Chris Long Finally On Winning Team, NFL News

By ESPN

Chris Long, perhaps more than any other player in Super Bowl LI, appreciates what the New England Patriots have been able to accomplish this season.

After eight years with the Rams in St. Louis -- notching just 39 wins -- Long is finally on a winning team. The Patriots have 16 wins, including 14 in the regular season, in his first season in New England. As he prepares for the Super Bowl matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, Long said he hasn’t taken this season for granted at all.

“I joke that every time I’m in the playoffs, it feels like I’m in the Super Bowl," Long said. "I’m one-for-one, so that’s a good rate.”

After Long was cut by the Rams after last season, he had several teams interested in signing him, including the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI opponent, the Falcons. Long said he thought joining the Patriots would give him “the best opportunity” to play in the Super Bowl.

Long’s dad, Howie, who will appear on the Fox broadcast of the Super Bowl, said that although he tried to stay out of telling his son where to sign, he did offer his input when Chris was trying to pick his next NFL team.

“It came back to one thing. It came back to why are you playing? His response was always, ‘I’m playing to win,’” Howie Long said.

“OK, what team has won the division over the last 13 years 11 or 12 times, and what team has been to six Super Bowls and won four? He loved his trip to Atlanta, but where do you fit? It’s interesting because the place that gave him the least definitive idea of what his role would be was New England. But it came back to the same thing: the opportunity to win.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he has seen a similar thing before on his teams: Guys who “weren’t with great teams” had success in New England and “brought an energy to the team that from a veteran player was unique and special.”

“Some of these players that have been with the Patriots for a while have had a lot of successful seasons and won a lot of games. Chris hasn’t,” Belichick said. “I think he appreciates winning a lot, and I think that energy and spirit that he has about winning carries over to some of the guys. They realize how special it is and makes them realize it a little bit more.”

Long called this Sunday’s game a special family affair. Howie will be part of the national TV broadcast, and Chris' brothers, Howie Jr. and Kyle, a guard for the Chicago Bears, will be in attendance. Howie won Super Bowl XVIII with the Raiders, and Chris said he appreciated the advice his dad provided when they spoke in the past week.

“My dad’s done a great job of kind of allowing me to slow down and appreciate the moment. I think a lot of times with football players, we’re just head down, grinding away, maybe not enjoying it as much as we should,” Long said. “So I’ve taken a moment and just realized everything I’ve been through. We’ve all been through something different to get here. Appreciate that, and it makes it even more special.

“He’s just told me to keep things in perspective, enjoy it and don’t let the moment just fly by and be so into your work that you can’t just take a step back and be like, ‘Hey, it’s pretty cool that we’re all here. We’ve earned it,' and go have fun."

Patriots Trademark "Perfect Season, 19-0"

Though it has been nine years since the Patriots nearly achieved an undefeated season, the team just now has gotten around to trademarking "Perfect Season" and "19-0."

The Patriots have gone through the process with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and, in December, trademarked the two slogans through their parent company, The Kraft Group, online records show.

It was nine years ago this week that New England's bid for the first 19-0 season in NFL history ended with a loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

On Jan. 17, 2008, three days before the Patriots beat the Chargers to go to 18-0 and advance to the Super Bowl, The Kraft Group filed for trademarks in preparation for merchandising the Patriots' perfect season subject to winning the Super Bowl. The company filed to trademark "Road To Perfection," "19-0" and "Perfect Season."

Despite the team's loss to the Giants, The Kraft Group still went through and trademarked "Road To Perfection" in the "sports and entertainment information" category in November 2012.

More thought was apparently given to the other two trademarks -- "Perfect Season" and "19-0" -- as The Kraft Group filed for the maximum of five extensions to provide the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office with the necessary documentation over the next eight years.

The one complication with those two filings is that, while thousands of T-shirts were printed commemorating a perfect Patriots season, none of them were ever sold. Emblazoned with an event that didn't occur, they instead were shipped to other countries.

Having to prove that they deserved the right to the phrase, the Patriots apparently licensed "Perfect Season" to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, which produced a DVD of the 2015 state football championship game between Xaverian Brothers and Central Catholic high schools. Xaverian prevailed, winning its 24th straight game (spanning two seasons).

The championship games were hosted at Gillette Stadium, home of the Pats.

The Patriots have a deeper connection to Xaverian. Hall of Famer Andre Tippett's son Cody played on that 2015 team and was presented with the award for the best player in Massachusetts high school football by Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Former Patriots Vince Wilfork and Steve Grogan also sent their sons to Xaverian.

The Patriots informed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that the DVD went on sale in October 2016. Requests made through a team spokesman for comment were not returned.

The Patriots were a few plays away from winning it all in 2008, but they still might benefit if they or another team -- in any sport -- has a perfect season and wants to use the phrase.

Their trademarks cover rights on everything from DVDs and clothing to toys and even pencils.

The Miami Dolphins, who completed a perfect season in 1972, filed to trademark "17-0" and "Perfectville" but eventually abandoned their pursuit.

Cardinals' Fitzgerald Will Return For 14th Season

Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald says he will return for his 14th season in the NFL.

Fitzgerald told ESPN's Jim Trotter on Wednesday that he will play out the final year on his contract with Arizona.

Fitzgerald, who has played his whole career for the Cardinals, had said earlier in the week he had "pretty much made up my mind" but wasn't ready to announce the decision, which he added wasn't a tough one to make.

The 10-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in receptions this season with 107. He also leads active receivers in career receptions with 1,125.

Fitzgerald, 33, ranks ninth in NFL career receiving yards with 14,389. Another 1,000-yard season would put him third behind Jerry Rice, with 22,895, and Terrell Owens, with 15,934. Fitzgerald has eight career 1,000-yard seasons, including in 2016, when he totaled 1,023.

Fitzgerald, speaking Tuesday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open after participating in the Special Olympics Open, said his body is never at 100 percent but that he feels "good" and his body is in the process of "coming back."

The Cardinals and coach Bruce Arians have been waiting to hear decisions on whether Fitzgerald and quarterback Carson Palmer would return.

"I feel very comfortable with where they're at and what's going to happen," Arians said Tuesday. "Like everybody else, I've got my fingers crossed, and I think when the juices start flowing and the injuries go away, they'll both be back, but there's nothing to confirm yet."

Colts' McAfee Announces Retirement

Colts punter Pat McAfee has announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 29.

McAfee, who has done stand-up comedy in Indiana the past couple of offseasons, made the announcement on Comedy Central. He said he plans to work for Barstool Sports.

Health issues have been a concern for the punter. He's about to have his third knee surgery in four years. McAfee still had two years remaining on his five-year, $14.5 million contract.

McAfee's career with the Colts didn't get off to a promising start. McAfee, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 draft, was arrested for public intoxication after he was found swimming in an Indianapolis canal in October 2010.

But McAfee shook off the embarrassment to become one of the top punters in the NFL while being a part of one of the top special-teams units in the league, along with kicker Adam Vinatieri and long-snapper Matt Overton.

McAfee often celebrated good punts by doing things like imitating a golf swing or strutting around the field like Conor McGregor. In eight seasons with the Colts, McAfee averaged 46.4 gross yards per punt and 39.8 net yards per punt and was named to two Pro Bowls .