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NFL

McDaniels not mad to miss out on NFL openings

HOUSTON — Six jobs were open this offseason in the NFL and those six teams have made their choices at head coach. New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, in his sixth Super Bowl and trying for his fifth ring, was not one of those choices. He interviewed for jobs with the Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers.

But with the Patriots still playing, the Rams selected a first-time head coach in Sean McVay, the Jaguars hired Doug Marrone, and the 49ers are poised to make Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan their new coach after Super Bowl LI.

“I was humbled I had an opportunity to interview for a few of them this year,” McDaniels said Monday night. “It wasn’t the right — I’ve said it, if I have a chance again I’d be thankful for it because there’s only 32 of them and I’d be honored to do it — it would have to be the right time, the right place, the right people. They’d have to want me, I’d have to want that.

Of being a head coach again, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said he’d “look forward to the challenge of doing it again.” Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports

“And that just wasn’t the case this year, and those people hired great coaches. I wish them nothing but the best. And if that ever comes up for me, I’ll be thankful that it does.”

McDaniels was 11-17 in his tenure as Denver Broncos’ head coach in 2009 and ’10 — he was fired with four games remaining in the 2010 season. He spent eight seasons with the Patriots before he was hired by the Broncos, and after he was fired by the Broncos he spent one season with the Rams before returning to the Patriots in 2012.

He’s been with the Patriots ever since. And with the Patriots’ continued success under head coach Bill Belichick, with future Hall of Famer Tom Brady at quarterback, McDaniels said he understands now more than ever how good his situation is.

And that has made it easier when he has interviewed in recent offseasons, only to see those teams choose someone else.

“I have a great appreciation for who I work for and how special it is to have an opportunity to learn from Bill,” McDaniels said. “And who I work with, we have a great staff, I’m privileged to just be a small part of. And a guy — Tom is certainly the leader of our group, and I’m not sure there will be another one like him, and it’s been an honor to coach him for as long as I’ve had an opportunity to do that.”

McDaniels was 33 when the Broncos hired him.

“I just have an understanding now, I’m older than I was six, seven, eight years ago, I understand kind of where I’m at. This is a unique situation, a unique situation in our sport, and I’m fortunate to be a part of it,” McDaniels said. “And those guys (Belichick and Brady) … are two of the best that will ever do it in their particular positions — head coach and quarterback — and to get an opportunity to get to work with them and for them, I don’t take that lightly. Other opportunities may come. May not, but I’m thankful I’m here right now, making the most of it.”

NFL

Source: Raiders exit in doubt as firm mulls deal

The Oakland Raiders’ bid to relocate to Las Vegas has hit another financial roadblock that could put the team’s planned move to the desert in jeopardy, a source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

With billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson angrily withdrawing from the Raiders’ stadium deal on Monday, investment bank Goldman Sachs is also re-evaluating its relationship with the planned deal, a source close to the negotiations told Shelburne.

Adelson had previously committed $650 million to get the $1.9 billion project completed, but announced the removal of his stake in a statement on Monday.

  • The Raiders are looking to increase their stake of the $1.9 billion Las Vegas stadium proposal to $1.15 billion, which would also include accepting full operating responsibilities and risk.

Adelson, the chief executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp., declared that he had been shut out of talks that led to the lease document presented to the Clark County Stadium Authority.

“We were not only excluded from the proposed agreement,” Adelson said, “we weren’t even aware of its existence.”

Adelson has a longstanding business relationship with Goldman Sachs.

A source told ESPN’s Darren Rovell that the Raiders’ relocation application to the NFL filed on Jan. 19 also did not include Adelson. On Jan. 12, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Raiders had told the NFL that it had assurance from Goldman Sachs that the financial firm would continue to back the team’s relocation effort even if Adelson was out of the picture.

Goldman Sachs had been in line to help underwrite Raiders owner Mark Davis’ financial commitment, but with the financial giant now re-evaluating its position and Adelson’s withdrawal, the entire deal could be in danger, a source told Shelburne.

The Raiders promised to make good on owner Mark Davis’ vow to move to Las Vegas in a statement released Monday. AP Photo/John Locher

With the Raiders franchise being the largest financial chip in Davis’ portfolio, the inclusion of Goldman Sachs would be relied upon to carry out a deal. In that situation, the investment firm would be on board only if a large return on investment was likely.

“If [Adelson] doesn’t think it will pencil out for him, it won’t pencil out for Goldman Sachs or anybody else that thinks they want to step up to it,” Clark County commissioner Chris Giunchigliani told the San Jose Mercury News. “I hate to say it, some of my concerns are starting to bear out. I don’t think Mr. Davis cared about either community, ours or Oakland. He’s using us against each other.”

The Raiders had intended to pick up the tab for Adelson’s pulled $650 million, which would up their total commitment to $1.15 billion for a deal in which they would also accept operation responsibilities and risk.

The Las Vegas project includes a domed stadium to be built at a site yet to be decided, probably just off the Las Vegas Strip. It would seat 65,000.

In a statement, the Raiders acknowledged Adelson’s involvement in the project over the past year and promised to make good on Davis’ vow to move to Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal, which is owned by the Adelson family, reported Davis had been in Adelson’s office “negotiating with the family” even as Raiders president Marc Badain and executive vice president Dan Ventrelle were making a presentation to the authority board on the proposed lease agreement on Thursday.

Any relocation to Las Vegas must be approved by 24 of the 32 NFL team owners. A vote is expected during league meetings in March in Phoenix.

Information from ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez and Ramona Shelburne, and The Associated Press was used in this report.

NFL

Brady gets emotional while talking about father

HOUSTON — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was overtaken with emotion on Monday at Super Bowl LI Opening Night, choking up when asked by a 7-year-old reporter which person is his hero.

  • Robert Kraft believes Deflategate, which started two years ago and ultimately led to Tom Brady being suspended the first four games of this season, “galvanized” the Patriots.

“That’s a great question. I think my dad is my hero, because he’s someone I look up to every day,” Brady said, before there a noticeable pause.

Brady then looked down and adjusted the microphone with his right hand. His eyes welled up before he made eye contact with the 7-year-old and simply said, “My dad.”

Brady nodded his head and gave a thumbs-up to the questioner, Joseph Duarte, who was on hand at after winning a “Kid Reporter” contest.

Shortly thereafter, Brady was asked if critical remarks about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made by his father, Tom Brady Sr., represented his own feelings. He again became emotional.

“Well, I’d say my dad represents his feelings, because he’s a dad, and I’m a dad and … ,” Brady said as his voice trailed off.

That was followed by another noticeable pause as Brady, who hardly ever shows emotion when answering questions from reporters, collected himself. He later said that he hoped his father would be in attendance for Super Bowl LI, before reflecting on his father’s influence in his life.

“He was just a great example for me, and he was always someone who supported me in everything I did, to come home at night and bring me out, hit me ground balls and fly balls. I loved baseball growing up,” Brady said. “And to have a chance to go to 49er games on the weekend with him and my mom, and throw the ball in the parking lot before the games; those are memories that I’ll have forever.”

NFL

Raiders' Vegas stadium plan loses casino mogul

LAS VEGAS — Billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson pulled out of a deal Monday to build a $1.9 billion domed stadium for the Oakland Raiders in Las Vegas.

The move comes on the heels of a team proposal to pay $1 a year in rent and operate the stadium, and it deprives the project of a chief financial backer as officials seek to bring professional football to Las Vegas for the first time.

Adelson played an instrumental role in the effort to lure the Raiders, which eventually grew into a $750 million commitment of taxpayer money to the deal.

He and his family had pledged $650 million — an amount the team will have to seek from other sources. The Raiders have promised $500 million.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s office said the lease agreement submitted last week would have the Raiders shoulder $1.15 billion of the cost of the stadium, and accept operation responsibilities and risk.

In a statement, the Raiders acknowledged Adelson’s involvement in the project over the past year and promised to make good on owner Mark Davis’ vow to move to Las Vegas.

A lease proposal submitted by the Raiders would have them operate the 65,000-seat stadium that would be built at a site yet to be decided, probably just off the Las Vegas Strip. AP Photo/John Locher

Adelson’s withdrawal means the Raiders will go forward with a decision pending from NFL owners who must approve the move.

It also means the team won’t have to ask team owners to waive a rule prohibiting casino operators from having ownership roles in teams.

Team officials said previously they were enlisting investment bank Goldman Sachs for the project.

The lease proposal would have the Raiders operate the 65,000-seat stadium that would be built at a site yet to be decided, probably just off the Las Vegas Strip.

In Adelson’s terse statement, the chief executive of Las Vegas Sands Corp. declared that he had been shut out of talks that led to the lease document presented to the Clark County Stadium Authority.

“We were not only excluded from the proposed agreement,” Adelson said, “we weren’t even aware of its existence.”

Sands owns the Venetian and Palazzo resorts and a convention center on the Las Vegas Strip, and several casinos in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau. Adelson is a big backer of Republican Party causes, and his family also owns the local newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“It’s clear the Raiders have decided their path for moving to Las Vegas does not include the Adelson family,” Adelson’s statement said. “So, regrettably, we will no longer be involved in any facet of the stadium discussion.”

Stadium Authority Chairman Steve Hill, who also serves as Sandoval’s development chief, vowed to “continue to ensure the stadium project is developed in a manner consistent with the clear direction of Nevada lawmakers.”

The plan isn’t only to bring an NFL franchise to Nevada, but also to build a stadium for UNLV football “and enhance our state’s core tourism economy,” Hill said.

Sandoval, a Republican who called lawmakers into a special session to approve tax funding for the project, thanked the Adelson family “for their role in bringing a publicly-owned stadium to Las Vegas.”

“It is unfortunate that they were unable to come to terms with the Raiders,” the governor said.

He added that terms of the law passed to fund the public portion of the project won’t change, “and the state’s contribution will not increase as a result of this announcement.”

Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, who has been intimately involved in the stadium and Raiders plan, characterized Adelson’s departure as “a significant setback … unless Goldman Sachs has someone lined up to step into Adelson’s place.”

“I do not know how the other owners are going to react to this,” Sisolak said.

Any relocation to Las Vegas must be approved by 24 of the 32 NFL team owners. A vote is expected during league meetings in March in Phoenix.

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“If you think about it, I've never held a job in my life. I went from being an NFL player to a coach to a broadcaster. I haven't worked a day in my life.”
-John Madden


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