© Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports The saying goes, ‘There’s a grain of truth in every joke.’ That maxim rings true in the latest back-and-forth, dust-up, shots fired, whatever one wants to call it, between Georgia coach Kirby Smart and Oregon coach Dan Lanning, who in part was schooled by Smart when Lanning coached in Athens. At SEC Media Days recently, …

Veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has not made any traction in his push for a new contract, but the Steelers say that isn’t because they don’t want him on the roster beyond this season. Heyward spent some of the offseason program away from the Steelers as he looked for a new deal, but returned ahead of mandatory minicamp and reported …

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti isn’t going to take a back seat to anybody. While sandwiched between powerhouse programs like Oregon and Michigan, Cignetti stole the show at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday. Cignetti along with the players he handpicked to represent the program — linebacker Aiden Fisher, running back Justice Ellison and offensive lineman Mike Katic — closed …

The Browns have a couple of injury situations to monitor on their defense heading into Week One. Head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters from training camp on Thursday that cornerback Greg Newsome had surgery on his hamstring on Wednesday. Newsome was placed on the non-football injury list ahead of the first camp practice this week. Stefanski also said that defensive …

Jul. 25—WESTFIELD — As Anthony Richardson reached the depth of his dropback, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback planted his back foot in the ground and came to a sudden stop. Linebacker Zaire Franklin was rushing up the middle, and — even without pads and wearing a red non-contact jersey in the first practice of training camp Thursday — Richardson had to …

Kevin Stefanski teased a big announcement last week, saying he would reveal who was calling the offensive plays for the Browns this week. He did that Thursday. The Browns head coach will retain play-calling duties. “I’m going to call the plays next year, so I’m going to get that out of the way. I know everybody is interested,” Stefanski told …

USC earned more than another notch in the win column when the Trojans defeated the No. 15 Louisville Cardinals in the Holiday Bowl back in December. The team was forced to evolve with dismissal of its defensive coordinator during the season and veteran stars opting out to avoid risking injury. The talented underclassmen and a patient, veteran quarterback received valuable playing …

Keenan Allen ranked No. 51 on NFL’s top 100 players list originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago The NFL is continuing to slowly release its top 100 players list, as they creep out small portions up until Aug. 1. Now, the 100-51 ranked players have been released. We already knew Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat landed No. 82 on the …

CHARLOTTE — Clemson football’s coach Dabo Swinney and his players know the Tigers weren’t as bad as their record showed. Clemson went 9-4 last season, winning their fewest games since 2010 and missing the ACC championship and the College Football Playoff for the third straight season. Yet, the 16-year Tigers coach recognizes how close his team could have been to 12-1. Outside of …

During a press conference from Cowboys training camp on Thursday, team owner Jerry Jones said that he doesn’t expect the 2024 season to be quarterback Dak Prescott’s final one in Dallas but Prescott isn’t under contract beyond this year and there’s no sign that a deal is imminent. Prescott can’t be franchise-tagged due to a clause in the last deal …

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Penn State football team announced the addition of defensive end Max Granville to the 2024 signing class. He will join the team for fall camp. The Nittany Lions have welcomed 26 student-athletes to join the football program. In the 2024 class, Penn State signed 21 recruits that were rated four stars or higher by 247Sports, …

Training camp stock watch: Rookie WR Javon Baker shows burst originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston FOXBORO — Is it happening again? Really? For the last two years, training camp practices have been a slog for the Patriots along the offensive line. Players have been in and out of the lineup. Coaches have been on and off the staff. Schemes …

Ohio State football has missed out on some of the elite receivers that it targeted in the 2025 class. They still grabbed commitments from Quincy Porter, De’zie Jones and Bodpegn Miller, but a fourth one was always in the plans. Since the Buckeyes had to make an adjustment to their recruiting board, they found a prospect that fits what they …

Mike McCarthy views being a lame-duck coach as a “challenge.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seems to view it as an opportunity. This is the third consecutive time the Cowboys have let their head coach play out his contract. Jason Garrett’s Cowboys went 12-4 in 2014 in the final year of his contract and despite a playoff loss to the Packers, …

As soon as the new Big Ten schedule came out, fans were circling October 12 when Ohio State heads to Eugene to face the Ducks. Buckeye fans are eager to get a little payback and Oregon fans are desperate to prove they belong. The game is shaping up to be one of college football’s most hyped games of the season …