Quartet announced as latest Hall of Fame class

Craig Llewellyn NFL

Four new names were added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s all-time roster during the NFL Honours ceremonies on Thursday night as defensive back Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen (no relation), tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe were voted into footballing immortality. The four-man class is the smallest since 2005, but inducting a quartet is …

This Given Sunday +: Commanders, Rams upset chalk

Craig Llewellyn NFL

The opening week of the 2024-25 NFL playoffs did not provide the close battles many were anticipating, with just one outcome in the balance as the final seconds played out. In the end, four of the expected winners — based on home advantage — came out victorious, while another played up to their superior regular season numbers to down a …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: THE FULL 32

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s final power ranking of the 2024 NFL regular season, featuring — for the first time — all 32 teams. Who comes out on top after 18 weeks of competition? Is the worst team in the league the one that will be picking first in April’s Draft? And how are the 14 playoff teams stacking up?   GRIDIRON POWER …

DAZN WEEKEND PREVIEW: WILD CARD ROUND

Neil Dutton NFL

For all the action that takes place over the first 18 weeks of a new NFL campaign, nothing hits quite as hard as playoff football, where everything is on the line every weekend. There can be no quit from here on in, with elimination from the Super Bowl race potentially around the corner for each and every team. Six games …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 18

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 18 power ranking as the 2024 NFL regular season heads into its final throes. Who earns the accolade of being top dog through the long slog since September, and who is positioning themselves nicely to mount an assault through the playoffs?   GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 18 1. Buffalo Bills (13-3) = With the likely MVP …

This Given Sunday: Titles, playoffs still up for grabs

Craig Llewellyn NFL

Week 17 of the National Football League’s 2024 regular season served as a perfect festive host, providing some tasty fare of its own while whetting the appetite for what is to come in the New Year. While the Philadelphia Eagles ensured that the NFC East title would change hands for the 20-somethingth time by pounding the hapless Dallas Cowboys, and …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 16

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 16 power ranking where the (pre-Turkey) pecking order continues to contain more surprises than Santa’s sack.   GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 16 1. Buffalo Bills (11-3) +1 With victories over the Chiefs and Lions on their resumé, the Bills look every inch the best team in the NFL with Josh Allen continuing to amaze on a …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK 16

Neil Dutton NFL

The NFL’s decision to save division matchups for the final weeks of the regular season continues to pay off with the biggest games of Week 16 all featuring rivals looking to deny each other more than just bragging rights. If there is no crown to be fought over, there is at least a spot in the playoffs, so everything will …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 15

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 15 power ranking where the major players continue to jostle for top spot in the countdown to Christmas.   GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 15 1. Detroit Lions (12-1) +1 A couple of 50-50 calls may have gone in the Lions’ direction in their thrilling win over the Packers last Thursday, but with a relentless offense and …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK 15

Neil Dutton NFL

Bye weeks are a thing of the past as all 32 NFL teams knuckle down for the final four games of their 2024 campaign. For many, the season is lost and all that matters now is pride (or possibly draft position, depending on the mindset) but, for the rest, the playoffs remain on the horizon, with all important seedings and, …

Walter Payton Award nominees unveiled

Gridiron

The NFL has announced the 32 nominees for this year’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide, reflecting the off-the-field endeavours of those better known for their performances between the lines. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award has become the league’s most revered honour, recognising players who excel on the field and demonstrate …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 14

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 14 power ranking where the run-in to the end of the regular season starts with changes throughout a volatile top ten. GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 14 1. Buffalo Bills (10-2) +1 Returning from their bye week and putting up another 30-point effort to squash San Fran in the snow looked good, both on TV and in …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK 14

Craig Llewellyn NFL

Five weeks remain in the 2024 NFL regular season and the playoff spots are slowly filling up, but whether there’s a lot of football still to be played remains a subjective argument with some teams probably needing more time to ensure that they can join Kansas City and Buffalo in the postseason. Week 14 is the latest point at which …

This Given Thursday: Reasons to be thankful

Thomas Ritchie NFL

Ah, Thanksgiving. The time to stuff your face with turkey, spend time with family, and then spend frivolously on useless merchandise for the next couple of days.  The most American of holidays means little to us on this side of the pond. For NFL fans, it’s a chance to enjoy some midweek football. I’m thankful for that. For that reason, …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 13

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 13 power ranking as the season moves into the Thanksgiving weekend with one of its holiday stalwarts in top spot. GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 13 1 Detroit Lions (10-1) = Another comfortable win over mediocre opposition suggests that the Lions have another gear to hit if needed, even if this week’s Thanksgiving match up with Chicago …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK 13

Neil Dutton NFL

The annual Thanksgiving weekend is a big event for the National Football League, but even the schedule planners would be surprised at a Week 13 lineup featuring only three games between teams with winning records. The standout matchup amid such a dearth of highlights is clearly that between the 8-4 Baltimore Ravens and 9-2 Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. …

Not Dallas Again?

Gridiron NFL

Contrary to popular belief, playing football on Thanksgiving Day is not an NFL invention. The league may be credited with bringing a lot of innovations to the sport, but the origin of games being played as part of festivities celebrating a successful harvest predate the formation of the National Football League by nearly 50 years, when the college teams from …

Rooney Award nominees out as Pro Bowl vote opens

Gridiron NFL

Thirty-two players have been nominated for the eleventh annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, the winner of which will be determined in the build-up to this year’s NFL Pro Bowl. Created in 2014, the award honours the late Art Rooney Sr., founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers and now resident in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Each NFL team nominates a …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK 12

Gridiron NFL

For only the second time since 1970, six teams enter Week 12 on a winning streak of four-or-more games, although some of the names might be a little different from 2017. Detroit (eight consecutive wins), Buffalo (six), Philadelphia (six), Pittsburgh (five), Arizona (four) and the Los Angeles Chargers (four) are all on a run that hints at playoff potential and, …

LEAGUE GOES ALL-IN ON MADDEN CELEBRATIONS

Gridiron NFL

The National Football League will continue to honour the late John Madden at next Thursday’s Thanksgiving games with commemorations of the former player, coach and commentator liberally sprinkled throughout. Madden once said that, ‘There’s no place that I would rather be on Thanksgiving than right here, right now, at a football game,’ and the now-annual John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration aims …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 12

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 12 power ranking, where we have one big mover and a re-entry as the race to make the playoffs heats up.   GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 12 1 Detroit Lions (9-1) = Beating the worst team in the league is hardly eye-opening, but beating up on them, to the tune of 48 points and 475 yards, …

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 11

Nicholas McGee NFL

Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 11 power ranking.  Heading into Week 11, we have a couple of new entries towards the bottom of our rankings, with Kyler Murray powering the Cardinals up three spots. Jakes Bates’ boot led the Lions to a last gasp victory on Sunday, meaning they are still steadfast at the top, however, with some mouthwatering Week 11 …

NFL Weekend Preview: Week 11

Craig Llewellyn NFL

Week 10 was one of the worst weeks of the 2024 season in terms of offensive output. Teams averaged 1.86 points per drive and threw interceptions at a 2.9% rate, both “good” for the second-worst weeks of the season. But while Week 11 can’t guarantee more explosive play on offense, it promises to be a fascinating week with several key …

NFL Weekend Preview: Week 10

Craig Llewellyn NFL

With nine of 18 weeks — and 138 of 272 games completed — the 2024 NFL regular season has edged past its halfway point with the Kansas City Chiefs still clinging the league’s last unbeaten record, having moved to 8-0 with a hard-fought overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. With the win, the Chiefs became …