We waited 200-plus days for the NFL to return, and last night’s Chiefs-Ravens thriller made it all worth it—that and more in today’s NFL Notes.
That Was Worth the Wait!
We’ll get to the finish in a minute, but I want to start with Xavier Worthy, who had an explosive debut. Worthy — who ran the f♊astest 40-yard dash in NFL Scout🌳ing Combine history — had two touchdowns Thursday, a 21-yard sprint to score the Chiefs’ first points of the season and later off a Mahomes pass, which came on a 35-yard catch-and-run. Worthy finished with three touches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. If Worthy is going to be that explosive this season, the Chiefs’ chances of attaining that three-peat are even better than I thought.
Patrick Mahomes passed Len Dawson as the Chiefs’ all-time leader in passing yards in last night’s victory. Dawson threw for 28,507 yards in 183 career games. Mahomes trails Dawson’s franchise touchdown record by 17, so it’s safe to assume that Mahomes will be the Chiefs franchise leader in completions, yardage, and touchdowns by the end of the season.
TOUCHDOWN NUMBER 2 FOR 1‼️
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs)
But let’s talk about that finish! The final drive of the game was everything we love about primetime NFL games. Had the touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Isaiah Likely stood, John Harbaugh would have been setting the Ravens up to go for the two-point conversion to try to steal the victory before overtime at Arrowhead, which would have been an even better finish.
Likely was so close to getting the big toe inside the end line. I mean, so close. It’s like how close I am to never watching another Chicago White Sox game. Still, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if Jackson had hit a wide-open Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely on either of the two previous plays. We would have been Monday morning quarterbacking Harbuagh’s decision to go for the do-or-die two-point conversion to win or lose the game at the buzzer.
Either way, what a finish!
Ja’Marr Chase Speaks
With the Cincinnati Bengals season opener just days away, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase spoke to the media today regarding his contract situation and his status for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.
Chase opened his at his locker in Cincinnati today by clarifying that he didn’t demand a contract extension at any point this offseason, but the Bengals told him they would get one done with him. Chase said the two sides are “off a little bit,” but a deal is “in reach.”
The All-Pro wide receiver called the process “long” and “aggravating” and said, “We’ll see” about his availability on Sunday. He called himself a game-time decision who will “probably be limited” if he plays this week. Still, Chase said that he would be willing to play this season if he didn’t get a new deal and called all of the outside noise—such as the report that he wanted to beat Justin Jefferson’s extension by a penny—false.
“If I wanted to beat Justin, I’m going to beat the sh— out of Justin, brother.”
Chase clarified that he is 100 percent healthy, and calling himself limited or a game-time decision for Sunday’s contest with the Patriots would be his decision.
Dolphins Make Jalen Ramsey the Highest-Paid Cornerback in the NFL
The Miami Dolphins and cornerback Jalen Ramsey have agreed to a multiyear extension that will make him the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback annually. According to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the three-year extension is worth up to $72.3 million, including $55.3 million guaranteed.
Ramsey’s annual value of $24.1 million puts him just ahead of the $24 million per year that Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain Jr. is set to earn in the deal he agreed to earlier this week. Ramsey, who is entering his second season with the Dolphins after being traded from the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 in exchange for a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long, will turn 30 in October.
He began his first season in Miami on injured reserve while recovering from meniscus surgery after suffering a non-contact injury during a training camp practice. However, he made a noticeable impact on the Dolphins’ defense during his debut in Week 8. Ramsey concluded last season with three interceptions and five passes defended. Before Week 8, Miami ranked 27th in the NFL in opposing quarterbacks’ passer rating (100.2), but with Ramsey in the lineup, they improved to 15th, allowing a passer rating of 87.7.
Cool Story Alert: Damar Hamlin Listed as a Starter for the Bills in Week 1
After taking only 17 defensive snaps last season and being inactive for all but five games, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has earned a starting job heading into Week 1. None of us will forget the night he nearly died on a football field,▨ so seeing him go from that point to a fringe roster player to a starter this season is pretty cool.
