After 87 years of using the name, the Washington Redskins have finally gone ahead with the decision to drop their problematic team name and go with something new. News of the name change broke on July 13 after an internal review was conducted by the team (and years of protest from U.S. tribal activists), and the sports books are already taking wagers on what the new team name will be. Thanks to Bodog, we have a look at some of the more likely candidates.

The leading favorites, odds wise, are either the Washington Red Tails Or Washington Red Clouds, both currently sitting at +275. Both of these names would likely keep something close to the team’s color scheme, and each in their way would honor a piece of history. The Red Tails name was one of the nicknames for the Tuskegee Airmen, fighter pilots of World War 2, while Red Cloud was a Native American warrior who defeated U.S. army troops and burned down their forts. These are easy favorites, specially as the Red Tails won a rebrand contest and has the support of local legislators.

But if the public had much of a say in the matter, the Redskins name would have gone away years ago. So what does Dan Snyder Want? The next leading favorite in the odds are the Washington Warriors at +300. Snyder has previously tried to trademark the name, but couldn’t seal the deal.

Next in the odds are the Washington Presidents at +700, but it feels like a pretty unlikely name. The name brings plenty of potential gimmicks and some proud nostalgia to lean on, sure, but think of all the jokes they would invite. ‘He couldn’t make the catch, his hands were too small!’ or ‘He’s listed as questionable for the game with bone spurs.’ Not a fan.

The Seattle Seahawks won their only Super Bowl Championship back in 2014, defeating the Denver Broncos 43–8 on February 2nd. Could they win their second seven years on from that famously one-sided victory?

Before we talk about how they might repeat that trick, let’s take a look back at that glorious moment in The ‘Hawks history.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-byJvHAXQA?feature=oembed]

This season, there is tentative optimism about The Seahawks hopes, with the team a best price of 10/13 to make the play-offs, as well as being 10/11 to gain over nine regular season wins. Somehow, despite that confidence in the betting markets that The Seahawks will make the post-season, the 2014 Lombardi Cup winners are a best price of 22/1 to repeat the feat in early 2021.

In what is being called the largest contract deal in the history of the NFL, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs just scored a massive payday. The quarterback led the Chiefs to the team’s first Super Bowl win in more than half a decade, and the team’s back office wanted Mahomes to know how much they appreciated his efforts. The 24-year-old passing phenom has sealed a ten-year contract extension with the Chiefs two years before his current contract was to expire. It’s also worth a total of $503 million, between base and incentives.

ESPN insider Adam Schefter found out about the deal and posted it on Twitter, stating, “Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes have reached agreement on a 10-year — 10-year! — contract extension that ties him to Kansas City through the 2031 season, league sources tell ESPN.” He added, “Starting in 2022, and for 10 years running, Patrick Mahomes has a $1.25 million incentive for winning AFC Championship game and a $1.25 million incentive for winning NFL MVP, per source. That’s $25M of incentives over 10 years, taking value of his deal from $477M to $503M.”

Signing a player for ten years is unheard of in any sports league. However, Mahomes isn’t just another athlete. He’s an MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, Bert Bell Award winner, two-time All-Pro player and the holder of the Sammy Baugh Trophy. Across the last two seasons, playing a total of 30 games, he has thrown 76 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions. That puts him up there with the ranks of Tom Brady when he first entered the league and, at 24, Mahomes has a lot of life left in him (Brady is now 42 and is still going strong with his recent transfer to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). 

There’s little doubt that Mahomes can turn any offensive line into a winning group, but he’s going to be comfortable with what’s coming in the upcoming season. The Chiefs are reportedly bringing back 20 of the 22 starters from the Super Bowl roster, and it is suddenly clear that the team could be looking at another solid run on the Lombardi Trophy this year. Of course, all of it depends on whether or not the coronavirus forces the NFL to alter its plans. 

Being an avid football fan, no one wants to see the NFL keep its promise of holding the 2020-21 season as planned more than me. However, no one can face the current global coronavirus pandemic with blinders on, and recent actions by the league are becoming a little worrisome. The Hall of Fame Game, which should have taken place on August 6, has already been pushed back almost an entire year, and the number of preseason games to be played has now been cut – and might be eliminated entirely. In addition, the start of the preseason will be delayed, and one can’t help but wonder if the changes are precursors to an eventual delay or cancelation of the season. At this point, football fans should remain optimistic, but keep in the back of their minds the thought that something wicked may be coming.

According to several sources, the NFL has decided to eliminate two weeks of preseason action, erasing the games that would have taken place in Week 1 and Week 4. In addition, there is talk that the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) may suggest something different and could look to have the entire preseason canceled. No definitive response has yet been given, but it’s apparent that some sort of change is coming.

The league is being forced to make additional changes as teams haven’t been able to spend the time on the field practicing as would normally be needed. By eliminating the two weeks, and delaying the start of the games, teams can get players suited up and on the field, running drills and plays in preparation for the regular season. So far, September 10 is still the tentative launch date for the NFL games.

Brandon McManus, kicker for the Denver Broncos and the team’s union rep, seems to know something the rest of us don’t. He tweeted yesterday, “Be ready for 1 or 0 preseason games. Won’t be 2.” Football fans hope he’s wrong.

Being an avid football fan, no one wants to see the NFL keep its promise of holding the 2020-21 season as planned more than me. However, no one can face the current global coronavirus pandemic with blinders on, and recent actions by the league are becoming a little worrisome. The Hall of Fame Game, which should have taken place on August 6, has already been pushed back almost an entire year, and the number of preseason games to be played has now been cut – and might be eliminated entirely. In addition, the start of the preseason will be delayed, and one can’t help but wonder if the changes are precursors to an eventual delay or cancelation of the season. At this point, football fans should remain optimistic, but keep in the back of their minds the thought that something wicked may be coming.

According to several sources, the NFL has decided to eliminate two weeks of preseason action, erasing the games that would have taken place in Week 1 and Week 4. In addition, there is talk that the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) may suggest something different and could look to have the entire preseason canceled. No definitive response has yet been given, but it’s apparent that some sort of change is coming.

The league is being forced to make additional changes as teams haven’t been able to spend the time on the field practicing as would normally be needed. By eliminating the two weeks, and delaying the start of the games, teams can get players suited up and on the field, running drills and plays in preparation for the regular season. So far, September 10 is still the tentative launch date for the NFL games.

Brandon McManus, kicker for the Denver Broncos and the team’s union rep, seems to know something the rest of us don’t. He tweeted yesterday, “Be ready for 1 or 0 preseason games. Won’t be 2.” Football fans hope he’s wrong.

Being an avid football fan, no one wants to see the NFL keep its promise of holding the 2020-21 season as planned more than me. However, no one can face the current global coronavirus pandemic with blinders on, and recent actions by the league are becoming a little worrisome. The Hall of Fame Game, which should have taken place on August 6, has already been pushed back almost an entire year, and the number of preseason games to be played has now been cut – and might be eliminated entirely. In addition, the start of the preseason will be delayed, and one can’t help but wonder if the changes are precursors to an eventual delay or cancelation of the season. At this point, football fans should remain optimistic, but keep in the back of their minds the thought that something wicked may be coming.

According to several sources, the NFL has decided to eliminate two weeks of preseason action, erasing the games that would have taken place in Week 1 and Week 4. In addition, there is talk that the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) may suggest something different and could look to have the entire preseason canceled. No definitive response has yet been given, but it’s apparent that some sort of change is coming.

The league is being forced to make additional changes as teams haven’t been able to spend the time on the field practicing as would normally be needed. By eliminating the two weeks, and delaying the start of the games, teams can get players suited up and on the field, running drills and plays in preparation for the regular season. So far, September 10 is still the tentative launch date for the NFL games.

Brandon McManus, kicker for the Denver Broncos and the team’s union rep, seems to know something the rest of us don’t. He tweeted yesterday, “Be ready for 1 or 0 preseason games. Won’t be 2.” Football fans hope he’s wrong.

The NFL season is approaching, and sports fans are getting ready for the action. The league has been working on its plan of attack, putting together policies and procedures for training camps and the upcoming season. The schedule for preseason and regular-season games has been posted and, as of yesterday, everything was on track for the traditional start to the season, the Hall of Fame game, to be held on August 6. What a difference a day makes, though, as the game has now been canceled. The coronavirus claims its first football season victim, but it may not be the last.

Late yesterday, the NFL officially canceled the Hall of Fame game and put off the 2020 induction ceremonies. COVID-19 can be blamed for the changes, which will see both activities remain off the schedule until next year. The Hall of Fame game, scheduled to be played between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, will now be played on August 5, 2021. The induction ceremony will be held two days later, and the 2021 inductees entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame the following day.

According to the Hall of Fame’s CEO, David Baker, delaying the induction ceremony wasn’t an easy decision to make, but it was necessary. He said in a statement, “This is the right decision for several reasons, first and foremost the health and welfare of our Gold Jackets, incoming centennial class of 2020 members, hall personnel and event volunteers. We also must consider the most appropriate way to fulfill the first tenet of our mission: To honor the heroes of the game. This decision meets that duty.”

Among the latest inductees are former New York Giants executive George Young, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, NFL Films co-founder Steve Sabol and former coaches Bill Cowher and Jimmy Johnson. In addition, several former players, including Edgerrin James, Isaac Bruce, Steve Atwater, Steve Hutchinson and Troy Polamalu, were to be enshrined.

Barring any major coronavirus relapses, which could be possible after recent spikes have been seen across the U.S., sports fans are going to have a lot to look forward to in the last half of 2020. The NBA and the NHL already had plans in place to finish out their seasons, and MLB, after embarrassing delays, has just now been able to figure out how to proceed. The last component among the top sports organizations in the U.S. is the NFL, which continues to shape the upcoming season. The league and the players association have been in almost constant contact, and have come up with new strategies for the upcoming season.

NFL training camps are going to start on July 28, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He adds, “The NFL and NFLPA are still negotiating what camp will look like and how the protocols will be handled and everything else. But players will arrive on time.” Typically, rookies would be the first to report to the camps but, because of the situation, all players are expected to report.

So there is a date to report: July 28. The NFL and NFLPA are still negotiating what camp will look like and how the protocols will be handled and everything else. But players will arrive on time. https://t.co/BLrbUQnRXx

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 24, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

With the NFL return just three months away, the possibility of a late trade will be one that many sides are considering. Just as Colin Kaepernick’s anticipated return to an NFL club would excite fans, so too would any new signing brought in by a host of American Football teams.

Here are seven that might very well happen before the kick-off, as well as the current split prices on how many wins those sides will record in the regular season, provided courtesy of OddsShark.com.

Jamal Adams

The first trade on anyone’s lips at the moment in the NFL is Jamal Adams, who is rumoured to want out of the New York Jets. It’s hard to see anyone other than the Dallas Cowboys acquiring Adams, and with the Cowboys at -155 to get over 9.5 wins, their strength to win their division would be obvious. 

UK sports betting operator Betfred has become the second operator in as many days to sign a betting partnership with the National Football League’s Denver Broncos.

On Tuesday, the Broncos announced that it had reached a multi-year partnership with Betfred USA Sports, the US offshoot of the Betfred Group. The news comes ahead of Wednesday’s launch of Betfred’s retail sportsbook at the newly reopened Saratoga Casino Black Hawk outside Denver, with which Betfred inked a betting deal this January.

Betfred’s Colorado-licensed online betting option is still being tinkered with, but Betfred USA Sports COO Bryan Bennett said the company hopes to launch its online platform “right before football season.”

Tuesday’s announcement came just 24 hours after the Broncos made history by becoming the first NFL club to sign an official betting partnership, a non-exclusive pact with Flutter Entertainment’s FanDuel Group. Brady Kellogg, the team’s senior VP of corporate partnerships, told Front Office Sports that a third partnership was possible prior to kickoff of the upcoming season.

Colin Kaepernick was the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL a few years ago when he decided to use his popularity to draw awareness to perceived social injustices experienced by minorities in the US. He began to kneel during the playing of the country’s National Anthem, a move that didn’t sit well with diehard patriots and those who simply wanted to jump on the anti-protest bandwagon. When his contract with the Niners ended, so did his pro football career, as no team was willing to sign the “troublemaker.” After three years away from the league, it’s possible that Kaepernick could finally make a return to the field, and he is apparently gaining support from an unlikely place – the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell.

The current atmosphere in the US, following the death of George Floyd, a black man, in the hands of white police in Minnesota has reached an aggressively feverish level, with people across the country demanding more equality and social reform. At the same time, there has been the revelation that Kaepernick may not have been wrong about the message he was trying to convey, and there has already been talk that he might be able to return to football. Kaepernick’s long absence, by some accounts, has been caused by collusion by team owners who have conspired, together with the league, to keep him off the field. 

The fact that Goodell would weigh in on the subject carries a lot of weight. If he had once been willing, behind closed doors or otherwise, to hint at the need to keep Kaepernick out of football, his public support for the quarterback’s return will be much heavier. He told Mike Greenberg of ESPN’s SportsCenter yesterday, “If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it’s gonna take a team to make that decision. But I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that.”

The commissioner has already publicly acknowledged that the league was wrong for not taking more seriously the message Kaepernick was trying to send. Everyone was too quick to judge the protests as an affront to the flag and to the military, and wasn’t willing to consider the larger picture. However, it took the killing of two black men – Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery – by white men for people to understand how important change is to a great number of people.

In a country torn apart by racial and political divisions, could multiple Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady come to the rescue of campaigners looking to right a wrong that affects people across the United States?

Brady is part of a so-called Players Coalition that currently has 1,400 people in its ranks, and their collective aim is to force an end to police immunity in the United States, an existing rule where police officers are immune from the threat of being sued for illegal and unconstitutional acts.

In this post-George Floyd era, there is a heightened focus on police action, inaction, assaults and protection. ‘To serve and protect’ is their motto, but there is a sharper focus than ever before on the legality of how far police action can go, and where the line should be drawn in terms of brutality, illegal force and even murder. The statement made by the Players Coalition on Twitter only hints at the level of passion felt by players and people in general about the changes that are needing to be made.

Having sent the letter to Congress, the Players Coalition will try to force the powers that be to listen.