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NFL: Monday Night II

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LAS VEGAS – Kirk Cousins’ performances are spiraling downward, and so are the Atlanta Falcons’ playoff hopes. The Falcons badly need a bounce-back effort from the veteran quarterback on Monday night when they visit the Raiders in Sin City.

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Atlanta (6-7) has lost four straight games to fall into second place in the NFC South behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6).

Cousins has been a major factor in the skid, throwing eight interceptions without a touchdown. Six of the picks have come in the past two games.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Thursday he has faith in the 36-year-old quarterback.

“You’ve got to believe and you’ve got to have the resolve to be able to stick and stay steady-handed by a guy that you believe in,” Morris said. “I don’t want to be like some organizations who make harsh decisions or critical decisions on your critical decision makers when they fail you or they make mistakes. I just feel like it’s our job and my job to back (Cousins) at the highest level.”

Cousins was intercepted seven times in the first nine games this season before the recent slump. He threw four touchdown passes on two occasions and tossed three another time as the Falcons ran out to a 6-3 start.

Then the caliber of his play dropped; Atlanta is averaging just 14.3 points during the four-game losing streak.

That has led to calls for the Falcons to turn to rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall choice in this year’s draft.

It also is causing Cousins to study everything to see what he can do differently as he looks to lead Atlanta to its sixth straight head-to-head victory over the Raiders.

“You certainly have a process that’s worked and has enabled you to play well, so you trust it,” Cousins said. “I think it’d be foolish, though, to just blindly stick to something even when there’s clearly a fundamental you need to improve on.”

Meanwhile, the Raiders (2-11) are hoping quarterback Aidan O’Connell will make a swift recovery to play against Atlanta.

O’Connell left Las Vegas’ 28-13 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week and was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee.

He was one of four Raiders to miss practice on Thursday, but he was taking an optimistic approach about playing Monday night.

“Yeah, I’m hoping to get there,” O’Connell said Thursday. “Obviously, we’ve got a longer week this week, which helps, and so just really taking it day by day. Obviously, not something I’ve been through with this particular injury.”

O’Connell was concerned when he was injured and just as bummed out about having to be carted off the field.

“Yeah, just not a super fun experience overall, and wish it didn’t come to that, wish it didn’t happen that way,” O’Connell said. “It definitely hurt on the field, of course. And then my knee wasn’t responding how the doctors hoped it would. And so, yeah, you definitely fear the worst.”

Las Vegas has lost nine straight games since last winning on Sept. 29. The Raiders have nothing to play for as a team, but that’s not the case for O’Connell, who would like to show the franchise he can be the long-term answer at quarterback.

If O’Connell can’t play, Desmond Ridder would start. Ridder, a third-round draft pick by Atlanta in 2022, went 6-7 as a starter for the Falcons last season, 2-2 the prior year.

“Whether it’s against the Falcons or the Titans, it doesn’t matter who it’s against, any opportunity I get to go out there and showcase my talents is an exciting time,” Ridder said.

Star defensive end Maxx Crosby (ankle), defensive tackle Adam Butler (concussion) and cornerback Sam Webb (back) also missed practice for the Raiders on Thursday.

Inside linebacker Troy Andersen (knee) and receiver Casey Washington (concussion) sat out practice for the Falcons on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL

TLs Sunday Sports Notes | Dec 15

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While We’re Young (Ideas) | Belichick: We’re On to Carolina

BOSTON – For a lifelong media relations executive, there was nothing more entertaining than watching and listening to Bill Belichick interviews before and after New England Patriots games. It was nothing short of brutal.

Prior to the games, the assembled media would attempt to get a morsel of game preparation from a rock, try to obtain Belichick’s thoughts of the strengths and weaknesses of his upcoming opponent or, at least, a mundane quote about a superstar coming to play the Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Paraphrasing here, Belichick would step up to his home stadium podium, complete with Gillette advertising to his back, and he’d speak in a low monotone voice, never providing a syllable of intonation, enthusiasm or maybe tipping his hand on true competitive spirit or rivalry. It would be something along the lines of:

“Great football team and a great organization. Very well-coached club. Strong offense. Strong defensive unit. Great secondary. They’re good in all three phases of the game. We’ll need to coach better. The players need to prepare this week, play better, harder. We can’t let down at all.”

Nice quote, but when you’re hearing the same exact thing no matter if the Patriots were playing an 0-7 team or a 7-0 former Super Bowl championship team, it got a bit repetitive and utterly ridiculous.

Nope.

Media members assembled, especially those who hadn’t fallen on a sword, would consistently try to re-word a question and come back at Belichick from another angle, maybe citing a specific opponent’s name.

“Great player. We have to defend better.”

Weather conditions? “It’s the same for both teams. Just gotta play.”

The price of tea in China?

“Consistent. Great tea.”

And, my favorite was an answer to a question/statement that went something along the lines of, “You’ve had tremendous games against Peyton Manning in the past. What’s the common denominator in those games and what we’ll possibly see this Sunday?”

Belichick: “Peyton Manning.”

Of course, Belichick’s greatest postgame press conference performance is only rivaled by former Philadelphia 76ers all-star Allen Iverson with his, “Practice. You talkin’ about practice. Not the game.”

Belichick’s “We’re on to Cincinnati” phrase seemed to be on a damn loop. It was so bad, it was great. In fact, it’s the greatest thing to hit Cincinnati since WKRP. And, it was the most ridiculous and horrifying thing to hit Boston since the January 15, 1919 Molasses Flood.

The thing that made me laugh out loud was watching Belichick on the Deflate Gate scandal when he claimed that he wasn’t a scientist nor the “Mona Lisa Vito” of football (which was outright hysterical for anyone who’d seen the motion picture, “My Cousin Vinny.”

Equally mind boggling were the incredible NFL 100 specials, celebrating the NFL’s 100th Season in grand fashion by naming the all-time greatest players, many who Belichick saw play or remembered from his extensive study of the game. Put bluntly, Belichick was “off-the-charts” great in his commentary and his enthusiasm for the project. He knew the documentaries were an ever-lasting legacy, not necessarily of him, but for the NFL. He wanted to do right by the history of the NFL, the legacy players and coaches and he was fantastic. It certianly showed, ‘Hey, he knows how to do it.”

Belichick was also fabulous on the pregame studio show for the Army vs. Navy game played at Gillette Stadium. With the fact his father had coached at Annapolis, Belichick told story after story about growing up watching Navy football.

Why does your favorite column list these great memories of Belichick past? Undoubtedy, you’ve heard or read by now that Belichick was named head coach of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, quickly earning a new nickname of “Chapel Bill.” He joins a competitive ACC Conference where he might meet up against former Assistant coach “Chestnut Bill O’Brien” of Boston College. Belichick’s former “right hand man” in Berj Najarian was hired by O’Brien to work in a similar role as he had with the Patriots, acting as Chief of Staff and all-around miracle worker. It will be interesting to see if Najarian takes a drive down I-95 South to re-join Belichick at UNC or if he stays at BC where he’s earned a legion of supporters in the department of athletics. Najarian’s immediate concern is Boston College’s trip to the Pinstripe Bowl in the Bronx and that will come as Carolina heads north on I-95 to the Fenway Bowl. Both games are scheduled for December 28th.

One final note on Belichick is that he certainly “won” his introductory press conference in Carolina, showing his charming, brighter side rather than dour football persona. Big Bill took a nice poke at Duke University, immediately jumping on the basketball-centric rivalry, and he also provided the world with a comment that could’ve only been stated before by the great NY Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra.

Asked about the chance of a return to the NFL sidelines at the first pro job offered, Belichick stated emphatically, “I didn’t come here to leave.”

He later noted that coaching at the college level was “a dream come true.”

Maybe Belichick can begin to build a “Dream Team” at Carolina by checking if UNC basketball great Michael Jordan has any eligibility remaining on the gridiron, rather than the hardwood?

Navy takes the field vs. Army in 2023 at Gillette Stadium (File Photo)

TIDBITS: Army! Navy! USAA! … The San Antonio based savings and investment vehicle for the U.S. military and their families extended its presenting partnership of the Army-Navy game, as reported Friday by SBJ. … This year’s game was played in Landover, MD on Saturday with Navy upsetting and dominating their 125-year rival, 31-13. USAA’s existing deal was set to expire in 2025, and the new agreement establishes the partnership through 2030.

USAA has been the presenting sponsor of Army-Navy since signing the 2009 contest. The Texas-based insurance provider has used 160over90 as its brand sponsorship agency of record since 2011. Army and Navy also announced a 10-year extension of their deal with CBS to broadcast the game last week.

Future Venues for the Army-Navy Game:

  • M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD – Dec. 13, 2025
  • MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ – Dec. 12, 2026
  • Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA – Dec. 11, 2027

GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT for a FRIEND OF PGA Tour GOLF: For any readers who love the follow the PGA Tour or if you have friends/family members who live and die by the Tour, each and every week, this is a special offer just for you for the Holidays. … PGA Tour Brunch is offering a Christmas/Holiday Special from today through January 10, 2025. … That also coincides with PGA Tour Brunch beginning season-long coverage – starting with The Sentry – January 2-5, 2025. … PGA Tour Brunch publishes six days a week (Tuesday is off day) and includes a Wednesday Preview with odds listed. To get your discounted offer, visit HERE.

THIS JEST IN: He’s a rambler, gambler and soon to be diplomat. Houston Rockets team owner Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire and chairman, president, and CEO of dining, hospitality, gaming, and entertainment corporation Landry’s Inc., is reportedly in line to be named the United States Ambassador to Italy.

CBS News first reported that President-elect Donald J. Trump is eyeing Fertitta for the prestigious post. For the appointment to become official, Fertitta would need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, figured to be a rubber-stamp manuever.

Fertitta, a resident and native product of Houston, Texas is sometimes referred to as “the world’s richest restaurateur.” Through Landry’s, Fertitta owns more than 600 properties in 36 states with other locations in over 15 countries. His restaurant holdings feature more than 80 different restaurant brands. He also owns and operates numerous gaming, hospitality, and entertainment venues, including the Golden Nugget Casino and hotel brand.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Louisiana Tech will replace the Thundering Herd of Marshall in the upcoming Independence Bowl because the Marshall coach (Charles Huff) departed the day after the regular season ended, taking the head coaching job at Southern Miss. and most of his players headed out with him … As of Saturday morning, 36 Marshall players entered the transfer portal, including 29 scholarship players. Louisiana Tech (5-7 in the Sun Belt) will play No. 19 (but most likely falling in the national rankings) Army (11-2, the No. 1 in the American Athletic Conference) on Dec. 28 at 9:15pm. Navy plays Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27 at Noon ET in Ft. Worth, Texas.

YOU SHOULDN’T MAKE IT UP: The woman who alleged in 2006 that three Duke lacrosse players raped her admitted on a podcast that she fabricated the story. In a podcast interview with the “Let’s Talk With Kat,” Crystal Mangum said she lied about the crimes she accused three Duke athletes of committing at a party in 2006. The three were declared innocent in 2007 when Mangum’s story did not hold up under police and legal examination. … “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t and that was wrong,” said Ms. Mangum, now serving a sentence for second degree murder of an ex-boyfriend. … On March 13, 2006, Ms. Mangum worked as an exotic dancer and had been hired to perform at an off-campus Duke lacrosse team party. She told police that she was raped and beaten while trapped in a bathroom. … Since the statute of limitations has passed, there is no further legal recourse for the Duke students to pursue. They had successfully sued the school for improperly dealing with the allegations and the follow-up being botched. … Podcaster Kat DePasquale conducted at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Ms. Mangum is currently imprisoned for fatally stabbing her boyfriend. The crime occurred in 2011 and she is eligib le for parole in 2026. … Ms. Magnum’s false accusation resulted in a national news frenzy and proverbial conviction by false public opinion.

NFL: Sunday Night Football

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Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The “12s” raise the flag on Sunday night encouraged to know the home team has won four straight in the often-dramatic Packers-Seahawks rivalry. The potential playoff preview brings added significance to possible tiebreaking — and homefield — scenarios in January. To ensure a home game in the playoffs, Seattle would like to stay a game ahead of the pack of NFC West teams in close pursuit following the Rams (8-6) win over the 49ers on Thursday. The Seahawks might have unintentionally unearthed an unstoppable backfield pairing with starter Kenneth Walker III idle last week. Zach Charbonnet set career highs in catches (seven), total yards (193), rushing yards (134) and two rushing TDs in a critical victory over Arizona. His emergence coincides with the rapid rise of WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in a corps of receivers that also includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Given the newfound playmaking, it’s a good time for Green Bay to have top corner Jaire Alexander (knee) healthy for the first time in a month and rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper expecting to play after a long absence. The Packers continue to push RB Josh Jacobs toward peak production. He has eight rushing touchdowns in the past four games. And in Jacobs’ only career game against the Seahawks while he wore a Raiders’ uniform, Jacobs delivered a career-high 229 rushing yards, 74 receiving and two TD runs. Seattle DT Leonard Williams plopped himself in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation with a run of highlight reel games the past month.

–Field Level Med

NFL: Sunday Afternoon Late Games

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Today’s and tonight’s NFL Game previews:

New England Patriots (3-10) at Arizona Cardinals (6-7), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
First-time general manager Eliot Wolf was on the clock with the No. 3 pick in the draft and two marquee players stood out: North Carolina QB Drake Maye and Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Wolf and the Patriots took the passer, and Maye is making strides. He hit 24 of 30 passes and one TD and rushed for 59 yards in Week 13 before New England’s bye week. During the time off Wolf & Company had a chance to take a look at Harrison Jr., who went one spot after Maye in the draft to the Cardinals. He leads all rookies with seven TD catches in 2024. Harrison is not the lead option for Arizona. TE Trey McBride is in the midst of an unstoppable stretch with seven-plus receptions (31 total) in the past three games. His 80 catches are tops on the Cardinals by a wide margin. The Patriots and Maye want to avoid playmaking S Budda Baker, who had 18 tackles last week and is second in the NFL with 132 tackles in 2024. Arizona is two games out of both the NFC West lead and the last wild-card spot, giving them two options to chase. While they would need to jump three teams to land a wild-card berth, they have to slip past two teams — the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams — to take the division.

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Indianapolis Colts (6-7) at Denver Broncos (8-5), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
The Broncos hold a two-game lead over the Miami Dolphins (6-7) and Colts in the wild-card race, and they meet Sunday after a December bye week that opened additional time to prepare for what Colts head coach Shane Steichen is framing as a must-win in his own locker room. That’s because the Colts are two games behind the Texans in the AFC South and Houston holds the tiebreaker. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor could hold the key to keeping his team from folding in a feisty road environment. He has six 100-yard games this season, but the Broncos are among the league’s best at penetrating to disrupt timing in the backfield. That often means sending LB Nik Bonitto (11.0 sacks this season) and causing interior linemen to communicate protections to also account for DE Zach Allen (12 tackles for loss in 2024). Denver steps into the final four games of the season after a bye last week and the Broncos are riding a three-game winning streak. Not many projected the Broncos’ Bo Nix-to-Courtland Sutton combination to be one of the best in the league this season, but here they are on the doorstep of the playoffs and five consecutive games with at least six connections and 70 yards. That’s more than any QB-WR combo in the NFL this season.

Buffalo Bills (10-3) at Detroit Lions (12-1), 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
A clash of conference frontrunners at Ford Field might point to a possible preview of the Super Bowl, but more imminently signals a lot of points. The Lions are the NFL’s top-scoring team at 32.5 points per game and the Bills are first in the AFC with 30.5 ppg. Already safely in the postseason, neither team wants to drop a game at this juncture because of the likely ramifications on home-field advantage through the conference title games. Playing outside of their comfortable home environment, Buffalo already has three losses this season. The Bills lost on the road to the Rams in one of Josh Allen’s top career performances — 424 yards (342 passing, 82 rushing), career-high six TDs (three pass, three rush) — and are trying to avoid back-to-back road defeats for the second time this season. Detroit is withstanding the gravity of losing several key defensive players to date. Explosive with depth on the offensive side of the ball, the Lions are already in playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1993-95. QB Jared Goff has 25 touchdown passes to seven receivers and one to himself (no, seriously) and Detroit can grind with the best of them behind a powerful offensive line and RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Lions compiled 1,964 rushing yards and averaged 4.6 as a team in 2024. The NFC homefield fight could be decided Jan. 5 at Ford Field when the Minnesota Vikings visit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-5), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
In the playoff field as of final play of Week 14, there’s no ground to give for either team with four games remaining on the regular-season schedule. Up next for the Chargers is division rival Denver, which has a matching 8-5 record. Before the Chargers can get there, they’ll need to deal with Tampa Bay’s improved running game and QB Baker Mayfield. With Chargers leading receiver Ladd McConkey sidelined last week, WR Quentin Johnston seemed to awaken from a rough patch at Kansas City last week and has become a primary read for QB Justin Herbert again. Herbert rarely has put the ball in harm’s way with a run of 11 consecutive games and an NFL-record 335 consecutive attempts without an interception. Tight margins are customary to the Chargers. Los Angeles leads the NFL in points allowed (15.9 per game) but half of its eight wins were decided by seven points or fewer. Tampa Bay is back on track with three wins in a row, but the Buccaneers built that streak against the Raiders, Giants and Panthers. Those teams own a combined 7-32 record. Often overlooked in the NFC playoff picture because the South is anchored by three sub-.500 teams, the Buccaneers have wins over the Lions, Eagles and Commanders — two division leaders and one of the current wild-card spot holders. Tampa Bay has games with the Cowboys, Panthers and Saints left on the schedule.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-2), 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
It’s feasible that Eagles WR A.J. Brown snuck a peek ahead at the schedule to see the Steelers coming and wanted a public decree to remind peers of his run of dominance against Pittsburgh. He had six catches for 153 yards and a career-high three TDs the last time he saw the Steelers and has consecutive games with at least 6-150-1 in the matchup. While “passing” has been backburnered, there’s a good and epically productive reason Philadelphia is last in the NFL in pass attempts: Saquon Barkley. He leads NFL and already set a franchise-record with 1,623 rushing yards this season. That’s the second-most all-time by a player in the first 13 games of season since 2000. Barkley leads the NFL with 1,890 scrimmage yards. The Eagles might appreciate the existing trend in this series with the home team winning nine of the past 10 meetings. But the Steelers are 6-1 with Russell Wilson at quarterback this season. Wilson is 5-0 in his career against the Eagles. He’s down his top wideout in George Pickens on Sunday. Pittsburgh does have familiar defensive stalwarts back together. LB Alex Highsmith was back in the lineup last week and record a sack. He’s the sidekick to T.J. Watt, who needs 0.5 sacks to hit 10 in a season for the sixth time in his career.

Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The “12s” raise the flag on Sunday night encouraged to know the home team has won four straight in the often-dramatic Packers-Seahawks rivalry. The potential playoff preview brings added significance to possible tiebreaking — and homefield — scenarios in January. To ensure a home game in the playoffs, Seattle would like to stay a game ahead of the pack of NFC West teams in close pursuit following the Rams (8-6) win over the 49ers on Thursday. The Seahawks might have unintentionally unearthed an unstoppable backfield pairing with starter Kenneth Walker III idle last week. Zach Charbonnet set career highs in catches (seven), total yards (193), rushing yards (134) and two rushing TDs in a critical victory over Arizona. His emergence coincides with the rapid rise of WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in a corps of receivers that also includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Given the newfound playmaking, it’s a good time for Green Bay to have top corner Jaire Alexander (knee) healthy for the first time in a month and rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper expecting to play after a long absence. The Packers continue to push RB Josh Jacobs toward peak production. He has eight rushing touchdowns in the past four games. And in Jacobs’ only career game against the Seahawks while he wore a Raiders’ uniform, Jacobs delivered a career-high 229 rushing yards, 74 receiving and two TD runs. Seattle DT Leonard Williams plopped himself in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation with a run of highlight reel games the past month.

–Field Level Med

 

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With:

NFL: Week 15 Game Previews

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Here are this week’s NFL Game previews:

Dallas Cowboys (5-8) at Carolina Panthers (3-10) 1 p.m. ET, FOX
What are the odds the Carolina Panthers are favorites in a game this season? This is the week. Oddsmakers for the first time since December 2022 are giving the Panthers the edge — they’re 2.5-point favorites as of Friday afternoon — over the Cowboys. Dallas rolls into Charlotte on a short turnaround from a 27-20 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. Playoff prospects are dimming for Dallas after a botched blocked punt gave the ball back to the Bengals for their game-winning score. The Panthers are familiar with bum luck. Carolina lost its last three games but had chances to win each one late in setbacks to the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas has been in one-possession games for three consecutive weeks, winning the first two of those. Cooper Rush remains at quarterback with Dak Prescott out. He didn’t reach the 200-yard mark in passing the past two weeks with RB Rico Dowell providing a boost with back-to-back games 100-plus-yard games on the ground. One name and face the Panthers know from their 33-10 loss to Dallas last season is LB Micah Parsons. Parsons had six tackles, including 2.5 sacks, in the 2023 meeting. Panthers QB Bryce Young threw an interception for the first time in four games last week and head coach Dave Canales continues to celebrate his progress and competitive fire.

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Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-10) 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Andy Reid has a 9-0 record against Cleveland and has two wins over Kevin Stefanski with the Browns, including a playoff victory in 2021. The Chiefs (12-1) clinched the division for the ninth straight season by edging the Los Angeles Chargers 19-17 last Sunday night. They could add PK Harrison Butker back to the roster from injured reserve, a weapon Kansas City would be glad to have given its penchant for close games this season. Pass rush is a constant talking point for both coaches, and in turn, pass protection. Breakdowns have led to turnovers — the starting quarterbacks have combined for 20 interceptions — and flipped momentum throughout the season. Browns QB Jameis Winston has 1,975 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has a 68.1 completion rate with 3,189 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Cleveland increased production on offense with Winston at quarterback. But a 27-14 setback against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week officially eliminated the Browns from playoff contention. The Chiefs are hoping to stockpile wins as they begin a stretch of three games in a 11 days sitting on a two-game lead in the AFC homefield race.

Miami Dolphins (6-7) at Houston Texans (8-5), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Slim and none are too harsh to describe Miami’s playoff chances, but those might be applicable tags if the Dolphins drop an eighth game of the season on Sunday at Houston. The Dolphins have won four of their past five games, but they remain a long shot to qualify for the AFC playoffs. The Dolphins went 1-3 and averaged 10 points per game while standout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined due to a concussion and are still trying to climb out. They lost their first two games after Tagovailoa returned from IR and have topped 30 points in three of their past four games. Hope stayed alive last week. The Dolphins, who trailed by eight entering the fourth quarter, received a tying 52-yard field goal from Jason Sanders with seven seconds left to force overtime and beat the Jets. Off a bye last week, Houston could claim consecutive division titles on with a win Sunday and a loss by the Indianapolis Colts against the Denver Broncos. The Texans lead the Colts by two games and swept the two-game season series to hold the all-important tiebreaker. Because of a challenging closing schedule — Miami is the first of three opponents in a span of 11 days — head coach DeMeco Ryans wants all of Houston’s focus on Miami. The Texans visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 21 and then host the Baltimore Ravens four days later on Christmas Day, which falls on a Wednesday. The Texans are still trying to find firm footing with just two wins since a 5-1 start.

New York Jets (3-10) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
A matchup that feels quite draft-y, the Jaguars entered December in the race for the No. 1 overall pick for the third time in five years (2021, 2022). They’re even with the Jets with three wins meaning the losing team would have the draft order advantage in April. A dose of positive news would be welcome on either side. Jacksonville won for the first time since Oct. 20 snapping a five-game losing streak. The Jets last won on Halloween and extended their own losing streak to four games at Miami last week. The Jets have lost nine of their last 10 games, including four in a row. They are 2-7 in one-score games and have lost the last three games by a total of 12 points. QB Aaron Rodgers turned 41 this month but Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, a longtime Packers backup to Brett Favre, said he isn’t showing his age. Rodgers passed for 339 yards and a score in a 32-26 overtime loss at Miami. He 2,966 yards and 20 touchdowns. He’ll face Jaguars QB Mac Jones with Trevor Lawrence (concussion, shoulder) on IR.

Washington Commanders (8-5) at New Orleans Saints (5-8), 1 p.m., FOX
Saints fans, please welcome … Jake Haener? It’s possible New Orleans rolls out Haener for his first career start or turns to him early given the health of QB Derek Carr (hand). Maybe he’ll borrow from Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, who is back in Louisiana where he starred as the Heisman Trophy winner at LSU last season. Daniels can become the fourth rookie QB with 3,000 passing yards (2,819) and 500 rushing (589). It also could be a homecoming for Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was acquired by Washington in a trade with New Orleans on Nov. 5. The four-time Pro Bowler has missed the past five games because of a hamstring injury sustained while with the Saints, but he practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday. If you need a little inspiration to squeeze in a holiday workout, consider the career of Commanders LB Bobby Wagner. He has 104 tackles in 2024 at age 34, giving him 100 tackles for the 13th consecutive season. Only London Fletcher has a streak that long since 2000. He gets a matchup with Saints RB Alvin Kamara worth watching. Kamara leads all backs with 64 receptions this season, ranks third in the NFL with 1,423 yards from scrimmage yards and is 62 yards shy of his first-ever 1,000-yard rushing season. Kamara also needs only 15 yards to hit 500 receiving yards for the season for his fifth time.

Baltimore Ravens (8-5) at New York Giants (2-11), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
It will be a marathon 11 days for the Ravens. Currently fifth seed in the conference playoff picture, there’s still time for Baltimore to make a jump in the standings. Just two games behind division-leading Pittsburgh with four games to go, the Ravens have a home date with the Steelers in Week 16 in the midst of a three-games-in-11-days gauntlet that includes a Christmas Day trip to Houston. One explicit focus for the Ravens is getting PK Justin Tucker fixed. He kicked outside in the rain this week while the Ravens were indoors working out in hopes of snapping a funk causing panic because of his existing legacy as one of the most reliable in the NFL. Tucker, who has a total of 10 missed kicks this season including two PATs, missed multiple kicks in the 24-19 loss to the Eagles in Week 13 before the Ravens’ bye week. It’s been an ultramarathon for the Giants already. With an eight-game losing streak, the Giants are making a QB change once more to start Tommy DeVito this week. DeVito was named starter after Daniel Jones was released last month. But he was battered by the Buccaneers in that game and Drew Lock started the Thanksgiving Day loss at Dallas. DeVito returns with the Giants still chasing their first win at home this season. First-round WR Malik Nabers wasn’t targeted in the first half of DeVito’s previous start. Still he’s been incredibly consistent — five-plus receptions in 10 of 11 games — while the QB carousel spins. Nabers has 80 receptions more than an NFL player in league history through their first 11 career games.

Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) at Tennessee Titans (3-10), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Titans head coach Brian Callahan might be one of the few professionals who could pitch a believable plan to stop Joe Burrow’s flame-throwing run through the NFL this season. Callahan became Titans head coach in January after serving as offensive coordinator of the Bengals and a direct tutor of Burrow. The student is glad to show his work on Sunday. Burrow leads the NFL with 3,706 pass yards & 33 TD passes in 2024. At Dallas on Monday, he posted his seventh game this season with three-plus TD passes, his sixth game with at least 300 yards passing and if Burrow overcomes a sore knee to do both Sunday in Nashville, he’ll join former 49ers QB Steve Young (1998) as the only players with 300-3 in five consecutive games. There’s another probable All-Pro on Callahan’s mind this week: WR Ja’Marr Chase. While Titans leading receiver Calvin Ridley has 738 yards in 13 games, here’s what Chase has done the past four games: 602 yards (150.5 per game), 8 TDs. Chase leads the NFL with 93 catches, 1,319 yards and 15 TDs. The Titans could soon be on the clock looking for their Burrow clone. Will Levis was thought to be a potential franchise quarterback but results in 2024 are uneven to date. There has been improvement from Levis taking care of the ball after struggling in that area to start the season. He’s INT-free for the past two games.

New England Patriots (3-10) at Arizona Cardinals (6-7), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
First-time general manager Eliot Wolf was on the clock with the No. 3 pick in the draft and two marquee players stood out: North Carolina QB Drake Maye and Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Wolf and the Patriots took the passer, and Maye is making strides. He hit 24 of 30 passes and one TD and rushed for 59 yards in Week 13 before New England’s bye week. During the time off Wolf & Company had a chance to take a look at Harrison Jr., who went one spot after Maye in the draft to the Cardinals. He leads all rookies with seven TD catches in 2024. Harrison is not the lead option for Arizona. TE Trey McBride is in the midst of an unstoppable stretch with seven-plus receptions (31 total) in the past three games. His 80 catches are tops on the Cardinals by a wide margin. The Patriots and Maye want to avoid playmaking S Budda Baker, who had 18 tackles last week and is second in the NFL with 132 tackles in 2024. Arizona is two games out of both the NFC West lead and the last wild-card spot, giving them two options to chase. While they would need to jump three teams to land a wild-card berth, they have to slip past two teams — the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams — to take the division.

Indianapolis Colts (6-7) at Denver Broncos (8-5), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
The Broncos hold a two-game lead over the Miami Dolphins (6-7) and Colts in the wild-card race, and they meet Sunday after a December bye week that opened additional time to prepare for what Colts head coach Shane Steichen is framing as a must-win in his own locker room. That’s because the Colts are two games behind the Texans in the AFC South and Houston holds the tiebreaker. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor could hold the key to keeping his team from folding in a feisty road environment. He has six 100-yard games this season, but the Broncos are among the league’s best at penetrating to disrupt timing in the backfield. That often means sending LB Nik Bonitto (11.0 sacks this season) and causing interior linemen to communicate protections to also account for DE Zach Allen (12 tackles for loss in 2024). Denver steps into the final four games of the season after a bye last week and the Broncos are riding a three-game winning streak. Not many projected the Broncos’ Bo Nix-to-Courtland Sutton combination to be one of the best in the league this season, but here they are on the doorstep of the playoffs and five consecutive games with at least six connections and 70 yards. That’s more than any QB-WR combo in the NFL this season.

Buffalo Bills (10-3) at Detroit Lions (12-1), 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
A clash of conference frontrunners at Ford Field might point to a possible preview of the Super Bowl, but more imminently signals a lot of points. The Lions are the NFL’s top-scoring team at 32.5 points per game and the Bills are first in the AFC with 30.5 ppg. Already safely in the postseason, neither team wants to drop a game at this juncture because of the likely ramifications on home-field advantage through the conference title games. Playing outside of their comfortable home environment, Buffalo already has three losses this season. The Bills lost on the road to the Rams in one of Josh Allen’s top career performances — 424 yards (342 passing, 82 rushing), career-high six TDs (three pass, three rush) — and are trying to avoid back-to-back road defeats for the second time this season. Detroit is withstanding the gravity of losing several key defensive players to date. Explosive with depth on the offensive side of the ball, the Lions are already in playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1993-95. QB Jared Goff has 25 touchdown passes to seven receivers and one to himself (no, seriously) and Detroit can grind with the best of them behind a powerful offensive line and RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Lions compiled 1,964 rushing yards and averaged 4.6 as a team in 2024. The NFC homefield fight could be decided Jan. 5 at Ford Field when the Minnesota Vikings visit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-5), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
In the playoff field as of final play of Week 14, there’s no ground to give for either team with four games remaining on the regular-season schedule. Up next for the Chargers is division rival Denver, which has a matching 8-5 record. Before the Chargers can get there, they’ll need to deal with Tampa Bay’s improved running game and QB Baker Mayfield. With Chargers leading receiver Ladd McConkey sidelined last week, WR Quentin Johnston seemed to awaken from a rough patch at Kansas City last week and has become a primary read for QB Justin Herbert again. Herbert rarely has put the ball in harm’s way with a run of 11 consecutive games and an NFL-record 335 consecutive attempts without an interception. Tight margins are customary to the Chargers. Los Angeles leads the NFL in points allowed (15.9 per game) but half of its eight wins were decided by seven points or fewer. Tampa Bay is back on track with three wins in a row, but the Buccaneers built that streak against the Raiders, Giants and Panthers. Those teams own a combined 7-32 record. Often overlooked in the NFC playoff picture because the South is anchored by three sub-.500 teams, the Buccaneers have wins over the Lions, Eagles and Commanders — two division leaders and one of the current wild-card spot holders. Tampa Bay has games with the Cowboys, Panthers and Saints left on the schedule.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (11-2), 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
It’s feasible that Eagles WR A.J. Brown snuck a peek ahead at the schedule to see the Steelers coming and wanted a public decree to remind peers of his run of dominance against Pittsburgh. He had six catches for 153 yards and a career-high three TDs the last time he saw the Steelers and has consecutive games with at least 6-150-1 in the matchup. While “passing” has been backburnered, there’s a good and epically productive reason Philadelphia is last in the NFL in pass attempts: Saquon Barkley. He leads NFL and already set a franchise-record with 1,623 rushing yards this season. That’s the second-most all-time by a player in the first 13 games of season since 2000. Barkley leads the NFL with 1,890 scrimmage yards. The Eagles might appreciate the existing trend in this series with the home team winning nine of the past 10 meetings. But the Steelers are 6-1 with Russell Wilson at quarterback this season. Wilson is 5-0 in his career against the Eagles. He’s down his top wideout in George Pickens on Sunday. Pittsburgh does have familiar defensive stalwarts back together. LB Alex Highsmith was back in the lineup last week and record a sack. He’s the sidekick to T.J. Watt, who needs 0.5 sacks to hit 10 in a season for the sixth time in his career.

Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Seattle Seahawks (8-5), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
The “12s” raise the flag on Sunday night encouraged to know the home team has won four straight in the often-dramatic Packers-Seahawks rivalry. The potential playoff preview brings added significance to possible tiebreaking — and homefield — scenarios in January. To ensure a home game in the playoffs, Seattle would like to stay a game ahead of the pack of NFC West teams in close pursuit following the Rams (8-6) win over the 49ers on Thursday. The Seahawks might have unintentionally unearthed an unstoppable backfield pairing with starter Kenneth Walker III idle last week. Zach Charbonnet set career highs in catches (seven), total yards (193), rushing yards (134) and two rushing TDs in a critical victory over Arizona. His emergence coincides with the rapid rise of WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in a corps of receivers that also includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Given the newfound playmaking, it’s a good time for Green Bay to have top corner Jaire Alexander (knee) healthy for the first time in a month and rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper expecting to play after a long absence. The Packers continue to push RB Josh Jacobs toward peak production. He has eight rushing touchdowns in the past four games. And in Jacobs’ only career game against the Seahawks while he wore a Raiders’ uniform, Jacobs delivered a career-high 229 rushing yards, 74 receiving and two TD runs. Seattle DT Leonard Williams plopped himself in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year conversation with a run of highlight reel games the past month.

–Field Level Media

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KC Chiefs to Play Three in 11 Days

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – At a time when the Kansas City Chiefs want to be sprinting to the finish line, quarterback Patrick Mahomes fears the physical toll of playing three games in a span of 11 days will derail the two-time Super Bowl champions.

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“You never want to play this amount of games in this short of time. It’s not great for your body,” said Mahomes of Kansas City’s upcoming Sunday-Saturday-Christmas Day (Wednesday) schedule combination. “But at the end of the day, it’s your job, your profession, you have to come to work and do it.”

The Chiefs begin the gauntlet of games Sunday in a Week 15 matchup at Cleveland. They return for a short week of preparation and a Saturday home game against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans, then play the Steelers at Pittsburgh on Christmas Day in the first scheduled NFL game on a Wednesday since 2012.

“It’s a unique situation,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who shared that he told the team to take one day at a time through the unprecedented stretch.

“The main thing is you get guys ready for the game. Give them a chance to get ready for the game. (Players are) going to do whatever you present to them. You try to help them out with that. Right now, we have a normal week right here. We have to take care of business here.”

When the season ends, the Chiefs will have played a regular-season game every day of the week except Tuesday. Kansas City beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday.

Injuries have caused havoc for the Chiefs this season. Current left tackle DJ Humphries (hamstring) was hurt Sunday night and required an MRI exam. He did not practice Wednesday.

Kansas City’s top two wide receivers Hollywood Brown (shoulder) and Rashee Rice (knee) have been out most of the season. Brown, Reid said Wednesday, is “getting close” to returning from a training camp injury. Top running back Isiah Pacheco missed Weeks 3-12 with a broken fibula.

Houston had a bye in Week 14 to rest for the daunting finishing stretch and largely the same scheduling challenges as the Chiefs. Houston hosts the Miami Dolphins on Sunday before the trek to play Kansas City six days later. The Texans are home on Christmas Day to play Baltimore.

Texans GM Nick Caserio broke down the logistics with a focus on limited practice time after the typical week of preparation for Miami.

Hunter Named Heisman Winner

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Colorado two-way (receiver/cornerback) player Travis Hunter was named winner of the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. Hunter joins running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994 as the only Colorado players to win the Heisman.

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Hunter has 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and ranks second nationally with 14 touchdown catches. On defense, he has four interceptions with 15 passes defensed and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Hunter won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in the country.

Hunter is in his second and final season at Colorado as he has stated that he will enter the 2025 NFL Draft. He began his college career at Jackson State and transferred to the Buffaloes when Deion Sanders departed to become Colorado coach.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel were the other finalists.

Jeanty has rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns, Ward has thrown for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns and Gabriel has completed 73.2 percent of his passes for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

No “O” – Rams Defeat SF 49ers, 12-6

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Los Angeles placekicker Joshua Karty booted a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining and Darious Williams came down with a crucial interception to lift the LA Rams to a 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers (thus 6ers) on Thursday night in Northern California.

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Heavy rain before halftime prevented both teams from finding an offensive rhythm, but Los Angeles (8-6) did just enough to earn its seventh win in nine games. The loss by the 49ers practically eliminated their chance of qualifying for the NFL postseason.

With the game tied at six-apiece, it looked as if the Rams were headed for the end zone after Puka Nacua got behind San Francisco’s secondary and hauled in a 51-yard pass from Matthew Stafford early in the fourth quarter.

The 49ers’ defense soon got a stop on third-and-2, though, forcing Los Angeles to bring out Karty for his 27-yarder.

San Francisco (6-8) quickly worked down to the Los Angeles 33 on its ensuing drive. Brock Purdy proceeded to throw a deep ball near the near-side pylon that Williams picked off, and Karty later made good on a 29-yard field goal with 18 seconds to go.

Although a horse-collar tackle on the following kickoff set the Niners up at the 50-yard line, they couldn’t generate a miracle in the final seconds.

Stafford completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards, with Nacua (seven catches, 97 yards) serving as his favorite target. Kyren Williams was a workhorse on the ground, going for 108 yards on 29 carries.

Star receiver Cooper Kupp didn’t have a single reception for the Rams.

Purdy finished 14 of 31 for 142 yards and the interception. Isaac Guerendo had 16 carries for 57 yards as San Francisco got outgained 302-191 in total yards.

Jake Moody and Karty exchanged second-half field goals within a span of just under 10 minutes to forge the 6-6 tie.

Amid the rain, San Francisco punted on six of its seven first-half drives.

The 49ers’ only successful drive before the break ended with Moody’s 53-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the first quarter. A 33-yard completion to George Kittle over the middle helped set up the kick.

After punting on its five first drives of the game, Los Angeles finally tied the contest with 65 seconds remaining in the first half on a 48-yard field goal from Karty.

The Rams climbed within a half-game of the first-place Seattle Seahawks (8-5) in the NFC West. The defending conference champion 49ers are last in the division, a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals (6-7).

–Field Level Media

Baseball Winter Meetings Update

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DALLAS – Super agent Scott Boras negotiated another record-breaking contract as one of his star clients, Juan Soto, reached an agreement with the New York Mets on a 15-year, $765 million deal.

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Boras declined to comment Wednesday on the historic deal involving Soto, who is undergoing his physical before it becomes official. However, Boras did talk about the Mets in general, commending their aggressive pursuit of building a championship-caliber organization after their run to the National League Championship Series last season.

“I think it’s pretty evident that the Mets have decided that they’re going to pursue winning and winning for a long time,” Boras said. “They’ve made it very clear to us that they’re not limited to signing one great player but multiple great players. They’re going to be, I think, a very steady and heavy commitment to acquiring the best talent.”

That was among the many notable comments made by Boras as he held court with reporters on Day 3 of the winter meetings at the Hilton Anatole.

Beyond Soto, Boras’ list of free agents this offseason includes infielders Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman, right-hander Corbin Burnes and left-hander Sean Manaea.

“A lot of market locomotion regarding Pete,” Boras said. “The Polar Bear Express is rolling.”

Boras added that Alonso is open to listening to a lot of teams.

“Certainly his experiences with the Mets were extraordinary, both for them and him,” Boras said.

Boras also shared his thoughts on his other clients.

“We’ve had numerous meetings with teams and owners. We all know what comes after AB, that is the ‘C’ in champions. In Bregman’s case, that is ‘C’ squared,” Boras said. “All of these teams realize what a leader he is, what a champion he is and plus his skill level to boot. So, he’s had a remarkable career to date and is very much in demand.”

On Burnes: “For pitching, for Corbin Burnes, it’s kind of like Elvis. He’s got that ‘Burnes-ing Love’ for a No. 1 starter. You are really feeling it today, and very early this morning for me, I might add.”

On Manaea: “There is a new Sean rising. It’s something that teams have recognized. The demand is really something that I think is going to happen soon.”

Hamilton to Baseball Hall

Cleveland Guardians longtime radio announcer Tom Hamilton was selected as the 2025 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Hamilton started calling games for the Guardians in 1990.

–Drew Davison, Field Level Media

Belichick Can Be Finer in Carolina

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CHAPEL HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report). It probably could’ve been Chestnut Hill last summer but instead, it’s Chapel Hill today as Bill Belichick rejoined the coaching ranks at the collegiate level, landing a five-year contract to take over as the head coach at North Carolina.

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The deal must be ratified by the university’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. A special session will be held Thursday, according to multiple media outlets. Undoubtedly, the word money will come up.

Belichick’s five-year pact calls for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach to earn a total of $50 million, The Athletic reported.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina from 1953-55. Bill Belichick takes over a Tar Heels program that has not won a conference title since 1980.

Belichick said in a statement released by North Carolina, “I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

North Carolina chancellor Lee H. Roberts added in a statement, “This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University. Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition. I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.”

Belichick will replace Mack Brown, whom North Carolina fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels (6-6) will play in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 in Boston.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement, “We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking. Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win — today and in the future.”

Belichick, 72, parted ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season after 24 years with the franchise. He was out of coaching this year despite interviewing for multiple NFL vacancies last offseason, and has been working multiple roles in the media.

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Belichick has 333 wins as an NFL coach and needs 14 more to break the all-time wins record for NFL coaches held by Don Shula. However, according to reports earlier this week, he was surprised not to hear from the NFL teams with existing vacancies.

It will be his first coaching position at the collegiate level. His son, Steve, is the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and a prominent role for him at UNC was reportedly a part of his father’s pitch to the Tar Heels. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch was a former assistant for Bill Belichick, who spent significant time around the Washington program over the past year.

During an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Belichick outlined what he believed he could bring to a program during the NIL era that has contributed to other coaches such as Nick Saban leaving college football.

“The college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he said. “It would be a professional program, training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was (at) the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career.

“But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure and all that, that would be life skills, regardless of whether they’re in the NFL or somewhere in the business.”

–Field Level Media