Was Tua Tagovailoa wrong to walk back the comments he made calling out his teammates? Yahoo Sports' Andrew Siciliano, Frank Schwab and Ben Fawkes debate the necessity of the Dolphins QB's public apology. Then, Brock Bowers joins the show to talk to Andrew about his knee injury, Pete Carroll's gum chewing habits and more. Later on, the trio break down Liam Coen's comments on the Jacksonville Jaguars' plans to get Travis Hunter more involved in the offense. Are fans expecting too much of the No. 2 overall pick? Then, the boys preview the "Icy Hot Bowl" TNF matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco. Could the Pittsburgh Steelers lock up the division by Week 7 with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals? And has Patrick Mahomes already locked up the MVP? Find out on today's episode!
(3:44) - Tua makes a public apology to teammates
(20:54) - Brock Bowers joins the show!
(27:10) - Travis Hunter to be more involved in Jags offense
Tua Tagovailoa publicly apologizes to his Miami Dolphins teammates after calling them out for not attending players-only meetings. (Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
On Monday night against the Buccaneers, the Lions won't have starting safety Brian Branch.
The NFL has announced that Branch's one-game suspension was upheld by hearing officer Jordy Nelson. (The fact that Nelson is a member of the Packers Hall of Fame surely won't rankle any Lions fans.)
Branch incited a brawl by hitting Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the facemask immediately after Sunday night's game in Kansas City. The league office imposed the suspension the next day. The precedent was mixed; Branch's history of fines (10 in two seasons) surely didn't help his cause.
Branch will be eligible to return to the Lions on Tuesday. Avonte Maddox is the likely replacement for Branch in the Detroit starting lineup.
It's one of the biggest games of Week 7, with the 5-1 Buccaneers hoping to fend off the Falcons in the NFC South and to stack enough wins to compete for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. With a loss, the Lions will exceed their entire total for 2024, when they finished 15-2.
Brock Purdy practicing again but still limited with toe injury; 49ers hope to have George Kittle vs. Falcons
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy practiced Wednesday for the first time since aggravating his toe injury in Week 4, although he is still limited.
More specifically, Purdy is more limited than Mac Jones, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Jones, the 49ers' backup quarterback who has gone 3-1 in Purdy's place, has been dealing with knee and oblique injuries.
He's sat the past two games while Jones delivered "Thursday Night Football" heroics amid an overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams and then continued to fill in this past weekend, albeit in his first loss as the 49ers' starter to the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I'm sure, like a lot of players, it sucks to be such a big part of it and suddenly you work for it year-round and then not to be able to do much because of injury — I know injuries frustrate people, but Brock's handling it right, like he does everything," Shanahan said Wednesday.
"But I know he's itching to get back and feel good again."
George Kittle is nearing return
49ers tight end George Kittle (85) hasn't played since Week 1 of this season. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Like Purdy, Kittle got banged up in Week 1, only the five-time All-Pro hasn't played since. Kittle sustained a significant hamstring injury against the Seahawks and was placed on injured reserve.
The 49ers opened his 21-day practice window Wednesday. They hope to have him available for Sunday night's game against the Atlanta Falcons, who have rattled off wins over the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills the past two weeks after a 1-2 start to the year.
"Just had a good meeting, had a good walkthrough, and he's ready for practice today," Shanahan said Wednesday about Kittle.
"Had a big hamstring pull, which there's a lot of different degrees of it. His was a big one. ... I know he's excited to get back."
Shanahan said Kittle can always have an impact on the 49ers as a leader, regardless if he's playing. Kittle has recorded four 1,000-yard receiving seasons since San Francisco took him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft out of Iowa.
He's also been a key part of two NFC championship-winning 49ers squads.
"George is one of our leaders here," Shanahan said. "I mean all the guys who've been around for a while, George has been here since the beginning. Also one of our better players. So anytime you have guys like that, I do think they're always a big impact."
In Kittle's absence, Jake Tonges has emerged as a viable option at tight end. He caught the game-winner in Week 1, and he currently ranks second and fourth on the team with 25 receptions and 224 receiving yards, respectively.
But Kittle is one of the best in the league.
"Just having an explosive athlete out there who can run away from people," Shanahan said. "Just having him on the field on every offensive play helps."