I mean, they are making the Hawks play on a WEDNESDAY to start the season, and almost had the season opener stolen from us by the Rams/49ers …

Now they’ve got our squad on HBO’s training camp documentary, Hard Knocks. This used to be reserved for the worst teams every year and was avoided like the plague. Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot. Well, sometimes it be like that; but the ‘that’ is a chance to tell the world who we are.

Ya’ see, this team has already played and won a Super Bowl while participating in a constant limelight. Over the course of the last 5 years, NFL teams have blitzed online engagement to an nth degree. Social media teams have blown up, the schedule release seems like a national holiday, and it seems like every single player has a podcast.

Access is the new wave, and it may have something to do with the expansion and proliferation of the sport of American Football, globally. It’s all too much to keep up with, if we’re all being honest.

Remember when I said the Seahawks have already operated within the limelight?

A local documentary called the Sound of the Seahawks rolls throughout the season. Hawks players will probably feel right at home.

Even the front office has gotten its shine, with the offseason documentary entitled: Before the Noise.

The Seahawks have become more accessible and a more integrated part of the Seattle community. Think about just the food: Legion Restaurant, Big Walt’s Kitchen, Bam Bam’s Smash Burger.

Leo Williams was out on the diamond for the Opening Day with the Seattle Mariners. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was at the weigh-ins for the Israel Adesanya UFC fight in Seattle. Multiple star Seahawks players have openly campaigned to bring the Seattle Sonics back to town. They are weaving themselves in deep, into the fabric of the town.

Doesn’t hurt that the Seahawks have one of the strongest cultures in today’s NFL. I didn’t stutter. It’s led by John Schneider, hand-delivered and gift-wrapped for a new owner / ownership group. It’s set in stone in the hearts of one of the more excitable and sports-thirsty fan bases in the country. Every time there is a chance for Seattle fans to show out for a new team (I just want to talk to Dwayne Johnson and the XFL) or sporting event, we do! Clock that.

Check the stats. Then, I want you to put the word out, that we back up. Put the word out that we stand by our teams, as a city. We are a sports town. This opportunity in front of a national audience could serve to seal that knowledge and help to keep the good times rolling. The Seahawks are up for sale by Jody Allen, if you hadn’t heard.

The good news is that the Portland Trailblazers just sold (also from the Allen Estate). Peep this, from Bleacher Report on the sale of the Blazers: “Even before the sale agreement was announced in September, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst reported Dundon’s intention to keep the Blazers in Portland as part of the deal”.

We need that kind of an agreement and understanding from the jump!

Seattle has other, large things on the horizon. Sea-Town will host World Cup games in the near future for an international audience! When the Sonics come back, there will be celebration in the streets. Ok, maybe at least my street and a few dive bars on and around 99.

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This is a TV show that has won the Sports Emmy 19 times over the years. It’s a big deal.

Fans can expect a healthy dose of Witherspoon, JSN, Kupp, Barner, Love, Emmanwori, Murphy, Zabel and both Charbonnet and McIntosh’s respective recoveries from injury.

Will the affable young white boy, Rylie Mills have some golden interactions with surly vet, Jarran Reed? They are going to dote on Derick Hall and all his hobbies, aren’t they? Can we get Drew Lock a meet and greet with Jeezy? Can we get a 2nd-date (team) update on DK Metcalf to ask him if the grass was really greener? Is Ernest Jones IV destined to fight a whole offensive line in a joint practice? Will they cover Schneider’s drunken jabs at SB MVP, Ken Walker on the way out the door? This may be just the beginning of Sam Darnold’s redemption arc.

Hard Knocks may feel like more of the same of what we’re used to as 12’s… but it is a coming cultural zeitgeist. One that’ll have a few Californians and New Yorkers consider a trip out to catch a game sometime, and maybe see MOPOP, the waterfront, Pike Place, the needle and the Fremont Troll.

They did miss the Ride the Ducks.

We see some of the new players coming into the league talking about having watched the Legion of Boom as kids… (yikes for us millennials doe…). My Haitian Florida homie from Tampa Bay talks to me about having watched Seattle games for the first time when Marshawn Lynch was authoring earth-shaking TD runs. That’s the mark our previous Super Bowl-winning team left. It stands as one of the more prominent thing people in other parts of the country (and world, to an extent) know Seattle for.

The wild thing is that people don’t even know Mike Macdonald yet. BOOOOO to “East Coast Bias”. I didn’t quite believe it when I authored this tweet:

I believe that 1 of the 6 views on that X(tw)eet was none other than Kyle Brandt . If that is assumed to be true, he set out to prove me wrong, that the rest of the country truly does not pay attention to Seattle.

Okay, STOP THE COUNT! Prove me wrong he did. Touche Mr. Brandt , I hereby cease. I cease and desist all of my complaints about the aggravating narrative that Seattle is some secluded outpost of passing interest, forever toiling under the radar of the NFL landscape. I’m going to embrace that $h!t. Underdogs, we like it that way!

Give our team a national feel-good story to ruin. Talking our talk (when we deserve to) in the direction of the beloved darlings of the national media is the only way Seattle ever truly gets any respect or attention. Whether it’s Gary Payton at M.J., Richard Sherman at Brady, Doug Baldwin at Prime, Devon Witherspoon at the world. We. Did. Not. Care.

You are dealing with a team that is riding the cutting edge of modern defensive football schematics. That’s kinda a thing around these here parts… Pete Carroll constructed and conducted the Legion of Boom (with help). Now, the gloom of Mike Macdonald’s Dark Side team will be on full display.

On the John Schnieder show on 4/2, the namesake GM said, “it will allow people to see how beautiful the city is”. Seattle is the Emerald City, and I hope to see it shine in a unique fashion and glint. It’s also known as the Rainy City. Through the fog, a studied, eclectic, focused, forward-thinking and devoted city is there for the highlighting.

From rain, to grunge, to fish, to coffee, to stars like Gary Payton, Ichiro, Ken Griffey Jr., Shaun Alexander and the Legion of Boom… let’s give them something else to talk about.

The Seahawks have A+ juice at this moment in time. You can’t have the secret sauce, but the juice will be flowing. The entire country is now free to be blessed with a peek into how Seattle gets down. It should further help to defend and reinforce our way of life.

Curse be damned.

With a lot of division happening in our world today, the NFL Draft has finally arrived as an elusive vestige of hope and cooperation. Having that been said: ain’t a whole lot of cooperating going to be going on between division rivals at the 2025 college-to-NFL selection process, bet that!

Mock drafts can feel as, or more futile than a March Madness bracket… the only difference here is that each pick is based on results of the last picks. It’s like a long, swaying house of cards. Each organization is operating as a self-serving agent of chaos to the very foundation of this hypothetical house. With that in mind, I sought to create something as adaptable as each GM’s gameplan has to be (I do what I can ). This year’s draft seems to be as amorphous as ever, with factors such as NIL proving to be silent influencers in the shape of this list of NFL prospects.

This year, I admittedly spent less time searching for consensus and studying up on the opinions of others… I’m shooting from the hip, so GET DOWN! We’ll see how this goes. If it works, I will follow this course from now until eternity. If not? Well, then I’ll follow the methods of research and analytics that I have in the past! I just didn’t want to overthink on this go-round, which is hopefully what our favorite GM’s are doing in their draft rooms right now.

You’ll see draft pick predictions for each team, followed by a list of 1-3 other strong positional considerations (in parentheses, after my actual prediction). The more question marks, the more likely/tempting I think that alternate pick is. Consider this somewhat of a draft strategy roadmap for each team.

I included two projected trades (JAX-CHI and CAR-CLE). Drumroll please…

1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB Miami (WR? EDGE??) Cam Ward is an aggressive and confident passer with a lot of physical tools. The former WSU Cougar should take the reins from the recently benched Will Levis in Nashville. As one of the great poets of our day (J. Cole) said (kinda), some quarterbacks make millions, some quarterbacks make memes. The new regime presses forward with THEIR guy as the signal caller. Oh, and Tyler Lockett will be there to bail a rookie out.

2. Cleveland Browns – Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado (EDGE? QB??) Welcome back to the first round, Cleveland Browns! They were last part of this dance 4 years ago, then traded an arsenal of 1sts for Deshaun Watson… Draft Hunter as a QB-helper / pass rush helper to have your cake and eat it too. My personal hunch is that Myles “Generational Talent” Garrett came back because he was down with the plan that Cleveland brass sold him on. He probably didn’t want to wait for a rookie QB to develop. The Brownies can take a developmental guy later to complete the maneuver. They resist the allure of another restart at QB by focusing on how Hunter benefits from elite cross training. He is especially tough and agile for a WR and has ball skills and route familiarity that many CB’s don’t always possess. I see wideout as his first home, but see some defensive packages being made available to him. He’s on a mission to prove his uniqueness.

3. New York Giants – Abdul Carter, EDGE Penn State (DT? CB?? QB???) This will absolutely load that Big Blue front, as the G-Men already have stars Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence in place. Carter could play off-ball on 1st downs or give way to Thibodeaux in those situations. He’s a true Micah parsons-lite who was also a Penn State #11. Remember when the boys in blue had names like Strahan, Tuck, Kiwanuka and Umenyiora working together to hunt down Super Bowl favorites? I still do have my eyes on these guys as potential players in the Shedeur Sanders sweepstakes. You’d think that the presence of vets like Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston could go a long way in mentoring Sanders and keeping him even-keel as a rook.

4. New England Patriots – Will Campbell, OT LSU (HB? WR?? DT???) Bad news: these guys have no playmakers and were in the running for worst offensive line in the league last year… Good news: Will Campbell is available to help with one of those! Does Will actually play guard due to his lack of arm length…? Not in this economy! A gruff pass protecting specialist for Drake Maye, and one who looked ready to storm the stage and slap the hell out of that arm length criticism.

5. Chicago Bears – Ashton Jeanty, HB Boise State (TRADE UP with JAX, FROM 10) (EDGE? OT??). In this scenario, Da Bears could stay at 10 and get one of the top 2-3 tackles? Instead, they go and get a game-breaking rushing guru and Heisman Trophy finalist to power their offense. A strong running game should lift some of the burden from Caleb Williams shoulders and pink-adorned fingers. Ben Johnson waited a year for this.

6. Las Vegas Raiders – Mason Graham, DL Michigan (WR? CB?? HB???) Jeanty was stolen right under their silver and black noses. Vegas lost a 3rd for Geno Smith but gained a 3rd from the Davante Adams trade. I could see the Raiders springing for a smash mouth power back like Omarion Hampton in the 2nd! Now, a topflight CB would take this defense to another level, but HC, Pete Carroll is also very good at finding diamond in the rough DB’s late in the draft who can shine. Carroll has a good shot at continuing to be a thorn in Jim Harbaugh’s side by landing one of two elite defenders from Harbaugh’s old team. Graham would line up with Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins and former 1st-round pick, Tyree Wilson to form a stout stop unit.

7. New York Jets – Tyler Warren, TE Penn State (S? OL?? EDGE???) I tried to give them a TE last year, and they threw it back in my face like a pestilent child. Warren is the type of player who can help on the ground as well as by air. Aaron Glenn’s Lions sold out to stop the run so that their pass rushing and coverage strengths would shine through. Time to reinforce the run on offense so that they can build a stable offense with easy answers for Fields. A. Glenn is also, apparently, the only one that has the huevos to give it to Rodgers straight like dat. For all those gang green fans dreaming of a Shedeur Sanders acquisition to battle Justin Fields… don’t forget about Jordan Travis waiting in the wings.

8. Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado (TRADE UP with CAR, From Round 2) (OT?? EDGE???) It’s got to be a QB with this type of move. Jimmy Haslem recently said that he wished he could have both Hunter and Sanders… maybe he wants to flex his money where his mouth is, like Jay-Z rapping that he would move the Nets to BK. Shedeur is an accurate distributer and has a built-in relationship with Trav. (who went #2 overall). Would this be pulling a Houston? The Texans took C.J. Stroud at 2 in 2024, then orchestrated quite the aggressive trade up for another top 5 selection, taking Will Anderson with a consecutive pick at 3. Time for Cleveland to rock.

9. New Orleans Saints – Will Johnson, CB Michigan (QB? EDGE?? WR???) NOLA selects a very good cover corner to help ease the losses of Lattimore and Adebo. Johnson is technically sound and has size. They got leapfrogged by Cleveland to take Shedeur, but new coaches, Kellen Moore (HC) and Brandon Staley (DC) know how important it is to control the pass game.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona (TRADE DOWN with CHI, FROM 5) (OL? CB?? EDGE???) Get a top wideout and your pass catching corps is revamped in two years! They already dealt Christian Kirk. Liam Coen saw how two stud WR’s helped to bouy an offense in Tampa. There’s also the fact that J-Ville was the worst pass defense in the league this past season. Will they get a coverage specialist to pair with their new DC? Especially that if Tet. falls.

11. San Francisco 49ers – Armand Membou, OT Missouri (LB? EDGE?? DT???) Trent Williams cannot play forever… can he? The Niners have a tough decision between a defensive tackle like Walter Nolen, and a future building block to protect the edges. Nolen would make a more immediate impact, but SF goes with the most blue-chip remaining talent on the board as they look to reload. I waffled here, but the memory of Javon Kinlaw and the impending Brock Purdy extension may help swing the decision towards an offensive trench player. Brandon Thorn, offensive line guru has praised his movement skills, which should mesh well with Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system.

12. Dallas Cowboys – Matthew Golden, WR Texas (DL?? DB??? HB????) Is this the year that the ‘Boys actually go all in? They did try to get Cooper Kupp! Is Hakeem Adenji going to play RG? They may fortify that position later in the draft, along with a guy to tote the rock. Omarion Hampton will make them really consider taking the 2nd back in the top 12. Matthew Golden is a guy that possesses both blazing speed along with sharp route running ability. He is a capable Robin to CeeDee Lamb’s Batman to bring back the high-flying Dallas offense for Skip Bayless’ ass.

13. Miami Dolphins – Jahdae Barron, DB Texas (OG? DT???) Miami received the third-highest percentage of contact behind the line of scrimmage for running backs entering Week 14, which makes them a true candidate to trade up to stop the slide of Membou. The ‘Fins instead go fishing for a Swiss army knife in the secondary, especially with the prospective exit of Jalen Ramsey. Defensive Coordinator, Anthony Weaver needs more cover men to execute his system of simulated pressures and mixed zones.

14. Indianapolis Colts – Colston Loveland, TE Michigan (LB? DT?? OG???) Loveland is a real threat in the passing game, which is where Indy needs help these days. This pick could set the offense up to be very successful… with Daniel Jones as the starting QB. It will give him a level of protection and weaponry that he never had at his disposal in the Big Apple. Anthony Richardson will just have to sit and learn until he gets his next opportunity. Linebacker is a consideration, but DC, Lou Anarumo could be motivated to try to trade for his former Bengals general in Germaine Pratt.

15. Atlanta Falcons – Mykel Williams, EDGE Georgia (S? WR?? CB???) Does he go even higher? Trice is coming off a major ACL injury, Judon is gone and Arnold Ebiketie has replacement-level sack production. All 45 of the Falcons’ combine interviews were with defensive players and the only coaches they sent were on the defensive side of the ball lol! Atlanta brings in the hometown hero who played through injury last year. When healthy, he should be able to show off his elite explosiveness off the edge. I don’t want to mock an edge rusher to the Falcons anymore ya’ll… I’m tired. Fix it.

16. Arizona Cardinals – Kelvin Banks, Jr., OL Texas (CB? DT?? WR???) Signing Josh Sweat might’ve salved the pass rush needs for now, which frees AZ up to make a pick that is *gasp* non-urgent (for the first time in a while). This is a double whammy for the Cards, as they steal a potentially perfect fit of need and talent from the division rival Seahawks. Banks can slide inside and solve issues at guard, while providing flexibility to man the tackle position if need be.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – Jalon Walker, LB Georgia (EDGE? DB?? OL???) They could take a defensive back to upgrade the defense a little, since everyone on offense is getting PAID. Or another lineman to make sure those investments have the runway to perform. With star pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson and star middle linebacker, Germaine Pratt both on the trade block, why not take a guy who can help pitch in on both front-end levels of the defense?

18. Seattle Seahawks – Kenneth Grant, DT Michigan (TE? CB?? OL???) After an offseason of major change, Seattle has the opportunity to reload with 5 selections in the first 92 picks of the NFL draft. Do they make a splash and trade up for a QB, or an OT/OG such as Kelvin Banks, Jr.? I’ve come to accept that John Schneider will not draft a (non-LT) offensive lineman in the 1st round… no matter how badly the roster needs it. It’s best player available approach here. Nick Emmanwori is tempting, as he could complete a ferocious 3-safety set, but something about the idea of a 1st round pick at DB as a part-time player doesn’t sit well. The 340 lb. Kenneth Grant has Michigan ties, can really move and could restock the DL (a position where a heavy rotation is a good thing). Go and get a speedster at wideout and a versatile guard with picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jihaad Campbell, LB Alabama (OL? HB?? EDGE???) The Bucs have a balanced overall roster but take a player who is scheme flexible. Campbell can fill in for the 14-year vet, Lavonte David in the middle, while also augmenting Tampa’s pass rush efforts. Let’s get Todd Bowles’ defense back to the appropriate levels of menacing. Baker can’t be baking everything out here, now. This is supposed to be a potluck, Cheryl.

20. Denver Broncos – Mike Green, EDGE Marshall (HB? DB?? WR???) Russell Wilson is still responsible for a $32M dead cap hit in 2025: The final year of dead cap. Denver will continue to load up on young talent while they feel their window of contention opening. Green gives this team more bite on defense. On offense, they have the best line in the league, but could take a tackle to groom for the future? …They also tried to get Kupp They should be able to find more offensive threats later in the draft.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss (WR? EDGE?? HB???) They almost traded for Christian Kirk, in-season? George Pickens could go to Green Bay?? DK Metcalf doesn’t have a quarterback because he thought the grass would be greener??? This offense is in major flux, and I’m not sure you should put all your eggs in the mystifying Aaron Rodgers basket. Dart is a late riser who has drawn the description of a possible white Jalen Hurts . Is that the same as Jack Harlow being a white(er) Drake? Is Dart an industry plant? Nah, ok. Jaxson Dart may go much higher.

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Walter Nolen, DT Ole Miss (TE? CB?? WR???) The prodigal son hath returned, HAHA… WOOHOO!! Mike Williams is back to help open up the offense for Justin Herbert, allowing the Bolts to get even tougher in the trenches. That is always an M.O. For Jim Harbaugh-coached teams. This makes it back-to-back Ole Miss players. Walter Nolan has the potential to develop into a game-wrecker, and this could even be too low for him.

23. Green Bay Packers – Shemar Stewart, EDGE Texas A&M (OL? DT?? CB???) Does the Pack trade up or trade this away for a bonafide WR1? Josh Jacobs called for an alpha in that room… and you don’t know how much longer J.J. will be dominant for. The time to make a big swing definitely feels at hand for this young and talented team. With both of the top wideout options gone at this point in the draft, the host team looks elsewhere. It may not be the biggest need ever, but this spot in the draft feels right to take a promising pass rusher… especially if the QB hunters couldn’t get much done when it mattered the most in the playoffs. Don’t let Ike Taylor anywhere near this man.

24. Minnesota Vikings – Malaki Starks, S Alabama (DL? OG?? CB???) Their pass-defense is a problem (28th out of 32 teams) and got torched in the playoffs by the Rams. Starks can eventually replace Harrison Smith, manning the slot in the meantime. This move would also allow Byron Murphy Jr. to play more outside when necessary. The Vikings have a bonafide star slide into their laps in this scenario; a star who can play center field, erasing routes in the middle of Brian Flores’ defense.

25.Houston Texans: – Tyler Booker, OG Alabama (WR? DT?? HB???) Anybody paying attention to what the Texans are doing!? They have built some pretty insane depth across their roster. Luxury pick incoming… one that could make Stroud’s job easier. Running back and MAYBE guard are the only positions on the roster where they don’t have enviable depth. Hampton at tailback is a really enticing thought… but getting Booker (a gap scheme savant) as new OC, Nick Caley switches things over to more gap concepts could be a match made in Houston!

26. Los Angeles Rams – Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State (LB? OT?? DT???) A star slot who would further stratify attention between he, Puka Nacua, and new addition, Davante Adams. Egbuka can hold down the slot, help with spacing, and is a willing blocker for Sean McVay’s scheming ways. Puka, Egbuka and Tutu would make this the all-name team. They may be highly tempted to take a developmental offensive tackle (Simmons) here as well.

27. Baltimore Ravens – Nick Emmanwori, S South Carolina (WR? OT?? DT???) Imagine a back end composed of Ar’Darius Washington, Kyle Hamilton and Emmanwori… they could line up all over and be as adept in the run game as they would be covering deep. B-More may have lost their prodigious DC in Mike Macdonald, but this is a team that hung its hat on having a physical defense much before Mikey Mac. came on the scene, and this pick will ensure that that tradition will live on. It will also ensure that the league’s 31st ranked pass defense (out of 32, mind you) is given reinforcements. Emmanwori is a big, fast safety who can even line up in the box.

28. Detroit Lions – Grey Zabel, OG/C North Dakota State (WR? EDGE???) Remember that their identity is to want to run the ball on offense to avoid the pass rush, and to stuff the run on defense to bring up obvious pass rushing situations. Funnily enough, they visited with Matthew Golden… maybe they still want wideouts. Zabel is a great value and depth pick, who can bring yet another layer of grit to the team.

29. Washington Commanders – Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE Boston College (OL? LB?? CB???) The capitol team will bring the pressure back with this pick. This team is loading up for a run over the next couple of years, and as their Super Bowl-winning division rivals in PA showed in this most recent playoff run: you can never have too large of a rotation on the defensive line.

30. Buffalo Bills – Omarion Hampton, HB North Carolina (WR? EDGE?? OT???) Let’s get our hands dirty. Let’s roll in the mud baby! It’s time to get tougher as a team and approach your yearly bouts with KC as a more ball-control offense. Hampton can shoulder a run game, while punishing defenders and keeping the Bills’ stop unit fresh. I think he’ll go higher, but I don’t yet see the opening… Bills Mafia will not complain if this beast of a ball carrier is available.

31. Kansas City Chiefs – Josh Simmons, OT Ohio State (TE? DB?? DT???) Will we see the return of Tyreek during the draft? I see the Chiefs licking their wounds after their 3-peat was spoiled by Philly and coming back with a commitment to the trenches. Simmons should add more security, compete for the job at LT, and keep games from looking like this each week.

32. Philadelphia Eagles – Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama (WR? TE?? DT???) Derrick Harmon was the original pick: another defensive tackle demon to add to their already nightmarish rotation… but where’s the fun in that??? Let’s shake s**t up and get them a polarizing and dynamic runner at the quarterback position. Milroe has the chance to sit and learn from a guy, in Jalen Hurts, who came into this league with people doubting his ability as a passer. Hurts’ work ethic helped him to develop, grow and thrive. We all know GM, Howie Roseman loves having extra QB’s as future assets as well!

The 2024 NFL Season will be the largest leap of change to actual gameplay since the 1970 NFL Merger.

Recently we heard about the outlawing of “hip-drop tackles” via officiating, for the 2024 NFL Season. Now, this is tough because I’m all for player safety, but this is undoubtedly the next rule change in a long line of them that has made everything easier on the offense. Quarterbacks and wide receivers are now protected, and the point-scoring and excitement has been optimized for and catered to. Many current and former players voiced their displeasure when this ban was announced.

This hasn’t been discussed a ton, but the league also decided to push the NFL trade deadline back a week. There is an extra game, but that still moves the deadline forward an incremental amount, when compared to the overall length of the season. Will this cause a slight uptick in some teams tanking and some teams loading up? I hope not.

Even the positive changes, like the NFLPA proposal to modify/move OTA’s comes with a catch. This is a piece that will fit the inevitable puzzle of adding an 18th game to the NFL schedule. We are also getting broadcast coverage moving more and more to the streaming platforms… welcome to the future of reality TV and cash cow-ism.

On that note, I want to point out that there is now a Hard Knocks documentary for every part of the year (including offseason)! This year, we’re even following a whole division, getting all up in their biz during the season. That’s mad nuts, even for a nut connoisseur. I’m grateful for more access and peaks behind to scenes of how things work, but don’t you think there’s a reason that coaches don’t want their teams to be on it? It’s added pressure that can have dudes acting out of character.

I love the game of football, so expansion to other professional leagues in different countries around the world (similar to pro basketball) sounds like an enticing idea. There’s no way Roger Goodell has eyes on competing with soccer (fútbol)… right? I just hope this league doesn’t start acting out of character.

NFL marketing IS currently devising detailed and strategic marketing for global expansion (which can also be accelerated through their partnerships with international streaming giant, Netflix). Will the Jaguars from Duvall County someday end up in the U.K.? Will there someday be teams in Brasil, México and/or Nàìjíríà? Will Tyreek Hill someday cross up a North Korean fruit stand vendor?

New NFL kickoff rules have dropped, and I’m kind of excited to see how it plays out… but it possibly eliminates Hall of Fame talents and kick return fits like Devin Hester and Dante Hall. As Coach Cowher points out, it will also do away with the onside kick part of the game. The punt play is still here, but those kinds of returns are half as likely to score. I mean, we have an entirely new phase of the game being introduced and replacing an old one at the highest level of football!

DeAndre Hopkins is petitioning the league about flag football. Cool idea, but I’m going to recommend treating flag football as the more PR-friendly version of the sport like artists are treating AI. Flag football is now in the Olympics?? This dude is lowkey cold, but brah… have several seats!

Look, this pains me as a defensive guy at heart. This is becoming a different game?? {How I wish Zuck+IG would let us embed vids…} Are the rules really about player safety…? Or more points and more revenue?

Teams are now building new stadiums with retractable roofs to attract other sports events and acts. State-of-the-art venues sounds great, but what about playing football in the elements? That’s something that is defining of American Football, and a feature that is found nowhere else in major sports…

There are current developments, like the implementation of new-age tech to replace the chain gang, that I think are welcome and necessary. I also see the new Guardian Cap allowance as really great, and a positive thing for football, but the league does not want team logos to be covered long term… Paint the cap to match?

This article about the caps makes me think about: if WRs, DBs and QBs don’t have to wear them, will the NFL eventually keep creating rules and structures to place more value on the passing game? Have they already? I’m no conspiracy theorist (maayyybe a smidge), but it would make some sense. There was a time after the Will Smith movie about CTE that I considered that the concussion issue could ultimately end the sport of American football one day. A pivot to the passing game could be the reason for survival.

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For those paying attention to the incoming rookie class, there was a record 23 offensive players taken in round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft! Only 9 defenders were taken!! 14 consecutive picks were offensive players. The previous record was 7 to start a draft!

In fact, there has never been a run of 14-straight players on one side of the ball at any point in an NFL draft. We’ve also never seen 5 of the first 10 picks being QB’s in a draft, but it happened. And directly after, 2024 broke its own record that stood for two draft picks when Bo Nix was taken at #12 by the Denver Broncos! Six of the first 12 picks in the draft were quarterbacks.

Does that mean this should be the greatest QB class in history? I’m no college ball expert, but you can call me skeptical… Nix was a player that was being projected by all the draftniks for the 2nd round. Such is the desperation for QB’s these days, that we see that desire manifesting itself in a propulsion up the draft board for all of these young signal callers.

These things also go to show the now outsized impact that passers have on the game of football. They are protected and even supported by the rules like never before in history. Just ask Tom Brady.

I heard Mike Macdonald seem to bring up an 8 DB formation?? Do I need to clean my ears? I was a DB when I played (MTHS/MHS) but… good lord.

And now, player empowerment is stretching to an NBA level? Are players starting to have the leverage to pull strings like fully guaranteed contracts and no-trade clauses? This may only increase with the vote for the trade deadline being pushed back a week (week 9). Elway, Manning, Favre, Brady, Rodgers, Watson, Wilson have all flexed the leverage of the rarity of their expertise to get what they wanted.

Don’t even get us jabbering about how NIL will possibly change everything about football one day.

And now, with the 3-helmet rule, we’ll have NBA style jersey switcheroos too. I like an alternate uni, but one of the beautiful things about the NFL is that the jerseys are classics. The NBA has some classics too, but they rarely wear them, eschewing those for experimental and loud outfits. It’s no wonder NFL teams are ahead in branding.

And finally, on cut down day (like we wouldn’t notice), a vote to make private equities a part of the game. Is this a good thing for the game of football? I have serious and persistent doubts.

I’ll admit it: I’m anxious about the direction of the game of football that I grew up with. A gritty, physical, yet graceful, lay-everything-on-the-line sport unlike any other. I proudly shed literal blood, sweat and tears on the field, learning about hard work and camaraderie even by necessity with those whom you must cooperate with.

Maybe we can make the game safer, but this game was always like stepping onto a battlefield for me. I get it. When men are making a fortune or losing that fortune based on injury luck, it must suck. But that’s the gladiator game of football that I grew up and fell in love with. Remember this football?

Do I sound like an old head if I say: let’s hope this movement doesn’t go TOO far? Look at how Seattle has rolled with a cheap vet and then traded for another cheap contract to stay within contention of SF who have a $1M bargain of their own in Purdy!

My fear is that this becomes a business of rentals, red tape, endorsements and mercenaries playing flag football. I just hope we (including the next generation) don’t lose the love of the game and the love and loyalty to a cause, no matter how long it takes. I hope we don’t lose out on what makes football inspiring and unique. Buckle up.

I fully recommend travelling to and attending an NFL draft in a new city to anyone that enjoys football and the drama, comradery and fandom that comes with it. Or if you just enjoy the adventure of exploring a new city that you would otherwise maybe not visit. If you love both, go to one! It is quite the experience.

Some of the random happenings that my friend Tim and I encountered:

• In our ever-present side quest to find the city’s best BBQ, we found ourselves taking many a post-meal walk to regain our mobility and breathing functions. We once turned a corner searching for a corner mart and found ourselves in a very obvious and proud Latino neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas — across the state line. A random store clerk popped out of nowhere while we stocked up on water, just so he could talk that trash to us while we were clad in our Seahawk colors. Guess we’re in Kansas now, Toto!

• Towards the middle of the first round, we decided to leave the throng of the actual draft area to watch the rest at a local watering hole. As we saddled up at a local margarita restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri more and more people started filling the place to the brim with noise and color. See below for one of the characters I met (I will finish the story below)…

• …At this point I’m people watching but also draft watching. All of a sudden, a man with a tiny yellow shopping cart full of ice bags bursts in. He yells some inaudible female name. The bartender swings into the picture, wearing a shirt clearly intended to show off her unreasonable proportions. The small-cart-pushing hombre starts tossing bags into the air, and she is catching the bags with one hand with no hesitation, even between the nervous heads of people sitting at the bar. As soon as he threw the last bag, almost on cue, a train outside blared its horn HELLA loud. It was an unbelievably zany moment in time that I could barely keep up with and process while trying to compare my mock draft to the real results.

• The reactions to my buddy Tim as we walked around were gold. He’s a crazy tall Nigerian man with a friendly smile, and a face that never conceals his emotions. I once pointed us to the wrong entrance of the draft, and I had both of us walking, huffing and puffing in silence. When we finally stop at the top of a god-forsaken hill, a girl looked at him and said, “ohhh you look tiiiired” he and I just busted up laughing. A change of pace after a slightly tense search for how to get into the actual draft. Another time someone called out to him repeatedly with clenched hands, yelling and calling him Geno over and over… but tell me why Tim took offense to this one the confidence of this man to take offense to being compared to an NFL quarterback!

• Tim stole a guy’s bird ride after the guy almost took Tim’s bird scooter before he could reserve it. I will not be elaborating, but let’s just say I took the other guy’s side. Maybe I feel a little bad… not bad enough to not laugh about it.

• Speaking of scooting, we unwittingly met Paris Johnson Jr. and his family while buzzed-birding (TM) downtown. I did make a proclamation to him and his family as we passed: “We’re division rivals, but I’ll say congratulations only tonight”! They laughed and when they realized we were Seahawks fans they reminded us that our squad drafted his former college teammate: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Excited to see that boy do his thing.

• We attended a music festival called Kelce Jam Headlined by Rick Ross, Tech N9ne and MGK. This was a little way outside of downtown and overrun with KC Chiefs fans. We met a drunk dude who was ON ONE and wouldn’t stop talking to us during the concert, with his gf that was f***ing over it lol. We left them to get closer to the stage, then met another faded individual with whom Tim accidentally almost facilitated a fight between him and the security guard. He kept calling the guard soft for doing his job lolllll. Then, out of nowhere, the first drunk talker (you know the type) materialized and found us again to offer us some of his hand rolled joint. Our two rowdy and slightly annoyingly social ravers met and started belligerently yelling ideas at each other. These two dudes were the perfect counterbalance to each other!! we didn’t have to worry anymore as we looked at each other laughing with the same thought as we slowly slipped back into the crowd.

• While standing in line at another place that sold us ridiculously flavorful burnt ends we met family friends of Kentucky QB (and eventual 2nd-round pick), Will Levis. This father-son duo were actually sporting Patriots jerseys and had spent thousands on VIP passes close to the stage to see him get drafted. When he wasn’t taken in the 1st-round, he left Kansas City to go back home instead of sticking around. The family friends were very disappointed in that decision.

• I did make my way to a few jazz lounges while in KC, but sadly, I did not find Will Ferrell in any of them…

• I absolutely dominated this group of frat bros in Super Smash Brothers at this poppin’ downtown bar. Yes, this bar had a Nintendo 64 set up on a projector. I’m happy to report that there are some things that Gen-Z still can’t touch us in, my fellow millennials!! I was Star Fox so call it what you want… I called game. They eventually asked the bartender to switch to Mario Kart.

• My overwhelming takeaway was that EVERYBODY, no matter what background, had a pure excitement to enjoy the time there, interact and share knowledge/laughs/predictions. It felt like a lot of the social walls we are used to in our society evaporated there, being replaced by the jubilation of schoolkids on a field trip. Or of college kids on campus for the first time; ready to meet anyone and try anything new with a smile. It’s one of those events that remind you that sports unites a lot of different kinds of people.

This was my 3rd consecutive year traveling to the NFL draft. I had a blast. The draft in Cleveland showed off the large and loyal Browns fan contingent. I didn’t see as heavy of a favoring of Raiders jerseys when I went to the draft in Vegas. In Kansas City, the flood of red jerseys all around town, along with all the good vibes those fans gave us had me realized that we really might be in the height of Chiefs fandom in America.

We may be witnessing the birth of a legitimate Chiefs dynasty. It was iffy before, but c’mon. Two titles, while appearing in 3 Super Bowls in a 4-year span. They have been to the AFC ‘ship 4 years in a row. Patrick Mahomes has the impregnable accolades. It will be fascinating to see how long their reign lasts when compared to other dynasties (the most recent being in New England).

The Seahawks were on the verge of one with the Re-Pete back-to-back titles; which was nullified by a highly improbable and notorious interception on the 2-yard line that is still painful to think about. KC did what Seattle could not. It now seems that Mahomes is chasing Brady in a similar fashion to the way that LeBron has chased MJ his entire career. Let’s appreciate the unique talent and the dawn of a new power in the NFL.

With 2 MVP’s, 2 NFL Titles and 2 Super Bowl MVP’s, Patrick has a resume that rivals many of the QB greats already. The Chiefs will need to earn it moving forward, as the NFL’s crucible (salary cap, free agency, the draft, staff hirings) seeks to level the playing field each and every offseason. Joe Burrow and The Bengals may be Manning’s Colts as rival to Mahomes’ Patriots impression. That would make Josh Allen’s Bills the Roethlisberger-era Steelers. Count on Smith’s Seahawks to play the part of Eli Manning’s Giants in February 2025

Now, that name in the title — this is the first time you’ve seen the Washington Football Team’s moniker on my website (go ahead, control/command+F away). There is a reason for that. I don’t get down with it. I loved Clinton Portis, Santana Moss and Sean Taylor, but it always seemed like a strange thing to me. My mom is half black and half Native American. I always identified strongly with the indigenous side of my family which is rooted in the Tulalip Tribes Indian Reservation in the PNW. It always seemed a little funky that there was a mascot and team named after the people who’s land was stolen and families slaughtered… the family that I knew growing up had always been so quick to embrace me and give me love and support. I’ll admit, I didn’t see the day when the name would change coming.

This climate of instability provides our country with the space and time to question and re-think a lot of things. We don’t need to be slaves to “tradition” any longer. For all of its ugly, disgusting warts of racism and hypocrisy, two very alluring things about the USA are the ideals of social mobility and democracy. Democracy means that the people hold the power, not the government. It has been said that when government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.

Although democracy can be a great thing, we have to remember that those in power will, so many times, do whatever it takes to keep their status, cover their tracks, and discredit those who stand up to them. We’ve seen this a ton from politicians in recent times, as well as from those who oppose change. In fact, there have been whole systems created just to maintain the status quo. We are dealing with a multi-billion dollar industry and corporation in the National Football League. Did you hear about the story that broke in the Washington Post recently about the Skins’ toxic culture of sexual harassment and verbal abuse? It reeks of privilege and abuse of power, if nothing else.

Daniel Snyder may not have been directly named, but his leadership was listed as a contributing factor in a toxic work environment. Nancy Armour said it best when she stated: “The fact that Washington executives felt entitled to degrade women and treat them with such disrespect should surprise no one. Their boss, Snyder, displayed that same contemptuous attitude toward Native Americans by clinging to a racist nickname and logo that anyone with decency would have discarded long ago”. Daniel is well-known for his stance that he would keep the R-dsk-ns name no matter who it offended. He was quoted as saying that he will NEVER change the name, and instructed the writer to put it in all caps (now look at ‘cha). He has been criticized for some bogus research data, and there has been speculation that he has paid off Native American spokespeople. Can you imagine if the new team is either the redwolves or the redhogs? The Indian would just be getting swapped out for an animal. I think that speaks volumes to the dehumanization of using race caricatures as mascots.

This isn’t just a case of political correctness running amok (a common argument meant to deflect and divert the conversation): social science research says that sports mascots and images, rather than being mere entertainment, are important symbols with deeper psychological and social effects. According to the Center for Native American youth, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death – and 2.5 times the national rate – for American Indian/Alaskan Native youth in the 15-24 age group. Natives are more than six times more likely to die of alcohol related causes than the general population. I’m a conspiracy theorist when it comes to disadvantaged groups and the harm of societal neglect and systemic oppression (That’s the topic of a whole ‘notha article). Native communities need to be invested in and supported at this point. But wouldn’t ya know: they don’t care about your self esteem and the global perpetuation of harmful stereotypes though… as long as it is profitable.

In this day and age, we as minorities have more of a voice than had ever been allowed in the U.S. It’s because we had to fight for it. If there was a team called the Blackskins or the Yellow-Skins that rocked with a caricature of our race, we all know that it would get changed real quick. The Washington R-dsk-ns moniker took an underrepresented racial group and effectively reduced them to a mascot, a derogatory name and a stereotypical caricature… That’s the issue with marginalized populations: we don’t always have a voice with which to speak up for ourselves.

Indigenous communities have resisted discriminatory colonial powers, extractive industries, and corporate greed with tremendous resilience, courage, and skill, but their protests are too often ignored by governments and corporations.

–culturalsurvival.org

They will greet you, kiss you, accept your gifts, make promises, then kill you and take your land and family members. They will then name their sports teams to “honor you” and tell you to stop being so sensitive. The effects of that kind of an exchange (genocide) last for a very long time in the psyche of a society. The use of American Indian mascots and team names in North America has drawn criticism and activism from many people including Native Americans, social scientists, and religious and educational groups among many others, dating back until at least the 1960’s. The research says that the reinforcement of stereotypes have a real affect on underrepresented groups. How could it not, after the level of disdain for their lives that was shown to them?

Daniel Snyder would not change the name because of his value of pride, tradition and brand equity. What is brand equity? It’s something that companies and corporations spend a ton of money, time and consultation hours on. It is how much weight your branding and name carry in people’s hearts and minds. Do they trust you? Do they think that your values align with theirs? Do they believe you represent something of quality? How do they feel about you versus the competitors? When you rebrand, many times you have to start from close to zero brand equity, since you have an entirely new brand. Good brand equity often times means much higher revenue and ability to sell your product. Name brands can slap their logo on anything and people will buy it and talk about it. Brand equity is everything to execs, and it meant more to Daniel Snyder than any harm that his brand may have been doing to marginalized groups across the country.

The stunting of his cash flow by Nike, FedEx and other investors is what forced him to change. FedEx restricted their ability to negotiate a new stadium contract, and Nike, Walmart, Amazon and Target took Washington products down from their websites. Going after his chips might’ve been the only thing on this earth that could have forced him. No social justice campaign, psychological study or impassioned plea could change Daniel Snyder’s mind… but money could — and it was beautiful to watch unfold. Isn’t that a crazy parallel for America right now? Tradition, power and money have been priorities over doing the right thing throughout our history. Progress has been embarrassingly and excruciatingly slow at times. Now is a moment to change that.

It’s easy to see this change as simply something to help pacify all of the civil unrest that has been exploding across the country. When the league is informing teams of how social justice issues will be addressed in Week 1 (Black Nat’l Anthem?? ), it’s natural to be skeptical and weary… Kaepernick was blackballed for having the audacity to kneel to bring attention to police brutality, and now, all of a sudden the league is now letting the players know how its going to go down. Let them wear controlled decals, splash it on the ground where they play and if they want to act out, they will need to follow the acting out protocols!! Make no mistake, the league feels they have to do this to keep some level of control so that they don’t watch things spiral out of their hands. Let’s not be fooled. We had to FIGHT even for this level of action. There are rumors that Patrick Mahomes’ inclusion (he is the league’s new money maker and golden boy) in the Goerge Floyd video is what spurred quick action from the NFL. How incredibly sad and backwards if that is true. AN NFL EMPLOYEE HAD TO GO ROGUE AND RISK HIS JOB TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!

Although I find myself thinking very critically of the signs and gestures that I see in the media, I have to remind myself that the more that our struggle is being talked about in any capacity is a win. I think Kap is proud. I have to remind myself that we fought to have this conversation, so we might as well use this stage, no matter how insincere or misguided any of the gestures may be. Although we have to uphold the fight amid so many distractions, we have to remind ourselves that these young kids are seeing black men and women leveraging their power for the culture on television. These kids are watching, as we all comply with or fight against the oppressive structures of this society.

At a time in this world when we have to stay at home, having athletes, entertainers and community leaders speak up and speak out to the community has been an important piece of this moment in time. We have refused to be quiet. “Our suffering is connected: The plantation and the reservation are manifestations of systemic mistreatment that continues to this day”. Although there is more to fight for in helping devastated American Indian communities flourish, fighting for space to give natives more of a voice and helping to dismantle racially harmful systems is a damn good place to start! That is an imperative in a democracy that holds such high ideals in both its Declaration of Independence as well as in its Constitution. We can’t preach equality to the children, when we’ve got racist caricatures of the people whom our country subjugated running onto the field. And you can’t see how that’s a bad look?

I’m looking forward to more wholesale changes. One of the women who it accusing the Washington team of years of sexual harassment mentioned that she knows that many other teams across different sports leagues operate in a similarly vile way. This can’t stand, especially amongst these billionaire owners. You know what else? If there are any instances of paying off refs (also referenced in the “R-dsk-ns Scandal”)… that needs to be addressed immediately as well. It didn’t do Washington any good, but we need to protect the spirit of fair competition in the National Football League. We need to level the playing field for all… at all costs.

The environment is Washington D.C. lies in stark contrast to the glory days of Joe Gibbs and the legacy that he and Jack Kent Cooke left before Daniel Snyder assumed ownership (and after GPM was forced to integrate). After watching the “A Football Life” feature on Joe Gibbs, it was obvious that he was incredible at creating a unifying, hard-working family atmosphere. He rallied a team behind Doug Williams, the first African American quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl. He was wildly successful and is counted by many as one of the greatest head coaches of all-time. The way he operated with humility, devotion and gratitude was astounding. He said it best himself: “And yet, what we’re gonna leave on this earth is the influence on others”. Those at the top have the power to create a culture of peace and health, or one of toxicity. That’s why we’ve got to get this dude out of office while he’s trying to convince people that there is a war on the suburbs going on.

Indians, in many ways, don’t have a voice and say in things because of both the ruthless killing off of our people, as well as continued neglect and underrepresentation to this day. Bump Columbus Day and bump Thanksgiving bro… like forget about them, they are straight trash. Grimy testaments to oppression. I’m off it. Look at the history (one that wasn’t fully taught to us in school) and try not to get depressed. Other minority groups have been able to band together and fight, and we again need to force their hand. I’m convinced that one of the only things that the NFL cares about is revenue and buy-in of its product. Capitalism has a tendency to take advantage of people and ideas for however long it can until the scales tip from benefitting them to even mildly inconveniencing them. Just remember that and keep your eyes open. Let’s not congratulate these sometimes hollow actions. Even though it can feel like any victory, any inch of justice is momentous… We must continue fighting for what is right, and not be distracted by snakes who are simply looking for the next scheme. In Washington, it’s #HTTR indeed… for them its ‘revenue’, but for those down with the cause, it’s Hail to the Revolution!

This is an eerie time for sure… my generation has experienced things that we had only read about in history class: great recessions, disease and terrorist attacks. Now, a microscopic RNA sequence has served us a harsh reminder of the extent to which we are all definitely interconnected. Someone from Wuhan, China who lives a different life is connected to me. I’m worried about isolation and how I need to call my brother who has asthma. I am connected to those in Italy who went viral singing together on their balconies in quarantine. Those Italians are connected to the two crazy white girls I saw yesterday while venturing out to get food.

They were dancing and bobbing, running between the sidewalk and the middle of the street. This frantic and continual motion didn’t jive with the big down jackets they both had on. I looked closer and saw one of them holding a cell phone in the air and yelling. After stopping to scratch my head, I realized that in a window, high up in the sky sat an old woman who was peering down at them, also holding a phone. These girls were in front of a nursing home, most likely talking to their grandmother. They couldn’t go up to hug her or hold her hand, so this was the only way they could make her feel loved during this quarantine. I will never forget that moment in my life. It is a story I will tell future generations when I describe how sometimes hard things in life remind you of what matters and the simple routines or gestures that you can so easily take for granted. It was a tragically beautiful moment.

This whole thing is not what we wanted. Coronavirus has disrupted all of our very important plans and busy, busy lives. Absent a vaccine, we all have to use this time to separate… and for the first time in a while, some of us may be realizing how difficult that is. How many people do we walk past and interact with every day. Honestly, memes are showing us all the broad implications that we never thought of! I keep hearing different stories from people and thinking, wow… yeah, I didn’t think of how that would be affected. This has been an opportunity for me to slow down and to see more clearly that It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the distractions of life.

The sports world has been put on hold, and none of us know what to do. On a serious note, the National Basketball Players Association estimate that around 50% of the league population will test positive for the Novel Coronavirus!! This is how close these guys work together. Did you see how shook the NBA community was when Kobe Bryant died? We were all deeply affected, but we saw some of our heroes cry. Did you see Iverson in the two videos from All-Star Weekend? That was tough, as it’s rare to see a man so iconic and successful be that clearly hurting. Growing up, he was the ultimate warrior to me: he didn’t care what the size of the opponent was or what injuries he had to overcome. MJ cried in front of everyone, and we all understood.

Athletes have a sense of camaraderie even when they are on different teams. That’s something we can take to heart. There may be people and ‘teams’ that you do not like… fair enough. But you are still connected to them. We scream at the TV when a player doesn’t make a smart decision. Let’s make smart decisions to stay sanitized and limit our social interactions for as long as it takes. Check on those you love. Texting and social media can be poor substitutes for hearing someone’s voice. Remember when we used to talk to people on the phone for hours, with no agenda?? I talked to so many mamas of friends and crushes!

This pandemic is a shared experience of the entire world. Wherever you travel to in the future, no matter where someone is from, you’ll be able to discuss where you were in life during the Coronavirus outbreak. Our connectedness as the human race is at the forefront of all of our lives right now. Believe it or not, that’s the warm and fuzzy side…

Many of us have the privilege of being accustomed to convenience, luxury and self-determinism. The disruption of that can be upsetting and/or scary. With that in mind, I don’t want to downplay anybody’s fear or anxiety in this situation, as that is a very real thing. At the same time, if you are one of those ranting and complaining about having to stay home, be bored, cook food and work from home as an annoyance, then you may need to check your sense of reality and gratitude.

Imagine if, while quarantined, all of our water was compromised, and people died at home… there would be HELL to pay and a public outcry to hold the government responsible. Welcome to Flint, MI, ladies and gentlemen. Some of us are experiencing what may feel like 3rd world problems in our 1st world society. For some, that idea is nothing new.

Those in poverty don’t feel like we are all connected. At times it can feel like disparate worlds. Add to the disruption multiple layers of uncertainty. I’ve got friends whose parents can’t sell from the crop they depend on selling all year. They have to figure out how to survive. I’ve got family that works for the city. They have to keep working and be exposed to the entire population.

Let’s talk about how 50% of people in America live paycheck to paycheck. The poor (which is largely inclusive of black and brown minority groups) are more likely to have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and heart disease on top of a lack of access to health care. Reasons behind these are a topic for a whole different article.

I saw shots of people in Louisiana in the news lining up for unemployment applications with masks over their faces. It was sad, but I understood: they had no choice but to risk infection to make money just to be able to live. Some have to decide between food or medication even with that check. More than 3 million people claimed unemployment in a week’s time at the end of March. This is the highest rate of claims in a single week in U.S. History; the previous record being 695K. They estimate that around 50M (or 1/3 of the U.S. workforce) will either have their hours reduced or be let go. According to LinkedIn, 86% of the most vulnerable jobs pay 40K or less. The numbers are staggering.

Essential workers, like janitors, delivery service workers, nurses, and food service workers are being celebrated (as they should be) for holding the line for us. The truth is, some of them have no other choice. Some of these are the people who can’t afford to completely separate. Compare that to the stories you hear about those fleeing to more remote areas (the rich flying to Hawaii to get away, and putting the islands at much higher risk).

There are children who were going to school on free and reduced lunch because they couldn’t afford it otherwise. Those kids won’t have that anymore. They may be at home with parents who also lost their jobs, and have to find another way to feed their family…. without any way to find childcare. Sadly, there are those in our country who live in abusive households, where school and friends were their only escape. There has already been a reported rise in domestic abuse cases. Sports is a main source of motivation and accountability for some kids that are trying to rise above bad situations at home or in their neighborhoods. At times, coaches can act as the only father figures some of these kids have.

Empathy may not always be our strong suit as Americans. We will defend our stances and rights to the death. Part of me is proud of that. Part of me is sad about that.

Instead of thinking about connectedness from the perspective of autonomous individuals in how it affects us or our loved ones only… let us remember the hurting among us. Those whom this is not just a nightmare, but also a life-changing catastrophe. Those at the bottom, or in high-risk categories are not simply disposable because it doesn’t affect you in a clear and direct enough way. I have a friend who framed this in a beautiful way right here.

Let’s call a spade a spade: black and brown people are dying at rates more than twice their share of the population. The scary thing is that all of the data on cases of contraction of the virus is just based on what has been tested and reported. Testing has not been as accessible in poorer areas. Amid this problem, Donald Trump wanted to have the country opened up by today (Easter)… to stimulate the economy before being shouted down by health experts. If that doesn’t spark a fire of anger in your heart over privilege and injustice, I don’t know what will. Too bad Kanye went to the sunken place when we needed him most.

I’ve always felt that empathy was an underrated means to understanding others and their motivations and perspectives. It is one of the factors that makes us human, no matter the level of pigmentation or melanin in your skin. It can help us to help each other live in more harmony. It can help to uncover actions and attitudes that are rooted in fear. It can help to draw out the best in what others can bring to the table. It can help you to move on and be healthy and happy when you know you deserved an apology. Empathy is a very important crux of both karma and spirituality. Empathy can also have a side effect of strengthening our own senses of gratitude along the way. I contend that you can’t fully grasp the human experience without empathy.

If you’re wondering what sports has to do with this, remember the clip of AI crying for Kobe earlier in this article. If these men can devote their lives to competing interests in the same goal as true rivals and still embrace one another, then why can’t we do the same in America? Until that time, many of us will have more respect for athletes than for many of the constructs of our own society.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, as China is recovering and slowly returning to work… but I hope we take the opportunity for something of this magnitude in our world to shift our perspective on things just a bit.

Yes, the ‘Rona shows that our world is interconnected… but we have farther to go to make it just. Many of the NFL players that I’ve heard many deride for being overpaid and privileged have been a part of donating over $35M to the COVID cause. A good portion come from much more modest beginnings. How have the execs at your favorite product’s companies helped? The power of where you spend your dollar will have influence in the new world.

Someday there will be movies and documentaries about this very strange moment in history. I’ve gone to the grocery store, and the feeling is something I’ve never experienced: people wearing masks and seeing the look of fear when you pass people in the aisle. When I saw a child walk by me with a WWII-style gas mask on, I knew that image would be burned into my mind for the rest of my life. We are truly living in times that will be talked about in the textbooks of future generations. How will it change our world? Will we find ways to help each other against a common threat?

This may all seem idealistic, but many times in history, calamitous events are the only pivots by which change can prosper. We can each take part in this empathy and opportunity for change. How can we help to influence disparities in housing, air quality, healthcare, education, Job opportunities, etc.?

If you feel powerless against structures of society, I think you are not alone. Maybe think about how you can be there for those who need it? Can you have tough conversations? What can you bring to the table to help the world around you? How about policies? The suspension of tactics that strike fear into undocumented communities during this harsh time? Encouragement for people to access mental health care when they could use it? One very small thing I’ve tried to do is tipping any delivery persons or restaurants 30% or more for their efforts during the pandemic. Let’s start dialogue on what we can do. The time for empathy is now. That’s how we can work together to come up with solutions.

Your busy life has been put on hold. You can’t scurry around and fill your day with distractions and appointments. The world has slowed down for a once in a lifetime re-evaluation of the things and people that we truly love and value. We choose what kind of “normal life” we want to move our world back to once this is all done. YOU choose that for yourself and those around you.

Inconvenience, hardship, suffering, each to varying degrees, has been on the forefront of consciousness for us all recently. It has magnified it much more for some. How do our actions or inaction affect those around us? Those seem to be COVID lessons, but they should also be life lessons. What kind of a society do you want to live in? I ask because everything has a cause and an effect.

In survival situations, a natural instinct is to be concerned with your safety first. What happens next? You have to check on others and band together. We have to share this world, our country and our neighborhoods and streets. We are connected in one way or another. What’s crazy, is that many either don’t know, don’t show, or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood.

Seattle Seahawks order of needs (as it stands):

• Defensive End

• Corner (competition)
• Offensive Tackle
• Defensive Tackle (rotational)
• Center
• Running Back
• Outside Linebacker
• Quarterback

Free Agent Targets:

Ndamukong Suh, Michael Pierce, Timmy Jernigan, Alex Collins, P.J. Walker, Jimmy Smith, Ronald Darby, Daryl Worley, De’Vondre Campbell

So, if defensive end is our most pressing need by far, then why don’t I have Jadeveon Clowney listed in my Free Agent Targets section? As much as I loved the move to get Jadeveon Clowney in a trade, I think that it may be a good idea to consider a different option at this point. While it may sound crazy at first, I think that the Seahawks should let Clowney join another team in free agency and make a blockbuster trade for Yannick Nicolas Ngakoue of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’m in the minority here but let me explain.

The first stat that I’ll throw out there is that Yannick Ngakoue has 37.5 sacks over the last 4 years for the Jaguars, without any season total lower than 8. I want to let you know that this means he has been very good at dropping QB’s. For comparison’s sake, Von Miller has 46 sacks the last 4 years. Jadeveon Clowney (who had 3 sacks this past year) has 27.5 sacks in the last 4 years, and 29 sacks in his 4 final years with the Houston Texans. Believe it or not, Clowney has never registered double digit sacks in a season in the NFL. Clowney is a former #1 overall pick in the first round with name recognition. Ngakoue is a former 3rd-round pick. While we can begin to try to justify with points about there being differences from team to scheme, Yannick has taken advantage of opportunities at every point.

But… but! What about everything we’ve invested in Clowney??

Jadeveon Clowney was a nice roll of the dice that didn’t quite land as the Seahawks had hoped. Luckily, we took advantage of the GM-less Texans to not have to give up much to get him (sound familiar?) The real beauty of the Clowney trade is that if he walks in free agency, we can quite possibly recoup the 3rd round pick that we traded for him in the compensatory draft! Seahawks GM, John Schneider doesn’t just do this for praise: he is a shrewd businessman with eyes always to the future who takes calculated shots. He’s also rolled the dice on Marshawn Lynch, Percy Harvin, Jimmy Graham, and Sheldon Richardson.

Ultimately, it’s been speculated that Jadeveon may be better suited standing up as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive scheme. Yannick Ngakoue is a designated pass rusher (DPR) who has the chance to be great in the right scheme! Ngakoue was a part of that great ‘Sacksonville”, “Teal Curtain” defense from a couple years ago. He’s already been a consistent producer who outproduced a former 1st round pick (Dante Fowler). He’s made it known that he doesn’t want to continue to play in Jacksonville. He’s just entering his prime and eerily reminds me of a Michael Bennett or Cliff Avril type of addition.

You know the names, but they are not superstars. They are young, ascending pass rushers with time to develop. That’s Yannick. BUT, in his 4 years with the Jags, Yannick has more than double the count of sacks that Bennett had in his 4 years with the Bucs prior to signing in Seattle. Now, Ngakoue was drafted in the 3rd round while Bennett was undrafted… but with Yannick, there is added security since he’s been ballin’ since day 1. I don’t care if it takes a 1st and a 2nd (what we got for Frank Clark) … go get this young bull!! See if I care… We have two 2nds, so there!

It would be nice if, like Dee Ford, this trade would only cost a 2nd. The good/bad news is that Ngakoue has been WAY more consistent than Ford was prior to his trade. Imagine if the compensation is a 1st and a 3rd: We’d most likely get a 3rd back for Clowney walking, and we basically will have only had to give up a 1st round pick (and look better than the Chiefs)! First round picks generally have about a 50% success rate. I’d rather have a young, proven option than take the next confusing Seahawks pick behind door #3 and hoping he doesn’t redshirt like L.J. Collier. A lethal pass rush would take our defense (and, quite possibly the play of our secondary) to the next level. Pete Carroll knows this well.

I’ve heard talk of targeting Everson Griffen, formerly of the Vikings. Pete coached him in college, and could convince him to throw his purple in the sky like a toxic ex. He may be nearing the end of his career and has had some personal issues to work through in the recent past. That may not be the best fit for what this team is currently building. Targeting Jadeveon Clowney has the potential to initiate this whole dance again next year. There are rumors that his lack of a mega contract offer this year makes him want to take a 1-year deal so that he can raise his value and hit the market again in 2021. Yannick may be more amenable to starting over and signing a long-term deal. We want someone who is trying to invest in what we are building. Ask Sherman and Bennett.

We are, of course, not the only team that would be interested in Ngakoue’s services. If we get involved in a bidding war with say, the Bills, Dolphins and Giants, John Schneider may bow out. Even in that scenario, let’s remember that proven pass rushers who are just hitting their prime don’t usually come available. It may be time to follow Lil Jon’s advice and take another shot. Adding a player that could be the catalyst to a lasting defensive revitalization in Seattle should be a priority. Yannick Ngakoue feels like the kind of consistent, driven and prototypical defensive end who the Seahawks would love to deploy. He feels like a guy that belongs in blue and action green.

While Coronavirus is cancelling everything around us (thankful for this Tweet), The National Football League, we can all be sure, will attempt to keep the upcoming season on track as much as liability will allow. These people love what they do and will make sure to get that guap in all ways possible. In the absence of most sports and entertainment, a ton of eyes will be on the impending news about 2020 Free Agency and the NFL Draft.

Many dominoes fell today. The NFL Players voted to pass the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (part of which allows the use of only the franchise tag in negotiations), The Jacksonville Jaguars initiated “Project Dolphin Tank” and The Tennessee Titans (as I predicted, as you’ll see at the bottom) chose Ryan Tannehill over everybody out there. That ‘everybody’ includes the G.O.A.T., Tom Brady. Tommy boy will be 43 this season, but why won’t this old man tell us where he’s going?? Chris Simms and his dad, along with most other people are dismissing the idea entirely that Brady would ever leave the team he’s played 20 seasons for. I’m here to tell you that we will not see him play in a New England Patriots jersey ever again! EVER.

Whatever the reason(s) may be, Tom’s play has declined statistically over the last 3 seasons. That is undeniable. We were already wondering if he would leave last year. This season felt like a definitive breaking point. Brady had his worst second half of a season ever (in completion percentage, passing yards per attempt as well as passer rating). You can make all of the excuses for his play that you want: he dealt with injuries, he misses Rob Gronkowski, Edelman missed time, his young receivers could not get open, the running game regressed, etc. It’s easy to forget, however, that this is Tom freaking Brady that we are talking about! Those excuses used to not even matter. His whole thing used to be that he worked with no-name guys and castoffs on offense and made them into playmakers and stars. The list includes Reche Caldwell, Jonas Gray, Brandon Lloyd, Laurence Maroney, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Dion Lewis, Troy Brown, Shane Vereen, Kevin Faulk, David Givens, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker and Deion Branch (sore subject as a Hawks fan) among others as guys that were dangerous in championship games and seasons in New England but accomplished little else at future or previous stops.

Tom Brady is one of the most competitive athletes in the league, and may be one of the greats who can’t accept mediocrity or his own susceptibility to Father Time. It kinda feels like Brady wanted the Patriots to do more for him this year. You better believe that the chip on this former 6th rounder’s shoulder got bigger after the narrative he faced this season. He will be highly motivated to pull a #WashedKing and prove everyone wrong. Fascinating.

That being said, let’s look at things from the Patriots’ perspective. As bizarre as it is to admit, Brady is one of the weak links on this team. New England had a strong defensive showing this past season and has the reigning DPOY. Since he is paid as a quarterback, that is not a great disparity for the team to have. The fans in us (whether we love or despise him) can’t believe that New England would let their franchise icon leave for another team… look at how the Giants let Eli stay until the wheels fell off. You know that these are the Patriots that we’re talking about, Jack?!

New England is cold-blooded and calculating. They are notorious for getting rid of players a year too early vs. a year too late. If these QB dominoes weren’t in danger of falling at any second, I would do a deep dive on the history of that idea in New England. Names like Ty Law, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss, Lawyer Malloy and Darrelle Revis immediately come to mind. That’s one way that they’ve been able to stay on top for so long: they don’t play when it comes to business decisions. They are the anti-Cowboys (Jerry Jones LOVES his star players and will do a lot to keep them).

You can argue their level of competition early in the year, but heading into the playoffs, the Patriot Defense was the 4th team in the last 25 years to allow 20 or fewer offensive touchdowns and intercept more than 25 passes. The previous three teams to accomplish this all went on to win the Super Bowl. The Patriots did not… DO YOU THINK BILL BELICHICK WILL LET THAT STAND?? He was most likely already hot that Robert Kraft made him keep Brady last year over Jimmy Garoppolo.

Enter the young Los Angeles Chargers. They are already behind in a fight with the Rams for the loyalty of L.A. Ask the Clippers how important that factor is. They have made every move imaginable this offseason to build a comfortable and cushy landing spot for TB12. They extended a great satellite back (Tom has been known to make magic with these kinds of weapons) in Austin Ekeler. They made hard decisions to open up cap space in dumping the contracts of older, yet still effective players in Thomas Davis and Brandon Mebane. They already have a great route runner and a downfield threat in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, respectively. Keenan Allen’s presence in particular makes this a crucial potential fit, as he is a maven in the slot. Brady has been a major catalyst in the chemical process of making slot receivers boom throughout his career. Oh yeah, the Bolts have a young threat named Hunter Henry who would give Brady the best tight end he’s had since Gronk. Ya’ll seeing this? I think Tom would love to be at the controls here, walking around with WMD‘s at his disposal, walking around L.A. with his Uggs in search of avocado ice cream.

The kicker in this whole situation may be the potential strength of the O-line, which they navigated perfectly to improve so far. They flipped their left tackle, Russell Okung, in order to gain a strength at offensive guard with Trai Turner from the Carolina Panthers. They most likely did this with the fact in mind that they pick 6th overall in the upcoming NFL Draft and are in position to take one of the elite tackle prospects in the draft to solidify their line. Believe it or not, this is a team that lost 10 of their games by one score or less. The Chargers are a team that is within striking distance of competing for the ‘ship if they can get modest gains in contribution from the quarterback position (and if Derwin James can regain form after his injury).

If you check out all of the public forums and social media comments, nobody thinks Vader is leaving the Empire. What if he does? What if he helps to bring balance to the league? Tom even already announced that he’s headed to Hollywood. Get ready for the inevitable Tom Brady and LeBron James commercial if you live in the LA Metro area. We already heard that there was a phone call (!) between Bill and Tom that didn’t go well… if they break up, there were enough cookie crumbs along the way for a potential 30-for-30 episode.

Tom Brady switching sides to the Chargers to continue (and attempt to further legitimize) his legacy apart from Bill Belichick would be a riveting and sensical storyline all 2020. It would be especially intriguing to see which QB Bill will pick to replace Brady and lead his team. Belichick and Brady would be in a race to win a Lombardi without the other. I think most may underestimate the ego and level of petty involved here with two competitive living legends. If we can all stay inside for a bit, we may be in for some fire this year.

Below is my crack at how the giant game of QB musical chairs will play out across the league in this scenario (and my random notes). This may be the first year that I can remember where a lot of teams can end up with either a starter or backup who they believe in long-term. I made this list days ago, but when I saw that Ryan Tannehill signed, I decided to not let any more of my thunder be stolen:

– Philip Rivers to the Colts > (Brissett as backup + draft someone like Jeudy) Frank Reich worked with Rivers in San Diego.

– Ryan Tannehill back to the Titans > (Re-sign Henry and get rid of Mariota) Historic, deadly efficiency in 2019. If it ain’t broke… Vrabel knows Bill Belichick would be salivating to sign R.T. if Brady leaves. Next Alex Smith?

– Tom Brady to the Chargers > (Tyrod Taylor as backup + draft an OT) Focal point vs him going to the Titans as an ancillary part.

– Andy Dalton to the Patriots > (Stidham as backup and potential heir?) This fool has put up points in his career. Bill knows that and banks on his veteran savy to help stoke Belichick’s legacy apart from Tom Brady.

– Teddy Bridewater to the Bears > (Starts off as backup to Mr. Biscuit?) Window of prime defense could shut FAST in Chicago. He is a smart player who can compliment a dominant defense, protect the football and impress at times.

– Cam Newton stays with the Panthers > (For now? Traded when healthy?) Sam Bradford style trade when there is an opportunity? Grier, Allen-1yr contract. Tepper willing to play long game.

– Justin Herbert to the Panthers > (Backup to Allen and Cam for a hot sec) Rhule O great for spread QB? In perfect position. College to NFL coaches have wealth of knowledge from scouting and recruiting their first couple draft classes.

– Derek Carr stays with the Raiders > (Draft CeeDee Lamb) Gruden
finally gets the elite WR that he missed in A.B. that lets him test his QB’s worth.

– Jalen Hurts to the Raiders > (Backup to and competition for Carr) Gruden
would love this kid’s confidence, understanding of the game and leadership abilities. His 10 year contract let’s him wait on sunshine. Steez.

– Joe Burrow to the Bengals > Magical season.

– Tua Tagovailoa to the Dolphins > (Backup to Fitzpatrick until fully healthy) Their guy. Accurate thrower. 9 picks in 1st or 2nd rounds next 2 years, can make it happen.

– Jacob Eason to the Lions > (Backup to Stafford) Rumors of DET divorce.

– Jordan Love to the Buccaneers > (Backup to Winston) Too much alike?? Arians is the QB whisperer… wants Rivers, but will take “poor man’s Mahomes”.

– Jake Fromm to the Broncos > (Insurance that won’t hurt Lock)

– Marcus Mariota to the ‘skins > (Insurance behind Haskins) Brings the mobility that Rivera is used to.

– Josh Rosen to the Steelers > (Backup and heir after Big Ben’s final season) Let’s get this guy behind a functional O-line and see what ol’ boy can do! Rosen a major upgrade to the bummy QB play we saw from Pittsburgh last year.

– Case Keenum to the Browns > (Backup, mentor and stabilizing force for Baker) Stefanski connection from Vikings.

– Joe Flacco to the Bengals > (Mentor to Macaulay Culkin) Skinny’s revenge on Baltimore!!

– P.J. Walker to the Seahawks > (Long term backup to Russ?) XFL MVP. Yessah!

To see such a charismatic, eloquent and commanding presence break through, and be elected — by the people of a nation that once viewed his entire race as less than human, no less — was an incredible achievement in and of itself. Although we have much more to do, at the time, I felt that this was a message to the world about how far America has come.

The NFL in particular, embarking on its 100th season of play, is still waging that fight in a league of players that is composed of roughly 70% African Americans. We can look at the all-important position of quarterback as one example. As recently as the 1980’s, African Americans were not believed to have the mental capacity to play the position of quarterback. This notion, of course, has been found wrong, and we now have many successful black quarterbacks in the NFL. As it stands now, seven of the 32 teams in the league have a black quarterback inserted as its expected starter. It did take time.

As far as head coaches go, if it weren’t for the Dolphins hire of former Patriots defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, black coaches would have been shut out from the 8-position hiring process this year. Four of the NFL’s head coaches are men of color, three of which are black men, Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers being the only Latino (although we should remember that there is near constant yearly turnover of a good chunk of these positions).

On the corporate side, Ozzie Newsome was the first black GM in NFL history in 2002. Newsome, a former Hall of Fame player, was the key architect in Baltimore’s two super bowl winning teams. Currently, there is only one general manager of an NFL team who is of African American descent: Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins.

Let’s take a closer look at what is going down in Miami. As mentioned before, Miami also houses 1 of the 3 black coaches in the NFL in Brian Flores.

Chris Grier was named the GM of the Miami Dolphins in 2016, and was given power to oversee all football operations on the last day of 2018. His first head coaching hire in this capacity? Brian Flores, who helped to orchestrate arguably the greatest defensive performance and game plan in Super Bowl history. Flores has been described in NFL circles as intelligent, hard-working, and demanding as a coach… and he has a pretty inspiring story of working his way to the top.

Other notable hires by the Miami Dolphins this offseason have included former Colts and Lions head coach, Jim Caldwell as an assistant head coach and former Raiders and Packers executive and GM, Reggie McKenzie as a senior personnel exec. These are both accomplished and well-respected black leaders in the NFL.

Flores also hired Patrick Graham (whom he worked with in New England) as his defensive coordinator. While none of the major news sites will mention that he is also a black man, it looks like Flores is giving these men opportunities on his staff. It isn’t only black men, as the many other coaches and executives are white, and Chad O’Shea will lead the offense, while Danny Crossman will lead the special teams; but the number of black men in key leadership roles in the front office is obviously notable.

Many times men of color in leadership positions will give other men of color chances even if they don’t fit the stereotype of what we’ve seen NFL trends to look like. This is almost a necessity at this point, as they may not get many other chances elsewhere. That is a somewhat sad reality in many facets of American industry.

We saw this play out with the highly respected Tony Dungy, the first black coach to win the Super Bowl as well as the first to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He was more than willing to give qualified black coaches a chance to work under him and be mentored. From his coaching tree came an accomplished group of black coaches that includes Herm Edwards, Jim Caldwell, Mike Tomlin, Lezlie Frazer, and Lovie Smith (whom he ended up squaring off against in the aforementioned Super Bowl). All of those coaches have led an NFL team to the playoffs while Smith, Tomlin and Caldwell have all been to Super Bowls.

“I learned the coaching game and etiquette, and was given an opportunity to excel in a space that has traditionally excluded and undervalued men of color.”

–Mike Tomlin in reference to his time on Tony Dungy’s coaching staff

And that’s really what it is, isn’t it?? Many times an opportunity is all that is needed for minority candidates for leadership positions in underrepresented spaces! From there, the results-driven nature of the NFL will weed out the great leaders from the rest. To climb the ladder from coaching intern, to quality control staff, to positional coach, to coordinator, to assistant head coach, to head coach is already an arduous enough task, rife with competitors. But there are some who are willing to give more men of color an opportunity to start on that path and let their own drive and accomplishments take it from there. That’s what a true meritocracy is: You earn based on your performance, not your skin color.

Now, is this all going on to the naïveté of white team owner Stephen Ross? Will he one day wake up in a panic, clutching his chest and suddenly realizing that he is surrounded by strong black voices? No!! Ross is founder of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, which champions social justice and fights racial discrimination. By the looks of it, Stephen Ross may be invited to the cookout.

General manager and head coach are two positions with a great emphasis on leadership, and management of personalities and strategy. It may not need to be said, or it may need to be: there have been many great black leaders just in our nation’s history alone. To look for one static demographic or look of a leader means you will most likely miss out on potentially great hires that don’t fall under that specific subset of phenotypes. Just ask Sean Payton.

The growing pervasiveness of the black QB may have been the first step, are coach and (to more of an extent) GM the next steppingstones in opportunity for qualified African Americans to prove our worth?

How much of the racial disparities at different positions in football are socialized? Why are there so few black centers? Why are there so few white cornerbacks? Why so few black general managers? Sometimes in life we, as humans, take the paths of least resistance to success, which can further carve out the pre-existing stereotypes and trends.

Once barriers are broken, it is on the individual to not settle for what they are told is their designated lane, but also on corporations to continue not to let outdated stereotypes dictate who opportunities are handed out to.

Either way, it should be fascinating to see how the Miami Dolphins operate over the next 2-3 years. They seem to be tearing it all down, rebuilding from the ground up, and playing the long game. Instant results may not be in the cards… but will their rebuild coincide with the end of the division rival New England Patriots dynasty? Is there Patriot collusion and inside information from Flores’ side?? Many can only hope. Mayyyybe they’ll even make this whole thing come full-circle huh? We’ll see if Ross is really that woke.

In the meantime, men of varying race and background are being given the opportunity to play key roles in the herculean task of getting the Dolphins to where they need to be: out of the mediocrity that has afflicted them in the shadow of Tom Brady for so long. Whether they succeed or fail, owner Stephen Ross has sent a statement to the league and his fans. He has entrusted Chris Grier to call the shots as the leader of his organization. Grier seems to understand that black mentorship is important, and that Miami will be all-hands-on-deck; and that is a good thing for the advancement and competitiveness of the National Football League.

(NOTE): I believe we’ll see more trades up and down the draft order than what we are used to seeing… but I think they will end up being trades for players at the same positions listed for the particular team below.)

1.  Cleveland Browns – Sam Darnold, QB

• Usually, we know who is going #1 well in advance. So, are the Browns leaning towards Josh Allen? Don’t believe the lies. It can be easy to get lost in the pre-draft hype and rumor mill… but did we lose sight of the fact that Darnold was always the #1 QB prospect? I get that he has a surplus of tantalizing physical traits that remind some of Carson Wentz; but during the college football season, Allen was not often ranked even among the top 4 QB’s in the nation. C’mon… Cleveland is not taking Josh Allen… right? That would be the most Browns thing to ever happen… wait…

2.  Buffalo Bills (TRADE w/ Giants) – Josh Allen, QB

• They are close. Signing Kirk Cousins was a solid move, if overrated. Signing Sheldon Richardson was a solid move, and underrated. The Vikings’ D is elite, and will improve, while the offense just needs consistency. This is a Super Bowl contender, and I believe they will be in the NFC ‘Ship.

31.  New England Patriots – Isaiah Oliver, CB