Samwise NFL Newsletter
Saturday, June 27, 2026
NFL Top 100 Players of 2026: Nos. 100–91 Revealed
The annual NFL Top 100 Players list — voted on by players themselves — kicked off its 2026 edition on June 22, with two reveals per weekday. The first-week batch (Nos. 100–91) debuted Friday and featured notable names: defensive end Cameron Jordan (No. 100) makes his ninth appearance at age 37 after a 10.5-sack season with New Orleans; linebacker Ernest Jones of the Super Bowl champion Seahawks makes his Top 100 debut at No. 97; and Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year, lands at No. 93. Chicago Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat returns at No. 91 following his second double-digit sack season.
Sam Darnold Says He Was ‘Kinda Bummed’ by His Super Bowl LX Performance
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold led his team to a Super Bowl LX victory over the New England Patriots 29–13 — yet he’s not entirely satisfied with how it went. Speaking on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Darnold admitted he completed just 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown, a 50% completion rate well below his regular-season mark of 67.7%. “To win the Super Bowl that way, I was kinda bummed,” Darnold said. “I want to score like 40 points. I didn’t play my best football in the Super Bowl.” Running back Kenneth Walker took home MVP honors in the game.
Sources: BVM Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Lamar Jackson Says He Won’t Think About His Legacy Until He Starts Thinking About Retiring
Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson has accomplished plenty in his eight seasons with the Baltimore Ravens — but reaching the Super Bowl isn’t among them. So where will he rank among the all-time greats when it’s over? Jackson says it’s too early to even think about it. “I really don’t think about my legacy,” the 29-year-old said during Baltimore’s offseason workouts Friday. “I just try to be the best player I can be, keeping God first and doing what I can do when I can do it.” When will legacy enter the conversation? “Probably when I start thinking about retiring,” Jackson said.
Sources: NBC Sports / PFT Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
George Kittle Calls for Permanent Grass Fields After World Cup Conversions
The 2026 FIFA World Cup forced seven NFL stadium hosts to swap their synthetic turf for natural grass — and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle wants the change to stick. Speaking to media covering the World Cup, Kittle called out the contrast between playing on turf and grass, arguing teams should make the conversion permanent. “Clearly, we know it’s possible,” Kittle said of the grass installations at stadiums like SoFi Field. Players have long complained that artificial turf increases injury risk compared to natural grass. With World Cup proof of concept now in hand, Kittle says there’s no excuse not to switch.
Sources: Yahoo Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Josh Allen Says New Bills WR DJ Moore Will Be a ‘Huge Help’
The Buffalo Bills haven’t had a 1,000-yard wide receiver since Stefon Diggs departed — Khalil Shakir led the team with just 719 yards in 2025. That could change in 2026. Quarterback Josh Allen is excited about new addition DJ Moore. “He’s been in the league as long as I’ve been in the league, and he’s produced at such a high level for the last eight years,” Allen told NFL Media. “He’s going to be a huge help for us.” Moore has four career 1,000-yard seasons and 8,213 receiving yards in eight NFL seasons, joining a receiver room that also includes Keon Coleman and rookie Skyler Bell.
Sources: NBC Sports / PFT Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Blames Texans Release on Confrontation With GM’s Friend
Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson claims the Houston Texans cut him after a confrontation at their Greenbrier training camp, where he says a non-team person “called me a B-word,” then told GM Nick Caserio. “I get out my body; he says something to the GM, and the next thing I’m cut,” Gardner-Johnson told The Athletic. The Texans declined to comment. The timeline raises questions: the team was at Greenbrier August 4–7, but didn’t release Gardner-Johnson until September 23 — a 47-day gap. Gardner-Johnson, who has now been with six teams in four years, signed with Buffalo and vows to win “the next two out of three Super Bowls.”
Sources: NBC Sports / PFT Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
NFLPA’s JC Tretter Says New CBA Is ‘Extremely Unlikely’ in the Next Year
Don’t hold your breath for a new NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show Thursday, NFLPA executive director JC Tretter said it’s “extremely unlikely” a new deal gets done in the next year. The current CBA runs through the next five seasons, giving the union plenty of leverage. Tretter said he needs to first meet with all 2,500 players across all 32 teams before any negotiating can begin. “We have an agreement for the next five years, so I don’t even think we’re thinking of, ‘Well, how fast could we get this done?’” he said. A labor stoppage, Tretter added, is “so far away” from becoming reality.
Sources: NBC Sports / PFT Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Brandon Aiyuk Says He’s Had No Agent Since November 2025, But NFLPA Records Disagree
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is in a complicated spot. Currently on the reserve/left squad list, Aiyuk posted a video Thursday claiming he no longer has representation: “I terminated my SRA with my previous agent through the NFLPA last year in November.” But according to ProFootballTalk, the NFLPA player-agent database still lists Ryan Williams of Athletes First as his representative — and that information has been confirmed accurate. Without proper guidance, Aiyuk appears unaware of his path to free agency: petition for reinstatement, report to training camp, and the 49ers would likely cut him. The apparent disconnect raises fresh questions about how his offseason saga resolves.
Sources: NBC Sports / PFT Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
American Conference
AFC East
1. New England Patriots — 14–3
2. Buffalo Bills — 12–5
3. Miami Dolphins — 7–10
4. New York Jets — 3–14
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers — 10–7
2. Baltimore Ravens — 8–9
3. Cincinnati Bengals — 6–11
4. Cleveland Browns — 5–12
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4
2. Houston Texans — 12–5
3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9
4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 14–3
2. Los Angeles Chargers — 11–6
3. Kansas City Chiefs — 6–11
4. Las Vegas Raiders — 3–14
National Conference
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6
2. Dallas Cowboys — 7–9–1
3. Washington Commanders — 5–12
4. New York Giants — 4–13
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 11–6
2. Green Bay Packers — 9–7–1
3. Minnesota Vikings — 9–8
4. Detroit Lions — 9–8
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers — 8–9
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8–9
3. Atlanta Falcons — 8–9
4. New Orleans Saints — 6–11
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks — 14–3
2. Los Angeles Rams — 12–5
3. San Francisco 49ers — 12–5
4. Arizona Cardinals — 3–14
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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