For the 2022 season, the competition committee has modified the overtime rules for the playoffs.

Postseason Overtime Rules:

• Each team will have the opportunity to possess the ball.

• There will still be a coin toss but the winner will not always choose to be the receiving team.

• The overtime period will remain 10 minutes. There is the possibility of multiple overtime periods.

• If the score is either tied or the second team to gain possession is still in the midst of its first drive when the first period ends, a new 10 minutes period will begin.

• This rules will apply through four overtime periods, all 10 minutes in length.

• Each overtime period will have a two-minute intermission.

• If a winner if not determined at the end of four overtime periods, play will continue until. winner is determined.

Regular Season Overtime Rules:

• Rules remain unchanged.

• There will be a 10 minute overtime and a coin toss to determine first possession.

• Both teams will have the opportunity to possess the ball unless the first team with possession scores a touchdown.

• Each team will have two overtimes.

• If no winner emerges after 10 minutes, the game will end in a tie.

Preseason Overtimes Rules:

• There is no overtime. Games will end in a tie is knotted up at the end of regulation.

The preseason elimination came into effect in 2021 after increased concerns about player safety. The NFL’s regular season overtime rules took effect in 2010 after its previous sudden death rule was deemed unfair. And not seeing Josh Allen have the opportunity to possess the ball in the 2021 division game against the Chiefs sparked further change.

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Here we look at a sample of the offensive players you should know who could make a splash in year one and walk away with the coveted title of Offensive Rookie of the Year. (Sorry offensive linemen, while you are crucial and underappreciated, we are not including you since the last time someone at your position won the award was, well, never.)

Kenny Pickett, QB. Pitt: Pickett is a co-favorite to win rookie of the year because he’s the most pro-ready of the available quarterbacks. Pickett comes off a spectacular senior season in which he produced 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns. The mobile prospect could be snagged by a team like Carolina or Pittsburgh or Seattle and have a chance to be a Week 1 starter.

Malik Willis, QB, Liberty: A lot of folks are pegging Willis to the Steelers at no. 20 and with good reason. Willis has the highest ceiling of any quarterback. He’s a scary rushing weapon with a canon of an arm but is far from a polished prospect. Willis would be well positioned to sit behind Mitch Trubisky for a while and learn the ropes before jumping in mid-season or in 2023 and enjoying the Steelers crop of weapons.

Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: As the best yards after the catch prosect in this draft, Wilson could be highly targeted if he lands on a team like Atlanta who lost Calvin Ridley. Or like Ja’Marr Chase last season, Wilson could also breakout on a high-powered offense that already boosts a nice slate of complementary players.

Drake London, WR, USC: The 6’4” athletic specimen is well set up for mismatches, especially given how well he uses his body (being a former basketball is a huge help). London may be the most complete receiver in the draft. 

Jameson Williams WR, Alabama: Yes, Williams is recovering from an ACL tear. But assuming he fully recovers, his speed and route running is going to help some lucky team improve its vertical threat game in a major way. 

Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: Another Buckeye (it’s like they grow on tress in Columbus!). Olave has elite separation and should be an immediate deep threat at the next level. 

Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: Burks could be Deebo Samuel 2.0. He comes off a senior season in which he put up over 1100 receiving yards and averaged 8.9 yards per rushing attempt. 

Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State: Oh hey, running backs are people too. And Hall might be the more versatile back in the class and would alleviate a lot of pressure from a quarterback. 

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State: Another complete back, Walker will make an immediate impact with his speed, agility and blocking abilities. 

The post NFL Draft 2022: OROY Contenders To Know appeared first on The Football Girl.

Per multiple reports, the latest version of Rodgers offseason drama has concluded before it heated up. Rodgers will remain in Green Bay, the terms of which have not been officially released. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Rodgers deal is worth $200 million over four years which would make the back-to-back MVP the highest paid player in NFL history. But Pat McAfee, who has Rodgers on his widely popular Pat McAfee Show on a weekly basis, refuted those terms.

This is false.

— at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 8, 2022

McAfee did, however, corroborate the masses in confirming Rodgers’ return to Green Bay. The continuation of Rodgers’ career in Green Bay comes after much drama last offseason, which included the now common tropes of possible retirement and possibly playing for a new team. In the end, Rodgers remained in the place he has had endless success. As the 2021 season approached, Rodgers smartly got the Packers to restructure his contract which gave him the option to re-sign with Green Bay or seek a trade this offseason.

Because this is Rodgers, things were not simple. A few weeks ago, Rodgers posted what read like a quasi-retirement post on Instagram. Turns out it was nothing more than giving thanks on a Gratitude Monday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aaron Rodgers (@aaronrodgers12)

Rodgers’ return to Green Bay is disappointing from the plethora of quarterback-needy franchises hoping to land his services. Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy offered his thoughts, which are likely shared by many other receivers and fanbases not named Green Bay.

— Jerry Jeudy⁴ (@jerryjeudy) March 8, 2022

But at least Jordan Love is probably available.

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All four teams are also in the advantageous position of deep familiarity. The Bengals knocked off the Chiefs in Week 17, and the 49ers erased a 17-point deficit to topple the Rams in Week 18. As the final four games near, here’s a look at the matchups and intangibles that will go into deciding the slate for Super Bowl 56.

AFC Championship: Bengals at Chiefs, 3PM ET on CBS

While the latest odds for Super Bowl 56 put the Chiefs as favorites to hoist Lombardi, the Bengals have an air of destiny. It’s safe to say that Cincinnati made the right move by passing on offensive lineman Penei Sewell and instead selecting Ja’Marr Chase with the no. 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.   

Chase and Joe Burrow absolutely smoked the Chiefs in Week 17. Chase accounted for 266 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns out of Burrow’s 446 yard-4 TD total. These two have remained hot in the playoffs. 

The Chiefs will need to adjust but also need to provide answers for Burrow’s other weapons like Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and C.J. Uzomah. The Chiefs defense, which evolved from one of the league’s worst to one of the best after acquired Melvin Ingram mid-season, has struggled in the past four weeks (granted two of those weeks were against the Bills and Bengals). But Tyrann Mathieu (concussion) is tracking to play which should help.

The Bengals offensive line was smoked last week by the Titans’ defensive front. Through a variety of stunts, Burrow was sacked a remarkable nine times (and they still won!). The Chiefs like to utilize the straight up blitz, which Burrow is a master at exploiting. Will the Chiefs study the Titans film and add a few more stunts?

There are no more adjectives left to describe what Patrick Mahomes can do with a football in his hands. He’s ridiculous. However, the Bengals figured out a way to hold Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce to 65 yards in Week 17. Obviously holding those two to anything in that ballpark would be a massive boost for the Bengals. 

Crowd noise at Arrowhead is a real x factor. The Bengals will need to watch for false starts and make sure their communication is tight.

NFC Championship: 49ers at Rams, 6:30ET on FOX 

Kyle Shanahan certainly has bragging right over his former assistant Sean McVay. The 49ers have beat the Rams a whopping six straight but none of the will matter if the Rams win at home on Sunday and host the Super Bowl in two weeks.

Cooper Kupp is going to have a day. Despite San Francisco’s impressive track record against the Rams, Kupp has feasted on the 49ers secondary, topping 100 yards every meeting against their nemesis this season. The 49ers have a top notch run defense (Sony Michel eked out just 43 yards on 21 carries in Week 18) so stopping the other Rams receivers like Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyler Higbee will be key.

Will the Rams be able to do the impossible and stop Deebo Samuel. Ever since Shanahan starting utilized Samuel as a multi-layer threat, he’s become arguably the most dangerous weapon in the game. The Rams couldn’t contain Samuel in Week 18 – he had 45 rushing yards, 85 receiving yards and a score. 

QB play: Matthew Stafford is the more respected quarterback in terms of ceiling goes but both of these quarterbacks are prone to at least one major mistake a game. But they both have proven to be clutch. Stafford made some aggressive, picture-perfect throws to seal the Rams’ win over Tampa, avoiding overtime. And Garoppolo, for all the heat he takes, led the 49ers on their game-winning drive last week as well.

Trent Williams’ health could be a major factor. The All-Pro left tackle has missed practice all week with a tweaked ankle but could suit up on Sunday. When Williams missed Week 18, Garoppolo was sacked three times. When he returned against Dallas, Garoppolo wasn’t sacked at all.

San Francisco likes to call SoFi Stadium, Levi’s South, a reference to the fact that the Rams’ home stadium turned into a sea of red in Week 18. The Rams tried to avoid a repeat by restricting ticket sales to Los Angeles zip codes for the NFC Championship early in the week but they were shamed into opening up sales to all. Given how well the 49ers travel, it’s doubtful SoFi will feel like the Rams House it strives to be. A repeat of red could be quite demoralizing to the home team. 

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But its newest addition (at least as of this posting), Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, is particularly notable. Wentz is first and foremost not vaccinated. As it stands, assuming Wentz tested positive for COVID, he would be sidelined for 10 days. The 9-6 Colts are hanging are in the throes of the AFC’s tight playoff race. They currently hold the number 5 seed but there are three 8-7 teams outside salivating to get in, including the Raiders who they face this week. That means the Colts’ playoff hopes may rest on the arm of rookie Sam Ehlinger who was drafted in the sixth round and has seen virtually no action this season.

However, Colts fans may have a stroke of good luck on the docket. According to a number of reporters, the NFL and NFLPA are close to adopting the CDC’s new quarantine guidelines which reduce the quarantine period of those testing positive from ten to five days. This even applies to the unvaccinated. But for Wentz to make a quick return, these guidelines would need to become official in the next few days, he would need to show no symptoms, and, of course, would need to produce a negative test before rejoining the team.

Another silver lining for the Colts is that like all players who test positive, Wentz will have a 90 day reprieve from COVID testing. That means no more tests until after the Super Bowl.

Per usual, the goalposts of COVID are always on the move, in both the NFL and life.

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Thomas’s first cousin LaTonya Bonseigneur, told The Associated Press that the family believes he died from a seizure.

“He had been suffering from seizures for over a year, and we believe he had a seizure when he was showering,” Bonseigneur said Friday. “We’re not sure when he died. We just spoke with him yesterday.”

Thomas, who retired after last season, was beloved in Denver where he spent eight of his illustrious ten seasons in the NFL. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl Champion. More importantly, he was a generous, kind person who was a favorite of teammates, fans, and media alike.

We are devastated and completely heartbroken.

Demaryius' humility, warmth, kindness and infectious smile will always be remembered by those who knew him and loved him. pic.twitter.com/0GLZIr6UP3

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 10, 2021

The outpouring of love from former teammates has been powerful and heartbreaking.

Peyton Manning, who played with Thomas for four season in Denver, released a statement:

“D.T. was a better person than he was a player, and he was a Hall of Fame player. That tells you how good of a person he was. He treated my kids like they were his own. He was there for every teammate’s charity event. I texted with D.T. on Tuesday. He was talking about a TD audible we called vs. Arizona in 2014. Absolutely devasted.”

Manning is, of course, not alone in his devastation.

My heart is broken over the death of Demaryius. His humility and kindness outshone his immense talent on the field. His incredible smile will always be with us. May he rest in heavenly light. pic.twitter.com/HeCkP7MZjO

— Ed McCaffrey (@87ed) December 10, 2021

Heartbroken pic.twitter.com/e3EbU0aPeP

— D-Ware (@DeMarcusWare) December 10, 2021

Most people saw what Demaryius Thomas could do on the field. Off the field, he was even more special.

These are just some of the videos I still have on my phone that swore I never would delete. Being around little kids was when Demaryius seemed the happiest. pic.twitter.com/E1UIXigpIJ

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) December 10, 2021

I’m heart broken. This doesn’t seem real but I’m proud of the man and player DT became. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Bronco Country, we’re hurting. https://t.co/tuAlUyQZ8n pic.twitter.com/jFflDkLJ1t

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) December 10, 2021

Demaryius Thomas’ football feats were incredible, but this is the man I’ll remember: The guy who was kind, always smiling, who was Uncle DT to so many kids, and who was always thoughtful and sincere in our professional relationship. pic.twitter.com/F5q1qDLVEw

— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) December 10, 2021

Im so sad to wake up this morning to hear about the passing of my friend Demariyus Thomas. We were all blessed with his humility and positive spirit, and we will all miss him. This photo is from the Hall of Fame this past August, a source of light as always. RIP pic.twitter.com/o3hvQN0cRz

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) December 10, 2021

RIP D.T.

The post NFL World Mourns Death of Demaryius Thomas appeared first on The Football Girl.

By all accounts, the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign is a lovely burst of altruism that give players the chance to talk about the causes nearest and dearest to their heart. Most of these causes come with person connection. For example, Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon wore two separate cleats: one for the American Cancer Association to honor his mother’s recent fight against breast cancer and the other for the International Justice Mission after Judon’s wife educated him on the rampant issue of sex trafficking. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts chose to represent the Women’s Sports Foundation to empower in sports and beyond, a cause ingrained in him from his mother who is a counselor.

.@JalenHurts on why he is representing the @WomensSportsFdn for #MyCauseMyCleats pic.twitter.com/n4BMQUQ3yl

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 1, 2021

We learned about numerous causes during Week 13 and saw incredible artistry in cleat design which only gets splashier by the season. But there were also hundreds of players wearing cleats whose causes we didn’t get to learn about. Those players deserve the same platform that their teammates, who may hold bigger name value or have more impressive stats, are receiving. Thus lies the problem with My Cause My Cleats in its current form. It’s a overwhelming exercise with sideline reporters and team writers powering through so many causes in a sliver of time that it’s hard to keep them straight. It’s time for expansion.

Ever since Roger Goodell issued an apology for not listening to Colin Kaepernick and other players who were emphatically waving their hands trying to tell the story of what its like to be Black in America, the NFL has promoted its commitment to social change. While the league has donated hefty sums to the Players’ Coalition and allowed players to showcase their causes in Week 13, there are still 17 weeks (plus the pre- and postseason) where players have to follow strict edits about appearance or be fined.

My Cause My Cleat deserves to be a season-long campaign. There are several ways to orchestrate a wider campaign.

My choice would be featuring players wearing these cause-driven cleats during prime time. Every team has a prime-time game – yes, Thursday night counts – so use the broadcast to truly focus in on the charities. Tell the stories in and out of breaks. Instead of players saying their name and college in the introductions, make it their name, their charity, and one line about what or who it aids. Run a concurrent social media campaign where the teams involved are sharing the stories and charities throughout the games and with the NFL accounts boosting for higher visibility.

Given the frenetic way so any of us watch football – flipping every five seconds, watching Red Zone – capturing the national audience is far and away the most productive way to give these players and their causes the attention they deserve.

But the league could also divvy it up and have My Cause My Cleats by division on different weeks or feature two teams a week. They could also produce a My Cleats My Cause special on NFL Network with athletes partaking and fans having access to links and numbers to make donations.

Enacting My Cause My Cleats is a very positive first step for the NFL and a week the players cherish. But it’s time for more.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers traded OLB Melvin Ingram III to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a sixth round pick. Ingram, a former Pro Bowler with the Los Angeles Chargers, was signed to a one-year deal by the Steelers. He finishes his brief stint with the Steelers with one sack and 10 tackles. Ingram had expressed frustration with his limited usage this season. “I enjoy working with Melvin,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “It just didn’t work out the way we envisioned, the way he envisioned. 

The New York Jets shipped TE Dan Brown to the Kansas City Chiefs for G Dr. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. Durvernay-Tardif famously took last season off to aid in the fight against Covid-19. Duvernay-Tardif sent a heartfelt message to both Chiefs and Jets fans.

NYC here we come! #Jets pic.twitter.com/8ihqjrBit7

— Laurent D. Tardif (@LaurentDTardif) November 2, 2021

In the most blockbuster trade, the Denver Broncos shipped longtime heart-of-the-defense Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a 2022 second round pick and 2022 third round pick. It was an emotional goodbye for Miller who had spent all 11 seasons of his storied career in Denver. He reportedly crafted over 50 thank you videos for Broncos players, coaches, and staff as he prepared to depart for Los Angeles. From the Rams perspective, acquiring a juggernaut like Miller signals their quest to win it all now.

Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. will remain in Cleveland. But not without some fanfare.

I’m told there were discussions re: Odell going to the #Saints — but both sides couldn’t agree on a workable deal, given how much OBJ is owed the rest of the year.

Plus, there still is optimism in the #Browns building that OBJ can be a big part of their second-half playoff push

— KimberLEY A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) November 2, 2021

The post NFL Trade Deadline: Who’s Been Shipped? appeared first on The Football Girl.

A series of tests confirmed that Henry’s right foot was broken. Henry underwent surgery Tuesday, and is unlikely to return this season.

Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that Henry will try and return as soon as possible but that team needs to move forward without him.

“Whenever that is, that’s when it’ll be,” Vrabel said. “I know that he’ll be around our team as soon as he can. I know that’s important to him. I know that’ll be important to our team. We will have to move on. We’ll have to move on, unfortunately, without him here in the short term and not look back.”

Henry is believed to have broken his foot in the first quarter and yet continued to play the entire game.

No player may be more important to his team than Henry has been to the Titans, this season being no exception. He is the runaway leader in rushing yards (937) and TDs (10), and completely changes how opposing defensive coordinators have to prepare for the Titans.

With Henry shelved, the Titans signed 7-time Pro Bowler Adrian Peterson to its practice squad with plans to elevate him to their active roster.

The post Derrick Henry likely out for season appeared first on The Football Girl.

Over the weekend a video was leaked of Meyer in an Ohio bar on Friday night with a very young and very blonde lady pretending to give him a lap dance.

Meyer does appear to keep his hands to himself but still this is not a great look for a married coach who should have traveled home with his 0-4 team.

Back in Jacksonville Monday, a demoralized Meyer apologized for the incident. With his head largely down, Meyer told the media that he stayed back in Ohio to spend time with his grandchildren and that it was after a dinner out that when he was put in the compromised position.

“They wanted me to come over and take pictures, and I did,” Meyer said. “They’re trying to pull me out on the dance floor, screwing around, I should have left.” 

Meyer said he apologized to his team and to team officials including owner Shad Khan and general manager Trent Baalke for the video, which he called “stupid.”

It’s been a rough transition for Meyer to the NFL. This latest controversy comes after he tried to hire strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, who was fired from Iowa State after accusations of racism and bullying. There have also been reports of behind the scenes turmoil in Jacksonville stemming from Meyer. And, of course, the team is failing to execute and not winning games.

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