Washington coach Ron Rivera wins George Halas Award
Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera, who had cancer and made a full recovery, was selected as the 2022 George Halas Award recipient by the Professional Football Writers of America. The Halas Award is given to an NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes adversity to succeed. The award is...
Dan Ventrelle out as Raiders president after raising issues
Las Vegas Raiders president Dan Ventrelle has left the organization less than a year after taking over the job. Owner Mark Davis announced in a statement Friday that Ventrelle “is no longer with the Raiders organization” but divulged no details around the decision. Ventrelle said in a statement to the...
Paul Newberry: Spring football’s time has come … and goneVideo
Pro football in the springtime. An idea that once had so much promise. Now, no matter how many of these leagues keep popping up, there’s little chance of carving out even a tiny niche on the American sports scene. Give it up, USFL. Ditto for you, XFL. This isn’t the...
Tampa Bay, Seattle to meet in 1st NFL game in GermanyVideo
LONDON — The first regular-season NFL game in Germany will be between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks at the home of soccer club Bayern Munich. The game will take place at the Allianz Arena on Nov. 13, the NFL said Wednesday. Frankfurt will also be staging a...
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill: Divisional loss left ‘deep scar’Video
Sleepless nights. Rewinding the loss in his mind over and over again. Therapy sessions as well. And weeks and weeks of time. Ryan Tannehill has lost big games before. Losing as the AFC’s No. 1 seed with the Titans quarterback throwing three interceptions — the last with 20 seconds left...
Saints agree with Tyrann Mathieu on 3-year, $33M deal
The New Orleans Saints and Tyrann Mathieu have agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract, reuniting the All-Pro safety with his hometown team, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person confirmed the contract, first reported by ESPN.com, on condition of anonymity because it...
First Asian American among NFL’s 10 new on-field officials
NEW YORK — The NFL has hired 10 new on-field officials, including the first Asian American to officiate in the league and a former player. Lo van Pham joins the NFL from the Big 12 Conference. He was born in Vietnam and after a stop in the Philippines, moved to...
NFL clears Browns after former coach Hue Jackson said team tanked games
CLEVELAND — The NFL handed former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson another loss. The league announced Monday that it found “no evidence” the Browns purposely lost games or incentivized personnel to do so after Jackson alleged in February the team tried to lose during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The...
Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins suspended 6 games for violating PED policy
Arizona Cardinals three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been suspended without pay for six games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. The league announced the suspension on Monday. It’s a stunning blow for the Cardinals, who finished with an 11-6 record last season but faded down the stretch...
Flores lawyer: Unconscionable for Goodell to arbitrate suit
NEW YORK — A lawyer for a Black NFL coach who sued the league alleging racist hiring practices told a judge Monday that arbitration is the wrong way to resolve the lawsuit in part because NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would be the arbitrator and that would be “unconscionable.” Attorney Douglas...
Pitt tight end Lucas Krull signs with Saints
Lucas Krull entered Pitt’s Pro Day with something to prove. He did that, but the most important proving ground for Pitt’s former tight end will be in New Orleans. The former Pitt tight end signed a free-agent contract with the Saints after the draft. While scouts from 31 NFL teams...
Packers draft Penn State left tackle Rasheed Walker in 7th round
Considering his size, strength, footspeed and experience in a Power 5 program, it was only a matter of time until Penn State offensive left tackle Rasheed Walker was drafted. Walker, 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, was finally chosen by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday in the seventh round (249th overall). At...
Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields goes to the 49ers in 6th round
When the San Francisco 49ers drafted former Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields with last pick (221st overall) in the sixth round, they added a defender with the requisite experience in big games against quality opponents. Castro-Fields (6-foo-1, 197 pounds) played at Penn State from 2017-21, appearing in 52 games with...
Panthers choose Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith in 4th round
Brandon Smith, who was part of Penn State’s linebacker rotation for three seasons, was drafted in the fourth round Saturday (120th overall) by the Carolina Panthers. Smith (6-foot-3, 241 pounds) was one of 19 Penn State first-year freshmen to appear in a game in 2019, launching a career that included...
Damarri Mathis keeps up Pitt cornerback/safety tradition, goes to Broncos in 4th round
Until Pat Narduzzi started recruiting cornerbacks who could learn to cover wide receivers without safety help, the NFL largely ignored Pitt’s defensive backs. For eight consecutive drafts from 2010-17, no Pitt defensive back heard his name called. Then, the doors leading from Pitt’s workout facility sprung open and six defensive...
Everything goes but QBs so far in Round 2 of NFL DraftVideo
LAS VEGAS — Both players of the year from the Big 12, a standout receiver from an FCS powerhouse and more trades marked yet another dizzy and busy round at the NFL Draft. Quarterbacks in the second round Friday? Not yet — the first time since 2000 only one QB,...
Shady Side Academy grad Skyy Moore goes to Kansas City Chiefs in 2nd round
Free of the hold placed upon him by the covid-19 pandemic, Skyy Moore put on a show for Western Michigan fans, NFL scouts and — though they didn’t appreciate it — Pitt’s defensive players on his way to hearing his name called by the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night...
Bears select former Gateway, Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker
Former Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker, who was named an All-American safety on the junior college and Power 5 levels after a decorated career at Gateway, started a new journey Friday night when he was drafted in the second round (48th overall) by the Chicago Bears. Brisker is the fifth...
Falcons choose Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie in 2nd round
Arnold Ebiketie transferred from Temple to Penn State last year for the purpose of showing the NFL he could handle Power 5 blockers. The league’s talent evaluators paid attention, and Ebiketie, a defensive end, was chosen Friday night in the second round of the NFL Draft (38th overall) by the...
Commanders pick Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson in 1st round, 16th overall
The Washington Commanders took a long look at former Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson and were not bothered by his relatively slight 5-foot-11, 184-pound frame. So much so that the Commanders made Dotson a first-round choice Friday (No. 16 overall). “I’m a big fan of Jahan Dotson. I think...
Jags take ‘athletic freak’ Travon Walker with top pick in NFL draft
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Placing more emphasis on pro potential than college production, the Jacksonville Jaguars chose Georgia pass rusher Travon Walker with the top pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night. The Jaguars took the 6-foot-5, 272-pound “athletic freak” over Michigan star Aidan Hutchinson, who set a school record...
NFL draft class faced major challenges in covid-19 battles
INDIANAPOLIS — This year’s NFL draft prospects reluctantly recall their personal covid-19 experiences. Some consider them inspirational reminders of obstacles already overcame. Others sound more reminiscent of old war stories. And while the stories change, each comes with unforgettably vivid detail and heartfelt emotion about a challenging two-year battle to...
From Gateway water boy to Penn State star, Jaquan Brisker ready for the NFL
Sometimes, Jaquan Brisker inserted himself into practice drills at Gateway High School, inching as close to the varsity football team — and his brothers — as a 12-year-old boy could get. Other times, he was quick to provide relief, producing a cold drink of water for the tired and thirsty...
1st NIL draft class could have long-lasting impact on NFL
INDIANAPOLIS — Desmond Ridder spent the days leading up to last year’s NFL draft preparing for his final college season and awaiting the birth of his first child. The veteran quarterback returned to campus hoping to improve his draft stock, increase his potential future earnings and lead Cincinnati to the...
Virginia AG launches investigation into NFL’s CommandersVideo
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s attorney general has launched an inquiry into the Washington Commanders following allegations of financial improprieties raised by a congressional committee. Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, disclosed his office’s investigation in a letter to a team lawyer on Monday, saying he viewed it as his “responsibility...
