Richard Dent sees similarities between current Bears, 1985 championsVideo
ROSEMONT, Ill. — To Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent, the Chicago Bears sure have the look of a champion. Dent sees striking similarities between the current team and the 1985 shufflin’ crew that brought home the founding NFL franchise’s lone Super Bowl championship. That team dominated like no...
Like the NFL, its uniforms have evolved over 100 years
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tex Schramm often called Gil Brandt into his office to look at the fabric swatches draped all over his furniture, wanting another opinion on the right jersey and pants combination for the Dallas Cowboys. He hit on a winning combination. Decades later, Cowboys jerseys remain among the...
Chase Winovich keeping low profile in early workouts with Patriots
While he was in college at Michigan, Chase Winovich was known for his wild hair and his controversial comments. Now that he is employed by the New England Patriots, the Thomas Jefferson graduate has toned down half of his act. Winovich’s hair remains long, but he’s kept his comments generic...
Tom Brady setting his own pace for 20th season with PatriotsVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Entering his 20th year in the NFL, Tom Brady probably has seen everything and tried everything to prepare himself for the rigors of the next season. Perhaps that’s why nobody connected with the New England Patriots has been terribly alarmed that their veteran quarterback has skipped voluntary...
First Call: Could Clint Frazier-to-Pirates talk heat back up?; analyst picks Bills over Patriots
Thursday’s “First Call” includes a Penn State alum making a crazy NFL pick. A Penn State commit staying true to State College. And a reason why the Yankees may be shopping Clint Frazier to the Pirates again. Say what?! NFL Network analyst — and Penn State product — Michael Robinson...
Podcast part 4: Going one-on-one with Mike Ditka
What is Mike Ditka’s favorite thing to do when he returns to the Pittsburgh area? What is his favorite type of cigar? Gus Frerotte and Dave Hager go one-on-one with the former Pitt All-American and Pro Football Hall of Famer in the final segment of this week’s “Huddle Up with...
Cops: Women vanished with Le’Veon Bell’s jewelry worth $500KVideo
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Authorities say two female acquaintances vanished with more than half a million dollars in jewelry from star running back Le’Veon Bell’s Florida home. Hollywood police said Bell returned from the gym May 25 and found the women gone and his jewelry missing. The police report obtained by...
First Call: Browns drama starts to emerge; bunt breaks up no-hitter
In “First Call” Wednesday, the Browns are dealing with some drama of their own. Arizona is still mad about Super Bowl XLIII. And a team broke up a no-hitter with a bunt. Browns drama The Steelers have had their share of drama in recent years while attempting to win the...
Podcast part 3: Mike Ditka talks coaching 1980s Chicago Bears
The 1985 Chicago Bears offense couldn’t help but be good, having practiced daily against one of the NFL’s all-time great defenses, Mike Ditka said. “If we didn’t defense ourselves, we were going to get killed,” Ditka told Gus Frerotte in the third part of this week’s “Huddle Up with Gus”...
Aaron Rodgers, Packers looking to find options in passing gameVideo
GREEN BAY, Wis. — For most of his career, Aaron Rodgers has had plenty of good options at receiver. However, after going from Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson at the start of his tenure as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback to Nelson, Randall Cobb and...
Raiders look to change story on defense after 2018 strugglesVideo
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The story line around the Oakland Raiders last season was a consistent and frustrating one. After trading away star pass-rusher Khalil Mack following a contract holdout, the Raiders never were able to fill that void on defense and were the worst in the league when it came...
Le’Veon Bell talks trash, hits the practice field for Jets
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Le’Veon Bell couldn’t control himself. Well, mostly his mouth. The New York Jets running back was back on a practice field for the first time in 17 months and was downright giddy. And he let his new teammates on defense know all about it. “It...
Giants safety Jabrill Peppers ready for homecoming
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Giants safety Jabrill Peppers has enjoyed beginning minicamp with his new team. “It’s been tremendous,” said Peppers, who was traded to the Giants as part of the Odell Beckham, Jr. deal in March. “I definitely feel fortunate. It’s definitely exciting to be here. I spent some...
Podcast: Mike Ditka recalls days at Pitt, getting drafted into NFL
Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s first professional football contract was for … $12,000. “I was the (fifth) player picked in the draft — $12,000 with a $6,000 signing bonus,” Ditka told Gus Frerotte during the second part of this week’s “Huddle Up with Gus” podcast. Ditka recalls...
Calvin Johnson to Lions: ‘Put that money back in my pocket’Video
Calvin Johnson has kept his distance from the Detroit Lions since his abrupt retirement after the 2015 season, which is a less-than-ideal situation for a sad-sack franchise that has had so few recent megastars apart from Barry Sanders. And with Johnson’s first crack at the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
Odell Beckham Jr. reports to Browns, after skipping workouts
BEREA, Ohio — Odell Beckham Jr. reported for the Cleveland Browns’ mandatory minicamp and will practice Tuesday after missing most of the team’s voluntary workouts. The star wide receiver has been training in California and missed nine of 10 practices. But he will take part in the Browns’ three-day minicamp,...
Source: Gerald McCoy snubs Ravens, Browns, agrees to join PanthersVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Panthers agreed to terms with six-time Pro Bowl free agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy on a one-year contract worth up to $10.25 million with incentives, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press on Monday. McCoy, who was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
Roger Goodell reiterates desire to shorten 4-game NFL preseason
BATAVIA, N.Y. — Four preseason games remain too much for Roger Goodell. The NFL commissioner Monday reiterated his stance of wanting to reduce the preseason schedule at a time the league and players’ association have begun preliminary talks on a new collective bargaining agreement. “I feel what we should be...
Terrelle Pryor signs with Jacksonville Jaguars
Jeannette’s Terrelle Pryor will head to camp with another new team, his ninth in eight years in the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed the veteran quarterback-turned-wide receiver to a one-year contract. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Pryor spent last season with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills during what has been...
Rob Gronkowski puts football return rumors to rest
Rob Gronkowski says he’s in a good place and isn’t planning to return to football. The former New England Patriots tight end, who played just his senior year of high school football at Woodland Hills, took part in a children with cancer event at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on...
Podcast: Mike Ditka recalls growing up in Aliquippa, his drive to succeed
Mike Ditka, the former Pitt All-American and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, grew up wanting to be a dentist. “That didn’t work out, you can tell,” he told Gus Frerotte in the first part of this week’s “Huddle Up with Gus” podcast. Ditka tells the story of...
NFL stadiums come long way from Lambeau Field
Next summer, the Raiders are slated to relocate to Las Vegas and begin playing in a sleek $1.8 billion dome with a transparent roof, a black glass exterior to match their boldest uniform color and retractable doors to frame an 80-foot-tall by 215-foot wide view of the casinos on the...
Chris Harris Jr. returns to Broncos, ready to prove worth at $12M/yearVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Chris Harris Jr. finally feels appreciated — financially. “Oh yeah, definitely more satisfied for what I do on the field. I definitely get more respect around the league for what I’ve done and I mean, that’s what it’s about,” Harris said Wednesday following his first workout with...
Browns star WR Odell Beckham Jr. gets custom orange Rolls RoyceVideo
CLEVELAND — Odell Beckham Jr. has a new team and a new ride. The star wide receiver purchased a tricked-out, orange Rolls Royce complete with a pop-up hood ornament that features a miniaturized model of him in a Browns uniform making one of the one-handed catches he became known for...
Jon Gruden challenges Antonio Brown during Raiders offseasonVideo
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Antonio Brown’s credentials were well established long before he arrived as the Oakland Raiders’ new No. 1 receiver. Brown posted six straight 100-catch seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and was the NFL’s most prolific receiver before he forced his way out of town...
