Jack Tatum seemed proud of his nickname: "Assassin." The moniker stuck with the former Oakland Raiders safety even after his playing days -- and it's one that strikes an odd chord considering how Tatum is tied to one of the more tragic moments in the game's history. Tatum was one of the hardest hitters in the NFL, a Pro Bowler who intimidated opposing players with bone-jarring...

Kaye Cowher, wife of former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach and current CBS NFL analyst Bill Cowher, died after battling skin cancer, according ...

ROBBINSVILLE – How much of an impact can being around a NFL quarterback and him throwing you a few passes during a workout at a football camp have on a youngster? As Justin Orzo walked out of the Robbinsville Recreation Department Football Camp yesterday at Robbinsville High, he clutched his Joe Flacco-autographed football in one hand, looked up at his father and said as only a child could, “this was the best day of my life.’’ The youngster may have better ones before it’s over, until then getting to meet Flacco, who made an appearance at the camp for the third straight year, will suffice. “This is awesome,’’ the Baltimore Ravens quarterback said. “You get out here throw some passes to the kids. They enjoy it, I enjoy it, it’s a good day.’’ Flacco has had his share of good days since being the Ravens first-round draft choice of the University of Delaware in 2008. In his two years as the Ravens’ starter, ...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees asks himself often is there anything he could have done to prevent his mother from committing suicide.

Having prepared in the offseason for how 2010 could bring them another Super Bowl title, the first since linebacker Ray Lewis led them to the ...

As Michael Vick met voluntarily Monday in Virginia Beach with police probing a shooting last week outside his birthday party, NFL commissioner ...

Peter King isn't the only one who can predict the future. MMQB guest writer Eric Winston of the Texans makes his picks for the 2010 playoffs and lists five ways to improve the NFL.

The surprise arrival of Marc Bulger in Baltimore on Wednesday gave the Ravens a new backup quarterback. More importantly, it gave me an idea for a slow-time column topic. Backup QB Curtis Painter played in two games for the Colts in 2009. We know that, every year, injuries will happen. We never know exactly when, where, or (most importantly) to whom they'll occur. When a starting quarterback takes a knee to the head or a head to the midsection, the most popular guy in town suddenly is forced to pull the iPod buds out of his ears and say, "Did somebody call my name?" So which teams have the worst and best situations at backup quarterback? Let's take a look. The Worst 1. Indianapolis Colts. Besides Peyton Manning, the Colts have four quarterbacks on the roster. And they'd better hope that none of them ever have to take a snap in a game that counts. Curtis Painter impressed no one during his garbage-time duty in 2009, and no one expects anything from Tom Brandstater, Drew Willy...

Summer arrived Monday, and some prominent NFL players are in sticky situations. Start with Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart, who has the difficult task of succeeding Kurt Warner. This has been a tumultuous offseason for the Cardinals, who have lost four big-name players— Warner, wide receiver Anquan Boldin, linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Antrel Rolle—through free agency, trade or retirement. No wonder the 49ers have become a trendy pick to win the NFC West. While Warner was one of the best quarterbacks of his generation, Leinart remains an enigma heading into his fifth NFL season. Matt Leinart has no excuses left if he doesn't succeed for the Cardinals this year. "The questions I have about him are the same ones I had when he was drafted," said former NFL quarterback Steve Beuerlein, now an analyst for CBS. "Does he have the arm strength and the overall ability? There's really no excuse you can make if he doesn't produce this year. He's gotten a littl...

Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL no longer needs four preseason games, but the league should change its offseason training programs. "It's ...