Papa John's founder John Schnatter continues to make headlines, this time in NFL circles.After resigning as a Louisville trustee amid a report of him using the N-word on a conference call, Schnatter had some choice words regarding pro football's commissioner."We are very glad to get out of the NFL relationship, because we still get to sponsor some players and we still get to sponsor some teams and we still get to be part of the community," Schnatter said, via Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio."But we don't want to do business with Roger Goodell, period. And I don't want to do business with Roger Goodell, and we've had enough success where we get to pick who we do business with. And Roger Goodell runs the NFL, and we made a decision to get a divorce, and we did."The NFL and Papa John's ended their sponsorship deal in February, a relationship that wasn't short on controversy. In October, Schnatter said players protesting during the national anthem hurt his business. The company later apologized in a statement.Pizza Hut replaced Papa John's as the league's official pizza in February.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly making progress toward locking up star running back Le'Veon Bell in advance of Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for a multi-year extension.Count Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin among those hoping for an agreement."Obviously we want to get the deal done," Tomlin told WAVY TV 10's Bruce Rader on Friday. "He wants to get the deal done. Everybody has said that. Now it's just about the negotiators getting in the room, and doing what it is they need to do. I'm excited and hopeful. Hopefully we'll have some exciting news Monday."Related - Bell confident he'll reach deal with Steelers: 'We're working on it'Bell is currently slated to play the 2018 season under the franchise tag, which will pay him a fully guaranteed $14.544 million.The NFL's third-leading rusher from the 2017 campaign has persistently attempted to land a long-term deal, though that kind of contract has become a rarity for even the league's best running backs.Bell was placed under the franchise tag for the first time last offseason. After he and the Steelers couldn't agree on an extension by the 2017 deadline, he skipped training camp, opting to work out on his own before reporting to the team's facility on Sept. 1.- With h/t to Pro Football TalkCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NFLPA vice president of business and legal affairs Casey Schwab stated that legalized sports betting could have immense ramifications concerning player privacy.The U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 in May that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act is unconstitutional, allowing states to offer legalized sports gambling on a state-by-state basis. Delaware and New Jersey offer legalized sports betting, while many other states may have the framework in place when the NFL season begins in September.During a summer meeting conducted Friday by the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, the NFLPA expressed their concern about how legalized sports betting would affect their players."There are serious consequences, particularly for the athletes," Schwab said, via ESPN's David Purdum. "Because of those consequences, the athlete's voice must be heard, particularly as we contemplate sports betting in the country."NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asked Congress to provide and build uniform standards for state-sanctioned sports betting shortly after the Supreme Court announced their ruling. It appears that the NFL and NFLPA share uniform concerns about the rollout of legalized sports betting at this juncture, with the latter worried about how betting will enable fans to spew further vitriol toward players."It's the basic premise - the game ain't rigged," Schwab said. "Everyone's trying their hardest. From the athlete's perspective, it's slightly nuanced, and I would argue ... that the athlete's perspective is the most important."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ahead of next month's Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony, two Dallas Cowboys greats remain in stark opposition to each other.Terrell Owens, who's scheduled to be inducted into the Hall on Aug. 4, won't be attending the ceremony with the rest of the 2018 class. In turn, the Hall stated that Owens wouldn't receive the customary individual spotlight.Michael Irvin, who starred for the Cowboys from 1988-1999 and was inducted into the Hall in 2007, agreed with the decision to minimally highlight Owens' career and contributions."We can't spend this moment for all these other guys talking about the guy that is not here," Irvin said, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "You cannot do that and take that away. He's doing his own thing wherever he's doing his own thing and God bless him. And when they mention the class they'll mention him but why should you steal those other guys' moment because of the decision of this one? I think it's the right move. They're not saying he's not going to have a bust in the room. They're not saying he's not getting his jacket. They're saying, 'We're honoring his wish. He doesn't want to be here with us, we're going to mention him as little as possible.' I think it's the right move."Related: Owens won't attend Hall of Fame induction ceremony"I was disappointed that we will be cheated as a Hall of Fame team, one of our teammates, that he took that decision," Irvin added. "Of course everybody says, 'He has the right to make the decision.' Yes, he does, and we have the right to say we don't like it. It is what it is. And I'm also disappointed because, you know, we fought for T.O. It wasn't like T.O. had said that it didn't matter, 'I don't care about being in the Hall,' or, 'I don't care about that at all.' Then everybody wouldn't have invested emotions and feelings into it and we did. ... We talked about it, tried to get him in. We talked about it on air because he rightfully belongs in there. Then he gets in and he makes that decision, I was absolutely disappointed about it."Owens ranks second on the all-time receiving yards list (15,934), third in receiving touchdowns (153), and eight in receptions (1,078), leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns three times in his career while earning six Pro Bowl selections.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2018 NFL offseason is in the rear-view mirror, with training camps set to open in less than two weeks.As teams make their last free-agent signings and lock up draft picks to finalize their payrolls, let's examine where they all stand in terms of cap space.Cap numbers are courtesy of Over the Cap and rounded to the nearest $10,000.Cleveland BrownsCap SpaceActive Cap SpendingDead Money$70.89M$152.52M$17.23MHighest cap hit: QB Tyrod Taylor ($16M)

Los Angeles Chargers superfan Dan Jauregui, better known as Boltman, has decided to call it a career.Jauregui issued a statement Thursday announcing he was retiring as the Chargers' unofficial mascot and will be auctioning off the costume and "full intellectual property rights to the Boltman character" on eBay, according to Boyce Garrison of the San Diego Tribune. Half of the proceeds from the sale will benefit Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.Bidding was at $5,800 as of Saturday afternoon."It has been a great ride and experience for me as I played the role of the mascot character Boltman for over 22 years," Jauregui said. "But the time has now come for me to pass the baton to a true Chargers fan in Los Angeles or San Diego or perhaps even to the Los Angeles Chargers."Dean Spanos and the Chargers have a unique opportunity to extend an olive branch to San Diego fans by bringing Boltman back to the field where he belongs," he continued. "Boltman belongs alongside the historic Chargers' Canon (sic) and the Charger Girls as the team gets back to its quest for a Super Bowl title."Jauregui was told to remove his mask by stadium security at a Chargers home game last September but was eventually allowed to keep it on. He said he escaped an ejection from StubHub Center only because of security's fears over bad PR.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and running back Le'Veon Bell have made some progress in extension talks, but it's uncertain whether they're close enough to cross the finish line before the buzzer sounds, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.The two sides have until Monday - the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign new contracts - to strike an agreement. If they fall short, Bell won't be able to play the 2018 campaign on anything other than the one-year tag for a second straight season.Bell previously expressed optimism that they'd be able to agree on a new contract, avoiding a repeat of last year, when Bell waited until the beginning of September to sign the tag and report to the team.The 26-year-old rushed for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns last season while again providing excellent value in the passing game. He's ranked among the top five in NFL rushing yards in three of the past four seasons.During negotiations last offseason, Bell rejected an offer worth $42 million over the first three years of a long-term deal.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah and Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence are unlikely to sign extensions before Monday's franchise tag deadline, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Both star pass-rushers were tagged for the first time in March and will play the 2018 season under the $17.143-million tag.Lawrence and the Cowboys have been in a contract standoff since he signed the tender earlier this offseason. Dallas is looking to save cap space with quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott due for extensions. Lawrence was one of the NFL's top pass-rushers in 2017, accumulating 14.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.Ansah has been the Lions' top defensive end since he was drafted in the first round in 2013. The veteran notched 12 sacks last season in his fifth campaign with Detroit.The duo will share the distinction of being the second-highest-paid defensive ends in 2018, with only Calais Campbell of the Jacksonville Jaguars ($17.5 million) accounting for a higher cap hit at the position.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Charles Barkley thinks former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens is making the wrong decision by not attending next month's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony.The NBA Hall of Famer called out Owens during an appearance on "NFL Total Access" on Friday."I think Terrell is selfish. He's doing the wrong thing," Barkley said. "Listen, he should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer, but those other guys, Cris Carter, who waited longer ... I mean, listen, once you're in the Hall of Fame, you're in the Hall of Fame. The writers, they're jealous of some of these guys, I understand that, but T.O. has to be a bigger man."Related: Owens won't receive individual spotlight at HOF ceremonyOwens announced last month that he would be giving his speech at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, rather than Canton after being snubbed twice by Hall of Fame voters.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dating back to his days at Florida State, Jameis Winston has struggled to keep the spotlight on his achievements on the field instead of his issues off it.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback is again in the news for all the wrong reasons, as he's set to miss the first three games of the season after the NFL deemed accusations he groped a female Uber driver in March 2016 were "consistent and credible."Ex-Bucs head coach Tony Dungy, who says he's talked to Winston "quite a bit" since he was drafted in 2015, believes Winston's actions aren't indicative of who he is as a person."I know he has a good heart. He wants to do the right thing," Dungy said, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. "He's very aware of his role as a leader, his role as someone kids need to look up to. I think he knows the right things to do. Now he just needs to follow through on that with good decision-making."Dungy said he expects the Bucs' leadership to make it clear they need more of Winston in terms of acting like a franchise-level player."I'm sure they've had a conversation with Jameis, and probably with everybody on the team: This is where we are, this is what we expect," Dungy said. "You do hope that everybody grows from this and learns from it."Winston has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and next offseason would've likely been the time for Tampa Bay to extend its starting quarterback. However, after this latest incident, Winston's future with the team appears far less secure.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Buffalo Bills guard Richie Incognito was named as the "first national ambassador" for Boo2Bullying, an anti-bullying non-profit group based on Los Angeles, on Friday, according to ESPN's Mike Rodak.Incognito spent 2014 out of football after being involved in a bullying scandal with the Miami Dolphins the year prior. He and two other Dolphins players were found to have "pattern of harassment" against then-Dolphins offensive lineman Jonathan Martin.The 35-year-old - who will be introduced at an event later this month - said he can "personally relate to it from both sides - being bullied and being accused of being a bully" and called the issue a "national crisis."Incognito spent three days in a mental hospital in June following an altercation with another man at a Florida gym in May. He's currently a free agent after a bizarre back-and-forth with the Bills in which he asked to be placed on retired/reserved list before almost immediately changing his mind. The Bills then granted the guard's request to be released after he refused to attend voluntary camp.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The life cycle of a professional football career can move at warp speed. One year, you're a hero and creating highlights that spread across America's televisions every Sunday. The next, you're disposed of and only seen on NFL Films archive footage.Few players illustrate that better than running back DeMarco Murray, who retired after seven uneven years on Friday.Being an NFL running back is often a maddening, taxing role that can go unappreciated, and the job routinely becomes expendable. Murray didn't enjoy the fruits of instant stardom after being selected in the third round of the 2011 draft and slotted into the third spot on the Dallas Cowboys' depth chart.After spending the first half of his rookie year tethered to the bench, Murray finally made the most of his opportunities, rushing for 897 yards on 5.5 yards per carry. In most professions, that early success would be enough to earn some job security. But NFL running backs can't just be ordinary.A foot injury limited his sophomore season to 10 games, but then Murray finally approached stardom with a 1,121-yard campaign in 2013. He submitted his magnum opus in 2014, winning the rushing title and Offensive Player of the Year Award after running for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding 57 receptions for 416 yards.Murray established himself as one of the faces of the Dallas Cowboys, a status that almost transcends football given the franchise's global popularity and billing as "America's Team." What more could you ask for in American sports?Unbeknownst to Murray and Cowboys fans at the time, that was as good as it got for the running back, with his star rising then collapsing in rapid succession.Conventional wisdom dictates that most teams in any sport typically want to retain the highest-producing players on the roster. But football's conventions are much different, and weeks after Murray finished his dream season the Cowboys let him walk as a free agent.He left for the arch-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Few could fault Murray for wanting to exact revenge on the Cowboys, but his time with the Eagles was a doomed marriage from the start. He swiftly found redemption with the Tennessee Titans the following year, culminating in his third and final Pro Bowl season in 2016.Murray's final NFL campaign was a quiet affair by his standards when he rushed for 659 yards on 184 carries (3.6 yards per carry). It became apparent the Titans were focusing on developing second-year pro Derrick Henry. After drawing little interest as a free agent throughout the spring and summer, it's obvious Murray isn't in demand.Football is a cruel game for running backs, a position that takes violent collisions regularly. And now Murray's reward is a single rushing season that ranks third in the past decade.Reaching the NFL is a nearly impossible quest, let alone remaining in the league for seven years. Murray's brief stardom should serve as an example for running backs such as Le'Veon Bell. He's demanding a pay raise, and is hearing the football culture at large frequently dismiss his requests as arrogance.Murray should be remembered positively, and his quick career arch is a lesson to a young cohort of running backs now seen as the faces of the NFL, which includes Bell, Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson, and Todd Gurley, all of whom have overcome major injuries.They all need to enjoy the present for what it's worth, while still securing a payday before it disappears into the abyss.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The attorney for LeSean McCoy's ex-girlfriend said Friday that she has never directly accused the Buffalo Bills running back of orchestrating the July 10 assault against her, but still "suspects" he had something to do with it.Attorney Tanya Mitchell Graham told Mike Rodak of ESPN on Friday that there has been "no backtracking" in Delicia Cordon's story, but she won't directly blame McCoy without more evidence.An incident log released by police Thursday showed that Cordon said on a 911 call that she felt McCoy "set (her) up" for the attack, which included a burglary and vicious assault.The ordeal took place overnight at a Georgia residence McCoy owned but was legally forced to share with Cordon. McCoy was said to be in the process of evicting her. He was reportedly in Florida when the incident occurred, but the assailant's lack of forcible entry and request of specific jewelry led Cordon and her legal team to believe the perpetrator was linked to McCoy.Graham also said Friday that the jewelry in question was given to Cordon as a gift in 2016. McCoy told police in 2017 that the accessory had been loaned by a jeweler.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kellen Winslow Jr. is expected to be released from jail Friday after posting the $2-million bail, according to Jermaine Ong and Zac Self of 10 News.The former tight end was ordered Thursday to stand trial on rape and kidnapping charges but is waiting to be released from jail later Friday. He'll remain under house arrest with GPS monitoring.He's due in court in late August for a hearing.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS broadcaster Tony Romo says people shouldn't read too much into reports of tension between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.Appearing on NFL Network, Romo compared the Belichick-Brady relationship to that of a married couple."I just think when you work together for 15, 20 years, whatever it is, I think that, invariably, when you have the success they have, people have to come up with stuff," he said. "I also think that I've been upset with my coaches before, and then you come back and you're fine. And then you get upset with them, and you come back and you're fine. It's a part of sports."... I don't really think there's a whole lot to it. I think they probably squabble just like any married couple for 20 years and then they also love each other."Romo was also asked if he could see Brady playing for another team besides the New England Patriots."My rough guess is that he's going to finish his career in New England, no question," Romo said.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent running back DeMarco Murray, most recently of the Tennessee Titans, announced Friday that he's retiring from football.Murray turned 30 years old this past February.The Oklahoma product was originally drafted in the third round in 2011 by the Dallas Cowboys. He spent four seasons with the 'Boys, leading the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2014 en route to being named an All-Pro and the Offensive Player of the Year. He then joined the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2015 campaign, where he totaled just 702 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 15 games.He joined the Titans in 2016, making his third career Pro Bowl in his first year with the team. But he rushed for just 659 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, with 39 receptions for 266 yards and one touchdown, while ceding work to sophomore running back Derrick Henry.Murray was absent from the Titans' two playoff games in 2017 due to injury.The team then opted to sign 27-year-old Dion Lewis to a four-year, $19.8-million free-agent deal, according to Over The Cap, while letting the seven-year veteran walk.Murray said earlier this week that he'd spoken to teams and hoped to sign before the beginning of training camps later this month.The Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, and Seattle Seahawks had all shown at least some level of interest in the running back, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Murray finishes with totals of 7,174 rushing yards, 2,165 receiving yards, and 55 combined touchdowns in 99 games over seven seasons.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Super Bowl 50 ring presented to the brother of Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller has hit the auction block.SCP Auctions, the company auctioning off the ring, notes that Miller gifted the ring to his brother following the Broncos' victory over the Carolina Panthers. Bidding ends on Aug. 11.

When the Denver Broncos set their sights on Case Keenum in the free-agent quarterback market, they had the right man for the job leading the pursuit in general manager John Elway."When my phone rang and it was John Elway telling me to come sign with the Broncos, it feels pretty good, especially as a kid growing up an Elway fan," Keenum said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic."We actually talked first when I got to Denver. It was great. Walking into his office there and it's John Elway behind the desk. It's Big John. He's definitely a presence, obviously one of the greats that ever played the game. There's a lot of tradition and history there, and a lot of it is because of him. It's a cool atmosphere, cool organization and I'm just happy to be a part of it."Keenum, originally from Texas, signed a two-year, $36-million contract with the Broncos, according to Over The Cap. The 30-year-old is coming off a career-best season with the Minnesota Vikings in which he threw for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns in 15 games.The Broncos, and Elway, will be hoping Keenum can finally stabilize a positional group that had three different quarterbacks combine to complete just 58.7 percent of pass attempts in 2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley, who's due a base salary of $2.3 million this year, admitted Thursday that he and his colleagues are jealous of the rich, guaranteed deals NBA players are signing."Us NFL players, we're just mad about NBA contracts right now, that's all," Gurley said, according to Gary Klein of the L.A. Times. "I just want like $80 million. Those guys are getting like $150 (million). It's crazy. It's insane."Gurley, the runner-up in MVP voting a season ago, suggested recently that NFL players should force a work stoppage rather than continue to accept non-guaranteed contracts when the NFL and NFLPA negotiate the next collective bargaining agreement.Not only have NBA players seen their contract values skyrocket in recent years due to the league's TV deal, but fully guaranteed contracts are also the norm. In the NFL, meanwhile, it took until March 2018 for quarterback Kirk Cousins to sign the first fully guaranteed contract in league history - he inked a three-year pact with the Minnesota Vikings.And while 15 NBAers have salaries of at least $30 million, the only NFLer making such money is Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ray Lewis enjoyed a storied career with the Baltimore Ravens and frequently posts motivational thoughts on his Twitter account, but it turns out those weren't the reasons why his profile attracted many of his followers.As Twitter began wiping out fake accounts across its platform this week, Lewis lost approximately half his followers, going from over 700,000 to around 363,000. The retired linebacker, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, supposedly bought fake followers from a company called Devumi.Lewis isn't the only celebrity to lose a significant number of followers - Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Katy Perry, and Shaquille O'Neal have all lost over 1 million - but Lewis' drop of nearly 50 percent is severely disproportionate compared to others.Twitter users with more modest followings are expected to lose about a handful of their followers.- With h/t to The Washington PostCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars return with much of the same roster from the 2017 season, but quarterback Blake Bortles thinks the team may have lost one of its greatest strengths after its shocking appearance in last year's AFC Championship Game."I think last year we kind of caught some teams by surprise ..." Bortles said on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access," according to Kevin Patra. "I don't think that's something that's going to happen this year. The way we play, as good as our defense was, I think we're definitely a bit on people's radar now as far as a team that's headed in the right direction and a team to be taken seriously."The Jaguars defense ranked second in the NFL - and first in the AFC - in both yards and points allowed last season. Only the Baltimore Ravens recorded more takeaways.Bortles, for his part, was rewarded for his most successful season to date with a three-year, $54-million extension in February. General manager David Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone were also signed through 2021 after the season.After last season's success, the 26-year-old quarterback is expecting a more difficult path this year, as the team goes for its second consecutive division title with a target on its back."I think we're going to get everybody's best shot," said Bortles. "And the AFC South is going to be tough ... it's our goal every year to win that."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There isn’t much debate about who the NFL’s top-ranked players are at most offensive skill positions. Tom Brady is generally considered the sport’s best quarterback - some people believe he’s the greatest in the game’s history - and running back Le'Veon Bell and tight end Rob Gronkowski sit comfortably atop the thrones of their respective positions.Any discussion about the league’s top wide receiver, however, usually focuses on two players with equally convincing arguments to be No. 1.There’s Antonio Brown, the jitterbug Pittsburgh Steelers receiver who last year led the NFL in receiving yards for the second time in his career. And then there’s Julio Jones, the towering Atlanta Falcons weapon who led the NFL in receiving yards per game in 2015 and 2016 and has more receiving yards than any NFL player since the start of 2015.Brown turned 30 on Wednesday, and Jones turns 30 in February. They have strikingly different pedigrees and body types, despite their similar level of dominance.A sixth-round pick from Central Michigan, Brown is 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds. He erupted in 2013, his second Pro Bowl season, catching 110 passes for 1,499 yards and eight touchdowns. The following season, he made the first of four straight All-Pro teams, leading the NFL with 129 catches for 1,698 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns.The Falcons nabbed Jones - a 6-foot-3, 220-pound specimen - at No. 6 overall in 2011, giving up a future first-round pick and more to climb up from 27th. The former Alabama star ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine while posting an event-best 135-inch broad jump and 11.07-second 60-yard shuttle.Over the past three seasons, both have averaged around 103 yards per game (Jones is at 102.7 with 4,724 receiving yards over that span; Brown, who’s played one fewer game, is at 103.4 with 4,651 yards).In the NFL Network's annual NFL Top 100 list, voted on by players, Brown was named the league’s second-best overall player, with Jones fourth. In the latest Madden video game rankings, Brown registered a 99 overall rating - one of just seven players to earn the distinction - while Jones came in at 98. Football analytics website Pro Football Focus recently ranked Jones as the league’s third-best overall player and Brown as No. 4.Without much clearly separating Brown and Jones, we asked some folks who follow the league closely and break down game tape to answer the question: Who’s the NFL’s best receiver?Anonymous NFC North scout"There are a few layers to that one. When both are healthy, I’ll take Julio because it’s just so hard to find guys with his speed, his legs, his strength, his route agility for a guy that size, and his playmaking ability, both after the catch and down the field. The biggest issue with him is the hands - they’re above average, but they’re not great. He’ll have some (Terrell Owens)-type drops. But to me, he’s the closest thing to T.O. right now when you talk about Hall of Fame size, speed, run after the catch."Antonio is more versatile. He’s more of a savvy, crafty guy. His hands are actually better, which is funny because usually guys with smaller hands (have more drops) … He’s just got such good hands, ball skills. It’s really close. I would take Julio by a hair."Matt Williamson, former NFL scout and ESPN football podcast co-host, WilliamsonFootball.com creator "These two couldn’t look any different. Jones is the prototype. If you drew up a wide receiver from scratch, it would be Jones. And you can see why the Falcons would sacrifice major draft capital to move up a long way in the first round to select Jones, who also was coming out of the NCAA’s top football factory in Alabama. Brown is the opposite. Although highly productive at Central Michigan, he is clearly undersized and certainly didn’t blow scouts’ doors off from an athletic testing perspective. Most thought Brown might contribute as a slot receiver (at best) as well as returning punts."Brown is the slightly superior player because he is the slightly more difficult receiver to cover. Both are great, of course, and can destroy a defense in so many ways, but the one trait that sets Brown, an unbelievably hard worker, apart is the way he comes out of his breaks. It is amazing that Brown loses little to no speed when breaking off his route. The best comparison is thinking about driving your favorite sports car and not having to touch the brake pedal to make a turn. Brown is that sports car."Greg Cosell, NFL Films/ESPN's 'NFL Matchup' producer"They’re totally different receivers because of their physical differences. One guy is a huge, huge man. You’re dealing with a huge man. Antonio is a smaller guy. He’s well-built, but he’s a smaller guy. They’re both special in certain different ways. Jones’ movement ability at that size is fairly rare. Not a lot of guys at that size have that explosive movement. There may not be a better wide receiver in football running routes from the outside in. He’s outstanding working from outside in, particularly against man (coverage) because he can run away from people. It looks remarkable on tape."Antonio Brown’s game is built more on dynamic quickness. His route-running ability and his ability to get in and out of breaks with explosive, dynamic quickness are second to none in the National Football League. He just looks different than Julio when he makes those cuts. It’s like watching those old cartoons where they speed up the rabbit. It’s almost, what would you prefer? That’s a hard question. I think most people - taking nothing away from Antonio Brown - most people would prefer big and fast to small and fast. I would probably take Julio, but we’re nitpicking."Brian Baldinger, former NFL offensive lineman, NFL Network analyst"That’s a good debate. Antonio, he might be the most targeted receiver in the league. (Brown’s 858 targets over the past five years are tops in the NFL. Jones is fourth with 702.) Some days he’s getting 18 to 20 targets. That’s unheard of. Now, he also wins - there’s no way to bracket him or over him. But you can say the same thing about Julio. It’s just like, would you rather have an (NBA) small forward or big, power forward?"You get a faster, bigger, stronger player in Julio, but ... nobody can actually do more than what Antonio does. From a route-running standpoint, there’s nobody who could stay with him one on one. Julio has had a number of seasons where he’s been nicked up consistently, a lot of bad ankles. To me, I would take Antonio."Ross Tucker, former NFL offensive lineman, NBC Sports analyst“To me, it’s clearly Antonio Brown ... The pace he’s on the last five years, he’s on pace to be the second-best wide receiver of all time. If he’s able to keep that up long enough we might have to have the conversation about Antonio Brown and Jerry Rice. He’s the most consistent skill position player - I’m not talking quarterback, like Brady - but he’s the most consistent skill position player at running back, tight end, or wide receiver that I can remember. The guy is amazing."I think Julio Jones is more of a physical specimen. Honestly, the one edge that I would seemingly give him is contested catches, but Antonio Brown somehow always makes the contested catch. It’s crazy. I think it’s Antonio Brown and there’s no hesitation. There are injury issues with Julio and the week in, week out - Julio will have a few games where he’s got three catches for 30 yards or something."Geoff Mosher is an award-winning sports reporter, radio host, and TV personality with more than 20 years of experience covering all major sports and leagues. He also hosts regularly on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia and co-hosts 'The Sports Shop' on Facebook. You can find him on Twitter @GeoffMosherNFL.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If it's supposed to be a secret that Seattle Seahawks star safety Earl Thomas wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys, it hasn't been well kept."Everyone in our locker room knows that Earl loves the Cowboys," former teammate Cliff Avril, who was released by Seattle in May, said recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I mean, he grew up in Texas. That's just who he is. He will leave immediately after work just to catch them play on Monday Night Football. You know what I mean? So we understand that. We didn't take it too serious."Thomas and the Cowboys have been linked since December, when the six-time Pro Bowler told Dallas coach Jason Garrett to "come get me" following a game.Thomas, 29, is seeking a new contract from the Seahawks and plans to hold out until he gets one or is traded. He's been widely hailed as the gold standard for free safeties, and made 88 tackles and two interceptions last year.Related - Carroll: 'We'll see' if Thomas is with Seahawks for Week 1Through his social media activity, the former Texas star added fuel to the Cowboys rumors this week:

Kellen Winslow Jr. faces a new charge and is accused of raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl in 2003, according to Josh Peter of USA Today.The former NFL tight end was arraigned on the additional charge Thursday. He was 19 at the time of the alleged incident that took place in San Diego and has recently come to light."California law allows for certain specified sexual offenses to be charged regardless of the time of their commission under certain circumstances," deputy district attorney Dan Owens said on Thursday. "Those circumstances are met in this case."... When there is a rape that occurs and the victim is under the age of 18 years old, there is no statutory time (limit) to when that can be charged. That's exactly what we have here."Winslow is already facing multiple rape and kidnapping charges after a judge ruled there's sufficient evidence for a trial. He plead not guilty to all charges at a preliminary hearing, but could face life in prison if convicted.The district attorney declined to provide additional information on the third victim, now 32, who recently came forward.Winslow's next court hearing is scheduled for August 17.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo is confident in the team that fired him in December."I think (the Giants) made a lot of the moves I wanted to make," McAdoo told The New York Post's Paul Schwartz Thursday. "I think they're gonna win the division."Currently without an NFL job, McAdoo also took the opportunity to express his concern over the other three teams in the competitive division."I think Philly, how much success has Philly had?" McAdoo said. "I think they're gonna have a hard time handling success. Dallas, I like their offensive line, but how long have we been saying that? Their defense, they got a bunch of young guys playing DB, Sean Lee is banged up a lot, and their D-line, they got a bunch of guys getting in trouble all the time. And Washington is Washington, right?"The Giants finished 3-13 in McAdoo's final campaign as coach, and the Philadelphia Eagles, of course, won Super Bowl LII. New York enters 2018 looking for its second playoff appearance since winning the Super Bowl in 2012.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears the Chicago Bears coaching staff are prepared to let quarterback Mitchell Trubisky loose in his sophomore season.After beginning his rookie campaign on the bench, Trubisky continues to impress his teammates and coaches as he displays his skills as the team's starter."My little boy is becoming a man. Mitch (Trubisky) - they've taken the training wheels off of Mitch's little bike," Bears guard Kyle Long told the Chicago Sun-Times' Madeline Kenney Thursday. "So he's going to be able to do some things creatively and get to showcase his skills."The veteran lineman's comments are notable as he's the second offensive player to commend the maturity of their signal-caller. Last week, running back Jordan Howard praised Trubisky's leadership heading into his second training camp. Long has followed suit."He's a tremendous leader and some of the guys look up to in the locker room," Long said. "And he's probably one of the coolest guys on the team, to be honest, not just because he's the quarterback. He's a really cool kid and we're lucky to have him."Former head coach John Fox came under scrutiny in 2017 after utilizing a slower-paced offense en route to a last-place NFC North finish with the 29th-ranked scoring unit. New coach Matt Nagy and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich plan to implement a more simplistic, up-tempo scheme to help Trubisky make a sophomore leap.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A judge has ruled there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial against former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.Judge Harry M. Elias ruled at a preliminary hearing in San Diego on Thursday that Winslow will face two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping with intent to commit rape, and one count of forcible sodomy, but also threw out two criminal counts of attempted burglary, Josh Peter of USA Today reports. The remaining charges against Winslow carry life sentences.A 58-year-old woman and a 54-year-old woman have said Winslow raped them.Winslow's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, said the case "is going to be hotly contested."Winslow's bail has been set at $2 million.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Audio contains graphic contentMilton, Ga., police released an incident log Thursday that details the invasion of a home owned by LeSean McCoy earlier this week.Related: Attorney for McCoy's ex-girlfriend details 'horrendous attack' in statementThe log states the caller told police officers she thinks McCoy may have "set her up," and that her neighbors have cameras outside the house.The victim, Delicia Cordon, noted that her son's window was left open with a sheet tied "like some(one) went out from the second floor."

Jeff Fisher will reportedly make his broadcasting debut this upcoming season.The former NFL head coach will serve as the game analyst for the New York Jets-Jacksonville Jaguars game on FOX in Week 4, sources informed Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. He'll be joined by play-by-play announcer Dan Hellie.It was reported Wednesday by Michael McCarthy of the Sporting News that the network was interested in bringing Fisher aboard as a game analyst.Fisher coached for 22 years - 17 with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise and five with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. He was fired in Week 14 of the 2016 season.Fisher shares a dubious NFL record: His 165 career losses are tied with Dan Reeves for the most in league history.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Before they were successful NFL players, Michael and Martellus Bennett were just a couple of kids riding down the streets of Houston in a go-kart to get some Taco Bell."That go-kart was a sign of freedom for us - put 50 cents worth of gas and you can get a lot of places," Michael Bennett told GQ's Clay Skipper. "So that go-kart was everything to me and my brother until: there was this old guy on the road, on his little bike track, and it was either run into this wall or run into this man. I chose to run into the wall and I broke the axle. I don't think my brother ever forgave me for that. That's how my parents found out that we were out on the highways with it."Wait, the highways? Yes, the highways. You see, to get to Taco Bell, the Bennett boys had to navigate popular Highway 6 while everyone else on the road stared at them baffled."Everybody was looking at us," Bennett recalled. "We didn't have blinkers so we were using our hands, signaling where we were going. Actually I think that was pretty dumb, now that I think about it. Like, seriously, Highway 6. And Highway 6 is a busy road."After spending the last five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, the elder Bennett was traded March 7 to the Philadelphia Eagles. The younger Bennett announced his retirement a couple weeks later on the heels of a 10-year career.The brothers both have a Super Bowl ring and at least one Pro Bowl selection each on their resumes.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette is coming off an impressive rookie season, but he still isn't getting the recognition he believes he deserves.Fournette was upset when he was rated lower than he anticipated for Madden 19, which is scheduled to be released on August 10.

There are few players more dangerous than Cam Newton when he's at the top of his game. The Carolina Panthers are hoping their star quarterback can reach those heights more often this season.Newton is a threat to score on every possession inside the red zone due to his proficiency as a runner, and he's made concerted efforts to improve in the pocket throughout his career. However, the seven-year veteran's quarterback rating has hovered around 80 the past two seasons, and dipped below 76 in 2016. For Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner, the aim is to make sure the 2015 NFL MVP is more consistent."In the middle of that, of a 16-game season, he has four or five games where that rating is not very good," he said of Newton to Alex Marvez and Bill Polian of SiriusXM NFL Radio. "And that, obviously, makes your average not as good as you’d like. So what we’re going to try to work hard for is eliminate the peaks and the valleys and try to, on a weekly basis, make it more consistent. And I think that’ll help us, offensively, be more consistent and certainly will help him."Turner noted that Newton is still effective, in large part due to his ability to spur the team's ground game, but he's looking for his star quarterback to play to his fullest potential as the Panthers look to make a deep playoff run."He gets away with that because he makes so many big plays in the running game,” he said. "But the one thing that I think when you look at it that we’re going to work hard to help him is, he has a large number of games where his quarterback rating is as high as anyone’s is. It’s in the high 90s, low 100s."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo admitted he regrets the way he handled mercurial receiver Odell Beckham Jr."I needed to be better for him personally, as a coordinator and head coach,'' McAdoo told Peter King for NBC Sports, according to Matt Lombardo of NJ.com. "I was too busy trying to scheme ways to get him the ball, especially early in my time in New York, that I didn't step back and see the big picture the way I should have."Beckham was highly productive in McAdoo's system, but his lack of discipline and antics off the field often brought controversies and distractions to New York during the former coach's tenure. The Giants went 11-5 in McAdoo's first season as head coach but were just 2-10 in his second campaign before he was axed.After losing a fourth straight game to begin the 2017 season, Beckham said Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Vernon Hargreaves told him his defense anticipated many of the Giants' offensive plays, which were being called by McAdoo.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Watt brothers would like to remind you to stay hydrated this summer.As part of Gatorade's "Beat the Heat" program, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, Los Angeles Chargers fullback Derek Watt, and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, along with their dad John, teamed up for a pair of public service announcements to educate athletes on the importance of hydration and heat safety.Gatorade also shared some outtakes from the video shoot.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will be moving on with the 2018 induction ceremony without wide receiver Terrell Owens present, both in person and apparently in spirit, too.Owens announced last month he wouldn't be attending the ceremony in Canton and later said he would be giving his Hall of Fame speech at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.Therefore, Owens won't be introduced as part of Friday's Gold Jacket ceremony, and he won't be announced at Saturday's induction ceremony, executive director Joe Horrigan said, according to Clark Judge of Talk of Fame Network."The focus is on the guys who are here," Horrigan said.Owens' name will be mentioned only as it pertains to the entirety of the 2018 Class, and his image will be shown with the other members - Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher, Brian Dawkins, Bobby Beathard, Jerry Kramer, and Robert Brazile. But that's as far as it'll go, with no solo spotlight."There's no reason to bring him up as an individual," said Horrigan. "He's not here."Owens' gold jacket will be mailed to him Saturday morning.- With h/t to CBS SportsCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Rodgers versus Blake Bortles in Super Bowl LIII? Book it.Appearing on "NFL Total Access" on Wednesday, former quarterback and current CBS broadcaster Tony Romo was asked to predict which teams will meet in this year's big game, and he gave an interesting answer."If I had to pick right now? It's pretty early. Thing about the NFL is things change pretty fast. Injuries happen, a lot of stuff happens," Romo told NFL Network's Lindsay Rhodes, according to NFL.com's Nick Shook. "But, if I was picking right now, I'd probably go with Green Bay versus Jacksonville. That would be a tentative, rough guess here in the summer months."Barring a breakout season for Bortles, the Packers would have a clear advantage at quarterback. It appears Romo believes the Jaguars pivot is ready to silence his critics, surrounded by a deep roster."As far as Jacksonville, I just think they're strong, everywhere, as a football team," he said. "You can never count out New England as long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are breathing. The easy pick is them, but I think Jacksonville had them on the ropes last year, it was close."As for Green Bay, the former Dallas Cowboy believes it can still contend for the Lombardi Trophy with Rodgers healthy, despite a disappointing 2017 campaign."The Jimmy Graham addition is gonna be very big," Romo said. "A lot of the field goals are going to turn into touchdowns because of that, having him as a weapon. And then I think their secondary, which I think has been a weakness for a few years and cost them some games, I think that's gonna improve this year."The four-time Pro Bowler had an impressive broadcasting debut last season, getting rave reviews for predicting play calls before the snap.The Packers face 14-1 odds of capturing Super Bowl LIII, while the Jaguars are 16-1, according to the latest Westgate futures. They have the sixth- and 10th-highest chances of being champions in 2019, respectively. If you believe in Romo's crystal ball, get your bets in early.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is being sued by a Texas woman, identified as Jane Doe, who said he sexually assaulted her and infected her with a sexually transmitted disease.According to Phillip Heilman of the Florida Times-Union, the woman said in a civil complaint filed Friday that Dareus had sex with her while she was unconscious and didn't inform her he was infected with what she believes is herpes. She's seeking damages in excess of $15,000.The woman stated that she and the Jaguars defender went on a date in Houston on April 7 and spent the night together in a hotel. She woke up in pain the following morning and was unable to remember anything after ordering room service the previous night.She said she met up and had sex with Dareus two more times and, after experiencing symptoms related to the STD later in the week, was diagnosed with herpes by a doctor.The complaint requests a jury trial in civil court, and it's unclear whether a criminal complaint has been filed. The veteran defensive lineman has yet to file any documents in response to the lawsuit, Heilman reports.Dareus was selected third overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was traded to Jacksonville in October 2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A police report from Tuesday regarding Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim will be corrected, according to authorities.The report stated that during a traffic stop the Cardinals executive claimed he's the team's director of security. But the Chandler, Arizona police department announced Wednesday that Keim didn't misidentify himself."After reviewing the (born worn camera) footage, Mr. Keim stated that a person by the name of Sean McKenzie was their director of security and that he worked for the Arizona Cardinals. The officer will be completing a supplemental report to make that correction," the police department said in a statement, via Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper.In the initial report, Keim also stated he worked with a police officer named Sean McKenzie. A note was included that the only Sean McKenzie known to the arresting officer died in 2014, and he believed the Cardinals' general manager was referencing him.Keim was arrested on July 4, charged with a misdemeanor for DUI, and released shortly after. He could face a fine or suspension from the NFL.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy has acquired the services of an experienced lawyer after his ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, was beaten during a home robbery and suggested McCoy was involved.Related: Attorney for McCoy's ex-girlfriend details 'horrendous attack' in statementMcCoy reportedly hired Atlanta-based defense attorney Don Samuel, a source told Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.Samuel has worked with NFL players before, having previously been part of the team representing former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in a double-homicide case in 2000. Samuel also served on the legal team for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2010 when he was investigated for sexual assault.The attorney is known for mounting an "aggressive on-the-ground investigation" and for "shaping the narrative for public consumption," according to Robinson.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former head coach Jeff Fisher wants to someday make his way back to an NFL sideline, but he may be intercepted before he can get there.FOX Sports is reportedly talking to Fisher about serving as a game analyst for the 2018 season, sources told Michael McCarthy of the Sporting News.The network is paying around $550 million per year through 2022 for the rights to Thursday Night Football, according to Sports Business Daily. FOX reportedly offered the analyst job for that broadcast to Peyton Manning but was rejected.Fisher lost Super Bowl XXXIV as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, one of six postseason appearances in his coaching career. He was fired by the Los Angeles Rams after a 4-9 start to the 2016 season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jameis Winston has yet to speak publicly since being handed a three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, but he's speaking to and working out with 2018 Hall of Famer Randy Moss.Moss joined a group of receivers for workouts with Winston and shared some sage advice for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback. Winston was suspended on June 28 after the league's investigation into a report by a female Uber driver who said he grabbed her crotch without her consent in March 2016.

The Washington Redskins selected cornerback Adonis Alexander out of Virginia Tech in the sixth round of the NFL's supplemental draft Wednesday.A standout with the Hokies, Alexander entered the supplemental draft after being ruled academically ineligible to play out his senior campaign.He boasts above-average size for a cornerback, though his lack of speed and upper-body strength is a concern in the NFL.By using a supplemental pick on Alexander in Round 6, the Redskins will be forced to surrender their sixth-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.Related: Who is Adonis Alexander?Alexander was the second player taken in the supplemental draft Wednesday, following Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal, who went to the NFC East rival New York Giants in Round 3.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants selected cornerback Sam Beal out of Western Michigan in the third round of the NFL's supplemental draft Wednesday.Related: Who is Sam Beal?Beal was the first player selected in the supplemental draft since 2015, when the St. Louis Rams picked offensive tackle Isaiah Battle out of Clemson. He's the first player taken in the first three rounds since the Cleveland Browns chose wide receiver Josh Gordon in the second round in 2012.The Giants owned the third pick of the third round. As a result of choosing Beal, they forfeit a third-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft."We feel like we're getting our third-round pick now," general manager Dave Gettleman said.The 21-year-old Beal stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 195 pounds. He's coming off his junior year with the Broncos, in which he played in 11 games, starting all of them. Beal recorded two interceptions, one forced fumble, 26 tackles, and 12 passes defensed.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An employee at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta was arrested on two counts of battery after punching Adam "Pacman" Jones during an altercation Tuesday evening, police told TMZ Sports.It's unclear what sparked the incident, but officials told TMZ Sports that the employee, Frank Ragin, made a gesture toward Jones, leading the NFLer to confront him. TMZ Sports posted a video of the fight, which contains coarse language and graphic content, on Youtube."Mr. Ragin eventually struck Mr. Jones with a closed fist ... causing a laceration to Mr. Jones' face," police said. "Mr. Jones then started to defend himself, causing Mr. Ragin to fall to the ground."Jones was traveling with a woman, who was also hit in the incident and suffered an injury to her hand. Neither Jones nor his companion were seriously injured.Jones, 34, is currently a free agent. He spent the previous eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has an extensive history of legal issues but wasn't deemed the primary aggressor in this instance.The episode is still under police investigation.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antonio Brown is considered one of the game's premier receivers. He's been dominant, particularly over the past five seasons when he's averaged 1,569 yards and has shown no signs of slowing.But the Pittsburgh Steelers star turned 30 years old Tuesday, an age that strikes fear into the hearts of executives across the league. It's often regarded as the point after a player's peak, when a steep drop off is expected.Brown has no such concerns."I don't pay attention to my age," he said to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "I'm feeling great, I'm healthy and I'm in great shape. I feel as long as I have that, I can continue to be productive."Brown signed a four-year, $68-million contract extension last year, ensuring he'll remain with the Steelers as they continue to push for their first Super Bowl appearance since 2010, Brown's rookie season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Stephen Curry's quest to purchase the Carolina Panthers ultimately fell short, but he hopes that just being mentioned in the ownership conversation will help create similar opportunities in the future for people of color.On the latest episode of Curry's YouTube series "5 Minutes From Home," the Golden State Warriors star spoke to rapper Nipsey Hussle about his interest in buying the Panthers and the impact he hopes it had. (The video was filmed during the NBA season when Curry was still in the ownership race.)"It kind of paved the way for anybody in the business world of color, like this is something that is, for us, a huge opportunity," Curry said. "To be in this conversation I think is something that is truly powerful and hopefully can move the needle when it comes to the next time that this comes around or whatnot."Curry, a lifelong Panthers fan, and Sean "Diddy" Combs were part of a group led by billionaire Michael Rubin that submitted a bid. The Panthers announced Monday that the sale of the franchise to David Tepper, a billionaire hedge fund manager, officially closed.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said Thursday he encourages his players to use their platforms to speak out on social issues, except on game days."I think it's important to speak up," the executive said in an interview on NewsTalk 550 KFYI. "People are saying stick to sports? You know what? We ask our players 20 days a year - game days - to restrict their statements. The rest of the days, we want our players to get engaged in the community. Just like I am and other owners are."Bidwill thrust himself into the spotlight Monday by writing a letter in support of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which was published on the Cardinals' website.Bidwill, who's known Kavanaugh since high school, said the letter wasn't about politics, even though the topic is inherently political. He and four other Cardinals executives are on the NFL's Social Justice Committee, which also includes three active NFL players and two retired players.Related: Cardinals face backlash after Bidwill vouches for SCOTUS pickHe said in the interview that he and his fellow committee members are focused on "making America a better place for everyone."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The supplemental draft - designed to account for NFL-eligible players who didn't declare for the spring draft - is usually met with a chorus of "who cares?!" by football fans desperate for training camp to get underway.This year's edition is different.The 2018 Supplemental Draft boasts two talented prospects in cornerbacks Sam Beal of Western Michigan and Adonis Alexander of Virginia Tech who could entice teams to give up high draft picks for the first time since the Cleveland Browns used a second-rounder on Josh Gordon in 2012.The event is set to take place at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but before we get into why Beal and Alexander are turning heads, here's a brief reminder of how the draft works:

The attorney for Delicia Cordon, the ex-girlfriend of Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy, released a statement Tuesday evening detailing an attack on her client by a male assailant the morning of July 9 at "the residence that she shares with Mr. McCoy."The statement says there were "no signs of forced entry" and that the "assailant demanded specific items of jewelry that had been previously gifted to Ms. Cordon by Mr. McCoy, which Mr. McCoy had requested back on many occasions."Cordon's attorney also noted that McCoy "would often suggest to Ms. Cordon that she could be robbed because the jewelry was expensive" after Cordon refused to return the gifts to the 29-year-old running back.The statement says Cordon was hit in the face with a firearm multiple times during the attack, leaving her with injuries to her head, face, and arm. She also sustained bruises on her wrist after the assailant attempted to remove bracelets. Cordon's female cousin was also hit in the back of the head with a firearm.The statement goes on to detail an attempt to "wrongfully evict" Cordon from her home by McCoy's family and friends on June 1, which was stopped by police after Cordon - who was out of state - called the authorities when she witnessed the eviction through her security system. Cordon's attorney added that McCoy replaced the security system but didn't give Cordon access and then filed another eviction proceeding on June 6.A woman who identified herself as Cordon's best friend posted a graphic image of a woman's bloodied, swollen face to Instagram on Tuesday. In the post, she also said McCoy abused his son and his dog.McCoy released a statement Tuesday afternoon denying the "offensive claims." The Bills said in a statement they've been in contact with both McCoy and the NFL, and are investigating the matter.The full statement from Cordon's attorney can be read below: