No indictment for Texans QB Deshaun Watson over sex assault claimsVideo
HOUSTON — A grand jury on Friday declined to indict Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson after a police investigation sparked by lawsuits filed by 22 women who have accused him of sexual assault and harassment. The grand jury’s decision came about a year after the women first filed their suits,...
AP source: Chargers acquiring Khalil Mack from Bears for 2 picks
In Khalil Mack, The Los Angeles Chargers have found another pass-rusher to pair with Joey Bosa. The Chargers agreed to acquire the defensive end from the Chicago Bears in exchange for two draft picks, two people familiar with the negotiations confirmed to the Associated Press on Thursday. The people spoke...
Woman sues Cowboys’ Jerry Jones, says he is biological fatherVideo
DALLAS — A 25-year-old woman who grew up in North Texas is suing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, alleging he is her biological father. Alexandra Davis says in a lawsuit filed last week in Dallas County that she was conceived from a relationship Jones had with her mother, Cynthia Davis,...
Former Steelers tackle Villanueva retiring; Ravens release CB Tavon YoungVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens tackle Alejandro Villanueva is retiring. The team announced his decision Wednesday. The Ravens also announced that they re-signed defensive tackle Aaron Crawford and released cornerback Tavon Young. Villanueva played six years with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Ravens last season. The two-time Pro...
AP source: Commanders agree to acquire QB Carson Wentz from Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are moving on from Carson Wentz after one season, sending him to a team he’s familiar with from his days in the NFC East. The Colts agreed to trade Wentz to the Washington Commanders, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation. The person spoke...
Analysis: NFL’s monitoring of betting must never fall short
The NFL spends multimillion dollars protecting the integrity of the game as it relates to gambling. Those expenditures paid off in the Calvin Ridley case. The Atlanta Falcons receiver has been suspended for at least a season by Commissioner Roger Goodell for betting on NFL games. While the league has...
First Call: Aaron Rodgers says contract isn’t signed yet; Phil Kessel’s unique way to keep his consecutive games streak alive
Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers are out of the picture, the Aaron Rodgers saga isn’t officially wrapped up yet in Green Bay. A former Penn State Nittany Lion is getting a second straight franchise tag. There was a ton of NHL action in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday aside from...
Plenty of studs, paucity of duds at NFL CombineVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — If this was a farewell to Indianapolis, the return to an in-person NFL scouting combine after a year’s hiatus was a successful sendoff, complete with blazing 40-yard dashes, jaw-dropping athleticism and touching off-the-field moments. Or maybe it was a more of a strong closing argument why the ever-more-popular...
Packers give franchise tag to All-Pro receiver Davante AdamsVideo
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are putting the franchise tag on Davante Adams to prevent the two-time All-Pro receiver from becoming an unrestricted free agent. The Packers made the move Tuesday after MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers announced he is planning to return to Green Bay for an...
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh says door closed on return to NFLVideo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday that the door is closed on his potential return to the NFL. Harbaugh said he took a look at possibly coaching the Minnesota Vikings — interviewing with them last month on signing day — to find out if he wanted...
Hall of Famer, Jackson State coach Deion Sanders has 2 toes amputated after medical setbackVideo
Deion Sanders had two toes on his left foot amputated because of blood clots stemming from a previous surgery. The Jackson State coach and NFL Hall of Famer revealed the severity of his foot injury in an episode of his “Coach Prime” documentary series that will air Tuesday night on...
Dolphins place franchise tag on former Penn State tight end Mike GesickiVideo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Mike Gesicki is getting a big raise from the Miami Dolphins. What remains unclear is if he’ll be getting a longer deal. The Dolphins on Tuesday placed the franchise tag for the coming season on Gesicki, ensuring the tight end will be back for 2022 and...
AP sources: Seahawks agree to trade QB Russell Wilson to BroncosVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have finally landed a worthy successor to Peyton Manning. Six years and a day after Manning retired, Broncos general manager George Paton agreed to send a massive haul of players and draft picks to the Seattle Seahawks for nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson,...
Aaron Rodgers reportedly agrees to stay with Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers is planning to come back to the Green Bay Packers for an 18th season, a move that keeps the reigning MVP off the trade market and answers the question that had dominated NFL offseason discussions. NFL Network and Pat McAfee, the host of “The...
Falcons WR Calvin Ridley suspended for ’22 for bets on NFL games
ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley has been suspended for the 2022 season for betting on NFL games in 2021. The suspension announced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday is for activity that took place while Ridley was away from the team addressing mental health concerns. The...
Browns place franchise tag on tight end David Njoku
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have placed a franchise tag for next season on tight end David Njoku, preventing him from hitting the free agent market. Njoku was one of the few bright spots last season for the Browns, who went 8-9 and missed the playoffs amid massive expectations. The...
AP: Bills grant wide receiver Cole Beasley permission to seek tradeVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills granted veteran receiver Cole Beasley permission to seek a trade, a person familiar with the discussions confirmed to the Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills were not going to formally announce the news. NFL.com first...
Trade talk overshadows marginal class of QBs in free agency
An underwhelming free agent class for quarterbacks is overshadowed by the possibility of multiple big names changing teams, most notably Aaron Rodgers. From the potential move of Rodgers out of Green Bay to the likely departure of San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo despite the 49ers reaching another NFC championship game with...
Judge approves fix to stem race bias in NFL concussion deal
PHILADELPHIA — Black retired football players who were denied payments for dementia in the NFL’s $1 billion concussion settlement can seek to be retested or have their claims rescored to eliminate racial bias in the testing and payout formula, under a revised plan finalized Friday. Outrage over the use of...
NFL suspends all covid protocols, cites ‘encouraging trends’
The NFL suspended all aspects of its covid-19 protocols, citing recent trends showing that the spread of the coronavirus is declining. In an agreement with the players’ association, the league sent a memo to the 32 teams Thursday in which it mentioned “encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of...
First Call: Joe Manganiello narrates Sidney Crosby doc; progress on Aaron Donald contract; Tom Brady update; Gronk to Bills?
In Thursday’s “First Call,” Hollywood star Joe Manganiello channels his Western Pennsylvania roots as narrator of a new Sidney Crosby documentary. Also, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not look kindly on Tom Brady going elsewhere if he comes out of retirement. The Buffalo Bills may try to bring Rob Gronkowski...
Giants add former Pittsburgh Passion player to coaching staff
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have added a second woman to their coaching staff, and started clearing cap space for free agency by releasing veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph confirmed his release in a tweet. New coach Brian Daboll on Wednesday announced Angela Baker, a Carlynton...
U mad, bro?: Pittsburgh fans have early barbs for Penguins at trade deadline, the Pirates — even the Maulers
Two treats for this week’s “U mad, bro?” First, because of some scheduling quirks, it’s coming a day early. Second, Pittsburgh fans are so special, they have managed to work their way into complaining about a franchise that hasn’t even held its first practice, rules changes that haven’t even been...
NFL’s competition committee considers changing OT rulesVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — All the Buffalo Bills wanted in January was one more chance to beat Kansas City. Now they’re trying to make sure no NFL team begins the offseason as it did. On Tuesday, more than a month after enduring a crushing AFC divisional round loss without ever touching the...
NFL, Nielsen survey finds two-thirds of U.S. saw Super Bowl
LOS ANGELES — Approximately two-thirds of the United States watched the Super Bowl, according to a survey conducted by the National Football League and Nielsen. Nielsen reported the total audience on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and NFL digital platforms averaged 112.3 million viewers for the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 victory over...