“I think the more I hear about the Jets’ pursuit of Aaron Rodgers, the more it’d scare me — unless, and this is a big ‘unless’ — it involves at least a verbal agreement that he plays in 2024 as well.” – King on the potential stipulations in an Aaron Rodgers trade

“All I can say is the Ravens had better, deep in the back of their pragmatic minds, start to consider veteran alternatives — and maybe even the rookie second- and third-round QB market.” – King’s advice for the Ravens in the midst of the Lamar Jackson saga

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 27, 2023 – Peter King tackles the NFL owners meetings and the league’s biggest offseason news in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King breaks down the annual NFL Meetings in Arizona, the Aaron Rodgers and Jets saga, Bryce Young’s evaluation, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry and The Peter King Podcast. This week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, Simms continues his annual position-by-position draft prospect rankings. On today’s episode, Simms unveils his 2023 NFL Draft wide receiver rankings. 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 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:

Peter King on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s success rate and why he is reportedly expected to receive a contract extension: “He works for the owners, who are mostly happy with his performance; he has kept the game from any work stoppages that resulted in lost regular-season or playoff games, and this CBA doesn’t expire till early 2031; he has lorded over a league that dominates the sports landscape even when it’s not playing games; and there’s the matter of franchise values.”

King on who he thinks could succeed Goodell one day: “Speculation will center on Brian Rolapp, as it should, and Troy Vincent if the league looks internally for Goodell’s replacement, with Rolapp having an edge among active league office execs. Some club executives — Mark Donovan (Kansas City), Tom Garfinkel (Miami), Kevin Demoff (Rams) — could surface as well. My not-so-dark horse is Anthony Noto, the CEO of personal finance giant SoFi, and former CFO of the NFL (2008-2010).”

King on the future of punts in the NFL: “The NFL wants to significantly cut down on punts in the game. There’s a proposal here to have touchbacks on punts returned to the 25-yard line, not the 20-, in part to encourage teams with a fourth down near midfield to go for it instead of punting it away.”

King on Alabama QB Bryce Young: “I’d been told previously that Young, in not getting many passes batted down at the line, has a sense of playing bigger than he is.”

King on the Lamar Jackson/Ravens situation: “All I can say is the Ravens had better, deep in the back of their pragmatic minds, start to consider veteran alternatives — and maybe even the rookie second- and third-round QB market.”

King on LB Bobby Wagner returning to the Seahawks after one season with the Rams: “It is a tribute to Wagner being mature and burning no bridges when he was a cap casualty with the Seahawks last spring…And it’s a tribute to Seattle GM John Schneider for how he handled Wagner since drafting him in the second round of the 2012 draft. The mutual respect drips from this return. Let it be a model for other great players and franchises.”

King on the NFL ‘very likely’ continuing to allow ball carriers to be pushed from behind: “My problem, aside from the fact that it’s not a football play, is that it’s only a matter of time before a quarterback gets hurt on the play…I think the NFL’s going to live to regret this inaction.”

King on what he’s hearing about Daniel Snyder’s Commanders sale: “One source with significant financial knowledge about the league said (Daniel) Snyder is highly unlikely to get his dream price for the team – $7 billion. Snyder, this source said, is more likely to sell the full asset for something just over $6 billion.”

King on the NFL’s plan to create more storytelling content in partnership with Skydance Media: “One NFL executive told me the most important part of the partnership will be spreading NFL appeal to the globe.”

King on the potential of flexing Thursday night games: “I’m dubious it’ll pass…But I’m told this is something Roger Goodell really wants to have in his toolbox…It still will be bad for the product and for the fans in-stadium, but it is sensible to legislate not being able to do it more than once per year.”

King on Georgia DT Jalen Carter’s draft stock: “I think I won’t be surprised, unless Seattle takes him at five, if Jalen Carter drops out of the top 10.”

King on Aaron Rodgers and the Jets: “I think the more I hear about the Jets’ pursuit of Aaron Rodgers, the more it’d scare me — unless, and this is a big ‘unless’ — it involves at least a verbal agreement that he plays in 2024 as well.”

King on the Jets signing WR Mecole Hardman: “The Jets have added a speed guy Kansas City let walk after an injury-plagued season but have surrendered the advantage of a comfortable rookie contract, and Hardman will eat up perhaps $3-million-to-$4-million more for a parallel player. All in all, it’s a shaky deal.”

King on the Jets trading WR Elijah Moore: “Dumping the 32^nd pick of 2021, with 4.35 speed, after two lousy seasons is bad business. And (Jets GM Joe) Douglas didn’t pick up an extra pick here — he moved up 32 spots. Valuable spots, of course. But early third-round picks are valuable, and the Jets are without theirs now.”

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

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

• • 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 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—

“Unless Rodgers flat-out guarantees the Jets he’s there for two years, minimum, I’m not considering paying the 2023 one for him.” – King on the potential draft capital in an Aaron Rodgers trade

“If (Georgia DT) Jalen Carter is there when (Ryan) Poles picks, he has the kind of decision to make that could define his term as Chicago GM.” – King on the Bears’ first round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

“If no one out there is giving him more fully guaranteed for three years, obviously feeling that his injuries must factor in, he could take a three-year deal and be a free agent again at age 29.” – King’s advice for Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 20, 2023 – Peter King shares his thoughts on each NFL team in the opening week of the league year in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King breaks down NFL free agency signings, trades, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry and The Peter King Podcast. This week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, Simms begins his annual position-by-position draft prospect rankings. On today’s episode, Simms unveils his 2023 NFL Draft quarterback rankings. 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 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:

Bears GM Ryan Poles to King on his decision to trade the first overall pick in the NFL Draft: “My gut told me to trigger on it now. At the combine, I thought those quarterbacks did an outstanding job in their interview process. A lot of teams felt really good about some of those guys, but as you get further away from the combine, maybe there’s a bad pro day or something that turns teams off.”

King on the Bears’ draft position: “The biggest X factor in this draft will be Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who possibly will fall to nine now after being the best overall prospect two months ago, then having a disastrous off-season. Poles has to figure out if Carter’s a legit hard-trying football guy or an irresponsible problem person…If Carter is there when Poles picks, he has the kind of decision to make that could define his term as Chicago GM.”

King on the Broncos signing QB Jarrett Stidham: “So now (Sean) Payton buys him to be Russell Wilson’s backup, and nothing needs to be said to Wilson about it. If Wilson by midseason 2023 is having a similarly disastrous season to his first one in Denver, Payton won’t have to punt on the season. He’ll have an intriguing backup waiting in the wings.”

King on Stidham leaving Las Vegas for Denver: “I hear Stidham figured with (Jimmy) Garoppolo coming and the chance the Raiders could take a quarterback with their early first-round pick, he’d have a better chance at playing time under Sean Payton in Denver…To me, the opportunity with the Raiders likely not trading into the Bryce Young/C.J. Stroud stratosphere and with Garoppolo’s injury history would have been golden in Vegas.”

King on the potential draft capital the Packers want from the Jets in an Aaron Rodgers trade: “Unless Rodgers flat-out guarantees the Jets he’s there for two years, minimum, I’m not considering paying the 2023 one for him.”

King on the Commanders not meeting with QB Lamar Jackson: “I’m not suggesting the Commanders absolutely should sign a 26-year-old franchise quarterback with injury question marks, but to not even go down the road with (Lamar) Jackson? How do you say you’re doing everything you can to win when you don’t sit with him and see what Lamar Jackson is all about? What does that cost, exactly?”

King on the Ravens/Lamar Jackson contract situation: “If he has gotten a three-year guarantee in the neighborhood of $44 million a year, I think he’d be smart to take it, even if it won’t be as much as he wants. Simple reason: If no one out there is giving him more fully guaranteed for three years, obviously feeling that his injuries must factor in, he could take a three-year deal and be a free agent again at age 29.”

King on the Cowboys-Texans trade that sent WR Brandin Cooks to Dallas: “I think it’s a smart trade for both teams. Houston clears out a big salary and deals a player who wasn’t happy being there. The Texans now have a league-high 13 picks in the April draft.”

King on the Rams: “The L.A. Rams are in a gap year, trying to get their team and future and cap right in 2023 with a recharged Sean McVay. It’s smart, and don’t expect them to apologize for winning a Super Bowl while robbing from the future in 2021.”

King on WR Adam Thielen signing with the Panthers: “I think if I were the Bills, I’d have been more aggressive in trying to sign Adam Thielen…I don’t get a building team signing a player in his age-33 year. Thielen belonged with a contender.”

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

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

• • 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 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—

“Chicago got enough for the pick, assuming D.J. Moore can be the primo receiver Justin Fields desperately needs. Carolina paid through the nose, and recent draft history is littered with lousy tradeups into the top five for quarterbacks who didn’t pan out.” – King on the Panthers trade for the Bears’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

“Trading to number one and choosing (Florida QB Anthony) Richardson might turn out to be brilliant. But picking Richardson number one after dealing five prime pieces for him is a major risk.” – King on the Panthers potentially drafting Florida QB Anthony Richardson

“This deal is an admission the Dolphins won’t be a title team without major improvement on defense.” – King on Rams trading CB Jalen Ramsey to Dolphins

“Take the Jets’ gig for the next two years…Imagine going down as the best for this franchise since Joe Namath. That’d be a cool way to end a great career.” – King’s advice for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 13, 2023 – Peter King recaps the Bears’ and Panthers’ blockbuster trade for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses the Dolphins’ trade for Jalen Ramsey, the NFL prospects for Bryce Young, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, Brother from Another at 3 p.m. ET, plus Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and the weekly Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry and 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 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:

BEARS-PANTHERS TRADE

Peter King on the Panthers trading for the Bears’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft: “The prevailing wisdom: Chicago got enough for the pick, assuming D.J. Moore can be the primo receiver Justin Fields desperately needs. Carolina paid through the nose, and recent draft history is littered with lousy tradeups into the top five for quarterbacks who didn’t pan out.”

King on the value of the Bears acquiring WR D.J. Moore: “When you try to figure out the relative value of Moore in the deal, think of it as probably equal to a mid-first-round pick — because in a down year for receivers in the draft and certainly in free agency, a wideout in the range of 15^th- to 20^th– best in the league with three manageable years left on his contract entering his age-26 year has great value.”

King on the Panthers’ QB preference in this year’s draft: “I’ve heard the same rumors everyone else has — that (Panthers head coach) Frank Reich loves Florida QB Anthony Richardson…Trading to number one and choosing Richardson might turn out to be brilliant. But picking Richardson number one after dealing five prime pieces for him is a major risk.”

King on Alabama QB Bryce Young’s chances of being drafted No. 1 by Carolina: “There probably wasn’t a quarterback in college football last year who was as smart and resourceful as Young…if (Reich) thinks Young’s markedly the best prospect, he’ll be good taking him.”

King on a potentially revamped Bears roster: “It’s amazing how different the Bears could look come training camp. Imagine Fields throwing to D.J. Moore outside or in the slot, with (OT Orlando) Brown protecting his blind side, and (Northwestern OT Peter) Skoronski plugged in either at guard or tackle as a day-one starter…That’s all fantasy football, of course, but (Bears GM Ryan) Poles has the cap room and draft picks to make some plug-and-play decisions between now and May 1.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on the Dolphins trading for CB Jalen Ramsey: “Miami will contend if Tua Tagovailoa can stay on the field most or all of the regular season. That’s a certainty. But this deal is an admission the Dolphins won’t be a title team without major improvement on defense.”

King on this year’s NFL free agency class: “The crop, as has been well documented, is the worst it’s been in some years. As one prime agent told me Saturday, ‘The full evaporation of the middle class in the NFL is underway.’ That might be a bit dramatic, but another agent told me over the weekend he expects teams to play one team against another more this year than ever before — because there simply aren’t enough desirable players on the market.”

King on Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: “Take the Jets’ gig for the next two years. Your life has been about adventure. (Weirdness too, but adventure.) Imagine going down as the best for this franchise since Joe Willie Namath off-off-Broadway. That’d be a cool way to end a great career.”

King on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: “I have no idea what Jackson’s going to do — and I can’t find one team anxious to give him a fully (or nearly fully) guaranteed contract for four or five years.”

King on the positive report from 49ers QB Brock Purdy’s elbow surgery: “Just another reason why San Francisco won’t overreact and spend/draft significantly on a quarterback. This also gives Trey Lance a runway to be the number one guy through the offseason, with the reps and responsibility that entails. Overall, good news for (49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan.”

King on Saints QB Derek Carr and Seahawks QB Geno Smith: “I think Derek Carr and Geno Smith are absolutely in the right places for them. Carr will love the offense and receiving talent with the Saints. Smith is the living, breathing example of a quarterback who is handed a golden chance and plays excellent football when no one thought he would.”

Patriots WR Matthew Slater to King on retired Patriots S Devin McCourty: “I do think that it’s important to acknowledge how good of a player he was. Our football team really had two heartbeats for a long time — Tom [Brady] and Devin. Devin was the one unifying voice on our defense for a long, long time.”

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

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

• • 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 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 do think there’s potential that we have something really good, and to me, you’ve got to see it through.” – Bears GM Ryan Poles on sticking with QB Justin Fields

“There’s a lot of people who have paved the way for smaller quarterbacks. A lot of people have done it at a really high level. Drew Brees, Russell Wilson are guys that definitely inspired me a lot growing up.” – Alabama QB Bryce Young on his size

“If I’m the team, I want Jackson badly, but not enough to guarantee him his money five years into the future after he’s missed so much time hurt.” – King on the Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson

“Best guesses from my GM crowd-sourcing: Derek Carr to the Saints, Aaron Rodgers no one knows, truly (but I’m guessing Jets), Lamar Jackson and Daniel Jones franchised, Jimmy Garoppolo being the beneficiary of some QB uncertainty sometime in March.” – King’s QB predictions

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 6, 2023 – Peter King recaps the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine and previews the upcoming NFL Draft and NFL free agency in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Lamar Jackson’s contract situation in Baltimore, the Bears’ draft strategy with the number one pick, Carson Wentz’s career, and more.

For more NFL coverage, Peacock offers daily programming on the NBC Sports channel, including Pro Football Talk at 7 a.m. ET, The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. 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 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:

2023 NFL DRAFT

Bears GM Ryan Poles to King on the importance of this year’s NFL Draft for the team: “I believe in building something to sustain success for a long period of time. To me that’s gotta be through the draft. This is just a chance to load up this team up with a bunch of opportunity and flexibility to do that.”

King on Poles’ plan for the Bears going forward: “It’s clear he’s not trading (QB Justin) Fields, and he’s not picking a quarterback high in this draft. He left little doubt the Bears will trade the first overall pick and said he’d spoken to three teams at the Combine about a deal.”

Poles on Fields: “When we started to adjust and adapt to what he did well, and he started running the ball a little bit, we saw a very unique and special ability and talent that can change the game. Now that next piece in terms of being an efficient passer is what we need to get to…I do think there’s potential that we have something really good, and to me, you’ve got to see it through.”

Poles on the urgency to trade the first overall pick: “I could carry this all the way until we’re on the clock the night of the draft. But then there’s teams that want some certainty because, ‘If I need a quarterback bad, should I do that now when some of these guys, like Derek Carr, are out there?’ To me, they’ve got to go so much more above to do it now.”

King on the Colts: “(Colts) GM Chris Ballard is under the gun, and he knows it. I think if he falls in love with one of the top passers, he’ll overpay for him.”

King on the Panthers: “The owner, David Tepper, has made it clear internally he wants a long-term answer at quarterback, and he wants it now…the Panthers might be willing to overpay relative to the Colts, and if the Bears have enough ‘blue’ players on the board to ensure they’d get one picking at nine, I could see them taking that deal.”

2023 NFL SCOUTING COMBINE

King on Alabama QB Bryce Young: “Young is the most polished of the class, but he’s 5-10 1/8, and that surely will give some teams pause. (Cardinals QB) Kyler Murray was the same height, exactly, four years ago, but still went one overall. The difference is Young doesn’t have the speed Murray has.”

Young on his size: “There’s a lot of people who have paved the way for smaller quarterbacks. A lot of people have done it at a really high level. Drew Brees, Russell Wilson are guys that definitely inspired me a lot growing up.”

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah on Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud’s Combine performance: “Best pure passer in this draft, and he had what I’d call a graceful workout. I’ve been to workouts that are overpowering. Stroud was smooth and natural. He’s a born thrower.”

King on Florida QB Anthony Richardson: “He could turn out to be a megastar; his tools suggest that’s certainly possible. But let’s recall he won six games as a college quarterback, started for one season, and completed 54.7 percent of his career passes. We do some weird things in the media business, but inflating players because of their Combine performances is the weirdest.”

NEWS & NOTES

King’s QB predictions: “Best guesses from my GM crowd-sourcing: Derek Carr to the Saints, Aaron Rodgers no one knows, truly (but I’m guessing Jets), Lamar Jackson and Daniel Jones franchised, Jimmy Garoppolo being the beneficiary of some QB uncertainty sometime in March.”

King’s idea on Lamar Jackson/Ravens contract situation: “My idea: Baltimore tries to sign Jackson to a short-term guaranteed deal. Maybe two years, $85 million, or three years, $125 million…Jackson wouldn’t be getting the security he certainly wants. But I don’t see the Ravens doing the full guarantee over five years, the way Cleveland did with (Deshaun) Watson. If I’m the team, I want Jackson badly, but not enough to guarantee him his money five years into the future after he’s missed so much time hurt.”

King on QB Carson Wentz, who was recently released by the Commanders: “I’d argue that no player in NFL history has cost so much and delivered so little.”

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

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

• • 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 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—

“What did the 2022 season teach us about pro football? You need a quarterback to reach the promised land, and you need defenders who can stop the quarterback.” – Peter King on the most sought-after players in this year’s NFL Draft

“Five of them, I think, are gonna end up being starters. But they all have flaws. There’s not a Trevor Lawrence. But while there’s risk involved, I think these guys have really, really high upside across the board.” – NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah on this year’s QB class

“He’s not afraid to make any throw, and unlike some quarterbacks who can’t justify such quiet bravado, Stroud has, consistently.” – King on Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud

“If I’m the Ravens, and if (Lamar) Jackson is going to insist on a contract with major guarantees at or near the top of the current QB market — and if another team will give him that, and give Baltimore two high-round picks — I’d probably wish him well and let him walk.” – King on the Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 27, 2023 – Peter King previews the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft with NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Lamar Jackson’s contract situation in Baltimore, Russell Wilson and Sean Payton’s future in Denver, 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 (which will be live from the Combine in Indianapolis this week), The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. 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 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:

NFL DRAFT & NFL SCOUTING COMBINE

Peter King on the most sought-after players in this year’s NFL Draft: “What did the 2022 season teach us about pro football? You need a quarterback to reach the promised land, and you need defenders who can stop the quarterback.”

King on the quarterback demand in this year’s draft: “There are four quarterbacks likely to go in the first half of the first round, and four teams with major quarterback needs in the top nine: Houston (two), Indianapolis (four), Las Vegas (seven) and Carolina (nine). I hear — though it might be smoke — that none of the four wants to scotch-tape a veteran like 39-year-old Aaron Rodgers and probably not Derek Carr.”

NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah to King on popular targets in the draft: “This has been in talking to some GMs in their draft meetings, literally the questions are: ‘Is this guy gonna help us get off the field against Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen?’ You’ve got to build your team towards trying to deal with this next generation of star quarterbacks, particularly in the AFC.”

Jeremiah on the top-end players in the draft: “It doesn’t have maybe what we’ve had in years past, in terms of the elite, high-end players. I love (Georgia DT) Jalen Carter. I love (Alabama edge) Will Anderson. Those are my top two players. After that, I think there’s holes and questions on just about everybody.”

Jeremiah on the QB class in this year’s draft: “Five of them, I think, are gonna end up being starters. But they all have flaws. They all have holes. There’s not a Trevor Lawrence. There’s not a Joe Burrow. There’s not an Andrew Luck. But while there’s risk involved, I think these guys have really, really high upside across the board.”

Jeremiah on Alabama QB Bryce Young: “In terms of what do you like about him, it’s almost like, what do you not like about him? He’s got poise, he’s got excellent accuracy, he’s a really good decision-maker.”

King on Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud: “What’s impressive is how he throws downfield and across the field; he’s not afraid to make any throw, and unlike some quarterbacks who can’t justify such quiet bravado, Stroud has, consistently.”

Jeremiah on Kentucky QB Will Levis: “When you watch him, you still see every type of throw you can make. He can do it. He’s got a really strong arm. You know when he’s healthy he’s a good athlete. The two things that you gotta navigate around are the turnovers, the combination of fumbles and interceptions, and then taking a ton of sacks.”

Jeremiah on Florida QB Anthony Richardson: “If you’re on an alien spaceship and you land and you only watch Richardson’s Utah game (17-of-24 with 106 yards rushing and three rushing TDs), you think he’s the best football player on the planet. But the consistency is just not there. It’s a roller coaster ride that you go on. But there’s a ton of talent in there.”

Jeremiah on Texas RB Bijan Robinson: “The grade I gave him is the same grade I gave to (49ers RB) Christian McCaffrey. It’s the same grade that I gave to (Giants RB) Saquon Barkley.”

Jeremiah on this year’s tight end class: “The best tight end group I’ve seen in the last 10 years.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on Giants QB Daniel Jones: “I think if I’m Giants GM Joe Schoen, and Daniel Jones is asking for $45 million a year — and I truly don’t know if he is — I’m shaking his hand, wishing him good luck finding it somewhere and franchising him.”

King on Broncos head coach Sean Payton hiring recently retired QB Davis Webb as Denver’s QB coach: “Payton will not only be coaching Russell Wilson this year in a crucial year for them both — he’ll be putting a first-year position coach in charge of coaching Wilson. Not that (Davis) Webb won’t be a good coach. But throwing him into a raging inferno in year one is an interesting move by Payton, to say the least.”

King on the advice he would give to Russell Wilson: “Put your head down, say little, don’t try to justify anything from the past, and do whatever Sean Payton tells you.”

King on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s injury history: “How is the injury status of a guy who makes a good part of his living with his legs — Jackson might be the best combo running/passing quarterback in NFL history — a mild concern, considering he has started and finished one December/January game in the past two years?”

King: “If I’m the Ravens, and if Jackson is going to insist on a contract with major guarantees at or near the top of the current QB market — and if another team will give him that, and give Baltimore two high-round picks — I’d probably wish him well and let him walk.”

King on the Rams’ future: “Imagine next year (the Rams) having a first-round pick for the first time in eight years, and imagine that pick being pretty high in the first round, and imagine Caleb Williams of USC coming out of the draft. This will be Matthew Stafford’s age-35 season, his 15^th year in the league. Next year is very far away, but it’s an intriguing time to think about the future of Sean McVay and the Rams.”

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

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

• • 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 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—

“Our players were prepped. I did not do a good enough job myself to put them in a position to make the play.” – Former Eagles defensive coordinator and Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on Philadelphia’s defense against Kansas City in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII

“If Kyler Murray isn’t here, I don’t take this job. I think this offense will look much different…I think we can take him to another level and unleash his full skill set.” – Gannon on coaching Cardinals QB Kyler Murray next season

“If I’m an Eagles fan, or a member of Eagle brass, I am thrilled that this excellent quarterback — who will be just 25 on opening day 2023 — is the quarterback I’m rooting for to take us to the promised land.” – King on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

“You could see the calm Pat had. In these moments, one of the biggest moments of the entire season, Andy trusted Pat in that moment to make the right decision.” – Chiefs assistant coach Matt Nagy on QB Patrick Mahomes’ poise when a play was lined up in the wrong formation in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 20, 2023 – Peter King speaks with former Eagles defensive coordinator, and recently hired Cardinals head coach, Jonathan Gannon in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also looks back on the Chiefs’ offensive play-calling in their Super Bowl LVII victory, the Eagles’ future, the current NFL coaching cycle, 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, 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 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:

JONATHAN GANNON

Former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to King on Philadelphia’s coverage of Kansas City’s back-to-back wide-open touchdowns in the fourth quarter: “Our players were prepped. I did not do a good enough job myself to put them in a position to make the play. I didn’t do a good enough job to get out of the call what I wanted out of the call. I didn’t give them the tools that they needed to win the down.”

Gannon on how he learned that the Cardinals had requested to interview him: “(Eagles GM) Howie Roseman told me after the game, ‘You won’t be coming back with us to Philadelphia. You’re staying here to interview for the Cardinals job.’”

Gannon on coaching Cardinals QB Kyler Murray next season: “If Kyler Murray isn’t here, I don’t take this job. I think this offense will look much different…I think we can take him to another level and unleash his full skill set.”

Gannon on hiring 29- and 35-year-old coordinators in Arizona: “As far as who’s running the offense and the defense, age was never a factor for me – what was in their brain and what was in their heart is. It’s capacity and character. That’s what I’m looking for in a staff.”

Gannon on his coaching philosophy: “One of my biggest mentors is (former Vikings head coach) Mike Zimmer. Is my personality the same as Mike Zimmer? No, it is not. Am I in alignment with a lot of things that he did as a head coach for discipline, accountability, player performance? You bet your ass I am.”

King on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts: “If I’m an Eagles fan, or a member of Eagle brass, I am thrilled that this excellent quarterback — who will be just 25 on opening day 2023 — is the quarterback I’m rooting for to take us to the promised land. He will, or he will absolutely exhaust himself trying.”

CHIEFS

Chiefs senior offensive assistant/QB coach Matt Nagy on head coach Andy Reid’s white board of plays: “He has about 27 different markers on his board that you can pick from and he wants you to space out the colors so you don’t have two black diagrams next to each other. By the end of the week, you get to Thursday or Friday and it looks like probably what you saw. It can look very confusing. That’s why we call it the ‘Beautiful Mind Board.’”

King on Reid’s decision to call the “Corn Dog” play in Super Bowl LVII that resulted in a Kadarius Toney touchdown: “Kansas City had called it one time all season — in the second quarter of the season-opener, coincidentally in this same stadium against the Cardinals, on the 23^rd offensive snap of the season. Reid called 77 quarters worth of plays, exactly 1,242 snaps over 19 games, without opting for the Jet Motion reverse again. Then, on the biggest snap of the season, Reid called for it. That is brilliant coaching.”

Nagy on QB Patrick Mahomes’ reaction to TE Travis Kelce accidentally lining up in the wrong formation before WR Skyy Moore’s touchdown in the fourth quarter: “You could see the calm Pat had. In these moments, one of the biggest moments of the entire season, Andy trusted Pat in that moment to make the right decision.”

Nagy: “I’m telling you, Pat just doesn’t make wrong decisions there. It would have been easy with the play clock running down and the formation messed up for Pat to turn around, start walking to the sidelines and signal for time. When he didn’t, I just figured, ‘He’s got something.’”

NEWS & NOTES

King on former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy taking the Commanders’ OC job: “Eric Bieniemy going to Washington is good for the Commanders, horrible for the NFL. It’s beyond shameful that a two-time Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator makes a mostly lateral move (though with full play-designing and calling power, which Bieniemy didn’t have in Kansas City) while the NFL has devoted so many resources to the paucity of Black coaches in the league.”

King on Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo: “Anarumo’s a dynamic person, his players love him, and yet he got to the finals of just one job — Arizona. Good for the Bengals that he stays, but I hope he gets longer looks next coaching cycle.”

King on the teammates pushing quarterbacks forward in short-yardage situations: “I believe, through no Deep Throats, that the (Competition) Committee will try to adjust the rule that allows players to push the quarterback from behind, rather than the quarterback simply trying to make the short yardage with no teammate propulsion.”

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

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

• • 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 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—

“Whatever it was, I wasn’t coming out of the game. This is the Super Bowl. You think I’m coming out of this game? We got all off-season to get well. We had only two quarters left to play, and we had to find a way to win.” – Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on his ankle injury in the second quarter

“This game stamped Mahomes without question as this game’s best and brightest quarterback, leader and franchise linchpin.” – Peter King

“I cannot be more impressed with Jalen Hurts as a player, a leader, a competitor.” – King

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 13, 2023 – Peter King speaks with the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also chronicles the Chiefs’ thrilling 38-35 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, Kansas City’s offensive play calling, Jalen Hurts’ dynamic performance, 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, 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:

SUPER BOWL LVII

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to King on the ankle injury he sustained during the second quarter: “I knew it wasn’t good…Whatever it was, I wasn’t coming out of the game. This is the Super Bowl. You think I’m coming out of this game? We got all off-season to get well. We had only two quarters left to play, and we had to find a way to win.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on what he told his team at halftime with the Chiefs trailing 24-14: “Ten points. Ten points isn’t a lot. We’re just off a tick.”

Mahomes on what he told his teammates at halftime: “We weren’t playing with our normal joy. I said you can’t let the moment overtake you.”

Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney on Kansas City’s offensive play-calling: “We work hard every day to know the [defensive] personnel, to know exactly how they’re going to play us. We try to go out there and exploit it.”

Peter King on Mahomes congratulating WR Skyy Moore after the win: “He hugged TD-scorer (Skyy) Moore, who’s had some tough moments this year, and said, ‘Waited till the last game, huh? Love you! Way to get it in there!’ I mean, what do you think that means to a rookie like Skyy Moore, having a two-time MVP and Super Bowl MVP look you in the eye, hug you, and tell you that?”

Reid on if he’s going to retire: “I’m not.”

King on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts: “I cannot be more impressed with Jalen Hurts as a player, a leader, a competitor…Philadelphia GM Howie Roseman has a lot of tough decisions to make on his roster, but how good must he feel to know that he invested a low second-round pick in a backup QB in 2020 and what he has now is a long-term quarterback who is the envy of every franchise in football?”

King on what this game means for the Chiefs and Eagles: “This game stamped Mahomes without question as this game’s best and brightest quarterback, leader and franchise linchpin. The Eagles are close, with (Jalen) Hurts. Very close. But Mahomes willed this team to its second Super Bowl in four seasons. I sincerely doubt he’s done.”

King on the Eagles’ future: “I think the Eagles will be back. Often. That is a team with a 41-year-old coach and a 24-year-old low-ego franchise quarterback and a 47-year-old GM, and Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts and Howie Roseman will be sure to build this team to last.”

KING’S SUPER BOWL LVII AWARDS

Offensive Players of the Week: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City, & Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia

King on Mahomes: “Two Super Bowl victories and three appearances by age 27 — not bad for the KC phenom. Almost regardless of the outcome, the Mahomes legend grew Sunday.”

King on Hurts: “What a back-and-forth between two great players. Hurts, in his first (of several?) Super Bowl, ran for TDs of one, four and two yards, and threw a lovely rainbow TD pass of 45 yards to A.J. Brown…His 70 rushing yards set the record for most by a quarterback in a Super Bowl.”

Defensive Player of the Week: Nick Bolton, Kansas City

King on Bolton: “What a day for the active linebacker from Missouri, and it was one overturned play from being one of the historic defensive performances in Super Bowl history…Not bad for a guy (Chiefs GM) Brett Veach picked 58^th overall in 2021.”

Coach of the Week: Andy Reid, Kansas City

King on Reid: “He now sits one win behind Tom Landry on the all-time victories list, including playoffs, and has a team of players who think he’s some combination of father figure and genius coach. It’s a good time to be Andy Reid.”

Special Teams Player of the Week: Kadarius Toney, Kansas City

Goats of the Week: Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator, Philadelphia, & Isaac Seumalo, Philadelphia

King on Gannon: “Fool him once on a fake jet motion, fine. Twice? Not good…That’s something you’d forgive the Philadelphia play-callers for once. Twice? No way.”

NEWS & NOTES

NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders on why Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback ever: “Just the will that he had. The will. The way. What he brought to the game. And his fire and his passion. I’ve never heard anybody, a player, say anything negative about how he attacked the game. He’s a winner. He’s a darn winner. Once upon a time for me it was (Joe) Montana. It was Joe. Shoot, it was Joe. But Brady with the Super Bowl wins eclipsed that.”

King on potential future Super Bowl locations: “I’d bet a lot that one of the two games after (Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in 2025), in 2026 or ’27, will go to Los Angeles. The NFL loved the venue, the city and the facilities last year at SoFi, and the idea when the place was built was to give LA a game once every four or five years.”

King on Raiders QB Derek Carr: “I think New Orleans is the perfect place for Derek Carr.”

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

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

• • 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 think we might be watching the best offensive line of this century on Sunday. The Eagles are that good right now.” – Peter King

“I think this whole team has this chip on their shoulder when they get doubted. I know, 16-3 or whatever we are right now, you don’t get doubted quite as much. But there’s always somebody that’s doubting you, right?” – Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni on the team’s mentality

“I think the key to Super Bowl LVII is whether Kansas City defensive tackle Chris Jones can wreck it, or at least create two or three game-changing plays against the best line he’ll face all year, and perhaps the best he’s faced in his career.” – King on Chiefs DT Chris Jones

12^th Annual NFL Honors presented by Invisalign Live this Thursday, Feb. 9 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and NFL Network

Click Here for Details on NBC Sports’ Comprehensive Super Bowl Week Coverage Schedule Across Peacock and NBC Sports Digital Platforms

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 6, 2023 – Peter King speaks to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and previews Super Bowl LVII in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also looks back on the career of Tom Brady, analyzes the Broncos’ Sean Payton hiring, and more.

This Thursday, Feb. 9, at 9 p.m. ET, the 12^th annual NFL Honors presented by Invisalign awards show will be presented live on NBC, Peacock, and NFL Network. Click here for details.

NBC Sports will provide comprehensive Super Bowl Week coverage across Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms, beginning today, Monday, Feb. 6, through this Friday, Feb. 10. Click here for details on the on-site coverage from Radio Row at the Phoenix Convention Center, which includes an array of live shows and 50+ interviews.

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

NICK SIRIANNI & EAGLES

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni on making the Super Bowl in his second season as a head coach: “I just think about one day at a time. Get a little bit better each day. I’ve been obsessed with that, even going back to when I was a high school basketball player…I don’t think of how fast it happened.”

Sirianni on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts’ current status: “Steady. Unfazed…It’s just another opportunity for us to play for each other, just another opportunity for us to win and get better. I know that’s Jalen’s mindset and that’s how I’ve seen him all week.”

Sirianni on Hurts’ work ethic: “I think he’s just a very steady person, which is an unbelievable trait to have as a quarterback when there’s ups and downs in the season, when there’s ups and downs in the game…He deserves this moment because he just thinks about how he can get better each day.”

King on the Eagles’ offensive line: “I think we might be watching the best offensive line of this century on Sunday. The Eagles are that good right now.”

Sirianni on the Eagles’ mentality: “I think this whole team has this chip on their shoulder when they get doubted. I know, 15-3 or whatever we are right now (16-3 actually), you don’t get doubted quite as much. But there’s always somebody that’s doubting you, right?”

Sirianni on Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who bypassed hiring Sirianni in 2012: “Hey, it worked out pretty well. God always has plans. As mad as you might be — mad or upset or as crushed as you might be — I mean, think about the path it really led me on. No hard feelings there. I appreciated him taking the time to spend time with me…I can’t tell you how many times [GM] Howie Roseman talks about ‘Coach Reid would’ve done this.’ Or when I ask, sometimes, Hey what do you think coach Reid would do in this scenario? It tells you a lot about Coach Reid.”

Sirianni on the influence of his father, who was a high school football coach: “The players that played for my dad always came back and visited him. I’d be working out in the driveway, and people would just stop by who used to play for my dad just to say hi to my dad. Guys with kids and grown men with jobs would come back just to see their high school coach. That made an impression on me.”

Sirianni on Larry Kehres, Sirianni’s college coach at Mount Union: “He’d say, ‘Don’t over-coach. Make sure there’s a coaching point, good or bad, after every play.’ He’d say, ‘It’s all about the players, putting them in positions to make plays. It doesn’t matter if you like a play or the other coaches like the play. Can the player do it?’”

Sirianni on the Empire State Building being lit up in green and white after the Eagles’ NFC Championship victory: “That would not happen in Philadelphia. It just wouldn’t. But Eagles fans are everywhere.”

TOM BRADY’S RETIREMENT

Tom Brady to Peter King in 2017 on his outlook on football: “Other than playing football, the other thing I love to do is prepare to play football. It doesn’t ever feel like a sacrifice to me. Football’s a job, but it’s never felt like a job to me.”

King on Brady’s interaction with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes after the 2018 AFC Championship Game: “When Brady came back (to the Patriots locker room), he spent the first of our seven minutes together raving about (Patrick) Mahomes. The leadership, the poise, the will…The message had a big impact on Mahomes. Keep doing what you’re doing, keep putting in the work, you’ll have a lot more of these chances. Brady reached out again after Mahomes sprained his ankle and hobbled through the playoff win over Jacksonville. Brady’s message: That’s what I’m talking about! That’s what champions do!”

King on Brady’s future in football: “Brady will always be there for Mahomes — that’s how much he respects him. He’ll be there for others too, now that he’s done. Brady will find something else to do now, but he’ll always have a line out to the players he respects. He’s done, but he’s not done contributing to football.”

SEAN PAYTON

King on newly hired Broncos head coach Sean Payton and QB Russell Wilson: “Payton had the best chance of turning Russell Wilson…Wilson’s at a low point after his disastrous first year in Denver. He wanted Payton to get the job, and he’s willing to be coached hard by him.”

King on Payton’s impression of the Broncos’ front office: “Payton was impressed by (minority owner Condoleezza Rice), and one of the majority owners, Greg Penner. He thinks he’ll be able to form the kind of close relationship with GM George Paton that he had with (Saints GM Mickey) Loomis, who remains one of his best friends, in New Orleans.”

NEWS & NOTES

King on Chiefs DT Chris Jones: “I think the key to Super Bowl LVII is whether Kansas City defensive tackle Chris Jones can wreck it, or at least create two or three game-changing plays against the best line he’ll face all year, and perhaps the best he’s faced in his career.”

King on Raiders QB Derek Carr’s trade value: “If I’m signing Carr, I don’t assume his failure in 2022 is all Josh McDaniels’ fault. That’s an easy, and lazy, way to look at it. In the four years prior to McDaniels taking over, Carr completed 68.7 percent of his throws. Last year it sunk eight points, to 60.8, and in one of the weird and unexplained things about the Raiders’ season, it apparently was okay for both sides to say the Raiders’ starting quarterback for nine years could just walk away and miss the last two games of the season.”

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

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

• • Click here for NBC Sports’ Super Bowl Week coverage details.
  • 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 do love Burrow, man. He’s a competitor. But I can’t have him smoking cigars in the locker room at Arrowhead, at our stadium.” – Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to King on Bengals QB Joe Burrow

“Cincinnati-Kansas City. It’s now the best rivalry in the game. Burrow-Mahomes. It’s now the best quarterback rivalry in the game.” – King

“This Philadelphia team has fewer weaknesses than the one that beat (Tom) Brady and (Bill) Belichick (in Super Bowl LII).” – King comparing the current Eagles to the Super Bowl-winning 2017 Eagles

“Not hard to argue that KC isn’t headed to the Super Bowl without him.” – King on Chiefs DT Chris Jones

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 30, 2023 – Peter King speaks to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also recaps the Conference Championship Games, including Mahomes and the Chiefs’ win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ victory over the 49ers, 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, 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.

In the leadup to Super Bowl LVII, NBC Sports will surround the game with live, on-site coverage from Arizona next week across Peacock and NBC Sports’ digital properties.

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

BENGALS-CHIEFS

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes to Peter King on the third-down  pass in the third quarter that caused him to limp: “On that play, I knew once I was getting chased it was gonna hurt regardless…I think you saw a couple times in the game where I tried to run and I didn’t really go anywhere. So I rolled out to the left, they brought pressure off the right, and I saw Mecole (Hardman) open. I stepped on that leg, kinda twisted through it and I immediately felt that little shock. It’s just one of those things that you, you know, you feel it. But at the end of the day, man, I’m not coming out of that game unless they carry me out.”

Mahomes to King on his third quarter touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling: “I tried to just fire it to Marquez. It’s one of those when you throw it and you hold your breath, honestly. You’re like, man, just get through there somehow.”

Mahomes to King on Bengals QB Joe Burrow: “I do love Burrow, man. He’s a competitor. But I can’t have him smoking cigars in the locker room at Arrowhead, at our stadium.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to King on facing his former team, the Eagles, in the Super Bowl: “It’s gonna be a great clash. Great. I love it. It’s crazy. It’s pretty crazy. It’s real crazy, in fact. I left there on good terms. I still got a good relationship with those people. I appreciate every bit of those 14 years.”

Chiefs VP of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder to King on Mahomes’ toughness playing through his ankle injury: “He’s incredible. It’s like there was never any question he’d play this week, and his injury was significant. The amazing thing to me: He did not miss one snap of practice all week.”

Reid to King: “That’s the crazy thing — for him to push through every play in practice, it’s just nuts. And then, he wanted to do the nakeds. He wanted to move to his left and just try it — see how it felt. We called it to the right, which would be easier for him. That’s how we had it on the script. But then he ran it to his left. He did one of those tonight. You saw it.”

Mahomes to King on playing through his ankle injury: “The coaches, everybody kinda coming up, media, everybody asking about it all week. I was just like, ‘Listen — I’m playing, so it doesn’t matter how I’m doing.’”

Mahomes to King on how his ankle will feel post-game: “It’s gonna be sore tomorrow for sure. But we’ll go right back to the treatment…I’ll have a little bit more time to rest this week so hopefully we can be a little closer to 100 percent for the Super Bowl.”

Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo on not getting any head coaching interviews: “Nothing I can do. But like I told my wife last night, if nothing happens, that’s fine. We’ll hang around Joe (Burrow) another year. There’s worse places to be.”

King on the new Bengals-Chiefs rivalry: “Cincinnati-Kansas City. It’s now the best rivalry in the game. Burrow-Mahomes. It’s now the best quarterback rivalry in the game.”

49ERS-EAGLES

King on the Eagles: “These Eagles are deep and dangerous, and it will take the best game of their season by the Kansas City Chiefs to beat them in Super Bowl LVII in 13 days.”

King on Eagles LB Haason Reddick: “After finishing second in the NFL with 16 sacks in the regular season and first with five forced fumbles, he was the most important defensive player on the field Sunday…Huge producer when it’s counted for Philadelphia.”

King on comparing the current Eagles to the 2017 Super Bowl champion Eagles: “Amazing to think this, after the Eagles won their first Super Bowl five years ago with an explosive performance against the best team of the era, New England. But this Philadelphia team has fewer weaknesses than the one that beat (Tom) Brady and (Bill) Belichick.”

King on the 49ers’ tough showing against the Eagles: “(49ers rookie QB Brock) Purdy re-entered a 21-7 game, but with an apparent elbow injury preventing him from being able to throw, this game became an exercise in just-get-it-over-with, not a true contest of the two best teams in the NFC.”

King on a QB rule change: “I think the most obvious takeaway from the NFC Championship Game, re an easy offseason rules change, is to reinstate the ability for teams to dress a third quarterback who will only be eligible to play if the first two quarterbacks are injured.”

King on the 49ers’ QB future: “I think if I’m (49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan, I tell Brock Purdy and Trey Lance they’re going to training camp as 1a (Purdy) and 1b (Lance), and it’s not impossible for Lance to unseat Purdy, but life goes on, and Purdy’s eight wins down the stretch of this season can’t be discounted.”

KING’S CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Week: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City

King on Mahomes: “Dealing with a high ankle sprain and missing multiple receivers, Mahomes did what he’s done over and over again in his remarkable NFL career: He excelled, innovated and propelled Kansas City to the win.”

Defensive Players of the Week: Haason Reddick, Philadelphia, & Chris Jones, Kansas City

King on Jones: “Jones was a powerhouse all night, a difference-maker in a close game. Not hard to argue that KC isn’t headed to the Super Bowl without him.”

Coach of the Week: Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia

Special Teams Player of the Week: Harrison Butker, Kansas City

King on Butker’s game-winning field goal: “His 45-yard field goal, fighting through the Arrowhead Stadium wind, made it by four or five yards and dropped on the ground with three seconds left, giving Kansas City a 23-20 win over the Bengals. Kick of his career.”

Goat of the Week: Joseph Ossai, Cincinnati

NEWS & NOTES

King on 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans’ head coaching future: “Three people involved in coaching searches told me over the weekend that San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans —the former Texans Pro Bowl linebacker — is the leader in the clubhouse for the Houston job.”

King on the Panthers hiring Frank Reich over interim head coach Steve Wilks as their new head coach: “The owner, David Tepper, wants a guy who can develop a long-term quarterback and give the franchise stability. (Steve) Wilks could have done one of those. Fair or unfair, almost no matter what Wilks did, I always thought this owner wanted a quarterback-whisperer as his next head coach. I expect Wilks getting passed over will be part of legal proceedings against the NFL for the continued bypassing of minority candidates in favor of white ones.”

King on the Colts potentially hiring Jeff Saturday as their next head coach: “If the Colts somehow hire Jeff Saturday (1-7 as interim coach, including blowing a 33-point lead at Minnesota), who I’m told is absolutely in play for the full-time head coaching job, that will ignite a powder keg in the minority-coaching wars. Rightfully so.”

King on the Patriots hiring Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator: “I think I join the football-nerd world in praising Bill O’Brien as the pick to be Mac Jones’ new offensive coordinator with the Patriots…(Jones) will not continue the regression under O’Brien, who is demanding and mechanics-specific.”

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 have a feeling this current iteration of the Bengals will be the best ever.” – King on the Joe Burrow-led Bengals

“Joe Burrow is not a cute upstart. He is the Paulie Walnuts of NFL quarterbacks, able to rip the guts out of the Allens and Mahomeses without changing expressions, without feeling one pang of sorrow for the vanquished.” – Peter King

“You have to do the job. At this point, it’s playoff football and all I can think about is what I have to do for my team.” – 49ers rookie QB Brock Purdy to King on playing in his first NFL playoff game

“I think this was the first time that I started to feel the sand slipping through the hourglass for the Bills…The offense flamed out over the last few weeks of 2022, and younger teams are catching up to Buffalo.” – King on the Bills after their loss in the Divisional Round

“Good enough. It’s definitely a nagging thing. But as far as me physically, I just want to continue my recovery process and be ready for the next game.” – Eagles QB Jalen Hurts to King on the current status of his shoulder injury

STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 23, 2023 – Peter King speaks to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also recaps the Divisional Playoffs, Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ win over Josh Allen and the Bills, Patrick Mahomes’ injury in Kansas City’s win over Jacksonville, 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:

49ERS-COWBOYS

49ers QB Brock Purdy to Peter King on his whirlwind rookie season: “When I first got in against Miami (in Week 13), it was like, ‘Man, I’m playing in the NFL. I’m showing the guys I can play.’ But that goes away. You have to do the job. At this point, it’s playoff football and all I can think about is what I have to do for my team.”

Purdy to King on his experience playing at Iowa State: “(It) taught me how to be real about myself. I learned so much just with winning and being successful and then also losing some big games…Honestly it was a blessing in disguise because when I came here for the NFL, I was already used to the sport being hard, and being coached hard, and it was always, ‘How can I get better?’ I think it’s allowed me to have some success.”

King on Purdy’s performance: “You could say they survived, and you could say Purdy got exposed a bit. Both are true. But this sport, often, is about not playing your best and finding ways to win. Purdy found a way by not turning it over — a habit that is going to earn him a very long life in this game, if not a starring role — and by accurately hitting George Kittle and Deebo Samuel.”

King on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: “Prescott was not a big-time player Sunday. If (Dre) Greenlaw catches the pick-six with three minutes to go, the final is 26-12 and sabers would be rattling about the turnover-prone Prescott’s future.”

BENGALS-BILLS

King on the Bengals: “I have a feeling this current iteration of the Bengals will be the best ever…This is (Joe) Burrow’s third year, and you need to be careful about making him the second coming, but a player who completes 69 percent of his throws in the first three seasons, and who is 5-1 in his first six playoff games, and who is not afraid of anything – well, such a fellow is dangerous.”

King on the Bills: “I think this was the first time that I started to feel the sand slipping through the hourglass for the Bills. This the fourth straight year they’ve made the playoffs but haven’t gotten out of the AFC. Josh Allen is still young — he’ll play his age-27 season next year — but Stefon Diggs turns 30 next season…The offense flamed out over the last few weeks of 2022, and younger teams are catching up to Buffalo.”

King on Bengals QB Joe Burrow: “Joe Burrow is not a cute upstart. He is the Paulie Walnuts of NFL quarterbacks, able to rip the guts out of the (Josh) Allens and (Patrick) Mahomeses without changing expressions, without feeling one pang of sorrow for the vanquished.”

King on next week’s Cincinnati-Kansas City AFC Championship Game: “I’d also bet a lot of money that, deep down, Kansas City wanted Buffalo…What KC must feel for Cincinnati is deep and abiding respect after losing to the Bengals three times in three games in the last 13 months. Home-field might not be absolutely meaningless in the AFC Championship Game Sunday, but it’s damn close.”

Bengals C Ted Karras to King on the offensive line’s mentality after losing three starters: “I told the guys this week, ‘The pressure’s off, guys. No one thinks we can do it. We have a chance to go be heroes.’ And we did.”

Karras to King on second-year lineman Jackson Carman’s performance in Cincinnati’s win over Buffalo: “On the biggest stage of all of our football careers up to this point, he performed when it counted the most. He’s had a transformative year and this was a transformative day for him, being in the spotlight and performing at the highest level.”

GIANTS-EAGLES

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts to King on overcoming his shoulder injury: “It was very painful. It was very bad. I knew it was bad. It was bad. Being able to overcome that challenge in that game (against Chicago in Week 15), come back to win, coming back to win the number one seed. Those are things as a competitor you just have to challenge yourself to overcome.”

Hurts to King on the current status of his shoulder: “Good enough. It’s definitely a nagging thing. But as far as me physically, I just want to continue my recovery process and be ready for the next game.”

King on Hurts’ 45-yard pass to WR DeVonta Smith in the first quarter: “He said he didn’t prove anything to himself on the throw, but he certainly proved something to all of Philadelphia, which let out a collective primal scream inside and outside the Linc at that moment.”

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni to King on the competitive NFC East: “You get tested in this division — Washington with a great defensive line, Dallas with a great defensive line, the Giants with a great defensive line. Everybody wants to make fun of our division, but we had three teams in the divisional playoffs. That’s a really good team over there [the Giants]. We just played one of our best games tonight, though.”

King on the futures of Giants QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley: “I expect GM Joe Schoen will build a bridge to sign Daniel Jones for at least three years. Not so sure about Saquon Bakrley, because of the shelf life of backs. Jones is the most important asset to keep right now, obviously.

JAGUARS-CHIEFS

King on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ ankle injury in next week’s AFC Championship Game: “This might be insane, but I say Patrick Mahomes will play okay with a high ankle sprain…The sheer force of will of Mahomes will help carry him through, I believe. And if he’s ineffective Sunday night, Andy Reid will have the guts and common sense to play Chad Henne — which would not be a disaster.”

King on the Chiefs rallying around Mahomes after his mid-game injury: “This is corny, and I’m not sure how much it actually improves the quality of play of the other 10 players. But (Chiefs left tackle Orlando) Brown said seeing the leader of the team fight with coaches to stay in the game and insist on playing through an injury many would not play with does something in the alpha-male world of football.”

King on the Jaguars’ successful season: “(Head coach Doug Pederson) could use a franchise tight end, and one more receiver — either the formerly suspended Calvin Ridley, acquired during the season, or one in the draft. Jacksonville, in the span of a half-season, showed it might be (might being the apt word) the AFC South team to beat in 2023.”

KING’S DIVISIONAL ROUND AWARDS

Offensive Players of the Week: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City, Jackson Carman, Cincinnati, Travis Kelce, Kansas City, & Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia

King on Chiefs TE Kelce’s consistent postseason greatness: “Set an NFL record for catches by a tight end in a playoff game with 14 for 98 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas City beat Jacksonville 27-20 Saturday. Kelce was a security blanket even before Patrick Mahomes suffered his ankle injury (10 catches for 55 yards and two scores in the first half), and continued his recent wave of unstoppable playoff play.”

Defensive Players of the Week: James Bradberry, Philadelphia, & Mike Hilton, Cincinnati

King on Eagles CB Bradberry: “What a godsend the addition of Bradberry has been this year for the Eagles’ Super Bowl hopes.”

Coaches of the Week: Jeff Stoutland, run game coordinator/offensive line coach, Philadelphia, & Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator, Cincinnati

King on Stoutland’s game plan: “The crazy thing is, this was supposed to be a game because of the Giants’ defensive front. Stoutland and that great Eagles’ line made that front disappear.”

Special Teams Players of the Week: Robbie Gould, San Francisco, Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville, & Harrison Butker, Kansas City

Goat of the Week: Dak Prescott, Dallas

NEWS & NOTES

King on Anarumo and Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier: “Can you give me one good reason why Cincinnati defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier have not gotten one request for a head-coach interview in this cycle? I didn’t think you could.”

King on Packers QB Aaron Rodgers’ potential trade destinations: “Rodgers to the Jets, maybe re-teaming with ex-Pack aide Nathaniel Hackett, who has interviewed for the New York offensive coordinator job. Or Rodgers to the Patriots, which seems very Belichickian, to perhaps give Mac Jones two learning seasons in the shadows. Or Rodgers to Vegas, if Tom Brady doesn’t beat him there. Or Rodgers to Seattle, which is seventh in cap room in 2023 and has four picks in the draft’s top 55.”

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—