The Broncos are hiring Marwan Maalouf as their assistant special teams coach, Mike Klis of 9News reports.
He reunites with Darren Rizzi, who recently was named the team’s new special teams coach. Maalouf and Rizzi worked together in Miami from 2013-18.
Phil Galiano had been Rizzi’s long-time assistant special teams coach, but the Saints promoted Galiano to special teams coordinator when Rizzi left.
Maalouf spent part of last season with Rizzi in New Orleans in 2024 after Rizzi became the interim head coach. Maalouf helped Galiano with the special teams the final eight games.
Maalouf was the Vikings’ special teams coordinator in 2019-20, which was the last time he coached in the NFL until Rizzi’s call in the middle of last season.
Thursday’s #PFTPM had a through line that won’t make it any easier for the various teams to get through the opening to the vault that contains the public money.
The salary cap is up significantly, again. Which means revenues are up, again. And franchise values have increased to the point that the 49ers are considering selling up to 10 percent at a record valuation of $9 billion — less than two years after the Commanders sold for only $6 billion.
But teams still want free cash to replace their perceived clunkers. Mainly because politicians keep coughing it up, like the contents of a wallet during a mugging.
Really, who wouldn’t want free money? No matter how much money you already have, free money is free money. Building a house? Why pay for it yourself if the government can be persuaded to kick in half?
After the news that the Texans are exploring a new stadium to replace a home that’s less than 25 years old, we made a list. Checked it twice. At least eight of 32 teams are actively looking for significant public money for the construction of a new stadium or the renovation of a current one.
That group includes the Texans, Browns, Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Eagles, Commanders, and Bears. Currently, the Bills, Titans, Panthers, and Jaguars are getting new venues or expensive stadium renovations with public contributions. That’s 12 of 32 teams that are either getting or trying to get updated or new places to play. With significant taxpayer money sought or included in each one.
So when and where does the faucet close? For years now, public sentiment has been turning stronger and stronger against subsidizing multi-billionaires. Last year, the Chiefs couldn’t parlay two straight Super Bowl wins and the presence (and involvement) of stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce into enough votes to extend an existing sales tax that would have paid for a new stadium.
And while the transfer of the site of RFK Stadium to the District of Columbia came at no taxpayer expense, there’s no way the Commanders will build a stadium there without a taxpayer contribution. Good luck getting it, given the current slash-and-burn climate in and around D.C.
Sports owners ask for taxpayer money because it works. Because no politician wants to be responsible for a local team leaving. And if/when some other city or state will cough up the free cash the team’s current home won’t, that’s why a team will move.
As long as one viable city will give an owner the combination to the Kitnerboy Redoubt, the process will continue. If/when no one will, that’s when it will be game over for the league — and when the owners will have to pay for their own stadiums.
And then they’ll pass along the costs by jacking up the price for tickets accordingly.
But if anyone in a given community is going to be digging deep to pay for a new football stadium, shouldn’t the money come from the people who attend the games and not the people who don’t care about football at all? Strange as it may seem, in most cities where NFL teams play, the people who don’t care about the NFL outnumber those who do.
During Super Bowl week, Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp disclosed that the Rams are trying to trade him. Although trades can’t become official until the new league year opens next month, tentative deals can be reached at any time before then.
In the two weeks since Kupp revealed that the Rams are trying, there have been no reports that the Rams have found any interested parties.
Kupp’s $20 million compensation package for 2025 becomes a potential sticking point, since his new team might not be willing to make the investment. Which means that the Rams might have to pay some of the money, or that Kupp might have to take less.
Kupp’s value will be driven by the role that his next team envisions. From Kupp’s perspective, he doesn’t believe he had fallen off. Instead, the Rams have pivoted to Puka Nacua as the team’s No. 1 receiver. Would another team install Kupp as WR1? If so, $20 million could be viewed as a bargain.
When Kupp plays, he still performs at a high level. But he has missed 18 games over the past three seasons due to injury. His production translates to 1,000-yard seasons in 2022, 2023, and 2024, if he’d been available for all 17 games. The durability issues since his massive 2021 season (145 catches, 1,947 yards, 16 touchdowns) could become a concern for 2025 and beyond.
He’s due a $7.5 million roster bonus on March 15, $5 million of which is fully guaranteed (with offset language, we’re told). A decision is surely coming before the full $7.5 million is earned and payable with no potential reduction.
It all comes down to whether a new team will take on the full $20 million and whether the Rams will pay some of it in order to get a deal done. If the Rams or the new team expect him to take less and he declines, an outright release becomes a potential option.
Regardless, Kupp seems to be destined to continue his career elsewhere. DraftKings has the Broncos are the current betting favorites, at +450. The Lions are next at +550, with the Commanders and Patriots at 650 each.
The Broncos are hiring former Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi as their special teams coach, Mike Klis of 9News reports.
Rizzi was a finalist for the Saints’ head coaching job that went to Kellen Moore this week, freeing up the Broncos to hire Rizzi.
He has 16 years of experience in the NFL, the past six in New Orleans. Broncos coach Sean Payton hired Rizzi with the Saints.
Rizzi took over as the Saints’ interim head coach after the team fired Dennis Allen, and Rizzi was 3-5 in his first head coaching gig.
Rizzi’s longtime assistant, Phil Galiano, is a candidate to take over the Saints’ job and Galiano could follow Rizzi if he doesn’t get that job.
In September, they’ll be hanging another banner in Philadelphia. And they’ll be hosting the opening Thursday night game of the 2025 season.
The potential opponents include two of the teams they beat in the playoffs — and the defending No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Philly’s 2026 home schedule consists of the Commanders, Cowboys, Giants, Rams, Lions, Bears, Broncos, and Raiders.
One of those teams will draw the short straw of facing the Eagles in Philly to start the year.
We’ll find out when the schedule is released in May. The full 272-game slate also will include a rematch of Super Bowl LIX, in Kansas City.
