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The latest
In SB Nation’s FanPulse poll this week, over 1,700 fans responded with their Super Bowl picks. Three times as many fans said they’re hoping the Rams will win than fans who are pulling for the Patriots:
“I learned a lot from him because our team was as unified as any team I’d ever been on,” McDaniels said. “I think that speaks to a guy that the players wanted to play for. They never lost faith in him. His message was always clear and consistent and he treated them fairly.”
The Chiefs are planning a $10 million upgrade to Arrowhead Stadium and will replace the seats as part of the project. And one fan is hoping the team won’t just toss the old seats. Kayla Ross, a student at Missouri State, wrote the Chiefs in hopes of getting a pair of those old seats. But not just any two.
The Kansas City Red Coaters Are Looking for New Members | Chiefs.com
They’re the handful of individuals, clad in red coats with a flag in hand, that help introduce the Kansas City Chiefs out onto the field each and every Sunday prior to kickoff. They come from all different walks of life, bound by a passion for the Chiefs and a desire to serve their community, and the Kansas City Red Coaters are looking for new members.
Tyreek Hill’s Expectations Sky High Heading Into 2019-2020 Fantasy Season | Fanduel
There’s no reason to think Hill can’t improve next year. He’s gone from gadget player to stud right before our eyes, continuing to get better on a yearly basis. Hill has seen his receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns increase each season over the course of his three-year career with the speedster reaching his peak with Patrick Mahomes.
Rob Gronkowski’s Blocking Can Key Patriots’ Run Game in Super Bowl 53 | Sports Illustrated
A balanced ground game has been huge in New England’s late season surge, letting the Patriots control the tempo of contests while keeping their good-but-not-great defense off the field, sheltered from high-flying offenses like the Chargers’ and Chiefs’. Improved interior O-line play has factored, as has the dominant lead-blocking of fullback James Develin and mature running of rookie Sony Michel. But the tipping point has been Gronkowski. As Tom Brady explained on Wednesday, “It’s impressive to be 270 pounds, to play basically every play and win every matchup in the run game against 300-pound defensive ends, or [quicker] 240-pound defensive ends… [Gronk] is a physical freak.”
Pirates pitcher recounts being mistaken for Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Star
Archer tweeted: “Lady at CVS was convinced I was @PatrickMahomes5 . Even when I pointed out a few obvious things that made me not him, she still didn’t believe me. lol. I see no resemblance but that’s just me.”
Around the league
James Harrison pins blame for drama on Mike Tomlin | NFL
Federal judge rejects possible ‘do-over’ of Rams-Saints playoff game | ESPN
Officials failed to call interference or roughness penalties when a Los Angeles Rams player leveled a Saints receiver with a helmet-to-helmet hit at a crucial point in the final minutes of regulation time. The Rams won the Jan. 20 game in overtime and are set to play the New England Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl in Atlanta.
“Baller,” Ravens safety Eric Weddle said at the Pro Bowl in Orlando. “He’s just a gamer. Tough. Makes clutch catches over the course of his career. Can beat 1-on-1 coverage. Knows where to sit in the zone. Complete wide receiver. Nothing but admiration and respect for the guy. It’s always fun going against him and trying to hold him down because you know when the game is on the line he’s going to be the guy to make a play.”
Cowboys unlikely to extend Jason Garrett’s contract | NFL
Unless owner Jerry Jones changes gears in the coming months, Garrett must double-down on this year’s run to keep his job in Dallas.
Johnny Hekker Is a Punting Legend and a Fake Punt God | The Ringer
Now imagine being the best in the world at something that’s highly valuable, a skill that tens of thousands of people attempt in hopes of one day earning millions of dollars. That’s the reality for Johnny Hekker, the Rams’ 28-year-old punter who has been named first-team All-Pro four times and second-team All-Pro twice over his seven NFL seasons.
Kyler Murray says NFL-MLB decision will come ‘soon’ | NFL
“Right now I’m just working out,” Murray said. “I’m glad to be here at the Super Bowl. ... For me, I’m just taking it one day at a time. And that’s what I’m doing right now.”
In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride
Travis Kelce opens up about Chiefs’ loss to Patriots, overtime rules and more
“We knew what we were going to see,” Kelce said. “We practiced all week, it was just—they were a little bit more aggressive than we expected. Physically aggressive at the line of scrimmage, grabbing, holding. Getting off of that man coverage, it took us a little while, and at times when we were finally getting off man coverage, Pat (Mahomes) was kind of under duress back there.
NFLPA says Chiefs spent second-most against NFL salary cap in 2018-19
Here’s the key takeaway from this information: only the Rams spent more of their effectivesalary cap in 2018 than the Chiefs did. With key players like Tyreek Hill, Chris Jones and Dee Ford reportedly up for contract negotiations in this offseason — and the possibility of a huge contract being negotiated for Patrick Mahomes after the 2019 season — it would be nice to see the Chiefs carrying some unused cap space into next season. But clearly, that isn’t the case.
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