NFL

Best And Worst Of NFL Schedule Announcements

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In recent years, the announcement of the NFL schedule has become an event unto itself. Teams relish the opportunity to hype and humor fans about their upcoming season. Furthermore, it’s a chance to energize younger viewers and fans by jumping on the latest trends and memes.

After numerous leaks and teases, the NFL schedule for 2023 was released at 8pm on May 11. Soon after, most teams revealed their individual schedules with pre-recorded videos. However, no all of these videos were made equal and we’re here to break down the best, and the worst, of the league’s 32 schedule announcements.

The Best Of The 2023 Schedule Announcements

KANSAS CITY, MO – APRIL 27: A super fan of the LA Chargers displays his gauntlet during Round One of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday April 27, 2023 at Union Station in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Chargers won the schedule announcement for the second year in a row. After debuting their reference-filled anime announcement in 2022, the Chargers ran it back with another anime announcement this year. As with 2022, the highlight of 2023 was the absolute shade thrown at one opponent. Last year it was a joke about not making a joke about the Browns. This year, it was putting up information about gambling addiction when revealing a game against the Lions.

Other notable announcements included DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart “eating the schedule” for the Colts. Meanwhile, the Broncos concluded their trilogy of The Office parodies, featuring Peyton Manning and The Office‘s Angela Kinsey. Elsewhere, the Jets tasked Geogussr god “Rainblot” to uncover their schedule while the 49ers employed the skills of rapper Locksmith.

The Worst Schedule Announcements of 2023

PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 05: Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni looks on during Philadelphia Eagles rookie mini training camp on May 5, 2023 at the Novacare Training Complex in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Let’s start with the Eagles and Cardinals. Neither team produced a schedule video this year, with both opting to produce a Twitter thread instead. The Eagles compared their opponents to cute dogs while the Cardinals went with Spotify tracks. Very tame, very boring. The Eagles turned it into a video but still, low-effort work.

The Commanders, Lions, and Buccaneers all did videos around the joke of “what if we AI-generated the schedule release” but unfortunately, it appears that AI doesn’t know what comedy is. Meanwhile, the Raiders did a video that looks exactly like the sort of thing that the head office forces its employees to make in order to look “cool”. As for the rest of the league, there were some videos that were fun enough but didn’t exactly wow you. Honorable mention goes to to Saints and Jaguars for making videos with the exact same premise of “here’s the guy who scripts the NFL”. Regardless, what was your favorite video? Are you excited about the NFL season? Let us know in the comments

Chiefs To Host Eagles In Week 11

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The closer we get to the NFL schedule release (May 11, 8pm EDT), the more fixtures that are seemingly leaked. So far, we know about the international games, several holiday fixtures, and even Aaron Rodgers’ Jets debut. It almost feels like the NFL is way too eager to announce the schedules. HotNewHipHop will have full coverage of all schedule-related news.

However, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the subject of more leaks and reveals than most. They will play the first game of the season at home against Detroit. Week 9 has them in Frankfurt to face the Dolphins. Meanwhile, they have back-to-back holiday games at home, hosting the Raiders on Christmas and the Bengals on New Year’s Eve. That’s already about a quarter of their season made public. It also points to the Chiefs getting a lot of premier games at home.

Latest Leaks Pits Chiefs Against Eagles

GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 12: Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) runs with the football during Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, February 12th, 2023 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Adam Bow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The latest rumor from the NFL schedule comes from the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. According to McLane, the Eagles will travel to Arrowhead Stadium on November 20 for a Monday Night Football rematch of the Super Bowl. McLane also said that the Eagles will begin the season on the road aganst the Patriots. The Chiefs have won four consecutive games against the Eagles. the last Eagles win came in 2009. However, to find the last Eagles win at Arrowhead, you have to go back to 2006. Despite this, the Eagles have come a long way since the Donovan McNabb days. Could they finally find another win in Missouri?

So much has changed since the Chiefs bested the Eagles in Arizona this past February. The Chiefs largely remain the same on the field, with minimal turnover. However, longtime OC Eric Bieniemy left for the Commanders, promoting former Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy to the run the offense. Meanwhile, the Eagles used their wealth of draft picks to add more elite defensive talent as they look to avoid heartbreak for a second year. Do you think the Eagles can beat the Chiefs in this Super Bowl rematch? Or do you think the Chiefs continue their run of dominance against Philadelphia? Let us know in the comments.

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Bo Jackson Tries Weird Cure For Hiccups

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Bo Jackson is a sport legend. The College Football Hall of Famer was the number one pick in the 1986 NFL draft. He enjoyed three fantastic seasons in the NFL before his career was cut short by injury. However, he also played eight seasons of Major League Baseball, joining the Kansas City royals in 1986. Yes, if you didn’t already know who he was, Jackson played two pro sports concurrently.

However, Jackson has reportedly been suffering from the hiccups for a full year now. Anyone whose had the hiccups for more than an hour knows just how bad they can get. Furthermore, prolonged hiccuping can cause damage to your body. But some of the things Bo has tried to cure his hiccups are just downright weird.

Bo Jackson (May Have) Sniffed A Porcupine’s Butt

CHICAGO, IL – CIRCA 1991: Bo Jackson #8 of the Chicago White Sox looks on walking off the field during a Major League Baseball game circa 1991 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Jackson played for the White Sox in 1991 and 1993. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

“I’ve had the hiccups since last July,” Jackson said on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “I’m getting a medical procedure done the end of this week, I think, to try to remedy it. I’m busy at the hospital sitting up with the doctor’s poking me, shining lights down my throat, probing me every way they can to find out why I’ve got these hiccups.” According to Jackson, he’s tried all the traditional cures of hiccups. But nothing has worked.

However, while listing the cures he had tried, he very casually some absolute insanity. “I have done everything—scare me, drink water upside down, smell the ass of a porcupine, it doesn’t work.” That’s right, while talking about getting scared etc., Bo Jackson also said that he had sniffed the ass of a porcupine. Now, Jackson was probably speaking hyperbolically to indicate the great lengths he had gone to. Furthermore, HotNewHipHop could not find any evidence of smelling a porcupine’s butt as a cure for the hiccups. However, several websites do recommend smelling strong odors as a way to cure the hiccups. So who knows, maybe Jackson wasn’t speaking so figuratively as one may initially believe. What’s your go-to cure for the hiccups? Let us know in the comments below.

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NFL Reveals 2023 International Games

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In a bid for wider global recognition, the NFL has played at least one regular-season game outside the United States every season since 2007. Occurring once a season in the beginning, the International Series has grown in size and scope in recent years. In 2022, the NFL played five games in three non-US countries – Germany, England, and Mexico. It was the first time that the NFL had played in Germany and was part of a major European expansion for the league.

Ahead of the full schedule reveal on May 11, the NFL has chosen to reveal the five International Series games. The slate features a mix of title contenders and interesting teams on the rise. It features five games across two countries. Furthermore, nine teams will take part, with one team playing back-to-back international games.

NFL To Host Games In London and Frankfurt

ORCHARD PARK, NY – JANUARY 22: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills drops back against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

According to the NFL’s announcement, the first three games of the 2023 International Series will be held in London, England. The Falcons will face the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 1. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host two games. The Jaguars will take on the Bills on October 7 while the Ravens and Titans will clash on October 15. The remaining games will take place in Frankfurt, Germany in November. The Dolphins meet the Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park on November 5. Finally, the Colts and the Patriots square off on November 12. No team is making its International Series debut. However, it is the first such game for the Bills and Colts since 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Several other fixtures were teased alongside the full International Series slate. For example, we know there will be a Week 17, New Year’s Eve showdown between the Chiefs and Bengals. Elsewhere, the Jets will host Miami in a Black Friday matchup. Speaking of holidays, the Eagles will play the Giants on Christmas Day. Be sure to check out HotNewHipHop‘s full coverage of the NFL schedule once all matches are released at 8pm EST on May 11.

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Goal Was To Not “Be F***ing Broke”

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed on a podcast that becoming a professional actor was never his goal. He went on to explain that his goal instead was “just to never be broke.” In a clip from The Pivot podcast posted on Instagram, the Black Adam actor discusses his career. He additionally shares that finding success in acting wasn’t his goal in life. He describes how he never wanted to “make millions,” but just decided early on that he would “Scratch, claw, kick, bite and fight [his] way to have more than seven bucks.”

On the podcast hosted by Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark, the former professional athlete describes his childhood. Johnson shares that growing up, his parents worked incredibly hard. He further describes how after his father opened his own cleaning business, financial problems ultimately led to their family’s eviction. The stress also led to friction in the couple’s marriage. He went on to say that he “[didn’t] want that for them and [he] didn’t want that for [his] family.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Struggled Growing Up

The former WWE superstar explained “in the spirit of just being completely open” how after watching his parents struggle to make ends meet, he “used to tell [himself] specifically, ‘I cannot be f***ing broke.’” Johnson went on to describe his father as a hero in his life growing up, explaining his father’s own struggles of being kicked out at the age of 13 and dealing with other tension within their family. He outlines his father receiving death threats from his father, leading to his mother kicking him out of the house.

In April, a WWE trading card featuring Johnson’s iconic character “The Rock” was purchased for $126,000 by a passionate collector. The purchase broke the record for the highest selling WWE trading card of all time. In March, Johnson spoke to Variety on the Oscars red carpet about his costar Henry Cavill being replaced as Superman in an upcoming film. Earlier this week, the actor was named in a $3 Billion alleged kidnapping lawsuit. His team has released a statement denying Johnson’s involvement.

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New York And California AGs Launch Investigation Into NFL

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There has been a lot of investigations into the NFL as of late. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the league over what he called “racist hiring practices”. Meanwhile, the situation that led to the sale of the Washington Commanders was so bad that it led to a Congressional investigation. While the league has suffered a variety of legal setbacks over the years, their contemporary troubles seem especially bad.

But once again, the league has been placed under a negative spotlight. Attorneys General Letitia James of New York and Rob Bonta of California have announced a joint investigation into the league. The investigation seeks information regarding allegations of gender pay disparities, harassment, and gender and racial discrimination.

NFL Investigated By Multiple States

KANSAS CITY, MO – APRIL 27: Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a pick for the Washington Commanders in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 27, 2023 at Union Station in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The investigation is targeting the NFL as an entity, rather than specific teams. Attorneys General James and Bonta cited a 2022 New York Times article as part of their reasoning for the investigation. The article in question detailed allegations of gender discrimination from over 30 former female employees of the NFL. “No person should ever have to endure harassment, discrimination, or objectification in the workplace,” James said in a statement. Bonta also said he and James have “serious concerns about the NFL’s role in creating an extremely hostile and detrimental work environment.”

In response, the NFL has announced that it will cooperate with the investigation. However, the league has also called the allegations “entirely inconsistent with the NFL’s values and practices.” This sentiment was further supported by a statement released by the NFL. “The NFL offices are places where employees of all genders, races and backgrounds thrive. We do not tolerate discrimination in any form,” the statement read in part. A multi-state investigation into the NFL at this level is an unprecedented move. However, with claims and accusations mounting against the NFL, it feels that this is the inevitable result of the dam bursting.

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Kirk Cousins Wants To Stay In Minnesota

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Kirk Cousins is a fascinating case study when it comes to NFL quarterbacks. A fourth-round pick by Washington in the 2012 draft, Cousins saw minimal action in his first three years in the NFL. He went 2-7 in nine starts between 2012 and 2014. He became Washington’s starter in 2015 and was average at best. His best season was either his 9-7 record in 2015 or his 8-7-1 record in 2016, with nearly 5000 passing yards.

Cousins joined the Vikings ahead of the 2018 season, signing the NFL’s first-ever fully-guaranteed contract. It was worth $84 million over three years. Minnesota have had mixed success with Cousins at the helm, but have financially invested in him. Cousins has made, over three contracts with the Vikings, over $155 million. He signed a one-year, $35 million deal to play with the team in 2023. However, he may be facing a do-or-die season if he wants to stay in the purple.

Cousins Wants To Stay In Minnesota

“I want to be in Minnesota. That’s kind of a no-brainer. Hopefully, we can earn the right to do that,” Cousins said on May 3. Contract discussions between Cousins and Minnesota broke down in recent weeks. Despite the 13-4 record the Vikings posted in 2022, Cousins had a career-low quarterback rating. Furthermore, the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. “The exception is that you have something penciled in for future years. Most of our locker room has no idea what is coming in three or four months, let alone three or four years or next year. I feel like I’m one of the guys, if you will. We’re all in this together,” Cousins also said.

However, it remains to be seen just how at risk Cousins is. The Vikings have two other quarterbacks on the roster – career backup Nick Mullens and 2023 fifth-round pick Jaren Hall. The team had done extensive work on the 2023 quarterback class, but were limited in options at #23 in the first round. While Will Levis was on the board at 23, the Vikings took USC wide receiver Jordan Addison instead. However, with a poor enough 2023 season, or some careful trading, the Vikings could be in the position to draft a stud QB prospect in next year’s draft.

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Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay Starts NFL Draft Rumor

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The Indianapolis Colts made the fourth selection in the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday night. With the selection, the Colts selected Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. Richardson had long been talked about as a top talent. As his athleticism ranked far above any other quarterback in the class. However, his performances on the field were not all that spectacular. Whatever the case may be, the franchise has selected the future of the franchise. Or have they?

Colts owner Jim Irsay has already started the speculation for night 2 of the draft. As the owner seems to be teasing a potential selection of another quarterback with his latest tweet. Irsay is more than likely having fun with his fanbase. However, if the team did select Will Levis with their second-round pick, what would that mean for Richardson? Undoubtedly, the fanbase isn’t taking the tweet seriously. However, with Irsasy, anything could be possible when it comes to this team.

Indianapolis Colts Have Early Second-Round Pick

Maybe this is just Irsay’s attempt at getting more viewers on night two of the draft. However, the NFL won’t have an issue with getting eyes on their product. The league recently sold its streaming rights to YouTube for a massive deal. The sport has become the largest in all of North America. So the draft will have plenty of people watching. However, Irsay’s comments will surely bring more intrigue to the next Colts selection. Whatever the case may be, Colts fans may have gotten a little nervous before the start of Friday’s action.

Levis waited all night on Thursday to hear his name called in the first round. Unfortunately, that moment never happened for the former Kentucky Wildcats star. However, Levis may not have to wait long to hear his name called on Friday. But hearing the Colts make the selection would cue all the drama needed for night two of the draft. Is Jim Irsay being serious with his recent tweet? Or is this just a lame attempt at getting fans to tune in? Let us know what you think in the comment section. For the latest NFL news, keep it right here with HNHH.

Antonio Brown Says He Is Signing With Ravens

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Antonio Brown was once one of the greatest receivers of his generation. However, his career took a downward spiral after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since his departure from the Steelers, Brown has been on three different teams. However his time with the Raiders, Brown never played a single game with the team. As legal issues have mounted up for the former wideout, many believed that his days in the NFL are over. However, Brown posted a bizarre tweet on Friday, speaking about his future.

In the tweet, Brown was wearing a Baltimore Ravens uniform. As the caption stated, “Excited to return to the NFL this year #RavensFlock.” The picture has caused a storm of speculation on the social media platform. However, it seems more like a stunt by Brown than official news. The Ravens have been busy making moves. As the team recently made starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, the highest-paid player in the league. So, the team could be a little tight on cash.

Antonio Brown Sends Twitter Into Frenzy

While the Ravens may be looking for more talent for Jackson, Brown may not be the right option. However, the team has added Odell Beckham Jr. to the squad. Beckham was last seen with the Los Angeles Rams in their Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The former Rams wideout tore his ACL in the big game, causing him to miss all of last season. However, if the Ravens get Beckham back to 100%, the team could be scary for the rest of the league.

Brown’s Twitter stunt appears to be just that, a stunt. The former All-Pro receiver has recently made headlines for a lot of the wrong reasons. Including missed child support payments and a verbal interaction with a security guard at an arena football game. Now it looks like he could be making a return to the NFL. However, the Ravens may be unaware of his actions. Would you like to see Antonio Brown get another chance in the NFL? Let us know your opinion in the comment section. For the latest NFL news, keep it right here with HNHH.