NFL category, Page 133

Lately, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been struggling to string together wins. With only three victories in their last 10 games, two of the wins have been with Casey DeSmith in net. Tristan Jarry, meanwhile, has lost five starts in a row and six of seven, and he hasn’t beaten a...

Outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus said he’s retiring, ending a 10-year career in which he made 58 sacks. Mercilus, 31, announced his decision Wednesday via Instagram. The 2012 first-round draft pick from Illinois spent nearly his entire career with the Houston Texans before playing four regular-season games and one playoff contest...

NEW YORK — The attorneys general of six states have written to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell , expressing concern over the league’s treatment of female employees and admonishing him for a lack of improvement to the league’s workplace culture. Without improvement, the attorneys general warned of potential legal action. The...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs will never have to feel undervalued again. The fifth-round draft pick who blossomed into one of the NFL’s top playmakers after being traded by Minnesota to Buffalo two years ago agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $96 million, a person...

For Duquesne football player Roman Macek, he figured it was worth a try. What’s the worst that could happen? They laugh him out of Texas? He’d only be gone for a few days. His coaches and teammates were behind him. The flight would land early enough Saturday that he could...

HOUSTON — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson must say whether he had sex with 18 massage therapists who supported him last year following criminal complaints, a judge in Texas ruled Tuesday. USA Today reported that Watson has 30 days to comply. He previously would not address his past with the...

The New Orleans Saints added an extra first-round pick in case they want to target a quarterback in this month’s draft. The Saints acquired two first-round picks from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in a major swap of assets. The Eagles sent picks Nos. 16 and 19 and a sixth-rounder...

The NFL is opening a pathway for African players with a developmental camp in Ghana. Following a camp this past weekend with Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who is of Ghanaian descent, the league announced a three-day camp will take place in the capital of Accra in June. It will...

Former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett had been a consensus first-round pick in most mock drafts ahead of the NFL Draft that begins April 28. At least until Pro Football Focus released its latest mock draft. In the latest mock draft released Monday, Pickett isn’t even selected in the first two...

In Friday’s “First Call,” the Baltimore Ravens miss out on a star free agent signing. A Pitt basketball legend may be getting his first head coaching gig. Robert Morris’ head coach is no fan of the hype surrounding Mike Krzyzewski’s last trip to the Final Four. And we recap another...

BALTIMORE — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on Wednesday pushed back on the notion that he’s unhappy in Baltimore, tweeting that he “loves” the team and lashing out at a “false narrative” around his future. Jackson’s comments came a day after Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reiterated that the team was committed...

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York looks poised to become the next place to give a huge subsidy to a professional sports arena, despite questions about whether the civic pride of having a team justifies giving so much public money to a private business. Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a deal Monday...

The Jacksonville Jaguars have reupped their commitment to playing annually at Wembley Stadium in London. The Jaguars received formal approval Monday at the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., to move forward with a three-year contract to play at Wembley, a deal that gives the small-market franchise exclusivity at...

PALM BEACH, Fla. — The NFL is changing its sometimes-controversial overtime rules to guarantee each side gets the ball in the playoffs. Concerned that the coin toss to begin the extra period has too much impact on postseason game results, the owners voted Tuesday to permanently approve a proposal presented...

PALM BEACH, Fla. — To ensure more opportunities for diverse candidates, the NFL has added requirements on the hiring of offensive assistant coaches and women in general. The moves announced Monday at the owners meeting include adjustments to the Rooney Rule adopted in 2003 and amended frequently in attempts to...

PALM BEACH, Fla. — There’s virtually no chance NFL owners will be competing during their meetings this week with the stream of big news made by trades and in free agency thus far this year. Nor are they likely to try. The headlines generated by the movement of star players...

CLEVELAND — Deshaun Watson maintained his innocence and strongly denied committing any sexual misconduct despite allegations made by 22 women against the Cleveland Browns’ new starting quarterback. Wearing a dark pinstriped suit and orange tie at his introductory news conference on Friday, Watson showed little emotion while saying he’s done...

Friday’s “First Call” features a Pitt transfer shining in the NCAA Tournament. Deshaun Watson will not face another criminal charge. High praise for new Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky. And the Carolina Hurricanes extend their lead on the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division. Hog wild Pitt transfer Au’Diese Toney put his...