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Slye and the Patriots Family

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kicker Joey Slye agreed to terms on a contract with the New England Patriots, said multiple reports Thursday. Slye, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday, is expected to provide competition for Chad Ryland in New England.

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Ryland, 24, made just 64 percent of his field-goal attempts (16 of 25) during his rookie season for the Patriots. He was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Slye didn’t spend long in Jacksonville, as he signed with the club on March 18.

Slye, 28, converted 19 of 24 field goals and 32 of 35 extra points in 17 games for the Washington Commanders last season. He has made 82.3 percent of his field goals and just 88.5 percent of his PATs across five seasons with four teams.

–Field Level Media

WINNERS & LOSERS in the NFL DRAFT

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Instant reaction to NFL draft selections is dangerous territory, but we’re running with the Bears while we have the chance.

Chicago comes out of Thursday with two of the top seven players in the Field Level Media Top 100 rankings. The Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams first overall and paired him with polished pass catcher Rome Odunze, the Washington wide receiver picked ninth overall.

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Not every team was blessed with the same great fortune on Thursday night but have a chance to shift the narrative around the following flash reactions Friday and Saturday.

WINNERS
Minnesota Vikings
–Drafted QB J.J. McCarthy 10th, DE Dallas Turner 17th
When the offseason began with Kirk Cousins waving goodbye, the Vikings were left reeling for only a moment. Minnesota struck early and often in free agency and acquired a second first-round pick from the Houston Texans to be in position to attempt a 1-2 punch in the first round capable of setting the foundation for the franchise for years to come.

“As excited as our fans are, they can know that J.J. McCarthy really wanted to be a Minnesota Viking and he can’t wait to get here and get to work,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said.

Seattle Seahawks
–Drafted DT Byron Murphy II 16th overall
As Aaron Donald is ushered out of the NFC West, the Seahawks sit tight and let one of the top players on their draft board fall into their laps. Murphy is a freakish athlete and fits at multiple positions in the varied fronts of new head coach Mike Macdonald.

“It’s a dream come true. I don’t know too much about Seattle, but I heard it rains a lot,” Murphy said Thursday night from his draft party in Dallas.

Arizona Cardinals
–Drafted Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. 4th, Missouri DE Darius Robinson 27th
Twenty years and a day since Arizona selected Larry Fitzgerald Jr. No. 3 overall, they hit it big again.

Harrison Jr. might be the best player in the draft — he was ranked No. 1 by multiple teams — but QB need was undeniable for the teams at the top in 2024. Harrison Jr. is bigger and faster than most expect, and Ohio State felt he was elite in other areas — work ethic and leadership.

Robinson was a defensive end but his skill set projects well to multiple positions on the defensive line, a major need for the Cardinals. He’ll help the overall defense and upgrade the pass rush.

Jacksonville Jaguars
–Drafted LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd
Thomas runs pristine routes and led the nation in touchdowns, representing a well-played mulligan for Jacksonville following the botched free agency negotiations with Calvin Ridley.

Detroit Lions
–Drafted CB Terrion Arnold 24th
One of the most maligned draft picks of the first round last year? Easily the Lions selecting Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who turned into an ideal playmaker after a slow start. And second-round safety Brian Branch was described as the “heartbeat of the defense” by Dan Campbell. So why not take a swing for a No. 1 corner from the Crimson Tide? It took a trade up in a swap with the Cowboys. But Arnold is legit, ranked as high as No. 10 and projected to be the first cornerback off the board far earlier than this point in the draft.

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LOSERS
Atlanta Falcons
–Drafted Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. 8th
Penix was a fringe first-round pick and the Falcons spent serious capital — $180 million over four years — to lure Kirk Cousins in free agency and fix their QB concerns. Now they’ve created friction without addressing major needs on the roster, including almost every defensive position.

“I feel like there’s definitely something special going on over there in Atlanta,” Penix said.

Cousins leaned on Aaron Rodgers for advice and benchmarks to check in his recovery from a torn Achilles this season. Now Cousins finds himself in a situation eerily similar to the position Rodgers was in when the Packers drafted Jordan Love 26th overall in 2020.

Denver Broncos
–Drafted Oregon QB Bo Nix 12th
The sixth of six first-round quarterbacks selected, Denver bought the end of the run rather than taking better value with their choice of the top edge, cornerback, safety, linebacker and one remaining blue-chip talent — Georgia tight end Brock Bowers — a boom-or-bust roll of the dice brings Nix to a QB room in Denver that includes Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.

–Field Level Media

NFL Report: Patriots Sign KJ Osborn

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots are bringing aboard one of the top remaining free agent receivers, signing former Minnesota Vikings wideout K.J. Osborn, according to multiple reports Sunday.

Osborn played a complementary role to standout Justin Jefferson in Minnesota, recording 158 receptions for 1,845 yards over the past three seasons.

He started 30 of his 59 games with the Vikings, contributing 15 touchdown receptions.

Osborn, who turns 27 in June, was a fifth-round pick by Minnesota in 2020.

The Patriots, who traded quarterback Mac Jones during this offseason, are likely to draft a QB with their first-round pick (No. 3 overall). New England’s receiver room is led by JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor.

–Field Level Media

Where Will Russell Wilson End Up?

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The divorce between Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos certainly appears to be a matter of when, not if.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the NFL Scouting Combine that “I would anticipate it being within the next two weeks,” when asked about a decision on Wilson’s future.

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What’s next for the 35-year-old former Super Bowl champion is one of the biggest storylines of the NFL offseason.

With a trio of quarterback prospects atop most draft boards, that leaves a handful of quarterback-needy teams as likely potential suitors for Wilson’s services.

That list is topped by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are the -225 favorite at DraftKings to be the team that Wilson takes his first snap for next season. That’s well ahead of the next shortest odds, which belong to the Las Vegas Raiders at +550.

The short list of sensible landing spots is why remaining with the Broncos still shares the third lowest odds at +600 along with joining the Atlanta Falcons.

The sportsbook is offering odds on all 32 NFL franchises, although the list essentially stops with an extremely unlikely reunion in Seattle at +6000.

RUSSELL WILSON NEXT SNAP ODDS*
Pittsburgh Steelers (-225)
Las Vegas Raiders (+550)
Denver Broncos (+600)
Atlanta Falcons (+600)
New England Patriots (+850)
Minnesota Vikings (+1000)
Washington Commanders (+2000)
Tennessee Titans (+3000)
New York Giants (+3500)
Chicago Bears (+4000
Carolina Panthers (+4000)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+4000)
*DraftKings

The Steelers spent a 2022 first-round pick on Kenny Pickett, but it was veteran backup Mason Rudolph who led Pittsburgh to the playoffs when Pickett was injured and then got the postseason start even when Pickett was healthy.

That has led many to speculate that the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran who can immediately boost Pittsburgh’s contender status.

The Steelers are also among the favorites to land Chicago’s Justin Fields (+380) and Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins (+1000).

The Raiders are also likely in the market for a veteran quarterback, having finished last season with rookie Aidan O’Connell under center after Jimmy Garoppolo was benched. Las Vegas is +800 to acquire Fields and +1000 to sign Cousins.

Atlanta toggled between second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder and journeyman Taylor Heineke last season. New coach Raheem Morris has made it clear that he sees an upgrade at the position as an offseason priority.

Wilson easily has the most postseason success among the potential options, although the Falcons are currently the -300 favorite to acquire Fields. They’re also +300 to sign Cousins compared to +600 to land Wilson.

If Wilson isn’t traded or released by March 17, then $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season will be locked in.

Making a trade by then doesn’t seem likely based on Tuesday’s comments from Broncos general manager George Paton.

“I haven’t heard anything from any teams so we’ll see,” Paton said.

On Sunday on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, Wilson indicated he would prefer to remain with the Broncos.

“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else. I hope it’s Denver. I hope I get to finish there. I committed there. I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, was acquired from the Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There hasn’t been much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and eight, respectively, last season.

SUPER LVIII: Most Watched in History

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LAS VEGAS – (Wire Service Report) – The Kansas City Chiefs’ overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday was the most-watched television program in U.S. history, according to preliminary data released by Nielsen and CBS on Monday.

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According to CBS, which broadcast the game, the Super Bowl averaged 123.4 million viewers across all platforms, breaking the mark of 115.1 million set during last year’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

CBS added that 202.4 million viewers watched at least part of the game, breaking the record of 184 million (also set last Super Bowl).

Though Nielsen’s final data will be released Tuesday, Monday’s figures made it clear the game was smash hit for CBS and the NFL. The 120 million viewers who watched the game on CBS was a single-network record. The Paramount+ audience made it the most-streamed Super Bowl, as well, CBS claimed.

The total of 123.4 million also includes viewers of simulcasts on Nickelodeon, Univision, Paramount+, NFL+ and other NFL digital properties.

While the game going to overtime played a role in audience retention, several storylines had much of the country buzzing long before kickoff.

The win was the Chiefs’ third in five seasons, placing quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid among rare NFL royalty. Mahomes joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only players with at least three Super Bowl MVPs, and Reid became the fifth coach with at least three Super Bowl wins as a head coach.

Las Vegas hosted the Super Bowl for the first time, with Usher performing at halftime. And the game marked the season’s culmination of the Taylor Swift-NFL juggernaut, as the superstar was in attendance to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, catch nine passes for 93 yards for his third Super Bowl win.

Up next is Super Bowl LIX, scheduled for Feb. 9, 2025, at the Superdome in New Orleans. Fox will broadcast that game.

–Field Level Media

SUPER BOWL LVIII – SUPER TWOs-DAY

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Patrick Mahomes threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman with three seconds left in overtime to give the Kansas City Chiefs a 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

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Mahomes guided the Chiefs on a 13-play, 75-yard drive after the 49ers had settled for a field goal on their overtime possession. The victory made Kansas City the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the New England Patriots in the 2002-03 seasons.

Mahomes was 34-of-46 passing for 333 yards, two touchdowns and one interception as the Chiefs won their third Super Bowl in the past five seasons. Two of their victories have come against the 49ers.

Travis Kelce caught nine passes for 93 yards and Marquez Valdes-Scantling also caught a touchdown pass for Kansas City. Harrison Butker tied a Super Bowl record with four field goals, including a record 57-yarder just one quarter after San Francisco’s Jake Moody set the mark with a 55-yard kick.

Brock Purdy completed 23 of 38 passes for 255 yards and one touchdown for the 49ers. Christian McCaffrey had 160 scrimmage yards (80 rushing, 80 receiving) to go with a touchdown catch while Jauan Jennings threw a touchdown pass and caught another for San Francisco, which last won a Super Bowl in the 1994 season.

Moody kicked a 27-yard field goal with 7:22 left in overtime to give the 49ers a three-point lead.

Moody also booted a 53-yard field goal with 1:53 remaining in regulation to give the 49ers a 19-16 advantage. The Chiefs rallied to force overtime on Butker’s 29-yarder with three seconds left.

Steve Christie of the Buffalo Bills set the former long mark with a 54-yarder against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII on Jan. 30, 1994.

Mahomes connected with a wide-open Valdes-Scantling to give Kansas City its first lead of the contest at 13-10 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

San Francisco recovered to take a 16-13 lead on Purdy’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Jennings with 11:22 remaining in the game. But Moody’s extra point was blocked by Kansas City’s Leo Chenal.

The missed point was magnified when Butker kicked a 24-yard field goal to tie the score with 5:46 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Moody broke the record with a 55-yard field goal 12 seconds into the second quarter for the points of the game.

San Francisco stretched the lead to 10 when Purdy threw a lateral to his left to Jennings, who then threw a toss all the way back to the other side of the field. McCaffrey caught it and easily sped ahead to score the game’s first touchdown with 4:23 left in the half.

Kansas City finally got on the board on Butker’s 28-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in the half. His record-setting boot in the third quarter cut the Chiefs’ deficit to 10-6.

–Field Level Media

SB LVIII: Niners Struck Gold

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LAS VEGAS — As Mr. Irrelevant, he had a parade, a prodigious haul of swag and a few massive believers.

As an NFL quarterback in his second season, Brock Purdy started two NFC Championship Games and is playing Sunday for a Lombardi Trophy and a little bit more national attention.

“I would say he’s doing a pretty good job of getting it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday at Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night.

It’s been quite a roller coaster to get back to Las Vegas, where Purdy brings a 21-5 record as a starter to the Strip and a Super Bowl LVIII matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The third-youngest QB starter in Super Bowl history, Purdy is embracing everything about his next game and the opportunity to spark another parade.

“I got drafted last,” Purdy said Monday with a wry smile. “Staying grounded and more than anything, just staying grateful. Not what I didn’t do or where I didn’t go. But, ‘Hey, I get to go play for the 49ers.’ I want to be a part of this, I want to be a part of it forever. Even though I was overlooked two years ago in the draft, I’ve got an opportunity to go win a Super Bowl with the 49ers.”

When Purdy’s NFL journey began down the street at Caesars Palace, the 49ers turned in the card for the 262nd and final pick in the 2022 draft to little fanfare. He was the ninth of nine quarterbacks selected.

San Francisco hardly kicked the door down to reel in Purdy. Niners general manager John Lynch had many chances to select him sooner with five picks on the third and final day of the draft (Nos. 134, 172, 187, 220 and 221) before the draft-capper was announced.

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Mr. Irrelevant no more, Purdy stood out to coach Kyle Shanahan very early in his rookie training camp. That’s not revisionist history.

“We had a fourth-round grade on him,” Shanahan said Monday. “You always go through and predict where guys are going to get drafted. We had a lot of holes at the time. Quarterback wasn’t really one of them.

“We knew his measurables and stuff were smaller (than the prototype quarterback). The first day of rookie minicamp he walks out and I told our coaches, ‘OK, he’s going to be fine.’ We called him Baby Bosa. He had these shortie shorts on and big, thick legs kind of like (San Francisco edge rusher Nick) Bosa.”

Team owner Jed York confessed this week Shanahan told him in August 2022 he was pretty sure the “third-sting quarterback is our best quarterback,” which turned the stomach of the CEO who invested massive draft capital and salary for the 49ers to acquire the No. 3 pick in 2021 and select Trey Lance.

San Francisco traded three first-round picks to go up from No. 12 to No. 3 and select Lance, a relative neophyte out of North Dakota State. Shanahan said now with the benefit of hindsight it was “definitely a mistake.” After two seasons and four total starts, Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in August after the 49ers were fully comfortable that Purdy’s surgically repaired right elbow was fully healthy.

Two years later, Shanahan isn’t just willing to put Purdy among the best quarterbacks he’s ever coached.

“Better. He’s better,” Shanahan said.

The numbers prove his point. Among quarterbacks with at least 20 starts (regular season and postseason combined) the past two seasons, Purdy leads the NFL during his starts with an .808 winning percentage, 9.2 yards per attempt, a 3.36-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (47-14) and a 111.2 passer rating.

–By Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Super Bowl: For Bosa, It’s Revenge

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LAS VEGAS -(Staff and Wire Service Report) – Losing in the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs four seasons ago has never slipped the mind of San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa. The defensive end said he documented his feelings and will break them out later this week as part of his preparation for Sunday’s rematch.

“No sharing but there are a couple recordings that I have,” Bosa said at Monday’s Super Bowl Opening Night. “I had some thoughts and I didn’t want to forget them so they’re in my phone.”

Bosa and the 49ers had a 10-point lead past the midway point of the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LIV before Kansas City scored 21 straight points to post a 31-20 victory at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Bosa scored one sack of Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes in that game and is eager for more.

“What stands out is very thin margins,” said Bosa, referring to Mahomes’ quick release and escape ability. “Very grateful for the opportunity against the same team. We have to make it count this time.”

Bosa and the 49ers figure to bring pressure with the Kansas City offense sometimes having issues against physical units.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid hasn’t forgotten the struggles of dealing with Bosa and the rest of San Francisco’s front seven four years ago.

“There were some running lanes early. They closed those up,” Reid said of the previous Super Bowl. “Their front — it starts with them. They’re really good, their front four. And then two of the most athletic linebackers in the league (in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw).”

Yet even with the 49ers’ four sacks in the game, Mahomes still made the San Francisco defense pay.

“There’s a few plays in the Super Bowl we look back at that were very big plays where he made plays with his legs,” Bosa said.

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Bosa had 10.5 sacks this season after needing time to find his stride after a long holdout.

He agreed to a five-year, $170 million contract as the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history shortly before the season started.

“It’s definitely a weight off your back getting your second deal done and just having that out of the equation,” Bosa said. “It was a stressful time. I’m glad it’s over with.”

One season earlier, Bosa had a league-best 18.5 sacks and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. He has 53.5 sacks in 68 regular-season games.

Bosa has 10 sacks in 11 postseason contests, including two in the NFC Championship Game when the 49ers rallied from a 17-point deficit to claim a 34-31 victory over Detroit.

Bosa isn’t the only key San Francisco defender looking to close the door on past demons.

Warner repeatedly replays the former Super Bowl loss in his mind. He intercepted Mahomes in that game but the fourth-quarter collapse is what’s at the forefront of his thoughts.

“The biggest thing I take away from that game is the game is never over until that clock hits triple zeros,” Warner said. “That’s the biggest takeaway.

“I remember guys on the sidelines in that fourth quarter real happy and excited about possibly becoming Super Bowl champions and things flipped on a dime real quick. (Kansas City) scoring 21 unanswered in about six minutes.

“That scar remains with me to this day.”

–Field Level Media

SB LVIII: Reid Will Know When It’s Time

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid embraces Tommy Bahama button-town style to the extent questions about retirement no longer inspire shock and disdain.

“My mom and dad told me a long time ago, ‘You’ll know when it’s time,’” Reid said Monday at Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium. “I’m here. And I’m still ready to go right now.”

But at age 65, another question might apply to Reid by Sunday night: Could he become the GOAT?

“I don’t think about that sort of thing really,” Reid said.

Reid is second in NFL history with 25 playoff wins and fourth in regular-season victories with 258. Recently unemployed Bill Belichick ranks No. 1 with 31 postseason victories and is closing in on Don Shula’s regular-season wins mark. Belichick stands at a grand total of 333 victories (302 in the regular season).

Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has coached against Belichick and worked for Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chiefs. He wouldn’t claim to have foreseen Reid chasing 300 career wins, but he did see greatness in the young coach groomed under Mike Holmgren with the Green Bay Packers.

“You knew immediately that Andy knew exactly how to do it,” Spagnuolo said Monday, adding the detail-oriented Reid has encyclopedic volumes of notes from his coaching experiences and offseason visits to college programs to keep learning and exploring what’s next. “He never looks riled. Rock solid. He never gets too high, never gets too low. Stays the course all the way through. When the coaches, the players see that — they follow.”

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Reid snapped Kansas City’s 49-year streak without a Super Bowl appearance when the Chiefs claimed Lombardi Trophy after the 2019 season. He has taken Kansas City to four Super Bowls in the past five seasons and is pursuing his third title.

Since being hired by the Chiefs in January 2013, Reid hasn’t had a losing record in 11 seasons. No other franchise has a streak of consecutive non-losing seasons higher than five during that same window.

Fired by the Eagles in 2012 after 14 seasons in Philadelphia, Reid isn’t underappreciated in Kansas City. Before his arrival, the Chiefs hadn’t won a playoff game since January 1994, when Shula was still coaching the Miami Dolphins. Miami beat the Chiefs in the playoffs the following season.

That was one of Shula’s 347 total wins. He logged 328 victories in the regular season.

Reid stands at 283 total, 64 behind Shula’s all-time record tally.

But Reid’s 28-year-old quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, is set to become the youngest to start four Super Bowls — a clip two years ahead of Tom Brady, who started his fourth at age 30 with the New England Patriots under Belichick.

With Reid — who drafted Mahomes in 2017 — they’re on a run of eight consecutive AFC West division titles and six straight AFC Championship Games.

Could Reid catch Belichick and Shula? Well, it depends.

Belichick, 71, and the Patriots split in January. Pete Carroll, 72, and the Seattle Seahawks did, too. That makes Reid the NFL’s elder statesman with his 66th birthday on March 19, six days after NFL free agency begins and less than a week before he is scheduled to represent the Chiefs at league meetings in Orlando.

Within the NFL pantheon of coaching legends, greatness narratives often are coupled with dynasty-level success, the type Reid is in the throes of with the Chiefs.

He has 37 regular-season wins and eight playoff wins in the past three seasons with a chance to get another playoff “W” this week. Including the Chiefs’ franchise-record 14 wins in 2020 (a mark they matched in 2022), Reid’s four-season totals are 51 wins, 10 in the playoffs.

For now, Reid wants to keep his focus on the next one.

He has never lost in Las Vegas (4-0 vs. the Raiders) and said the Chiefs are thanking the Raiders for the Christmas Day defeat in Kansas City that lit a spark under the team.

“We had some ups and downs throughout the year,” Reid said. “It was good to see the young guys step up and finish strong. The growth would be the biggest part of the journey.”

–By Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Goodell Welcomed Swiftie Effect

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has attended two Taylor Swift concerts with his two daughters and his wife, but chances are, he never thought his status as a “Swiftie” would bleed over into the workplace.

But it has.

Swift has taken the NFL world by storm due to her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and Goodell had nothing but good things to say on Monday about the couple’s impact on football.

“Having the ‘Taylor Swift effect’ is also a positive,” Goodell told reporters. “Both Travis and Taylor are wonderful young people, and they seem very happy. She knows great entertainment, and I think that’s why she loves NFL football.

“Obviously, it creates a buzz. It creates another group of young fans, particularly young women, that are interested in seeing why she is going to this game, why she is interested in this game. Besides (her relationship with) Travis, she is a football fan, and I think that’s great for us.”

Kansas City beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 28, leading some fans to believe that the outcome was pre-planned in order to have Swift draw more viewers for the Super Bowl. The 14-time Grammy Award winner is expected to be in attendance when the Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, but Goodell made it clear that he is far from capable of cooking up such a storyline.

“I don’t think I’m that good of a scripter — or anybody on our staff,” Goodell said. “Listen, there is no way I could have scripted that one, let’s put it that way.”

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Swift has been spotted at 12 of Kelce’s games this season, with Kansas City coming out on top in nine of them. She first attended the Chiefs’ 41-10 victory over the Chicago Bears back on Sept. 24.

Of course, there has been some backlash from the NFL’s focus on Swift over the past five months, but Goodell is hoping that she sticks around.

“I think anybody in this society, when they’re in a public position, (is) going to be subject to criticism,” Goodell said. “Taylor is obviously a dynamo. Everything she touches, there are people following. So we count ourselves fortunate and we welcome it.”

–Field Level Media