So then I asked Copilot how many Super Bowls have been played. It told me 59. Which is correct.
Then I asked how many times the underdog has won. It told me 32, with a winning percentage of 54%.
I will not ask any more questions.
StatMuse (whatever that is) suggests 20 underdog wins out of 46 underdog appearances, but only if you manually add up the column totals.
At first I thought showing the Giants with 4 appearances was clearly wrong, but it seems to be 4 appearances as an underdog. They were favored in their first win over the Broncos after the 86 season.
The Eagles also appear to check out, with a 2-1 record in 3 appearances as underdogs, having been favored but losing to the Raiders after the 80 season. And with 2 underdog wins logged, this includes their second win for the 2025 season. So it would seem to be up to date.
However, with only 46 total underdog appearances, that would seem to imply 13 pick’ems, which sounds clearly wrong.
This site lists all Superbowls, the spreads and the final scores, and shows only one single pick’em. But it gave me a headache trying to come up with a running tally of underdog winners in my head.
EDIT: Tried again and got 21 underdog winners with a manual tally in my head.
And 29-27-2 is missing a game.Though that could be the Pats Seahawks game which I thick was pick 'em so ther was no underdog.
The Bears announced that they’ve extended the contract of their GM, Ryan Poles, for an additional two years, through 2029.
The cynic in me (who has watched the team’s general flailing around for the past couple of decades) would argue that this now guarantees that they’ll fire him before the end of his contract.
I don’t know how cynical one needs to be for that.
Unless I’m mistaken, the majority of GMs and HCs in the modern NFL seem to be fired (or come to a “mutual” decision to part) before their contracts are up. Having stability at that level is the exception more than the rule.
2nd Round picks are finally starting to sign. 49ers pick DT Alfred Collins was first to sign a contract that’s not fully guaranteed. It’s only mostly guaranteed at roughly 88%. A few others have subsequently signed contracts with a variety of structures, but all with significant non-100% guarantees.
For Alfred Collins, it’s a very good thing not missing any of training camp. He was rehabbing from an injury and couldn’t participate in any OTAs like rookie and mini camps.
With training camps opening in the upcoming days, the NFL’s unofficial summer vacation draws to an end, with a strange story and an unsettling story.
Lloyd Howell Jr., the executive director of the NFLPA (the players’ union) abruptly resigned last night, after ESPN learned that he had expensed two trips to strip clubs to the union.
And, earlier this week, workers at the construction site of the Titans’ new stadium in Nashville discovered a noose.
According to the Boston Globe, Howell was already very much under the microscope. His selection a couple of years ago was apparently sketchy and:
a tidal wave of information came out about Howell over the last two weeks from ESPN. Players were unaware that Howell and the union agreed to conceal an arbitration decision that showed a coordinated effort to collude by Roger Goodell and top NFL lawyers. Players were unaware that Howell maintains a consulting job with a private equity firm that is approved for NFL ownership. Players were unaware Howell was sued in 2011 for sexual discrimination and retaliation. And Howell recently was flagged by an internal NFLPA investigation over thousands of dollars of reimbursement receipts for trips to strip clubs in Miami and Atlanta.
Sounds like the strip club thing was just the last straw.
JC Tretter, NFLPA’s “chief strategy officer” and candidate to replace Howell on an interim basis, has also resigned.
Tretter was the NFLPA President when Howell was hired, who then turned around and hired Tretter to his most recent post shortly thereafter.
Oh, and Howell apparently charged his expense account at a previous employer for strip club trips as well.
On a player note, the Packers just gave Zach Tom the largest signing bonus ever given to an offensive lineman, just north of $30 million, as part of a four year contract worth $88 million total. Tom was rated the 6th-best tackle in the NFL last year by PFF, if you put stock in their evaluations.
Sound there be a new thread for training camp?
I wouldn’t create one for training camp, but we’re a week away from the first Preseason game. I’d say that now’s the time to start a thread talking about some actual (pretend) games.
I do have mention the annual “Packer players borrow kid’s bikes to take them to training” showed up on last night’s news. I find it an interesting tradition, though I do worry the players weigh more than the bikes were designed for.
Brian
Justin Fields got carted off the practice field with a “lower leg injury.” The mind automatically goes to Achilles but now there are reports he was able to walk into the training facility.
Apparently a toe injury. No word on how severe.
Oof. An injured toe can be a massive deal depending on how bad it is. It can keep someone out for an entire season, as it did last year for Chase Claypool.
I heard dislocated toe, not the big toe, after being stepped on by another player. Ouch, but it could have been worse.
Patriots free agent acquisition WR Stefon Diggs has been cleared to practice at full speed and supposedly “looks good” in camp. He’s about 9 months out from tearing his ACL. The Pats desperately need him to be healthy and productive to have anything close to a quality passing attack this year. Fingers crossed!
If it isn’t the big toe, he’ll probably be fine by week 1. If it’s the big toe it could be a season ender or at least severely hamper him all season. Even if he’s back week one, he’s not a player you want missing all of the preseason with a new coaching staff. Could be a catastrophe for the Jets.
All indications are that the Jets intend to be a run heavy team this season. That includes Fields using his legs multiple times per game. Even if he’s able to play, if his legs aren’t 100% it could be a disaster. This team really is snakebitten.