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8 NFL Players With the Best Chances to Turn Into Superstars in 2025 | Bleacher Report
Xavier Worthy
Speaking of finishing strong, Xavier Worthy did exactly that with 243 yards and three touchdowns in the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl for the Chiefs.
The 22-year-old is one of the fastest players in the sport, and there’s a clear path for him to become Patrick Mahomes’ No. 1 target in the Kansas City offense considering there is no established top dog and Travis Kelce is fading.
With his first full offseason under his belt for 2025, we wouldn’t be surprised if we saw shades of 2018 Tyreek Hill from Worthy in the fall.
Trent McDuffie Checks in at No. 81 Overall in the “NFL Top 100” Rankings | The Mothership
Another week, another member of the Kansas City Chiefs has appeared in the “NFL Top 100” rankings.
A week after center Creed Humphrey checked in at No. 93 overall in the annual rankings, cornerback Trent McDuffie landed at No. 81 on Friday. The rankings, which seek to list the league’s top performers as voted on by the players themselves, are gradually being released over the next several weeks.
Patrick Mahomes Reveals True Thoughts on Potential 18-Game Season | SI
Most notably, Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes, regarded as the face of the league by some, addressed the subject during an interview with CNBC that aired on Friday.
“I think that you’d have to find a way to have more bye weeks, more time spread out,” Mahomes said. “Because, I mean, you’ve seen the amount of injuries that have kind of piled up there at the end of seasons, and you want to have the best players playing in the biggest games. And so if there were a way to get to 18 games, I’m not—I’m not a big fan of it. But if there were a way, I think you got to add some bye weeks in there to give more time for guys’ bodies.”
Around the NFL
4 NFL coaches on the hot seat in 2025 you might not expect | SB Nation
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
It wasn’t long ago that McDaniel was considered one of the great young offensive minds in the game. He is clearly a strong offensive coach and he is a bright personality, but there have been some questions of leadership in Miami and that’s on the head coach. If the Dolphins flounder this season, McDaniel may be shown the door. And the Dolphins just might flounder. They had a suspect offseason and there will always be questions of the health of Tua Tagovailoa. If things go south in South Beach, McDaniel, who is 28-23 in the regular season and 0-2 in the postseason as Miami’s coach, may pay. If so, I could still see McDaniel, 42, having a future as a head coach and he could get a second chance fairly soon.
Sources: Bears extend general manager Ryan Poles through 2029 | ESPN
The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have agreed to a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2029 season, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.
Poles had two years remaining on the five-year contract he signed upon becoming Chicago’s general manager in 2022. He is now aligned with head coach Ben Johnson, whose contract runs through the 2029 season.
ESPN first reported the Bears’ plan to extend Poles during the 2025 offseason in January.
Chargers RB Najee Harris injured in fireworks accident but expected to be ready for season, agent says | CBS Sports
Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris was injured during a Fourth of July fireworks accident, his agent Doug Hendrickson told multiple outlets.
In a statement, Hendrickson said Harris “sustained a superficial eye injury” but is “fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.”
“Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees,” Hendrickson’s statement reads, via NFL Media. “Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs Roster: Trey Smith has a bad taste in his mouth after Super Bowl
After being told that during Mahomes’ interview with Adams, Mahomes had called Smith “one of the best protectors in the business,” Smith beamed.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s something that I take a lot of pride in — and for him to say that means a lot to me. I lose sleep thinking about protecting Patrick. I know there are things I need to get better in my game to be the best protector that I can — and just be an asset for my team.”
Smith believes the team has acquired another player who can help protect Mahomes: the Chiefs’ first-round draft selection.
“I love his mentality and demeanor,” Smith said of former Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons. “Coming into it, I could tell he’s very talented in terms of his lower body and the capabilities that he has in terms of movement. And he’s a hard worker. [So] I love him already. I just want to take him under my wing and help him out in any aspect that he needs in his game. I’m just really looking forward to working with him.”
In the meantime, there’s the little matter of his own business with the team. Sometime before 3 p.m. Arrowhead Time on Tuesday, he and the Chiefs hope to have an agreement for a new long-term contract. But Smith — as he has done throughout the negotiation — volunteered little about it.
“I just leave it [in] the hands of my agents,” he explained, “and obviously, the front office staff of the Chiefs is elite. [So] at the end of the day, I just let them take care of it. I just have to focus on being the best version of myself, being the best football player and being prepared for training camp.”
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