Brock Purdy has continually impressed the San Francisco 49ers, including star defensive end Nick Bosa, who likened the young signal-caller to star golfer Scottie Scheffler — with an exception. “I think he’s definitely getting a little more vocal within the building. I don’t think he’s ever going to change. I don’t think he’s somebody that’s going to change even when …

Barnwell awards 49ers fitting 2024 NFL offseason superlative originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area The 49ers’ 2024 offseason has received mixed reviews by NFL experts. And that includes ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who handed out offseason superlatives to all 32 teams in his latest column. Barnwell’s superlative for San Francisco was underwhelming, to say the least. Team most likely to …

Washington football achieved in 2023 what USC football fans have not yet tasted over the past 10 years. Washington made the College Football Playoff, won a semifinal game, and played in the national championship game. USC, in 10 years of playoff competition, has not yet participated in the event. The Trojans won the Rose Bowl in the 2016 season but …

Getty Images The 2023 season was supposed to be a big one for the New York Jets. Not just on the field, but also on TV. After the Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers via trade last offseason, the league stacked the schedule with prime-time games — including one on “Monday Night Football” against the division rival Buffalo Bills in Week 1. …

Getty Images Marcus Mariota will become the first quarterback in modern NFL history to wear the No. 0 jersey this season, and the Washington Commanders veteran has a very specific reason for his selection: No one believes in him. Wait, what? Mariota is indirectly lending credence to his critics, rather than paying tribute to a childhood number or a personal …

Rutgers football owes much of its success last season to offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. And not surprisingly, Ciarrocca is one of the highest paid offensive coordinators in college football. According to Pro Football Focus, Ciarrocca’s $1.4 million annual salary is the twelfth highest in the country. The Rutgers offensive coordinator is one of four Big Ten offensive coordinators on the …

The NFL offseason has reached the point where minicamps are in full swing as teams begin to prepare for the grind of the 2024 season. Free agency and the NF Draft are in the rearview mirror as teams begin to incorporate new plays and perfect the playbook with the start of the regular season just over three months away.  Teams …

There’s a long way to go until the end of the 2024 season, but 49ers linebacker Fred Warner wants the team to have its eye on the finish line. The 49ers have gone to the NFC Championship Game in four of the last five seasons, but they have wound up losing their final game of the year all four times. …

After entering the transfer portal at the beginning of the month, a former Bulldogs safety has joined a new team. Patrick Taylor announced via his X account that he has officially joined the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Taylor joined the Bulldogs as a preferred walk-on in 2020. He is listed at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, and has experience playing at both safety …

Organized team activities are technically optional. Some of the NFL’s top players, especially ones entering contract years hoping to get a deal done before the season begins like the league’s 2023 receptions leader — Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb — take the approach of holding out from their squad’s offseason programs until a deal gets done. The quarterback position …

Getty Images For a brief moment in time, the Green Bay Packers had the unquestioned, top running back duo in football with Pro Bowler Aaron Jones, fresh off ending 2023 on a franchise-record, five-game streak of games with 100 or more rushing yards, and Josh Jacobs, a 26-year-old running back who was the NFL’s rushing yards champion in 2022 with …

Auburn football is looking to build off of its 6-7 campaign in 2023 and is off to a great start by filling several needs through the transfer portal. Hugh Freeze and his staff are looking to enhance the production of its wide receivers and defensive linemen and landed several experienced pieces this spring to move forward. Auburn found success within …

Turner believes Super Bowl fumble still weighs ‘heavy’ on CMC originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area SANTA CLARA — Most 49ers players and staff finally have closed the door on their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss, but mistakes during that championship game never will be forgotten. That includes Christian McCaffrey’s game-altering fumble that ended the offense’s first drive of the …

Michigan football is but a week away from hosting recruits on campus yet again, this time for a slew of official visits. The month-long weekend recruiting period should yield some positive results, but some are still dwindling down their lists. One such player is 2025 Elkhart (Ind.) four-star edge rusher Mariyon Dye. Rated by On3 as the No. 40 player …

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterMay 24, 2024, 12:47 PM ET CloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN. Don Waddell has stepped down as the general manager and president of the Carolina Hurricanes, the team announced Friday. Waddell’s departure comes after six seasons as general manager and 10 total with the Hurricanes. He was hired as team president before …