49ers coach Kyle Shanahan takes blame for the crash that left him with a concussion
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan took the blame for the car crash that left him with a concussion and other injuries, saying he took his eyes off the road to reach for his fallen cell phone before hitting another vehicle. Shanahan crashed into a 21-year-old woman driving in the other direction in Palo Alto on July 14 and was left with a concussion, broken ribs, a broken nose and broken left hand and stitches for a large cut above his right eye. Shanahan was briefly hospitalized following the crash and hasn’t been able to coach the team at the start of training camp.
Browns' Ward becomes NFL's highest-paid DB with 2-year, $62.2 million extension, AP source says
CLEVELAND (AP) — Denzel Ward has agreed to a two-year extension with the Cleveland Browns that will make him the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The five-time Pro Brown cornerback will sign a two-year extension worth $62.2 million — including $52.3 million guaranteed, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been publicly announced. The $31.1 million average surpasses the $31 million average when Trent McDuffie signed a four-year, $124 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams after being traded by Kansas City in March. The 29-year old Ward had two years remaining on a five-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2022.
New Red Sox infielder Curtis Mead to miss time with left wrist injury
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Curtis Mead will miss an undetermined amount of time with a left wrist injury suffered in his first game with the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox acquired Mead on Saturday in a trade that sent left-hander Connelly Early to Washington. Mead was injured in his second at-bat with Boston on Monday when he was hit on the wrist by Athletics starter Jack Perkins. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said on Monday that X-rays were negative, but further tests on Tuesday showed an injury that will knock Mead out of the lineup. Mead is hitting .253 with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs this season.
Rodgers says there's 'zero debate' 2026 will be his final season as Steelers open a new-look camp
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says there's “zero debate” that this season will be his last. The four-time MVP's status beyond 2026 is one of the few certainties for the Steelers as training camp begins. They have a new head coach, Mike McCarthy, who brings fresh ideas to the team. The team will practice earlier in the day and tackling will be limited. Pittsburgh will begin camp with defensive backs Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey on the physically unable to perform list.
FIFA plan for Kushner-backed $20 billion operation to run World Cup meets fury from Europe's UEFA
GENEVA (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino plans to create a $20 billion company running the World Cup with private investors including the Kushner family. The plan was immediately attacked by European soccer body UEFA which says “None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell." Infantino plans to form FIFA Forward Enterprise running competitions like the World Cup and Club World Cup. FIFA is working with J.P. Morgan while investors would include Thrive Eternal created by Joshua Kushner whose brother Jared is a son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. FIFA is currently a Swiss-based not-for-profit association of its 211 national member federations worldwide. Those members must approve any plan.
Notre Dame, Ohio State announce lucrative jersey patch sponsorship deals on the same day
Notre Dame and Ohio State reached lucrative jersey patch sponsorship deals totaling around $30 million as schools search for ways to cash in on the revenue-sharing era. Ohio State announced a multiyear jersey patch sponsorship deal with JPMorgan Chase. Terms of the deal were not released, but multiple outlets reported it at $17 million annually. Notre Dame also announced a jersey patch deal with SoFi Technologies worth $18 million to $20 million, according to multiple outlets. A sprawling $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement approved by a federal judge last month cleared the way for schools to directly pay players through licensing deals — and they’re already cashing in.
Vikings suspend new DB coach Gerald Alexander for 3 weeks following a drunken driving charge
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have suspended defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander for three weeks without pay following a drunken driving charge for an incident in April. Alexander’s suspension will be in effect until Aug. 13. That's two days before their first preseason game. Hennepin County court records show Alexander pled guilty July 16 to a gross misdemeanor charge of third degree driving while impaired. He was arrested at about 4 a.m. on April 26 after his vehicle was stopped in the middle of an intersection in a Minneapolis suburb. A police officer found him unresponsive and witnessed him failing field sobriety tests.
Blue Jays' Bieber struggles through 'worst' outing, walks 6 in two-thirds of an inning vs. Nats
WASHINGTON (AP) — Toronto pitcher Shane Bieber’s start against the Washington Nationals was anything but a walk in the park. The former Cy Young Award winner issued walks to six of the nine batters he faced — including three with the bases loaded — before departing after two-thirds of an inning. In his previous 149 pitching appearances, the 31-year-old right-hander’s high for walks was five. According to Stathead/Baseball Reference, Bieber is the 11th pitcher in major league history to walk at least six while recording two outs or less, and the first to do so since Florida’s Ryan Dempster on Oct. 5, 2001, at Atlanta. Bieber is the first Cy Young winner to have such an outing,
Draymond Green agrees to a 1-year, $27.7M contract to remain with the Warriors, AP source says
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Draymond Green has agreed to a one-year, $27.7 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors. A person familiar with the decision says Green will sign the deal that essentially matches the deal he opted out of last month before the Warriors made an unsuccessful bid to sign LeBron James. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. Green is now set to play his 15th season with the Warriors and if he plays in 51 games he will join Stephen Curry as the only players in franchise history to appear in at least 1,000 contests.
Eagles set to make Jalen Carter highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL, AP source says
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles are set to make two-time Pro Bowl selection Jalen Carter the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The sides announced that they agreed to terms on a four-year extension through the 2031 season. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because financial terms hadn’t been announced, said the contract includes $106 million guaranteed. Carter has 13 1/2 sacks in 43 career games and was crucial in the Eagles' Super Bowl win in the 2024 season. This offseason, the Eagles also extended defensive tackle Jordan Davis, a key player in their defensive line, with a three-year deal for $65 million guaranteed.
