Charles White, the Heisman Trophy winner from USC and player for the Cleveland Browns and LA Rams, died this week after battling cancer alongside dementia caused by a serious brain injury sustained while playing football. Can his passing serve as a wake-up call to the NFL to be more proactive in protecting its players? There is talk of the organization looking into headgear that will provide better cranium protection, costing upwards of $5-6K per helmet. Will it be something that can be produced affordably and in large enough quantities to be made available to all tiers of players, from the pros to high school to Pop Warner?

With the NFL playoffs set for this weekend, Fred, Art, and Mark each have their predictions and opinions on viewer availability due to streaming coverage by Amazon instead of regular network television. What do fans think of their ability, or lack thereof, to watch their favorite teams duke it out for a chance at the Super Bowl? Has the NFL dropped the ball in their transition of platforms?

The Arizona Cardinals are searching for a new coach, who will have issues to face when taking on the job. QB Kyler Murray is injured and has a large guaranteed salary, even if he’s not playing. Is that causing dissension among his teammates? Will it be hard to attract a coach, given the general feeling in that locker room?

Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders was benched for the last two games and now appears to be leaving the franchise. Is it likely he’s going to be part of a trade deal, and what teams will be vying for his contract?

Email Fred, Art, and Mark with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com