While veteran wideout Chase Claypool drew the headlines from the day, the Indianapolis Colts worked out a handful of other skill position players on Thursday—ultimately signing former Penn State wideout Liam Clifford:
#colts worked out Chase Claypool, Liami Clifford (signed), Jermar jefferson, Roydell Williams
The 6'1", 200 pound undrafted 1st-year wideout previously participated in the Colts recent 2026 rookie minicamp tryout after earning 4x Academic All-Big Ten honors with the Nittany Lions.
During his 4-year collegiate career, Clifford caught 42 receptions for 530 receiving yards (12.6 ypr. avg.) and a touchdown reception, as well as had 3 rushes for 16 total rushing yards.
On special teams, he had one touchdown on a blocked punt.

#touchdown

Just a few weeks ago, only a handful of members of the U.S. women's hockey team were expected to attend the ESPYs, the annual awards show honoring the year's biggest athletes, teams and moments in sports.
By Wednesday afternoon, many more of the reigning Olympic gold medalists were swapping jerseys for gowns inside a midtown Manhattan penthouse. Champagne was flowing. Hair and makeup artists buzzed around the room. Defenseman Mariah Keopple, who also works as a stylist, helped teammates put the finishing touches on their looks before they headed to the awards show, airing live Wednesday night from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City.
It wasn't exactly the typical pregame routine for one of the world's best hockey teams. And none of it would have happened without an unlikely benefactor: Flavor Flav.
The Public Enemy legend learned last week from U.S. captain Hilary Knight that only a handful of players had been invited to the ESPYs, where Team USA is nominated for Best Team following its dramatic gold-medal victory at the 2026 Winter Olympics. For Flavor Flav, the solution was simple: "I got you."
That promise quickly snowballed.

#team #espys #wednesday #hockey

The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston ******* istant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.
To honor all of the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.
With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.
And for today's article, we will continue with the third of four who wore the No. 24, forward alum Jack Marin. After ending his college career at Duke, Marin was picked up with the fifth overall selection of the 1966 NBA Draft by the (then) Baltimore Bullets (now, Washington Wizards).
The Sharon, Pennsylvania native played the first six seasons of his pro career with Baltimore, coming to an end when he was dealt to the Houston Rockets in 1972. His stay with the team lasted until he was traded again, this time to the (then) Buffalo Braves (now, Boston Celtics - it's a long story) in 1974.

#rockets #marin

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are bringing back former All-Pro Deebo Samuel for a second stint after starting receiver Ricky Pearsall got sidelined by a knee injury.
A person familiar with the deal said Samuel agreed on Thursday to return to the 49ers on a one-year contract worth up to $7 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn't been announced.
NFL Network first reported the agreement.
Samuel spent his first six seasons with the 49ers after being drafted in the second round in 2019, helping the team reach the Super Bowl twice and earning All-Pro honors in 2021 when he had 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns.
Samuel was traded to Washington in 2025 for a fifth-round draft pick and had 72 catches for 727 yards and five TDs for the Commanders last season. He became a free agent in March and now will join the Niners to provide reinforcement with Pearsall out.

#deal #first #yards #clara

The UTEP men's basketball team's Mexican travels picked up another destination, as the Miners are headed to the Cancun Challenge.
The Cancun Challenge, which is Nov. 24-25, is a four-team Thanksgiving tournament where they will play the College of Charleston and either Kennesaw State or Eastern Michigan.
Two weeks later, they conclude the multi-national event at Don Haskins Center when they host North Dakota (not to be confused with new Mountain West member North Dakota State) on Dec. 5. That tip-off time has not been set but likely will be 7 p.m.
The Nov. 24 game against Charleston will tip at 6:30 p.m. MT, while the Nov. 25 game against the Kennesaw/Eastern Michigan winner is TBA.
"The opportunity to play in the Cancun Challenge is a great honor for UTEP basketball and we look forward to being tested against three quality opponents," UTEP coach Joe Golding said. "Many great teams have played in this MTE (multi-team event) in the past, and we're excited to add UTEP's name to the list. It's another great chance to play on a big college basketball stage early in the season with a brand-new team."

#Basketball #team #great #charleston

The Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga clubs distributed more tickets during the 2025/26 campaign than in any previous season, according to the latest spectator report released by the DFL. The 36 professional clubs registered a combined total of 21,404,258 tickets, including complimentary and honorary admissions. This amounted to an average of 34,974 tickets per fixture, representing a new record across Germany's top two divisions.
The Bundesliga alone recorded 12,718,097 distributed tickets, an increase of 9.1 percent compared with the previous campaign. The average top-flight attendance rose from 38,082 to 41,562. The return of Hamburg and 1. FC Köln contributed significantly to the increase. Both promoted clubs possess large stadiums and substantial supporter bases, while relegated sides VfL Bochum and Holstein Kiel operated with considerably smaller capacities.
Another rise can be anticipated during the forthcoming campaign following Schalke 04's promotion back to the Bundesliga.
Borussia Dortmund once again recorded the league's highest average attendance, welcoming almost 80,000 spectators per home match in their 81,365-seat venue. Bayern Munich followed with approximately 75,000 in their 75,024-seat Arena while promoted Hamburg averaged around 56,900 in the 57,000-seat Volksparkstadion.
The Bundesliga's reported stadium occupancy rate also increased slightly from 95.9 to 96.1 percent.

#tickets #clubs #campaign #hamburg

Wide receiver Dante Pettis played his last snaps for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2020 season, but after spending the last few months on the market, he's found his new home.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pettis is signing with the Buffalo Bills early in training camp.
San Francisco originally took Pettis in the second round (No. 44 overall) of the 2018 NFL draft, after he spent four years at Washington and earned both All-Pac-12 and All-American honors in his final season. He also set an NCAA record with nine punt-return touchdowns.
In 28 games with the 49ers, he caught 38 passes for 576 yards and seven touchdowns. Since then, he's had stints with the New York Giants, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.
Now, he'll have an opportunity to try to keep his career alive, earn a roster spot and catch passes from Josh Allen in 2026.

#pettis #adam

It's a special edition of the Coloradoan's Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor our top local sports stars.
This week's version isn't about current athletes, but former local stars who could have a noticeable impact on the gridiron this fall.
Which Fort Collins-area product will have the biggest impact on a college football team for the 2026 season? There are many great options, from the Division I FBS level to FCS and even Division II.
You can find the poll at the bottom of the page.
Voting runs through Aug. 4 at 11:59 a.m., with the winner announced at coloradoan.com/sports soon after the poll's conclusion.

#local #sports #week #credit

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Indianapolis Colts worked out veteran free agent wideout Chase Claypool, who hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2023:
The #colts worked out veteran WR Chase Claypool today.
The 28-year-old former 2020 2nd round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers also spent time with the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills organization during his initial 4-year NFL career.
His best season came as a rookie for the Steelers back in 2020, when he recorded 62 receptions for 873 receiving yards (14.1 ypr. avg.) and 9 touchdown receptions during 16 games (6 starts)—earning PWFA All-Rookie Team honors that same season.
Claypool would follow that strong debut pro campaign up with a 'sophomore season' in which he recorded 59 receptions for 860 total receiving yards (14.6 ypr. avg.) and 2 touchdown receptions during 15 games (13 starts).

#receptions #veteran

The Green Bay Packers are adding to the wide receiver room after two days of training camp. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Packers are signing Kaden Prather -- a 2025 draft pick of the Buffalo Bills who played in the UFL during the 2026 season -- to a one-year deal after a tryout on Thursday.
The Packers have 10 wide receivers on the current roster, although Brenden Rice was placed on the non-football injury list with a hamstring injury after Wednesday's practice. It's possible Prather (6-3, 209) could be a replacement for Rice as the 10th receiver. A corresponding roster move will be required.
Prather was the 240th overall pick in the 2025 draft. He was released from injured reserve by the Bills at final cuts last August and then played most recently with the UFL champion Louisville Kings, catching nine passes for 148 yards over nine games. Prather dealt with a hamstring injury during his only training camp in Buffalo.
Prather played two seasons at West Virginia before finishing his collegiate career at Maryland. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2023 after catching 42 passes for 666 yards and five touchdowns, and his senior season included a career-high 56 catches for 624 yards and four scores.
Prather's scouting report from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: "Outside receiver with size and speed to create advantages downfield. Prather is not explosive -- though he builds and carries speed to create deep windows -- and needs to do a better job of finishing routes and catches. He's too leggy and tight-hipped to beat man coverage over the first two levels and he's not a natural pass catcher in traffic. Prather is a niche option as a field-stretcher with good height, weight and speed, but he might need to prove he can play special teams to give himself a legitimate roster shot."

#prather #receiver

From his rise as an Ohio State star to now a stud NFL receiver, Chris Olave is about to be compensated very well. Adam Schefter has reported that Olave will be signing a new 4-year contract extension with the New Orleans Saints that will pay him up to $132 million dollars.
The former Buckeye wide receiver standout was one of the most productive wide receivers in school history and has shown to be a valuable player at the professional level as well. When he was at Ohio State, Olave was known as one of the elite big-play threats and a polished route runner. He finished his college career with 176 catches, 2,711 receiving yards and a school-record 35 receiving touchdowns. He earned All-American honors in 2021 while also being the team captain.
Olave was drafted at No. 11 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2022 NFL draft, and his success has translated at the next level. He has 291 career catches for 3,728 yards and 19 touchdowns. In 2025 he had a 100-catch season as well as 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns. Coming off such a productive year, the Saints were anxious to try to lock down their star receiver with a new contract.
Ohio State fans can be proud that they continue to be one of the premier destinations for wide receivers. And they are able to push that they learn the skills necessary in Columbus to translate at the NFL-level and then earn life-changing money.
Contact/Follow us BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.

#ohio #state #level #yards

Wednesday, Auburn women's tennis released its upcoming schedule for the 2026 fall.
The schedule provided by head coach Jordan Szabo, the Tigers will be competing through three Intercollegiate Tennis ****** ociation events for a bid in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships. The individual championships will be held in November.
The Tigers open up the fall with the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, North Carolina on Sept. 19-27. Early October will see them in the ITA Southern Regional Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the 8th through 12th.
Then a trip to Rome, Georgia to compete in the RTC Collegiate Invite on Oct. 23-25 and then to Knoxville, Tennessee for the ITA South Sectional Championships on No. 5-8. If they advance, the NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships will be held in Athens, Georgia on Nov. 17-22.
Players Ava Esposito and Ashton Bowers both earned bids last season to the NCAA Singles Championship. Esposito would make it to the round of 16 and finished with an ITA Singles All-American honor.

#doubles #georgia

CHICAGO (AP) — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti says he's "stalking complacency" as he makes sure there's no championship hangover now that he's orchestrated one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history.
Cignetti took over a program that had gone 9-27 the three years before his arrival and led it to College Football Playoff appearances in each of his first two seasons, including a 2025 national ****** le.
He wants his program to maintain the same edge it carried while working its way up.
"We have a way of doing things," Cignetti sad. "We've got guys that have been together, and all we do is win."
Indiana's stunning two-year run under Cignetti already has allowed the traditional Big Ten also-ran to shed its status as the Bowl Subdivision program with the most losses in history. That dubious honor now belongs to conference rival Northwestern.

#cignetti #program #Football

Last season, the New Orleans Saints were reportedly fielding trade offers for Chris Olave. Now they've made him one of the NFL's highest paid wide receivers.
Olave, headed into the final year of his rookie contract, reportedly signed a four-year extension that will keep him as Tyler Shough's huckleberry through the foreseeable future. At $132 million and $90 million guaranteed, it wasn't able to reset the wideout market but pays him slightly more in annual average salary than former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson. The New York Jets gave Wilson a four-year, $130 million deal last offseason, making him the league's seventh-highest paid WR.
It's a big bet on a player who has emerged as an engine in the Saints offense when available. The Saints are locked in to $90 million for a receiver coming off his finest season. His 100 catches were seventh-best in the NFL en route to second-team All-Pro honors. But he also missed more than half the 2024 season due to concussion concerns and his 2.0 yards per route run (YPRR) were a career low. Will the Saints regret a great commitment for a player who may merely be good?
This offseason has been predicated on bringing weapons into the fold as New Orleans figures out whether Shough's ability to exceed expectations as a rookie was an outlier or a sign of things to come. The Saints signed running back Travis Etienne for $12 million annually and used the eighth overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Jordyn Tyson. Keeping Olave fits with that philosophy.
At the same time, it's fair to wonder if Olave can keep up his 2025 pace when he's not the surefire focus of the offense. Last year's New Orleans offense couldn't run the ball (31st in rushing expected points added). Only two other players on the team had more than 40 targets and one, Rashid Shaheed, was traded mid-season. His target share of just under 30 percent was a career high and his 8.7 air yards per catch were a career low, leading to modest impacts despite his prolific nature.

#year #wilson

The state of Texas is not only one of the biggest states in the country, but also one of the most talent-rich areas. It's also home to 25 Division I schools, which is one fewer than California for the most in the country.
Texas is also home to huge public universities like the University of Texas and Texas A&M, two of the richest athletic programs in college sports that also happen to be fierce rivals. Other schools like Baylor and Houston have all experienced the highest highs of college sports.
With a long list of schools, especially ones with illustrious pasts in sports, landing on the 10 best college athletes in the state's history wasn't easy, and certainly resulted in some all-time players being left out. The list features Heisman Trophy winners, all-time greats and players that were equally as important culturally as they were on the field.
PATH TO PLAYOFF: Sign up for our college football newsletter
Here's a look at USA TODAY's 10 best college athletes from Texas, in honor of the country's 250th anniversary:

#texas #college #like #list

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An unexpected life event in your family can completely change the course of your financial future if you're caught unprepared. Fortunately, a life insurance policy tailored to your specific needs can soften the financial blow and help you move forward on your terms.
To help you avoid the confusion of trying to choose between countless providers, we've done the research and compiled a list of the best life insurance companies, according to what makes them stand out (plus a few honorable mentions).
New York Life: Best overall
MassMutual: Best for financial stability

#life #advertiser #disclosure #york

ESPN | Jorge Castillo: The two New York teams are expected to have wildly different trade deadlines, with the Yankees presumed to be buyers and the Mets perhaps the biggest sellers. While there's a couple possible deals to be had between the two clubs — ****** o, Luke Weaver? — the largest possible splashes for the Yankees look like they could come from the West Coast. The San Diego Padres offer two relievers that could reinforce the bullpen, and the Angels feature both Zack Neto and Reid Detmers as alluring trade targets.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: With Cody Bellinger out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain, the Yankee lineup and outfield are starting to look pretty bald. The team is already suffering significantly without Aaron Judge in the lineup, and while they still have a chance to win the AL East, they need someone to step up and start hitting, or they have an increased need to bring in an impact bat before the Trade Deadline.
Front Office Sports | Eric Fisher: As a longtime lover of MLB.tv, I get to benefit from what might be sports' best livestreaming experience. From what I've heard from New York locals, the Gotham Sports App has not been a very good livestreaming experience. The platform has repeatedly had playback, UI, and general quality issues over the past two seasons, and it seems it is being sunsetted by the YES and MSG networks. Streaming service DAZN is being tapped as the replacement for Gotham Sports, and I'll keep using MLB.tv.
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees announced who will be coming back to the Bronx on August 8th for the 78th edition of Old-Timers' Day. Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera lead the way, and they'll be joined by Monument Park honorees Ron Guidry, Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez, Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte. The first-time Old-Timers are Dellin Betances (born in 1988, gulp), Todd Frazier, David Weathers, and Adam Ottavino (who just pitched last year). Check out the full list!
TSN: If you know me, you know I'm a born hater. I want Shohei Ohtani to grow old and die warm in a bed surrounded by loved ones and I hope he has a rock in his shoe every single time he steps on a baseball field. Yesterday was a win for the haters, as Alek Manoah was released by the Angels. One imagines Gerrit Cole opened a particularly special bottle of wine last night's game with the White Sox.

#yankees #Angels

The Senate took its first major step in fulfilling one of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's biggest desires: levying bone-crushing sanctions against Russia.
A bipartisan swell carried the sanctions package through its first hurdle on an 86-12 vote, which has gone through several iterations in the time since it was first formulated by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. He explained that at its core, the package was designed to stop purchases of Russian oil and gas that was "fueling Putin's war machine."
"Ukraine's fight is our fight," Blumenthal said. "Nobody believed that more deeply and passionately than Lindsey Graham. He lived it, and this vote is a step forward."
Lindsey Graham's Final Mission Nears Finish Line As World Leaders Gather To Honor Him
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Policy on the Promotion of the Russian Language and the Languages of the Peoples of Russia via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 2, 2026.

#state

Iran publicly hanged two young men Tuesday over their alleged roles in January's nationwide anti-government protests, as onlookers chanted "Dishonorable, dishonorable!" before security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an exiled Iranian opposition group.
Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi were hanged Tuesday in Isfahan's Shahid Alikhani Square — where authorities alleged they committed offenses connected to the Jan. 8 protests, according to the NCRI and Iranian state media.
The NCRI said onlookers condemned the executions before security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. The opposition group also said security personnel had been deployed on rooftops and surrounding streets.
Iranian state media also reported the public executions, Reuters said, with Iran's semi-official news agency Mehr saying they were carried out in Alikhani Square "in the presence of a group of people."
Who Is Ahmad Vahidi? Iran's New Irgc Chief Tied To Global Attacks And 'Death To America' Ideology

#group

UFC star Jon Jones posted a video of him killing a pig in 2021 and that led allegedly to a long message from Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton.
Jones was living life after vacating his UFC light heavyweight ***** le at the time — and bulking up to eventually move to heavyweight — when he went on a helicopter ride to shoot at pigs alongside former rangers. Hamilton, who had just won just 7th world championship in Formula 1 months prior, apparently didn't like it.
"I went hunting years ago with bunch of army rangers, and we ended up hunting pigs from a helicopter from using AR-15s," Jones said in an interview with ALF Global. "I was so proud of myself 'cause I killed one of the pigs from the helicopter. My pig was donated to an underprivileged family in the community."
"But Lewis saw me shoot the pig from a helicopter," he continued. "He wrote me a long message saying that I was a coward, and that he thought that I was better than that. He said that the traditional way of killing animals should be with a spear or a bow and arrow. And he was saying like, only a coward would shoot an animal from an helicopter, to give the animal a chance to fight you back, at least."
Jonny Meat on Instagram: "One shot, one kill, lots of bacon. Was an honor hunting with medal of honor recipient @t.payne75 & jeff_cotto mattcronrath operational_defense_institute"

#helicopter #jones #lewis #long

Colorado is five days away from opening its 2026 fall camp as the Buffaloes begin preparations for Deion Sanders' fourth season at the helm. The Buffs had a solid offseason despite many changes, including two new coordinators and 40-plus transfers, most with proven production, albeit at a non-Power Four level.
One of those players is Sacramento State transfer wide receiver Ernest Campbell. The speedy wideout is one of Pro Football Focus' highest-graded returning Big 12 wide receivers. He comes in ranked as the fifth-best returner with an 85.9 overall grade.
Campbell is coming off a breakout season at Sacramento State after being named to the FCS Central Freshman All-American Team. He led the Hornets with 37 receptions for 755 yards and eight touchdowns. The most impressive stat from his 2025 season is his average of 20.41 yards per reception. Campbell's explosivity is by far his best trait, and he should be the big-play threat in Brennan Marion's Go-Go offense, which he knows well. He had touchdowns of 75, 63,60, 57 and 50 yards.
Campbell unsurprisingly has a track background, competing collegiately at Texas A&M as a true freshman in 2024. He recorded a 10.02 100m time at the NCAA West First Round meet and was an honorable mention All-American, placing 22nd at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Colorado is used to having wide receivers with speed, with players like LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr. adding a different dynamic during the 9-4 2024 season. CU is hoping Campbell can be that element this year and that it will lead to a similarly strong season.

#yards

One of the most anticipated elements of the annual "Madden" NFL video game release is the revelation of which players received the coveted 99 rating.
Madden only gives a handful of NFL players the top mark in its game every year. And in the upcoming edition of Madden NFL 27, six standouts have achieved perfection.
For a second consecutive season, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett are members of the exclusive 99 Club.
Here's what to know about the honor and how many times the 99 rating has been doled out by the game's developers and ratings adjusters.

#madden #game #bengals

Tyler Lepley and Miracle Watts celebrated their wedding in an intimate ceremony at Acre Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico
Watts walked down the aisle with both parents and honored her mother by dedicating her wedding florals to her
The couple announced their engagement in November 2024 with a romantic proposal featuring a heart-shaped arch of roses
Tyler Lepley and Miracle Watts are married!
The couple, who met on the set of Starz's P-Valley, tied the knot in Los Cabos, Mexico on Saturday, July 25 at the Acre Resort. Lepley and Watts kept their guest list small, preferring to say "I do" during an intimate celebration.

#Mexico

Welcome to the club.
The 99 Club in the EA Sports Madden NFL video game is one of the highest honors a player can receive. Millions of people across the world will turn on their gaming equipment of choice, fire up the game and take the virtual field to play with the NFL's best.
That rating is just another indicator of a player's skill and dominance at the highest level of the sport.
MORE: Should Caleb Williams fear the Madden curse? Bears QB looks to avoid bad luck
It's the reason few gain entry, and there's no red velvet rope to get beyond in this case. No connections will help. The only thing that matters is the tape.

#williams

The San Francisco 49ers had a few players go down with injuries early on in training camp, and now they've decided to move on from Andrew Farmer II and William Bradley-King to make room for linebacker Quinton Bell and defensive end K.J. Henry.
Farmer played at Lane from 2018-22. After going undrafted in 2023, he's spent one season with the Los Angeles Chargers, one with the Denver Broncos and one with the 49ers. Over his three years in the league, he's appeared in eight games and recorded three tackles. The 26-year-old suffered a back injury on Sunday.
Bradley-King played at Arkansas State from 2016-19, earning All-Sun Belt honors twice, before transferring to Baylor for one final season. He went in the seventh round (No. 240 overall) of the 2021 NFL draft, and spent time with the Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins before joining the 49ers last year. He's appeared in four games and recorded seven tackles and a half-sack over the last five years in the league. The 28-year-old was injured Monday.
If both players going unclaimed on waivers, they would revert back to San Francisco's injured reserve, ending their season. They'd only be able to return in 2026 if they come to an injury settlement with the team at some point.
More 49ers: Brandon Aiyuk takes apparent shot at Kyle Shanahan after car accident

#bradley

There are several players with local ties that began their football careers on fields around Central Mass. that are starting training camp with NFL teams this week. Jennifer Toland took a look at 12 former local high school and college stars giving it their all for a shot on living the ultimate dream.
Anderson, who helped lead Holy Cross to four straight Patriot League championships, joined the Bengals' practice squad in October 2025. He spent most of his first two pro seasons (2023, 2024) on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad. Anderson played in four games for the Colts, primarily as a special teams contributor. Anderson was a two-time All-Patriot League first-team honoree.
Coker, who signed a three-year contract extension with the Panthers in June, emerged as a vital part of the Panthers' offense his first two seasons in the NFL. ****** er missed the first six games of 2025 with a quadriceps injury before coming back to make 33 catches for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns and help Carolina win the NFC South ****** le for the first time in a decade. In the Panthers' wild-card playoff game loss to the Los Angeles Rams, ****** er had nine receptions for 134 yards and a TD. ****** er is Holy Cross' all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Crippen, who grew up in Northborough and attended Milton Academy and IMG Academy, was a member of the University of Michigan's 2024 national ****** le team. As a graduate student in 2025, Crippen started all 13 games at center and was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. The Steelers signed the 6-foot-4, 309-pound Crippen as an undrafted free agent after his successful tryout at the team's rookie minicamp in May.
Gray, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, enters his sixth season with the Chiefs. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion. Gray, who had 21 receptions for 178 yards last season, is expected to continue in his backup role to Travis Kelce in 2026. Gray had his most productive season in 2024, when he caught 40 passes for 437 yards and 5 touchdowns, all career highs.

#anderson #panthers #games

Tennessee said Wednesday that linebacker Arion Carter has been suspended for the first two games of the 2026 season by the NCAA after he repaid an agent for a flight he took during the NFL's pre-draft process.
Carter explored entering the 2026 NFL Draft before deciding to return for his senior season. As he was looking at entering the draft, an agent paid for a $427 plane ticket. After Carter suffered an injury while working out before the draft, he returned to school and paid for the flight.
However, the NCAA deemed the initial payment of that ticket by the agent to be a Level III violation because players and their families are not allowed to take material benefits from agents, including transportation. And a spokesperson for the school told the Knoxville News Sentinel that Carter had actually been suspended for three games before it was reduced down to two.
"We disagree with the NCAA's ruling on punishing Arion with a multi-game suspension this fall," Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said in a statement. Arion made the right decision for his future health and well-being. He will proudly graduate from Tennessee in public health with Dean's List honors in August. Our team stands behind AC and his family, and we can't wait to be on the field with him during training camp this week."
Carter was Tennessee's third-leading tackler in 2025 despite missing three games because of a foot injury that flared up as he was looking to turn pro. He had 76 stops and six tackles for loss across 10 games. He'll miss the team's Week 1 game against Furman and its Week 2 matchup vs. Georgia Tech.

#carter #draft

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is still in the running to earn the No. 1 overall spot on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list this summer.
According to the NFL's Grant Gordon, Maye is one of 12 contenders with viable shots at earning the top spot in this year's NFL 100 rankings after his superb season in 2025.
"2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player runner-up was youngest player in NFL history to lead league in completion percentage (72.0, team record); Pro Bowler also led league in passer rating (113.5) and passing yards per attempt (8.9), ultimately guiding Patriots to Super Bowl LX," Gordon wrote.
Maye had a season of note in 2025. He was one of the most successful players in the league from an individual and team standpoint last season. In only his second NFL season, he racked up 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions, earning All-Pro honors for his efforts.
Los Angeles Rams star and AP MVP Matt Stafford, as well as Rams star and AP Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett have the best chance to claim the top spot on the NFL 100 this year.

#player #spot #league #year

The opportunity to put sponsorship patches on Texas Tech football uniforms has stirred interest from potential corporate partners, Robert Giovannetti said this week, but the Tech senior **** ociate athletics director stopped short of saying whether he expects a deal to be struck in time for this season.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we have one," Giovannetti said, "but I don't know if I'd use the term 'expect'. I think we understand the value. We understand the importance. We understand that we need to monetize where we can, but I think we want to make sure we have the right partnership and we get the right price for it."
Giovannetti made the observation on Tuesday, July 28, hours after Ohio State and Notre Dame both announced department-wide sponsorship agreements that will have all their teams wearing a sponsor's logo on uniforms. According to reports, Ohio State is expected to receive about $15 million to $17 million annually in a multi-year deal with JPMorganChase, and Notre Dame is expected to receive in the range of $18 million to $20 million annually in a six-year deal with SoFi Technologies. Both deals are for jersey patches for all teams at each of the schools.
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With the MLB trade deadline approaching, Milwaukee Brewers fans are wondering who may join the Crew, but on this day in 2006 the Brewers made perhaps their most-important free-agent signing of the past 20 years.
Not Mike Cameron or Lorenzo Cain − the Chorizo.
On July 29, 2006, the Brewers added a new runner to the famous in-game sausage race in honor of the team's Latino fanbase. It was Cerveceros day at American Family Field − then Miller Park − back then. Cerveceros is Spanish for beer-maker, aka a Brewer. Chorizo finished third in that first race, which would be its only one of the 2006 season. After its debut, Chorizo was sent down to the minors for "seasoning," according to the Brewers, and returned on opening day 2007.
"This really began as a grassroots email and letter-writing campaign," current Brewers president of business operations, Rich Schlesinger, said at the time. "At first, it was a few letters a week, and, to use a food ***** ogy, it mushroomed to something much larger. We started taking it seriously."
This season, Chorizo is at the bottom of the pack in competition on the field, however, and is tied with Hot Dog for last place at seven wins, which is a better showing than previous years. Chorizo has been in last place overall for the past three seasons and has been near the bottom for the other two of the past five.

#chorizo #race #first #season