CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears have submitted required traffic and financial impact studies to Arlington Heights, marking the next step in their quest to build a new football stadium there.

The studies are considered preliminary drafts that will be worked on further with a village consultant, so Village Manager Randall Recklaus declined to ...Read more

Interning in the Senate is not very much like playing professional football, but Jalen Travis has found some overlap.

“Grinders win. That’s something I learned on the field first and something that was reinforced during my time on the Hill,” Travis said recently, looking back on his brief stint at the Capitol. He was there only 10 weeks, ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Comfort food comes by its name honestly. Who doesn't love a gigantic plate of their favorite fare?

Along those lines, it didn't take long for Mason Rudolph to return one of his favorite spots, DiAnoia's Eatery on Penn Ave., after re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in mid-March.

"It's a great Italian meal," Rudolph said ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — How does one improve on history?

It’s a question you can ask regarding Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, whose spectacular rookie season was one for the ages.

But now it’s about taking the next step in his development. In seeing where this NFL career might take him. In wondering how terrific a player he might ultimately become....Read more

NEW YORK — Two seasons ago, the Jets’ offensive line was one of the team’s biggest concerns.

But now, at least on paper, it could be one of their biggest strength entering the 2025 season.

“Obviously, you try not to pay attention to the outside noise, but me personally, I think we can be one of the better groups in the NFL,” Jets ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — AJ Cole has come to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders on a contract extension that will make him the highest-paid punter in the NFL, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Cole, 29, has been one of the league’s top punters since making the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019 out of N.C. State. The three-time Pro ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — When Mucha Nama drives his white minivan up and down Broad Street, he gets some interesting reactions. Most people hear his car before they actually see it. The Ethiopian rideshare driver has a speaker affixed to the top that plays one of two tracks: “Fly, Eagles Fly” or a 10-minute YouTube compilation of “Eagle Sound ...Read more

MIAMI — A measly 301 yards.

That’s all that separates astrologer Ricky Williams, who is No. 2 on the Miami Dolphins all-time rushing list, from Hall of Fame running back Larry Csonka, who is No. 1.

A mere 301 yards.

Csonka has 6,737 yards, Williams has 6,436.

That bothers Williams a bit.

Does that news surprise you?

Well, it’s true. ...Read more

DENVER — Bo-gus for Bo Nix.

The Denver Broncos quarterback continues to create suspicion about his rookie season. It traces back to his draft status, his skillset and that last season in Auburn that some people cannot seem to forget.

With training camp two months away, social media feeds populate with rankings. While respecting the work ...Read more

SEATTLE — Of course the tush push deserved to die.

I’m happy it didn’t.

On Wednesday, a proposed ban of the play — in which players line up behind the quarterback to provide a push on an unstoppable sneak — failed to receive the 24 needed votes at the NFL’s owners meeting. According to ESPN, 22 teams voted to ban the tactical ...Read more

Remember recently, when it was first reported that the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy had agreed to a five-year, $265 million contract? On the heels of that news, there was a loud and angry chorus from near and far, all singing the same three-syllable word:

“O-Ver-Paid.”

Those people look awfully silly now that the details...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Just for the record, Patrick Mahomes didn’t get his iconic mohawk sheared off to purge that 40-22 drubbing by the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

“I’ve wanted to do it for a while, but it was kind of one of those superstitions,” Mahomes said in a Zoom call with local media as the Chiefs began the first phase of offseason ...Read more

CHICAGO — George Wendt didn’t just play a rabid Chicago sports fan on TV.

He was one, albeit not nearly as deluded as his “Saturday Night Live” character, Bob Swerski, of the “Super Fans” sketches.

Wendt, who died Tuesday at age 76, gained fame for the iconic role of Norm Peterson on the 1982-93 sitcom “Cheers,” before his ...Read more

MIAMI — The one thing the world should know about Mike McDaniel is that he marches to the beat of his own drum.

His hip style ... tap, tap, tap.

His quirky sense of humor ... rim shot.

That relatable approach is unique, and sets him apart from most individuals in the world, and that includes all NFL head coaches.

So anyone expecting the ...Read more

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Aidan Hutchinson was on pace to run away with the Defensive Player of the Year award before a gruesome leg injury against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 ended his 2024 campaign.

Hutchinson spoke Thursday with local media for the first time since suffering a broken tibia and fibula in Detroit's 47-9 win at Dallas. Now "fully ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The latest signs of Nick Sirianni‘s maturation as an NFL coach came a little before 1 p.m. on Tuesday, when he walked into the auditorium to field questions about his new contract extension.

He did not flex into the camera and yell, “Hey, I don’t hear any [expletive] anymore!”

He did not pace up and down the aisle ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Since Brett Veach began his NFL career in earnest as Andy Reid’s personal assistant in Philadelphia, he’s naturally been steeped in Reid’s ways and means and long shared a wavelength with him.

Simply put, the Chiefs general manager gets Reid and what he’s seeking to do. That keen anticipation and understanding of ...Read more

MIAMI — Jon Embree has coached greats of the game, legendary tight ends such as Tony Gonzalez and George Kittle, talents who are either in, or going to gain entry in the Hall of Fame.

He has coached two of the best ever at the position. We’re talking first-ballot Hall of Famers.

So the Miami Dolphins tight end coach knows what it’s ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Of course Brock Purdy did not make a grand entrance with dollar bills raining from the ceiling and E-40’s “Niner Gang” anthem bumping as walk-up music.

Instead, Purdy shuffled into Levi’s Stadium auditorium with a red 49ers’ hoodie complemented by black sweatpants and white sneakers from Adidas, his loyal brand...Read more

CHICAGO — In the introductory episode of “Forged in Foxborough,” a team-produced, behind-the-scenes look at the New England Patriots, new coach Mike Vrabel expressed in clear terms he’s not interested in how the once-proud organization spiraled into consecutive last-place finishes in the AFC East.

“Why the (bleep) would I care about ...Read more