Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/USA TODAY NETWORK
A Philadelphia Eagles fan had a pretty savage message for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones prior to Sunday’s game.
Jones relayed a story on 105.3 The Fan prior to Sunday’s Cowboys-Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. about a confrontation he had with an Eagles fan. Needless to say, the fan in question has rather enjoyed Dallas’ disappointing season, and encouraged Jones to keep it up.
“Keep doing the job you’re doing this year,” the fan told the Cowboys owner.
The Eagles and Cowboys have a long-standing rivalry. That sentiment is almost certainly shared by the rest of the fanbase, with the Cowboys entering Sunday’s game at 7-8. It was even worse a few weeks ago, but they have stabilized things after starting 3-7.
Jones has some big decisions to make for 2025, including one about his head coach. Ironically, he may be leaning toward essentially following the Eagles fan’s advice on that front.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett was ruthlessly mocked over an ugly play on Sunday, but it turns out there was a reasonable explanation for what transpired.
The Eagles had 2nd-and-5 from their own 24-yard line early in the second quarter of their game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. Pickett dropped back to pass and appeared to strip-sack himself. The former first-round pick lost control of the ball and flipped forward.
You can see another angle:
Those who watched the above angles of the play were left wondering if Pickett saw a ghost. However, an angle eventually surfaced that proved Pickett’s wrist was hit by Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau:
That makes a lot more sense.
The Eagles were bailed out on the play anyway, as Dallas was called for illegal contact in the secondary.
Pickett, who started for the Eagles on Sunday because Jalen Hurts is in concussion protocol, faced questions about his hand size when he was coming out of college a few years ago. Many fans made jokes about that after seeing the bizarre play on Sunday, but it turns out Pickett did have his arm hit.
Sep 14, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs batting helmet sits on the dugout rail before the Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Cubs are hitting the shuffle button on their Spotify playlist.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Sunday that the Cubs are trading first baseman Matt Mervis to the Miami Marlins. They will be receiving utilityman Vidal Brujan from Miami in return, Passan adds.
The 26-year-old Mervis, a lefty hitter, is a former top prospect whom MLB Pipeline ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Cubs organization as well as the No. 4 first base prospect overall before the 2023 season. But he has yet to show much at the big-league level, batting .155 over two seasons since his MLB debut. Mervis did hit .235 with 15 home runs and 43 RBIs over 81 Triple-A appearances last year though.
As for Brujan, he is a utilityman who is also 26 years old and a former top-100 prospect himself. Though he was designated for assignment by the Marlins earlier this month, Brujan (who hit .222 over 102 games last season) should bring value to the Cubs as a more seasoned and versatile player than Mervis. This news also comes after the Cubs parted ways with another top prospect in November.
The New England Patriots logo at midfield before a September 7, 2017 NFL opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Photo Credit: Steve DelVecchio/Larry Brown Sports
New England Patriots fans were vocal in voicing their displeasure with the team during Sunday’s blowout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and some veteran players did not appreciate it.
The Patriots fell to 3-13 on the season with their 40-7 loss to the Chargers at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. There were plenty of boos from the home fans during the game. There were also some “fire Mayo” chants from those who believe head coach Jerod Mayo needs to go.
Deatrich Wise Jr., who is in his eighth season with the Patriots, was asked about the boos. The veteran defensive lineman defended his coach.
“With all respect to Patriot Nation, they’re a little spoiled. We don’t appreciate the boos. We don’t appreciate the outburst (against Mayo),” Wise said, via Karen Guregian of MassLive.com. “If you’re a fan, be a fan with us through thick and thin.”
Fellow defensive lineman Davon Godchaux agreed with Wise.
“A lot of people can’t take (a rebuild). I know we don’t tank around here. We still want to win football games. But the ‘Fire Mayo’ chants is just ridiculous,” Godchaux said. “The guy (is in) his first year, his first season. It’s not going to be golden. We didn’t expect to go win a Super Bowl this year. I get it, nobody wants to get beat 40-7, but the ‘Fire Mayo’ chants is just ridiculous.”
Plenty of teams go through rebuilds without looking as horrible as the Patriots have over the past two seasons. The biggest issue on Sunday was that many players looked like they were not even trying to win the game. That is a poor reflection on Mayo.
Mayo has made plenty of mistakes in his first season as a head coach. One of them was the confusing way he handled the Patriots’ running back situation on Sunday.
It is unlikely that Patriots owner Robert Kraft will fire Mayo after just one season. While it is a good sign for the 38-year-old coach that veteran players are sticking up for him, Kraft probably is not thrilled about fans being disgusted with the product on the field.
May 6, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) moves the ball up court against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired one of head coach JJ Redick’s former teammates in a big trade involving D’Angelo Russell.
The Lakers on Sunday agreed to trade Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the news.
The Lakers created more flexibility with the trade, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes that L.A. is now $3.5 million below the second apron. They were previously just $30,000 below.
Finney-Smith and Redick were teammates on the Dallas Mavericks during the 2020-21 season, which ended up being Redick’s final year in the NBA. There had been rumblings for weeks that the Lakers had interest in the 31-year-old.
The 6-foot-7 Finney-Smith is known for his wing defense. He has averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season. He is shooting 43.5% from three-point range, which is by far the best mark of his career.
Russell played for the Nets for two seasons earlier in his career. The former No. 2 overall pick averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in just 26.3 minutes per game with the Lakers this season. He lost his starting job earlier in the year and drew some criticism from Redick.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) smiles at fans after the Bengals beat the Las Vegas Raiders 41-24 Paycor Stadium Sunday, November 3, 2024. Credit: Cara Owsley/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown hurt himself while making an unselfish play on Saturday night, but fortunately the injury is not considered serious.
The Bengals beat the Denver Broncos 30-24 in an overtime thriller at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. With the score tied 17-17 and under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Brown tried to keep the game from going to OT by going down at the 1-yard line on a play where he could have scored. The second-year back tweaked his ankle in the process.
The heady play forced the Broncos to use their final timeout. Cincinnati could have then had Joe Burrow kneel down twice before kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired. Instead, Burrow scored on a quarterback sneak the following play. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was roasted over the decision, which gave the Broncos an opportunity to tie the game on their ensuing drive.
Brown did not return after suffering the ankle injury. He reportedly suffered a high-ankle sprain, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Media said Sunday that Brown has a chance to play in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“My understanding is this is not considered to be a major injury, so he does, in fact, have a chance to play next week. Very good news there,” Rapoport said.
Brown has been one of the breakout players of the 2024 NFL season. He became a workhorse back after Zack Moss suffered a neck injury in Week 9, and Brown has taken full advantage of the opportunity. Brown has 1,350 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns through 16 games.
The Bengals improved to 8-8 with their win over Denver. They will still need some help in order to reach the postseason.
Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings signed Sam Darnold to be a bridge quarterback, and the veteran has played at a Pro Bowl level for them throughout much of the season. He may have an opportunity to do so again in 2025.
The Vikings want Darnold back next season, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Making that happen could be easier said than done, of course.
Darnold signed a 1-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings during the offseason. The team then drafted former Michigan star quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury during the preseason, which left Darnold with no competition for the starting job.
Darnold has more than taken advantage of the opportunity. He enters Week 17 with 3,776 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Vikings are 13-2 and in contention for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
It would make sense for the Vikings to want Darnold back next season. McCarthy will essentially still be a rookie, and the idea was for him to compete with Darnold and/or spend a year as a backup. In an ideal world, Minnesota would probably want to just push that plan back a year.
The question is how much it will cost. Darnold is still only 27, so he could command a massive deal in free agency. Minnesota has the option of using the franchise tag on him, which would cost more than $40 million.
Finding a quality quarterback is no easy task in the NFL. The Vikings have done that and are one of the best teams in football. Between Darnold’s success and McCarthy coming off a major injury, sticking with the status quo is probably the smartest play for Minnesota.
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, left, on the field for warmups before a preseason game at MetLife Stadium on August 21, 2022, in East Rutherford. Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
The New York Giants have lost 10 straight games entering into Sunday’s matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, but it sounds like there is a good chance head coach Brian Daboll will keep his job.
In their latest glimpse into the upcoming NFL head coach hiring cycle, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicated that Giants owner and CEO John Mara still believes in Daboll. There remains a feeling around the NFL that Mara is not inclined to fire Daboll or Giants general manager Joe Schoen.
Mara said after the Giants’ 2-5 start that he did not anticipate making a head coach or GM change this year. He probably did not think his team would go on to lose eight consecutive games after that, however.
The Giants moved on from Daniel Jones this season. They are in position to land the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and they need a new quarterback. They hired Daboll because he is an offensive-minded coach who previously had success working with Josh Allen.
Jones was already the quarterback in New York when Daboll took over, so perhaps Mara will give Daboll and Schoen and opportunity to draft and develop a QB together.
Daboll led the Giants to the playoffs in his first season as head coach in 2022. New York then went 6-11 last year and is 2-13 this season.
One thing is for certain — Mara looked disgusted when he was shown on TV during the Giants’ latest blowout loss. It would not be a shock if his feelings have changed since earlier in the season.
Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) on the field after the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Jets have yet to announce whether they intend to bring Aaron Rodgers back next season, but it sounds like they could potentially lose another star player should they choose to go that route.
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson has been open about his frustration with the team in recent weeks. The former 10th overall pick said last week that he wishes he were more involved in the offense. Wilson also made a notable comment about one of New York’s previous coaches.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the relationship between Wilson and Rodgers is strained. Those close to Wilson say the third-year wideout feels he is often open but Rodgers does not look in his direction.
The issue might be more that Rodgers and Wilson are not on the same page. Wilson has a whopping 141 targets this season, which is the fourth-most among all NFL wide receivers. He has 90 catches for 986 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Obviously, it is not enough. Wilson and Rodgers openly feuded during training camp, but many felt that was the result of Rodgers being a perfectionist. Rapoport says those negative feelings have lingered, however, and left Wilson wondering what he can do to fix his issues with Rodgers.
Jets owner Woody Johnson is reportedly a huge fan of Wilson, so a trade seems unlikely.
Though Rodgers has played better over the last month or so, it still seems inevitable that the Jets will move on from him after the season. If and when that happens, Davante Adams might also force an exit from New York. Wilson has a path to becoming the Jets’ clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver again sooner rather than later.
Draymond Green dished out some friendly fire Saturday during the Golden State Warriors’ 109-105 win over the Phoenix Suns.
The Warriors led the Suns 75-74 with just under six minutes left in the third quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. Golden State guard Buddy Hield got the ball along the right wing and tried to loft a pass to Green that was nearly intercepted.
Green saved Hield from committing a turnover by leaping to grab the ball before any Suns players could. But with the shot clock winding down, Green had to put up a contested three-pointer that did not even graze the rim.
After the ball went out of bounds, Green chastised Hield with some fiery words.
“Wake the f–k up! Or go sit the f–k down! S–t!” Green yelled at Hield’s direction.
Green was asked about the moment after the game. The Warriors veteran did not regret cursing out his teammate one bit.
“Mics catch everything today,” said Green. “I don’t care. I’ll say it right into the mic.”
Hield did not exactly respond well to Green’s profanity-laced message. He went 0/4 from three-point range throughout the rest of the third quarter and did not touch the floor during the final period. Hield finished the game scoreless on a 0/7 shooting clip.
Green had one of his best games of the season. The former Defensive Player of the Year tallied 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Despite his airballed three, Green still went 3/5 from downtown in the Warriors’ win over the Suns.
