Dan Pompei

Frank Reich is the master of the comeback. The Jets might be his biggest challenge yet After getting fired midseason two years in a row, Reich thought his NFL coaching career was over. Then his old friend Aaron Glenn called.

After being fired by the Panthers, Frank Reich retired and was living a good life — writing a book, doing charity work, vacationing and being a granddad. So why would he come back to the NFL? And with the Jets? My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

The Year of the Coach: Why this NFL season was different from the rest Mike Vrabel won the coach of the year award, but plenty of others deserve attention, from Sean Payton to rookies Liam Coen and Ben Johnson.

Mike Vrabel won Coach of the Year. But it could have been won by eight others. Why? It was the Year of the Coach. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...

Patriots’ and Seahawks’ architects are connected by the influence of one man: Ron Wolf Seahawks GM John Schneider got a football education from Wolf in Green Bay, just like Wolf's son Eliot, the Patriots' de facto GM.

A man who has a bust in Canton has had a bigger influence on Super Bowl LX than anyone outside of the participants. My story on a special connection. www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Thanks Sarah!

How does Pro Football Hall of Fame voting work? One of our voters explains The voting process is under scrutiny with Bill Belichick reportedly not being elected in his first year of eligibility.

I was asked to explain the process of electing candidates to the @profootballhof.bsky.social. Please save your eggs and tomatoes until reading the story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Being an FBI agent wasn’t a job to former Bear Charles Tillman as much as it was a vocation. He loved the people he worked with and found honor, integrity and nobility in their service. Then came that day last January. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

That photo of Alan Page was real. But it wasn't taken at a protest. And he's not happy that a lot of people think it was. The Viking great called to talk about the erosion of trust. www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Alan Page after false claim he attended ICE protest: ‘Why would somebody make that up?’ The Vikings Hall of Famer received messages from friends asking if he attended an ICE protest after a photo of him went viral.

I heard from Alan Page today. He was protesting. www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Chicago Bears vs. Los Angeles Rams: Matchup to watch, game picks for divisional round Ahead of the Bears' divisional-round playoff game, Case Keenum's role has been valuable, plus a matchup to watch and our game picks.

Bears vs. Rams, Williams vs. Stafford, McVay vs. Johnson.

Who will head to Seattle for the NFC Championship?

Game picks from @danwiederer.bsky.social, @danpompei.bsky.social, Greenberg, @nateatkins.bsky.social, @jourdanrodrigue.bsky.social and me, plus a key matchup, fun facts and more

This magical Bears season is beyond explanation. Is it divine intervention? Beyond the obvious, something abnormal and unquantifiable has lifted the Bears. Does their uniform patch provide a clue?

Ben Johnson has engineered comebacks better than he’s explained them. That’s no fault of his because no one can explain what’s happened. My column on a season like no other. www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

From roughly when John Elway was the first of five quarterbacks chosen in the first round of the 1983 draft, the NFL has been called a quarterback league. But these days, it’s becoming a quarterback league in a different way. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Kyle Shanahan is 8-4 in the postseason, with two wins in each of his four trips. The Niners are tied for third-most playoff wins since he arrived, behind only the Chiefs (17) and Eagles (10).
Can he lead a flawed 49ers team to a win Sunday? ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/695...

www.nytimes.com/athletic/692...

www.nytimes.com/athletic/692...

With 162 games behind him as a head coach, Sean McDermott is seeing things he couldn’t before. I wrote about how the head coach of the Bills has gotten here, and where he hopes to go.

I wrote about how struggles have shaped a former head coach who may be getting opportunities again soon. www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

Why did a former Jets wide receiver become a police officer? It starts with his heart Even Laveranues Coles' closest friends didn't understand why he would choose to become a cop at age 47. The reasons date to his childhood.

Even Coles' closest friends didn't understand why he would choose to become a cop at age 47.

The reasons date to his childhood.

✍️ @danpompei.bsky.social shares his story:

Why did a former Jets wide receiver become a police officer? It starts with his heart Even Laveranues Coles' closest friends didn't understand why he would choose to become a cop at age 47. The reasons date to his childhood.

Everything Laveranues Coles has been through has prepared him to change lives. And if he can change lives, maybe he can help restore faith in an institution. I wrote for
@theathletic about a wide receiver turned cop. www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...

Journeyman QB Case Keenum is giving the Bears exactly what they needed

You could call Case Keenum the Bears’ No. 3 quarterback. But he’s really more of a fun uncle to Caleb Williams and others. I wrote about his one of kind football career for @theathletic. www.nytimes.com/athletic/674...

How former can’t-miss NFL prospect Robert Gallery survived a descent into darkness After 10 surgeries and eight NFL seasons came brain fog, ringing in his ears, memory voids, tequila, rage and thoughts of taking his life.

More from @danpompei.bsky.social on Gallery's perseverance and journey after retirement:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

How former can’t-miss NFL prospect Robert Gallery survived a descent into darkness After 10 surgeries and eight NFL seasons came brain fog, ringing in his ears, memory voids, tequila, rage and thoughts of taking his life.

Robert Gallery went from wanting to obliterate defenders to wanting to kill himself. Now he's trying to save people like him. My story on an incredible journey. www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

How former can’t-miss NFL prospect Robert Gallery survived a descent into darkness After 10 surgeries and eight NFL seasons came brain fog, ringing in his ears, memory voids, tequila, rage and thoughts of taking his life.

Robert Gallery went from wanting to obliterate defenders to wanting to kill himself. Now he's trying to save people like him. My story on an incredible journey. www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

👊

Thank you Allen

Thank you Richard. 🙏

Ex-NFL sack master John Abraham paid a steep price for success. He’s still recovering After a 15-year career that included five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams, Abraham squandered millions and went into a nine-year fog.

John Abraham has lofty desires — he wants to be in the HOF. And he has humble aspirations — he hopes his daughters are not embarrassed by him. And if by some grace they could be proud of him, his suffering would have been worth it. I wrote about an incredible journey. www.nytimes.com/athletic/661...

Jerry Jones does things his way — for better or worse.

But he's not the only owner to take this tactic. George Halas and Al Davis can relate.

http://dlvr.it/TMndF2

Jerry Jones makes moves we love to question. He’s not the first NFL owner to go his own way Like Jones, George Halas and Al Davis let some major figures walk away from their teams, whether they were players or coaches.

Jerry Jones is transparent. He’ll answer all questions and is more available than any owner of anything in the history of everything. That makes him different from most. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

'Big brother' Bobby Wagner brings out the best in Commanders 'little brother' Jayden Daniels

Bobby Wagner, 35, and Jayden Daniels, 24, don’t seem to go together any more than yesterday goes with tomorrow. But like yesterday and tomorrow, one lays the foundation for the other. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...

Why character is key for Bucs GM Jason Licht in roster building and in life

To understand why Bucs GM Jason Licht doesn't draft "a-holes and douchebags," we have to know who he is. My story. www.nytimes.com/athletic/653...