Category: News Feeds

JACKSONVILLE — Take away the two Super Bowl teams last year, and very few NFL franchises exceeded expectations in 2025 more than the Jacksonville Jaguars did in flipping from 4-13 to 13-4 and winning the AFC South. Trevor Lawrence finished fifth in MVP voting and fifth in the league in touchdown passes with 29, all with a first-time head coach in Liam Coen. And yet the Jaguars lost a close game in the wild-card round and are now not favored to win their division, chasing the Houston Texans in the oddsmakers’ view. So, knowing the outside expectations are that the Jaguars can’t even match last year’s success, Lawrence has a new challenge in 2026, trying to sustain success and validate last year’s team breakout, while also trying to keep up with the lofty personal standards for any former No. 1 overall pick making $55 million a year. How do you set the tone in a new way, to keep the culture of winning on a team that hasn’t gone to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 1999? “I think the whole idea of working your tail off out here and earning the right to be successful to win and to make plays, that’s a real thing,” Lawrence said Wednesday after a second joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “You’ve got to feel that as a team. If you don’t feel that, there is some doubt that can creep in. Are we ready? I know we’re not going to be asking ourselves that come Week 1. We’ve put the time in, put the work in, and we’ve got to continue to do that, and we need to get better.” In the second half of the 2025 regular season, the Jaguars were the best team in the NFL, going 8-0. They had both the most points scored and the fewest points allowed during that stretch as they outscored opponents by 153 points from Week 10 on, a full 51 points better than the next-best team. Success in 2026 most importantly starts with returning to the playoffs, and then winning once you’re there, but that’s a goal that’s months in the future. The focus for Lawrence is incremental progress, and that’s what his coaches have seen to this point. “Progress would probably be in there: process, consistency,” offensive coordinator Grant Udinski said when asked to describe Lawrence’s offseason. “I probably have said it a thousand times; you guys are probably sick of hearing it, how we know that progress is not a straight line. But the consistency to show up day after day after day and build on what we had last year, but not take any of those details and fundamentals and foundational steps for granted and continue to work over and over and over again at those things, whether it’s a drop and technique and fundamentals or whether it’s a read or whether it’s just calling a certain play or a certain motion, all of those things are so important. “They’re critical for the success of not only the quarterback, but all 11 on the offense. And he’s a guy that has continued to work at all aspects of that, which is once again why he’s such a joy to coach.” This is an important year for the Jaguars, whose stadium is covered with scaffolding for major renovations that will relocate them to Orlando (and London) for the 2027 season. The offseason transactions were quiet, allowing linebacker Devin Lloyd (Carolina Panthers) and running back Travis Etienne (New Orleans Saints) to leave and trusting in-house options to take over in third-year linebacker Ventrell Miller and second-year running back Bayshul Tuten. Coen was fortunate to keep both Udinski, 30, and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, 44, after both interviewed for head coaching jobs elsewhere. Lawrence said his confidence starts at the line of scrimmage on both sides, where both lines return nearly intact from last year and will work to set the tone for more of the same this season. “Those guys having that edge, and they’ve done a great job of it. We just got to keep working it,” Lawrence said. “I think we found out what we need to get better at also through training camp and some of the details, the attention to detail, whether it’s formations, motions, different checks, just being ready for everything. Our whole operation needs to continue to sharpen and refine and move quicker. … We got better, but that’s just something that I still think we need to work on.” 1. Tampa Bay will have a considerable impact from their rookies on defense, starting with first-round outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr., who has been the buzz of training camp. Second-rounder Josiah Trotter, who is the son of Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, should start at inside linebacker, with fourth-round defensive back Keionte Scott potentially starting at nickel. Add in veterans like defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, edge Al-Quadin Muhammad and linebacker Alex Anzalone, and there’s a different vibe to their defensive front. “They’re tough,” Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs said of the group on Wednesday. “I think they’re going to be a problem this year. It’s nice to see that kind of a–hole mentality … It’s a mean front.” 2. A year ago, the intrigue was the novelty of Travis Hunter’s balance between offense and defense, but as he returns healthy after being limited to seven games as a rookie, he’s focused primarily on defense. Roughly 75% of his reps have come on defense this summer, according to local beat writers carefully charting his participation. Last year, he logged twice as many snaps on offense before his injury. “It can be a challenge, but I think [we] just continue to chip away when I can over this next week or two,” Lawrence said of working with Hunter as a receiver. “It’s tough. You don’t get quite as much time, but I feel like when the opportunity comes up, we’re going to have him ready and he’s going to be able to do whatever we need him to do.” The third-round rookie joins a talented receiving corps and brings much-needed size to help offset the loss of Mike Evans to the 49ers. “He has some unbelievable potential,” receiver Chris Godwin said Tuesday. “He’s so explosive, especially for that size. He has the ability to jump, make tough catches. He’s doing some really good things.” An under-the-radar value signing for Jacksonville was keeping Brown for three years, $33 million this offseason. They traded away Tyson Campbell last year and let Greg Newsome walk in free agency, and Brown had a deflected interception off Baker Mayfield during Tuesday’s joint practice. “Just the hair on hair,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said of watching a practice scuffle between Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The final week of the NFL preseason has brought starter announcements, more injury updates and a historic decision regarding the Pro Bowl on Wednesday. Kansas City confirmed Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Chiefs’ preseason finale, while a starting quarterback decision could be on the way in Atlanta with the competition intensifying. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson discussed how his injuries impacted his rushing production last season. Meanwhile, New York Giants camp saw a heated practice altercation started by running back Cam Skattebo. In bigger league news, the NFL officially announced it is completely scrapping the Pro Bowl after 75 years. Here is the latest on Wednesday from around the league. The NFL is officially ending the yearly Pro Bowl event, first reported by The Athletic. After decades of format tweaks and noncompetitive play, the NFL is officially ending the Pro Bowl as a standalone event once and for all. On Wednesday, league executives presented a new vision to team owners that folds the festivities directly into Super Bowl week. Under the new format, 88 players are expected to receive Pro Bowl honors without alternates. Even with the traditional Pro Bowl game no longer being played during the annual event, players will still receive recognition and honors. This will continue to impact potential contract incentives throughout the offseason. The NFL’s first All-Star Game was played in Los Angeles in 1939. Decades later, the Pro Bowl made Hawaii its annual home before switching locations on a yearly basis in recent years. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, marking the first time in his career he will sit out an entire preseason. Mahomes, who is returning from December knee surgery, remains on track to start Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on September 14. “It’s the amount of time they’ve said from the beginning, that if I did everything the right way, I would be ready to play Week 1,” Mahomes said. “I’m someone, if you put a target in front of me, I want to go out and get it and maximize every single opportunity.” Mahomes shared more about his process leading up to his return. “You know, this week we’ve kind of treated it more like a game week, being able to go in that same process — have Wednesday practice and then a Thursday practice, take my notes the same and watch the same film that I’ll usually watch. I think that’s kind of how I prepare,” Mahomes continued. With backup Justin Fields unlikely to play and Chris Oladokun in concussion protocol, rookie seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier is expected to handle the bulk of playing time. “He’s done a nice job, thrown right in the fire with the first group,” head coach Andy Reid said of Nussmeier. A disastrous 2025 season led the Baltimore Ravens to move on from head coach John Harbaugh, sending shockwaves that directly impacted two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Beyond missing time, Jackson’s health reshaped how the Ravens offense had to play. Jackson told reporters Wednesday afternoon that last season’s nagging hamstring injuries limited his rushing ability and he couldn’t play like himself. “I believe you know … a lot of people know [that] I was hurt last year, so I really could not do anything like I wanted to,” Jackson said. “It really would not [have] put my team in a good position if I was just running hurt…losing yards, things like that [were] happening.” Jackson played only 13 games last season and put together a solid year, though not quite up to his usual standards. He posted the second-lowest completion percentage of his career, throwing for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. In those 13 games, Jackson averaged just 5.15 rushes per game compared to his career average of 9.31. However, despite those lower rushing numbers, Jackson remained elite as a passer, ranking ninth in the league with a 62.7 QBR. Under newly hired offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, Jackson is primed to put together a strong bounce-back season. His aggressive, downfield scheme paired with Jackson’s explosive dual-threat ability creates a massive upside for head coach Jesse Minter’s offense. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback competition has flown under the radar this offseason, but the dynamic is about to shift. With third-year Michael Penix Jr. closing in on a return, Tua Tagoliova takes the snaps for the third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday night. Tagoliova has played in both preseason games so far, but needing to play in the third week is rarely a good sign. Penix Jr. won’t play against the Dolphins and said only putting together three practices is just far too soon to put him on the field. However, Penix Jr. said he’ll be ready to start Week 1 physically and mentally if he is named the starter by head coach Kevin Stefanski. If Penix Jr. wins the starting job, it will be the first time in his career that he’ll start in the season opener. Penix Jr. appeared in nine games for the Falcons last season before missing time due to injury. During his action on the field, he threw for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and just three interceptions while completing 58.1% of his passes. With Penix Jr. getting closer and closer to a return to the field, all eyes shift toward Stefanski and to make it official on who will start the season opener. A scuffle broke out at New York Giants practice on Wednesday after running back Cam Skattebo slid near defensive backs during a non-contact drill. Safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Greg Newsome confronted Skattebo after the play, escalating an ongoing issue after Skattebo previously made physical contact with linebacker Zaire Barnes during a non-contact session, according to reporters in attendance. Head coach John Harbaugh addressed Skattebo’s physical demeanor and a late 15-yard penalty following practice. “Did you see that? Yeah, it’s infectious,” Harbaugh said. “It can be infectious the other way, an infectious disease type of thing. We want it to be in a positive way.” Skattebo is working his way back into the offense after missing the second half of his 2025 rookie season with an ankle injury.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s about that time, as the offseason winds down, and predictions start looming. Which teams are bound to make waves this college football season? As Oregon returns plenty of production from their 2025 team and Indiana aims for a repeat title, the competition for conference championships and a national title are wide open. Here are Klatt’s predictions for every Power Four conference champion, 12-team bracket and his national champion prediction: Conference Championship Game Predictions Klatt’s thoughts: “I do think that the Big Ten is absolutely loaded at the top. I think all of us know that after all these preseason rankings have finally come out. We saw Ohio State at the top of the AP [Top 25 Poll]. Oregon was at the top of my preseason poll. And you still have Indiana, the defending national champion. You’ve got teams like USC, Penn State and Michigan, who will all be in there vying and trying to level up into that rarefied air of those top three teams in the Big Ten. “Ohio State’s schedule is going to be too difficult. … They’ve got to play at Iowa after opening on the road in Week 2 against Texas. They’ve got to play on the road several times against very difficult opponents. They’ve got to go to USC. They’ve got to go to Indiana. These are all very difficult places to play. That’s why I don’t think Ohio State will make it to Indianapolis. “Oregon’s also got a difficult schedule, but I think they’re going to be prepared to handle it. I think Indiana gets back into that spot. … I’m going to take Dan Lanning and the Ducks.” Klatt’s thoughts: “This is a very deep conference — we all know that. I think there are two, at least in this month, that are maybe better than the rest. We’ll see how it plays out, particularly with a team like LSU. But I really, really like Georgia and Texas. I really like Texas a lot. My wild card is LSU. “You start to wonder to yourself if [Texas coach Steve Sarkisian] can get over the hump. Let’s just say if Ohio State were to beat them early in the season, that could be a real defining moment for that program. For them to turn things around and break some of those barriers later in the season — one of those barriers being Georgia and Kirby Smart. I don’t want to bet against Georgia and Kirby Smart, but I don’t know if they’re going to have the firepower to keep up with what could be a very good offense in Texas. “I think Texas and Steve Sarkisian can get over that hump.” Klatt’s thoughts: “This one’s pretty easy. Texas Tech is the most talented team in the league, and they’ve got a pretty soft schedule. They only have one ranked opponent on their schedule as it stands right now: Week 3 against Houston. “Who will Texas Tech face? I like Arizona a lot, but I just don’t love their schedule in the Big 12. They’ve got quarterback Noah Fifita coming back. I really like what they’ve done with their program. … You just look at these schedules and I just don’t love it for Arizona. They’ve got at BYU, at Texas Tech and home against Utah. “I think the second spot goes to the winner of the Holy War, BYU and Utah. As was the case a year ago, I’m going to lean toward BYU. A lot of turnover at Utah. Meanwhile, BYU, they still have head coach Kelani Sitake, quarterback Bear Bachmaier and running back LJ Martin. “Texas Tech is just at a different level in terms of the roster compilation against the other Big 12 schools.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Miami has a similar gap over the ACC. I don’t see them losing an ACC game this year. They might lose to Notre Dame. I’ll predict that they do lose to Notre Dame. But Miami is not going to have a large issue when it comes to the ACC schedule. “The real question is who is Miami going to face? You start to throw out those teams you think might have the talent and schedule to get themselves into the ACC Championship Game. I have four teams I considered here: Clemson, Virginia Tech, SMU and Louisville. With Clemson and Virginia Tech, I just don’t know. … Louisville and SMU happen to play each other in a monster game in September. I’m going to go with SMU because they’re 14-2 in ACC play since joining the conference a year ago. “But SMU is not in Miami’s hemisphere, at least as it currently stands.” The 12-Team Bracket Klatt’s thoughts: “If Oregon were to win the Big Ten with only one loss, then I think the Ducks take the No. 1 seed. They’re rewarded for winning the Big Ten.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I think Notre Dame goes undefeated, but their schedule is just not anywhere close to Oregon’s.” Klatt’s thoughts: “With only one loss to an undefeated Notre Dame on the road, I think Miami gets the No. 3 seed. … They’re 12-1 with an ACC championship.” Klatt’s thoughts: “The fourth spot is a tough call. I think it’ll come down to a team that did not play in their conference championship game, but beat a conference champion. Texas is going to get the fourth spot because the SEC championship, fresh off a win against Kirby Smart and Georgia, will help give Texas all the love that they want, and they’re going to be one spot ahead of a team that beat them: Ohio State.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Ohio State is going to be rated one spot ahead of the sixth-place team, Indiana, because in this prediction, I’ve got Ohio State with a win over Indiana. Ohio State would have wins over Texas and Indiana, but loses on the final bye seed because Texas has the SEC championship.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Indiana would have the sixth seed because of their loss to Ohio State as an 11-2 team.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Georgia would be No. 7 after the loss to Texas in the SEC Championship Game.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Texas Tech’s strength of schedule is not anywhere close. So, even as a conference champion, unless they were undefeated and beating everyone by 20 or 25 — I could see them losing a game in the Big 12 slate — I’ve got them as the eighth seed.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Now, it starts to get interesting. I think everyone can agree that the first eight teams are the best eight teams. Who in the world is going to play themselves into the final at-large spots? I’m bullish on [USC]. … I think USC is going to have a real fantastic year. I like what they’re doing at the line of scrimmage, both offensively and defensively. I love the fact that they’re going to run the football. I love the fact that they’re returning their starting quarterback. I’ve got them going 10-2 with loss to Oregon and Indiana, but they pick up a huge resume-building win against Ohio State.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I just think LSU is going to come out and play very solid football. That doesn’t mean they’re going to win their conference. I don’t know if they’re going to go to that echelon. But I can certainly see them fixing what happened on the offensive side of the football. … Lane Kiffin’s going to have them generating 500 yards of offense, week in and week out. This idea that it’s somehow a question or anomaly of how this is going to come together with all these players from the transfer portal, let’s not act like Kiffin hasn’t done this before. … LSU is going to be a 10-2 team.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I’ve got three teams going for the final at-large spot in the College Football Playoff: Penn State (they’re going to be 10-2), Alabama (at 10-2) and the winner of the Michigan-Oklahoma game. I think the winner of that game will go 9-3. So, they’re going to have a huge resume-building win out of conference, but they’re still 9-3. … I think Penn State gets thrown out right away because they won’t have a resume-building win. In this scenario, they would have lost to Michigan and USC and there’s not a marquee win on their schedule. Alabama would be 10-2 against either 9-3 Michigan or Oklahoma. “This team should be excellent on defense. … This is a team that I think can get back to that Alabama defensive identity.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Let’s just go with Boise State. Can anyone predict the Group of 5? These rosters turn over with such a huge degree. … I think Boise State will get rewarded with a tougher strength of schedule.” First Round Klatt’s thoughts: “Ohio State should win this game pretty handily.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Kalen DeBoer and company go up to Bloomington and guess what? They still can’t stop Indiana from running the football. Indiana might run it 55 times in the weather up there.” Klatt’s thoughts: “Great year for Lane Kiffin. I do think they need to win a playoff game for them to reach their expectations. … But Georgia moves on.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I don’t think Texas Tech, based on what we saw last year in the postseason when it got shut out by Oregon, will be up to par with a team like USC, who’ll be very tested by that point.” Quarterfinals Klatt’s thoughts: “I like USC a lot, but not in this game. Oregon’s my No. 1 overall seed for a reason.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I think Notre Dame is going to be incredible. They’re going to play against Georgia, and they’re going to win. Notre Dame is going to win that game for the second time in three years.” Klatt’s thoughts: “I thought it was a coin flip… but Miami is just building something. I think Miami wins that game.” Klatt’s thoughts: “This would be the fourth meeting in the last three years. I have to take Ohio State. I think they have something over Texas.” Semifinals Klatt’s thoughts: “I said that Oregon is super talented… at this point, who knows what the depth looks like for Ohio State?… Give me Oregon.” Klatt’s thoughts: “A rematch of that game in South Bend this year. I think Notre Dame wins the first one, I think Notre Dame wins the second one. Notre Dame is that good.” National Championship Klatt’s thoughts: “It might be a curse to be the team that I pick as the national champ. Last year, I picked Clemson. “My national champ in my very first bracket prediction of the year is [drumroll please]: the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports