PITTSBURGH — The unassailable right of an elite professional athlete has long been to (mostly) do whatever the heck he or she wants.

Shoes, mansions, cars ... shoot, former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas owned a shark tank. In his house. They do it because they can. The rest of the world gives them a hall pass on reality.

But what happens when ...Read more

NEW YORK — Russell Wilson visited the Giants on Friday in East Rutherford, N.J., as the Aaron Rodgers option continued to fade into murkier view.

No one can say for sure what Rodgers, 41, will choose as he deliberates on his next move between the Giants, Steelers, Vikings and retirement.

But some sources believed as of Thursday night that ...Read more

SEATTLE — The Seahawks are turning to a home-state kid made good — Yakima native and former Eastern Washington University standout Cooper Kupp — to remake their receiving corps in the wake of the departures of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Three days after being released by the Los Angeles Rams — and after hearing pitches from a handful...Read more

MIAMI — NFL free agency is an amorphous blob as teams spend what salary-cap limits will allow to try to get better (or slightly less worse) ahead of the April draft.

I’ll focus here by homing in on the Miami Dolphins’ dispiriting offseason thus far, and on the biggest remaining national storyline — the future of an incredibly available ...Read more

CHICAGO — The new pieces are in place.

The Bears spent the past week revamping the interior of their offensive line. They traded for a four-time Super Bowl champion in Joe Thuney and a former Pro Bowler in Jonah Jackson to play the two guard spots. Then they signed Drew Dalman, who was widely considered the top center on the free-agent market...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs have their next backup quarterback, and he once had a huge game against Kansas City.

The Kansas City Star has confirmed Gardner Minshew, who started nine games with the Las Vegas Raiders last season and 46 in his NFL career, has signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs

Minshew is the latest in a line of veterans ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Marcus Mariota, anyone?

That would have been scintillating. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith could pair his old quarterback with Cordarrelle Patterson and run the finest read option you've ever seen — before Mariota reportedly returned to Washington on Wednesday.

I'm almost being serious. If this pitiful Steelers ...Read more

Restrained. Responsible. Thrifty. Patient. Disciplined. Calculated. Conservative. Considered.

Who’s running the Miami Dolphins like this?

No, seriously, who?

They worked the margins of free agency this week in a borderline admirable manner considering their too-old, too-hurt, far-too-expensive roster that everything feels changed except the...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Mike Williams is running a comeback route.

A year after being released by the Chargers, the team announced Wednesday it agreed to terms with the wide receiver. Williams will return on a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, according to Fox Sports.

A first-round pick in 2017, Williams caught 309 passes for 4,806 yards in seven ...Read more

DENVER — Since Super Bowl 50, the Broncos have been staring up at the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, stamped as a team that would settle for used cars, eat leftovers, fly coach and serve as a warmup band.

Second-hand. Second-place (Or worse). They were a password. Easily forgotten.

On second thought, those days are over.

The Broncos ...Read more

SEATTLE — It’s beginning to materialize, even if there are some gaping holes.

The vision for winning for the division — and maybe more than that — is coming together, but other areas must be addressed.

This has been one of the more tumultuous and/or exciting offseasons for the Seahawks in a while depending on your perspective. Key ...Read more

Honesty is the best policy.

So the San Francisco 49ers should just come out and say it: they’re going for a dive in ’25.

Actions might speak louder than words, but setting expectations requires both.

It’s clear, though, from the Niners’ actions as the new league year begins that the team’s roster is not the only thing being reset. ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Mac Jones, four years after the 49ers bypassed him with the No. 3 overall draft pick, is finally heading to coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, a league source confirmed Wednesday night.

Jones is coming in as the No. 2 quarterback, that is, behind incumbent starter Brock Purdy, who is still awaiting what’s expected to be ...Read more

CHICAGO — At 3 p.m. sharp Wednesday, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson strode to the riser, kicking off the new NFL year by talking about some of the team’s additions.

Seated to their right were guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. The Bears traded for Thuney and Jackson, and ...Read more

SEATTLE — It was expected the Seahawks would try to add to their pass rush in free agency.

Wednesday brought news they had done just that as the Seahawks reached an agreement with longtime Dallas Cowboys edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. The news was revealed first by his agency Aura Sports Group.

Several national outlets reported that Lawrence...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles opened the new league year by retooling their running back room.

After Kenneth Gainwell agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the league year turned over Wednesday afternoon, the Eagles agreed to terms with former Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon, according to a league source.

Dillon, a second-...Read more

DENVER — Sean Payton and the Broncos have an option as an offensive “Joker.”

That’s tight end Evan Engram, who on Wednesday agreed to a two-year deal with Denver. Engram’s agency, Vayner Sports, confirmed the deal.

The agreement is worth $23 million and comes with $16.5 million guaranteed, a source with knowledge of the agreement ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — He was adored.

He was unstoppable.

He's getting cut?

For eight seasons the sound of "Coooop" filled the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium, fans embracing the humble greatness of Cooper Kupp as he ascended from anonymity to become the new Rams' first real homegrown star.

On the Rams' final drive of Super Bowl LVI against the ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers are finalizing a one-year contract with running back Kenneth Gainwell, according to a report by Fox.

Gainwell, 25, joins the Steelers backfield one day after Najee Harris agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. He joins Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson as the other running backs on the roster....Read more