Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson is finalising an agreement to become a television analyst for CBS Sports, effectively ending his 14-season playing career in the National Football League.
The 37-year-old had reportedly received an offer from the New York Jets to serve as a backup to Geno Smith, but has instead opted to transition into broadcasting.
The veteran recently acknowledged during a newspaper interview that a move to the network’s flagship studio show was under serious consideration.
Replacing a former rival
The seasoned signal-caller is set to take the television seat previously held by Matt Ryan.
Ryan recently vacated his punditry role during the off-season to return to the Atlanta Falcons as their president of football operations.
This new broadcasting chapter will see the former quarterback share the screen with established personalities James Brown, Nate Burleson and Bill Cowher on Sunday pre-game broadcasts.
A decorated career concludes
The former Seattle Seahawks star departs the gridiron with a formidable statistical resume, having amassed 46,966 passing yards and 353 touchdowns alongside 114 interceptions.
His legacy in the Pacific Northwest was firmly cemented by guiding Seattle to a dominant victory in Super Bowl XLVIII.
A 10-time Pro Bowl selection, the celebrated athlete also received the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award during his distinguished tenure.
Following a decade of sustained excellence with the Seahawks, the final years of his playing career included short stints with the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.
The New York Giants are evaluating a potential reunion with Odell Beckham Jr by hosting the former star wide receiver for a second off-season workout.
The franchise is exploring veteran additions following an Achilles injury to kick returner Gunner Olszewski during organized team activities.
Key offensive weapons Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton are also currently sidelined as they rehabilitate knee and core muscle issues respectively.
Exploring veteran receiver options
Alongside the 33-year-old, New York is assessing JuJu Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios and Anthony Miller in recent tryouts.
A return to MetLife Stadium would mark a full-circle moment for the lightning-rod playmaker.
The 2014 first-round draft pick enjoyed a record-breaking start to his career with three consecutive 1,300-yard seasons before injuries derailed his initial stint in New York.
He most recently recorded nine catches for 55 yards during a 2024 spell with the Miami Dolphins.
Unfinished business in New York
The former Pro Bowler was in the area for a charity softball game this weekend and reportedly spoke of having unfinished business with his former team.
Any new role would look vastly different from his initial tenure as the primary offensive target.
Instead, the veteran would be competing for a lower-depth roster spot and acting as a mentor to younger talents like rookie Nabers.
The receiver has also maintained contact with Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh following their time together during the 2023 campaign.
“Talked to Odell a lot, probably three of four times in the last week, to see where he’s at, where we’re at.”
John Harbaugh
Harbaugh noted that while previous workouts went well, any signing must be the right fit for both parties.
“Odell wants to be the kind of player that can make a difference. I’m pretty sure that he can make a team in the National Football League right now. But can he make a difference and is it something he wants to do and is his body going to hold up the way he wants it to?”
John Harbaugh
Meanwhile, Smith-Schuster is also aiming to secure a contract after spending the past two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The former Steeler previously played under new Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and registered 345 receiving yards last year.
Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Raymond Berry, who won two NFL championships with the Baltimore Colts before guiding the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl as head coach, has died aged 93.
A statement released by his family through the Hall of Fame confirmed he passed away on 25 May while surrounded by loved ones.
The legendary split end spent his entire 13-season playing career in Baltimore, becoming one of the most reliable targets in professional football history.
He established a lethal connection with quarterback Johnny Unitas during an era when the sport heavily favoured running the ball.
The Greatest Game Ever Played
The former SMU draft pick is perhaps best remembered for his heroics in the 1958 NFL Championship Game against the New York Giants.
Often credited with sparking the league’s modern popularity, the sudden-death thriller saw him catch 12 passes for 178 yards and a crucial touchdown.
That single-game championship receptions record stood until 2014, underlining the magnitude of his performance in the 23-17 victory.
He secured his second consecutive championship the following season with the Colts.
During that dominant 1959 campaign, the prolific pass-catcher led the league outright in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
A model of consistency
Selected as a 20th-round draft pick in 1954, the six-time Pro Bowler vastly exceeded early career expectations.
He retired in 1967 as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, amassing 631 catches for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns.
In a remarkable testament to his sure-handedness, Unitas’ favourite target fumbled just once during his entire professional career.
“Luck is something which happens when preparation meets opportunity,” he once explained.
“One play may make the difference in winning or losing a game. I must be prepared to make my own luck.”
His number 82 jersey was later retired by the Colts, and he was inducted into the Baltimore Ravens’ Ring of Honor.
Super Bowl run in New England
Transitioning to the touchline, the football icon spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach before taking the top job at the New England Patriots in 1984.
He orchestrated a memorable run the following year, guiding a wild-card squad all the way to Super Bowl XX.
Although his side suffered a heavy defeat to the historic Chicago Bears, his tenure in Foxborough remained highly respected.
He compiled a 48-39 overall record as a head coach, eventually departing the franchise after the 1989 season.
“It was a great six years for me,” he told ESPN in 2008. “I had some really great players, and you really enjoy coaching talent like that.”
“And I still have New England fans to this day come up and talk about how much they enjoyed those years. Nice to have satisfied customers.”
Two-time Super Bowl-winning defensive lineman Manny Fernandez, a crucial member of the Miami Dolphins’ historic undefeated 1972 team, has died at the age of 79.
The franchise announced the passing of the famed defender on Tuesday.
He spent his entire eight-year professional career in Florida after arriving as an undrafted free agent in 1968.
During his tenure, the rugged tackle became an anchor of the celebrated “No-Name Defense” that dominated the league throughout the early 1970s.
A historic Super Bowl performance
The 79-year-old was instrumental in leading his team to three consecutive championship appearances.
His most defining moment came during Super Bowl VII, where he recorded a staggering 17 tackles and a sack against Washington.
That defensive masterclass secured a 14-7 victory and cemented the only flawless 17-0 season in National Football League history.
“His consistency and selfless contributions on the field were instrumental to the Dolphins’ success throughout the early 1970s, particularly in the team’s three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, in which he produced some of the most memorable defensive performances in the history of the game.”
Miami Dolphins official statement
Lasting legacy in Miami
Beyond team accolades, the formidable undrafted talent earned individual recognition as a two-time second-team All-Pro.
His remarkable contributions to the sport were further immortalised when he was inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor in 2014.
“Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones and teammates as we remember one of the best players in Dolphins history.”
Miami Dolphins official statement
The legendary lineman will forever be remembered as a cornerstone of the sport’s ultimate invincible squad.
New York Giants defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris is expected to miss the entire 2026 season after tearing his Achilles during an indoor practice session on Thursday.
The 32-year-old suffered the devastating injury while taking first-team repetitions at the team’s organised team activity (OTA) workout in East Rutherford.
He was forced to pull up and reach for the back of his right leg early in the session, which had been moved indoors due to rain.
A major blow to a rebuilding defensive line
The loss of the veteran creates a significant void in the interior of the New York defence.
The franchise was already heavily reshaping its front line after trading star tackle Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals last month.
Entering his 10th professional campaign, the undrafted UTEP prospect had been expected to anchor the unit as a prominent starter.
He was entering the second and final season of a two-year contract worth $9.25m (£7.3m).
Giants bank on newly acquired reinforcements
Last season, the former Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars standout started 17 games, recording 35 tackles and six quarterback hits.
In an effort to mitigate recent departures, the Giants signed seasoned veterans DJ Reader, Shelby Harris and Leki Fotu following the NFL Draft.
They are also placing heavy expectations on second-year lineman Darius Alexander and recent sixth-round pick Bobby Jamison-Travis.
Speaking earlier this month about the reshaped defensive line, coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence in their recruitment strategy.
“I felt like it was part of our process,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not that we wouldn’t have drafted a defensive tackle or signed one sooner if they had become available.”
“But as it went, I thought we did a good job of kind of responding to the situation as it unfolded, and now we feel really good about our group in there.”
“It looks good to me. I’m excited about it.”
The seasoned defender now faces a gruelling rehabilitation process, pausing a career that has yielded 246 tackles and 19 sacks across 134 appearances.
Reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford has signed a one-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams worth up to $60m, tying him to the franchise through the 2027 season.
The new agreement guarantees the 38-year-old a base figure of $55m and places him firmly among the highest-paid players in his position.
It leaves the veteran quarterback with a total of $105m remaining on his current deal in California.
The franchise officially announced the renewal on Thursday but declined to disclose specific financial terms.
Drafting a successor and chasing history
This significant pay rise arrives during an off-season where Los Angeles selected highly-rated prospect Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Simpson is widely viewed as the eventual heir to the starting role at SoFi Stadium.
However, the incumbent starter has cemented his immediate future after producing a spectacular career-best campaign.
The former Super Bowl winner led the league last season with 4,707 passing yards and threw 46 touchdowns alongside just eight interceptions to claim his first MVP award.
Super Bowl ambitions on home soil
Speculation had recently mounted regarding a potential retirement ahead of his 18th professional season.
Those rumours were swiftly dispelled by the seasoned playmaker when collecting his MVP honours in February.
“I’ll see you guys next year.”
“Hopefully, I’m not at this event and we’re getting ready for another game at SoFi.”
The upcoming Super Bowl will be hosted at the Rams’ home stadium, mirroring their triumphant 2021 championship run on the very same turf.
The experienced signal-caller will celebrate his 39th birthday just one week before that showpiece event.
He currently sits sixth on the all-time NFL passing list with 64,516 regular-season yards, trailing Aaron Rodgers by a mere 1,758 yards.
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers faces an uncertain timeline for his return from a complex knee injury, according to head coach John Harbaugh.
The 22-year-old tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee last September.
He underwent initial surgery that included a full meniscus repair, but recently required a second operation to remove stiffening scar tissue.
Harbaugh admitted on Thursday that the franchise is unsure if their star playmaker will be available for their season opener.
The Giants host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on 13 September for a Sunday Night Football clash.
Complicated rehabilitation process
Speaking after organised team activities (OTAs), Harbaugh stressed the severity of the situation.
“It’s an ACL, and whatever else he had in that knee. Not a simple knee injury, you know?”
“He’s in the slog of it, the grind of it I would say. So he’s fighting through it and he’s here every day working hard at it.”
The head coach added that getting the wideout back on the field during training camp remains the primary, albeit unpredictable, target.
Initial hopes that the former LSU standout would be fully ready for the start of training camp have faded.
Offensive reshuffle for Dart
The receiver’s absence creates an immediate challenge for quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Dart is already operating without Darius Slayton, who is recovering from core muscle surgery but is expected back for training camp.
In their absence, new signings Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, alongside third-round draft pick Malachi Fields, have been rotating with the first-team offence.
Mental toll of recovery
The lengthy rehabilitation has proven mentally taxing for a player who delivered a historic rookie campaign in 2024.
His debut season yielded a franchise-record 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.
Before suffering his season-ending injury, he had played just four games of the most recent campaign.
Harbaugh acknowledged the psychological difficulty of navigating a major career setback for the first time.
“My experience with guys is the first time they have a serious injury, it’s tough because it’s new for him. It’s a tough process, so our job is to stay close to him and stay with him.”
The Detroit Lions have signed All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell to a four-year contract extension that will keep him with the franchise until the end of the 2030 NFL season.
Financial terms of the new agreement were not immediately disclosed by the team on Thursday.
This long-term commitment arrives shortly after Detroit declined the lucrative fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
That 2027 option would have cost an estimated $21.9m (£17.3m), which would have briefly made him the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league.
Breakout season secures long-term future
The 25-year-old established himself as the undeniable linchpin of the Detroit defense during a stellar 2025 campaign.
He earned first-team All-Pro honours and a maiden Pro Bowl selection in what was his third professional season.
The former Iowa standout dominated statistically, recording a team-high 176 total tackles, five sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Selected 18th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, the dynamic tackler has shown consistent year-on-year improvement.
Lions look to tie down core draft class
Securing their defensive anchor is just the first step in a broader strategy to retain elite homegrown talent.
The franchise is actively seeking long-term agreements with fellow 2023 draftees Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch.
Detroit recently exercised the $14.3m (£11.3m) fifth-year option on star running back Gibbs to provide more negotiating time.
However, tight end LaPorta and defensive back Branch are both slated to become unrestricted free agents at the conclusion of the upcoming season.