Current and former NFL coaches Jon Gruden, Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher, Jeff Fisher and John Harbaugh are currently on the inaugural NFL-USO Coaches Tour. The group is traveling to meet and greet service members for several days in the Persian Gulf region.
Coach Gruden is describing the experience as “life-changing” for himself and his colleagues:
“You can read about what our troops are doing over here or you can watch reports on television, but none of that can compare to being here with them. It’s inspiring. I think sometimes people forget the role our military plays in keeping our country safe. There …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
How many professional sports leagues can pinpoint the exact spot, the exact day, even the exact time they “arrived?” The National Football League can: Yankee Stadium, December 28, 1958, 4:51 PM. Fifty years ago this December 28 — the final day of the 2008 NFL regular season — what would become known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played” took place — the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants at Yankee Stadium in New York City. And when Colts fullback Alan Ameche burst through a hole for a one-yard touchdown …read more

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National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
N.Y. Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will miss the 2008 season with a torn MCL. He injured his left knee in the second quarter of the Giants 10-7 preseason loss to the N.Y. Jets last night. So not only are the defending Super Bowl champs missing one of their Pro Bowl defensive ends (Michael Strahan to retirement), they’re now missing both of them with this devastating injury.
It was a sickening sight to see Osi’s left knee buckle on a play where he was simply rushing the quarterback. It looked like his foot caught …read more

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Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

What does winning the Super Bowl do for your job security? In Tom Coughlin’s case, it gives you four more years of employment. The N.Y. Giants head coach agreed to terms of a $21 million contract today that will make him one of the NFL’s highest paid coaches. He got a raise of $2 million per year.
I couldn’t be more in favor of this promotion. Coach Coughlin (and his staff) did an absolutely masterful job in preparing their team down the stretch of the 2007 season and into the playoffs. Just the …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The winter storm that has an icy grip on Indianapolis has slowed things down outside. But as promised, today was a whirlwind of activity around the Media Work Room here at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine. The players being shuttled in and out were mostly wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks.
My day was really one big press conference with a few of my own interviews thrown in for good measure. I took part in every head coach presser — Tom Coughlin (Giants), Brad Childress (Vikings), Gary Kubiak (Texans), Tony Dungy (Colts), Herm …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The Giants completed their final practice before Super Bowl XLII, a roughly 50-minute walk-through session in which all players participated. In my final pool report of the week (Mike Sando was filling in for John Clayton), it was noted that WR Plaxico Burress, unable to practice this week due to ankle and knee injuries, participated in the walk-through without limitation. The walk-through began with an abbreviated stretching session, followed by special teams, defense and offense. Head coach Tom Coughlin said:
“We’re excited and we’re ready to go. It’s been a nice week in terms …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
N.Y. Giants WR Plaxico Burress is officially listed as questionable for Super Bowl XLII because of his injured right ankle and swelling in his left knee. Plax went down on the injury report as “did not practice” although according to my pool report from John Clayton, he tried to do some things in the individual portion of today’s 80-minute practice at the Arizona Cardinals’ headquarters. Plax stretched and loosened up with his teammates and for the first time since arriving in Phoenix, he ran a few routes in drills to test out his …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
N.Y. Giants WR Plaxico Burress is struggling. According to my pool report from fellow PFWA member John Clayton, Plax missed today’s workout because of swelling and soreness in his left knee. This, of course, was on the heels of missing yesterday’s practice with his chronic right ankle injury. Each day, he suited up and played some catch and tried to get some work in, but wasn’t able to. Initially, I sort of dismissed the whole thing because Plax has been like this all season, but now I’m wondering if it is something to …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The N.Y. Giants held their first Super Bowl practice today at the AZ Cardinals practice facility in Tempe and all players were present and accounted for, although not every player participated in a full practice (CB Kevin Dockery, G Rich Seubert). WR Plaxico Burress didn’t work out at all, which is nothing new. He hasn’t practiced much all season. The team donned shorts and shells according to my pool report from fellow PFWA scribe and ESPN football professor John Clayton. This is the way they’ve worked for the past six weeks. Why change …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
By the time the N.Y. Giants took the field, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect after my experience with the Patriots. And as a result, I feel I had a better session with the G-Men. As much as Tom Brady was getting most of the attention for the Pats, Giants QB Eli Manning and DE Michael Strahan were pretty much split in their popularity for New York. Both of them appeared to handle the adoration very well. Michael seems to thrive on his popularity. And he’s usually joking and …read more