<>Which NFL players have made themselves money with a big first month?Kansas City ChiefsLewis' 2 HRs put 'win' in Twins; slide ends at 18Minnesota TwinsRodgers 'attacking' rehab, eyes return this seasonNew York JetsNuggets' jabs have Reaves, Lakers eyeing openerLos Angeles LakersGiants' Schmitz, Bellinger injured on 'tush push'New York GiantsGM backs Rangers, rips reporter's 'classless' postHouston AstrosBulls' Ball insists he'll play again: 'I'm only 25'Chicago BullsChicago tries to lure Messi fans amid injury doubtPower failure led to ex-NFL TE's fatal plane crashNew England...…<>Which NFL players have made themselves money with a big first month?Kansas City ChiefsLewis' 2 HRs put 'win' in Twins; slide ends at 18Minnesota TwinsRodgers 'attacking' rehab, eyes return this seasonNew York JetsNuggets' jabs have Reaves, Lakers eyeing openerLos Angeles LakersGiants' Schmitz, Bellinger injured on 'tush push'New York GiantsGM backs Rangers, rips reporter's 'classless' postHouston AstrosBulls' Ball insists he'll play again: 'I'm only 25'Chicago BullsChicago tries to lure Messi fans amid injury doubtPower failure led to ex-NFL TE's fatal plane crashNew England...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>While most kids put their head on pillows and dream of NFL stardom, tackled them instead.Each night before bed, Brooks, then a young boy in Dallas, gathered every pillow inside the small apartment he shared with three siblings and a single mother, lining them up as offensive linemen between the bed and the wall. While wearing his pads, no shirt, Brooks would work through formations, hitting the gaps to make imaginary NFL plays."The pillows were his opponents," said his mother, Lynn, with a laugh. "He did that every day, nonstop."That apartment...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>While most kids put their head on pillows and dream of NFL stardom, tackled them instead.Each night before bed, Brooks, then a young boy in Dallas, gathered every pillow inside the small apartment he shared with three siblings and a single mother, lining them up as offensive linemen between the bed and the wall. While wearing his pads, no shirt, Brooks would work through formations, hitting the gaps to make imaginary NFL plays."The pillows were his opponents," said his mother, Lynn, with a laugh. "He did that every day, nonstop."That apartment...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>EXCLUSIVE CONTENTTo preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>EXCLUSIVE CONTENTTo preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>The NFL and NFL Players Association continue to negotiate terms for a return to work, and players are requesting financial backing in case they decide to sit out the season.Among the requests in the players' recent proposal to the league, according to a source involved:The definition of "at-risk" is part of the discussion, and procedures for applying for medical opt-outs are not finalized.If a player is serving a suspension and the season is canceled, the games unserved will not carry into the next season.The league's June 7 memo listed the...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>The NFL and NFL Players Association continue to negotiate terms for a return to work, and players are requesting financial backing in case they decide to sit out the season.Among the requests in the players' recent proposal to the league, according to a source involved:The definition of "at-risk" is part of the discussion, and procedures for applying for medical opt-outs are not finalized.If a player is serving a suspension and the season is canceled, the games unserved will not carry into the next season.The league's June 7 memo listed the...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>The NFL is considering improving draft picks for teams that hire minority candidates as head coaches or general managers, sources confirmed to ESPN.Under the proposal, aimed at fixing diversity problems leaguewide, a team could improve its third-round draft selection by up to 16 picks -- going up 10 spots for hiring a minority candidate as general manager or an equivalent-level position and six spots for hiring a minority head coach.NFL.com first reported on the proposal, which was submitted by the league's diversity committee and is expected to...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>The NFL is considering improving draft picks for teams that hire minority candidates as head coaches or general managers, sources confirmed to ESPN.Under the proposal, aimed at fixing diversity problems leaguewide, a team could improve its third-round draft selection by up to 16 picks -- going up 10 spots for hiring a minority candidate as general manager or an equivalent-level position and six spots for hiring a minority head coach.NFL.com first reported on the proposal, which was submitted by the league's diversity committee and is expected to...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>BACK IN 2013, Kliff Kingsbury found himself with an enviable problem.His first Texas Tech team was on its way to eight wins, and heading into Year 2, the coach was about to have an embarrassment of riches at the quarterback position. During a two-year period he calls fun but "incredibly stressful," Kingsbury had to figure out what to do with three NFL-caliber quarterbacks -- and one available job.It led to some hard conversations, some public frustration about who was benched and who was starting -- and then, eventually, to a whole bunch of...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>BACK IN 2013, Kliff Kingsbury found himself with an enviable problem.His first Texas Tech team was on its way to eight wins, and heading into Year 2, the coach was about to have an embarrassment of riches at the quarterback position. During a two-year period he calls fun but "incredibly stressful," Kingsbury had to figure out what to do with three NFL-caliber quarterbacks -- and one available job.It led to some hard conversations, some public frustration about who was benched and who was starting -- and then, eventually, to a whole bunch of...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>Several NFL teams are doing serious homework on 's , one of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the draft. coach Matt Wells -- who recruited and coached Love at Utah State -- told ESPN he has discussed Love with seven NFL head coaches who called him in the past five days.Wells also has Tech's , one of the top linebackers in the country last season and a potential target for these NFL coaches, but Love is a major talking point."I think they are just trying to put the complete story together on him," Wells said.2 RelatedThere's a lot to process....…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>Several NFL teams are doing serious homework on 's , one of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the draft. coach Matt Wells -- who recruited and coached Love at Utah State -- told ESPN he has discussed Love with seven NFL head coaches who called him in the past five days.Wells also has Tech's , one of the top linebackers in the country last season and a potential target for these NFL coaches, but Love is a major talking point."I think they are just trying to put the complete story together on him," Wells said.2 RelatedThere's a lot to process....WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>A number of NFL owners hope the proposed collective bargaining agreement doesn't pass with the players because they believe they can negotiate a better deal, with eyes on an 18-game season in the future, a league source told ESPN on Saturday."They think they can get a better deal next year," said the source, who quantified the dissatisfied ownership group as more than a handful. "They feel they gave up too much on the economics."The owners told commissioner Roger Goodell of their belief at an owners meeting in New York in February, the source...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>A number of NFL owners hope the proposed collective bargaining agreement doesn't pass with the players because they believe they can negotiate a better deal, with eyes on an 18-game season in the future, a league source told ESPN on Saturday."They think they can get a better deal next year," said the source, who quantified the dissatisfied ownership group as more than a handful. "They feel they gave up too much on the economics."The owners told commissioner Roger Goodell of their belief at an owners meeting in New York in February, the source...WW…

Skip to navigation<>EXCLUSIVE CONTENTTo preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and follow-up calls. Each...…Skip to navigation<>EXCLUSIVE CONTENTTo preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional voting and follow-up calls. Each...WW…

Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>EXCLUSIVE CONTENTTo preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 different positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional...…Skip to main contentSkip to navigation<>EXCLUSIVE CONTENTTo preview the 2020 NFL season, we asked more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 different positions (sorry, special-teamers). The results might surprise you. They surprised me.Here's how it worked: Voters gave their best 10 to 15 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, interviews and research. We had several ties, so we broke them by isolating the two-man matchup with additional...WW…