Under Center: The NFL In The New Millennium

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March 20, 2011: Joe Gibbs, Special Advisor to Dan Snyder and former Head Coach of the Redskins, resigns from his position and lets it be known that he would be open to leading an investment group that could potentially buy the team. The loss of Gibbs, called “the most popular man in Washington”, is thought to be terrible for Snyder, who quickly releases a statement:

“Mr. Gibbs served the team well in every position he held here, but we refuse to submit to any of his new suggestions, due to his mistreatment of management on his way out.”

The statement itself is thought to be toxic, and only worsens Snyder’s standing in the NFL and the eyes of the press.

March 25, 2011: After a week without an apology or acceptance of his punishment, Dan Snyder’s ownership in the Redskins is put up to vote under the new so-called “Impeachment Rule” that mandates that an owner can be forced out of the NFL if at least ⅔ of the NFL Owners vote for their “Impeachment” due to an egregious error, crime or other serious misjudgments. Leading voices calling for his expulsion are Jerry Jones, Roger Goodell (due to a recent disagreement with Snyder over the move to Buffalo), and Al Davis, a notable voice for civil rights in the 60s and 70s, and a vocal opponent of Snyder’s since the Redskins naming controversy. He is forced out by the vote and must sell the team. It will be a major blow to Snyder’s net worth, as while he will gain the value of the team, he will miss out on its yearly income, which is one of the highest in the NFL, ranked #6 in the league. (#1 is the Cowboys, #2 is the Steelers, #3 is the Giants, #4 is the Colts, #5 is the Packers).

April 1, 2011: Joe Gibbs is named the head of a bid to buy the Washington Redskins, with other principal investors being Washington Senators owner Ted Lerner, Jacqueline Mars, heiress to the Mars candy fortune, and several other notable names, including smaller bids from Senator Mark Warner, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and former Senator John Warner. As part of their plan, they stipulate that they will routinely hire general managers to help run the franchise, change the team’s name, become more transparent, and increase contact with the fanbase. Their purchase is approved during a late-night meeting of the NFL owners, as to allow for the quickest succession. The first act of the new ownership group is to start a contest as to what the team’s name will be. There are many choices, the most popular being the Renegades, the Redhawks, the Washington Football Club, and the Americans. The results will be announced on Draft Day, as the team’s first-round pick is announced.

 

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Add Jed York to that list too. Screw him.
Any who, how's SF doing?

Denise Debartolo and John York are still the principal owners and operators at this time. Jed York doesn't have any reason to be "Impeached". He is, again, another legacy owner (or will be) who operates well in a lucrative market.

The Niners are up and down, stuck in a division with the newly-powerful Rams and the Seahawks. Jason Campbell is providing them with strong QB work, but his interceptions get in the way of any real progress, and it doesn't help that he doesn't have much of a team around him except Joe Thomas, who is still his Hall of Famer on a bad team self. At this point, they're only visible because of Spiral, the HBO Show starring a fictional QB-WR brother duo that plays for the 49ers, along with a fictional head coach and fictional half-back. The marketing for the team increases its popularity but doesn't change the underwhelming real-world performance.

I'd also like to talk about baseball while I'm at this point. Madison Bumgarner ends up with Clayton Kershaw on the Dodgers and produces a young dynasty that wins the 2010 World Series (they just drafted this quiet guy, Mike, from Millville), and will compete with three other powerhouses, the Albert Pujols-led Cardinals in the NL (who won the '04, '08, and '09 Series, and competed in the '07 Series) and the Bill Beane headed A's (competed in the '05 and '10 Series, won the '07 Series) along with the veteran-laden Blue Jays (competed in the '09 and '04, won in '06) in AL, for further championships in the future.

 

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Been meaning to post this:

2010 NFL Season Standings:

NFC East
Giants: 11-5
Eagles: 9-7
Redskins: 7-9
Cowboys: 4-12

AFC East
Stallions: 11-5
Patriots: 10-6
Jets: 5-11
Dolphins: 3-12-1

NFC North
Packers: 10-5-1
Vikings: 8-8
Lions: 7-9
Bears: 4-11-1

AFC North
Ravens: 10-6
Browns: 9-7
Steelers: 4-12
Bengals: 3-13

NFC South
Saints: 12-4
Panthers: 9-7
Buccaneers: 3-13
Falcons: 1-15

AFC South
Colts: 13-3
Titans: 11-5
Jaguars: 3-13
Texans: 2-14

NFC West
Rams: 10-6
Seahawks: 9-7
49ers: 4-12
Cardinals: 4-12

AFC West
Raiders: 14-2
Broncos: 10-6
Chargers: 5-10-1
Chiefs: 3-13

 

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April 8, 2011: Luckmania reaches a fever pitch as he appears on three sports shows in the span of two hours, after an appearance on the Today Show and then, later that night, the Tonight Show.

April 15, 2011: The choices for the Redskins new name is narrowed down. It is now down to the Renegades and Washington Football Club, the two biggest vote-getters in the competition so far.

April 28-30, 2011: With the #1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Heisman-winning QB Andrew Luck out of Stanford. With the #2 overall pick, the Houston Texans select QB Cam Newton out of Clemson. With the #3 overall pick, the Las Vegas Express (from Cincinnati), select DE JJ Watt out of Wisconsin. With the #9 overall pick, the Baltimore Ravens (from San Fransisco) select QB Andy Dalton of Houston. With the #12 overall pick, the Washington Football Club selects CB Patrick Peterson of Florida. With the #15 overall pick, the Denver Broncos select LB Von Miller out of Oklahoma. With the #24 overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams select WR Julio Jones of Notre Dame. With the #29 overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts select DE Cameron Jordan out of USC. (Colin Kaepernick would play both football and baseball in college, impressing more as a power-hitting pitcher, and would ultimately be drafted by the Detroit Tigers. He would make the majors within a year and a have a good, not great career, eventually making an attempt at being a dual sport athlete, but I get ahead of myself.)

 

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May 3, 2011: Donald Trump is announced as an investor in the FFL, hoping to own a team either in New York, his hometown, or Miami, near his Mar-A-Lago estate. He was previously an investor in the USFL and is a close friend of McMahon’s.

May 21, 2011: In a blockbuster trade, the Atlanta Falcons trade veteran five-time Pro Bowler LB Keith Brooking and two first-round picks (one of their own and another from the New England Patriots) to the San Fransisco 49ers for four-time Pro Bowler OT Joe Thomas and a third-round pick. Thomas has been named twice to the All-Pro Second Team, and twice to the First Team, and nearly won the 2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, losing to Green Bay Packers WR Calvin Johnson.

June 4, 2011: Tom Brady announces his retirement from football after several seasons that were either injury-shortened or made up of subpar play, at the age of 33. “Touchdown Tom” said in his press conference:

“It pains me to say that I must leave the sport I love. But I have to go because the toll it has taken on me pains me so much more. This game has been, for my whole life, who I was as a human being. I must now move on and find more in life. With my wife, Morgan [Morgan Matlock, former Miss Texas], and my two kids, Patrick and Sarah, I will carry on, and find a new life outside of football.”

He signs on as an NFL analyst with ESPN later that day and begins regularly appearing on Skip Bayless’s show and Colin Cowherd’s show.

 

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August 13, 2011: Ben Roethlisberger is involved in an altercation outside of a bar in Denver, after he was attacked by another patron of the bar, bodybuilder Landon Erickson, over a girl they both hit on. Erickson threw a punch at Roethlisberger, hit his eye, and then the two began trading blows until Erickson was on the ground and Roethlisberger began repeatedly punching him in the face, three times until he was defenseless. Erickson would later die of his injuries. Roethlisberger is arrested for involuntary manslaughter. His case is debated by many legal experts, as it revolves around whether or not Roethlisberger would have been committing assault if Erickson had not died. Some argue that due, to the severity of the beating, he would have been, but others say that, since he was acting in self-defense, he wouldn’t have been found guilty.

August 14, 2011: Ben Roethlisberger hires the same legal team that had previously defended him to help him in this trial, as he is booked and his trial date is announced for September 2. He is suspended indefinitely without pay by the NFL, due to violating the player policy, and deactivated by the Denver Broncos, although the team is visibly more behind Roethlisberger now, and refuse to release him. Teammates say that he is not a man who would intentionally murder, and his head coach, Gary Kubiak (hired after Mike Shanahan retired), tells the press “We are with Ben.” John Elway, Roethlisberger’s idol and the Broncos’ GM, says “Ben Roethlisberger will be proven not guilty, and will come back stronger than ever.”

A Minor Note From The Author

While I'm thinking about this, I would like to address the uniforms. The Denver Broncos began wearing their iconic "Orange Crush" jerseys once again, in 2008 and brought back their old logo as well. The logo is updated to be more stylized, and the uniform becomes one of the most popular in the league. The New York Giants bring back some of the components of their older uniforms, including the red neckline, although their lighter shade of blue is kept, while the red line on their helmets is made thicker. The Seattle Seahawks create a new, revolutionary uniform kit, with primarily neon green helmets, wide feather designs on the shoulders, a dark blue primary jersey color, and a larger, slicker logo, called the "Charging Hawk", on the helmet. The Express have changed their logo to a stylized man riding a horse, and they take up a very light powder blue with an electric yellow secondary color, similar to that of the Chargers, but lighter. The Toronto Stallions take up a burgundy primary color, and royal blue and platinum secondary, along with a strong horse logo. The Washington F.C. keeps the gold and red colors but replaces the logo with a red cursive "W" (rather similar to the Nationals' logo, although ITTL they're the Senators and take the block W logo) encircled in red and gold.

 

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August 15, 2011: Due to an ongoing work stoppage in the league, it is announced that the NFL’s opener will be pushed back a week, to September 15. It is feared that, if the teams hire scabs, the established players will continue to strike, and could even wait out their contracts to play in the FFL. The players’ main demands include league coverage of healthcare, a wage scale dependent on the league gross revenue, and a more lax policy on marijuana testing.

August 20, 2011: When asked to comment about Ben Roethlisberger’s charges, Aaron Rodgers says “I’m not going to give you what you want. I’m not kicking him while he’s down… we’re all human at the end of the day, and I hope Ben gets his chance in court. He doesn’t deserve this, to be convicted by public opinion. That’s my comment. He’s a human, and he’s innocent until proven otherwise.”

August 24, 2011: A massive leak from inside the NFL, apparently due to a striking player intercepting emails, reveals the names of the NFL’s next two teams, the London Monarchs and Mexico City Diablos, along with plans to expand into Montreal and come back to San Diego, possibly as soon as 2018. They consider expanding to San Diego due to the readiness of the fanbase, the history of the Chargers, and the threat of the FFL. Montreal is chosen to expand the Canadian fanbase and capitalize on the Toronto-Montreal rivalry. Plans regarding the CFL are also revealed, as the league hopes that by 2022 after Montreal is established, they can force the Canadians into a deal that would see the CFL become a minor league.

A (Kind Of) Minor Note From The Author:

I swear this won't become regular, but I've been thinking about college football. Since 2000, these are the college football champions:

2000: Oklahoma (Bob Stoops)
2001: Miami of Florida (Larry Coker)
2002: Ohio State (Jim Tressel)
2003: USC (Pete Carroll)
2004: USC (Pete Carroll)
2005: USC (Pete Carroll)
2006: Ohio State (Jim Tressel)
2007: Ohio State (Jim Tressel*)
2008: Notre Dame (Chris Petersen)
2009: Alabama (Jim Harbaugh)
2010: Stanford (Les Miles)
2011: Ohio State (Urban Meyer)
*Retired

USC under Pete Carroll was a powerhouse, and for three years, it was the largest empire in football, mostly due to Carroll's recruiting ability and friendships with players. He made the team into a Hollywood power and threepeated, and in 2006, he was defeated by Chris Petersen's Alabama team, also undefeated up to that point, and USC lost it's #1 in the nation for the first time since the beginning of the 2003 season, to the eventual champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Jim Tressel, head coach of the Buckeyes, had a knack for finding underrecruited players and turning them into stars, with Matt Ryan, who won the Heisman trophy in 2006, as the prime example. As they won more, he was able to recruit other big names and assemble a super team, eventually retiring on top after winning his third national championship in the 2008 Rose Bowl, defeating Pete Carroll's #2 ranked USC. Carroll would also leave college football after the game, leaving to coach the Rams. Along with Tressel and Carroll would go the old system of determining college football's champion. The College Football Playoff system was instituted in 2008 and saw the top four teams compete in a playoff format. The end of the season saw #3 Notre Dame defeat #2 Clemson, 29-17, in the Nation Bowl, a newly established Bowl game that changes stadiums every year, that year held in the then-largest stadium in college football, Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, which could house 110,000 people, and was expanded to house a sold-out over-capacity 116,000. The next year, #2 Alabama, coached by Jim Harbaugh in his second year at Alabama, defeated #4 Georgia, 31-27, in the Nation Bowl in the LA Coliseum. In 2010, #1 Stanford, home of Heisman winner Andrew Luck, defeated #2 Notre Dame, 41-38, in triple overtime in the Nation Bowl in the New Orleans Superdome. In the most recent edition, the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes, after making a comeback season under first-year head coach Urban Meyer, formerly of UCF, and unlikely Heisman winner Russell Wilson, in which they won every game with over 40 points on the board, defeated #4 Alabama, under Jim Harbaugh, in the Anthem Dome in Indianapolis.

 

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August 25, 2011: NFL spokesman verifies that the franchises will be named the Monarchs and the Diablos, though they refuse to comment on any possible expansion into Montreal or San Diego.

September 1, 2011: The State of Colorado v. Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger officially begins, after a frantic search for an impartial jury in “Bronco Country”, although, through the same tactics used in his previous trial, the attorneys are able to quickly find a suitable group. The trial begins with the opening statements, and the prosecutors begin with the argument “Man A has died as a result of his injuries, sustained through a physical beating by Man B, who is in the line of work that requires top physical shape. Man A, although the initiator of conflict, has dealt little damage, and is in no way deserving of a beating, especially not one so severe as this one. Man B is the defendant, Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger. He killed a young man after repeatedly striking him in the head with a closed fist. He does not dispute doing so. I see no reason to even argue this case; he has taken a human life and now he seeks to be let free, possibly to do so again.” The Defense begins its case by saying “Ben Roethlisberger, the man who sits accused of this crime, was attacked by Landon Erickson, a bodybuilder who, as you will see, would regularly attend the gym and was known to be violent. He responded in self-defense and acted rashly because his life was being threatened. He retaliated with the intention of making sure his life would not be in danger, with the intention of making sure his attacker would not continue to carry out a vicious assault upon him. The damage inflicted ended in Erickson’s accidental death. Ben is remorseful for this. He did not intend for this outcome, and, as you know, he didn’t even intend for any fight at all. He was attacked with extreme force, and he responded with a rash decision to end a potentially fatal incident.”

September 1, 2011: Leaks from the NFLPA-NFL talks show that the NFLPA has given up on marijuana testing, but will only agree to terms if they include at least basic health insurance for players. Owners have said that they will only agree to such terms if the players agree to a more preferential rookie wage system.

September 2-14, 2011: Witnesses begin testifying in the Roethlisberger trial. Those around at the time begin testifying regarding the severity of the initial attack in addition to Roethlisberger’s reaction. Many say that Erickson was wildly belligerent at the time of the incident and used extreme force, some even saying passion, in attacking Roethlisberger.

September 10, 2011: Leaked information says that the NFL has agreed to a basic health insurance plan, on the condition that they will be allowed to take $1 billion off the top of revenue. The players agree, along with agreeing to a compromise on rookie wages.

 

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September 11, 2011: The NFL and NFLPA agree on a new CBA, and officially end the NFL Labor Dispute of 2011. An interesting innovation to come out of the agreement: the so-called “Silicon Duke” football, a new ball that eliminates the “Chain Gang” on the sidelines in favor of a small chip implanted on the ball that transmits a signal to a new system on the sidelines. The ball, which underwent rigorous testing, is welcomed into the league as a useful tool for the future.

September 15, 2011: The security camera footage of the attack, along with several cell phone videos, surface in the trial, and several angles show Roethlisberger losing the fight early on, to the point of looking helpless, and then his brutal rebuttal. The videos are influential in the court of public opinion, as they turn the tide of sympathy towards Roethlisberger for many.

September 17, 2011: The New York Giants defeat the New York Jets, 28-14, in the inaugural game at the new Manhattan Stadium, a huge 100,000 seater with a retractable dome built on the west side rail yards in the city. The Stadium has taken over from Giants Stadium as the home of the Giants and Jets, and it brings football back to the state of New York, after several years of the Jets and Giants playing in New Jersey, and the Bills’ move to Toronto.

 

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September 20, 2011: Ben Roethlisberger is called to the stand, and recounts the fateful night. He, at one point, becomes nearly despondent when remembering his actions, and says that Erickson tried to “murder” him.

September 21, 2011: It surfaces that Landon Erickson was, in fact, a Chiefs fan. The revelation is presented in court, as a way to show that Erickson could have had a secondary agenda in attacking Roethlisberger.

September 30, 2011: The Roethlisberger trial is officially closed, as the jury is left to deliberate.

October 1, 2011: The FFL announces their “Charter Teams”, with Vince McMahon in the role of “CEO & Chairman”, and ESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen in the role of “Commissioner”. This is the official press release:

FFL CHARTER TEAMS

VINCENT KENNEDY MCMAHON
CEO & CHAIRMAN

WILLIAM F. RASMUSSEN
COMMISSIONER

NEW YORK KNIGHTS-DONALD J. TRUMP
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS-CHARLES BRANDES
BUFFALO MOUNTAINMEN-TERRY PEGULA
SALT LAKE LEGION-JON M. HUNTSMAN SR.
ORLANDO APOLLOS-MICKY ARISON
HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS-T. BOONE PICKENS​

 

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October 2, 2011: The NFL responds to the revelation that the FFL will use the Chargers’ history:

“We are disappointed that we were not able to continue the use of the Chargers brand, although we understand the circumstances surrounding this are very tough. We wish good luck to those who now use the brand, and hope they succeed.”

October 3, 2011: Ben Roethlisberger's trial results in a hung jury, and will be retried.

January 8, 2012: The 2011 NFL Season ends, after the lockout, and it is one of the most extremely unequal NFL seasons ever, as there is a massive difference between the top teams and the losing teams.

February 1, 2012: Michael Vick is released from federal prison. He begins negotiations with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans.

February 11, 2012: Drew Brees is named NFL MVP (2) and wins the Joe Montana Award (2), after passing for a league-leading 40 touchdowns and league-leading 5,129 yards, and a league-leading 113.6 passer rating. Adrian Peterson wins the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Nick Saban of the New York Giants is named Coach of the Year (2). Andrew Luck of the Atlanta Falcons wins the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, after passing for an NFL rookie record 28 touchdowns, to only 9 interceptions, and an NFL rookie record 4,416 passing yards. He also surprised the media by running for 4 touchdowns, establishing himself as somewhat of a dual-threat QB.

February 12, 2012: The New York Giants win Super Bowl XLVI over the Toronto Stallions, 41-38 in double overtime. RB Frank Gore is named Super Bowl MVP, scoring a Super Bowl-record-tying three rushing touchdowns and rushing for a Super Bowl-record 216 yards. Drew Brees would make the game-winning Hail Mary pass, a forty-six-yard pass, on fourth and eleven on the opposite forty-yard line, to rookie TE Jordan Cameron, who ran the rest of the way into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

2011 In Sports:
Super Bowl: Giants def. Stallions
World Series: Dodgers def. Red Sox in 4
College Football: #1 Ohio State def. #4 Alabama in Anthem Dome

2011 NFL Season Standings:

NFC East
Giants: 15-1
F.C.: 9-7
Cowboys: 4-12
Eagles: 2-14

AFC East
Stallions: 11-5
Patriots: 8-8
Jets: 7-9
Dolphins: 4-12

NFC North
Packers: 11-5
Vikings: 8-8
Bears: 6-9-1
Lions: 4-11-1

AFC North
Browns: 12-4
Ravens: 11-5
Bengals: 2-14
Steelers: 2-14

NFC South
Saints: 12-4
Falcons: 9-7
Panthers: 5-11
Buccaneers: 3-13

AFC South
Colts: 14-2
Titans: 11-5
Jaguars: 4-12
Texans: 2-14

NFC West
Rams: 13-3
Seahawks: 7-9
49ers: 4-11-1
Cardinals: 0-15-1

AFC West
Raiders: 12-4
Express: 7-9-1
Broncos: 6-10
Chiefs: 3-13

 

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October 10, 2011: The Roethlisberger trial moves to another part of Colorado, although it is extremely difficult to find an unbiased jury.

October 15, 2011: Ben Roethlisberger moves to have his retrial dismissed, on the grounds that finding an unbiased jury is nearly impossible. The motion is denied.

October 23, 2011: The Roethlisberger retrial is announced, and it will begin on November 3.

November 3, 2011: The Roethlisberger retrial commences. There is a new strategy taken, as the prosecution talks less of Roethlisberger’s strength, and instead, they talk of how he acted once Erickson was on the ground. The defense more robustly uses the stand-your-ground precedent in the state of Colorado to prove his innocence.

November 9, 2011: Ben Roethlisberger comes to the podium once again, and stresses the danger he felt he was in when the fight took place. He says that the three punches he threw while Erickson was on the ground were due to a genuine fear that Erickson would attack once more unless action was taken.

November 10, 2011: The video evidence is presented, as is the fact that Erickson was a Chiefs fan.

November 13, 2011: The woman the two men were fighting over, who hopes to remain anonymous, testifies through a video chat about that night and says that Erickson was aggressive when flirting.

November 26, 2011: The owner of the bar the two men were at testifies and says that when he attempted to break up the fight, Roethlisberger, who had just thrown the three punches, immediately stopped fighting and displayed a so-called “look of horror” on his face.

December 1, 2011: The video evidence is analyzed by several “experts” in fighting techniques, emotional reactions, and police specializing in murder investigations.

December 7, 2011: The Roethlisberger retrial closes.

December 14, 2011: The retrial ends with a hung jury and another mistrial. The judge then dismisses the case, in line with precedent.

 

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February 13, 2012: Michael Vick announces his preferred teams:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Tennessee Titans
• New England Patriots
• New York Jets
• Carolina Panthers
• Miami Dolphins

February 14, 2012: Robert Kraft announces that due to the moral behavior of Michael Vick, the New England Patriots have no interest in him.

February 22, 2012: The Tennessee Titans decide against further pursuing Michael Vick after he asks for a contract that would require them to trade several other bit players. It is speculated that due to the Colts playing in the same division as the Titans, Vick intends to get the most money from where he thinks he is the most needed.

February 25, 2012: The New York Jets make it publicly clear they have no intention of pursuing Michael Vick, as they believe he is not suited for such a large media market, and fear that he would be out of shape.

February 29, 2012: Michael Vick holds video calls with the Dolphins, Buccaneers, and Panthers, and he proposes a different contract for each of them, the most expensive from the Dolphins, the longest for the Panthers, and the most convenient for the Buccaneers. He is enthusiastically received by the Dolphins, who want him to sign with them in order to bring back a competitive edge to a weak team in a strong division. The Panthers hope to make him the centerpiece of trade- and draft-based team, off of a contract that will last until 2018. The Buccaneers hope to take him away from the division rival Panthers and begin a rebuild that could allow for them to contend for the division against the defense-heavy Saints and the upcoming Falcons.

April 2, 2012: Michael Vick turns down the Panthers offer, as it quickly becomes apparent that the management would keep him after they passed a “win-now” window.

April 8, 2012: The Arizona Cardinals, holders of the #1 overall pick, sign QB Robert Griffin III from Oregon before the draft. RG3 is considered one of the most exciting prospects out of college in several years, and, while not as safe as Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning were, he is said to be a potentially invigorating pick that could help the ailing franchise. The Cardinals are considered a candidate for relocation, possibly either to Salt Lake City or OKC and will likely only stay in Phoenix if they can increase fan enthusiasm and team income within the next four years.

 

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April 10, 2012: The Cincinnati Bengals, holders of the #2 overall pick, sign RB Trent Richardson from Alabama before the draft. Richardson garners comparisons to Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, and is thought to be a can’t miss prospect at the running back position.

April 12, 2012: Michael Vick signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on a contract that will pay him $28 million until 2016.

April 26-28, 2012: With the #1 overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals select QB Robert Griffin III from Oregon. With the #2 overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select RB Trent Richardson from Alabama. With the #3 overall pick, the San Fransisco 49ers (from Pittsburgh) select LB Luke Kuechly from Stanford. With the #5 overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select CB Stephon Gilmore from South Carolina. With the #7 overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles (from Detroit) select QB Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M. With the #10 overall pick, the Carolina Panthers select QB Matt Barkley from UCLA. With the #30 overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams select LB Harrison Smith from Notre Dame. With the #32 overall pick, the New York Giants select DT Fletcher Cox of Ole Miss. With the #55 overall pick, the Miami Dolphins select Heisman-winning QB Russell Wilson from Ohio State. (Wilson would also be selected by the New York Mets in the third round of the MLB Draft, and plans to play minor league baseball as well.) With the #78 overall pick, the Washington Football Club selects QB Nick Foles of Arizona State. With the #88 overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams select WR T.Y. Hilton of Ole Miss. With the #119 overall pick, the Cleveland Browns select QB Ryan Lindley of Pitt. The draft is notable for a relative lack of in-draft trades compared to the previous years.

 

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May 5, 2012: Philip Rivers, QB for the Cleveland Browns, is traded to the Dallas Cowboys in a blockbuster that sees Dallas give their 2013 and 2014 first-round picks, along with WR Jordy Nelson, for the Pro Bowler. The Browns plan to start rookie Ryan Lindley in his place, a risky gamble, but one they hope will pay off, as they see their fourth-rounder as a steal.

May 12, 2012: Ben Roethlisberger is officially renamed the Denver Broncos’ starting QB.

September 9, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the heavily favored Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, 45-13, as Andrew Luck throws for three touchdowns and 406 yards, along with rushing for a touchdown and 34 yards.

September 17, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, 56-0, as Andrew Luck passes for five touchdowns, and 459 yards. Falcons S Earl Thomas gets two interceptions, one of which he returns for a touchdown, and a forced fumble, along with a fumble recovery in the game.

September 23, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Raymond James Stadium, 48-39, as Andrew Luck passes for three touchdowns along with 387 yards, and rushes for a touchdown. The former Falcons, now Buccaneers, starting QB, Michael Vick, threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two more, in a defeat that saw him throw an interception and fumble once, on the run after an Earl Thomas hit.

September 30, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the Denver Broncos at Mile High, 41-28, as Andrew Luck passes for 3 touchdowns and 361 yards. Ben Roethlisberger passes for 4 touchdowns, one interception, and 400 yards in the loss.

October 7, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the Las Vegas Express, 51-9, as Andrew Luck passes for three touchdowns and 406 yards, and rushes for two touchdowns and 106 yards.

October 8, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons’ win streak, during which they have never scored less than 40 points, gains its nickname from Mike Ditka, who refers to it as the “Reign of Terror”, in a discussion with Skip Bayless on the air.

October 14, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the Toronto Stallions, 50-17, as Andrew Luck passes for six touchdowns and 443 yards. DE Ryan Kerrigan sacks Eli Manning five times, including two times in the end zone.

October 18, 2012: When asked about the “Reign of Terror” nickname, Andrew Luck replies “Let them eat losses.”

October 28, 2012: The Atlanta Falcons defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia, 49-14, as Andrew Luck passes for five touchdowns and 384 yards.

November 4, 2012: The New York Giants defeat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime at the Georgia Dome, 59-56, in the highest scoring NFL game of all time. Drew Brees passes for seven touchdowns and 516 yards and Andrew Luck passes for seven touchdowns and 503 yards, along with an interception, as the game becomes the first ever to see both teams’ quarterbacks pass for seven touchdowns and over 500 yards. The Giants officially end the Reign of Terror and claim that they will be able to conquer the Falcons again if they meet in the playoffs.

 

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November 4, 2012: The Indianapolis Colts defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 38-3, as Philip Rivers passes for five interceptions and fumbled once in the first three-quarters of the game, before being pulled after his fifth interception. He records a 0.0 passer rating and is benched.

November 25, 2012: Matt Leinart is suspended from playing in the NFL indefinitely, personally by NFL Commissioner Steve Young, and cut by the New Orleans Saints, after many accusations were made against Leinart that alleged that, in order to pay off debts, the Saints now-former starter gambled on his own games, and may have purposefully called plays to help his bets. It is believed that this behavior could possibly go back to his time in Detroit. If these allegations are true, the former Heisman-winning could likely face a lifetime ban from playing in the NFL, and could even be brought to court for his actions. Despite this, the FFL has shown interest in bringing him in to play, as T. Boone Pickens and the Houston Roughnecks attempt to arrange a meeting with the controversial QB.

December 1, 2012: Written and audio evidence of Matt Leinart’s gambling is produced, and he verifies that the allegations are true. He does, however, appeal his lifetime ban from competition, as he hopes to be able to return after spending time in a rehabilitation facility.

 

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December 7, 2012: Roger Goodell announces that the Toronto Stallions and Toronto Blue Jays plan to begin a joint effort to renovate Rogers Centre to be more accommodating to both teams. They plan on expanding the hotel in the stadium, upping the capacity, and renovating the locker rooms, as well as making it easier to be turned into a concert or convention hall.

December 10, 2012: NFL Commissioner Steve Young announces that the league will begin exploring the possibility of letting team owners also own other sports teams in the same market. This is after Roger Goodell shows intense interest in purchasing the Toronto Blue Jays, the Maras have shown interest in buying the New York Mets, and Paul Allen shows interest in buying the Seattle SuperSonics.

December 20, 2012: Audio of NFL executive meetings is leaked, and reveals several tactics used by the league, as well as some controversial statements. Commissioner Steve Young said, regarding Matt Leinart’s suspension “He can’t stay… It still baffles me how we haven’t banned him for the stuff he’s been pulling the past year. We should add that to the player conduct rule because he’s clearly shown he cannot handle this experience.” Several executives are heard talking about NASCAR, and the plan too, according to one executive “take that little bug of an organization down a peg.” They expressed dismay and some confusion when NASCAR attempted to challenge them by holding the Indianapolis 500 the same day as the Colts’ home opening, saying “They’re idiots if they think Indiana would rather watch people drive for a few hours instead of the Colts”, “I can’t wait to see all those empty bleachers in front of those cars”, and “Well, we can sure as hell count on NASCAR to make us look good.” Their plan to take down NASCAR, usually a minor disturbance when it comes to ratings when compared to the league, is to market their coverage aggressively during NASCAR broadcasts, and to entice southern audiences to watch the NFL through intense “astroturfed” campaigns for their local teams, in the words of a guest marketing executive “Take the old ‘Luv Ya Blue’ Oilers movement and multiply it across the anywhere the so-called sport of racing is popular.” The anti-racing speak is common, as most executives, including Steve Young, call it variously “As boring as a paint drying competition”, “the laziest sport of all time”, and “something my 17-year-old could do with ease”, and they disparage it for, according to them, “Not being notable for anything except a flaming car wreck, which is a pretty apt comparison to it right now.” They also talk about the relocation of franchises, with Steve Young saying “I think that San Diego should get a team. The Express wanted to a new stadium, and without one, they had no other options than to move. Same with the Bills, although Buffalo is purely toxic, all we’ll get is a welcome home riot from them.” It is also revealed that the executives did, in fact, consider Montreal and San Diego for expansion, and toyed with the names “Metros”, as a revival of the old Montreal Metros team, and “Sailors”, as the Chargers name was staying with the FFL.

 

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January 20, 2013: The New York Giants defeat the Atlanta Falcons, 49-41, in the NFC Championship game. They will go onto face either the Colts or the Broncos.

January 20, 2013: The Indianapolis Colts defeat the Denver Broncos, 38-17, and will advance to the Super Bowl, where they will face the New York Giants, in what many deem “The Power Bowl”, due to the fact that two bona fide contenders will face each other in the Super Bowl for the first time. It is especially notable because Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, considered two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, will face each other.

February 2, 2013: Andrew Luck is named NFL MVP (1) and the winner of the Joe Montana Award (1), after passing for league-leading 45 touchdowns and 5,117 yards, along with a league-leading passer rating of 113.7. (For those of you paying attention, Colin Cowherd won the bet of what year Andrew Luck would win the MVP Award, as he chose Luck’s second year. Skip Bayless chose Luck’s third year, Joel Klatt said year four, Stephen A. Smith said that it would be year five, and Tom Brady chose year six. The bet was for an Andrew Luck jersey, which he would sign, and $1,000, paid for by the other bettors.) Rob Gronkowski of the Green Bay Packers is named Offensive Player of the Year. Earl Thomas wins the Lawrence Taylor Defensive Player of the Year Award. QB Russell Wilson of the Miami Dolphins wins Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, after leading the Dolphins to a 9-7 record, and passing for 21 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions, the best rookie ratio ever, and rushing for four touchdowns and 516 yards. Ben Roethlisberger wins the Comeback Player of the Year Award, after passing for 31 touchdowns and 3,871 yards, and leading his team to the AFC Championship game. His win is controversial, as many objects to honoring a killer with such an award.

 

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February 3, 2013: The New York Giants win Super Bowl XLVII, defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 37-35, as Drew Brees throws for three touchdowns and 309 yards, while Peyton Manning throws for two touchdowns, 298 yards, and an interception while running for 18 yards and a touchdown. Brian Urlacher is named Super Bowl MVP, after two sacks, a forced fumble, and the game-sealing interception, and he announces his retirement when accepting the award, leaving the game as a surefire Hall of Famer, and one of the greatest middle linebackers to ever play.

2012 In Sports:
Super Bowl: Giants def. Colts
World Series: Mariners def. Cardinals in 6
College Football: #3 USC def. #1 Ohio State in Manhattan Stadium

The 2012 MLB Season was notable for the rise of the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox as powers in the AL, and the reduced production of the Blue Jays, while the NL continued to be dominated by the Cardinals and Dodgers, although the Mets became a playoff team, as their young team, led by Chris Sale and David Wright, made the NLDS but lost to the Cardinals in five games. The Texas Rangers went, in a span of four years, from being one of the worst teams in the league to the best, and brought their fans the first World Series in franchise history, behind Max Scherzer and Jason Heyward. The Blue Jays notably had less success, still making the playoffs in the Wild Card spot, but losing to the A’s in the game. The Dodgers, led by NL MVP Mike Trout, nearly won the NLCS, only losing the series in seven games, the last of which lasted fourteen innings and didn’t end until Albert Pujols was put back into the game as a pinch hitter, and hit a monster home run.

February 23, 2013: Ryan Leaf announces his retirement from the NFL. He cites physical breakdown and memory loss as reasons for him leaving and says that he is experiencing early symptoms of CTE. He leaves with the farewell of;

“As my mind may leave and my body may follow it, I want you all to know, my heart will always stay on the field. I am, and will always be, grateful for everything I’ve been through to stand in front of all of you today. If I were talking to you in 2001, I could have never imagined what I would do in the following years. Everybody has their journey. I’ve gone from the biggest draft bust in the history of the NFL to a Comeback Player of the Year, a multiple time conference champion, a CFL Most Outstanding Rookie, an AFL Offensive Player of the Year, and an Arena Bowl champion. My life changed because my attitude changed with it, and without football in my life, with the motivation this league has provided, I would probably be in prison right now. I would like you all to know that while I may become forgetful, I cherish the memories of playing on the field, against Brian Urlacher, Robert Mathis, Earl Thomas, and Richard Sherman. With Demaryius Thomas, who I don’t think has ever dropped a pass. With Jason Taylor who, both on the Seahawks and the Dolphins, made sure that when we scored, the other team didn’t have the chance to score back. With Coach Holmgren in my ear talking about scoring drives, and how sweet it feels to lift a Lombardi. These years are the best of my life, and when I die, they will be the ones that I want to be remembered by. With this in mind, I am retiring from the NFL. Thank you all, and God Bless.”

Leaf’s retirement leaves the Seahawks without a proper starting QB, and they begin to look through free agency and the draft for one.

 

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February 28, 2013: On air, Tom Brady comes out as a CTE sufferer, saying:

“Now, Ryan has made this affliction well known in the past few days. It’s something that I, too, struggle with and am affected by, as are many, many different former and current players. First, it comes for your little thoughts and memories, the playbook, certain people’s names, that sort of thing. Then, it hits you hard. CTE is a major issue, and it causes many things to happen in your mind. I’ve been wildly depressed and then viciously angry, without much cause, in short amounts of time, and my memory has been fading since I was first brought down on that horrible Thanksgiving Day. It affects all football players who get hit several times, and it affects many more than you would think.”

The same day, Joe Namath did the same, saying that he treated it with experimental practices and was able to heal a bit, Lawrence Taylor announced that he too suffered, Bo Jackson did the same, and two older legends, Ken “The Snake” Stabler and Frank Gifford, both announced they, too, suffered from CTE. The resulting discussion is one of shock and horror regarding the damage done and attempts to fix the problem begins, with many petitioning the NFL to in some way change their rules.

April 25-27, 2013: With #1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select DE Barkevious Mingo out of Alabama. With the #21 overall pick, the San Fransisco 49ers select CB Darius Slay out of Ole Miss. With the #27 overall pick, the Los Angeles Raiders select OT David Bakhtiari out of Colorado. With the #28 overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams select WR DeAndre Hopkins out of USC. With the #31 overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks select RB Le’Veon Bell out of Michigan State. With the #35 overall pick, the Steelers select TE Zach Ertz out of Stanford.

May 5, 2013: The FFL’s first game is broadcast on ESPN, between the New York Knights, led by Head Coach Mike McCarthy and QB Jimmy Garoppolo, and the San Diego Chargers, led by a high-powered defense and young QB Robby Bortles. The game is a thriller, and closes at 33-26 in favor of the Knights, as Jimmy Garoppolo passes for four touchdowns, one interception, and 313 yards, and Bortles throws for two touchdowns and 286 yards, along with two interceptions. It is a massive critical and rating success, and is praised as an inventive new way for football to be played, as it eliminates the kickoff, allows for anyone on the offense to be a receiver, and has a new system for extra points.