Arrowheadlines: Former Chief quits NFL -- returns to rugby

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Jaguars' Louis Rees-Zammit announces he's leaving NFL, returning to rugby | NFL.com

Rees-Zammit, a Jacksonville Jaguars receiver, announced Thursday that he's leaving the NFL and returning to rugby, a sport he starred in previously.

"I've got an exciting announcement to make! I've decided to leave the NFL and return to rugby!" Rees-Zammit posted on Instagram. "It's been a great experience but it's time to come home. I've decided that this is the best time to make this decision to give myself time to get everything in place for next season.

"There's only one thing that's on my mind, that's coming back to rugby and doing what I do best. I can't explain how excited I am!!

"There'll be more news to come soon but for now, see you soon rugby fans."

The making of the 'NFL Top 100,' and our complicated relationship with it | The Athletic

"I've been wanting this s -- for so long!" Hill yelled, after lifting the 195-pound Mostert in celebration. "What'd I say in my rookie year, huh?"

To be precise, not only did Hill predict, following his 2016 debut with the Kansas City Chiefs, that he'd be the best player in the NFL, but also he threatened to dethrone perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time.

"I belong No. 1 over Tom Brady," Hill said then. "Tom Brady, I'm calling you out."

Seven years later, Hill was indeed No. 1. Fans met the announcement with skepticism. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who had been crowned No. 1 in two of the previous three rankings, finished fourth. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning MVP, finished second. In a FanDuel poll on X, 85 percent of more than 3,500 respondents disagreed with Hill's top status. Many criticized the selection, saying someone else was more deserving or citing Hill's history of legal issues.

This is precisely the "NFL Top 100." Heated debates. Emotional reactions. Lightning-rod reveals. Fans and players have a complex relationship with the league's annual player-driven poll, a list that tells us so much, but also so little.

NFL Training Camp Panic Meter | The Ringer

The Chiefs Receivers

The Chiefs' wide receiver room might have the lowest average BMI of any in the NFL, with five players on the camp depth chart weighing under 190 pounds. Lighter often means faster at that position, but it comes at the risk of durability, and Tuesday's practice was a subtle reminder of how fraught (if not outright fragile) Kansas City's pass catching group can be. Receivers Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy exited practice with an ankle and head injury, respectively.

Worthy eventually returned to action, but on Wednesday, the team announced that he's been placed in the concussion protocol. Head coach Andy Reid wasn't overly concerned about Brown's recovery timeline, but the lack of depth in Kansas City's offense will be magnified if any of its starting receivers have to miss practice time. Brown was out for months in 2024 while recovering from a chest injury, and he's missed multiple games in each of the past three years. Worthy made it through his entire rookie season, but he needs time to carve out a legitimate role as a deep threat in this offense -- and it's possible that he'll simply never become the DeSean Jackson archetype, no matter how productive the stats look.

While that pair gets back on the mend, it's hard not to think about Rashee Rice's promising rookie campaign in 2023 and all that's stood in the way of his potential greatness since. Rice has recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him for most of last season and has been a full practice participant in camp thus far. But he awaits a near-certain multi-game suspension after he pleaded guilty to two felony counts related to the multicar crash he was involved in last year. It's unclear when the NFL will issue its discipline and when Rice will serve his suspension, but the expectation is that he will miss time this season. When he is on the field, however, the Chiefs will need Rice to fill the catch-and-run role that Travis Kelce can't handle consistently anymore, a crucial job to get the Kansas City passing game out of first gear.

While none of these situations spell doom for Kansas City's 2025 outlook yet, all it takes is a brief glance at the roster to see that depth is a major issue for this receiving corps. While another dominant offensive season looms as long as Patrick Mahomes is under center, the Chiefs have little margin for error at receiver -- especially as Mahomes is focusing on rediscovering an explosive downfield passing game.

Panic level for the passing game: 2, but never subsiding

Active NFL players who are destined for Hall of Fame: Patrick Mahomes, T.J. Watt slam-dunk selections | CBS Sports

QB Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)

Patrick Mahomes could retire now and be inducted on the first ballot when he's eligible for the Hall of Fame. He is just one of five quarterbacks to win three Super Bowls (Brady, Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman) and one of three quarterbacks to win three Super Bowl MVPs (Brady, Montana). Mahomes also has the second-most playoff wins by a quarterback in NFL history (17), behind only Brady (35).

Mahomes also has the most wins (89) and passing touchdowns (245) by any quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history -- and he played in just one game his rookie season. He has the most passing yards per game (288.9) in NFL history as well. And all this is before Mahomes has turned 30.

Mahomes is heading to Canton.

Star player reportedly requests a trade from Commanders | Yardbarker

Terry McLaurin has been in a contract dispute with the Washington Commanders this offseason, and it would appear the star wide receiver has run out of patience.

McLaurin informed the Commanders on Thursday that he would like to be traded, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

ESPN's Adam Schefter says teams have expressed interest in acquiring McLaurin, but the Commanders have thus far not shown a willingness to move the two-time Pro Bowl wideout.

Hall of Fame Game Gives Fans First Look at Virtual First Down Measurement System | SI

The NFL announced earlier this year their plans to modernize first down measurements in 2025, pivoting to Sony's Hawk-Eye technology as the primary method of measuring the line to gain.

On Thursday night in Canton, Ohio, we saw it live and in action for the first time. During the NFL's annual Hall of Fame Game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, the virtual measurement system was used at the beginning of the second quarter to determine whether the Lions gained a first down or not.

Here's a look at the new technology being used -- spoiler alert: Detroit's offense didn't reach the line to gain:

Chiefs Salary Cap: George Karlaftis' extension is very team-friendly

While he was set to earn $17.5 million over the next two seasons, Karlaftis will now take home about $32.3 million (including a yearly $250,000 workout bonus). Karlaftis' 2025 salary cap hit does increase from $3.8 million to about $6.6 million. His 2026 charge at $15.2 million is essentially unchanged from what it would have been under the fifth-year option.

The new years of the contract truly begin in 2027, but his earnings still stay modest. As with most recent significant Chiefs contracts, Karlaftis has received rolling guarantees of future salary. His 2027 salary of $11 million is already guaranteed for injury, and it will fully vest at the start of the 2026 league year. The 2027 salary cap hit will remain almost flat from the previous season at only $15.3 million.

Another rolling guarantee will see Karlaftis lock in his 2028 base salary of $18.8 million in March of 2027. The 2028 season will see his salary cap charge grow to $23 million.