American Football Thread (NFL, NCAA)

Only ever get into American Football around SuperBowl time. Who's favorites to win it this year?

 

Throw then

 

OJ was acquitted , and Ray lewis actually just got a plea deal in exchange for saying his friends did it

 

AP Source: Reid, Chiefs nearing deal to be coach
By DAVE SKRETTA (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 14 hours ago

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs should be quite familiar by now.
The two sides spent much of Thursday in negotiations for Reid to become the Chiefs' coach, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the situation.
The discussions followed nine hours of talks Wednesday that went well enough that Reid canceled plans to interview for other openings, the person told the AP. It was unclear which details were preventing the two sides from reaching an agreement.
The Philadelphia Eagles fired Reid after 14 seasons on Monday, the same day the Chiefs parted ways with coach Romeo Crennel after the worst season in franchise history.
The search for Crennel's replacement has been led by Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, who intends to take on more responsibility in the day-to-day operation of the franchise. Also on hand was team president Mark Donovan, who has a connection to Reid after spending six seasons as the Eagles' senior vice president of business operations.
Reid had been linked to the opening in Arizona before the Chiefs put on the press.
The Cardinals now intend to interview former Chiefs coach Todd Haley, a person familiar with their plans told the AP. Haley led the Chiefs to the AFC West title in 2010, but was fired in December 2011 and spent this past season as the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh.
Hunt told the AP in an interview Monday that he would have final say on the next Chiefs coach, rather than embattled general manager Scott Pioli. Hunt has not said whether Pioli will be back next season, but indicated that his future could be determined by the next coach.
Various reports have indicated that Reid would be open to working with Pioli, while other reports have said he would prefer to build his own front office. If Pioli is not retained, the top candidates to replace him include former Browns GM Tom Heckert and John Dorsey, who has been integral in building the Green Bay Packers into a perennial contender.
The opening in Kansas City is attractive on several levels: The Chiefs had five Pro Bowl players and two others chosen as alternates, despite their 2-14 record, and they have the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft for the first time in franchise history.
That selection could help the Chiefs fill a gaping void at quarterback.
Matt Cassel was benched midway through the season and Brady Quinn, who was playing on a one-year deal, struggled as his replacement. Reid has had success at developing quarterbacks in the past, working with Donovan McNabb - whom he helped draft with the No. 2 pick - during his time in Philadelphia and Brett Favre earlier in his career in Green Bay.
''What I am confident in is we'll have dramatically better play from the quarterback position in 2013,'' Hunt said. ''I don't know whether it'll be the ultimate, long-term solution or not. We'll just have to see how it plays out.''
Hunt refused to get into the details of his coaching search, a responsibility that he'd delegated to the general manager in the past. But Hunt did say that he had surrounded himself with the right ''resources'' to make a thorough, informed hiring.
The new coach will also report directly to Hunt, a departure from the previous 53 years of franchise history. The coach is also expected to have more say over personnel matters.
When asked to describe his ideal candidate, Hunt said: ''Somebody who has demonstrated the ability to build a successful program, or been part of building a successful program. Somebody of high integrity, somebody who is a successful teacher and communicator. Somebody who has a high football IQ, but at the same time likes to roll up their sleeves and work hard.''
Reid appears to fit most of those qualifications.
The Eagles were just 12-20 the past two seasons, but Reid's overall record of 130-93-1 represents the most wins in franchise history. The franchise was just 3-13 the year before he arrived, and two years later it went to the playoffs at 11-5 and second in the NFC East.
That was the first of five straight years in which the Eagles won at least 11 games, and included a trip to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season.
''He had the love and respect of every individual in this organization,'' Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said upon firing him. ''This man is amazing to work with, smart and dedicated, and the record will speak for itself.''
The past couple of years have been difficult for Reid, whose oldest son, Garrett, died at training camp after a long battle with drug addiction. Reid fired close friend and longtime assistant Juan Castillo in October and later fired defensive line coach Jim Washburn.
Now, it appears that Reid is about to get a fresh start.
''Overall the job is still attractive,'' Hunt said of the Chiefs, who have not won a playoff game since 1993. ''The franchise remains very well respected around the league.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-sou...RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3

 

Mmmm Andy Reid in BBQ Country now that is a great fit!!

 

Good ole Rex Ryan haha

 

My friend at work is a Jets fan, the last 2 years have been bad enough for him but I still taped this above his station before he got in

 

Rex Ryan really gets to me....he had a great D in Baltimore, I reckon I could have got them ranked top 5 with my Madden knowledge.....

Seems like the power has gone to his head in New York.....even when they got to the AFC Championship games, Sanchez was poor but it was masked behind a great running game and awesome D. Even Trent Dilfer was able to make enough plays to get himself a ring...Sancheese is truly awful, I feel for whatever franchise he ends up at...I wouldn't even want him as a no 3 QB in Minnesota......

 

Watched a bit of the Fiesta Bowl last night, all the ESPN people could ask Chip Kelly at any time was whether he was off to the NFL. Ridiculous, let the man enjoy the moment for crying out loud.

 

All they could show was Klein's wife.

 

Their GM got fired yet the J e t s jets jets jets keep this clown. you deserve your fate Jets fan!:bbpd:

 

At one stage I thought Rex Ryan had the makings of a really good Head Coach. The way he managed the Jets QB situation this year was shambolic though. If he doesn't get the Jets back on track next year I think he'll be out the door.

 

Andy Reid's challenge: find Chiefs a good QB



The Kansas City Chiefs played musical chairs on Friday with Andy Reid, who reportedly agreed to become their new head coach and beat Scott Pioli to the throne as the team's top football man.
But if you peel back the intrigue of how Reid got so much power in the face of his disappointing final two seasons in Philadelphia and look at how Pioli failed in his four years in Kansas City, there is a simple thread:
Neither man had a good handle on the quarterback position at a time when the position couldn't be more important.
Andy Reid is reportedly joining the Chiefs after going 4-12 in his 14th and final season with the Eagles. (AP)
The difference is that Reid's history shows he has been willing to pull out every stop to find one. Pioli, by contrast, made a one-stop shop in his effort to find a passer.
The only significant move Pioli made in his four-year tenure with the Chiefs was to trade a second-round pick in 2009 to New England (Pioli's former team) for Matt Cassel. Pioli then stood pat year after year. He passed on guys like Josh Freeman in 2009 (the Chiefs instead took Tyson Jackson in the first round), and both Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick in 2011 (wide receiver Jon Baldwin was drafted nine picks before Dalton and Kaepernick went back-to-back in the second round).
In the 2012 draft, even as six of the top seven picks in the draft were traded and most people thought Cassel had proved his inability, Pioli again stood pat at No. 11. He took defensive lineman Dontari Poe rather than trade up for Ryan Tannehill, a guy Pioli liked and who looks like he has tremendous upside after the Dolphins took him at No. 8.
That's the main reason why Pioli is now out of work and why Miami general manager Jeff Ireland, a friend of Pioli's, is hanging on despite a similarly rough time.
If you want a recipe for how people survive in the NFL, just look at the quarterback ingredient. Reid made it 14 years in Philadelphia because he primarily had either Donovan McNabb or Michael Vick. Pioli lasted only four because he had Cassel.
The really odd part is that Pioli knew all of this going in. He had studied the Chiefs' history and knew that the team hadn't drafted a quarterback in the first round since 1983. He also came in knowing that a quarterback can change everything. Pioli's mentor, Bill Belichick, went from coaching pariah to paragon in 2001 by going with Tom Brady after Drew Bledsoe got hurt.
Now, after all those missed chances, here's the deeper problem for the Chiefs: How do they fix the most daunting position in football, if not all of sports? Despite having the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, this is considered an incredibly weak class for quarterbacks following 2012's banner crop.
[More: New college campus, football program at Colts' old stomping grounds]
Geno Smith of West Virginia scares people as a potential top pick. Matt Barkley of USC has gone from being compared to Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III a year ago to reminding people of former USC quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Matt Leinart.
The crop of potential veteran quarterbacks on the market isn't much better. There's Alex Smith in San Francisco, a guy who seemingly defines the term "game manager." Then there's Vick, who Reid just got done with in Philadelphia, so that seems to be problematic. Or maybe there's former Eagle Kevin Kolb, traded from Deebo to Arizona in 2011.
Former Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel and GM Scott Pioli. (Getty Images)
Perhaps Reid, who replaces deposed defensive-oriented coach Romeo Crennel, can swing a trade for a promising rookie, such as Nick Foles from his former team or Kirk Cousins from Washington. Those would likely be expensive transactions.
There are no simple solutions this year. There's no Luck or Griffin, no-brainer draft prospects who can be plugged in immediately. However, there are a lot of options.
Reid's history suggests that he's willing to look anywhere in search of a solution. He drafted Donovan McNabb in the first round in 1999, took Kolb in the second, was willing to sign Vick out of prison and helped develop sixth-round pick Matt Hasselbeck when he was an assistant coach in Green Bay. Former players such as A.J. Feeley and even Vick after this difficult season swear by Reid's disciplined approach to the position.
[More: Pete Carroll brings same approach to Seattle that made USC college champs]
Still, Reid is also the guy who vacillated on Vick this season, eventually keeping Foles in the job after early season problems. That disaster was created largely by a series of questionable coaching moves and failure to develop a consistent offensive line or running game.
If Reid can fix the recent issues (and Kansas City's solid offensive line and running game should be a perfect foundation for a solution), then solving the quarterback position may not be so hard.
For all of the questions about Reid (many people close to him have advised he take a year off to deal with family issues, such as the death of his son, and his health), the Chiefs may have found a guy who can solve the issue that hurts them the most.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--andy-reid-s-challenge--find-chiefs-a-good-qb-193411496.html

 

Looks like Chip Kelly is going to the Browns.

 

So if Andy Reid takes over the Chiefs, he wouldn't be mad enough to suggest signing Michael Vick again would he?

 

So... this Johnny Football kid is pretty * good.

 

Just ask Bob Stoops.:icon_mrgreen:

 

AP Source: Browns close to deal with Kelly

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Chip Kelly is closer to taking his fast-paced offense to the NFL.
A person familiar with the negotiations said the Cleveland Browns are nearing a deal with Oregon's offensive mastermind to be their next coach.
The Browns interviewed Kelly on Friday and the Ducks' coach also met with the Buffalo Bills in Arizona. Kelly has a scheduled interview with Philadelphia on Saturday. However, a person familiar with the interview said the Eagles are ''heading in another direction'' because Kelly is nearing a deal with Cleveland.
That person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team isn't discussing its negotiations publicly, said the Eagles planned to interview several other candidates regardless of any conversations with Kelly. The Eagles were granted permission Friday to interview Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and plan to meet Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy on Sunday.
ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported late Friday night that the Browns and Kelly met for seven hours - five in negotiations with a two-hour break for dinner - and agreed to talk again Saturday night. Mortensen said Kelly said still intends to meet with the Eagles some time on Saturday. The Browns are ''favored,'' Mortensen reported.
The Bills confirmed in an email they met with Kelly, but gave no indication of how long they spoke to him. The team also interviewed former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith and Syracuse's Doug Marrone.
The Browns, who made their last playoff appearance 10 years ago on Saturday, have declined to comment on any interviews during their coaching search.
Following Oregon's win over Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night, the 49-year-old Kelly said he wanted to get the interview process over ''quickly.''
He came close to jumping to the pros last year but turned down an offer from Tampa Bay to return for his fourth season as head coach at Oregon, where he is 46-7. He has boosted the school's national profile - flashy uniforms helped - with a high-powered offense capable of turning any game into a track meet.
''It's more a fact-finding mission, finding out if it fits or doesn't fit,'' Kelly said after the Ducks beat No. 7 Kansas State 35-17. ''I've been in one interview in my life for the National Football League, and that was a year ago. I don't really have any preconceived notions about it. I think that's what this deal is all about for me. It's not going to affect us in terms of we're not on the road (recruiting). I'll get an opportunity if people do call, see where they are.
''I want to get it wrapped up quickly and figure out where I'm going to be.''
Kelly has been at or near the top of the Browns' list of candidates since the team fired Pat Shurmur, who went 9-23 in two seasons. Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner have been conducting interviews in Arizona all week, searching for the team's sixth full-time coach since 1999.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton confirmed he interviewed with Cleveland earlier this week. The Browns have reportedly met with former Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt, Marrone and Penn State's Bill O'Brien, who removed himself from any consideration on Thursday night and intends to stay at the school.
The Browns might have been interested in Alabama's Nick Saban, but the 61-year-old doesn't seem to have any interest in returning to the NFL after two seasons with Miami.
Kelly doesn't have any pro coaching experience, but aspects of his up-tempo offense are already being used by some NFL teams, including New England and Washington.
Kelly wouldn't say if he was leaning one way or another following the Ducks' bowl win.
''I said I'll always listen, and that's what I'll do,'' he said. ''I know that people want to talk to me because of our players. The success of our football program has always been about our guys. It's an honor for someone to say they'd want to talk to me about maybe moving on to go coach in the National Football League. But it's because of what those guys do. I'll listen, and we'll see.''
Oregon could be facing possible NCAA sanctions for the school's use of recruiting services, but Kelly indicated he isn't running from anything.
''We've cooperated fully with them,'' he said. ''If they want to talk to us again, we'll continue to cooperate fully. I feel confident in the situation.''
Oregon's players gave Kelly a Gatorade bath as the final seconds ticked off the clock in Thursday night's game, and afterward a few of the Ducks seemed resigned to their coach moving on.
''We'll have to see,'' quarterback Marcus Mariota said. ''Whatever he decides to do, we're all behind him. He's an unbelievable coach. He's not only a football coach, but he's someone that you can look to and learn a lot of life lessons from. Whatever happens, happens. But we're all behind him.
''We'll see where it takes us.''
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/browns-set-interview-kelly-153353750--nfl.html

 

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I'm playin that. Are you in the NFLUK league?