There has been a lot of talk about who will lead the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the tunnel come Week 1 of the 2025 season.
And while all signs point to a return of Justin Fields over Russell Wilson, re-signing the 10x Pro Bowler couldn't be ruled out due to his relationship with Mike Tomlin.
Yet, the NFL insider with the closest relationship of all to Mike Tomlin says Russ is as good as gone...
"That ain’t gonna happen," Glazer said about Wilson joining forces with his former HC Pete Carroll as QB for the Las Vegas Raiders. "That one is over. I don't think that's gonna happen, either. I think you'll see a new start for Russell somewhere...
"..."I got no idea. No, I don't think.. I don't know," Glazer added when asked who the Steelers 2025 QB will be. "I don't think they know who their starting quarterback will be yet."
It hasn't taken a rocket scientist to see the comments of Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney and discover the obvious favor for Justin Fields as opposed to Russell Wilson. Add on the fact that Wilson is 10 years Fields' senior, led the team to five straight losses, and has had multiple reports of contention between him and the coaching staff, and the report doesn't come as much of a surprise.
But that doesn't make it pertinent nonetheless. Not only is Glazer one of the most credible insiders in the NFL, he far and away is the closet of any news breaker to HC Mike Tomlin.
He was the first one to break last year that Tomlin had thought about stepping away for a time before re-signing a contract extension, and the two have been seen together time and time again.
So if Glazer is reporting that Russell Wilson's time in the black and gold is over, you can take it to the bank. That's especially true when you consider Mike Tomlin was the one who brought Wilson in, and was probably his only hope at staying in Pittsburgh is 2025 and beyond, seeing as he's the one who calls the shots in Pittsburgh.
A new era of Steelers football is looking to begin yet again in Pittsburgh.
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There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
The Washington Commanders already have a handful of players impressing at training camp before the pads come on and one of them can fix a major hole on the team. Commanders HC Dan Quinn was asked about a certain rookie on Friday and he had high praise for a late round gem. He spoke on what impressed him the most already and how he can standout even more in the next phase of training camp. Late round rookies like Jacory Croskey-Merritt usually take some time to see the field, but the opportunities are there for him and his traits set him apart. Making an early impression to Dan Quinn Training camp is vital for rookies to learn the new systems on offense and become acclimated with the pace of the NFL. Croskey-Merritt hasn't wasted any time with the coaching staff on showing what he brings to the table. The traits he showed on tape in college are translating to the field for the Commanders already. "It's the violence of the cuts," Quinn told the media. "You know that he can get his shoulders square and get downhill fast." Quinn also credited running back coach Anthony Lynn on how he's going to "absolutely get them right" in the running back room. The Commanders need fresh legs in the backfield after the running game fell on QB Jayden Daniels' shoulders in the second half of the season and Croskey-Merritt is like a Mustang with four fresh tires. He's got a unique blend of power and elusiveness that makes tacklers miss in the open field and more importantly shows the vision to make the right reads and cuts. That's what Quinn looks for in practice right now, making the right reads on a play. "Running backs are sometimes the hardest," Quinn mentioned. "But what you can evaluate is the explosion on the cut, the assignment, was the read correct?" The next steps at practice for Croskey-Merritt You can tell what traits a running back has in the early practices, but you start to see a clearer picture when the pads come on and things get more physical. "It's a hard one to evaluate in non pads," Quinn added. "Because you don't know if the person makes the tackle, did he break the tackle?" Quinn can't wait to see the offensive line and the running backs get the pads on and really tell where Croskey-Merritt gets tackled and what tackles he can fight through. If Croskey-Merritt can ramp up his progression in training camp and impress in the joint practices against the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, he can quickly rise up the depth chart. The preseason is right around the corner as well and real live action has the biggest impact on your stock.