6:00 AM ET FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL: 1. Aikman’s take: In his first year as the analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Troy Aikman will get an up close look at quarterback Mac Jones and the Patriots twice – Oct. 24 versus the Chicago Bears

6:00 AM ET FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets: 1. Welcome to the club: Zach Wilson‘s rookie season wasn’t pretty. No one can relate to that better than Troy Aikman, who went 0-11 with nine touchdowns and 18 interceptions after being drafted No. 1 overall by the

7:25 PM ET DJ Bien-AimeESPN The Houston Texans have invited the Uvalde High School football team to be their guests for the team’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium on Sept. 11. The Texans, along with supermarket chain H-E-B, are providing the Uvalde team with transportation to the stadium as well as

6:00 AM ET ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Since he broke into the league as a starter with the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, Russell Wilson has been hit and sacked more than any other quarterback. Matt Ryan is second in hits (380 behind) and sacks (62 behind), but it’s not terribly close. The Denver Broncos traded a

4:11 PM ET TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals extended safety Jalen Thompson on Friday, giving the former supplemental draft pick a long-term deal that will keep him under contract through the 2025 season. His new deal is worth up to $40 million, including $24.5 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Thompson, who

6:05 PM ET SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For as surprised as the San Francisco 49ers were that they were able to retain quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on a significantly reduced contract, that paled in comparison to how Garoppolo himself thought his dramatic offseason would end. On Thursday, Garoppolo spoke to Bay Area media for the first

6:21 PM ET The New York Giants released starting middle linebacker Blake Martinez on Thursday in a surprise move. The decision was mutual, according to a source. The two sides deemed it best for both parties. Martinez was excused from practice Wednesday for what was termed as personal reasons. He was back Thursday, but left

7:35 PM ET PHILADELPHIA — Eagles left tackle Andre Dillard suffered a nondisplaced fracture in his forearm during practice Thursday, a league source confirmed to ESPN. The Eagles do not believe it to be a season-ending injury, but a source said Dillard will undergo further testing to determine whether surgery is needed and a timeline

12:58 PM ET LAKE FOREST, Ill. — After four decades with the Chicago Bears, team president and chief executive officer Ted Phillips has announced he will retire from his role at the conclusion of the 2022 season. “I have been truly blessed with the honor of working for the Chicago Bears for 40 seasons and

7:51 PM ET Eric MoodyESPN Close Former manager at a Fortune 100 financial services company, now living my dream creating fantasy and sports betting content about the NFL, NBA, and WNBA for ESPN. Read ESPN’s fantasy football daily notes every weekday to stay caught up on the news you need to know and get a