PITTSBURGH — George Pickens was called out by Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens for being lazy and not running his route when Russell Wilson threw an interception in the end zone Wednesday afternoon against the Chiefs. Pickens was supposed to run a vertical route and occupy Chiefs safety Justin Reid, who easily drifted toward tight end ...Read more

FOXBORO, Mass. — Eleven and a half months after he was introduced as the head coach of the Patriots, the chief reason to believe in Jerod Mayo remains unchanged.

It’s nothing you can see, nor hear, nor point to as proof.

It’s an idea, an extension of the imagination. Something abstract.

Potential.

Or, in the words of the pessimist: ...Read more

Initial observations from the Broncos' 30-24 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday at Paycor Stadium:

Bodacious, finally

Bo Nix needed better than this. So did Sean Payton. Against one of the NFL’s worst defenses, the Broncos hit the throttle like they were in a Yugo. Trailing 10-3 and their defense gassed, they found their ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Jim Harbaugh loves a high-five, calls it one of mankind's great inventions. But sometimes, even that hearty gesture is insufficient.

So when the Chargers coach spotted the team's general manager slipping out of the visitors' locker room Saturday — in the wake of the club's most lopsided win in five years — he summoned him ...Read more

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Late in the fourth quarter, with almost all the Chargers' starters standing on the sideline waiting out a 40-7 rout over the New England Patriots, Derwin James Jr. leaned in close to Justin Herbert. The safety had watched the way the Chargers' star quarterback stayed late at the practice facility. How he watched film ...Read more

NEW YORK — Eli Manning is one step away from becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The former Giants quarterback was named one of 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.

Manning now needs at least 80% of the Selection Committee’s vote in order to be eligible for induction. Up to five modern-era players...Read more

CLEVELAND — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is no longer expected to play Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Tagovailoa was downgraded to doubtful Saturday as the Dolphins (7-8) traveled to Cleveland as he deals with his hip injury.

Tagovailoa was already deemed questionable for Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. kickoff on Miami’s ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — George Allen told the Eagles during a visit to training camp in the summer of 1980 that their talent was just enough to win four or five games. But the legendary NFL coach saw enough during his week in West Chester to also tell the Birds that their work ethic would push them even further.

So when the Eagles reached the NFC ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs are 15-1 for the first time in franchise history, and they looked every bit the part on Christmas Day in Pittsburgh. In a week, they could become the second team in NFL history to win 16 games in one season, even if they would have to do it with backups in Denver.

And, well, can the coach of this historic team ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Nostalgia is dubious. The sentimental attachment to “The Ol’ Days” usually confuses the familiar with the ideal.

“Sal, remember when we used to toboggan down that rocky hill and into that pit of steel spikes?”

“Yeah, Bill. Good times.”

Vince Lombardi and Bud Grant helped make their franchises popular and ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — When you dine at a five-star restaurant and pay five-star prices, it's fair to expect five-star taste. But unfortunately for the Steelers, due to communication issues and several more nuanced factors, the performance of their defense in this context would probably receive plenty of negative reviews on Yelp.

Not to mention, it ...Read more

SEATTLE — In their 49-year history, the Seahawks have been held to seven points or fewer 75 times, according to Pro Football Reference.

Only once have they won — Thursday night in Chicago against the Bears, 6-3. One other time they tied, the infamous 6-6 overtime game at Arizona in 2016, which is the only tie in Seahawks history.

Only 54 ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — The Bucs' all-time single-season sack leader is returning to Tampa Bay.

Shaquil Barrett, who ended his retirement in November, had to clear waivers Thursday to sign with another team.

The Bucs will add him to their 53-man roster after he joins the club Saturday morning.

Barrett played five seasons in Tampa Bay, setting a club ...Read more

MIAMI — “If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.”

That quote, which has withstood the test of time when it comes to relationship advice, perfectly illustrates the point the Miami Dolphins organization likely finds itself in with Calais Campbell after Sunday’s road game ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — There is a three-part documentary recently posted at Netflix on Aaron Rodgers that carries the title “Aaron Rodgers: Enigma.” Clearly, Rodgers had considerable influence on the content, or this three-hour look at his career and life would have contained more than a couple of sentences on his variety of high-profile ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Kenny Pickett, you’re up.

The Eagles are set to hand the reins of their offense to the backup quarterback as Jalen Hurts was officially ruled out Friday afternoon for Sunday’s game against the visiting Dallas Cowboys. Hurts suffered a concussion in the first quarter of last week’s 36-33 loss in Washington and did not ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers were once in full control of the AFC North and the toast of the NFL, and by extension, that meant the Mike Tomlin adoration society was out in full force. But three ugly losses in 11 days have Tomlin's critics getting louder and the Mike Tomlin adoration society already looking for someone to blame if — maybe when �...Read more

CHICAGO — Now, after taking care of a little bit of necessary business Thursday night that they seemed to make unnecessarily difficult, the Seahawks sit and wait and hope.

The Seahawks got just two Jason Myers field goals in a 6-3 win against the Bears on Thursday night.

That proved enough thanks to a tenacious defense that got a season-high...Read more

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