Samwise NFL Newsletter
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Aiyuk Refuses 49ers Reinstatement, Accuses Team of Lying in Social Media Blast
Brandon Aiyuk escalated his feud with the San Francisco 49ers this week, announcing on Instagram that he will not file for reinstatement and has no desire to ever do business with the franchise again. “I will not be reinstating with them nor ever doing any kind of business with them,” Aiyuk wrote, accusing the team of lying about the timeline surrounding the voiding of his guaranteed contract money. The 49ers had cut Aiyuk’s guarantees after he missed required rehab sessions following a torn ACL and MCL suffered in Week 7 of the 2025 season. The standoff leaves Aiyuk in limbo on the NFL’s Left Squad List.
Sources: NBC Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Mayfield, Buccaneers Far Apart on Extension With Training Camp Deadline Looming
Baker Mayfield has given the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until the start of training camp — July 30 — to reach a long-term contract extension, with sources describing the two sides as “not anywhere close” to a deal. Mayfield, playing the final year of the three-year, roughly $33 million per year deal he signed in 2024, is seeking approximately $50 million annually on a new agreement. Tampa Bay has been reluctant to commit at that level, though ESPN’s Dan Graziano suggested a lesser restructuring remains possible before the season. If no extension is reached, Mayfield plays out the 2026 season before both sides reassess.
Sources: CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Payton Reveals He Considered Handing Head Coach Duties to Belichick During Rocky 2024 Broncos Campaign
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton revealed this week that he seriously considered stepping aside as head coach during a difficult stretch of the 2024 season and handing the job — temporarily — to Bill Belichick. Under the proposed arrangement, Belichick would have served as head coach while Payton retained offensive duties, allowing Belichick the opportunity to chase the all-time NFL coaching wins record (he needed 15 more victories at the time). The plan never moved forward, described as “too complicated,” and Belichick ultimately took the North Carolina head coaching job in December 2024. Payton’s Broncos recovered to go 14-3 in 2025, losing the AFC Championship to New England.
Sources: Pro Football Rumors Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
A.J. Brown Trade Creates Crowded WR Room for Super Bowl Runner-Up Patriots
The New England Patriots’ offseason trade for A.J. Brown — acquired from Philadelphia in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick — has created a genuine logjam at wide receiver ahead of July 25 training camp. Brown joins Romeo Doubs ($17 million annually), Kayshon Boutte (absent from OTAs, mentioned in trade rumors), Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, and others vying for roster spots. The Patriots typically keep five to six receivers. Brown, who has topped 1,000 receiving yards in six of his seven NFL seasons, gives quarterback Drake Maye a true top-tier target — something the Super Bowl LX runner-up roster sorely needed.
Falcons Secure Kyle Pitts on Three-Year, $54M Extension — Third-Richest TE Deal Ever
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts has signed a three-year, $54 million contract extension through 2028, with $36 million guaranteed, making him the third-highest-paid tight end in the NFL at $18 million annually — behind only San Francisco’s George Kittle ($19.1M) and Arizona’s Trey McBride ($19M). The deal supersedes the $15 million franchise tag Atlanta had applied for 2026. Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, had a resurgent 2025 season with 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns, earning Second Team All-Pro honors. The extension locks in a cornerstone of the Falcons’ offense as Atlanta looks to improve on last season’s 8-9 finish.
Sources: CBS Sports Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
K.J. Wright Eyes Defensive Coordinator Job; Seahawks, Titans Add to Front Offices
Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, now the linebackers coach with the San Francisco 49ers, has expressed clear ambitions to become a defensive coordinator. “I do want to be a really good linebackers coach, and I do know I want to be a defensive coordinator,” Wright told The Athletic, with Titans head coach Robert Saleh — who coached Wright with the 49ers — calling him a future coordinator candidate. Meanwhile, the defending-champion Seahawks added West Coast area scout Eric Stokes (two-plus decades of NFL front office experience) to their personnel department, and the Tennessee Titans also bolstered their front office staff ahead of the 2026 season.
Sources: Pro Football Rumors Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Vinatieri to Join Colts Ring of Honor in Week 6 — Same Year as Hall of Fame Enshrinement
Adam Vinatieri will be inducted into the Indianapolis Colts’ Ring of Honor during their Week 6 home game against the Tennessee Titans on October 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium, the team announced July 8. Vinatieri, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, scored an NFL-record 2,673 career points over 24 seasons split between New England (1996–2005) and Indianapolis (2006–2019). He is remembered for game-winning kicks in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII with the Patriots, and for clutch performances throughout his Colts tenure. The honor makes him the 21st member of the Colts’ Ring of Honor.
American League Divisions
AFC East
1. New England Patriots — 14–3–0
2. Buffalo Bills — 12–5–0
3. Miami Dolphins — 7–10–0
4. New York Jets — 3–14–0
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers — 10–7–0
2. Baltimore Ravens — 8–9–0
3. Cincinnati Bengals — 6–11–0
4. Cleveland Browns — 5–12–0
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4–0
2. Houston Texans — 12–5–0
3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Chargers — 11–6–0
3. Kansas City Chiefs — 6–11–0
4. Las Vegas Raiders — 3–14–0
National League Divisions
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6–0
2. Dallas Cowboys — 7–9–1
3. Washington Commanders — 5–12–0
4. New York Giants — 4–13–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 11–6–0
2. Green Bay Packers — 9–7–1
3. Detroit Lions — 9–8–0
4. Minnesota Vikings — 9–8–0
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers — 8–9–0
2. Atlanta Falcons — 8–9–0
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8–9–0
4. New Orleans Saints — 6–11–0
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Rams — 12–5–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 12–5–0
4. Arizona Cardinals — 3–14–0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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