Category: NFL News

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Free agent tight end Travis Kelce remains undecided on his playing future ahead of the 2026 season, Should he delay retirement, a return to the Kansas City Chiefs is expected. Coach Andy Reid confirmed discussions this week with their veteran pass-catcher, who finished his 13th NFL season with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns.

“There is communication. That’s the main thing,” Reid said. “That means people want to move forward. I think that’s where Trav is. I’m not trying to put words in his mouth at all, and I try to give him some space here. He’s been doing this a long time, and he can sort all that out as he goes forward. We’re proceeding with that, and there is communication.”

Kelce, 36, said in January after the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs that he needed to see how his body responded after Kansas City’s 6-11 finish. The Chiefs may be without quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the start of the 2026 season following an ACL injury.

Kelce recently expressed anxiousness on his New Heights podcast to work again with Eric Bieniemy as the Chiefs’ new offensive coordinator, suggesting he could be back. Bieniemy and Kelce spent a decade together.

“I can’t wait to see him back in the building,” Kelce said. “He’s one of my favorite coaches of all-time, one of my favorite people of all time. I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player, as a person, and I just love the guy and it’s going to be awesome to see him back in the building and see him back wearing the Chiefs logo, baby.”

Kelce first mentioned retirement in 2023, acknowledged the toll playing for a decade-plus has taken on his body. He is also expecting to marry fiancée Taylor Swift later this year.

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It’s well-known that this offseason will be defensive-heavy for the Cincinnati Bengals this spring. Even so, they can’t completely ignore their already-potent offense completely.

We talked to one of the most well-respected draft voices this week in NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, and N. 41 could net the Bengals another great weapon for their offense. But, it all depends on what the team does in free agency before the April festivities.

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Cincinnati’s defensive line is in need of a pass-rush boost and overall depth, so we look at an overlooked free agency option, as well as Jeremiah’s pick for the Bengals in the second round on this week’s podcast. We also recap the recent re-signings and their respective impacts.

Check out the latest episode of The Orange and Black Insider via the linked video above, or on your favorite platform.

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Follow our Twitter page and ‘like’ our Facebook page for more Cincinnati Bengals stuff. And, check out our BLEAV in Cincy podcast channel. Who Dey!?

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We’re just a few weeks removed from the 2025 season coming to a close. While the Seattle Seahawks are still basking in the glory of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LX, the rest of the NFL is preparing to knock them off the pedestal or at least become more competitive in 2026. For some organizations, that includes overhauling or continuing the search for their franchise quarterback, while others are simply building around the signal-caller they have. 

Then, there’s another group. It’s the collection of teams that aren’t quite thrilled with the quarterback they have in place, but are not totally at the stage of hitting the eject button either. That uneasy middle ground regarding the most important position in the sport is hardly the place any team wants to be, but it’s the reality for a handful entering 2026. That creates a ton of pressure on those quarterbacks to put everyone’s concerns to rest with a strong season, thus planting their flag as a franchise centerpiece. If not, some hard decisions will then need to be made.

Below, we’ll highlight five quarterbacks who are currently on the hot seat, albeit with the start of the 2026 campaign still months away.  

5. C.J. Stroud

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The NFL Combine is less than a week away. With the NFL world descending on Lucas Oil Stadium for the annual meat market, who are the prospects that could make a big impression in the biggest job interview of their lives? And could any be on the radar of the Jacksonville Jaguars? Let’s take a look:

With the combine focusing on raw measurables, Jonah Coleman has every opportunity to push himself into the same tier as Jeremiyah Love next week. Coleman isn’t expected to be the quickest running back in the room; he’s a short, dense ‘bowling ball’ style back whose physical style of running has made him a consistent contributor for the Huskies over three seasons. What Coleman needs to show is that he’s fast enough, and a 4.5 second forty time at his size and play strength will certainly turn heads.

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With Travis Etienne’s future in Jacksonville still unsure, running back may be a target position for the Jaguars in the draft. Coleman’s 4.29 yards after contact average (in the 97th percentile at his position) will appeal to James Gladstone, whose selection of Bhayshul Tuten last year shows his penchant for pinball wizards in the backfield.

Life in Starkville has been tough the past few seasons. But wide receiver Brenen Thompson made a wise decision leaving Oklahoma for Mississippi State last year, enjoying a breakout campaign that saw him break 1,000 yards receiving. Key to that production was his unparalleled speed, with many expecting him to challenge Matthew Golden’s 4.29 second forty from last season. Thompson’s average depth of target (aDOT) last season was an outrageous 18.4 yards – for context, the NFL average is around 11.0.

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At 5’9” and 170lbs, there’ll be concerns about Thompson’s longevity in the NFL. But athleticism grabs the headlines at the combine. I’m not sure if it’s a profile the Jaguars front office will be interested in, but with rumors persisting about Brian Thomas being traded, adding to the…

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The Chicago Bears have played at Soldier Field for over 50 years, but have been looking for a location to build a new domed stadium and a site in Indiana is becoming a real possibility. The Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee passed a crucial bill Thursday in an effort to move forward in getting the stadium built. 

The bill is for establishing a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium and was passed with a 24-0 vote.

“The passage of [the bill] would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date,” the Bears said in a statement, via the Associated Press. “We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.”

The Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee was set to hold a hearing Thursday for a bill allowing the Bears to negotiate long-term property tax rates with local governing bodies, but it was canceled. 

“Illinois was ready to move this bill forward. After a productive three-hour meeting yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the [Illinois General Assembly] pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill,” Matt Hill, a spokesperson for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said. “This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.”

The Chicago Bears playing in Indiana? Team says it’s expanding search for new stadium site beyond Illinois

Shakiel Mahjouri

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The Seahawks’ continued reshaping of their offensive coaching staff includes a promotion for a returning member of the group.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that the Seahawks are promoting Justin Outten to run game coordinator. Outten was an assistant offensive line coach and run game specialist during their run to the Super Bowl LX title.

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The Raiders wanted to speak to Outten about the same job on Klint Kubiak’s staff recently, but the Seahawks blocked the overture from their former offensive coordinator.

Outten spent two seasons with the Titans and a year as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator before joining Mike Macdonald’s staff in Seattle last year. He has also coached for the Packers and Falcons.

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Mike Wagner, a former Pro Bowl defensive back and a key member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ famed “Steel Curtain” defense, has died at the age of 76. 

Wagner spent his entire 10-year career with the Steelers. Over that span, he was named to two Pro Bowls and helped Pittsburgh win four Super Bowls over a six-year span. He was inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2020. 

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Wagner, a tremendous player and an integral part of some of the most successful teams in Pittsburgh Steelers history,” team president Art Rooney II said in a statement. “As a member of four Super Bowl-winning teams, his toughness and consistency were paramount to our secondary. His contributions on the field were significant, but it was also his steady presence and team-first mentality that truly defined him.” 

An 11th round pick in the 1971 NFL Draft, Wagner was part of a notable Pittsburgh draft class that also included future Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham and fellow future starters in defensive linemen Ernie Holmes and Dwight White, offensive lineman Gerry Mullins, tight end/offensive lineman Larry Brown and receiver Frank Lewis. 

Despite his low draft stock, Wagner cracked the Steelers’ lineup as a rookie and a year later finished second on the team with six interceptions. A year later, he led the entire NFL with eight interceptions. 

In 1974, Wagner helped the Steelers win the franchise’s first Super Bowl, recording one of Pittsburgh’s three interceptions during Pittsburgh’s 16-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings. A year later, he was named to his first of two consecutive Pro Bowls while helping Pittsburgh repeat as champions. His fourth quarter interception of Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X set up a field goal and helped the Steelers record a 21-17 win over the Cowboys. 

In 1976, Wagner was one of a staggering eight Steelers defenders who were selected to the Pro Bowl. That season,…

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