AFC East News and Rumors

Near the top of the NBC Super Bowl XLVI pregame show, Alex Flanagan reported that Patriots coach Bill Belichick said today that tight end Rob Gronkowski “definitely” will play tonight. But Belichick hasn’t decided how much Gronk will participate. Pe…

INDIANAPOLIS -- It's almost time for kickoff in Super Bowl XLVI. Therefore, the AFC East blog wants to leave some final thoughts on under-the-radar X factors for the New England Patriots who could make an impact in this game. 1. Aaron Hernandez, TE Anal…

Everyone expects the Dolphins to be in the market for a new starting quarterback this offseason. If he’s available, Peyton Manning could well be at the top of their shopping list. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross…

No, the Giants can’t claim receiver Tiquan Underwood after the Patriots cut him on Saturday. New England traditionally makes roster moves on Saturdays, primarily because no team can claim the player cut until Monday. The led the league in such moves. We…

Bill Parcells fell short of election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, but it looks like he still might find his way to the induction ceremonies in Canton this summer. Curtis Martin was elected and the running back, who played for Parcells i…

Historically, teams like these Giants just don't win titles. The Patriots? They have their issues too. It's a Super Bowl matchup that's unlike anything we've ever seen, says Joe Posnanski.

It’s hardly Pulitzer-worthy, but we nevertheless need to report what we know. Per a league source, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will play Sunday (wait, there’s a game Sunday?) despite a high ankle sprain suffered against the Ravens in the AFC tit…

As we finally arrive at this country’s national football holiday, maybe the only real questions about it are these: Do the Giants still have Tom Brady’s number or not? And does Eli have theirs?

On the surface, Super Bowl XLVI looks like a close game, but eminently winnable (and probably won) by the New York Giants over the New England Patriots. In the Week 9 game between these two teams, the Giants beat the Patriots, 24-20, despite the absence…

There are 15 Giants remaining who played in Super Bowl XLII who will play Sunday night in Super Bowl XLVII against New England at Lucas Oil Stadium. If the Giants beat the Patriots again, it will be their fourth Super Bowl title, elevating them among th…

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Rob Gronkowski walked without a limp as the New England Patriots gathered for photographs on Saturday.

The Patriots’ walk-through practice today was a lighthearted affair that demonstrated once again the way that coach Bill Belichick has been relaxed and enjoying himself throughout the week. Belichick told pool reporter Tom Curran that he thought it was …

Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 2011 performance downturn seemed to begin immediately after the team signed him to a surprise in-season extension worth $59 million. Fitzpatrick’s team went 1-8 down the stretch, and he threw only 10 touchdown pa…

Marc Gold, the co-owner of the horseradish firm that carries his family's name, says that horseradish will help the Giants prevail against the Patriots on Sunday.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Less than a year ago, Tom Brady, Logan Mankins, Osi Umenyiora and seven other players filed an antitrust suit against the NFL, a key moment in a convoluted and contentious labor dispute between the union and league that threatened t…

Five nuggets of knowledge about Super Bowl XLVI: Legacy builders: The New England Patriots and New York Giants didn't have much interest in talking about the big picture during Super Bowl week. Anything beyond Sunday's game was too much to comprehend. B…

Dan Graziano, James Walker and Mike Sando break down Super Bowl XLVI.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Veteran defensive end Shaun Ellis spent 11 strong seasons with the New York Jets, registering 72.5 sacks in that span. That is why Ellis was surprised when the Jets basically let him walk last offseason and eventually sign with the New E…

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and receiver Santonio Holmes may need some marriage counseling. Jets coach Rex Ryan told the New York Post that Holmes told him he’d like to get away for a weekend retreat with Sanchez to fix their chemistry. Ryan has been …

Bills DL Marcell Dareus thinks that Tom Brady is able to successfully lobby officials for flags during games. The Dolphins want Sun Life Stadium to feel more like the Orange Bowl. The Patriots focused on trying to replicate the speed of the Giants pass …

The talk about the Miami Dolphins as the landing spot for Peyton Manning is not going away. We’ve already heard that the Dolphins are interested in Manning if he becomes available, and now comes word from Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel, citing an unname…

The Chiefs have hired former Dolphins assistant Brian Daboll as their offensive coordinator, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday.

If he wins on Sunday, if Eli Manning pulls off another fourth-quarter comeback or merely beats the Patriots, his two Super Bowl titles will land him on a pedestal reserved only for New York’s greatest sports icons.