Kansas City previously indicated a potential Week 11 return for the reigning MVP, but Mahomes is already back at practice and (somehow) not ruled out the Chiefs’ matchup with the Packers in Week 8. Head coach Andy Reid told reporters Wednesday that Matt Moore will get the majority of reps at practice, but Mahomes will throw and take part in individual drills. Mahomes suffered the injury on a quarterback sneak in the first half against the Broncos....

During a recent appearance on the WHOOP podcast, Mahomes was asked by the show’s host, Will Ahmed, if he thought coaches challenging plays was good or bad for the game of football. In response, Mahomes said be believes it’s good for football, which then led the conversation towards potential technology that could help NFL referees make more accurate calls during games. “I’ve always thought about the chip in the ball has to happen at some point, where if you cross the line it just tells you touchdown,” Mahomes said....

At just 30 years of age, Willis still has a lot of life a head of him, which is good, considering he still may need to work on the proper way to wear a tie. Take a look at Willis from his press conference. His tie is on the inside of his shirt. But when you’ve done the things that Willis did on the field, you can wear your tie any way you want....

Sporting News caught up with Willis as part of Duracell’s Trust Your Power campaign. He shared his thoughts on his rivals, teammate, coach and the other athlete who inspires him—paralympian Amy Purdy: SN: Are you ready to dive right into your offseason work? Willis: I’m looking forward to it, more than ever. SN: What do you think of the changes the 49ers have made so far? Willis: Every year, changes are made, and you lose guys you spent just an incredible season or whole career with....

But they failed utterly in their goal of destroying the spirit of this country. Unlike most traditional forms of patriotism, ours does not center directly on the land; the “spacious skies” and “amber waves of grain” are more about the idea of unlimited possibility and material bounty than the particular locations so sacred in other societies. The tremendous mobility of Americans also renders a sense of place–even places as important as New York and Washington–a lesser theme....

Running back Dion Lewis will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, according to multiple reports. MORE: Week 9 bad beats | Patriots have a flaw (no, really) | Week 9 images Lewis suffered the non-contact knee injury at the end of a 14-yard catch-and-runs. He left the game with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. It was reported that his ACL appeared to be loose, though there was minimal swelling, and he underwent an MRI Monday....

The takeaway from Thursday night: The Patriots have defensive flaws, again . . . and Tom Brady and the offense are so good, they can keep the rest of the team far from danger. MORE: Welcome to Week 1 in the NFL | Brady, Gronk poised to make history | Top five plays from the game What we learned Brady is great when angry, and Gronk is Gronk when Gronking....

The Steelers complained in the first quarter that the Patriots’ radio broadcast was coming through the Steelers coaches’ headsets, according to NBC Sports. Other reports said Patriots coaches experienced the same problem. MORE: Inside the Spygate allegations against Pats, Goodell The Patriots under coach Bill Belichick have been embroiled in cheating probes ranging from Spygate to the more recent Deflategate. While many conspiracy theorists will point to the Patriots again scheming to gain a competitive advantage, the Patriots do not control the headset frequencies....

The post, which appeard Tuesday, was supposed to be for a promotional giveaway in which fans were given the opportunity to win Super Bowl seats if they donated to United Way. It read: The comments section was quickly filled with upset Eagles and Jaguars fans, which caught the attention of the NFL. The post was deleted Friday. In an email to Geoff Mosher of Fan Rag Sports, an NFL spokesman said the Facebook promo advertising a Vikings-Patriots Super Bowl with Case Keenum and Tom Brady was a “regrettable mistake....

Line: New England -3 (-120), Total: 44 Line movement: The Patriots opened as 5.5-point favorites before their MNF contest against Buffalo, with the spread dropping significantly as of Tuesday afternoon. There are some Vegas locations with -3 and no juice. The total has also plummeted after opening 47.5 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, down to 43.5 at most bet shops on Friday morning. Check our odds page for updated NFL lines from Las Vegas....

Injuries may still play a factor, but New England is as determined as ever to get the win. As proof, wide receiver Julian Edelman, who missed his fair share of time with a foot injury, posted a hype video on his Facebook page Friday. The video starts with some of the injuries and obstacles the Pats faced this season and then turns into a highlight reel reminding everyone what this dangerous team is capable of....

Jason La Canfora reports New England is likely to lose “at least one draft pick” and face “heavy fines” following the conclusion of the league’s investigation. In addition, the NFL may suspend a member of the organization’s upper management. TIMELINE: Spygate, Deflategate and other controversial incidents under Bill Belichick Part of the explanation for the harsh penalties is the Patriots’ recent history of impropriety, including infamous scandals such as Spygate and Deflategate....

Tim Wright, who came to the Pats via trade last season from the Buccaneers in the the Logan Mankins deal, was released Thursday, according to Fox Sports. MORE: Can Pats be dethroned in AFC East? | Bold predictions for 2015 The third-year player will now be subject to waivers, and veteran Scott Chandler will likely move into the No. 2 tight end slot behind Rob Gronkowski. Michael Hoomanawanui may also see an increased role in the offense....

The Bucs reportedly have traded with the Patriots to acquire All-Pro left guard Logan Mankins. In return, Tampa Bay sends backup tight end Tim Wright and a 2015 fourth-round draft pick to New England, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer was first to report. FANTASY: TE Tim Wright trade implications | Sporting News Super Bowl pick The Buccaneers were just kicking the tires on controversial street free agent Richie Incognito. Although talks went well with the former Dolphin on Monday, there was no signing....

He had a reputation–they called him “Old-Blood-and-Guts”–but we weren’t prepared for what he’d be like in person, especially his richly profane vocabulary. He gave us the reasons for fighting those Nazi “sons of bitches.” Most people think of George C. Scott’s deep voice when they think of Patton, but the general had a high-pitched voice. The dress and the vocabulary were a cover for a genteel man. He was an actor, but he played the role brilliantly....

Paul George, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo are still in the running for the honor, the league announced Friday. George averaged 28 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Thunder. He also led the league in steals (2.21) and is a top contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Oklahoma City lost to Portland in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, bringing what was easily George’s best year to an end....

Paul got one over on his older brother in the match, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring three times to lead Manchester United to a 3-0 win in the first leg of the last-32 tie. Ibra the star again in Pogba showdown After the match the Pogba family got together for a little celebratory dance that Paul posted on his social media account. Check it out below: A post shared by Paul Labile Pogba (@paulpogba) on Feb 16, 2017 at 3:38pm PST

Why Lukaku is reuniting with Mourinho The Brazil midfielder revealed Barca had made a bid for him last month, reportedly worth €20 million, but the Chinese Super League champions have rejected the offer and are determined to keep hold of their man, whose contact includes a €40m release clause. With Barca turning to the former Tottenham player as their attempts to sign Marco Verratti from Paris Saint-Germain hit the buffers, Paulinho hopes that his current employers will have a change of heart....

Nick Saban has won national championships, and redefined success in college football's most dominant and destructive conference. He has survived the draining, daunting job of coaching at Alabama, and has outrecruited anyone and everyone in his way. MORE: Recapping the Tide’s win | Week 3 photos | Manziel’s big play He ran college football's second-best coach out of the SEC, and seized the very life out of every opportunity the BCS has given him....

In a press release that was posted to social media Monday, Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, announced that Thiel intends to step down from his position as a member of the social media giant’s board of directors. Thiel, who has been a member of the board since April 2005, will officially step down at the company’s annual stockholders meeting this year, according to the press release. In a statement, Thiel was effusive in his praise of the company’s CEO and founder....