But if the league wants certain penalized, “flagrant” hits to result in “immediate” ejections, as executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent suggested Wednesday, it needs to tread carefully. Based in part on perpetual confusion over its catch rule despite multiple, public explanations, the NFL apparently has not learned that, sometimes, less is more when it comes to the rule book. So before it creates another complicated rule, the league at least should examine the nightmare that has been automatic ejections for targeting penalties in college football....

But the NFL? It still doesn’t. MORE: Sam Shields says it was a catch | Dez Bryant throwing down dunks | Cuban OK with Cowboys signing Greg Hardy The league on Monday changed its confusing and vaguely worded rule for what constitutes a catch, only to replace them with something just as vague, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport . In the past, players had to “make a football move” in order to complete a catch....

Rivera, the head coach of the Washington Football Team, told the magazine he finds it frustrating that people who spread COVID-19 misinformation are allowed to have a platform. “One specific news agency, every time they have someone on, ‘I’m not a doctor, but the vaccines don’t work.’ Or, ‘I’m not an epidemiologist, but vaccines are going to give you a third nipple and make you sterile.’ Come on. That, to me?...

NFL Media reports the Vikings have informed the Norwegian kicker they’re waiving him. He had been challenging veteran Dan Bailey for placekicking duties, and competing with Matt Wile to be the team’s punter. His release opens the door for the 31-year-old Bailey to return for a second season in Minnesota. Wile will be the punter. Vedvik, who signed with the Ravens before last season as an undrafted rookie free agent, never played a down in the regular season....

The NFL roster maximum is 80 ahead of cut day. That means that each team could need to release as many as 27 players to comply with the NFL’s roster rules. That means as many as 864 players could find themselves looking for work as the season is set to begin. The good news is that many of these players will be signed to practice squad contracts. Each NFL team will have up to 16 practice squad spots available thanks to rule changes that were implemented before the 2020 season....

A few days ago, the Houston Rockets center shared this photo on Instagram: "My favorite running back and Johnny Football." So they must be taking Johnny Manziel, whose pro day is on Thursday, right? But on Monday night, the Houston Rockets shared this photo on Twitter. And Jadeveon Clowney himself shared this video on Instagram. Just to round out the Clowney scrapbook on Monday night, here he is with Michael Jordan and James Harden....

Incoming rookies typically don’t make their debut in sports video games until the new edition is released months after their respective drafts have taken place. Roster updates to games already on the market contractually come to an end once the league year concludes. MORE: The inside story of Greg Jennings breaking his leg in ‘Madden’ YouTube video That hasn’t been the case with the “Madden NFL” franchise since 2012, thanks to its team-building mode and agreement with the NFLPA....

While Brady is new to Twitter, he has learned how to use the app well and took his time Thursday to offer an inspirational message. “Good luck to everyone waiting to hear their name called tonight,” he wrote. “Remember, there’s more than just going in the first round!” And he wasn’t done yet. He drove the point home in a series of tweets. “or the second…,” he wrote. And finally, “or the third…....

Like many things in life, though — such as beating par on a golf course or folding a fitted sheet — drafting is much more complicated in practice. If drafting were easy, every first-rounder would be a Pro Bowler, every top-10 pick would be an All-Pro and every player chosen at the very top of the draft would be handed a ballcap with his new team’s logo and a postdated plane ticket to Canton....

Philadelphia, which barely snuck into the postseason with its NFC East title at 9-7, gets the 21st pick by virtue of having the worst record among the four wild-card losers. The Eagles are followed by the Bills (10-6), Patriots (12-4) and Saints (13-3) in the draft order. MOCK DRAFT 2020Dolphins, Panthers get Bengals’ QB leftovers; Cowboys, Raiders find new stars The first 20 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, of course, were set upon the conclusion of the regular season....

Below are the results from Rounds 1-7 of the NFL Draft with pick number, team, player, position and school, minus the analysis and draft grades. Of course, if you would like our NFL experts to tell you how smart (or stupid) your team’s picks were, we have you covered with our pick-by-pick analysis for the entire draft, as well as draft grades to determine the winners and losers. Here are those round-by-round picks....

Sporting News constructed its first Top 50 Big Board, and it’s flush with talent from the usual college football powerhouses. Alabama leads all schools with nine players on the list, including two of the top three players in quarterback Bryce Young and edge rusher Will Anderson. Ohio State and Notre Dame are next with four players each. The Buckeyes have the top player in quarterback C.J. Stroud, and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer also made the top-10....

Among notable talking points when it comes to scouting, though, is Alabama’s defense, which shut down another talented offense. It’s time to start thinking historically about this Crimson Tide unit. MARVEZ: Lessons from NFL Week 1 Elsewhere, Royce Freeman leads the running back discussion in the country and for the 2017 NFL Draft, as this class looks like the Year of the Running Back. Also in this week’s draft spotlight is a nugget on Cooper Rush, recanted allegations on a one-time top prospect and something you missed....

Amid a season of questionable calls, NFL executive Troy Vincent told The Associated Press on Thursday that the league is expected to hire as many as 17 full-time officials. The new batch of hires will increase game-day officiating crews from seven to eight members. MORE: 2015: The year of the questionable refs As it stands, NFL officials are part-timers and work other jobs away from the game. For example, Ed Hochuli is a partner at the Arizona law firm of Jones, Skelton and Hochuli, P....

Teams will only be allowed to reopen facilities if it is allowed by state and local restrictions for containing the spread of the coronavirus, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shared in a memo Friday. IYER: Making sense of reported Rooney Rule change While the move is a step toward starting the 2020 season on time, the continued restrictions on players and coaches indicate the league still has a long way to go....

But from the top tier of potential starters to the bargain basement of backups, there are several notable names and solid contributors still left unsigned in ‘22. Here’s looking at the top remaining free agents by position, including a glut at the offensive skill spots: NFL FREE AGENCY 2022: Tracking the top 50 signings by position NFL free agents 2022: The best players still available at each position Quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick, Commanders Andy Dalton, Bears Cam Newton, Panthers...

The problem: Both say the league is going about it the wrong way. Arians and Bidwill told Sporting News that a program started by the Cardinals would have better results in producing NFL assistants than the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship initiative currently in place. STEELE: Offense-focused searches part of problem The Walsh fellowship annually provides a chance for more than 100 selected minority applicants to work with NFL coaching staffs during the offseason, minicamp and training camp practices....

The most evident and significant change will be the absence of fans in stadiums and arenas, with games set to be played behind closed doors for the foreseeable future in compliance with social distancing measures set out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. While watching the NBA, the MLB or the NHL without fans would make for a weird experience, the impact of playing games behind closed doors would be far bigger in the NFL where crowds play a huge role....

As for the actual Oakland Raiders, they’re giving up a game in the Black Hole to play the Miami Dolphins in the White Fog of London in Week 4. For the first time, the NFL will play three games in the United Kingdom as part of its International Series. The Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons face off in Wembley Stadium on Oct. 26, while the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars await their turn on Nov....