In Week 2 I went 3-0 on my bets, which naturally caused me to go all in on Week 3, predicting/betting on every Sunday game.

As always, you’re responsible for your own predictions/bets. Never risk what you’re not willing to lose. I’ve enjoyed adding a little juice to my football viewing in 2026, but the actual amount of money I put on the games is relatively small. Still, if you’ve predicted/bet with me this year, you’ve turned a profit.

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Here’s the Week 3 predictions/bets, results, and explanations:

1. Jets vs Lions: Lions -6.5 (Won)

Jets 24, Lions 31 (Lions were favored by 6.5, O/U 48.5)

Early in the 4th when the Lions were up 24-10, I felt confident in the 7 point lead we’d need. When the Jets tied the game up with four minutes to go, I felt less confident. Luckily Jahmyr Gibbs and Jared Goff knew the assignment and they came through for us.

2. Titans vs Giants: Titans +2.5 (Lost)

Titans 7, Giants 12 (Giants were favored by 2.5, O/U 37.5)

How do the Titans go from nearly beating the Eagles in a relatively high scoring game, to just one touchdown against the Giants?

In retrospect, I was too high on the Titans after they nearly pulled off the victory against the Eagles, who appear to have some struggles of their own this year. I think we can finally declare Cam Ward a bust, and I likely don’t predict/bet on the Titans to win again until he’s gone.

3. Patriots vs Jaguars: Jaguars -2.5 (Won)

Patriots 6, Jaguars 35 (Jaguars were favored by 2.5, O/U 45.5)

My prediction: People are still giving the Patriots too much credit for their unlikely Super Bowl run last year. They haven’t shown anything in 2026 to indicate they’ll make it nearly as far. They beat a Steelers team that I think has a ceiling of 8 wins, and they lost to a Seahawks team that only put up 13 points with their backup quarterback. Meanwhile the Jaguars look like a legitimate playoff contender. Despite the spread, I don’t think this game is particularly close.

Nailed it.

4. Texans vs Colts: Over 42.5 (Lost)

Texans 17, Colts 19 (Texans were favored by 1.5, O/U 42.5)

My prediction was based on the fact that both defenses haven’t played well, and both offenses showed they can score at will. How was I supposed to know this was going to be the week that both Defensive Coordinators decided to actually prepare for a game?

5. Chiefs vs Dolphins: Chiefs -10.5 (Won)

Chiefs 24, Dolphins 10 (Chiefs were favored by 10.5, O/U 45.5)

The Chiefs kept me nervous through most of the game, but they ultimately came through with a dominant 14 point win.

6. Chargers vs Bills: Bills money line (Won)

Chargers 16, Bills 24 (Bills were favored by 7.5, O/U 50.5)

My prediction: I don’t like the 7.5 point spread. The Bills defense surrenders too many points to feel comfortable in all around dominance. At the same time, I don’t like the 50.5 O/U because the Chargers offense has scored just 14 points in each of their first two games. While I think the Bills win this game, and even trust them to put up 30 or more, it’s a coin flip whether the final is 31-17 or a 40-33 boat race.

The final wound up in the middle (Bills won 24-16). I’m going to say I was right in the sense that this game was impossible to predict. Nobody saw five Bills turnovers coming. Even if you did somehow, there’s no way you thought that would translate to just 16 points.

7. Bengals vs Steelers: Bengals -3.5 (Lost)

Bengals 27, Steelers 30 (Bengals were favored by 3.5, O/U 42.5)

I’ve got to own this one. I was dead wrong. My prediction was that the Steelers wouldn’t be able to do much against Cincinnati’s defense. They laid 30 points on them, en route to a 30-27 win. The only solace I can take is that if the Bengals would have won in regulation, the final score would have had to be 30-34, which would have proven the -3.5 spread.

8. Panthers vs Browns: Panthers -2.5 (Lost)

Panthers 18, Browns 21 (Panthers favored by 2.5, O/U 41.5)

Right when I think the Panthers might be good, Bryce Young proves why so many people view him as a bust. I don’t think he’s a bust. I think he’s worse. He’s a purgatory quarterback. He’s good enough that he can win a few games. Not nearly good enough to take Carolina anywhere meaningful.

At the same time, I might have to rethink the Browns. They might not be the complete pile of dog brown I thought they were.

9. Seahawks vs Commanders: Seahawks money line (Lost)

Seahawks 31, Commanders 33 (Seahawks were favored by 7.5, O/U: 40.5)

My prediction: 7.5 points on the road is too much to feel confident in. Marcus Mariota is one of the best backups in the league. He could easily be a starting quarterback on another team. Sam Darnold had a light workload this week, after not playing since the first series of the season opener. It might take him a while to shake off the rust. Seahawks still win, but the points are too hard to predict.

I wasn’t far off on my prediction. Sam took a while to shake the rust off. By the time he did, the comeback was nearly insurmountable, though the Seahawks did enough to keep it interesting.

10. Cardinals vs 49ers: 49ers money line (Won)

Cardinals 30, 49ers 36 (49ers were favored by 8.5, O/U 47.5)

My Prediction: This has nothing to do with the lack of ability of the Cardinals or the superiority of the 49ers. This is based on the likelihood that the 49ers crush their first three opponents to start the season. 8.5 point spread sounds about right. And it’s tempting. But I’d be conservative on this one.

The 49ers win had a final score of 36-30. So yeah, if you took the Cardinals +8.5, you’re feeling great! I stand by my prediction, anyways. If I would have taken the 49ers -8.5, I’d have lost. Being conservative was the right approach, given what we knew at the time.

11. Vikings vs Buccaneers: Buccaneers +1.5 (Lost)

Vikings 23, Buccaneers 16 (Buccaneers were favored by 1.5, O/U 42.5)

I really thought Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers would be out for blood after their embarrassing loss to the Browns. For what it’s worth, I did predict that the Buccaneers would only win upwards of 6 games this year. After their loss to the Browns, they were behind schedule. Now they’re REALLY behind schedule.

I still think Kyler Murray sucks, though.

12. Raiders vs Saints: Saints -3.5 (Lost)

Raiders 35, Saints 27 (Saints were favored by 3.5, O/U 43.5)

We don’t need to waste a lot of time on this one. There’s a reason the Saints were favored by 3.5. Not a lot of people saw the Raiders coming out this hot. In defense of my pick, one of the Saints turnovers was a fumble that was identical to the one that went in favor of the Lions in Week 1. The NFL doesn’t want to touch this topic, but I guess they’re saying Tyler Schough intended to fumble the ball?

13. Ravens vs Cowboys: Cowboys +3.5 (Won)

Ravens 34, Cowboys 31 (Ravens were favored by 3.5, O/U 52.5)

My prediction: In Dallas, I might take the Ravens in a straight win. The fact that this game is in Brazil plays a factor, and I give the edge to the more experienced Head Coach and organization. I think the Cowboys win this game, but even if they don’t, a field goal spread is pretty good insurance on what I think will be a tight game.

Boy did I hit the nail on the head in this one. The game played out almost exactly how I saw it going. I figured this one was going to come down to a last second field goal. I assumed that would mean a Cowboys kicker, not a Raven. But either way I’d be within the 3.5 for the underdog (And I was).

14. Rams vs Broncos: Broncos +2.5 (Won)

Rams 26, Broncos 30 (Rams were favored by 2.5, O/U 44.5)

For a game I figured the Broncos were winning, taking the 2.5 points felt like the smart thing to do. Not that this game didn’t have me sweating a few times - mostly because I knew I needed this win to breakeven. It may have taken a pick six and some questionable calls down the stretch, but we got the W, and that’s all that matters.

Looking Ahead…

After Week 3 of the NFL Season, I’m now 10-7 on my bets. I’m going to need to have a big bounce back week to come back from this hit to my record. For what it’s worth, on my NFL Picks I’m only one back from The Athletic’s top football podcast, and that’s with me missing one game (That I would have gotten if I would have submitted my pick on time).

I post my Thursday and Monday “predictions” (Some might call them bets) on Twitter/X @RealSeattleMike. All of my Sunday predictions will be in a Saturday post on the website. The same one you’re on right now…

-Written by Seattle Mike

Obviously this comes with the same disclaimer of every gambling guide. Only bet what you’re comfortable losing. If you think you have a problem, jump on Google and find resources available near you. I’m not responsible for your losses.

The odds below come from Novig. Odds may vary from different prediction markets and/or sportsbooks.

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Here we go.

Titans at Giants: Titans +2.5

Titans almost beat the Eagles last week. Giants are playing their backup QB. I think Tennessee gets their first win. The 2.5 spread isn’t a ton of insurance, but I don’t think we need it.

Bengals at Steelers: Bengals -3.5

I don’t think the Steelers will be able to do much against Cincy’s defense. Steelers defense is good, but with how bad their offense will be, they’re going to be on the field too long. This is the Patriots game all over again.

Texans at Colts: Over 42.5

The Colts scored 23 points in Week 1 and 30 points in Week 2. They lose Alec Pierce to IR, but with Jonathan Taylor, they’re still going to be able to put up points. Especially against a Texans Defense that’s surrendered 56 points over two weeks. Meanwhile the Texans offense had an explosive Week 1 and then struggled in Week 2 against the Bengals defense. The Colts defense isn’t the Bengals defense. They’ve allowed 74 points through two weeks. I don’t know who wins this game, but it has shootout written all over it.

Panthers at Browns: Panthers -2.5

People are giving Cleveland way too much credit for beating the Buccs last week. That win included an act of God (Or Thor). Even the blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Browns fans are likely booing Deshaun Watson after the offense’s first mistake. They may even boo him out of the tunnel. Makes it a neutral location game for the Panthers who have scored 71 points over two weeks. The only thing that keeps me from taking the Over on 41.5 points is that I don’t trust the Browns to score. I’d be relying too heavily on the Panthers putting up 34-42 points, depending on what the Browns can muster in garbage time.

Chargers at Bills: Bills Win

I don’t like the 7.5 point spread. The Bills defense surrenders too many points to feel comfortable in all around dominance. At the same time, I don’t like the 50.5 O/U because the Chargers offense has scored just 14 points in each of their first two games. While I think the Bills win this game, and even trust them to put up 30 or more, it’s a coin flip whether the final is 31-17 or a 40-33 boat race.

Jets at Lions: Lions -6.5

I think the Lions blow the Jets out. Lions are the best offense they’ve played yet. O/U could go either way, so I’d stay away from it. Let’s not overthink this one.

Patriots at Jaguars: Jaguars -2.5

People are still giving the Patriots too much credit for their unlikely Super Bowl run last year. They haven’t shown anything in 2026 to indicate they’ll make it nearly as far. They beat a Steelers team that I think has a ceiling of 8 wins, and they lost to a Seahawks team that only put up 13 points with their backup quarterback. Meanwhile the Jaguars look like a legitimate playoff contender. Despite the spread, I don’t think this game is particularly close.

Chiefs at Dolphins: Chiefs -10.5

I hate huge point spreads, but this one might be conservative for what we’ve seen from Miami so far. The Dolphins will surprise us at some point this year. I don’t think this week is it (Then again, if I did, I guess it wouldn’t be called a surprise).

Seahawks at Commanders: Seahawks win

7.5 points on the road is too much to feel confident in. Marcus Mariota is one of the best backups in the league. He could easily be a starting quarterback on another team. Sam Darnold had a light workload this week, after not playing since the first series of the season opener. It might take him a while to shake off the rust. Seahawks still win, but the points are too hard to predict.

Vikings at Buccaneers: Buccaneers +1.5

Kyler Murray is starting. I don’t know what it’ll take for people to realize that he’s not a good quarterback. He has 5 pass attempts this season and already has an interception. The Buccaneers aren’t taking anything for granted. I think they win a close one. Might as well take the one point of insurance the market is giving us.

Cardinals at 49ers: 49ers Win

This has nothing to do with the lack of ability of the Cardinals or the superiority of the 49ers. This is based on the likelihood that the 49ers crush their first three opponents to start the season. 8.5 point spread sounds about right. And it’s tempting. But I’d be conservative on this one.

Ravens vs Cowboys: Cowboys +3.5

In Dallas, I might take the Ravens in a straight win. The fact that this game is in Brazil plays a factor, and I give the edge to the more experienced Head Coach and organization. I think the Cowboys win this game, but even if they don’t, a field goal spread is pretty good insurance on what I think will be a tight game.

Raiders at Saints: Saints -3.5

Saints should blowout the Raiders at home. The Raiders are 2-0 with wins over the Dolphins and Chargers. The Saints are much better than both of those teams. I see this being a high scoring game, so I’d strongly consider the Over on 43.5 as well. Regardless, the Saints win this one by 4 points or more.

Rams at Broncos: Broncos +2.5

Am I the only one not impressed by the Rams yet? They were awful in their opener against the 49ers. And only looked okay against the Giants when their starting quarterback was in the game. The Broncos, on the other hand, had an awful week 1, but were a lot more dominant in Week 2 than the scoreboard would have had you think. That game was one Bo Nix jump ball away from being a dominant win over the Jaguars. I’ll take the Broncos and the 2.5 points of insurance.

There you have it.

My most confident predictions:

1. Panthers -2.5

2. Saints -3.5

3. 49ers Win

-Written by Seattle Mike

Then we start slow and we accept it’s not our year (Again). Then the Mariners do just enough in August to give us a playoff scenario in September. Then we reach the last week of the season. We get our hopes up. We BELIEVE!

Then we lose two of the last three games and miss the postseason.

Last year was the exception. The Mariners clinched the Division in mid-September. Wound up earning the Number 2 seed. Coming into the Postseason they looked like legitimate contenders. I got all my friends to agree if the Mariners won it all we’d get trident tattoos (Which would be my first). That’s how excited we got!

The Mariners fell one swing short of reaching the World Series, and it was devastating. It’s actually hard to explain to fans in other cities what it was like in Seattle (Or Tacoma). Everybody was rallying around this one thing. This thing the rest of the country has scoffed at us about my whole life. Hell, there’s a joke in How I Met Your Mother that inviting the Mariners to the World Series is like inviting an ex to a wedding - it’s just weird for everybody. Falling just short the way we did hurt like a breakup. It was a legitimate heartache.

If it wasn’t for my family having a reunion during the World Series, I might not have even watched. Many of my friends didn’t.

Watching the World Series last year felt like watching the love of your life marry someone else. It should have been me.

Coming into this season, the expectation was that we would at least get back to the playoffs. Maybe even make another deep run. Well, the Mariners got off to a slow start, and other than for a few brief moments in the middle of the season, never really picked up. The weird thing is that playoff hope is still as alive for us as it is for anyone else in the American League (Minus the Angels and Athletics).

With a little over a month to go, the Mariners are 3 back for both the AL West, and the last AL Wild Card spot.

With a record of 63-69 that shouldn’t be the case this late into the season, but it is. By contrast, the Pittsburgh Pirates are 64-69 and 7.5 back from the last Wild Card spot in the National League (And 18 back for their division in the NL Central).

For about a month I’ve said the Mariners might make the playoffs. But it doesn’t matter. We’re not getting past any of the top three teams in the AL East (Rays are 78-53, Yankees are 74-56, Red Sox are 72-59).

Then last night happened.

Phillies vs Mariners. The first of a three game series.

Bottom of the first, Julio Rodriguez blasted a three-run homer (His 20th of the season), giving the M’s a 3-1 lead they never let go of.

Julio heating up at the right time is one thing. He always seems to come alive late in the season.

What about last year’s rightful MVP?

Just a couple of batters later he blasted one too. Then again in the 5th. Then again in the 7th!

Cal Raleigh ended the night 3 for 3 with three home runs and four RBIs. The Mariners won the game 9-2, but that’s not the story. The real story is The Dark Knight Rises. Is the Big Dumper back? Has he climbed out of the pit and made the jump that no man of privilege can make?

We’re going to find out fast. And if The Dumper is back, where’s the limit? Can the whole team rally like a bunch of Gotham City Police that have been waiting to pounce on their captors since being trapped underground for months? (I promise, Christopher Nolan didn’t ask me to write this. I just love that movie.)

The point is this. The Mariners have the same roster as last year when we fell short by just one swing in the ALCS. Keeping the Mariners alive this late into the season could be a mistake for the rest of the league. Should have killed us when you had the chance!

If the Big Dumper is back, so are the Mariners.

-Written by Seattle Mike

According to a new report from the NY Post, the owner of the community posted to Facebook “I just got off the phone with the Chief of Police for East Palestine, Chief Weingart. According to the chief, Jed York was arrested in the park because that’s where he happened to pull over.”

The statement went on to clarify that the police sting operation also wasn’t in the Mobile Home Community.

So Jed York pulled over in the Wheat Hill trailer park, while he was on the way to meet a hooker in a different trailer park? Or maybe not in a trailer park at all!

Maybe York was on his way to a very classy establishment to meet with a hooker with his $140.

Guess we can’t judge Jed too hard. After paying all of that money to Brandon Aiyuk for no return on investment, money might be a little tight.

Seriously, the idea that an Ohio trailer park is distancing itself from the owner of the San Francisco 49ers is nothing short of hilarious. Jed York, a man reportedly worth half a billion dollars, is an embarrassment for a trailer park!

Looking through their website, as far as trailer parks go, it actually doesn’t seem like a bad community. I walk far worse city streets on a daily basis, south of Seattle. Good for the people of the Wheat Hill Mobile Community!

-Written by Seattle Mike

“How I improved?” Shedeur smiled. “I improved every aspect of my life. I’ll say I improve, you know, at least my relationship with God. You know, to be able to come up here every day and talk to everybody, regardless of opinions. You know, of how people - what they say online and all this different type of stuff.”

Shedeur’s grin grew as he continued “Even those that (are) sitting in front of me today. I still approach ya’ll and greet ya’ll with kindness because God gave me that.”

On the surface, anyone in the media could take Sanders’ comments as a jab. You could spin it as Shedeur saying How dare you criticize me? The problem is that he’s got a point.

Shedeur Sanders does get buried by the media, and fans, and plenty of other people online on a regular basis. The part that I think is unfair to Shedeur, is that most of it isn’t self-inflicted. Most of it comes with the territory of being the son of one of the greatest, and most outspoken, athletes in the history of American sports. Some of it comes from expectations from college, though you could argue that as a fifth round pick those expectations are unfair. Some of it comes from being named to the Pro Bowl after an underwhelming Rookie year. None of that is Shedeur Sanders’ fault.

He didn’t ask to grow up famous. He didn’t ask to be a Pro Bowler. He didn’t ask for…okay, he kind of did ask for high expectations. Every professional athlete does.

Despite being dragged by random people online, as well as the ones he takes weekly questions from, Shedeur Sanders doesn’t say things that provide a lot of headlines. He doesn’t go after writers/reporters. He finds a way to stay positive.

Deshaun Watson, on the other hand, is the opposite. Watson takes every criticism extremely personally, to the point where a few preseason boos have him complaining about the morality of Dawg Pound fans. Watson looks down his nose at reporters who ask him questions he doesn’t like.

Watson just doesn’t give the maturity that Shedeur Sanders does. No, I’m not saying Shedeur Sanders is the most mature person on the planet. Celebrating on the field for every preseason first down (That gets called back) isn’t exactly mature. Act like you’ve been there before! But also, Shedeur Sanders is 24 years old and in his second year in the NFL. Deshaun Watson is 30, and entering his 10th.

I’ll take Shedeur Sanders any day of the week, over Deshaun Watson.

-Written by Seattle Mike

Why come to a team with an overly involved owner who is going to cripple the GM and the Head Coach beneath him? I’m not saying choosing to start Deshaun Watson was Owner Jimmy Haslam’s choice, though would it surprise anyone if it was?

But certain teams aren’t going to appeal to the best coaches. Especially for a coach that either has better options, or is highly coveted enough to think better opportunities will still be there a year from now.

As I was pondering this today, I came up with the best way to think about it. If Mike Tomlin wanted to coach again this year, and your team needed a Head Coach, would he do it?

This list is not based on anything credible or real. It is based on the lone opinions of one idiot that thinks about football way too much. Do with that information what you will.

-Written by Seattle Mike (Idiot)

By now, everyone’s seen the clip of Deshaun Watson complaining about being boo’d and saying he has no regrets in his life. You haven’t? Here you go.

Since then, Watson’s been named the Browns’ starting quarterback. Which was met with nothing but support from the people who comment on football (Sarcasm. Even Kyle Brandt said he felt sorry for Browns fans!)

Watson met with the media on Monday and started by addressing his viral comments. “First off, I want to address the comments from Saturday after the game.” Watson said. “I think just, you know, human nature. Just myself being very emotional…There’s been a lot of great fans around, in the city. Because there’s been a lot of great fans that have been supporting me.”

My favorite part was about a minute and a half in when Watson said “I think looking back at my history at Clemson and you know, at the Houston organization, you know I was a big community guy. Big city guy. Big fan guy.”

Big community guy is one way to put it when 27 different women, many of them local massage therapists, accuse you of sexual harassment and/or sexual assault.

Nobody is denying Watson was a part of the community. In fact, the big city guy was a very specific part of the community in Houston.

I think he was too much a part of the community. A lot of women would have preferred Watson to be more of a recluse, not community guy who stays home.

I’m not talking about spending a few extra bucks for a happy ending. Not that I’m condoning it, but if both parties are good with that arrangement, I don’t know that it’s the worst thing (It’s technically illegal, though. So don’t do it).

I’m talking about the cases where women claim Watson forced his genitals onto them and forcibly kissed, or attempted to kiss, them.

Worth noting that Watson was never found guilty of anything. All of the cases against him have been settled or dismissed.

I won’t pretend to know that Deshaun Watson is guilty of any of the 27 accusations. But if even one is credible, it’s too many. (Not to preach to the choir. You know that already.)

Bottom line, Deshaun sucks.

-Written by Seattle Mike

According to a report from KRON 4, 49ers Owner Jed York was arrested on Sunday in a human trafficking sting operation in the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community. York was originally arrested on suspicion of engaging in prostitution.

On Monday he pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct and Possessing Criminal Tools.

I wasn’t very familiar with that second charge. According to Ohio statues, “No person shall possess or have under the person’s control any substance, device, instrument, or article, with purpose to use it criminally.”

Purely my speculation (I have no proof of this), but are they talking about a dildo?

Does intending to use a sex toy on a hooker qualify as a “device…with purpose to use criminally?”

If so, who brings their own dildo to a hooker’s trailer?

For that matter, what hundred millionaire goes to a hooker’s trailer?! Celebrity Net Worth estimates York is worth $500 Million. That’s Pretty Woman money, not...I don’t know. What’s a movie about a cheap hooker?

We clearly need more information on this matter. I’m calling for Pablo Torre to find out what was the criminal device(s) in question? How big was it? What color? Battery or outlet? How many vibrations or revolutions per minute? Would it make a good anniversary gift? And is it standard practice for hundred millionaires to travel to their hooker’s trailers instead of meeting in a fancy hotel room? Was Pretty Woman a factually inaccurate portrayal?

We the people demand answers!

-Written by Seattle Mike

He’s referring to Ed Oliver’s two-year-old son drowning at the end of June.

The story initially broke with an On Scene TV post that included video of police and EMS crews responding to Oliver’s home for a report of a possible drowning. The video was posted to On Scene TV’s Instagram page on June 30th, despite the incident occurring two days earlier.

Several Bills’ beat writers have since claimed they knew about the tragedy, but chose not to report it. That kept the story quiet until earlier this week when Bills’ Head Coach Joe Brady dodged questions about the injury status of several of his players, pointing to league rules that don’t require extensive injury details until Week 1.

One of the players Brady avoided answering injury questions about was Ed Oliver. In doing so, Brady caused several journalists to wonder why his response was so secretive. Independent Journalist Tony Farmer then pulled a thread that led him to the June 30th On Scene TV post.

Farmer wrote about his findings in an article posted to X. The platform quickly took down the post. Tony suspects people made false complaints about the article, causing it to not meet X’s community guidelines. Farmer responded by posting the article for free on Substack.

Since Farmer’s Friday post, the story went wide. Eventually Bills’ General Manager Brandon Beane issued a statement on the matter.

After that, every publication ran with it. TMZ, ESPN, and the NY Post refused to name Farmer as the person who shined the brightest light on the story.

The NY Post went so far as to claim ESPN/NFL Insider Cameron Wolfe broke the story on Saturday morning (Once again, Farmer’s post was on Friday).

Obviously this is nothing short of a horrific tragedy. And maybe the general public didn’t need to know about it yet.

At the same time, this outcome was inevitable. Oliver was going to have to address it sooner or later. Surely the Bills and their local media knew that eating the story was a delay tactic, not a permanent solution. And when the media is suppressing a story, even for the right reasons, their decision is going to be met with some level of skepticism and scrutiny if someone else reports first.

Personally, I don’t think there’s more than meets the eye on this tragedy. I think the Bills were trying to protect their player’s wish for privacy. Beat writers are known to eat stories to protect their access, so no surprise there.

And no, the local Bills’ media doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt from me. Don’t forget, Bills’ beat writers ate several stories about Stefon Diggs causing locker room issues until he was traded away. They also suppressed stories about Sean McDermott’s strange Al-Qaeda analogy speech, until disgruntled writer Tyler Dunne, who already lost his access, came forward with it. Those situations aren’t a fraction as serious as Ed Oliver losing his son.

The fallout for Farmer has been intense. He’s received vicious social media attacks. Josh Allen’s comments are seemingly directed at him (Though I don’t know that for a fact). Bills’ local media are implying Farmer lacks journalistic ethics.

To be honest, I don’t actually credit Tony for breaking the story so much as merely connecting the dots. Technically On Scene TV broke the story. Tony just wrote about finding their post.

Even if you want to argue that Farmer broke the story; all that would mean is the goal posts have moved. ESPN reported on Buccaneers’ Linebacker Shaquil Barrett’s child drowning within 24 hours of the horrific incident back in 2023. Farmer didn’t report on Oliver’s tragedy until over a month after the fact. Now that the NFL owns 10% of ESPN, are the rules different?

Josh Allen is entitled to his frustrations. We all are. They might be misguided though. Maybe he should actually be mad at his head coach for being so cagey and defensive about the injury report that it sent journalists down the rabbit hole in the first place. According to Pro Football Talk, Brady claims Oliver has a legitimate injury. Assuming Brady’s telling the truth, if he just would have released the injury report, it’s significantly less likely that Farmer, or anybody else, looks into Ed Oliver and stumbles across the On Scene TV post at all.

Or maybe Allen should be mad at On Scene TV for posting the video in the first place.

Then of course there’s the other people he could point his anger to. The ones looking down their nose at Farmer.

The Beat Writers who suppressed the story could have reported on it in a responsible and considerate way once they learned about the situation. Instead, they ate the story, which then caused its release to inevitably become controversial. Were they paying no attention to how the Shanahan situation has developed?

There is no good way to talk about the death of Ed Oliver’s son. It’s nothing short of a heartbreaking tragedy. In fact, I couldn’t bring myself to look through all of the pictures the NY Post included in their article about the tragedy. I found that to be more disturbing than anything Tony did, by the way. How sick do you have to be to post cute photos of Oliver and his son, not to share news, but to intentionally evoke an emotion? Isn’t that worse? Sharing news is just sharing facts, even awful ones. Attempting to evoke an emotion through posted photos is strictly for the clicks.

Personally, I don’t think Tony Farmer is the problem. He found something out and he shared it. Tony’s brought us a ton of truths this offseason (About Russini/Vrabel, Matt Miller, Schefter, Shanahan, etc.) I don’t think we get to praise Tony for finding/uncovering truths we like, and then shame him for uncovering the ones we don’t. This feels like everyone is outraged at the tragedy Tony uncovered, so they decided to shoot the messenger.

-Written by Seattle Mike

“The Daniels family is deeply disappointed and feels profoundly disrespected by LSU’s decision to give Jayden’s number to another player,” the letter read. “Jayden and his family had every reason to believe that his number would remain a meaningful part of his LSU legacy and would be honored and protected in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the university.”

The ESPN report details, though slightly buries, the circumstances surrounding the number “5” over the last few seasons. Apparently when Cornerback DJ Pickett committed to LSU for the 2025 season, he was promised the number 5, as it was the same number he wore in high school.

Brian Kelly, the former LSU Head Coach, elected not to give Pickett the number, once he discovered Jayden Daniels didn’t want it to be worn by another player. Pickett wore 3 in 2025, instead.

New LSU Head Coach, Lane Kiffin, decided he’d respect the original agreement, and allow the number to be worn by DJ Pickett, as promised.

Since the report broke Wednesday night, causing strong reactions Thursday morning, Daniels took to social media in response.

“I have been locked in on training camp and that’s been my number one focus.” Daniels wrote in an Instagram story, shared by Ian Rapaport. “Obviously there are issues to be worked out between my team and LSU and my hope is that it will get done privately. My sole personal focus is on Commanders’ football.”

A few things here.

1. Jayden, you’re obviously not locked in on Commanders’ football if you’re worried about who’s wearing your number on levels beneath you.

2. This is so soft, bro. The number is not retired. Yes, you were great at LSU. A part of Tigers history, even! This is so soft. It’s coming off as a kid who sets a toy down, moves on to a bigger toy, then starts crying when they see someone playing with the first toy. You can’t have all of the toys!

3. Are you sure you don’t want your NAME, image and likeness to be used by LSU?

Image and likeness, maybe. NAME? So you don’t want your name put on any list of all-time great Tigers that the school might publish? You don’t want to be honored in any kind of ring of honor or anything like that? You don’t want your name etched onto anything in the stadium?

This feels shortsighted, which is what makes it reek of temper tantrum.

I don’t see the advantage in pissing off your alma mater. I also don’t see how this endeavor helps the Commanders prepare for 2026.

-Written by Seattle Mike

Early in the book Portnoy writes “Barstool Sports was supposed to encompass anything that guys would discuss sitting around a bar watching sports. It was supposed to have the tone of a real sports fan, which was the direct opposite of how the Boston sports media was at the time.”

The time period Portnoy is referring to is around 2003.

“Traditional newspapers and sports talk radio had a monopoly on sports media. And it seemed that all the sports reporters who covered the local teams weren’t actually fans of the teams. Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe openly rooted against the Red Sox. Ron Borges hated Bill Belichick and the Patriots. It was infuriating that the only media outlets covering your favorite teams were seemingly run by crusty old men who rooted and probably profited from their demise.”

The beat writers of today have the polar opposite problem. They want to protect their team access so bad that they won’t report on anything harmful to the teams they cover. Sure, you might get a report from a local San Fran moron that says the 49ers are mishandling the Brandon Aiyuk situation (I’m not calling all SF writers morons. Just the one that used my comment for engagement and then blocked me). That same writer isn’t going to address, or even acknowledge the possibility of a coverup involving a local police department, though.

And that’s the problem. For issues involving a multibillionaire organization potentially mistreating multimillionaire players, we can get some opinions and coverage. For coverups, affairs, or even police corruption - we get little (or no) coverage on issues that have impacts on real world hundredaire people like you and me. Okay, I might be a thousandaire.

Obviously I don’t want local writers that just hate their teams as Portnoy describes in his book. I remember what a bummer that negative style of reporting was (I was a kid at the time, but I remember it). There needs to be a middle ground where local writers can be fans and still have journalistic integrity. It sucks reporting on something negative involving a team or player you love, but that’s the toll of being a journalist. By the way, nothing is stopping these writers from covering their team in a fair way, and then writing a follow up post that celebrates the exciting things about their team.

I took no pleasure in making a video about Richard Sherman’s DUI a couple of years ago. As much as I hated it, I had to be honest and give a fair criticism to one of my all-time favorite players - otherwise what purpose am I even serving here?

Also, are you guys watching Hard Knocks right now? The Seahawks are winning the Super Bowl again this year. Sam Darnold and his spin rate are winning MVP. Mike Macdonald is winning Coach of the Year (Should have won it last year too). Go Hawks!

-Written by Seattle Mike

On Saturday, Yahoo Sports made a post quoting Crosby’s response to Kirk Cousins.

The quote is real. The context isn’t.

According to an article from Sac Town Sports in 2023, the quote actually occurred after a joint practice fight between Maxx Crosby and Rams’ running back Cam Akers.

I tracked down a video from a Raiders fan page on Facebook called The Raiders Silver and Black.

After discovering the true source of the quote (With the help of Grok), I asked Yahoo Sports if they had a response...

As it turns out, they did have a response...

Delete the post.

I don’t have a problem with a mistake being made. There’s so much misinformation out there, even once I knew where to find the original quote, I had to use tools on Google to help me filter past all of the fake reports.

What I have a problem with is Yahoo Sports irresponsibly spreading false information, and then thinking deleting the post fixes the problem. At the time that I took the screenshot, the post already had 13 thousand views and counting. By the way, I only took a screenshot because I had a feeling Yahoo Sports would pull something like this.

So now I’m calling on Yahoo Sports, once again, do you have a comment on your misquote/misrepresentation of Maxx Crosby’s response to the Kirk Cousins incident?

Do you have anything to say to the consumers of Yahoo Sports? Do you have anything to say to Maxx Crosby? To the Raiders?

-Written by Seattle Mike

One of the biggest question marks about the contract is why the Cardinals even bothered. They signed Gardner Minshew this offseason, who is as good (if not better) than Jacoby Brissett. The team also drafted Carson Beck.

That last point has a new development - Beck played extremely well in his preseason debut. At the time of this writing, Beck has gone 13/16 for 173 yards and a touchdown pass. Not just any touchdown pass, but a touch pass in the corner of the end zone, over a defender.

It’s worth noting that this is preseason. The defenses are basic. Many of the players on the field won’t make their teams. Most of the ones that do, won’t be starters. Still, Beck played great.

Head Coach Mike LaFleur hasn’t announced a Week 1 starter yet, which presumably means the Cardinals quarterback competition is ongoing. If the competition really is ongoing, why give Brissett a raise?

Brissett’s new contract doesn’t add any years or team control. Most of the new money isn’t tied to any incentives. Since the Cardinals didn’t get anything out of the contract, why not just tell Brissett that they’re not open to renegotiating?

If Beck continues to play well through the preseason, the Cardinals should get him to the field as soon as possible. Yes, the competition will be tougher than preseason - but they need to find out if he’s their guy before a quarterback heavy draft in 2027.

-Written by Seattle Mike

“The issue is that I don’t think [Baker Mayfield] is going to hit the market.” Schefter said. “Tampa’s got the franchise tag next year to the tune of $47 Million, which by the way, is less than they offered him on a two year basis, on the extension they offered him, which was over $50 Million each year.”

Schefter went on to explain that the Buccaneers could franchise tag Baker Mayfield the year after next as well, for another $57 Million by his estimate.

Here’s why Adam Schefter’s analysis bothers me.

There is no way in Hell he doesn’t understand how void years work. Per spotract, Baker Mayfield has $30.15 Million that will hit the Buccaneers salary cap in 2027 if they don’t get a new deal done. If the Buccaneers tag Mayfield, by Schefter’s own number, that would mean adding another $47 Million, on top of the $30.15 Million. Meaning Baker Mayfield alone would count $77.15 Million against the 2027 salary cap.

For a team currently projected to have a little over $26 Million in cap space in 2027, that’s a major hit that would require the Buccaneers to find a way to offload significant talent.

The reality is that Adam Schefter has to understand the salary implications of tagging Mayfield. It’s just not possible for someone who’s been the top NFL Insider for as long as he has, to be so obtuse when it comes to matters involving the salary cap.

Your question: Why would Schefter push a narrative that makes the Buccaneers look good, and Mayfield look bad?

My answer: Schefter’s been on the side of the owners for years, even before the NFL acquired 10% of ESPN.

Like the time Adam Schefter emailed a story to, then, Washington Redskins’ Owner Dan Snyder for approval, prior to publishing it.

Or the time that Schefter became an investor in a sports betting company called Boom Entertainment, with Patriots’ Owner Robert Kraft. Schefter’s also an investor in another sports gambling company called Underdog.

Or the very recent time when Schefter worked with the 49ers to control the release and narrative of a very serious Kyle Shanahan car accident.

Or the countless times Schefter posted bogus contract numbers because the inflated, and impossible to achieve number made the agent and team look better.

One of my new hobbies is commenting the real/guaranteed numbers on those posts.

Which brings me to the next part of Schefter’s reporting that bothers me. When he said the team offered Mayfield $50 Million a year, it doesn’t mean the team actually offered Mayfield $50 Million a year. It means they offered him somewhere between the veteran minimum ($1.3 Million) and $50 Million a year, because we don’t know what was guaranteed in that offer.

Because Shefter always gives us the inflated number, you can’t trust any specific figure he reports, unless it includes the word “guaranteed”. $50 Million a year could be real. It’s more likely somewhere between $25 Million and $45 Million.

I’m offering $50 Million to every single one of you that subscribes to Seattle Mike on YouTube, $0.00 guaranteed.

-Written by Seattle Mike

*Disclaimer: The “$50 Million offer” for YouTube subscribers is not a legitimate offer for any amount of money. That’s why I said “$0.00 guaranteed.” That’s the point.

“We’ve got eight minutes until the internet.” McAfee could be heard saying to Rodgers as he walked onto the stage set up on the Steelers’ outdoor practice facility.

“We got 8 minutes. We got a lot to talk about.” Rodgers said shortly after he sat down.

McAfee’s first question was about Rodgers’ decision to make this his final season.

“I’m going to plead the fifth.” Rodgers said. “Like that absolute coward, Tony Fauci. Absolute coward. Are you kidding me?”

Rodgers ranted about the coverage over his vaccine status in 2021 when he infamously lied to the media about being vaccinated, before adding “But there was another scandal this offseason too. Involving a voter for MVP, for coach of the year.”

“Where’s the camera?” Rodgers asked before looking directly into the ESPN camera and saying “How much time did your network spend on that?”

“There’s been a lot of silence.” Rodgers added a few moments later. “I feel like, you know, like 19 seconds about one subject. Oh, don’t talk about that. You know, we can talk about Rex Ryan’s foot fetish, but please don’t talk about, you know, anything else right now. Don’t talk about any scandals…”

Rodgers was clearly referring to the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel scandal that’s been the talk of the offseason. ESPN, who is 10% owned by the NFL, has shamelessly dodged coverage of the subject. Fox Sports and CBS Sports haven’t spent much time on it either. The only major sports network that offered any real coverage of Vrussini-gate was Pro Football Talk, which is distributed by NBC Sports.

The most direct hit came toward the middle of the 28 minute interview, during the portion that was only available via YouTube, ESPN Unlimited, Disney+, TikTok and X, when Rodgers said “I don’t get to do this show as much as I would like to do, I think, from time to time. So, especially when I get a chance to get after that gutless organization you have to be connected with…I just don’t care anymore.”

ESPN can’t be happy that Rodgers called them out on their own network. McAfee is reportedly in negotiations with the network for a deal that could pay north of $60 Million a year. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of control the network expects for their money. According to McAfee, the previous agreement was strictly a licensing deal. Pat claims he still has full control over what he says and who he has on his show. For $60 Million a year, I doubt that’s still going to be the case (If it ever was). Aaron Rodgers highlights exactly why ESPN surely sees it necessary to control McAfee and his guests.

-Written by Seattle Mike

TMZ claims they were denied the body camera footage and accident report pertaining to a July 14th car accident that landed 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in the hospital. The Palo Alto Police Department (PAPD) cited the California Public Records Act as the reason they are “exempt from disclosure”.

Upon looking into various stories surrounding the PAPD, I found something interesting though.

The Kyle Shanahan car accident occurred less than a month after an independent audit found the PAPD didn’t properly utilize their body cameras through several incidents, per NBC Bay Area.

“Body worn cameras are gamechangers when it comes to our auditing responsibilities and often are determinative in deciding whether or not the officers’ conduct was consistent with policy,” said Michael Gennaco of the Office of Independent Review. “We found several situations in which for one reason or another, the body worn camera did not depict all of the encounter or one of the (PAPD) officers on scene did not appropriately activate his or her body worn camera.”

Is that the reason for the PAPD reluctance to hand over body camera footage? Was it improperly used? Was it used at all?

Hard to say without anything being provided.

This is just the latest addition to a long series of strange behavior from the media and police involved in the Kyle Shanahan car accident.

First we had the timeline; the local and national media didn’t report on the matter for 11 days, which is an extremely long time for someone as prominent as Shanahan to have evaded 49ers writers that are paid to cover the team so extensively. In fact, according to one 49ers beat reporter, Shanahan, himself, was surprised how long it took for the story to break.

Then, we found out the PAPD didn’t issue a citation to anyone for the car accident, despite Shanahan clearly being at fault. The police knew he had been holding his cell phone at the time of the crash, or at least that’s what the entry in the online database said.

The same database listed the 21-year-old victim of the accident, as the person at fault. To his credit, Shanahan cleared up the mistake that the PAPD claimed was a “clerical error”.

There’s just been one thing after another with the handling of this matter. And where there’s smoke…

There’s me doing lots of Google searches and making lots of Twitter/X posts.

-Written by Seattle Mike

“Oh no, we’re not doing that.” Romo said. “I’ve heard from multiple lawyers, don’t ever do that, so we’re not going to do that.”

I don’t know what lawyers Romo heard from, but they probably weren’t talking about the machine in the station, and they probably weren’t talking about Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the only state in the country where a first offense OWI (Often called Driving Under the Influence in other states) is a civil charge, not a criminal one. Because of that fact, Romo had nothing to lose by taking the chemical breath test.

Refusing to take the test is an automatic suspended license under implied consent laws. If you didn’t know, when you got your driver’s license, regardless of state, you agreed to an implied consent law that gives permission to submit to a chemical sample for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or other illicit substances. Basically, if you’re being investigated for OWI/DUI and you refuse to provide a breath, blood, or urine sample, you automatically have your license suspended.

Some defense attorneys argue that if you know you’re going to blow above the legal limit, you should refuse all of the tests. Refuse the field sobriety tests, preliminary breath test, and the breathalyzer at the police station. That way the state doesn’t have any physical evidence you were operating a vehicle above the legal limit. You’ll still have your license suspended, but at least your lawyer can try and plead down to a non-criminal traffic ticket, instead of giving you a criminal record.

In Romo’s case, the criminal record concern isn’t there, since Wisconsin is extremely soft on first offense drunk driving charges. Still, even in states where a first OWI/DUI is taken more seriously, refusing all of the tests might not be the best defense. In fact, in my eight years of law enforcement experience, most defense attorneys advised their clients to submit to the breath test at the station.

They’d still advise to refuse the field sobriety tests since there’s no advantage in taking a no win test; but they’d say to submit to the breathalyzer machine at the police station. That way the defense attorney could attack the way the test was administered, the machine, and/or the results. There’s a lot more steps for the police officer that way. The more steps, the more opportunities for a misstep.

-The Potential Missteps-

Defense attorneys often argue about the observation period. In Washington I had to watch the suspect for 20 uninterrupted minutes before I could get them on the machine. I couldn’t let them go to the bathroom. I couldn’t let them put anything in their mouth (Chewing gum, water, etc.). I couldn’t step out of the room for a second, or look at my cell phone. We would sit directly in front of a camera, next to the BAC machine, and I’d watch them for 20 minutes.

Defense attorneys also liked to argue over the machine itself. When was the last standard maintenance performed? Did the machine properly go through the self diagnostic it’s supposed to before each test? Are there any error codes? Any of those things could get the results thrown out.

The defense attorney could also attack the results themselves. The breathalyzer always takes two samples of breath, meaning you have to blow into it twice. If the first sample and the second sample are extremely far apart, the attorney can argue the machine obviously can’t give an accurate reading.

Even if the samples are close, as long as they’re on the border of the legal limit, .08 in almost every state, the lawyer can argue the results aren’t definitive enough.

Let’s say the first sample is .082 and the second sample is .085. The attorney can argue that their client was actually under the .08 limit, because the test clearly is off by .003. So a third sample could reasonably have had their client at a .079. From my own experiences, I can tell you that the last digit of the sample can fluctuate pretty drastically. That’s why some states don’t allow the last digit to be admissible. In those states, the results from my example would have simply been .08 and .08, which would give the attorney no space to argue.

-How to REALLY Get Away With It-

The best way to get away with OWI/DUI is to not do it in the first place. If you’re planning to go out and have a few drinks, have a plan. Uber/Lyft, have a designated driver, public transportation, etc. In Romo’s case, he has an estimated net worth of $80 Million. So spring for the UberXL!

Having said that, everybody has the right to a defense and a fair trial. From my observations, Romo was clearly drunk. He didn’t just fail the Field Sobriety Tests, but failed them miserably. If he had better advice, maybe he would have gotten away with it too.

Still could, in theory.

-Written by Seattle Mike

1. The NFL’s partnership with ESPN means the network will serve more as a PR firm for the league, than actual journalists

2. Beat writers will do anything to protect their access to the team they “cover”

3. If the police make a “clerical error” that benefits the team, don’t expect the beat writers or ESPN to ask any critical questions (Even the people who caught the “error” are accepting the police’s explanation)

That last point is what makes this situation more important than “just sports.” Without ESPN or the beat writers putting real journalism into these stories, it’s easy for mistakes to happen. It’s easy for police departments to accidentally file the wrong name, if they don’t think anyone’s ever going to look into it.

A more suspicious person might say it’s easy for police departments to cover up truths and abuse their power, if they don’t think anyone’s ever going to look into it. But hey, that’s for a more suspicious person to say.

In the Kyle Shanahan case, the “clerical error” had the 21-year-old victim of the coach’s car crash listed as the person at fault. Without sports writers turning over rocks to find all the details they can on this story, that “error” goes unnoticed. Maybe that’s never a legitimate issue. Afterall, there wasn’t a citation issued.

Or maybe someday, when that 21-year-old is now a 25-year-old applying for car insurance that requires a more thorough check, this comes back up. Now what? Does anybody believe her that this prominent Head Coach was actually the one at fault?

If that’s true, how come nobody reported that?

Maybe it’s not insurance, maybe they need a background check for a job, or a humanitarian effort, or even just something fun they want to do.

Without this detail being caught, word never gets back to Shanahan that there was a “clerical error,” and he never sets the record straight.

Maybe this particular situation proves to be irrelevant. I certainly see that as a possibility. This time it’s a “clerical error” in a public database that nobody puts any stock into. But what is it next time? Without journalists asking questions, where does it end? Certainly nowhere good.

Why do you think a free press was so important to our forefathers in the first place?

No, they weren’t thinking about Monday Night Football, but they were thinking about holding powerful people accountable. In America in 2026, there are very few forces more powerful than the NFL. Possibly none more powerful than their sponsors.

That’s why it’s not just sports.

Obviously your takeaway from this post should be this; the content I make is way more important than anything else you read or watch. Subscribe to @RealSeattleMike on X, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Substack, and probably one or two places I’m forgetting.

-Written by Seattle Mike

On Tuesday, a few hours after Shanahan admitted to reporters that the July 14th car accident that landed him in a hospital bed was his fault, Brandon Aiyuk posted to his Instagram Story.

Aiyuk’s posts read “You can’t win the race if you crash out” and “Keep yo head up and stay in yo own lane. You gone win.”

On the one hand, Aiyuk’s posts are wildly insensitive. On the other hand, yeah - Shanahan should have kept his head up and stayed in his own lane, instead of attempting to retrieve his dropped cell phone, resulting in him crashing into a 21-year-old driving in the opposing lane.

Earlier this offseason, Aiyuk posted to YouTube that Shanahan “got the temper of a fucking toddler.”

Aiyuk’s social media hasn’t done anything to help his cause to return to the NFL. He’s technically no longer in the NFL, and hasn’t taken any meaningful steps toward returning.

Toward the end of the second season of Justified, Winona pleads with her boyfriend’s boss to help him out of a hairy situation. The Chief Deputy Marshal looks at Winona, sighs and says “sometimes you just can’t help.” That’s kind of what it’s like wanting to help Brandon Aiyuk right now.

-Written by Seattle Mike

Tony Romo was arrested recently for Operating While Impaired in Wisconsin. The body camera footage of his traffic stop surfaced on Tuesday, and many people took exception to the way Romo was treated.

When Deputy Kaur, of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s office, asked Romo to exit his car for roadside Field Sobriety Tests, the former Cowboys QB asked if he could call his lawyer. The Deputy told him he couldn’t.

Explanation: My understanding is that in the state of Wisconsin, Kaur was in the right on that part. She hadn’t read Romo his rights yet, so he had no constitutional right to representation.

Romo then exited the car, and Kaur told him that it was unsafe to do the field sobriety tests where they were standing, on the side of the highway, so she wanted to transport him somewhere safe first.

Explanation: Kaur was in the right for this part too. Yes, it feels backhanded, but think about it - she can’t let him drive somewhere safer if she suspects him of operating while impaired. She can’t let him drive anywhere. So she needs to transport him. She also can’t tell him that’s the plan while he’s still in his car because that inevitably leads to arguments, and then people get uncooperative and defensive. That’s not a good situation for a police officer during a traffic stop (Trust me).

Once Kaur transported Romo to what appeared to be a police station parking garage, he complained of back pain (He’s had multiple surgeries, and the backseat of police cars are not comfortable). Then they conducted the Field Sobriety Tests. Romo performed poorly on the Horizontal Gaze Stigmas (Eye to pen test), one leg stand, and walk and turn.

After failing those tests (Everyone does), Kaur asked Romo to submit to a preliminary breath test (PBT). “Oh no, we’re not doing that.” Romo said. “I’ve heard from multiple lawyers, don’t ever do that, so we’re not going to do that.”

Romo later refused the breathalyzer machine at the station.

Explanation: Romo probably didn’t understand what tests he should take, and which ones he should refuse.

None of the 50 states require you to take the Field Sobriety Tests or the preliminary breath test.

In my opinion, as a former police officer, the Horizontal Gaze Stigmas, One Leg Stand, and Walk and Turn are impossible to pass. Grading them is extremely subjective. The officer just has to say they feel like you stuttered, hesitated, or struggled, even if you follow their instructions perfectly.

Romo never had a chance on those tests. Nobody does. Those are the tests that lawyers often say to not bother taking.

The Preliminary Breath Test (Little handheld device) is another one that lawyers often tell their clients not to take. My opinion is a little different. If you blow a 0.00 on the PBT, the officer is going to have a hard time proving their probable cause. So if I’m completely innocent, I’d have no problem blowing into the PBT.

Bottom line, I’m not a lawyer, and I’m not giving you legal advice - but if it were me, I’d refuse to take any Field Sobriety Tests other than the PBT.

Here’s where Romo messed up.

The breathalyzer machine at the police station (It looks like a fax machine with a long cable and a plastic tube) - that’s the one you’re foolish not to take. Every state has implied consent laws; meaning if you refuse to submit a chemical test (breath, blood, or urine), and an officer has probable cause to believe you were impaired while operating a vehicle, your license is going to be suspended.

So you might as well take the test at the station, because you might pass. Even if you don’t, your lawyer can try to argue the machine wasn’t calibrated correctly, or if there was some kind of maintenance issue, etc.

In other words, you should always take the machine at the police station. (Once again, I’m not a lawyer. Consult a licensed attorney if you’re concerned about these things).

In the case of Romo, he’s lucky that Wisconsin has baby DUI/OWI laws. People reports that a first offense for Operating While Impaired in Wisconsin is a $150-$300 fine, and isn’t a criminal charge.

I’m not defending drunk driving, but Field Sobriety Tests are not a fair measure for probable cause. That’s not Deputy Kaur’s fault. She didn’t make the laws or her department’s policies. I agree with her findings. Romo’s eyes appeared glossy. To me, he appeared at least buzzed. He also didn’t do well on the tests, and in my opinion, it wasn’t particularly close. Because he refused the machine, we’ll never know exactly how drunk he was - if at all.

At the end of the day, this comes down to three points.

1. Romo had no chance of passing the field sobriety tests (Nobody does)

2. Deputy Kaur did her job

3. If you don’t drink and drive, none of this is an issue

-Written by Seattle Mike