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 …

RETROSPECTIVE: STAND… PAT!

Matthew Sherry NFL

From the gloom of a miserable home playoff exit to Tennessee came hope for Kansas City fans after the Chiefs turned their franchise over to young gunslinger Pat Mahomes. Gridiron speaks exclusively to the man with Arrowhead ambitions resting on his shoulders. Week 17 of the season can be a fickle beast, often lacking the prescribed drama anticipated by NFL …

SUPER BOWL SCENE & HEARD: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Craig Llewellyn NFL

Super Bowl LIX is on the horizon and, with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles arriving in New Orleans for the big game, the Opening Night press availability provided more than its fair share of storylines. NO KELCE RETIREMENT Travis Kelce may have the superstar girlfriend, but he insists that he has no plans to spend more time …

This Given Sunday: Chiefs, Eagles head for rematch

Thomas Ritchie

We have our Super Bowl matchup. In two weeks time, the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of Super Bowl LVII. Hardly a matchup for the neutral, it seems many analysts, pundits and prognosticators lost their perspective when predicting (wishing) for a Commanders-Bills Super Bowl. The Eagles proved their dominant run game was too …

NFL HONOURS NOMINEES REVEALED

Craig Llewellyn NFL

The NFL and The Associated Press have announced the finalists for their annual awards, with winners to be revealed at the NFL Honours ceremony in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX. This year’s awards, are to be hosted by Snoop Dogg, will also feature the presenttion of the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year accolade along with …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Neil Dutton NFL

And so, here we are. The penultimate weekend of NFL action hasn’t so much as crept up on us as arrived like a full-on Myles Garrett pass rush. Two games to decide this year’s Super Bowl combatants. Repeat or reprise? Too close to call? *** NFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP Washington Commanders (12-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) The NFC Championship game will …

This Given Sunday: Commanders shock the world

Thomas Ritchie NFL

The best weekend of the NFL season promised a quarterback matchup for the ages, a pitched battle in inclement weather, a potential shootout in the Motor City and the chance for a young quarterback to upstage the league’s reigning champ. While some of those expectations were met, others fell a little flat. In Detroit, Jayden Daniels took the football intelligentsia’s …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: DIVISIONAL ROUND

Neil Dutton NFL

While there was just one Wild Card game that went the distance with its result in the balance — thank you Commanders and Buccaneers — the outcomes of the opening round of the NFL playoffs have combined to produce some intriguing matchups amongst the final eight teams. Detroit and Kansas City enter the postseason fray this weekend, but neither will …

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 …

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 …

A Christmas Garo

Craig Llewellyn NFL

The 4pm kickoff had appeared amiable enough, until legendary kicker Jan Stenerud’s field goal attempt sailed wide to the right of the goalposts at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium. Dinner wouldn’t be late, but those who were due to consume it would be. It was a new dilemma. Sure, there had been conflicts between football and fare on Thanksgiving for as …

NFL WEEKEND PREVIEW: WEEK 17

Neil Dutton NFL

With just two rounds of games remaining in the 2024 NFL regular season, there is still plenty to be sorted out with regard to the playoff positions and draft order. Neither conference has a top seed locked in, and several division titles remain wide open — with ‘all or nothing’ scenarios and no wildcard safety net looming for those involved. …

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 …

This Given Sunday: Eagles, Bills get statement wins

Thomas Ritchie NFL

Week 15 of the NFL season promised season-defining matchups and potential Super Bowl previews. In Pennsylvania, the 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers would take on their inter-state rivals, the 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles. In Detroit, the unstoppable Lions would put their league best 12-1 record to the test against the league’s presumptive MVP, Josh Allen, and his spirited Buffalo Bills (10-3) squad. With …

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 …

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 …

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 …