NFL

6:00 AM ET Tessa Grossman was about to get into her mother’s white Mazda on May 3 when a notification popped up on her cell phone. Home in California for a couple of weeks after the spring semester of grad school at Illinois State, she saw whom the email was from and started getting nervous

1:40 AM ET Brady HendersonESPN RENTON, Wash. — Aldon Smith declined to answer questions Saturday about his pending legal case in Louisiana or how it might impact his availability this season with the Seattle Seahawks. “I can’t comment on that right now,” he said. In his first interview since signing with the Seahawks in April,

9:53 PM ET Brady HendersonESPN RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks are signing free-agent quarterback Sean Mannion, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday. The signing adds apparent competition for one of the backup jobs behind Russell Wilson and reunites the 29-year-old Mannion with new Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Waldron was an assistant

8:19 PM ET GLENDALE, Ariz. — A few days after the Arizona Cardinals drafted linebacker Zaven Collins 16th overall on April 29, general manager Steve Keim called Jordan Hicks, one of the team’s starting inside linebackers the past two seasons, and told him he couldn’t compete for a starting job this season, Hicks said Saturday.

5:30 PM ET METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints bolstered a position of strength on Saturday, agreeing to a one-year deal with former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman. Freeman’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the deal to ESPN’s Adam Schefter after Freeman tried out for the Saints on Saturday. The Saints’ current backfield is

8:05 PM ET MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Xavien Howard is leaving the door open for the Miami Dolphins to fix his contract issues. “It’s up to them,” Howard, an All-Pro cornerback, said on Saturday in his first public comments since requesting a trade. Howard on Tuesday night posted an Instagram statement in which he questioned

7:22 PM ET BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns and star running back Nick Chubb have reached an agreement on a three-year, $36.6 million contract extension, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday. Chubb’s $20 million in guaranteed money is the seventh-highest total in the league among running backs. He will be a free

6:12 PM ET EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings will be without multiple players for Saturday evening’s practice at TCO Stadium due to a COVID-19 interruption, the team announced. NFL Network reported that Vikings rookie quarterback Kellen Mond has tested positive for COVID-19 and as a result, fellow quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Nate Stanley —

4:00 PM ET FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — For the second year in a row, the New York Jets have an unhappy safety. Marcus Maye expressed frustration Saturday that a long-term contract wasn’t reached by the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players. He hinted he hasn’t ruled out asking for a trade if he’s tagged again

10:45 AM ET ESPN staff Saturday’s 2021 NFL training camp practices opened with the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in pads for the first time trying to put it all together after a rough practice on Friday that coach Bruce Arians called “horse—-.” Quarterback Tom Brady, who has ditched the knee sleeve, said he

Jul 30, 2021 Jeremy WillisESPN.com Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook already has a few accolades. The 25-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler with the Vikings. Last season, in 14 games with the Vikings, he had a career-high 1,557 yards rushing and four total touchdowns. In college at Florida State, he played in the 2014

2:07 PM ET RICHMOND, Va. — Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera issued a warning to his team after two more players were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, giving his players a what-if scenario: If this had happened the day before their season opener, it would impact their first two games. Washington now has six

1:20 PM ET FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Saturday that Cam Newton is the team’s starting quarterback — repeating what he had said in April when the team drafted Mac Jones in the first round — but also left open the possibility that things could change if Newton struggles in

11:29 AM ET OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens signed outside linebacker Justin Houston to a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is a significant move for the Ravens, who added the best available pass rusher to address the biggest hole on their team. Houston, 32, is

10:23 AM ET LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy understands Nick Foles’ trade value better than anybody. One year after Nagy helped spearhead the Bears’ acquisition of Foles from the Jacksonville Jaguars, the veteran quarterback’s name is being bandied about again as a potential trade target in light of Thursday’s foot

9:49 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Members of the Detroit Lions didn’t just go their separate ways after Day 3 of training camp, they banded together to support a fellow teammate. The squad held a local watch party on Friday night to witness Melissa Gonzalez — the wife of quarterback David Blough

6:00 AM ET SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold thinks of leadership as something you do more than something you say. He’s never forced it in a rah-rah way, allowing it to come out so subtly that often only teammates and coaches see it. Part of it comes from being raised by a

6:00 AM ET The 50-year friendship between the famous quarterback and his trusted protector was born at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, 1965. Joe Namath, recovering from knee surgery, hadn’t played a down in the NFL yet. He was 21, already rich because of a landmark contract with the New York Jets, but he