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NFL legend Jason Kelce refuses to apologize to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
NFL legend Jason Kelce has made his opinion of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones very clear. To be more specific, the Philadelphia Eagles icon shared his brutally honest view on how Jones’ big move before the NFL trade deadline transformed the Cowboys into a much more formidable team. Kelce had a lot to say about Jones and the Cowboys on a recent episode of his “New Heights” podcast alongside his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Jason Kelce praised Jones for bringing in Quinnen Williams in a blockbuster trade deal, but the legendary center is adamant that he will not be apologizing for his take on the Cowboys and their 83-year-old owner. For what it's worth, Jones had an outrageous claim himself recently. “New Heights” released a new episode on Wednesday, and as usual, the brothers discussed developments in the NFL. One of the topics they covered was that the Cowboys have gone undefeated since the trade deadline, when Jones pulled the trigger on a blockbuster deal with the New York Jets for All-Pro defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. However, when asked if he believes he owes Jones an apology, Kelce was confused. “Do we owe Jerry an apology? Who owes Jerry an apology? What do I have to apologize for?” Kelce asked. “They [expletive] sucked! What are we talking about? Their defense was horrendous. “So good job! What do we owe an apology for? Hey, your car doesn't work. Oh, I went and got it fixed. Oh, we owe you an apology for saying your car [expletive] broke down and didn't work on the side of the road? I don't owe [expletive] an apology.” The Cowboys have gone 3-0 since Williams’ arrival, including Sunday’s massive comeback victory against Jason's former team, the Eagles, and their Thanksgiving win over Travis' Chiefs. While Kelce has refused to apologize to Jones, he admitted that the Cowboys owner deserves praise for his decision to bring in an elite-caliber player in Williams. “We owe Jerry Jones a clap of approval,” Kelce said. “I'll say this, and I'll stand on this, and I think the guys will back me. When Jerry said we were gonna make a trade, I think everybody's expecting an edge player to replace Micah [Parsons]. When they said it was Quinnen, immediately, I thought this is better for that defense. “Because for years, they have lacked the raw, man strength, big power in the heart of that defense. They have lacked that type of presence, and Quinnen brings that. I just think for moving forward, this is a great piece to build around. I think it's a great move by Jerry. “I don't think I owe him a [expletive] apology, but I'll say great [expletive] job.”
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Connor McDavid made an egregious mistake with Oilers
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid struggled to find the words to describe the team’s 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. The decision dropped the Oilers’ record to 10-10-5 for the season, and McDavid looked defeated during his postgame interview. The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Oilers. Why did Connor McDavid stay? The Oilers are grappling with the same issues that have plagued them since McDavid joined the NHL in the fall of 2015. Edmonton’s secondary offensive support for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is minimal, and their goaltending remains a significant concern. Considering the Oilers have faced these problems for so long, it makes one wonder why a generational talent like McDavid chose to sign on for two more years of this, especially given the bargain he struck when he signed for just $12.5M a season. McDavid’s choice to sign with Edmonton before even considering free agency might become one of the biggest “what-ifs” in NHL history. However, McDavid opted for stability in a familiar market, with a team that has been competitive for most of his NHL career. Ultimately, McDavid decided to stay loyal to the Oilers, but the two-year term seemed like a warning shot to Edmonton. So far, that warning appears to have fallen on deaf ears. The timing of McDavid’s extension was quite unusual. The superstar had a clear route to unrestricted free agency, which could have been one of the most incredible stories in NHL history if it had come to pass. McDavid had the chance to be the highest-profile player in NHL history to reach free agency since Wayne Gretzky in 1996. He held leverage against the Oilers and could have waited out the season, sparking a bidding war for his services. This would have boosted his star power and changed what a superstar’s career could look like. Instead, McDavid chose familiarity, even though the timing of his decision wasn’t convenient. Connor McDavid's decision to re-sign could be costly McDavid’s signing has delayed his free agency by 24 months, and some people dismiss this decision by arguing that McDavid will still get paid and reach free agency after the salary cap has significantly increased. While both points have some truth, the counterargument is compelling. Instead of becoming a free agent at 29, McDavid will do so at 31. It might seem minor, but many NHLers see their skills decline after 30. Another factor is that when McDavid finally signs, the new CBA rules on contract length will apply, meaning the maximum deal with his current team will be seven years, and he’ll only be able to land six years on the open market. Although this one-year reduction isn’t a significant issue, it will likely cause McDavid to leave money on the table on his next deal. In terms of missed opportunities, McDavid would have been the first generational player in NHL free agency to test the market in the prime of his career. While it would have made great theater for the NHL, it would also have been an opportunity for McDavid to shift the league’s balance of power toward whichever team he joined, while helping reset the salary structure for superstar NHLers. McDavid is clearly not a $12.5M player, but like many top NHLers before him, he took a "hometown discount" to stay with his current team. For some NHLers, taking that discount has worked out well (Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Nathan MacKinnon). Far more often, the savings from a reduced salary cap are wasted. Even Crosby, who traded tens of millions of dollars to play on consistently competitive teams, saw many of those seasons marred by costly mistakes on depth players with inflated cap hits (Jack Johnson, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad). Crosby essentially subsidized poor roster decisions with his lower cap hits, and he would no doubt do so again, given the Stanley Cup championships Pittsburgh has won during his career. McDavid’s decision to re-sign essentially upholds the NHL’s long-standing tradition of superstars taking less money to stay with their team, and no doubt he did so while feeling loyalty to the Oilers fans who have endured the same heartbreaks he has. The reality is, McDavid has gone through a decade without winning the Cup, despite multiple front-office makeovers, coaching changes, cap mismanagement and an inability to surround him with real depth. And while the depth has improved over the last few years, the “we’re almost there” mentality won’t put a Stanley Cup ring on McDavid’s finger. All of this to say, McDavid probably owed it to himself to explore free agency at least to see if a team with a more precise winning blueprint could emerge, giving him a better chance at a title. July 1, 2026, would have offered a window into that, but McDavid chose not to look, and it could come back to haunt him if he never wins a championship. McDavid had all the leverage, which makes his decision baffling, because exploring free agency didn’t require him to leave Edmonton. He could have casually explored his options, had discussions with teams, listened to their pitches and then re-signed with Edmonton—something that might have pushed the Oilers to step up their game and get creative with their roster. But the Oilers didn’t need to worry about losing McDavid, and it seems this has led to some apathy across the organization, as they don’t seem to be a group hungry to win. Generational players across all leagues have frequently tested free agency. NBA superstar LeBron James famously took his talents from Cleveland to Miami nearly 15 years ago, and MLB superstar pitcher Paul Skenes will likely follow suit one day. It’s common, and not all players do it because they’re leaving; they do it for a variety of reasons. They can because the process gives them power, and it’s one of the few times they get to fully control their own destiny. McDavid could have taken a different route, but he didn’t. While he’s given the team a short leash to build a winner around him, he could have kept that leash even tighter, which might have pushed the Oilers to solve their roster issues more quickly. It could also have generated a story that might have become a sensation across all platforms — a broader narrative focusing on a star-driven tale on a smaller scale than MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s. The buzz would have been enormous and arguably the biggest NHL story since the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Moving on could have been a great branding opportunity for McDavid to become even more mainstream, but he chose the safe, comfortable route in Edmonton. It’s a loyalty decision, and it’s completely understandable given that the Oilers have been close to a title in the last two years and he has built a bond with his teammates. For his legacy, though, he might need to chase greatness in a different city in the next two-and-a-half years.
Eagles' grip on NFC East suddenly in danger of slipping away amid spiral, Cowboys' resurgence
Life comes at you fast in the NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles are finding that out right now. Now they are in a position where what looked to be a runaway lead in the NFC East is rapidly shrinking, and it could be in danger of completely slipping away after an ugly 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears on Friday. Especially after the Dallas Cowboys won again on Thursday, continuing to narrow the gap in the division. Could the Eagles actually lose the division? The odds are still in the Eagles' favor, but given the way both teams are playing right now, nothing should be considered a given. Dallas has rapidly become one of the hottest teams in the NFL with three consecutive wins, and boasts one of the league's best offenses. The Cowboys' much-maligned defense has also been given a massive boost thanks to the trade-deadline addition of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. Dallas really started to get some belief for itself when it rallied to beat the Eagles in a massive NFC East game a week ago. It continued on Thanksgiving with another big win over the Kansas City Chiefs. With Philadelphia's loss on Friday, the gap in the division is now down to just a game-and-a-half with five weeks to go in the season. Hardly insurmountable. Are the Eagles still in the driver's seat? Sure. Would they trade positions with the Cowboys right now? No way. But that doesn't mean anybody in Philadelphia has to be feeling good about any of this given the way the Eagles are playing. Especially when it comes to the team's offense. The Eagles offense has been a struggle for much of the season, and it is getting progressively worse with each game. The passing game has been non-existent. They entered play on Friday with the 23rd-ranked passing offense in the league, and it looked worse than that against the Bears. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has struggled with consistency, the team's best wide receiver — A.J. Brown — seems perpetually miserable with his role and usage, and the play-calling has become shockingly conservative and bland. The running game that carried the Eagles to the Super Bowl a year ago has struggled to build any sort of a rhythm, and Saquon Barkley has been a shell of what he was last season. Even worse, they have almost completely eliminated any designed runs for Hurts, something that was a major X-factor for the offense in recent years. If all of that is not concerning enough, a new issue emerged on Friday — the defense that has helped keep the Eagles afloat this season and lift up the inconsistent offense was completely dominated by the Bears' running game. They were pushed around, bullied and could not get off the field on important third downs. It just looks like a team that has no confidence and nothing going for it. Conversely, the Cowboys all of a sudden look like a team that can do nothing wrong and they are suddenly breathing right down the Eagles' necks. Philadelphia still has games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders (twice) remaining. The Cowboys still have the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chargers, Commanders and New York Giants. The schedules are pretty similar. But the division might not come down to the opponents. It might come down to what the Eagles and Cowboys can do on their own. The Cowboys should be very confident right now, and the Eagles should not be.
Takeaways from Black Friday's biggest college football games: Texas A&M loses chance at SEC championship
There were some important college football games on Friday with massive College Football Playoff implications. Here are some key takeaways from the biggest of those games. Texas A M misses chances at SEC championship No. 3 Texas A M was facing a win-and-in situation for the SEC championship on Friday night, only needing to beat arch-rival No. 16 Texas to clinch its spot in the SEC Championship Game next week. It did not get that win, dropping a 27-17 decision to Texas, and ending its chances at an SEC title for this season. The Aggies loss opens the door for either Alabama or Ole Miss to play for the conference championship against Georgia. If Alabama beats Auburn in the Iron Bowl, it will be Alabama and Georgia meeting next week in Atlanta. If Alabama loses, Ole Miss will play Georgia. The Aggies should still be in good shape for an at-large spot with only one loss, but there are some serious concerns starting to emerge. In Texas A M's last two games against Power Five teams, it barely escaped a 31-30 win against a bad South Carolina team, and then lost by double-digits to Texas on Friday. That is not exactly going into the playoffs playing their best football. Does Texas still have a chance? Now the campaigning is set to begin for the Longhorns as a potential at-large team. The Longhorns have three losses, which would seem to be a big obstacle. But they now have wins over the No. 3 team (Texas A M), the No. 8 team (Oklahoma) and No. 14 team (Vanderbilt), while also having a tough, one-score loss on the road at No. 1 Ohio State to open the season. The Longhorns are going to yell those points from the mountain tops over the next week. But will that be enough to overcome a blowout loss to Georgia and a really bad loss to Florida? We will see. But they are certainly going to campaign for it. Ole Miss, Indiana take care of business Sometimes you have to worry about rivalry games because weird things can happen, even when they seem to be mismatches on paper. But sometimes the more talented team shines and simply dominates. That happened in both No. 2 Indiana's 56-3 rout of Purdue, and No. 7 Ole Miss with its 38-19 win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. Now Ole Miss has to wait for head coach Lane Kiffin's decision on his future on Saturday as well as its chances at an SEC Championship, while Indiana simply has to wait to see if Ohio State will lose to Michigan and allow the Hoosiers to jump over them for the No. 1 ranking going into conference championship week. North Texas gets one step closer to playoff spot With its 52-25 blowout win over Temple, North Texas clinched its spot in the AAC Championship Game and is still very much alive for a playoff spot as the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion. Now the Mean Green have to watch Saturday's games to see who they will face in the AAC Championship Game. If No. 24 Tulane wins against Charlotte, it will host the AAC Championship Game. But if Tulane loses, the AAC Championship Game will be hosted by North Texas against Navy. No matter what happens on Saturday, or next week, this is still one of the most successful seasons in North Texas program history and the first time it has ever won 11 games in a single season.
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