FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 2nd, 2019

PETER KING PREDICTS CHIEFS-SAINTS SUPER BOWL IN THIS WEEK’S “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” COLUMN EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM

King Makes 2019 Season Predictions, Including Playoff Teams, Patrick Mahomes Repeating as MVP and More

“I saw both teams in August, and there’s not a lot to dislike about either team. Both are better than they were last January.” – King on Chiefs-Saints Super Bowl Matchup

“The Colts will survive the loss of Andrew Luck…The supporting cast of the 2019 Colts is top 10.” – King

King Also Talks with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Head Coach Andy Reid, Discusses Andrew Luck’s Retirement with Former NFL QB Carson Palmer, and Breaks Down the Cuts & Trades Around the League

STAMFORD, Conn. – September 2, 2019 – Peter King shares his predictions for the 2019 NFL season, including his Super Bowl LIV matchup and MVP winner in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com.

King also speaks with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid about Mahomes’ leadership, breaks down this weekend’s transactions from around the league, and chats with former Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer about Andrew Luck’s retirement.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

 

KING’S 2019 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

King: “I’m picking a Chiefs-Saints Super Bowl…I saw both teams in August, and there’s not a lot to dislike about either team. Both are better than they were last January, and neither seems to carry the weight of painful losses into this season.”

King: “My AFC picks and playoff seeds:

    1. Kansas City
    2. Pittsburgh
    3. New England
    4. Indianapolis
    5. LA Chargers
    6. Houston

 

My NFC picks and playoff seeds:

    1. New Orleans
    2. Philadelphia
    3. LA Rams
    4. Green Bay
    5. Chicago
    6. San Francisco

 

King: “The Colts will survive the loss of Andrew Luck…The supporting cast of the 2019 Colts is top 10. Add to that the fact that Jacoby Brissett has taken 95 percent of the first-team snaps since mini-camp in the spring, and he’s been in Frank Reich’s system for two offseasons now. I think he’ll surprise.”

 

KING’S 2019 AWARD PREDICTIONS

MVP: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City; 2. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia; 3. Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis.

Defensive player: Aaron Donald, DT, Rams; 2. Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans; 3. Khalil Mack, LB, Chicago.

Offensive rookie: Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland; 2. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona; 3. Jalen Hurd, WR, San Francisco.

Coach: Andy Reid, Kansas City; 2. Frank Reich, Indianapolis; 3. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco.

 

PATRICK MAHOMES

King: “Talk to those around the Chiefs, and they’ll tell you that [Patrick] Mahomes the leader, the team-influencer, has been nearly as impressive as Mahomes the player. In the long run, that stuff matters…It’s important to the ethos of a championship team. It’s just another reason I’m picking the Chiefs to win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.”

King: “The prime example of Mahomes the leader came the day after the [Kareem] Hunt news broke…The next day, a Saturday, the Chiefs had to leave for a game in Oakland…That morning, before the meeting, Mahomes asked Reid if he could talk to the players. Alone. Just the players.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on Mahomes’ speech: “That’s not just one time. That’s Patrick every day. He understands people. He’s great with every guy on the roster. He understands how teams work.”

Mahomes on his leadership and speaking to the team after the Hunt news: “When I was growing up in clubhouses with my dad and my godfather LaTroy [Hawkins], I was around some great leaders, and I saw them speak when they had to speak. Just being in the locker room here for my first year and last year, I saw the right moment to talk. You can’t fake that stuff. It has to be genuine.”

Mahomes on what he has worked on in the offseason: “That’s the biggest thing for me – just knowing when to go for the shot and when to take the first down and move the chains, that’s something I’ve really worked on.”

 

MOVEMENT WEEKEND

King on the Texans-Dolphins trade: “Houston probably overpaid for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, but not by much. I’ll vehemently disagree with those who say Houston got robbed…HOWEVER, the Texans blew the business part of it. Where Houston erred here is not even trying to get a contract extension done with Tunsil.”

King on the Jadeveon Clowney trade: “Seattle won the [Jadeveon] Clowney deal. Everyone knows that. Houston wasn’t going to pay Clowney top-of-market money, and the Texans should have been more aggressive in trying to move him before the July 15 deadline when Clowney could have signed a multi-year deal this year.”

King on Melvin Gordon: “The Chargers won’t talk contract with Melvin Gordon till after the season, if at all. After being at Chargers camp late in August, I got the distinct impression they’d be okay going with an Austin Ekeler/Justin Jackson job share in the backfield.”

King on the Bills: “I totally get the Bills going with Frank Gore over LeSean McCoy. Buffalo wanted third-round rookie Devin Singletary to take over this job sooner than later, and Gore, still going at 36, is the perfect mentor for Singletary.”

 

CARSON PALMER ON ANDREW LUCK

King: When I think of NFL comps for Andrew Luck in recent history, one is Carson Palmer. He played 14 seasons for Cincinnati, Oakland and Arizona, and in that time, he missed 38 games due to injury…So I spoke with him the other day because I wanted to hear how someone in Andrew Luck’s shoes felt.”

Palmer on Luck’s decision: “When…you’re the guy that’s taking up 22 percent of the salary cap and the guy that’s on every ad around town, all those things that come with being Andrew Luck and knowing the way he was revered by his teammates and knowing the way he loved his teammates…I think all that weighed heavy on his heart.”

Palmer on being the face of a franchise: “I remember going to rehab every day. I remember you feel guilt from your teammates. It’s hard when you’re Andrew Luck and you’re the face of the franchise. Everybody on your team looks at you in a certain light.”

Palmer on the Colts: “Andrew stepping away and walking away gives Jacoby [Brissett] and that team the best chance to move forward…Now Jacoby is free…This is completely freeing to that organization for this season.”

 

Read the rest of the column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on NBCSN’s and NBC Sports Radio’s PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

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