Road to Super Bowl 55: Offseason Storylines (March 16)

With other sports seasons suspended or canceled due to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, the NFL’s offseason is taking center stage. We’re taking a look at the breaking news and offseason storylines from the league that never sleeps.

TB12-to-TB

“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the expected landing spot for quarterback Tom Brady, barring any unforeseen circumstances, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington.

The news comes after Brady said goodbye to the New England Patriots in a series of Instagram posts on Tuesday, ending his 20-year run with the only NFL team he has ever known.

Brady, 42, leaves New England with six Super Bowl rings and 41 playoff starts since 2001.”

Read the full story on ESPN.com

Philip Rivers joins Indianapolis Colts

“Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will reportedly return for his 17th season in the NFL but with a new team for the first time in his career.

The 38-year-old will sign with the Indianapolis Colts on a one-year deal worth about $25 million, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network noted, though, Rivers intends to play beyond the 2020 season.”

Read the full story at Bleacher Report

Teddy Bridgewater joins Panthers; Cam Newton to seek trade

“On the same day the Carolina Panthers gave Cam Newtonpermission to seek a trade that he says he didn’t ask for, the team agreed to give free-agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater a three-year, $63 million deal, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Bridgewater is guaranteed $40 million in the first two seasons, a league source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano.”

Read the full story at ESPN.com

Dallas Cowboys interested in adding former Broncos, 49ers WR

“The Cowboys re-signed Amari Cooper this week, but Randall Cobb is off to Houston and that leaves them with a hole to fill in their receiving corps.

One option to fill that hole appears to be Emmanuel Sanders. Jane Slater of NFL Media reports that the team has expressed interest in Sanders and that Sanders, who went to college at SMU in Dallas, has interest in playing for the team.”

Read the full story on Yahoo! Sports

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Countdown to 2020 Miami: Super Bowl XLV

The 2019 NFL playoffs are nearly set… and with just a few weeks left until the field of 32 is narrowed to 12 on the Road to Super Bowl 54 in Miami, we’re heading back to Super Bowl XLV between two 2020 Super Bowl hopefuls — the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

A-Rod Gets His Ring

Played in front of 91,060 fans at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texans, Super Bowl XLV between the Packers and Steelers was one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory. Head coach Mike McCarthy and the Green Bay Packers would take home the Lombardi trophy, by a final score of 31-25.

Super Bowl XLV MVP honors were awarded to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, after completing 25 of his 39 pass attempts for 304 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers came out of the gates firing in the first half, building a lead that would prove to be insurmountable to the Steelers, eventually winning Green Bay the game.

Popular artist Christina Aguilera sang the national anthem before Super Bowl XLV, with the halftime show returning to it’s hip-hop roots with the Black Eyed Peas, Usher and Slash. FOX Network broadcasted Super Bowl XLV, with announcers Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver and Chris Myers handling broadcasting duties. The cost of a 30-second commercial in Super Bowl XLV rose to $3 million.

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Countdown to 2020 Miami: Super Bowl XLIV

With Week 15 nearing, it appears the road to Super Bowl 54 in the NFC may run through New Orleans. The last time they held home field advantage? The 2009 NFL season, which resulted in a Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Saints Complete the Comeback

Super Bowl XLIV, played between the Saints and Colts, was played on February 7, 2010 in Miami, Florida at Sun Life Stadium. In front of nearly 75,000 fans, the Saints would go on to capture the Lombardi Trophy, by a final score of 31-17.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees took home Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors, completing 32 of his 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Brees tied a record previously held by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, with 32 total completions in the big game. Brady set the record initially in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Super Bowl XLIV was aired on CBS in front of a total of 153.4 million viewers, with the cost of a 30-second commercial rising to a whopping $3 million. Commentators Jim Nantz and Phil Simms boradcasted Super Bowl XLIV, with legendary band “The Who” performing at halftime.

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Road to Super Bowl 54: Offseason Headlines (Week of 6/7)

While some leagues enter a quiet stretch each offseason, the NFL remains abuzz with signings, rumors and offseason storylines. A quick roundup of some of the most newsworthy stories around the league from the week ending with June 7th, 2019.

Patriots unveil Super Bowl 53 Rings: 422 diamond, 20 sapphires and more.

“After winning their sixth Lombardi Trophy in February, the New England Patriotshave commemorated their record-tying Super Bowl championship with extravagant rings.

As the team called them, they are the “greatest rings of all time”

The greatest ring of all-time. pic.twitter.com/Vv5AHmVGhS

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 7, 2019

Read the rest of the story from Bleacher Report’s Kyle Newport

OBJ compliments Mayfield’s arm strength; Giants head coach defends Eli

“Odell Beckham Jr. dished out compliments about the arm of his new Cleveland Brownsquarterback Baker Mayfieldon Wednesday. New York Giantscoach Pat Shurmur didn’t view it as criticism of Beckham’s former quarterback Eli Manning.

Manning had been the only starting quarterback Beckham had known as a professional with the Giants. Now, after being traded to the Browns this offseason. Beckham is getting used to working with Mayfield, including this week when he was present for mandatory minicamp.”

Read the rest of the story from ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan

Le’Veon Bell gets to work at Jets OTAs

“The vintage Le’Veon Bellstop-and-hop was on full display. So was his ability to get out and glide on a pass route, smooth as almost any receiver in the game. He also looked to be in great shape, with all that hard work in Florida helping Bell shed any added weight he may have picked up in his year away from the NFL.

But what was missing from Bell’s first on-field work with the New York JetsTuesday at their mandatory minicamp were a couple of things.

One being a vast knowledge of the playbook, which was evident by the way he bird-dogged the quarterbacks on every play-call, trying to learn it on the fly.”

Read the rest of the story from CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco

Carson Wentz, Eagles agree to 4-year, $128 million contract extension

“The Philadelphia Eaglesand quarterback Carson Wentzreached an agreement Thursday on a four-year contract extensionthat will keep him in Philadelphia through the 2024 season.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal is worth $128 million, including over $107 million guaranteed. His contract is now valued at $154 million total over the next six years. Schefternoted the guaranteed total is the largest ever in the NFL, topping Seattle Seahawksquarterback Russell Wilson‘s extension in April.”

Read the rest of the story from Bleacher Report’s Tim Daniels

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2019 Indianapolis Colts Schedule Preview: Weeks 1-5

The 2019 NFL season schedule is officially set, with each team knowing the road that they face if they want to contend for Super Bowl 54 in Miami. A closer look at the season schedule for the 2019 Indianapolis Colts squad.

Week 1: @ Los Angeles Chargers | Sept. 8, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS

The Indianapolis Colts will begin their season on the west coast with a 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff time, facing the other AFC Wild Card of last season in the Los Angeles Chargers.

Los Angeles returns their core squad, with quarterback Philip Rivers leading the charge and two exciting new defensive challenges in rookie defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame) and safety Nasir Adderley (Delaware), among others.

Week 2: @ Tennessee Titans | Sept. 15, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

After a 9-7 campaign in 2018 that saw the team missing the playoffs, the Tennessee Titans will play host to the Colts in Week 2, the first of the team’s two matchups this season. The Titans return their core, with their most notable offseason acquisitions being a trade for former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who will presumably play backup to Marcus Mariota, and the signing of defensive edge Cameron Wake, among others.

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons | Sept. 22, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

Despite their home city playing host to the Super Bowl this past season, the Atlanta Falcons finished with a 7-9 record and missed the playoffs in a 2018 campaign that can only be described as “disappointing.”

The Colts will face Atlanta in their home opener in Week 3, facing a Falcons squad whose roster remained largely untouched in this past offseason.

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Week 4: vs. Oakland Raiders | Sept. 29, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

One of the most talked about teams of the 2019 NFL offseason, the Oakland Raiders, new general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden have dedicated the team to a near complete roster turnover after a 4-12 season in 2018.

Their second-straight week at home, the Colts host the Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 4, facing a Raiders team with dynamic new playmakers (both in free agency signings and the 2019 NFL Draft), including defensive edge Clelin Ferrell (Clemson), running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama) and safety Johnathan Abram (Mississippi State).

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Week 5: @Kansas City Chiefs | Oct. 6, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC

Arguably the matchup of the season for both Colts and Kansas City Chiefs fans alike, this divisional playoff rematch from 2018 will be a primetime affair, taking place on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in Week 5.

The Chiefs are coming off a season of incredible success and simultaneous turnover, with running back Kareem Hunt being released following legal troubles and wide receiver Tyreek Hill be placed on leave. Kansas City also sent defensive edge Dee Ford to San Francisco, to only turn around send multiple draft picks to the Seattle Seahawks for pass rusher Frank Clark, and signed safety Tyrann Mathieu.

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2018 NFL Free Agency Preview

The next step on the Road to Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta is the beginning of the NFL Free Agency process. As of Monday, teams and free agents were allowed to officially begin negotiating, with teams free to announce agreements and officially sign players on Wednesday. Here’s a quick preview of some of the players to watch in the 2018 NFL Free Agency frenzy.

Who To Watch: Players

Kirk Cousins, Quarterback (Washington Redskins)

To nobody’s surprise, Cousins is the most coveted quarterback on the market right now. And after finally moving on from the Washington Redskins, Cousins will be due for a massive pay day to become one team’s starter. But the questions remains—where will he land? All signs are pointing to either the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets or Denver Broncos, although the Arizona Cardinals are rumored to be in the mix as well. On thing is for certain—Cousins will be looking at record-type money wherever he does choose to sign.

Case Keenum, Quarterback (Minnesota Vikings)

Despite leading the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship game in the 2017 NFL season, the team has chosen not to re-sign either of their quarterbacks (the other being Teddy Bridgewater). Although Keenum is 29 and only has one MVP-caliber season under his belt, quarterback-hungry teams will be looking at Keenum to develop and fill that gap, and he’s most likely going to be the second-richest contract of this free agency period.

Update: Keenum has agreed in principle to sign with the Denver Broncos, according to multiple reports. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Sammy Watkins, Wide Receiver (LA Rams)

Teams that are in need of a playmaking wide receiver will not be disappointed in this year’s free agency class. Big wide receivers like Watkins, Allen Robinson Jr. and more are looking for new homes. And teams that might be worried about Robinson’s 2017 knee injury might look to Watkins as their #1 option. Despite not having many yards in 2017 with the Rams, he did manage to grab eight touchdowns.

Update: Watkins has agreed in principle to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to multiple reports. Watkins is reportedly going to Kansas City on a three-year, $48 million deal.

Andrew Norwell, Guard (Carolina Panthers)

Coming off an All-Pro season protecting quarterback Cam Newton for the Carolina Panthers, Norwell is most likely in for a big pay day as he’s one (if not the) top guards in the league. A team looking to add more protection for their quarterback is likely to jump at the opportunity to sign Norwell, and according to reports, the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts are two teams that are heavily interested.

Update: Norwell has agreed in principle to sign with the Jacksonville, according to multiple reports. Norwell is reportedly signing with Jacksonville for a massive five-year, $66.5 million deal with $30 million fully guaranteed.

Who To Watch: Teams with Most Cap Room

Take a look at the top five teams with the most estimated cap room in the NFL for 2018, courtesy of Sporting News.

Cleveland Browns – $108,692,537

New York Jets – $89,259,293

Indianapolis Colts – $72,700,202

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $69,775,263

San Francisco 49ers – $66,290,382

To see the estimated cap room for all 32 teams, click here.

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2018 NFL Combine Preview

What offseason? Just weeks after the conclusion of the Super Bowl and the crowning of a champion in the Philadelphia Eagles, coaching staffs and scouts are heading to Indianapolis for the 2018 NFL Combine, the first step on the long journey to Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta!

New Coaches, GMs Speak

Wednesday marks the official beginning of the week in Indianapolis, as NFL head coaches and general managers are scheduled to meet with the media for the first time of the 2018 NFL offseason. Among those scheduled to speak about their plans for the future, new Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich, and other new head coaches, including Pat Shurmur of the New York Giants.

This provides coaches and general managers their first official opportunity to detail their strategies and outlines for the 2018 offseason, and how they plan to best position their teams for the Road to Super Bowl 53.

Players to Watch

While many tune into the combine to get their first glimpse of offseason workouts for the quarterback class, there are plenty of big names to be watching in the 2018 NFL Combine.

On Friday, the quarterbacks will take the podiums for media sessions, and on Saturday, they hit the field for on-field workouts. The biggest names to watch? Quarterback Sam Darnold (USC) and Josh Rosen (UCLA), two many have deemed to be battling for the #1 overall selection to the Cleveland Browns. Other names in this group include QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma), Lamar Jackson (Louisville) and Josh Allen (Wyoming).

Hitting the field for workouts on Friday will be the running backs, one of the deeper classes in recent history. Names to watch while the RBs workout include Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, USC’s Ronald Jones II, and San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny, among others.

Official Schedule

The official schedule for the 2018 NFL Combine, which officially begins on Wednesday:

— Wednesday, Feb. 28: Media (head coaches and general managaers)

— Thursday, March 1: Media (running backs, offensive linemen)

— Friday, March 2: Media (quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends), on-field (running backs, offensive linemen, special teams)

— Saturday, March 3: Media (defensive linemen, linebackers), on-field (quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends)

— Sunday, March 4: Media (defensive backs), on-field (defensive linemen, linebackers)

— Monday, March 5: On-field (defensive backs)

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2018 Super Bowl Countdown: Super Bowl XVIII

As the NFL begins to enter the middle of the 2017 NFL season, we’re headed to Tampa, Florida, host of Super Bowl LV in 2021, for Super Bowl XVIII between the Washington Redskins (again) and the Los Angeles Raiders.

January 22, 1984

With a final score of 38-9, the Los Angeles Raiders were dominant in Super Bowl XVIII, capturing the victory over the Washington Redskins. The big game, played on January 22, 1984, was played at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the host city for the 2021 Super Bowl, with nearly 73,000 fans in attendance. This was the first time the Super Bowl had ever been played in Tampa.

Washington entered Super Bowl XVIII as defending champions and an odds-on favorite to win their second in a row. However, the Raiders would jump out to an early lead at halftime and never look back. Running back Marcus Allen would take Super Bowl XVIII MVP honors, carrying the ball 20 times for a then-Super Bowl record 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Commercials for Super Bowl XVIII came in around $368,000 for a 30-second spot, where one of the most famous Super Bowl ads of all time, the Apple Macintosh commercial, would go on to air.

Around 77 million viewers tuned in to catch Super Bowl XVIII, with broadcasting duties being handled by Pat Summerall and former Raiders head coach John Madden. The national anthem was performed by singer Barry Manilow.

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2018 Super Bowl Countdown: Super Bowl XVII

Continuing on the road to the 2018 Super Bowl in Minneapolis, we’re heading back to Pasadena, California for Super Bowl XVII between the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins.

January 30, 1983

Over 103,000 fans piled into the famed Rose Bowl in Pasadena to watch the Washington Redskins compile their first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XVII in 1983. The Redskins set a then-Super Bowl record for 276 yards rushing on the ground, with running back John Riggins claiming the Super Bowl MVP trophy. Riggins finished the game setting two Super Bowl records, both for rushing attempts (38) and yards rushing (166), also carrying the ball in for a touchdown.

The total cost of a commercial unsurprisingly rose once again in 1983, coming in at $400,000 for a 30-second spot. Over 81 million fans worldwide tuned in to catch Super Bowl XVII, with the big game’s popularity at an all-time high.The National Anthem was sung by Leslie Easterbrook, and the halftime show included Bob Jani Productions presents “KaleidoSUPERscope” with the Los Angeles Super Drill Team.

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2018 Super Bowl Countdown: Super Bowl XVI

As Week 5 on the Road to the 2018 Super Bowl in Minneapolis gets ready to kick off in the NFL, we’re headed to Pontiac, Michigan for Super Bowl XVI between the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals.

January 24, 1982

The San Francisco 49ers would capture the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XVI, defeating the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 26-21. Over 81,000 were in attendance for the 16th installment of the Super Bowl, this time being played at the Pontiac Silverdome, in Pontiac, Michigan.

Trailing 26-14, the Bengals would score a touchdown in the waning seconds of Super Bowl XVI to make it 26-21, but would fail to recover an onside kick, leading San Francisco to the victory. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana would take home Super Bowl MVP honors, completing 14 of his 22 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown, while also recording a touchdown on the ground.

The cost of a 30-second TV commercial rose once again in 1982, up to $324,000, the most expensive to date. Pat Summerall and John Madden handled broadcasting duties for Super Bowl XVI, which brought in a record 85.24 million viewers worldwide.

It seemed as though the group “Up with People” was starting to make a themselves regulars at the Super Bowl. The halftime show for Super Bowl XVI was Up with People presents “Salute to the 1960s and Motown.” Pat Haggerty was the referee for this Super Bowl and the future hall of famers recorded were Bill Walsh (coach), Fred Dean, Ronnie Lott, Joe Montana.

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