. This backfield cannot be stopped, even by the stout Steelers defense.” Garrett made a total of five bold predictions for Week 11, and you check out all of them here.
Extra points: Harrison Butker placed on IR butker-g.jpg Getty Images It’s been a busy 24 hours in the NFL, and since it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you.
Chiefs set to have a new kicker for the next few weeks. Harrison Butker has been placed on injured reserve due to a meniscus issue in his left knee. Since he’s on IR, that means Butker will have to miss at least four games, which means he won’t be able to return until Week 15 at the earliest. With Butker out, the Chiefs are expected to sign Spencer Shrader off the Jets’ practice squad. You can read more about the Butker situation here. Tyreek Hill might need surgery. Hill’s injured wrist might eventually need surgery. Hill said that surgery was mentioned as a possibility to fix it, but he shot down that option. “Surgery was brought up, and it was talked about, whenever I talked to a few of the doctors. But it’s my call at the end of the day, and my call is to stay out on the field,” he said. You can read more about the Dolphins receiver here. Bears starter placed on injured reserve. Bears safety Jaquan Brisker was placed on IR this week related to an injury that happened all the way back in Week 5. Brisker suffered a concussion against the Panthers and was placed in concussion protocol, and after six weeks, he’s still showing symptoms, so the team decided to place him on IR. Brisker had started in all five games he played in before the injury. Cowboys turning to Rico Dowdle. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has decided to scrap his running back-by-committee approach, and going forward, Dowdle will be the lead back. With the Cowboys season going down the drain, we’re only mentioning this for Fantasy purposes. You can read more about McCarthy’s decision here.
It would be understandable for future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to have had enough NFL football. His New York Jets have bottomed out.
They are off to a 3-7 start through their first 10 games of 2024 after their biggest blowout defeat of the year, a 31-6 embarrassment against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. Their offense registered season lows in both points (six) and total yards (207). Rodgers threw for season-worsts in passing yards (151) and yards per pass attempt (4.3). His 4.3 yards per attempt stands as the third-fewest passing yards per attempt in any game of his 20-season career with a minimum of 15 pass attempts. His favorite target, Davante Adams, caught six of his season-high 13 targets for 31 receiving yards, which amounted to the six-time Pro Bowler’s fewest receiving yards in 44 career games with at least 12 targets. New York’s defense, which was once their biggest strength, surrendered its most yards per play allowed (7.1) and first downs allowed (28) in a game this season.
However, the struggles through the Jets’ first 10 games haven’t impacted his desire to continue playing ball into 2025.
“Not really, not for the negative, no. Not really” Rodgers said Wednesday, via SportsNet New York, when asked if New York’s 3-7 start has altered his thought to play next season.
When asked point blank if still wants to play in 2025, Rodgers had a similar short but direct answer.
“I think so, yeah,” he said.
No player may have a better window into what drives Rodgers than Adams, who has caught more receiving touchdowns (69) from the mercurial quarterback than anyone else ever has. Here’s what is driving Rodgers to keep pushing through for at least another year despite a worst-case scenario start to his 2024.
“He’s achieved a lot, obviously, but I think he’s driven by not being able to win multiple Super Bowls,” Adams said, via ESPN, on Wednesday. “He’s won one, but he’s been in situations where he’s had the opportunity to almost taste it, almost touch it. Not being able to secure a championship at a higher rate is something that has, I won’t say bothers him, but it has motivated him to continue on at this old age.”
Rodgers is in his 20th NFL season, 17th as an NFL starting quarterback, and he turns 41 on Dec. 2. With a Super Bowl MVP trophy, four NFL MVP trophies and the best touchdown to interception ratio of all time (490-112, 4.38), his legacy is secure as an all-time great. He doesn’t need to keep playing, and like his team, Rodgers himself is also struggling mightily. These 10 games are his worst first 10 games to a season ever in terms of losses (seven), his team’s scoring offense (17 points per game), passing yards per attempt, passing yards per game (225.8) and passer rating (86.8).
The Jets are surprisingly the last team in the NFL this season that hasn’t scored at least 25 points in a game. A hope that they can cling on to is that they are just two games back of the Denver Broncos (5-5) for the AFC’s seventh and last postseason slot.
Larry Csonka is once again getting calls about another team that is trying to join his 1972 Miami Dolphins as the NFL’s only perfect teams. Csonka, a Hall of Fame running back who powered Miami to back-to-back world titles in addition to helping the ’72 Dolphins go 17-0, sees similarities between that team and the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs, who will put their 9-0 record to the test Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
“It’s fun to talk about a team that’s showing signs that kind of reminds me of the Dolphins,” Csonka said during an interview with CBS Sports. “The attention to detail, their willingness to not care about their own statistics but about winning, is reminiscent, and I kind of get a kick out of that quarterback and that coach. It brings back memories.”
Csonka sees one specific similarity between his team and the modern day Chiefs, who in addition to trying to go undefeated are also vying to become the first team in history to win three straight Super Bowls.
“When you watch Kansas City, you see perhaps not perfect execution, but a lot better than anybody else is doing,” he said. “You see the fundamentals being executed. … You don’t see the basic fundamental breakdowns that lead to defeat. When you see something like that, then you recognize that they have that competitive edge.”
As far as the Chiefs’ prospects of remaining undefeated, Csonka said that it’s a “coin flip” while adding that “the right people have to come forward at the right time.” He then alluded to last week’s blocked field goal attempt that sealed Kansas City’s 16-14 win over Denver as an example of that. In fact, the ’72 Dolphins — whose success was largely due to someone routinely stepping up in big moments — received a similar play in the playoffs when safety Charlie Babb blocked a punt that set up a score in Miami’s 20-14 win over Cleveland.
“Someone steps up and does more than what they’re being called on to do,” Csonka said. “And that was a characteristic of the ’72 Dolphins. I see similarities in Kansas City. They’re intriguing to watch. Fundamentally, they don’t mess up that much at all. In crisis situations, just like the game ended last week, with a blocked kick at the end of the game, made the difference. That’s reminiscent.”
While Kansas City’s close win against Denver brought back memories for Csonka, it led to some criticism from fans and media members who think the Chiefs should be winning games more decisively. That is another thing the Chiefs share with the ’72 Dolphins, who won more than their share of close games.
“Some days we were dominant, but 50-60% of the time, our butts were right in there sweating with everybody else,” Csonka said. “It was down to the wire. That perseverance, and being fundamentally correct is a discipline. I see some of that discipline in Kansas City and it’s reminiscent in the ’72 season and back when I played.”
Csonka, who recently wrote a book chronicling his fascinating life and career, was the driving force behind Miami’s powerful offense that led the league in scoring in 1972. He was to the Dolphins what Patrick Mahomes currently is to the Chiefs. They may play different positions, but Csonka and Mahomes share a similar mentality in that winning mattered above all else.
“He reminds me of some of the guys that I played with in ’72,” Csonka said of Mahomes, who is just one of five starting quarterbacks in NFL history to win three Super Bowls. “He does not care about statistics. He cares about mistakes, improper alignment, being off count, that drives him crazy. He is something of a perfectionist in the way he approaches how he plays. He doesn’t have to lead the league in stats. He wants to win. I think that’s a commonality that falls on a great team.
“He is so competitive, that inspires you to do a little better yourself. That’s a damn great thing to have.”
player headshot team logo Patrick Mahomes KC • QB • #15 CMP% 69.5 YDS 2208 TD 12 INT 9 YD/ATT 7.1 View Profile Another similarity between the two teams are the head coaches. The ’72 Dolphins were led by Don Shula, the NFL’s all-time leader in wins. Shula was maniacal when it came to fundamentals and finding a winning edge. Csonka sees those same qualities in Andy Reid, who will one day have a bust alongside Shula’s in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“He’s a funny guy,” Shula said of Reid, who has led five teams to the Super Bowl as a head coach. “Makes funny commercials. Several times, I’ve seen him become extremely emotional and outspoken on the sideline to the point where players are screaming back. He is an outspoken advocate of attention to detail. … Sometimes, he’s not the nice guy that you see on the commercials. There’s a little bit of Shula in him, and it shows in that time. I think that’s a comparison that he’d smile about.
“He’s his own man. Shula was his own man. But they have the common knowledge background as far as attention to detail.”
Back to the gridiron, Csonka seems yet another similarity between the ’24 Chiefs and ’72 Dolphins, one that probably isn’t noticed by 99% of people who watch Kansas City games. That similarity is the Chiefs’ old-school approach to run-blocking, something that has somewhat become a lost art in today’s game.
“Most of your offensive and defensive line’s first movement is up,” he said. “Now, you take Kansas City, you watch them, they come up a little bit, but they also still kind of fire out. They hit shoulder to shoulder, it’s not head to head, but there’s still a twitch of our ancestral heritage there in the game. I’m seeing what’s reminiscent of my era, a piece of it.”
Listening to Csonka, it became apparent that he has great admiration for what the Chiefs are doing. He made it clear, however, that he isn’t cheering for the Chiefs to join his Dolphins as the NFL’s only perfect teams.
“Make no mistake, I’m not pulling for them to go undefeated,” he said. “At that same time, I’m appreciative to watch somebody that’s so reminiscent of attention to detail. There are so many things that I see that remind me of the Dolphins in that era. … Sure, I’d like it if they lost one game. Then I’d pull for them all the way. If they win three straight Super Bowls, that’s fine, too.”
If Kansas City joins the long list of teams that fell short of perfect, Csonka said that he will celebrate by remembering Shula and some of his teammates that are no longer here. But if the Chiefs are able to obtain perfection, Csonka will among the first to congratulate them while welcoming them into pro football’s most exclusive club.
“I will celebrate through memory, put glasses with Shula and (Nick) Buoniconti and the rest of them that aren’t here anymore,” Csonka said if the Chiefs lose. “In my mind, they’ll be there with me, and we celebrate remaining being alone on the mountaintop.
“But trust me when I tell you, there is nothing but respect for someone else if they attain that mountain. Perfect is perfect, whether it’s 17 games, 19 games or eight games. Perfect is perfect. But if somebody else makes the mountain top, you’ve got to scoot over and say, ‘Have a seat pal, you’ve earned it.’ And that’s the way that it is.”
