Cleveland Browns’ continued rise hinges on Deshaun Watson

It had been nearly two years since the Browns had sent Houston three first-round draft picks for quarterback Deshaun Watson. As part of the blockbuster trade, Haslam then gave Watson a five-year contract extension worth an NFL record $230 million fully guaranteed. The Texans were rebuilding. Cleveland was pushing its chips in to make a […]

AFC title game is validation for Ravens’ Jadeveon Clowney

More Teams. More Games. Stephen A. Smith tells Marcus Spears why he is picking Lamar Jackson over Patrick Mahomes on Sunday. (1:56) THE TALK AROUND Rock Hill, South Carolina, was that when Jadeveon Clowney started peewee football, he looked like a man among boys. The locals would cast sidelong glances his mother’s way, and when […]

AP unveils finalists for NFL MVP and offensive POY awards

More Teams. More Games. Stephen A. Smith tells Marcus Spears why he is picking Lamar Jackson over Patrick Mahomes on Sunday. (1:56) Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey and Dak Prescott are finalists for The Associated Press 2023 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards. The winners will be announced at NFL Honors […]

Texans’ turnaround started with their ‘special’ draft class

More Teams. More Games. Chuck Pagano joins “The Pat McAfee Show” and details why Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is raising expectations for his team across the league. (1:40) HOUSTON — DeMeco Ryans left his first draft as a head coach feeling optimistic. For starters, Ryans believed the Houston Texans had just landed “two staples” […]

Best 2023 NFL rookies: Final top-10 ranking, standouts, stats

More Teams. More Games. Eric Moody reflects on C.J. Stroud‘s successful rookie season and explains why he has Stroud firmly on the QB1 radar next season. (0:54) The 2023 NFL rookie class has been memorable. This season, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud set a single-game rookie passing record in Week 9. Rams receiver Puka Nacua set […]

Cleveland Browns’ defense falls flat vs. Houston Texans

More Teams. More Games. Christian Harris and Steven Nelson each pick off Joe Flacco and take it all the way for Texans touchdowns and a 38-14 lead. (1:00) HOUSTON — Cleveland Browns defenders, who all year had embraced coordinator Jim Schwartz’s mantra of playing with “effort, swag and badassery,” sat mostly silent in the visitors […]

NFL wild card: Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa lead top arrivals

Ahead of the Saturday afternoon Cleveland Browns-Houston Texans game, Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper opted for a comfortable look, donning a grey hoodie under an all-black Cleveland Browns sweatsuit. Defensive star Myles Garrett arrived wearing a black double-breasted jacket over a white turtleneck sweater. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud wore a black Louis Vuitton jacket over […]

Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill, Fred Warner unanimous NFL All-Pros

The 49ers’ McCaffrey and Warner and the Dolphins’ Hill received first-team votes from all 50 members of a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. “No freakin’ way,” Warner said of being a unanimous pick for his third selection overall. “Wow, that’s special.” Running back McCaffrey and linebacker Warner are joined by […]

Evals of the best from the Big Three

Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett won’t be denied

More Teams. More Games. Marcus Spears details why Myles Garrett is the second best defensive player in the NFL right now. (0:52) MYLES GARRETT COULDN’T lift his left arm high enough to put on a shirt. After wincing through several attempts, the Cleveland Browns’ All-Pro defensive end went searching the Denver Broncos visitors’ locker room […]