SEATTLE — Despite what the Hall of Fame voters might say, the top coach in NFL history was the one who led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles since the turn of the century.

Yes, Bill Belichick had the game's greatest quarterback in Tom Brady at his disposal, but he regularly molded new personnel into championship-winning — or at least ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Luke Kuechly’s superpower throughout his Pro Football Hall of Fame career was his preparation — his uncanny ability to know what would happen before it does, to see the game in a way no one else could.

But the Carolina Panthers legend admits there’s something he isn’t exactly ready for over the next few months:

He�...Read more

DENVER— Ben DiNucci still pities Stiddy. The former Broncos quarterback swears Sean Payton had a good game plan for the Patriots. The coach just didn’t really have one for Mother Nature.

“I think if the weather was just the same as the first half in the second half, I think we would’ve won that game,” DiNucci, the Broncos’ No. 3 ...Read more

BOSTON — The New England Patriots have named Zak Kuhr their new defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to the Boston Herald.

Kuhr, 37, takes over after serving as the team’s interim defensive coordinator this past season in place of Terrell Williams, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer after Week 1. Though Williams is now cancer-free,...Read more

CHICAGO — After a dramatic turnaround and the franchise’s first playoff win in 15 years, the Chicago Bears are raising season ticket prices by an average of 13.5% in 2026. Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren announced the increase in a letter to season ticket holders Tuesday.

The increase comes after the Bears raised prices by an average ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — There will be a 13th NFL season for the Bucs’ No. 13.

Mike Evans plans to play in 2026 and will explore all options in free agency, according to his agent, Deryk Gilmore.

“Yes, that’s correct, he’s opening it up,” Gilmore said Tuesday of Evans’ pending free agency. “That he will play next season with someone. It ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Say this for Klint Kubiak: He sure is making things easier on Fernando Mendoza.

Should the Raiders select the Indiana quarterback with the first overall pick in the NFL draft come April, he won’t lack for coaching and development.

Mike McCoy was hired as the Raiders’ assistant head coach and it’s probably a better position ...Read more

Start waving goodbye. Anyone can go. The new season began Monday for the Miami Dolphins’ new regime with the release of Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb, two names bigger than the decision to let them go.

Hill gave two great years in his four with the Dolphins, but was on the chopping block with a bloated 2026 price even before his nasty knee ...Read more

SEATTLE — Not sure Lao Tzu ever thought he'd make it to The Seattle Times sports cover, but here goes.

It was the ancient Chinese philosopher who ranked the four types of leaders from worst to best. 4. The one who is despised. 3. The one who is feared. 2. The one who is loved. 1. The one people are hardly aware exists.

Seahawks owner Jody ...Read more

NEW YORK — New York Giants GM Joe Schoen basically is relegated to running the franchise’s scouting staff and department in John Harbaugh’s new organizational structure, the New York Daily News has been told.

The rest of the building now reports to Dawn Aponte, the team’s new senior VP of football operations and strategy, and Aponte ...Read more

MIAMI — Miami Dolphins fans who thought the new regime might come in with a tinker and a tweak learned otherwise with a sudden jolt on Monday. This is going to be a full-on roster upheaval led by new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley — a complete franchise reset.

And the rebuild has begun.

Good. About time. The ...Read more

NEW YORK — Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. was assaulted by a group of men in a New York hotel early Monday, according to police.

Hickman, 24, who hails from South Orange, N.J., was attacked by four men just before 4:30 a.m. in the lobby of the SIXTY LES hotel on the Lower East Side.

Just before the assault, both sides argued but ...Read more

MIAMI — One of the most productive wide receivers in Miami Dolphins history will have to find work elsewhere in 2026.

The Dolphins will release star wideout Tyreek Hill, a source confirmed to the Miami Herald Monday morning, bringing to end a tumultuous four-year tenure in South Florida. Hill, who turns 32 in March, has been in recovery from ...Read more

MIAMI — Bradley Chubb won’t return to the Miami Dolphins come 2026.

First reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the franchise released the star edge rusher on Monday, bringing to end a three-year stint in Miami that saw Chubb suffer a gruesome knee injury only to return two seasons later and be one of the team’s most valued voices in ...Read more

DENVER — Time to tell the truth: It’s not about health.

The Denver Nuggets somehow, someway, boast a 35-20 record at the All-Star break. Despite a training room that triggers claustrophobia. Despite missing three-time MVP Nikola Jokic for four weeks. Despite Aaron Gordon playing in 23 games. Despite Christian Braun and Cam Johnson being ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Three coordinators down, none to go.

Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak has reportedly made two more major decisions about his staff.

Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, will become the Raiders’ offensive coordinator.

Janocko, 37, worked with Kubiak with the New Orleans Saints and ...Read more

SEATTLE — While Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald indicated he would strongly favor continuity in replacing Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator, he ultimately decided to go outside the organization, reportedly hiring San Francisco 49ers run game coordinator and tight ends coach Brian Fleury as Seattle’s new OC.

Fleury’s expected hire was ...Read more

MIAMI — Tua Tagovailoa is neither a villain, nor a victim in this impending, expected breakup with the Miami Dolphins.

Therefore, Tagovailoa’s not deserving of hatred, or pity for what’s to come, which supposedly hasn’t been decided according to a chat the new regime had with season-ticket holders Thursday night.

“Tua has been a ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In 2014, after one season as the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach, Chip Kelly decided he’d had enough of DeSean Jackson, who’d been kind of a headache. Jeffrey Lurie had given Kelly power over the roster, and Kelly cut Jackson.

Jackson proceeded to lead the NFL in yards per catch in three of the next five seasons, two of ...Read more

SEATTLE — Mike Macdonald calls them “walk and talks.”

Every third Thursday, the Seattle Seahawks coach pairs unlikely teammates together, presents a prompt and lets them learn about each other. To take talent and add togetherness. To create bonds that can’t be bought or faked or broken, that settle into steel.

Super Bowl week was no ...Read more