Mark Madden: Pro sports are driven by money, but these contracts are rife with stupidity
Money always has made sports stupid. New examples crop up every day. It took the Saudis less than two years to buy golf. Now they have their sights set on purchasing soccer. The Saudis want to lure French star Kylian Mbappe to the Saudi Pro League via a deal worth...
Mike Vrabel, Derrick Henry helped lure WR DeAndre Hopkins to TitansVideo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — DeAndre Hopkins has had a good relationship with Mike Vrabel since their Houston days, a man who was one of the first to congratulate the three-time All-Pro receiver on being traded to Arizona and also the first to call him out for not making a catch for...
Browns CB Greg Newsome II hopes number change leads to big interception numbersVideo
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Greg Newsome II is zeroed in this summer — literally. The Browns’ third-year cornerback has switched jersey numbers, shedding No. 20 for No. 0, which is how many interceptions the former first-round pick has recorded in two seasons for Cleveland. “I kind of wanted a...
Chargers, QB Justin Herbert agree to 5-year extension worth $262.5MVideo
Justin Herbert is set to become the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback by annual salary, agreeing to a five-year, $262.5 million extension with the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday. The extension came as the Chargers reported for training camp earlier in the day. Their first practice will be Wednesday. Herbert’s total value...
Cowboys, Trevon Diggs agree on $97M; guard Zack Martin becomes camp holdoutVideo
There’s a new No. 1 on the to-do list at training camp as the Dallas Cowboys once again start their pursuit of the playoff breakthrough that has eluded them for 27 years. Owner/general manager Jerry Jones and company did manage to scratch one thing off the list Tuesday. Dallas and...
Judge says she won’t change ruling letting NFL coach Flores’ racial discrimination claims proceed to trial
NEW YORK — A federal judge said Tuesday that she’s not changing her decision to let NFL Coach Brian Flores put the league and three of its teams on trial over his claims that he and other Black coaches face discrimination. Judge Valerie Caproni’s written ruling in Manhattan federal court...
Dog emergency led to ticket for going 140 mph, Vikings’ 1st-round pick Jordan Addison says
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Jordan Addison told the state trooper who clocked him going 140 mph in a 55 mph zone last week that he was speeding because of an emergency involving his dog. The Associated Press on Monday obtained an updated copy of the...
Bengals owner Mike Brown stays mum on the state of contract negotiations with QB Joe Burrow
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow reported to training camp without a long-term contract extension, and Cincinnati Bengals executives on Monday refused to discuss the state of the negotiations with the franchise quarterback. Signing the 2022 Pro Bowler and 2021 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year to an extension was a...
Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam optimistic about season, but not putting playoff pressure on team
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The pressure to win is intense and the expectations are heightened for the Cleveland Browns. Failure is not an option. They’re in win-now mode. With a talented roster and quarterback Deshaun Watson available for his first full season with the team following an 11-game NFL...
Saquon Barkley, Giants settle on 1-year deal worth up to $11 million, AP source says
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants settled on a contract for the star running back just in time for training camp, with him signing a one-year contract worth up to $11 million, a person close to the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The...
Contract disputes steal the spotlight from start of NFL training campVideo
NFL camps open this week with most of the focus on players who aren’t showing up. All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones skipped Sunday’s first workout with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs over a contract dispute. Veterans with the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are scheduled...
Bills RB Nyheim Hines will miss season after being hit by jet ski, AP source says
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills running back Nyheim Hines will miss the season after he sustained a knee injury when he was struck by a jet ski, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Monday. Hines was expected to be the Bills’ primary kick returner...
Browns QB Deshaun Watson ‘in a different space’ after suspension-shaped 1st season in Cleveland
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — There’s a noticeable difference in Deshaun Watson, a switch in his demeanor, his actions and words. This summer, football, the game that kept him on course while growing up in rural Georgia, is again at the forefront for the Cleveland Browns quarterback, who believes he’s...
Showdowns between young Jets Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner highlight campVideo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Garrett Wilson sprinted down the field as Aaron Rodgers launched a deep pass, looking for a big gain. Sauce Gardner, step for step with his New York Jets teammate, stuck out his left arm just as the ball arrived and deftly knocked it away. Advantage: Gardner....
Browns’ Nick Chubb among RBs who discuss devalued position on Zoom call
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Nick Chubb established himself long ago as a special player, a stunning mix of speed, power and precision. A threat to score for the Browns every time he touches the football. These days, Chubb is even more unusual among his peers. He’s well paid. With...
Jets fans flock to training camp to get 1st look at Aaron RodgersVideo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The loud “Aaron! Rodgers!” chants started almost as soon as the New York Jets quarterback stepped on the practice field. The cheers turned near deafening Saturday when Rodgers acknowledged the fans with a quick wave. “That’s my QB! Let’s go!” someone shouted. “Surreal!” said another. The...
Browns open training camp in West Virginia’s scenic mountains, begin climb toward 2023 seasonVideo
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — With the lush, green Allegheny Mountains providing a picturesque backdrop, the Cleveland Browns began preparing for an upcoming season they hope doesn’t go downhill. Looking to avoid outside distractions and perhaps forge better chemistry among players, the team opened training camp Saturday at The Greenbrier...
Column: Party on, Commanders fans! Dan Snyder’s departure is biggest win in 31 yearsVideo
Football fans in the nation’s capital are enjoying their biggest victory since Joe Gibbs’ Hogs won their third Super Bowl 31 years ago. It may take a while before Washington celebrates similar on-field success. Getting rid of owner Dan Snyder is the first step toward rebuilding a once-proud franchise, but...
Jets would be ‘shocked’ if Aaron Rodgers’ stint in New York isn’t multiple seasons
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Rodgers might be sticking around with the New York Jets a bit longer than many first thought. The 39-year-old quarterback has not committed to playing football beyond this season, but he has strongly hinted several times his first year with the Jets won’t be his...
Jaguars associate strength coach Kevin Maxen comes out as gay, a 1st for U.S.-based pro leagues
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Kevin Maxen, an associate strength coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars, has become the first male coach in a major U.S.-based professional league to come out as gay. Maxen spoke about his sexual orientation in an interview published Thursday by Outsports. “I don’t want to feel like I...
NFL owners unanimously approve the $6.05B sale of the Commanders from Dan Snyder to Harris groupVideo
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Washington Commanders on Thursday from Dan Snyder to a group led by Josh Harris and including Magic Johnson for a record $6.05 billion. All 32 team owners voted for the sale, which is the highest price paid for a...
Vikings rookie WR Jordan Addison, former Pitt star, cited for driving 140 mph in Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Jordan Addison was cited early Thursday for speeding and reckless driving, after a state trooper clocked him at 140 mph in his sports car in a 55 mph zone. The Minnesota State Patrol said Addison was pulled over without resistance in a Lamborghini Urus at...
Giants’ Saquon Barkley considering holdout after failing to get new dealVideo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A frustrated Saquon Barkley considered sitting out the 2023 season among his options if the star running back couldn’t get a new contract from the New York Giants. In an interview on a podcast released Monday, Barkley discussed the negotiations leading up to Monday’s deadline for...
Big expectations, lots of attention greet Jets, Aaron RodgersVideo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — It all now seems officially real for the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers strolled into the team’s facility Wednesday with the rest of his raring-to-go teammates — veterans and rookies — and reported for training camp for the first time with the franchise that made the...
Simple assault case for Pitt, Titans LB Rashad Weaver is closed
PITTSBURGH — The misdemeanor simple-assault case against Tennessee Titans linebacker and Pitt product Rashad Weaver is closed. Weaver was charged in 2021 in a South Side incident that occurred days before the Titans drafted him with a fourth-round pick, with the complaint filed a day before his selection. The charge...
