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Afternoon Edition

September 15, 2025

The NFL’s biggest TV draw is suddenly facing its toughest test as the Chiefs stumble to 0–2 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Chiefs’ Fall to 0–2 Dims the Spotlight on NFL’s Top TV Draw [[link removed]]

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Chiefs’ status as the NFL’s latest “America’s Team” is under heightened levels of stress after sinking to a new low in the Patrick Mahomes–Andy Reid era.

Kansas City lost the Super Bowl LIX rematch Sunday against Philadelphia, falling to 0–2 in a season for the first time since 2014, the second year for Reid as Chiefs head coach and the team’s previous non-playoff campaign. Mahomes, the team’s star quarterback, hasn’t had that record in his career since he was a sophomore in high school. Dating back to the Super Bowl in February, the Chiefs have now lost three straight games.

The latest loss to the Eagles followed a season-opening defeat Sept. 5 to the Chargers in Brazil, a game that has continued to spur debate about the streaming audience [[link removed]] on YouTube.

A big viewership number from Fox is expected late Tuesday for the game against the Eagles, extending a run the Chiefs have had since early last year as the NFL’s most-watched team [[link removed]], supplanting the Cowboys. That lofty position, however, will be tested in new ways as the team’s next four games will all be on national TV.

The run of contests includes:

A Sunday Night Football game Sept. 21 on NBC at the Giants A late-afternoon, nationally broadcast home game Sept. 28 against the Ravens on CBS A Monday Night Football game Oct. 6 on ESPN at the Jaguars Another SNF game Oct. 12, this time at home against the Lions

The NFL intentionally selected that run of showcase games for the Chiefs, and they were a key part of the 2025 schedule release in May [[link removed]], as the league seeks to maximize overall viewership [[link removed]]. That national-level presence will continue later in the season with key games against the Commanders and Bills, and then on Thanksgiving with a late-afternoon game against the Cowboys, a broadcast eyed as potentially the league’s largest in regular-season history [[link removed]].

In the immediate term, though, Mahomes said the initial focus is on minimizing on-field mistakes. That’s particularly true as the Chiefs are already two games back in the conference standings from top rivals such as the Bills and Bengals, with the Colts also standing at 2–0, and either the Chargers or Raiders will get there Monday night.

“We deal with adversity. It’s about how you deal with it,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, this isn’t how we want to start, but how are we going to respond?”

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Tush Push Debate Heats Up in Eagles Win, Ex-NFL Rules Chief Sounds Off [[link removed]]

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Just two weeks into the 2025 NFL regular season, criticism—and confusion—is growing around the Tush Push, which was nearly banned this past offseason.

On Sunday, Fox Sports rules analyst Dean Blandino, who was the NFL’s VP of officiating from 2013 to 2017, voiced his frustration with the play during the Eagles’ 20–17 victory over the Chiefs.

“I am done with the Tush Push, guys,” Blandino said [[link removed]] when Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady brought him in to analyze a Philadelphia quarterback-sneak play late in the fourth quarter Sunday. “It’s a hard play to officiate, like we’ve been talking about.”

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts appeared to have potentially fumbled the ball, but the mosh pit of players made it difficult to determine what actually happened. “So, they either ruled progress or that Hurts was down—really hard to see what’s happening with the football,” Blandino said. Ultimately, it was ruled that Hurts did not fumble.

Philly Special

Philadelphia is continuing to lead the way in successful Tush Push short-yard conversions this season, after franchise owner Jeffrey Lurie made a significant effort to save the play from being banned.

In May, NFL owners narrowly voted to keep the Tush Push [[link removed]], with 22 voting in favor of banning it, and 10 voting to keep it; 24 votes are needed to make a rule change. The vote was a surprise following multiple reports that there would be enough support for the ban. However, Lurie and former Eagles center Jason Kelce each spoke passionately before the other team owners in defense of keeping the play legal.

Pushing Down the Road

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has previously cited [[link removed]] safety concerns of the Tush Push play, as well as its perceived aesthetic unpleasantness, more akin to rugby than American football.

Team owners will meet in October for their annual fall meetings, and while it’s likely the Tush Push will be discussed yet again there, it would be unprecedented for the league to make a major rule change midseason.

Should another vote to ban the Tush Push occur, the 2026 spring meeting (March 29 to April 1 in Phoenix) could be a logical time for that to happen.

EVENT

On Sept. 16, Front Office Sports will bring the biggest names in sports media to The Times Center in Manhattan for Year 2 of Tuned In [[link removed]], presented by Elevate.

This daylong event will feature insightful conversations with a star-studded lineup including three commissioners, five on-air talents, and six top network executives, with more to be announced.

This is an event you won’t want to miss. Get your ticket now [[link removed]].

Warriors $75M Pitch Fails to Sway Kuminga As Season Looms [[link removed]]

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Warriors have increased their offer to Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old forward isn’t budging.

According to an ESPN report [[link removed]], Golden State offered a three-year, $75.2 million contract to Kuminga last week. At an average annual value of $25 million per season, it’s ostensibly the largest offer the Warriors have presented Kuminga, but it comes with only two years, $48.3 million in guaranteed money due to a team option in the third year.

Golden State had reportedly offered Kuminga a two-year, $45 million deal that had just one guaranteed year and a team option in the second season. They also offered him a three-year deal with no options, but the total contract was just $54 million ($18 million annually).

Kuminga and his representatives have been averse to a deal including team options. They have reportedly even preferred a one-year deal that would be above the $8 million qualifying offer he could sign. That would make Kuminga an unrestricted free agent next year while still allowing the Warriors the opportunity to trade him midseason. Players on qualifying contracts can veto trades.

Golden State, however, is also worried about losing the former lottery pick for nothing in the 2026 offseason. That leaves the two sides without a resolution, and training camp is just two weeks away.

Other Suitors

Kuminga could have received a larger deal from the Suns or Kings, both of whom were reportedly ready to offer a long-term deal to the forward following a sign-and-trade with the Warriors. Golden State declined the offers.

Phoenix, which traded away Kevin Durant [[link removed]] in June, offered Royce O’Neale and second-round compensation to the Warriors for Kuminga. They would have signed Kuminga to a four-year deal worth $80 million to $88 million ($20 million to $22 million annually).

Sacramento’s deal for Kuminga would have been for just three years, but at $63 million to $66 million total, the former G League Ignite product would have received similar money annually to Phoenix’s offer. The Kings were prepared to send a future first-round pick and Malik Monk to Golden State.

In Comparison

Kuminga is one of four key restricted free agents whose negotiations dragged deep into the summer. However, two of them found resolutions in the past two weeks [[link removed]]—including Josh Giddey, who was selected one pick before Kuminga in the 2021 NBA draft.

Giddey agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal with the Bulls last week, all of which is guaranteed. At $25 million per year, the average annual value of the contract is similar to what Kuminga will receive from the Warriors in their latest offer. But Kuminga will get less than half of Giddey’s guaranteed money.

On the other hand, Nets guard Cam Thomas could not find a long-term solution. Thomas settled for a $6 million qualifying offer that will make him an unrestricted free agent next year.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY Adam Silver to Address Clippers Situation at Tuned In

FOS illustration

We are less than 24 hours away from the biggest media event of the year, as Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, Stephen A. Smith, Clay Travis, and more are set to speak at Front Office Sports’s Tuned In summit. FOS media and entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel joins us ahead of the event to explain which storylines he will focus on.

Plus, we are joined by former Eagles and Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery on the heels of Philadelphia’s victory over the Chiefs in the Super Bowl LIX rematch, in which the Birds used the controversial Tush Push seven times. Jeffery gives his thoughts on the league’s decision to keep the play legal, the early struggles of the Bears, and how the NFL Players Association should move forward after its latest scandals.

Also, St. Louis Cardinals legend Adam Wainwright joins the show for a September baseball check-in as the wild-card race heats up.

Watch the full episode here. [[link removed]]

STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Down

The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bengals ⬇ Quarterback Joe Burrow will miss at least three months [[link removed]] due to a toe injury sustained Sunday that will require surgery. Despite a 2–0 start to the season, the injury will likely derail Cincinnati’s 2025 campaign, the first since it invested $276 million in wide receivers [[link removed]] Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins—the most expensive receiver duo in NFL history.

Mondo Duplantis ⬆ The Swedish American pole vaulter broke the world record for the 14th time after clearing 6.30 meters at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Duplantis won $70,000 for winning the world championships and $100,000 for breaking his own world record.

Scottie Scheffler ⬆ The world’s No. 1–ranked golfer won the Procore Championship on Sunday, taking home $1.08 million for his sixth victory of the year. Scheffler led a large contingent of U.S. Ryder Cup team members [[link removed]] playing in the fall PGA Tour event in preparation for next week’s tournament.

FlyHouse ⬆ The private jet company has a new deal with ESPN that includes flying in all of College GameDay’s celebrity guest pickers to that week’s location this season, as well as providing ESPN with other private aviation services this football season.

Conversation Starters Anthony Rizzo bought beer for fans at the Cubs game for his retirement ceremony. Take a look [[link removed]]. The Falcons signed kicker Parker Romo to the practice squad last week. On Sunday night, he made five field goals in Atlanta’s road win over the Vikings—and met teammate Leonard Floyd during a postgame interview. Watch it here [[link removed]]. DeAndre Hopkins was asked whether he’s motivated by his social media exchanges with fans. He said his true motivations are “real things in life.” Check it out [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Valkyries Will Try to Remake Ballhalla 50 Miles Away [[link removed]]by Annie Costabile [[link removed]]Golden State will try to stave off elimination in an unfamiliar environment. Ken Rosenthal: I Apologized to Photog After Knocking Him Over [[link removed]]by Ryan Glasspiegel [[link removed]]Rosenthal backpedaled into the photographer to avoid a Gatorade shower. UCLA-Tennessee QB Trade Has Been Painful So Far [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]Iamaleava abruptly left Tennessee for UCLA this past offseason. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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