QB · FA · 48 yrs · exp 20 · Southern Mississippi
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The football community is still trying to wrap its collective around the now infamous story of Daejon Love scamming 26 women out of $1.3 million while pretending to be a
As Aaron Rodgers enters his final NFL season, he has a chance to reach several notable milestones. He already holds records for touchdown/interception ratio and passer rating, and is tied for the best career passer rating. Rodgers is also on the verge of joining an elite group of quarterbacks with over 70,000 career passing yards, needing 3,726 yards to do so. Despite an Achilles injury in 2023 that likely ended his chance to pass Brett Favre on the all-time passing list, Rodgers is still poised to achieve significant career statistical achievements in his final year
Jordan Love will play in the Packers’ first preseason game on Thursday night. The Steelers have not said whether Aaron Rodgers will play. With Rodgers playing what he has declared his final season, and the teams not scheduled to meet in the regular season, the Steelers quarterback would play his former team again only if both reach the Super Bowl. Love sat behind Rodgers for three seasons in Green Bay before the Packers traded Rodgers to the Jets in the 2023 offseason. Love expressed gratitude for Rodgers’ mentorship. “I’ve mentioned it time and time again: I have nothing but great things to say about A-Rod and my time being behind him and watching him, how much I was able to develop and grow in my process seeing him,” Love said, via Zach Jacobson of PackersDispatch.com. “The transition — I think for the organization, that’s something that’s never easy, and for the players, it’s not something that’s ever easy, either. For a guy that’s been here that long and done so many great things, those are big shoes to fill. For me, I try to focus on being my best and doing the best job I can for the team.” Rodgers didn’t get much help from Brett Favre when he arrived in Green Bay, and Rodgers vowed to be better with Love. He was, according to Love. “I’ve heard different stories, Aaron talking to me about his time coming up and how he wanted his approach with me to be different, which is great,” Love said. “But, at the same time, I’m going through my own journey. I wasn’t here to experience some of the stuff he went through, so all I got is what I know and what I saw.” Rodgers is “ bummed ” the preseason game isn’t in Green Bay as he will never play at Lambeau as an opposing player
CBS Sports HQ continues its tour of NFL training camps Wednesday with a visit to Missouri Western State University to check in on the Kansas City Chiefs , who seem to be at a fork in the road with their dynasty. The franchise's 10-year streak of making the playoffs ended in 2025, thanks in large part to a 1-9 record in one-score games, Patrick Mahomes is working his way back from a devastating knee injury, and fellow future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce is likely playing his final season as he focuses on his post-football career and marriage to Taylor Swift. You also hear talk this could be the last year for another Canton-bound guy in coach Andy Reid. It's his 14th season with Kansas City and Reid lasted 14 previously in Philadelphia, although he was fired there. Indeed, there are many story lines from Chiefs camp. Reid is considered an offensive guru and calls the plays for the most part, but that unit has been regressing for the past three seasons, even with Kansas City repeating as Super Bowl champion in 2023 and returning to the big game yet again in 2024 but losing to Philadelphia. Wager on the NFL with the latest FanDuel promo code and get up to $1,000 in bet resets when you bet $5 for 5 days: In Mahomes' first five seasons as a starter (2018-22), in which he won both of his regular-season MVPs, the Chiefs averaged at least 30 points per game to become one of just three teams all-time to average at least 30 in a five-year span, along with the 1940s/50s Rams and 2000s Patriots of Tom Brady . In that three-year span, Kansas City ranked first in scoring, first in yards per game and first in 20-yard plays league-wide. However, the past three seasons combined, those rankings are 19th, 18th and tied for 23rd, respectively. Mahomes has somewhat evolved from a Brett Favre-type gunslinger type to more of a careful game manager as over the past three seasons he ranks 23rd in yards per attempt, 21st in passer rating and 11th in QB efficiency (as measured by EPA per dropback). It's certainly not all on Mahomes. Kelce will go down as one of the best tight ends in NFL history, but his last 1,000-yard season and double-digit TD catch season were both in 2022; otherwise No. 15 hasn't had great skill-position talent around him. The Chiefs are the only NFL team without a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver in the past three seasons. Mahomes has thrown for 11,698 yards since 2023, the most in a three-year span in league history without a 1,000-yard receiver. I'm not sure I see a 1,000-yard receiver on this roster. Kelce is set at Over/Under 674.5 yards after averaging a career-low 50.2 YPG in 2025, Xavier Worthy is already banged up, and fellow wideouts Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton leave much to be desired. You do hear some chatter that K.C. could bring back Tyreek Hill, who is a free agent but has seen much better days. Mahomes had an NFL-high 41 passing TDs on deep throws (at least 20 air yards) from 2018-21 but seven in the four seasons since the Hill trade to Miami. Worthy might be the league's fastest player, but he has caught only seven of 34 deep balls the past two seasons, the second-lowest catch rate (20.6%) in the league among 42 players targeted a minimum of 30 times on those types of throws. Kansas City has started an NFL-high 15 different wide receivers the past three seasons. Check out Patrick Mahomes props and more NFL picks at DraftKings, where new users get $150 in bonus bets paid within 14 days after they spend $5+: The team might run more than in years past with the big free-agent addition of tailback and reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III of the Seahawks . He had had more 25-yard runs on one drive in the Super Bowl (two) than Chiefs tailbacks had all of last season (one). Walker is set at Over/Under 949.5 rushing yards, and I lean Over as long as he stays healthy. Kansas City's last 1,000-yard rusher was in 2017. If you plan to try NFL futures betting at the best sports betting apps and top sports betting [... truncated ...]
Brett Favre wants to fight Parkinson's disease with his former teammate Ahman Green
Green Bay Packers all-time leading rusher Ahman Green announced he is fighting Parkinson's disease. Green, who is 49-years-old, announced on the "Go Long with Tyler Dunne" podcast that he was diagnosed with the early onset of the disease in January of 2025. It took him a while to come to terms with his condition, only revealing it to close friends and family. He called his short-term memory "trash" as a result of the disease. "I had a little bit of the feet twitching when I'm in my sleep and stuff like that," Green said. "I mean, I knew something was going on long before that. I just got a hold of some doctors [and] was able to get in contact with and get the diagnostics, get the testing, and finally got it tested ... I've got to remind myself of things. When I meet somebody for the first time, it's like a name. I hear that name, then I repeat it. I try to repeat it or write it down. And if I don't, I've got to follow up with them." Green is the owner of the Packers' records in career rushing yards (8,322), rushing yards in a single season (1,883 in 2003) and rushing yards in a single game (218 against the Denver Broncos in 2003). He earned four Pro Bowl selections in his first stint with Green Bay across seven seasons after arriving in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks . Upon a return to Green Bay for the final season of his NFL career after two years with the Houston Texans in 2007 and 2008, he surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Taylor's career rushing record of 8,207. That season allowed him to cap his career, having played with both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers as his Packers starting quarterbacks. He unfortunately joins Favre as the second player from his Green Bay days who announced a Parkinson's diagnosis. "It needs to be upfront," Green said about discussing Parkinson's among ex-players. "It needs to be a topic that's always hit." Now, Green is working to control what he can: his diet and his body care, in addition to medical treatments with doctors. "I got the reins," Green said. "I'm in control. I'm not going to let this control me. There is some medicines that I've been taking from the doctor's side of it, so I made sure [to stay] on my protocol there but on my side, the food is my medicine... I'm ahead of it right now. For the doctors that examine me, they said really, if they didn't know what they knew about the early signs, they would have thought I was in great [shape] ... until they really sat me down, between taking my vitals to having me walk in front of them and what they saw in my walk, in my gait and the way my shoulders hang." While many could easily get discouraged by a battle with Parkinson's, Green views it as his next battle, much like he viewed challenges as an NFL running back. "I know that, unfortunately, there is a day when eventually our clock stops ticking," Green said. "The way I look at it is my clock is going to stop ticking when I want it to stop ticking. That's how I'm looking at it. I've always been like that. The way I ran the ball, you're going to have to break both my legs to stop me running the ball."
While the end of most playing careers is often sudden and surprising, there have been several instances where the end was either already announced or generally assumed. Aaron Rodgers put himself in the former category when he announced that the 2026 season will indeed be his last . Rodgers has firsthand experience watching legendary quarterbacks end their careers. A 49ers fan growing up, Rodgers saw Joe Montana cap off his career with the Kansas City Chiefs following a legendary run in San Francisco. Five years later, Steve Young, Montana's successor in San Francisco, saw his career end abruptly when he was blindsided by a defender. In 2010, Rodgers then helped send Brett Favre into retirement by leading the Packers to a season sweep of the Vikings , his predecessor's fourth and final team. This season, Rodgers will look to earn a spot on the following list ranking the best farewell seasons of the Super Bowl era. Roethlisberger's 2021 season became an extended goodbye after reports surfaced before Week 13 that the Steelers ' longtime quarterback was entering the final stretch of his career. At that point, it was generally assumed that Big Ben was no longer in Pittsburgh's long-term plans amid the team's recent personnel and roster changes. Roethlisberger's final season was a roller coaster. After a 1-3 start, the Steelers rallied to finish with a 9-7-1 record. Pittsburgh earned the AFC's final playoff spot after Roethlisberger led a game-winning drive against the rival Ravens in Baltimore. The Chiefs quickly ousted the Steelers from the playoffs, though, with Roethlisberger throwing for 215 yards and two touchdowns in his final game. During his final season, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to season sweeps of divisional foes Baltimore and Cleveland. He remains the last starting quarterback to lead Pittsburgh to a win over the Browns in Cleveland. Fittingly, his last home game was a win against the Browns, one of the teams that passed on him in the 2004 NFL Draft . Throughout that game, Roethlisberger received cheers from Steelers fans who expressed their gratitude for his 18 seasons in the black and gold. Brady briefly retired that offseason before deciding to play a 23rd and final season. Brady, 45 at the time, was coming off a brilliant 2021 season that saw him lead the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards and touchdown passes. The general consensus was that the 2022 season would be Brady's last. Simply put, the 2022 season didn't go as planned for Brady and the Bucs, who won the NFC South despite posting a losing record. It was the first and only time a Brady-led team finished below .500. Brady completed just 53% of his passes in his final game, a 31-14 loss to the Cowboys in the NFC wild card round. While the season was largely a disappointment, Brady still put up impressive numbers, throwing for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions while completing 66.8% of his passes. Allen, who had announced during the offseason that the 1997 season would be his last, ran for 11 touchdowns during the final season of his Hall of Fame career. He also threw a pair of touchdown passes, including a game-winner against the Steelers on "Monday Night Football." Allen's play helped the Chiefs win the AFC West for the second time in three years. In the playoffs, however, Allen and the Chiefs were upset by the eventual Super Bowl champion Broncos . Ironically, Allen's counterpart that day, Terrell Davis, had attended the same San Diego-area high school as Allen roughly a decade earlier. Three weeks after Denver's 14-10 upset win at Arrowhead Stadium, Davis led the Broncos to the AFC's first Super Bowl win since Allen's Raiders defeated Washington in the big game 14 years earlier. The first defensive player to win league MVP, Page was released by the Vikings after failing to record a sack during the first games of the 1978 season. The 33-year-old Page was quickly claimed off waivers by the Bears and collec [... truncated ...]
In a slow news period, the author poses a question to Green Bay Packers fans about their first favorite player, sharing their own story of becoming a fan through Brett Favre's jersey and memorable games
There is no shortage of excitement for the Dallas Cowboys, even when things don’t go according to plan. We have been subjected to 30 years of disappointment, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been moments when a little dose of hope has crept in. Despite the letdowns, there have been some really fun moments during this long drought, and sometimes it is just nice to look back and remember how it made us feel. Today, we want to travel back nearly 20 years and relive one of the most electric nights for the team during this span. This memory takes us to a Thursday night in Week 13 when a matchup against Green Bay turned into a heavyweight fight. Both teams entered Texas Stadium with identical 10-1 records, completely running away with the conference and vying for the top seed in the playoffs. No other teams were even close ( Seattle was next at 7-4). The game featured a fascinating matchup of playcallers, with future head coach Jason Garrett calling plays for Dallas and his eventual successor, Mike McCarthy, for Green Bay. This game is also remembered as the official origin story for Aaron Rodgers . He came into the game midway through the second quarter after Brett Favre injured his shoulder. It was the third season of the young backup quarterback, but up until this night, he had rarely played and had never thrown more than eight passes in a single game. The Cowboys came out on fire, with the offense scoring on their first five possessions of the game and jumping out to a commanding 27-10 lead. But after Favre got hurt and Rodgers entered the game, the Packers went on a mini-run. They scored touchdowns on two straight possessions and cut the lead to 27-24, turning the second half into a tense nail-biter. With the Packers down 10 with just over five minutes left in the game, McCarthy made the puzzling decision to kick a field goal on a crucial fourth down with only a foot to go. The kick cut the lead to seven, but Dallas marched down the field and answered with a field goal of their own, putting the game completely out of reach with just over a minute left. Looking back at this crucial in-season conference battle reveals a goldmine of random trivia with future team connections. The game featured a fierce battle between Terrell Owens and Al Harris. The Green Bay cornerback had some big moments, including an interception in the end zone and a strip of TO that was luckily wiped out because forward progress had been stopped. To help his star receiver, Garrett frequently moved Owens into the slot just to avoid dealing with Harris. As most know, Harris eventually joined the Cowboys’ coaching staff years later when McCarthy took over as head coach in 2020. Green Bay also had Joe Philbin as their offensive coordinator back then, who followed his boss to Texas in 2020 to coach the offensive line for three seasons. The coaching staff connections do not stop there. Kurt Schottenheimer, who is the uncle of Cowboys’ current head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the younger brother of Marty, was the secondary coach for Green Bay back then. Ben McAdoo was coaching tight ends for the Packers that night, and he later served as a consultant for Dallas in 2021. It was an unforgettable game that featured four touchdown passes from Tony Romo and over 150 yards receiving from Owens. Dallas won the battle and ultimately earned the top seed in the conference by holding the tiebreaker when both teams finished the year 13-3. It was the first time in the post-’90s dynasty era that it truly felt like the Cowboys were legitimate championship contenders with a real shot to return to the big stage. Sadly, fate had other plans, and the anticipated playoff rematch between these two never happened because both teams were shocked and eliminated by the underdog New York Giants , who continued shocking people when they beat the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Even with the sad ending, that Thursday night contest remains an exciting memory of [... truncated ...]
The Las Vegas Raiders used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on whom they hope will be the future of the franchise in quarterback Fernando Mendoza . The Indiana signal-caller cemented himself as a college football legend, as he led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and College Football Championship while picking up the Heisman Trophy along the way. Only three other players have ever won the Heisman Trophy and were selected No. 1 overall: Cam Newton , Jameis Winston and Joe Burrow . All three players were immediately thrown into the starting lineup for their respective teams, but that will not be the case for Mendoza. The Raiders went out and signed veteran Kirk Cousins to start the season, and mentor the young Mendoza. Some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL did not start right away. Patrick Mahomes sat almost his entire rookie season while learning behind Alex Smith , Aaron Rodgers sat for three years behind Brett Favre, and Jordan Love behind Rodgers for two seasons. Even the great Tom Brady sat for over a full year backing up Drew Bledsoe. So, what is the best course of action? Former Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, who coached Philly to its Super Bowl LII victory against Brady's New England Patriots in 2017, believes that Mendoza should start right away. Pederson faced this same dilemma in 2016, when his Eagles drafted Carson Wentz No. 2 overall. It appeared Wentz was going to sit behind Sam Bradford as a rookie, but the Eagles changed course and shipped Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings prior to the start of the regular season. That opened the door for Wentz to play immediately. As Pederson explains it, he truly believed Wentz was going to be his franchise quarterback, and he wanted to get the growing pains out of the way early. He believes the Raiders should do this with Mendoza. "Let's get this guy out there Week 1, let's start having our growing pains Week 1," Pederson said. "Let's not prolong it into October or November or later in the season. Let's get him out there now. Let's get him working with the guys that he's going to be working with. Making the calls at the offensive line, getting Ashton Jeanty the ball. I think Klint Kubiak's system is going to allow for that, with the play-action pass, the run game, all these things that helped Seattle win a championship last year. But let's get Fernando on the field. I think it's very beneficial..." Pederson said Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott called him in 2018 to ask for advice on how to handle his new quarterback, Josh Allen . Pederson told him if McDermott was completely sold on Allen being the future of the franchise, he should play right away. "I think you put him on the field Day 1." Doug Pederson thinks the Raiders should start Fernando Mendoza at QB Week 1. pic.twitter.com/dfjB8Emd9e Wentz went 7-9 for the Eagles as a rookie, and then started his second season 11-2 before tearing his ACL. Wentz looked like an MVP candidate during that 2017 campaign prior to his injury with 33 passing touchdowns in 13 games. He clearly built confidence after playing a full year in the NFL. If there's one former player you should listen to when it comes to handling quarterbacks, it's Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. The seven-time Super Bowl champion is a proponent of sitting and developing young quarterbacks. He lamented the state of the quarterback in today's NFL during a 2024 interview. "I didn't start my first year. I think it's just a tragedy that we're forcing these rookies to play early," Brady said. "But the reality is, the only reason why they are is because we've dumbed the game down which has allowed them to play. It used to be thought of at a higher level..." . @TomBrady on the tragedy that is being forced on rookie QBs in today’s NFL pic.twitter.com/IReSLdYL1R Since 2020, we've seen 11 rookie quarterbacks start immediately, and every single one of them had growing pains. Even the great Burrow, [... truncated ...]
Drew Allar has some familiarity with the West Coast offense, but the Steelers rookie quarterback doesn’t know nearly as much about Mike McCarthy’s offense as Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers played for McCarthy in Green Bay from 2006-18. Allar will get at least one season to watch and learn from Rodgers and McCarthy, who has also had Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Dak Prescott as his quarterback. “I’m really excited to learn from [Rodgers],” Allar told Eric Williams of Fox Sports. “With him being in coach McCarthy’s system in Green Bay, it’s beneficial because he knows the system inside and out, even though he hasn’t played in it in five or six years at this point. And just everything he’s going through in his career, playing in tens of thousands of snaps, how much experience and knowledge he has — the nuances of playing the position of quarterback, reading coverages, the defensive tendencies — any little thing I can pick up to help me process faster and be more accurate, I’m all in for it.” Allar, a third-round pick, is fourth on the depth chart behind Rodgers, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. “It’s really just taking it a day at a time,” Allar told Williams. “They do a great job of building it out throughout practice with the quarterback in individual drills. They do a great job of emphasizing things throughout each day, just so I can get that foundation, because the footwork is a little different than what I’m used to. “We were under center a little bit at Penn State, but not in the drop-back game. It was more run game and play-action game. So, just getting cleaner with under-center drops and drop-back footwork. And just really trying to pick up on the nuances of it. Just some different teaching, and it’s really cool to be a part of that. And kind of have another chapter to learn from and grow from. I already feel a lot more comfortable in it, and I know I’ve just got to keep my head down and keep working at it.”
Each day in June, we’ll roll out a fresh topic to get Chicago Bears fans thinking. Be sure to chime in with your answer in the comments so we can all get to know our WCG members a bit better. I’m an elder Millennial. I’ve been watching the Chicago Bears for the better part of 29 years. I really locked in and started closely following them 21 years ago. All of that is to say, there is only one answer to this topic for me. It’s Aaron Rodgers, and it isn’t close. Brett Favre was a thorn in our collective sides. He was so good and so lauded by everyone. He killed the Bears. And he’s a garbage human being . But Favre managed to be his own worst enemy at times, throwing as many dumb-dumb interceptions as he did heroic TD passes. Then came Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, putting aside everything else, is an exceptional football player. He was mobile enough to evade pressure and could absolutely launch passes downfield. He routinely made plays that ripped the hearts out of opposing fan bases. Plus, unlike the heroics of his predecessor, Rodgers avoided the negative plays at a near-unseen level. His TD-INT ratio is the best of all time. His 1.4 percent career interception percentage is the highest in history. At his peak, Rodgers could play football as no one had ever seen before. And his personality made it all worse, too. Rodgers is a walking troll. He loves sticking his finger in your wound. He loves taking shots and then acting offended or surprised when he’s called on it. He took exceptional pleasure in destroying the Bears. His record against Chicago speaks for itself. By the end of his Packers’ run, I dreaded games against Green Bay . Because I knew the Bears would find a way to lose and Rodgers would again get to smirk and do his little media sessions. There’s no doubt he is a Hall of Fame player. But man, I hated him. Who is your most hated opposing player of all time?
The Knicks' historic 29-point comeback against the Spurs in the NBA Finals is reminiscent of the Rams' greatest comebacks, including a notable 20-point deficit overcome against the Buccaneers in 1992, led by quarterback Jim Everett
Each day in the month of June, we’ll roll out a fresh topic to get Chicago Bears fans thinking. Be sure to chime in with your answer in the comments so we can all get to know our WCG members a bit better. Maybe it’s not much of a surprise who I chose for this answer. After all, I do go by “Grim Cutty” on Twitter. That said, ask me this question again 10-15 years from now, I’m fairly confident that the answer to this question changes. I’ve never been more certain about a quarterback figuring things out and becoming the elite face of this franchise more than I have with Caleb Williams . But before that, lets take a step back and talk about my current all time favorite Chicago Bears quarterback: Jay Cutler. Drafted 11th overall in the 2006 draft by the Denver Broncos , Cutler was deemed a can’t miss quarterback prospect after he set essentially every record relating to quarterbacking at Vanderbilt. He impressed with his Brett Favre like arm strength and strength in general, as he set the then quarterback record for bench press reps at the combine, with 23. The Broncos saw enough in him to trade their 1st and 3rd round picks to move up to draft him. After a strong training camp and preseason, he was finally elevated to starting quarterback, taking his first start in week 13 of the 2006 season against the Seattle Seahawks . He threw his first 2 career touchdowns, including a late 71-yard touchdown to future Bears teammate Brandon Marshall to tie the game. Cutler would go on to make 37 starts for the Broncos, completing 62.5% of his passes while amassing 9,024 yards passing, 54 touchdowns, 37 interceptions and a 87.1 QB Rating. He would make the Probowl in the 2008 season, throwing for 4,526 yards, a franchise best. (Until Peyton Manning ) But his relationship soured with head coach Josh McDaniels after McDaniels attempted to trade Cutler in a three team trade to acquire Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel . Cutler in turn demanded a trade from the strained relationship, and the Chicago Bears jumped on the opportunity, sending quarterback Kyle Orton , two 1st round picks, and a 3rd round pick to Denver. In return Cutler became the face of the Chicago Bears franchise. Cutler immediately gave the Bears something the franchise had lacked for nearly 40 years, a bonafide franchise quarterback with elite arm talent. But it wasn’t all roses for Jay Cutler and the Bears. The 2009 season started rocky, with the Bears losing on the road against the Packers, 15-21. A game where Cutler threw 4 interceptions to just 1 touchdown. Interceptions would remain an issue for the gunslinger in 2009, where he recorded just 4 games without one, and threw multiple interceptions in 7 games, including 5 against the San Francisco 49ers in a 6-10 home loss. He did finish the year with 27 touchdown passes, the most since Erik Kramer’s 29 in 1995, but his 26 interceptions was the second most in franchise history, only to Sid Luckman’s 31 in 1947. But Cutler rebounded the following season, with a 23-16 TD-INT ratio, it would help the Bears win 11 games, and the NFC North. Cutler was brilliant in his playoff debut, throwing for 2 touchdowns and rushing for another two in a 35-24 win over the visiting Seattle Seahawks. But the run would end when Cutler tore his MCL in the NFC Championship against the hated Green Bay Packers. And unfortunately for the Bears and Jay Cutler, this would be the only time they would make the playoffs with Cutler under center. A myriad of issues seemed to follow Cutler every season. If it wasn’t his own performance, it was the lack of weapons around him. If it wasn’t the lack of weapons it was the shoddy offensive line in front of him. If it wasn’t the shoddy offensive line in front of him, it was a coaching staff that was rare put in place to help him success. If it wasn’t a coaching staff that was rare put in place to help him success, it was injury. But Cutler endured it all, rarely speaking negatively about his surround [... truncated ...]
The Rams trading Myles Garrett away is such a comically absurd scenario right now that mentioning the possibility at all sounds crazy, but an important detail has emerged from L.A.’s blockbuster deal with the Cleveland Browns that deserves mention. The Rams included a conditional third-round pick in 2029 as part of the compensation. If L.A. trades Garrett to a team in the NFC North before then, the pick becomes a first-round selection instead. So yeah, Myles Garrett will not be playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens , or Cincinnati Bengals . This clause goes to show how afraid of Garrett the Browns really are. They worry about his wrath, his vengeance, and his ability to sack their quarterbacks even three years from now. In what world are the Rams going to turn around and trade Garrett within three years of today? I guess in some fairness to Cleveland, they’re thinking about times in the past, like when the Packers traded Brett Favre to the Jets and a year later he was winning the NFC North as a member of the Vikings. Stranger things have happened. Or maybe the Browns worry that the Rams will trade for Joe Burrow in 2028 and use Garrett as a chip. I have no idea. But this clause exists in the trade that also included Jared Verse , a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick. The Rams now have Myles Garrett. The Browns now have Jared Verse. And now we wait to see how this all pans out for everyone involved
There was no reason for Russell Wilson to retire after the Seattle Seahawks traded him. He was still seen as an elite quarterback. The Denver Broncos thought so too; they traded a ton to acquire him. But in hindsight, had Wilson just stepped away then, we’d have an entirely different view of him. One of the most unusual careers in recent NFL memory is likely coming to an end, as Wilson is finalizing a deal to join CBS Sports, according to ESPN . Wilson could get a call from a team in desperate need during the season and play again, but he got little interest as a free agent through May. It seems likely that his playing days are done. Becoming a commentator seemed like the right move, especially after how poorly the last four years of Wilson’s playing career went. Those final four years were bad enough that a player who looked like a sure Pro Football Hall of Famer might not be anymore. That’s rare. Pro Bowls can be a flawed way of determining any player’s worth, because replacements make for some odd Pro Bowl selections . But Wilson made nine Pro Bowls with the Seahawks and none of them were fraudulent (he did make a 10th Pro Bowl with the Broncos , and that one can be discounted as undeserved). In each of those Pro Bowl seasons for Seattle he had at least a 95 passer rating and accounted for at least 26 touchdowns. He made those nine Pro Bowls in 10 seasons with Seattle. Wilson was unquestionably elite and for an extended period. In NFL history, there are 12 quarterbacks who made nine Pro Bowls . Every one of the other 11 other quarterbacks are either in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or will be the moment they’re eligible. It amounts to a list of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history: Tom Brady , Peyton Manning , Drew Brees , Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers , Johnny Unitas, Wilson, John Elway, Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Fran Tarkenton, Norm Van Brocklin. That’s a heck of a list, and Wilson clearly earned his way on it. It’s not just Pro Bowls that define Wilson’s career either. Wilson was a big part of the Seahawks winning their first Super Bowl ever, and helped Seattle make another Super Bowl by making many big plays during a ridiculous comeback against the Packers in the NFC championship game. He was also a Malcolm Butler interception away from winning back-to-back Super Bowls. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament Wilson played on a great Seahawks team. But he was part of that greatness. He had a 101.8 passer rating with the Seahawks, which would currently be third all-time behind Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson . He also added value as a runner, with at least 489 rushing yards in six of his 10 Seahawks’ seasons. In one of the wildest and underrated stats in recent years, the 2017 Seahawks scored 38 touchdowns and Wilson accounted for 37 of them passing or rushing. Seattle posted a winning record in nine of Wilson’s 10 seasons. Put anything else about Wilson aside, it’s hard to say he was not at a Hall of Fame level after 10 seasons. And if, in what would have been one of the weirdest decisions ever, Wilson had just called it a career when he was traded to the Broncos, there probably wouldn’t be much debate about his legacy or his Hall of Fame credentials. Has any other player potentially played themselves out of a Hall of Fame jacket? When Wilson was traded to Denver, it was viewed as one of the biggest trades in NFL history. And it did end up helping build the foundation of a Super Bowl champion . But it was Seattle that fleeced the Broncos. Wilson spent only two seasons in Denver, but that time will be remembered for the Broncos making one of the worst trades in NFL history and also signing one of the worst contracts ever. On the field, Wilson’s play fell apart, first in a disastrous season with Nathaniel Hackett at head coach, and then he quickly fell out of favor during Sean Payton’s first season in Denver. Off the field, media members and fans took [... truncated ...]
Aaron Rodgers' legacy and ranking among the best quarterbacks in NFL history
‘This is it': Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers says he will retire after 2026 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Aaron Rodgers is officially gearing up for his final NFL season . After re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month, the 42-year-old quarterback told reporters Wednesday that he would retire after the 2026 campaign. “This is it,” Rodgers said, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor . This isn’t the first time that Rodgers has openly contemplated walking away from the NFL. Last year, after joining the Steelers in June, he said he was “pretty sure” that 2025 would be his last season. That apparently seemed more likely when Pittsburgh and head coach Mike Tomlin parted ways, but the team hiring his former coach Mike McCarthy reopened the door. “I thought that was probably it for me in Pittsburgh,” Rodgers said about Tomlin stepping down. “But when the decision was made to hire Mike (McCarthy), I started opening my mind back up to coming back.” The hiring of McCarthy, along with a one-year salary worth up to $25 million , was enough to get him back on the field. McCarthy and Rodgers were paired up with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, winning the Super Bowl in 2010 (over the Steelers). Brett Favre was the starter in 2006 and 2007 before Rodgers took over, winning MVP awards for McCarthy in 2011 and 2014. After McCarthy was fired in 2018, Rodgers stayed in Green Bay for four more seasons and won two MVPs playing for Matt LaFleur. He then joined the New York Jets for 2023 and 2024, losing the first season due to injury and going 5-12 in the second, before signing with Pittsburgh last year . The Steelers went 10-7 last season under Rodgers and Tomlin, making the playoffs but losing in the wild card round for the third straight year. Now, Rodgers’ 22nd and final season offers one last chance at extending some records and aiming to win a second title. The oldest player in the NFL, he sits fifth all-time in passing yards (5,564 behind Favre in fourth), fifth all-time in completions (429 behind Favre in fourth) and fourth all-time in passing touchdowns (12 behind Payton Manning in third)
Aaron Rodgers returning to Steelers for 22nd NFL season in 2026, reports say originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia Aaron Rodgers isn’t done yet. The 42-year-old quarterback will play a 22nd NFL season , re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal on Saturday, according to multiple reports. The one-year deal is expected to be worth $25 million, ESPN’s Adam Schefter added . The base salary will be between $22-23 million with the potential to earn more in incentives. Rodgers kept the Steelers in limbo throughout the offseason for the second straight year, but all signs pointed to him eventually returning. He started 16 games last season, his first in Pittsburgh, totaling 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pittsburgh starts voluntary offseason practice sessions on Monday, with Rodgers expected to be in attendance. Last year, Rodgers didn’t commit to the organization until its mandatory minicamp in June. The Steelers still stayed active in the quarterback market, drafting former Penn State starter Drew Allar in the third round of April’s draft. Second-year backup Will Howard and veteran Mason Rudolph remain on the roster, too. Rodgers started off his career as a backup to Green Bay Packers star Brett Favre after being drafted 24th overall in 2005. He went on to start for 15 seasons in the green, white and gold, including winning the Super Bowl in 2011 and being named the MVP in the win over his future team, the Steelers. He also earned four league MVPs (2011, 2012, 2020 and 2021). Known for being one of the most efficient pocket passers of all time, Rodgers stunningly started a new chapter in 2023, when he was traded to the New York Jets . In his fourth regular-season snap for Gang Green, Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon while being sacked at MetLife Stadium. New York welcomed Rodgers back in 2024, where he played 17 games but the team went 5-12. Last offseason, another long-winded free-agency saga ultimately led Rodgers to become the starter for the team he beat in his lone Super Bowl appearance. He helped the team win the AFC North in the final week but fell short in the wild card round to the No. 5 Houston Texans . The Steelers will look different in 2026, despite Rodgers’ return. Head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons , concluding the longest active tenure in the league, and Rodgers’ former coach Mike McCarthy was hired. Tomlin, meanwhile, will join NBC for “Football Night in America.” Rodgers, who turns 43 in December, is looking to join Tom Brady (45), Steve DeBerg (44), Vinny Testaverde (44), Warren Moon (44) and Philip Rivers (44) as the oldest quarterbacks to start a game
Former NFL defensive end Mark Gastineau isn’t giving up on his effort to sue ESPN, the NFL, NFL Films, and others regarding The New York Sack Exchange documentary. The lawsuit had been dismissed in March. Via Ben Horney of Front Office Sports, Gastineau has appealed the ruling . Gastineau claims that his conversation with Brett Favre regarding the phantom sack that allowed Michael Strahan to break Gastineau’s single-season sack record was used without Gastineau’s consent or permission. He also argues that the clip portrayed him “in a manner which was maliciously false.” Gastineau also contends that the producers “intentionally and maliciously” omitted footage of Gastineau and Favre shaking hands. In federal court, the appeal process commences with a simple filing regarding the losing parties’ intention to appeal. No arguments or briefs are submitted at that time. The defendants had attacked the case by filing a motion to dismiss it. The motion was based on the argument that the lawsuit fails to state a claim on which relief can be granted. Which means that, even if everything alleged factually is true, there’s no legal theory that creates liability. The federal appeals process usually takes at least a year to play out
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