NFL

AP Pro Football WriterNFL to spend $250 million on social justice initiativesBy BARRY WILNERThe NFL is committing $250 million over 10 years to social justice initiatives, targeting what it calls “systemic racism” and supporting “the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans.”The league, which has...

Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell optimistic about contract progressLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Le'Veon Bell says he and the team are making progress on a contract extension.The team has presented an initial offer, and Bell says ''we are a lot closer than we were...

AP Sports WriterNFL rejects Burfict's appeal, upholds 4-game suspensionBy JOE KAYCINCINNATI (AP) The NFL has rejected linebacker Vontaze Burfict's appeal and imposed a four-game suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancers, the fourth year in a row he'll miss the start of a Bengals season.Burfict sat out...

AP Sports WriterAP source: Jaguars close to signing QB Bortles to extensionBy MARK LONGJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) A person with knowledge of negotiations says the Jacksonville Jaguars are finalizing an extension that will keep quarterback Blake Bortles under contract through 2020.The person spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday...

Tony Romo passed the first test with his surgically repaired back, and Baltimore's defense and special teams made three more scoring drives from Joe Flacco an afterthought. Deonte Thompson returned a kickoff 108 yards for a score after Romo threw a touchdown pass in his preseason debut for Dallas, Flacco...

AP Sports WriterChiefs S Sorensen to miss start of season after surgeryBy DAVE SKRETTAThe Kansas City Chiefs will be without starting safety Daniel Sorensen for the start of the season after he had surgery to repair a broken shin bone and damage to his left knee.Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder...

Former Steelers tight end Bennie Cunningham dies at 63CLEVELAND (AP) Bennie Cunningham, a versatile tight end who starred at Clemson and won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has died. He was 63.The university says he died of cancer Monday at the Cleveland Clinic.Cunningham played 10 seasons...

AP Sports WriterShort-yardage issues have cost Lions dearlyBy NOAH TRISTERALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) If there was an easy way for the Detroit Lions to solve their issues near the goal line, they probably would have done it by now.Instead, those problems have the Lions falling behind in the...

AP Sports ColumnistColumn: NFL still doesn't get Las Vegas, even with RaidersBy TIM DAHLBERGLAS VEGAS (AP) Sometimes the bumbling bozos in charge of the NFL just can't help themselves.Or maybe they've been so afraid of Las Vegas for so long that they automatically start hyperventilating every time a...

NFL CalendarBy The Associated PressApril 17 - Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.April 23-25 - NFL draft, Las Vegas.May 19, 2020 - Spring owners meeting, Marina del Rey, California.Late July - Training camps open.Aug. 6 - Hall of Fame game, Canton, Ohio.Aug. 8 - Hall of...

AP Sports WriterSteelers want draft built on difference-makers, not dramaBy WILL GRAVESPITTSBURGH (AP) Antonio Brown is gone.The Pittsburgh Steelers hope the drama the star wide receiver produced during his prolific, but occasionally problematic stay followed him out the door.And while general manager Kevin Colbert understands it will be...

Rookie WR Johnson paying no heed to Antonio Brown mentionsPITTSBURGH (AP) Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson understands parallels will be drawn between himself and former Steelers star Antonio Brown. The third-round pick, however, is focused on forging his own path.The comparisons and serendipitous circumstances that link...