Yardbarker

Sam Robinson

Writer

Sam Robinson is a sportswriter from Kansas City, Missouri. He primarily covers the NFL for Yardbarker. Moving from wildly injury-prone sprinter in the aughts to reporter in the 2010s, Sam set up camp in three time zones covering everything from high school water polo to Division II national championship games. He has since settled in as the husband of a track and field coach, concentrating on the NFL. Boasting an unhealthy interest in the league’s history and fashion trends, Sam is the lead writer for Pro Football Rumors and has written about the sport for Yardbarker since 2018. In addition to working as a writer/editor for a few newspapers – the Cleveland Plain Dealer and St. Joseph (Missouri) News-Press, to name two – in a former life that included some awkward awards-show hosting gigs thankfully inaccessible online, Sam has written about the Olympics for The Athletic.

EXPERTISE:

NFL, track and field, boxing

The most significant NFL players returning from injuries in 2023

A few quarterbacks are part of the NFL's contingent of players returning from injury this year. Teams will count on bounce-back efforts from the passers, while several others have impact presences they will need back in form.

The biggest holes still remaining on NFL rosters

Although teams did plenty to fill holes in free agency and the draft, several noticeable deficiencies remain amid offseason workouts. Here are the most notable NFL roster holes as teams head into on-field activities.

The most improved NFL position groups from this offseason

Aaron Rodgers has turned the Jets into a captivating team, giving them a massive quarterback upgrade. But other teams made multipronged efforts to improve certain areas.

Which NFL teams had the best free agent classes of all-time?

Since full-fledged free agency began in 1993, it has become vital to NFL roster-building. Teams have used free-agency hauls to secure Super Bowl championships.

The biggest running back trades in NFL history

Running back value is not what it once was, and the position's trade timeline effectively illustrates that. A number of legendary backs have changed teams via trade during their careers.

From Andy Reid to Bill Belichick: The most regrettable NFL coach firings

Many teams have made missteps regarding a separation from a head coach or coordinator. Some have been straight firings, others de facto dismissals described as mutual separations.

Super Bowl LVII grades

The Chiefs erased another 10-point Super Bowl deficit, helping Andy Reid defeat his former team and Patrick Mahomes become the first MVP to win a Super Bowl since Kurt Warner in 1999.

NFL injuries that derailed Super Bowl hopes

Brock Purdy's first-quarter injury dashed a stacked 49ers team's hopes at extending their win streak to Super Bowl LVII, but this is not the first setback to play a major role in a strong team failing to win it all.

NFL Conference Championship Sunday grades

After Brock Purdy's injury led to an Eagles coronation, the Bengals and Chiefs submitted another action-packed entry in their burgeoning rivalry. The result: a fresh Super Bowl matchup that will pit Andy Reid against the team that fired him 10 years ago.

NFL divisional round weekend grades

Three of last season's final four entrants are back; that has not happened in 10 years. Here are the grades from this year's divisional-round weekend.

NFL Super Wild Card Weekend grades from around the league

Wild Card Weekend featured the third-greatest comeback in playoff history, AFC favorites struggling to dispatch opponents with backup quarterbacks, and the Cowboys putting an underwhelming Buccaneers team out of its misery.

The most dominant NFL teams in the divisional era

The Chiefs' seven straight division championships are bettered by only one team. Still, the NFL has seen a number of franchises author storied stretches without stringing together that many divisional crowns.

NFL Week 18 grades from around the league

Races for the two No. 7 seeds required game-winning field goals, while Lovie Smith ended up helping his former team land the No. 1 overall pick.

NFL Week 17 grades from around the league

Week 17 proved to be a big weekend for teams aspiring to claim a No. 7 seed. The Packers dismantled the Vikings to move closer to yet another 49ers playoff matchup, while the Patriots replaced the Dolphins in the AFC's No.

The most notable interim NFL coaches

It's not uncommon for underachieving NFL teams to fire their head coach during the season and have an interim coach finish out the year. These positions often lead to a temporary gig, but some revered leaders began their rises from the interim level.

NFL Week 16 grades from around the league

The Packers' upset of the Dolphins adds drama to the No. 7 seed pursuits in both conferences, while the Cowboys' shootout win over the Eagles ensures neither No. 1 seed is locked in.

NFL Week 15 grades from around the league

A weekend full of close games included upsets, playoff-race swings, and two of the craziest sequences in NFL history. The Vikings' record-setting comeback and the Patriots' astonishing undoing will live on for a long time.

NFL Week 14 grades from around the league

Although Sunday did not produce too much in the way of late-game drama, division and conference races are heating up. The 49ers' defense continued to back Brock Purdy, while the Bills again got by without Von Miller.

NFL Week 13 grades from around the league

A Sunday involving a host of contender matchups injected several storylines into the NFL's December equation. 

NFL Week 12 grades from around the league

Sunday brought success for teams that went for do-or-die two-point conversions (Jaguars, Chargers) and the one that played for overtime (Raiders). The Bengals also picked up a key AFC win during a week in which multiple contenders went down.

How the follow-up season went for the losing Super Bowl teams

From Super Bowl hangovers to the NFL's only perfect season, here is how every Super Bowl loser fared the following season.

NFL Week 11 grades from around the league

Here are the Week 11 grades from around the league.

NFL Week 10 grades from around the league

The Vikings came through in a classic with a twist ending, and the Packers stopped Mike McCarthy's Cowboys from delivering a knockout blow. These offerings came as Jeff Saturday moved to 1-0 in his unexpected coaching tenure.

NFL Week 9 grades from around the league

Here are the grades from Kansas City, Tampa, and the rest of the NFL's Week 9 slate.