Ollie Connolly
@ollieconnolly.bsky.social
Newsletter-er: readoptional.substack.com | Writer: The Guardian | 🎙️ NFL Daily | Previously: NFL/CFB Scout; recruiting analyst
Pinned
Ollie Connolly
@ollieconnolly.bsky.social
· Dec 12
Why Bill Belichick is heading to college — and what comes next
It started with a book club and ended with the greatest to ever do agreeing to an unprecedented move
www.readoptional.com
I wrote about Bill Belichick at North Carolina — a real sentence I just typed without blacking out.
Making the jump to college started with a book club, and ended with an unprecedented decision. On the why, how and what comes next.
www.readoptional.com/p/why-bill-b...
Making the jump to college started with a book club, and ended with an unprecedented decision. On the why, how and what comes next.
www.readoptional.com/p/why-bill-b...
Myles Garrett is going to win DPOTY and break the all-time single-season sack record on a team with a barely functional offense for most of the season. Incredible.
November 24, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Myles Garrett is going to win DPOTY and break the all-time single-season sack record on a team with a barely functional offense for most of the season. Incredible.
It is genuinely hilarious that Tom Brady spearheaded every decision that has made the Raiders the most directionless and unwatchable franchise in the league, and he's just sat in Dallas calling the game of the most well-run team in the league
November 23, 2025 at 11:43 PM
It is genuinely hilarious that Tom Brady spearheaded every decision that has made the Raiders the most directionless and unwatchable franchise in the league, and he's just sat in Dallas calling the game of the most well-run team in the league
Please take this to discovery.
"Today, we're going to find out what this sound is..."
*JORDON THROWING HER PHONE IN BATTERY ACID*
"Today, we're going to find out what this sound is..."
*JORDON THROWING HER PHONE IN BATTERY ACID*
November 23, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Please take this to discovery.
"Today, we're going to find out what this sound is..."
*JORDON THROWING HER PHONE IN BATTERY ACID*
"Today, we're going to find out what this sound is..."
*JORDON THROWING HER PHONE IN BATTERY ACID*
Felt like the Colts got tight and gagged away a winnable one against the Chiefs. Good win for KC, but still concerning stuff going on with the offense under the hood. A lack of man-beaters. No UC run game. No intermediate passing game. Mahomes Man vs Zone splits remain stark:
November 23, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Felt like the Colts got tight and gagged away a winnable one against the Chiefs. Good win for KC, but still concerning stuff going on with the offense under the hood. A lack of man-beaters. No UC run game. No intermediate passing game. Mahomes Man vs Zone splits remain stark:
McCarthy is up to a 48% pressure rate. Five sacks. Two picks. 87 passing yards on 19 attempts. A -0.58 EPA PER PLAY. This just isn't professional quarterback play. You cannot continue to roll with this without losing a locker room
November 23, 2025 at 8:40 PM
McCarthy is up to a 48% pressure rate. Five sacks. Two picks. 87 passing yards on 19 attempts. A -0.58 EPA PER PLAY. This just isn't professional quarterback play. You cannot continue to roll with this without losing a locker room
Other than organizational embarrassment, there is no reason the Vikings shouldn't throw Max Brosmer out there. The staff loves him. He can run the operation. He will get the ball out on time. If he's a mess, go back to McCarthy
November 23, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Other than organizational embarrassment, there is no reason the Vikings shouldn't throw Max Brosmer out there. The staff loves him. He can run the operation. He will get the ball out on time. If he's a mess, go back to McCarthy
JJ McCarthy is being pressured on 47.4% of his dropbacks, and a bunch have been on his refusal to get rid of the ball. He has the internal clock of a sundial.
(KOC is one of the best, but I still don't think the offensive design/strategy is helping *this* quarterback)
(KOC is one of the best, but I still don't think the offensive design/strategy is helping *this* quarterback)
November 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
JJ McCarthy is being pressured on 47.4% of his dropbacks, and a bunch have been on his refusal to get rid of the ball. He has the internal clock of a sundial.
(KOC is one of the best, but I still don't think the offensive design/strategy is helping *this* quarterback)
(KOC is one of the best, but I still don't think the offensive design/strategy is helping *this* quarterback)
Micah Parsons is up to two sacks and three pressures. His average time to pressure: 1.9 seconds, per Next Gen Stats. And he's been doubled on only 18% of his rushes. Not a winning business model
November 23, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Micah Parsons is up to two sacks and three pressures. His average time to pressure: 1.9 seconds, per Next Gen Stats. And he's been doubled on only 18% of his rushes. Not a winning business model
Shades of the 2022 championship matchup between Lou Anarumo and Mahomes on a key third down: drop-eight with Odd Mirror -- a flush rush that pushes Mahomes into the waiting arms of a spy. That's the good stuff
November 23, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Shades of the 2022 championship matchup between Lou Anarumo and Mahomes on a key third down: drop-eight with Odd Mirror -- a flush rush that pushes Mahomes into the waiting arms of a spy. That's the good stuff
Reposted by Ollie Connolly
Excited to announce a major free agent pickup: one of the best minds in the game @ollieconnolly.bsky.social will be joining NFL Daily once a week!
Started by looking at one thing that could stop each of the NFC contenders
🎧: landing.podtrac.com/nfldaily
📺: youtu.be/aT_lPa93_Bk?...
Started by looking at one thing that could stop each of the NFC contenders
🎧: landing.podtrac.com/nfldaily
📺: youtu.be/aT_lPa93_Bk?...
November 22, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Excited to announce a major free agent pickup: one of the best minds in the game @ollieconnolly.bsky.social will be joining NFL Daily once a week!
Started by looking at one thing that could stop each of the NFC contenders
🎧: landing.podtrac.com/nfldaily
📺: youtu.be/aT_lPa93_Bk?...
Started by looking at one thing that could stop each of the NFC contenders
🎧: landing.podtrac.com/nfldaily
📺: youtu.be/aT_lPa93_Bk?...
Hey! This is me! Excited to be joining G-Regg and NFL Daily. Go listen and subscribe. It's going to be fun
Excited to announce a major free agent pickup: one of the best minds in the game @ollieconnolly.bsky.social will be joining NFL Daily once a week!
Started by looking at one thing that could stop each of the NFC contenders
🎧: landing.podtrac.com/nfldaily
📺: youtu.be/aT_lPa93_Bk?...
Started by looking at one thing that could stop each of the NFC contenders
🎧: landing.podtrac.com/nfldaily
📺: youtu.be/aT_lPa93_Bk?...
November 22, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Hey! This is me! Excited to be joining G-Regg and NFL Daily. Go listen and subscribe. It's going to be fun
JJ McCarthy: Good GAWD. He's effectively Tebow at this point.
November 16, 2025 at 9:05 PM
JJ McCarthy: Good GAWD. He's effectively Tebow at this point.
Reposted by Ollie Connolly
From last year: why teams are upping their use of extra linemen and heavy personnel groupings. Alec Anderson walked so everyone can run (and hit chunky play-action shots)
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
The Bills are getting heavy — and crushing people
Joe Brady has built the league's most idiosyncratic offense by consistently putting an extra lineman on the field
www.readoptional.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:03 PM
From last year: why teams are upping their use of extra linemen and heavy personnel groupings. Alec Anderson walked so everyone can run (and hit chunky play-action shots)
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
From last year: why teams are upping their use of extra linemen and heavy personnel groupings. Alec Anderson walked so everyone can run (and hit chunky play-action shots)
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
The Bills are getting heavy — and crushing people
Joe Brady has built the league's most idiosyncratic offense by consistently putting an extra lineman on the field
www.readoptional.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:03 PM
From last year: why teams are upping their use of extra linemen and heavy personnel groupings. Alec Anderson walked so everyone can run (and hit chunky play-action shots)
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-bills-...
Reposted by Ollie Connolly
New pod! Previewing week 6 with @ollieconnolly.bsky.social
🎧: apple.co/3VX0Tfe
📺: youtu.be/y3GV4S_hJgQ?...
🎧: apple.co/3VX0Tfe
📺: youtu.be/y3GV4S_hJgQ?...
October 9, 2025 at 1:12 PM
New pod! Previewing week 6 with @ollieconnolly.bsky.social
🎧: apple.co/3VX0Tfe
📺: youtu.be/y3GV4S_hJgQ?...
🎧: apple.co/3VX0Tfe
📺: youtu.be/y3GV4S_hJgQ?...
Per sources: Bill Belichick has discussed buyout options with North Carolina’s hierarchy. Belichick has signaled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media
October 8, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Per sources: Bill Belichick has discussed buyout options with North Carolina’s hierarchy. Belichick has signaled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media
Reposted by Ollie Connolly
Not sure there is a single (non-superstar) as important to the structure and success of his team's defense than Indy's Nick Cross
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
The Adjustment Bureau: Is Lou Anarumo back?
Checking in on the Lou-issance in Indianapolis
www.readoptional.com
October 7, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Not sure there is a single (non-superstar) as important to the structure and success of his team's defense than Indy's Nick Cross
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
Not sure there is a single (non-superstar) as important to the structure and success of his team's defense than Indy's Nick Cross
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
The Adjustment Bureau: Is Lou Anarumo back?
Checking in on the Lou-issance in Indianapolis
www.readoptional.com
October 7, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Not sure there is a single (non-superstar) as important to the structure and success of his team's defense than Indy's Nick Cross
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
Reposted by Ollie Connolly
Monster Week 5 recap with QB Island looming
- Darnold and Baker’s Duel
- Daniel Jones’ 40-burger
- Drake Maye’s showcase
- A regime-changing L
With @willgav.bsky.social and @ollieconnolly.bsky.social from London:
🎧: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
📺: youtu.be/_nBSKULr9xo?...
- Darnold and Baker’s Duel
- Daniel Jones’ 40-burger
- Drake Maye’s showcase
- A regime-changing L
With @willgav.bsky.social and @ollieconnolly.bsky.social from London:
🎧: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
📺: youtu.be/_nBSKULr9xo?...
October 6, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Monster Week 5 recap with QB Island looming
- Darnold and Baker’s Duel
- Daniel Jones’ 40-burger
- Drake Maye’s showcase
- A regime-changing L
With @willgav.bsky.social and @ollieconnolly.bsky.social from London:
🎧: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
📺: youtu.be/_nBSKULr9xo?...
- Darnold and Baker’s Duel
- Daniel Jones’ 40-burger
- Drake Maye’s showcase
- A regime-changing L
With @willgav.bsky.social and @ollieconnolly.bsky.social from London:
🎧: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
📺: youtu.be/_nBSKULr9xo?...
This is bleak, bleak, bleak stuff for the Ravens. No pass-rush, limited in coverage without Hamilton.
October 5, 2025 at 6:19 PM
This is bleak, bleak, bleak stuff for the Ravens. No pass-rush, limited in coverage without Hamilton.
Bryce Young is going to get benched before the half here
October 5, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Bryce Young is going to get benched before the half here
You knew North Carolina was fucked when Lombardi was sending desperation emails to boosters talking about a multi-year rebuild with a 73-year-old coach and openly admitting they stink
October 4, 2025 at 6:05 PM
You knew North Carolina was fucked when Lombardi was sending desperation emails to boosters talking about a multi-year rebuild with a 73-year-old coach and openly admitting they stink
This is as embarrassing as it gets for Belichick. But it's also a damning (and funny) indictment of Mike Lombardi. It's his roster -- and UNC looks like a bad FCS school compared to any FBS school
October 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This is as embarrassing as it gets for Belichick. But it's also a damning (and funny) indictment of Mike Lombardi. It's his roster -- and UNC looks like a bad FCS school compared to any FBS school
I wrote about the Lou-issance in Indianapolis. Is it real or a mirage?
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
The Adjustment Bureau: Is Lou Anarumo back?
Checking in on the Lou-issance in Indianapolis
www.readoptional.com
October 3, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I wrote about the Lou-issance in Indianapolis. Is it real or a mirage?
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...
www.readoptional.com/p/the-adjust...