These guys never learn. Here we are, treading water in coaching dead money hell, and Nebraska opens the firehose.

Matt Rhule is a terrific coach, a proven program builder who has worked magic at both Temple and Baylor. 

So Nebraska just announced Thursday it added $25 million in base salary to his original deal by extending it for two seasons.

“Coach Rhule has shown he is the right leader for the right time for Nebraska football,” said Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen. 

And I’m still trying to figure out if Nebraska realizes it just added millions to a buyout if this thing doesn’t work. Because what so far makes you think it’s going to work?  

Rhule is 18-15 in 33 career games at Nebraska, including 12-15 vs. power conference schools. He has never beaten a ranked team at Nebraska, seven consecutive losses by an averaged of 18 points per game. 

He’s 0-2 against rival Iowa, and hasn’t remotely closed the gap with the elite of the Big Ten.

Meanwhile, Nebraska is 6-2 and isn’t exactly turning heads in Year 3 under Rhule against a manageable schedule, and could easily lose at home Saturday to desperate Southern California. 

If that’s not enough to show some semblance of pause in the funny money world of college coaching, this should: the Huskers, ladies and gentlemen, are 1-7 in November games under Rhule.

In other words, you’re extending a coach who could easily produce another 7-5 season. Or worse.

But Nebraska went ahead and threw a two-year, $25 million contract extension at Rhule because, well, what else are you going to do when a bunch of sportswriters start adding your coach to another school’s wishlist? 

Again, Rhule is a terrific coach and a better dude. A coach you’d want your kids to play for. 

But he has done nothing to warrant a $25 million extension at Nebraska. What’s he going to do, say no, thank you?

He’ll take the extension and smile and profess his love to Nebraska, while the university attempts to sell it as “no increase” in his base salary. This, of course, is utterly laughable. 

Rhule currently makes $8.5 million per season, but his deal increases with escalators over the course of the contract. He is scheduled to make $12.5 million by his final season in 2030, and the new two-year extension to 2032 is based on his 2030 salary. 

Nebraska added two years at the 2030 salary, so technically it’s not a pay raise. It’s just adding $25 million — of which 90 percent is guaranteed — to the contract of a coach who’s 0-for-Minnesota. 

No offense to Ski-U-Mah.

So Rhule’s buyout if he is fired without cause has just increased by $22.5 million. The school has not released details of the extension that would change that arrangement.

This extension reportedly increases the buyout for any other school (or NFL team) to hire Rhule from $5 million to $15 million. 

Yeah, uh, fellas? That’s not really your concern. 

If you’re Georgia (Kirby Smart) or Ohio State (Ryan Day), the buyout to protect the school is of vital importance. If you’re Nebraska, you’ve got to be able to read the room just a smidge better. 

Penn State isn’t going to fire a coach whose only flaw was he couldn’t win the big one, and couldn’t beat ranked teams — and then hire the same damn coach. 

Franklin won one Big Ten championship, Rhule won one American Athletic championship. Franklin lost once in the Big Ten championship game, Rhule lost one Big 12 championship game (and the AAC championship game).

Franklin was a program builder at Vanderbilt, and rebuilt Penn State after a near death blow to the program from a horrific scandal. Rhule rebuilt a moribund program at Temple, and resuscitated Baylor after a near death blow to the program from a horrific scandal.

It’s the same coach. There’s no chance Penn State’s Board of Trustees allows Kraft to make that hire.

But Nebraska threw $25 million at Rhule, anyway. Because maybe LSU comes after him. Or Florida or Florida State. 

Or anyone else the once proud Nebraska program can’t compete against. So we’ll throw a sack of cash at a coach whose only chance at finishing his third season with a better than .500 record against power conference teams is to go undefeated in November. 

Where his Nebraska teams lost seven of eight in his first two seasons. 

Somebody, somewhere, turn off that firehose. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

The NFL fined the Baltimore Ravens $100,000 for inaccurately reporting quarterback Lamar Jackson’s injury status.
Baltimore listed Jackson as a full participant in practice, but he only worked with the scout team.
The Ravens admitted to making an error and will not appeal the league’s decision.

The NFL fined the Baltimore Ravens $100,000 for misrepresenting quarterback Lamar Jackson’s injury status leading into a Week 8 game against the Chicago Bears.

Baltimore listed Jackson as a full participant on its practice report Friday, Oct. 22, two days before the game. That misled the public into believing Jackson was primed to return from a hamstring injury that had kept him out since he suffered the injury on Sept. 21 against the Kansas City Chiefs, especially since head coach John Harbaugh had previously said the Ravens expected their quarterback to return following a Week 7 bye.

But the team ruled him out the next day. Jackson had fully participated in practice, the Ravens said, but as the scout team quarterback and not with Baltimore’s starters.

‘It is critical that the Baltimore Ravens always operate with integrity and in full accordance with NFL guidelines,’ the Ravens said in a statement Friday. ‘We clearly made an error regarding player injury reporting and cooperated transparently with the league’s investigation. We accept the decision by the NFL that we violated the policy and have taken steps to ensure that we will be compliant moving forward.’

The Ravens said they will not appeal the ruling.  

Jackson returned on ‘Thursday Night Football’ Oct. 30 and led Baltimore to a 28-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He threw four touchdown passes in the win.

While the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association (WNBPA) have agreed to a 30-day extension with the CBA set to expire on Friday, Oct. 31, it comes with a stipulation for an opt out.

‘The WNBPA Executive Committee agreed to the league’s proposed 30-day extension of the current CBA, with the condition that the players may terminate the extension at any time with 48 hours’ notice,’ read a statement from the players’ association.

‘While we believed negotiations would be further along, the players are more focused, united and determined than ever to reach an agreement that reflects their value and undeniable impact on the league.’

A source with knowledge of the situation said the WNBA can also walk away 48 hours’ notice. The extension takes the current CBA out to Nov. 30 to allow more time for an agreement to be reached without a work stoppage, the result of which could be a lockout by the owners or a strike by the players.

The WNBA and players’ association are trying to find compromise on revenue sharing and pay structure. The players are seeking a revenue-sharing model that ensures their salaries grow with the league, while the WNBA has offered a fixed salary system and capped revenue-sharing plan. The league’s most recent proposal, according to multiple reports, included a supermax salary near $850,000 and a veteran minimum around $300,000.

In a statement the WNBA released on Oct. 22, it said: ‘The comprehensive proposals we have made to the players include a revenue sharing component that would result in the players’ compensation increasing as league revenue increases – without any cap on the upside.’

Negotiations reached a boiling point this week when the sides released competing statements about who was at fault for the impasse. The WNBPA alleged the league offered ‘more of the same’ in its latest proposal while the WNBA accused the players’ association of ‘disseminating public misinformation.’

The 30-day extension will likely impact the 2026 WNBA draft lottery, which typically is held before the end of the calendar year. The 2025 draft lottery was held Nov. 17, 2024 and the 2024 edition took place on Dec. 10, 2023. The league must also squeeze in expansion drafts for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire before the year ends. Both are contingent on a new CBA.

‘Obviously we need to get a collective bargaining agreement done before we will probably have those expansion drafts, as well as the draft lottery,’ Engelbert said on Oct. 3. ‘So those are the two things we usually do before the calendar year end, leading into the free agency and ultimately the draft in the spring.’

Quarterback Jayden Daniels will start for the team’s Week 9 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Daniels missed the team’s Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on ‘Monday Night Football’ due to a hamstring injury.

Washington started backup Marcus Mariota for the third time this season. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. That touchdown to Terry McLaurin tied the game 7-7 before Kansas City pulled away in the second half to take a 28-7 win.

Washington’s back in prime time for Sunday’s game against Seattle. It’s the first of two ‘Sunday Night Football’ games they’ll play in the next five weeks.

It’s also the start of a critical stretch for a team looking to make the playoffs once again. At 3-5, the Commanders face the Seahawks in Week 9 and the Detroit Lions in Week 10. After their bye in Week 12, they’ll face the Denver Broncos at home and the Minnesota Vikings on the road.

With Daniels back in the lineup, they have a better shot at closing the gap to NFC East-leading Philadelphia who sit at 6-2.

Jayden Daniels stats

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year’s missed three games this season due to injury: Week 3 versus Las Vegas, Week 4 at Atlanta and Week 8 at Kansas City.

He’s still on pace for a good sophomore season despite missing those games. Through five games, he’s completed 89 of 146 passes (61%) for 1,031 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. He’s added 44 carries for 211 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well.

Who are the Commanders’ backup quarterbacks?

Jayden Daniels
Marcus Mariota
Josh Johnson

Washington’s gone with experience behind Daniels on the depth chart this season. Mariota, a former No. 2 overall pick, led the Commanders to a 1-2 record in his absence. Johnson has nine years of NFL experience with seven different franchises, most recently the Baltimore Ravens in 2024.

NFC East standings

Philadelphia Eagles: 6-2 (2-1 NFC East)
Dallas Cowboys: 3-4-1 (2-1)
Washington Commanders: 3-5 (1-1)
New York Giants: 2-6 (1-3)

In a late-week surprise, the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed they will be without their ballyhooed rookie for the foreseeable future.

Head coach Liam Coen announced Friday that Travis Hunter, the No. 2 overall pick of this year’s draft, is headed to injured reserve with a knee injury. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner has garnered widespread attention this season while attempting to become the rare NFL player who regularly plays on both offense and defense.

Hunter, who has started four games this season but played in all seven of the Jags’ contests, has provided Jacksonville with 324 snaps at wide receiver and another 162 at cornerback. He totaled 2,625 snaps over his final two seasons at the University of Colorado.

Overall, Hunter’s impact has been fairly negligible, though he did have his best statistical performance in the Jaguars’ most recent game, a 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in London on Oct. 19. Hunter established season bests with eight catches and 101 yards and scored his first pro TD – a 34-yarder in garbage time. Coming out of the bye week, he was expected to take on a larger role.

Rookie GM Gladstone aggressively pursued Hunter prior to the draft, sending the fifth and 36th overall picks this year plus a 2026 first-rounder as part of a package that moved Jacksonville in position to take Hunter.

The Jaguars face the Raiders in Las Vegas in Week 9.

Travis Hunter injury update

Coen said Hunter suffered a non-contact injury in Thursday’s practice. The immediate decision to place him on IR is foreboding given the information currently available.

How long is Travis Hunter out?

Going on injured reserve means Hunter will miss a minimum of four weeks, though he could be out much longer and potentially for the rest of the season depending on the severity of the injury.

Hunter will at minimum miss games vs. the following teams:

Week 9: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 10: at Houston Texans
Week 11: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 12: at Arizona Cardinals

Travis Hunter stats

Through seven games, Hunter has caught a team-leading 28 passes for 298 yards and that lone touchdown.

Defensively, he’s made 15 tackles and defended three passes.

Jaguars’ wide receiver depth chart

Brian Thomas Jr.

Travis Hunter (injured)

Dyami Brown

Parker Washington

Tim Patrick

Joshua Cephus (IR)

Chandler Brayboy (practice squad)

Tim Jones (practice squad)

Austin Trammell (practice squad)

Jaguars’ cornerback depth chart

Jourdan Lewis

Montaric Brown

Greg Newsome II

Travis Hunter (injured)

Jarrian Jones

Christian Braswell

Caleb Ransaw (IR)

Keni-H Lovely (practice squad)

Jabbar Muhammad (practice squad)

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned from a hamstring injury, throwing for 204 yards and four touchdowns.
The loss increases pressure on Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, whose job security is reportedly in question.
Baltimore’s victory narrows the gap with the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Baltimore Ravens provided further evidence that they’re on the way back – if not quite yet all the way back – by putting a 28-6 beatdown on the sinking Miami Dolphins on Thursday night in the first game of Week 9.

Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson certainly appeared to be restored to full strength, playing for the first time in more than a month since he injured a hamstring in Week 4 at Kansas City. His presence and incomparable ability seemed to further stabilize a team that finally seems to be recovered from what had been a season-long tailspin.

As for the Fins? Yep, per usual, the winners and losers extended well beyond what was evident on the scoreboard, so let’s unpack the subsets:

WINNERS

Lamar Jackson

After he was surprisingly inactive Sunday against the Chicago Bears, the two-time league MVP and South Florida native was predictably dominant against the Dolphins, a team he historically shreds. Jackson passed for 204 yards, connecting on nine consecutive throws in the second half at one point, and four touchdowns and looked plenty spry while doing it even if he didn’t have to leave the pocket much. With a 143.2 passer rating Thursday, Jackson has gone 140+ in four of his five outings against Miami.

Ravens tight ends

Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar combined for seven receptions, 105 yards and three TD grabs, Andrews collecting two of them. It’s a dangerous group when they and Jackson are firing on all cylinders – and you can officially dispense with the notion that Andrews might be moved ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Jaelan Phillips

With four tackles and a sack of the ever-elusive Jackson, he made a nice closing argument to contending teams looking to acquire a first-rate pass rusher ahead of the 4 p.m. ET trade cutoff on Nov. 4. Set to be a free agent after the season, Phillips could be poised to further jack up his asking price over the next few weeks if he lands with a better team, one that could further showcase his talents, in the coming days.

Derrick Henry

It helps having Jackson back, and Henry rushed for 119 yards − much of it in big chunks (four of his 19 carries generating 81 yards). It was actually the second time he’s reached the century mark in the past three games, yet another positive sign amid Baltimore’s swelling surge.

LOSERS

Mike McDaniel

The Miami coach, along with GM Chris Grier, are on seats as hot as any in the league when it comes to their employment status. Just four days after an inspired performance during a 34-10 win at Atlanta provided something of a reprieve, the Dolphins again looked lifeless in front of a clearly disenchanted fan base at Hard Rock Stadium.

‘I think we came to play,’ McDaniel said afterward, though his tone belied that assertion to some degree, especially after his team’s uninspired second half.

Want to sum this game up? Miami turned the ball over three times while Baltimore didn’t once. The Dolphins couldn’t convert any of their three red-zone opportunities while the Ravens nailed all three of theirs. Game, set and match.

Normally, it might make sense to fire a dead coach walking after a Thursday night game, but it seems equally likely McDaniel will at least make it to Week 11, when the team plays in Madrid, after which Stephen Ross could more logically pull the trigger during the team’s full bye week. Still, the owner did leave his box early on a night when his team wasn’t competitive and when the fans who did show up were vocal (whether or not they wore bags over their heads) before heading for the exits well before the final gun.

Tua Tagovailoa

It was all downhill after he drove Prime Video analyst and former teammate Ryan Fitzpatrick to work. Tagovailoa looked swagged out in his visor – his teammates at least vocally supported that in the days prior to the game − but apparently it exhausted all of its luck in Atlanta after shielding his swollen eye. Eyes wide open Thursday, Tua passed his way to 261 inefficient yards and a pick that did nothing to suggest he or his coach are long-term answers for this franchise.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Ravens have made up a game-and-a-half on the AFC North leaders in the span of four days. The gap could continue to close if the Steelers can’t handle the explosive Indianapolis Colts and their league-best 7-1 record at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. Factor in Baltimore getting a mini bye and facing four more teams in succession with losing records before hosting Pittsburgh on Dec. 7, and it’s becoming apparent why the Ravens are favored by the oddsmakers to retain the divisional crown despite their 3-5 start.

Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit

Slips of the tongue can certainly be forgiven in the midst of a dog game. Maybe that’s why Michaels conflated the “Miracle at the Meadowlands” with the “Monday Night Miracle” and why Herbstreit invoked the “push tush.” Carson Wentz absolves you, fellas – better luck next week in Denver.

Derrick Henry

Why do the Ravens keep running that, uh, ‘push tush’ with Andrews given it’s so ugly looking and quite predictable? Apparently because it’s a better option than giving the ball to Henry in short-yardage situations, whether due to his lengthy build-up speed or blocking deficiencies.

World Series

Generally, a good strategy − one of the few seemingly employed by Major League Baseball − to avoid going head to head with the NFL in prime time, which explains why the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers traveled on Sunday and Thursday. But Shohei Ohtani, Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Co. probably could have taken the NFL to the woodshed on this night … but they’re instead relegated to trying to command the eyeballs of the highly coveted 18-to-34-year-old demographic on Friday and, they hope, Saturday nights.