FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Mike Vrabel was bloodied. Again. The New England Patriots coach was amped up Sunday, pumping his right arm in excitement on the sideline, as defensive tackle Milton Williams sacked quarterback Justin Herbert to secure the team’s 16-3 wild-card playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Vrabel then walked with a purpose, seeking out Williams to congratulate him. With Gillette Stadium shaking like it did in the Super Bowl championship days when Vrabel played for…

DJ Bien-AimeJan 17, 2026, 06:00 AM ET Close DJ Bien-Aime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN. He joined ESPN in July of 2022 after covering the New York Jets for the New York Daily News. He’s a former athlete who finished his college career at Louisville. You can catch DJ on ESPN Radio on his show “Talkin’ Texans.” Open Extended Reactions HOUSTON — During DeMeco Ryans’ first season as coach of the Houston Texans, he was unexpectedly…

LOS ANGELES — It was early in the morning in Japan when Davante Adams first heard from Sean McVay, but the Rams head coach’s message was clear. We want you in Los Angeles. McVay said — and showed — that to Adams as he recruited him over the phone, sending the receiver clips of his highlights and talking about how he would use Adams in his offense. It didn’t take long for Adams to realize that playing…

Courtney CroninJan 16, 2026, 06:06 AM ET Close Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever and GameNight on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist. Open Extended Reactions CHICAGO — As…