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  • Michael Irvin is racking up early wins in his lawsuit against Marriott

    Michael Irvin is racking up early wins in his lawsuit against Marriott

    Early in Super Bowl week, representatives of an Arizona hotel owned by Marriott informed NFL Network of a misconduct complaint made by an unnamed employee about Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin. It resulted in Irvin being removed from the Super Bowl coverage both at NFL Network and ESPN.

    Irvin reacted swiftly, filing a $100 million lawsuit against Marriott and the accuser. And the court in Arizona is moving as swiftly as any court ever moves in a civil lawsuit.

    Via TMZ.com, the presiding judge already has ordered that Marriott must identify the name of the employee — and that Marriott must produce video evidence regarding the alleged interaction. Marriott also must disclose the NFL Network employee(s) to whom the report was made.

    The specific allegations against Irvin never has been disclosed. Although he did himself no favors by talking publicly about the situation in the aftermath of being pulled off the air by NFL Network, his legal strategy has been effective, to say the least.

    Irvin aggressively is attempting to prove his innocence. So far, he seems to be winning.

    Making the situation even more compelling — and awkward for the league — is that Marriott is a long-time sponsor of the NFL.

    Michael Irvin is racking up early wins in his lawsuit against Marriott originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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  • Will the Pac-12 break up? Where each team would go if league disintegrates over media rights deal

    Will the Pac-12 break up? Where each team would go if league disintegrates over media rights deal

    A college landscape without the Pac-12 has become a storyline worth considering, though a break-up of the 107-year-old league isn’t particularly likely.

    Industry sources still project a media rights deal split between ESPN and Amazon for the embattled conference. However, dissolution of the Pac-12 is being talked about openly in those same industry circles as a potential consequence if the league does not wrap up its new deal soon.

    The fact that it could happen in these tenuous times is enough to project what the process might look like.

    Multiple sources tell CBS Sports the league is struggling to match its desired value for its 10-team league (south of $400 million annually, $40 million per school) following the departures of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten.

    The most compelling reason: As it stands, the Pac-12 inventory of games is not something broadcast, linear cable or streaming must have at this point.

    Not without USC and UCLA. Not with the league is in its eighth month since losing its two flagships. And not with 3.5 months having passed after the Pac-12 was leapfrogged by the Big 12.

    The Big Ten is now coast-to-coast, spread across the three major broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, NBC). ESPN has gone all in on the SEC with an exclusive deal including the lucrative 3:30 p.m. ET window on Saturdays as well as the primetime slot with some of the highest-rated inventory in the sport. The ACC is locked in through 2036 at a stable number that is expected to grow as the ACC Network continues to throw off revenue. The Big 12 has staked its claim with Fox and ESPN, and it is looking to get bigger with expansion.

    There is a finite amount any potential rightsholder is willing to pay for a damaged conference that is the last among the Power…

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  • Aaron Rodgers trade rumors: Nine logical landing spots with Green Bay open to moving on from longtime QB

    Aaron Rodgers trade rumors: Nine logical landing spots with Green Bay open to moving on from longtime QB

    Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have spent 18 seasons together. But it’s possible the star quarterback will be playing elsewhere in 2023. Rodgers admitted after a deflating finish to 2022 that he was undecided on his NFL future, and while both retirement and a return to Green Bay are on the table, the team is reportedly open to trading the star QB if he wants out.

    Rodgers just signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension last March and is taking some time to make his decision. Offloading his deal would bring challenges. But even at 39, coming off a down year, he’d surely fetch premium compensation, which could help general manager Brian Gutekunst rebuild around Rodgers’ heir apparent, Jordan Love. Rodgers would also be relatively affordable for an acquiring team, due $31.6M in 2023 — the 10th-highest mark among QBs, behind guys like Matt Ryan, Derek Carr and Ryan Tannehill.

    With all that in mind, here’s an early look at logical suitors for Rodgers, in the event he and Green Bay agree to part ways:

    Note: Salary cap figures courtesy of Over the Cap.

    Geno Smith is a good story, but at 32,…

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  • Blue-chip OT locks in return visit with Florida after earning offer

    Blue-chip OT locks in return visit with Florida after earning offer

    The Florida Gators offered four-star Pine Forest (Pensacola, Florida) offensive tackle Jonathan Daniels on Thursday and have locked in plans to host him on a March visit, according to Gators Online.

    “I will be down there March 4 for an unofficial visit,” Daniels said. “It will be for a practice.”

    It’ll be Daniels’ second time in the Swamp. He was there for Florida’s Orange and Blue Game in 2022 and met with the staff briefly, but this visit should give him a closer look at what life would be like at practice with the team.

    It should also help Florida catch up in a race that already features Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Florida State is the favorite, according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine, but Auburn and Georgia aren’t too far behind.

    Daniels’ recruiting ranks vary drastically depending on which service is considered. On3 independently has him inside the top 50 at No. 47 nationally and No. 3 among offensive tackles, but he falls to Nos. 149 and 9, respectively, on the On3 consensus, which considers all four major services equally.

    247Sports grades him as a three-star recruit that’s ranked No. 41 at his position and No. 71 in the state. The 247Sports composite, which favors the site’s rankings slightly, has him even lower than the On3 consensus at No. 160 overall and No. 10 positionally.

    More Football Recruiting!

    Florida to host 4-star EDGE after extending offer

    2024 in-state WR target being recruited by top Florida QB commit

    Florida getting 4-star LB on campus for first visit in spring

    Gators hoping to get another visit from 4-star two-way athlete

    Florida football working on official visit from this 4-star EDGE rusher

    Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida…

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  • Where does Chicago stand at tight end?

    Where does Chicago stand at tight end?

    The 2023 offseason is officially in full swing, and the Chicago Bears are gearing up for what should be one of the busiest springs in recent memory.

    Armed with $98.6 million in cap space, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus will have plenty of opportunities to improve the team roster in free agency, while also needing to make key decisions on which players they should let walk.

    Here at Bears Wire, we’re going position by position to break down where Chicago stands entering the 2023 offseason. Next up is tight end, a position that needs some depth behind Cole Kmet.

    Who’s on the roster?

    Michael Reaves/Getty Images

    Cole Kmet

    Jake Tonges

    Chase Allen

    Kmet is coming off a breakout season with the Bears, despite it being a down year in the passing game. Kmet led the Bears in receptions (50), receiving yards (544) and touchdowns (7) — also a career high. More than that, he proved to be the most reliable pass catcher for quarterback Justin Fields. While Kmet certainly needs to improve as a blocker, he’s proven to be a valuable asset for Luke Getsy’s offense. And he’s someone who’s proven to be a security blanket of sorts for Fields. Now, Kmet is heading into a contract year, where he’s one of three members from the 2020 draft class expected to earn contract extensions.

    The other tight ends on the roster are last year’s undrafted rookies, Tonges and Allen, who spent most of the 2022 season on the practice squad. Tonges appeared in four games, where he saw limited action, while Allen appeared in one game against the Bills. Tonges and Allen should provide depth and serve as training camp bodies. But they’re not expected to impact contributors in 2023.

    Who’s slated to hit free agency?

    Michael Reaves/Getty Images

    While Kmet had an impressive season, there was a significant drop-off from him to backs Griffin and Wesco. Griffin was signed in free agency with the expectation that he would be Kmet’s primary backup. Unfortunately, Griffin failed to get…

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  • Mario Cristobal hits reset button with new coordinators as he approaches significant Year 2 at Miami

    Mario Cristobal hits reset button with new coordinators as he approaches significant Year 2 at Miami

    Upon his introduction as Miami’s new coach, former Hurricanes player, assistant and hometown favorite Mario Cristobal said he coudn’t wait to “compete for championships.” The Hurricanes flopped in his debut, however, finishing 5-7 for the worst season since 2007. Hoping for a Year 2 leap like he had at Oregon, Cristobal is pressing the reset button on his tenure with a pair of pivotal coordinator hires. 

    Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry arrives from Marshall to replace Kevin Steele, who left for the same job with Alabama. Houston offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson is reportedly not far behind after the Hurricanes moved on from Josh Gattis. For Cristobal to surpass recent standards in Coral Gables, the three of them will need to mesh quickly. Not since the arrival of Howard Schnellenberger in 1979 has a second-year ‘Canes coach failed to reach at least seven wins. (Schnellenberger’s predecessor, Lou Saban, went 6-5 in his second and last year in 1978.) 

    If Cristobal can’t reach that modest threshold, then it will raise serious questions over whether competing for championships is truly in the cards for the program under his direction.

    Cristobal led Oregon to a Pac-12 championship and Rose Bowl victory with a final record of 12-2 in his second season in Eugene. He is also precisely 67-67 over 12 seasons at three different jobs, but that 2019 effort stands out as a beacon of hope on his résumé that perhaps good things are ahead for Miami. 

    New identity on offense?

    A Broyles Award winner in 2021 as Michigan’s offensive coordinator, Gattis guided the Wolverines to a Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff appearance. Those credentials seemingly made him a rockstar hire for Cristobal, but Miami’s offense flopped in…

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  • Steelers legend Jerome Bettis celebrates 51st birthday: 5 fast facts about Hall of Fame RB known as ‘The Bus’

    Steelers legend Jerome Bettis celebrates 51st birthday: 5 fast facts about Hall of Fame RB known as ‘The Bus’

    It’s been 17 years since Jerome Bettis retired at the podium after helping the Steelers win Super Bowl XL. Since then, the player known affectionately as “The Bus” has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as the Steelers Hall of Honor. Bettis also hosts a show in Pittsburgh, where he has continued to work with his foundation. 

    The 10th overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, Bettis entered the league as a fullback before quickly making the transition to running back. He had an extremely rare combination of size (5-foot-11 and about 250 pounds), agility and speed that allowed him to rush for 13,662 yards and 91 touchdowns during his 13-year career. Bettis’ physicality and energetic personality made him an instant fan favorite in Pittsburgh, where he helped the franchise win five division titles as well as the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy. 

    As he celebrates his 51st birthday, here are five fast facts about Bettis’ NFL career. 

    Rookie of the Year 

    Bettis overcame a slow start to capture Offensive Rookie of the Year honors during the 1993 season. Bettis won the award despite making just one start in the season’s first five weeks. He got the ball rolling with a 102-yard performance against the Saints in Week 5. Bettis would record six more 100-yard rushing performances that season that included a career-high 212 yards in New Orleans in Week 15. Bettis also tallied the longest run of his career in that game, a 72-yard touchdown. Ironically, Bettis’ first-career touchdown was a 29-yard run against the Steelers in Week 2. 

    Bettis finished the season with 1,429 yards, the second-highest total in the NFL behind Emmitt Smith, who won league and Super Bowl MVP honors that season. 

    Almost an Oiler 

    The Rams agreed to trade Bettis following his third season in Los Angeles. When looking for his next team, Bettis narrowed his choices down to either the Oilers or the…

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  • NFL insider believes Lamar Jackson could end up with Patriots division rival

    NFL insider believes Lamar Jackson could end up with Patriots division rival

    One NFL insider is predicting that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson may end up with a New England Patriots AFC East division rival. The Miami Dolphins already have Tua Tagovailoa, and the Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen.

    That leaves the New York Jets.

    NBC Sports’ Peter King said he believes the New York Jets will consider making a move for Lamar Jackson if they are unable to land Aaron Rodgers.

    Jackson is coming off a 2022 season that saw him play in 12 games. He recorded 2,242 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Injury issues bothered him throughout the course of last season, but he was still able to remain productive for the majority of the year.

    Jackson has already accomplished several things in his five-year career. He has been named to two Pro Bowls and was the 2019 NFL MVP. He was also named to an Associated Press All-Pro First-Team in 2019.

    King considers Jackson a logical option for the Jets, as the organization looks for stability at the quarterback position.

    “Obviously, anybody would want Lamar Jackson to be the quarterback of the team,” said King, during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. “But how much guaranteed money are you willing to give a player who in the last two years has missed 34 percent of the snaps because of injury? It’s easy to sit here and say, ‘Get Lamar. Sign Lamar. Pay Lamar.’ Of course. But what does that mean exactly?

    “So to me, I think the Jets are going to have a very tough decision on their hands, and I think they will go after Rodgers if he does play. And if they don’t get him, I think they will at least put their sniffers out and seriously consider Lamar Jackson.”

    The Jets have the potential to be an explosive offense, as rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson undoubtedly gives them a major weapon at the position.

    However, quarterback was an issue for them last season, as Zach Wilson was inconsistent. Jackson could give the Jets that explosive quarterback needed to take them to the top of…

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