The Vest, Leather Jacket And So Much More: Bears Legend Mike Ditka's NFL Legacy

One can't tell the story of the NFL without Mike Ditka. The Ditka family announced on Friday afternoon that the Hall of Fame head coach and tight end passed away at 86. With that said, just because the Chicago Bears' legend is no longer physically present in the football world, doesn't mean his legacy won't be felt for eternity. As both a player and coach, Ditka was one of a kind and impacted the sport both on and off the field. Before becoming a legend with the Bears vest on his chest, Ditka was a menace at tight end. Originally selected by the Houston Oilers with the No. 8 pick in the 1961 NFL Draft, Ditka, an All-American who finished sixth in the 1960 Heisman Trophy voting with the Pittsburgh Panthers, opted against playing in the upstart AFL. One month later, he was selected by the Bears with the No. 5 pick in the 1961 NFL Draft and packed his bags for the Windy City. Sure, Ditka could drive a defender into the parking lot as a blocker, but "Iron Mike" made history as a pass-catcher. In Ditka's 1961 rookie campaign, he became the first tight end in NFL history to log 1,000 receiving yards in a single season, reeling in 56 receptions for 1,076 yards (19.2 yards per reception) and 12 touchdowns. Ditka would be a Pro Bowler in each of his first five seasons in the sport and an All-Pro in 1963 and 1964. Over his first four seasons (1961-64), Ditka averaged 62.0 receptions for 917.8 yards and 7.5 touchdowns per year. Ditka was part of Chicago's 1963 NFL Championship team, which marked the Bears' first NFL championship since 1946. Following six years with the Bears (1961-66), Ditka spent two years with the Philadelphia Eagles (1967-68) and finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1969-72. On the Dallas front, Ditka helped the Cowboys win their first-ever Super Bowl and championship altogether in 1971, reeling in a 7-yard touchdown from Roger Staubach in the fourth quarter of the team's Super Bowl VI triumph over the Miami Dolphins. Ditka parlayed his four seasons with the Cowboys into nine seasons as the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landry in Dallas from 1973-81. Meanwhile, up north, after posting losing records in three of the previous four seasons, the Bears fired head coach Neill Armstrong in 1982. Seeing an opportunity to both become a head coach and bring his first NFL love back to prominence, Ditka interviewed for the Bears' head-coaching vacancy and ultimately got the job — and would later embark on an indelible journey. The strike-shortened 1982 season, which saw Chicago go 3-6, and a .500 campaign (8-8) in 1983 put Ditka on thin ice. But the Bears found themselves in Year 3 of the Ditka era. As part of a 10-6 season that saw Chicago win its division for the first time since its 1963 NFL Championship season, the Bears reached the NFC Championship Game. After being shut out by Bill Walsh's San Francisco 49ers, who went on to win the Super Bowl, in the NFC title game, Ditka's Bears would put together one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history. In what was a 15-1 regular season — with the mere blemish being a Week 13 loss to Dan Marino and the Dolphins on Monday Night Football — Chicago recorded 70 sacks in 1985, which came after tallying 72 sacks the year prior. The Bears' defense pitched two shutouts in the regular season and held opponents to no more than 10 points in 11 of 16 games. Then, Chicago proceeded to shut out BOTH the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams in the NFC playoffs before laying waste to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, 46-10. Who did that defense include? For starters, it had four Hall of Famers: defensive end Richard Dent, linebacker Mike Singletary and defensive linemen Steve McMichael and Dan Hampton. Chicago's defense also had Pro Bowl linebackers Otis Wilson and Wilber Marshall and "The Fridge," defensive lineman William Perry, who, of course, would occasionally get the call on the run — or in the air — on offense. All the while, the Bears had Leslie Frazier, Gary Fencik, Dave Duerson, Mike Richardson and Ken Taylor, who combined for 23 interceptions in their secondary. The '80s Bears, specifically the 1985 Bears, have an argument for being the best defense ever assembled. As for the other side of the ball, Chicago leaned on one of the best running backs in NFL history in Walter Payton, with Hall of Fame left tackle Jinbo Covert and perennial Pro Bowlers Jay Hilgenberg and Mark Bortz leading the way up front. Meanwhile, Ditka had the ever-confident Jim McMahon under center. While the Bears never returned to the Super Bowl after the 1985 season under Ditka, they won 14 games in 1986 despite the departure of defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who became the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, and made the playoffs and won double-digit games in seven of Ditka's 12 seasons at the helm (1982-92). Everybody knows or has seen somebody who wears a Harley-Davidson-looking leather jacket. But for Bears fans, that was just their beloved head coach. Dark jacket. Dark glass. A boisterous face. Never satisfied. That was the vibe Ditka portrayed on the Bears' sideline. And if he wasn't in leather, he was rocking the signature Bears vest that countless fans are seen wearing at Soldier Field and across the country. Meanwhile, in the wake of the team's Super Bowl triumph and consistent playoff presence, Chicago's players and coaches became prominent public figures. Yeah, Ditka wasn't in "The Super Bowl Shuffle," but he did inspire one of the most memorable skits in "Saturday Night Live" history, that being "Bill Swerski's Super Fans," which is based on multiple Chicago "super fans" revering the Bears' head coach at the pub "Ditka's." Ditka also starred in the 2005 movie "Kicking & Screaming," with him serving as a coach for Will Ferrell's character's son's soccer team. Ditka is tied with George Halas for first in Bears' history with six playoff victories and is second in franchise history with 106 regular-season wins. In all, Ditka, who was also the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997-99, is 34th among head coaches in NFL history with 121 regular-season wins and is tied with Dennis Green for 32nd with 12 career playoff game appearances. Meanwhile, as a player, Ditka is fourth in Bears' history with 34 receiving touchdowns, fifth with 4,503 receiving yards and sixth with 316 receptions. Some people are great players. Others are great coaches. Mike Ditka was both.

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NFL Week 5 Schedule: How to Watch, TV Channels, Streaming, Game Previews

Week 5 of the NFL regular season runs from Thursday, Oct. 8 through Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, and includes an International Series game in London, with the Eagles and Jaguars meeting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. FOX carries six games this week, including a four-game window at 1 p.m. ET and a two-game window at 4:25 p.m. ET. Below is the complete Week 5 schedule with kickoff times and TV networks, followed by previews of the biggest matchups and everything you need to know about how to watch. NFL Week 5 Schedule Thursday, Oct. 8 Sunday, Oct. 11 Monday, Oct. 12 Four FOX games share the 1 p.m. ET window and two share the 4:25 p.m. ET window. The Eagles-Jaguars game in London kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET as part of the NFL's International Series. NFL Week 5 Game Previews Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins The Bengals are 2-2, while the Dolphins are 0-4. Miami looks for its first win of the season at home against a Cincinnati team that sits at .500. Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints The Vikings are 4-0 after their win over Miami on Sunday. They head to New Orleans to face the Saints inside the Superdome. New York Giants at Washington Commanders The Giants are 3-1, while the Commanders are 1-3. New York looks to build on its winning record against a Washington team trying to turn its season around. Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers The Bears are 3-1, while the Packers are 2-2. This NFC North rivalry game takes place at Lambeau Field. Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals The Lions are 2-2, while the Cardinals are 1-3. Arizona looks for its second win of the season at home against Detroit. San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks The 49ers are 4-0, while the Seahawks are 3-1. This NFC West matchup pits the 4-0 49ers against a 3-1 Seattle team. Want to watch every FOX game the rest of the season? Sign up for FOX One to stream every FOX NFL broadcast, including all six Week 5 games above, right from your phone, tablet or connected TV. Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars The Eagles and Jaguars meet in London as part of the NFL's International Series. The Eagles are 2-2 and the Jaguars are 3-1, with an early-morning kickoff on NFL Network. Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons The Ravens are 3-1 and visit the Falcons on Sunday Night Football. Atlanta's record heading into this game was not yet final as of this writing, because the Falcons play their Week 4 game on Monday night. Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams The Bills are 3-1, while the Rams are 2-2. Buffalo travels to SoFi Stadium to close out the Week 5 slate on Monday Night Football. How to Watch NFL Week 5 FOX has six games in Week 5, including a four-game window at 1 p.m. ET and a two-game window at 4:25 p.m. ET. Because multiple FOX games overlap in each window, the exact matchup available in your market depends on your local broadcast map, so check local listings before kickoff. The Thursday night game between the Buccaneers and Cowboys airs exclusively on Prime Video. The Eagles-Jaguars International Series game from London airs on NFL Network at 9:30 a.m. ET. CBS carries five Sunday games, including the Broncos-Chargers game at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Ravens-Falcons Sunday night game airs on NBC and streams on Peacock. The Monday night Bills-Rams game airs on ABC and ESPN. More NFL Coverage This Week Catch up on the latest from around the league before Week 5 kicks off Thursday night. Week 5 brings an International Series game in London, a Vikings team looking to stay unbeaten and a 49ers-Seahawks matchup between a 4-0 team and a 3-1 team. Check the schedule above for exact kickoff times and TV channels, and check back throughout the week for more NFL coverage on FOX Sports.

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Tom Brady Remembers The Saddest Moment Of Career: 'Worst Thing I Could've Ever Imagined'

The controversy surrounding a pair of NFL referees getting suspended due to their conduct toward players this past week led Tom Brady to take a bad trip down memory lane, but not in the way you might think. In the most recent edition of #AskTom, Brady was asked what the worst thing he ever heard a ref say during his playing days. His answer wasn't a message that a referee personally gave him. Rather, it was a call that led to arguably the worst loss of Brady's career. "This one’s a little easier than I thought: ‘The catch on the field has been confirmed’ on the David Tyree catch," Brady said, referring to Tyree's remarkable reception in the New York Giants' upset win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. "That was the worst thing I could’ve ever imagined." The Tyree catch is arguably the greatest catch in NFL history. With the Giants trailing 14-10 in the final minutes, Eli Manning somehow ran his way out of a sack before completing a 32-yard pass to Tyree, who pinned the ball to his helmet to complete the catch. Four plays later, the Giants scored the game-winning touchdown, ruining the Patriots' chances to become the first team to go 19-0 in NFL history. Nearly 20 years later, Brady remained upset over the play. "We had one of the greatest defenders in Patriots history, Rodney Harrison, covering him," Brady said. "I thought, ‘There’s no way the ball’s getting caught.’ And if it was deflected, there were probably three or four Patriots that were there to catch the ball. "Instead, he pins it against his helmet. And, as he’s falling to the ground, it never comes loose and it ends up being one of the saddest moments in my career." And the catch wasn't the only thing Brady was upset about from that play, either. "Richard Seymour got held; I don’t want to bring that up right now," Brady said, believing that the Giants got away with a holding penalty at the line of scrimmage. Reliving his pain from Super Bowl XLII wasn't the only thing Brady touched on in the latest edition of #AskTom. Brady shared what caused his mishap in the broadcast booth during Sunday's Los Angeles Rams-Philadelphia Eagles game, which player was the best trash talker he's played against and which NBA player he'd like to see play in the NFL. Here's everything Brady said in this week's #AskTom. What’s going on in that giant book that you put on the mute button in the booth? Do you watch film to put that whole thing together? Brady: It is endless amounts of information — six days of preparation: statistics, profiles, how I think the game’s going to be won, the strengths and weaknesses of each team, statistical anomalies and everything under the season. And guess what? I probably get to about 2% during the game. I always look back and go, "God, I had such a good point to make." You’d be surprised, for a three-hour broadcast, how little of the prep I actually use. It’s actually a little bit frustrating. But it’s heavy enough that it can mute you for a good five seconds, huh? Brady: I actually had the very heavy book, set it down and hit the mute TalkBack button. Then, I immediately went into a panic because I couldn’t hear myself. I was scrambling. I threw my headset off. Then, Kevin [Burkhardt] gave me another headset. Put that on. Couldn’t hear that, either. Then, our sound engineer, Ben, came over and said, "Tom, you hit the TalkBack button." And there’s a big red button on my key panel. I was a bit embarrassed. I said, "You know what? It’s like a quarterback fumbling a snap. Let’s just get to the next play." One column I’ve added just recently: I’ve got my list of enemies of which I want to exact revenge from. That’s where that Buffalo comment came from. Who was the best trash talker you’ve ever played against? Brady: There were a few back in the day. Ray Lewis was the most intimidating trash talker because the scary part about Ray was that he could back it all up. So, he was physical, tough, demanding and smart. When he came after you and told you he was going to do something to you, he usually did. It was kind of scary. One who was a little annoying at first, but became a teammate, was Richard Sherman. The first time I played against him, it was in Seattle, and we went through the whole game. He makes some comment to me at the end of the third quarter, I think he and Earl Thomas. And then, I really didn’t know what they said. It was so loud in the stadium. They were talking. I think they were hyped up. I may have said a few things back. After the game, they came up and I thought they came up to shake hands and be good sportsmen. It turns out, they actually didn’t. So, Sherm, I’m glad I got to be your buddy and teammate. We’ve hashed it out. So, we’re great. One other annoying trash talker? Rex Ryan. Guess who couldn’t back it up? Rex Ryan and the Jets all those years. Rex, just shut up. You had terrible teams. You were a terrible trash talker. He’s on that revenge column in the book, right? Brady: I got my revenge when I played against him. I didn’t need to get it post-career. What was the worst thing that you ever heard come out of a ref’s mouth? Brady: This one’s a little easier than I thought: "The catch on the field has been confirmed" on the David Tyree catch. That was the worst thing I could’ve ever imagined. Do you remember seeing that? Was the jumbotron in that stadium big enough that you knew what was coming? Brady: I actually got a good view of it, and the ball was sort of floating down. It was kind of a wobbler. Eli [Manning] escaped the traffic — Richard Seymour got held; I don’t want to bring that up right now. It’s still a little bit of a sore subject. Eli floats it down the middle to David Tyree and I think it was kind of a Hail Mary. We had one of the greatest defenders in Patriots history, Rodney Harrison, covering him. I thought, "There’s no way the ball’s getting caught." And if it was deflected, there were probably three or four Patriots that were there to catch the ball. Instead, he pins it against his helmet. And, as he’s falling to the ground, it never comes loose and it ends up being one of the saddest moments in my career. What do you say to all the fans that Brady started the crying-to-the-refs debacle we’ve got going on now? Brady: Listen, I never cried to the refs, b---es. Don’t talk s--- to me. I’ve got the microphone, and I can talk back. Are there drills to improve pocket presence? How would you coach a young QB who has some of these escaping problems that you talk about? Brady: A lot of it, I think, can be drilled. I think part of it is being aware where the soft spot in the pocket is. For a quarterback that’s not really going to run outside the pocket right or left or escape around the tackle, there’s always a nice firm spot in the pocket between the two guard spots. At that point, you’re just working to find space. To me, it was always about being on the balls of your feet, but also setting up a lot of cone drills where you shuffle right, shuffle left and shuffle left, shuffle right. As a quarterback, you should never go back in the pocket. To me, it was always, right, left and up and continue to stay on the ball of your feet looking for the soft spot. Coaches would throw bean bags at our feet. They would swipe at us as we ducked underneath bags. They would throw weighted towels at us. Anything to distract us while feeling the pocket through our peripheral vision, but maintaining our eyes downfield. A lot of guys, it feels like, are running too early these days. Who is somebody who does a good job in the pocket right now? Brady: I think Patrick Mahomes does a great job, knowing when to run, stay in the pocket and deliver the football. I know it doesn’t look pretty, but throwing a ball 20 yards down the field and completing a pass sometimes can look effortless when you can have a dynamic 12-yard run. But, at the end of the day, the game is points and it’s about production and yards. Obviously, the more yards you gain per play, the more successful you’re going to be. So, a 20-yard throw can look relatively simple, it can be way more effective than a short run. Look, I’m all for escapability. I think it’s a great tool to have. I just think you’ve got to use it at the right time and at an appropriate time for your team. Are there tells that defensive backs watch for like "patting" the football? Did you ever have to think about this or change anything in your delivery? Brady: I always thought patting the football was a rhythm thing. I never really saw it as a detriment. I think the thought is from the time the quarterback decides to throw to the time the ball hits the receiver's hands; that’s the timeframe that needs to be as quick as possible. If it’s an elaborated patt and it’s a little slow, then you have a problem. It’s just as if you’re making your decision for the rhythm of the throw that it doesn’t slow you down as much as you think. I don’t think the DB can get a beat on it before it gets to the receiver’s hands. So, I think the patt’s a little bit overrated. Good fundamentals and an accurate throw with the appropriate amount of pace are what matters most. I think the DBs are always looking at the shoulders of the quarterback and which direction he’s pointing the shoulder in for them to break on the ball. You can put one current NBA player onto an NFL team right now. Who is it, what team and what position? Brady: I’m putting LeBron James on the Las Vegas Raiders. At the end of the day, he’s the right age. He’s got the experience. He’s got the height. He’s a prolific scorer. Get him down in the red zone, run a little flag route, send him out wide, give him a slant or a fade and let him go high-point the ball. I’ve seen his head go above the rim. This is the easiest touchdown we could ever throw. It’s just throwing it up to LeBron.

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Taking The L: What We've Been The Most Wrong About Through 1st Quarter Of NFL Season

The first four weeks of the 2026 NFL season were far from predictable. A sliver of teams with playoff (and even championship) hopes are winless. The Minnesota Vikings are one of the final three undefeated teams left. Kenneth Walker III looks like the favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year, and the Los Angeles Rams haven't been as invincible as we thought they might be. We technically aren't at the exact quarter mark of the 2026 NFL season, but we're just about there. So, as we prepare for Week 5, we're taking a look back on some of our preseason predictions and eating a slice of humble pie as we share what we were wrong about the most. Ralph Vacchiano: I have been high on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert since 2019, when the New York Giants desperately hoped he’d come out for the draft, one year before he actually did. I thought he had everything I’d want in an NFL quarterback, and I blamed his teammates, coaches and his dysfunctional franchise for why he hasn’t already won multiple Super Bowl trophies and MVPs. This year, though, I thought everything was set up for him. I believed Jim Harbaugh made a brilliant move to bring in Mike McDaniel to work his wizardry at offensive coordinator. I thought they fixed their line, too. By the end of this season, I was sure Herbert and the Chargers would emerge as a sleeper Super Bowl threat. Um, about that … They’re obviously 0-4, possibly headed towards 0-9 if you look at their schedule, and McDaniel and Herbert look like they’re reading the same book in different languages. There is no cohesion on offense, no answers from the coaches, and all seems lost. Just a month ago, 10 wins and the playoffs seemed like the floor for this team. I believed that Herbert, who has been floundering the last three seasons, would finally be back on his Hall of Fame track. Now, all I can do is accept that Herbert might be the most overrated quarterback of this generation. I still think the talent is there. But his potential may forever go unfulfilled. Ben Arthur: The Texans were an easy Super Bowl pick for me ahead of the season. Their all-world defense from a year ago lost no significant contributors over the offseason; they arguably got even better (added free-agent safety Reed Blakenship, second-round rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald). And I couldn’t imagine quarterback C.J. Stroud playing worse than he did in the playoffs last season, when he had seven turnovers in two games. If Stroud could keep Houston’s offense on schedule and the defense kept doing its thing, the Texans had a championship formula. So it’s been bizarre to see Stroud and the Texans’ defense essentially switch places in their stunning 0-4 start: the quarterback play has been fine — great at times — but the defense has regressed dramatically. Houston ranks 20th in yards allowed and 26th in points allowed through four games. The team has been particularly bad defending the pass, ranking 28th with 260.0 passing yards allowed per game. Stroud has shown very real signs of growth, and I think the defense will be fine after head coach DeMeco Ryans took back defensive play-calling responsibilities this week. But I think the hole they’ve dug for themselves is too big to overcome. The Jaguars are positioned to run away with the AFC South, and there will be some very good teams fighting for the three wild-card spots in the AFC. Eric D. Williams: I thought the unusual pairing between the old-school approach of veteran head coach Jim Harbaugh and the new-school approach of quirky offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel would work, despite their differing personalities. Instead, through the first four weeks, it’s been an ineffective combo, with Harbaugh having to answer questions about firing his offensive coordinator. The uber-talented Justin Herbert is playing his worst football in his seven-year NFL career. L.A.’s offense looks disjointed, riddled with miscues and sloppy penalties. The Chargers are hampered by injuries again, with four of the team’s projected starting five along the offensive line already suffering injuries that forced them to miss time. The Chargers have one of the worst scoring offenses in the league, and there’s no sign that things will turn around soon, with one of the best defenses in the league traveling to SoFi Stadium to face the Bolts in the Denver Broncos. Once again, the Chargers appear to be facing another lost season led by one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league, and at the center of that struggle is the strained relationship between Harbaugh, McDaniel and Herbert. Greg Auman: I took the Chargers to win the Super Bowl and thought highly of the Texans, so it would be easy to echo the shock of those two teams opening to 0-4 records. I’ll pivot to the other side of surprise, and three current playoff teams I didn’t see coming: the Giants, Raiders and Browns, all off to promising 3-1 starts. You never know how quickly a new coach can imprint on a team that has struggled, and Klint Kubiak has certainly impressed in his first month in Las Vegas. Kubiak had bounced to five teams in five years before winning a Super Bowl last year, from the Vikings to Broncos to 49ers to Chiefs to Seahawks. He looks like someone who has learned from every stop and knows how to build a winning culture. General manager John Spytek spent big in free agency, but Tyler Linderbaum looks like a game-changer, and Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker are a great young linebacker duo. It may not translate to the playoffs this year, but the trajectory is undeniably upward. There’s so much less standing between the Giants and a division title in John Harbaugh’s first season there. The Eagles are now down three solid offensive linemen, and the Cowboys show little sign that their defense isn’t the limiting factor it was last year. Can Jameis Winston play a full season without falling back to old turnover habits? That may be the biggest question, but New York’s defensive front and rookie linebacker Arvell Reese should only improve as the year progresses. And Cleveland, off to a 3-1 start with their only loss at Jacksonville? Todd Monken is the old man in this first-year head coach class, and he’s managed to win with Deshaun Watson, a wrinkle nobody saw coming. Rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion are playmakers, and second-year defensive tackle Mason Graham had four sacks in his first three games before falling to injury. Their schedule is loaded with winnable games, and while they’re unlikely to catch Baltimore, they could stick around in an AFC North where all four teams are at .500 or better right now. Steven Ruiz: I’ll go with the idea that the Cowboys' defense can be "average." I really bought into it and picked Dallas to win the NFC East. My optimism was based on new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, but I’m already selling my stock. It’s early, so Parker could develop into a great play-caller someday, but Dallas's defense isn't playing like a well-coached unit right now. There have been coverage busts, missed tackles, and blown assignments all over the field. So, it feels an awful lot like the 2025 version of the defense. I’m sure some of that will get resolved over the next few months, but it’s going to be difficult to fix all of it. Beyond the coaching issues, there’s still a concerning lack of talent. I’d hoped the safeties would improve with the addition of first-round pick Caleb Downs, but the rookie has mostly been used as a nickel back, leaving Markquese Bell and Malik Hooker to cover the deep parts of the field. They’ve been a disaster, and it’s tanked the entire pass unit. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr.'s arrival could push Downs back to safety, patching one of the biggest holes on that unit. But as the defense is currently constructed, this is far from a playoff-level unit. With Philadelphia’s season in peril and New York rolling with Jameis Winston for the foreseeable future, the bar for this defense to win the division is much lower than I expected in the offseason. So my take on the defense may have been irredeemably wrong, but I’m still feeling good about my NFC East pick. Henry McKenna: I thought the Chiefs would miss the playoffs, and that was because I thought Patrick Mahomes would need some time before getting on the field — let alone looking like a top-three quarterback. I also thought Kenneth Walker III wouldn’t magically transform the Chiefs’ offensive identity. I was skeptical of whether bringing back OC Eric Bieniemy was the right move — when the team needed fresh ideas. I was beginning to think that maybe there wasn’t enough talent on defense, even with Steve Spagnuolo pulling the strings. So, yeah, I got all that wrong. Every single element. After just four games, the Chiefs have an 89% chance at making the playoffs, tied for the highest in the NFL. They have the highest odds to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed. That’s because Mahomes is playing the best football he’s played in the last five years. Walker looks like he’s on the same play-making plane as the likes of Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. Bieniemy and Andy Reid have used Walker to bring new life to a dud of an offense. And Spags looks just fine working with the guys he’s got, including high-impact rookies Mansoor Delane, the team’s new CB1, and R Mason Thomas, the team’s rotational edge rusher. The Chiefs took a number of calculated risks. Every single one has paid off. The dynasty is alive and well.

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Sean Payton Says He’ll Call Broncos’ Offensive Plays Against Chargers

Even with a talented quarterback in Bo Nix and a new wide receiver in Jaylen Waddle, the Denver Broncos’ offense still hasn't delivered. Payton told reporters that he will be calling the plays starting this Sunday against the Chargers. ESPN had originally reported that offensive coordinator Davis Webb will still be the main communication with Nix, but Payton would have the final say. Denver fell to the Chiefs in its Week 1 road opener, 31-10, in Patrick Mahomes' return from injury; it then secured home wins over the Jaguars in Week 2 and the Rams in Week 3, but suffered its second loss to the 49ers on the road. That puts the Broncos at 2-2, with both losses resulting from 14 points or fewer on offense, calling for a new solution in play-calling. Webb got the keys to play-calling this offseason, with Payton still close by. But Payton made it clear that offensive play-calling needed a change moving forward. "I think our focus needs to be more on the specifics and the detail of each play regardless [of who's calling the plays]. I think Davis is very fast, very quick, and understands what we're doing. I think that the most important job I have is really evaluating the whys," according to ESPN. Payton's involvement will help Denver’s offense improve across the board, given its numbers after Week 4. The Broncos’ run game ranks 29th in yards per game with 81, and the offense ranks 27th in yards per game with 280. Noticing glaring issues early on, Payton noted that correcting them quickly will be vital down the road. "I think, collectively, we all after a game, and after a four-game sample size, certainly this isn't championship football, what we see. How quickly can we correct those things?" With a Week 6 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks, who sit atop the league in yards allowed per game with 246, implementing Payton in a larger play-calling role in Week 5 will be the prime setup heading into a home game vs. Seattle’s defense.

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Will Hill's Parlay Of The Week: Back Seahawks, Steelers To Win In Week 5

It’s that time of the week, where we approach the weekend and try to turn some beer money into … more beer money. Last week, the five-leg parlay came painfully close to cashing at nearly 14-1 odds. With four of the five legs winning, our only loss came on a late, meaningless Titans touchdown after third-and-16 and fourth-and-11 conversions. It's the way the cookie crumbles. On to this week. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Iowa State heads to Provo, Utah to take on BYU on Friday night. BYU is coming off a win and a cover, as it defeated TCU 17-10 last week. However, diving into the box score revealed a less impressive performance for the Cougars, as they somehow managed to win despite just 62 passing yards. I like ISU and its prolific ground game — led by Aiden Flora — to keep this game close. Kentucky looks like more than just a basketball school. It is 4-1 and faces an LSU team that lost its only road game so far this season. Kentucky has a rising star at head coach in former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, and its only loss was to an Alabama team that appears to once again be on the short list of national title contenders. I like the home ‘dog. The Cowboys are an offensive machine. I have a hard time seeing the beleaguered Buccaneers slow them down in Dallas on Thursday night. The Steelers have been off since last Thursday, getting some extra time to rest and prepare for the Colts. Meanwhile, Indy has a road game immediately after a trip to London. Major travel and rest advantage for the home Steelers. The Seahawks welcome in the 49ers in a huge NFC West clash. These teams have met twice since the calendar flipped to 2026, with the Seahawks winning both games by a combined score of 54-9 — in Week 18 of last year, then again two weeks later in the divisional round. The defending champs are hard to beat in Seattle. I’ll use them as the last leg of the parlay.

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Ravens Make Blockbuster Trade For Eagles Star Offensive Lineman

After losing Tyler Lindenbaum to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency this past offseason, the Baltimore Ravens have finally filled the void. The Ravens have acquired center Cam Jurgens from the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced on Wednesday afternoon. Baltimore is sending a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to Philadelphia for Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round pick, per ESPN. At just 27 years old, Jurgens was groomed and once viewed as the heir apparent to long-time All-Pro center Jason Kelce. With a clear need at center after losing multiple centers to injury, Jurgens should project seamlessly within Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s scheme. After Landon Dickerson landed on injured reserve early in the season, Jurgens briefly kicked out to left guard while rookie Drew Kendall stepped in at center. With the trade to the Ravens now official, the expectation is that Jurgens will shift back to his natural center position. The Ravens' depth at the position took a major hit after losing starting center Danny Pinter to season-ending knee surgery in training camp. Matters worsened when both Ethan Pocic and Jovaughn Gwyn suffered injuries in Week 3, paving the way for Wednesday’s trade for Jurgens. Jurgens signed a four-year, $68 million contract extension in the 2025 offseason and remains under contract through the 2029 season. Following the trade, the Eagles now have multiple first- and second-round picks in the 2028 NFL Draft and are up to nine picks total; they acquired an extra first-round pick in June in the A.J. Brown trade with the New England Patriots. Jurgens has struggled this season, recording a 38.7 overall grade along with a 31.7 pass-blocking and 50.3 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus. He'll be switching schemes, with the Ravens potentially viewing Jurgens as a better fit for their wide-zone run scheme. With the center position solidified, all eyes turn toward quarterback Lamar Jackson’s health as the Ravens pursue Super Bowl aspirations under first-year head coach Jesse Minter. Jackson is expected to miss Baltimore's Week 5 road tilt against the Atlanta Falcons due to an ankle sprain.

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