nfl Archives - News Now Warsaw https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/tag/nfl/ Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:03:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Of Harrison and the Hoosiers https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/of-harrison-and-the-hoosiers/ Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:03:22 +0000 https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/?p=125761 By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw

It’s Sunday night, and I am standing up from my favorite reclining chair because I can’t take it anymore.

The tension of the Bears and Rams was just too much to take sitting down.

I said out loud, under my breath, “Please, don’t let this come down to Harrison.”

I was referring to former Warsaw Tiger kicker Harrison Mevis, who the NBC broadcast cut away to in that exact moment to show him jumping up and down to stay warm on the sidelines at Soldier Field.

The Bears had pulled off another fourth-quarter miracle and had tied the playoff game at 17-17 on a heave by quarterback Caleb Williams into the northwest corner of the end zone in the game’s final minute.

The Bears had stopped the Rams on the first possession of overtime, but the Bears promptly gave the ball back to them on Williams’ third interception of the night.

Rams Quarterback Matthew Stafford was moving the visitors down the field toward the winning score when those pictures of the young man I used to “bro hug” every autumn Thursday afternoon at Fisher Field began filling my TV screen, and my head.

I started to create scenarios in my head that would prevent what, I admit, was inevitable.

Maybe the Rams would make a mistake and turn the ball over.

Maybe they would score a touchdown and end the game that way.

No such luck.

So I started creating new possibilities that would get in the way of him kicking the ball and breaking my heart for the first time ever.

There could be a bad snap.

The holder could drop the ball before he could kick it.

The Bears could break through the line and block the kick, and maybe even run the ball in for a winning score.

None of those would be Harrison’s fault, right?

The conflict was tangible from my balding head to my socked feet. I didn’t want him to make this kick, but I didn’t want him to miss it either. I think too much of him for that.

The snap was perfect.

The placement of the ball was perfect.

The kick had a little bit of a hook in it as it reached the uprights, but it made it through and the Rams were off to the NFC Championship Game in Seattle.

I watched as his teammates mobbed him on the frozen turf along Chicago’s lakefront. Most of them had never met him before he was signed to the practice squad and activated for three games earlier this season.

Now, he was their hero.

I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s earned it. He deserves it.

The Hoosiers did it!
Indiana University won the College Football Playoff National Championship over Miami 27-21 in Miami.

I also watched the end of this game standing behind my favorite chair in the basement of my house. I was way too nervous to handle what I was watching in a seated position.

IU was leading 27-21, but the Hoosiers' defense looked like it was hanging on for dear life.

When Miami QB Carson Beck’s final pass sailed down the left side of the field, I saw the crimson-red jersey of Jamari Sharpe waiting for it to come to him, and when it did, he caught it and fell to the ground.

It was over.

The most improbable, incredible, unthinkable champion of college football had just taken their place on the throne of the sport.

What can we learn from this … beyond how important the transfer portal and NIL money packages have become to college athletics.

Leadership sets the tone. Curt Cignetti was in charge at IU the day he walked on campus and no one needed him to tell them or remind them of that.

I think the Hoosiers won the game on Monday night, back when Cignetti sat in front of the media and was asked to explain how he was turning around the Hoosiers from perennial losers to lovable winners.

He famously said, “I win … Google me.”

The team heard him say that, and from that day on, they picked up that attitude and carried it into places like Iowa City, Happy Valley, Lucas Oil Stadium, the Rose Bowl and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Belief is a choice. Cignetti’s restoration could only have worked if the players and support staff at IU bought into it with all their hearts, and they did.

Anything is possible. When we dare to risk our personal comfort to see just what we are capable of, stuff happens.

One last thing that I think applies to both Harrison Mevis and the Hoosiers — dreaming is only dreaming, but joy comes from the journey of doing it.

The post Of Harrison and the Hoosiers appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw

It’s Sunday night, and I am standing up from my favorite reclining chair because I can’t take it anymore.

The tension of the Bears and Rams was just too much to take sitting down.

I said out loud, under my breath, “Please, don’t let this come down to Harrison.”

I was referring to former Warsaw Tiger kicker Harrison Mevis, who the NBC broadcast cut away to in that exact moment to show him jumping up and down to stay warm on the sidelines at Soldier Field.

The Bears had pulled off another fourth-quarter miracle and had tied the playoff game at 17-17 on a heave by quarterback Caleb Williams into the northwest corner of the end zone in the game’s final minute.

The Bears had stopped the Rams on the first possession of overtime, but the Bears promptly gave the ball back to them on Williams’ third interception of the night.

Rams Quarterback Matthew Stafford was moving the visitors down the field toward the winning score when those pictures of the young man I used to “bro hug” every autumn Thursday afternoon at Fisher Field began filling my TV screen, and my head.

I started to create scenarios in my head that would prevent what, I admit, was inevitable.

Maybe the Rams would make a mistake and turn the ball over.

Maybe they would score a touchdown and end the game that way.

No such luck.

So I started creating new possibilities that would get in the way of him kicking the ball and breaking my heart for the first time ever.

There could be a bad snap.

The holder could drop the ball before he could kick it.

The Bears could break through the line and block the kick, and maybe even run the ball in for a winning score.

None of those would be Harrison’s fault, right?

The conflict was tangible from my balding head to my socked feet. I didn’t want him to make this kick, but I didn’t want him to miss it either. I think too much of him for that.

The snap was perfect.

The placement of the ball was perfect.

The kick had a little bit of a hook in it as it reached the uprights, but it made it through and the Rams were off to the NFC Championship Game in Seattle.

I watched as his teammates mobbed him on the frozen turf along Chicago’s lakefront. Most of them had never met him before he was signed to the practice squad and activated for three games earlier this season.

Now, he was their hero.

I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s earned it. He deserves it.

The Hoosiers did it!
Indiana University won the College Football Playoff National Championship over Miami 27-21 in Miami.

I also watched the end of this game standing behind my favorite chair in the basement of my house. I was way too nervous to handle what I was watching in a seated position.

IU was leading 27-21, but the Hoosiers’ defense looked like it was hanging on for dear life.

When Miami QB Carson Beck’s final pass sailed down the left side of the field, I saw the crimson-red jersey of Jamari Sharpe waiting for it to come to him, and when it did, he caught it and fell to the ground.

It was over.

The most improbable, incredible, unthinkable champion of college football had just taken their place on the throne of the sport.

What can we learn from this … beyond how important the transfer portal and NIL money packages have become to college athletics.

Leadership sets the tone. Curt Cignetti was in charge at IU the day he walked on campus and no one needed him to tell them or remind them of that.

I think the Hoosiers won the game on Monday night, back when Cignetti sat in front of the media and was asked to explain how he was turning around the Hoosiers from perennial losers to lovable winners.

He famously said, “I win … Google me.”

The team heard him say that, and from that day on, they picked up that attitude and carried it into places like Iowa City, Happy Valley, Lucas Oil Stadium, the Rose Bowl and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Belief is a choice. Cignetti’s restoration could only have worked if the players and support staff at IU bought into it with all their hearts, and they did.

Anything is possible. When we dare to risk our personal comfort to see just what we are capable of, stuff happens.

One last thing that I think applies to both Harrison Mevis and the Hoosiers — dreaming is only dreaming, but joy comes from the journey of doing it.

The post Of Harrison and the Hoosiers appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/roger.png NFL broadcaster stabbed and arrested In Indianapolis ahead of Colts game https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/nfl-broadcaster-stabbed-and-arrested-in-indianapolis-ahead-of-colts-game/ Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:18:10 +0000 https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/?p=120654

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was arrested Saturday after he was apparently stabbed in an overnight altercation in downtown Indianapolis.

Sanchez, who was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders-Colts game, was charged with battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication — all misdemeanors.

Indianapolis police said Sanchez was in a hospital and had not been booked into a detention center. He was in stable condition, according to Fox Sports.

Police said the Marion County prosecutor’s office would make the final charging decision. That office didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press.

Indianapolis police said earlier in the day that they were investigating a confrontation that occurred around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, between two men, one of whom was hospitalized with stab wounds. The other man received treatment for lacerations, police said.

Detectives had reviewed video footage of the confrontation, which police said occurred in the popular downtown nightlife Wholesale District next to the Indiana statehouse between two men and was not a random act of violence.

Few other details were available.

“We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time,” Fox Sports said.

Sanchez, 38, had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He appeared on ABC and ESPN for two years before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.

The Long Beach, California, native starred at Southern California before he was selected by the New York Jets with the fifth pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

He passed for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns while leading the Trojans to a 12-1 record during his junior year, which included a victory over Penn State in the 2009 Rose Bowl.

He spent four seasons with the Jets, starting each of his 62 games while throwing for 12,092 yards and 68 touchdowns with 69 interceptions. The Jets lost in the AFC championship in each of Sanchez’s first two years in the league.

Sanchez also appeared in games with Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington. He finished his playing career with 15,357 yards passing, 86 TD passes and 89 interceptions.

The Jets and several of Sanchez’s former teammates posted message of support on social media on Saturday.

“Sending our thoughts and love to Mark Sanchez and his family. Hoping for a speedy recovery, 6,” the Jets said, using Sanchez’s former jersey number.

“Send prayers up for my former teammate mark.. sucks so much to see this,” Kerry Rhodes wrote.

“So sad. Pray for his recovery,” Nick Mangold wrote.

The post NFL broadcaster stabbed and arrested In Indianapolis ahead of Colts game appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]>

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was arrested Saturday after he was apparently stabbed in an overnight altercation in downtown Indianapolis.

Sanchez, who was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders-Colts game, was charged with battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication — all misdemeanors.

Indianapolis police said Sanchez was in a hospital and had not been booked into a detention center. He was in stable condition, according to Fox Sports.

Police said the Marion County prosecutor’s office would make the final charging decision. That office didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press.

Indianapolis police said earlier in the day that they were investigating a confrontation that occurred around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, between two men, one of whom was hospitalized with stab wounds. The other man received treatment for lacerations, police said.

Detectives had reviewed video footage of the confrontation, which police said occurred in the popular downtown nightlife Wholesale District next to the Indiana statehouse between two men and was not a random act of violence.

Few other details were available.

“We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time,” Fox Sports said.

Sanchez, 38, had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He appeared on ABC and ESPN for two years before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.

The Long Beach, California, native starred at Southern California before he was selected by the New York Jets with the fifth pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

He passed for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns while leading the Trojans to a 12-1 record during his junior year, which included a victory over Penn State in the 2009 Rose Bowl.

He spent four seasons with the Jets, starting each of his 62 games while throwing for 12,092 yards and 68 touchdowns with 69 interceptions. The Jets lost in the AFC championship in each of Sanchez’s first two years in the league.

Sanchez also appeared in games with Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington. He finished his playing career with 15,357 yards passing, 86 TD passes and 89 interceptions.

The Jets and several of Sanchez’s former teammates posted message of support on social media on Saturday.

“Sending our thoughts and love to Mark Sanchez and his family. Hoping for a speedy recovery, 6,” the Jets said, using Sanchez’s former jersey number.

“Send prayers up for my former teammate mark.. sucks so much to see this,” Kerry Rhodes wrote.

“So sad. Pray for his recovery,” Nick Mangold wrote.

The post NFL broadcaster stabbed and arrested In Indianapolis ahead of Colts game appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-10-05-054916.png Start of the NFL season https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/start-of-the-nfl-season/ Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:30:16 +0000 https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/?p=97987 By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw

The National Football League’s 2024 season begins on Thursday.

Many people have been making predictions about the season since the draft was held back in April. That intensified even more when the schedule came out this summer. And it’s been ratcheting up ever since training camp started the last week of July.

We must say that part of the prediction tsunami is because of the massive increase in betting and people looking for insider tips before they click on the gambling app on their phones and computers.

Regardless, more and more “experts” have emerged to put their two cents in on how you should spend your $20 at the virtual betting window.

The predictions range from who will win the Super Bowl, who will play in it, who will be the MVP of the league to over/under for teams’ win totals to more obscure things.

The irony of it is that the NFL is the league that is notoriously the hardest to predict. With free agency and the draft, it’s literally impossible to know for sure who is going to be good this season.

Yes, it’s true that we think the Chiefs and Baltimore will be top-shelf again. We see no real reason why the Niners and Lions won’t have really good seasons, but we can’t know that with 100 percent certainty.

Why?

Roster and coaching turnover.

Players succeed with one team and, for a multitude of reasons, are playing with another team the next year.

Sometimes it’s because the players see greener pastures and thicker paychecks with a different team, and sometimes it’s because the front office chooses not to pay players to stay and cut them loose instead.

So, there is a mystery in every season on where the surprise teams will pop up from — both those who turn out to be surprisingly good and those who slip below expectations.

Here are some things to watch.

The new kickoff rules will be visually strange to watch on TV.

In watching a couple of preseason games on different networks, it seems the plan is for cameras to be panned out wide to show us the kicker all the way to the returners at the other end. That will seem clunky at first, but we will adjust to it, and it will be fine.

The Bears have high hopes based on a defensive unit that figured it out in the back half of last season and made several moves to both keep their best players and increase their depth.

The problem with the Bears is two-fold: there is a rational fear of pinning all your hopes on a rookie quarterback and an offensive line that does not make you feel very confident.

Add to that the fact that the Bears are in a division with the Lions and Packers, and you see why the doubters are finding plenty of dirt to fling on Chicago.

The Colts should be better than in 2023 also.

But they are in a division with Houston, and CJ Stroud sent word to everyone last season that he’s for real and the Texans are ready to be in the hunt for a Super Bowl in February.

The Colts also have a quarterback in Anthony Richardson who only played a handful of games last season because he couldn’t figure out how to protect himself by sliding before contact or slipping out of bounds.

Can they count on Richardson to play in all 17 games, and is Joe Flacco able to do what Gardner Minshew did in case he gets hurt again?

And maybe it’s just me, but why is the NFL playing a game in Brazil on Friday?

Do a search of what’s going on there right now, and common words and phrases you will see associated with Brazil are “political unrest” and “unstable,” and social media platforms are being made illegal by the government.

All it would take is for one group of protestors to see the visit of high-profile Americans as their chance to become heroes for their rank-and-file and to spread their message to the world to put our people in danger.

We are knowingly and voluntarily sending people into a part of the world that is currently at least a little bit scary and could easily become the next international hot spot.

For what purpose? Owners and league reps searching for a new world marketplace to conquer.

I hope it doesn’t backfire.

Let’s enjoy the games. Let’s enjoy all the fun that the NFL gives each week from now until February. Let’s pray for safety for the players (and not just our favorites and those on our favorite team) and that it will be a good season.

And let’s all pray that Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson don’t stink.

The post Start of the NFL season appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw

The National Football League’s 2024 season begins on Thursday.

Many people have been making predictions about the season since the draft was held back in April. That intensified even more when the schedule came out this summer. And it’s been ratcheting up ever since training camp started the last week of July.

We must say that part of the prediction tsunami is because of the massive increase in betting and people looking for insider tips before they click on the gambling app on their phones and computers.

Regardless, more and more “experts” have emerged to put their two cents in on how you should spend your $20 at the virtual betting window.

The predictions range from who will win the Super Bowl, who will play in it, who will be the MVP of the league to over/under for teams’ win totals to more obscure things.

The irony of it is that the NFL is the league that is notoriously the hardest to predict. With free agency and the draft, it’s literally impossible to know for sure who is going to be good this season.

Yes, it’s true that we think the Chiefs and Baltimore will be top-shelf again. We see no real reason why the Niners and Lions won’t have really good seasons, but we can’t know that with 100 percent certainty.

Why?

Roster and coaching turnover.

Players succeed with one team and, for a multitude of reasons, are playing with another team the next year.

Sometimes it’s because the players see greener pastures and thicker paychecks with a different team, and sometimes it’s because the front office chooses not to pay players to stay and cut them loose instead.

So, there is a mystery in every season on where the surprise teams will pop up from — both those who turn out to be surprisingly good and those who slip below expectations.

Here are some things to watch.

The new kickoff rules will be visually strange to watch on TV.

In watching a couple of preseason games on different networks, it seems the plan is for cameras to be panned out wide to show us the kicker all the way to the returners at the other end. That will seem clunky at first, but we will adjust to it, and it will be fine.

The Bears have high hopes based on a defensive unit that figured it out in the back half of last season and made several moves to both keep their best players and increase their depth.

The problem with the Bears is two-fold: there is a rational fear of pinning all your hopes on a rookie quarterback and an offensive line that does not make you feel very confident.

Add to that the fact that the Bears are in a division with the Lions and Packers, and you see why the doubters are finding plenty of dirt to fling on Chicago.

The Colts should be better than in 2023 also.

But they are in a division with Houston, and CJ Stroud sent word to everyone last season that he’s for real and the Texans are ready to be in the hunt for a Super Bowl in February.

The Colts also have a quarterback in Anthony Richardson who only played a handful of games last season because he couldn’t figure out how to protect himself by sliding before contact or slipping out of bounds.

Can they count on Richardson to play in all 17 games, and is Joe Flacco able to do what Gardner Minshew did in case he gets hurt again?

And maybe it’s just me, but why is the NFL playing a game in Brazil on Friday?

Do a search of what’s going on there right now, and common words and phrases you will see associated with Brazil are “political unrest” and “unstable,” and social media platforms are being made illegal by the government.

All it would take is for one group of protestors to see the visit of high-profile Americans as their chance to become heroes for their rank-and-file and to spread their message to the world to put our people in danger.

We are knowingly and voluntarily sending people into a part of the world that is currently at least a little bit scary and could easily become the next international hot spot.

For what purpose? Owners and league reps searching for a new world marketplace to conquer.

I hope it doesn’t backfire.

Let’s enjoy the games. Let’s enjoy all the fun that the NFL gives each week from now until February. Let’s pray for safety for the players (and not just our favorites and those on our favorite team) and that it will be a good season.

And let’s all pray that Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson don’t stink.

The post Start of the NFL season appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/roger.png The ultimate Super Bowl distraction https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/the-ultimate-super-bowl-distraction/ Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:20:55 +0000 https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/?p=89222 By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — One of the charms of the week leading up to the Super Bowl is hearing players talk about all of the distractions they’ve had to deal with before they play in the biggest game of their lives.

They aren’t wrong.

People come to you for tickets. Media outlets want to do interviews. You have to make arrangements for your family to be with you in the Super Bowl city in the days leading up to the game. You hear from people you haven’t heard from for who knows how long. Investigative reporters dig into your social media posts from back when you were 16 years old. Crazy family member stories get uncovered.

[caption id="attachment_89227" align="alignright" width="214"] Taylor Swift[/caption]

Distractions.

But ahead of the “game of the year” on Sunday, the distraction level is unlike any other we’ve ever seen.

Truthfully, it’s not a “what” the distraction is, it’s a “who” — it’s a “her."

It’s Taylor Swift.

This game is so big there is no one who just takes over the Super Bowl and makes it their own … but Taylor Swift is threatening to do exactly that.

Now, you read those words and you immediately think “he hates Taylor Swift!”

Couldn’t be less true.

I see her for who she is: a singer who is physically beautiful and seems to have the whole world wrapped around her finger. She’s not the first to do that, just the latest.

But this? This is different.

The rumors about Swift and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce started swirling in mid-September, and then she showed up at the Bears-Chiefs game on Sept. 24 and sat in the family’s suite.

Everything changed.

Swift has been at every game since, and she’s flying home from her gig in Tokyo to be at Sunday’s game.

CBS has the broadcast, and you can bet there have been multiple production meetings about how often they will cut away to shots of her with his family.

The betting class of people now has almost one hundred side betting options to choose from. We’re talking about everything from how many cutaways to her between the kickoff and the final piece of confetti falls to whether Kelce will propose to her on the field if Kansas City wins.

The question everyone has been chewing on is: “Is this good for the league or not?”

Like anything else, the way people answer this question falls along “party lines.”

If you like Taylor Swift, then you think it’s the greatest thing ever. If you don’t, then it’s at least annoying and maybe it’s a mild-to-moderate pain in the behind.

The National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell is clearly here for it.

“It has connected more fans of Taylor’s and more fans of the NFL in some ways,” he said in an interview back in November. “To see that they have a connection, now they have a connection to our game and to Taylor. … I think it’s great for the league to have that kind of attention. So, we welcome it.”

What are we talking about here?

First, we have TV ratings.

Since Swift started showing up on TV’s around America, the number of people watching the NFL has skyrocketed. The Bears-Chiefs game drew a staggering 29.4 million viewers, making it the most watched game since last year’s Super Bowl.

The record for viewership for the Super Bowl is last year’s 115.1 million people.
If Swift is there, the ratings for Sunday night will crush that. CRUSH it!

The other impact she’s had has been on jersey sales.

Remember, her boyfriend is not some back up for the kick return squad. Travis Kelce is a top-5 player in the NFL and he’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he’s done playing. His jersey was a top-5 seller on any authorized website before she showed up, and immediately Swifties started buying up the #87 Chiefs jersey in massive quantities. Sales shot up 400-percent in a week!

So, yah, the NFL office is totalLY good with all of that.

But the question still remains: “Is it good for the league’s overall product?”

My response: “Does it really matter? No, it does not.”

It’s a storyline for this year’s game. He is an all-time-great player on a team immersed in dynasty discussions, and she is probably the most famous person in the world right now —and they are dating. You can’t avoid it.

But how much is too much?

Maybe if Jim Nantz and Tony Romo call the game the “Swifty Bowl” during the broadcast, then we’ll know.

The post The ultimate Super Bowl distraction appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> By Roger Grossman
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — One of the charms of the week leading up to the Super Bowl is hearing players talk about all of the distractions they’ve had to deal with before they play in the biggest game of their lives.

They aren’t wrong.

People come to you for tickets. Media outlets want to do interviews. You have to make arrangements for your family to be with you in the Super Bowl city in the days leading up to the game. You hear from people you haven’t heard from for who knows how long. Investigative reporters dig into your social media posts from back when you were 16 years old. Crazy family member stories get uncovered.

Taylor Swift

Distractions.

But ahead of the “game of the year” on Sunday, the distraction level is unlike any other we’ve ever seen.

Truthfully, it’s not a “what” the distraction is, it’s a “who” — it’s a “her.”

It’s Taylor Swift.

This game is so big there is no one who just takes over the Super Bowl and makes it their own … but Taylor Swift is threatening to do exactly that.

Now, you read those words and you immediately think “he hates Taylor Swift!”

Couldn’t be less true.

I see her for who she is: a singer who is physically beautiful and seems to have the whole world wrapped around her finger. She’s not the first to do that, just the latest.

But this? This is different.

The rumors about Swift and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce started swirling in mid-September, and then she showed up at the Bears-Chiefs game on Sept. 24 and sat in the family’s suite.

Everything changed.

Swift has been at every game since, and she’s flying home from her gig in Tokyo to be at Sunday’s game.

CBS has the broadcast, and you can bet there have been multiple production meetings about how often they will cut away to shots of her with his family.

The betting class of people now has almost one hundred side betting options to choose from. We’re talking about everything from how many cutaways to her between the kickoff and the final piece of confetti falls to whether Kelce will propose to her on the field if Kansas City wins.

The question everyone has been chewing on is: “Is this good for the league or not?”

Like anything else, the way people answer this question falls along “party lines.”

If you like Taylor Swift, then you think it’s the greatest thing ever. If you don’t, then it’s at least annoying and maybe it’s a mild-to-moderate pain in the behind.

The National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell is clearly here for it.

“It has connected more fans of Taylor’s and more fans of the NFL in some ways,” he said in an interview back in November. “To see that they have a connection, now they have a connection to our game and to Taylor. … I think it’s great for the league to have that kind of attention. So, we welcome it.”

What are we talking about here?

First, we have TV ratings.

Since Swift started showing up on TV’s around America, the number of people watching the NFL has skyrocketed. The Bears-Chiefs game drew a staggering 29.4 million viewers, making it the most watched game since last year’s Super Bowl.

The record for viewership for the Super Bowl is last year’s 115.1 million people.
If Swift is there, the ratings for Sunday night will crush that. CRUSH it!

The other impact she’s had has been on jersey sales.

Remember, her boyfriend is not some back up for the kick return squad. Travis Kelce is a top-5 player in the NFL and he’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he’s done playing. His jersey was a top-5 seller on any authorized website before she showed up, and immediately Swifties started buying up the #87 Chiefs jersey in massive quantities. Sales shot up 400-percent in a week!

So, yah, the NFL office is totalLY good with all of that.

But the question still remains: “Is it good for the league’s overall product?”

My response: “Does it really matter? No, it does not.”

It’s a storyline for this year’s game. He is an all-time-great player on a team immersed in dynasty discussions, and she is probably the most famous person in the world right now —and they are dating. You can’t avoid it.

But how much is too much?

Maybe if Jim Nantz and Tony Romo call the game the “Swifty Bowl” during the broadcast, then we’ll know.

The post The ultimate Super Bowl distraction appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/roger.png POLL: Week 3 of the NFL is here, so what high school, college, or pro games are you looking forward to? https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/poll-week-3-nfl-high-school-college-pro-games-looking-forward/ Mon, 18 Sep 2017 18:04:43 +0000 https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/?p=27994
Week 3 of the NFL is here, and there are some solid high school and college games on tap, too.

So, what are you looking forward to this week?

The post POLL: Week 3 of the NFL is here, so what high school, college, or pro games are you looking forward to? appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

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Week 3 of the NFL is here, and there are some solid high school and college games on tap, too.

So, what are you looking forward to this week?

The post POLL: Week 3 of the NFL is here, so what high school, college, or pro games are you looking forward to? appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Notre-Dame-Football.jpg WEEK 2: Which football game are you most looking forward to? https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/week-2-football-game-looking-forward/ Mon, 11 Sep 2017 17:57:32 +0000 https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/?p=27645 We're entering Week 2 of the NFL season and we want to know which games you're looking forward to this week...whether it's high school, college, or pro!

Feel free to answer as many conferences/leagues as you like.

(Click here if the embedded poll below doesn't work for you)

The post WEEK 2: Which football game are you most looking forward to? appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> We’re entering Week 2 of the NFL season and we want to know which games you’re looking forward to this week…whether it’s high school, college, or pro!

Feel free to answer as many conferences/leagues as you like.

(Click here if the embedded poll below doesn’t work for you)

The post WEEK 2: Which football game are you most looking forward to? appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

]]> https://www.newsnowwarsaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Notre-Dame-Football.jpg