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The persistent narrative among football fans is that the Kansas City Chiefs — and quarterback Patrick Mahomes — benefit the most from favorable calls from the officials. While the Chiefs and Mahomes do benefit plenty from calls made by the officials, there was one specific quarterback who got the most roughing the passer/unnecessary roughness calls in the NFL last season, and it wasn’t the KC QB. It was actually Tua Tagovailoa, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
The NFL reviewed the fouls drawn by quarterbacks during the 2024 season to see if anyone is receiving preferential treatment. The results showed that Tagovailoa drew the most roughing the passer/unnecessary roughness fouls per 100 hits at 7.32. Mahomes was further down the list at No. 8.
Here is a look at the top 10:
1. Tua Tagovailoa 7.32
2. Josh Allen: 6.73
3. Bryce Young: 5.45
4. Cooper Rush: 4.88
5. Kyler Murray: 4.0
6. Jared Goff: 3.81
7. Baker Mayfield: 3.6
8. Patrick Mahomes: 3.53
9. Daniel Jones: 3.41
10. Aaron Rodgers: 3.41
Interestingly, Derek Carr, Bo Nix, CJ Stroud and Jalen Hurts all did not receive any such calls, so their rate was 0.0.
The stats are fairly telling, and it seems like maybe there was a slight effort to protect Tagovailoa given his concussion history.
Also, the stats focused on penalties drawn by quarterbacks for roughing the passer. That specific study wouldn’t capture the benefit of calls someone like Mahomes received as a runner. Once you factor in those calls, Mahomes would be close to the top of the list, if not at the top.
More must-reads:
- NFL reportedly planning to use cutting-edge technology to improve first-down measurements in 2025
- Which NFL QBs have won a playoff game with multiple teams?
- The 'Super Bowl touchdown pass leaders' quiz
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The 'Most NFL 1,000-receiving yard seasons' quiz
The 2025 NFL preseason has had its share of high-profile contract disputes, but with two weeks remaining until Week 1, one of the disputes has been resolved. The Washington Commanders and star wide receiver Terry McLaurin have reportedly agreed to a three-year, $96 million contract extension. McLaurin is coming off of his fifth-consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season with 13 touchdowns, shattering his previous best of seven. But he’s also almost 30 years old, something that apparently caused some consternation between Scary Terry and the Commanders. Negotiations got to the point where McLaurin even publicly requested a trade, but the two sides were finally able to come to an agreement ahead of year two with quarterback Jayden Daniels. Which brings us to today’s quiz. McLaurin’s five 1,000-yard seasons are tied with Gary Clark and Art Monk for the most in franchise history. With that being said, can you name every NFL player with five or more 1,000-receiving yard seasons? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
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Ever since the opening night of the 2025 NFL Draft, New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll has repeatedly said that veteran quarterback Russell Wilson will start over rookie Jaxson Dart for the club's regular-season opener at the Washington Commanders on Sept. 7. However, former NFL general manager and current ESPN personality Mike Tannenbaum made it known during a Tuesday appearance on "SportsCenter" that he thinks the Giants are making a mistake following the team's three preseason victories. "Jaxson Dart, how soon does he start? If it was up to me, it would have been three months ago," Tannenbaum said during the segment, per Adam Zagoria of NJ Advance Media. "He has outplayed Russell Wilson. He is the best quarterback on the New York Giants. Every game he doesn’t start is, to me, not giving them the best chance to win. He has played with energy. He’s played with enthusiasm. Knows what to do. I think he should start." For an article published on Monday, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports gave Dart an "A+" grade for the rookie's three preseason performances and said that the 22-year-old "perfectly blended quick decision-making with an occasional dime down the field and added a sprinkle of his athleticism as a scrambler in all three contests." According to Fox Sports, Dart completed 32-of-47 passes for 372 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions over his three August appearances. He also contributed six carries for 52 yards and an additional score. To compare, Wilson connected on 10-of-14 pass attempts for 136 yards and an interception. That said, such stats are largely meaningless since Wilson and Dart were never competing for the starting job. Following the Giants' preseason finale versus the New England Patriots last week, Dart acknowledged that "Russ is the starter" and "has completely earned that role." Meanwhile, multiple stories shared throughout the summer have touched upon how Wilson has established himself as "a vocal leader in the meeting room and on the practice field" with the Giants. In time, Dart may receive opportunities to show that he gives the 2025 Giants "the best chance to win" meaningful games. Unless Wilson produces a nightmare performance at Washington's Northwest Stadium, he should remain atop the Big Blue depth chart through at least the start of the Giants' Week 2 game at the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 14.
Packers confirm suspicion about veteran receiver on cutdown day, a move that reveals their true plans for the position
Keegan Bradley expected to make controversial Ryder Cup captain's pick
Keegan Bradley will announce his six captain's picks for the 2025 Ryder Cup on Wednesday, but we might already know the answer to the most glaring question he's facing. According to James Corrigan of The Telegraph, Bradley is expected to pick himself as a playing captain at Bethpage Black. If true, Bradley will become the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963. It went well for Team USA 62 years ago, as the Red, White and Blue cruised to a 23-9 victory against Team Great Britain at Atlanta Athletic Club. Palmer went 3-0-1 in his four matches that week. It probably isn't fair to compare Bradley's situation to Palmer's six decades ago. In fact, the Europeans will be delighted if the American captain brings his clubs to Long Island in September. "It’s the impossible job to do both," Sir Nick Faldo, Europe’s 2008 captain, told The Telegraph. "There’s so much attention needed. The fans will call him selfish for picking himself. Goodness knows what the media will say. You could regret it for the rest of your life. Look, you’ve got enough going on trying to win your match. We hope Bradley does... we hope he stays as captain and does two roles!" Rory McIlroy, who figures to be one of the stars on Team Europe in 2025, echoed the same sentiment. "I don't think you can do it," McIlroy told reporters ahead of the BMW Championship. "I just think the commitments that a captain has the week of—you think about the extra media that a captain has to do, you think about the extra meetings that the captains have to do with the vice captains, with the PGA of America, in Keegan's case, preparing your speech for the opening ceremony. There's a lot of things that people don't see that the captain does the week of the Ryder Cup, especially now that the Ryder Cup has become so big." At the same time, it's hard to argue that there are six options better than Bradley on the American side. The 39-year-old recorded 11 top-20 finishes in 21 starts this season, won the Travelers Championship in June and finished T7 at the Tour Championship. He currently ranks 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking and 18th in the Data Golf Rankings. If Bradley weren't the Team USA captain, he would be a lock for a wild-card spot on the team. The only factor holding him back is the uncertainty of pulling double duty, but that's what his vice captains are for. Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland and Brandt Snedeker are more than capable of picking up the slack when Bradley is on the course. This decision is exactly what the Europeans were rooting for, but Bradley plays his best golf when he's doubted.
Green Bay Packers: 3X Super Bowl Champ Is Unsurprising Cut from Final 53-Man Roster
As the 3 PM deadline for final roster cuts creeps closer, the Green Bay Packers have already trimmed several names from the final 53-man unit. Among them, reports ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, is wide receiver Mecole Hardman, signed this offseason to a one-year deal. A 3-time Super Bowl Winner with the Chiefs, Hardman was brought in to provide gadget-receiver versatility and veteran leadership. After an unflattering training camp, however, the Packers have decided to embrace the youth in the wide receiver room, choosing promise over experience. With only $150,000 guaranteed at signing, cutting Hardman was not a financially complicated decision, but it is a disappointing outcome to what was supposed to be a floor-raising offseason move. Green Bay Packers choose youth over years in Hardman cut For the final receiver spot, Hardman was competing primarily with third-year player Malik Heath, a former undrafted free agent who caught 25 passes in his first two seasons. Although Hardman is just 27 himself, Heath does have a couple of years on him and impressed in camp. Beset by injuries and inconsistency, the former has struggled to make an impact over the past three years. Demovsky previously reported that Hardman’s roster status hinged on whether the Packers went with six or seven receivers; if six is the pick, it seems they have chosen Heath as the last man in. Also beating out Hardman, presumably, is third-rounder Savion Williams. He joins a Week 1 receiver room of Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden, and Dontavyion Wicks. Recovering from knee surgery, Christian Watson will begin the year on the PUP list. To be clear, Hardman’s release is no shocker at this point. Go back to the date of his signing, though, and it was hardly clear that he would lose out to the likes of Heath. Before summer camp, Hardman said he looked forward to battling Green Bay’s young receivers for depth-chart position. While he has lost that competition, perhaps his presence in camp helped keep competitive spirits high, pushing the youngsters to outperform the established veteran. Among pass catchers, Demovksy reports, the Packers have also released receiver Isaiah Neyor, a 6-foot-4 senior out of Nebraska.
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