2:32 PM ET KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Andy Reid probably doesn’t have much of a future in acting, but Patrick Mahomes liked the job the Kansas City Chiefs coach did in his latest State Farm TV commercial. “I made State Farm ask him first because I was scared,” Mahomes said. “Once they asked him, he

4:51 PM ET TAMPA, Fla. — Despite experiencing some discomfort in his right shoulder and finger that forced him to miss practice Wednesday, quarterback Tom Brady said he will play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons as the 2-2 Buccaneers try to secure their first home win of the season. “It feels great,” Brady said Thursday

5:48 PM ET FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots placed veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer on injured reserve Thursday because of a concussion, thinning their depth chart behind injured starter Mac Jones. That thrusts Bailey Zappe, a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky, into the No. 2 spot behind Jones. Zappe is projected to start

5:49 PM ET LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields ranks last in the NFL in completions (34), attempts (67), passer rating (58.7) and interception percentage (6). As a team, Chicago is 32nd in total passing and passing yards per game and is at the bottom of other statistical passing categories, including the

11:00 AM ET A unique football-versus-MMA matchup has been added to the Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva undercard. Former NFL All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell will face ex-UFC fighter Uriah Hall in a pro boxing match Oct. 29 in Glendale, Arizona. The four-round contest has been contracted at 195 pounds and neither man can be

7:39 PM ET TEMPE, Ariz. — As Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz prepares to face the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, he said the emotion of facing his former team for the first time hasn’t sunk in yet. “It’s been a lot of just viewing them for the next opponent,” Ertz said Thursday. When

10:58 AM ET Detroit will likely be without running back D’Andre Swift for a second straight game when the Lions play the New England Patriots on Sunday, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The plan is for Swift, who missed last week’s game against Seattle with shoulder and ankle injuries, to return after the bye

4:26 PM ET Associated Press BOSTON — The New England Patriots caused irreparable damage to a U.S. flag signed by Tom Brady by improperly displaying it in the team’s hall of fame at Gillette Stadium, the flag’s owner contends in a federal lawsuit. After the flag had been on display a couple of months, Brady’s

6:00 AM ET Stephen Holder Jeff Legwold Close ESPN Senior Writer Covered Broncos for nine years for Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News Previously covered Steelers, Bills and Titans Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame Boardof Selectors since 1999 When Peyton Manning threw an astounding 55 touchdown passes for the Denver Broncos in 2013,

7:00 AM ET Week 5 of the NFL season kicks off Thursday night. Betting analysts Doug Kezirian, Tyler Fulghum, Joe Fortenbaugh, Anita Marks and Erin Dolan; fantasy and sports betting analysts Eric Moody and Andre Snellings; and ESPN Stats & Information’s Seth Walder, ESPN analyst Jason Fitz and Football Outsiders’ Aaron Schatz provide their top