Latest news with #Week1
NBC Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Is PIT acting out of 'desperation' with Rodgers?
Mike Florio and Michael Holley discuss the Pittsburgh Steelers' ongoing changes at signal caller as Aaron Rodgers will be the team's fifth different Week 1 starting QB in the last five years.
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox Sports
49ers overhaul defensive line with rookies and Bryce Huff after disappointing season
Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have built their defense out from the defensive line ever since coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived eight years ago. An underwhelming performance from that unit during a disappointing 2024 season has led to a near complete overhaul at the position with San Francisco now counting on three rookies and recently acquired edge rusher Bryce Huff to give enough support to holdover star Nick Bosa to get back to having a dominant front. To make sure the additions fit seamlessly, the Niners are relying on defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who welcomes the challenge with some 'fresh blood in the room.' 'This year is probably one of the more significant turnovers with the youth that we've added to the mix and acquiring Bryce here in the last few days,' Kocurek said Tuesday. 'There will be quite a few new faces in there that will have to make significant contributions. We knew it was a possibility there would be some turnover. It also can be challenging bringing in four to five new guys in a room. But I like it. They're all coming in very eager, willing to learn and trying to get a little better each day, stacking one day on top of the next.' The 49ers cut three Week 1 starters from last season, letting go of expensive veterans like Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd and Maliek Collins and replacing them with youth. San Francisco used the 11th overall pick on versatile Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams before adding defensive tackles Alfred Collins in the second round and CJ West in the fourth. Those additions were meant to shore up a run defense that regressed in recent years with the 4.45 yards per carry allowed last season more than 1 yard higher than the 3.4 average in 2022. The trade for Huff that was officially completed when he passed a physical on Tuesday was aimed at giving the team a dynamic edge rusher across from Bosa. The team had no other edge rusher who had a season with at least five sacks before trading a conditional fifth-round pick for Huff, who had 10 sacks and 67 pressures on 334 pass rush snaps in 2023 when he played on the New York Jets for Robert Saleh, who is back in San Francisco this season for a second stint as defensive coordinator. Kocurek said Huff's speed off the edge and his quick get-off 'jumps off the tape' and is confident he can return to that form after struggling last season in Philadelphia in a defense that had him playing more as a stand-up linebacker than a dedicated edge rusher. Huff had only 2 1/2 sacks and 23 pressures in his one season in Philadelphia, missing five games with a wrist injury. He was then a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl. 'If you're born into a hand-in-the-ground defense, it's an adjustment period to turn yourself into a stand-up, outside linebacker role and vice versa,' Kocurek said. 'There's a learning curve and steps you have to take to master the techniques. It's not just snap your fingers and go to a different scheme.' Kocurek hopes the changes in personnel lead to a change in performance after the struggles up front last season contributed to a 6-11 record and the team's fewest sacks in a season since 2020 when Bosa missed nearly the entire year with a knee injury. 'If that doesn't piss you off than you've got to get out of coaching,' Kocurek said. 'The fire burns deeper in your stomach, the chip gets bigger on your shoulder and you want to do everything humanly possible to make sure it doesn't happen again. No one should be happy about it.' NOTES: The Niners made three other roster moves after adding Huff. They signed receiver Malik Knowles to a one-year deal, waived OL Nicholas Petit-Frere and placed WR Trent Taylor on IR. ___ AP NFL: recommended
USA Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jets QB Justin Fields downplays ‘revenge game' narrative vs former Steelers
Jets QB Justin Fields downplays 'revenge game' narrative vs former Steelers Justin Fields isn't sold on the Week 1 'revenge game' against his former Steelers. On Thursday, reporters at Jets OTAs asked Fields to share his initial reaction after finding out he'd be playing against his former team to open the 2025 season — and he brushed it off as just another game (courtesy of SNYJets): "That's who we play Week 1," Fields dismissed. "There really wasn't a thought to that." Fields led the Steelers to a promising 4-2 start before he was benched in favor of Russell Wilson — an arguably unwarranted switch at QB. The Steelers were reportedly interested in re-signing Fields this offseason, but after the Jets paid him a two-year, $40 million contract, Pittsburgh pivoted to pursuing four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers eventually signs with the Steelers, one could imagine he won't share the same Week 1 mindset when facing his former Jets — especially with unfinished business between him and new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The NFL Is on Broadcast, Cable—and Now ‘New TV'
It was only a matter of time before YouTube streamed its own exclusive NFL action, with the platform now set to air a Week 1 Friday game between the Chargers and Chiefs in São Paulo, Brazil. Don't expect the company to stop at a single contest, either. 'YouTube is the new television,' the company's CEO announced at the beginning of the year. Google's video behemoth increasingly positions itself as the epicenter of media culture—TVs now represent the primary viewing device for those watching YouTube, while the platform draws a growing share of overall TV viewing time—and the NFL continues to modernize its media strategy, eager to put its games where its fans are. Advertisement More from YouTube and the NFL came together in 2022 on a $2 billion annual pact for Sunday Ticket rights. The rights for September's game come cheaper—likely in the range of $100 million, based on what Peacock paid for a similar asset in 2024, though the league has not shared financial details. All those numbers pale in comparison to the $54 billion YouTube earned in 2024 revenue. And yet, the single Sept. 5 clash signals a significant moment for YouTube as it puts its stamp on sports broadcasting. YouTube said it will bring interactive features to its debut, which could mean anything from comment threads to shopping integrations. It has also promised to leverage its unmatched creator pool. YouTube introduced a 'Watch With' option last year that lets creators stream themselves alongside event coverage. While YouTube can't offer the Manningcast, it's building the technology to empower users to create a million alternate options. And that's increasingly what viewers want to watch. In an age of reaction videos, a 2024 YouTube survey found that 66% of Gen Z Americans spend more time watching content that discusses something than that thing itself. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has already used his YouTube page as a sports broadcast hub. Advertisement 'Our ability to do more and innovate more and evolve more and understand and learn about how some of those different experiences can add to the overall game viewing experience for us—we think that is a huge positive,' NFL EVP of media distribution Hans Schroeder said in an interview. 'We're going to really lean in with YouTube and partner around all the different, unique ways we can make that Brazil game really special for our fans.' Schroeder said the hope is that those innovations will spill over to other broadcasts as well. YouTube will stream Chargers-Chiefs for free around the world as the NFL continues to grow its international business. 'This game is destined to be global,' NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last fall. And outside the U.S., YouTube's free model gives it a leg up over competitors including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Those subscription platforms each boast between 200 and slightly more than 300 million global subscribers, while YouTube reaches 2.5 billion monthly active users. With the NFL marching towards 16 international games per season, the league is reportedly considering selling those games as a separate media package, likely for more than $1 billion annually. There are seven such tilts this year, with all but the Brazil game set to air on NFL Network. An international Super Bowl location continues to be floated as a possibility, too. YouTube has emerged as a likely contender for any new package, assuming it proves capable of monetizing its first free-to-view game. Advertisement Each new slicing of the NFL's media rights comes with at least some fan outcry over the additional fragmentation. Beyond cable, games will air exclusively on ESPN+, Netflix, Peacock, Prime Video and YouTube this year. The NFL also maintains its own subscription service, NFL+. Still, a vast majority of games air on local TV stations, and all streaming contests are also available over-the-air in competing teams' markets. As it expands online, the NFL has largely limited itself to new partners who already come with massive audiences signed up. The same is true for its newest exclusive game distributor. Everyone has YouTube. And no one has to pay. Now doesn't that sound like the future? Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
YouTube to exclusively stream Chiefs-Chargers Week 1 game in Brazil for free
The NFL first embraced YouTube and Google as its "NFL Sunday Ticket" partner. Now, they're in the business of exclusive games together. For the second straight season, the NFL will play a game on the first Friday of the regular season – Sept. 5 this year – in Brazil. And once again, it will be exclusively streamed, except this time, YouTube will carry the Week 1 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs from São Paulo. Advertisement 'We are excited to expand our relationship with YouTube to bring this year's Brazil game to a worldwide audience,' NFL executive vice president of media distribution Hans Schroeder said in a statement. 'YouTube and YouTube TV have been incredible partners of the NFL for several years and boast an immense global reach, and we look forward to Week 1 in São Paulo.' The YouTube stream is free. The contest will remain available on free, over-the-air (OTA) broadcast television in the Los Angeles and Kansas City local markets. The matchup will be the second of the NFL season, with the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, Sept. 4. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL, YouTube to air Week 1 Chiefs-Chargers Brazil game for free
