Goodell: Brady Decision As Soon As Next Week
10:37am: Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) that Goodell actually said the decision on Brady will “hopefully” happen soon. Asked if it could happen next week, Goodell replied, “I don’t know. Could be.” That sort of bet-hedging, non-definitive answer sounds more like the commissioner, and leaves the door open for the process to drag on a little longer.
10:27am: Commissioner Roger Goodell, who also acted as the arbitrator in Tom Brady‘s appeal hearing last month, said today that he expects to announce a decision on the case soon, perhaps as early as next week, according to Julia Boorstin of CNBC (Twitter link).
The appeal hearing for Brady’s four-game suspension took place on Tuesday, June 23, meaning we’ve waited more than two weeks so far for a ruling. Of course, the hearing for Greg Hardy‘s appeal of his 10-game suspension happened six weeks ago, and arbitrator Harold Henderson has yet to announce a decision in that case, so it would’ve been a surprise if Brady’s case had been wrapped up by now.
The NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for the arbitrator for an appeal to make his decision “as soon as practicable,” which leaves some wiggle room to drag out the process. Still, I imagine the league isn’t eager to continue to extend a DeflateGate saga that has dominated headlines this offseason, so Goodell figures to announce his decision before training camps get underway.
Of course, the commissioner’s ruling won’t necessarily mean that the issue can be laid to rest. Brady and the NFLPA will have the opportunity to file suit against the league if they’re not happy with the decision, challenging Goodell’s role in the process and the NFL’s decision to suspend Brady without any hard evidence of his involvement in deflating footballs. Patriots owner Robert Kraft opted not fight a legal battle against the league over New England’s DeflateGate penalties, but there’s no indication that Brady will go that same route.
Rose Bowl Won’t Be Temporary NFL Home
With the NFL exploring possibilities for a temporary venue in Los Angeles, it appears the Rose Bowl is no longer in the running. According to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, the Rose Bowl Operating Co. voted 11-0 on Wednesday not to respond to a request for a proposal from the NFL.
The league recently issued proposal requests to a handful of venues in the Los Angeles area, including the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium, and StubHub Center. As the idea of relocating a franchise to L.A. for the 2016 season gathers momentum, the NFL wants to get an idea of what venues might work as a temporary home for one or two L.A. teams, since any new stadium wouldn’t be ready until at least 2018.
According to Farmer, the RBOC decided that it would be “more productive and lucrative” for the Rose Bowl to pursue a music and arts festival which would take place each year in June. The event wouldn’t overlap with the NFL season, but an environmental impact report for the proposed Arroyo Seco Music and Arts Festival specifically prohibits the stadium from playing host to an NFL team. Although the venue could make a larger per-year profit by playing host to an NFL franchise, that would only last for two or three seasons, whereas the venue could secure the arts festival on a 20-year contract.
“The distraction that the NFL question poses at this time could take away from our collective efforts as a city to realize a music and arts festival,” RBOC president Victor Gordo said. “What you saw from the board [on Wednesday] is we don’t want that distraction.”
The NFL is hoping to receive proposals from interested Los Angeles venues in time for its August meeting on the L.A. situation.
Jason Pierre-Paul Updates: Wednesday
Four days after he sustained a hand injury in a fireworks accident, Jason Pierre-Paul‘s status remains something of a mystery, with no formal announcements from his camp or the Giants on his condition or his potential recovery timetable. Here are Wednesday’s latest updates on the veteran pass rusher:
- Multiple league sources tell Mike Florio of PFT that Pierre-Paul specifically declined to see trainer Ronnie Barnes and former Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead, who now works as a special assistant for the Giants. As one source explained it, they traveled to Miami without first contacting JPP or otherwise determining that he would see them. Armstead is known to have a strong relationship with Pierre-Paul and JPP’s refusal to see him could be an indication of how he feels about the organization at present.
- Giants officials who went to South Florida earlier this week to visit Pierre-Paul have now left without ever getting a chance to visit the injured defender, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). While JPP received the franchise tag from the Giants, he never signed it, meaning he’s not technically under contract with the club. Per Schefter, while team officials showed up in Florida, they were “not welcomed there.”
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap points out (via Twitter) that since the Giants could decide to pull their franchise tag, JPP’s camp probably doesn’t want the club to see the 26-year-old until they’re more certain about his recovery.
- Giants running back Rashad Jennings tells Howie Kussoy of the New York Post that “nobody’s mad at all” at JPP for the accident, and that he and his teammates are “just hoping everything works out.”
- While JPP’s Giants teammates may not be upset about his hand injury, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report hears that the Giants coaching staff is “absolutely apoplectic.” According to Freeman, there had already been some concerns about signing Pierre-Paul to a long-term deal with a significant amount of guaranteed money, and those concerns have only multiplied now.
C.J. Wilson’s Career In Jeopardy
Jason Pierre-Paul‘s fireworks accident has dominated NFL headlines in recent days, but another player who also sustained an injury due to a fireworks mishap appears to be in worse shape than JPP. Earlier today, we learned that Buccaneers cornerback C.J. Wilson also sustained on hand injury over the Fourth of July weekend, with reports calling the injury “severe” and “significant.”
Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Wilson’s career is in jeopardy, reiterating that the hand injury is “very serious.” While Rapoport doesn’t offer specifics on the defensive back’s situation, Ryan Herman of the Lincoln Times-News cites sources close to Wilson’s family in writing that the 25-year-old lost two fingers in the accident. That report has yet to be confirmed publicly by the Buccaneers or by Wilson’s camp.
Wilson, not to be confused with the defensive tackle who goes by the same name, hadn’t been expected to play a major role for Tampa Bay in 2015, but he did appear in two games for the team at the end of last season, logging some snaps on both defense and special teams. Now, his chances of seeing the field at all this season are up in the air.
In a statement released earlier this afternoon, the Bucs indicated that their primary concern for now is Wilson’s long-term health, and that’s a sentiment we’ll echo as we wait for official word on his health.
Latest On Dez Bryant Contract Talks
The Cowboys and wide receiver Dez Bryant have one more week to work out a multiyear agreement before the July 15 deadline comes and goes. If the two sides don’t strike a long-term deal by that deadline, Bryant will have to play on his one-year franchise tender in 2015, if he wants to play at all. Despite reports of positive movement in extension negotiations, it doesn’t appear that the two sides are close to an agreement for now. Here’s the latest:
- A league source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that no deal is imminent between Bryant and the Cowboys. “I don’t know where they get the optimism from,” the source said, referring to reports suggesting a deal could get done this week. “There’s literally nothing going on.” Florio also offers some theories about where the leaks of an impending deal are coming from, and how they might affect talks over the next week.
- Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan, who strongly suggested last week that a deal could come following the July 4th weekend, provides an update at Scout.com (subscription required). Fisher continues to suggest that there’s a level of “comfort” between the two sides, but adds that doesn’t necessarily mean that an agreement is close. Fisher expects both sides to roll up their sleeves and work toward getting something done by next Wednesday’s deadline.
Extra Points: C.J. Wilson, Washington, Battle
Jason Pierre-Paul wasn’t the only NFL player to be involved in a fireworks mishap over the Fourth of July weekend. According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link), Buccaneers cornerback C.J. Wilson also suffered a severe hand injury due to an fireworks accident, while a team source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the injury is “significant.”
In a statement, the Bucs indicated they’ve been in contact with Wilson and will continue to monitor the situation, with their primary concern at the moment being the defensive back’s long-term health (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports).
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- A federal judge in Northern Virginia on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the Washington Redskins‘ trademark registrations, upholding an earlier ruling by the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Ian Shapira of the Washington Post has the details on the decision, which isn’t necessarily a significant event on its own, since the team can continue to fight for the Redskins trademark registrations through the appeals process. However, it represents another win for the Native American activities fighting against the moniker.
- Following Isaiah Battle‘s pro day workout at Clemson this week, Gil Brandt of NFL.com writes that the offensive lineman could be selected in the fourth round of tomorrow’s supplemental draft. According to Brandt, a team expecting to contend in 2015 – and pick late in next year’s draft – might even be inclined to use a third-rounder on the Clemson tackle.
- With the supplemental draft around the corner, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk looks back at the history of the event, noting that there have been more misses than hits among the players selected since the supplemental draft began in 1977.
- According to the results of a study released on Tuesday, a new riverfront NFL stadium in St. Louis could expect to draw about $200MM in the sale of personal seat licenses, writes David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That figure exceeds initial estimates, which could bode well for the city, though the study – commissioned by the league – cited several potential concerns as well, including “low ticket prices, low ticket sales and the lack of a ‘robust regional area’ from which to draw new fan and corporate support.”
Latest On Greg Hardy
It has been nearly six weeks since the appeal hearing for Greg Hardy‘s 10-game suspension ended, and arbitrator Harold Henderson has yet to announce a decision on whether or not the defensive end’s penalty will be upheld. While one report yesterday suggested that the prolonged appeal process was wearing down Hardy, reducing the likelihood of him continuing the legal battle, a source close to the defensive end tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that’s not the case.
“Greg has every intention of taking whatever legal steps are necessary,” the source told Florio. “Nothing has changed on our end.”
Although yesterday’s report from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report indicated that Hardy may accept his suspension if it were reduced by two to four games, Florio’s source suggests that the 26-year-old’s camp intends to take the NFL to court if the ban is for more than two games. As Florio notes, the league’s old personal conduct policy called for a two-game suspension for a domestic incident like Hardy’s, which took place before the NFL beefed up its discipline policy on domestic violence.
If Henderson upholds Hardy’s 10-game suspension, or only reduces it slightly, the NFLPA and Hardy could argue that the league shouldn’t apply its new conduct policy to an incident that occurred when the old policy was in place. Florio’s source also notes that the lengthy delay between the appeal hearing and a ruling could help Hardy, since he could argue that the NFL and Henderson dragged their feet in order to make it harder for the Cowboys pass rusher to get a final ruling from a federal court before the regular season begins.
For now, the wait continues on a decision from Henderson, who has been mulling Hardy’s appeal for 41 days and counting so far.
Andre Johnson Had Interest In Dolphins
When Andre Johnson was released by the Texans back in March, it didn’t take him long to find a new home in the AFC South. After receiving some interest from the Chargers, Eagles, and a handful of other clubs, the veteran wideout signed with the Colts, joining former Miami Hurricanes teammate Frank Gore in Indianapolis.
While he’s happy to be a Colt, Johnson admitted that, after having played his high school and college ball in Miami, playing for the Dolphins “was something [he] thought about,” writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
“I always had a dream of playing at home. I was a huge Dolphins fan,” Johnson said. “But they never called.”
The Dolphins revamped their wide receiving corps this offseason, jettisoning Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, and Brandon Gibson, while bringing aboard Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings, and first-round draft pick DeVante Parker.
While Johnson could’ve potentially filled the role occupied by Jennings, Miami seemed to be targeting younger, cheaper players for its top roles, while Jennings is expected to be a complementary piece — at two years and $8MM, Jennings was a more affordable veteran addition than Johnson (three years, $21MM) would have been.
NFL To Play Games In New London Stadium
The NFL announced early this morning that it has reached an agreement with the Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League to play games at the team’s new stadium beginning in 2018. The NFL will play at least two games per year in Tottenham’s new stadium over a 10-year span from 2018 to 2027.
The agreement is a logical extension of the existing partnership between the NFL and Wembley Stadium. The new Tottenham venue, scheduled to open in the summer of 2018, will feature a retractable grass field with an artificial surface underneath that would be used for NFL games. That artificial surface would alleviate many of the concerns the league has expressed in the past about playing NFL games on a field designed for soccer.
Despite announcing this new arrangement in Tottenham, the NFL says it is “optimistic” that its relationship with Wembley Stadium will be extended beyond 2016, when it’s set to expire. According to the press release from the league, in addition to at least two games per year at the Tottenham stadium, other NFL games may take place at different venues in the UK between 2018 and 2027.
Although the NFL’s announcement doesn’t mention the possibility of the league relocating an entire franchise to the UK, or starting an expansion team there, the details of the Tottenham facility suggest that the idea could gain momentum down the road. Both soccer and American football will have “dedicated facilities” at the new stadium, and the retractable grass field would make it more palatable to play eight NFL games per year at the venue.
Extra Points: Battle, Browns, Gipson
The NFL released the full schedule of 2015’s training camp reporting dates for rookies and veterans for all 32 teams today, and we’re only about a couple weeks away from rookies starting to show up. Rookies for the Ravens, Browns, and Saints will report on July 22, while the earliest reporting date for veteran players is July 25, for the Vikings and Steelers. Veterans for all 32 teams will report to camp no later than August 2.
As we look forward to the return of real NFL football, let’s check in on some odds and ends from around the league today….
- Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle had 26 NFL teams in attendance for his Pro Day today, a school official tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Battle, who is eligible for Thursday’s supplemental draft, is considered the player most likely to be selected. If he does come off the board, Battle would become the first prospect selected in the supplemental draft since the Browns nabbed Josh Gordon in 2012.
- Browns safety Tashaun Gipson appears likely to play out the 2015 season on his one-year RFA tender before testing the free agent market in 2016, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. It’ll be a crucial year on the field for Gipson, who wants to prove that he’s worth Devin McCourty money.
- Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star passes along the findings of an analysis conducted by NerdWallet.com, which determined that the Colts have been the second-most financially efficient NFL team over the last 15 years. The only team ahead of Indianapolis, unsurprisingly, is the Patriots.
- The Vikings ownership group will end up putting about $572MM into the team’s new stadium, writes Lee Schafer of the Star Tribune, noting that money from the NFL, along with seat licensing and naming rights, will make up a good chunk of the owners’ contributions.