Category: Sports Daypop

The New Orleans Saints and backup QB Taysom Hill have agreed to a two-year deal, which will take the place of the one-year, $4.641 million tender they had previously offered him as a restricted free agent. The deal is worth $21 million, including $16 million fully guaranteed at signing, plus $1 million more in performance incentives.

Hill posted a message on Instagram on Sunday, saying, “I’ve had this dream since I was a little kid of playing in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints made that dream a reality. … Thank you NOLA.” Hill, 29, did not sign an offer sheet with any other NFL teams before last week’s deadline for restricted free agents, which gave the Saints exclusive negotiating rights. 

Saints coach Sean Payton has made it clear that he believes that Hill could potentially succeed Drew Brees as New Orleans’ starting quarterback. Hill has only attempted 15 passes in his three-year NFL career — including a 50-yard completion in New Orleans’ 26-20 playoff loss to Minnesota in January. He is 7-of-15 passing for 169 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. He has run for 410 yards and three touchdowns and has caught 25 passes for 265 yards and eight touchdowns in 42 games, including the playoffs.

Saints agree to re-sign QB Taysom Hill to deal through 2021

Via abcnews.go.com

While the New Orleans Saints are closing in on a deal with quarterback Jameis Winston, they…

04/26/2020 2:37 PM

 

Editorial credit: dean bertoncelj / Shutterstock.com

Outside linebacker Bud Dupree signed his franchise tender, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced Thursday. He will make $15.8 million in 2020, a figure arrived at by averaging the five best-paid players at his position.

Dupree had career highs in sacks (11 ½) and tackles for loss (16) last season, his fifth in the NFL after being the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2015. He played 2019 under the $9.2 million fifth-year option the Steelers exercised on him. The Steelers and Dupree have until a league-imposed July 15 deadline to come to terms on a longer-term contract. 

Dupree’s signing eliminates the distraction that running back Le’Veon Bell caused within the Steelers two and three summers ago. When the Steelers tagged Bell in 2017, he sat out all offseason activities and training camp and did not sign the tender until the Monday before the regular season began.

Steelers LB Dupree signs tag, to make $15.8M

Via www.espn.com

Bud Dupree is set to make a guaranteed salary of $15,828,000 in 2020 after signing his franchise…

04/23/2020 11:21 AM

 

Editorial credit: dean bertoncelj / Shutterstock.com

The New England Patriots have signed wide receiver Marqise Lee to a one-year contract, just days after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Lee has caught 174 passes for 2,184 yards and eight touchdowns in 59 career games.mHis best season came in 2016, when he caught 63 passes for 851 yards and three touchdowns. Lee caught 56 passes for 702 yards and another three touchdowns in 2017 when the Jaguars made the AFC Championship Game, but injuries have derailed his career since. 

Lee played in just six games and made three catches for 18 yards before he was placed on injured reserve for the second consecutive year. He missed the entire 2018 season after suffering a gruesome knee injury that preseason. 

Source: Patriots sign receiver Lee to 1-year deal

Via www.espn.com

Marqise Lee, who had only three receptions in six games after signing a four-year, $34 million…

04/23/2020 12:10 PM

 

Editorial credit: Photo Works / Shutterstock.com

Notre Dame Coach Muffet McGraw retired on Wednesday, after a Hall of Fame coaching career that included two national championships in 33 seasons. McGraw, 64, became the 13th woman inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. She won 936 games, ranking sixth among Division I coaches, with 842 coming at Notre Dame.

“It has been my great honor to represent the University of Notre Dame these past 33 years, but the time has come for me to step down as your head basketball coach,” McGraw said in a statement. McGraw is one of five Division I men’s or women’s basketball coaches with at least 930 wins, nine Final Fours and multiple titles. Her national championships were in 2001 and 2018.

The Irish reached nine Final Fours and won 67 NCAA Tournament games under McGraw. Notre Dame’s string of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances remains intact, per the NCAA’s ruling following the cancellation of this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Irish’s McGraw retires after Hall of Fame career

Via www.espn.com

Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw is retiring after 33 seasons at Notre Dame,…

04/22/2020 4:08 PM

 

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

The Boston Red Sox were stripped of their second-round pick in this year’s amateur draft by Major League Baseball for sign stealing in 2018.  In addition, former manager Alex Cora was suspended through the 2020 postseason for his previous conduct as bench coach with the Houston Astros.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced his decision Wednesday, concluding Red Sox replay system operator J.T. Watkins broke rules by using in-game video to revise sign sequences provided to players. Watkins was suspended without pay through this year’s postseason and prohibited from serving as the replay room operator through 2021. Manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended through the 2020 postseason on Jan. 13 and Houston was fined $5 million, the maximum under the Major League Constitution. The Astros were penalized their next two first- and second-round amateur draft picks.

Baseball’s season is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, and this year’s draft may be cut to as few as five rounds.

Red Sox stripped of pick; Cora, staffer suspended

Via www.espn.com

MLB on Wednesday handed down its punishment in the Red Sox sign-stealing case, suspending replay…

04/22/2020 6:00 PM

 

Editorial credit: Marcio Jose Bastos Silva / Shutterstock.com

Former XFL Commissioner   is suing Vince McMahon for wrongful termination, following the collapse of the spring football league. In a federal lawsuit that was filed in Connecticut last week, Luck claims he was wrongfully terminated by McMahon on April 9, one day before the league formally suspended operations and laid off its employees in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Much of the document filed last week is redacted, and three exhibits that Luck attached to it were all filed under seal. According to the lawsuit, Luck’s employment contract with McMahon came with a separate confidentiality agreement.

The XFL, which kicked off earlier this spring, got off to a promising start before the coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-March, after just five weeks of action. The league first suspended play but expressed hope of a 2021 return, then canceled the season and laid off its employees a few weeks later. The XFL has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Vince McMahon sued by fired former XFL commissioner Oliver Luck

Via sports.yahoo.com

Oliver Luck seemed to be doing a good job as XFL and the XFL as a whole was doing fairly well….

04/21/2020 1:09 PM

Editorial credit: George Koroneos / Shutterstock.com

The Patriots have traded retired tight end Rob Gronkowski to the Buccaneers. New England will send Gronkowski and a seventh-round draft pick to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth-round pick, 

Gronkowski spoke to the Patriots about the chance to come out of retirement to reunite with quarterback Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. After playing in the NFL for nine seasons, Gronkowski retired in March 2018 but never ruled out a possible return to the league. The Patriots will have to send his rights to the Buccaneers who will need to reinstate him. The tight end has one year and $10 million left on his contract.

Brady surprised the NFL world this offseason when he entered free agency and left the Patriots for the Bucs. Gronkowski and Brady won three Super Bowls together with New England.

Agent: Gronk dealt to Bucs, reunited with Brady

Via www.espn.com

The Patriots have agreed to trade Rob Gronkowski to the Buccaneers, pending a physical, in a…

04/21/2020 4:58 PM

 

Editorial credit: AddyTsl / Shutterstock.com

Disgruntled Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and Tony Khan, the Jaguars senior vice president of football administration and technology, got into a Twitter battle. Ngakoue called Khan, the son of Jaguars owner Shad Khan, spoiled and tweeted a clown face. Khan replied Ngakoue’s approach is not going to lead to the Jaguars getting a deal completed any faster.

″It’s a new regime here sir,″ Khan wrote. ″I think you form the bottom of my heart for all of the contributions you made. That said, tweeting insults at me won’t get you traded any faster. Only good trade compensation will do that. Please redirect your efforts into a more productive outlet.″ Ngakoue, 25, began by tweeting ”#FREEYANN,” a reference to the trade demand he issued to the team. Ngakoue also posted another tweet: ″Tired of the back and forth @Jaguars. Let’s get this (expletive) done.″ Then, Ngakoue post another tweet aimed apparently to Khan to “stop hiding.” Khan responded. “I’m not in hiding sir,” Khan wrote. “I’m in isolation getting ready for the draft. I’ve been pretty active on social media in isolation, but you wouldn’t know that since you unfollowed me (again).”

Ngakoue wants to play elsewhere despite the Jaguars designating him with the $17.8 million non-exclusive franchise tag last month. Ngakoue’s total of 37 1/2 career sacks in four seasons is the most by a Jaguars player after 63 career games. Ngakoue has not had fewer than eight sacks in a season since his arrival in Jacksonville. He has forced 14 fumbles and has combined for 121 tackles.

Heated Ngakoue rips Jags, owner’s son in tweets

Via www.espn.com

Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue’s issues with the Jaguars reached a boiling point Monday as he…

04/20/2020 3:51 PM

 

Editorial credit: davrilg / Shutterstock.com

Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter told team employees during a conference call Monday he is forgoing his salary during the coronavirus pandemic. Other members of the Marlins’ executive team agreed to take pay cuts, while baseball operations personnel will continue to receive their full salaries through at least May 31. The person didn’t specify the figures of the pay cuts.

Major League Baseball spring training was suspended March 12 because of the pandemic. The start of the season, scheduled for March 26, has been indefinitely delayed.

MLB senior staff has taken pay cuts, and budget slashing has allowed the central office to say it will continue to pay its roughly 1,200 full-time and part-time employees through May. Some teams have taken similar stances with their administrative staff.

Source: Marlins CEO Jeter forgoing $5M salary

Via www.espn.com

04/20/2020 2:38 PM

 

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Former NBA center and current Australian NBL player Andrew Bogut is staying close to home due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Bogut’s pause from sports may extend beyond the forced break.

The 35-year-old, 14-year NBA veteran was planning to retire after playing for his native Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but now that the games have been pushed back a year, Bogut told an Australian news program in a report Sunday that the delay could mean the end of his career. “I’m not doing much, I can tell you that,” Bogut said.  “To be able to kiss your kids goodnight and put them down every night … I’ve appreciated doing that,” he continued.

Bogut spent this past season in Australia after playing 11 games in the NBA with Golden State in 2018-19. He spent seven seasons with the Bucks, followed by stints with the Warriors (twice), Dallas, Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers. He won his only NBA championship in 2015 with Golden State.

Bogut helped Australia finish fourth in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He averaged 9.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in his NBA career, playing in 706 games and starting 661.

Delayed Olympics has Bogut weighing retirement

Via www.espn.com

Andrew Bogut told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “Offsiders” program that the coronavirus…

04/19/2020 2:32 AM

 

Editorial credit: Jacob Crook – JBC Studios / Shutterstock.com