Month: March 2025

Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Thursday Night Football announce Richard Sherman during pregame show between Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Richard Sherman shares images of gunmen breaking into home

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former All-Pro NFL cornerback Richard Sherman on Monday took to social media to share security footage and stills of armed gunmen breaking into his home with his family inside.

ABC News reported that the break-in occurred on Sunday evening, Sherman’s 37th birthday.

“House being robbed at gun point with my family in it isn’t what anyone wants for a birthday gift,” Sherman posted on X.com. “Scary situation that my wife handled masterfully and kept my kids safe. If anyone has any info that can help find these people please reach out.”

The security footage shows three armed men breaking through a window in Sherman’s home.

Per ABC, no arrests have been made.

The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro currently works as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Seattle, Sherman went on to star for the Seahawks for seven seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2014. He also played three seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2018-20) and one season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021).

–Field Level Media

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Jameis Winston and his wife Brieon Winston on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jameis Winston ‘ready for anything’; Giants not ruling out QB at No. 3

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Though the New York Giants have signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this spring, another quarterback early in the draft is not off the table.

However, general manager Joe Schoen made clear he isn’t going to “force” taking a quarterback that early in the draft, setting a high bar for such a selection.

“Yeah, if you’re talking about where we’re picking, you’d like that guy to be able to be a franchise quarterback that you can win with, you’re winning the NFC East every year,” Schoen said. “The ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl if you’re taking a guy that high, so they have to be able to check (all) those boxes.”

Schoen added that the Giants are in a position to take the best player available at No. 3, regardless of position.

The Giants are picking behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, two quarterback-needy teams, and Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the two QB prospects universally projected to be high picks.

Giants owner John Mara said at the start of the offseason that finding a “quarterback of the future” was their No. 1 priority. Since then, New York signed ex-Super Bowl champion Wilson, 36, and former No. 1 overall pick-turned-journeyman Winston, 31.

Wilson said in his introductory press conference that he expects to be New York’s starter. Schoen said Monday that the team didn’t guarantee to Wilson that it wouldn’t also draft a quarterback.

“I didn’t tell him what we’re going to do at (Pick) 3, but I said we’re open to everything,” Schoen said. “So yeah, you can’t give a promise that you’re not going to take a certain position or something like that. That’s not fair.

“We can go any which direction. We can go play a game right now. So, it doesn’t force you into a corner or force you to have to take something based on needs, so gives us optionality to go many different directions.”

Winston met with reporters Monday and said he was looking for a team that could offer a starting or “bridge” quarterback role. The Giants signed him before adding Wilson.

“My role was explained to me as there is an opportunity at the quarterback position that we’re looking forward to getting better at,” Winston said. “I signed up for that because I’m looking forward to getting better and being my very best self myself.

“So that’s how was it. I didn’t get a clean explanation of my role because I played so many different roles already. I’ve played every role that the quarterback room has to offer, so I’m ready for anything.”

Winston said he had a good relationship with Wilson, revealing that Wilson once let him have a look at how “Russ ran his enterprise, ran his businesses, how he took care of his body and how he trained and what did he do to go into his mental approach.”

If the Giants add a quarterback in the draft, at No. 3 or in a later round, Winston will be happy to play the mentor.

“Me having that experience, being in rooms with great veteran quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, being in rooms with … Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson last year, having the chance to mentor Dorian Thompson-Robinson when he had a chance to get back in his starting role with the Cleveland Browns. I’ve been able to learn so many different things from my time, my career,” Winston said.

“So catering to a young quarterback and serving them would be something that I would definitely take on with a great responsibility and cherish it.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) walks off the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Raiders expect new deal for QB Geno Smith ‘fairly soon’

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No deal is in place yet to keep quarterback Geno Smith in a Raiders uniform past the upcoming season, but Las Vegas general manager John Spytek said Monday he is confident such a deal will come “fairly soon.”

“We really look forward to having him not just this year, but for the years to come,” Spytek told reporters at the NFL’s annual spring meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Smith, 34, was traded to Las Vegas earlier this month after being unable to come to terms with the Seattle Seahawks on an extension. He has one year and $31 million remaining on a three-year, $75 million deal signed in March 2023.

A full-time starter in Seattle the past three seasons with two Pro Bowl nods, Smith was reunited with former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whom the Raiders hired this offseason. Carroll, 73, was out of coaching last year after mutually agreeing with the Seahawks to step down as head coach. He stayed on as an adviser.

“We’re working on it,” Carroll said of an extension for Smith.

The Raiders are not ruling out taking a quarterback with their nine picks in the upcoming NFL draft, but the acquisition of Smith takes away some of the pressure.

“We could take one anywhere, but I feel like we got a guy that can go play football right now,” Spytek said of Smith. “So, the need and anxiety at that position is not as high as it was a month ago.”

Smith was Carroll’s starting quarterback his final two seasons, piloting the Seahawks to matching 9-8 records after taking over for Russell Wilson, who was traded away before the 2022 season.

That year, his first as a full-time starter in Seattle, was Smith’s most successful, as he threw for 4,282 yards and a career-high 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs.

The follow-up year netted fewer passing yards (3,624) and touchdowns (20) as Smith missed two games to injury. Last year, under new coach Mike Macdonald, Smith rebounded to throw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns (albeit with 15 interceptions) while leading Seattle to a 10-7 record.

Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round in 2013 after a highly productive college career at West Virginia. He started 29 games over his first two seasons before being relegated to the bench, bouncing to the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before landing in Seattle in 2019.

Las Vegas was 4-13 under former head coach Antonio Pierce last season. Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder each started games at quarterback.

–Field Level Media

Nov 10, 2024; Munich, Germany; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) throws the ball against the Carolina Panthers in the second half during the 2024 NFL Munich Game at Allianz Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Colts QBs Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones to split reps

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Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen confirmed plans for a quarterback competition between incumbent Anthony Richardson and new signing Daniel Jones.

Steichen said Monday the QBs will share first-team practice reps starting in the offseason.

“Who’s the most consistent, who’s the most productive will be the starter,” Steichen said at the NFL annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

The Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract as the hand-selected competitor to Richardson. Jones spent six years with the New York Giants and finished last season with the Minnesota Vikings.

New York benched Jones in November and then waived him at his request before he joined the Vikings’ practice squad.

In Indianapolis, the sixth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft will battle it out with the fourth overall selection of 2023, Richardson, who’s had two tumultuous years with the Colts.

Jones has thrown for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions in 70 career games (69 starts). He’s also racked up 2,179 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground.

“If you look at (Jones’) skillset, he can run the football with the zone read game, obviously can throw the football as well,” Steichen said. “Career completion percentage is 64 percent, which is pretty good, has had some production, won a playoff game, high football IQ — really high football IQ — which is really good.”

Richardson made 11 starts in 2024 and threw for 1,814 yards, eight TDs and 12 picks, adding 499 yards and six TDs rushing.

General manager Chris Ballard wouldn’t put a timeline on naming a starter and said he envisions a 50/50 split within a practice, rather than rotating who is the No. 1 quarterback in practice day by day.

“I think it’ll be pretty seamless,” Ballard said. “I think with any competition, you gotta spend the reps evenly and then everybody make a decision on who’s going to be the guy.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) during the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

49ers GM optimistic Brock Purdy contract can be done in April

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Signing Brock Purdy to a long-term contract extension by mid-April is a reasonable goal, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said Monday at the NFL annual spring meeting in Florida.

“Brock wants to be with us,” Lynch said. “We want Brock to be with us.”

Purdy, 25, has taken the 49ers to the playoffs twice in three seasons, finishing his rookie year with a loss — and an elbow injury — in the 2023 NFC Championship game before piloting San Francisco to the Super Bowl in his second season.

After San Francisco missed the playoffs and posted a 6-11 record in 2024, Purdy enters the final year of his rookie contract with both sides stating their interest in completing a deal likely to bring the 2022 seventh-round pick a raise equal to about 10 times his current base salary. Because of his on-field performance, his pay for next season is up from $985,000 in 2024 to $5.346 million in 2025.

Purdy said at the end of the season he hoped for a no-drama negotiation that would be wrapped up before training camp. Lynch suggested a deal could reasonably be finished before the draft.

“I don’t think it’s too optimistic,” Lynch said of signing Purdy in the next month. “I think I understand why Brock wants that, and we’d like that, very much so. We just got to find that right place for both sides and I would love nothing more than for that to be the case.”

Lynch said he knows there are no guarantees in contract negotiations but has no plan to delay contract talks because of Purdy’s modest salary.

“I think we are going to get the deal done,” Lynch said. “That’s what I believe, so I’ll just leave it at that.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Dolphins expect WR Tyreek Hill back as better leader

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A direct demand from Tyreek Hill to be traded, followed by a mea culpa, opened the door to questions about whether the All-Pro wide receiver and Miami Dolphins were staying together.

Head coach Mike McDaniel dismissed suggestions the Dolphins might part with Hill, who was adamant he wanted out of Miami when the 2024 season ended with the team outside the playoff picture at 8-9. It was the first season in Hill’s nine-year NFL career with the Chiefs and Dolphins that ended without at least one playoff game.

Hill played through a wrist injury and had surgery after the season. He followed up an All-Pro campaign in 2023, when he had 1,799 receiving yards, with 959 in 2024.

McDaniel said he would be fine with Hill coming back — and serving as a captain, if he can prove to teammates he’s dedicated to making sure the Dolphins return to their winning ways.

“I think that’s what Tyreek’s up for … up for the challenge, because Tyreek wants to set the standard of what type of competitors we have,” McDaniel said.

“I think in that scenario, I would be pumped if he was voted captain. Because I think that Tyreek, being accountable for who he is as a competitor and what he’s learned from in his journey, I think that means that his teammates have seen him completely … embraced the whole process of, ‘Hey, I’m a human being. This is wrong. This is right. This is how we want to do things.’”

McDaniel said the Dolphins are encouraged Hill was recently cleared to begin running, but they’ll take their time asking him to do much more than that during offseason workouts.

“We’ll gradually work him into catching the football and going through that process so that at the end of the offseason program, we should be able to get that work that we were unable to this season before,” McDaniel said.

–Field Level Media

Aug 10, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns managing and principal partner Jimmy Haslam before the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Browns co-owner: Deshaun Watson trade a ‘swing and miss’

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Three years after giving up a king’s ransom to bring quarterback Deshaun Watson to Cleveland, Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam admitted Monday that it was a mistake.

“We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun,” he said at the league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. “We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t, and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. (It) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee (Haslam, Jimmy’s wife and franchise co-owner) and I, so hold us accountable.”

The Browns acquired Watson from the Texans in March 2022, despite the quarterback being accused of committing sexual improprieties with multiple massage therapists in the Houston area. Cleveland sent Houston first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, along with a 2023 third-round pick, and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024 in exchange for Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

After the trade, the Browns signed Watson, who then had three Pro Bowl selections to his credit, to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. He is still owed $92 million.

In return, Watson has compiled a 9-10 record while starting only 19 of 51 possible regular-season games due to injuries and an 11-game suspension related to the sexual assault allegations. In those games, he has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

After tearing an Achilles in January for the second time in less than a year, the 29-year-old is expected to miss most or all of the 2025 season.

The Browns finally have a first-round draft pick and own the No. 2 overall selection in the draft, to be held April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

With only Watson and Kenny Pickett on the roster, the Browns need a long-term solution at quarterback. But Haslam said the Browns won’t draft a quarterback if there isn’t one available whom they believe is the QB1 of the future.

“It would be great if we could get ‘the quarterback,’ but we’re not going to force it,” Haslam said. “We’re going to be patient and we’re going to try to accumulate as many really good football players as we can.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) dives for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Bills end contract talks with RB James Cook

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The Buffalo Bills have halted contract talks with running back James Cook, who is seeking an extension worth $15 million per season.

“I don’t see us getting something done anytime soon. We’re onto the draft. Just because we don’t get something done this year doesn’t mean we can’t get something done before he’s a free agent,” general manager Brandon Beane said at the NFL league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

A deal for $15 million per season would rank Cook third among NFL running backs behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million per season) and the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey ($19 million).

Cook is due to make $5.3 million in the fourth and final season of his rookie deal in 2025. He would become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn’t get a new deal with Buffalo.

Cook, 25, made the Pro Bowl and rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the second straight season in 2024, leading the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns.

He has rushed for 2,638 yards and 20 TDs and caught 97 passes for 883 yards and seven scores in 49 games since being drafted in the second round in 2022.

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, Brazil; The NFL shield logo at midfield at the 2024 NFL Sao Paolo Game at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL to explore playing a game in Middle East

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The NFL is exploring the possibility of playing a regular-season game in the United Arab Emirates.

Peter O’Reilly, the league’s executive vice president, confirmed there is “strong interest” in hosting a game in Dubai or Abu Dhabi during a news conference on Monday at the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

“We don’t know the timing, and it’s really an ‘if’ in terms of whether we’ll play a game there. What I will say is that’s a market where there’s strong interest in our game on a year-round basis. … It’s a market we’ll continue to explore,” O’Reilly said.

“We’ve done some exploratory trips there to understand the viability of a potential regular-season game in the market, but we’ve got more work to do there in terms of what that looks like over this next stretch.”

As part of the NFL International Series, games were played in Brazil, England and Germany in 2024. All three nations are on the schedule again in 2025, along with Spain and Ireland. Australia will host a game in 2026.

The league expanded its global markets program on Monday by granting international marketing rights in the UAE to the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders.

–Field Level Media

Jun 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings first round draft pick J.J. McCarthy throws out the ceremonial first pitch in a game between the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Vikings HC: QB1 role not yet earned; vetting Aaron Rodgers was no-brainer

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When the 2025 regular season begins, the Minnesota Vikings envision J.J. McCarthy as their QB1.

But as head coach Kevin O’Connell said at the NFL’s annual spring meeting on Monday in West Palm Beach, Fla., that prominent distinction has yet to be earned.

“I feel really, really positive about the path we’re going to take with J.J. from a development standpoint, from an acceleration of reps,” O’Connell said. “And he’s going to benefit from an offseason worth of reps from the offseason program to obviously training camp and being in a competitive situation when our quarterback room is all finalized.”

Even as the Vikings entertained signing free agent Aaron Rodgers, O’Connell was in touch with McCarthy in “borderline real time” to apprise him of any developments. Rodgers, who remains unsigned, has maintained contact with O’Connell since their playing days and made the initial contact with Minnesota after he was released by the New York Jets.

O’Connell said the Vikings have high expectations for McCarthy but decided, as a franchise, they didn’t want to resist vetting Rodgers as an option to safeguard McCarthy.

“… Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we’ve all had so much respect for competing against him,” O’Connell explained. “And he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to.”

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made it clear the preferred outcome of the offseason shuffling at the quarterback position would be McCarthy stepping into the starting role. He was essentially a professional redshirt in 2024 after being drafted 10th overall because of a post-draft knee surgery, and Sam Darnold went 14-3 to put the Vikings in the NFC playoffs as a wild card.

McCarthy took mostly “visual reps” but was in quarterback meetings and game-planning sessions to become intricately familiar with O’Connell’s communication style, expectations and vast offensive playbook.

“I think it’s a responsibility for me as the playcaller to make sure I’m building rapport in addition to demanding a standard of the position from a very early time here with J.J. that I think he’s going to meet, and challenge himself to meet, on a daily basis,” O’Connell said. “Very much excited to see him do that.”

–Field Level Media