NFL FINING MORE THAN 100 PLAYERS FOR SELLING SUPER BOWL TICKETS ABOVE FACE VALUE, AP SOURCE SAYS
The NFL is fining about 100 players and two dozen club employees for violating league policy by selling Super Bowl 59 tickets for above face value, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press on Friday.
The person, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, said the players who resold their tickets will have to pay a fine of 1 1/2 times the face value they paid. They also won’t be permitted to buy tickets for the next two Super Bowls unless they are playing in the game.
Club employees who violated the policy will be fined two times face value.
In a memo sent to teams and obtained by the AP, NFL head of compliance Sabrina Perel said the league was still completing its investigation.
“Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.”
The “bundlers” will face increased penalties, per the memo.
According to the CBA, players on all 32 teams can purchase two tickets for the Super Bowl.
“In advance of Super Bowl LX, we will be enhancing the mandatory compliance training regarding the Policy for all League personnel, which will emphasize the specific requirements of the Policy and the broader principle that no one should profit personally from their NFL affiliation at the expense of our fans,” Perel said in the memo. “We will also increase the penalties for future violations of this Policy. All clubs must ensure their personnel understand and comply with this policy. Additional details regarding the enhanced compliance measures will be provided in early fall.”
The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 9 in a Super Bowl rematch from two years ago.
ROOKIE DEFENSIVE END SHEMAR STEWART ENDS HOLDOUT, SIGNS $18.97 MILLION DEAL WITH BENGALS
Shemar Stewart and the Cincinnati Bengals agreed to a contract on Friday, ending the rookie defensive end’s three-day holdout from training camp.
Stewart’s agent, Zac Hiller of LAA, said the four-year deal is worth $18.97 million guaranteed, including a $10.4 million signing bonus.
The Bengals and Stewart were deadlocked over contract language that could potentially void future guarantees if there are any off-field incidents or conduct detrimental to the team.
Other teams have had that language, but this was the first time Cincinnati included that provision with a first-round pick.
Stewart, the 17th overall pick in April’s draft, eventually agreed to the provision, but got more of his signing bonus now instead of later in the season.
Stewart had only 4 1/2 total sacks during three seasons at Texas A&M, but at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds they are hoping to refine his pass rushing skills as well as step into the starting lineup for the Sept. 7 opener at Cleveland.
When Stewart does step onto the practice field, it will be his first time suiting up as a
“He learned a lot in the classroom, but at the end of the day for us when it comes down to technique and just our core fundamentals, the only way to go out there and create great habits is to do it every day,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said on Monday. “So from that standpoint, there was a time constraint there on what he’s done on the field. And obviously we need to get him out there and get him going.”
Trey Hendrickson — the Bengals other projected starter at defensive end — remains away from training camp as the two sides try to reach a contract extension. Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks last season and is seeking a deal that matches what the league’s top pass rushers are earning.
Cincinnati was 9-8 last season, but missed the playoffs for the second straight season due to its struggles on defense. The Bengals finished 25th in the league in total defense (348.3 yards allowed per game) and lost four games last season in which they scored at least 30 points.
Stewart’s signing means Cleveland running back Quinshon Judkins is the only unsigned NFL draft pick. Judkins, the 36th overall selection, was arrested on July 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a charge of battery and domestic violence. Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on Thursday the team is continuing to gather more information on the incident, which is why Judkins remains unsigned.
WITH NEW CONTRACT, JA’MARR CHASE ALREADY PLAYING HARD AT BENGALS TRAINING CAMP
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase didn’t participate in training camp last year as he tried to negotiate a contract extension.
While he went on to become the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches in the same season, Chase still felt like he missed something by not being a part of practices leading up to the first week of the season.
“I love to work,” Chase said. “I’m a workaholic. I love to work. Joe asked me today, am I tired? I said, ‘Call the play while I’m tired.’ At the end of the day, when it’s the fourth quarter and I’m tired, they’re not going to ask me if I’m tired. It’s all about how hard you can push yourself at the end of the day, especially on days like this. As long as you get 1% better each day, that’s how you improve.”
Chase was present at all of training camp last year, but he watched it from the sideline as a part of a hold-in. He went on to receive the lucrative contract he was looking for in March, but he bet on himself entering 2024 and played on his rookie contract.
He only received a few last-minute practice reps leading into the first week of the 2024 season. While he started a bit slow, Chase still had a terrific season. He was a unanimous All-Pro last season, finishing the year with 127 receptions for 1,708 receiving yards as well as 17 receiving touchdowns.
But Chase’s two worst games of the season were the first two weeks. That included an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in Week 2 at Kansas City after he thought a penalty should have been called for a hip-drop tackle on him.
“I had great legs last year,” Chase said. “Like I said, I love to work. At the end of the day, I get to work on stuff that I didn’t work on last year and getting that real feel from the (defensive back) and working on certain things that I wanted to do this year. I get a chance to do it in camp now instead of just doing it in games.”
Chase has been an active receiver and target of quarterback Joe Burrow during the first two training camp practices.
“There’s a reason you’re All-Pro at the end of the day and one of the best in the league,” Chase said. “So you’re supposed to have on and off switch and go out and do it.”
This season, as All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson enters the final year of his contract, he’s in a similar position as Chase was last season. Unlike Chase, Hendrickson isn’t present on the sidelines at Bengals practices. Hendrickson is working out in Florida as he tries to negotiate a new contract.
“I don’t really know much about what Trey got going on in his situation,” Chase said. “I’m not in his situation anymore. I’m sure everyone wants to be treated the same. That’s the hard part with stuff like this. End of the day, it’s not really him making the decision. I just wish the best for him and hope he pulls it off.”
VIKINGS SIDELINE JUSTIN JEFFERSON WITH ‘VERY MILD’ HAMSTRING STRAIN
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings will keep wide receiver Justin Jefferson off the field for awhile because of a mild strain of his left hamstring.
Coach Kevin O’Connell said before practice on Friday that Jefferson would be re-evaluated next week. The two-time All-Pro, who has the most receiving yards in NFL history through a player’s first five years, felt some tightness in his leg during the team’s session on Thursday and cut short his participation as a precaution. The Vikings sent him for an MRI exam afterward.
O’Connell described the injury as “very mild” and said he had no concern about Jefferson being ready for the season opener at Chicago on Sept. 8, which is more than six weeks away. Still, considering his value to the team, the type of the injury and the demands of his position, Jefferson figures to miss more than just a few days of training camp practices.
Jefferson suffered a significant strain of his right hamstring in 2023 that caused him to miss seven games.
PETE CARROLL SAYS THE RAIDERS DIDN’T RUSH INTO DECISION TO RELEASE CHRISTIAN WILKINS
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Raiders coach Pete Carroll said Friday the club didn’t rush into its decision to release defensive tackle Christian Wilkins a day earlier over a dispute regarding his recovery from a broken foot.
“We took a long time to make our decision,” Carroll said. “We watched our way through the whole thing. We’re keeping it really clear with what we said. I think there was no clear path to his return, so we just had to move on.”
His comments largely echoed the unusually strongly worded statement issued by the Las Vegas organization on Thursday, in which the Raiders said Wilkins failed to provide a “clear path or plan for future return to play.”
Wilkins was injured in Week 5 last season and had some sort of setback in his recovery that took him out of offseason practices and landed him on the physically unable to perform list shortly before training camp opened Wednesday.
Wilkins, 29, was the Raiders’ marquee free-agent signing last year, agreeing to a four-year, $110 million contract with $82.75 million guaranteed. The Raiders reportedly are trying to void the remaining $35.25 million of Wilkins’ deal.
Wilkins has filed a grievance with the NFL Players Association, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.
The Raiders will have a dead salary cap hit of $29.8 million even if they win the grievance.
With Wilkins off the roster, Adam Butler and Jonah Laulu ran first team at tackle this week in practice. Butler started 16 games last season, finishing with 65 tackles, eight for loss and five sacks. Laulu started seven games as a rookie, making 35 tackles, with three for loss and a sack. Both players were in all 17 games.
“This place is about competition,” Carroll said. “It always has been. It’s wide open. I’m not going to talk about any names right now. If you watch the rotations, we’re giving everybody a chance. We’re mixing the (starters) with the (backups) all the way throughout just to gather a bunch of information.”
The Raiders announced Friday they picked up defensive tackle Keondre Coburn off waivers from Tennessee. He has 22 tackles, one for loss, over the past two seasons with the Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wilkins was brought to Las Vegas to add an even stronger presence to a defensive line that includes pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce. He had a career-high nine sacks in 2023 with Miami to go with his elite run-stopping ability.
The hopes of forming one of the NFL’s most imposing defensive lines took a major hit when all three linemen suffered season-ending injuries, though Crosby and Koonce are back practicing. Crosby was nearly impossible to block Friday as the team continued to work in non-padded practices.
Wilkins had two sacks and 17 tackles in five games before injuring his foot, which required surgery. He suffered a Jones fracture — a break of the bone that connects the pinkie toe to the base of the foot.
JETS TO HAVE OFFICIALS AT CAMP TO REDUCE PENALTIES, SAYS COACH AARON GLENN
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets hope seeing more black-and-white stripes in training camp will result in fewer yellow flags during the season.
Coach Aaron Glenn said Friday the team will often have officials at practice through the summer after the Jets, under the previous regime of coach Robert Saleh, led the NFL in penalties the last two seasons.
New York rarely used officials during training camp practices last summer. Many NFL teams hire officials for at least some of their camp practices, giving players the opportunity to get used to how plays are called in a non-game environment.
“I want the officials here as much as possible and they know that,” Glenn said. “It’s no secret that we were the most-penalized team in the league last year, so that’s one of the things that I want to nip in the bud early — making sure that the discipline part of what we do, that we fix that now.
“You cannot win games in this league with an undisciplined team, so all the penalties that we had last year, we’re knocking those things out.”
Last season, the Jets were penalized 137 times, five more than Tennessee and Baltimore, and finished 5-12 — with Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas both fired in the middle of the season. In 2023, New York was called for 124 penalties, nine more than Cleveland and Dallas, and went 7-10.
“The officials are going to be here and we’re going to knock that out, all right,” Glenn said. “I will tell you this: We are going to knock these penalties out. We’re going to understand that undisciplined teams do not win games.”
Philadelphia, last year’s Super Bowl champion, ranked 11th in the NFL with 103 penalties. Kansas City, the AFC champion, was fourth with 94. The Los Angeles Rams, who won the NFC West, had the fewest penalties in the league with 91.
Glenn said there are two types of calls on players during games: pre-snap penalties — “the dumb penalties” — and competitive penalties, including pass interference.
“The competitive penalties, listen, you go back and forth with those, right?” Glenn said. “Like P.I., guys are fighting. Those are competitive penalties. Holds, those are competitive. Now, false starts, jumping offside, hitting after plays, the dumb stuff, we’ve got to knock those out. And we control those. And those are the things I want to make sure we get rid of.”
SHEDEUR SANDERS UNFAZED BY LACK OF FIRST-TEAM REPS AT BROWNS CAMP
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — If Shedeur Sanders is frustrated about not receiving any snaps with the first team during the first week of the Cleveland Browns’ training camp, he isn’t showing it.
Sanders said on Friday that it is out of his control and not his place to answer why he has worked mainly with the third and fourth teams during the first three days of practice.
“I’m not even going to think about that or have that even in my thought process of why it is,” Sanders said. “It doesn’t make me feel down or it doesn’t make me feel left out or anything because I know who I am as a person. I know who I am as an individual, and I know what I could bring to this team.”
Sanders — selected by the Browns in the fifth round after a precipitous fall in April’s draft — did get some work with the second team for the first time on Friday. He had one of the best throws of the 80-minute practice on a completion down the middle to tight end Blake Whiteheart during 11-on-11 drills.
Sanders showed he could bounce back after a bad day of practice. He was unable to throw a pass during a four-play red zone drill on Thursday after snap issues on two plays, a false start, and what would have been a sack.
“I know whenever I get my opportunity, I’ve got to maximize it,” he said. “I just got to think about what I could do to get better even if I’m not getting reps.”
Coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t say if Sanders would receive any first-team snaps. Stefanski did note, though, that he has been happy with Sanders’ progress over the past couple of months.
“Yeah, I think Shedeur does a nice job of keeping the main thing, the main thing. He’s working hard and keeping his head down,” Stefanski said.
There have been 13 sets of 11-on-11 drills during the first three days. Joe Flacco has had the most work with the first team with seven, Kenny Pickett has had five and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel one.
Flacco and Pickett are the two main combatants in the four-man competition to see who will be the starter for the Sept. 7 opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
All four are getting plenty of snaps on the two practice fields, but there is a difference in who they are working with.
Sanders said the one advantage of not getting many snaps is that he has had the opportunity to learn more in-depth about everything instead of on the fly like he did at Jackson State and Colorado, where his father, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, instantly made him the starter.
Shedeur Sanders added that the area where he has made the most improvement is being more comfortable with the playbook.
“It’s always consistent growth, and it always feels like I just solved a puzzle or anything, like, all the time,” he said.
Quarterback coach Bill Musgrave — who was Deion Sanders’ teammate during San Francisco’s Super Bowl-winning season in 1994 — has been impressed with Sanders’ ability to call the play in the huddle as well as calling plays under center. He also added he has seen the same progress from Gabriel, a third-round pick.
When it comes to the outside pressures Sanders might face — including heightened expectations from fans — Musgrave said that everyone has pressure, but the approach has to remain the same.
“The focus has got to be on the techniques, the five-step drop, the seven-step drop, being accurate with our throws,” Musgrave said. “If we can focus on our trade, the external factors take a back seat, which is where they should remain.”
While some may waver from the expectations, Sanders has embraced them. He has made a couple of appearances in the Cleveland area, including hosting a community event to benefit residents displaced after an apartment complex fire.
He also accepted responsibility for two speeding tickets last month. However, things that are happening off the field are the last thing on Sanders’ mind over the next five weeks.
“The external is cool. I’m thankful for it,” he said. “But hey, when I get out there, I’m not thinking about external. I’m thinking about more, in the organization, thinking about getting the play calls, executing my job, and doing what I’ve got to do.”
LAMAR JACKSON AND JAIRE ALEXANDER REUNITE AT RAVENS CAMP. THEY WERE TEAMMATES AT LOUISVILLE
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson wasted little time putting Jaire Alexander to the test during training camp.
“He tried to throw a back-shoulder on me with ‘D-Hop’ (DeAndre Hopkins), so I had to give him a little jazz about that,” Alexander said. “I said, ‘Come on, man. I know it’s my first day, but it’s still me, you know what I mean? It’s still me.’”
Alexander and Jackson go way back — they were teammates at Louisville — and when Alexander joined the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, the two were reunited. The fit made sense with Baltimore looking for some secondary help, and the chance to play with Jackson again sweetened the deal even more.
Alexander suggested Wednesday he probably would have explored more options if Jackson weren’t on the Ravens.
“That’s my boy,” he said. “I want to win with him.”
Alexander is the answer to an interesting trivia question: Who was the first player out of Louisville taken in the 2018 draft? Green Bay picked the defensive back at No. 18 — 14 spots before Baltimore selected Jackson.
It’s safe to say those picks worked out. Alexander spent his first seven seasons with the Packers, starting almost every game he played. But he dealt with injuries to his quadriceps, groin and knee last season and played only seven games. In fact, he’s exceeded seven games only once in the past four seasons.
Green Bay released him with two years left on his contract. When the Ravens picked him up, they posted video of Jackson greeting him.
“I tried to get him on a fade route with D-Hop,” Jackson said after practice Wednesday. “We were out of bounds a little, but he’s still that guy. Jaire’s still that guy.”
The Ravens will obviously hope so.
“We’ve been talking kind of me playing nickel, he’s playing corner and how I play things. So it has been exciting, but what I like the most is just his swag to the game,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I think confidence is the biggest key you can have at cornerback, and I think you can never have too much confidence.”
Baltimore’s secondary includes a veteran in Humphrey, plus a trio of recent first-round picks — fourth-year safety standout Kyle Hamilton, second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins and rookie safety Malachi Starks.
“I love the secondary. I love the potential that we have,” Alexander said. “I love watching Marlon play. I love being around him. I thought I was weird, but I don’t know, he might (have) me beat.”
Humphrey was asked about that assertion.
“We do the early morning lift at 6 a.m. It’s about eight of us, and he’s like, ‘Man, I need a speaker right here as loud as can be,’” Humphrey said. “We are not alike in that aspect at 6 a.m., but he’s a cool guy. We’re both, I would say, on a little bit of the strange side, but we’re really jelling well.”
Baltimore lost cornerback Brandon Stephens in the offseason, and safety Ar’Darius Washington went down with a torn Achilles tendon.
Alexander brings plenty of experience to the group and seems to be fitting in — in his own unique way.
“Like I said, he wants music blasting. He said, ‘I need a speaker right here,’” Humphrey said. “I was like, ‘We’ve got them in the ceiling.’ He said, ‘No, I need the boombox right by here, right in my ear,’ and I’m like, ‘All right, that’s different.’”
JETS QUARTERBACK JUSTIN FIELDS RETURNS A DAY AFTER DISLOCATING TOE, BUT DOESN’T PRACTICE
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Justin Fields was back on the field for the New York Jets, but he didn’t practice Friday — still a welcome sight for fans who were nervously holding their breath 24 hours earlier.
The quarterback dislocated a toe on his right foot early in practice Thursday and was carted from the field to the facility, where he had multiple tests before the team announced the diagnosis. Coach Aaron Glenn said Fields will be day to day and the Jets won’t rush him back into practice.
“It is early, but also we want to make sure we get as many reps as we can with him,” Glenn said Friday after the team’s first practice of training camp with fans in attendance. “So when he’s ready to come back, we’ll make sure he’s out on the field, make sure he’s getting those reps. Now, he’s going to be in meetings, he’s going to be in all those things.
“But for the most part, man, we’re going to work together and make sure it’s collaborative as far as when he gets back on the field.”
Fields wore his helmet as he spent most of practice on the sideline and with the rest of the offense while appearing to walk without a noticeable limp. Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor led the offense during practice, with Adrian Martinez and rookie Brady Cook also receiving snaps.
Fields was hurt when a teammate stepped on his foot while he threw an incomplete pass to Jeremy Ruckert on his fifth play of team drills. The quarterback sat on the grass for a few moments before getting up and limping badly to the sideline while helped by a trainer. He then sat in the passenger seat of a cart that took him from the field to the facility, where he got up and walked under his own power.
In the hours before the Jets confirmed the nature and severity of the injury, social media was buzzing about whether Fields could miss significant time.
“The huge storm that was created really made no sense,” Glenn said. “And I think that’s a lesson for all of us of, guys, let’s just wait until we get the diagnosis. And I will not BS you, all right? I will tell you exactly what it is and we’ll move on. So that shouldn’t happen again.”
Fields is in his first season with the Jets after playing last year in Pittsburgh. He spent his first three NFL seasons in Chicago after being the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Ohio State. Among the attributes that made him attractive to New York, which signed him to a two-year, $40 million deal in March, is his ability to make plays with his legs — something Glenn isn’t concerned will be compromised by the injury.
“If Justin gets back to practice, that means he’s ready to go,” Glenn said. “So he’s going to be himself and I’m not going to hold him back from being himself. Now, the thing is we don’t want anybody to step on his toe, but he has to be himself when he’s out there because, to me, I try to make sure practice emulates games as much as possible. So I want him to be himself as he’s going through his practice.”
In the meantime, Taylor — who turns 36 on Aug. 3 and is the Jets’ oldest player on the roster — will continue to work with the starting offense. He had a very solid practice until the final period, when the session ended on an interception by Andre Cisco.
“Justin is a brother of mine and I’ve been knowing him before he got here,” Taylor said, adding that the two often train together. “First and foremost, I wanted to make sure he was mentally good and physically good. I know that’s tough and it’s unfortunate in this game that we play that injuries happen, so you never want to see that happen to anyone, especially someone you know personally.”
GUARD JUSTIN PUGH ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 11 NFL SEASONS WITH THE GIANTS AND CARDINALS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Longtime NFL guard Justin Pugh announced Friday he is retiring after playing 11 seasons with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals.
Pugh returned to Giants training camp to call it a career a few weeks before his 35th birthday with his wife, daughter and mother among those in attendance. The Syracuse product from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, played in 134 regular-season and playoff games from 2012-23.
“Even though I never dreamed of being an offensive lineman, it was my calling,” Pugh said. “I was built to work alongside other guys. I was built to be part of a five-man unit that had to work as one.”
Pugh spent his first five years as a pro with New York, then five with Arizona. He tore the ACL in his right knee in 2022 and returned for 12 more games with the Giants in 2023.
“Thought I was going to do another one,” Pugh said. “Just didn’t have it in the tank.”
Pugh has already dabbled in sports media, doing YouTube videos last season from attending Thursday night games and hosting on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
BROWNS STARTING LB JORDAN HICKS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Cleveland Browns starting linebacker Jordan Hicks announced his retirement over social media on Friday.
A veteran of 10 NFL seasons, Hicks missed the first two days of training camp with what the team referred to as a personal matter.
“Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined,” Hicks posted on Instagram. “Purpose, discipline, brotherhood, and a platform to impact others. But most importantly it showed me who I am outside the game.
“I leave this chapter with deep gratitude for every lesson, challenge, and victory. I’m proud of what I accomplished on the field, but even more proud of the man I’ve become because of it.”
Hicks, 33, was expected to see his role increase with fellow linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah missing the 2025 seasons due to a neck injury.
Owusu-Koramoah hasn’t played since getting injured in Cleveland’s 29-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 27, 2024. He was carted off the field after colliding with Ravens running back Derrick Henry, whose right shoulder barreled into the linebacker’s head and neck area on a 10-yard run.
Devin Bush, Mohamoud Diabate, offseason acquisition Jerome Baker and second-round pick Carson Schwesinger will be looked upon to step up in the absence of Hicks and Owusu-Koramoah.
Hicks recorded 78 tackles and two sacks in 12 games (all starts) in his lone season with the Browns in 2024.
A Super Bowl LII winner with Philadelphia, Hick totaled 952 sacks, 16.5 sacks and 13 interceptions in 134 career games (131 starts) with the Eagles (2015-18), Arizona Cardinals (2019-21), Minnesota Vikings (2022-23) and Browns. He was selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
