LOSING SUPPORT: Goodell isn't going away, not as long as the NFL is printing money, but at least one owner is openly questioning the commissioner's role in the discipline process. Other owners are starting to wonder off the record if it's not time to curb the commissioner's power, too.
Will NFL owners curb Roger Goodell’s power?
Probably not, but there are a few of them asking questions -- on and off the record -- about the commissioner’s role in player discipline. Also, Tim Tebow’s big night, the preseason wraps up, roster cuts and more.
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DEFLATEGATE IS OVER (KIND OF): Massachusetts might as well go ahead and make Sep. 3 an official holiday, the day Tom Brady got his four-game suspension vacated. Here’s why the judge threw it out and dealt Roger Goodell a very serious blow to his authority. The NFL is appealing the decision, but that won’t keep Tom Brady from playing. Needless to say, Patriots fans are very happy. The Patriots’ Super Bowl odds took a jump in the wake of the news.
INSIDE GOODELL: What makes the NFL’s commissioner robot tick? Check out Kent Babb’s profile of Roger Goodell, a natural politician who isn’t going to be pushed aside so easily.
TEBOW TIME: No roster decision has been made yet, but it’s possible that Tim Tebow could be on an NFL 53-man roster again after outplaying Matt Barkley for the third-string gig in Thursday’s preseason finale. Look at him throwing darts last night, including a perfectly placed 45-yard bomb.
HAYNE HYPE: Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne finished off the preseason with a bang, rolling through defenders, breaking tackles and ... OH MY LOOK AT THAT BLOCK! He’s got to make the 49ers final roster. And someone made a music video for him.
PRESEASON ENDS: The preseason ended on Thursday night, with a furious Round of 16 games featuring, mostly, guys competing for a job ahead of Saturday afternoon’s roster cut deadline. Here’s everything you need to know from Thursday’s games.
MASCOT TACKLES KID: The hit on the night comes from a mascot, who took out a youth football player and then taunted him. We shouldn’t laugh, but ...
LOOK OUT CHASE: Chiefs QB Chase Daniel had a pass blow up in his face, and then he got blown up to put an exclamation point on the whole thing.
HIGHLIGHTS: Whoa, Brock Osweiler slings a 78-yard touchdown like it’s no big deal ... Chiefs RB Darrin Reaves won’t go down ... Matt Simms throws a 20-yard pass, backwards ... pretty great touchdown catch and run by Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett ... Buffalo’s pinball pick-six was the play of the preseason.
WHAT TO WATCH: What will be this season’s big stories in the NFL -- on the field, not in the courtroom?
FANTASY CORNER: Are you drafting for your league this weekend? Well, the quarterback rankings look a little different in the wake of yesterday’s DeflateGate news. Be sure to read and bookmark the latest fantasy rankings for all players and positions.
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