CHICAGO — If you made a list before the season of players the Chicago Bears could least afford to lose, nose tackle Andrew Billings might have ranked in the top three. He surely would have belonged in the top five.

Perhaps that sounds askew, but the Bears are about to find out what life will be like without Billings, who’s headed for ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Emotions turned on a Chiefs touchdown celebration early in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled to his right, looking to score his second rushing touchdown of the season, but was met by a pair of defenders. Running back Samaje Perine started to ...Read more

ALLEN PARK, Mich.— The Detroit Lions already sit on one throne as the reigning NFC North champs.

But if they’re going to keep that crown, and perhaps grab a championship ring as well, it makes sense to add a little royalty, doesn’t it?

That’s what Lions general manager Brad Holmes has done here this week, in a way. And the way veteran ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In the Eagles locker room after practice, Saquon Barkley barely had time to take a breath.

Hastily walking toward his space and straightening up his locker stall, the Eagles’ running back explained he didn’t have much time to stop and field questions.

“I got like two minutes,” Barkley said. “I have to get to the ...Read more

CHICAGO — For the second week in a row, the Chicago Bears had a game clip go viral for all the wrong reasons.

In the wake of the Bears’ 29-9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9, a clip of DJ Moore walking off the field in the middle of a first-quarter play circulated widely online, catching the attention of multiple national analysts on...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — DeAndre Hopkins had a huge night Monday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, scoring two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ win over Tampa Bay.

But it was what he did after the game that warmed the hearts of Chiefs fans and prompted them to declare him a good fit for Chiefs Kingdom — and a good son.

Hopkins was seen leading his ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Nick Bosa enjoyed election night, to no surprise.

“It was fun. It was a good time. Stayed up,” Bosa said Wednesday inside the 49ers’ locker room.

Bosa has been a longtime public supporter of Donald Trump, and he endorsed this cycle’s presidential campaign by wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap when ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield threw the touchdown pass to Ryan Miller that left the Buccaneers an extra point from tying the game against the Chiefs Monday night in Kansas City and hopefully sending it to overtime.

Though there were 27 seconds still remaining in regulation, a 2-point conversion would have gone a long way toward helping the ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Giants (2-7) are hanging by a thread as Germany beckons, with a bye week awaiting them after Sunday’s international game against the equally bad Carolina Panthers (2-7).

“No one’s happy with where we are now,” quarterback Daniel Jones said Wednesday after practice. “The challenge is now, are you going to let that ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryce Young has earned his third straight start.

Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales announced Wednesday that the team’s second-year quarterback will start instead of veteran Andy Dalton this weekend, when the Panthers face the New York Giants on Sunday in Munich, Germany.

The news comes three days after Young earned a ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — On the latest episode of "New Heights," former Eagles center Jason Kelce said he regretted engaging with a Penn State fan on Saturday who used a homophobic slur toward his brother, Travis.

“I’m not happy about the situation,” Kelce said on the podcast. “Me reacting gave him the time of day and it also gave the situation...Read more

GREG COTE’S NFL WEEK 10 THURSDAY PICK

BENGALS (4-5) at RAVENS (6-3)

Line: BAL by 6.

Cote’s pick: BAL, 38-34.

TV: 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Prime Video.

AFC North battle should be a good, high-scoring one to kick off NFL Week 10. Bengals are 3-1 on road and Ravens 3-1 at home, both are coming off wins, and last meeting was a thriller with ...Read more

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — As Lions safety Brian Branch was about to begin speaking with reporters, a teammate ran by and delivered a quick quip.

"Throw 'em up, BB!," the teammate yelled, referencing the double middle fingers Branch displayed following his ejection from Sunday's 24-14 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Branch smiled sheepishly ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Howie Roseman did exactly what he needed to do on Tuesday.

Nothing.

No edge rusher. No linebacker. No offensive line depth.

As his fellow general managers scrambled to fill the holes on their roster ahead of the NFL's 4 p.m. trade deadline, Roseman looked at his creation and saw that it was good. Good enough, at least. And he...Read more

Even before Dak Prescott unknowingly announced to the world that his team “bleeping bleeps,” the season was gone prior to his hamstring injury.

He would never say this publicly, but that hamstring injury is the second best development to his 2024 season; the first being the four-year, $240 million contract he signed a few hours before the ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It wasn’t much as practices go, but Monday’s session was enough to get the 49ers excited for what is to come with running back Christian McCaffrey.

Left tackle Trent Williams felt energized at the presence of “two-three,” referring to last year’s top offensive player by number. Quarterback Brock Purdy, in an ...Read more

Jason Kelce expressed regret Monday night for choosing to "greet hate with hate" after spiking a fan's cellphone outside Beaver Stadium before the Ohio State-Penn State game Saturday in University Park, Pa.

Kelce, the former Philadelphia Eagles center who is now a member of ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" crew, was on campus to take part in a "...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Joe Hortiz made aggressive moves this offseason, but when it came to Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, the Chargers' general manager stood firm with the roster he built.

The Chargers didn't complete a move before the deadline as the 5-3 team that's currently sixth in the AFC playoff standings waits for encouraging injury news ...Read more

SEATTLE — Tuesday's NFL trade deadline passed at 4 p.m. ET without the Seahawks making a last-minute move.

The only significant Seahawks mention was a report from ESPN that the team had gotten a few calls about receiver DK Metcalf, but that "Seattle had no plans to deal him."

That followed a report over the weekend from the NFL Network that ...Read more

DETROIT — Dan Campbell said it at the end of last season. Brad Holmes just confirmed it. When you’re a Super Bowl favorite, as the Lions clearly are, you treat every shot as if it’s your only shot.

Holmes did precisely what he needed to do Tuesday, acquiring legitimate pass-rush help, and did it for a reasonable price. No, Za’Darius ...Read more