“The 49ers are the most dangerous team in football.” – King
“He’s shown in the second half of the season he deserves the benefit of every doubt as Green Bay’s long-term quarterback.” – King on Packers QB Jordan Love
“Changing a football philosophy takes time. Chuck Noll was 1-13 his first year in Pittsburgh, Bill Walsh 2-14 in his first year in San Francisco, Jimmy Johnson 1-15 in his first year in Dallas. They went on to win 10 Super Bowls, total, with those teams.” – King on first season dismissal of Panthers head coach Frank Reich
STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 4, 2023 – Peter King speaks with 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey after San Francisco’s statement win over Philadelphia in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also discusses Jordan Love and the Packers’ win over the Chiefs, Dak Prescott’s MVP case, and more.
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The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:
49ERS
Peter King: “The 49ers, today, are the most dangerous team in football.”
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey to King on helping QB Brock Purdy throw a touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings by blocking an Eagles blitzer: “It’s part of playing the running back position. The most important thing is protection and being able to sink your hips and block a linebacker up the middle.”
McCaffrey on the 49ers’ team mentality: “I think we have a really unselfish team. We just know that we have a lot of talented guys when they have the ball in their hands…Playing without the ball is something that all of us take a lot of pride in. That’s a massive standard for Kyle (Shanahan).”
King on McCaffrey’s success in San Francisco: “McCaffrey missed 22 games due to injury his last two years in Carolina, but his health’s been pristine in San Francisco. He’s missed zero of 25 so far. He thinks he’s in football nirvana, with an imaginative offense, playing alongside guys who keep the main thing the main thing.”
King on the 49ers’ wide receivers: “Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk comprise the most physically gifted/imposing receiving duo in the game.”
PANTHERS
King on Panthers owner David Tepper: “(He) is Carolina’s biggest impediment to success.”
King on Tepper firing head coach Frank Reich three months into his first season: “How does Tepper entrust him on a clear rebuild with a patchwork offensive line and after trading the number one receiver – and then fire him when the team is awful three months in?”
King on first season dismissal of Frank Reich: “Changing a football philosophy takes time. Chuck Noll was 1-13 his first year in Pittsburgh, Bill Walsh 2-14 in his first year in San Francisco, Jimmy Johnson 1-15 in his first year in Dallas. They went on to win 10 Super Bowls, total, with those teams.”
WEEK 13
King on Packers QB Jordan Love: “He’s shown in the second half of the season he deserves the benefit of every doubt as Green Bay’s long-term quarterback.”
King on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott’s MVP case: “Prescott is well-liked, and deservedly so. He has a tougher job by at least some small measure because of the star on his helmet; he has to be great as a quarterback and be great as a Dallas Cowboys quarterback.”
King on the Patriots’ 6-0 loss to the Chargers: “Bill Belichick just fielded his worst offensive team since Todd Philcox quarterbacked for him. Lord, the ugliness in New England has no bottom.”
King on the Patriots’ QB situation: “I don’t understand why the Patriots, obviously going nowhere with two shaky quarterbacks (that’s being kind) don’t start the versatile Malik Cunningham at least a couple of times before the end of the season. What’s there to lose?”
King on Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett: “How is a man designing and calling plays with four offensive touchdowns in the last 88 drives still designing and calling the plays for the New York Jets?”
KING’S WEEK 13 AWARDS
Offensive Players of the Week: Jordan Love, Green Bay, Tyreek Hill, Miami, Nico Collins, Houston, & Sam LaPorta, Detroit
King on Love and the Packers’ win over the Chiefs: “Outdueled Patrick Mahomes in the latter’s first game ever at Lambeau.”
King on Hill’s performance against the Commanders: “The unstoppable one buttressed his MVP case in Washington with 78- and 60-yard touchdown catches from Tua Tagovailoa, his biggest grabs in a five-reception, 157-yard day at the moribund Commanders.”
Defensive Players of the Week: Derek Stingley Jr., Houston, Keisean Nixon, Green Bay, & Andrew Van Ginkel, Miami
King on Van Ginkel’s performance in Miami’s win over Washington: “Van Ginkel makes two or three plays every game that make you say, Why isn’t he more respected? He leaped and smother-intercepted a pass from Sam Howell in the first quarter, returning it 33 yards for a touchdown. He had two quarterback hits and another pass defended in the Dolphins’ rout.”
Coach of the Week: Nick Saban, Alabama
King on Alabama making the College Football Playoff: “Saban’s had a lot of great coaching seasons in his epic 17-year career at Alabama, but this has to be one of the great coaching seasons he’s had in his 72 years on the planet.”
Special Teams Players of the Week: Nick Cross and Tony Brown, Indianapolis
Goat of the Week: Russell Wilson, Denver
King on Wilson: “Wilson made some good plays that kept the Broncos in the game, and he very nearly led his fifth fourth-quarter comeback of the year. But three picks in the last four possessions in a close game? Deadly.”
Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.
The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:
- PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio (Mondays) and Florio and Chris Simms (Tuesday-Thursday) streams on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays & is available on-demand. The Dan Patrick Show streams at 9 a.m. ET, Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
- ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
- NBC Sports EDGE’s Rotoworld Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.
- The NFL on NBC YouTube channel offers daily football content for free, with exclusive videos from Peter King – including his interviews with players and coaches at training camps – Mike Florio, Chris Simms, and more. To access all of these videos and more, click here to subscribe
A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
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