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Prescott has undeniably been one of the best regular-season quarterbacks statistically through his first eight seasons in NFL history. However, his inability to propel Dallas past the Divisional Round casts a shadow over his otherwise stellar performance, leaving him short of universal praise.
Mahomes, despite a relatively subdued year by his own inhuman standards in 2023, is currently basking in the glory of yet another Super Bowl victory, further embellishing his already impressive trophy case.
Let’s be clear: Prescott and Mahomes are not in the same zip code. The only time Prescott was mistaken for being Mahomes was by young Aaiden Diggs on Hard Knocks in 2021. The sheer magnitude of Mahomes’ achievements in a short period of time commands respect and awe and propels him to a Hall of Fame conversation.
As back-to-back Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs have some of the biggest names in world sport on their roster, with Rees-Zammit’s new teammates Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes known around the globe. The former’s celebrity status has increased tenfold since last year when it was revealed he was dating pop superstar Taylor Swift, which saw him become one of the most talked about people in the world.
But even amongst these superstars, Rees-Zammit has managed to hold his own. Despite still being a rookie, it has been revealed that sales of his new number nine jersey in the UK are already the third highest of any Chiefs player, with Kelce topping the list and three-time Super Bowl MVP Mahomes in second.
The exact number of sales of the jersey - which sells for £105 on the official NFL UK website - has not been disclosed, but such a ranking puts Rees-Zammit ahead of more established players like Rashee Rice, Isiah Pacheco and Harrison Butker.
Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year high school reunion is coming up!
While speaking to PEOPLE at the 2024 Super Bowl ring ceremony on Thursday, June 13 held at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Patrick, 28, revealed that later this year marks a decade since he left Whitehouse High School in Texas. However, he won’t be attending the upcoming reunion celebrations.
“It’s in September. We actually talked about this with my friends last weekend,” the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback tells PEOPLE.
“She’s at 11 now. But, I won’t be able to celebrate it but I’m gonna send my best wishes to all my classmates,” Patrick says.
7 NFL Rookie Projects Expected to Develop, Contribute Right Away in 2024 | Bleacher Report
Kingsley Suamataia, OT, Kansas City Chiefs
“So, it’s 10 years for me, she’s older than me,” the sportsman adds, gesturing to his wife Brittany, also 28. The pair are high school sweethearts, but Brittany was a junior while Patrick was a sophom*ore when they first met.Former BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia might face more pressure than any other rookie project in 2024. The Kansas City Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions and are expected to make another title run this season.
However, the Chiefs haven’t re-signed 2023 starting left tackle Donovan Smith, meaning Suamataia is set to compete with second-year man Wanya Morris for the job this offseason. According to head coach Andy Reid, a front-runner has yet to emerge.
“[We] like the production we’re seeing from both of them,” Reid said, per Jordan Foote of FanNation. “Both of them are young guys. We’ll just see how it all finishes up through camp.”
Of course, if the Chiefs truly believed in Morris, a 2023 third-round pick out of Oklahoma, they probably wouldn’t have taken a chance on Suamataia. The rookie possesses a tremendous amount of upside, but he is a project.
“Suamataia has the physical tools of a starting tackle with an unrefined skill set that is built on flashes rather than proven consistency,” Thorn wrote.
In need of refined technique, footwork and pad level, Suamataia might not be a consistently dependable lineman in Year 1. However, the Chiefs could easily justify allowing him to work out the kinks on the field because of his ceiling.
Expect Kansas City to rely on Suamataia to protect Patrick Mahomes for much of the coming season, even if the rookie experiences his fair share of growing pains.
The Chiefs need to develop a long-term solution at left tackle, and Morris—who was responsible for three penalties and two sacks allowed in 340 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus—probably isn’t the answer.
Former Kansas City Chiefs player hosts free football camp for kids | Fox 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A former Kansas City Chiefs football player is giving back to the community this weekend with a free football camp for kids at University Academy.
During the off-season, three-time Super Bowl Champion Darius Harris is using his platform to inspire young athletes to chase their dreams both on and off the field.
“No matter where you come from, as long as you’re dedicated to put in the work and have the support around you and just stay focused on your dreams, the sky’s the limit,” Harris said during Saturday’s camp.
Predicting NFL’s Top 24 Rookie Offensive Performers for Fantasy Football Managers | Bleacher Report
6. Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
No rookie’s fantasy stock has risen more since February than Worthy.
First, the former Texas star turned in the fastest 40-yard dash in the history of the NFL combine. Then the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select the 5’11”, 165-pounder. Add in a potential suspension for Rashee Rice due to his legal problems, and Worthy-mania has hit a fever pitch.
However, we’re still talking about an undersized rookie who’s playing for a team that has veteran tight end Travis Kelce and added wide receiver Marquise Brown in free agency. Worthy could blow up in 2024, but he’s still a tier below this season’s Big Three rookie wideouts.
Around the NFL
Source: Bengals WR Tee Higgins signs franchise tender | ESPN
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is officially in the fold for the upcoming season.
Higgins signed his franchise tag Saturday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. By signing the tag, the fifth-year wide receiver is now expected to be at training camp.
The latest development comes two days after the Bengals concluded their three-day mandatory minicamp. Higgins has missed the entire offseason program while the tag remained unsigned.
Earlier in the week, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said he remained in contact with Higgins since the end of last season and welcomed the idea of throwing with him before training camp begins in late July.
“Tee and I are always talking,” Burrow said. “I’ve seen Tee several times this offseason. He looks great. Whenever he’s ready to come back, I’ll be excited to see him.”
Higgins is set to earn $21.8 million this season under the tag. He and the Bengals can still negotiate a long-term deal until July 15, though the likelihood of that seems unlikely.
Free-agent CB Stephon Gilmore still ‘waiting for the right opportunity’ ahead of Year 13 | NFL.com
Stephon Gilmore remains looking for a team, but heading into his age-34 season the veteran cornerback is comfortable taking his time.
“Being patient right now,” Gilmore said Wednesday at the red carpet of Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony, per MassLive.com. “I feel good, Year 13, been playing a long time. So I’m just being patient and waiting for the right opportunity.”
Gilmore’s career has trended nomadic in the past three years. After splitting his first nine and a half NFL campaigns between the Bills and Patriots, he spent a half season with the Panthers in 2021 before donning Colts and Cowboys colors for a year each.
His finest seasons were for Buffalo and New England — especially 2016 with the Bills, when he collected five interceptions to reach his first Pro Bowl, and his 2019 Defensive Player of the Year season with the Pats in which he had a league-leading six picks and made first-team All-Pro a second straight time.
But he’s played admirably at every stop, a football mercenary capable of delivering poise and composure to a secondary.
Five biggest threats to break NFL single-season receiving record in 2024 | NFL.com
1. Tyreek Hill Miami Dolphins
The perennial All-Pro is the cheat code for the Dolphins as an unstoppable force with world-class speed and dynamic running skills. Hill’s ability to put points on the board on deep throws and catch-and-run concepts puts defensive coordinators in a bind when attempting to neutralize the veteran playmaker in space. With Tua Tagovailoa blossoming as a quick-rhythm passer operating like a blackjack dealer in a casino, Hill posts big numbers as the WR1 in a fast-break offense. Considering he has posted back-to-back seasons with 1,700-plus receiving yards in Miami, I believe it is only a matter of time before Hill cracks the 2,000-yard mark as the focal point of an offense built to highlight his skills as a playmaker.
In Los Angeles, the NFL is in the midst of an expected three-week trial to determine whether it allowed DirectTV, from 2012 to 2022, to sell the broadcasts to out-of-market games via its “Sunday Ticket” package at inflated rates.
The class-action lawsuit, which represents nearly 2.5 million customers, including individuals and bar owners, argues that the NFL violated antitrust laws restricting competition in an effort to protect its lucrative deals with Fox and CBS for Sunday afternoon games. It seeks $7.1 billion in damages which could be tripled to over $21 billion.
DirectTV was the exclusive home of the “NFL Sunday Ticket” from the 1994 season until 2022. YouTubeTV took over in 2023. It costs an additional $349 a season above the YouTubeTV rate ($72.99 per month).
Plaintiffs argue that the NFL made the cost of Sunday Ticket artificially high in order to cash in on desperate, hardcore fans willing to pay whatever to see their favorite team or specific out-of-market games, as well as bars that needed to attract customers.
Yet in doing so, the league priced out most fans, thus forcing them to watch whatever game was on local television, the lawsuit contends. That offered protection for the NFL’s local broadcasting deals with Fox and CBS, who pay the league billions.
Additionally, by making Sunday Ticket an exclusive offering of DirectTV, which has just 13 million subscribers and required the installation of a satellite dish, rather than a far more available basic cable or even streaming option, they purposely limited the number of potential customers.
The NFL has argued it was a premium service and thus came at a premium price.
Lions signing UFL kicker who drilled a 64-yard field goal to two-year deal, per report | CBS Sports
The Detroit Lions are tapping into the United Football League to deepen their kicking room. The defending NFC North champions have signed kicker Jake Bates to a two-year deal, according to ESPN. The financial terms of the agreement were not immediately disclosed. On top of the Lions, the 24-year-old received interest from the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders, but opted to stay in Michigan.
Bates had put himself on the NFL’s radar for his stellar play for the UFL’s Michigan Panthers this season, which included him hitting a 64-yard field goal. With just three seconds left in the Panthers’ matchup with the St. Louis Battlehawks, Bates connected on the 64-yarder to give his team the win and help set up this latest stop in the NFL. For the season, Bates made 21 of 28 field goals, including two additional 60-yarders.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Why the Chiefs ended their punter competition early
Ultimately, the 2020 punting battle also ended early as Newsome was released on July 28. While he technically made it to training camp, all offseason work was done virtually due to the pandemic.
The Chiefs clearly made the right decision. Townsend went on to be named First Team All-Pro for the position in 2022, while Newsome bounced around the league for a period while never appearing in a game.
If Toub can make a punter evaluation based heavily on what Townsend did via Zoom workouts, there is little reason to doubt the decision after a month of seeing Araiza and Rehkow in the actual building.
Social media to make you think
Defense was awesome but don’t kid yourself. The only TD drive the Chiefs had in the Super Bowl was in OT when Mahomes converted on 4th and 1, overcame a WR running backwards for 8 yards, converted a 3rd and 1 with his legs, threw a 10 yarder to Kelce for a 1st down and then hit… https://t.co/ClEohF1THR
— trey wingo (@wingoz) June 15, 2024
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