Fernando Mendoza is preparing for his role as the Las Vegas Raiders' potential franchise quarterback. The real pressure will start to hit in late July during training camp. Although Kirk Cousins is expected to start the season, coaches are challenging Mendoza with the playbook. Coach Klint Kubiak praised Mendoza's progress. Mendoza's past experience with a major transition is helping him adapt. Cousins emphasizes teamwork in the quarterbacks' room, while Kubiak stresses competition. Meanwhile, linebacker Nakobe Dean missed minicamp, but the team is focused on getting everyone healthy for training camp.
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The Texas Attorney General's office has notified the Big 12 of potential legal action from Texas Tech. This follows a court order allowing quarterback Brendan Sorsby to regain NCAA eligibility despite gambling on sports. The Big 12's executive board met Thursday to discuss options after a Texas court issued a temporary injunction Monday that prevents the NCAA from enforcing its ban on Sorsby. He had been ruled ineligible after betting on his own team while at Indiana. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark says the board will meet Monday to decide on a course of action.
Indianapolis Colts safety Cam Bynum walked off the practice field Thursday eager to join the efforts to provide earthquake relief in the Philippines. It’s a mission every bit as near and dear to his heart as American football. Bynum has Filipino roots through his mother and has a home in the Philippines, too. His wife also is Filipino. So the long journey across the Pacific Ocean has become a regular thing for the Bynum family when he gets an extended break from practice. Only this time, Bynum intends to help in the recovery effort.
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners has denied parole for ex-NFL player Henry Ruggs. Nearly five years ago, Ruggs killed a woman in a car crash in Las Vegas. Ruggs, a former Raiders wide receiver, drove his sports car at up to 156 mph and crashed into Tina Tintor's vehicle. Prosecutors said his blood-alcohol level was 0.16%. Ruggs pleaded guilty in May 2023 to felony DUI causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was sentenced in August 2023 to three to 10 years in prison. Ruggs will face the parole board again before his August 2027 release date. His attorneys said Ruggs continues to feel sorrow over Tintor's death.
Deshaun Watson knows he can’t change the public perception of him or the results of his first four seasons with the Cleveland Browns. That’s why the embattled 10-year veteran quarterback is focusing on winning back the Browns’ starting job. Watson as the Browns' number one quarterback seemed unfathomable a year ago, when he was recovering from tearing his Achilles tendon twice. If Watson is named the starter for the Browns’ opener on Sept. 13 at Jacksonville, it will be 693 days between starts. He is competing with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job and coach Todd Monken says both players have earned the opportunity.
Texas Tech's sports leadership is defending its plans to play quarterback Brendan Sorsby next season while he treats his gambling addiction. Coach Joey McGuire, speaking Wednesday, acknowledges criticism, including from the NCAA president. McGuire says society accepts other issues but unites against gambling. Athletic director Kirby Hocutt states their role is to support Sorsby's recovery, not manipulate eligibility. A court order suspended Sorsby for the first two games, but the NCAA plans to appeal the overall decision.
The Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes agreed to a restructured contract that adds two years to his deal and pushes the total compensation past a half-billion dollars. That's according to a person familiar with the terms who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the Chiefs don't disclose financial terms of their contracts. Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract in 2020 that set a benchmark not only for the quarterback position but for any football player. The extension ties the two-time MVP to the Chiefs through the 2033 season, when Mahomes will be 38, and comes in at $504.75 million, while incentives and escalators could push the value beyond $520 million.
Offseason ankle surgery has kept receiver Alec Pierce out for all of the Indianapolis Colts' offseason workouts. It may limit his activity — or keep him off the field — for the start of training camp, too. Pierce says doctors expect it to take his left ankle four to six months to fully recover from a late May procedure, which was done shortly after he signed a four-year, $114 million contract to remain in Indy. If Pierce is out for the start of camp, the Colts could be without their new No. 1 receiver at the same time their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, could be limited. Jones has been cleared for position group work and 7-on-7 drills as he continues recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon.
The controversy over gambling in college sports has intensified with Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby's court victory. College players betting on their own teams is widely condemned, but resolving the issue is complex. This week, Nebraska and Georgia urged their coaches not to schedule games with Texas Tech. Meanwhile, the Big 12 is debating its response. The case highlights the challenges of regulating college sports, especially with legal sports gambling widespread and lucrative sponsorships involved. Without legal protections, the NCAA struggles to enforce rules, leaving the future of college sports governance uncertain.
The Cincinnati Bengals have restructured the contract of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move was not announced. The restructured deal was first reported by ESPN and NFL Network. Cincinnati gains around $10 million in cap space by spreading out some of his base salary over the final three years of the deal — 2027 through ’29. Burrow signed a five-year, $275-million extension in 2023. The Bengals found themselves low on cap space after acquiring defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants before the NFL draft and signing him to a one-year extension worth $28 million.