Jayna Bardahl

Meet the man who became college football’s oldest linebacker — and inspired a movie Mike Flynt returned to college football at 59 years old, finally playing out his senior season 37 years removed from his last game.

In 2007, Mike Flynt set out to right a regret that had haunted him since he first was a college player. He brought national attention to Division III Sul Ross by becoming the oldest college football linebacker in NCAA history at 59 years old.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/664...

Travis Kelce explains 'frustrating' collision that resulted in Xavier Worthy injury

Travis Kelce detailed the 'frustrating' collision that sent Xavier Worthy out of the game against the Chargers.

"I just got to be better, man. I’m 13 years in the league, there’s no excuse for me running into my own guys like that.”

www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

Why wasn't Chargers DL Teair Tart ejected after hitting Travis Kelce?

Chargers Teair Tart was not ejected for this because the hit was open-handed.

But the decision is drawing plenty of attention with the NFL supposedly cracking down on unsportsmanlike actions this season.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

Worthy has now been ruled out for the rest of the game.

The Chargers lead the Chiefs 10-0 early in the second quarter. Live updates from
@theathletic.com

www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Xavier Worthy injures shoulder, leaves after Chiefs' first drive vs. Chargers

Xavier Worthy is questionable to return with a shoulder injury. He collided with Travis Kelce on the Chiefs' opening drive.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/660...

What to know about YouTube broadcast of Chiefs-Chargers game in Brazil Friday night's game will be the first NFL game streamed on YouTube, not to be confused with the paid YouTube TV streaming service.

Tonight's Chiefs-Chargers game will be free to watch on YouTube. Here's what you need to know:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

NFL contributes to turf renovation in Brazil ahead of Chiefs-Chargers game Corinthians Arena has a hybrid grass with synthetic turf sewn in and was overhauled this summer for the first time since its 2014 opening.

Last year's Brazil game drew criticism over the slick field conditions.

The NFL invested in a renovation of the turf at Corinthians Arena to increase traction ahead of tonight's matchup.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

2025 NFL average ticket prices decrease slightly; Eagles most expensive, Browns least Tickets for the defending champion Eagles are selling for an average of $475, according to StubHub. Browns tickets are averaging $158.

NFL average ticket prices for the 2025 season via StubHub

Eagles, Lions, Packers, Raiders, Bears among top five most expensive, all average over $400 a piece

www.nytimes.com/athletic/659...

Roger Goodell says Taylor Swift a ‘maybe’ for Super Bowl LX halftime show The NFL commissioner wouldn’t say whether a Swift Super Bowl appearance was in the works but didn’t deny the possibility when asked.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell may have dropped an Easter egg as to who the next Super Bowl halftime performer could be during an interview on “Today.”

“We would always love to have Taylor play.”

The NFL’s female coaching surge is here. Just look to the weight room Ten years ago, the NFL had one full-time female coach. Today, there are 15, including six who work in strength and conditioning.

Six of the NFL's 15 full-time female coaches are working in strength departments.

Who are they? And how did they find their fit in the weight room?

Big thanks to these coaches for sharing their stories with me.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/647...

Why Rome Odunze, stronger and playing ‘freely’ in Year 2, has high hopes for 2025 Just 23 and now with a year of experience, Odunze said he feels much more prepared for his second NFL season.

Rome Odunze knows what's ahead of him entering his second NFL season.

“I can now play the game freely in a way that I know where I need to be when I need to be there," he said at minicamp last week.

More on his offseason development:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/640...

NFL adjusts onside kick rule, Detroit withdraws playoff proposal

News out of NFL league meetings:

• New onside kick rule allows teams to declare onside kick at any time they are trailing, not just the fourth quarter.

• Detroit withdraws its proposal to reseed the playoffs.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/637...

For two decades, Howard Katz has been at the center of each year’s NFL schedule.

He’s the unknown planner behind every NFL fan’s fall Sundays.

And Wednesday will mark his final football masterpiece ahead of retirement.

http://dlvr.it/TKkz1D

NFL 2025 international schedule: Vikings travel to Dublin, London in back-to-back weeks The Broncos (London), Rams (London), Falcons (Berlin) and Commanders (Madrid) are also headed overseas in 2025.

Details on the NFL 2025 international schedule:

• Vikings travel to Dublin, London in back-to-back weeks.
• Game in São Paulo, Brazil, with the Los Angeles Chargers as the designated home team, is still to be announced.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

Tom Brady said he texted Shedeur Sanders after the former Colorado quarterback's slide in the NFL Draft.

Brady, a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, also said he was not involved in any evaluation processes involving Sanders.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/634...

NFL fifth-year player options tracker: Browns decline Kenny Pickett’s option The deadline for teams to pick up or decline fifth-year options on first-round picks from the 2022 draft is May 1.

The deadline for NFL teams to exercise the fifth-year option on 2022 first-round draft picks is Thursday.

Here's where each player stands, including Drake London, Aidan Hutchinson, Derek Stingley Jr. and others.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/631...

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft tumble continues into Saturday as QB goes undrafted in Rounds 2-3 Once widely projected as a first-round pick, Sanders' landing spot became less clear as the draft approached.

Shedeur Sanders will — at best — be the sixth quarterback off the board. His slide has turned into a free fall entering Day 3.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/631...

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft tumble continues as QB isn’t picked in second round Once widely projected as a first-round pick, Sanders' landing spot became less clear as the draft approached.

The second round is complete. Shedeur Sanders is still waiting.

Three QBs have been selected so far (Cam Ward, No. 1 to Titans; Jaxson Dart, No. 25 to Giants; Tyler Shough, No. 4 to Saints).

www.nytimes.com/athletic/631...

Shedeur Sanders, after NFL Draft hype, not picked in first round: How far will the QB slide? Various mock drafts and experts projected Sanders would be selected in the first round.

Deion Sanders posted a video on Instagram of Shedeur responding to his Day 1 slide.

"We all didn't expect this but I feel like with God anything is possible. ... This is fuel to the fire. ... Tomorrow's the day. We're going to be happy regardless."

www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

Where did ESPN’s NFL Draft chime come from? The story behind the iconic sound You know the sound. You hear it, perhaps hundreds of times, every April. But you probably don't know how and when it came to be.

We're halfway through the first round. Is this sound stuck in your head yet?

www.nytimes.com/athletic/629...

You know Travis Hunter the 2-way phenom. But a 2-sport star? Take a ride on his fishing boat Hunter catches even more fish than TDs and INTs: "That's all he really wants to do other than be the best football player on the planet."

Travis Hunter was announced as both a WR and DB as the No. 2 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He can probably go fishing there.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/621...

How do NFL Draft prospects decide whether to attend the green room? It’s complicated Nobody wants to wind up like Will Levis, sliding out of Round 1 while the world watches, but there are many other factors to consider.

It's almost draft time!

15 prospects are in Green Bay tonight, including Cam Ward, Travis Hunter and Jalen Milroe. According to one agent I talked to, a first-round evaluation is often the most important factor for players considering attending.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

How do NFL Draft prospects decide whether to attend the green room? It’s complicated Nobody wants to wind up like Will Levis, sliding out of Round 1 while the world watches, but there are many other factors to consider.

Happy #NFLDraft day!

How do prospects decide to attend or not attend the green room? I talked to agents to learn more about the factors athletes consider and where in-person draft attendance might be heading.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

Motivated by Super Bowl loss, Patrick Mahomes seeks explosive Chiefs passing attack With the Chiefs' offseason program underway, Mahomes talked about his "bad taste" from the Super Bowl LIX loss and his new look.

This morning with Patrick Mahomes:

• How a Super Bowl loss motivates his offseason
• Why he's excited about the Chiefs' chance to return to an explosive passing attack
• Why he cut his hair (he was superstitious)

www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

Where did ESPN’s NFL Draft chime come from? The story behind the iconic sound You know the sound. You hear it, perhaps hundreds of times, every April. But you probably don't know how and when it came to be.

What's the story behind ESPN's iconic NFL Draft chime that signals a pick is about to be announced?

“They’ve heard it, whether they know it or not," composer Bob Christianson said.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/629...

The NFL Draft is the league’s marquee offseason event. A fresh slate. A celebration of hope.

Across the country, in quiet apartments and family-filled homes, the glamour fades for the athletes left waiting for their phones to ring: http://dlvr.it/TK9fpM

Cam Ward, Travis Hunter highlight 17 players attending 2025 NFL Draft Three quarterbacks but not Shedeur Sanders are among the prospects who will be at next week's draft in Green Bay.

Prospective No. 1 pick Cam Ward accepted an invitation to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay along with 17 other prospects.

The quarterbacks who will join Ward are particularly interesting.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/627...

What’s NFL Draft day like for waiting prospects? ‘One of the worst and best days of my life’ For prospects waiting for a phone call, Day 3 stirs up all kinds of emotions. "I felt embarrassed," Rams Pro Bowl RB Kyren Williams recalls.

Top prospects who slide in the NFL Draft early rounds are well-documented. But no day sees more players selected than the final one.

Here are the stories of their waiting game.

“It was probably one of the worst days and the best days of my life."

www.nytimes.com/athletic/627...

THE NEW BEAST IS HERE! THE NEW BEAST IS HERE!

Check out the new and improved Beast from the beast himself, Dane Brugler.
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