MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Darnold sits back in the pocket, surveying the field and buying time as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison maneuver through their routes. If they are deep down the field, even better. Ready, aim, fire.

“Just don’t miss,” Darnold said. “That’s the biggest thing.”

He doesn’t miss often, which has given the ...Read more

CHICAGO — When the Chicago Bears walk into U.S. Bank Stadium for Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, they will be 64 days removed from their last victory. The team’s seven-game losing streak has taken a toll. Yet for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, there’s still a sizable challenge ahead to finish the season strong.

...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — For the third straight year, A.J. Brown, the city’s second-biggest diva, told his truth. As usual, that truth is, Jalen Hurts needs to throw him the ball.

Don’t blame Brown. He’s one of the four best receivers in the league and one of the three best receivers in Eagles history, and he’s getting just 6.6 targets a game, ...Read more

NEW YORK — Bill Belichick surprised many when he became the North Carolina Tar Heels coach on Thursday afternoon.

But before that, Belichick surprisingly contacted his former rival about their vacancy.

Belichick, 72, who famously was the Jets coach for a day before surprisingly resigning in 2000, called the team “to gauge interest” ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In 2021, the Rams signed Odell Beckham Jr. as a midseason addition, and the star receiver helped them win Super Bowl LVI.

Could the Rams do it again?

On Friday, the Miami Dolphins released Beckham. If the 32-year-old, three-time Pro Bowl player clears waivers Monday, he will be a free agent.

Because of their shared history —...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Sorry to dig up the dead horse, but the NFL’s competition committee can’t ignore the Eagles much longer. Their unfair advantage has grown to insurmountable proportions. I realize that I’m not going to win many friends by saying this, but justice and fair play shouldn’t be parochial things. The Eagles have made such a ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The stadium in Cleveland resides fewer than 20 miles from where Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt attended high school, along the edge of Lake Erie in Willoughby, Ohio.

So naturally, in his first chance to play an NFL game there back in 2018, he “couldn’t wait to touch the ball,” he recalled.

You don’t say.

On his ...Read more

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Dolphins announced Friday morning that they’ve waived wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a move that ends his brief career with the team after just nine games.

Beckham, the once-spectacular player who was most famous for the one-handed touchdown catch he made while with the New York Giants, would end his time with ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A day after De’Vondre Campbell Sr. refused to play and walked off the job, coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear Friday that Campbell won’t be returning to the team.

“We’re working through the semantics of exactly how to deal with it,” Shanahan said on a media conference call. “You heard from me last night and ...Read more

NEW YORK — Following the abrupt cancellation of Mariah Carey’s sold-out Pittsburgh concert, Netflix has announced that the pop diva will kick off its Christmas Day football broadcast.

The streaming platform on Thursday revealed that Carey is set to perform her holiday hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” in a pretaped performance ...Read more

SEATTLE — On Dec. 8, 2023, four men posed for photos at the Marriott Marquis in New York, sharing a stage with college football's most coveted stiff-arm. Each of the four finalists touched a tip of the Heisman Trophy, wearing similar smiles and dissimilar sweatsuits, a day before the award's winner would be crowned.

On Dec. 8, 2024, wide ...Read more

DENVER — There is clarity in brevity. Not profanity.

Bo Nix will help guide the Broncos into their most important game since 2015 with a leadership style that remains as effective as it is unique.

Nix does not curse. It traces to his upbringing by his parents, Patrick and Krista, and connects directly to his faith. And it works.

“It’s a...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — If the 49ers were bound to vanish from playoff contention by mid-December, it only made sense for them to blow another NFC West game in the fourth quarter.

This time, the 49ers had only a 6-3 lead to protect, and, in the end, they walked off their soggy field Thursday night with a 12-6 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It's happening.

Again.

The Rams rebounded from a dismal first half of the season and they are making a run for the playoffs.

Again.

Despite a nebulous performance on offense against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay's team is now the one nobody in the NFL wants to play.

Again.

On Thursday night, the Rams ...Read more

DETROIT — The diehard Lions fan who went viral over his on-field pregame shouting match with Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur before last week's prime-time game has had his season tickets revoked.

The Lions and the fan, Fahad Yousif from Farmington Hills, have confirmed the team's decision, which was sent to him in an email earlier ...Read more

Here’s a look back at Week 14’s action and fantasy advice for the week ahead:

WEEK 14 RECAP

Lions 34, Packers 31: The Jayden Reed roller coaster has been quite a ride this season. Reed is the overall WR8 in standard formats (WR18 in PPR) through 14 weeks, but he hasn’t topped 26 receiving yards since Week 9, and his goose egg at Detroit ...Read more

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — As the Falcons get ready to play on “Monday Night Football” next week, they have to prepare for the Las Vegas Raiders and worry about protecting their homes.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was the latest NFL player to have his home burglarized while playing Monday night.

Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick ...Read more