March 26, 2020 3:48 am
The NHL has announced that it is postponing the scouting combine, the league awards ceremony and the draft due to the ongoing uncertainly resulting from the coronavirus. All three events were scheduled to be held in June, an impossibility if the league resumes its regular season and holds a full playoff schedule. The NHL added that the draft and draft lottery will be announced when plans are finalized.
March 26, 2020 3:45 am
UNDATED (AP) – Mookie Betts and all the players set to be free agents after the 2020 season would still get that chance if there is no baseball this year. That’s part of a broad deal being negotiated by the commissioner’s office and the players’ association. A person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press the agreement would credit major leaguers with the same service time this year that they earned in 2019 if there’s no season because of the new coronavirus. Major League Baseball and the union would agree to try to play as many regular season games as possible, the person said. They also would agree to explore one-time changes to the postseason, which would create the possibility of expanded playoffs this year.
March 25, 2020 3:39 am
The NHL is extending its recommendation for players and staff to self-isolate and stay away from team practice facilities until at least April 6. Multiple people with knowledge of the update say the NHL has recommended players and staff extend their self-quarantine 10 days beyond the original March 27 timeline. The decision further pushes back the earliest date team facilities can reopen.
March 24, 2020 3:41 am
UNDATED (AP) – The New England Patriots have dropped their longtime kicker and picked up a quarterback. The Patriots said goodbye to another longtime staple of their two-decade run of championships, releasing kicker and franchise leading scorer Stephen Gostkowski. The three-time Super Bowl champion has spent his entire 14-year career in New England. Gostkowski has long passed Adam Vinatieri as the Patriots’ leading scorer with 1,775 points. The 36-year-old Gostkowski started the first four games of 2019 but struggled, missing a career-high four extra points after not missing more than three in any of his previous 13 NFL seasons. He was placed on injured reserve in October and underwent season-ending hip surgery. Brian Hoyer is now in the running to become Tom Brady’s replacement after accepting a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. The 34-year-old twice served as Brady’s backup and will compete with Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler for the starting job. Hoyer played four games and had one start with Indianapolis last season, completing 54% of his passes for 372 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.
March 21, 2020 4:05 am
UNDATED (AP) – The head of USA Swimming is calling for a postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. CEO Tim Hinchey has sent a letter to leadership at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee urging it to push for a 12-month delay. In his letter, Hinchey noted the unimaginable disruptions athletes have experienced during the coronavirus crisis. The committee didn’t immediately respond to the letter. But earlier Friday, its leaders said there was no rush to postpone the Olympics.
March 20, 2020 10:12 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 42-year-old quarterback who spent the first 20 years of his career with the New England Patriots announced he’s “starting a new football journey” in an Instagram post and thanked the Bucs for the opportunity. The deal is worth $30 million per season. The signing comes three days after Brady announced on social media that he would not return to New England, ending his historic run with the Patriots.
March 20, 2020 3:48 am
BOSTON (AP) – The Red Sox announced Thursday that left-hander Chris Sale would have Tommy John surgery. The operation would keep him out the entire 2020 baseball season if and when it resumes after the coronavirus pandemic. Other MLB teams will also take advantage of the downtime to treat players.San Francisco Giants right-hander Tyler Beede will undergo Tommy John elbow surgery. And Houston’s Justin Verlander underwent groin surgery.
March 19, 2020 3:41 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers turned the opening day of free agency into a family reunion for the Watt family. The team agreed to terms fullback Derek Watt on a three-year contract worth $9.75 million, luring him from the Los Angeles Chargers to Pittsburgh to join All-Pro younger brother T.J. Watt. T.J. Watt recorded 14 1/2 sacks from his spot at outside linebacker in 2019. Derek Watt said the opportunity to play with T.J. was too good of an opportunity to pass up. The Steelers also tendered offers to offensive lineman Matt Feiler and cornerback Mike Hilton. Both players are restricted free agents.
March 18, 2020 3:48 am
UNDATED (AP) – Tom Brady says he’s thrown his final pass for the New England Patriots, and it appears he could be headed to Florida. The 42-year-old quarterback has posted on social media “my football journey will take place elsewhere.” The comments were the first to indicate he would leave the franchise he’s led to six Super Bowl titles, and the only professional football home he has had.
Brady’s representatives are in serious contract discussions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady isn’t the only decorated quarterback to leave the only NFL team for which he’s played: Longtime Chargers star Philip Rivers has agreed to a one-year contract with the Colts, according to a person who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Rivers spent his first 16 NFL seasons with the Chargers and has set almost every major team record for quarterbacks since being taken first overall in the 2004 NFL draft. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection joins a team that went 7-9 with Jacoby Brissett under center and faded badly during the second half last season.
March 17, 2020 2:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are holding onto outside linebacker Bud Dupree. The team placed the franchise tag on Dupree just ahead of the NFL-mandated deadline for clubs to use the designation. The move means Dupree, who collected a career-high 11 1/2 sacks in 2019, could make around $16 million in 2020 if he signs the tag. That number would likely change if Dupree reaches an agreement with the Steelers on a long-term deal by July 15. Also, longtime Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster is retiring. The 11-year veteran made the announcement on Instagram.
