Tag: Las Vegas

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NFL (American Football)

Super Bowl 2025: Eagles rely on Vic Fangio to outsmart Patrick Mahomes in Las Vegas

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has never beat Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is very familiar with Patrick Mahomes, but that might not be a good thing heading into Super Bowl LIX.

Mahomes has faced a Fangio defense eight times, and the Chiefs won all eight games.

“He’s won the chess match against me, the final score,” Fangio said this week. “We’ll see if we can come up with something.”

Fangio, like Steve Spagnuolo of the Chiefs, is considered one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history. He started his NFL career as a linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints in 1986, and he’s been coaching in the NFL almost every season since. However, he has never won a Super Bowl.

It’s interesting that Fangio now has a chance to complete the missing piece of his coaching career in the city where his NFL journey began, and it’s happening against the quarterback he hasn’t been able to figure out yet.

Patrick Mahomes looking forward to the chess match
This week, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked who his biggest rivals were when it came to calling plays.

“This guy we’re playing this week is a pretty good defensive coordinator,” Reid said, referring to Fangio. “I feel like I can’t get rid of him.”

Many of Fangio’s experiences against Mahomes and Reid came during Fangio’s time as head coach of the Denver Broncos. Fangio could never get a win over Kansas City, but the Broncos never had a team strong enough to compete with the Chiefs during that time.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce arrive for the Super Bowl 50 Opening Night

Still, it’s worth noting that Mahomes hasn’t been troubled by Fangio’s defense. In their eight matchups (six with Denver, two with the Miami Dolphins, including a playoff game when Fangio was their defensive coordinator), Mahomes threw 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He posted a passer rating of 100 or higher in four of those games, and a rating of 93.9 or better in two others.

Even though Mahomes has had success against Fangio’s defenses, he knows it’s always a challenge.

“Every time I’ve played Coach Fangio, there has been different changeups and different things that he has thrown at us, and I think that’s what makes him so great,” Mahomes said. “He’s not going to just do exactly what you saw the last time. I’m sure there will be blitzes in the game, I’m sure there will be times when they play coverage.

It’s going to be a chess match. You want to go up against the best and he’s one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. It’ll be a great challenge for us as an offense, and as a football team.”

Fangio’s defense has been elite
This time, Fangio has a team that can compete with Mahomes. The Eagles have won 15 of their last 16 games since the end of September, and much of that success is because of Fangio’s defense, which allowed the fewest yards in the NFL this season.

The Eagles didn’t start strong, but Fangio was adjusting to his first year with the team, and his defensive scheme takes time to learn. Eventually, it clicked.

“Once we picked it up, we took it and ran with it,” Eagles safety Reed Blankenship said.

The Eagles have performed well against some strong quarterbacks, but Mahomes presents a different challenge. Fangio can try to confuse Mahomes, but he says it’s difficult.

Kansas City Chiefs players celebrate in the 1st half

“I think the one thing about Mahomes that gets overlooked and not appreciated because of his great talent and everything he does that’s visible to everybody, his knowledge in pre-snap processing and post-snap processing is elite,” Fangio said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for the intelligence part of the game that he has mastered.”

Instead, Fangio says the key is focusing on the basics. He must avoid losing a pass-rushing lane that would allow Mahomes to break free for a big run. He has to avoid making mistakes in coverage, and he’ll likely have some well-timed blitzes ready in hopes of getting a big play.

“I’ve always said the definition of a great quarterback, which he obviously is, there is no one way to play him,” Fangio said. “So you’ve got to mix it up, because he’s tremendous and if he can settle in on what you’re doing, he’ll figure it out.”

Fangio has great respect for Mahomes, who has already proven himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and has the championships to back it up. Fangio has a talented defense, and he’s ready to do everything he can to finally beat Mahomes.

“There is no secret,” Fangio said. “This is what, his seventh or eighth year as a starter? Nobody has gotten the formula to beat him one way.”

The Eagles hope that this time, Fangio will have the right answer.

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NFL (American Football)

Raiders OC Chip Kelly welcomes the challenge of competing in the tough AFC West, Las Vegas

Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly laughs during practice in Carson

Chip Kelly understands the challenge ahead of him, but as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, he is excited about joining an AFC West filled with top-tier head coaches and quarterbacks.

“I heard that from some people, do you really want to go in that division?” Kelly said during a Zoom call on Wednesday.

“But I think if you’re a competitor, you do. And if you have a chance to win that division, then that means you beat the best, and the best that’s playing in football right now is the Chiefs.”

Kansas City, led by coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is aiming for a third straight Super Bowl title when it plays the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in New Orleans.

The division also features coach-quarterback combinations like Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Sean Payton and Bo Nix with the Denver Broncos.

All three teams made the playoffs last season, while Las Vegas finished with a 4-13 record and changed coaches, moving from Antonio Pierce to Pete Carroll. With Carroll’s arrival, every head coach in the division has appeared in the Super Bowl, though only Harbaugh has not won one yet.

Kelly mentioned that working with Carroll played a big role in his decision to take the job, and he had productive talks with owner Mark Davis, general manager John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady.

“The tradition of this program speaks for itself,” Kelly said. “To the catch phrases that I think everybody uses in everyday life, ’Just win, baby.’”

Kelly was the offensive coordinator for Ohio State’s national championship team last season after previously being the head coach at Oregon and UCLA, as well as the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

Tom Brady and Aidan Hutchinson before the game

In hiring Kelly, the Raiders hope to revive an offense that was one of the worst in the league last season, ranking fourth-worst with 303.2 yards per game and last in rushing with an average of 79.8 yards.

Addressing the quarterback position is a top priority, but Kelly says he is still getting to know the team and figuring out what players will be available through the draft or free agency. Las Vegas holds the No. 6 pick in the upcoming draft.

“So I think it’s really your evaluation of the personnel that’s available to you and then fitting them into that system,” Kelly said.

Kelly earned a reputation as an innovative offensive coach while at Oregon, first as offensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008, then as head coach for the following four seasons. He posted a 46-7 record, including an appearance in the Bowl Championship Series national championship game in the 2010 season, and finished in the top four of the AP poll in his last three years.

He then moved to Philadelphia, where he coached for three seasons, with a 10-6 record in each of his first two years. After a 6-9 record in 2015, he was let go. The 49ers hired Kelly, but he was fired after one season with a 2-14 record.

Kelly returned to college football in 2018 with UCLA but struggled early on, with losing records in his first three seasons. However, the Bruins went 25-13 in his last three years.

After the 2023 season, Kelly left UCLA to join Ohio State as their offensive coordinator. Under his guidance, the Buckeyes dominated the College Football Playoff, scoring 83 points in the first two rounds before beating Texas 28-14 in the semifinals and Notre Dame 34-23 in the championship game.

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Tom Brady reflects on his rookie season in the Fox booth, his first Super Bowl, and his role with the Raiders in Las Vegas

Tom Brady and Aidan Hutchinson before the game

Even though Tom Brady’s performance in the Fox Sports booth won’t show up on the scoreboard during Sunday’s Super Bowl, he’s trying to take the same approach he did in his 10 previous Super Bowl appearances as a player.

Brady spoke about his transition to broadcasting and other topics on Wednesday during a conference call before Sunday’s game in New Orleans between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

This was the first time Brady had spoken to the media in this setting. He’s appeared frequently on Colin Cowherd’s show on FS1 during the season.

“There’s no scoreboard for us. Did we feel we approached the game the right way, and were we prepared? It comes down to two things: Was I confident in what I said, and did I enjoy myself? If the answer is yes, then we did a good job,” Brady said. “I’m very excited for what’s ahead.”

Brady has received as much attention as an analyst as he did throughout his 23 seasons as quarterback for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won seven Super Bowls.

While most people think his first year as a broadcaster hasn’t been as strong as Tony Romo’s debut with CBS in 2017, Brady hasn’t struggled as much as other former players and coaches who have tried broadcasting.

Kevin Burkhardt, who’s calling his second Super Bowl, said he’s noticed Brady’s comfort level grow as the season has gone on.

“I think there’s a reason that not everybody dives into this end of the pool because it’s hard to be on TV for 3 1/2 hours every week and not have an edit button and go back and hit the delete button,” Burkhardt said.

“The goal was for us as a team to improve and get better throughout the year. With anyone new, it takes time to build chemistry, whether they’re a TV veteran or not. It just takes time on task. I’m proud of where we are.”

Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox in May 2022 while still playing for Tampa Bay. He retired after that season and decided in February 2023 to take a year off before moving into broadcasting.

Burkhardt and Brady had plenty of practice during the season, but most of it took place on the Fox Sports lot in Los Angeles and wasn’t seen by millions. Brady knew the learning curve would be tough but was ready for the challenge.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels watches from the sideline during an NFL football game

“To use your voice and vision for a live television audience, there’s a lot of adrenaline in that, but it was very different from when I played. I would see all these things, but I didn’t have to say them,” Brady explained.

“I knew subconsciously what to do, and my body just took over because that’s how I trained it. When you embrace uncertainty, you work as hard as you can to prepare yourself, knowing you’ll want to redo some things. I’ve enjoyed the learning curve.

“I love the chance to take the viewer inside the way I see things. It’s simple in some ways, complicated in others. I feel like our crew is hitting our stride. We know each other better every week. Hopefully, this will be our best game yet.”

Brady said he has gotten feedback from Fox Sports and has heard from Tony Romo, NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, and Amazon Prime Video’s Al Michaels.

Along with his approach as an analyst, questions have arisen about his dual roles in calling games and being a 5% limited owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The NFL has set rules preventing Brady from taking part in Fox’s production meetings with teams — either in person or via Zoom — watching practices, or stepping foot in a team’s training facility.

Fox Sports president of production and operations/executive producer Brad Zager said last month that claims of a conflict of interest between Brady’s role as a broadcaster and his position with the Raiders are unfounded.

Brady will be allowed to attend production meetings with players and coaches from the Chiefs and Eagles this week, but he won’t be able to watch practices.

Brady said not attending production meetings hasn’t impacted his preparation for games, though there are some things he misses out on.

“I think the best part (of production meetings) is that genuine relationships are built over time, and it’s a shared experience with people on your own crew during calls and discussions,” he said.

“For research, I listen to press conferences all week. To me, there’s no difference in a media member asking a question in a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday press conference than if I or the crew asked it.”

Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones celebrates with teammates after an interception

Brady didn’t directly say how much of a role he played in the Raiders’ hiring of head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Owner Mark Davis recently said Brady helped lead a committee that brought Carroll and Spytek to the Raiders.

“I’m there to support the team, the leadership, and the overall vision for success,” Brady said. “This approach as a broadcaster has been all-encompassing this year. Mark Davis is the owner of the Raiders, and I play a supportive, complementary role to the vision he sets. That will unfold in its own time.”

While Brady’s Patriots fell short of achieving three straight Super Bowls, he said he would be happy to see Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs become the first team in Super Bowl history to achieve that feat.

It would also be Mahomes’ fourth championship, bringing him closer to Brady’s title record, which many thought would never be surpassed when he retired.

“I love seeing others achieve great things, and for anyone to take away from what Patrick is doing, I don’t believe that takes away from what I accomplished in my career,” Brady said.

“The reality is we all have our journeys. Comparisons are fun for the media because they offer a different perspective and context that people can write and talk about. But as a competitor, I never saw it that way, and I still don’t today, even in the role I’m in now.”

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Struggling Islanders look to begin new win streak against slumping Golden Knights in New York

Adin Hill prepares to face Dallas with solid career stats against the Stars (Golden Knights)

How many players can the New York Islanders lose and still keep winning? They hope they didn’t find out the hard way on Sunday night.

The Islanders, already dealing with injuries, will play their final home game before the 4 Nations Face-Off break on Tuesday when they host the Vegas Golden Knights in Elmont, N.Y.

Both teams had a day off on Monday after losses on Sunday. The Islanders’ seven-game winning streak came to an end with a 6-3 defeat to the Florida Panthers, while the Golden Knights’ struggles continued with a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers.

The loss to Florida ended New York’s longest winning streak in nearly four years, which had put them back in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Islanders are now four points behind the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets, who are tied for the two wild-card spots. Just two weeks ago, on January 17, they were eight points out of a wild-card position.

But the Islanders will finish their final three games before the midseason break without several key players. On Monday, they announced that first-line center Mathew Barzal will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Defenseman Scott Mayfield, who also suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday, is listed as day-to-day.

Barzal and Mayfield are the latest injuries for the Islanders, who have already lost defensemen Noah Dobson (lower body) and Ryan Pulock (upper body), as well as backup goalie Marcus Hogberg (upper body). All four are expected to be out until after the 4 Nations Face-Off.

New York Islanders (NHL)

In addition, defenseman Mike Reilly (heart procedure) and backup goalie Semyon Varlamov (lower body) are also unavailable. With both goalies out, Jakub Skarek made his NHL debut on Sunday, recording 27 saves but allowing five goals.

“Injuries are unfortunately part of the game,” said Islanders coach Patrick Roy.

Roy referenced the Colorado Avalanche’s 2001 Stanley Cup run, where they played the final 13 games without Hall of Fame defenseman Peter Forsberg.

“It was a moment for other guys to take the lead and it’s the same right now,” Roy said.

Marc Gatcomb, Kyle MacLean, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each scored for the Islanders on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are struggling to find consistency as they try to break a nearly month-long slump that began with a 4-0 loss to the Islanders on January 9. Vegas lost their third straight game on Sunday (0-1-2) and has gone 3-7-3 in their last 13 games.

Vegas will enter Tuesday’s game tied with the Edmonton Oilers atop the Pacific Division with 68 points, though the Oilers have a game in hand. The Golden Knights were six points ahead of the Oilers entering play on January 9.

Vegas has been struggling to score lately, having scored three or fewer goals in nine of their last 13 games after doing so 17 times in their first 40 contests.

Jack Eichel scored twice on Sunday to give the Golden Knights a pair of one-goal leads before the Rangers scored three times in the third period.

“Some guys have been offensively in a slumber for us for a while and they need to get going,” said Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “Every night it’s got to be different people. (The Rangers’) top guys were all over the scoresheet in the third period and that’s going to happen – that’s what they are paid to do and our guys will certainly do that.”

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The Raiders have hired Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator in Las Vegas

Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly laughs during practice in Carson, Calif., Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, ahead of Rose Bowl College Football Playoff game against Oregon

Chip Kelly is making his return to the NFL as the Las Vegas Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, according to a source familiar with the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity, as the team has not yet officially announced the hire.

Kelly had been the offensive coordinator for Ohio State’s national championship team this past season. He’s also had head coaching stints at Oregon, UCLA, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the San Francisco 49ers.

This is the second major move made by the Raiders’ new coach, Pete Carroll, who last week decided to keep defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

With Kelly now on board, the Raiders are hoping to revitalize an offense that struggled last season, ranking fourth from the bottom in the league with just 303.2 yards per game and dead last in rushing, averaging only 79.8 yards per game.

One of Kelly’s key tasks will be finding a quarterback who can compete in the AFC West, where star quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix are all leading their teams to playoff appearances. Mahomes, in particular, is aiming for his third consecutive Super Bowl appearance with the Kansas City Chiefs.

But the Raiders’ offensive issues go beyond just the quarterback. They failed to replace running back Josh Jacobs, who signed with the Green Bay Packers. They also lost top wide receiver Davante Adams, who was traded to the New York Jets during the season.

Davante Adams warms up before the game

Despite these challenges, there are some bright spots. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers had a standout season, Jakobi Meyers posted his first 1,000-yard receiving season, and offensive linemen Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze showed promise as rookies, along with tackle Kolton Miller.

Kelly built his reputation as an innovative offensive coach during his time at Oregon, first as offensive coordinator in 2007 and 2008, then as head coach from 2009 to 2012. Under his leadership, Oregon went 46-7, made it to the national championship game in 2010. The Ducks’ high-tempo offense, which wore down opposing defenses, was a key feature of Kelly’s success.

Kelly’s next step was with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he had a strong start, going 10-6 in his first two seasons. However, after a 6-9 record in 2015, he was let go. The San Francisco 49ers hired him for the 2016 season, but he lasted only one year with a 2-14 record.

Kelly returned to college football in 2018 as head coach at UCLA, where his early years were marked by losing records. But he turned things around in his last three seasons, finishing with a 25-13 record. After the 2023 season, Kelly left UCLA to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator.

There, he helped the Buckeyes dominate in the College Football Playoff, scoring 83 points in the first two rounds before defeating Texas 28-14 in the semifinals and Notre Dame 34-23 in the championship game.

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Former LSU receivers shine with 8 touchdowns as the NFC defeats the AFC 76-63 in the Pro Bowl Games in Las Vegas

Brian Thomas Jr. runs away in the flag football event

With three years until flag football makes its Olympic debut, one thing is becoming clear: the U.S. team will need a former LSU receiver.

In the Pro Bowl Games, four former LSU players scored a total of eight touchdowns in the flag football game, helping the NFC to a 76-63 win over the AFC on Sunday.

Rookie Malik Nabers of the New York Giants scored two touchdowns for the NFC, and Justin Jefferson of Minnesota added another. Jefferson caught six passes for 46 yards, while Nabers had five receptions for 62 yards.

“We’re on top for sure,” Jefferson said. “It is definitely great to see the guys having fun out here, scoring touchdowns, just making big plays. That’s what we normally do, so it’s good to see us coming out here and doing the same thing.”

The NFC’s victory was pretty much secured when they returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the second half. Budda Baker of Arizona and Byron Murphy of Minnesota were the ones who made those big defensive plays in the high-scoring, offense-focused event.

Jared Goff got the NFC off to a strong start, completing 10 of 11 passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Goff and Murphy earned MVP honors for their performances.

Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield threw three touchdown passes for the NFC, with Nabers catching one of them.

Former LSU players continued to dominate the game. For the AFC, Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase scored three touchdowns, including a 45-yard catch from Russell Wilson late in the game. Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr. added two more touchdowns.

Baker Mayfield passes in the flag football event

After scoring his third touchdown, Chase celebrated with a backflip and then did “the Griddy,” a dance popularized by his former LSU teammate, Jefferson.

The NFC started the day with a 14-7 lead after winning six skills competitions on Thursday night. They added to their lead by winning the “Great Football Race” and also won a tug-of-war event on Sunday.

The AFC struggled in the tug-of-war, with players like Dexter Lawrence of the New York Jets, Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea, and Seattle’s Leonard Williams unable to keep their team from being pulled into a foam pit twice during the best-of-three contest.

Dallas Cowboys return man KaVontae Turpin impressed with his speed, and Eli Manning used him as a pass rusher. Turpin was a constant threat, pressuring quarterbacks and making five tackles, including a sack.

The game had a relaxed atmosphere, with players finding ways to pass the time. Pittsburgh’s Cameron Heyward and Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons played cards on the AFC bench between quarters.

Mayfield, Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs, and Dallas’ Micah Parsons took pictures holding their babies on the NFC sideline, while Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy spent much of the game signing autographs on the AFC side.

The most exciting finish of the day came in the “Punt Perfect” competition. Jacksonville’s Logan Cooke and Detroit’s Jack Fox went head-to-head in double overtime. After two rounds, the competition was tied, but Cooke won after Fox’s final punt hit the rim of one of the six targets from 35 yards away.

“At the end of the day, everyone came here for a punt-off,” Cooke joked.

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At the Pro Bowl in Las Vegas, QB Russell Wilson dismisses trade rumors involving the Raiders and says he’s “focused on the Steelers”

Russell Wilson passes in the 2nd half

Russell Wilson walked into Camping World Stadium on Saturday, quickly scanning the field for his son. He spotted him on the opposite sideline and made his way across to be with him. Wilson didn’t want to do anything without Future Wilson by his side.

The 36-year-old quarterback, who was added to the Pro Bowl Games as an alternate after Buffalo’s Josh Allen withdrew, is set to become a free agent after one season in Pittsburgh.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully going back to the Steelers and we’ll see what happens with the rest,” Wilson told The Associated Press. “I love it in Pittsburgh.”

However, the Steelers might have different plans.

Team president Art Rooney II mentioned on Monday that the Steelers are considering keeping either Wilson or Justin Fields on a long-term contract. He didn’t say which one, but suggested that age could play a role in the decision.

Fields, who filled in for Wilson when he was injured earlier in the season, is turning 25 next month, while Wilson had already made three Pro Bowls before Fields became a standout at Harrison High School in Georgia.

“I’ve been fortunate to play 13-plus years, and I’ve got a lot more ball left in me,” Wilson said. “I think staying healthy is always the thing. You’ve got to be healthy to play your best, and I feel great right now.”

Wilson avoided questions about possibly joining former Seattle coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas. The Raiders hired Carroll last month, which sparked rumors that Wilson could follow him.

Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson (NFL)

“Pete’s going to be a great coach, obviously,” Wilson said. “He’s great at what he does. But I’m focused on the Steelers.”

Wilson played in the last 11 games of the 2024 season after recovering from a calf injury. He completed 63.7% of his passes for 2,482 yards, with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, while rushing for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said keeping Wilson would be “huge” for the team in 2025.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but those quarterbacks know what they’re doing,” Heyward said. “I just hope we find a solution and a recipe for us to continue to win.”

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers smiled when asked about the possibility of playing with Wilson, but didn’t push the idea of upgrading from quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew. He did, however, ask Wilson about Coach Carroll.

“He said he’s great, he’s awesome and he brings a lot of energy to practices,” Bowers said. “Coach Carroll has won a lot and has a lot of football knowledge, so I’m excited to see what happens.”

No one knows what will happen next for Wilson, but he spoke highly of the Steelers.

“Mike Tomlin is special,” Wilson said. “He’s an amazing individual. He’s one of the greatest of all time.”

Some might say the same about Wilson, who is one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for at least 2,400 yards in each of their first 13 seasons. He also has more wins (130) in his first 13 seasons than every quarterback except Tom Brady (153), Peyton Manning (150), Ben Roethlisberger (136), and Brett Favre (136). And he’s made 10 Pro Bowls.

“It’s a blessing,” Wilson said. “I remember being here my rookie year and being around guys like Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton and Eli Manning. And I remember how grateful I was. Ten Pro Bowls later, it’s still a blessing.”

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The idea of Aaron Rodgers joining the Raiders doesn’t add up for him in Las Vegas

Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers (MLB)

As rumors swirl about a possible split between the Jets and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the next question is whether he’ll join a new team for 2025.

There’s already talk connecting Rodgers to the Raiders.

While he would be an improvement over their current quarterback and maybe the best short-term option they can find, the move doesn’t make much sense for Rodgers.

His time after leaving the Packers has been tough. In 2023, he played just four snaps. In 2024, he had five wins, which was his fewest in a season as a starting quarterback, and posted the lowest passer rating of his career.

The Raiders have: (1) Maxx Crosby; (2) Brock Bowers; and (3) not much else. They’re not terrible, but they’re stuck in the AFC West, the only division in 2024 that had three playoff teams.

While a Mahomes vs. Rodgers game would be exciting, joining the Raiders wouldn’t be a great ending to Rodgers’s career, especially since it’s unlikely to immediately turn things around.

Aaron Rodgers reacts after throwing a touchdown pass in the 1st quarter

Yes, Rodgers would speed up the recovery process, but what would it lead to? An 8-9 record? Maybe 9-8 and a tiebreaker battle for a playoff spot?

Rodgers will want to play for a team with a real shot at the playoffs. The Titans would offer an easier path, while the Steelers’ road is tougher but still better than the Raiders’. Even the Saints would give him a better chance of making the postseason, and facing less competition like Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Joe Burrow would give him a better chance to win a playoff game or two.

In the end, Rodgers might decide to retire. But it’s hard to imagine any all-time great would want their legacy to end with the last two years spent in New York.