NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Wisconsin football recruiting 2026 tight end Jack Sievers commitment

    Wisconsin football recruiting 2026 tight end Jack Sievers commitment

    Wisconsin football landed a commitment from class of 2026 tight end Jack Sievers on Monday evening.

    Sievers pledged to the program on the heels of his official visit. He chose the Badgers over top contenders Minnesota and Boise State, each of which had visits scheduled for later this month. Obviously, those plans may now change after his commitment.

    247Sports lists Sievers as a three-star recruit. He’s specifically ranked as the No. 659 player in the class of 2026, No. 34 tight end and No. 5 recruit from his home state of Washington. The tight end is Wisconsin’s 10th commitment in the class of 2026 He is also the program’s fourth addition since the conclusion of its first official visit weekend of the month, following followed three-star defensive lineman Arthur Scott, three-star linebacker Ben Wenzel and three-star defensive lineman Djidjou Bah.

    The Badgers’ class was already at 10 commitments after Bah’s addition on Sunday night. However, it dropped back to nine earlier Monday after three-star edge rusher Carmelow Reed flipped to Ole Miss.

    That class is now hovering around the low-30s in the national rankings after Monday’s movement. The group is trending positively, with commitments pouring in after official visits. However, the program will need to land several blue-chip players, something it has yet to do in the cycle, if it is to again threaten the nation’s top 25.

    Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

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  • Are the Steelers lost? As clock ticks on Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh is mired in drama and mediocrity

    Are the Steelers lost? As clock ticks on Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh is mired in drama and mediocrity

    The Pittsburgh Steelers pride themselves on tradition. Six Super Bowl wins. The NFL’s longest-tenured head coach. Black and gold uniforms that have rarely been tweaked. They are what you might call one of the dignitaries of football history, established in the earliest days of the NFL and still graced with some of the league’s premier matchups, like the NFL’s first foray into Ireland this fall.

    Unfortunately, legacy doesn’t always equate to contemporary impact. “Star Wars” was a cultural phenomenon at the tail end of the 1970s, right around the same time the Steelers were the NFL’s dynastic powerhouse. Today, “Star Wars” is an oversaturated made-for-streaming brand, and the Steelers are the NFL equivalent, living off residuals and banking on nostalgia without lasting results.

    Is this an unreasonable critique of a franchise that last suffered a losing record in 2003, the year 50 Cent dropped “In Da Club” and George W. Bush was halfway through his first term? Does consistency warrant no respect anymore? Surely fans of downtrodden, dysfunctional teams like the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets would kill to have even half the Steelers’ annual success.

    The problem is, the Steelers tout their higher bar — “The standard is the standard,” head coach Mike Tomlin often quips — like it still applies to their operation. What is the standard? Winning titles? That hasn’t occurred since 2008, when Ben Roethlisberger was 26 years old. Winning conference championships? That hasn’t happened since 2010, when Aaron Rodgers was the trophy-wielding face of the Green Bay Packers, not the 41-year-old “missing piece” of the very Steelers team he conquered in Super Bowl XLV. Winning just a single playoff game? Nope. Not since 2016.

    The Steelers deserve credit for staying relevant. But only in the sense that “relevant” means annually eligible for an ugly one-and-done postseason appearance. In the time…

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  • 2025 Penn State football: Kaleb Artis player profile

    2025 Penn State football: Kaleb Artis player profile

    Going into the 2025 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will examine each player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover the player’s background, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season.

    Defensive tackle Kaleb Artis has been impactful on special teams, appearing in 26 games across the last three seasons, primarily with the field goal unit. He’s also made several appearances on defense during garbage time across the last two seasons, including racking up a pair of tackles against Purdue in a rout of Kent State. Here’s a look at Artis ahead of the 2025 campaign.

    Preseason Player Profile

    Hometown: Westbury, New York

    Height: 6-4

    Weight: 311 lb

    Class in 2025: Redshirt junior

    Recruiting Rankings

    Class of 2022: Consensus 3-star recruit, No. 87 defensive lineman and No. 6 recruit from Florida per 247Sports

    Artis took official visits to Penn State, Auburn and Virginia before settling on the Nittany Lions out of high school.

    Career Stats

    GamesTacklesTackles for lossSacksForced fumbles20222000020231330.5002024114100

    Depth Chart Overview

    It’s unlikely Artis battles his way into the two-deep at defensive tackle this season, but he should continue to make an impact on special teams in his fourth season as a Nittany Lion.

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  • Odell Beckham Jr. says he “never, ever wanted to leave the Giants”

    Odell Beckham Jr. says he “never, ever wanted to leave the Giants”

    In late August of 2018, the Giants signed receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a contract extension. Within weeks, things got weird. Within months, the Giants traded Beckham to the Browns.

    On Saturday, Beckham said he didn’t want to go.

    “I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants,” Beckham said during the CBS coverage of the UEFA Champions League final, via Fox News.com. “The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over.”

    He nevertheless said plenty about what was going on, as it was going on. In a surreal early October interview with Josina Anderson, then of ESPN, with Lil Wayne sitting alongside Beckham, the one-time dominant receiver was asked whether the Giants had an issue at quarterback, under Eli Manning.

    “Uh, I don’t know,” Beckham said.

    Asked at the time whether he’s happy in New York, Beckham said, “That’s a tough question.”

    Even after Beckham was traded, he spoke openly about his unhappiness in New York.

    “I can’t do this anymore,” Beckham told GQ regarding his mindset during his last year in New York. “I just can’t do it. I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t in a good place. And like I told you earlier, I feel like everything is about happiness, and I just was not.”

    He wasn’t happy. But he never, ever wanted to leave?

    The reality is that he had it worse with the Browns, who eventually released him after the 2021 trade deadline. Beckhamthen landed with the Rams, where he played with a torn ACL until his knee gave out during Super Bowl LVI.

    He then missed all of 2022, spent 2023 with the Ravens, and had a disappointing 2024 with the Dolphins, who cut him late in the year. He had no takers and still has been linked to no NFL team.

    By all appearances, the 32-year-old Beckham likely won’t return to the NFL. All in all, his career was a success. He owns a Super Bowl ring. He…

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  • College football’s summer agenda: One area every top 25 team must address for success in 2025

    College football’s summer agenda: One area every top 25 team must address for success in 2025

    College football’s summer break is a time for coaches to host recruits in June before trying to solve pressing needs ahead of fall camp in August, once the media days charade subsides. For the teams inside CBS Sports’ post-spring top 25 rankings expected to be contenders in 2025, there remains specific areas that must be addressed to ensure success.

    Some of these factors may not be handled until everything counts in September, but we’ve taken the task of scribbling out the summer agenda at each program in hopes of spotlighting the bullet points.

    Ranking the top 25 Power Four college football coaches entering the 2025 season

    Tom Fornelli

    Solve defensive line rotation: It’s paramount for the defending national champions to determine who’s going to make up their fierce pass rush given the personnel losses. Post-spring portal newcomer Beau Atkinson from North Carolina is a major addition. Expect defensive tackle Eddrick Houston to assume a starring role and junior Kayden McDonald to see the most action of his career.

    Assess…

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  • Odell Beckham Jr. ‘never’ wanted to leave the Giants: ‘I wanted to be the one’ to get a Super Bowl in New York

    Odell Beckham Jr. ‘never’ wanted to leave the Giants: ‘I wanted to be the one’ to get a Super Bowl in New York

    Getty Images

    Odell Beckham Jr. and New York Giants fans were equally disappointed to see him leave. Beckham Jr. opened up about his frustrations being traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 on Saturday’s Champions League Final broadcast on Paramount Plus.

    OBJ has bounced between five teams since joining the NFL in 2014. He spent five seasons with New York after being drafted in the first round. Giants fans were upset to see him leave the franchise in 2019, but not as angry as Beckham Jr was.

    “I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants,” Beckham Jr. said. “The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over. 

    “This was the organization I got drafted to. They believed in me. So if the Giants went and won a Super Bowl, I would be happy. But deep down inside, I wanted to be the one. No question. So it’s definitely you’ll always hold that. But then someone like me, I went to the LA Rams, won a Super Bowl. But still, you just want that.”

    The wide receiver was traded to Cleveland less than seven months after signing a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Giants. Since then, the three-time Pro Bowler won a Super Bowl in 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams. In December, Beckham Jr. and the Miami Dolphins mutually agreed to his release.

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  • Two Ohio State defenders appear on Lott Impact Trophy watch list

    Two Ohio State defenders appear on Lott Impact Trophy watch list

    It’s not quite college football watch list season, but it’s close. Look no further for proof than the earliest of the watch list announcements taking place this week with the unveiling of the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list for 2025. All told, 42 players appear on this year’s version of the watch list, and two of those will be wearing Scarlet and Gray on Saturdays.

    It’s no surprise that Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is on the list as arguably the best defensive player in the country (hint: it won’t be the last watch list he appears on), but linebacker Sonny Styles is also among the names to keep an eye on.

    The Lott IMPACT Trophy, named after former NFL Hall of Fame star Ronnie Lott, annually goes to the “Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, college football’s top defensive player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity, all characteristics exhibited by Lott during his illustrious playing career.”

    The winner will be announced in December and is selected by a national voter panel, consisting of former winners, members of the media, coaches, and members of the Board of Directors of The IMPACT Foundation. So, stay tuned after the season gets going to see what names continue to be considered for a rather prestigious award.

    Things will really start to heat up with these preseason watch lists as things get closer and closer to fall camp, and as they do, we’ll let you know the ones that have a little Buckeye flair.

    Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

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  • Micah Parsons skipped second week of Cowboys OTAs (as he should)

    Micah Parsons skipped second week of Cowboys OTAs (as he should)

    Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer praised linebacker Micah Parsons for participating in the first week of the team’s annual OTA sessions. For the second week, Parsons wasn’t present.

    Yes, the workouts are voluntary. And, no, Parsons shouldn’t volunteer to risk injury until he gets the long-term contract he should have gotten a year ago.

    The Cowboys continue to misplay the situation. They drag their feet. And the price goes up. And the player is less prepared when it’s time to go play games that count.

    It’s a ridiculous way of doing business. But the Cowboys keep repeating the pattern.

    It became obvious last year, when the Cowboys were on the front end of (again) waiting too long and then paying too much for receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott. Cowboys management is clueless when it comes to managing young talent.

    If they would have paid Parsons last year, it would have cost a lot less than $40 million per year. If they would have paid Parsons immediately after the end of the season, the deal likely would have been closer to $35 million than $45 million. Now, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has set a new bar. Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt could push it higher before Parsons puts pen to paper.

    Regardless, the price will keep going up. And Parsons won’t be as ready for the regular season as he could have been.

    Especially if the foot dragging lasts into camp and Parsons holds out and the Cowboys eventually and inevitably cave as Week 1 approaches.

    There are many reasons why the Cowboys have gone 30 years without an appearance in the NFC Championship. One very real reason is the chronic stubbornness of owner Jerry Jones to pay his core players sooner than later.

    Our guess? He knows it. And he’d rather have the latest unsettled contract become the top story for sports media than to see his team benefit from the relative irrelevance of peace.

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