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Cardinals adding former Chiefs LB coach to staff | Clutch Points
Former Kansas City Chiefs outside linebackers coach Rod Wilson is joining the Cardinals to work the same role, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Wilson also has playing experience in college and the NFL, but has been a coach in Kansas City for the past four seasons.
Wilson, who is 44 years old, played four total seasons in the NFL, three of which were with the Chicago Bears. Despite being an outside linebackers coach, he played defensive back during his playing days. Rod Wilson was more of a go-to backup during his NFL tenure, ending his career appearing in 51 games (zero starts), recording 47 combined tackles (38 solo) and a forced fumble.
Per the coaching staff section of the Chiefs’ official website, Matt House is now listed as the team’s outside linebackers coach after having a senior defensive assistant title in 2025.
Re-Grading Every Team’s 2025 NFL Draft Class After Rookie Seasons | Bleacher Report
Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: B
The cracks finally started to show for the Kansas City Chiefs after a near-decade-long streak of dominance.Andy Reid’s team didn’t win the AFC West for the first time since 2015. Kansas City failed to reach the postseason for the first time since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback.
These issues don’t necessarily reflect on the rookie class, though the group could have done more.
Josh Simmons has all the makings of a 10-year starter at left tackle. He suffered through his share of mistakes but generally looked like he belonged. However, he missed multiple games in the middle of the season due to personal reasons and his rookie campaign ended due to a wrist injury.
Day 2 defenders, Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte, both played. Norman-Lott suffered a torn ACL, though. Gillotte wasn’t particularly explosive as an edge-rusher.
Third-round cornerback Nohl Williams is the rookie who demanded he be on the field through his play. Williams was a starter by the end of his first season and thrived in coverage. He’s the class’ potential gem on a team known for developing mid-to-late-round defensive backs.
Jaylen Watson just wants some respect on his Madden rating | Clutch Points
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson is out for respect this offseason. And it has little to do with the Chiefs dealing with his free agency status. It has more to do with his Madden rating.
Watson clearly wasn’t content about earning a 79 grade by the popular video game. He addressed that number with NFL insider Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports Thursday.
“I don’t really play Madden because my rating has been the same since I was a rookie,” Watson told Schultz. “They had a running back as a one and I’m getting burnt by the running back. I’m like ‘What is going on?’ And I stopped playing.”
Though he managed to improve from his 73 grade during his rookie season. But he hasn’t cracked past 80 in the era of Madden.
The Kansas City Chiefs face a difficult situation. With Rashee Rice potentially in legal trouble, Patrick Mahomes may enter 2026 with only two returning receivers from last season. Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Nikko Remigio, and Hollywood Brown may all leave KC.
That would leave the Chiefs with only Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals before free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. Some could re-sign, like Smith-Schuster or possibly Thornton. Still, it now seems clear Brown likely won’t return.
On Wednesday, Brown went live on his Twitch gaming channel and tweeted about it. After a fan commented that his team was full of podcasters and streamers, Brown clarified that he is no longer with the Chiefs and is currently a free agent. This public statement strongly suggests that Brown does not expect to return to Kansas City for the 2026 season.
Around the NFL
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears’ potential move to Indiana took another step forward on Thursday when a key committee approved a plan to create an agency that would help get a stadium built.
The Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee passed a bill establishing a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium by a 24-0 margin. The Bears are looking at a tract of land near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Ind.
“The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date,” the team said in a statement. “We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana.”
Republican Gov. Mike Braun and lawmakers in Indiana have been aggressive in trying to lure the founding NFL franchise across the state line amid a yearslong effort to build an enclosed stadium in Illinois. The Bears did not mention Illinois in their statement.
Eagles 2-time All-Pro RT Lane Johnson to return for 14th season | ESPN
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson confirmed to ESPN that he will be returning for a 14th season.
Johnson, 35, missed the final seven regular-season games as well as the Eagles’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round with a Lisfranc injury.
There was uncertainty as to whether he would suit up again in an Eagles uniform, though one prevailing thought inside the building was that he wouldn’t want to end his Hall of Fame-worthy career on that note.
Johnson also posted a photo on social media of himself running out of the tunnel to signify his return for next season.
Ian Rapoport’s future with NFL Network under ESPN: ‘No idea if it is going to happen’ | The Athletic
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter go scoop for scoop, with the difference between winning and losing often being a matter of seconds.
In April, ESPN and the NFL Network will be under the same Disney umbrella — Rapoport and Schefter will be teammates. How long that lasts is still to be determined, as Rapoport’s contract is up in May.
“If we were to work together, I think that would be awesome,” Rapoport told The Athletic, while confirming his current contract’s end date. “I have no idea if it is going to happen. But it would be like The Avengers.”
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
What is the impact of Patrick Mahomes’ restructure past 2026?
When the money was moved forward, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the sides would come back to the table after the 2026 season. While that timeline still holds, the position is largely settled leaguewide. With no young quarterback in line for a monster extension this offseason, 2025 did offer an earlier chance to map out the second half of Mahomes’ career.
Now, there is really no choice but to hammer out a new deal after the coming season. There is no situation with more disastrous potential than a team trying to ride out a lame duck season on a quarterback contract. Mahomes and the Chiefs have set a standard in a cordial, professional relationship between player and team. Nothing can change that dynamic more than future uncertainty.
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