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AFC West Q&A: Who will win the division? By STAFF ESPN July 14, 2018

Can the Chiefs defend their title or is this the year the Chargers finish back on top? Our roundtable takes a look at who will be crowned champion in the AFC West and who will make the playoffs out of the division.

Jeff Legwold, reporter: At first blush, the Chiefs appear well-stocked on offense but may not get a chance to show their full power if a thin defense isn't up to the challenge. Meanwhile, the Raiders may need more time to build the roster under Jon Gruden and the Broncos are digging out from a 5-11 crater. The Chargers likely will open training camp as the division's most complete team. If does his usual Philip Rivers things and the team's defense performs at least to last season's level (No. 3 in scoring defense and tied for No. 5 in sacks), they are poised for their first division title since 2009. The Broncos still have the guts of a championship defense with the likes of and Chris Harris Jr. as well as newcomer . If quarterback -- along with a rookie infusion at (Courtland Sutton and Daesean Hamilton) combined with former selections Demaryius Thomas and -- can get the Broncos offense back into the league's top 10 in scoring, Denver can be the second playoff team from the division. If the Broncos' offense looks too much like 2017, then it's the Chiefs as the second team.

Eric Williams, reporter: The Chargers have not made the playoffs since 2013 or won the division since 2009, but they are the trendy pick to win the AFC West this year. Behind a stingy defense and prolific offense, the Bolts prove the prognosticators correct and take the division. With now plying his trade with the Washington Redskins, the Chiefs likely will take a step back. However, Kansas City has too much talent on offense and should be improved enough defensively to sneak in as an AFC wild card. The Raiders and Broncos are in the midst of rebuilding or retooling projects and will struggle to finish at the .500 mark this season.

Adam Teicher, reporter: Despite the arrivals of Jon Gruden in Oakland and Case Keenum in Denver, the AFC West again will be a two-team race between the Chiefs and Chargers. I have reservations about both teams. Kansas City is going through a season of change, though it's not a rebuild. The Chiefs have enough offensive talent around new quarterback to score plenty of points. But they'll need a ton of scoring to overcome what should again be a shaky defense. The Chargers aren't as solid as they looked toward the end of last season, when they won nine of 12 games but beat just one eventual playoff team. Their 17-point December loss to the Chiefs in effect decided the division race and kept the Chargers out of the playoffs. Still, the Chargers have a more balanced roster, so I'll take them to go 10-6 and end Kansas City's two-year run of division titles. The Chiefs will go 9-7 and reach the postseason as a wild-card entrant.

Paul Gutierrez, Oakland Raiders reporter: Consistency is key here. The Broncos and Chiefs are breaking in new while the Raiders have a new/old face at coach in Jon Gruden. The Chargers? They have a potential Hall of Fame QB in Philip Rivers, who only seems to be getting better with age, the top-ranked passing game in the NFL, an upgraded O-line with free-agent center Mike Pouncey and the division's best one-two pass-rushing punch in (23.0 combined sacks the past two seasons) and Melvin Ingram (18.5 combined sacks). And oh, yeah, the Chargers won nine of their last 12 games, including six of their last seven. An 0-4 start last season had the Bolts looking more like Dolts and slow starts have doomed the Chargers of late. Only one of the Chargers' first four games is against an AFC West foe this season. The Chiefs promise to have an offense as explosive as the Broncos' defense can be dominant, while the Raiders will be an interesting case study in an old-school coach trying to connect with today's high-tech game with young talent on the roster and grizzled vets on prove-it contracts. A certain, shall we say, cannibalism in the AFC West could make getting more than one team into the playoffs a reach.

Best nickname in every NFL locker room: Origins of 'Beast Mode,' more By STAFF ESPN July 14, 2018

Marshawn Lynch has turned his on-field nickname -- "Beast Mode" -- into an off-field brand.

Who else has marketable monikers? NFL Nation reporters highlight the best nickname in every locker room and their origin stories.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence: "Tank"

Lawrence, who finished last season with the second-most sacks (14.5) in the league, got his nickname while wrestling with his older brother's friend as a young child. "He DDT's me and he's like, 'Oh, I tanked him.' So he just started calling me 'Tank' and everybody in the hood just started calling me 'Tank' and as I was growing up it just carried with football," Lawrence said. "Now I do the tanking." -- Todd Archer

New York Giants : "SaQuads"

It's really a tie between Barkley and Damon "Snacks" Harrison. "SaQuads" was given to Barkley by new teammate Odell Beckham Jr. after seeing the size of the rookie's legs. It has started to spread, even if Barkley is hoping it fades. "Hopefully I can get a different nickname for what I do on the field, not my legs," he said. Snacks' nickname is what it seems. It was created by former Jets defensive line coach Karl Dunbar because Harrison was always snacking in the meeting rooms. Read more about "SaQuads." -- Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles Safety Stephen Roberts: "Skinny Pimp"

Teammates and coaches alike call the rookie by his nickname. A coach gave Roberts -- who is 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds -- the name at Auburn because of his build. Roberts made it his Instagram handle, and it spread like wildfire from there. -- Tim McManus

Washington Redskins Tackle Trent Williams: "Silverback"

The Pro Bowler's nickname was given to him by teammates at Oklahoma. "I'm always saying how I want to be a beast on the field, and Silverback is a beast, so they just kind of gave me the nickname," Williams said. He has a Silverback gorilla tattooed on his back, once paid $150,000 for a Silverback gorilla chain and has a painting in his basement of him blocking, yes, a Silverback gorilla. Williams was once asked on the radio by former Georgetown coach John Thompson about the racial overtones of his nickname. "I understand," Williams told him. "But I just feel like this day and age, we're trying to move past that." -- John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel: "Turbo"

The Bears gave the veteran his nickname because of his elite speed. Gabriel has proven he can be a home- run hitter on offense. In Atlanta, Gabriel averaged 16.5 yards per reception during the 2016 season. "With a name like Turbo, you got to be fast," Bears all-purpose threat Tarik Cohen, another speedster, joked with reporters at mandatory minicamp. "They clocked Turbo running like 24 miles per hour the other day." -- Jeff Dickerson

Detroit Lions Returner Jamal Agnew: "Swagnew"

Agnew earned the name in the defensive backs room at the University of San Diego, when he said Devyn Bryant told him he had "the most swagger on the field and my last name, it comes with it." Agnew loved the nickname -- it was part of his presence for a bit -- but admitted that it has since gotten old. His family would start screaming it during games and "now my dad uses it." And that turned what was a cool, swaggy nickname into the equivalent of a dad joke. So he let his dad have the nickname recently and he's moved on. Even so, college friends, fans and even some current teammates continue to call him "Swagnew" because, well, it just fits. -- Michael Rothstein

Green Bay Packers Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: "Ha Ha"

Believe it or not, Ha Ha is not actually his first name. It's Ha'Sean. But his grandmother gave him the nickname "Ha Ha" when he was 3 years old because of his penchant for giggling. Plus, Clinton-Dix likes that better than people mispronouncing his given name. It's pronounced "Ha-Seen" and not "Ha-Shawn." For short, many teammates and coaches have taken to call him simply "Ha." -- Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings Xavier Rhodes: "Rhodes Closed"

After shadowing and shutting down dozens of the league's top receivers over the past few seasons, Rhodes' last name has become the play on words for his play on the field. It reflects the danger of quarterbacks throwing into the elite corner's direction. The nickname really began to take off in 2016 when Rhodes allowed the lowest percentage of passes (48 percent) caught among all and earned even more notoriety when he rendered the likes of Michael Evans, and ineffective last season. -- Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons Running back Romarius "Ito" Smith

The rookie got his nickname when he was born in September of 1995, during the O.J. Simpson trial. A family member visited the hospital and said Smith looked like Judge Lance Ito from the television. "Everybody been calling me Ito ever since then," Smith said. Read more. -- Vaughn McClure

Carolina Panthers Quarterback : "Sensei of Nicknames"

Stick with me here. Newton gave himself that nickname. It fits when you consider he has one for half the team. A few that stand out are ("Frazier"), Thomas Davis ("The Mayor of Charlotte") and ("Captain America"). So why give the title of best nickname to anyone but the man who is the creator of them? Read more of origin stories of Newton nicknames here. -- David Newton

New Orleans Saints Wide receiver Michael Thomas: "CantGuardMike"

Thomas knows the responsibility that comes with the nickname and Twitter handle he came up with even before he broke out at Ohio State. But the Pro Bowl receiver (and nephew of Keyshawn Johnson) said that's the mindset top receivers need to have. "I was a big fan of Allen Iverson, and he was 'The Answer.' And playing receiver, you want to have that mindset where like no one can guard you, and you want to play like that and walk it like you talk it," Thomas said. -- Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive tackle Vita Vea: "Maui"

Gerald McCoy gave the rookie the nickname "Maui" because he thinks Vea looks just like the Disney character who is the demigod of the South Pacific. Part of his rookie initiation involves acting the part. "In Vita's mandatory rookie duties, you can mark it, I told him he has to tell my children that he is Maui from 'Moana,'" McCoy said. "When he introduces himself to my kids, that's the only rookie duty I am going to give him. There is no dinner, there is none of that. 'You make sure when you introduce yourself to my kids, you introduce yourself as Maui, no questions asked.' He doesn't get an option." -- Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals Offensive lineman Greg Pyke: "Red Santa"

Pyke got his nickname because he's a redhead. Pyke, a former Georgia Bulldog, was signed in May after participating in Arizona's rookie minicamp on a try-out basis. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams Safety John Johnson III: "The Baja Man"

Teammates started calling Johnson by his nickname after he arrived at the offseason program sporting bleached hair twists, a departure from his usual dark hair that was cut in a fade. "Ask him 'Who let the dogs out?'" Johnny Hekker said, smiling. -- Lindsey Thiry

San Francisco 49ers Safety Adrian Colbert: "The Punisher"

Twitter named Colbert after the popular Marvel character when he first flashed a penchant for delivering big hits. He's embraced the nickname and even has some "Punisher" merchandise. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks Tight end Will Dissly: "Uncle Will"

Dissly is known by his nickname to many. General manager John Schneider even addressed Dissly as such on day when he called to tell the University of Washington product that the Seahawks were choosing him in the fourth round. Where'd the nickname come from? "Well, I do have a niece," Dissly said, "but I think it might have something to do with the hairline." -- Brady Henderson

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills Tackle : "Shnowman"

The name fits well with Buffalo's wintry weather. Instead of the phrase "you already should know," Dawkins used "you already shnow" in prep school to have more "swag" as an offensive lineman, he said. Dawkins makes frequent use on social media of the hashtag #youalreadyshnow and was the star of a Bills- produced video late last season as the "shnowman" shoveling snow in New Era Field. -- Mike Rodak

Miami Dolphins Wide receiver Jakeem Grant: "Mighty Mouse"

The 2016 sixth-round pick stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 169 pounds, drawing comparisons to the superhero cartoon character. "He's small, but we call him Mighty Mouse," quarterback said in 2016, according to the Palm Beach Post. "He's making plays all over the field." Grant did not catch a pass as a rookie but had 13 catches for 203 yards and two last season. "Mighty Mouse" will look to earn a role this summer as part of an unsettled receiver depth chart. -- Mike Rodak

New England Patriots Wide receiver : "The Squirrel"

Given his scrappy style of play, Edelman once described his nickname this way: "Just like a squirrel trying to find a nut out there." In 2016, Edelman wore a Richmond Flying Squirrels hat in the locker room, which created a connection with the San Francisco Giants Double-A affiliate. -- Mike Reiss

New York Jets Defensive end Leonard Williams: "Big Cat"

Have you seen his hair? The shape resembles that of a lion's mane. He also has a first name that fits: Leo the lion. Get it? -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens Nose tackle Brandon Williams: "Big Baby"

Williams said the nickname dates back to childhood and there is a simple reason for it. "I was always an abnormally large kid and had the baby face," Williams said. "There were times for my Police Athletic League games where my mom had to literally run from the stands with my birth certificate because teams didn't believe I was as young as I was." -- Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Andy Dalton: "Red Rifle"

The nickname was coined by a Bengals radio announcer during the preseason in Dalton's rookie year. It's spawned some variations as well, including a joke by Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. The Texans beat the Bengals in 2015, and after the game, Watt said 'Our goal was to come out here and make the Red Rifle look like a Red Ryder BB gun." The joke was not well received by Dalton at the time. -- Katherine Terrell

Cleveland Browns Tight end : "Chief"

Njoku's father Innocent is Nigerian and a chief in the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. In middle school, his father started calling Njoku "Chief" and the name stuck. Njoku's social media name is Chief David Njoku. -- Pat McManamon

Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker Tyler Matakevich: "Dirty Red"

Matakevich is known to his teammates as this thanks to . The head coach started using the nickname in 2016 training camp because of Matakevich's unmistakable red hair, and the third-year player figured getting noticed was a good thing. "He can call me whatever he wants," said Matakevich, who could start at linebacker this season. -- Jeremy Fowler

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans Safety : "Honey Badger"

Mathieu got his nickname in college. On one of LSU's flights home after Mathieu had a big game, defensive coordinator John Chavis played a video for the team of a honey badger hunting snakes. In the video, the narrator says the honey badger "is pretty badass and runs all over the place." He also repeats the phrase, "honey badger don't care." After the team saw the video, the nickname stuck. -- Sarah Barshop

Indianapolis Colts Wide receiver K.J. Brent: "Sweat"

Brent was often called the nickname for R&B singer Keith Sweat, because his real name is Keith and his Twitter handle used to be "Keith No Sweat" before he eventually changed it. Brent said he had no Sweat in him like the singer, but his friends still gave him the nickname Sweat. -- Mike Wells

Jacksonville Jaguars Running back Corey Grant: "Coco"

Grant's original nickname, "Taillights," was given to him by a TV announcer at Auburn when he broke away on a kickoff return for a . Plus, he ran a sub-4.30 40 at his pro day. But now he's known as "Coco" thanks to . "You never know what's going to come out of his mouth," Grant said of Fournette. "[He] decided to start calling me Coco." Grant, however, has fought back. "I call [Fournette] Lee-Lee, call T.J. [Yeldon] Tee-Tee," Grant said. "It's kind of something we have in our [running back] room, but it seems like Coco has spread over the entire team." Grant said he's "perfectly fine" with the nickname, but admits that Taillights is better. -- Mike DiRocco

Tennessee Titans Running back : "El Tractorcito"

Henry's nickname was coined by ESPN anchor Pablo Viruega while watching the Alabama back run wild against Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. The Spanish nickname, which translates to "the little tractor," was heard by ESPN Deportes viewers and spread into a meme on social media afterward. Henry has embraced it as an accurate description of his game. If you've seen the 6-foot-3, 245-pound running back hit the edge in the fourth quarter then take off on defenders reluctant to take him down, then you'll see why El Tractorcito makes perfect sense. -- Cameron Wolfe

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos The secondary: "No Fly Zone"

When it comes to nicknames, the Broncos might stand alone. Or, in the words of Von Miller: "I guess we don't really have any.'' Not for players anyway. But as a group, the No Fly Zone -- cornerback Chris Harris Jr's idea -- leads the way. Harris and his wife put together merchandise when the Broncos' secondary led the NFL in 2015 and 2016 when the group included Harris, Aqib Talib, Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward to go with cornerback Bradley Roby as the addition on passing downs. And when some of the younger players like safeties Justin Simmons and emerged, Simmons called it "Baby No Fly.'' -- Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs Wide receiver : "Cheetah"

That's a reference to his world-class speed. He even changed his Twitter handle from @ImFasterThanYa to @Cheetah. -- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers

Cornerback Casey Hayward: "Showcase"

Nicknamed for his ability to make game-changing plays, Hayward's 11 over the past two seasons is tied with for most in the NFL. Hayward's twitter handle is even @show_case29. "For the past two years the way he's been balling, he's actually showcasing himself that he's the No. 1 corner in the league," said Chargers receiver about Hayward. -- Eric D. Williams

Oakland Raiders Running back : "Beast Mode"

More than a nickname, it is a way of life for the hard-charging running back. And a lucrative brand for Lynch, who has used the phrase to sell items from apparel to cell phones. "Beast Mode" is that rare phrase that can be a noun, adjective, verb and an adverb -- with some tweaking. On the field, "Beast Mode" refers to how hard the 5-foot-11, 215-pound Lynch runs the ball. "I tried to tackle him ... and I had him behind the line, it was like a yard, and I think I had one leg and he dragged me for the next 2 (yards) and got the first down," said Broncos linebacker Von Miller. "Usually when you get a running back like that, he'll just fall. Marshawn, he's definitely 'Beast Mode.' They call him that for a reason." -- Paul Gutierrez 'Madden NFL 19' player ratings: 9 head-turning observations include slight to By Nate Davis USA Today July 14, 2018

In what has become an annual rite of summer, the NFL player ratings for the ever-popular Madden video game series were released this week.

Admittedly, I'm no aficionado when it comes to playing Madden — I was always more of a Grand Theft Auto guy — but realize the amount of painstaking research its developers dedicate in order to make the experience as accurate as possible (while knowing almost every player who cares about it will complain his evaluation doesn't properly reflect his off-the-charts ability).

Still, there are a few aspects of the Madden NFL 19 ratings that caused a double take to someone who follows the league closely. Here are nine:

1. New York quarterbacks are especially horrendous: OK, it's no secret the Giants and Jets (especially) have struggled under center lately. But with a rating of 76, two-time Giants MVP Eli Manning ties at 35th league-wide at the position. Ahead of him: Jets passers Josh McCown and (both rated at 78), while rookie barely trails with a 75. Manning is clearly on the back side of his career, but this is a little much for a guy who played better late in the 2017 season and certainly didn't have much offensive support to lean on.

2. The speed ratings were revealing:Madden's overall evaluations are culled from dozens of sub- component rankings. Little surprise Kansas City receiver Tyreek Hill got the top speed ranking (98), followed by 2017 combine star John Ross (97). But you'd likely never guess any of the guys tied for third place: Carolina's Damiere Byrd, Tennessee's , Jacksonville's Corey Grant and Jalen Myrick, Miami's Jakeem Grant and Arizona's J.J. Nelson. More familiar names like Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller and Marquise Goodwin are in the next tier. Who knew?

3. 'Madden' loves offensive linemen more than players do: When NFL Network revealed its yearly Top 100 list this summer — active player voting determines the order — the top-ranked offensive lineman was Cowboys left tackle ... at No. 39. However Madden had three blockers in its top 20 (Green Bay's David Bakhtiari and Dallas' and ) and six in the top 28. Smith, with a player ranking of 95, is one of nine players tied for 20th overall in Madden, along with Steelers guard David DeCastro and Raiders center (Odell Beckham and also got a 95). I'd concede far more research goes into the Madden rankings than those of the Top 100, but I'm still with the players on this one. I love the big guys, but seriously?

4. Context of 92: Building on the placement of the aforementioned linemen, it's worth noting both Seahawks star and Rams running back rated a 92. Wilson is the third-rated quarterback in Madden ( and both maxed out with 99s) — after all, he produced more than 80% of Seattle's offense last year. Gurley, meanwhile, tied for third among running backs — after Le'Veon Bell and David Johnson (more on that later) — despite being the league's reigning offense player of the year after leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage and TDs. To underscore the point, Wilson and Gurley are on a level with Eagles center Jason Kelce and Buffalo DB Micah Hyde ... and behind Rodney Hudson.

5. Injury rating? So Madden does evidently incorporate an injury rating, but it sure doesn't seem to count for much. Johnson (93 overall score) played one game last year. Rodgers, one of seven players with a 99, missed nine games in 2017. J.J. Watt has missed 16 of Houston's last 24 regular-season games ... but he got a 98. There's no doubting the greatness of these guys, but if injury is going to factor into the rating ... then why doesn't it?

6. Rookies: Colts guard is Madden's top-ranked rookie (83). Giants running back Saquon Barkley got an 82. This seems reasonable for players expected to be perennial all-pros but still lacking pro experience. It seems less reasonable when noting (some NFL experience) and Kirk Cousins (a fair amount of NFL experience) also got an 82. Keep reading.

7. Browns QBs: Checking in after Nelson and Barkley, No. 1 overall draft pick was scored at 81 — the same as new Browns teammate Tyrod Taylor, not to mention new Broncos starting QB Case Keenum, who both took their previous clubs to the playoffs in 2017. In fairness, Mayfield also took Oklahoma to postseason, but ... well, you get it.

8. Internal team rankings: Some of these should make for some interesting locker room banter. What, you want examples? (87) is the third-ranked Colt after Jabaal Sheard and T.Y. Hilton (both 89) ... even though we've already noted that injuries basically don't seem to matter. Watson is eighth among Texans — no issue with him trailing Watt, DeAndre Hopkins or even ... but Andre Hal, Johnathan Joseph and Lamar Miller? Then there's Cousins. Talk about horrid cap management, apparently the Vikings just guaranteed $84 million ... to their 13th-best player.

9. Kickers: Here's the kicker (and punter) ... literally. Baltimore's is almost inarguably the league's best. The Rams' Johnny Hekker is a tremendous weapon as a punter, partly because he's got a nice arm, too. Both got a rating of 86. So did . Insert face-palm emoji. (Wentz, by the way, was voted the league's third overall player, behind Brady and Antonio Brown, on the Top 100 list and probably snatches MVP honors if his knee stays healthy.) NFL to add another on-site concussion official By Eric Adelson Yahoo! Sports July 14, 2018

It was as if the NFL had no concussion protocol.

It was last December when quarterback Tom Savage fell backward in his own end zone after a hit against the , and his helmet collided hard with the turf. That, in itself, was a red flag. Or should have been. Swift impact, helmet-to-turf, is a warning of a possible concussion.

The next warning was much louder. Savage’s arms extended and bent in front of him, with his hands shaking. It was a “fencer’s response,” which is another sign of a concussion.

The official was standing right there. Head coach Bill O’Brien was perched on the sideline. So was the Texans’ medical staff. A trained spotter was in the press box. Still, Savage went in on the next series.

He was eventually pulled from the game and diagnosed with a concussion. Savage didn’t play the rest of the season and he is now a signee of the .

The NFL’s response The NFL admitted the response was “unacceptable” and it has taken steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. That began with a pilot program late last year that added a medical spotter at the league office to monitor broadcasts.

The league also defined “seizure and fencing responses” as “No-Go” and decreed all players “demonstrating gross or sustained vertical instability” must undergo exams.

To the NFL’s credit, it acted quickly to amend its error. More cynically, this was like saying that a guy driving on the interstate while staring at his phone is showing signs of distracted driving. Seizure and fencing responses are no-go to begin with.

During the offseason, the league added a third unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant (UNC) for each game. Going forward, there will be one UNC on each sideline and another in the spotters’ booth monitoring broadcast video and audio feeds. Their role will be to notify on-field UNCs of possible head, neck or spine injuries. All three can advise two spotters, whose job is to alert officials on the field of the need for a medical timeout.

“We learned last year through the Savage case where after a delay, the broadcast showed additional views that hadn’t been seen,” explained Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer. “We wanted to make sure our doctors on the sidelines have all access. We wanted an extra layer for redundancy.”

Can decisions be made in time? The thornier issue going forward isn’t new: players are going to hide their symptoms. They will scramble to their feet and say they’re fine.

“Players are increasingly self-reporting symptoms,” Sills says. “We think that’s a positive development. If you see something, say something. We want everyone to feel empowered.”

These decisions have to be made quickly. There is always a next play coming up. Will the spotter or the medical staff truly be able to stop the game and remove a star player when it’s not an obvious concussion situation? It’s hard enough to decipher what a catch is in real time. How hard will it be to make a snap judgment on “gross or sustained vertical instability?”

Last season there were six medical timeouts called, one of which came in the preseason.

The NFL cares about this. This is not window dressing. But does the NFL care enough to protect its stars even against their own in-game choices and the decisions of coaches? Eventually, a team will lose a big game because a key player is removed for safety. The reaction to that, particularly from fans, will be a test for the entire league.

The good news is the NFL is more prepared for that test than it was when Savage returned to that December game. NFL’s HeadHealthTech Winners Include Corsair’s Textile- Based Helmet Liner By Joe Lemire Sport Techie July 14, 2018

A textile-based helmet liner, an impact-reducing field surface, and a safer face mask were announced as the latest winners of the NFL’s HeadHealthTech Challenge IV on Thursday.

Corsair Innovations, which is developing the Fiber Energy Absorbing Material (FEAM) textile material for helmets, received a $168,504 grant, artificial turf manufacturer FieldTurf was given $195,000, and Mississippi State startup Yobel Technologies was awarded $20,000 to test its research on energy- absorbent face masks.

“We are very encouraged by the quality of these tech submissions over time,” NFL EVP of health and safety initiatives Jeff Miller said, “and we believe that they will be getting more sophisticated.”

HeadHealthTech manager Barry Myers is the director of innovation at Duke’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute, which leads on behalf of the NFL’s Football Research, Inc. More than $1.34 million has been distributed to 11 companies thus far through the crowdsourcing tech project. Myers said the purpose of the program is to build a bridge between talent and capital—the chasm “where many technologies languish.” Entries are now being accepted for the next competition through Sept. 13.

“We are sector-agnostic, meaning we are looking for technologies that are exciting, positively impact the game and move safety forward for all our players,” said Myers, who is also a biomedical engineering professor at Duke.

Corsair, which also received $250,000 in a previous HeadHealthTech Challenge, will use the money to continue refining its technology for football helmets and to test the product rigorously. Product development consultant Sander Reynolds explained that its proprietary textile material, FEAM, uses tiny, spring-like fibers to reduce both linear and rotational impacts on a player’s head.

“That allows the helmet to move rather than the head to move with the helmet,” Reynolds said.

The FEAM material, which is also breathable and washable, was developed by researchers at UMass- Dartmouth. Corsair is based in Plymouth, Mass., and has an going collaboration with Xenith helmets. Reynolds was VP of product development at Xenith, the formerly Lowell, Mass., based company that relocated to Detroit after purchase by Dan Gilbert’s Quicken Loans. FEAM is already in use by some professional umpires as a cap insert, and by Reovo, which is trying to produce protective soccer headgear.

Foam has long been the mainstay of helmet protection, but that substance has fewer material properties that can be manipulated to improve protection.

“Textiles really provide an opportunity to do things that a foam simply can’t do,” Myers said. “By having a bunch of fibers that are short, they are like columns and they do a great job of pushing back when a blow is experienced. On the other hand, they bend from side to side really easily, so in that respect, the twisting element won’t be transmitted to the head nearly as readily. And they’ll have energy absorption in that fashion.”

Corsair creates FEAM through flocking, depositing many small fibers onto a surface. The material can be customized for fit, comfort, and impact performance by changing the length, diameter, and density of the fibers. FEAM can either be deployed independently or in conjunction with other padding.

“From a design element, there’s more elements to tune,” Myers said. “With a foam, you can make it so dense or less dense. With a structural material like a textile, you can change the fiber length or diameter so you really can specify what you want this material to do for the helmet. That makes it both hard and really exciting in the potential to really improve helmets.” Case Keenum was honored that a Hall of Fame quarterback wanted him By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk July 14, 2018

Case Keenum was never a highly sought commodity in his NFL career. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent, has been cut twice, once got traded for a seventh-round draft pick, and finally became a starter last year because two other quarterbacks were hurt.

So when Keenum became a free agent this offseason and a Hall of Fame quarterback in wanted to make him the Broncos’ starter, he finally felt like he’d made it.

“When my phone rang and it was John Elway telling me to come sign with the Broncos, it feels pretty good, especially as a kid growing up an Elway fan,” Keenum said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. “We actually talked first when I got to Denver. It was great. Walking into his office there and it’s John Elway behind the desk. It’s Big John. He’s definitely a presence, obviously one of the greats that ever played the game. There’s a lot of tradition and history there, and a lot of it is because of him. It’s a cool atmosphere, a cool organization, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

The last time Elway signed a free agent to be the Broncos’ starting quarterback, he hit a home run with . It may not be realistic to think Keenum can have that kind of success in Denver, but Elway is confident he’s found the right man again — and Keenum appreciates a Hall of Famer having confidence in him.

Randy Moss, Shannon Sharpe don’t see eye to eye By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 14, 2018

Terrell Owens won’t be attending the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony next month. But will be there. And if Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe also attends, it could get interesting. Or awkward. Or both.

Moss on Thursday evening tweeted this message at Sharpe: “DO U HAVE A PROB WIT ME? everytime u mention me its ALWAYS negative!! I’m trying to live in peace but it seems since u have a national spotlight ur always bashing. what do u get outta tht?? I dont have ur # and I’m not here 4 the trolls but if u do PLS lmk!!!”

(In non-Twitterspeak: “Do you have a problem with me? Every time you mention me, it’s always negative. I’m trying to live in peace, but it seems since you have a national spotlight, you’re always bashing. What do you get out of that? I don’t have your number, and I’m not here for the trolls but if you do, please let me know.”)

Said Sharpe in response: “IF* you want to discuss ‘ANYTHING’ with me? You can easily get my contact info since we know some of the same ppl.”

It’s unclear what prompted Moss to engage Sharpe publicly. But Sharpe has had plenty of things to say about Moss in the past; earlier this year, Sharpe pointed to Randy’s off-field issues when discussing whether he’ll become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

And, yes, Moss had some off-field issues. At the NFL level, he was arrested for bumping a traffic control officer with his car. At the college level, he was kicked out of Florida State after admitting to smoking marijuana while serving a 30-day work-release prison term. At the high school level, Moss faced criminal charges after a fight left a fellow student seriously injured, and Notre Dame thereafter yanked his scholarship.

Of course, that all pales in comparison to the situation faced by fellow 2018 first-ballot Hall of Famer , a player Sharpe once cartoonishly defended only months after Lewis had been charged with double murder and eventually pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

“Why can’t we just — you all just can’t move on?” Sharpe told the media regarding Lewis in the days prior to Super Bowl XXXV. “Just give him his credit. He’s been exonerated of all charges — all charges.

“Listen, if they thought they had something on this man, you don’t plea with a man that you think committed double murder. I can assure you. Did they do that with Rae Carruth? Did they plea anything? You don’t plea to a man with that. And all he had to do was, what? $100 court cost — in court costs. That’s all he had to pay. They plead this man because you know why? They know they didn’t have a case. They knew they had made a mistake, but they could not come out and say it publicly that they’d made a mistake. They made a terrible judgment in error. That’s what they did.

“[N]ot one time have you mentioned anything about the Giants in the Super Bowl or the Ravens in the Super Bowl,” Sharpe said. “Well, Ray, what was it like when you were in jail? Ray, what was it like? What the hell do you think it was like? The man was fighting for his life.”

Of course, two men had fought for, and lost, their lives during an encounter with Lewis and others in Atlanta a year earlier. And with everyone involved in the encounter committed to saying nothing, it becomes very difficult to prove that any one of them did it.

Moss may find himself justifiably focusing on the contrast between Sharpe’s criticism of Moss and Sharpe’s over-the-top defense of Lewis as the Hall of Fame enshrinement approaches. And it probably would be wise for ESPN and NFL Network to keep a camera or two trained on Moss, Lewis, and Sharpe when they interact in Canton.

Randy Moss, Shannon Sharpe settle whatever differences they had By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 14, 2018

A day ago, Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Shannon Sharpe had beef. And now they don’t.

“Just got off the phone with @RandyMoss. Had a great conversation and provided context into why I mentioned his name yesterday,” Sharpe tweeted. “I believe misunderstandings/disagreements can be handled thru civil conversation.”

Said Moss, on Twitter: “So glad real men can talk it out. glad we talked and thank u.”

That marked a dramatic reversal from the message Moss sent on Thursday night.

“DO U HAVE A PROB WIT ME?” Moss asked Sharpe. “Everytime u mention me its ALWAYS negative!! I’m trying to live in peace but it seems since u have a national spotlight ur always bashing. what do u get outta tht?? I dont have ur # and I’m not here 4 the trolls but if u do PLS lmk!!!”

The strangest part about the outburst from Moss was that Sharpe, as best we can tell, said nothing about Moss on Thursday’s Undisputed. There definitely wasn’t anything that gained traction in the media. In a segment with Hall of Famer regarding the decision of to skip the enshrinement ceremony, Sharpe suggested (smartly) that Owens’ frustrations arise not only from getting snubbed twice but from Moss getting in on the first try.

That doesn’t change the fact that Sharpe had said things about Moss in the past, a fact that seemed to be lost on Sharpe when he decided to target me for daring to mention the fact that Sharpe and Moss were publicly doing battle on Twitter. (Sharpe also called me “a F boy.” I still don’t know what that means. I have a feeling it’s an insult.)

Regardless, Moss and Sharpe apparently won’t be having any awkward encounters at the Hall of Fame ceremony. Unfortunately.

How many NFL teams will end their relationship with Papa John’s? By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 14, 2018

Plenty of baseball teams have suspended their relationships with Papa John’s in recent days, moves that create real complications and revenue consequences when they happens during baseball season. How many NFL teams will end their relationships with Papa John’s in the aftermath of the full body of founder and former chairman/CEO John Schnatter’s behavior and comments over the past several months?

The Falcons indefinitely suspended the relationship pending further evaluation, a process that in theory could result in all three Papa John’s locations at Mercedes-Benz Stadium being open for business when the Falcons begin playing games there next month, if the evaluation results in a finding that, with Schnatter gone, all is well.

The real question is whether the Falcons, or anyone else, will say based on what already has transpired, “Enough.”

The University of Louisville moved quickly to dump Schnatter from the school’s board of trustees, and to shed “Papa John’s” from the name of the stadium where the football team plays. With the exception of the Falcons, who strongly denounced the racially insensitive comments from Schnatter that came to light this week, the NFL’s teams have been silent on the issue.

Pizza Hut has replaced Papa John’s as the NFL’s official pizza, but multiple teams have relationships with the company, including the Cowboys, whose owner has been silent about the recent controversy engulfing Schnatter. Jones wasn’t silent last year, when Schnatter was (possibly at Jones’ behest) bashing the NFL over its handling of the anthem controversy.

“I am a joint owner of the businesses of 120 Papa John’s stores here in Texas,” Jones said in the immediate aftermath of Schnatter’s notorious conference call during which he blamed the league for reduced earnings for a period of time when the NFL wasn’t, you know, playing games.

“And John Schnatter is one of the great Americans. He’s the story of America. He started off in his dad’s bar just doing a pizza with a little oven or microwave, and he’s built that thing into one of the greatest businesses. Papa John’s was named by all of the people that look at the NFL, Papa John’s was named as the product most associated with the NFL and it was named that a year ago by a survey of all of our viewers. So he is quite an American story.”

He’s become a very different kind of American story, a story that some would say has become all too common in the last 18 months. So will the NFL’s teams that do business with Papa John’s acknowledge that and take action? Or will they simply wait for the P.R. storm to subside and continue to make money via their partnership with a product that is (or at least was) so closely associated with the NFL?

And what will the NFL do about any of this? Although it’s not an issue at the league level, the teams are the league. If the league thinks it’s “bad for business” (sound familiar?) to associate with Papa John’s, it can pass that message along to the teams. Unless and until the NFL teams that do business with Papa John’s end the relationship, it can fairly be assumed that the NFL hasn’t sent that message. Walt Coleman: Don’t blame the refs for catch rule fiascos By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk July 14, 2018

As the catch rule changes, one prominent referee sees no real change to how the play will be called on the field.

“Most of the calls that seemed to create the most controversy, we ruled them correctly and then they were overturned on replay,” referee Walt Coleman said Friday, per the Associated Press, in connection with the annual pre-training camp gathering of game officials. “From our standpoint, we’re just going to continue to officiate the plays like we have.”

It’s a stunningly candid assessment, and a somewhat tactful was of saying, “Don’t blame us.” And it has indeed been the excruciating, frame-by-frame application of replay review that has supplanted know-it- when-you-see-it common sense with a micromanaging of decisions made in real time.

The new rule combines objectivity and subjectivity to make it harder to overturn a ruling on the field of a catch and easier to overturn a ruling of a non-catch. Which should lead to more catches. Which is what everyone seems to want.

“People just didn’t understand that you had to hold on to the ball going to the ground,” Coleman said of the former rule. “When you catch the ball and you reach out, everybody thought that should be a catch. The way the rule was written, it wasn’t.”

It’s not that people didn’t understand the prior rule. It’s that people thought the prior rule conflicted with common sense. The new rule doesn’t, if it’s applied in a common-sensical way.

Al Riveron: New catch rule is a great rule By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk July 14, 2018

One of the biggest rules changes in the NFL this year concerns what constitutes a catch.

The league adopted a rule that says a player has caught the ball when he has control, two feet or another body part down and either making or having the ability to make a football move. The football move has been defined as a third step; reaching with the ball; tucking the ball away; turning upfield; or avoiding or warding off an opponent.

At a clinic for officials in Dallas on Friday, NFL officiating head Al Riveron said that he thought officials were largely calling games that way and said the new rule gets everything, including replay, on the same page.

“How do we make this particular play a catch? How do we make the Dez Bryant play a catch and still stay within the rules and the confines? We brought in legends, we brought in coaches, we brought in officials, we brought in supervisors and said how do we make it better? How do we get these exciting plays back in the game. I think we’ve come up — I know we’ve come up with a great rule,” Riveron said, via Tadd Haislop of Sporting News.

Some have suggested the change in the rule will lead to more along with more completions and we’ll learn the first implications of the change once preseason games get underway next month.