2025-2026 NFL Season Thread

[Tony208]

Just feels like the only league that has a chance of completing is the NBA bubble.

[Batman1980]

Cannon was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during his final year at TCU and had been considering opting out in recent days due to COVID-19 concerns. His option is considered “high-risk” and includes a $350,000 stipend (and an accrued season) as a cancer survivor. His contract, which was scheduled to pay $4.7 million this year, will also toll. It's the first dire domino to fall prior to the August 3 deadline as the 32-year-old made 15 starts for New England last season. It's possible the Patriots move Joe Thuney to the right side, or simply trust any of Korey Cunningham, Yodny Cajuste or Justin Herron to fill Cannon's void. Veterans LaAdrian Waddle and Cordy Glenn are also available in free agency. Cannon joins offensive guard Najee Toran and fullback Danny Vitale among those who also took voluntary opt outs with the Patriots.

Source - Rotoworld.com

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

Source - Rotoworld.com

Add Brandon Bolden and Dont'a Hightower to that list. Season already tossed upside down before anyone even gets to camp. Well if anything the Patriots are now top ten in the league as far as cap space i think, about the only bright spot here.

[Samus Aran]

Former 49ers player Dana Stubblefield found guilty of rape

Former San Francisco 49ers player Dana Stubblefield was found guilty of rape by a Santa Clara County jury on Monday following a nine-month trial and five years after the woman reported the 2015 sexual assault to police.

He could face 15 years to life in prison.

Prosecutors said Stubblefield lured the then-31-year-old woman, who has developmental disabilities, to his home in Morgan Hill, California, on April 9, 2015, under the pretense of a babysitting job.

The jury found Stubblefield, 49, guilty of rape by force, oral copulation by force and false imprisonment and acquitted him of raping a person incapable of giving consent, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Jurors also found that Stubblefield used a gun during the assault, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Stubblefield initially contacted the woman on a babysitting website and arranged an interview at his home in Morgan Hill, south of San Jose. Investigators said the interview lasted about 20 minutes, but the woman later returned to the house when she received a text from Stubblefield saying that he wanted to pay her for her time that day.

After raping her, investigators said, Stubblefield gave her $80 and let her go. The woman immediately went to the Morgan Hill Police Department and reported the rape, prosecutors said. She also gave the money to the police.

DNA evidence matched that of Stubblefield.

"This was a triumph of resilience," Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. "The victim has struggled her whole life with learning disabilities and challenges to be self-sufficient. If we are not fighting for her, then who are we fighting for?"

Defense attorneys argued that there was no rape and that the woman consented to sex.

Allen Sawyer, one of Stubblefield's trial attorneys, described it as a "paid encounter for sex.'' He said the defense team was precluded from showing the jury strong evidence that would have supported the contention.

"There's a lot of information that we have that the jury was not allowed to have that we think would have been impactful to their decision," Sawyer told the Chronicle on Monday after the verdict was read.

Sawyer said defense attorneys will seek a new trial.

"We expect to keep fighting for Mr. Stubblefield's innocence,'' Sawyer said. "We will clear his name, and we look forward to fighting this out in the courts. This is just the first battle.''

Stubblefield was remanded to jail without bail, pending sentencing.

Stubblefield was the 49ers' first-round pick in 1993 after a career at the University of Kansas. The three-time Pro Bowler played for Washington and Oakland before retiring after the New England Patriots released him before the start of the 2004 season.

Stubblefield pleaded guilty in 2009 to lying to federal officials investigating a performance-enhancing drugs ring catering to professional athletes. He was sentenced to probation after cooperating with investigators.

In 2010, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading guilty to stealing his former girlfriend's mail by submitting a fraudulent change of address for her to the U.S. Post Office.

[rickah88]

And the opt outs are pouring in now. Just put a fork in this season already.

[imsounoriginal]

All I saw were a handful of Patriots opting out. Tanking for Trevor, no doubt lol.

[dcowboy7]

Like i said mnths ago even if there is a season why would you want your team to win this yr.

Its just gonna have a big fat asterick everytime its mentioned.

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by dcowboy7

Like i said mnths ago even if there is a season why would you want your team to win this yr.

Its just gonna have a big fat asterick everytime its mentioned.

If it's a 16-game season with full playoffs, no need for an asterisk. Substitute "injury" for "opt out" and it's like any other season.

[El Rey]

BAL OT Andre Smith has opted out

NE S Patrick Chung also has opted out

[rickah88]

Those are all the opt outs before anything has even started. Just wait until a Marlins situation happens to an NFL team, or teams.
Also wouldn’t surprise me if the date gets pushed back too.

https://www.nfl.com/news/list-of-nfl...of-2020-season

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

If it's a 16-game season with full playoffs, no need for an asterisk. Substitute "injury" for "opt out" and it's like any other season.

But it’s not injury. It could be life threatening to the player or friends/family of the player.
A sprained ankle doesn’t place family/friends at risk.

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by rickah88

But it’s not injury. It could be life threatening to the player or friends/family of the player.
A sprained ankle doesn’t place family/friends at risk.

I'm talking about a player being absent due to injury versus being absent because they opted-out of the season. If the league goes forward with a full season and playoffs, then the players who aren't there because they opted out are as good as injured in any other seasons. I'm not comparing a sprained ankle to being COVID-positive. Just saying there's no need for an asterisk next to the upcoming season if it plays out that way.

And for the record, I fully understand and support any player's right to opt-out. The health of themselves and their families is obviously not something to take lightly. But if others are willing to take the risk, and the league implements protocols to keep those players safe, then let them play. Let's have some football.

[dcowboy7]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

If it's a 16-game season with full playoffs, no need for an asterisk. Substitute "injury" for "opt out" and it's like any other season.

No it isnt cause the no fans totally changes the home field advantages.

+ opt outs arent the same as injuries.

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by dcowboy7

No it isnt cause the no fans totally changes the home field advantages.

+ opt outs arent the same as injuries.

Then put an asterisk next to any season where the refs made a terrible call in any one game. You never know what could've happened if they got that call right.

[imsounoriginal]

Marquise Goodwin opting out.

Whatever, we never have receivers anyway.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

I'm talking about a player being absent due to injury versus being absent because they opted-out of the season. If the league goes forward with a full season and playoffs, then the players who aren't there because they opted out are as good as injured in any other seasons. I'm not comparing a sprained ankle to being COVID-positive. Just saying there's no need for an asterisk next to the upcoming season if it plays out that way.

And for the record, I fully understand and support any player's right to opt-out. The health of themselves and their families is obviously not something to take lightly. But if others are willing to take the risk, and the league implements protocols to keep those players safe, then let them play. Let's have some football.

There won’t be any asterisk, that’s just nonsense. The season will happen or it won’t.
I couldn’t disagree more. Let’s NOT have some football. Again, as I mentioned a while back: what is the price of a life? If just one player, or someone connected to a player dies of Covid related illness how can this season possibly be worth it?
Sure we can say bring it on from the safety of our homes, but IMO that’s being selfish. I say this as a fan.
If teams could potentially be ravaged by positive tests, and we are seeing more bench players than actual starters what good is that?
Lordy, in the Braves game an Atlanta runner was on first and he kept trying to push the first baseman away. They both had masks on. How do you think that is going to translate to football?
Juice ain’t worth the squeeze here.

[Moviefan1203]

There are going to be opt outs. It’s pretty clear they are going to try their hardest to have a season. I hope they can pull it off. We’re in the middle of a pandemic, but our lives have to go on. Life as we know it isn’t going to look the same until there is a vaccine readily available. We have to try to live it best as we can in the meantime. Kids are going to be going back to school soon. A lot of nonessential workers are back at work. There is going to be risk.

[rickah88]

Untrue about school for many areas, including mine. We received notice virtual learning will continue through January, then the board will re-evaluate.
But school is essential. Front line medical workers are essential. The NFL is not essential. This is all about making money. There is no need to risk it. Supposedly a vaccine will have passed clinical trials by Q1 2021.
If only more people altered their lives to avoid public gatherings, maybe the spread might not have gotten so bad, so quick.
This is all about holding out for an extended period of time until medical facilities can function without getting overwhelmed and a vaccine is widely available.

[dcowboy7]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Then put an asterisk next to any season where the refs made a terrible call in any one game. You never know what could've happened if they got that call right.

But thats part of the game.

So youre saying if by some miracle the cowboys won the super bowl & i posted trash talk on twitter there wouldnt be a bunch of "tainted season" responses back.

Wow sure love to bet $$ on that id even give you odds.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by dcowboy7

But thats part of the game.

So youre saying if by some miracle the cowboys won the super bowl & i posted trash talk on twitter there wouldnt be a bunch of "tainted season" responses back.

Wow sure love to bet $$ on that id even give you odds.

Haters always put asterisks on Championships. Lol, this is nothing new. Just comes with the territory.