Latest news with #PFTLive
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Politics
- NBC Sports
Could the NFL draft eventually go away?
For years, I was as brainwashed as anyone by the NFL's version of the sorting hat. The draft was the ultimate offseason experience. The great bastion of hope for a brighter, for every NFL team. Then, during the lockout, NFL Players Association attorney Jeffrey Kessler explained that, in the absence of a league-wide union, the draft is an antitrust violation. At first, I didn't want to hear it. Over time, I started to like the sound of it. As explained in one of the 100-plus essays in Playmakers, the draft is fundamentally anti-American. Thirty-two independent businesses come together and control the entire labor market, parsing out employees based on a system under which the most inept of them get dibs on the best of the players. My 86-the-draft take has been dubbed derisively as a 'crusade' by others in the media, whose relevance and income are coincidentally tied to its ongoing existence. And I've come to accept the simple reality that, over the past decade, the draft has become too big to die. Understandably, then, I nearly fell out of my chair this morning when Peter King (making a return for the full two hours of PFT Live) suggested that the draft could go away in our lifetime. Personally, I don't buy it — but I like the sound of it. The folks at typed up the key quotes so I didn't have to. Peter's broader point is that, if the draft would at some point go away, the NFL would come up with something to replace the draft. And that thing would become as big, if no bigger. At some point, I'll lay out my idea for how talent would be distributed in a way other than rewarding the worst teams with the best players. Maybe this weekend, when things will be slow. If things will ever be slow again. For now, I won't rule out the possibility that the draft will die. While the NFL enjoys an antitrust exemption by virtue of its multi-employer bargaining unit, the current chief executive could tuck an elimination of that law in the next iteration of the big, beautiful bill. Or maybe the union would shut down in the face of the next lockout, and not settle the ensuing antitrust litigation. However it may play out, it's not impossible. Peter thinks it's very possible. And while that will rile up many who are under the honor-and-a-privilege spell, the NFL would find a way to make a post-draft existence work — and to make whatever replaces it the league's biggest offseason event.
NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
NEWLY ACQUIRED SAM DARNOLD (SEAHAWKS) AND GENO SMITH (RAIDERS) HEADLINE EPISODE 3 OF CHRIS SIMMS' QUARTERBACK COUNTDOWN, NOW ON 'CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED' AND 'PRO FOOTBALL TALK'
Simms' QB Countdown Continues Today with Next Tier - 'Escaped from New York' - and Culminates with the Top Five QBs on Monday, June 9; In-Depth Breakdowns for Each Ranking Weekly on Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast 'I don't see a ton of issues physically but it's his [lack of] feel and experience, just having more of a backyard sense.' – Simms on Seahawks' Sam Darnold 'His arm is crazy strong, he's versatile, he can throw off his back foot, sidearm, anything you want. That is also one of his problems.' – Simms on Raiders' Geno Smith STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2025 – NBC Sports' Chris Simms continues his list of the top quarterbacks in the NFL on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast and on 'PFT Live' today, featuring 2025 Pro Bowler Sam Darnold of the Seahawks and 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith of the Raiders, who are both entering their first seasons with their respective teams. This year's countdown features a new format, with Simms focusing on tiers and groups of quarterbacks as opposed to specific numeric rankings until the later rounds. Continuing the countdown, Simms unveiled his quarterbacks ranked in the next tier today, with QBs in the 'Escaped from New York' tier. Continuing today and culminating Monday, June 9 with his top five quarterbacks, Simms will unveil a group of quarterbacks on each Chris Simms Unbuttoned episode and discuss his rankings on 'PFT Live' with Mike Florio. Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, will also offer in-depth player breakdowns and rankings explanations throughout each week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned. Simms has had success in projecting college quarterbacks – including naming Jayden Daniels, who was named AP's 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year following a season that saw him lead the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, as his No. 2 QB prospect in 2024. Additionally, Simms named C.J. Stroud, who was named AP's 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year, as his top QB prospect in 2023, Patrick Mahomes as his most exciting prospect in 2017, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen as his top-two QBs in 2018, and Justin Herbert as his No. 2 QB in 2020. The rankings will continue next Monday, June 2, on the next episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned. The following are highlights from this week's edition of Chris Simms Unbuttoned: Escaped from New York Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks 'A lot of good here. His season started off on a really high note throwing the ball all over the field and you went, 'Wow!' The good is his incredibly quick release; really gifted short-to-intermediate thrower of the football because he can get it out so quick. He's got more power in his arm than I think he gets credit for. This year, he got better at deep ball throwing. A lot of the things I'm going to talk about negatively with Sam Darnold is experience related. He was so spoiled by (Vikings head coach) Kevin O'Connell and the offense earlier in the year that when he got to the latter part of the year, those first reads weren't always open every time like the first few weeks. His internal clock, because of some of the big moments, was a little thrown off. I don't see a ton of issues physically but it's his [lack of] feel and experience, just having more of a backyard sense.' Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders 'This is a hard one….I don't think it was his best year but let me tell you this, with Geno Smith, the physical ability is real. His arm is crazy strong, he's versatile, he can throw off his back foot, sidearm, anything you want. That is also one of his problems though, because, like Darnold with his first read, Smith is not too different in that way. He has more confidence in his arm and throwing into tight windows than Darnold but that gets him in trouble. He puts the ball where he wants to, but he's taking too many chances. You see that in his worst games and his worst moments. That's what it always came down to. There has to be a better 'get out of jail' plan with Geno Smith. As a quarterback, it's your job to go and attack, but if all fails, you need to know where you're going to get the ball to keep the team in a good position.' To listen to the full player breakdowns on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, click here. -NBC SPORTS-
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Which are the best football towns?
Former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning recently credited the late Jim Irsay as making Indianapolis a football town. Manning's comment gave us an idea. On Tuesday's PFT Live, we did a draft of the best football towns. Advertisement It's a subjective analysis, based on a variety of quantitative and qualitative factors. It's based on what we've seen and what we've heard over our years of following pro football. To those who made the list, congrats. To those who didn't, we apologize. For the full list, check out the video. But be advised: One of the teams picked, however, currently doesn't have an NFL team. Even if it should. Maybe it will again, one of these days.
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Which are the best football towns?
Former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning recently credited the late Jim Irsay as making Indianapolis a football town. Manning's comment gave us an idea. On Tuesday's PFT Live, we did a draft of the best football towns. It's a subjective analysis, based on a variety of quantitative and qualitative factors. It's based on what we've seen and what we've heard over our years of following pro football. To those who made the list, congrats. To those who didn't, we apologize. For the full list, check out the video. But be advised: One of the teams picked, however, currently doesn't have an NFL team. Even if it should. Maybe it will again, one of these days.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jim Irsay let his football people do their jobs
Much can and will be said about the late Jim Irsay, who died on Wednesday at 65. As it relates to one of the most important things any NFL owner can do, he let his football people do their jobs. During a Thursday visit to PFT Live, Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy cited two examples: (1) the decision to draft quarterback Peyton Manning over quarterback Ryan Leaf in 1998; and (2) the decision to let future Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James leave via free agency. Advertisement As to James, Dungy explained that the Colts wouldn't have been able to afford various other key players, if they had re-signed James. Irsay (whom James selected to present him for Hall of Fame induction) didn't want to lose James. Irsay nevertheless didn't overrule his football specialists. Regarding Manning vs. Leaf, history obscures how close the decision was. Manning was seen as the safe choice; Leaf was regarded as the high-ceiling gunslinger. Irsay's gung-ho personality likely would have made him more inclined to roll the dice on Leaf. Especially since his friend, journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, urged Irsay to pick Leaf over Manning. "[Leaf] looks strong & Manning doesn't -- or at least not strong enough to handle that 'Welcome to the NFL' business for two years without a world-class offensive line," Thompson wrote to Irsay. Advertisement That didn't sway Irsay. Sure, there were times that Irsay opted not to ignore his football people but to fire them. One of his most notorious (and misguided) decisions came in 2022, when coach Frank Reich (who became the emergency replacement after Josh McDaniels left the Colts at the altar after Super Bowl LII), was fired and former Colts center Jeff Saturday became the interim head coach. As it relates to the two fairly important personnel decisions, both worked out. Peyton Manning became one of the all-time greats, and in the first season without James the Colts won their only Super Bowl since the 1970 season. There's an important lesson to be learned by owners who believe football is easier than it looks. Let your people do their jobs. That means not only resisting the temptation to pull rank, but also being very careful about questions asked and comments made. Those employed by a multi-billionaire hope to stay that way. They listen for clues regarding what the boss wants. And those perceived or actual clues have real influence.
