Category: Football

Sarah BarshopMar 3, 2025, 12:28 PM ET

CloseSarah Barshop covers the Los Angeles Rams for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Green Bay Packers for ESPN Milwaukee. She then moved to Houston to cover the Texans. She came to ESPN after working as a writer and editor for Sports Illustrated.Open Extended Reactions

LOS ANGELES — While he’s “been sleeping better” since Matthew Stafford agreed to an adjusted contract, Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday that there was never a time he thought the quarterback wouldn’t be on the roster in 2025.

“No,” McVay said.

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Rob DemovskyMar 3, 2025, 12:07 PM ET

CloseRob Demovsky is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Green Bay Packers. He has covered the Packers since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2013. Demovsky is a two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the NSSA.Open Extended Reactions

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers liked enough of what linebacker Isaiah McDuffie did last season to bring him back on a short-team deal.

Sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that the team is re-signing McDuffie to a two-year, $8 million contract that could be worth up to $9.5 million.

Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire

The ultrareliable

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Ben BabyMar 3, 2025, 11:29 AM ET

CloseBen Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN’s NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American

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The Atlantic East Conference is launching its first-ever varsity women’s flag football season this spring, making it the first NCAA conference to do so and increasing optimism that flag football will ultimately be recognized by the NCAA as an official championship sport.

“It’s definitely the hope that it would continue to grow at an NCAA level and that the NCAA will sponsor it,” Rebecca Mullen, interim commissioner of the Division III Atlantic East conference, said in an interview with ESPN. “To see it continue to grow and buy into that is really a unique opportunity.”

The move comes with a

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Josh WeinfussMar 2, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

CloseJosh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University.Open Extended Reactions

TEMPE, Ariz. — High on the Arizona Cardinals‘ to-do list this offseason — somewhere around building a pass rush and solidifying the defensive line with about $70 million in cap space — is keeping tight end Trey McBride around long term.

General manager Monti Ossenfort said

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Mar 2, 2025, 03:35 PM ETOpen Extended Reactions

The Dallas Cowboys plan to utilize the franchise tag on defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa if a long-term deal is not reached by Tuesday’s deadline, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Sunday.

The franchise tag for defensive tackles is projected at $25.1 million.

Teams have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag on their pending free agents.

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A third-round pick by the Cowboys in 2021 out of UCLA, Odighizuwa, 26, has not missed a game in his career (67 straight with 63 starts).

He had his best season

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The NFL combine is nearly complete, having brought no shortage of intriguing draft data points — and humorous moments.

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From Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Robbie Ouzts‘ expression of pure, unfiltered effort in the 40-yard dash to Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron holding court at the media session with astute commentary, there were highlights galore on and off the field in Indianapolis.

These are some of the standouts in a number of nonstatistical categories at the 2025 NFL scouting combine:

Most likely to have a custom chain on draft day

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Rich CiminiMar 2, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

CloseRich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University.Open Extended Reactions

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets:

1. Show them the money: Cornerback Sauce Gardner was one of the first players contacted by newly-hired coach Aaron Glenn,

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Mike ReissMar 2, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

CloseMike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.Open Extended Reactions

INDIANAPOLIS — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Stanley and OL: At the NFL scouting combine, one rival NFL executive said some of the buzz going around was that the Patriots would aggressively pursue veteran Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie

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Nick WagonerMar 1, 2025, 08:00 PM ET

CloseNick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In over a decade with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga.Open Extended Reactions

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As the

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