Chiefs, Mahomes agree to restructured deal to include big pay raise, AP source says
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday that the Chiefs and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes had agreed to a restructured contract. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the contract. Mahomes was signed to a 10-year, $450 million deal that would have kept him under contract through the 2031 season. At the time, Mahomes set the market for quarterback pay, but he has been passed over several times as the market inflated. Joe Burrow of the Bengals recently set the standard with a five-year deal averaging $55 million per year.
Michigan State tells football coach Mel Tucker it will fire him for misconduct with rape survivor
Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller has informed suspended football coach Mel Tucker he is being fired for cause without compensation for his conduct with activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy. Haller says Monday that the the notice provides Tucker with seven calendar days to respond and present reasons to me and the interim president as to why he should not be terminated for cause. Tucker is in the third year of a $95 million, 10-year contract. Haller says the decision does not affect the ongoing investigation into Tracy’s allegations of sexual harassment.
Browns star running back Nick Chubb carted off with knee injury vs. Steelers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb was carted off the field with a knee injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chubb collided with Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick at the end of a 5-yard run early in the second quarter. Chubb’s legs bent awkwardly underneath him while being tackled by Fitzpatrick. Chubb remained on the ground for several minutes while teammates gathered in prayer nearby. He eventually left on a cart. Chubb ran 10 times for 64 yards before getting hurt. He was replaced by Jerome Ford, who scored on a 3-yard reception immediately after Chubb’s exit.
Phil Mickelson says he’s done gambling and is on the road to being ‘the person I want to be’
Phil Mickelson says he won’t be betting on football this year. Lefty has posted a message on social media that details his gambling addiction. He says he crossed the line from moderate wagering to addiction and it hurt those he cares about. The post comes as Mickelson returns to competition this week at LIV Golf. It also comes a month after gambler Billy Walters’ book was released. Walters says Mickelson wagered more than $1 billion over the last three decades and once wanted to place a bet on the Ryder Cup. Mickelson says he never bet on the Ryder Cup.
Grievance filed by NFL says players’ union leaders advised running backs to fake injuries
The NFL says leaders of the players’ union have advised running backs to fake injuries. The league made the allegation in a grievance it filed last week against the NFL Players Association. The grievance says President JC Tretter and other union leaders suggested that running backs “consider feigning or exaggerating injuries” to increase their leverage in contract negotiations. The grievance was detailed in a league memo obtained by The Associated Press. The league said the union made the suggestion to running backs during a Zoom meeting before the season. The league argues that anyone who fakes an injury would be violating the collective bargaining agreement.
Giants running back Saquon Barkley has a sprained right ankle, AP source says
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has a sprained right ankle and his status for Thursday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers is uncertain. That’s according to a person familiar with the injury who spoke on condition of anonymity because coach Brian Daboll did not detail Barkley’s injury status. Barkley was hurt with 1:08 to play in Sunday’s come-from-behind win over the Arizona Cardinals. He was bothered by ankle injuries during the 2019 season and missed three games. Barkley suffered a torn ACL the following year.
For Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, representing Ukraine is a duty to the country
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Just playing is a small victory for Shakhtar Donetsk but the Ukrainian champions won’t stop there. Team captain Taras Stepanenko tells The Associated Press that Shakhtar’s opening Champions League game against Porto is part of his team’s duty to represent Ukraine and show his country’s resilience. Shakhtar is playing its Champions League games outside of Ukraine following the Russian invasion. It was in Poland last season and will play home games this season in the German city of Hamburg. Stepanenko says “our soldiers fight in the battles and we fight in the sports arena.”
Former NFL player Sergio Brown’s mother is found dead, and now he is missing
MAYWOOD, Ill. (AP) — Authorities are searching for a former NFL player after his 73–year-old mother’s body was found near a creek behind her suburban Chicago home. Relatives told police Saturday that they could not find 35-year-old Sergio Brown, 35, or Myrtle Brown. Officers found Myrtle Brown’s body. She had been injured during an assault. Sergio Brown played defensive back from 2010 through 2016 with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. He attended the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Maywood is about 12 miles west of Chicago.
Colorado State coach says safety Henry Blackburn received death threats for hit on Travis Hunter
DENVER (AP) — Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said Monday that senior safety Henry Blackburn has been receiving death threats since his late hit that hospitalized Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter. Blackburn drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty Saturday night for the blow he delivered to Hunter’s midsection on a deep pass in the first quarter of the Rocky Mountain Showdown. It was one of 17 penalties the Rams committed in their 43-35 loss in double overtime to Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes. Norvell said Blackburn, who’s from Boulder, and his family had their address posted on social media. He added that police have been involved due to the serious nature of the threats.
Column: Spire is a key player in NASCAR’s charter game. A new revenue model should reward all teams
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Spire has driven the price of a charter at NASCAR’s top level reportedly to $40 million. It was Spire in 2019 that needed a loan to buy its first charter for $6 million. Now the charter business is booming and Spire was a key player in a deal over the weekend involving Trackhouse Racing. Spire acquired a charter from Live Fast to do a favor for Trackhouse and run Zane Smith next year. It all comes as NASCAR teams call for the series to make charters permanent.
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