Paul Posluszny Exclusive Interview: NFL Predictions, Trevor Lawrence's Path to the Elite Level and His Favourite Linebacker in the Game Today

Former Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny has peered into his crystal ball and given his 2026 NFL predictions in an exclusive in-depth interview with iPredicta.co.

Paul gives us his Super Bowl LXI tips and who he is backing in the NFL prediction markets, along with praise for the ongoing development of Trevor Lawrence under Liam Coen with the Jags, and his admiration for San Francisco’s Fred Warner.

Who are you backing to win the Super Bowl in 2027 this early on?

What's the probability of Seattle being able to do it again? I really like the way that they played, especially at the end of the year. Sam Darnold really stepped up, became the quarterback that everybody wanted him to be early on in his career.

And then you finally get him in that type of environment where he can have success. The way that they performed was just truly impressive because they have such great balance. If you look at the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. So if I had to make a pick today, it would be a repeat for them.

Do the Rams have the chance to be put among the pantheons of the likes of the 85 Bears/Steel Curtain/2000 Ravens, based just off the combo of Donald and Garrett?

How will we look back on this Rams team? The thing with the ‘85 Bears, when you when you look at them and some of the others like Ray Lewis’ 2000 Baltimore Ravens, when you looked at each line of the defense; from the defensive front to the linebackers to the secondary, to be a defense like that you need elite players at all levels. So obviously the Rams are going to have that up front. It's the other two levels, it's the linebackers and the secondary, can they match that type of performance that they're going to get from their defensive line? If they can, they can be in the conversation.

What are your expectations for the Bills this season and where do you think they rank in the NFL hierarchy?

It’ll be an interesting year for them. So they obviously had the coaching change. But the good thing is, they're keeping some consistency with who they brought in. I love the quarterback. I got to see him play in person at the end of the season last year. And obviously he has outstanding passion, outstanding capabilities. So, they're obviously going to be in the hunt for the AFC East title, no doubt about that.

It's going to be an exciting year for them. You would think that they will be in contention for a Super Bowl championship.

All market figures in this piece were read on 20 August 2026. Kalshi reports its turnover in contracts and Polymarket reports its own in dollars, so the two totals measure different things and should not be set against each other.

What are your thoughts on the Bills moving on from Sean McDermott, do you think that was the right move for them? Do you think it was a case of him taking them as far as he could? And do you think that hiring Joe Brady was the right move?

It's obviously a tough situation for Coach McDermott, because you look at his record and everything that he's accomplished, how does a coach like that get let go?

Obviously a tough situation for him. Now the great move is the consistency of it. So leaving Coach Brady in the position that he's in where he's now in charge of the team, where there's not a high turnover where the whole roster's changing and the schemes are changing. The fact that they left those pieces in place, to me, means there shouldn't be a ton of change from a schematic standpoint and the players will just be able to go ahead and operate like they did last year and go on to the next level as well.

What was your assessment of the Jaguars? Do you think they can repeat the success from last season and challenge for the championship?

Not only repeat it, I think they're going to get better. With Liam Coen as the head man, seeing the quarterback take the next step, I think that they will continue to build off the success that they had last year.

It's an exciting year for them because you saw some of the potential that they can have with this group and with this defense. The combination of the quarterback and the head coach. It's going to be an exciting year. You’re looking for them to not only have the success they had last year, but then go deeper, have a greater playoff run and then ultimately see where they end up with a chance for the championship.

Where would you put the Jaguars within the AFC and the AFC South hierarchy?

If we talk about the AFC South, I think the expectations are that they're going to compete for an AFC South Championship. It's gonna be an interesting division this year because you have the Tennessee Titans with a new head coach, Robert Saleh coming in, and is going change the organisation around. Robert Saleh was my linebacker coach for the Jaguars for several years. He’s an outstanding coach and leader. So it'll be interesting to see what improvement he's able to make in a year with the Tennessee Titans.

The Jaguars are right there, high expectations for them to compete in the AFC South for the championship. Then you have the Colts and the Houston Texans, especially the Texans are always tough. But long story short, I would say that the Jaguars are going to be a front runner for the AFC South this year.

One player who is a key part of taking them to the next level is Josh Allen. Would you put him as the best quarterback in the NFL right now? I know Matt Stafford was the MVP and I know that's always a subjective debate, whether or not it’s the right decision. Everyone will always disagree. But do you think he's the best quarterback in the NFL right now? And if not, where would you put him?

He's got to be right at the top. With his capabilities and the things that he can do; his size, his speed, the way he throws the ball downfield. Obviously Matt Stafford is a veteran quarterback who has outstanding numbers, so super impressive in what he's able to do with his completion percentage and getting the ball downfield.

You look at Josh Allen and, let's put it this way, if you had to build a team around one quarterback in the NFL right now, I'd pick him.

Is Josh Allen your pick for NFL MVP this year and why?

My pick for NFL MVP this year? It’d be hard to bet against Josh Allen. I think his expectations going into this year are obviously high, but he's performed at a high level year over year.

Another one that'll be interesting to see, Patrick Mahomes is going to come back fast. I mean, I truly believe that with his work ethic, the way that he trains and prepares. And honestly the science involved in rehabilitation now is just accelerating incredibly. So seeing him, he can have another MVP like year for sure.

I mean he may have to change his game a little bit. His mobility in the pocket has been such an enormous advantage for him and we still expect to see that moving forward. Coming off an ACL is obviously a challenge. But if there's someone that can do it and do it at a high level, it's him. So I do expect him to see a return to his elite status this season.

I know everyone does their tiers and their ranks. Would you put Trevor Lawrence as a top ten quarterback within the NFL?

Trevor Lawrence is definitely on that path to being an elite quarterback. I think people want to see consistency year over year, and obviously winning. The ultimate goal is going to be a big part of that for him. How can they have year after year of successful seasons where they go deep into the playoffs, have an opportunity to to play in the big show at the end of the year? Trevor is a very unique case.

His skill set is unbelievable. If you look at the way he can move, how he can throw down field. I mean, when you look at some of the other quarterbacks where you say ‘OK, who can who can move like that?’ Who has the ability to move in the pocket? Who has the ability to have a rifle for an arm? The name that immediately came to mind was Aaron Rodgers.

Now that’s a very lofty comparison at this stage in his career. But I think the ceiling is sky high for Trevor. He has all the capabilities, all the physical abilities that you want in a quarterback. So it's going to be impressive to see his career develop.

Just how important is the coach-QB combination? You give the example of someone like Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen. It's often said that if you have a good quarterback, you need an offensive coach, you don't want to have him ‘restricted’ by a defensive-minded coach. How exactly do you think that works and you know enables someone like Liam Coen to get the best out of Trevor Lawrence?

It's an incredibly important relationship. When you look at what the quarterback does for your team, the only person that touches the ball every play, and how an offensive-minded coach can kind of guide that relationship and guide that development is critical.

So I think that's why when you look at Coach Coen and then Trevor Lawrence and the opportunities that they have together, and you see how Trevor has raised his game under Coach Coen's leadership; that relationship is critical. If you want to see a quarterback develop into their ultimate potential, you need that type of relationship.

Who would you put as the best linebacker in the game today? And I know positions change, like when does an outside linebacker become an edge rusher? So I'll give you a little bit of wiggle room. But who would you have as the best?

I still love to watch San Francisco play because of the group that they have with Fred Warner and his ability, when we're talking about true, inside or middle linebacker. The game has changed so much where now all your edge rushers or your outside linebackers can make dominant plays and change the game from a pass rushing standpoint, and then still have all the other skills that you would have with an off-the-ball linebacker.

That field is deep and that position is just getting more and more important. But your stereotypical middle linebacker or inside linebacker, I still love watching Fred Warner from San Fran.

Who was the toughest quarterback you faced? This is going to be difficult because you played in division with two of the best. So obviously with the Bills in the AFC East you faced Tom Brady and in the AFC South it was Peyton Manning, I'm assuming it's going to be one of those two, but feel free to tell me I'm wrong.

How do you not say Tom Brady, right? I mean we competed against him twice a year, every year when I was with the Buffalo Bills. And the thing was just his knowledge of the game, his ability to change plays at the line of scrimmage so that he was able to put his offense in the exact right position based on what he saw from a defensive standpoint.

It was truly impressive playing against him because of his command of the offense, his ability to throw the ball downfield, obviously impressive, and great accuracy. I would say he was the most challenging to prepare for just because he's completely squared away. He's going to have everything figured out at the line of scrimmage and he's going to make the right decisions.

Which player do you think needs to take the biggest step forward? So maybe someone who's been disappointing in the past, or maybe someone who's building their way up and is set for that next step?

Yeah this will be an interesting one and it's more along the lines of someone having a great year, and now there's going to be huge expectations for him.

It's Caleb Williams based on how he performed last year. Obviously an outstanding year, outstanding year for the team. Now I think the expectations are super high for him. It'll be interesting to see how he does in this follow-on year because he has all the potential.

The Chicago Bears have an outstanding running game. They finished third in the NFL in rushing last year. So that'll be one where you say ‘OK outstanding year. Can they make the next large leap forward?’

Which team do you think is set for the biggest surprise, either good or bad in 2026?

I’m excited to see how the New York Giants do under John Harbaugh. The New York Giants is a legendary football team, a legendary organization. Haven't had success over the last several years.

But now you bring in a proven head coach like John Harbaugh. I think he's the type of guy that can turn around an organisation very quickly. And if you see them start to have success early, I feel like they're a team that can take off. So it will be very exciting to see them this year.

Is he your pick for Coach Of The Year?

My pick to be Coach Of The Year? I mean it’s the New York Football Giants, right? You bring in a guy like Harbaugh, then they have a chance to do well. That could be a great story for the NFL this year.

Only Kalshi is shown here, and the reason is worth stating. Polymarket lists a Coach of the Year market, but it has taken $110 across its entire life, and the quote on Jesse Minter is an ask of 14% against a bid of zero, meaning nobody is currently willing to buy at any price. That is not a price. A figure lifted from a book nobody has traded in is worse than no figure at all.

What do you think it is that made him such a hot commodity, and what makes you think that he could be the one to turn the Giants around? What specifically about him?

Obviously John Harbaugh’s track record and what he's able to do with different teams, it seems regardless of the personnel that he has, from an offensive and defensive standpoint, developed schemes that can maximize his players' potential, it seems like he's been able to do that year after year. Just the overall consistency that he brings and the experience, that's priceless for a head coach to be able to have.

And he’s a guy that provides that great leadership presence for locker rooms, players trust him. Players trust him because of his historical performance.

Which team has been the biggest disappointment over the past few years given the talent at their disposal?

Who has been the most disappointing team of the past few years? This may be a tough answer, but if you look at the Cleveland Browns, with some of the players that they had, the players that they brought in, I think the expectations were that they were going to finally turn the corner, and they haven't.

So I know a lot of Cleveland Browns fans back up in the northeast, and they want to see that team win. They had some elite players on defense, some really, really good players. Obviously Myles Garrett is no longer with them, but you would have thought that you would have seen more winning with the type of talent that they had at that given moment.

What is it with the Browns? As a former player, whilst you haven't played for them, can you give you any insight into why you think the disappointment may be there?

What’s going on with the Browns? If you and I could figure that out, we would be in great shape. Part of it is just cultural. Do you have a culture of winning where that is the expectation versus ‘we're going to compete and see how things go’? It needs to be that when you walk into that building, you have to have a true belief deep down inside that you are here to win, that we have the team to win, that we have the leadership and the coaching staff that can guide us in that direction.

Building that can be very hard at times. But once you get that foundation set and you have that core group of guys that truly believe that, that's when you can see big changes occur.

Who do you think will be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, and why?

As it stands today, it's hard to go against the veteran. So I would say Watson only because he has obviously more experience. It seems like he's getting the number one reps throughout training camp right now with the team.

Don't get me wrong, Sanders has all the talent and upside that you'd want to see. But from a decision making standpoint and consistency, I'd go with the veteran right away.

If you had to pick one defence to be a part of this season, which would you enjoy playing for the most?

I’ve got to go with my former linebacker coach and say the Tennessee Titans. Only because with Robert Saleh as the head coach, and Gus Bradley going to be a big part of that defense, I know what they are capable of from a scheme standpoint, and they're fun to play for.

They're absolutely fun to play for because they just let you go out, play fast, run, compete, and it's a lot of fun being in that environment. I feel like that group that they have there in Tennessee can be very special. They can take off very quickly.

Who would your pick be for NFL Defensive Player of the Year and why?

My pick for NFL DPOY? It’d be hard to bet against Myles Garrett. He led the NFL in sacks last year. He’s moving over to a different team. But I think when you have a guy like that that can truly change a game, that's hard to beat. His skills, pass rushing, obviously still an elite rusher. He would be my number one.

You put him with Aaron Donald, they could be a formidable pair for sure. Especially when you think about the importance of pressure on the quarterback, the defensive line, how that can change the outcome of games. Aaron Donald’s going to come back, and I know it's been two years since he's played in the NFL, but with his skill set and what he has shown, he left the game at a high level, I feel like he's going to come back and fit right in and pick up right where he left off.

So with the addition of those two, they change the composition of that defense for sure. It's going to be exciting to watch them this year.

Kalshi only again. Polymarket's Defensive Player of the Year book has turned over $241 in total, which is not enough weight to sit beside a market with more than half a million contracts behind it.

Who would be your pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year?

My pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year? Even though it’s still a competition, it's hard to go against Fernando Mendoza for offensive rookie of the year. You look at the situation that he's going to come into, he has a veteran quarterback to learn from, but then let's make the assumption that he will likely get the opportunity to play early on, watching him at the end of his college career, he was NFL ready at the end.

So I think he's the type of player that has the maturity, the skill set, everything that you need at the quarterback level to have success early on.

Touching on Mendoza, do you think the Raiders were right to go with him as the number one pick, or should they have sold it off and got other pieces to maybe go around and build a team?

Every once in a while, a quarterback comes along and you would say he's a generational type player, where you know if you take him with a number one pick, it is a very, very high probability that you're going to win with him, and you're going to have success.

Mendoza's that type of player. So it’s very, very hard to pass on him. With quarterback being the most important position in the game, if you have an opportunity to get a guy like that who you know can lead your team for a decade, I feel like you have to take him.

Defensive rookie of the year pick?

My pick for defensive rookie of the year? Because of the way the game is, it has to be one of the new edge guys I mean, so the name that comes to mind right away. So Rueben Bain Jr. for Tampa Bay. You look at his skill set, what he was able to do at the college level, he's going to come in right now and get early snaps. That'll be a guy that's interesting to watch.

Arvell Reese of the New York Giants, that's another edge rusher that can come in and make an impact right away. I would love to put some other guys in there, but it seems like the way that the league is going, and the importance of the position, that edge rusher, that type of player that can change the game through turnovers and sacks, those are the most dominant spots.

This Polymarket book is thin, at $3,207 of lifetime turnover, but unlike the two markets above it is genuinely two-sided, so it earns its column. The disagreement on Arvell Reese is the interesting part: 11.0% on Kalshi against 16.0% on Polymarket is a real difference of opinion rather than an artefact of a wide spread. The Polymarket board also carries unfilled slots labelled Player A through Player E and Other, quoted at zero bid against one hundred ask. Those are the contract's construction rather than a view anyone holds.

Which team or teams will be the main contender for the #1 pick in the draft in 2027?

I know the team that comes to the top of mind just because of changes, different things going on in the organization is the Arizona Cardinals. You know you hate to even name a team this early in the year, but under the circumstances, when you look at all the volatility that's occurred across the whole organization, they may be one that will have challenges this year.

Just having the consistency factor of being able to win and you’re consistently doing it you can build on that foundation, you build on that organizational structure, that's when you have long term success. They had a short run where they were competing at a high level. But if you don't have the pieces in place to do that year after year after year, that's when changes occur and all of a sudden, quarterbacks are changing, defensive and offensive coordinators are changing, guys have to learn new schemes year after year. It's hard to have success in that type of environment.

What does the future hold for Minnesota Vikings QB JJ McCarthy, and should he look elsewhere?

JJ McCarthy? Because he's so young, only 23, he’s a very young player in the NFL, and it seems like that he personally is in a good spot in Minnesota. It’s a tough competition for him this year, but maybe having the opportunity to learn from Kyler Murray and learn the offensive scheme a little bit better will help.

That head coach is outstanding with quarterbacks, so take the opportunity to learn, compete, see consistent improvement, and then when your day comes, be ready to play.

Will Baker Mayfield’s gamble to go into the final year of his contract pay off?

I love Baker Mayfield’s courage and his gutsiness, so I hope it pays off for him because you have a guy like that, he's competed at a high level and he deserves to be compensated for it. Throughout his entire career, he's always been willing to bet on himself, he’s a highly confident player who knows what he's capable of. So yes, I feel like it can definitely pay off for him in the long run.

What do you think the Steelers' long-term plan should be at quarterback? If we are to believe this is Aaron Rodgers’ last year, will it be long-time backup Mason Rudolph, or one of the young guys in Will Howard or Drew Allar?

Those younger players are going to have a legendary Hall of Fame quarterback to learn from in Aaron Rodgers. But I would say it is one of the younger guys. When we think of the Steelers historically, when we talk about consistency, they are the model of consistency.

You had Ben Roethlisberger playing for them for over a decade, and there are some changes obviously going on right now. But I would feel like it's either one of those young guys or, I'm not sure what the upcoming quarterback draft is like, but the Steelers need to find their franchise guy, the next Ben Roethlisberger.

I would go with Drew Allar. I'm biased though, I'm going with the Penn State guy.

Is Caleb Williams the real deal for the Bears after last year, and what do the team need to do around him to make him a true success? Some has to be on him, but what else needs to happen?

I think as long as the Bears continue with their dominant running game in 2025, that’s such an important feature for a quarterback to have because once you know you can run the football, it opens up a different option set for quarterbacks.

So a continuing presence in the running game, and then really just continuing to develop that offensive line. You can have an elite quarterback with elite capabilities, you have to be able to protect your greatest asset as well. So as long as they continue to invest in that offensive line to protect that quarterback, the sky's the limit for them.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Do you think that is solely an offensive line issue for the Bengals? Or do you think again some of it is scheme wise and maybe not giving him again the right protections or maybe giving him the right weapons to make it work? What do you think the Bengals need to do in order to get again even better out of Joe Burrow?

Joe Burrow is obviously amazing, but the amount of hits that he has taken, obviously the sacks take a toll. Protection is number one, you have to make the proper investment in order to protect him.

The other part is, Joe's a gutsy guy. So he's willing to stand in there and take the hits to make those great throws downfield. It's finding that trade off, having opportunities for him to get the ball out of his hands quickly, but then also, pair that with the play action pass for the deep throws downfield. But again, it all starts with protection.

Another small QB who is on something of a rescue mission right now, what do you make of Tua Tagovailoa?

This is going to be an interesting move how this plays out because obviously Tua’s had flashes of greatness in Miami, but it didn't work out for him. But hopefully this move to Atlanta will give him the opportunity to compete and show a different organization what he's capable of.

It'll be interesting to see, because he's one of those very unique guys that has the capability and he has shown it to play at a very, very high level. It's just now when he's in Atlanta, are there all the supporting pieces around him that can help him have that type of success?

Will Malik Willis be able to fare better with the Dolphins than Tua Tagovailoa based on his brief showings with the Packers?

Will Malik Willis fare better than Tua Tagovailoa? That's the interesting part about this one. It was very brief, he showed a great flash, but now that you're going to be the starting guy for the entire year, you have to be able to do that week after week, day after day.

The kid has a lot of potential, that's for sure, it's going to be exciting to see how he develops, because if you take that short sample size and say, can he if he can do that for the length of a year? He's going to have a great season.

What would you do with Anthony Richardson if you are the Colts? Is he one that potentially you trade away, or do you keep him and hope that he's maybe a useful backup?

Anthony Richardson is in a tough spot right now, and maybe it might be time to move on. Obviously he's one of those guys with great talent, but is it the right fit from a schematic standpoint? Is this the type of offense that he is going to have the most success in? It's been a challenge so far, but you've seen the great capability that he had, but this might be one where we just would say ‘it hasn't worked out. The kid has great potential, maybe we can maximize that somewhere else.’

Has Kyle Shanahan taken the 49ers as far as he can? How much of the situation is down to him? Obviously there are external factors with injuries that a coach can't really compensate for. But do you think he's taken them as far as he can go? Or do you think there's more?

I think there's more to come from Kyle Shanahan. I mean he is an elite coach for sure and he has taken San Francisco to the Super Bowl. They have that type of high-caliber player, he's outstanding in what he does. The challenge has been staying healthy, which is always hard to do in the NFL.

But Coach Shanahan is one of the elite coaches in the NFL and he can definitely take them to the Super Bowl

Which head coach has the hottest seat going into this season?

I wouldn't say he's under pressure from a job standpoint, but just the expectation for the Pittsburgh Steelers is always high. So Mike McCarthy comes to mind. Steeler Nation wants to see them have the type of success that they've been accustomed to. So that'll be an interesting one to follow.

Aaron Glenn is another one with the New York Jets. Obviously high turnover there over the last several years, so it’s a little bit of a challenge in that organization. It didn't work out as everybody wanted it to last year. So we'll see how this season starts off. They’re coming off a 3-14 season. So if you don't see immediate progression early on in the year, that might be a challenging spot for him.

How big of a culture shock do you think it will be for some of the long-time Steelers to adjust to Mike McCarthy after Mike Tomlin’s departure?

The good thing is Mike McCarthy is a Western Pennsylvania guy through and through. So he understands the importance of the Pittsburgh Steelers to the area, the culture and everything surrounding the Steelers organization.

The Steelers are much more than a football team to Western Pennsylvania. And I think Mike McCarthy will come in and he can fit that mold right away.

Now adjusting to the players? Obviously he's been around the NFL for a long time and has a ton of experience, has worked with different organizations. So I think that he'll be able to come in and be able to do a great job leading that organization and adapting to the players that he has on that roster.

What are you expecting from Travis Kelce this season? Are people saying he’s finished at the top level underestimating how much he may still have to offer if he can get in shape? There's been talk about retirements for the past couple of years. And do you think this is one last hurrah, or do you think he can still maybe have a couple of years at the elite level that he has been produced?

Travis Kelce can still play at a high level. He will have to adjust his game a little bit, but his relationship that he has with Patrick Mahomes, it seems that the connection that they have there is special. And he seems to always be at the right spot at the right time, exactly when he needs to be. That's a unique combination that's hard to come by.

So I think he can still be a guy that can have a tremendous impact for that team, make the type of big plays that he's made throughout his career.

Does Kelce need to put more focus back into his football after all the distractions of Taylor Swift and Hollywood?

I'm not sure where he's at mentally, but I would say his social life is more visible to us now. But when it's time to play, I think he's fully dedicated to his team and his teammates and he'll be ready to go.

Will/Should the Dallas Cowboys keep hold of George Pickens after the end of the season? Is he worth it?

Should the Dallas Cowboys keep hold of George Pickens? It will be completely dependent on him in a sense. He’s an unbelievable talent, but everybody has talent in the NFL. Now he has elite talent, that's for sure. But then you have to make the decision, okay, is the trade worth it for if he can consistently dedicate himself to the game, and stay in a positive mindset where that is his sole focus and not worrying about any of the other stuff, then absolutely.

But like I said, talent only gets you so far. And if you become more of a distraction for the team, then that's something you say, ‘OK for the sake of the team, we have to move on.’

Sticking with the Cowboys, what have you made of the acquisition of Von Miller? For a defense that ranked 30th, is he what they need to get back as contenders, not just for his production on the field, but from a leadership standpoint as well?

Whenever you bring a high caliber guy like Von Miller into the locker room, he can change the composition of how they operate. And then you think about his production on the field, he's absolutely someone that's going to add significant value.

He's one of those guys that can change the outcome of a game with his ability to rush the passer and make big plays. So that'll be a great move for the Cowboys, bringing a veteran player like that who's highly respected, can play at a high level. I think that's a great move for them.

As someone who built themselves on being physical, how do you look at someone like Derrick Henry? Do you think his style can last him his whole career, and if so, how much longer does he have left?

I have ultimate respect for Derrick Henry. Obviously, playing against him twice here when I was with the Jaguars, his physical running style takes a toll for sure. But it seems like he's the type of guy that is fully committed to taking care of his body, playing for as long as he can. and he's shown that he can do it year after year after year.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see him play for several more years, continue to play at a high level. Is he going to get the amount of carries that he has historically? Maybe you can see that decline a little bit over the coming years, but when he's on the field, he's a threat and he's going to continue to play at a high level.

Will Stefon Diggs be able to take the Commanders offense to the next level? Follow up question, do you just see him as a WR for hire in the way that Von Miller was in the latter stages of his career? Three teams in three years after being settled in Buffalo/Minnesota?

Yeah, Stefon Diggs may be one of those types of guys where you come into an organization who can definitely provide an immediate lift, provide an outlet for Jayden Daniels as an elite receiver to get the ball to downfield.

But it seems like that's been the transition for guys later on in their career. Go into an organization, see if you can if you can bring up a positive presence, sign a one year deal, and then see what comes next.

Do you believe in the substation theory with the San Francisco 49ers? Do you believe that's what's causing the 49ers injuries or do you think that's just conspiracies?

I would say the substation theory with the San Francisco 49ers is a conspiracy. I have not studied it, or looked at the science, but injuries are part of the game, and they're going to happen. Now the 49ers have had a particularly high volume of them as of lately. But the substation part of it, nah, I don't think so. That’s just a good story to talk about.

Do you think the NFL will truly go ‘international’ and put a team in London?

Do I believe we’ll see a new NFL franchise set up in London? I do. And not only a team in London. Ultimately, if you think about the logistics of it and the growth potential, particularly in Europe, I think ultimately you'll get a division in Europe. Put four teams over there and now all of a sudden you have a European division. So you go over, the teams in the States will go over and play several games.

I think that's what we're moving towards. You know, as long as the demand is there and as long as the game continues to receive the attention that it does, things will absolutely continue to expand.

I would add another division inside the traditional NFL. I mean, let's be honest, the NFL, it would become a global sport almost like what soccer is, where there's demand around the world.

Now, whether it ever reaches that level, that's a different conversation. But for the opportunity to have success in Europe and continue to expand and and grow the popularity of the sport. I think the ultimate plan is to get four teams over there so that you have a full division.

• Will a NFL Franchise outside of the US be announced before the end of the season? Polymarket rate it very unlikely (https://polymarket.com/event/pro-football-new-team-announced-outside-the-united-states-by-2026-27-season-end?via=ipredicta-co)

Where do you stand on the turf v field debate? Because that’s something that came up especially over the summer with the World Cup.

With the World Cup, when you see those beautiful grass fields, nothing beats that. As a player, that's the type of surface you want to play on. Nothing beats natural grass. So anytime you have the opportunity, if it's one or the other, you choose grass every day.

I know that I think the study is like 92% of NFL players say they prefer grass over turf, what do you think the appeal might be for that 8%?

Some people say, ‘I feel faster on an artificial surface'. But like you mentioned, that's a small population out of the broader group.

My theory is that some prefer consistency. Like a player can say ‘I know that I'm going to be playing on a flat surface, there's not going to be divots everywhere, grass isn’t going to be longer or shorter.’

And if you're a team like the Bills were, with artificial turf in the stadium it's the same as their practice facility, they know what they're getting used to on a week-to-week basis. It's not constantly changing. That was always my thought. Do you think that could be a part of it as well?

Do the Bills benefit from playing on the same surface at their stadium as their practice facility? That's a great point, so you don't have to worry about, ‘what cleats am I going to wear? What's the surface going to be like?’ So you take out that variable then because you know exactly what the surface is going to be like. That's a great point.

As someone who played in both extremes when it comes to the weather, what have you made of the debate about ‘cold weather’ teams, such as the Browns and the Chiefs going to indoor venues, contrast that with the Bills who are staying outside?

It's an interesting dynamic. You compare the culture of the Browns and going to an indoor stadium with the Buffalo Bills saying, ‘No we play in Western New York, weather is part of who we are, and it's part of the environment’, and they kind of embrace that.

And so it's exciting to see them stay in that environment because that's in December, when it's ten degrees out and the fields covered with snow, to the Buffalo Bills players, they're accustomed to that.

So to me that’s an advantage. Then when you have the Miami Dolphins come up, you know, to play in Western New York in December, the Bills have an advantage. So that's the path that you would like to see the teams moving forward.

Now, Cleveland and Kansas City have taken a different route where they said ‘you know what, we would rather be in a climate controlled environment’. So I guess everybody has their own choice and perspective. Let's put this way, I was excited to see the Buffalo Bills stay true to their historical roots.

And maybe this is an old school answer, but football is meant to be played outside. So regardless of the weather conditions, you go compete outside.

What have you made of the conversations surrounding Pitt & Penn State playing, and do you think the rivalry needs to be resumed? Why do you think there has been this disconnect?

The Pitt vs Penn State rivalry is one of those historical competitions, where you play high school football, sometimes together, sometimes against each other, then some go to Pitt, some go to Penn State. It seems like that should be an easy decision. That should be one of those games that's played on a regular basis because of the connection that they have. So it's exciting to see that opportunity is going to come back again.

Why hasn't it been on a regular basis? I know we can go back to the early nineties and Coach Paterno tried to make a deal and someone said no and then he said ‘Okay, that's it then’. But it's exciting to see that because that's a rivalry that should be played. Absolutely.

I know one of the suggestions is that Penn State doesn't want to play Pitt because they know that it's just too much of an embarrassment for them if they lose to Pitt, whereas Pitt really has nothing to lose. Do you see that?

Are Penn State avoiding playing Pitt out of a fear they could suffer the embarrassment of defeat? Yeah, I mean I think that's a great point. But because of the excitement that game would mean for the area, and all of Pennsylvania… If that is the case, well we’ve just got to make sure the Pitt Panthers raise their game a little bit, but they've been competing.

I mean, I just think it's one of those classic rivalries that you should play it.

After the soccer World Cup, a lot of fans have claimed that if the US talent pool was focused on soccer over NFL, NBA and the other sports, the USA would be unbeatable. As a former NFL linebacker what impact do you think athletes with your physique would have on the game of soccer or is it not so simple?

Would the USA dominate soccer if the nation’s talent pool was focused on that sport? That’s an interesting conversation. I don't want to take away from the athletic ability of some of those players on a global level. It is truly impressive. Say JJ Watt, LeBron James, Aaron Judge, if we take those guys…now the size discrepancy and whether they're built for soccer, that's another question.

But if some of the elite American athletes that went on to play other sports, if they dedicated themselves to that game and if they had that skill set, the soccer skill set, I mean hand-eye coordination, the ability to move the ball with your feet, it's truly, truly impressive. But if we had our players developing those skills from a young age and dedicated to it and loved it like the rest of the world does, the United States would be more competitive for sure.

Can Tom Brady’s involvement in Birmingham City, and JJ Watt’s role at Burnley make them bigger soccer clubs to a US audience, similar to the way that Wrexham have in the long term?

Can Tom Brady or JJ Watt’s connections to Birmingham City and Burnley, respectively, put their clubs ahead of Wrexham in the imaginations of the American people? I think so, because the names that you mentioned have tremendous influence. They have influence, access to resources, help, and guidance. So when you bring those types of influential leaders in and they understand the importance of the game, you can absolutely say that they can help accelerate some of that growth in the United States.

England captain Harry Kane is a huge NFL fan and has said once he retires from soccer he wants to become a kicker in the NFL. What are his chances at making that move in his late 30s?

I think if Harry Kane has that powerful leg, he can dedicate some time to kickoffs. Field goals and extra points will be the challenging ones. Now you get him out there as the punter or leading the kickoff team, that's all about strength, power, and putting the ball where it needs to go, which is all things that he is completely accustomed to. So he would be able to make the transition.

Would a soccer player with the dedication and physical gifts of Cristiano Ronaldo have ever been able to make in NFL purely through being such a talented athlete?

Could a soccer star such as Cristiano Ronaldo have made it in the NFL? I absolutely think if you have the athletic ability to do it and most importantly the desire, you can. But a big part of football is contact, willingness for contact. If you have that and you have those guys obviously who are elite athletes, they can absolutely play this game.

There's been talk about whether they're going to move the WPIAL Football Championships to the updated FNB Stadium down on the South Shore when they redevelop it. Do you want to see the WPIAL Championships stay at Acrisure Stadium where it might be barely a third full or would you or do you think somewhere else where they can pack the house?

When I was a senior in high school, I had the opportunity to play in Heinz Field for the WPIAL Championship. You're playing on the same field that the Pittsburgh Steelers play. That's priceless for a 17, 18 year old kid who loves football, who grew up in Western PA and that’s the world that you know.

I think it's such a special opportunity for the guys to be on that field, in that environment regardless. I understand it's a 65,000 person stadium, it's not going to be full, but the opportunity to be on that special field, makes all the difference.