First Call: Brown’s Odell Beckham Jr. says he’ll keep wearing watch; Jennifer Lopez ‘in talks’ for Super Bowl halftime show
In “First Call” Wednesday, Odell Beckham Jr. is going to keep his watch. Marcus Gilbert is out for the year. “Duck Dynasty” is back in Pittsburgh. And Jennifer Lopez may be up for the Super Bowl halftime show. Got the time? Odell Beckham Jr. claims he is going to keep...
Antonio Brown dismisses rape allegations as ‘money grab’
Antonio Brown’s camp on Tuesday night dismissed a federal lawsuit accusing the former Steelers wide receiver of rape as a “money grab” by a former trainer seeking to financially benefit “from his celebrity.” The lawsuit filed against the freshly signed New England Patriot earlier in the day by Britney Taylor...
Jets acquire WR Demaryius Thomas from Patriots for draft pickVideo
NEW YORK — The New York Jets are getting roster help from the most unlikely of sources: Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Adam Gase’s squad acquired wide receiver Demaryius Thomas from the Patriots for a 2021 sixth-round draft pick Tuesday, according to a person with direct knowledge of...
Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. plans to keep wearing lavish watchVideo
BEREA, Ohio — Watch it: Odell Beckham Jr.’s taking a stand against the NFL on his lavish wrist wear. Beckham said Tuesday that he intends to keep wearing the expensive watch he had on during Sunday’s season opener against the Tennessee Titans. The showy wide receiver believes the league has...
Bengals’ John Ross III shows in opener why he was No. 9 pickVideo
CINCINNATI — John Ross III had a clear path down the sideline to the end zone. All the receiver had to do was catch the ball and turn on his record-setting speed. Instead, the ball deflected off his hand. Ross jumped and waved his arms in frustration — not the...
Belichick uncertain how much Antonio Brown will be used vs. DolphinsVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Bill Belichick isn’t concerned about Antonio Brown’s past. He is even less concerned about anyone outside the Patriots organization who questions if Brown can fit into New England’s system without being disruptive. That’s because he remembers hearing similar sentiments about another outspoken receiver he traded for more...
Tim Benz: ESPN changes yellow ‘Monday Night Football’ graphic after angry complaintsVideo
Complaining your way into what you want seems to be a fashionable trend these days. First Antonio Brown managed to get his way out of Pittsburgh. Then Oakland. Now confused “Monday Night Football” viewers are getting their way as well. The MNF graphics crew received a lot of complaints during...
First Call: Deion Sanders says Ben Roethlisberger will retire during season; Raiders fans roast Antonio Brown
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Raiders fans voice their displeasure about Antonio Brown. Details of Brown’s contract with the Patriots are out. Deion Sanders seems to think Ben Roethlisberger will retire. And the Astros are unstoppable. What are they saying? The Oakland Raiders were on Monday Night Football at home to...
Raiders beat rival Broncos in 1st game after Antonio Brown’s releaseVideo
OAKLAND, Calif. — The night started with Oakland Raiders fans derisively chanting at former disgruntled receiver Antonio Brown and ended with coach Jon Gruden celebrating a victory in the Black Hole. The saga that consumed the football world for days didn’t hamper the Raiders a bit. Derek Carr threw a...
Wil Lutz’s 58-yard field goal lifts Saints over Texans, 30-28Video
NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees and Wil Lutz supplied the accuracy and poise New Orleans needed to overcome another officiating gaffe and its defense’s late collapse. Lutz made a 58-yard field goal as time expired, and the Saints beat the Houston Texans 30-28 on Monday night in a game that...
Bengals encouraged by 1st game under new coach Zac TaylorVideo
CINCINNATI — Andy Dalton had a career day. The defense played far better than at any time last season. An opener that could have turned ugly became a point of optimism. The Bengals couldn’t pull off the upset in Seattle, but the way they played suggested this could be a...
New-look Ravens off to record-setting start behind Lamar Jackson
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The defending AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens stand alone atop the division after a near-flawless performance that would suggest their offseason changes only made them better than last year. Newcomers Mark Ingram and Earl Thomas contributed heavily to Sunday’s 59-10 rout of the Miami Dolphins, as...
Browns appear overhyped, reckless in penalty-filled debutVideo
CLEVELAND — Baker Mayfield was hurting following a shocking, stinging loss. The Tennessee Titans sacked him five times, chased him all over the field and knocked some of the defiance out of Cleveland’s brassy quarterback in Sunday’s opener. “I’ll be all right,” Mayfield said. It’s too early to know if...
First Call: Steelers fans, it could be worse; you could be a Browns fan
In Monday’s “First Call,” our AFC North recap features a rotten start for Cleveland. Also, the Bengals hang tough and the Ravens go bonkers. Plus, Philadelphia fans live down to their reputation, while Saquon Barkley lives up to his. Cleveland clunker I’m not one who dismissed the offseason hype about...
Close call: Seahawks hold off Andy Dalton, Bengals for 21-20 winVideo
SEATTLE — Russell Wilson hit Tyler Lockett for a 44-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Seattle Seahawks withstood a career day from Andy Dalton to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 21-20 on Sunday. Wilson and the Seahawks struggled offensively for most of the game, but...
Report: Antonio Brown asked ‘social media consultants’ to help him get his Raiders release
Apparently, there was a method to Antonio Brown’s recent social media madness as he reportedly deliberately tried to orchestrate his release from the Raiders. Brown reached out to social media consultants, looking for advice on what he could do to ensure the Raiders would let him go, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen...
Baker Mayfield leaves with wrist wrapped after Browns poundedVideo
CLEVELAND — Quarterback Baker Mayfield had his right wrist wrapped after the Browns were rocked 43-13 by Tennessee in their opener. Mayfield appeared to get hurt Sunday when he was sacked for a safety in the first half by Cameron Wake. Following the game, Mayfield said “I’ll be all right”...
NFL Week 1 roundup: Chiefs top Jaguars, lose Tyreek Hill; Jaguars QB Nick Foles hurtVideo
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Despite losing star receiver Tyreek Hill early, Patrick Mahomes threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns while leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a testy and tactful 40-26 victory over the injury-riddled Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Mahomes took a beating and even had to leave the game...
Titans sack Baker Mayfield, much-hyped Browns in openerVideo
CLEVELAND — Maybe Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans deserved all the hype. Tennessee’s quarterback threw three touchdown passes — one a stunning 75-yarder to big back Derrick Henry — and the Titans rolled to a 43-13 rout Sunday over the Cleveland Browns, who fell flat on their faces in...
Lamar Jackson’s 5 TD passes help Ravens drub Dolphins 59-10Video
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Nine minutes into the season, Lamar Jackson had fans booing his hometown team. The South Florida native looked unstoppable from the start Sunday, and tied a franchise record with five touchdown passes to help the Baltimore Ravens humiliate the Miami Dolphins and rookie coach Brian Flores,...
Antonio Brown a Patriot, but unavailable for opener vs. Steelers
The NFL season already is so unpredictable that Antonio Brown is a New England Patriot. No, he won’t suit up Sunday night when the Patriots host Brown’s former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, from whom he forced a trade to Oakland in the offseason. He might be on the New England...
NFL inactives: Adrian Peterson a healthy scratch in Redskins’ opener
Adrian Peterson entered Sunday a single yard shy of becoming the fifth running back in NFL history to top 1,000 yards rushing in season openers. Washington coach Jay Gruden, however, made the four-time All-Pro and 2012 NFL MVP a heathy scratch Sunday for the Redskins’ opener at Philadelphia. That left...
Jefferson Hills family of Patriots’ Chase Winovich has torn loyalties
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There will be torn loyalties Sunday among members of the Winovich family of Jefferson Hills. Tried-and-true fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Winoviches, apparently, have adapted to the premise that 24-year-old Chase Winovich, a rookie linebacker, will be playing for the rival New England Patriots when the...
Jaguars looking for better performance this year vs. ChiefsVideo
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s 2018 season began to unravel in Kansas City. After a 3-1 start that included a victory against New England, the Jaguars were more than confident walking into Arrowhead Stadium last October. There was pregame trash talk, subtle predictions and a belief in Jacksonville’s locker room it...
Falcons’ Julio Jones agrees to 3-year, $66 million extensionVideo
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — One day before the season opener, Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones got his long-awaited contract extension Saturday, agreeing to a three-year, $66 million deal. The extension is nearly fully guaranteed when he signs. It locks in Jones through the 2023 season and removes a potentially major...
