“The weight should be lifted off your shoulders. All you did was do exactly what we talked about. Hopefully at least for a week you can shut up all the people that you’re trying not to listen to.” – Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on what he said to Tua Tagovailoa after Miami’s comeback win over the Ravens

“Our team really loves Trey. But these guys, they plan on winning games regardless of the obstacles…We’ll be somber Monday morning, but this league doesn’t wait for anybody.” – 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan after losing Trey Lance to a season-ending injury

“Parsons is the kind of player who affects the game the way Lawrence Taylor once did.” – King on Cowboys LB  Micah Parsons

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 19, 2022 – Peter King recaps NFL Week 2 and speaks with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence after their Week 2 victories in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Trey Lance’s season-ending injury, the Cardinals’ comeback win over the Raiders, the emergence of Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly The Peter King Podcast. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to King on the Dolphins’ resiliency in their comeback win over the Ravens: “Typically in the NFL, you have to learn hard lessons the bad way. I was proud they were able to learn a lesson of mental fortitude in a game where it got out of hand super quickly.”

King on Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa silencing his critics: “After the first two weeks of this season, after going to 4-0 against New England and strafing Baltimore with a six-touchdown game, maybe the world (and Tua himself) will finally believe the quarterback of the future in Miami is the quarterback of the present.”

McDaniel to King on what he said to Tagovailoa after the game: “The weight should be lifted off your shoulders, man. All you did was do exactly what we talked about. Hopefully at least for a week you can shut up all the people that you’re trying not to listen to.”

McDaniel to King on the play that resulted in Tagovailoa’s 48-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill in the fourth quarter: “Tua knew he liked the opportunity there. He goes, ‘Yeah, third-and-12, third-and-long, I really like the F-it play.’”

McDaniel on the play call: “We had a play ready, in case things weren’t going right, or in case there were various frustrations. We installed that play with the expletives, that the quarterbacks knew as the ‘F— it’ play. Tua loved the play. If we really needed to make something happen, that was the play we’d call.”

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to King on losing QB Trey Lance to a season-ending injury: “I mean, you just deal with it. You’ve got to. Our team really loves Trey. But these guys, they plan on winning games regardless of the obstacles…We’ll be somber Monday morning, but this league doesn’t wait for anybody.”

Shanahan to King on having both Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo: “It’s a long time since this franchise had a quarterback situation like this one, with two guys we know can win — probably back to Joe Montana and Steve Young. I’m not comparing these guys to Joe and Steve, but I’m talking about going into games now knowing we’ve still got a great chance.”

King on Garoppolo: “Garoppolo’s a metronome: You know exactly what you’re getting with him, and if the Niners can stay relatively healthy on defense, they should be able to be strong playoff contenders again — even after the crushing news of Sunday.”

King on Lance’s future: “He’ll enter 2023 mostly the same way he entered 2022: with tremendous uncertainty…(Kyle) Shanahan will profess confidence in him, and it’s likely he’ll believe it. But Lance will still be a major question mark, and as for who will backstop him then…that’s too far in the future to matter this morning.”

WEEK 2

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence to King on his performance in Jacksonville’s win over the Colts: “Our plan was to take what the defense gave us…I think that’s just a good lesson in general for us moving forward…make the play that’s there. That’s the next step I’ve been trying to take is just being really smart with the ball, knowing where my outlets are.”

Lawrence to King on new head coach Doug Pederson: “I think we’re really similar personality-wise. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him and then on the football field and he’s a really smart coach.”

King on the Broncos’ coaching decisions: “That is one messed-up sideline, and the Broncos are lucky to be 1-1.”

King on the Colts’ loss to the Jaguars: “Should we really be surprised that Matt Ryan and the Colts still can’t win in Jacksonville? I don’t think so.”

KING’S WEEK 2 AWARDS

Offensive Players of the Week: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit, Kyler Murray, Arizona, & Joe Flacco, New York Jets.

King on Tagovailoa: “In a performance that would make Dan Marino jealous…He completed 72 percent of his throws for 469 yards, six TDs and two picks in one of the greatest performances in the history of a proud franchise.”

King on Murray’s two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter: “Murray scrambled/ran/survived for 20.87 seconds on a two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter to keep the Cardinals in the game and trailing 23-15. That’s one of the most amazing plays I’ve ever seen a quarterback make.”

Defensive Players of the Week: Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay, Jaylen Watson, Kansas City, Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit, & Micah Parsons, Dallas.

King on Dean: “His two fourth-quarter interceptions won the game for Tampa Bay…On a day when the Tampa offense sputtered for the second straight week, the defense, and Dean, picked the Bucs up.”

King on Parsons: “Two sacks, five hits of Joe Burrow, and a commanding presence in a game the Dak Prescott-less Cowboys desperately needed, and got. Parsons is the kind of player who affects the game the way Lawrence Taylor once did.”

Coach of the Week: Mike McDaniel, Miami.

King on McDaniel: “He has built in short order a rapport with the quarterback and the team that allows them to think it’s not over when they’re down by three touchdowns with 12 minutes to go. And it wasn’t.”

Special Teams Players of the Week: Devin Duvernay, Baltimore.

King on Duvernay: “His 103-yard kickoff return for touchdown on the first play of the Dolphins-Ravens game was remarkable for its speed and for the hopelessness of the Miami defenders…Not bad for Duvernay, the 92^nd pick in the 2020 draft who has far outplayed his draft slot.”

Goats of the Week: Gunner Olszewski, Pittsburgh, Cade York, Cleveland, & the Colts.

King on the Colts: “They just aren’t that good. Of all the games of the (Chris) Ballard-(Frank) Reich Era, Sunday’s 24-0 loss at Jacksonville is the most embarrassing.”

NEWS & NOTES

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to King on his heart rate during games: “When you’re playing, you’re focused. You’re not really worried about what’s going on outside. You’re trying to do your job and win the football game. For me, you go back to your routine. I think that’s why you saw my heart rate kinda lower when I played than when I was watching, when I didn’t have control of the game watching from the sidelines. There was nothing I could do.”

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown to King on how falling to the fourth round in the 2021 NFL Draft motivates him: “It was a day I’ll never forget. But it changed who I am, the way I work, the way I see things. When I get tired in a workout, I won’t quit — I’ll do extra. When I think about that day, that flips the switch for me, and it makes me work harder and longer.”

King on the Steelers’ QB problems: “I think there will be a chorus of ‘it’s way too early for that,’ and I understand that sentiment. But is Kenny Pickett warming up in the bullpen yet? The (Mitchell) Trubisky-led offense has put up 30 points in nine offensive quarters…(that) won’t cut it long-term.”

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler to King on the physical toll of playing in the NFL: “What I’ve found is the adrenaline makes you not feel any pain in a place like that…But it’s normal soreness for this game. A normal person might be saying, ‘Whoa, this hurts.’ But I’m a football player. I actually feel pretty good.”

King on the NFL’s inconsistent stance with instant replay: “I still favor replay, used correctly, because we don’t want games decided on egregiously incorrect calls. The league needs to re-familiarize itself with the definition of clear, obvious and indisputable, before it’s too late and owners and coaches get fed up with a system that all too often is capricious.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s Rotoworld Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“Me going for two, I think that was aggressive, not reckless.” – Giants head coach Brian Daboll on New York’s game-winning two-point conversion

“No defensive player did more in week one to contribute to a win than Fitzpatrick…There’s little question that this was the best game of his distinguished NFL career.” – King on Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick’s performance against the Bengals

“With (Trey) Lance, these mistakes are going to be magnified. Fair or unfair, that’s how the 49ers have set this up with the signing of a quarterback who has played in two NFC championship games in the last three years.” – King on the 49ers’ QB situation

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 12, 2022 – Peter King recaps NFL Kickoff weekend and speaks with Giants head coach Brian Daboll and Steelers quarterback Mitchell Trubisky after  their respective Week 1 victories in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses the Packers’ loss to the Vikings, Dak Prescott’s injury, Trey Lance’s performance against the Bears, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly The Peter King Podcast. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

NEW YORK GIANTS

Giants head coach Brian Daboll to King after New York’s victory over the Titans: “Will we always win on a two-point play? No. But like I told them last week, I have confidence in you guys. I want you guys to be aggressive out there. I want to be like I tell the quarterbacks to be — aggressive, not reckless.”

Daboll on going for two with the game on the line: “Me going for two, I think that was aggressive, not reckless.”

Daboll: “In camp, we put the offense in some terrible, terrible situations — I knew it’d be a miserable day for the offense. That’s okay. I want to see how Daniel (Jones) and Saquon (Barkley) and the coaches, even, respond. I think I owe that to the team. So they all get through that, and they’re better for it.”

King on the Giants’ game-winning drive: “As the Giants, down 20-13 with three minutes to play, were driving for a touchdown, Daboll asked five defensive players, separately, ‘Hey, when we score, we’re going for two — you okay with that?’ Five for five, yes. His team’s not a democracy, but as Daboll said later, ‘Those are the guys out in the battle, laying it on the line. I want to make sure they’re okay with going for it all right there. They were like, ‘Hell yeah.’”

Daboll to King on what he said to his defensive players before going for the game-winning two-point conversion: “The one thing I’ve said to them is, ‘I’ve been called a lot of things in my life. But I can guarantee you the one thing you’ll never call me is afraid.’”

King on Giants RB Saquon Barkley: “In the eyes of Giants’ fans, the second pick of the 2018 draft was washed, a past-tense dude. The narrative started to get rewritten in Nashville Sunday evening.”

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

King on the Steelers’ overtime win vs. the Bengals: “That was a Mike Tomlin win. The Steelers scratched and clawed…(Minkah) Fitzpatrick’s pick-six on the sixth snap of the game and his amazing blocked PAT to force overtime at the end of the fourth quarter…those are the kind of plays Tomlin-coached teams make, and a big reason why he’s never had a losing season in 15 years atop the Steelers.”

Steelers QB Mitchell Trubisky to King on his first win with the Steelers: “There are days you ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ All the training, all the prep, all the stuff you put your body through. Sometimes you’ve got to play this long and make enough plays to keep putting yourself in position to have a chance to win.”

King on Fitzpatrick’s performance: “No defensive player did more in week one to contribute to a win than Fitzpatrick…Fitzpatrick’s had a few great games since his 2019 trade from Miami to the Steelers, but this was his greatest. In fact, there’s little question that this was the best game of his distinguished NFL career.”

WEEK 1

King on the Packers: “I think Aaron Rodgers had to be simmering on the short flight home from Minneapolis Sunday evening…the young receivers are going to be frustrating to work through for Rodgers and (Matt) LaFleur.”

King on the Cowboys: “The Dallas offense was mostly putrid with Dak Prescott Sunday in the 19-3 loss to Tampa. What will it be like for maybe six games with Cooper Rush? … Not as worrisome as the loss of Prescott but pretty damn worrisome: CeeDee Lamb, supposedly the franchise receiver, was targeted 11 times and caught two balls — for just 29 yards.”

King on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and his contract situation: “After the 24-9 win over the Jets: Maybe betting on himself will be a good thing for Jackson, who threw three touchdowns in the Meadowlands Sunday.”

King on 49ers QB Trey Lance: “Young quarterbacks are going to make mistakes like this one, particularly in god-awful conditions. But with Lance, these mistakes are going to be magnified. Fair or unfair, that’s how the 49ers have set this up with the signing of a quarterback who has played in two NFC championship games in the last three years.”

King on the Patriots: “I think someone’s got to explain to me how the Patriots — no idea what they can do on offense right now — are one-point favorites over the Steelers in Pittsburgh Sunday.”

KING’S WEEK 1 AWARDS

Offensive Players of the Week: Saquon Barkley, New York Giants, Michael Thomas, New Orleans, Justin Jefferson, Minnesota, & Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City

King on Thomas: “He keyed the Saints to erasing 14 points of a 16-point deficit with 3- and 9-yard TD catches in the last 12 minutes. The Saints had no business winning this game, but Thomas’ will helped do it.”

King on Mahomes: “In all, Mahomes threw for 360 yards and five touchdowns. Typical him.”

Defensive Players of the Week: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh, Von Miller, Buffalo, & Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers

King on Miller: “In his emotional return to SoFi Stadium — Miller won a Super Bowl there seven months ago — Miller had two sacks and four pressures on his friend Matthew Stafford in a dominating 31-10 Buffalo win over the Rams. That was pretty clutch.”

Coach of the Week: Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota

King on O’Connell: “Last year’s Rams offensive coordinator orchestrated a well-balanced attack in his NFL head-coaching debut…The Vikings clearly have responded well to the lighter, teaching-heavy approach of O’Connell after the hardline approach of former coach Mike Zimmer.”

Special Teams Players of the Week: Cade York, Cleveland, Justin Reid, Kansas City, & Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh

King on York: “He burst the bubbles of Baker Mayfield and 72,205 in Charlotte by bombing a 58-yard field goal with eight seconds left. Cleveland 26, Carolina 24. Do we have another Evan McPherson on our hands?”

Goats of the Week: Mitchell Wilcox, Cincinnati, Joe Burrow, Cincinnati, & Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis

King on Burrow: “Hard to imagine any offense having as bad a first half as the Bengals did…just because the Bengals had multiple chances to win late doesn’t negate the hole Burrow put the team in.”

NEWS & NOTES

Seahawks QB Geno Smith to King on winning the starting job in Seattle: “This chance means everything to me. As a person who entrenched his life into this game, I mean really put my life into this game, it’s an incredible story. Hero gets knocked down, nobody thinks he’ll get back up, and he gets up and gets another shot.”

Smith to King on the Seahawks’ offense: “Interestingly enough, this offense is a lot like the one I ran my last two years at West Virginia. This is a mixture of West Coast and different concepts. I’m comfortable with it.”

Bills QB Josh Allen on signing autographs: “I remember being that kid, wanting the autographs, looking up to guys in my position. It’s the least I can do to wave, high-five, fist-bump, maybe sign a little something here and there. I can’t sign everybody’s, but I try to.”

King on the Bears’ plans to potentially build a domed stadium: “I think the Bears absolutely, positively should not have a domed stadium…The weather’s your heritage!”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s Rotoworld Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“I’m picking the Bills to get off the 0-4, three-decades-old, wide-right schneid to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history.” – Peter King on predicting the Bills to win Super Bowl LVII

“This year’s AFC West is the toughest division I remember since the NFL went to eight four-team divisions in 2002…I picked the Chargers and Kansas City to make the post-season, but nothing will shock me.” – King on the competitive AFC West

“If the Rams win the NFC, however it’d happen, it would be one of the great accomplishments by a team in years.” – King on the Rams

“A fourth Defensive Player of the Year [Award] would ensure his spot on the Mount Rushmore of defensive players in modern NFL history.” – King on Aaron Donald

2022 NFL Season Kicks off This Thursday, Sept. 8 with NFL Kickoff Game (Bills vs. Rams) on NBC, Peacock and Universo; Coverage Begins with Special Edition of Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – September 5, 2022 – Peter King predicts a Buffalo Bills-Green Bay Packers Super Bowl matchup and makes his 2022 NFL predictions for this year’s playoff teams  and individual awards in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Russell Wilson’s contract with the Broncos, the 49ers deciding to keep Jimmy Garoppolo, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly The Peter King Podcast. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

KING’S 2022 NFL PREDICTIONS

King on his Super Bowl LVII prediction: “I’m picking an Arctic Circle Super Bowl: Buffalo-Green Bay. I’m picking the Packers to make their first Super Bowl in 12 years by—isn’t it ironic?—going on the road to get there. Man, wouldn’t that be sweet for Aaron Rodgers. And I’m picking the Bills to get off the 0-4, three-decades-old, wide-right schneid to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history.”

King’s AFC playoff seeds: “1. Buffalo, 2. Baltimore, 3. LA Chargers, 4. Tennessee, 5. Kansas City, 6. Cincinnati, 7. Miami.”

King’s NFC playoff seeds: “1. New Orleans, 2. Green Bay, 3. Philadelphia, 4. LA Rams, 5. Minnesota, 6. Tampa Bay, 7. San Francisco.”

King on the competition in the AFC: “The AFC is absolutely loaded. All four AFC West teams are serious contenders. Baltimore and Cincinnati are. Tennessee is. Indianapolis and Miami could be. Add Buffalo, and that’s 10 teams that wake up this morning thinking they could play into late January. When Matt Ryan might be the ninth-best quarterback in the conference, you know you’ve got a very deep pool of teams that could win on any given Sunday.”

King on Bills QB Josh Allen: “Allen’s got enough firepower to be the best version of himself. He could be a different version, though. The Bills don’t talk about this openly, but the sense I got is they want Allen to throttle down on running the ball… If that costs a few first downs in September and October, and if Allen’s fresher in January and February, it’s a wise change in his game.”

King on the Rams’ chances to make the Super Bowl for the second consecutive season: “If the Rams win the NFC, however it’d happen, it would be one of the great accomplishments by a team in years.”

King on the Packers: “I think a purported weakness, the post-Davante Adams receiver room, won’t be as bad as most think. Green Bay has a cadre of young prove-it receivers who I believe will be mentally whipped into shape by Rodgers as the year progresses, and who will respond well to the patient coaching of Matt LaFleur.”

King on the Chargers: “Doing enough to seal weaknesses, and having a worker-bee sponge with a great right arm … to me, that’s enough for this talented team to take a big step and end Kansas City’s six-year run as AFC West champs.”

King on the Saints: “I love how they turned a weak wide receiver corps in 2021 into the biggest strength on the roster…All in all, I like the team that’s 4-1 against the Bucs since the arrival of Tom Brady to unseat Tampa in the NFC South.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King and Florio break down their expectations for Brady and the Buccaneers

 

King on the Ravens: “I think the Ravens have a lot going for them, which is why I’m picking them to win the AFC North…Of course, the key will be [Lamar] Jackson. It sounds dubious that he’ll get a contract done before opening day, but I doubt it will affect his performance much.”

King on the Broncos and the AFC West: “I didn’t pick the Broncos to make the playoffs, which I’ll probably live to regret. This year’s AFC West is the toughest division I remember since the NFL went to eight four-team divisions in 2002…I picked the Chargers and Kansas City to make the post-season, but nothing will shock me.”

KING’S 2022 NFL AWARDS

MVP: “1. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo, 2. Justin Herbert, QB, LA Chargers, 3. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore…Quarterbacks have won the MVP nine straight years and 14 of the past 15 years. Thus QBs going 1-2-3. Recently, MVP has traditionally gone to a quarterback on a top seed. That, plus Allen’s going to have a killer year.”

Coach of the Year: “1. John Harbaugh, Baltimore, 2. Dennis Allen, New Orleans, 3. Brandon Staley, LA Chargers…Harbaugh could do it if the Ravens are the only team to go from worst (in the AFC North) to first in 2022.”

Offensive Player of the Year: “1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis, 2. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo, 3. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota…I’m projecting Taylor to win the rushing title, and if so, he’d be the third back-to-back rushing champ in the last 20 years (Tomlinson 2006, ’07; Henry 2019, ’20). I think he’ll come very close to matching his 1,811-yard season from last year.”

Defensive Player of the Year: “1. Aaron Donald, DT, LA Rams, 2. Odafe Oweh, edge rusher, Baltimore, 3. T.J. Watt, edge rusher, Pittsburgh…This award, 51 years old, has had three three-time winners: Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. No one’s won it four times. Donald, while not dwelling on history, appreciates it, and a fourth DPOY would ensure his spot on the Mount Rushmore of defensive players in modern NFL history.”

Offensive Rookie of the Year: “1. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans, 2. Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston, 3. Evan Neal, T, N.Y. Giants…Olave’s targets entering the season depend on the health and productivity of Michael Thomas and perhaps Jarvis Landry, but I think he’ll be right on their level by mid-October.”

Defensive Rookie of the Year: “1. Sauce Gardner, CB, N.Y. Jets, 2. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit, 3. Jordan Davis, DL, Philadelphia…Gardner will have some high-profile matchups, with the Jets facing Stefon Diggs, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill and whoever Aaron Rodgers is throwing to a total of seven games.”

Comeback Player of the Year: “1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina, 2. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City, 3. QB Jameis Winston, QB, New Orleans…McCaffrey’s a heavy favorite in my book, because when you’ve missed 13 and 10 games the past two years after playing your first 48 without injury, and you were a sensation in those 48, pretty much all you’ve got to do in year six is stay healthy for 17 weeks.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on the 49ers’ quarterback situation after bringing back Jimmy Garoppolo: “How will George Kittle and Fred Warner and Arik Armstead and Deebo Samuel, all good team guys, react privately if Trey Lance struggles the first month of the season? Will the Niners’ leadership council go to Kyle Shanahan and say, ‘Come on. We gotta win these games?’”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King and Florio discuss the 49ers’ decision to bring back Garoppolo

 

King on Russell Wilson’s contract extension with the Broncos: “In Denver, Wilson feels he has a bit of authorship with someone he considers a football savant, [head coach Nathaniel] Hackett. It’s the kind of relationship he’s wanted with his play-caller and play-author. That’s why Wilson thinks this is the perfect place to spend the second half of his career.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King and Florio break down Wilson’s contract extension with the Broncos

 

King on Odell Beckham Jr.: “The Rams have kept Odell Beckham Jr.’s locker intact at the team’s practice facility. That jives with just what I heard in August—the Rams think they’ve got a great chance of re-signing Beckham when he’s ready to play late this regular season.”

King on Patriots head coach Bill Belichick being on the cusp of passing George Halas for second place on the all-time coaching wins list: “To think of someone in the modern era coaching on and off for nearly a half-century and continuing in the job till his seventies, as Halas did, is absolutely amazing. Belichick will deserve the kudos when he passes the monster of the Midway.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“I didn’t do a good enough job. That’s what’s gotten me moving this whole offseason.” – Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to King on Los Angeles’ Week 18 loss last season that kept them out of the postseason

“The problem is the timing…[GM Brandon] Beane and Bills ownership should draw up some new guidelines for investigating lurid accusations against future and current players.” – Peter King on the Bills cutting punter Matt Araiza

“I cannot find any good reason to pick someone other than Josh Allen for MVP.” – King

“Jonathan Taylor should be the first overall pick in every [fantasy football] draft.” – King

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 29, 2022 – Peter King speaks with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as his Training Camp Tour concludes in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses the Bills cutting punter Matt Araiza, the Patriots’ preseason struggles, and his fantasy football tips for the upcoming season.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly The Peter King Podcast. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to Peter King on Los Angeles’ Week 18 last season: “That’s the toughest loss that I’ve ever been a part of as a competitor for sure.”

Staley to King: “My regret is that in what should’ve been able to get us out of there with a tie, [the Raiders] ended up splitting us on a 10-yard run and that’s what I’ve been thinking about – our execution on that last play. That’s the tough side of things, having to live with that. I didn’t do a good enough job. That’s what’s gotten me moving this whole offseason.”

Staley to King on linebacker Khalil Mack: “I think to establish a culture and the type of mindset, you gotta bring in players who can live that. I think there’s no better example of that than Khalil [Mack]. I saw it happen in Chicago. He’s a fierce competitor.”

Staley to King on the Chargers’ aggressive play calling: “I know the mindset I tried to create within our team. I know that’s not gonna change. Not one bit.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King’s conversation with Staley
  • Watch Now: Click here and here to watch King discuss his biggest Training Camp Tour takeaways

 

DAK PRESCOTT

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott to King on his football journey: “I feel I’ve been doubted at every level, honestly. I got the starting quarterback job in high school, college and pro due to the guy in front of me getting injured. So when I stepped in [in Dallas, for Tony Romo], I said, ‘Maybe this is it, again.’ I didn’t want to put it in anyone else’s hands to take it away from me. And as the success happened, it was just a confirmation.”

Prescott to King on the vulnerability he shows: “It’s not just smoke with me. It’s real-life events. [The deaths of] my mom, my brother, my severe [ankle] injury. I’ve been through it. Months, years later, I’m able to talk about it and be vulnerable about it. People understand that’s who I am.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King’s conversation with Prescott

 

NEWS & NOTES

King on the Bills cutting punter Matt Araiza amid accusations of gang rape: “The Bills, of course, had no choice but to cut punter Matt Araiza. The problem is the timing…[GM Brandon] Beane and Bills ownership should draw up some new guidelines for investigating lurid accusations against future and current players.”

King on Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. getting shot: “Being an NFL player doesn’t disqualify you from the everyday gun violence that plagues our society. You’ve got to feel for a guy who’d done everything right in training camp and worked his way into a big role in coordinator Scott Turner’s offense.”

King on the Patriots’ offseason struggles: “The Patriots looked bad, particularly on offense, throughout the summer, and Mac Jones wasn’t as sharp in practice this summer as he was in games as a rookie…[they] enter the season the clear number three in the AFC East behind Buffalo and Miami.”

A prominent NFL executive to King on the Deshaun Watson suspension: “I think there were multiple owners who didn’t want Deshaun Watson suspended for the season, and told Roger Goodell that.”

King on the fight at the Rams-Bengals joint practice: “I think the NFL is going to have to get in the business of monitoring behavior at joint practices and negotiate a change to the player discipline policy with the union. That’s my takeaway when the league said that discipline for the Aaron Donald helmet-swinging incident would be left to the Rams.

King on Jimmy Garoppolo’s current situation: “I think if I’m Jimmy Garoppolo, and I get my freedom sometime in the next two weeks, I don’t sign anywhere. I wait. I get fully healthy and sign with a team when there’s a quarterback injury.”

King on Bills QB Josh Allen: “I cannot find any good reason to pick someone other than Josh Allen for MVP.”

King on the Steelers’ QB battle: “The preseason is not something to care about, but in this case, at the very least, the Pittsburgh quarterbacks played as if to say, The death of the Pittsburgh quarterback position has been greatly exaggerated.”

Cris Collinsworth to King on the late Len Dawson: “Len didn’t run through life. He glided through life…He had zero ego. From what I’ve heard, he was that kind of quarterback too.”

FANTASY FOOTBALL

King on Colts RB Jonathan Taylor: “Jonathan Taylor should be the first overall pick in every draft. He’s Roger Craig — potentially better…and he’s 23 with a coach who loves him.”

King on his Reborn Player of the Year, Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster: “He’s been revitalized because he thought he was typecast as a slot guy only with the Steelers. He loves Patrick Mahomes, and the feeling is mutual.”

King on Bills WR Gabriel Davis: “He’s a worker, and Josh Allen sees him as a great complement — not a distant number two — to Stefon Diggs.”

King on the Buccaneers’ wide receivers: “The Bucs are unpredictable because of injuries and tender players, and I’d steer clear of receivers not named Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.”

King on Raiders QB Derek Carr: “Derek Carr will be a top-five fantasy QB. Threw for 4,804 yards last year, and now he’s got Josh McDaniels calling plays and Davante Adams running routes. What’s not to like?”

King on Saints WR Chris Olave: “Gut Feeling of the Year: Chris Olave of the Saints will be the most productive rookie WR.”

King on Cowboys RB Tony Pollard: “I’m a broken record on this: Tony Pollard is the best running back on the Cowboys roster.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.comcom continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“If [Watson] doesn’t play great in years two through five of the deal, the decision to trade three first-round picks and to sign him to a ridiculous contract will be viewed in history as a desperate move without a moral compass.” – Peter King on Deshaun Watson’s contract with the Browns

“The league doesn’t like the 11-game suspension, but they wouldn’t have liked the continuing soap opera of this story if Watson had been banned for a season.” – King on Watson’s suspension

“I won’t be surprised if, at the end of this season, he’s considered the best receiver in football.” – King on Vikings WR Justin Jefferson

“Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry” Debuts Today at Noon ET on Peacock & the NFL on NBC YouTube Channel

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 22, 2022 – Peter King addresses the aftermath of the Deshaun Watson suspension in Cleveland and speaks with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan as his Training Camp Tour continues in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also visits with the Chargers and Vikings, discusses his opinion on preseason games, the new Big Ten media deal, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET every weekday, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, The Peter King Podcast, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, Brother from Another, and The Dan Patrick Show. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

“Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry,” NBC Sports’ new, daily fantasy football and sports betting show, debuts today at Noon ET on Peacock and the NBC on NFL YouTube channel. Click here for more.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

DESHAUN WATSON

Peter King on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s apology: “How does one person say—sort of—I’m sorry, and two hours later say, I’m not sorry for anything? It’s disingenuous absurdity.”

King on the Browns’ QB plans for 2022: “I would expect the Browns will look hard at adding a quarterback to supplement Jacoby Brissett. But tamp down the expectations that Jimmy Garoppolo is on the way. Not saying it’s impossible, but I don’t sense the Browns think the conditions are right for it.”

King on the Browns’ thought process regarding Watson’s contract: “If you’re [Browns owner] Jimmy Haslam, who had been through a slew of failed quarterbacks in his 9.5 years as owner, you might think: Taking an avalanche of criticism for a year will be worth it if I have my long-term QB on opening day 2023.”

King on the length of Watson’s suspension: “The league doesn’t like the 11-game suspension, but they wouldn’t have liked the continuing soap opera of this story if Watson had been banned for a season.”

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski to King on Watson’s readiness to play on Dec. 4 after missing almost two years: “In his young career, he’s had so many big moments that I think he’ll be ready to go. I’m not naive enough to say there won’t be some rust or whatever it may be because that’s a long time.”

Browns QB Jacoby Brissett to King on staying focused amidst all of the Watson drama: “I tell myself to stay ready and actually believe it. I knew what I was getting myself into when I signed up for this job. We set a plan when we first started this thing, and we’ve been going along with our plan.”

King on the potential outcomes for Watson and the Browns: “If Watson doesn’t come through counseling on this tremendous flaw a changed person, and if he doesn’t play great in years two through five of the deal, the decision to trade three first-round picks and to sign him to a ridiculous contract will be viewed in history as a desperate move without a moral compass. I know why the Haslams did it, but they’d better be right.”

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Rams head coach Sean McVay to King on QB Matthew Stafford’s arm health: “Looked like Matthew Stafford to me. No restrictions, throwing it all over the yard, all different kinds of launch points.”

Rams defensive tackle and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald to King on his future plans: “I got a two-year commitment right now, so I’m going to do everything I can while I’m here to help the organization win and be successful. I’m gonna last as long as I can, as long as I can play at a high level.”

McVay to King on his future plans to keep coaching or leave for TV: “[I’m] just living in the moment and I know I’m loving coaching right now.”

Donald to King on Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris: “When you get a new coach, it comes down to trust. He let players he trusts give feedback, and he learned his players. It was real good as the season went on.”

Morris to King on his years as a position coach in Washington and Atlanta: “Going to the offensive side in Atlanta, I got to coach and learn from one of the greatest wide receivers to play the game, Julio Jones. I talked to him through a defensive lens, and I learned so much about offensive football at the same time—and remember, I was with Mike Shanahan, Kyle [Shanahan], Sean [McVay], Matt LaFleur in Washington. Honestly, those years were an outstanding turn of events for me.”

Former Rams WR Robert Woods to King on winning the Super Bowl but being unable to play due to injury: “This is worth everything. It’s worth my ACL injury. It’s worth Odell [Beckham Jr.]’s ACL injury. You see the smiles. After the Super Bowl, when the confetti’s coming down, the parade, when we get our rings – it’s all worth it.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview McVay at Rams training camp

 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Chargers QB Justin Herbert to King on his work ethic in practice: “After practice is where if I need to focus on something, I need to work through something, that’s where I’m gonna make that throw again and again. I just feel like it’s something I have to do. I just have to.”

King on Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams: “Seeing Mike Williams lay out in a practice, fully parallel to the ground, for a Herbert deep ball that went just off his fingertips, says a lot about his ethos.”

Linebacker Khalil Mack to King on working with fellow Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa: “You talk about two guys still learning the game and wanting to play it at a high level. It’s been so much fun studying film with this guy. It’s a good mix of finesse and power. We’re gonna try to break records.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King’s interview with Mack at Chargers training camp
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King break down the Chargers’ defensive line

 

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Colts QB Matt Ryan to King on being traded to Indianapolis after 14 seasons with the Falcons: “When you’re going through it, it hurts. Obviously it does. You wake up every day for a decade and a half and you’re giving it everything you can to try and help that organization. But at the same time, I’m not going to let four, five days mar the experience that I had for 14-plus years of enjoyment.”

Ryan to King on his future plans to keep playing: “My mindset is not for one year. I still feel like I’m playing very well. Obviously you never know what’s gonna happen. But I would say it’s more likely six [more seasons] than it is one.”

Colts head coach Frank Reich to King on coaching five different QBs in five years: “The crazy thing is, I never thought any of them would be one-and-done. Andrew Luck was gut-wrenching, obviously. Jacoby Brissett, we made a tough decision after one year. Philip [Rivers], I thought he’d play a couple of years. Carson [Wentz], that was gut-wrenching too. Now with Matt [Ryan], I definitely don’t think it’s only one year.”

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor to King on individual records: “You can have all the yards and all the records, and if you don’t get the wins, what does it all mean? I just don’t care.”

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Vikings first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell to King on his team-building approach: “From day one here, we talked about building a positive culture…I learned it from, in my opinion, one of the best at cultivating that culture, Sean McVay. Not that we’re going to duplicate everything that happened in L.A. or try to, but I’d be a fool not to want that type of work environment for these players.”

King on Vikings WR Justin Jefferson: “I won’t be surprised if, at the end of this season, he’s considered the best receiver in football.”

King on Vikings QB Kirk Cousins: “I think he got tired of the [Mike] Zimmer negativity and should thrive under [Kevin] O’Connell, who will run a completions-based offense (aren’t they all?), likely with two or three more downfield throws per game, or at least chances for them, than Cousins is used to.”

Vikings WR Adam Thielen to King on the O’Connell offense: “What’s cool is that we’ve learned you never know when the shot’s coming. But we all see that it could be on any play, and to any of us. That’s a great offense to be in.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on preseason games: “I think preseason games, mostly, are a gigantic waste of time…The games should be eliminated. In their place: The league should televise the joint practices more and more teams have now.”

King on the Big Ten’s new media deal: “I think that’s a fascinating media deal by the Big Ten, giving the conference the best football deal in college sports and boosting the exposure of both men’s and women’s basketball.”

King: “I think putting a football tripleheader on the big networks every Saturday, football from noon to 11:30 p.m. ET, is precisely what the NFL did, right down to NBC now owning the prime-time football windows on Saturday and Sunday nights.”

King on the Steelers’ QB battle: “I think when [Steelers head coach] Mike Tomlin says he wants to see Kenny Pickett in more ‘varsity action,’ that’s a signal his mind is a sliver open about his QB1 decision…Mitchell Trubisky is very likely the opening-day starter, but good on Pickett for making it interesting.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • “Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry,” NBC Sports’ new, daily fantasy football and sports betting show, debuts today at Noon ET on Peacock and the NBC on NFL YouTube channel. “Fantasy Football Happy Hour” discusses the most newsworthy fantasy football and sports betting topics as the NFL season approaches and fantasy football drafts heat up. The one-hour, weekday show is co-hosted by Jay Croucher and will feature analysis and advice from regular guests including NBC Sports’ Chris Simms, Mike Florio and Peter King, NBC Sports EDGE’s Denny Carter, Pat Daugherty, Vaughn Dalzell, Lawrence Jackson, and more.  The show, which will also be available on all major podcast platforms and via NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Radio, will feature fantasy football rankings, start/sit suggestions, waiver wire advice, betting futures, player props, and more.
  • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“It’s not always about getting the most money. It’s about going out there and winning and having a legacy that you can kind of live with forever. For me, that’s what I want.” – Patrick Mahomes to Peter King

“Is Trey [Lance] ready to take it on his shoulders? He shouldn’t be. He hasn’t gone through it enough. I believe in him as a man, as a person. I believe in his talent.” – 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to King on first-year starting QB Trey Lance

“He brings that buzz of energy we’ve really needed. People who were here when Peyton [Manning] played say it’s the same kind of feeling.” – Broncos WR Courtland Sutton to King on Russell Wilson’s impact on the franchise

“It’s like walking into your house on Thanksgiving and the table’s set and the food’s ready. All I’ve got to do is carve the turkey.” – Saints head coach Dennis Allen on succeeding Sean Payton

Check Out NFL on NBC YouTube Channel – Watch Hours of Exclusive Content and Subscribe Today

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 15, 2022 – Peter King speaks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan as he continues his 2022 NFL Training Camp Tour in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also visits with the Saints, Texans, and Buccaneers, discusses the Deshaun Watson suspension, Tom Brady leaving Buccaneers training camp, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET every weekday, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, The Peter King Podcast, The Rich Eisen Show, Brother from Another, and The Dan Patrick Show. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Peter King on the Chiefs’ new-look offense: “The post-Tyreek Hill offense is utterly unpredictable.”

King: “I think this team is energized by the outside impression of, They’re screwed without Tyreek…My gut feeling is [head coach] Andy Reid and [Patrick] Mahomes will figure it out without Hill.”

Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to King on his first training camp with Kansas City: “This is what I’ve been waiting to do. Everyone has to know everybody’s position…That’s what I’ve been wanting to do, to be used in so many different ways. It’s so great, the way Coach Reid gives Patrick Mahomes so many different options on every play.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to King on the Tyreek Hill trade: “It’s a win-win. I think it’ll help him in his career with the Dolphins. Financially it’s phenomenal for him and his family…For us, it gives you a little juice that maybe you need when you’ve been someplace for 10 years.”

Mahomes to King on Kansas City’s plan to build, post-Tyreek Hill: “They showed me the reasons that this had to be done at this time. I obviously talked to Tyreek as well, tried to do whatever I could to bring him back. Once we kind of got past that bridge and he was going somewhere else, they had a great game plan of getting these receivers that we have out here now.”

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to King on being a leader for the new wide receivers: “I can’t just focus on my job anymore. I’ve got to focus on every single person, every single detail. I think it’ll make me a better quarterback.”

Mahomes to King on people criticizing the 10-year contract he signed in 2020: “If you’re ticked off making all the money that I’m making, you’re probably a little bit messed up…It’s not always about getting the most money. It’s about going out there and winning and having a legacy that you can kind of live with forever. For me, that’s what I want.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Mahomes at Chiefs training camp
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Smith-Schuster at Chiefs training camp
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King break down the Chiefs’ new-look offense

 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

King on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo’s current status with the team: “I heard he does not have a playbook, does not attend quarterback or team meetings and barely knows new quarterbacks coach Brian Griese.”

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to King on new starting quarterback Trey Lance: “Is Trey ready to take it on his shoulders? He shouldn’t be. He hasn’t gone through it enough. I believe in him as a man, as a person. I believe in his talent.”

Shanahan: “I don’t think he is going to make or break our season, just like in 2019 and last year, I didn’t think Jimmy [Garoppolo] was going to make or break our season. But what sucks is when you’re learning how to play and you’re not there yet, how do you not get worse sometimes when that pressure’s on you and you need to go through the growing pains?”

49ers QB Trey Lance to King on what has changed for him in his second year in the NFL: “Mentally, I feel like things are a lot more clear for me. I understand the offense, and I’m able to play fast.”

Shanahan to King on his philosophy towards preseason games: “We can say we had a good game because we won, but that’s not really what we’re focused on here in the preseason. We’re focused on the product and how you did it… Stats don’t dictate success. Doing it the right way dictates success.”

King on the 49ers’ prospects for the 2022 season: “This team is [Trey] Lance’s now. And I would advise patience for Niners fans. It’s absurd to expect a savior to show up at Soldier Field in the Sept. 12 opener. [Kyle] Shanahan will be ready to take some pain in 2022.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Lance at 49ers training camp
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King break down Lance’s prospects for his first year as a starter

 

DENVER BRONCOS

Broncos QB Russell Wilson to King on the new structure of the team: “It’s the ownership of the players owning our own offense. This has to be a player-ran kind of team. Coach [Nathaniel] Hackett gives us the keys to do that.”

Broncos GM George Paton to King on Wilson’s work ethic: “He’s a machine. You don’t really understand it until you see his car here at 5:30 in the morning and then see him roaming the halls at 9 at night.”

Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett to King on teaching Wilson the West Coast Offense: “I don’t want him to be touched. I don’t want him to have to run around. Now sometimes, you have to, but those ones I can’t control. The more that he feels that and understands that, the better it’s going to be.”

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton to King on Wilson’s impact on the franchise: “He brings that buzz of energy we’ve really needed. People who were here when Peyton [Manning] played say it’s the same kind of feeling.”

Sutton: “I really feel like when you talk football with him it’s like he’s playing the game — playing the game in his mind…He wants us to master the little details the same way he has. All those little details, they hit for him because he sees the game in a different light than other people.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Wilson at Broncos training camp
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King discuss the Broncos’ ‘explosive’ offense

 

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

New Saints head coach Dennis Allen to King on the transition from Sean Payton: “People ask me what I’m doing differently. Not a lot. This team was in great condition when I took over. It’s like walking into your house on Thanksgiving and the table’s set and the food’s ready. All I’ve got to do is carve the turkey.”

King on the Saints’ improved wide receiver group: “The receiver group was New Orleans’ weakness last year. Now it might be the strength of the team. Imagine an opening day threesome of Michael Thomas and rookie Chris Olave outside and sage vet Jarvis Landry in the slot with Tre’Quan Smith and Marquez Callaway playing significant snaps.”

Allen on WR Michael Thomas’ return from two injury-plagued seasons: “The last few days in practice we saw the Michael Thomas of before the injuries. We think he’ll be ready.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview rookie WR Chris Olave
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview defensive lineman Cam Jordan
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King analyze the post-Sean Payton Saints

 

HOUSTON TEXANS

King on the Texans’ future coaching plans: “There’s still a buzz of [former Texans QB] Josh McCown coaching here at some point hanging over the franchise, but for now [Lovie] Smith is GM Nick Caserio’s kind of coach with a team that has a long way to go.”

King on the Texans’ future QB plans: “The Texans have five picks in the first three rounds next year. Everyone, including [current QB] Davis Mills, knows the Texans will be scouting Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young hard this fall.”

King on the Texans’ feelings towards former QB Deshaun Watson: “They’re just relieved he’s not here to compromise a second straight season.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview head coach Lovie Smith
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King discuss the Texans’ confidence in Davis Mills

 

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

King on Tom Brady taking off 10 days for a personal matter: “Brady has so much currency in the bank with coaches and teams regarding dedication to the job and devotion to his craft that when he comes to the Bucs and says he needs 10 days away, my response would be: ‘Take more if you need it.’”

Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen to King on Tom Brady: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him throw the football better. It’s remarkable — 45 years old and the ball comes off his hand with such zip, throw after throw. How does that happen with someone who’s 45? It’s like a lot of things about him. It defies common sense. This just hasn’t happened before.”

King on Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles: “The ease and cool of Bowles in his return shot at being a head coach. He’s got no fear in his second full-time around. A coach needs to exude an I-belong-here vibe, and that’s Bowles.”

 

NEWS & NOTES

King on Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s public apology: “I think it’s good to see Watson taking responsibility, finally. And it’s probably a case of being lawyered up for a long time, but the first thing Watson has to address if he’s really coming clean is to explain why he said for months he never did anything wrong. If he truly felt that way, what switch was flipped, and when, and why?”

King on the Cowboys’ continued penalties problem: “Only one thing in the preseason meant anything much this weekend: 17 penalties by the Cowboys. That has to stop, and it has to stop now. Ridiculous.”

Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt on Guardian Caps: “I don’t know if they’re going to do any good. But they can’t hurt. Anything I can do to have a chance to play longer and do less damage [to the brain], I’m in favor of.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“I think I just fell back in love with football the last few years. It’s due to a mindset but also the people.” – Aaron Rodgers to King

“We spend a lot of time in this game on our bodies. We need to spend as much time on our minds.” – Titans head coach Mike Vrabel to King on the importance of mental health

“I think the addition of new special-teams coach Rich Bisaccia will be more significant to this Green Bay season than the subtraction of Davante Adams.” – King on Rich Bisaccia’s impact on the Packers

“If Robinson’s suspension with no additional fine other than six game checks stands, it means Watson would lose 0.7 percent of his $46-million total compensation this year. That’s almost absurd beyond words.” – Peter King on Deshaun Watson’s potential punishment

Check Out NFL on NBC YouTube Channel – Watch Hours of Exclusive Content and Subscribe Today

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 8, 2022 – Peter King speaks with Green Bay Packers quarterback  Aaron Rodgers, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as he continues his 2022 NFL Training Camp Tour in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses the Deshaun Watson suspension, the Miami Dolphins’ tampering situation, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s elbow injury, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET every weekday, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, The Peter King Podcast, The Rich Eisen Show, Brother from Another, and The Dan Patrick Show. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers on his offseason experience with ayahuasca and what it taught him: “I think it’s unlocked a lot of my heart. Being able to fully give my heart to my teammates, my loved ones, relationships because I can fully embrace unconditionally myself.”

Rodgers on falling in love with football again: “I think I just fell back in love with football the last few years. It’s due to a mindset but also the people. I really do. I give credit to the Nathaniel Hacketts of the world and Luke Getsy, Justin Outten, Matt LaFleur — and Tom Clements coming back. Randall Cobb coming back and Marcedes Lewis. Robert Tonyan and Allen Lazard and Mason Crosby, and of course David Bakhtiari. I love my teammates so much. I love the opportunity to do this.”

Rodgers on his playoff losses: “I’m hurt by all the playoff losses…When you think about the worst losses in your career, I mean both of them were in Seattle – the Fail Mary game in 2012, NFC Championship in the ’14 season. But they all stick with you, because you think about what you could’ve done better. Plays you should’ve made.”

King on new Packers special teams coach Rich Bisaccia: “I think the addition of new special-teams coach Rich Bisaccia will be more significant to this Green Bay season than the subtraction of a great wide receiver, Davante Adams.”

King: “The Packers have had lethally bad special teams in recent years — they lost the divisional playoff game to San Francisco last year because of them — and now they have one of the best kicking-team coaches in the game with the addition of the interim Raiders coach last year. Bisaccia’s impact will be huge.”

Bisaccia on his self-titled ‘Wefense’ ethos: “It takes the whole team. I tell the players, ‘The only ‘I’ I want to hear is what can I do to help us win.’”

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on Bisaccia’s coaching methods: “[He] can love players tough better than any coach I’ve ever met. He’s ultra-demanding but earns their respect by really caring about them. It’s an art, what he’s able to do.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King break down Rodgers’ mentality at Packers training camp
  • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Packers RB Aaron Jones

 

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Bengals WR and 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase to King, comparing himself to former LSU teammate and current Vikings WR Justin Jefferson: “I’m better than Justin.”

Chase on if he’s better than Raiders WR Davante Adams: “I don’t know if I’m better … but I watch his film all the time. He told me he watches my film. That’s definitely something to keep me working.”

Peter King on what the Bengals need to do to return to the Super Bowl: “For the Bengals to get to a second straight Super Bowl, the retooled offensive line needs to build a better shield around Joe Burrow (72 sacks in 21 games, by far the most in football).”

King: “The Bengals need a healthy, full dose of their trio [of WRs Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd] to be great again. Because now the rest of the league looks at the Bengals on the schedule as a challenge, not a bye week.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Chase at Bengals training camp

 

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel to King when asked about the Titans’ image: “I try not to focus on things that don’t matter. We just try to build a foundation to help us withstand the ups and downs of an NFL season.”

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill to King on addressing his mental health after Tennessee’s playoff loss in January: “It wasn’t something that I just passively got through. I was intentionally seeking out help, talking to somebody and trying to work through the mental side of it.”

Tannehill: “Now, it’s a scar. It’s always there. You remember it. But it’s not a wound anymore. It doesn’t hurt the same…This is a new year. We have everything out in front of us. What happened last year, whether it was good or bad, it doesn’t matter at this point. You have to take each day as its own and take advantage of it.”

Vrabel on the importance of taking care of athletes’ mental health: “We spend a lot of time in this game on our bodies. We need to spend as much time on our minds.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Tannehill at Titans training camp

 

CHICAGO BEARS

King on the new-look Bears: “I don’t think this is a make-or-break year for [QB Justin] Fields. He’ll have every chance to win the job long term, and patience will be a virtue with this staff.”

Bears QB Justin Fields on offensive coordinator Luke Getsy: “Probably the best quarterback coach I’ve had in my life.”

King on the Bears’ long-term future: “I’m not bullish on the Bears to contend this year. On the total rebuilds — Bears, Giants, Texans, Jags — that’s really okay. In fact, it’s preferable. I am bullish on the groundwork being laid by [GM Ryan] Poles and [head coach Matt] Eberflus.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Fields at Bears training camp

 

DESHAUN WATSON SUSPENSION

King on Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension: “The length of the ban is six games too short.”

King on arbitrator Sue L. Robinson’s characterization of Watson’s offenses: “Robinson’s characterization of the offenses as ‘non-violent sexual assault’ really feels wrong…I felt she minimized the acts she finds Watson to have committed.”

King on the structure of Watson’s contract amid his suspension: “One influential NFL person told me on this trip that it doesn’t sit well with the league or 31 other owners that the Browns rigged the Watson contract so that his suspension would cause him to lose only a fraction of his 2022 compensation.”

King: “If Robinson’s suspension with no additional fine other than six game checks stands, it means Watson would lose 0.7 percent of his $46-million total compensation this year. That’s almost absurd beyond words.”

King on Watson’s public reaction: “Blows my mind Watson has shown no public remorse in this case.”

 

NEWS & NOTES

King on Tom Brady’s involvement in the Dolphins’ tampering scandal to recruit him: “This makes Tom Brady look bad, obviously, like it’s okay for him to play by a different set of rules because he’s Tom Brady…Whenever he does speak, this is going to be very hard to justify in any way.”

King on the Dolphins’ future plans now that they have lost their 2023 first and third round picks: “Theoretically, if their two picks were in the 15 to 22 range, maybe they could package those two plus their one in 2024 to move up to three or four to get a quarterback. That’s out the window now.”

King: “This ratchets up the pressure on [Dolphins QB Tua] Tagovailoa. Now there’s really no Plan B for 2023. Maybe you’d say it’s great for Tagovailoa — he can play free and easy knowing it’s going to be his job going forward…But I say there’s just as good a chance he feels the heat of, Dude, you simply cannot fail.”

King on Rams QB Matthew Stafford’s elbow soreness: “The scariest injury news for any team in the league is the elbow soreness that Matthew Stafford has. The Super Bowl champs won’t have a chance to repeat if Stafford misses serious time with an injury.”

King on Browns RB Kareem Hunt not practicing because he wants a new contract: “Football doesn’t work that way, particularly at running back. Backups, even excellent ones, don’t get paid like starters particularly in an era of declining running-back value.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“The decision by [arbitrator Sue L.] Robinson is surprising in its leniency but not stunning…The NFL will not consider this fair, and I expect the league to appeal Robinson’s ruling.” – Peter King on Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension

“Bring…it…on. Quote me.” – Mike Tomlin on people doubting Pittsburgh post-Ben Roethlisberger

“This might be the most fungible roster of any in the league—and it could be the one that changes the most in the next two years.”– King on the Giants’ roster

“His dedication seemed so [Tom] Brady-like, so made for a Bill Belichick quarterback.” – King on Patriots QB Mac Jones’

Check Out NFL on NBC YouTube Channel – Watch Hours of Exclusive Content and Subscribe Today

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 1, 2022 – Peter King addresses the Deshaun Watson decision and continues his 2022 NFL Training Camp Tour by visiting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and New England Patriots in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Deebo Samuel’s contract extension, Kyler Murray’s contract clause, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET every weekday, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, The Peter King Podcast, The Rich Eisen Show, Brother from Another, and The Dan Patrick Show. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

DESHAUN WATSON SUSPENSION

King on Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension: “The decision by [arbitrator Sue L.] Robinson is surprising in its leniency but not stunning…The NFL will not consider this fair, and I expect the league to appeal Robinson’s ruling.”

King on Robinson’s decision: “Robinson concluded that the pattern of behavior by Watson was egregious, but she called it non-violent sexual conduct. Technically that may be correct, but it feels like Robinson is minimizing what happened in these cases.”

King: “For now, the Browns and Watson have to be happy that, if this ruling stands, he’ll be eligible to play 11 of 17 games this season. But that’s a pretty big ‘if.’”

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on people doubting Pittsburgh after losing QB Ben Roethlisberger and GM Kevin Colbert: “Bring…it…on. Quote me.”

Steelers team chaplain and priest Father Paul Taylor on what makes Tomlin a successful coach: “He knows what’s important in his job. And he’s such a good communicator. I think he can see inside the players’ heads.”

Tomlin on handling the Steelers’ QB battle: “I’m going to talk about the elephant in the room. Our ability to put together a winning formula that allows us to go into stadiums and step out with victory is what it’s about… I don’t run from that. I run to that.”

Peter King on who he thinks will be the Steelers’ starting QB in Week 1: “From what I gleaned, the opening-day assignment, Steelers at the Super Bowl Bengals, is [Mitchell] Trubisky’s to lose.”

Steelers QB Mitchell Trubisky on Tomlin: “Coach Tomlin is very transparent about the situation. Ever since I got here, it’s been really impressive to me how he leads the team as a football coach. He’ll even tell you. It’s not an accident that he gets the results he does because he’s such a great leader. I’m just trying to soak in all that knowledge so I can be the best player I can be and we can continue to go out and win games for the Steelers.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King interview Trubisky at Steelers training camp.

 

King on Steelers fans’ admiration for rookie QB Kenny Pickett: “Mark my words: Assuming Pickett doesn’t start, the locals will beat the drum for him very early if the starter struggles.”

NEW YORK GIANTS

King on the Giants’ roster: “This might be the most fungible roster of any in the league—and it could be the one that changes the most in the next two years.”

First-year Giants head coach Brian Daboll on QB Daniel Jones: “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s got good mobile skills. There’s a lot of different things you could do with a quarterback like that. We’re still tinkering with things to make sure that what I want him to do is be vocal back to me on things that he doesn’t feel comfortable with.”

• • Click here to watch King discuss the Giants’ new-look offense and here for King’s conversation with Daniel Jones at Giants training camp.

 

King on Giants WR Kenny Golladay: “The Giants are waiting to see more from their $18-million-a-year 2021 free agent, Kenny Golladay, who’s not separating from DBs well early in camp. That signing looks like a disaster.”

King on Giants RB Saquon Barkley: “I keep thinking his future’s elsewhere…Like so many players on the roster, my guess is he’s auditioning for 31 other teams as much as the Giants this fall.”

Giants S Xavier McKinney on the Giants’ attitude this season: “We’ve touched the bottom…We can only go up. The energy is a lot different in the building. We finally feel that family atmosphere we’ve been wanting for a long time.”

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

King on Patriots QB Mac Jones’ similarities to Tom Brady: “In the practice I watched, with Jones, there was no wasted movements. His mechanics were precise, his confidence obvious… His dedication seemed—and seems—so [Tom] Brady-like, so made for a Bill Belichick quarterback.”

Mac Jones on his mental attitude and work ethic: “You’re always gonna get people who say that you’re not good enough to do something. I still have so much to prove. I’m always trying to be better than I was yesterday and be better than myself, really.”

• • Watch Now: Click here to watch King’s full interview with Jones at Patriots training camp.

 

Patriots S Devin McCourty on what he told Jones: “Whoever you were in high school, in college, that guy, bring that guy here. You don’t have to be this guy or have to be that guy. We just need you to be Mac Jones.”

King on who he thinks could be calling the Patriots’ offense this season: “I won’t be surprised if Belichick eventually has a significant hand in play-calling.”

NEWS & NOTES

Bills QB Josh Allen on the team’s response to the mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store in May: “It’s something that still just feels very, very wrong. Feels very weird. But, to have and share that experience, show our support for the community, we’ve got to continue to find ways to not let it just be like a one-off thing. We want to continue to show that we support this community from all of Western New York.”

King on Tom Brady turning 45 this week: “Brady, assuming he lines up to play Dallas in Week 1, would be the first non-kicker at 45 or older to play an NFL game in 97 years… In other words, a starting quarterback for a Super Bowl contender playing at 45 is without precedent.”

King on 49ers WR Deebo Samuel’s contract extension: “I like how it was handled…When [49ers GM John] Lynch made it clear he wouldn’t trade Samuel and then just put the story on simmer for two months, that gave all parties time to reset and cool off. Nice job getting Samuel back, and good for Samuel to cash in after one great season.”

King on Guardian Caps, the foam helmet supplement that players have been wearing in training camps: “It’s a good step. I’d like to see players wear them for every practice, in-season and out.”

King on Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s contract clause that states he must spend at least four hours per week studying film: “The damage was done to Murray’s reputation. And I can’t help wondering how long it will take to repair the relationship between him and the team.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—

“He loved L.A., he loved his Super Bowl mates, he loved playing for Sean McVay. The Rams wanted him back…But then the Bills threw the money and the love at him, and here we are.”– Peter King on Von Miller’s decision to leave the Rams for the Bills

“I was always enamored with the New England system. Now I’m learning the details of it and I love it even more.”– Raiders QB Derek Carr on learning the Patriots system through head coach Josh McDaniels

“[Kyler] Murray’s not a top-five quarterback, but he does give the Cardinals a good chance to win every game he starts. That makes him worth stratospheric money.” – King on the Cardinals’ decision to sign Murray to a historic contract extension

NFL on NBC YouTube Channel Launches Today – Watch Hours of Exclusive Content and Subscribe Today

STAMFORD, Conn. – July 25, 2022 – Peter King kicks off his 2022 NFL Training Camp Tour by visiting with the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders – two 2021 Playoff teams – in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Kyler Murray’s contract extension with the Cardinals, pressing questions for each NFL team heading into training camp, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel for free, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET every weekday, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, The Peter King Podcast, The Rich Eisen Show, Brother from Another, and The Dan Patrick Show. To learn more about the NBC Sports on Peacock channel and how to sign up, click here.

Launching today, the NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

First-year Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels on forming a new identity after leaving the Patriots: “I’m not Bill [Belichick], and there’s no shame in saying that. Bill’s the greatest football coach of all time, and he’s got his own distinctive way of doing things. So now, my thought process is less, ‘What would we have done in New England?’ It’s more, ‘What would I do?’ I have faith in myself as a coach.”

Raiders QB Derek Carr on learning the New England system through McDaniels: “I was always enamored with the New England system. Now I’m learning the details of it and I love it even more.”

BUFFALO BILLS

Bills linebacker Von Miller on NFL free agency: “Free-agency is crazy…You gotta make life-changing decisions, career-changing decisions, in two hours.”

Peter King on Miller’s decision to leave the Rams for the Bills: “He loved L.A., he loved his Super Bowl mates, he loved playing for Sean McVay. The Rams wanted him back…But then the Bills threw the money and the love at him, and here we are.”

King on the Bills’ plan to keep Miller fresh throughout the season: “The Bills are so good that in games they’re leading big at the start of the fourth quarter, coach Sean McDermott should say to Miller: Take a shower. You’re done. That could save 100, 150 snaps. And for the big ones (at Baltimore, at Kansas City, Green Bay, at Cincinnati, maybe a New England or Miami game), he could give Buffalo 65 snaps.”

King on Josh Allen’s impact on the community in western New York: “Athletes are important to communities…he’s becoming a very big part of the fabric of western New York.”

King on Bills wide receiver Gabriel Davis: “He’s cut, he’s got soft hands, he’s very ready to be a 1b to 1a Stefon Diggs in this offense.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on the Cardinals’ decision to sign Kyler Murray to a historic contract extension: “In the NFL, you’ve got no chance without a quarterback. Murray’s not a top-five quarterback, but he does give the Cardinals a good chance to win every game he starts. That makes him worth stratospheric money.”

King on Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown’s decision to turn down Kansas City’s offer to make him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history: “I’m just totally befuddled why a smart person like Brown, with one of the best jobs a tackle could ever have (blocking for Patrick Mahomes, playing in a Nirvana place like Kansas City, making more money than any lineman ever), would turn down that offer.”

King on what an attorney told him is his prediction for the Deshaun Watson suspension: “The arbitrator, Sue L. Robinson, will be making her first decision as a referee straddling the line between the NFL and the NFL Players Association, and she’ll want to be seen as very fair; so it will be tough for her to accede to what the NFL reportedly wants—a minimum of a full year’s suspension.”

King on the Patriots not naming an offensive or defensive coordinator yet: “It’s a Belichick thing. He’s mysterious. Part of him, I’m sure, isn’t sure who should call the offensive plays, and as such it’s hard to name a coordinator if that man isn’t going to call the plays.”

King on the importance of this season for Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa: “It’s clear this is a make-or-break season for Tua Tagovailoa and a prime reason why offensive wunderkind [Mike] McDaniel was imported from the Kyle Shanahan tree. Miami’s got to be significantly better than 25^th in total offense, which the ’21 Fins were.”

King on the Cowboys’ defensive woes: “When your offense averages four touchdowns a game over two years, and the record is only 18-16, there’s a major issue to be solved. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s got to solve it.”

King on the Saints’ chances in the NFC South this season: “I believe camp will prove one thing: Do not hand the division title to the Bucs so fast.”

King on 49ers QB Trey Lance: “Every practice will be micro-analyzed, as things are with quarterbacks in the NFL. I just wish the football public would give a 22-year-old quarterback who has thrown 101 passes total in his age-20 and -21 years combined a little breathing room.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

• • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio and Mike Golic (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
  • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
  • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
  • The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

—NBC SPORTS—