DAILY NFL NEWS CLIPS November 12, 2020 - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE - NFL Communications
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DAILY NFL NEWS CLIPS
November 12, 2020
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 (212) 450-2000 FAX (212) 681-7579
1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
DAILY NFL NEWS CLIPS
11/12/20
NFL ISSUES & OWNERSHIP
3 New York Times – “N.F.L. Announces the Weeknd for Its Super Bowl Halftime Show” By Belson, Rosman, Sisario
5 Associated Press – “Column: Half a season and a Super Bowl ahead for NFL” By Tim Dahlberg
7 ESPN – “Source: Kansas City Chiefs seek NFL inquiry on unmasked union rep” By Adam Teicher
8 Associated Press – “AP source: 49ers cleared of COVID-19 violations” By Josh Dubow
9 Associated Press – “Steelers trying to get a grip on their ‘virtual’ reality” By Will Graves
11 Minn Star Tribune – “Fans won't be allowed in U.S. Bank Stadium for the remainder of the 2020 season, Vikings say”
13 Washington Post – “Sports were a distraction from the pandemic. Now they’re being battered by it.” By Jerry Brewer
16 Wall Street Journal – “College Football Limps Toward the Pandemic Season’s Conclusion” By Laine Higgins
18 Chicago Tribune – “Why are there so many late afternoon NFL games this Sunday? Chalk it up to Masters in Nov.”
20 Miami Herald – “Tagovailoa versus Herbert looks like a classic in the making for years to come” By A Salguero
24 AZ Republic – “Arizona Cardinals are NFL contenders because of quarterback Kyler Murray” By Jeremy Cluff
26 ESPN – “For Washington Football Team QB Alex Smith, return to lineup just another comeback” By John Keim
29 Washington Post – “Alex Smith is the NFL’s best story, Washington’s next few weeks are about Dwayne Haskins”
31 Wall Street Journal – “Baseball’s Dearth of Black Catchers Helps Explain Its Dearth of Black Managers” By Diamond
34 New York Times – “Sports Helped Shape Biden. But Expect a Quieter Fan in the White House.” By Jonathan Abrams
37 New York Times – “How Trump Lost Sports as a Political Strategy” By Jere Longman
40 Associated Press – “NFL announces Salute to Service Award nominees”
42 Military.com – “NFL Honors the Real Warriors With a 'Salute to Service'” By James Barber
44 FW Star-Telegram – “Charlotte Jones announced as Dallas Cowboys’ nominee for the Salute to Service Award”
45 ABC 7 News – “Local heroes get to compete with Rams players at SoFi Stadium” By Ashley Mackey
BUSINESS/MEDIA
46 Hollywood Reporter – “ESPN Shutters Esports Editorial Division” By Trilby Beresford
47 Front Office Sports – “Streaming Service FuboTV to Expand into Sports Wagering” By Torrey Hart
48 DigiDay – “‘Launching content on behalf of clients:’ How Gallery Media turned TikTok into a 7-figure business”
50 Wall Street Journal – “Social-Media Companies Took an Aggressive Stance During the Election. Will It Continue?”
53 Sports Business Daily – “Rams Sign Rocket Mortgage To Multiyear Sponsorship Deal” By Ben Fischer
FEATURES/COLUMNS
54 Sports Illustrated – “The Infinite Possibilities of Josh Allen” By Greg Bishop
62 Pitt Post-Gazette – “Steelers turn to Cam Heyward for leadership on and off the field” By Gerry Dulac
64 Green Bay Press-Gazette – “Sky's the limit for Packers' prolific passing duo of Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams”
67 The Undefeated – “Shedeur Sanders says playing for dad Deion Sanders at Jackson State will prepare him for NFL”
2N.F.L. Announces the Weeknd for Its Super Bowl
Halftime Show
New York Times –– 11/12/20
By Ken Belson, Katherine Rosman and Ben Sisario
The Weeknd, the Canadian pop star, has been chosen to play the halftime show at the Super
Bowl in Tampa, Fla., in February, a performance that may face challenges because of
pandemic restrictions.
“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl, and one can only
dream of being in that position,” Abel Tesfaye, who is known professionally as the Weeknd, said
in a statement. “I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this
year.”
The selection of the 30-year-old singer is in keeping with the N.F.L.’s recent attempts to attract a
wider audience by pivoting from classic rock acts dominated by white musicians to artists with
large social media followings who are popular with younger fans and people of color.
The Weeknd has had five No. 1 hits, including “Can’t Feel My Face,” produced in part by the
Swedish pop mastermind Max Martin, and “Starboy,” created with Daft Punk, the French dance-
rock duo.
It will be the second Super Bowl halftime show produced in part by Jay-Z and Roc Nation. “The
Weeknd has introduced a sound all his own,” Jay-Z said in a statement. “His soulful uniqueness
has defined a new generation of greatness in music and artistry.”
The N.F.L. recruited Jay-Z in 2019 to help orchestrate musical performances for marquee
games, most notably the Super Bowl, after artists across the music industry said they would not
work with the league to show solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, a former San Francisco 49ers
quarterback. Kaepernick began kneeling during the playing of the national anthem before
games to protest police brutality and racial injustice, and has not found work in the league since
2016.
Tesfaye has publicly supported Kaepernick. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing in police
custody, he donated $200,000 to Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense
Initiative, showing receipts to his 2.5 million Instagram followers. He has also been a vocal
advocate for wider social justice causes. In a brief acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music
Awards in August, he said simply: “It’s really hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this
moment, so I’m just going to say: Justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor.”
The N.F.L. has scaled back its plans for the Super Bowl, on Feb. 7, because of the pandemic.
Last month, the league said it was likely that only about 20 percent of the seats at Raymond
James Stadium would be filled.
In most years, the halftime show is set up by hundreds of people who run onto the field to build
the stage. Then hundreds of fans, chosen in advance, typically rush out to the stage to cheer.
3The N.F.L. has not indicated how it will stage the show. Roger Goodell, the league’s
commissioner, has said the league will work within the safety guidelines established by the city
of Tampa, Hillsborough County and other officials in Florida, as well as following their own
protocols, which this season have included a significant reduction in the number of people
allowed to be on the field before and during games.
After emerging a decade ago as a mysterious creator of brooding R&B, the Weeknd has found
success as a pop artist with a dark, avant-garde edge. In the music video for his latest No. 1 hit,
“Blinding Lights,” the Weeknd becomes a bruised and bloodied character in a red suit and black
gloves, laughing maniacally as he dances to the song’s bright, pulsing synth-pop.
With an enigmatic stage persona, the Weeknd stands out for a high tenor with a strong Michael
Jackson influence. “After Hours,” his latest album, held the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s album chart
for four consecutive weeks this spring. He also appears in a Mercedes-Benz commercial.
As a performer, including on TV appearances like “Saturday Night Live” and “Jimmy Kimmel
Live!,” the Weeknd has tended to favor elaborate, high-concept stage settings that can easily
translate into a stadium environment.
But televised awards shows have struggled during the pandemic to capture the live
performances that are usually their biggest draw. At the MTV awards, where the Weeknd was
the lead performer and won video of the year for “Blinding Lights,” and at the Billboard Music
Awards last month, artists appeared on soundstages without an audience. On Wednesday
night, the Country Music Association Awards, in Nashville, featured a socially distanced but
largely unmasked live audience that consisted mainly of the show’s performers, including Maren
Morris, Eric Church and Chris Stapleton.
4Column: Half a season and a Super Bowl ahead for
NFL
Associated Press –– 11/12/20
By Tim Dahlberg
It feels like another time, but it was only a few months ago that the NFL managed to pull off
what seemed like a minor miracle. With Roger Goodell leading the cheers from his basement,
the league conducted a virtual draft that stocked teams with new players and, more importantly,
infected no one.
The actual season was always going to be harder. For that, the NFL needed a real miracle and
the buy-in of everyone — including the Las Vegas Raiders — to clear a path to the Super Bowl
in February.
Whether the title game will be played Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay still remains in question, halfway
through a schedule upended at times by the coronavirus. If anyone needed a reminder the virus
was in charge, they got it this week when the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers put quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger and three others on the COVID-19 list after tight end Vance McDonald tested
positive.
Equally as worrisome for the NFL, the number of people testing positive doubled this week in
the league’s latest results. The new positives included 15 players and 41 other team officials.
One thing is certain: With empty or partially filled stadiums and fake crowd noise filling
broadcasts, this isn’t the NFL anyone wants.
That includes the new team in Sin City, where a 5-3 start and a win over the defending Super
Bowl champion Chiefs should have fans dancing on the Las Vegas Strip. If the town is excited,
the Raiders seem to be the last to know.
``We can’t sense it,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. ``We have played in front of empty
stadiums and we don’t go anywhere. You do look forward to those times, but you really have a
strange, I don’t know, experience going right now, that’s for sure.”
It’s strange all around the league, though the NFL has managed to make it through nine weeks
of play, thanks to voluminous COVID-19 testing and a growing awareness among players that
they don’t want to be the ones messing things up.
The league decided early on to go without a bubble like the ones that helped the NBA and NHL
complete their seasons. Just testing, and lots of it, along with an underlying hope that NFL
players and coaches recognized the only way there was going to be a season was if everyone
behaved properly.
And now here we are, halfway through a season unlike any other. Everyone hasn’t always
behaved properly and the games haven’t always gone off on schedule.
Through it all, though, the path to the Super Bowl remains open.
5“You know what? I feel like a lot of guys are going to be smart, be cautious of the situations
they’re in,” Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill said. “And when I say that, if they go to a restaurant,
wear a mask. If they go to a park, wear a mask. We’re in a pivotal moment. We need everyone.”
Still, nothing is normal, from Tom Brady under center in Tampa Bay to the COVID-19 tests that
players and team officials begin almost every day with.
Meanwhile, the virus keeps spreading around the country even as some teams allow limited
numbers of fans inside stadiums. How it looks may be as different in February as it was when
Goodell was in his basement holding the draft in April.
To try and make it to the finish line, the NFL has a contingency plan to extend the season a
week and expand the playoffs from 14 to 16 teams if teams don’t get in 16 regular-season
games.
But the fact the NFL has made it this far borders on remarkable. That it administered more than
a half million tests through the first week of November with only 78 players testing positive
borders on incredible.
Meanwhile, enough story lines are playing out that have nothing to do with COVID-19 to keep
fans interested.
The Steelers are unbeaten through eight games for the first time. The Raiders are winning in
their new city. The Jets are awful, and the Giants aren’t much better.
And on Sunday night, Brady and Drew Brees faced off against each other in a matchup of the
two greatest quarterbacks in the game. Brady threw three interceptions in a lopsided loss,
leaving the debate still open whether he or Bill Belichick was responsible for New England’s
success over the years.
But this will always be a season overshadowed by the virus no matter what happens. This will
always be the season remembered not for what happened on the field but everything that was
occurring everywhere else.
Halfway through, February is clearly in sight even as the virus rages. Amazingly, the schedule is
still intact and every Sunday is still filled with games.
The NFL just may get there, just like the NBA, NHL and MLB found a way to crown their
champions. But there’s no guarantee, especially without a bubble. Things could quickly fall apart
and no amount of contingency planning will overcome the worst-case scenario of a playoff team
coming down with multiple infections.
For now, though, the NFL plays on.
6Source: Kansas City Chiefs seek NFL inquiry on
unmasked union rep
ESPN –– 11/11/20
By Adam Teicher
The Kansas City Chiefs asked the NFL to begin an inquiry with the players' association after a
union representative held a meeting with the full team late in October without wearing a mask,
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
The National Football League Players Association representative was in proximity while meeting
with the players, a source told Schefter. The union representative is not subject to the same
COVID-19 testing as players and regularly travels among the teams, the source said.
The Chiefs have had a handful of players on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list this season,
including wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who was placed on the list on Wednesday. Hardman
is fourth on the Chiefs in receptions, with 25, and third in receiving yards (395) and touchdowns
(three). The Chiefs have their bye this week and next play against the Raiders in Las Vegas in
Week 11.
Last week, the Chiefs put defensive lineman Chris Jones on the list, though he was activated
the next day and played in Sunday's game against the Panthers. Fullback Anthony Sherman
missed three games while on the COVID list but returned to play against Carolina.
The Chiefs placed a pair of practice squad players on the COVID list at different times, including
defensive lineman Braxton Hoyett this week.
7AP source: 49ers cleared of COVID-19 violations
Associated Press –– 11/11/20
By Josh Dubow
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have been cleared of any potential
violations of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols following a positive test from receiver Kendrick
Bourne.
A person familiar with the investigation said Wednesday the league and union reviewed the
49ers and determined the team was in compliance of coronavirus protocols. The person spoke
on condition of anonymity because the league made no announcement.
The investigation started last week after Bourne tested positive for the coronavirus and was
placed on the COVID-19 list. Teammates Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel
were also forced to miss last Thursday night’s game against Green Bay because they were
determined to be “high-risk” close contacts.
The four players were then activated Friday when Bourne passed two COVID-19 tests. Bourne
then tested positive again and was placed back on the list Monday but could return this week.
“It’s what you’ve heard. I mean, positive, negative, negative, positive, negative,” coach Kyle
Shanahan said. “Those things happen I guess, and we’re all just dealing with it. I know it’s a
weird situation with him. It kind of is weird though, with everybody in the world, not just our
football players. So, we’re just trying to do the best with the protocols and hope that he gets
cleared up to where it’s always negative and hopefully we can get him out of here later in the
week.”
Shanahan was fined $100,000 and the team was docked $250,000 earlier this season because
Shanahan didn’t properly wear his mask during a game.
8Steelers trying to get a grip on their ‘virtual’ reality
Associated Press –– 11/11/20
By Will Graves
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The vibe is the same. The jokes. The freewheeling banter.
In that way, the daily meetings for the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line haven’t changed a bit
even with the group being forced to get together over Zoom instead of in the same room, a
move necessitated by the NFL's COVID-19 protocols.
Still, there is something offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett admits is lacking: the comfort in
knowing he has each player's undivided attention as he tries to get a point across.
“When I am explaining something, I can’t look at the guy in the eyes,” Sarrett said Wednesday.
“That’s the big thing. That’s just something we have to adapt to as coaches.”
In many ways, the NFL's first “virtual” offseason last spring prepared the Steelers for what
amounts to a lockdown of sorts. Pittsburgh entered the league's “intensive” protocol last week
when Baltimore defensive back Marlon Humphrey received a positive test result hours after the
Steelers had edged the Ravens on Nov. 1.
They will remain in the protocol this week after tight end Vance McDonald tested positive
following a victory over Dallas on Sunday that pushed Pittsburgh to 8-0.
McDonald was placed on the league's COVID-19 list on Monday. Quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger, linebacker Vince Williams, running back Jaylen Samuels and backup offensive
lineman Jerald Hawkins joined him on the list Tuesday as a precaution after league-mandated
contact tracing.
That means Hawkins is logging in from home as Sarrett fine-tunes the line's approach to facing
AFC North rival Cincinnati (2-5-1) on Sunday.
Sarrett praised Hawkins for being “in tune” and stressed he has full trust that Hawkins — who is
frequently used as an extra blocker in short-yardage situations — is doing everything he can to
prepare for the Bengals.
It’s less than ideal. Then again, the same could be said about many things in 2020.
“We just have to move forward because come Sunday, there’s not going to be any excuses in
this stuff,” Sarrett said. “The only thing people want to see is the results, the ending results, and
that’s what we have to do. We have to go out and produce.”
It helps that Sarrett and the rest of the coaching staff have successfully navigated the steep
technological curve that came with getting adjusted to the software required to simulate a
normal teaching environment. That doesn't mean it's fun.
9Asked about the biggest difference between a normal meeting and a virtual meeting, defensive
line coach Karl Dunbar laughingly suggested not being together in person messes with his
players' nap schedules.
“Sometimes they be sleeping on me (in person)," Dunbar said.
Not exactly. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward pointed out there are no naps during the meetings
because Dunbar's players are too busy “giving him hell.” Maybe, but Dunbar admits he misses
the intimacy of being inside the same four walls with Heyward and the rest of one of the NFL's
best defensive lines.
“Coaching, just like most things with football, is personal and it’s interactive,” Dunbar said. “And
you don’t have that when you go virtual. But this is the only way you can do it because it’s 2020,
and we have to learn how to do it.”
If anything, going virtual has brought about an even higher level of personal accountability. If
Dunbar goes over something on video and you inadvertently miss it, there's no nudging of a
teammate to ask for help.
“It’s tough, the virtual meetings,” Heyward said. “But I thought guys asked questions (today),
continued to stay involved and then we got on the field, we were able to address the questions
right then and there and then hit the field in stride.”
Still, Heyward is doing what he can to help fill in the gaps for a group that is currently missing
injured veterans Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley. Second-year player Isaiah Buggs and
rookies Henry Mondeaux and Carlos Davis filled in and Heyward is trying to help them get up to
speed despite the restrictions.
No wonder Dunbar likens the 10-year veteran and longtime defensive captain to his unit's “Paul
Revere.” Heyward smiled at the reference but stressed he's just doing his job, particularly during
a season where the usual preparation methods are limited if they even exist at all.
“In this time, you’ve had to be more communicative and make sure it doesn’t just get lost in
translation, we’re not just saying things,” Heyward said. "I want everything I say to be
meaningful and then be able to be an outlet to the guys, whether they have concerns about
what’s going on or what they're seeing on the field. And just, I’ve seen things they haven’t seen
yet. If I can always lend an extra hand or point them in the right direction, I try to.”
NOTES: Alualu (knee) was limited in practice on Wednesday. ... WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
(knee) and Buggs (knee) did not practice. ... DB Mike Hilton (shoulder) and FB Derek Watt
(hamstring) were full participants.
10No SKOL: Fans won't be allowed in U.S. Bank Stadium
for the remainder of the 2020 season, Vikings say
Minneapolis Star Tribune –– 11/11/20
By Rochelle Olson
You're going to have to wait until next year, Minnesota Vikings fans — not in terms of winning
games, but attending them.
The Vikings blew the whistle Wednesday on their hopes of bringing fans back to U.S. Bank
Stadium during the 2020-21 season. Rising COVID-19 infection rates forced the call.
"Closing the final four home games to fans is the right decision to help protect our community,"
the team said in a statement released Wednesday morning.
With virus infections surging across much of the country, the Vikings didn't have much choice.
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday imposed new restrictions on gatherings in bars, restaurants and
even homes to contain the fast-spreading virus that has left Twin Cities metro area hospitals
with fewer than two dozen available intensive-care beds.
So the Vikings will continue as they have for much of the season, allowing only the allotted 250
friends and family members into the games to sit socially distanced in the southwestern section
of a stadium that can accommodate 67,200 fans.
The Vikings aren't the only team forced to keep fans out. The New England Patriots announced
Monday that fans wouldn't be allowed at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., for the
remainder of the season.
Teams in states with bigger stadiums or looser restrictions have been able to get thousands
inside, but no one is playing before capacity crowds.
"While we have worked hard to develop a safe and responsible plan to bring back a limited
number of fans, our decisions have been based on medical guidance with public health as the
top priority," the Vikings' statement said.
Early on, Walz said that letting fans return to large indoor sports and concert venues would be
among the final steps in the pandemic recovery. U.S. Bank Stadium may feature giant doors, a
translucent roof and a state-of-the-art air filtration system, but it's still an indoor venue.
Vikings staffers spent months devising elaborate plans to segregate the stadium into seven self-
contained pods, each with its own concessions and restrooms.
Tickets would have assigned entry times and designated gates, and fans would have to remain
within their pod. There were to be sanitizing stations every few steps and plenty of ushers
strictly enforcing masking and social distancing.
11But now it's wait until next year and see whether those plans get dusted off or scrapped. While
the Vikings said they "look[ed] forward to welcoming fans back next season" to U.S. Bank
Stadium, they acknowledged the return of fans to the stadium in 2021 wasn't a sure thing.
In the meantime, the team encouraged fans to "take the necessary precautions ... by wearing
face coverings, practicing proper social distancing and limiting social gatherings."
The Vikings play Monday night at Soldier Field in Chicago, another city with new virus
restrictions, before returning to Minneapolis to host the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 22, the
Carolina Panthers on Nov. 29, the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 6 and the Bears on Dec. 20.
12Sports were a distraction from the pandemic. Now
they’re being battered by it.
Washington Post –– 11/12/20
By Jerry Brewer
Most of the time, Greg Sankey is so dry he can make a desert jealous. The SEC commissioner
has an understated personality, and in his blustering athletic conference, that can create a
soothing effect. But there is no calm way to normalize this week in college football.
Follow the latest on Election 2020
“I’m certainly shaken, but not deterred,” Sankey said during a media conference call
Wednesday, reacting to the four SEC games postponed because of struggles to contain the
novel coronavirus.
There’s a candidate for phrase of the year: Shaken, but not deterred.
Sankey wasn’t speaking for all sports, but he could have been. As covid-19 keeps plundering
our bodies and spirit, it feels like sports have reached a point of no return. They won’t quit on
their own, not without a municipal directive. Perhaps they think they can’t stop, considering how
money influences risk assessment. “Shaken, but not deterred” also means “This is bad, but we
won’t turn back.”
During normal times, there is little more inspiring than watching athletes ratchet up the
determination. Right now, however, it feels desperate and dangerous. It’s understandable, too
— and expected. Over the past few months, there have been just enough examples of leagues
showing the resolve and creativity to survive, to complete seasons and crown champions. In
professional and major college athletics, significant television revenue rewards such
persistence. So college football is going to forge ahead. The NFL is even more of a freight train.
After canceling the NCAA tournament in March, college basketball must manufacture a full
2020-21 season. Even though the NBA and NHL found a way to finish their seasons safely
about five minutes ago, those leagues will be back soon, hoping to salvage what they can of
their new seasons rather than bide their time until a vaccine emerges or simply wait for the
current, petrifying wave to slow down.
Sankey admitted to being “troubled” by the outbreaks in the SEC. The pandemic is in a
ferocious groove now, punishing the country with record numbers of cases each day and raising
the death total to more than 240,000 Americans. It’s no wonder the SEC is having trouble, no
wonder Maryland won’t be able to play Ohio State in the Big Ten, no wonder California can’t get
its season started in the Pac-12. The college basketball season is supposed to begin in two
weeks, but Miami and Stetson already called off a game, and two other programs, Seton Hall
and Minnesota, announced they were pausing activities.
“What America has to understand is that we are about to enter covid hell,” said Michael T.
Osterholm, an adviser to President-elect Joe Biden and the director of the Center of Infectious
Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, during a CNBC interview. “It is
happening.”
13We may be en route to hell, but the International Olympic Committee expressed confidence this
week that some fans would be allowed at the rescheduled Olympics in July. The sports world
remains a utopia of optimism and tunnel vision.
Of course, hope means nothing to this coronavirus. It can be defeated only by science, and for
now, the best defense is diligence about wearing masks social distancing and following health
protocols. Sports have set a decent example. But as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said
recently, “Ninety percent [compliance] is not good enough in this environment.” And it’s a tall
order to ask large groups of people to grade out better than 90 percent at anything.
It was a worthwhile reset for most major sports to take a break from mid-March to late July.
They learned plenty about the virus, and time helped the NBA, WNBA and NHL develop bubble
concepts to complete their seasons. Other enterprises figured out some best practices, too.
But since then, you’ve seen the problems with waiting. The nation has neither developed a
uniform strategy nor agreed to adhere to the simplest measures to protect each other. Now, the
virus is out of control.
For leagues determined to play, it seems best not to delay. In hindsight, the Big Ten and Pac-12
should’ve tried to stay on schedule instead of initially opting to delay until the new year, only to
change their minds to keep up with their peers. Now, they’re late to the party and experiencing
the same issues as programs that started in September. The difference is, they’re at a
competitive disadvantage trying to cram in their seasons before the scheduled start of the
College Football Playoff.
Consider what the NBA is doing, rushing back to play by Christmas after just finishing a season
that lasted into October. Why not wait and hold out hope for a vaccine? The NBA pondered that
approach, but it wasn’t a television ratings hit to stage a summer playoff that spilled into the start
of the NFL season. With the Olympics looming next summer, the NBA is motivated get back to a
more traditional timeline.
And the league would rather be desperate in the moment than desperate down the road. Again,
it’s understandable. But if this period winds up being pandemic hell, how do you play three
basketball games a week, without a bubble, and prevent the season from becoming a nightmare
of positive cases and postponements?
In introducing the bubble concept, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in June, “My ultimate
conclusion is that we can’t outrun the virus, and that this is what we’re going to be living with for
the foreseeable future.” So he created a force field. And it worked. But it would be imprudent (if
not impossible) to stage an entire 72-game regular season and playoffs in that environment.
Instead, the NBA will do the exact thing that has left every other sport and league, well,
troubled. It will ask players, coaches and team personnel to be extraordinarily disciplined, and
they will do their best, and the cases will persist.
Even though we’re used to this by now, it’s never going to feel normal. Or right. Or safe and
manageable. It just isn’t. And while die-hard sports fans are relieved to have their games, this
reality does inhibit some of the joy of watching.
14It seems most have compartmentalized the moral dilemma. But it’s a queasy kind of fun, isn’t it?
Just not queasy enough to want it to end.
Everyone is shaken, but not deterred.
Everyone is troubled.
15College Football Limps Toward the Pandemic
Season’s Conclusion
Wall Street Journal –– 11/11/20
By Laine Higgins
Louisiana State’s biggest football game each year is against Alabama, its Southeastern
Conference neighbor. With this year’s game approaching on Saturday, however, the defending
national champion Tigers didn’t look fit to play. Pandemic-season protocols and an outbreak
following a Halloween party had left LSU with just one scholarship quarterback and zero tight
ends or long snappers.
So on Tuesday, the game was canceled. It was the latest victim of the war of attrition that the
coronavirus has waged on college football, where dwindling rosters and coaches exiled by their
positive test results have become commonplace. As the season enters what should be its home
stretch, the disruptions are reaching a zenith.
Things look particularly bad in the SEC. On Monday alone, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman tested
positive; No. 5 Texas A&M paused workouts after finding two cases; Mississippi State fell below
the threshold of available scholarship players needed to play and postponed its game against
Auburn until Dec. 12; and LSU announced its coronavirus cluster.
More chaos followed on Tuesday, one of three weekdays that conference conducts midweek
coronavirus tests. Auburn found 12 cases within its program and halted practices and Texas
A&M postponed its game against Tennessee to Dec. 12. LSU also called off its game against
the Crimson Tide.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz admitted that his team was also having issues with Covid-19, and
by Wednesday their game against Georgia had been postponed. All told, four of the SEC’s
seven games this weekend are off.
Coronavirus has forced the SEC to call audibles before—last month the league rescheduled six
games involving seven teams following an outbreak of 37 cases at Florida, including coach Dan
Mullen, that sidelined the No. 6 Gators for nearly two weeks. Commissioner Greg Sankey had
built extra bye weeks into the modified 10-game schedule to allow for such changes on the fly.
But LSU’s predicament brought the flexible slate to its breaking point, mainly because the Tigers
already filled their open date on Dec. 12 with Florida. There simply aren’t enough Saturdays left
to schedule Alabama, which could put the series on hiatus for the first time since 1963. The
SEC stopped just short of declaring the game “no contest,” saying instead that “the opportunity
to reschedule the Alabama at LSU game will need to be evaluated.”
“While it is unfortunate to have multiple postponements in the same week, we began the season
with the understanding interruptions to the schedule were possible,” said Sankey on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Maryland canceled its game against No. 2 Ohio State and paused workouts
indefinitely due to “an elevated number of COVID-19 cases within the Terrapins program.” The
16university did not say how many athletes tested positive this week, though Maryland has
recorded 10 positive cases among all sports since Sept. 30.
The schedule is slowly disintegrating on the West Coast as well, albeit for entirely different
reasons. Two of the six games on the Pac-12’s opening weekend were declared no contest and
two more this Saturday are in jeopardy.
Among the major conferences, the Pac-12 arguably has the most rigorous testing protocol in
place with daily antigen testing supplied by Quidel Corp. However, there are as many directives
for contact tracing as there are Pac-12 universities. That’s why one football player testing
positive at California triggered the cancellation of the Bears’ Nov. 7 season opener against
Washington, while Stanford, located about 50 miles away, still played Oregon even though
starting quarterback Davis Mills and two others were out due to “Covid-19 protocols.”
Stanford had to move its training camp from university facilities to Woodside High School in
nearby San Mateo County, where restrictions on large gatherings are looser than in Santa Clara
County, where Palo Alto is located. The city of Berkeley, home to Cal, handles contact tracing
for the football team and requires that all close contacts must isolate for 14 days following their
exposure regardless of whether they receive multiple, consecutive negative test results. Coach
Justin Wilcox didn’t realize that one positive result would send his entire defensive line into
quarantine.
“We all know that there’s a high number of positive tests and a risk for the community and
spread within our team,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “What we’re having a hard time
understanding is the process that led us to this point.”
It’s unclear whether Cal will be ready for this weekend’s game against Arizona State, though
Wilcox insists he is planning to play.
Utah did not play last week after having fewer than 53 scholarship players available and could
face a similar predicament this weekend. The Pac-12 shifted their game against UCLA from
Friday to Saturday evening and Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said his team had no new cases
over the weekend. Still, UCLA coach Chip Kelly isn’t certain his team will have a game to play
come Saturday.
“This is really an hour to hour thing. That’s just this disease,” he said of Covid-19 on Monday.
His hesitation stems in part from how he spent his September and October: “Just a few short
weeks ago we didn’t even know if we were going to have a season.”
17Why are there so many late afternoon NFL games this
Sunday? Chalk it up to the Masters in November.
Chicago Tribune –– 11/12/20
By Phil Rosenthal
Augusta National’s autumnal Masters this week will lead to an NFL Sunday like no other from a
TV standpoint.
Plan on “Brunch with Bryson” and lots of late afternoon football.
(We’re just guessing U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau will be in contention for the
green jacket, and the alliteration worked. Could also be “Doughnuts with Dustin,” “Toast with
Tiger,” “Rashers with Rory” or “Java with Jon, Jordan and Justin.” You get the idea.)
Don’t be surprised if “60 Minutes” and the rest of the CBS prime-time lineup of “NCIS: Los
Angeles,” “NCIS: New Orleans” and “NCIS” start late. Set your DVR accordingly.
Let’s see if we can answer your questions in the meantime.
How many late afternoon NFL games will there be?
Six — three on CBS at 3:05 p.m. CST and three on Fox at 3:25.
That’s a lot?
It’s unusual for there to be more late afternoon games than noon starts, and there are only five
early games, all on Fox.
Why does that matter to me?
It might not. Fox still will carry two games and CBS one in your local market.
If you have the NFL Sunday Ticket or RedZone packages, the day’s rhythm might feel different.
Fantasy football players might sense the shift more acutely. It will affect the flow of statistics, as
more numbers will come in later.
When is the final round of the Masters on TV?
It’s slotted for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Chicago’s CBS-2. If the golf goes longer, there’s an hour
cushion until the network’s NFL games start.
Weather delays could cause problems, obviously, but the forecast as of midweek suggests that
won’t be an issue.
Why is this happening, again?
You know why. It’s 2020. The Masters moved from April to November because of the pandemic.
COVID-19 precautions are also the reason there will be no spectators.
Which game will be carried on CBS-2?
18The Buffalo Bills (7-2) at the Arizona Cardinals (5-3) is set for 3:05 p.m. Ian Eagle and Charles
Davis will be on the call with reporter Evan Washburn.
Wait, if Jim Nantz is working the Masters, which CBS NFL game will Tony Romo work this
weekend and with whom?
None and no one. Romo, the highest-paid NFL analyst in history, is getting a bye week.
Which games will air on Fox-32?
Fox-32 is treating the Chicago market to the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) at the Green Bay
Packers (6-2) at noon with Chris Myers, Greg Jennings, Brock Huard and reporter Jennifer
Hale.
More than half of the country is getting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) at the Carolina
Panthers (3-6), but who doesn’t want to see the 1-7 Jaguars? Blame it on area Packers fans.
The late Fox game locally will be the San Francisco 49ers (4-5) visiting the New Orleans Saints
(6-2). It will be great to hear new Bulls announcer Adam Amin on play-by-play (joined by Mark
Schlereth and Lindsay Czarniak), but the Seattle Seahawks (6-2) at the Los Angeles Rams (5-
3) might be a better game.
Who has the Bears and when?
Don’t worry about it. The Chicago Bears play host to the Minnesota Vikings on ESPN’s “Monday
Night Football” at 7:15 p.m. In the Chicago market, it also will be on WCIU-26.
So, just to be thorough, which games are at noon Sunday on Fox?
Besides Jaguars-Packers and Bucs-Panthers, there’s the Houston Texans (2-6) at the
Cleveland Browns (5-3), Washington (2-6) at the Detroit Lions (3-5) and the Philadelphia Eagles
(3-4-1) at the New York Giants (2-7).
What about at 3:05 p.m. on CBS?
In addition to Bills-Cardinals, CBS has the Denver Broncos (3-5) at the Las Vegas Raiders (5-3)
and the Los Angeles Chargers (2-6) at the Miami Dolphins (5-3).
And the 3:25 p.m. Fox games?
There’s the Cincinnati Bengals (2-5-1) at the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-0) in addition to 49ers-
Saints and Seahawks-Raiders.
‘Rashers with Rory’? Really?
Hey, they can’t all be gems. Just roll with it. Stock up on snacks and beverages, get comfy and
settle in for a long day in front of the TV.
19Tagovailoa versus Herbert looks like a classic in the
making for years to come
Miami Herald –– 11/11/20
By Armando Salguero
First it was Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert.
Then it was Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert.
On Sunday it will be Tua Tagovailoa versus Just Herbert.
That’s the way it’s been since the 2019 college football season when it became clear the Miami
Dolphins would evaluate two of the most talented quarterbacks entering the 2020 NFL draft.
The Dolphins knew they’d have to evaluate both, pick one, then ultimately watch their choice
compete against the guy they didn’t select.
So these two quarterbacks on opposite ends of the country are bonded in a very obvious way
now. And that’s how it will continue for a long time because fate, fans and the media will see to
it these quarterbacks will often be mentioned together.
“I think that’s just something that’s going to have to be dealt with in the media,” Tagovailoa said
Wednesday. “I have no animosity towards Justin Herbert and for me, it’s not even a competition
between me and him. It’s a competition for myself to go out and see what I can do to help our
team be successful against their defense.
“And I’m pretty sure it’s the same for Justin as well. But yeah, that’s kind of my thought with all
of that.”
That’s fine. But the rest of the world will compare Tagovailoa’s development to Herbert’s.
Compare the two quarterbacks’ statistics.
Compare their Super Bowl wins or the lack thereof.
There’s no denying it’s going to happen because it’s been happening forever. Just ask Dolphins
great Dan Marino because he, John Elway, Jim Kelly and the other quarterbacks from that
amazing 1983 draft class, spent their careers being compared to other classmates they both
befriended and competed against.
The same thing happened to the quarterbacks of the 2004 draft because for a long time Eli
Manning and Phillip Rivers were tied together by that epic trade while Ben Roethlisberger came
up behind and did some amazing things of his own.
All this comparison and rivalry applies for better or worse.
20Because for every Marino and Elway Hall of Fame induction, there has also been the Andrew
Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill type of results.
You know the ones: Where Luck goes into a surprising early retirement, Griffin III becomes a
perennial backup, Tannehill rides a roller coaster career, and the best quarterback of the class
ends up being the guy selected in the third round -- Russell Wilson.
So fair or not, like it or not, quarterback comparisons are a thing.
And that’s where Tagovailoa, selected No. 5 overall in the 2020 draft, and Herbert, selected No.
6 overall, step into the spotlight.
On Sunday their teams will play as the Dolphins host the Los Angeles Chargers. And for the
next whatever-number-of-years these two play professional football, one will be measured
against the other.
(Yes, Joe Burrow, too but he and the Cincinnati Bengals will be busy elsewhere on Sunday).
“I think you always look at the quarterback matchup as one of those keys to victories,” Herbert
said Wednesday. “But overall, I think it’s more important how the offense and defense play. And
so I think it’s the bigger picture that’s more important.
“Personally, I just look at it as a matchup each week. I worry about the team we’re playing. It’s
always great to keep up with those guys, but I think it’s more important to beat the guys you’re
playing against -- whether it’s the Raiders or it’s the Broncos, that’s the matchup you’re looking
forward to.”
Neither Herbert nor Tagovailoa is saying anything remotely suggestive that any rivalry exists
between them. That’s a savvy veteran thing to do during game week.
And it’s fitting because both have launched their careers playing pretty much like veterans.
Herbert has turned heads in his seven games. He’s third in the NFL, averaging 306.6 yards per
game. His passer rating of 104.7 ranks him ninth in the league.
And although he really hasn’t had a stinker game yet, his first two outings in which he threw two
touchdowns and two interceptions combined were probably his least impressive.
He’s thrown 15 touchdowns and three interceptions in the last five games.
“He’s a very good player,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “He’s talented, big arm, athletic. He
was very smart in the meetings when we spent time with him, so that’s not surprising. It’s not
surprising at all that he’s having success.”
Tagovailoa sat all of September and October so he has only two starts to his credit. But his first
two games were actually better than Herbert’s first two outings on a couple of fronts.
Tagovailoa has three touchdowns passes without an interception. His only turnover was a
fumble against the Los Angeles Rams. Tagovailoa’s passer rating is 103.8. And there was
obvious growth from the first game to the second, suggesting significant improvement is being
made.
21“Yeah, start one to start two, I would say we were able to push the ball downfield a lot more,”
Tagovailoa said. “We were able to get into a groove offensively with the pass game as well as
the run game, but I think there’s just continuations of what you can improve on and I think that’s
the best thing and that’s the best way to go about it.
“If you feel like there’s nothing else you can improve on, then that’s not good.”
Both players are working on their craft. Both are trying to develop because neither is a finished
product.
But based on how well both have begun their careers, it would be awesome if these guys
become the next generation’s version of Tom Brady and Drew Brees. And, yes, throw in Burrow
as Peyton Manning, too.
“They are both very good quarterbacks,” Flores said. “Both smart, both (have) good leadership
qualities, intangibles. They both have good arms, both are accurate. Obviously two good
players.”
That’s all true, but let’s not lose sight of the fact, the Dolphins preferred Tagovailoa. They
obviously had a choice of the two players and believed Tagovailoa would be a better fit and a
better player for them.
The Dolphins arguably did as much pre-draft work on Herbert as they did on Tagovailoa but the
idea that he was not Miami’s choice doesn’t seem to bother Herbert. At least he doesn’t let on
that it does.
“There were a lot of meetings so I wish I remembered more of what really happened but it was
such a blur over a couple of weeks so I did my best, but I’m focused on this week of practice,”
Herbert said.
“I didn’t really have any control over the situation so I didn’t get too much involved with the draft
process. So I was kind of away from that.”
While Herbert stays away from the draft issue as best he can, Tagovailoa freely discusses the
biggest issue which haunted him through the draft process -- his November 2019 hip injury and
the ensuing questions about his recovery and future durability.
It’s been almost one year since that injury which changed Tagovailoa forever.
“Oh, man. I don’t know if I’ll ever be my old self because when something dramatic like that
happens – it’s just a continuous process I think for me,” Tagovailoa said “Just continuing to
focus on what I need to do to continue to strengthen the muscles around my hip and so forth
and just continue to stay on rehab.
“It’s been a journey. It’s just been a journey just looking back at that whole process. Literally
almost a year from now, we’re making a decision to decide if I was going to be able to play
again or not. I’m just blessed to be here.”
22It should be noted Tagovailoa and Herbert haven’t been able to really develop a significant
relationship. They spoke only briefly at the February NFL Combine and one imagines they’ll
meet up again on Sunday for a couple of minutes.
“A little bit,” Herbert said. “We weren’t in the same group so we didn’t get a chance to get
together at the combine but I did say hello and we got a chance to talk to him a little bit.
“Tua’s been a really great guy to watch. He’s been fun to watch. He’s had so much success
over the past couple of years that it’s been great to watch him and all the things he’s done.
Really looking forward to playing against him this week and saying, ‘Hi.’”
Watching both players on the same NFL field for the first time and comparing how they perform
should be fascinating. They should probably get comfortable with the idea of being mentioned in
the same paragraph.
Because it’s going to be that way for a long time.
23Arizona Cardinals are NFL contenders because of
quarterback Kyler Murray
AZ Republic –– 11/11/20
By Jeremy Cluff
A lot of people expected Kyler Murray to be have a good second season with the Arizona
Cardinals.
Just not this good.
The quarterback is turning heads with his performances each week, earning a lot of praise in
the process.
The quarterback has rushed for 543 yards on the season on just 76 attempts (7.1 yards per
carry), ranking eighth among all NFL players in rushing yards.
His eight rushing touchdowns tie him for third in rushing touchdowns in the league.
As for passing the ball, Murray's 2,130 yards rank 12th in the league. He has completed 68.1%
of his throws, which ranks ninth in the league.
His 16 touchdown passes tie him for 11th in the league.
Touchdown Wire's Mark Schofield recently wrote about how the Cardinals are contenders this
season because of Murray's growth.
He wrote: "Just like the Los Angeles Rams, the Arizona Cardinals saw a chance at a win
dashed by the Miami Dolphins. While the Rams got blown out, the Cardinals played a bit more
conservative down the stretch than their fans might have liked, leading to a three-point loss
when a last-minute field goal was missed. In the loss, however, quarterback Kyler Murray
dazzled. He accounted for over 300 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, and did not
throw an interception. He has shown growth this season – aided in part by the acquisition of
DeAndre Hopkins – and the Cardinals are closing in on a winning record for the first time since
2015. But are they contenders? Verdict: Contenders That’s right, out of the two NFC West
teams we are going to look at, I’m buying the Cardinals and not the Rams. Vance Joseph – prior
to this past Sunday – has been one of the more forward thinkers this season in terms of
scheming up defensive designs. It was surprising that he did not force a mistake or two from
Tua Tagovailoa, but that might tell us more about the rookie quarterback than the Cardinals
defense. What works in Arizona’s favor, beyond the growth from Murray, is the schedule. The
Rams have to play Seattle twice, while Arizona has already beaten the Cardinals. That could
play a role. Then there is this: The ability of Murray to change games with his legs is an X-
Factor that defenses cannot gameplan for. If you spy him, or if you try a scrape-exchange to
stop some of their option looks, he will find a way to beat you. That is going to give them an
edge that the Rams cannot put on the field."
Schofield isn't the only writer to rave about Murray's performance this season.
24Touchdown Wire's Doug Farrar recently wrote that Murray was a secret superstar in the NFL.
He wrote: "It can be said that Murray did everything he possibly could to put his Cardinals ahead
of the Dolphins in what became a 34-31 loss — it’s just that Tua Tagovailoa did a little bit more,
especially as the game got real near the end. Still, that wasn’t Murray’s fault. In fact, he became
the first quarterback in NFL history to throw more than 25 times in a game, complete more than
80% of his passes, have a quarterback rating of more than 150… and lose the game. That’s
also another big “L” for the KORTERBACK WINZ crowd, but we digress. In any event, Murray is
playing as well as can be expected; the only issue he has right now is that he can’t also play
defense. Murray and the Cardinals have another formidable AFC East test this Sunday against
the Bills."
Pro Football Talk's Chris Simms raved about Murray this week.
"Kyler is amazing," Simms said. "He is such a game-changer, a phenomenal talent. His skill set
alone makes defenses have to do things they don't want to do. That's the beauty of him. And
he is crazy competitive. I'll share this, he did an interview with my father (former New York
Giants quarterback Phil Simms) last week and somehow they got on to talking about ping pong
and Kyler said 'I'll take you down', right away. It's all I ever hear about the guy. Who wins in a
race, Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray? If it's 50 yards or longer, I think I'd take Jackson, but 50
yards or shorter, I'd take Murray."
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said there's never been a quarterback like Murray.
"He strikes fear into every defender; you have to constantly be aware," Florio said. "Think of the
stress; you have to worry about this guy that no-one can catch deciding to run. Good luck trying
to stop him. It's uncanny. Usually what happens is, you bring this great skillset from the college
level and you get smacked down onto the ground because you can't run away from the guys
like you used to - they're all fast enough to get you in the NFL. Murray is that 'once in a
generation' guy. Speed, agility and, most importantly, awareness. There has never been a
quarterback like him. Michael Vick had the speed and agility, not the awareness; Lamar
Jackson has the speed and agility, not the awareness. He is so much fun to watch."
ESPN's Ryan Clark created a bit of a stir Wednesday when he said he'd pick Kyler Murray over
Lamar Jackson.
"If Kyler Murray, right now, was the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens, we'd have much more
confidence in them to win the Super Bowl."
Fansided's Leigh Oleszczak wrote that Murray is a dark horse candidate for MVP with his
insane numbers.
She wrote: "He’s rushed for more yards than guys like Kareem Hunt, Alvin Kamara, and Aaron
Jones through the first nine weeks of the season. While that could obviously change, a
quarterback having more rushing yards than three of the best running backs in the league is
telling of how good of a runner Murray is. While Murray isn’t in the MVP conversation, he could
most definitely be a dark horse candidate there for what he’s been able to do this year.
Finishing the season with 1,000 rushing yards is a real possibility for Murray and he’s already
thrown for 2,130 yards and 16 touchdowns. He’s a budding young star and the Arizona
Cardinals are going to be competitive for a long time because of that."
25For Washington Football Team QB Alex Smith, return
to lineup just another comeback
ESPN –– 11/12/20
By John Keim
ASHBURN, Va. -- During a videoconference with military veterans at Walter Reed Medical
Center on Tuesday, Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith revealed the mindset
during his recovery that also has shaped his pro career.
"Try to be as positive as possible," he told the assembled viewers. "We all have our dark
days. ... It's tough. Everybody knows some days are great and some days are really, really
tough and frustrating."
That also describes his career in the NFL. Since entering the league in 2005 as the No. 1
overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers, Smith has been cast aside, counted out and survived.
He has been labeled a bust, made the Pro Bowl, been traded twice, injured several times and
viewed as an inspiration.
Now he'll make his first start Sunday at the Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox) since the worst day of
his career: Nov. 18, 2018, when he broke the fibula and tibia in his right leg.
It's the toughest thing he has had to overcome -- by far -- but not the only obstacle.
While some players have a linear path to success, Smith's has looked more like a river on a
road map -- meandering here and there but always flowing forward.
Here's how all of that has unfolded in his career:
The early years
Smith struggled for most of his first three seasons with the 49ers, with flashes of promise his
second year -- his one season under offensive coordinator Norv Turner. As a rookie, Smith did
not win the starting job out of training camp but took over in Week 5. A week later he suffered a
knee injury against Washington. By the season's end, he played in nine games but threw one
touchdown to 11 interceptions.
After a better sophomore season -- 16 touchdowns, 16 interceptions -- injuries and poor play
were again the story. His first three seasons looked like this statistically: 30 starts, 19
touchdowns, 31 interceptions. His total QBR of 35.4 was the worst among quarterbacks with at
least 30 games played between 2005 and 2007.
It was not a good start. Smith was on his way toward wearing the bust label.
Shoulder injury
Smith's fortunes did not improve in 2008, when he injured his surgically repaired shoulder and
missed the season. Then, in 2009, journeyman Shaun Hill beat him for the starting job. But
Smith reemerged and started the final 10 games, playing the best ball of his young career -- 18
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