A recent study co-authored by the NFL’s chief medical officer found the benefits of Guardian Caps in reducing concussions are ‘uncertain.’
The study concluded there was no significant difference in concussion rates from direct helmet shell impacts between players who wore the caps and those who did not.
The NFL continues to mandate Guardian Caps during practices and touts their effectiveness in reducing concussions.
Sales for Guardian Caps have surged since the NFL’s mandate, with over 500,000 athletes now wearing the product.

The NFL has been a powerful champion of Guardian Caps, the padded football helmet covers the league touts as an effective way to reduce concussions. And NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has made some of the boldest claims.

“It’s actually reduced concussions by 50%,’ Goodell said in 2023 during an appearance on the Stephen A. Smith Show.

At the annual league meetings in 2024, according to ESPN, Goodell said the Guardian Caps have been “very effective and reduced concussions by 52%.’’

But a study involving the NFL’s top medical official suggests otherwise.

A peer-reviewed paper published online in July provides analysis of the study of the concussion rate at NFL preseason practices from 2018 to 2023. It concluded that, when considering concussions caused by blows to the helmet shell, there was no significant difference in the rate of concussions between players who did and did not wear the Guardian Caps, according to a paper published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

The study also found the degree of benefits of Guardian Caps “uncertain.’’

The NFL has not publicly addressed the study, but it has continued to tout the benefits of the Guardian Caps beyond what the study suggests.

An article published on the NFL’s website in August states Guardian Caps “have driven” a significant reduction in concussions in practices – about 50% over the past two preseasons.

In September, Sills said at a webinar that the NFL found a “very striking effect’’ when players were required to wear the Guardian Caps and that concussions dropped 50% during preseason practices in 2022 and 2023.

The NFL requires its 1,700 players to wear Guardian Caps during practices unless they wear one of 10 helmets the league says offer equal or better protection. They caps are optional during games, and about a dozen players have worn them this year, according to manufacturer Guardian Sports.

Some players have complained the Guardian Caps, which weigh 11.9 ounces to 14 ounces depending on the size of the cap, are heavy and hot. It’s unclear what NFL players know about the study.

But as the league has promoted Guardian Caps, product sales have soared, according to Guardian Sports, a family-owned company in Georgia that invented the helmet covers.

The company said that more than 500,000 athletes wear Guardian Caps and that the number has surged by about 200,000 since the NFL in 2024 required all players to wear the helmet covers during practices. The official website for Guardian Sports features quotes attributed to NFL officials, including Goodell, citing the benefits of Guardian Caps.

Rise of the Guardian Caps

Once widely derided for their bulky design, Guardian Caps have gone from the ugly duckling to mini-celebrity. They’re featured in Madden 26, the most recent version of the popular football video game.

“Isn’t it crazy?’’ Erin Hanson, CEO of Guardian Sports, said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports.

It was 15 years ago when she cofounded the company with her husband, Lee. They were focused on protecting the young developing brain, Hanson said.

“Our son was playing football,’’ she said. “That’s how we started this whole business, and we really didn’t gain traction and acceptance until the NFL took an interest and the NCAA teams took an interest.’’

In 2017, the NFL held its first HeadHealthTECH Challenge, designed to encourage the development of protective equipment in areas such as head protection.

Guardian Caps won.

At that time, the caps were worn by about 70,000 athletes, about 15% of the total worn by athletes today, according to Guardian Sports figures.

After lab studies and experimentation, the NFL required Guardian Caps to be worn by certain position groups during the 2022 preseason. Later that year, the NFL announced a 50% drop in concussions for players who wore the caps in preseason practices. The league reported the same results in 2023.

Soon the NFL embraced what has become one of its most visible efforts to reduce concussions, and that simultaneously generated publicity for Guardian Caps.

Retail pricing is $70 to $85 per helmet, but average team pricing is $53 to $65 per helmet, according to Guardian Sports. Guardian Caps specially made for NFL players are not available to the general public.

Erin Hanson said sales surged in 2024 after the NFL ordered that all players wear the helmet covers during practices.

“Now that it’s become normalized,’ she said, “we’ll hear youth players say: ‘Oh, man. I want one of those. Those are so cool.’ ‘

Potential ‘reverberations’ of study

Caplan, the medical ethicist from NYU, said he believes the study’s findings transcend the NFL.

“This has a much bigger footprint, given obvious parental worries about high school and younger kids playing tackle football,’ he said. ‘So the reverberations, in terms of how the NFL spins this, are going to be very big. And I hope they spin it in a responsible manner, not just leading with that headline of 50% reduction.’’

A study of 2,610 high school football players in Wisconsin showed Guardian Cap use was not associated with a decreased risk of sports-related concussions, according to its peer-reviewed findings published in January in the British Journal of Sports.

“My biggest concern is the downstream effect of the NFL being so firm in their conclusion that Guardian Caps work, because high schools don’t have a ton of money,’ said Erin Hammer, lead author of the study and a primary-care sports physician at UW Health medicine at the University of Wisconsin. “And if they’re spending money on Guardian Caps, they’re not spending it on resources that actually do keep kids safe, like hiring athletic trainers. So that is my biggest concern with any of these devices is that you’re allowing parents, athletes, school administrators to have faith in a device that may or may not work and purchase those in lieu of investing in resources that actually do keep kids safe.’

Sills stresses that the NFL uses an advanced model of the Guardian Cap that shows the clearest benefits and offered a strong endorsment of the cap in general.

“If I had a child who was currently playing football at the youth, high school, college or pro level, I would want him to wear a Guardian Cap as well,’’ Sills said, adding, “We’ve not seen any downside.’’

Next step for Guardian Caps study?

In 2023, at an NFL media briefing on health and safety, Sills, the NFL’s top medical officer, said the following: Concussions among players required to wear Guardian Caps during the 2022 and 2023 preseason practices dropped by about 50% compared with the preseason average from the previous three years.

He called the benefit “substantial.’’ The study published in July that lists Sills among its authors indicates otherwise.

Yet in September, Sills said during a webinar that the NFL found a “very striking effect’ when players were required to wear the Guardian Caps and concussions dropped 50% during preseason practices in 2022 and 2023.

Sills, a neurosurgeon, did not explain why the league has failed to address the analysis publicly. He reasserted his belief in the Guardian Caps and traced it back to lab studies he said revealed that the caps, when added to a standard NFL helmet, reduce the force by 10% to 15% anytime the helmet is contacted and by 20% to 30% if two players wearing Guardian Caps collide.

But Daniel Daneshvar, chief of the Division of Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, said it has never been safer to play football in the NFL based on head health. He cited improved helmets and the league’s new kickoff rules as ways the NFL has addressed head impact.

Regarding the Guardian Caps, Daneshvar questioned the reliability of lab studies, which used helmeted test dummies as opposed to real football players.

He said the lab tests rely on linear forces, measured when a helmet directly hits a hard object. What’s just as important, Daneshvar added, are rotational forces, measured by objects ‘glancing and bouncing and hitting indirectly off one another. Those are all factors that matter.”

“A football game is not a lab test,’’ said Daneshvar, a member of the Mackey-White Health and Safety Committee established by the NFL Players Association. “There’s a lot of ways that the lab data doesn’t translate necessarily to the real world.’’

He suggested taking the study out of the lab and onto the football field.

“If they really think the Guardian Caps are reducing the force of these impacts, then prove it,” Daneshvar said. ‘The forces transmitted past the helmet can be measured with mouth sensors or helmet sensors. The force of collisions can be estimated based on videos. So they could show data that there’s actually a reduction in forces to the head in response to similar impacts in the real world. It wouldn’t be that difficult.’’

But Sills said there’s already reason for optimism because the study shows concussion rates from preseason practices from 2018 to 2023 decreased from 23.3 concussions a year to 11.0 a year.

‘If we change something about your diet or your daily habit and there’s a 50% improvement in your blood pressure, elevated blood pressure, and that was across a large population, that’s a pretty dramatic effect,’’ Sills told USA TODAY Sports. “As a doctor, you would endorse that.

“So that’s kind of the policy side of it in the NFL and why we have continued to recommend the Guardian Caps. And … what I’ve said publicly is it’s been an unqualified success for us because we’ve not seen any downside.’

‘Personal choice’

At times, Guardian Caps have changed the narrative around concussions.

In 2022, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered three concussions in three weeks. The NFL faced scrutiny about how the league managed players after they’ve been concussed.

In 2024, Tagovailoa suffered yet another concussion. Now he faced scrutiny.

Will you wear a Guardian Cap? a reporter asked.

“Nope,’ he replied.

Why?

“Personal choice,’’ Tagovailoa said.

Debate ensued.

‘Give Tua Tagovailoa a break on the Guardian Cap,’ Chris Nowinski, cofounder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, posted on X. “All 3 of his 2022 concussions were from falling back & his head striking the ground. Adding 14 ounces to his helmet would make head-to-ground impacts even more likely. Better off never hitting the ground vs. hitting it with a pad.’

At the time, there was no peer-reviewed data from a field-based study assessing the benefits of the Guardian Cap.

Now there is.

Kristy Aborgast, a biomechanical engineer and member of the NFL Engineering Committee designed to advance the development of protective equipment, helped lead the study that showed preseason practice concussion counts dropped 53% for players required to wear Guardian Caps.

“But if you then limit the data to only those concussions where the impact was to the (Guardian Cap) shell, that statistical significance goes away,’ she said.

The study helped spotlight the importance of smarter players who have better technique and overall awareness of reducing head impacts.

“There’s all kinds of other levers that are at play here beyond just putting a padding over a helmet,’ she said. “But we estimated that about half the drop was due to the Guardian Cap itself.’

Still, adoption of the helmet covers isn’t widespread in the NFL’s main weekly showcase. Tagovailoa still isn’t wearing a Guardian Cap during games.

Neither are more than 99% of the NFL’s other players.

(This story has a correction: Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, is a neurosurgeon.)

Another key 2026 NHL free agent is off the list after forward Martin Necas signed an eight-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, Oct. 30.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the deal averages $11.5 million a year and is front-loaded, includes $60 million in signing bonuses and has a full no-movement clause in the first seven years of the extension.

Necas arrived from the Carolina Hurricanes in last season’s stunning Mikko Rantanen trade and has 41 points in 41 games with the Avalanche. The deal will place him second in Colorado behind Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million cap hit).

The 2026 NHL free agent class had been one of the strongest in years, but Kirill Kaprizov (a record deal that will make him the NHL’s top-paid player), Connor McDavid (team-friendly deal), Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor and now Necas have signed extensions.

There are plenty of quality players left. Here are the best of the remaining free agents:

10. Anders Lee, New York Islanders

He has been the Islanders’ captain since 2018 and is good for 20-plus goals. He had 29 last season and is averaging about a point a game this season. Current cap hit: $7 million.

9. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer is 40. He’ll either re-sign with Washington or retire. He hasn’t indicated his plans. Current cap hit: $9 million.

8. Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils

He helped stabilize the Devils’ goaltending last season and get them back to the playoffs. He just returned from an injury. Current cap hit: $6 million.

7. John Carlson, Washington Capitals

Carlson is the Capitals’ all-time leader in scoring among defensemen and is a key to their power play. He’s the one who sets up Ovechkin’s one-timers. Current cap hit: $8 million.

6. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

The goalie has won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and two Vezina Trophies. He’ll be 38 next season. Current cap hit: $10 million.

5. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins

The 39-year-old has expressed an interest in playing more and he’s making a case with 16 points in his first 11 games. He has won three Stanley Cup titles in his storied career. Current cap hit: $6.1 million.

4. Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres

He can score (two 36-goal seasons) and also kills penalties. He wants to stay in Buffalo. Current cap hit: $4.75 million.

3. Nick Schmaltz, Utah Mammoth

He keeps improving every year. The winger usually gets 20-plus goals and 60-plus points, and he’s threatening to blow past that with 17 points in 11 games. Current cap hit: $5.85 million.

2. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

The 33-year-old forward scored 120 points two seasons ago, and although he and the rest of the team dropped off last season, he still had 89 points. He’s often in the 90-point range. He’s off to a slow start for him with seven points in 11 games. Current cap hit: $11,642,857.

1. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings

The winger has two 35-goal seasons and a 41-goal one. The Kings will need to hang on to that type of production, especially with Anze Kopitar retiring after this season. Current cap hit: $5.5 million.

Which 2026 free agents have signed extensions recently?

Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov, eight years, $136 million, a record for its total amount and $17 million cap hit.
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, two years, $25 million. The $12.5 million cap hit equals his current one and places him second on the team behind Leon Draisaitl.
Edmonton’s Jake Walman, seven years, $49 million
Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor, eight years, $96 million, richest contract in team history.
Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm, three years, $12 million.
Vegas’ Jack Eichel, eight years, $108 million.
Colorado’s Martin Necas, eight years, $92 million.

Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season means the final week of regular season games before the trade deadline on Nov. 4. If teams want to get a deal done to upgrade their rosters mid-season, now is the time.

In the AFC, contenders are rounding into form. Kansas City’s won five of its last six games. Baltimore’s finally getting two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson back from injury along with many stars on defense. Indianapolis sits atop the conference at 7-1 through its first eight games – a better record than any franchise in the conference.

The NFC’s logjam of teams at the top means this deadline could be even more eventful as teams look to separate themselves ahead of the second half of the regular season. Green Bay holds the No. 1 spot in the playoff picture as the lone one-loss team entering Week 9. Four teams are right behind them in the loss column as more than half of the conference sits above .500.

While fans may be calling for additions on offense, the players tasked with stopping your favorite fantasy stars are equally important. Having extra help at the second level against top-level offenses you may see in January could make the difference between advancing or heading home after the wild-card round.

Here are eight players at linebacker or defensive back who could be moved ahead of the NFL trade deadline – and our choice for a landing spot:

LB Pete Werner: Los Angeles Rams

Werner’s quietly been a reliable presence at linebacker since the New Orleans Saints selected him in the second round, No. 60 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. The former Ohio State Buckeye has patrolled the middle of the field alongside franchise icon Demario Davis for the Saints for half a decade now.

With a new defensive play caller in New Orleans in 2025, his role’s changed and he’s taken a step back. Per NFL Pro stats, Werner’s allowing a career-worst 130.8 quarterback rating when targeted in coverage. He’s also allowing a career-high 5.5 yards after catch per reception. To be fair, he’s also notched multiple sacks for the first time in his career.

San Francisco exposed the Rams’ limitations at linebacker in the teams’ Week 5 battle on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ Werner could be an experienced option to potentially upgrade the position ahead of the playoffs.

LB Quincy Williams: San Francisco 49ers

This one makes too much sense. The 49ers’ depth pieces at linebacker are doing their best to replace All-Pro Fred Warner after his season-ending injury, but there’s only of him. Tatum Bethune and Dee Winters aren’t at his level – which is no knock on them.

Williams played under current 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for years in New York. That familiarity could come in handy for San Francisco as their run defense will take a hit without Warner.

This really comes down to how much the 49ers want to invest in a push this season amid so many significant injuries on defense. Do they sacrifice draft capital to get the 29-year-old Williams now without Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa? If so, he could be a valuable reinforcement.

LB Logan Wilson: Dallas Cowboys

Dallas has struggled at the linebacker position this season. Rookie fifth-round pick Shemar James, second-year man Marist Liufau and former first-round pick Kenneth Murray Jr. are among the worst-graded linebackers in the league per Pro Football Focus (PFF) data. James ranks 73rd and Murray 80th out of 80 qualifying linebackers (Liufau hasn’t met the snap count requirement to be graded).

Demarvion Overshown may return to the lineup in the coming weeks but it’s asking a lot of him to save the Cowboys’ second level. If Dallas is serious about a playoff run, Wilson would be good reinforcement to ensure it’s not all on Overshown.

The Bengals linebacker requested a trade before their loss to the Jets in Week 8 after a diminished role in the defense. He could find a new home in Dallas.

CB Riq Woolen: Buffalo Bills

Woolen’s a frustrating presence on the back end for Seattle. There’s no denying his outlier height and length paired with impressive athleticism leads to some incredible plays in man coverage. But plays later he can make a surprising mistake that leaves you shaking your head.

Buffalo’s defense needs help on the back end if it wants to keep up in the playoffs. The Bills lack speed with Tre’Davious White starting at outside cornerback. First-round rookie Maxwell Hairston is off the injury report but, like Overshown, it’s a lot to say a first-year cornerback will step up in January to solve coverage concerns.

Woolen is on the final year of his rookie contract. Buffalo wouldn’t be making an investment beyond this year and it couldn’t hurt to inject some length and athleticism to the secondary. Xavier Worthy and the Chiefs certainly aren’t getting any slower.

CB Cam Taylor-Britt: Indianapolis Colts

Taylor-Britt’s been a healthy scratch from the Bengals’ lineup in recent weeks. Cincinnati selected Taylor-Britt in the second round, No. 60 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He took a step in 2023 and 2024 with a combined seven interceptions, 27 passes defensed and less than five yards after catch allowed per reception in each year.

He’s started just two games this season with a new defensive coordinator in town in Al Golden. This move would reunite him with Lou Anarumo – the former Bengals defensive coordinator who got the best out of Taylor-Britt in those years before he was fired.

Anarumo, now in Indianapolis, could use more options at outside cornerback. Kenny Moore II is one of the top cornerbacks in the league but is slot-only. Injuries to Charvarius Ward and Jaylon Jones have forced the Colts to start undrafted free agent Jonathan Edwards at outside cornerback opposite Mekhi Blackmon. Why not roll the dice on a familiar face for Anarumo?

CB Ja’Quan McMillian: Detroit Lions

Detroit’s taken on significant injuries in the secondary once again this season. D.J. Reed, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Khalil Dorsey are all on injured reserve (IR) while Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox are all on the weekly injury report as well.

McMillan has started in the slot this season for Denver but the Broncos’ first round pick this year, Jahdae Barron, has lined up there in his limited action. If the Broncos feel confident enough to hand Barron the reigns sooner than later, they could move McMillan for some value in return.

CB Kristian Fulton: Green Bay Packers

Fulton’s seen limited action for the Chiefs after signing in the offseason. Kansas City’s rolled with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson on the outside with Chamarri Conner in the slot this season with good returns.

Fulton signed a two-year deal that doesn’t penalize the team much for trading him in year one. Green Bay could use some help on the outside as their defense rounds into one of the best units in the league.

Outside cornerback Keisean Nixon is allowing a career-worst 102.9 passer rating when targeted this season, per NFL Pro stats. Adding Fulton to the mix could offer defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley another experienced option on the outside.

CB Alontae Taylor: Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota’s secondary got exposed agianst the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7. If the Vikings want to make a push to contend in the NFC playoffs, they need some improvement on the back end.

Taylor’s playing well for a rebuilding Saints team in the final year of his rookie contract signed after the Saints selected him in the second round, No. 49 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s lined up outside and in the slot for New Orleans – offering the versatility Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores values.

Seeing as Taylor’s on an expiring deal, he wouldn’t require a major investment. If it works out, he’s in his age-27 season and could be worth a deal starting next season for a defense currently relying on veterans or older players in the secondary.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic is undergoing chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti told reporters of Topic’s condition, saying that doctors are ‘extremely positive’ for his long-term health.

The Thunder had announced earlier this month that Topic would be reevaluated in four to six weeks after undergoing a testicular procedure.

Topic, a 20-year-old from Serbia, missed the entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL, after Oklahoma City selected him with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Presti also said that Topic had a biopsy in October at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and after getting the results, asked the team not to disclose his condition until after he started chemotherapy.

‘Our only expectations for him are to focus on this,’ Presti said. ‘This is his most important priority. He’ll be back playing basketball when he’s able to, but we’re not putting any time length or expectations on that, obviously. He has our total support, encouragement and love.’

Tony Vitello is the first college baseball coach to be hired directly as a Major League Baseball manager.
The former University of Tennessee coach led the Volunteers to their first national title in 2024.
Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey cited Vitello’s ability to build a culture as a key reason for the hire.

After more than 30 minutes of mostly talking around the history he’s making, new San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello eventually conceded the skepticism he’s facing as the first college baseball coach to make the jump directly to Major League Baseball manager.

‘We’re in this together now, whether you like me or not,’ the former University of Tennessee coach told reporters on hand at Oracle Park in San Francisco for his introductory news conference.

Vitello spoke at length for the first time about the unprecedented challenge he’s taking on with MLB, replacing former Giants manager Bob Melvin after a very successful stint in Knoxville, Tennessee. The 47-year-old Vitello led the Vols to their first national title, winning the 2024 College World Series in one of UT’s three trips to Omaha in his tenure. He also coached Tennessee to two SEC regular-season titles and two SEC Tournament titles.

Here are five key takeaways and moments from Vitello’s question-and-answer session with reporters after becoming the San Francisco Giants’ new manager:

Why Giants hired Tony Vitello

Though the Giants are making history by elevating Vitello into this role, Giants GM Zack Minasian argued at Thursday’s news conference that ‘as much as this feels out of the box, Tony’s name has been bouncing around Major League Baseball for awhile.’

Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey nonetheless said Vitello was oftentimes hard to reach during the hiring process, which began with casual conversations when the MLB regular season ended.

‘It’s something I’ve come to really appreciate about Tony and honestly made me feel more confident in this decision,’ Posey said. ‘This guy, he was hard to get a hold of. He was on the field all the time or he was bouncing from city to city recruiting, and just because this was on his plate, he was still full go with what his job was at Tennessee. I have a tremendous amount of respect for that. I wish it was easier to get in contact sometimes, but that’s a little bit of how it played out.’

Posey pointed to Vitello’s ability to build a culture, his direct manner and infectious personality as traits he valued most in his new manager.

‘We kept coming back to this one would be really interesting and just got even more interesting as we continued to speak,’ said Minasian.

‘When we sit in the draft room,’ he added, ‘there’s a lot of conversation about what was going on at that university and what Tony, in specific was doing with his players.’

Tony Vitello calls MLB job ‘a very recent dream’

Vitello was officially hired by the Giants on Oct. 22, with his name first surfacing in the coaching search a few days before that. The idea that he could be an MLB manager was not always on his mind.

‘As a coach, I was just trying to make my way,’ Vitello explained. ‘I got thrust into a position at a young age that I probably didn’t even deserve, so I was just trying to do a good job, and fortunately it helped get me to the next spot and the next spot and the next spot, and eventually this did become a dream, where I just decided if it was, if I was blessed enough to receive an opportunity, this is something I wanted to do before I was done coaching, in general.

‘And now I’m incredibly humbled and blessed to do so,’ he continued. ‘It is a dream come true, but it’s a very recent dream. It wasn’t one I had for a while and, as much as I’d like to sit up here and promise things and pound my fist on the desk, really all I want to do is a good job.’

Tony Vitello can’t say if style will change

Vitello’s teams at Tennessee were known as much for their personality as they were for winning, with their home run celebrations and rowdy antics often drawing headlines as Vitello turned the Volunteers into one of college baseball’s top programs. The very first question he faced Thursday revolved around whether that same managerial style can work in the majors or if he will have to change.

Vitello admitted he isn’t sure if that attitude translates to MLB players, only that he would take an individualistic approach to building relationships with players.

‘Whether it’s 162 (games), 56 or whatever, baseball is a sport that’s built on sample size and you have to be willing to separate each one as a mutually exclusive one and attack it for what it is at that particular time,’ Vitello said. ‘I wish I had an answer in my own head, to be honest with you, because as I first got here, I was like, ‘There are a lot of unknowns,’ and just a lot of wonder in my mind. Of course, you can ask people and draw on previous information, but until you live it out, you don’t know what it’s going to be like.’

‘Dues have come in a different way,’ he added, in reference to the fact that he also never played in the majors, ‘and hopefully respect will be earned in different ways, and the only way I know how to do that is through hard work.’

The start of more MLB, college baseball collaboration?

Vitello expressed optimism that his hiring would create more opportunities for MLB and college baseball to work together.

‘Trust me: I wouldn’t vote myself to be the pioneer of college baseball, but I think one thing that can come out of this is it’d be one step further of the two kind of melding together,’ Vitello said. ‘MLB supporting college baseball and doing things for it, and college baseball interacting with MLB, and see how those two things can meld or bridge together, I think, can be very, very beneficial to the game ‒ especially since some of the minor league teams have been taken away, and also especially since college baseball has risen in popularity so much. There is real star power and the fan following has kind of matched that, and some of those guys are in the big leagues two months after they get drafted.’

Tony Vitello brought up Giants’ 2014 World Series Game 7

Vitello played up his limited connections to the organization and the Bay area, noting he got his start in coaching in the California Collegiate League in nearby Salinas, California and learned about Giants tradition and the franchise’s culture through friends who were also fans. Vitello also made it a point to mention some of the franchise’s former greats, but it was an unprompted anecdote about Game 7 of the 2014 World Series that proved most endearing.

In the midst of a roundabout answer to how differently he’ll need to treat players in the majors compared to college, Vitello brought up Alex Gordon’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Kansas City Royals, in which he took three bases thanks to multiple errors by the Giants. San Francisco still managed to close out the 3-2 win, as Posey could attest.

‘I was at that game, by the way, behind home plate. It was rather intense,’ Vitello said.

‘Yeah, I’ll second that. It was,’ Posey, the Giants catcher in the game, deadpanned in response.

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Welcome to Week 9. After this weekend’s pro football games we’ll be halfway through the 2025 regular season. Can you believe it? Let’s enjoy the action while we can!

Before discussing the weekend’s biggest matchups, we’ve huddled up some essentials for you to intercept:

Week 9 picks from USA TODAY Sports’ NFL experts
Need fantasy football advice? We have you covered
NFL vodcasts: Fantasy insights, injury updates, more
Point spreads for every Week 9 game

➤ On tap for Thursday night: Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins — Both of these squads are coming off Week 8 wins that halted losing streaks (three games for the Dolphins, four for the Ravens). Lamar Jackson is set to return after missing the Ravens’ past three games. Tua Tagovailoa looked like a competent quarterback last week – throwing for four touchdowns after tossing a combined six interceptions in the two prior games. Maybe this one will be entertaining (let’s hope so, there won’t be a World Series game to turn to if things get ugly).

➤ Game of the week: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills — The Chiefs (5-3) enter this rematch of last season’s AFC championship game on a real heater, riding a three-game winning streak and having won their last two by a combined score of 59-7. The Bills (5-2) came off their bye week and ended a two-game skid with a decisive win over the Carolina Panthers. In a twist, the teams enter Week 9 sitting in second (Bills) and third place (Chiefs) in their respective divisions. The Bills have been good against the Chiefs in regular-season games (winning the Past four), but the Chiefs own the Bills in the playoffs (winning the past four postseason meetings).

➤ Sneaky-good game of the week: Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers — The Colts (7-1) have been the season’s biggest surprise. The Steelers (4-3) are coming off a gut punch of a defeat in front of a national-television audience against the Green Bay Packers. Still, with the Colts on the road against an expected AFC playoff contender, this feels like a ‘prove it’ game for quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Jonathan Taylor and the rest of their horseshoe-helmeted heroes.

➤ Dud of the week: Jacksonville Jaguars at Las Vegas Raiders — Both of these teams are coming off their bye weeks, so you might have forgotten about how bad it went for both squads the last time we saw them play football. The Jaguars (4-3) got humbled in their home away from home in London by the Los Angeles Rams, while the Raiders (2-5) were thoroughly embarrassed by the Kansas City Chiefs. This is one of just three games in the late Sunday afternoon window, so hopefully these two teams provide enough entertainment for the folks at the RedZone channel to check in.

TNF BETTING LOCK

Lamar Jackson 250+ passing yards (+135). The Ravens are in must-win mode and we’re expecting Jackson to return from a hamstring injury highly motivated to deliver wins for a team with very limited margin for error. The Dolphins might key in on Derrick Henry and stopping the Ravens’ run game – Miami did a spectacular job of containing the Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson (9 carries, 25 yards) last week. This could open up the passing game for Jackson and the Ravens’ receiving corps.

*Odds per BetMGM (as of publication)

ONE BOLD PREDICTION

➤ The New England Patriots are going to win the AFC East. This would have been insane to suggest a month ago, but then the Patriots went into Orchard Park, New York, and upset the mighty Buffalo Bills on ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Four weeks later, the Patriots have kept up the good vibes under the guidance of head coach Mike Vrabel and are riding a five-game winning streak. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye has been so good that my colleague Chris Bumbaca wants to rename a section of the Monday edition of this newsletter, ‘The Drake Maye corner.’

As far as the AFC East race, New England enters Week 9 with a half-game lead in the division. While the Bills must host a Kansas City Chiefs team that has found its groove, the Patriots host the underwhelming Atlanta Falcons. Circle Dec. 14 on your calendars … that’s when the Patriots host the Bills in Foxborough.

HOT READS

The best NFL reads from USA TODAY and our Sports Network:

In Nate Davis’ latest power rankings, the Chiefs held firm at No. 1 but there’s a shake-up after that.

The NFL playoff picture … if the season ended today (which, thankfully, it does not!).

The NFL’s trade deadline expires at 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 4, and here are the needs for all 32 teams.

One perfect NFL trade idea for five Super Bowl contenders

A unique blend of pressures ended Carson Wentz’s season in a tear-soaked display of pain. It’s hard to feel good about what we saw, from anyone, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz writes.

It finally happened. The Saints (1-7) have benched Spencer Rattler – who owns a hideous 1-13 record as a starter – in favor of 26-year-old rookie quarterback Tyler Shough (pronounced ‘shuck’).

Aidan Hutchinson is getting paid (well, more than he had been previously). The standout edge rusher agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions. He’s the fourth pass rusher to break into the $40 million-per-year compensation level this year, joining the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons, Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt and Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett.

FANTASY ESSENTIALS

After a Week 8 in which there were six teams on a bye week, we’re down to four teams off in Week 9. That’s still plenty enough to throw a possible monkey wrench into your fantasy football lineup. So pay attention …

Week 9 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends

NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH

Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, OTs, Utah (vs. Cincinnati, Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN) — You’ll have to stay up late to catch two of the top offensive tackle prospects in college football. Both Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz and Ayrton Ostly have Fano and Lomu projected as first-round picks in their respective mock drafts. This is a big showcase for the Utes, as 7-1 Cincinnati comes to Salt Lake City for this Big 12 showdown. Draftniks will be keeping close tabs on how Fano and Lomu perform.

ON THIS DAY IN NFL HISTORY

Nine years ago today, on Oct. 30, 2016, the Oakland Raiders had quite a day in a 30-24 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

The Raiders, as they are wont to do, committed a lot of penalties … an NFL-record 23 flags that accounted for 200 yards. The Raiders managed to overcome the plethora of infractions, thanks to quarterback Derek Carr, who threw for a franchise single-game record 513 yards, including a 41-yard game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Seth Roberts with 1:45 remaining in overtime.

The Raiders finished the 2016 season with a 12-4 record, earning a wild-card playoff spot. They were eliminated in the opening round by the Houston Texans, 27-14, but Carr was injured and replaced by Connor Cook. This was Cook’s final NFL start. The Raiders have made just one playoff appearance since (2021).

As for Carr, he owns four of the top six passing yardage games in Raiders history. Check out this list:

Derek Carr: 513 yards (Oct. 30, 2016)
Derek Carr: 437 yards (Sept. 30, 2018)
Derek Carr: 435 yards (Sept. 13, 2021)
Cotton Davidson: 427 yards (Oct. 25, 1964)
Jeff Hostetler: 424 yards (Oct. 31, 1993)
Derek Carr: 417 yards (Oct. 19, 2017)

If you enjoy reading 4th and Monday , encourage your football fan friends to subscribe . Follow the writer of this newsletter on social media @jimreineking and drop a line if you want to talk some football .