It was 67 degrees and sunny at kickoff inside Levi's Stadium. The light hit the hills just right and bathed the crowd in that specific, golden California glow that usually costs extra. Yes, it was an incredible ego boost for a region that deserved one. A reminder that this is still an elite place to live - there aren't many places on earth that can host the world's biggest party in a light jacket without breaking a sweat, after all.
Presumably, Eric Kendricks will take over after his three-game onboarding since a Nov. 26 arrival. Curtis Robinson started the previous three games there but hasn't suited up since then. With Dee Winters (ankle) also suspect and Nick Martin (concussion) on injured reserve, the 49ers are adding eighth-year veteran Kyzir White to their practice squad, where they could also call up Jalen Graham.
To explain the legacy of most NFL football players, you usually begin with what they did on the field. Their stats, honors, and championships. To capture the true nature of Edward Stanton Johnson III - known to football fans in Washington as Tre' - it's best to start after his career was over. He didn't go into the broadcast booth or begin climbing the coaching ladder. He didn't trade on his name and associations to enter the business world. Johnson went back to school.
During a recent appearance on "Up & Adams," Alexander spoke about picking the Seahawks to walk out with the Lombardi Trophy, but made sure to send a message to his former team about not overlooking a key aspect of the Patriots, despite the ongoing narrative surrounding the roster: the offense. While defending Drake Maye's performance in the playoffs, Alexander also reminded the Seahawks not to overlook the quarterback's position and not to take the Patriots' offense for granted, even though that is the current trend.
There are a few apologies in order. First, from NFL fans to everyone they convinced to stay awake into the early hours to watch what was, for three quarters at least, one of the most turgid Super Bowls in recent memory, with no touchdowns scored until the fourth quarter with one team scoreless throughout. Apologies also go to new fans sold on MVP runner up Drake Maye lighting up the Super Bowl stage as his Patriots offence struggled to make an impact.
Instead, with the Seahawks trailing 28-24 and 26 seconds to play, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell with the authorization of coach Pete Carroll called for a quick slant pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to wide receiver Ricardo Lockette. New England safety Malcolm Butler got there first with an interception at the 1. The Patriots (15-4) won their fourth of six Lombardi Trophies under coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.
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.
The 2024 second-team All-Pro began his seventh year in Washington as a no-show in training camp and preseason during a dramatic contract standoff with general manager Adam Peters. The matter was resolved in time for the regular season, but he started slowly and then suffered a quad/hip flexor injury in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. McLaurin missed seven of Washington's next eight games, eventually finishing the season with 582 receiving yards and three touchdowns from 38 receptions.
