An article, “Why the NFL finally pulled plug on the Pro-Bowl”, by Gesi Lloyd, who is a reporter for Rolling Out…

“NFL executive vice-president Peter O’Reilly said all-star games across professional sports have struggled to represent the best players in their respective leagues for years, largely because healthy players have little incentive to risk getting hurt in a game with no real stakes. The league shifted from a traditional tackle football Pro Bowl to a flag football format four years ago,, but O’Reilly said the deeper issue was always that too much focus landed on the game itself rather than the honor of being selected.”

Makes perfect sense to me.

Edited August 28Aug 28 by sensei8

The Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC have banned NFL players from returning to play college in their conferences. A recent court ruling allowed it legally, then over a dozen NFL rookies attempted to return to college to play under the new 5th year eligibility rules. The NFL also announced that any player already on a roster who leaves to play in college, will be unable to rejoin the NFL during the 2026 season. I guess there is more money in being a starter on a college team than sitting on the bench in the NFL. Call me old fashioned, but I thought college was supposed to be about education, not paying athletes. Maybe I have become the "things were better back in my day," type.

The NFL has announced at multiyear partnership with Fanatics sports gambling. Fanatics is known for their sports memorabilia, clothing and collectables but jumped into the sports betting business a few years ago. The NFL also renewed their partnerships with DraftKings and FanDuel, making the NFL partners with three gambling outlets for the next several years. Prior to the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, the NFL had publicly stated they had concerns about how legalized sports betting could hurt the integrity of the game. The league seems to have changed their tune now that there is so much extra money to be made from gambling.

Packers RB Josh Jacobs could be facing a suspension and miss the first game of the season. Jacobs has been charged with domestic violence, and according to the prosecution there is a video of the alleged crime. Jacobs was arrested in May and was looking at felony charges of strangulation and suffocation, with misdemeanor charges of battery and property damage, but right now he is only facing the misdemeanor charge. If there is a video that surfaces of him assaulting his girlfriend, it will for sure lead to a suspension. He is currently on the commissioner's exempt list, which means his is not allowed to practice. He is also dealing with a groin injury, which could limit his playing ability even if he is eligible to return for week one.

Rumors flying about JJ McCarthy being on the trade block after the Vikings announced Kyler Murray won the starting job. McCarthy is 23 and did not play his rookie year (2024) due to injury. Last season he played in 10 games and was mediocre. The Vikings went 6-4 in those games. He was the #10 overall pick in 2024, and the Vikings let Sam Darnold go thinking JJ was the future. Unfortunately for Minnesota, JJ has not worked out, and Sam Darnold just won the Super Bowl in Seattle. A turn of events that is a major setback for the franchise, unless Murray can come in and save the day. If McC gets traded it would mean Carson Wentz would move into the backup role. JJ suffered an ankle injury in the preseason, possibly complicating a potential trade.

Fear and chaos took place after a gunshot was heard at a high school football game in Pennsylvania. A 17-year-old was taken into custody. Thankfully nobody was injured.

We are about a week and a half away from the regular season starting, which will happen on Wednesday, September 9, when the Patriots visit the Seahawks. While starting the season on a Wednesday is odd, it is not unprecedented. In the 2012 season the NY Giants hosted the Cowboys on a Wednesday night to open the year. This was because of a TV schedule conflict regarding the 2012 presidential election which was to air on Thursday night and the NFL wanted to keep the modern-day tradition of the defending champions opening the season at home prior to Sunday.

Edited August 31Aug 31 by KarateKen