7:41 PM ETRob DemovskyESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered Packers for Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1997-2013
Two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters AssociationGREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers have lost one of the most important members of their high-powered offense, All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, to what is believed to be a season-ending knee injury suffered in practice on Thursday, a source told ESPN.
The primary diagnosi..

11:56 AM ETJake TrotterESPN Staff Writer CloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN.com in 2011Graduate of Washington & Lee UniversityNFL Players Association president JC Tretter is calling for the elimination of offseason practices, including minicamp and organized team activities, citing the NFL's relative quality of play during the 2020 pandemic-influenced season.
“I believe the changes implemented this season have demonstrated that we can put an entertaining product out on the field while furthe..

7:27 PM ETMike ReissESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered Patriots since 1997
Joined ESPN in 2009FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton reflected on his challenging 2020 season in a lengthy, passionate videoconference Thursday that had the feel of an exit interview in which he was saying goodbye.
“My only regret was I wish I had more time to dissect what I was actually getting in to,” Newton said when asked if there was anything he could have done differently to contribute to ..

7:33 PM ETMike TriplettESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered Saints for eight years at New Orleans Times-Picayune
Previously covered LSU football, San Francisco 49ers
Iowa native and University of Iowa graduateMETAIRIE, La. — The historic Christmas Day performance from New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is a gift that keeps on giving.
Kamara's NFL-record-tying six touchdowns came at the perfect time for fantasy football managers who were using him in their championship-week lineups. And..

4:38 PM ETRich CiminiESPN Staff Writer CloseLongtime Jets beat writer for New York Daily News
Syracuse University graduateFLORHAM PARK, N.J. — As he prepares for what could be his final game with the New York Jets, Sam Darnold sounds like he knows where the organization can find its long-term answer at quarterback.
By sticking with him.
Despite his worst statistical season, Darnold said Thursday he hopes to remain with the Jets and believes he can develop into a franchise quarterback.
“I absolu..

10:01 AM ETJake TrotterESPN Staff Writer CloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN.com in 2011Graduate of Washington & Lee UniversityThe Cleveland Browns have shut down their practice facility for a second consecutive day to conduct contact tracing as three more players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of a pivotal Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Star cornerback Denzel Ward, tight end Harrison Bryant and linebacker Malcolm Smith were the three players who tested positive, accordi..

1:34 PM ETCameron WolfeESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered the Broncos for two seasons with the Denver Post
Graduate of the University of Houston
A native of Jackson, Miss.DAVIE, Fla. — Miami Dolphins veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be unavailable for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills, a source confirmed to ESPN.
He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday afternoon, the team announced.
The Dolphins and the NFL hav..

7:00 PM ETJenna LaineESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered the Buccaneers since 2009
Joined ESPN in 2016TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski has been in the end zone a lot more recently as he and Tom Brady prepare to tackle their eighth postseason together. No one is happier about how that arrangement has worked out than Brady, his longtime pal, even though Gronkowski playfully took back his Christmas present for Brady and actually regifted it.
“I actually took his Bumpboxx away..

Dec 31, 2020Todd ArcherESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered NFL since 1997, Cowboys since 2003
Previously covered Bengals and Dolphins
Lives in Dallas area with his wife and two childrenFRISCO, Texas — Kellen Moore and Andy Dalton first shared a football field in 2008. For the past seven months, they have shared a sideline with the Dallas Cowboys. And since October, they have shared a responsibility as offensive coordinator and quarterback.
Now, in some ways, they have a shared future.
Moore is a can..

Dec 30, 2020Courtney CroninESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered the 49ers, Raiders and Warriors for the San Jose Mercury News. She joined ESPN in 2017.It's fitting that in a year where several NFL teams' playoff fates will be decided in the final game of season, the MVP race is culminating in thrilling fashion with late-year heroics that may ultimately define who walks away with the prestigious award.
And entering Week 17, there's a new favorite to win the MVP. Our panel of nine analyst..

7:37 AM ETJordan RaananESPN Staff Writer CloseEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants seem to have found their coach. The question is whether they have the right general manager paired with him to get the organization back to its winning ways.
The Giants retained Dave Gettleman last Dec. 30 when they fired coach Pat Shurmur and later hired Joe Judge, because they wanted to “give him a chance to finish what he started.”
Essentially, Gettleman, who was hired as GM in December 2017, was put on..

Dec 30, 2020NFL NationESPN The Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins are among the teams hoping to win their way into the playoffs on the final weekend of the NFL's regular season Sunday. All three enter their games with key players on offense battling injuries.
Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott ran for 105 yards last weekend and is confident he'll be ready to face the New York Giants with the NFC East title still up for grabs. Miami wide receiver DeVante Parker is nurs..

7:30 AM ETMike TriplettESPN Staff Writer CloseCovered Saints for eight years at New Orleans Times-Picayune
Previously covered LSU football, San Francisco 49ers
Iowa native and University of Iowa graduateMETAIRIE, La. — Long before 2020 forced the sports world to deal with so many unprecedented wrinkles, there was the plight of the 2005 New Orleans Saints.
“We were literally the Bad News Bears of the NFL,” wide receiver Lance Moore said of a vagabond team that had to evacuate New Orleans because..

7:58 AM ETJake TrotterESPN Staff Writer CloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN.com in 2011Graduate of Washington & Lee UniversityThe last time the Cleveland Browns made the playoffs, coach Kevin Stefanski was in college and Baker Mayfield was in grade school.
Michael Jordan was still in the NBA, and LeBron James wasn't out of high school.
Mark Zuckerberg hadn't invented Facebook yet, while Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears had just broken up.
But at home on Sunday, against the rival Pitt..

8:00 AM ETTim KeownESPN Senior Writer CloseSenior Writer for ESPN The Magazine
Columnist for ESPN.com
Author of five books (3 NYT best-sellers)Editor's note: This story originally ran on Nov. 7. We are republishing after the news that Frank Gore has been ruled out for the Jets' finale, the last game on his contract with New York.
THE MAN APPEARING in the doorway of Adam Gase's office late on an October Wednesday night looks like a character out of a nursery rhyme, squat and nearl..