The Dallas Cowboys might need a new starting running back after Leonard Fournette took down Ezekiel Elliott with a hilarious haymaker of an insult Thursday.The Jacksonville Jaguars star poked fun at his fellow rusher for Elliott's publicized conditioning issues during last season.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson, who was limited to one game in 2017 because of a torn ACL, reported to training camp healthy and shouldn't see time on the physically unable to perform list, head coach Matt Nagy told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero on Thursday.Robinson signed a three-year, $42-million contract with Chicago in March following a four-season tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bears are counting on him to be a top target for second-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky.The 24-year-old Robinson recorded his best season in 2015, posting 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns.While Robinson was among the many Bears to report to camp Thursday, first-round linebacker Roquan Smith was absent. The eighth overall pick still hasn't signed his rookie contract, though Bears general manager Ryan Pace said he's optimistic a deal will get done soon.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After spending the last five years in Bill Belichick's "principal's office," Danny Amendola is relishing the chance to play for a more personable head coach in the Miami Dolphins' Adam Gase."Coach Gase is one of the guys, one of the boys, and you want to fight hard for your boys," the veteran receiver said on Barstool's "Comeback Szn" podcast. "Back in New England, it's almost like you've got a principal, the principal's office and s--- like that."Amendola won a pair of Super Bowls during his time with the Patriots and grew famous for his clutch playoff performances. He said he believes Belichick is "the greatest coach of all time," but added he's glad to be far away from the famous scowl and disciplinarian tactics."Coach Gase is one of the guys. He's our leader, he's our head coach, but he's also our boy. So it's cool. It's refreshing to have that kind of relationship with a coach, something I haven't had in a long time," Amendola said. "I FaceTimed Coach Gase yesterday just to bulls--- with him, just to talk to him. I was talking to his kids. I have a relationship with him that’s real unique, something I haven't had in a while."Amendola, 32, inked a two-year contract with the Dolphins in March after posting 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots last season.He previously acknowledged that "it's not easy" to play for Belichick, a sentiment that has seemingly grown over the past year given the reported tension between the bench boss and Patriots stars Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.Related - 49ers' Marsh hates on playing for Patriots: 'They don't have fun there'- With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL's concussion settlements could jump from $1 billion to $1.4 billion due to thousands of more retired players filing claims, lawyers representing the players estimated, according to The Associated Press.Participation rates are 21 percent higher than predicted and could continue to grow. Estimates are based on the number of players who have either officially filed a claim or given notice that they will.According to the filing, 499 claims totaling more than $485 million had been approved as of Monday.The NFL was denied in its request Wednesday to appoint a special investigator, with the judge saying the league's attorneys did not establish "sufficient evidence of probable fraud to warrant serious concern."The January 2017 settlement compensated thousands of players who sued the league over failing to share the dangers of concussions.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite his ongoing desire for a raise, star wide receiver Julio Jones won't receive a new contract from the Atlanta Falcons in 2018, sources told Jeff Schultz of the Athletic.The Falcons' front office has shifted their primary focus on extending players on expiring contracts, such as defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, left tackle Jake Matthews, and safety Ricardo Allen, Schultz added.Jones skipped all team activities this offseason, including mandatory minicamp in June, as he looks to be the NFL's highest-paid receiver. Atlanta is hopeful he'll report to training camp on time.Related: Debate club: Should the Falcons cave to Julio Jones' contract demands?The star wideout is just two years into a six-year extension he signed in 2015. He's currently the league's eighth-highest paid receiver in terms of average annual value.Atlanta has reportedly informed Jones that they already had budgeted for a contract renegotiation following the 2018 season, and he can expect a raise at that time.Jones was dominant again in 2017, catching 88 passes for 1,444 yards and three touchdowns as the top weapon on the Falcons' high-flying offense.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFL legend Terrell Owens' decision to not attend the 2018 Hall of Fame ceremony as an inductee has been heavily scrutinized this summer.In an unprecedented decision, Owens will celebrate his induction at his alma mater, Chattanooga, instead of accepting his enshrinement in Canton, Ohio.The former receiver is not apologizing for the controversy."It's always unfortunate and people have a lot to say when someone does something different, but what I'm doing is not wrong," Owens said at the ESPY Awards Wednesday, via ESPN. "(The media are) making the narrative more so about me offending the Hall of Famers, and that has nothing to do with it. I respect all of those Hall of Famers that have gone in before me and going in with me and after me."Related: Look: Terrell Owens gifts custom shoes to 2018 Hall of Fame classOwens won't receive an individual spotlight Aug. 4, but will prepare an acceptance speech that his family and friends will hear in Tennessee."For me I think, overall, everybody's obviously wondering what went into my decision," Owens said. "I think John Wooden said it best: 'Be more concerned about your character than your reputation.' I think what the noise is right now is more about my reputation than my actual character."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A federal judge has denied the NFL's request to hire a special investigator to address what the league is calling fraudulent claims regarding its $1 billion concussion settlement with former players.In a federal court ruling, Judge Anita Brody ruled the NFL's attorneys did not establish "sufficient evidence of probable fraud to warrant serious concern," via the Associated Press. "The audit process is working effectively."The league requested a special investigator in April, claiming that a large number of false claims had slowed the settlement."We want to ensure that players and their families receive the benefits they deserve," the NFL said in a statement following the ruling. "The Court overseeing the NFL Concussion Settlement today issued an order confirming that the NFL provided 'sufficient evidence of possible fraud to warrant serious concern' and commended the League for 'its commitment to faithfully implement the Settlement Agreement by bringing this issue to light.'"The settlement, finalized in January 2017, resolved thousands of concussion-related lawsuits against the NFL.Christopher Seeger, the co-lead counsel representing former players, said as of Monday, an independent administrator had approved 499 claims totaling over $485 million.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Russell Wilson's first signature lifestyle sneaker has arrived.Inspired by the "dual dynamism" of the Seattle Seahawks quarterback, the Nike Dangeruss Wilson 1 features an all-black colorway and a heel Air Max bag.Wilson will debut the Dangeruss Wilson 1 at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night ahead of Thursday's scheduled release, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell, who also noted that the shoe will retail for $130.(Photos courtesy: Nike)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey will continue to demonstrate during the national anthem before games and is prepared to accept any penalty he may incur."I'm going to take a fine this year, why not?" Casey said Wednesday at an NFL promotional event in London, according to CNN's Motez Bishara. "I'm going to protest during the flag. That's what I'm going to say now."After protesting became widespread last year, the NFL introduced a new policy for the 2018 season that requires players to either stand for the anthem without any sort of demonstration or remain in the locker room.Technically, the NFL will issue the fines to its clubs. It'll be up to each team to enforce the punishment on the player in question."I'm going to take my fine," Casey added. "It is what it is, I ain't going to let them stop me from doing what I want to do. If they want to have these battles between players and organizations, this is the way it's going to be."Casey was one of several NFLers who raised a fist during the anthem last season to protest social injustices throughout the country.Casey, a Pro Bowler in each of the last three campaigns, signed a four-year extension with the Titans in 2017 that contains $40 million guaranteed.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.Identifying rushing attacks that will succeed regardless of who's lined up in the backfield can give fantasy owners an early advantage.Below are five offenses whose ground games are guaranteed to generate production, accompanied by a list of the running backs on those teams you should consider drafting.Jacksonville Jaguars2017 rushing attempts: 527 (1st in NFL)

It wouldn't necessarily be wrong to regard Darrelle Revis as an emotionless businessman who just so happened to play football, but it would be a massive disservice to forget the greatness that the retiring corner displayed in his prime.The son of two decorated high school athletes, Revis was drafted 14th overall by the New York Jets in 2007 out of Pitt. His career, fittingly, began with a contract dispute, but once he got to camp it became easy to see why the Jets coveted him.As a rookie, Revis started all 16 games and surrendered just three touchdowns. He made strides the next season, picking off five passes and earning his first career Pro Bowl nod.By his third year, Revis had become an utter machine.Marquee WRs vs. Revis - '09 regular season:OPPWRRECYDSTexansAndre Johnson435PatriotsRandy Moss424SaintsMarques Colston233BillsTerrell Owens313JaguarsMike Sims-Walker349PatriotsRandy Moss534PanthersSteve Smith15BillsTerrell Owens331FalconsRoddy White433ColtsReggie Wayne333BengalsChad Ochocinco00Including the playoffs, Revis spent eight games that season lined up opposite Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, and Reggie Wayne. He allowed an average of 2.9 receptions for 27.3 yards.His campaign received a 97.6 score from Pro Football Focus, still the highest single-season grade for a corner since PFF began calculating performances in 2006. His dominance inspired the creation of "Revis Island," the mythological vacation spot receivers were isolated on when they faced Revis.In arguably his finest performance, Revis held Detroit Lions superstar Calvin Johnson to one catch for 13 yards in 2010. One week after the next, until his ACL tear in 2012, Revis completely shut down opposing teams' best receivers.Salary cap issues and uncertainty about his ability to recover from the ACL injury forced the Jets to trade Revis in 2013. He spent one season miscast in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' zone defense - he still earned PFF's second-highest grade for a corner that season - before he was released, paving the way for him to join the New England Patriots.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)In Foxborough, Revis Island re-emerged. He was an All-Pro for the first time since 2011, intercepted Andrew Luck in the AFC Championship, and won his only Super Bowl.Soon after the parade, though, came the descent. As is the case for most aging NFL stars, the end of Revis' career wasn't pretty.But, the journey was. Revis made seven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams in 11 years. He earned $124 million over his career, and up until the end, he was worth the salaries he held out for.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks apparently aren't overly keen to part with disgruntled All-Pro safety Earl Thomas."It's a lot of media hype," a Dallas Cowboys official told Calvin Watkins of The Athletic. "Seattle not giving him away and we're not overpaying."Rumors of Thomas wanting out of Seattle have swirled since last season, with the Cowboys reportedly being the most likely, and his preferred, destination.A six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Thomas is entering the 2018 campaign in the final year of his contract, which holds a cap hit of $10.4 million. His $10-million annual average salary ranks sixth among safeties, though teammate Kam Chancellor - who ranks second on the list - seemingly announced his retirement earlier this month.Thomas has said he plans to hold out for a new deal.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some real estate just opened up in the NFL.Four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday after 11 seasons.Revis played for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and, most recently, the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Dallas Cowboys apparently aren't only "America's Team," they seem to be the world's.Forbes released its annual list of the world's 50 most valuable sports teams on Wednesday. The Cowboys lead the way for a third consecutive year, this time with a valuation of $4.8 billion. That number is up 14 percent from $4.2 billion in 2017.The Cowboys also boast the highest revenue and earnings of any franchise at $840 million and $350 million, respectively.Soccer clubs Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Barcelona follow, while MLB's New York Yankees round out the top five.The New England Patriots are the next-highest football team, ranking sixth at $3.7 billion. The New York Giants are tied for eighth with the Los Angeles Lakers at $3.3 billion, and the Washington Redskins complete the top 10 in a tie alongside the Golden State Warriors with a $3.1-billion valuation.In total, 29 of 32 NFL teams made the top 50. Only the Cincinnati Bengals ($1.8 billion), Detroit Lions ($1.7 billion), and Buffalo Bills ($1.6 billion) failed to crack the list."The franchise values are based on Forbes' valuations done over the past year for the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, Formula One, soccer and Nascar (no NHL, F1 or Nascar teams made the top 50). Forbes’ team values reflect enterprise values (equity plus debt) based on current venue deals unless a new venue is pending," Forbes' Kurt Badenhausen notes.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

EA Sports announced Wednesday that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown will grace the cover of Madden 19, which is set for release Aug. 10.

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley supports fellow rusher Le'Veon Bell as the Pittsburgh Steelers star seems to be headed into the 2018 season on the one-year franchise tag.Bell finished just 14 yards behind Gurley for second among rushing leaders in 2017 behind the Kansas City Chiefs' Kareem Hunt. Still, Bell failed to land a long-term contract with the Steelers before Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. He said he plans to skip training camp for the second straight year but won't miss games. Bell reported to the team on Sept. 1 last season."As a player, I definitely feel where he's coming from," Gurley told NFL Network's Taylor Bisciotti on Tuesday. "I don't know exactly what he wants. But if he did what he did I'm pretty sure in his mind he did the right thing. I definitely stand behind him and definitely support him. I wanted him to get that long-term deal but unfortunately, it didn't work out."Gurley will play the 2018 campaign on the fourth year of his rookie contract and already had his fifth-year option exercised. He remains a luxury for a Rams team with the least cap space in the league, according to Over The Cap. The front office will still need to work out a long-term deal with three-time All-Pro defensive end Aaron Donald this year before considering an extension for Gurley after the 2019 season.Related: Rams, Cooks agree to 5-year extension worth reported $80MOf course, the Rams could choose to follow the path that the Steelers took with Bell, retaining him under the franchise tag for consecutive seasons.Bell earned $12.12 million in 2017 and will make $14.544 million for 2018 once he signs the tender."(Bell's) playing on the tag for the second time, which is not bad at all, but you know you just want that security. It's definitely a sad situation for a guy to be a top-three back since he's came into the league and put in the work and can't even get the money that he deserves," said Gurley. "Definitely a sad situation."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After missing the entire 2017 season due to a year-long suspension, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory was conditionally reinstated Monday.Gregory has worked hard for a second chance to play in the NFL again, but understands he has little, if any, room for error going forward."It is (my final chance) and if it's not, I'm definitely treating it like it is," Gregory told ESPN's Todd Archer Tuesday. "I feel like a lot of other organizations wouldn't have stuck around for this long. I think part of it is just the faith in what I can do on the field, but they also saw that I was a struggling kid that was trying to get himself back on the right path."After being suspended, the former second-round pick spent more than six weeks in intensive drug and alcohol rehab centers in addition to the required counseling."I'm a totally different person than I was coming into the league," Gregory said. "In some ways better. I think Jerry (Jones) and the whole organization, they understood the situation fully, and there was going to be some setbacks. Hopefully, this is the last one as far as all that."Gregory hasn't played a snap in the NFL since the 2016 regular-season finale.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals tight end Ricky Seals-Jones was arrested and charged with assault, disorderly conduct, and criminal trespassing in Scottsdale, Ariz. over the weekend, according to KATR News.A report issued by the Scottsdale Police Department states that Seals-Jones attempted to use a restroom inside the W Hotel in Scottsdale Saturday. After hotel employees told him the facilities were only to be used by guests, the tight end went to a restaurant inside the hotel, but was again denied entry.An employee told police that Seals-Jones became combative and "one hand shoved him in the shoulder area." The 23-year-old appeared to be intoxicated at the time of the incident, according to the report.The Cardinals signed Seals-Jones as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He caught 12 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the team.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL's deadline for teams to extend franchise-tagged players came and went Monday, with four talented veterans set to play under the one-year tag before hitting the open market next year.With that, the 2019 free-agent class is set to be as star-studded as ever, though several teams will likely sign their stars to extensions before or during the season.Let's examine the stacked list of potential 2019 free agents, starting with the four franchise-tagged players, who can't be extended during the season.Le'Veon Bell: One of the league's top offensive weapons, Bell is set to make $14.54 million under his second franchise tag. His agent claims 2018 will likely be the running back's final year in Pittsburgh, so Bell could be the main attraction of the 2019 free-agent class if the other big names sign extensions.DeMarcus Lawrence: The Cowboys' star pass-rusher will earn $17.13 million after being franchised. Dallas could tag Lawrence again in 2019, but both sides would prefer to work out a long-term deal.Ezekiel Ansah: The veteran defensive end is also set to make $17.13 million in his age-29 season. Detroit is taking a wait-and-see approach with their edge rusher, so Ansah could find himself on a new club in 2019.Lamarcus Joyner: At $11.29 million, Joyner's 2018 salary is the lowest among his franchise-tagged peers. Although the Rams are up against the cap this year, they're set to have the third-most cap space in 2019. Their star safety has yet to skip team activities despite his desire for a long-term contract.And now, a look at the rest of the NFL stars entering their contract year:Odell Beckham Jr., Giants2018 salary: $8.46 millionOne of the NFL's brightest stars, Beckham is criminally underpaid. The wideout fractured his left ankle early in 2017, but reached 300 career receptions faster than any player in league history before going down. With 38 touchdowns in 47 career games and countless highlight-reel catches, Beckham has cemented himself as a top-tier playmaker.If he stays healthy, he's in for a massive payday in 2019. The former first-round pick did claim he wouldn't hold out of training camp even if a deal isn't reached, but the Giants don't want their superstar receiver to hit the open market. A deal could be agreed upon prior to Week 1. Either way, Beckham is set to become the NFL's highest-paid receiver.Aaron Donald, Rams2018 salary: $6.89 millionDonald is one of the best players in the league, so the Rams likely won't let him hit the open market after his rookie contract expires. The defensive tackle has skipped all offseason activities in hopes of a new deal, and rightly so. Less than $7 million for a top-five NFL player is highway robbery.Whether via a long-term extension or the franchise tag, Donald is expected to stay in Los Angeles in 2019. One thing is clear, though: the versatile interior lineman isn't far away from becoming the NFL's richest defender.Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders2018 salary: $13.85 millionAnother member of the star-studded 2014 draft, Mack is also due to break the bank in the near future. The dominant edge rusher skipped Raiders OTAs and minicamp earlier this year in hopes a new contract. In the final year of his rookie deal, he could hold out of training camp as well.One way or another, Oakland will be determined to keep its young edge rusher happy and not let him hit the open market. Teams usually try to appease their franchise talents, so the Raiders could lock him up prior to Week 1. For now, though, his status is up in the air. If he does reach free agency, Mack would command a megadeal.David Johnson, Cardinals2018 salary: $1.88 millionIn the last year of his rookie contract, Johnson is playing under one of the most team-friendly deals in the NFL. Despite missing most of the 2017 season with a wrist injury, the former third-round selection remains one of the most dangerous and versatile running backs in the league.Johnson skipped mandatory minicamp in June, but Cardinals general manager Steve Keim seems intent on extending his star rusher before he hits the open market in 2019.Ndamukong Suh, Rams2018 salary: $14 millionInstead of signing a long-term contract after being released by the Miami Dolphins, Suh opted for a one-year deal with the Rams. If the defensive tackle dominates once again in 2018, the decision could turn out to be a great one.With a number of players entering contract years - most notably Aaron Donald - the Rams may not be able to afford Suh next season. This could lead to a bidding war for the former All-Pro's services.Tyrod Taylor, Browns2018 salary: $10 millionTaylor is expected to lead Cleveland's offense in 2018, but his future after that is murky. With No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield waiting in the wings, the former Buffalo Bills pivot may have to find a new club in 2019.If Taylor is successful with the Browns' revamped supporting cast, a long-term contract may be on the table. Either way, the signal-caller's track record and reliability will spark a great deal of interest.Earl Thomas, Seahawks 2018 salary: $8.5 millionWhether Thomas remains on this list is contingent on whether the Seahawks trade, release, or retain him. The former All-Pro safety provided a strict ultimatum to his team Monday, and has threatened to hold out beyond training camp. His desire to play for the Dallas Cowboys is well-documented, as well.Thomas is looking for top-safety money, but he may not get it in Seattle.Mark Ingram, Saints2018 salary: $4 millionIngram's situation is perhaps the most interesting on this list. Coming off a stellar 2017 season, the Saints running back was suspended for the first four games in 2018. His suspension, coupled with the emergence of Alvin Kamara, might lead to a decrease in touches, despite head coach Sean Payton splitting the duo's workload effectively in the past.If the veteran has another solid year, he could look for a long-term contract from another team, and with it the opportunity to dominate backfield carries. Either way, Ingram is due for a raise.Nick Foles, Eagles2018 salary: $4 millionThe reigning Super Bowl MVP has expressed interest in being a starting quarterback. Given the Eagles are clearly Carson Wentz's team, that opportunity would occur elsewhere.For now, Foles is expected to play out the final year of his contract as a backup, barring another injury to Wentz. Where the veteran lands, whether he's given an opportunity to start, and how much money he commands will be one of the more interesting stories to monitor next offseason.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fans are prepared to pay a lot of money to become the Los Angeles Chargers' next Boltman.Dan Jauregui, the man behind the team's unofficial mascot, announced Thursday he would be retiring after more than two decades in the role. He is now in the midst of auctioning off the costume and "full intellectual property rights to the Boltman character" on eBay.Bidding started at $5,000, but has since jumped to a whopping $67,000. The auction ends July 22, with half of the proceeds from the final sale going to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.In a recent Facebook poll, 56 percent voted in favor of selling the costume while 44 percent said Jauregui should retire it.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals have suspended general manager Steve Keim for five weeks and fined him $200,000 after he pleaded guilty to extreme DUI on Tuesday, the team announced.The fine money will be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.The Cardinals executive will be barred from team facilities during his suspension, which begins immediately. He'll be unable to return until he has completed counseling and a DUI education course.Keim won't be subject to additional discipline from the NFL if he fulfills the Cardinals' requirements, a league spokesperson told AZCentral's Kent Somers."Once again, I apologize to everyone who has been negatively impacted by my actions and incredibly poor judgment - in particular, the Cardinals, our fans, and my family," Keim said in a statement. "I fully deserve and accept the punishment that has been issued. My goal is to do everything I can to grow from this personally and help others learn from my inexcusable behavior."In Keim's absence, GM duties will be divided among members of Arizona's personnel department."As stated at the time of the incident, this behavior is indefensible and completely unacceptable," the Cardinals said in a statement. "While Steve has accepted full accountability and responsibility for his actions, that does not diminish their gravity nor the severity of the consequences that result from them."Keim was arrested and cited for DUI on July 4. According to the Chandler Police Department, his blood alcohol content was .19. In Arizona, extreme DUI charges are filed when blood alcohol content is above .15. The legal limit for a standard DUI is .08.The Cardinals recently signed the general manager to an extension through the 2022 season. He'll return to his position before the team finalizes its 53-man roster.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Brees and Tom Brady are changing expectations for the career lengths of NFL quarterbacks at ages 39 and 40, respectively.New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton credits the lifestyle choices of both quarterbacks for prolonging their careers."It’s different now. I mean, it’s different than it used to be," Payton said on "Going Deep with Dan Schwartzman" on NBC Sports Radio. "When you see Tom Brady and these guys, they're eating, they're lifting, they're sleeping differently. I mean, 25 years ago, Len Dawson was having cigarettes at halftime."It's changed a lot ... When you take that and the work ethic and the talent and put it all together, you get the Drew Brees and you get someone special," said Payton.Brady is coming off an MVP-winning 2017 season that concluded with a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII. Brees led the league with 386 completed passes and a completion percentage of 72.0 while throwing for 4,334 yards and 23 touchdowns.Len Dawson, meanwhile, enjoyed a 19-year career from 1957-75. The Hall of Fame quarterback made seven Pro Bowls and was twice named an All-Pro over a career split between the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Texans, and Kansas City Chiefs.- With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension with wide receiver Brandin Cooks, the team announced Tuesday.The deal is worth $80 million, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN, meaning he's due $88 million from L.A. over the next six years.Although the Rams have yet to confirm financial terms of the extension, Cooks will reportedly get $50.5 million guaranteed with $20.5 million guaranteed upon signing, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.Cooks, one of the most prolific deep threats in the NFL, was acquired from the New England Patriots via trade in April. The 24-year-old caught 65 passes for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns last year, and has gone over 1,000 yards receiving in three straight seasons."Brandin Cooks has shown himself to be a class act on and off the field since the first day he joined our team," Rams head coach Sean McVay said in a news release. "He's a proven professional in this league and signing him to a long-term contract was always our goal. We're excited to keep Brandin in a Rams uniform through 2023."Cooks was one of several high-profile acquisitions the Rams made this offseason. The speedster broke into the league as a first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2014 and spent three seasons in the Big Easy before being traded to New England ahead of the 2017 campaign.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory has been reinstated by the NFL on a conditional basis following a year-long suspension.Gregory had been suspended since January 2017 for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He was also previously suspended for a combined 14 games during the 2016 season due to multiple substance-abuse violations."I've never been more proud of any individual in my life," Gregory's lawyer, Daniel Moskowitz, said according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "I'm very excited for Randy and his daughter and the rest of his family."

The agent for running back Le'Veon Bell said Tuesday that the Pittsburgh Steelers did not offer him a five-year contract worth $70 million, as was previously reported, while adding that only the first season would have been guaranteed."No matter what that final number was - and I'm certainly not saying that what has been reported is accurate because it's not, quite frankly - the most important element of it is the guarantee," Adisa Bakari told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "You couple that with the traditional way in which Pittsburgh does its deals, which, at the end of the day, nothing's guaranteed after the first year."Bell and the Steelers were unable to hammer out a long-term extension Monday - the deadline for players under the franchise tag to ink new deals. As a result, Bell will play the 2018 season under a one-year tag for the second year in a row.Related: Bell likely to leave Steelers after 2018, agent saysEarlier, Bakari revealed that his client plans to skip training camp but will report to the Steelers in time for the regular season, which would follow the script from 2017.In 15 games a season ago, Bell tallied 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground while adding 85 catches for 655 yards and another pair of scores through the air.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2018 season is likely to be Le'Veon Bell's last with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to his agent, Adisa Bakari.For the second consecutive offseason, Bell and the Steelers failed to agree to a long-term deal, paving the way for the running back to test free agency in 2019.If the two-time All-Pro will indeed hit the open market in eight months, there are five teams, in particular, that should be lining up to acquire his services.Denver BroncosDepth chart: Devontae Booker, Royce Freeman, De'Angelo Henderson

As he did last year, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell plans to skip training camp and then report to the team in time for the regular season, his agent confirmed Tuesday to SiriusXM NFL Radio.Bell and the Steelers failed to strike a long-term agreement Monday before the deadline for franchise-tagged players to do so passed, meaning he'll play the 2018 campaign on a one-year deal for the second consecutive season.Related: Bell likely to leave Steelers after 2018, agent saysAfter the deadline - Bell's camp reportedly turned down a five-year, $70-million offer from Pittsburgh - the tailback vowed to make 2018 his "best season to date."

Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly will go for a medical checkup in August after "something came up" during his recovery from oral cancer surgery."Right now it's just a checkup," Kelly said Tuesday at his football clinic for kids, according to ESPN's Mike Rodak. "It will be a checkup, but how long will I be there (until I) check out? We'll see. I still have a mouth full of stitches. I'm sure they're going to pull all of those out."Kelly had surgery in 2013 to remove the cancer in his upper jawbone and received chemotherapy in 2014 for cancer in his mouth. The Buffalo Bills legend was declared cancer-free in September 2014 but announced in earlier this year in March that it had returned, and he underwent surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct his upper jaw."My doctors are in New York. I'm not there every day. So I want to sure that everything is going on is going on for the right reasons," Kelly added. "Just like everybody, if you go through a broken leg or something, you got to have checkups. If there is a little pain here (where) you think there shouldn't be anything, you got to get it checked. Even though I'm blessed to have (the doctor) at (Erie County Medical Center) I go to in Buffalo look and make sure that things are going pretty good, it helps."Kelly, who will be honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPYs in Los Angeles on Wednesday, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Taking part in Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" was no easy task for Aaron Rodgers, who counts sharks among his biggest fears.The Green Bay Packers quarterback detailed the "terrifying" experience in an interview with Peter King for Football Morning in America."The only reason I wanted to do the shark thing is I have two main fears: sharks and heights," Rodgers explained. "I'm not gonna jump out of a plane. But sharks, I don't know. I watched 'Jaws' when I was a kid and always felt like they're in the water, out in the ocean water, and one's got my name on its back and it's gonna munch on me. I wanted to conquer that fear because I love the water. I love paddle boarding. So (the Discovery Channel) came to me and my agent and I said, 'Yes. A hundred percent yes. I want to do it.'"Related: Rodgers gets face-to-face experience during filming for 'Shark Week'While filming the special, titled "Monster Tag," Rodgers was approached by a blue shark."So this blue, he literally came up to me - spoiler alert - I put my hand on his head. I pushed him down to the right. Nicely, gently. But I was terrified. Honestly, I was blacked out," Rodgers said. "It just came up to me and all I was thinking was, 'Oh my god, it's actually happening. What do I do? OK, boom. I just moved his head down to the right.' But it was fun. I have a different appreciation for sharks now. I'm okay with 'em.""Monster Tag," which also features New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, will air July 23 at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was right when he downplayed All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones skipping mandatory minicamp and organized team activities (OTAs) earlier this offseason amid a rumored (but denied) contract dispute.Jones instead worked out on his own and with soon-to-be Hall of Fame receiver Terrell Owens - reportedly drawing more ire from the Falcons - but Ryan predicted his No. 1 target would arrive in time for his off-campus player workouts. And according to a photo from rookie receiver Calvin Ridley, Ryan was correct.

Despite the lack of a new contract, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski won't hold out of training camp, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Gronkowski, who's reportedly been in search of a revised deal, skipped the team's voluntary offseason program but attended its mandatory minicamp.The oft-injured Gronkowski was rumored during the offseason to be contemplating retirement. There were also whispers of the Patriots making him available in trade talks.The 29-year-old led New England last year with 1,084 yards and eight receiving touchdowns.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Safety Earl Thomas took to Instagram on Monday to express frustration with his contract situation and give the Seattle Seahawks an ultimatum.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell was offered a five-year contract worth $70 million prior to Monday's deadline, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Bell and the Steelers couldn't reach a long-term contract ahead of the 4 p.m. cutoff point and the superstar will now be paid $14.5 million for the 2018 season courtesy of his second consecutive franchise tag. While the team did not confirm the contract figures, Bell was reportedly offered a deal that would've paid him more than $30 million over the first two years.Related: Bell, 3 others fail to get long-term deals before franchise tag deadlineAs a result of the impasse, Bell's agent informed ESPN's Adam Schefter that the upcoming season would likely be his client's last with the Steelers.Bell sent a heartfelt message to his fans after the deadline expired:

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his potential contract extension have been the topic of much speculation during the 2018 offseason.Despite a lack of reported progress, team president and CEO Mark Murphy remains confident that a deal remains a top priority for both sides."Obviously, he's an important player," Murphy said Monday, via Rob Reischel of Forbes. "He wants to be here, and we want him to be here. When both sides have a common interest, you get deals done."Related: Packers' financials reveal record fiscal year, $255M in revenue for each NFL teamThe star signal-caller has remained coy this offseason when asked about his desire for a new contract, claiming that reports of what he wants in a new deal are "just conjecture." Earlier this offseason, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said he believed a deal would be agreed upon soon.Rodgers has two years remaining on his current deal and is set to make $22 million in 2018, making him only the ninth-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Despite this, Murphy claims Rodgers has been a good teammate throughout the process."You know, each player is different, each situation is different," Murphy said. "Aaron has been great - obviously a great player. But my wife says 'it's a good thing he's the face of the franchise and not you.' He represents the organization well."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens will report to training camp July 18, but they'll be without one of their top players for their first full-squad practice.Offensive guard Marshal Yanda will begin camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, according to ESPN's Field Yates.Yanda can be moved from the PUP list to the active roster at any time before the regular season begins.The former All-Pro guard broke his ankle in Week 2 of the 2017 season and missed the rest of the year. After nearly 10 months of recovery time, it appears he isn't ready to participate in training camp.When healthy, Yanda is one of the NFL's top offensive linemen. He's a six-time Pro-Bowler who excels in both pass protection and run blocking. If cleared for Week 1, his insertion into the lineup would provide a big boost to quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Alex Collins.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers revealed record revenues for the fiscal year ending March 31, the club announced Monday.Since the Packers are the only publicly owned team in major North American professional sports, they're the sole franchise required to publicly post their revenue and expenses for the fiscal year. Green Bay earned $459.9 million in revenue - a $13.5 million improvement, while spending $420.9 million, a $44.8 million increase.The report often reveals the overall state of the NFL's financial health and viability.

After Monday's franchise tag deadline expired without a new long-term contract for Le'Veon Bell, the Pittsburgh Steelers running back's agent, Adisa Bakari, said the upcoming season will likely be his last with the team."His intention was to retire as a Steeler. But now that there's no deal, the practical reality is, this now likely will be Le'Veon's last season as a Steeler," Bakari told ESPN's Adam Schefter."It became clear the Steelers wanted to pay the position, not the player," Bakari added.It remains to be seen if the All-Pro running back intends on holding out during Pittsburgh's training camp (veterans are set to report July 25). Bakari also didn't detail how close the two sides were to an extension prior to Monday.Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert released a statement shortly after the franchise tag deadline passed, claiming he hopes the team and Bell can work out a long-term contract after the 2018 season.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell was one of four players who watched the 4 p.m. ET franchise tag deadline come and go without signing a multi-year deal.The 26-year-old Bell will need to play the 2018 season on a one-year pact that will pay him a fully guaranteed $14.544 million. He'll carry the league's top cap hit among running backs for the second year in a row - this time by more than $6 million - after playing under a $12.12-million franchise tag in 2017.Last season, Bell didn't sign the tender and report to the team until Sept. 1. He still went on to rank third in rushing yards (1,291) and touchdowns (nine) in the NFL, while adding 655 yards and two more scores as a receiver in 15 games.Shortly after the deadline passed, Bell tweeted an apology to his fans for letting them down, while promising that 2018 would be his best season to date.Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams' lavish offseason spending came to a halt at safety Lamarcus Joyner, who'll earn roughly $11.3 million on the one-year franchise tag. The 2014 second-round pick recorded three interceptions and scored a touchdown in the final year of his rookie deal.After racking up 14.5 sacks in 2017 and earning the first Pro Bowl appearance of his career, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who was reportedly seeking a five-year deal, had to settle for the one year tag.And the Detroit Lions weren't able to reach a deal with defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, the fifth overall choice in the 2013 draft. He holds career totals of 44 sacks and 10 forced fumbles in 73 games.Lawrence and Ansah will each earn $17.143 million under the tag in 2018, according to Spotrac, tying them for the largest cap hits among defensive ends in the league.Bell is the only player of the four who's yet to sign his one-year tender.All of them must wait until after their respective team's final regular-season game in 2018 to sign an extension, or wait until the conclusion of the league year to test free agency.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.Accurately identifying which players will improve from year to year remains one of the most important skills in fantasy football.We've looked at the quarterbacks and running backs who are being undervalued. Now, let's turn our attention outside the hash marks to determine which receivers will outperform their ADPs.Who will exceed expectations?

Ben McAdoo has come out of hiding.The former head coach of the New York Giants, fired in December after a 2-10 start to the 2017 season, has re-emerged in recent weeks.On Monday, he penned a section in Peter King's "Football Morning in America" column on the lessons he learned during his first head coaching stint.McAdoo took ownership of his decision to ask two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning to take a backseat in order to get a look at younger quarterbacks in a lost year. It led to Manning opting to end his consecutive streak of games started at 210."I learned there's no easy way to make the truly tough decisions," McAdoo wrote. "Right or wrong, I am at peace with how I handled the decision to play quarterbacks other than Eli Manning down the stretch of last season. At the time, we were 2-9, beat up, and I told Eli we wanted to see the other quarterbacks on the roster - including our promising rookie, Davis Webb."McAdoo was widely derided for the move and the sloppy manner in which it was executed."I gave him the option to start the games to keep his streak alive. I understand why he said no, and he was a true pro about it. My bedside manner hurt me that week. I'm working on that," McAdoo said."If there's one thing I want fans of the Giants to know, it's that I made this call to try to make the Giants stronger for the future. It probably got me fired, but I believe I did the right thing for the right reasons."McAdoo has been out of the game since his firing and said he'd like to get back into coaching.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was not long ago the Seattle Seahawks were widely considered the NFL's next great dynasty after consecutive trips to Super Bowl XLVIII and XLIX, stifling the opposition with their vaunted "Legion of Boom" defense.As the NFL nears the end of an offseason in which Richard Sherman and Cliff Avril were released, Michael Bennett was traded, and Kam Chancellor all but officially called an end to his career due to injury, Sherman is speaking out about the current state of the team."They've lost their way. It's as simple as that," Sherman told MMQB's Robert Klemko. "They've just lost their way. When you make too many mistakes over a long period of time, you kind of dig yourself a hole. And then when you backtrack, you gotta make a bunch of rash decisions to try and fill the hole and hope that it holds up."Through the losses, the Seahawks have managed to retain All-Pros Bobby Wagner and Earl Thomas, who garner the team's second- and fourth-highest cap hits for 2018, respectively.As Thomas heads into the final year of his contract, however, he has been the subject of rampant trade rumors amid the threat of a holdout.Sherman says there's no reason for the Seahawks to risk losing the six-time Pro Bowler, who'll enter the 2018 season at 29 years old."It's just unfortunate. It's really unfortunate," Sherman said. "I think it'll all come out when they do the '30 for 30.' Mistakes and poor judgment on things ruined what could have been a really special deal. You don't have much left right now. And to say you're not going to pay Earl Thomas is just ..."There's no decline in play there. He's played the game the right way. Who do you have to pay? You have the two best linebackers in the game. You have the quarterback. You have a great wide receiver in Doug (Baldwin). And you're paying Duane Brown."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Questions remain about New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's benching of Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles, but it's clear the star cornerback still respects his former coach.The "coach's decision" preceded Butler's free-agency departure to the Tennessee Titans on a five-year, $61.25-million deal this offseason. According to Butler, though, in joining the Titans and head coach Mike Vrabel, he's not straying too far from the team and coach that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014."It's the Patriots system, one of the greatest systems in the NFL," Butler said of the Titans, according to Robert Klemko of the MMQB. "You can tell Mike played for Belichick because you can see some of the similarities. They're about winning the way New England is about winning."Vrabel played linebacker for the Patriots under Belichick from 2001-2008. He won three Super Bowls and was named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in his second-last season with the team.Given the success he saw in New England, it's no surprise Vrabel's taken on some of his former coach's traits."One thing I saw early: Mike will put you on blast. He don't care who's around. He's going to say what's right. He might be a bit looser than Bill Belichick, but they're both great guys," Butler said."A man caught a ball on me - honestly I don't know his name yet - but Mike let me hear about it. 'Don't get stuck on top of the routes like that! Make a play!' Nobody cares where you come from or what you make. Everyone's equal. And you can tell from the head coach all the way down to the interns, everybody wants to win."Vrabel and Butler will host Belichick and the Patriots in Week 10.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who will turn 35 years old in December, has a timeline in mind for his eventual retirement."I'd love to play to 40," Rodgers told Peter King of NBC Sports. "I just think that number means a lot. Obviously, Tom (Brady) is kind of rewriting the book. Brett (Favre) had a good season when he turned 40."As Rodgers mentioned, Brady is coming off the third MVP season of his career and will turn 41 years old in early August.Previously, Favre made the Pro Bowl at age 40, guiding the Minnesota Vikings to a 12-4 record while throwing for 4,202 yards and 33 touchdowns to a career-low seven interceptions.Meanwhile, one thing that has differentiated Rodgers from those two is his mobility, which allowed him to rush for more than 340 yards in each of the two seasons before his injury-shortened 2017, and for at least 200 yards and a touchdown in every season he's played at least 15 games.He's determined not to lose that part of his game."My goal is be able to move like I do or close to how I do and still be able to do that at 40 ... just because nobody's been able to do that and still move around the same," Rodgers added. "Steve Young's career was cut short in his late thirties. John (Elway), the same - he didn't really move the same as when he was younger. So to be able to move the same way at 38, 39, 40 would be cool. That’s my aim."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and running back Le'Veon Bell are running out of time to agree on a long-term deal.The team has until 4 p.m. on Monday to sign its franchise-tagged star rusher to a multi-year contract, but negotiations are expected to "go down to the wire" and both sides "aren't optimistic" they'll reach a deal in time, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.If an agreement isn't reached by 4 p.m., Bell will have to play the 2018 season under the one-year franchise tag.The two sides also reportedly came close to a multi-year deal ahead of the 2017 season, but Bell ultimately played under the tag for $12 million.Last year, Bell stayed away from the Steelers during training camp and skipped the preseason before finally signing his contract on Sept. 4. The time away didn't hurt, however, as he finished third in the league with 1,291 rushing yards.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Rams and safety Lamarcus Joyner are not expected to come to terms on a long-term extension ahead of Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline to sign franchise-tagged players, though the two sides remain in negotiations, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Joyner will hit free agency in 2019 if the Rams aren't able to sign him to an extension before next offseason. He'll earn around $11.29 million on the tag.The 27-year-old has been a key part of the Rams' secondary since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2014. He racked up 39 total tackles, nine passes defensed, and three interceptions in 12 games last season.The Rams opted to tag Joyner instead of wideout Sammy Watkins, ensuring Los Angeles will have one of the league's top secondaries after adding cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters via trades this offseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions won't reach a deal with franchise-tagged pass-rusher Ezekiel Ansah before Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Ansah will earn just over $17 million in 2018 and is slated to hit free agency next offseason.The 28-year-old rebounded from a disappointing 2016 campaign with a 12-sack year last season, but will again have to prove himself worthy of being mentioned among the league's best edge players in order to earn a big-money extension.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo rallied from four points back to win his first American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe on Sunday.Romo, who retired after the 2016 NFL season and is now an NFL analyst, had 27 points on the day to beat three-time defending champion Mark Mulder and San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, the the leader after the first two rounds.''It's a special win,'' said Romo, who had finished second three times in seven previous trips to the annual celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. ''It feels like you're playing a tournament back home here. The day felt good for a lot of reasons.''Romo tapped in for par, worth one point, on the 18th hole to finish with 71 points, three ahead of Mulder, the former major league pitcher. He then caught a flight to Berlin, Wis., where he was to compete in a 36-hole U.S. Amateur qualifying tournament on Monday.The American Century Championship uses a modified Stableford scoring system which rewards points for eagles (six), birdies (three) and pars (one) and deducts points (two) for double bogeys or worse. Bogeys are worth zero points.Pavelski had a 7-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th that could have tied Romo, but it slid by. He finished with 66 points, tied for third with Ray Allen, who will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 7.''It feels like nothing went in for me today,'' Pavelski said. ''But I couldn't ask for more than to have that putt to tie on the last hole.''Romo plays as an amateur, so his $125,000 first-place check from the $600,000 purse will go to local charities and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, the primary charitable arm of title sponsor American Century Investments.Rounding out the top five were Trent Dilfer, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, and former tennis player Mardy Fish. Each had 62 points.Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, who fell out of contention with a mediocre round Saturday, jumped into Lake Tahoe amidst much fanfare after losing a bet to his father, Dell. The elder Curry jumped into the lake last year, so he negotiated a 20-point handicap and won by two points.Other notable players in the 92-player field included John Smoltz, the MLB hall of Fame pitcher who two weeks ago competed in the U.S. Senior Open and finished 10th here with 53 points; Steph Curry, who finished tied for 11th with retired Marine and wounded war hero Andrew Bachelder (50); actor Jack Wagner (16th, 47 points); Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (tied for 18th, 44 points); actor Ray Romano (tied for 71st, minus-26 points); comedian Larry the Cable Guy (tied for 77th, minus-33 points); and former NBA great Charles Barkley, who finished alone in last with minus-93 points.The tournament drew 57,097 fans for the week, setting an attendance record for the fourth straight year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Blake Bortles to a three-year contract extension in February, a deal which makes the quarterback the 20th highest-paid player at the position in terms of average annual value.Bortles' contract guarantees him $26.5 million over the next two seasons, but claims he didn't care about how much money he makes. He pointed to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's habit of leaving money on the table to help his team improve at other positions."I think definitely the way the Tom (Brady) has done it is the way to try to model," Bortles said on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "Having guys and putting pieces around him was definitely something. When you take up a ton of money you kind of limit your team and who they can help you out with and put around you."I'm not naive enough to say that we don't need a run game. We also need a good defense, we need good receivers, we need all these pieces. You can't play as a quarterback and do it yourself so I'm more than willing to take less money than somebody else might in my position to put good guys around us."Related- Bortles: Jaguars won't take teams by surprise in 2018Bortles has not performed at Brady's level during his NFL career to date, but he did lead the Jaguars to the AFC Championship game in his fourth campaign.The quarterback's contract may turn out being quite useful to his team. Jacksonville has spent the most 2018 cap dollars on defense in the league ($120.34 million), according to Spotrac.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles has officially disclosed his retirement plans.In a statement posted on his personal blog, Sproles announced he will hang up his cleats after the 2018 season, his 14th in the NFL."I'm excited to come back and I am even more excited to come back to the defending Super Bowl champion, Eagles," Sproles said in a statement. "We have something special here with the team, the fans, and the city. We made history bringing the first Lombardi trophy to Philly and now we want to go back-to-back.""...But I don't do it for the records. Yeah, it would be an honor to be mentioned in the same conversation as those guys - but that’s not what’s important. I love this game. I love what I do."The 35-year-old had intended for the 2017 season to be his last, but suffered a broken arm and torn ACL on the same play in Philadelphia's Week 3 victory over the New York Giants.Sproles is known for his versatility and incredible story. At 5-foot-6, the running back carved out an incredible career. He currently ranks 8th on the career all-purpose yards list, and has set his sights on moving into the No. 5 spot, surpassing Steve Smith, Marshall Faulk, and Tim Brown.Sproles was a fourth-round pick of the then San Diego Chargers in 2005, and also spent time with the New Orleans Saints. He has 52 career offensive touchdowns and nine career return touchdowns (seven on punts, two on kick-offs).Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With NFL training camps less than two weeks away, the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are set to begin their title defense.The team has its fair share of doubters, however, including former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo, who questioned how Pederson's squad would handle success.Philadelphia's coach understands there are a number of challenges ahead following his Super Bowl LII victory, but claims his team is hungrier than ever."Quite honestly, complacency can set in," Pederson said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia's Dave Zangaro. "You can skip an OTA, you can maybe skip a workout or whatever. But what I saw from our players was not that. Our players showed up for OTAs, they spent time getting themselves ready.""So now we’ve got the targets on our backs and we’re going to embrace that and get ready this training camp and we are going to try to defend," he added. "But at the same time, we’re going to take it one week at a time and build the season just like we did last year."If history is any indication, the Eagles will have their work cut out for them. No team has repeated as NFC East champions since Philadelphia won four straight from 2001 to 2004.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.