National Football League

National Football League

[Quan] Martin will have the motivation to step up in what will be a contract year in 2026. If the Patriots could nab him for their fifth-round pick, he'd immediately offer experience and depth to the back end of a defense that desperately needs it. Martin started his college career as a cornerback, moved inside to the slot, and eventually returned to safety in the NFL. His versatility means New England could kill two birds with one stone, adding a third safety and cornerback insurance.

It's not like coming back home is anything novel for Austin Hooper, who still visits De La Salle's campus in the summer to train with his high school alma mater after 10 years in the NFL. And this isn't his first Super Bowl, either. But both? At the same time? That's what makes this one that much more special, the New England Patriots tight end told the Bay Area News Group this week.

Everything has changed around Jayden Daniels ina relatively short timeframe. His quarterbacks coach, Tavita Pritchard, left to take the head-coaching job at Stanford. The Washington Commanders also p arted ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, his most trusted ally since entering the league in 2024. Promoting David Blough to offensive coordinator helps maintain some stability around Daniels. He's got no play-calling experience and was only a position coach for a few weeks after Pritchard departed.

Clearly, he would be unwise not to rely on the best wide receiver throughout the 2025 season as much as he has been. But that's also a recipe for disaster come Super Bowl time, as the Patriots' defense will surely be ready to do all they can to shut JSN down. That's something that Simms believes is Seattle's biggest weakness going into this game, and it's interesting that more people aren't talking about it.

Christian McCaffrey went from a question mark to an exclamation point Thursday night when the 49ers' running back was named the NFL's Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year at honors night at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, McCaffery played just four games last season because of bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a PCL strain.

Johnson did not win NFL Coach of the Year honors for his efforts in 2025. Instead, it was New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel taking home the honors. Vrabel was certainly a worthy candidate whose arrival in New England sparked a return to glory for the Patriots. However, what should irk Ben Johnson (it's certainly bugging me) is that he got just one vote. That's it. One. Lousy. Vote.