NFL

John Moffitt was an offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks for two seasons, and then got traded to another powerhouse team, the Denver Broncos. Those two teams are playing in Super Bowl XLVIII, but Moffitt won't be on the field; he quit midway through this season. Moffitt joins NPR's Rachel Martin to talk about his decision to walk away from football.

This Sunday's Super Bowl features the team with the No. 1 defense — the Seattle Seahawks — against the team with the No. 1 offense, the Denver Broncos. That is surprisingly rare, and has happened just a few times in the 48 Super Bowls to date.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently toyed with the idea of getting rid of the extra point — the post-touchdown, 1-point kick that's successful 99.5 percent of the time.

A $765 million NFL concussion settlement between the league and former players was blocked by a federal judge on Tuesday. Host Michel Martin speaks with NPR's Mike Pesca about the latest news and where the high-profile lawsuit goes from here.

The punter says his outspoken support of same-sex marriage got him fired, but adds that he has no regrets. He tells NPR's Michel Martin: "If you're not willing to speak out for the rights of other people, then who do you expect to speak out for you when it's your turn?"

Monday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Detroit Lions came down to the kicker. NPR's Rachel Martin and sports reporter Mike Pesca discuss the role of the NFL kicker and whether that job is getting more respect from fans and players.

During Seattle's 34-7 win over New Orleans, the home team's fans went wild. They stomped so hard that a nearby seismometer's needle moved. Meanwhile, the noise at CenturyLink Field was louder than a jet engine.

Residents say the phrase "Who Dat" is part and parcel of New Orleans culture. The chant opens Saints football games, and "Who Dat" can now be found on T-shirts and storefronts throughout the city. But a Texas company says it owns the ubiquitous phrase — and recently filed a lawsuit to stake its claim.

Sports marketing and management firm Fantex has reached a deal with San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis for an initial public stock offering. Fantex is paying Davis $4 million for the rights to 10 percent of his earnings, and the company is also creating a tracking stock linked specifically to the football player's economic performance. Davis is the second player to try this arrangement with Fantex. Sportswriter Fatsis joins Robert Siegel to explain how this is all supposed to work — and why he's dubious.

It's been a week since the documentary League of Denial and the book by the same name revealed how the NFL denied and tried to cover up evidence connecting football and brain damage. As the news about concussions mounts, and the NFL faces the issue, this country's love of football may be challenged.