HOUSTON — When Michael Vick was a young boy growing up in the Ridley Circle housing project in the impoverished East End neighborhood of Newport News, Va., he spent endless hours playing what he called “hot ball.”

“Playing football in the backyard, you’d throw the ball up in the air and you gotta dodge like 12 people,” the former ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Trent Williams’ season is officially over, with an ankle injury sidelining him the final seven games of the 49ers’ NFC championship reign.

“It’s always concerning that it’s taken longer to heal than expected,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But talking to him, he’s seen a number of specialists, he’s seen ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The NFL single-season rushing record has stood for 40 years, far longer than Saquon Barkley has been on this planet.

But now, with two games to play, the Philadelphia Eagles running back is 268 yards from eclipsing the mark of Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, who set the league record of 2,105 with the Rams in 1984.

Barkley, 27, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Chargers could get their leading rusher back Saturday against New England as running back J.K. Dobbins was a full participant in practice Thursday.

The running back missed four games while on injured reserve because of a knee injury and is listed as questionable. He would give the Chargers a much-needed boost just as fellow ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — With two much anticipated NFL games and a big assist from Beyoncé, Netflix created a major cultural moment for the streaming industry, marking a significant milestone as the service pushes further into live sports. But the events couldn’t top the ratings for last year’s games on broadcast television.

Netflix on Thursday ...Read more

A not-sweet Week 16 for us, specially against the spread (with the Vikings’ 3-point win the push). We missed our Upset of the Week, missed on Fins-Niners and got unlucky on Jalen Hurts’ injury. The good stuff? One point off an Exacto perfect score on Lions-Bears, and had Dallas with the points over Tampa. With two weeks left our .675 mark ...Read more

CHICAGO — Seahawks starting running back Kenneth Walker III will miss the final two games of the regular season after the team announced Thursday it has placed him on injured reserve.

The team made the announcement hours before its game Thursday night against the Bears in Chicago. Putting Walker on IR opened up a spot on the 53-man roster for...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It certainly seems calculated. Pete Carroll, scheduled to begin teaching at USC this spring, has reportedly expressed interest in the Chicago Bears' head coaching job.

Likely of no coincidence is that the Seattle Seahawks — the team Carroll coached for 14 seasons — visit the Bears on "Thursday Night Football." The ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb will miss the remaining two games of the season after having additional testing done on his injured shoulder earlier this week, according to the team.

Here is the statement from the Dallas Cowboys:

“Additional examinations and scans this week on CeeDee Lamb’s shoulder have ...Read more

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — On the day after Christmas, the Miami Dolphins granted veteran edge rusher Shaquil Barrett his wish.

The Dolphins on Thursday, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus, are waiving Barrett, the 32-year-old defender who signed with the team in March, retired in July and wanted to return from retirement in November.

The Dolphins...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions are bringing back a familiar face to their quarterback room, signing Teddy Bridgewater out of retirement.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed the news Thursday, saying he's been in contact with Bridgewater "for a while. It was always a ... possibility." Bridgewater officially signed his deal prior to Thursday's...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Steve Mariucci displayed a clock at 49ers headquarters reading “NOW ... NOW ... NOW” instead of the usual intervals of “1 ... 2 ... 3 ... etc.” This emphasized the urgency required in the NFL.

He was the 49ers’ coach when I came aboard as a beat writer in 2000. Back then, we had greater media access — to ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — On the Friday night before Christmas, Jalyx Hunt slipped through the Frankford High School gymnasium door with a tower of cardboard boxes in his arms. The familiar sound of sneakers squeaking on the hardwood as the boys’ basketball team practiced transported him back in time.

Long before the Eagles rookie edge rusher chased ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — Eight of the top 10 players in the 2022 Heisman Trophy balloting were quarterbacks, and nine are currently on NFL rosters. The other “one” is former TCU quarterback Max Duggan.

This sort of thing happens every year to one or two players, and it can ruin that person’s perspective on football, and life.

“Guys take ...Read more

NEW YORK — The future is cloudy for the Jets after a disappointing 2024 season.

After owner Woody Johnson fired both Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas during the season, there’s a lot of uncertainty within the organization.

That also includes Aaron Rodgers and the quarterback position.

Following this season, Rodgers’ contract has no ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Shortly after the Chiefs bristled to their third win in 11 days and second in 96 hours, Travis Kelce on Wednesday essentially said it all as he stepped awkwardly onto a platform in the postgame interview room.

“Ow!” he exclaimed before promptly resetting and saying, “Merry Christmas, guys.”

In a season largely marked by ...Read more

The record Lamar Jackson has long seemed destined for is now his.

With a masterful outing Wednesday against the Houston Texans, the Ravens quarterback became the NFL’s all-time rushing leader among quarterbacks. He dashed past legendary dual-threat quarterback Michael Vick’s mark of 6,109 yards. Jackson reached the threshold in 41 fewer ...Read more

HOUSTON — A security guard outside NRG stadium greeted fans joyously Wednesday afternoon, bellowing, “We got the greatest QB nationwide ... Merry Christmas!” as fans made their way inside for what was billed as a blockbuster showdown between AFC division leaders, the Ravens and Texans.

He was referring to the home team’s C.J. Stroud, ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — These were not the holiday plans the Steelers had in mind shortly before Thanksgiving.

This is not what they were thinking — maybe even hoping — this stretch of three games in 11 days would transpire.

One thing is certain, though: What was looking like a promising season in which they even had visions of the top seed dancing...Read more

PITTSBURGH — This is becoming Mike Tomlin’s worst December since the infamous “unleash hell” year of 2009.

OK, maybe it was 2020, when the Steelers crumbled down the stretch and got destroyed by the Cleveland Browns in a home playoff game.

Wait. Maybe it was 2018, when the Steelers blew a huge lead in the AFC North and Antonio Brown ...Read more