Category: NFL News

Just when we think the saga of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown cannot get more bizarre, he tops it. This time it came in the form of an Instagram Live video.

Brown said in the video that former teammate James Harrison gave Brown a big hit with what he called an illegal helmet and ever since that day Brown was super aggressive.

“I wanted to tell you guys that I think James Harrison gave me CTE,” Brown said. “James Harrison had an illegal helmet for over 20 years in the NFL. And he hit me one time. And ever since he hit me I’ve been super aggressive. So blame James Harrison for my CTE.”

At this point, it is impossible to know when Brown is joking and when he isn’t. I’m not sure he even knows anymore. Making the claim that Harrison wore an illegal helmet for over 20 years in the NFL is wild, especially since Harrison played in the NFL for 16 seasons.

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2023 NFL draft: 7 mid-round prospects for the Steelers to consider

Story originally appeared on Steelers Wire

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Less than a year after signing with them, Tom Brady helped lift the Buccaneers from mediocrity to NFL champions. Now that Brady has officially retired, Tampa Bay once again finds itself in the market for someone to fill the sports’ most importation position. 

It’s incredibly far-fetched to think the Buccaneers’ next quarterback will have the same impact Brady had. The Buccaneers surely know that, but that doesn’t mean that Tampa won’t try to find the best available person to succeed the seven-time Super Bowl champion, who in just three seasons added to his long list of career goals by becoming the best quarterback in Buccaneers history. 

Blaine Gabbert and 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask are the two remaining quarterbacks on the Buccaneers’ roster. Gabbert, 33, is a journeyman who was good enough to beat out Trask for No. 2 on the depth chart last year. While Gabbert is a solid player, the fact that Trask wasn’t able to supplant him on the depth chart is not a promising sign. 

Gabbert is set to be a free agent, but given his likely affordability and Todd Bowles’ glittering praise of him, it seems highly likely that the Buccaneers will re-sign him. Trask will likely be back, too, given he has two years left on his rookie contract. 

With two quarterbacks already in tow, Tampa Bay will probably acquire two other quarterbacks. The team could sign a “camp arm” and someone who will compete to be the starting quarterback. But the more likely scenario is Tampa Bay drafting a quarterback and signing a veteran to compete for the starting job.

The Buccaneers have a blueprint for how to replace a Hall of Fame quarterback should they choose to mimic what the Steelers did last year in finding Ben Roethlisberger’s successor. While it wasn’t without some speed bumps, Pittsburgh did ultimately find Roethlisberger’s successor in 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett while also finding a more than…

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PHILADELPHIA – “When you have two quarterbacks, you have none.”

It’s one of those longstanding NFL maxims – who knows who first uttered it? – that pithily suggests that if you don’t have a star, or at least an established passer, under center, then your team is up a creek.

But the San Francisco 49ers turned the phrase on its head during the 2022 season, riding a trio of QBs to the NFC West title, which included a 12-game winning streak that extended into the playoffs. Unfortunately for them, the Niners proved during Sunday’s 31-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game that, “When you have to use your fourth-string quarterback, you have no chance.”

HOW IT HAPPENED: Philadelphia dominant in 31-7 trouncing of San Francisco

ANALYSIS ON AFC TITLE GAME: Everything to know for Bengals-Chiefs

San Francisco’s season finally unraveled on its first offensive possession Sunday when Brock Purdy, “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final selection of the 2022 draft but vying to become the first rookie quarterback to guide his team into the Super Bowl, injured his throwing elbow while being sacked by linebacker Haason Reddick.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy injured his elbow during the NFC championship game.

A few practice throws and multiple trips to the medical tent seemed to effectively signal Purdy’s day was over, though he was forced to return in the second half after QB4 Josh Johnson suffered a concussion. But by that point, San Francisco trailing 21-7 and Purdy effectively unable to throw the ball more than a few yards, the Niners’ season was effectively over.

Yet it’s amazing they made it this far – and coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch deserve all the credit for resourcing and managing a position that devours the salary cap and depth chart for so many clubs. San Francisco was on the verge of becoming the first squad in six years to reach the Super Bowl while starting three quarterbacks in the regular season.

Now the Niners…

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson is the hottest non-head coaching name in the NFL today.

As the Eagles head into Sunday’s game one step from the Super Bowl, Johnson has risen to be several potential head coaches’ pick for their offensive coordinator. According to multiple sources, at least three head-coaching candidates have tabbed Johnson as their would-be OC.

Whether Johnson leaves Philadelphia is another question entirely, though. Johnson hasn’t taken any interviews as of yet, and sources believe he’s waiting to see whether current Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen gets a head-coaching job. If that happens, it’s believed that Johnson would be the top candidate to replace Steichen as OC in Philly.

That sort of promotion would create consistency in Philadelphia and give Johnson the ability to call plays for an MVP-caliber quarterback, giving Johnson the opportunity in 2023 to make his case as a potential head coach in next year’s cycle.

Interestingly, a source told CBS Sports that one of the five teams in need of a head coach asked a veteran coaching candidate whether he’d be willing to bring on Johnson in an assistant head coach capacity. The idea being that the franchise would then be turned over to Johnson when he was deemed ready.

Johnson is in his second year as the Eagles QBs coach. A former star quarterback at Utah, Johnson worked as a quarterbacks coach and/or offensive coordinator at Utah, Mississippi, Houston and Florida during the 2010s before joining Nick Sirianni’s staff in 2021.

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The New Orleans Saints receiving corps needs some reinforcements. While fans saw plenty to like out of youngers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in 2022, the players under contract for 2023 include backups like Tre’Quan Smith, Kirk Merritt, and Kawaan Baker — plus injured starter Michael Thomas, whose status is less than certain.

It’s kind of set up for a good situation for Jarvis Landry to return to. He already knows the Saints’ playbook, he remains popular with fans and teammates, and if Olave and Shaheed are your starters it makes sense to hold onto a veteran presence at the position who can still teach them a thing or two.

On the other hand, Landry is coming off the worst year of his career and he may want to try his hand somewhere else around the league. Let’s review his 2022 campaign with the Saints and decide whether he should re-sign:

Season stats

Landry set new career-lows in targets (39), receptions (25), receiving yards (272), touchdown catches (1) and first down conversions (12) in 2022, though a lot of that can be chalked up to an early-year ankle injury limiting him to just 9 games on the season. That injury kept him in and out of the lineup as a lot of things changed around him, including a move at quarterback. Landry looked like a stellar fit with Jameis Winston in Week 1 (totaling 7 receptions for 114 yards) but he never got into rhythm with Andy Dalton the way Olave and Shaheed managed to.

Snap counts

Landry played 301 snaps on offense for the Saints last season, with 90 of them coming in the first two weeks. That lingering ankle injury kept him in and out of the lineup all year long. After getting on the field for 72% and 68% of the team’s snaps in those initial two games, he only saw more than 63% of snaps in two of the seven games left on the schedule. He was relegated to more of a bit part in the offense while struggling with his health.

2022 season review

There’s no way to look at Landry’s return to New Orleans than as a…

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The NFC Championship is here as the San Francisco 49ers will face the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday. This is the first meeting between these two teams since Week 2 in 2021. The 49ers won, 17-11, but much has changed since then. 

Jalen Hurts has evolved into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and then the 49ers found a different starting signal-caller altogether in Brock Purdy, who was selected with the very last selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. These two quarterbacks have faced off before, however, as they delivered a Big 12 classic back in 2019, where both quarterbacks combined for 11 total touchdowns. 

These are two of the — if not the most — well-rounded teams in the NFL. The 49ers’ defense and the Eagles’ offense both ranked first among NFC teams in points per game and yards per game this season. Who comes out on top Sunday?

Below, we examine the different betting angles for this matchup. We will provide picks from both CBS Sports and SportsLine experts on this NFC showdown, as well as a few player props that we view as enticing. 

All NFL odds are via Caesars Sportsbook.

How to watch 

Date: Sunday, Jan. 29 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV
Odds: Eagles -2.5, O/U 46

Featured Game | Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers

49ers at Eagles spread picks

“Philly has an elite rush offense, so this elite San Francisco rush defense — that matchup really could decide the game. Who gets the win there? And if the Eagles can do what…

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Why Ryans has emotional sideline demeanor during 49ers games originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

DeMeco Ryans isn’t afraid to be himself on the sidelines during games. The 49ers’ 38-year-old defensive coordinator shows his emotions despite the stress that comes with coaching against the opposition.

Although there are high stakes heading into the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, Ryans isn’t changing his approach and will show he’s hyped up when players on his defense make a big play on the field.

“I’m emotionally involved because I’m excited when these guys make plays,” Ryans told reporters Thursday. “I know the work that they put in. I know how much effort, how much time, how much sacrifice these players put in. And when we go out there on Sunday, the whole world gets to see that. I’ve been seeing it all week, and I’m just excited for everyone else to see who our guys are. And I’m excited to see guys make plays.

“Football is meant to be fun. That’s what football is about, so you have to have fun playing football, and that’s what our guys do. You see them flying around, they have fun, they have fun playing with each other. That’s what football is always meant to be. It’s always meant to be played in a fun manner, and we’re going to have fun playing football on Sunday.”

Ryans’ approach to coaching football has resulted in him being one of the top head coaching prospects potentially to land a job this offseason.

Furthermore, the former linebacker is held in high regard by his coaching peers, such as Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, who has noticed how players on the 49ers’ defense play for Ryans.

“Like, I see [Ryans’] players genuinely selling out,” Sirianni told reporters Monday. “And you can see their interactions in the game right when you watch it on television. Like, you see those guys playing really hard for him.”

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RELATED: How 49ers can stop Jalen…..

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USATSI

The Kansas City Chiefs are hosting their fifth consecutive AFC Championship Game and for the second straight year they will face the Cincinnati Bengals for the right to move on to Super Bowl LVII. Last year, it was the Bengals who came out on top and advanced to the Super Bowl, losing the big game to the Los Angeles Rams.

The AFC Championship Game is slated to kick off on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET. 

The game will take place at Arrowhead Stadium in front of over 70,000 excited football fans. If you are not one of the lucky people who get to to watch the game in person, you can tune into CBS and Paramount+ to watch the action live. 

The top-seeded Chiefs defeated the No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round to advance. Cincinnati defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round and surprised many by dominating the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. 

How to watch

Date: Sunday, Jan. 29 | Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Chiefs -1, O/U 47.5

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