Ryan from Mt. Zion, IL

I read an article that the Jags owner had a nice "flex" showing up to NO in his $375 million yacht. Is Mike "flexing" when he didn't remember the Sharpe eye poke game because he was studying in Spain?

I was a college student buying 95-cent Heinekens at a corner bar in Seville at age 20, no questions asked. I thought I had the world licked.

Dan from Rice Lake, WI

Apparently the Eagles didn't hear about the Chiefs' dynasty, or perhaps they heard about it a bit too much.

Maybe in the final analysis, the worst thing for the Chiefs was to be facing the team it had barely beaten in the Super Bowl two years prior with a much better team. In the Eagles' mind, KC shouldn't have had the original repeat let alone a shot at the three-peat.

Ron from Mitchell, SD

Was this Philadelphia long snapper named Lovato once a member of the Green Bay Packers?

Yes, Rick Lovato was signed by the Packers late in the 2015 season – while working at a family sandwich shop in Jersey – when Brett Goode went down with a knee injury. Then Goode won his job back by the end of training camp in 2016, so the Packers let Lovato go. After a very brief stop in Washington, Lovato landed in Philly in late 2016 once again as an injury replacement, won the job the following summer, and has been with the Eagles ever since, snapping in three Super Bowls now.

Dave from Waterford, OH

Mike, I would like to offer my humble surrebuttal about the Rams' defense. Case in point, this from the Pro Football Network: "Los Angeles generated 16 sacks this postseason, the most in a two-game span in NFL playoff history. This came out of nowhere for a team that had 38 sacks in the regular season, which tied for 21st. The Rams had an absurd 54.5% non-blitz pressure rate this postseason, the highest in a single playoffs since PFF began tracking pressures in 2019." KC would've had a tough time.

Oh, I'm sure they would've struggled against LA's hot defensive front. That group was turning it up and I won't dismiss that. But that same LA defense gave up TD runs of 44 (to Hurts), 62 and 78 yards (to Barkley). They got gashed, and KC would've had chances to gash them too. I don't have any specific stats in front of me, but the Eagles just didn't give up explosive plays in the playoffs, until very late Sunday night with the game decided. Philly won with a total defensive effort, spearheaded by the front.

H.R. from Henderson, NV

Now that the Super Bowl is over, we get to move on to the next fresh hotness: free agency! We all pretty much agree who the Packers should focus on to keep. But what one impending free agent from another team would be surprising to you to see sign elsewhere? We won't have a year like last year, but could there be a shocker in store?

I haven't studied the whole list of pending free agents around the league, but I'm most curious whether the Eagles let Zack Baun or Josh Sweat – the latter was my Super Bowl MVP, the former the defensive MVP of their playoff run – get to free agency. Either way, they both made themselves a TON of money, whether they get it from Philly or elsewhere.

Sam from Ronan, MT

That game reminded me so much of the Seahawks vs. Broncos Super Bowl. On another note, I think the Packers' defense deserves a lot of love, because they were the only team to hold the pass and run game of the Eagles in check.

The Packers gave themselves a chance in that game despite the offense's struggles because they didn't give up the home run plays. That's never a bad foundation defensively. But the next step is to present top opponents with something up front they're legitimately concerned about.

Ross from Summerville, SC

Gents, just an observation. The NFC is gonna be tough to conquer in the coming years. Philly looks like they are here to stay.

…said everyone every year about the last teams standing. Maybe, maybe not. Last year at this time, would you have believed me if I'd told you the 49ers were going to miss the playoffs? The Eagles lost a heartbreaker in the Super Bowl two years ago and then bottomed out last year with a late-season collapse/one-and-done. No guarantees.

Kevin from Bogart, GA

Well now that the game is over, how many QBs have lost two or more Super Bowls?

ATMR (WCBW), Mahomes is the ninth. The others are Jim Kelly, Tom Brady, John Elway, Fran Tarkenton, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner, Roger Staubach and Craig Morton. Seven of the first eight, and eventually eight of the nine, are HOFers.

Bryan from West Salem, WI

I've been surprised to find myself among the minority of folks who don't think Eli is a HOFer. I'm also in the "wins aren't a QB stat" crowd, and I think the Giants' two SB victories with Eli at the helm were very much team victories. Especially SBXLII, that defense was a menace and if David Tyree doesn't bring down one of the most miraculous catches in SB history Manning's HOF candidacy isn't even a conversation. He's 66th all-time in career passer rating, right behind Daniel Jones. What gives?

There's a very strong argument Eli is not a HOFer. A .500 record as a starter, no seasons with a 100-plus passer rating, zero postseason wins (0-4) outside of two Super Bowl runs, three seasons leading the league in INTs. There are many ways he doesn't measure up, and if I were a voter, I'd have a hard time voting for him. I just think eventually the two Super Bowl MVPs, both against Brady, one to prevent the Patriots from perfection, will carry the day and he'll get in.

John from Freedom, WI

Interesting point about Cowher making the HOF while Holmgren has not. Do you think Cowher stepping into broadcasting after his coaching career ended, and therefore keeping in the public eye, helped his cause?

Yes.

Brian from Visalia, CA

I see Dick Jauron died over the weekend, a former Packers assistant coach. I sometimes hear about coaching trees, Mike Holmgren had quite a coaching tree that rarely gets mentioned. During his time in Green Bay his staff not only included Jauron but also former NFL head coaches Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, Jon Gruden, Andy Reid, and I apologize to anyone I left out. That's a pretty good tree! I believe it's crazy that Holmgren isn't in the Hall of Fame!

Ray Rhodes was another future head coach who worked for Holmgren in Green Bay.

Tom from Raleigh, NC

Will the HOF Class of 2025 have any impact on which teams play in the HOF Game? Packers, Vikings, Eagles, Chargers. Which two?

It always does factor into the selection. I figured if Sharpe and Holmgren both got in the Packers were a lock. Any combination from those four teams seems realistic except Packers-Vikings.

Craig from Appleton, WI

The music has stopped on the game of head coach musical chairs and Mike McCarthy doesn't have a seat. Do you think this might be it on his coaching career, or would you expect him to take some time off again and re-surface as a candidate next year?

From what I've read, it sounds like he plans to pursue another head job in 2026.

Jay from Altoona, WI

The Packers currently have seven selections in the 2025 draft and one likely compensatory pick for a total of eight. ATMR (wcbw), this is the least draft capital the Packers have had since 2019, and much fewer than the last three drafts with 11, 13, and 11 selections respectively. As Brian Gutekunst frequently makes draft-day trades, do you anticipate the Packers to try to trade up for a chance at a home run or two, or do you think it is more likely that he would trade back to acquire more selections?

To me, the less draft capital Gutekunst has, the greater the chance he trades back or just sits and picks. But it's always dependent on what the board looks like in the moment. When all the homework is done and it's all on the board, the draft is like an open-book test. The answers are always apparent.

Shawn from Colby, WI

Good morning! Now that draft season is here, we often hear/read the analysts and experts state a player's stock is falling or climbing. Why does a player's stock move or down throughout the winter and spring when the games were played months ago?

This is, in my opinion, one of the biggest misconceptions within the draft industrial complex. I believe a player "rises" or "falls" as the outside draft analysts' perceptions become more aligned with NFL personnel departments' actual evaluations. If the outside experts have a really high opinion on a player, but as the draft gets closer they find out he's a lot lower on many teams' draft boards, he'll start "falling." Conversely, a lower-rated player whom they learn owns a higher standing amongst teams suddenly begins "rising." It's a product of so much initial analysis independent of any knowledge of what NFL teams' evaluators actually think.

Craig from Sussex, WI

It's difficult having the football season over with but we do have some interesting team-building segments coming up. Free agency begins in March and then the draft is in April, keeps us involved in football. The NFL knows how to keep the offseason interesting.

Always.

Scott from Golden, CO

Curious about the release date of the NFL schedule. I know the release date has always been mid-May. I can imagine the complexity of scheduling 272 games factoring in other events, byes, etc. My question is does it indeed take that long to figure out or is the release date more about pacing the offseason "action"? Asking for a friend hoping to book a tee time in Arizona sometime between Sept.-Dec.

It is a complicated process, but I also think there's something to having an NFL "event" in May it otherwise wouldn't have. I do believe it takes a while to sort out all the network preferences and pecking orders for who gets which "big" games.

Jack from Alexandria, VA

I'm looking forward to seeing what Jordan Morgan can do next season and am more than willing to give him the time to develop. And, at the same time, seeing Cooper DeJean do what he did in the Super Bowl and remembering the excitement Packers fans (including me) had at the possibility of drafting him stings a little bit. Two competing thoughts but I think both can be true at the same time. Thank you for everything you do!

That's fair. But I think it's important to remember that while DeJean's future looks incredibly bright, he didn't intercept a pass until the Super Bowl, and no team took him in the first round. Everybody passed. Then Philly took him at pick 40.

Steve from Scranton, PA

Heading into the offseason, the defense's playoff performance against the SB champs (minus its top CB) was so encouraging. Yet there is still much room for growth … obviously with the pass rush, but also with the development of the Walker/Cooper tandem, which was rarely together on the field this season but could be a force similar to the Warner/Greenlaw combo in SF. And with a full year under his belt, Jeff Hafley will have that additional experience from which to draw. Lots to look forward to!

I agree, with a ton of curiosity as to where things go with the defensive line and cornerback spots.

Drew from Tucson, AZ

Hi Mike, I know rush and coverage go hand in hand, but which is more impactful: a dominant pass rusher or a dominant CB? If there are two players graded the same in the draft, which spot would be more coveted? I would lean towards pass rusher, but interested to hear your thoughts.

I would too, but the current construct of your team would factor into making that decision as well, all else being equal. In the Packers' case, if that decision presents itself, they can't go wrong.

Tom from Raleigh, NC

SB LIX Lesson No. 1: You can beat any quarterback if you get pressure with four (see NYG vs. Brady SBs for historical references). The question is: How can the Packers get that pressure with four next year?

For Hafley and his new D-line coach, that's their mandate with a group that I anticipate getting reinforcements both through free agency and the draft. Hafley kept the Packers' pass rush competitive and effective in most games by mixing in a lot of fire zones, or simulated pressures, where somebody from the back seven rushes and a lineman drops into zone coverage to replace him. So it was still rush four, cover seven, but adding the element of deception to try to gain an advantage. If the straight four is more effective, those calls become change-ups rather than staples.

Alyssa from Pleasant Hill, IA

What now?

We wait for something to happen. Probably next week when I'm gone. Happy Wednesday.