Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy ? That is the question that hangs over the Minnesota Vikings with less than two months until the NFL regular season kicks off. Eager to avoid another disappointing campaign, the Vikings opted for some competition in the quarterback room, adding Murray this offseason. The former Michigan man hasn't lived up to expectations, paving the way for the 2019 No. 1 overall pick to potentially win the job in training camp. Drew Brees, a Super Bowl champion and New Orleans Saints legend, weighed in on the battle. "I think both of those guys have a lot to prove," Brees said to USA TODAY Sports' Madison Tenenbaum. Brees noted that McCarthy just hasn't been on the field enough in his short career, while Murray is getting a fresh start. However, the former Cardinals ' signal-caller has the added task of endearing himself to a new team, making for an intriguing competition. Check out the video above for Brees' full explanation and why it's too early to give up on McCarthy. OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans) CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs) RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions) WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears) OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans) OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans) CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs) RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions) WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drew Brees weighs in on Vikings QB battle: 'A lot to prove'
The New Orleans Saints have not made the playoffs since the 202o season, which also happened to be quarterback Drew Brees last with the team before retiring a couple of months later. Since then, the Saints have undergone a lot of changes with both players and personnel. Now under the leadership of head coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough , who went 5-4 last season after being named the team’s starter in Week 9, the Saints have a lot of momentum and fans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic that this is the year the playoff drought ends. It also looks like they aren’t the only one, as Brees, who will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame next month, has also weighed in with his opinion. In a recent interview with Heavy Sports, Brees was asked his thoughts on if the Saints can win the division this year. “1,000%,” said Brees. “Last year, it was a three-team race down to the wire. Actually, I guess it was really a four-team race down to the wire. They were all just kind of hovering around .500. Tampa has been kind of the favorite and then Carolina was kind of able to bump them off the top last year. Bryce Young played well. They got three really good receivers, ran the ball well. They got some good young talent on defense. Atlanta has been the one that’s kind of been unpredictable. Michael Penix gets hurt. But they’ve got some weapons on offense, and so we’ll see how he comes back this year.” Brees added why he thinks there is no clear favorite and the division is wide open this season, “ Baker Mayfield . I think he’s kind of the one you know real veteran QB in the division. You know, so they kind of they kind of give them the nod as far as just maybe having a bit of the advantage. But look, you know, Saints beat the Bucs. Saints beat the Bucs last year at their place, beat Carolina twice. You know, and so as you as you look at it, it’s pretty wide open.” We will soon see how the 2026 season will shape up for the Saints, as they hit the practice field next Wednesday for the start of training camp and their first preseason game will kick off against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, August 15, in Caesars Superdome
Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he believes there is a real chance that Aaron Donald returns to the Los Angeles Rams this season. Brees appeared as a guest on
As the offseason wears on, it's become apparent that the list of people who don't believe Aaron Donald can make an NFL comeback is smaller than the list of people who do. In a one-on-one interview with USA TODAY Sports, Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees said he 'absolutely' believes Donald could return to NFL action in 2026. "First off, I've watched the guy on Instagram, and it looks like he's staying in pretty good shape," Brees said. "I mean, I'm still pretty scared of him." In the two years since his retirement, Donald has consistently posted videos of his workouts to social media – videos that seem to indicate he is still in playing shape if he were to decide to return to the Los Angeles Rams . The 35-year-old defensive tackle has not played an NFL snap since January 2024, but Brees said he's not doubting the possibility of a comeback. AARON DONALD: Former DT says Myles Garrett trade 'got me thinking' on Rams return Los Angeles ' move to trade for star edge rusher Myles Garrett earlier in the offseason was the chief catalyst that sparked speculation Donald could return. The trade was among the reasons that the former Saints quarterback laid out for why an NFL return could be especially enticing for Donald in 2026. "For him to sit there and go, 'Wait a minute, you mean I can come back, I ... can play 20-25 snaps a game, it's always going to be a pass rush, I'm always going to be matched up against the worst offensive linemen, and all the attention is going to Myles Garrett? Like, yeah, why not?'" Brees said. "[The Myles Garrett trade] for sure got me thinking," Donald said via text , per "The Pat McAfee Show" on June 2. On July 10, Donald was spotted working out at the Rams ' facility. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Donald "wanted to go there, work out, see how he felt, see how he reacted, see everything that went along with being back in pads on the football field and seeing how it made him feel." Schefter also said he believed Donald would return to the Rams this season. In the seven years of overlap in their respective NFL careers, Donald and Brees faced off five times, including once in the playoffs. In those games, Donald recorded two sacks, 13 tackles and 11 quarterback hits. During a Week 2 matchup in 2019, Brees tore a ligament in his right (throwing) hand after taking a hit from Donald, which knocked him out for five weeks. Donald is likely bound for first-ballot Hall of Famer status if he stays in retirement for a few more years. His eight first-team All-Pro nods are tied for fifth-most all-time for a single player. Donald is also one of three NFL players in history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award three times, alongside Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt . Brees was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2026. He is one of two first-ballot members in this year's class – wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is the other – and will be officially enshrined in Canton in August. On the July 21 episode of "The Adam Schefter Podcast," the ESPN insider shared that Donald is still a ways away from deciding whether he'll return to the Rams this year. "Aaron Donald is essentially trying to get himself ready for the upcoming season," Schefter said. "I don't think, and it doesn't sound like, we're gonna get an immediate answer, or an immediate signing, of Aaron Donald. He is too busy trying to get himself back into football shape, to try to regain some of the form he might've lost in two years away from football, and he's not gonna come back until he feels like he's ready to be Aaron Donald again." Schefter went on to say that it could be a while before Donald and the Rams come to terms on a new contract agreement for 2026. "There are incremental steps, and it doesn't sound like it's going to move fast," he said. "We may not see Donald back in a Rams uniform until early in the season." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hall of Fame QB says Aaron Don
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Tyler Shough is the Saints’ unquestioned starter heading into 2026. The quarterback, in only his second season, is also the team’s leader. Shough organized an outing with teammates in San Diego. He has said Drew Brees helped set up the outing, and Shough’s social media photos and video on Wednesday show the Hall of Fame quarterback. Shough’s teammates Juwan Johnson, Chris Olave, Travis Etienne, Bryce Lance, Barion Brown, Audric Estime and Noah Fant are among those in Shough’s post , per Katherine Terrell of ESPN. In his rookie season, the second-round pick went 5-4 as a starter and completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions
When the Los Angeles Rams sent Jared Goff (and three draft picks) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay and company thought they were acquiring the missing piece for their championship dreams. Not only were they right, but Stafford almost certainly surpassed their loftiest hopes. By leading the Rams to a Super Bowl and winning an MVP over the past five seasons, Stafford has gone above and beyond to establish his place among the NFL’s most-respected pivots, transforming his own narrative from that of a compiler with minimal success to a legitimate Hall of Fame contender. He’s not the first high-profile quarterback to move to another team in the second half of his career, but there aren’t many who come remotely close to matching his success. In fact, you can easily argue no quarterback has positively impacted the outside world’s perspective of their career during a second act more than Stafford has since joining the Rams. The list below dives into the notable quarterbacks in NFL history who established a legacy with one franchise, only to make a move elsewhere to play their final seasons. Drew Brees is notably excluded because he left the Chargers after his age 26 season and spent three times as many years in New Orleans as he did San Diego. Fran Tarketon also changed teams twice and won his lone MVP at 35 years old, but spent that final tenure with the team that originally drafted him, the Vikings, so he’s out as well. You will notice quickly that the sublist of quarterbacks even in the same zip code as Stafford’s Rams tenure is tiny. Brady led the New England Patriots to two different dynastic championship runs, one in each half of his career with the franchise, but he departed for Tampa Bay after turmoil became too much to handle with the team that drafted him. Like Stafford (in fact, the year before Stafford did), Brady won a ring in his first year with his new team, the seventh of his career. He put up gaudy passing numbers in his three seasons with the Bucs, too, helped in large part by incredible volume; he led the NFL in pass attempts in the last two years of his career at 44 and 45 years old. Brady didn’t rack up crazy individual honors in his second act, earning one Pro Bowl nod and a second-team All-Pro honor, both in 2021. Whenever someone compares a modern “will he, won’t he” contract/retirement saga to Brett Favre, they’re underrating how all-consuming Brett Favre’s last days in Green Bay were. But after finally committing to play and getting shipped out, Favre was unremarkable with the Jets, starting out hot but fizzling out late in an 8-8 season. He was legitimately great in his first year in Minnesota, finishing fourth in MVP voting and leading the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game, but he was a sad shell of himself in 2010, turning into an all-time example of a former legend who hung on to past glory for too long. Peyton Manning joins Stafford as the only quarterbacks here with a Super Bowl title and an MVP at their second stop, but the way Manning got to those achievements came in stark contrast to one another. He led the Broncos offense to two of the best single seasons in recent memory in 2012 and 2013, winning MVP in the latter season. The Super Bowl win was a different Peyton Manning, though. His arm strength was completely shot at this point, and for the first time since his rookie season he threw more interceptions than he did touchdowns. He was benched for Brock Osweiler midseason. Denver won the title that year, and Manning did enough in the postseason to keep the train on the tracks, but it was the defense that won that ring for the Broncos. Manning is the most obvious other contender for the honor of best quarterback second act, with a championship, and MVP, two first-team All-Pros and three Pro Bowls in Denver. Montana’s best days obviously came with the San Francisco 49ers, but he was a solid starter for two years in Kansas City , a franchise that, other t
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The Los Angeles Rams must feel pretty good about the success of their monumental 2021 trade that swapped Jared Goff and a cache of picks for Matthew Stafford. The move resulted in a Super Bowl championship at the team’s home in SoFi Stadium. Years later Stafford is finding new heights in his career. He just put a bow on his most productive season yet and earned the NFL’s Most Valuable Player honors. Even with things going so well, the Rams understand quarterback is the most important position in football. Stafford’s career continuation is on a year-to-year basis. He could easily decide to call it quits after 2026. LA decided now is the time to prepare for the future. They drafted Ty Simpson with the thirteenth overall pick earlier this spring. There is plenty of time to discern what Simpson brings to the table and whether he’s someone that the Rams can be trusted with the keys as soon as 2027. As training camp approaches, now seems like a good moment to ponder on Simpson’s NFL ceiling. For as good as Stafford is, could Simpson one day surpass him? For most of Stafford’s NFL tenure, he was often the 8th to 12th best quarterback in the league. Many in front of him have hung up their cleats: Peyton Manning , Tom Brady , Drew Brees , Matt Ryan , Philip Rivers , Ben Roethlisberger , Eli Manning , Andrew Luck , and others. The league’s new elite quarterbacks are stylistically very different from those who have come before. There is a significant difference in the way they play the game from what makes Stafford successful. I’m thinking of Patrick Mahomes , Josh Allen , Lamar Jackson , Joe Burrow , Drake Maye , Caleb Williams , Jordan Love , and more. The NFL is in good hands with this emerging crop. But modern professional football almost requires quarterbacks to be able to win with their legs. You can get by with a savvy pocket passer, although in short-yardage and goal line situations you may be leaving meat on the bone if your signal caller can’t pick it up himself. This alone is one of the biggest changes the Rams will see when they one day transition from Stafford to Simpson. And certainly Stafford brings a headiness to his play that is unrivaled by the next generation. His no-look passes and ability to quickly progress through the defense gives Los Angeles a massive inherent advantage. There are tradeoffs for nearly any player teams decide to put under center. At least on the surface the Rams seem to understand where the quarterback position is headed. Simpson fits that bill from a stylistic standpoint. A common draft season knock against both Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson was that they are probably NFL starters but may be not better than mid-tier. Simpson has frequently been compared to Brock Purdy , a former seventh round pick and someone who may never become elite himself. But Simpson has Sean McVay’s seal of approval. That is meaningful for nearly anyone on the offensive side of the ball. While seeing Simpson in such a favorable light does require some hand waving and looking past a small sample size, you can certainly see why the Rams felt he was a fit for their system and that he has the potential to grow into a difference maker. One of the main concerns with Simpson is his frame. He stands 6-1 and weighed 211 lbs. at the NFL scouting combine. That weight is likely significantly heavier than where he played at last season while he was battling gastritis. For example, the below list of quarterbacks have a earned reputation for missing time. Being slight of frame is a real concern. Brock Purdy, 212 lbs JJ McCarthy, 219 lbs Jayden Daniels , 21o lbs Lamar Jackson, 216 lbs Kyler Murray , 207 lbs Joe Burrow, 221 lbs Josh Allen is pushing 240 pounds. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are in the mid-220’s. Even 10 additional pounds may make a big difference in terms of sustaining hits over the course of a season. With an opportunity to observe one of the most savvy passers in football, time to build out his ph
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Hello friends, and welcome to the Thursday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! If you want to watch the NFL today, I have some bad news: It's July, and there is no NFL on TV right now. However, you can watch the next best thing: NFL players trying to play golf. The American Century Championship will be teeing off this weekend from Lake Tahoe and it will feature multiple current and former NFL players , including Trevor Lawrence, Baker Mayfield, Davante Adams, Kyle Hamilton, Drew Brees, Jerry Rice, Marcus Allen, Derek Carr, Jerome Bettis, Larry Fitzgerald, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jason Kelce, and, of course, Tony Romo. And since I work at CBS Sports, I will obviously be rooting for Romo. There is also World Cup soccer on today, but I still haven't mentally recovered from the bludgeoning the USMNT took on Monday, so I'll probably stay away from soccer for at least the next 48 hours. One thing I won't be staying away from is today's newsletter. I'll be on vacation next week, so this is the last time you'll be hearing from me around these parts until July 20. As always, here's your reminder to tell your friends to sign up for the newsletter . Let's get to the rundown. If you haven't noticed by now, we've been making our way through the dead part of the offseason by unveiling a new ranking pretty much every week here at CBS Sports. Three weeks ago, we revealed Prisco's list of the top 100 players in the NFL. Two weeks ago, we unveiled our list of the top quarterbacks , and today, we're ranking the top 25 players under the age of 25. Before we get to Tyler Sullivan's ranking, there are two very important rules to go over: Now that we have the rules out of the way, let's check out the top three players on Tyler Sullivan's list: 1. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (24 -- turns 25 on Jan. 30, 2027). Bijan Robinson has turned into a cheat code. He's arguably the best dual-threat running back in the league and has put together a start to his career unlike anything we've seen before. Robinson's 2,298 scrimmage yards led the NFL in 2025 and set a new franchise record. So far, he's compiled 5,648 yards from scrimmage, the most by a player age 23 or younger in NFL history. Those scrimmage yards also rank fourth-most through a player's first three seasons in NFL history. 2. Rams WR Puka Nacua (25 -- turns 26 on May 29, 2027). Pound for pound, Puka Nacua has an argument as the best wide receiver in the NFL. The Rams receiver led the league in receptions (129) and receiving yards per game (107.2) last season. His career average of 95.3 receiving yards per game is also the highest in NFL history. 3. Lions OT Penei Sewell (25 -- turns 26 on Oct. 9, 2026). Penei Sewell is becoming the gold standard for offensive tackles in the NFL. He's elite as both a pass blocker and a run blocker. He's been a first-team All-Pro in each of the last three seasons, and it's not hard to see why. Although Sewell ranked in the top three this year, he won't be in the top three next year and that's because he'll be 26, so he won't be eligible for the list. Remember, there are 25 names on our list, and if you want to see the full ranking, you can do that here . If you've spent the offseason wondering which team is going to have the best offense in the NFL this year, I think we might finally have the answer. Jared Dubin created a system to rank each team's offensive infrastructure, and it's so complicated that I'm just going to assume his ranking is 100% right. Here's a quick summary of his rating system: Hopefully, that explanation makes sense, because we're moving on to his actual rankings. Based on Dubin's formula, here are the two best teams and the worst team in the ranking: 1. Rams 2. Bears Dubin's take on the two teams: Ben Johnson and Sean McVay are two of the very small handful of best offensive minds in the league. The pass-catching groups have either huge stars (Rams) or great depth (Bears). The offensive lines are above-average to good, and the running ba
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Offering up predictions for an upcoming NFL season is always fun. You throw out things that you believe are going to happen, and if you are feeling particularly spicy then you toss out some that you feel a bit less confident in but could still see happening if things broke a certain direction. On Wednesday the worldwide leader in sports did just that by offering several bold predictions for the league at large . These vary in type and some are specific to players as opposed to teams. But the theme of them all was that they were of the bold variety. There is one involving the Dallas Cowboys. This is the kind of thing that requires the right environment. The “right” environment means one conducive to it happening. Players generally only throw for 5K because their teams were in positions for them to do so. This is a nice way of saying that they had bad defenses. Dak Prescott came close to 5K back in 2019 as noted by ESPN. They note that a big factor in that was how quickly the Cowboys offense moved that season and that they shared a similar level of speed last year which is why the prediction is what it is. It has been done 14 times by nine different players: Peyton Manning , Drew Brees , Tom Brady , Patrick Mahomes , Ben Roethlisberger , Dan Marino, Matthew Stafford , Justin Herbert and (I’ll give you a billion guesses for the last name) Jameis Winston . The most recent 5,000-yard passer was Mahomes in 2022. To clear 5,000 passing yards in a 17-game season, a quarterback must average 294.1 passing yards per contest. In Prescott’s best season (2019), he averaged 306.4 yards per contest and fell just 100 yards short of the 5,000-yard mark since there were 16 games. Interestingly, the Cowboys weren’t particularly pass-happy that season, with a 60.7% dropback rate that was below the league average. But they had a high total number of plays because they were moving fast . In their first season under offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, no team snapped the ball with more time on the play clock. Only five offenses had more plays per game; only six ran no-huddle more frequently. Last season, the Cowboys rediscovered their superspeed ways in their first year under coach Brian Schottenheimer and coordinator Klayton Adams. The Cowboys once again led the league in play clock remaining at the snap, and this time, they led the league in offensive plays per game. Prescott had a career-high 600 total pass attempts. The volume will be there for Prescott to not just lead the league in passing in 2026 but to once again challenge for the 5,000-yard milestone. Volume is the first half of the riddle; explosiveness is the other half. To that end, the Cowboys must successfully get wide receiver George Pickens to play on the franchise tag for Prescott to reach the mark. Pickens unlocked a new level to his game in just one season with the Cowboys, as Prescott provided him with stable quarterback play for the first time in his NFL career. It did take Dallas some time to riddle out the chemistry between Pickens and incumbent WR1 CeeDee Lamb , and Lamb missed four games early in the season with a high ankle sprain. When both Pickens and Lamb were on the field, Prescott averaged 8.1 yards per pass attempt. When at least one was not on the field, that fell to 6.7. Lamb had a weird year in general, with a career-worst eight drops and his worst season for YAC since he was a rookie. It’s fair to project an improvement in the Cowboys’ passing game in Year 2 under Schottenheimer and Adams, as they’ve had time to iron out the wrinkles in the Lamb/Pickens pairing. While the Cowboys’ offense should get better in 2026, it’ll likely remain a below-average unit, forcing them into shootouts that give Prescott additional dropbacks. There’s some concern in pass protection at both tackle spots for Dallas, but no environment can be perfect. As Prescott gets older, he’ll scramble less and instead throw more against pressure. Cincinnati ’s Joe Burrow is another good c
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In 2025, the New Orleans Saints faced an unusual decision going into the season: who would be the starting quarterback in Week 1? Between Drew Brees , Jameis Winston and Derek Carr , it’s a question the franchise has rarely had to deal with in recent decades. Alas, despite much speculation that the battle was merely a formality before Tyler Shough was handed the keys by preseason, it was second-year pro Spencer Rattler who got the nod from Kellen Moore. A year on, a different question persists in the QB room: who’s the backup? Having taken over the reins halfway through last season, Shough is now the established starter heading into 2026. But whether Rattler is in at QB2, we’re yet to have a definitive answer for. Rattler’s rookie deal sees him under contract for two more seasons. Meanwhile, former 2021 second overall pick Zach Wilson is also in the building, having signed a one-year contract with the Saints for the season ahead. Wilson struggled to establish himself through three seasons with the Jets before stints over the last two years with Denver and Miami . A highly touted prospect coming out of BYU, he’s yet to live up to what many hoped he could be at the professional level. Rattler, meanwhile, had his moments as the starter a year ago, and threw just one interception in his first six starts. But he ultimately lost his spot after the Saints fell to 1-7 on the year. Which QB starts the year behind Shough will be a story to follow as the Saints move through the offseason. Who do you want to see as the backup in Week 1? Let us know in the comments!
Not many quarterbacks are in the "start after 40" club, but as he continues to play at the highest level, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford could join the exclusive group. The 38-year-old is coming off an MVP season, showing no signs of slowing down and showing that it's very possible he plays into his 40s. He shut down any retirement rumors during his MVP speech, saying he would play in 2026. He admits that it'll be a year-to-year decision, wanting to evaluate after each season how he feels mentally, physically and emotionally, while also consulting his family on the matter. "It is year-to-year because I think it's fair to the team, I think it's fair to me, my family — I don't want to sit there and say, OK, 24 months from now, I've got to be ready to play another football season," he said on former Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year recipient and two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long 's podcast, Green Light . "I'm like, phew, that just seems like a lot. I know that I'm ready to play this year. And hopefully, I feel great at the end of next year, and I'm ready to play another one after that. And then maybe we just kind of keep going like that. But, committing to more than that feels a little bit daunting. And I think a little bit unfair to the team and myself." This offseason, Stafford signed an extension with the Rams , tying him to the team through 2027, when he will be 39. His birthday is February 7 and with the Super Bowl concluding the 2027 season on February 13, 2028, if the Rams make it all the way, he could play at 40 without an additional season. He's no doubt closer to retirement than he is to his draft day, and as he decides whether he wants to keep going or hang the cleats up soon, he is consulting two of the greats who played into their 40s. "I talked to [Brady] a little bit, I've talked to Drew Brees a little bit about it as well," Stafford said. Brady played until he was 45, after coming out of retirement once, and is the second-oldest quarterback to ever play in a game, doing so with the Buccaneers . Brees played until 42, making him the ninth-oldest quarterback to play in NFL history. Raiders ' George Blanda is the oldest to ever play quarterback in the NFL at 48 years old. While some see the late 30s as the beginning of the end for QBs, Brees told Stafford that the best was yet to come. "I think one of the things that surprised me is, I was talking to Drew — this was before last season — and he was like, 'How old are you, again?' I was like, 'I'm 37.' He's like, 'You might have your best five years of your career coming up.' And I was like, 'Huh,'" Stafford said. "I never really thought about it that way. You're taught as a player in this league it's a young man's game and the older you get, you're just kind of doing everything you can to try to stay up to par with everybody else. And Drew saying that kind of lit a fire under me, and it give you a little bit of belief that maybe an old guy can go out there and spin it around a little bit." Looking ahead, Stafford says it's important for him to take it one step at a time so he doesn't set himself up for something he doesn't want in the future. "So, the last thing I want to do is sign some five-year extension, and after one year be like, 'Oh man, I'm ready to retire. I want to spend time with my family.' And they're sitting there with four years on the books and had a bunch of planning done that I was going to be around. I don't want to play football not all the way in it, too, and just be half-assed leading it," he said. Right now, he said he's focused on the upcoming season. "But, yeah, I don't know. I don't know how far I want to play. I know I'm excited about playing this year and then we'll see after that," Stafford said. Last season, Stafford had a league-high 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, with eight interceptions
Matthew Stafford has enjoyed some incredible playoff success with the Los Angeles Rams , currently holding a 7-3 record in the postseason since being traded away from the Detroit Lions. However, he didn’t always have that kind of postseason moxie. In Detroit , he went winless, 0-3, in playoff appearances. In a recent podcast appearance with Chris Long of the “Green Light Podcast,” Stafford talked about how he puts some of those losses on himself and has used them as learning experiences to move his career forward. He talked specifically about his first playoff game against the New Orleans Saints in 2011. The Lions actually took a 14-10 lead into halftime of that game. But once Drew Brees got going in the second half, Stafford said he felt the pressure to go toe-to-toe with the future Hall of Famer and threw two critical second-half interceptions “That was all learning experiences, things that I’ve taken from,” Stafford said. “We started that game great. And I felt like at a certain point, I probably had to keep up with Drew and I think I threw one or two second-half picks trying to get us back in the game. If I just don’t do those, maybe—trust the other side of the ball, trust the defense, whatever it is—maybe we keep ourselves in the game longer and I can do something really great late. Stafford credits those learning experiences for the success he’s found now in the playoffs. But one moment he did not find success was when he faced his former team in the 2023 playoffs. Unprompted, he felt the need to talk about the environment at Ford Field that night. “When I went back to Detroit and they hosted their first playoff game in however many years, that was electric,” Stafford said. “I mean, we ran out for pre-pre-warmups and there wasn’t a seat in the house. People were just booin’ the hell out of me and screaming, but it was a fun place to play.” It’s a long-ranging conversation, including Stafford talking about how he’s believes NFL -rule changes have helped elongate his career. The most satisfying moment of the podcast was when Stafford revealed his best throw ever, which also happens to be my favorite throw of his Lions career . So if you’re still a Stafford fan, it’s definitely worth your time: Thanks to everyone who has pushed their pick for under-the-radar Lions player for 2026 over on The Feed. Some good picks in there, including Greg Dortch , Tyler Conklin , and Kye Robichaux . Today, I’m featuring Zach Kadolph’s case for Trevor Nowaske : DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman has five Lions players to watch this season who are all under 25 years old . It’s a great reminder that some of this team’s best players still have a ton of years ahead of them. Thought this was a well-written article from our frienemies over at Windy City Gridiron: the most improved positions and biggest concerns for all NFC North teams. Congrats to Levi Onwuzurike , who appears got married last weekend! Ever wonder what Zach Zenner is up to? He’s creating a ton of online content about working out, nutrition, and #DadLife. (Follow him on Twitter here and Instagram here ) Former Lions defensive lineman Jim Mitchell passed away this weekend . Mitchell, who played eight seasons with the Lions from 1970-77, was 77 years old
Having won his first MVP award in 2025, quarterback Matthew Stafford is coming off a year where he played some of the best football of his career. But Stafford, who turned 38 in February, is clearly on the back nine of his career — if not the proverbial final few holes. There was speculation that Stafford could retire after the 2025 season, but he put that to rest in his MVP acceptance speech. He and the Rams are now comfortable going year-to-year as it relates to Stafford continuing his career. As Stafford gets older, he’s consulted with some of his former peers about potentially playing into his 40s: Tom Brady and Drew Brees. He addressed that in a recent interview with Chris Long’s Green Light podcast. “ I talked to [Brady] a little bit, I’ve talked to Drew Brees a little bit about it as well,” Stafford said. “It is year-to-year because I think it’s fair to the team, I think it’s fair to me, my family — I don’t want to sit there and say, OK, 24 months from now, I’ve got to be ready to play another football season. I’m like, phew, that just seems like a lot. I know that I’m ready to play this year. And hopefully, I feel great at the end of next year, and I’m ready to play another one after that. And then maybe we just kind of keep going like that. But, committing to more than that feels a little bit daunting. And I think a little bit unfair to the team and myself. “So, the last thing I want to do is sign some five-year extension, and after one year be like, ‘Oh man, I’m ready to retire. I want to spend time with my family.’ And they’re sitting there with four years on the books and had a bunch of planning done that I was going to be around. I don’t want to play football not all the way in it, too, and just be half-assed leading it.” Stafford added that the Rams’ brass has been great about the situation. “But, yeah, I don’t know,” Stafford said. “I don’t know how far I want to play. I know I’m excited about playing this year and then we’ll see after that.” Stafford added that he’s spent time talking with Brady in each of the last two offseasons. But one of his most notable conversations with Brees happened last year. “I think one of the things that surprised me is, I was talking to Drew — this was before last season — and he was like, ‘How old are you, again?’ I was like, ‘I’m 37.’ He’s like, ‘You might have your best five years of your career coming up.’ And I was like, ‘Huh,’” Stafford said. “I never really thought about it that way. You’re taught as a player in this league it’s a young man’s game and the older you get, you’re just kind of doing everything you can to try to stay up to par with everybody else. And Drew saying that kind of lit a fire under me, and it give you a little bit of belief that maybe an old guy can go out there and spin it around a little bit. “Obviously, last year was a successful year for our team and for myself. And just gives you a little bit of energy moving forward and hope that that continues.” Stafford completed 65 percent of his passes last season, leading the league with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns while throwing just eight interceptions. In the postseason, Stafford completed 55.5 percent of his throws for 936 yards with six touchdowns and one pick in three games
Tyler Shough’s preparation for his first full season as the Saints’ starting quarterback includes a little help from the franchise’s most successful signal caller. When Shough outlined his plans for the weeks leading up to training camp at the end of the team’s offseason program, he shared that he has been working with Drew Brees to set up time to work out with his teammates in San Diego. “Drew is kinda helping us set up our QB/wide receiver throwing retreat ,” Shough said. “We’re getting all the guys to come down there and just work and bond together. For me, it’s just kind of continuing to study the playbook and then just put my feet and my eyes in the right position. That’s my whole focus.” Shough told Katherine Terrell of ESPN that Brees “ might be there for a little bit,” but the main point of the gathering will be for the current Saints to hit the ground running as they try to build on a promising close to Shough’s rookie year
Good morning, Chargers fans! You know what to do! And now for today’s links. Three observations from the final day of Chargers minicamp (Chargers.com) Here’s how Tuli Tuipulotu is approaching contract negotiations with the Chargers (Chargers.com) Chris O’Leary had some high praise for Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still this week (Chargers Wire) Omarion Hampton was recently compared to a NFL Hall-of-Famer by Mike McDaniel (Bolt Beat) Cam Jordan’s new deal with the Saints can be worth up to $11 million (Bleacher Report) Updates from the last round of minicamp practices before the NFL breaks for summer (ESPN) Joe Burrow has the Bengals feeling like a dark horse contender in 2026 (CBS Sports) What we learned from the final wave of minicamp sessions (NFL.com) Drew Brees says he could never return to the NFL, better thrower with left hand at this point (Pro Football Talk) 23 former UFL players signed with NFL teams following the completion of their season (Sports Illustrated)
Drew Brees, at 47, states he could not return to the NFL, citing significant arm issues. He now throws better left-handed due to years of wear and tear on his right arm from his extensive playing career
It is Day 88 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed. We welcome you to Day 88 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, where we revisit one of the best regular-season wins of the Tony Romo era. The Cowboys went into the Louisiana Superdome as an 8-5 team under pressure, facing a 13-0 Saints team that looked unstoppable. Dallas had lost two straight games, the December narrative was closing in again, and New Orleans was chasing a perfect season. Instead, the Cowboys walked into one of the loudest buildings in football and handed the eventual Super Bowl champions their first loss of the year. Dallas made its statement immediately. Romo hit Miles Austin for a 49-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the game, and Marion Barber followed with a three-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys a 14-0 first-quarter lead. The Saints managed only a Garrett Hartley field goal in the second quarter, while Nick Folk added a 44-yarder just before halftime to put Dallas ahead 17-3. The Cowboys kept leaning on New Orleans in the third quarter. Barber finished a long drive with a two-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 24-3 and putting the Saints in unfamiliar territory. Sean Payton’s team was explosive enough to rally, and it finally started to do that in the fourth quarter. Mike Bell scored from one yard out, then Drew Brees found Lance Moore for a seven-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 24-17 with eight minutes remaining. That set up the play everyone remembers. New Orleans got the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead, but DeMarcus Ware , playing just six days after being carted off with a scary neck injury, delivered the finishing blow. Ware sacked and stripped Brees, Jay Ratliff recovered with six seconds left, and Dallas escaped with a 24-17 upset that ended the Saints’ perfect season. Romo was excellent, completing 22 of 34 passes for 312 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Austin caught seven passes for 139 yards and the opening score, while Barber added two rushing touchdowns. Dallas also controlled the game physically, winning time of possession 36:26 to 23:34, and converting eight of 15 third downs while holding the Saints to one from seven. This game belongs on the countdown because it was a true measuring-stick win. The Cowboys did not just beat a good team, they beat an unbeaten one, on the road, in prime time, with their season under pressure. It helped Dallas launch a late-season run that ended with an NFC East title and the franchise’s first playoff win since 1996. For one December night in New Orleans, the Cowboys looked tough, balanced, fearless, and fully capable of beating anyone. And the fans at the time felt it. The Cowboys had not beaten the Saints in 15 years before this game, making the upset even more satisfying. Their previous win over New Orleans came in December, 1994. Countdown To Kickoff by day: 100 , 99 , 98 , 97 , 96 , 95 , 94 , 93 , 92 , 91 , 90 , 89
It is safe to say that the New Orleans Saints were a defensive team in 2025. The defense finished in the middle of the league in total defense, while the offense was one of the lower ranked units in the NFL. Considering the Saints feature an offensive-minded head coach, the expectation is for them to field an effective offense. The problem with that expectation in 2025 was simple: they just didn’t have enough weapons on offense to make it happen. The Saints finished 28th in scoring offense, averaging just 18 points per game. They also ranked 24th in total offense, finishing with 5,331 total yards. To put that into perspective, Drew Brees threw for 5,476 passing yards by himself in 2011, while that Saints offense accumulated 7,474 total yards. Now, that was one of the most prolific offensive performances in NFL history, but the fact that a quarterback once threw for more yards than the entire 2025 Saints offense produced collectively is a major indictment of what that season was offensively. This upcoming season can be summed up in one line: there’s nowhere to go but up. The entire offense was built around getting younger, faster, and more explosive. The Saints added multiple big-play threats in Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance, Barion Brown , and, of course, Travis Etienne Jr. The Saints were plagued by slow starts and an inability to run the football. To address those issues, they filled a major need on the interior offensive line by bringing in David Edwards. They also bolstered the tight end room with the additions of Noah Fant and Oscar Delp . Let’s not forget the emergence of Tyler Shough . Shough started nine games for the Saints and finished with just over 2,400 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions. But it isn’t the entire nine-game sample that should excite Saints fans. The final five games showed not only improvement from Shough but also an offense that finally began putting points on the board. The team’s season average of 18 points per game increased to 24.8 points per game over those final five contests. More importantly, that production came while the Saints were dealing with significant injuries at running back, along the offensive line, and at wide receiver. The young additions across the roster should help elevate the offense, but pairing them with an emerging young quarterback could be what truly unlocks this unit. The Saints now have the potential to become a fully complementary offense capable of attacking defenses at every level of the field and in a variety of ways. If everything comes together, this could be a very explosive offense by the end of the season
The Buffalo Bills have a revamped offense heading into the season with new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and several new wide receiver additions. The health and productivity of tight end Dalton Kincaid are seen as crucial for the offense's success. Quarterback Josh Allen is reportedly bonding well with Carmichael
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
