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Afternoon Edition

March 31, 2025

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FOS can report that the NFL is drawing interest from outside partners in potential men’s and women’s flag football leagues. Here’s what we know.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]] and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

NFL Considers Backers for Pro Flag Football Leagues Ahead of LA28 [[link removed]]

Canton Repository

PALM BEACH, Fla. — The National Football League is actively fielding inbound interest from multiple potential business partners that would be involved in a professional flag football league, sources said. The most probable structure at this point would be an entity that would be heavily supported by, but not operated by, the NFL.

NFL-supported professional flag football leagues, for both men and women, are unquestionably forthcoming. It’s just a matter of when, with soon after the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles becoming an increasingly likely timetable.

The league has made no secret of its intense interest in promoting flag football [[link removed]], both in a youth participation context and a professional one—particularly in the wake of the inclusion of the sport in the 2028 Games [[link removed]] and the potential involvement of NFL players there [[link removed]]. Now, further steps are beginning to take shape.

“Flag is real. All levels of flag are real. I’m really, personally, bullish on this,” said Chiefs president Mark Donovan. “When you add in all the pieces that are coming, including the things happening around women’s sports, the investment going into that, I think flag is poised to be enormous.”

Donovan continued in his view that the 2028 Olympics will be a watershed moment for the development of flag football, with “rumblings and the creation” of the pro leagues likely preceding that event, and the actual entities following.

“I think the Olympics piece is a compelling point for any [NFL team] owner,” Donovan said. “You’re going to see us get aggressive in establishing the organizing bodies, the accreditations. … There are plenty of people who would want to invest in [this].”

Flag football is a prominent part of the NFL annual meeting being held here this week [[link removed]], with the three-day session kicked off in part by a session focused on women’s sports and flag football [[link removed]] that included WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, women’s tennis icon Serena Williams, and former Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

“It was interesting to hear Caitlin say, ‘If flag football was around when I was growing up, I might not be a basketball player,’” said Chiefs owner Clark Hunt.

NFL EVP of club business Peter O’Reilly similarly reiterated on Monday the importance of flag football to the league.

“It’s an entry point and the way we can scale our game. It’s girls and boys in schools,” O’Reilly said. “Since that Olympic announcement a couple of years ago, investment around the world in flag programs is huge. That obviously has a participation impact, but it also has a fandom impact in a very real way.”

The establishment of professional flag football leagues will also very likely be joined by media contracts fetching interest from multiple bidders [[link removed]].

Senior writer Michael McCarthy contributed to this story from New York.

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NFL’s QB Market Shake-Up Puts Steelers in Unfamiliar Territory [[link removed]]

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Even the Steelers, long known for valuing stability more than most teams, are being forced to adjust to the much more turbulent and expensive reality of quarterbacking in the NFL.

While the league’s annual meeting, being held here this week, is focused on a variety of potential on-field rules changes and business matters [[link removed]], the heightened quarterback carousel [[link removed]] this offseason also has been a frequent source of discussion. That frenetic movement in recent weeks has involved notable players such as Sam Darnold [[link removed]], Geno Smith, and Justin Fields, included a record-setting extension [[link removed]] for Bills star and reigning league Most Valuable Player Josh Allen, and even big money for likely backups [[link removed]].

“It’s business in the NFL in 2025, man,” said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin in response to a Front Office Sports question. “A lot of football obviously goes through that position; it’s reflected in the market, and there are a lot of talented guys out there as well. The responsibilities that come with those jobs are probably equal to that money.”

The Steelers are now at the center of that carousel as the team continues conversations with Aaron Rodgers after a lengthy on-site visit last week. Tomlin, however, insisted he’s not bothered by not having the team’s quarterback situation at all settled. Pittsburgh recently brought back former backup and spot starter Mason Rudolph after a year with the Titans and is also actively scouting potential selections in next month’s draft.

“I’m really comfortable with being unsettled at this time of year, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said. “It’s about talent acquisition. We’ve got two main means of acquiring talent: free agency and the draft. We multitask. We do both. … Although day-to-day it can be somewhat uncomfortable, it is a process.”

That uncertainty, however, is a marked change from the nearly two decades when future Pro Football Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger was firmly established as the Steelers’ QB1.

If Pittsburgh signs Rodgers, it’s not known what his contract terms will be, but it could again push toward the top of the market. The four-time MVP previously had a two-year, $75 million fully guaranteed contract [[link removed]] with the Jets that had been restructured. The Jets are now set to take on a $49 million dead-money hit in its salary cap with the departure of Rodgers.

Training Matters

Tomlin, meanwhile, refused to match the vitriol of former Steelers running back Najee Harris. Now a member of the Chargers, Harris said of his new team’s training facilities [[link removed]], “You all have a great thing going on here because, man, it’s not like this everywhere. It’s not.” Harris stifled a laugh as he referred to his former team.

On this year’s NFL Players Association report cards [[link removed]], released last month, the Steelers got a C+ in the categories of nutritionist/dietitian, training room, and weight room; C- in strength coaches; and D for locker room.

“I’m not going to comment on somebody else’s opinion. Everybody’s entitled to theirs,” Tomlin said in response to a FOS question about Harris. “We had a great experience with Naj. We appreciate his efforts in the four years he was here with us, and I wish him nothing but the best.”

Yankees RSN and Comcast Clash Intensifies As Deadline for Deal Nears [[link removed]]

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Another deadline is approaching Monday night in the ongoing YES Network–Comcast carriage dispute [[link removed]], and the situation is growing uglier than ever.

After the two sides reached another short-term extension last week [[link removed]], stretching to 11:59 p.m. ET Monday, the Yankees-led regional sports network and the No. 2 U.S. cable carrier spent the weekend trading barbs against each other.

The YES Network ran a series of on-air crawls during Yankees games Saturday and Sunday, a historic offensive onslaught for the team [[link removed]], encouraging Comcast subscribers to switch to a different provider. Network president and CEO Jon Litner then appeared live in the booth during Sunday’s game against the Brewers and continued the anti-Comcast argument.

“They are demanding that YES move to a more expensive digital package that will cost you, its loyal customers, $20 more per month,” Litner said. “At the same time, Comcast continues to give their own networks, including [SportsNet New York], preferential treatment by keeping them in the less-costly package. And this is exactly the bullying tactic Comcast used against MSG Networks a few years ago, which resulted in MSG being dropped by Comcast. I guess it’s the Comcast playbook to favor their own networks and disadvantage networks they do not own.”

Comcast has moved nearly two dozen RSNs to higher tiers in recent years, including several they own or operate, as the company has sought to stem the tide of ever-rising sports programming costs. That effort, in turn, has sought to create a more direct relationship between those who want to watch live sports and those who pay for it.

The YES Network, however, has long insisted on not being treated like any other network, given its status as one of the most-watched RSNs in the business and its carriage of the Yankees.

The carrier, meanwhile, responded with its own statement, recalling many of the same themes that surfaced during a similar distribution battle between the two that lasted for nearly 18 months between late 2015 and early 2017.

“YES Network has insisted we pay higher fees when nearly 90% of customers watched fewer than five of the roughly 130 Yankees games it aired last season,” the company said. “If we lose the rights to carry YES, we will credit our customers between $7 and $10 per month. Xfinity subscribers can also subscribe directly to the Gotham Sports app [[link removed]] to watch the games.”

Industry sources said viewership data is based on internal Comcast data from set-top boxes, and it has not been verified by an established third-party measurement agency such as Nielsen. If another extension or a broader deal is not reached by late Monday night, the YES Network is expected to go dark on Comcast systems. Given the heightening invective, that scenario is now looking likelier than ever.

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STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Push

Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani ⬆ An autographed, 1-of-1 relic card commemorating the star’s iconic 50/50 season sold for $1.067 million at Heritage Auctions on Sunday, the first time one of his cards breached the million-dollar mark. The sale was a tick cheaper than the $1.1 million a buyer paid for a Paul Skenes MLB debut patch autograph card [[link removed]] earlier this month.

Jakub Menšík ⬆ The 19-year-old upset Novak Djokovic at the Miami Open to win his first ATP title and a $1.12 million prize. Menšík’s win also denied Djokovic, who has won a record 24 men’s Grand Slams, his 100th tour win, a milestone that had been achieved by only two other players (Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer).

The Ringer ⬆ NBA analyst Zach Lowe is joining the company [[link removed]], founder Bill Simmons announced on his eponymous podcast Sunday. Lowe was let go by ESPN in September.

Red Bull ⬆⬇ Team adviser Helmut Marko told German outlet Formel1.de that Yuki Tsunoda will “finish the season” with the team [[link removed]]. Tsunoda was called up from the Racing Bulls, the team’s junior squad, to replace Liam Lawson after just two races. He will make his Red Bull debut this weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull is third in the constructors’ championship despite Lawson recording zero points.

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Join us as we revisit key moments from our exclusive Comcast Business Executive Forum [[link removed]] presented in March at THE PLAYERS Championship. In this virtual version of our Executive Forum, you’ll hear highlights from the event—gaining diverse perspectives from industry leaders in technology and business [[link removed]] as well as taking away valuable insights on critical topics [[link removed]] including network performance, AI, security, and more.

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Conversation Starters The Yankees scored 32 runs against Brewers pitchers in two days as several players used their new “torpedo” bats. Milwaukee decided to have first baseman Jake Bauers pitch, and he held New York scoreless. Check it out [[link removed]]. Jeff Conine helped the Marlins win two World Series and is in the team’s Hall of Fame. His son Griffin now plays for Miami and drilled a home run on Sunday. Watch it here [[link removed]]. The Bills are the second team—after the Chiefs—to get a Hallmark Christmas movie [[link removed]]. Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story will premiere during the 2025 Christmas season. Editors’ Picks Fanatics Blames ‘Technology’ Error for Mixed-Up MLB Ads [[link removed]]by Jeff Benson [[link removed]]One image had a fan wearing a Twins jersey and Guardians hat. Jets Offer Most Employees Buyouts [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The team offered nearly 70% of its workforce severance packages. SEC Earns Record $70M in Men’s March Madness Units [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]The NCAA distributes payouts based on participation and prowess in the tournament. Advertise [[link removed]] Honors [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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