NFL

A look at what to expect in Thursday night's NFL preseason games:---PACKERS AT PATRIOTSWill the New England Patriots' preseason opener be a coming-out party for Jimmy Garoppolo or a thumb in the eye to Roger Goodell and the NFL's ''Deflategate'' investigation?That's what football fans will see when the Patriots...

AP Pro Football WriterNFL didn't learn its lesson after Ray Rice incidentBy ROB MAADDIAfter mishandling Ray Rice's domestic violence incident two years ago, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said ''I got it wrong'' and vowed ''the same mistakes can never be repeated.''It doesn't appear the league learned its lesson.The NFL...

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) - The Oakland Raiders have placed cornerback Tarell Brown on season-ending injured reserve because of a foot injury that has limited him in recent weeks.Oakland (2-12) made the move Saturday ahead of Sunday's home game against the Buffalo Bills.Brown, signed by the team as an unrestricted...

CLEVELAND (AP) - The NFL has suspended Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon for at least one year without pay for violating the league's substance-abuse program.Gordon, who has already served two league suspensions, will have to apply for reinstatement. A league spokesman said his one-year ban begins immediately. The former...

Cam Newton cleared to play for PanthersCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Cam Newton has been cleared from the NFL's concussion program and can play Sunday when Carolina visits New Orleans.The team said Saturday in a short statement that Newton had passed the league's concussion protocol. Previously, Panthers coach Ron Rivera...

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) - Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez orchestrated the killing of a semiprofessional football player, then covered up, prosecutors charged Thursday in opening statements, while the defense countered that authorities ignored the evidence and zeroed in on their client from the beginning.The prosecution and...

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy will be ready to play in the team's regular-season opener after he hurt his left hamstring in practice.The person spoke Wednesday on the condition of anonymity because the...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Colin Kaepernick jumped into the open arms of his leaping coach and all seemed right with the San Francisco 49ers for a few hours Saturday night.Then, in a matter of minutes, a matter of three clutch completions by Philip Rivers, the good feelings were...

CARSON, Calif. (AP) - New designs for a proposed NFL stadium in the Los Angeles area include simulated lightning bolts for the San Diego Chargers and a flame honoring late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis.The thoroughly revamped plans for the $1.7 billion joint stadium proposal by the two teams...

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - The Chicago Bears have hired Dowell Loggains as quarterbacks coach and Glenn Pires as linebackers coach.The Bears announced the moves on Friday, making Loggains and Pires the latest additions to new coach John Fox's staff.Loggains spent last season as Cleveland's quarterbacks coach, working with...

Former New Orleans Saints special teams player Steve Gleason, who is afflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), has won the George Halas Award for overcoming adversity and succeeding.The award, announced Monday by the Professional Football Writers of America, is named for the former Chicago Bears owner and head coach...

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that Peyton Manning is the best quarterback he has faced in his 40 years coaching in the NFL. "I mean, great, he's obviously a great quarterback," Belichick said. "The best quarterback I've coached against." Belichick's Patriots face Manning's Denver Broncos in a...