It’s that time of year: Everyone loves everyone.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton is the 2025 NFL version of Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah’s couch when it comes to his love for second-year quarterback Bo Nix and the rest of his Denver squad. When I stopped by a training camp practice this summer, Payton shared his gooey feelings: This might be his best team, and he isn’t shying away from Super Bowl talk. In the Broncos’ team meetings, there’s a Lombardi Trophy backdrop splashed across presentation slides.

This isn’t subtle; this is a full-on public declaration of his belief in the 2025 Denver Broncos.

Coach, I’m a sucker for love, too, but I know better. In this league, you can fall in love fast … and fall out even faster. I’m not saying Payton shouldn’t be crushing hard — he has every right to be infatuated with his confident quarterback and his talented defense, led by the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Pat Surtain II — but in the NFL, relationships can change in a heartbeat.

The Jets once loved Aaron Rodgers. He’s gone. The Vikings were head over heels for Sam Darnold heading into last year’s playoffs. He’s in Seattle now. The Giants were smitten with the “Hard Knocks” cameras documenting their 100th anniversary — until the episodes actually aired, and the Saquon Barkley negotiation debacle went viral. And Jerry Jones? He loved the Micah Parsons contract he thought was in place this past spring.

Turns out, that love story didn’t last, either.

Football is back. Now the real question will be, who’s still saying “I love you” come Thanksgiving? Or heck, maybe even Halloween.

This week, I’ll tell you what I’m hearing on: 

  • Why Jaxson Dart’s time could be coming sooner than you think
  • Bill Belichick’s continued ire toward the Kraft family
  • Christian McCaffrey’s status heading into Week 1
  • How Micah Parsons landed in Green Bay
  • Shedeur Sanders’ future
  • Sean McVay’s insurance policy
  • Why Kyle Hamilton’s extension could be a blueprint for the future

Let’s start in the bright lights, big city: New York.

Speaking of love-drunk …

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll kept it short with his rookie quarterback. After Jaxson Dart had a strong preseason performance against the Jets, Daboll walked over, looked him in the eye, stuck out his hand, and delivered those three magical little words:

“I love you.”

If you’ve ever been around Daboll and his quarterbacks, such a declaration is hardly unusual. But make no mistake: This is more than just affection. Daboll is coaching for his job in New York. Owner John Mara made that clear at the end of last season when he chose to bring back both Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. The mandate? Show progress. Mara never defined exactly what “progress” meant, but around the league, most equate it to another “p” word: playoffs.

Russell Wilson is the starter, and he has the confidence of his teammates and coaches. But that hasn’t stopped the Washington Commanders from preparing for rookie Jaxson Dart entering Week 1. This past week, the Washington defense schemed for both quarterbacks — just in case Daboll decides to give the rookie some live action. We might not actually see Dart on Sunday, but the Giants have been throwing everything at him, treating him almost like a starter.

Dart’s first training camp had a distinctly Bill Belichickian feel. Daboll spent years on Belichick’s Patriots staffs, and he’s borrowing some old tricks to test the rookie: having him hear plays shouted from the sideline instead of through a headset, making him go out for the pregame coin toss with no warning, and dropping him into uncomfortable practice situations just to see how he responds.

That’s the philosophy Daboll learned in New England: Make practice chaotic, and Sundays start to feel easier.

So far, Dart has weathered it all. One source close to the Giants told me the rookie “can handle the moment.” His early poise hasn’t surprised the team, but it has impressed them. His personality is said to be a perfect match for Daboll, and he’s soaked up all of the guidance and coaching he can, both from the staff and the team’s veteran QBs.

And with one of the sharpest offensive minds in football guiding the 22-year-old, the quarterback subplot in New York is only heating up. If losses mount during a brutal early schedule, urgency will rise, and the pressure on Wilson’s starting job will only grow.

The Jaxson Dart era might not just be part of a future story. It could begin very soon.

Before I get to the other New York team, I have to circle back to Belichick. I didn’t expect to be making calls to people close to him and the Patriots to uncover pettiness that rivals my eighth-grade cafeteria drama — I still don’t talk to Lauren — but here we are. Belichick is actively barring New England scouts from attending North Carolina football activities.

The story goes that a Patriots scout — who happened to have gone to NC State — wanted to visit the Tar Heels. When he was denied, he thought the school was holding it against him for previously attending a rival school. Turns out, it wasn’t the school — it was Belichick and UNC GM Michael Lombardi. They told the athletic department: No Patriots allowed on campus.

A source close to Belichick, meanwhile, was told that a Patriots staffer was informed in New England’s weight room he should remove his UNC shirt. But a Patriots source pointed out that starting quarterback Drake Maye — who went to North Carolina — often wears UNC gear around the facility with zero issues.

THIS IS ALL SO IMMATURE.

Belichick, I’m told, has no issue with his former linebacker Mike Vrabel, now the Patriots’ head coach, or with New England executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. This is all about his feelings toward his former bosses, Robert and Jonathan Kraft.

“Why would we let (Patriots staffers) in our home after how he’s been treated since he left?” a Carolina source said. “They get all our tape (and) can call our staff for player info.

“We will help our players, but being treated fairly is a two-way street.”

As of Saturday morning, I was told, neither Vrabel nor Wolf had spoken to Belichick about this latest drama.

My advice to Belichick? Stop the childish games — and worry about building your program.

The Jets’ former flame

The New York Jets on Sunday will face their former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who I’m told, has quietly had a phenomenal training camp for the Steelers.

Rodgers, according to folks I’ve talked with in Pittsburgh, looks refreshed, healthy, and ready to roll.

And while the Belichick-Patriots divorce remains messy, there’s no sense of lingering bad blood between Rodgers and the Jets; both sides believe the split was the right move. But if the future Hall of Famer walks back into MetLife Stadium and lights it up in Week 1, it will be hard for owner Woody Johnson and even Jets fans not to think, “What could have been…”

A sigh of relief in the Bay

Christian McCaffrey popped up on the injury report this week with a calf issue. That made it hard not to remember McCaffrey’s lengthy injury history and wonder if this was a preview of what’s ahead. But I’m told he’s not in a lot of pain, and the 49ers aren’t overly concerned.

The centerpiece of San Francisco’s offense seemed to have finally turned the corner after dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis last year, when his season was cut short after just four games by a PCL injury, among other maladies. The difference this summer was obvious — he was on the field every day in camp, not just managing things from the side.

If McCaffrey were to miss some time early, the 49ers wouldn’t view it as a major setback. He’s in shape, he’s sharp, and they believe he’d be able to step right back in when he’s ready. Still, when it comes to McCaffrey — who has missed significant chunks of five seasons — every little issue is going to make a few hearts beat faster.

Micah’s rose ceremony

It’s often said that if you’re a true superstar in the NFL, you basically have a built-in no-trade clause. No team is paying top dollar for a player who doesn’t actually want to be part of an organization. So for anyone doubting Micah Parsons’ desire to be in Green Bay just because the Packers offered up the best package — don’t.

Once Parsons realized the Cowboys weren’t moving off their offer — a five-year deal at $40.5 million per year with just one year guaranteed and a heavily backloaded structure — he started to face the reality that his days in Dallas were coming to an end. During the entire process, Dallas owner Jerry Jones never talked with David Mulugheta, one of the most powerful agents in the sport, despite Parsons’ repeated requests. In the final days, he again asked the Cowboys to negotiate with Mulugheta. Dallas’ answer? Take it or leave it.

It was already over for Parsons and the Cowboys, but this confirmed it.

As the relationship deteriorated, Parsons had two teams on his mind: the Packers and the Eagles.

Green Bay appealed for its small-town feel, a reminder of his Penn State days in State College. Philadelphia was the other obvious fit, because it’s close to his Harrisburg home. But Dallas wasn’t about to keep him inside the NFC East, even for a better offer (the Eagles have tons of draft ammunition).

About a week before the deal was finalized, word spread that the Cowboys’ stance on dealing their star had shifted. “We’re not trading Parsons” had quickly become “OK, what can we get?” That opened the door. The Colts, Panthers, Bills and Patriots all made calls and were told the price: two first-round picks, a significant player, and, of course, a record-setting contract.

As for everyone else? Potential suitors like the Vikings, Browns, Broncos, Texans, Bengals, Chiefs, Commanders, 49ers, Titans and Rams never engaged. The timing, the haul, and the money were simply too much.

Parsons wanted Green Bay, and he got it. Despite the back injury that limited him in practice, he’s expected to be on the field with his new team Sunday afternoon against the Lions, per a source.

What’s next for Shedeur?

For all the football conspiracy theorists out there trying to decode the real reason the Cleveland Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders, here’s the truth: There is no big secret. The pick wasn’t some master plan from ownership. It was GM Andrew Berry’s call, rooted in his belief that Cleveland’s coaching staff could bring out the best in Sanders and help him grow into an NFL quarterback. It will be a process, and the Browns want to keep developing him.

However, don’t plan on seeing the fifth-round rookie on the field this season unless things get really weird. Cleveland believes in Joe Flacco’s experience and Dillon Gabriel’s development as the backup.

Sean McVay’s insurance policy

Matthew Stafford is set to start for the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 against the Houston Texans, despite dealing with a lingering back issue. The 17-year veteran missed most of training camp with an aggravated disc but is not listed on the team’s injury report.

But what if Houston’s ferocious front gets to Stafford? Remember when we talked about love? Well, the Rams have a lot of it for their backup, Jimmy Garoppolo.

At 33, Garoppolo is 43-21 as an NFL starter, with stops in New England, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. He led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019 and has played in seven postseason games. Rams coach Sean McVay views Garoppolo as a starting-caliber quarterback — he’s a natural passer with a quick release, and the Rams love the stability and skill set he brings to the table. The Rams want Stafford out there, but nobody will be panicking if Jimmy G. has to step in.

A safety spark

The Ravens made Kyle Hamilton the highest-paid safety in the NFL late last month, and it didn’t take long for the league to take notice. This isn’t a fluff contract either; the Ravens are invested in him for the long haul. An executive from another AFC team put it perfectly: “There’s a clear trend of teams using more 12 personnel on offense, which always makes it tough for defenses to decide — base or nickel? That’s exactly why a player like Hamilton is so valuable.”

Baltimore will need him, too, when the Ravens face tight ends Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta and David Njoku. Hamilton can cover them man-to-man, and he won’t cost Baltimore anything in terms of run defense.

P.S.

I’ll leave you with this.

Week 1 is funny because there’s both way too much and not nearly enough. Coaches will tell you they’ve got a million things to worry about, but almost no real tape to lean on. Teams can roll out anything, so how do you even prepare?

I spoke to one team staffer about the conversations coaches are having amongst themselves. “Do you talk about last year?” he asked out loud. “Do you dive into the rookies? How much is too much? There are endless options, but none of them feel like the right answer.”

That’s why most coaches fall back on the basics: Hammer the fundamentals, play clean football and survive until the league starts to show what it really is. One Week 1 lock, according to a head coach I spoke with: There will be dropped passes, and an alarming number of missed tackles on Sunday.

The one thing everyone does have tape on? Jalen Carter spitting on Dak Prescott. That clip from Thursday’s season opener has already made the rounds, serving as a clear reminder to teams — and players — of exactly what not to do. Let’s hope that’s the last time we see a close-up shot of spit this season, and that love once again triumphs in the end.

(Top photos: Jayden Mack, Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)