NFL News

[Futureshock]

Report: NFL is investigating a new wave of violations of gambling policy

Posted by Mike Florio on May 22, 2023, 10:37 AM EDT

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As the NFL makes more and more money from legalized gambling, the NFL faces more and more problems from the involvement of players and others connected to the game in wagering on sports.

David Purdum of ESPN.com reports that the NFL is currently investigating a new wave of potential violations of its gambling policy. This development comes just weeks after five players were suspended either for betting on pro football (minimum of one year) or betting on other sports while on team property (six games).

No details have been provided regarding the nature of the violations. It’s one thing for the NFL to have evidence fall into its laps, as it does when sports books tell the league that players and/or non-players are using gambling apps on their own phone. It’s quite another to be proactive and creative in the exploration of more subtle efforts to place bets, the possibility of people influencing the outcome of certain waiters, and/or the handling of inside information.

The league needs to take it seriously. Just one scandal can spark legislation and/or prosecution and/or regulation.

And if it’s not an issue that lands front and center on the agenda for the spring meetings in Minneapolis, it definitely should be.

[jaadam4]

Brett Favre asks Mississippi Supreme Court to dismiss him from civil case over welfare funds

Posted by Mike Florio on May 20, 2023, 10:01 PM EDT

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While Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre continues to deal with the possibility of a criminal indictment, he’s still fighting the reality of a civil suit.

Favre recently took to the Mississippi Supreme Court his effort to be dismissed from a lawsuit aimed at recovering welfare funds that allegedly were misappropriated.

Favre has tried repeatedly to secure an order removing him from the lawsuit, arguing that he had nothing to do with the scheme to direct welfare funds to allegedly illegitimate causes. Favre also argues that the Mississippi Department of Human Services has sued Favre as a deflection to its own role in allowing the fraud to happen.

Regardless of Favre’s beliefs as to the motivations or responsibilities, there’s only one way to secure an early dismissal from a civil case — by proving that there is no basis under the law to recover a penny from the defendant, even if the alleged facts are taken to be true.

But Favre seems to be as obsessed with securing dismissal as he was with securing funding for a volleyball venue at the University of Southern Mississippi, as illustrated in a recent article from Michael Rosenberg of SI.com.

This couldn't have happened to a bigger piece of crap. I hated him when he was killing us all those years. I'm glad nothing has changed for him. I hope they roast his ass

[Futureshock]

I think this was a Detroit proposal that they rescinded.

NEWS NFL Approves Rule Change Allowing Teams Third QB on Game Days


The 33rd Team

May 22, 2023 2 min read

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NFL owners approved a rule change on Monday allowing teams to dress a third quarterback on game days without taking up an active roster spot, NFL Media reported.

The rule will allow teams to use a third quarterback — from the 53-man roster — if the starter and backup are injured or ejected. However, the third quarterback can’t enter a game if the first or second quarterbacks are pulled by the team for performance or conduct purposes. If one of the team’s first two quarterbacks is cleared to return, the third quarterback must exit.

Previously, it was customary for teams to roster and dress just two quarterbacks for each game in the regular season and playoffs, a system with flaws that were exposed during the playoffs last season.

After a season-long battle with injuries at the quarterback position, the San Francisco 49ers faced a disaster scenario in the 2023 NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. 49ers starting QB Brock Purdy — San Francisco’s third-stringer heading into the season — suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the first quarter, giving way to backup Josh Johnson. But when a hit in the third quarter sidelined Johnson, the 49ers were left without a viable starting option under center.

Purdy reentered the game but wasn’t a threat to throw the ball, spiking the 49ers’ chances of advancing to the Super Bowl. The team also considered using RB Christian McCaffrey at quarterback. McCaffrey was given an earpiece to listen to plays, but he never took a snap under center.

The high-profile nature of the game and the drop-off in the on-field product that followed the injury put the issue front-and-center this offseason. This gave the NFL the grounds to act swiftly and attempt to prevent teams, and NFL viewers, from facing a similar situation in the future.

[Cody_Russell]

It’s going to be useful for Hendon Hooker this season.

After Hooker returns from the PUP list, Lions can hold onto him on the 53 man roster while he’s inactive on the game day roster. Barring injuries to Goff/ Sudfeld.

[Futureshock]

It’s going to be useful for Hendon Hooker this season.

After Hooker returns from the PUP list, Lions can hold onto him on the 53 man roster while he’s inactive on the game day roster. Barring injuries to Goff/ Sudfeld.

With that new rule they would not have to make him inactive on game days

[jaadam4]

I’d prefer Hooker redshirts like they said and we sign Bridgewater

[Futureshock]

https://www.the33rdteam.com/category/analysis/7-coordinators-who-will-be-2024-nfl-head-coach-candidates/

ANALYSIS 7 Coordinators Who Will Be 2024 NFL Head Coach Candidates


Paul DomowitchSenior Writer

May 16, 2023 10 min read

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Ben Johnson, Lions OC


The Detroit Lions’ offensive success last season has put the 36-year-old Johnson on everybody’s head-coaching radar. In Johnson’s first year as an NFL offensive coordinator, the Lions finished fourth in total offense and fifth in scoring. Oft-maligned quarterback Jared Goff threw the second-most touchdown passes and had the lowest interception percentage of his career.

Tannenbaum worked with Johnson in Miami and believes it’s only a matter of time before he gets a head-coaching opportunity.

“He’s a very smart guy,’’ said Tannenbaum, an analyst for The 33rd Team. “He holds players accountable in a way that’s very effective. I think the world of him. He’s ready right now [to be a head coach] and is going to be one sooner rather than later.”

Lions head coach Dan Campbell certainly knows how good Johnson is. That’s why you saw very little of him last summer when Detroit was on HBO’s Hard Knocks.

“It’s almost like Dan kept Ben out of the limelight,’’ Baldinger said. “They put some of their other coaches out there, but not Ben. Dan didn’t want anybody really getting a good look at him.’’

The secret is out now. Johnson interviewed for the vacant head-coaching jobs in Houston and Indianapolis earlier this year, and also was scheduled to interview for the opening in Carolina that went to Frank Reich before deciding to stay in Detroit for another year.

The Lions’ 453 points last season were the second most in franchise history. They scored 30-plus points in eight games, a franchise record.

“They had a very good offense,’’ Baldinger said. “Very balanced. Very good use of motion and formations. The stuff you have to be able to do to keep ahead of the better defenses in the league.

“Goff had one of the best seasons of his career under Ben. Amon-Ra St. Brown had 100-plus catches and more than 1,100 receiving yards. They traded [tight end] T.J. Hockenson and didn’t miss a beat. Won eight of their last 10 games.

“Frankly, I thought Ben would get a lot of attention after the season. He got some. But if the Lions are anywhere as good as everybody thinks they’re going to be this year, teams are going to be lining up to pair him with one of the young quarterbacks in the league and let him do his magic.’’

Johnson joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach, and spent 2020 and 2021 coaching the team’s tight ends. A former walk-on quarterback at North Carolina, Johnson was bumped up to offensive coordinator last season by Campbell after Anthony Lynn was fired.

“I think a ton of Ben,’’ Campbell said. “I just think he’s extremely bright. He’s creative, he’s organized. He’s a great communicator.’’

About Ben Johnson

• Years as OC: 1
• Record as OC: 9-8
• Lions’ 2022 offensive ranking (yards): 4th

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[jaadam4]

I hope they have his replacement because we can all see the writing on the wall

[Futureshock]

The WR group and secondly the DT group for me...

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2023/5/22/23732224/2023-detroit-lions-ota-preview-positional-value-most-interesting-secondary

Monday open thread: What position battle is the most interesting for Detroit Lions OTAs?

[CGVT]

Wow. He's small

346809260_856380679272070_8284550399527641818_n.jpg

[Futureshock]

We could've had him. Oh well....

Jags OC Press Taylor: Calvin Ridley’s offseason work has been impressive

Posted by Josh Alper on May 23, 2023, 6:28 AM EDT

USA Today Sports

Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley last played in an NFL game in October 2021 and he hasn’t taken part in a full NFL practice the last couple of years either, so every progression in the team’s offseason program represents a big step back toward the field.

Monday brought another of those steps. The team began the OTA phase of the offseason and Ridley’s play drew positive reviews from media members who were on hand for the workout.

Ridley’s approach to his return to work after 2021’s mental health issues and 2022’s gambling suspension has also drawn a positive response from offensive coordinator Press Taylor.

“I’ve been really impressed with Calvin,” Taylor said, via John Shipley of SI.com. “I’ve watched every snap Calvin’s played in the NFL, just like a lot of our guys have. So we’re very confident in the player we’re getting And then to be able to meet him in person, we’ve had a lot of people that vouched for him, obviously going back to when we acquired him, but the work he’s put in this offseason has been impressive just in terms of meaning the extra work he does. And you can tell he is doing it because he comes in the next day, he’s got his list of questions, and they’re very thought out. You can tell he’s peeked ahead of the install or just looking a couple of days ahead as we go on. So he’s done a great job, just intermixing with the group and making his own role.”

Before his career was interrupted, Ridley was showing signs of being a top-flight NFL wideout. If he picks up where he left off, the Jaguars offense should be in fine shape this fall.

[Futureshock]

John Mara “disappointed, but certainly not surprised” NFL will flex games to Thursday

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 23, 2023, 5:24 AM EDT

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Giants owner John Mara has been perhaps the most vocal critic within the league of the movement to expand the flexible schedule to Thursday Night Football, and when that became official on Monday, Mara wasn’t happy about it.

Mara said he stands by the previous criticism he has made that moving one game from Sunday to Thursday, and another game from Thursday to Sunday, is “abusive” to fans.

“I’m disappointed, but certainly not surprised,” Mara told Judy Battista of NFL Media.

That’s how many ticket holders feel as well. It’s not surprising that the NFL is prioritizing its TV partners over the fans who buy tickets, but it is disappointing to fans that if they’re planning a trip to an NFL game late in the season, they have to be prepared for the possibility that those plans could be ruined by flexible scheduling.

[Futureshock]

One-year nature of TNF flex means 24 votes will be needed to keep it, not kill it, in the future

Posted by Mike Florio on May 22, 2023, 9:47 PM EDT

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The good news when it comes to the league’s wrong-headed decision to embrace late-season Thursday night flexing is that it’s a temporary, one-year move only.

That’s an important point, because it will require 24 votes again in 2024 to extend it. Once a move is permanent, 24 votes become necessary to get rid of it.

The measure automatically will extend by a year only if Thursday night flexing is not used at all in 2023.

It would not be a surprise to see the league use this new power very sparingly, in the hopes of securing the permanent revision whenever it next comes up for a vote. Hopefully, teams that have approved it will require more than one year of data points before making it permanent.

Regardless, this one really isn’t over. It will be a thing again in 2024. Or 2025. Hopefully, more than eight teams will realize before then that it’s bad for paying customers — that it’s “abusive” to team, as Giants co-owner John Mara said in March.

[Futureshock]

Thursday night flex is middle finger to in-stadium fans

Posted by Mike Florio on May 22, 2023, 8:07 PM EDT

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When the NFL first tried in March to persuade Thursday night flexing through ownership, Giants co-owner John Mara accurately (and bravely) called the proposal “abusive” to fans.

Mara’s candor didn’t register with 345 Park Avenue. The Commissioner kept pushing for 24 votes and, on Monday, he got what he wanted — paying customers be damned.

They can mealy-mouth their way around it all they want. They can get members of the media who are either on the payroll or perhaps someday would like to be to downplay it as something that won’t be used very often.

Regardless of how often it is or isn’t used, it’s now a blip on the radar screen. Anyone who plans a late-season trip to see a game that requires buying tickets and plane fare and reserving a hotel room (or more) will now have to worry about the possibility, slim as it might be, that a game set for Thursday will move to a different day, or that a game set on a different day will move to Thursday.

And the league just doesn’t care about the inconvenience and/or expense to ticket-buying fans. If the league cared, the league wouldn’t do it.

OK, maybe the league cares a little bit. But the league clearly cares more about boosting Amazon’s streaming numbers, if it becomes obvious that a game that looked good in May will now be, based on the season as it has unfolded to date, not good at all.

Again, it doesn’t matter if this new power is rarely used. It’s now one of the risks to be assumed when someone decides to buy tickets to a late-season game.

When making the arrangements, fans need to know there’s a chance the trip won’t be happening. Regardless of whether no money is ultimately lost, the experience won’t be happening.

Again, the league doesn’t care. The league cares about maximizing viewership numbers, especially as it hopes to eventually realize via streaming services audiences of the same size that turn in to watch games on three-letter networks.

[chemiclord]

If teams thought they could get away with completely empty stadiums and replicate the "environment" of a packed house... roughly 24 NFL teams would happily do it and pocket all the savings. They make so much more money per TV viewer than person in the stands that it's not a surprise at all which one they are going to prioritize.