Patriots owner Robert Kraft struck an optimistic, cooperative tone in a Fox News interview on Tuesday night. "We're preparing to hopefully play football this fall. We're working hand-in-hand with our [players] union. We believe we're developing protocols that allow us to do it in a safe way, looking out first for our players and our personnel, and then of course, the fans. I believe we can do it."
Chiefs reign supreme again? A new king in the AFC East? We ran 20,000 simulations for the 2020 NFL season with our Football Power Index model.
New England's running backs are among the NFL's deepest groups, if not the best, which could ease the transition to a more balanced scheme.
After playing cornerback and some sub-package LB as a rookie, New England's young defender is working to increase his versatility and playing time.
A Roman Catholic bishop in New England says not even a Hail Mary is going to help Tom Brady win a seventh Super Bowl championship now that he's with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Champions collide this weekend as golf legend Tiger Woods and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning tee off against golf legend Phil Mickelson and...Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. ESPN's own golf expert Scott Van Pelt breaks down "The Match: Champions for Charity," which will raise over $10 million for coronavirus relief efforts. Van Pelt discusses how he believes The Match's competitors will fare, as well as the PGA's plans to bring golf back soon. Then, Mina chats with 2020 Madden Bowl winner Raidel "Joke" Brito on how his no-passing strategy paid off.
The winning bid for Patriots owner Robert Kraft's Super Bowl LI championship ring closed at $1.025 million Thursday night, making it one of the most expensive items in the All In Challenge, a virtual fundraiser to feed those in need.
FB Danny Vitale, on a videoconference with 34 participants, noted that he is working alongside Jakob Johnson, third-round pick Dalton Keene, and undrafted Jake Burt in virtual meetings. He said each player brings a little something different to the mix, and when asked about what he brings, he noted versatility from having played multiple roles in multiple offenses. Vitale had signed a 1-year deal with a base value of $1.3m in March.
Tom Brady's journey to nine Super Bowls will be presented in an ESPN series next year.
The DT from William & Mary has a funny namesake, but his game is no joke, and New England has a history of making room for undrafted free agents.
Pretty much all of the big moves are in the books for the NFL offseason. Brady and Gronk now call Tampa Bay home. DeAndre Hopkins' trade to the Arizona Cardinals continues to baffle fans and experts. Teams like Carolina and Jacksonville seem to be starting their rebuilds. ESPN's NFL guru Bill Barnwell ranks all NFL teams by which ones made the most of this offseason, and which ones' moves left fans scratching their heads.
The "My Plans ... 2020" meme is all over Twitter, and the sports world has gotten involved. It even has Tom Brady taking yet another shot at the Atlanta Falcons for blowing a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI.
The Patriots reached a contract agreement with their top draft choice, safety Kyle Dugger, becoming the first team in the NFL to sign all of their selections. That is 10 for 10, and when adding 16 undrafted free agents, the team has been busy on the contract front. Dugger, who was selected in the early second round (No. 37), played at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne.
Maya Moore, Devin and Jason McCourty, Nelson Cruz, Kevin Love and Titus O'Neil are finalists for the Ali award, which is given to an athlete whose demonstrated leadership has created a positive impact on their community through sports.
Linebacker Patrick Chung is receiving a $3 million signing bonus as part of a two-year extension, while the Patriots -- who have been tight to the salary cap -- create $925,000 in space, sources said.
CB Jonathan Jones noted one big change this week: Rookies have joined the full-team meetings. "It's been fun. It's definitely been a change up to just the closest we have to get the camaraderie of a group," he said in a Tuesday videoconference. "The rookies just joined in with us, so just having that camaraderie, everyone getting to talk and spend time with each other ... it's been fun to just get back with the guys and have the jokes going back and forth."
Among the compelling storylines to watch in the 2020 season is whether there truly was a lack of talent around the star quarterback.
Now is a good time to reflect on whether coach Bill Belichick's decision-making process on draft day is hurting or helping New England's future.
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 420 | 225 |
| Buffalo | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 314 | 259 |
| New York | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 276 | 359 |
| Miami | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 306 | 494 |
| RD(PK) | PLAYER | POS | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2(5) | Kyle Dugger | S | Lenoir-Rhyne |
| 2(28) | Josh Uche | DE | Michigan |
| 3(23) | Anfernee Jennings | OLB | Alabama |
| 3(27) | Devin Asiasi | TE | UCLA |
| 3(37) | Dalton Keene | TE | Virginia Tech |
| 5(14) | Justin Rohrwasser | PK | Marshall |
| 6(3) | Michael Onwenu | OG | Michigan |
| 6(16) | Justin Herron | OT | Wake Forest |
| 6(25) | Cassh Maluia | ILB | Wyoming |
| 7(16) | Dustin Woodard | C | Memphis |
