May 21, 2024, 10:07 PM ET NEW YORK — The first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs have been the most-watched in the U.S. Going into the conference finals, the playoffs are averaging 1.16 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS and truTV. That is a 9% increase over last year. Editor’s Picks 1 Related The conference semifinals, …

Where PFF ranks 49ers QB Purdy among NFL’s 32 starters originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Few current NFL starting quarterbacks have been as successful as Brock Purdy over the last two seasons. Along the way, the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft has established himself as the heartbeat of the 49ers’ talent-laden, dynamic offense and as one …

No family has risen to a higher profile in the current era of college and NFL football like the Harbaugh family has. Now, John and Jim Harbaugh are expanding their reach. John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens announced the launch of the Harbaugh Coaching Academy Tuesday. The project is spearheaded by John but also joined by Jim, the Los Angeles …

The Texas Longhorns once again crack the Top 5 of a preseason analyst’s poll. On3 Sports’ Andy Staples has the Longhorns as the No. 5 team in college football. As the only 2023 playoff team that returns its head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and starting quarterback the ranking is warranted. Texas enters its third year with all four as …

Getty Images The Baltimore Ravens are looking to potentially boost their defense before training camp, as they are hosting former Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams on a visit Tuesday, per ESPN. Adams was released by Seattle in March, but at 28-years-old, he’s not done with football just yet. Adams spent the last four seasons with the Seahawks, but played just …

Bosa’s surprising 49ers OTAs participation a welcomed sight for team originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area SANTA CLARA — For the first time since 2019, star defensive end Nick Bosa was on hand for the 49ers’ voluntary workouts. And it was a welcomed sight for his coaches and teammates. “I love Nick being around, love him getting a chance …

Iowa State football has added some depth to its defensive backfield, picking up a commitment from Louisiana State’s Ryan Robinson via the transfer portal. The former Tiger appeared in four games as a true freshman in Baton Rouge and recorded three tackles. He was a former three-star recruit according to 247/Sports, holding offers from several major programs such as Auburn, …

DeVante Parker decided to retire from the NFL rather than compete with the Philadelphia Eagles this summer, just two months after signing a free-agent contract with the team. Parker signed a one-year, $4.69 million deal with the Eagles, but Philadelphia only had to pay $1.2 million of the contract (the New England Patriots would have to pay the rest). Essentially …

Getty Images The reigning NFL MVP, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, will look a bit different in 2024. According to The Athletic, Jackson is down to 205 pounds, which is 25 pounds down from his 2022 weight, and 10 pounds less than his 2023 weight. The 2024 Lamar could be the fastest Lamar we’ve ever seen.  The Ravens were the …

Texas is a Top 4 team in college football for 2024. ESPN’s Bill Connely’s metrics back up that sentiment. Connely released early SP+ rankings for the upcoming college football season. It comes as no surprise the Longhorns ranked highly on the list. Texas checks in at No. 4 behind Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon. That’s probably about where it belongs. …

Getty Images The Cincinnati Bengals kick off OTA workouts one week from Tuesday, and one player who’s not expected to be in attendance is wide receiver Tee Higgins. The veteran has not signed his franchise tender, according to ESPN, and is not expected to do so by next week. That makes him ineligible to report for organized team activities.  With Tampa …

Shanahan isn’t concerned about 49ers’ rest disadvantage in 2024 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area The main takeaway from the 49ers’ 2024 NFL regular-season schedule were the multiple rest disadvantages San Francisco will encounter. For the second season in a row, San Francisco will face four teams coming off of their respective bye weeks and is the only team …

If you didn’t already know, it pays to be a member of the Big Ten or SEC. And in 2023, that theme continued to ring true. And last year, the Big Ten had more money to distribute to its members than the SEC. According to a report from USA TODAY Sports, citing federal tax documents from the previous year, the …

Taylor Swift’s global dominance is such that the NFL, which will happily overpower other sports on days previously sacred to them — the NBA on Christmas Day and college football on Black Friday — has to take Swift into consideration when it comes to her return to the United States to wrap up her “Eras Tour.” NFL vice president of …

Patrick Peterson has reaffirmed his desire to return to Pittsburgh for the 2024 season. The eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback wants to re-sign with the Steelers after the team released him in March in order to shed cap space before the start of free agency.  Peterson, who will turn 34 in July, signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Steelers …