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š We are exactly 100 days from kickoff of the 2025 NFL season.
š Rest in Peace, Jim Irsay
Colts owner Jim Irsay passed away last week at 65 years old.
Irsay was the sole owner of the Colts since 1997 and helped the franchise become competitiveāincluding winning Super Bowl XLI in the 2006 season.
Among the statements made after Irsayās passing, Peyton Manning called it heartbreaking, adding that he will āalways be indebtedā to Irsay for picking him No. 1 overall in 1998.
Irsay did things his own way, and his 2022 comments about there being merit to removing former Commanders owner Daniel Snyder was part of the spark to big change in Washington.
Ownership status: Irsayās daughter Carlie Irsay-Gordon is expected to take over as the primary owner of the team along with her sisters Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson.
š The Brotherly Shove is staying
After plenty of debate and controversyāwith NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even voicing concern about the playāthe Brotherly Shove survived a tight 22-10 vote in favor of banning it.
24 votes are needed to ban the play, so this was right on the edge.
Next year, itās possible two teams flip sides and the play is bannedābut itās here to stay for 2025.
Every team the Eagles face this season voted in favor of banning the playā¦ except for the Lions, arguably their biggest threat in the NFC.
The Eagles not only had a quick response on social media (below), but they posted 26 minutes of Brotherly Shove highlights on YouTube.
š More from the Spring League Meeting
NFL owners unanimously approved allowing players to participate in flag football during the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Countries are allowed to select one player per NFL team to participate.
Rosters will consist of 10 players, and the game is played in a five-on-five format.
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is an NFL FLAG ambassador and is among the many players hopeful to be on Team USA in 2028.
Olympics excitement: Plenty of stars are eager to participate in the 2028 Olympics, and the appeal of potentially winning a gold medal is very real.
The NFL announced a new award starting in 2025: Protector of the Year, going to the best offensive lineman in the game each season.
The offensive lineman has long been the unsung hero of every great offense.
That changes this season, when weāll recognize the best in the game with the Protector of the Year Award at NFL Honors.
Learn more: ops.nfl.com/3SfnO3v
ā NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps)
6:45 PM ā¢ May 21, 2025
And it was revealed which teams will be participating in Hard Knocks this year: The Bills will be on the traditional training camp edition, while the NFC East will be featured in-season starting in December (both on HBO Max). Eagles WR A.J. Brown is already posting about his displeasure about being on the show.
š° More NFL news and notes
Out for the year: Cardinals CB Sean Murphy-Bunting has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, ending his season.
Extensions: The Bears signed All-Pro G Joe Thuney to a two-year extension after acquiring him in a trade with the Chiefs this offseason, and the Raiders extended All-Pro P AJ Cole.
āIām fully cleared.ā Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson says heās ready to go in his return from a broken leg last season.
Bengals first-round pick Shemar Stewart is in a dispute over contract language and is not participating in team activities until it gets resolved.
Thoughts? Eagles RB Saquon Barkley says he believes last seasonās Super Bowl team was a top-five team of all-time.
"I believe our team last year was a top 5 team all time"
Do you agree with Saquon? š¤ (via @excitingmics)
ā NFL (@NFL)
6:18 PM ā¢ May 22, 2025
NFL legend Charles Woodson has joined the Browns as a limited partner to the ownership group.
New international markets for NFL teams include the Bills (Canada), Bengals (Canada), and Titans (Ireland).
One more successful drive: Tom Brady was booed at the Indy 500 and had the perfect response on Instagram:
Tom Brady on Instagram
First pitches: Broncos QB Bo Nix (a fastball strike) and Packers QB Jordan Love (a lobbed ball) had different approaches to their first pitch before MLB games.
We still have a few years to go until the 2028 Olympics, but itās not too early to think about which NFL stars might represent the United States. The 10-man roster should include plenty of athleticism and versatility, and here is the potential starting defensive unit for Team USA. You can check out the offenseāplus a couple of sub options if any taxi players are addedāhere.
Rusher: Micah Parsons
The primary rusher for the United States is probably a lock to be Micah Parsons, who plays for one of Americaās most recognizable brands and wants to participate in the Olympics. Parsonsā energy is off the charts on the field, and you know heās the type of guy thatād be going all out to get a gold medal.
CB: Travis Hunter
Versatility obviously comes into play with Travis Hunter, who played both ways for Colorado on his way to a Heisman Trophy. It sounds like the Jaguars want to focus mostly on wide receiver to start his NFL career, but heās too much of a playmaker on defense not to work his way into close to a full-time role there. His talent on both sides would translate seamlessly to flag football.
CB: Pat Surtain II
The NFLās reigning Defensive Player of the Year will be just 28 years old in three years, so expect him to still be near the top of his game as an eraser at cornerback. The size and athleticism would almost be unfair for other countries trying to get guys open against.
CB: Derek Stingley Jr.
Speaking of athleticism, Derek Stingley Jr. has plenty of thatāand he takes the ball away with five interceptions in each of his past two years including an All-Pro campaign in 2024. Stingley will turn 24 next month, so heāll be 27 for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
S: Malaki Starks
Projecting ahead, current rookie safety Malaki Starks could be the Raven that gets a Team USA nod. Teammate Kyle Hamilton has already indicated heās planning to play for South Korea, and itās easy to envision the United States having a great safety from Baltimore on its backend, too. Starksā range should translate well to the NFLāand he might be in a prime spot to bring that skill to flag football in a few years.
Other Sports Updates
š College Football Playoff changes: The CFP is moving to a straight seeding model, using CFP rankings to determine seeding and the first-round byes as opposed to the top four conference champions earning byes.
āļø Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. made his 2025 season debut and promptly homered on the first pitch he saw.
š NHL news: Brendan Shanahan is out as President of the Maple Leafs, and the Blackhawks hired Jeff Blashill as their HC.
šļø Indy 500: Alex Palou won the 109th running of the Indy 500.
ā¾ļø Congratulations to All-Star Jean Segura on his retirement. Segura once delivered one of the funniest moments in recent MLB memory, calling out his favorite ice cream flavor in response to a fanās question while awaiting the pitch.