NFL News

[Futureshock]

Well you better keep winning because it isn't gonna end well...

Brandon Beane on Stefon Diggs: I’d rather have guys I gotta cool off

Posted by Josh Alper on January 25, 2023, 7:07 AM EST

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Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs‘ displays of frustration on the sideline and quick departure from last Sunday’s loss to the Bengals became a storyline after the game, but the Bills have not expressed any displeasure with the wideout’s reaction.

Head coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that it was a byproduct of Diggs’ competitiveness and General Manager Brandon Beane went down a similar road during his Tuesday press conference. Beane said he’d prefer to have players that need to be calmed down than ones who can’t be fired up in moments like the divisional round of the playoffs.

“Stef’s a competitor. I’d rather have guys like that,” Beane said, via WIVB. “I’ve been around it. Steve Smith was a lot like that [in Carolina]. I’d rather have guys I gotta cool off. He wants to win. I can live with that. . . . I’ve been around people that I’ve questioned, ‘Are they just here for the Monday paycheck?’ Stefon Diggs has been paid very handsomely; he could say ‘Man, I’m good, I’m set, I could take my private jets, I could do whatever I want.’ He wants to win. So, he wears his emotions on his sleeve. But that’s what makes him really, really good.”

Diggs has been really, really good for the Bills, but they missed a consistent second wideout to help balance out the offense during the 2022 season. That’s an area where the Bills could look to improve as they try to avoid another bitter end to their next season.

[Futureshock]

Beane needs a ba ba and a nap

[Futureshock]

Report: Bucs plan to interview Keenan McCardell

Posted by Charean Williams on January 24, 2023, 7:43 PM EST

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The Buccaneers will interview Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell for their offensive coordinator position, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The team has scheduled an interview with Jaguars passing game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter for Thursday and have asked for permission to interview Broncos passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak.

Tampa Bay requested an interview with Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, but he declined. Hamilton has two years remaining on his contract, and his son is a highly rated high school quarterback in Houston.

The Bucs fired Byron Leftwich on Thursday after they averaged only 18.4 points per game in 2022 and lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

As a player, McCardell spent two of his 17 NFL seasons in Tampa, and he caught two touchdowns in the team’s Super Bowl XXXVII victory over the Raiders.

McCardell, 53, began his coaching career in 2010 with Washington and has coached receivers at the University of Maryland (2014-15) and for the Jaguars (2017-20) and the Vikings (2021-22).

[Futureshock]

Aaron Rodgers continues to hold all the cards regarding his future

Posted by Mike Florio on January 24, 2023, 7:19 PM EST

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As reports mount regarding the possibility that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be traded and/or the question of whether the Packers will refuse to trade him to an NFC team, there’s one very important thing to remember.

Aaron Rodgers holds all the cards.

He has a fully-guaranteed compensation package of $58.3 million in 2023. If the Packers want to avoid that obligation, they need to trade him where he wants to go. If that’s in the NFC, so be it.

Rodgers has the ultimate hammer. He can tell the Packers, “I’m not leaving.” He can force the Packers to pay him all that money, even if they’d rather turn the page to Jordan Love.

As Rodgers said on Tuesday, none of the machinations matter until he decides whether he wants to play. Then comes the question of whether he’ll play for the Packers or someone else. Then comes the question of whether, if not the Packers, where will he play?

If Rodgers has a new team that is willing to pay him and to give the Packers whatever they want for Rodgers (and they’d be wise to be reasonable), the only question is whether Rodgers wants to play there.

As Rodgers acknowledged last week, it doesn’t matter that he doesn’t have a no-trade clause. No one will trade for him if he doesn’t want to play there. And if he makes it clear that, for example, there’s only one team for which he’ll play and if that team is in the NFC, the Packers will have to decide whether to send him to that team or to welcome him back, even if they’d rather not.

[Futureshock]

Vikings complete interview with Sean Desai

Posted by Charean Williams on January 24, 2023, 6:33 PM EST

USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings have completed an interview with Seahawks assistant Sean Desai for their open defensive coordinator position, the team announced.

The Vikings are seeking a replacement for Ed Donatell, who they fired Thursday.

The Minnesota defense was one of the worst in franchise history finishing the season ranked 28th in points allowed (25.1) and 31st in yards allowed (388.7).

The Vikings interviewed Saints co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen on Monday. They have requested an interview with Steelers senior defensive assistant Brian Flores.

Desai, the associate head coach/defense for the Seahawks, also has drawn interest from the Dolphins. He was on the Browns’ list, too, before they hired Jim Schwartz.

Desai began his NFL coaching career with the Bears in 2013 as a defensive quality control coach. He earned a promotion to safeties coach (2019-20) and then served as defensive coordinator in 2021.

[Futureshock]

NFL finally scores a minor victory in the Jon Gruden case

Posted by Mike Florio on January 25, 2023, 9:35 AM EST

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The lawsuit filed in late 2021 by former Raiders coach Jon Gruden against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to move very slowly through the legal system.

More than 14 months after Gruden filed his civil complaint, we still don’t know whether the case will proceed in open court or in the NFL’s secret, rigged kangaroo court otherwise known as arbitration conducted by the NFL.

But we do know this. The NFL, which lost at the trial-court level the fight over whether Gruden’s claims will stay in the court system, has finally scored a minor victory. Earlier this week, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that the litigation otherwise will be stayed until the NFL’s appeal of the ruling is resolved.

It makes sense. If the NFL ultimately wins its effort to force arbitration, there will be no litigation in court. Thus, there should be no litigation until the NFL and Gruden know where the case will proceed.

For now, Gruden is still winning. His chances of prevailing in the case in many ways hinge on whether the case stays in open court or moves behind closed doors. Our chances of getting to the truth hinge on that, too.

Once the appeals process ends — and if the case stays in court — it will be time for Gruden’s lawyers to question people under oath as they embark on finding out who leaked to the media supposedly confidential internal emails, with the apparent goal of bringing him down.

[Futureshock]

Goff didn't get a sniff huh? As bad as people talk about him he should have been a runaway winner...

[Futureshock]

No Campbell...

Brian Daboll, Kyle Shanahan, Doug Pederson are finalists for AP coach of the year

Posted by Myles Simmons on January 25, 2023, 9:03 AM EST

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The Associated Press has announced its finalists for coach of the year and the list includes three strong contenders.

Brian Daboll, Kyle Shanahan, and Doug Pederson are the three head coaches up for the award.

Daboll — who was PFT’s coach of the year — took a Giants team that had not finished above .500 since 2016 and finished 9-7-1. The club went from 31st in both points scored and total yards in consecutive years under former head coach Joe Judge to No. 15 in points and No. 18 in total yards.

Shanahan’s 49ers team started the season with Trey Lance at quarterback but then went to Jimmy Garoppolo when Lance got hurt. And when Garoppolo was injured, the team turned to the last pick of the draft in quarterback Brock Purdy. San Francisco nevertheless won the NFC West at 13-4 and finished No. 5 in total yards and No. 6 in points scored.

After last year’s disaster under former head coach Urban Meyer, the Jaguars won the AFC South in the first season of Pederson’s tenure. Trevor Lawrence looked a lot more like a franchise quarterback in his second season, throwing for 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in the regular season. As a rookie in 2021, Lawrence finished tied for the league lead with 17 interceptions and tossed just 12 touchdowns.

The AP coach of the year winner will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 9.

[chemiclord]

It's really become a requirement that to even get considered for CotY is to make the playoffs.

Sucks, but that really does seem to be the great filter nowadays.

[jaadam4]

That is complete bullshit that MCDC didn't make the cut.

[CGVT]

It's really become a requirement that to even get considered for CotY is to make the playoffs.

Sucks, but that really does seem to be the great filter nowadays.

Yep. I would go with Pederson if I had a vote. The Jags were as big a shit show as the Lions last year. I thought he and Campbell were the obvious choices with the nod going to Pederson.

[Mainevent]

Jags were a huge shitshow, but they also had a 2nd year #1 QB most people thought was a star in waiting, the #1 overall pick and spent the most money in FA last season. I think it was pretty easy to see a solid coach doing well there this year. They also played in a shit division. But Peterson is a good coach, I’m not going to complain if he wins it.

Don’t know that anybody thought the Giants could win 10 games and Daboll would make Daniel Jones look like a must sign in the offseason. That was the biggest smoke and mirrors job this season.

[froot loops]

I can't get over how the Lions whipped the Jags.

[CGVT]

I can't get over how the Lions whipped the Jags.

Yep. And Campbell out coached the Giants' wonderkid too

[Mainevent]

Yep, if he doesn’t get run over by Steve Wilks, the award would have been DC’s to lose.