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NFL Investigating Domestic Violence Allegations Against Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill

December 9th, 2025 at 7:08pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The NFL will interview Tyreek Hill‘s wife, Keeta Vaccaro, as part of their investigation into the 31-year-old wide receiver’s alleged domestic violence, per Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald.

Vaccaro filed for divorced from Hill in April. Court filings in September accused Hill of domestic violence, including multiple acts committed while Vacarro was pregnant. More recent documents reveal for the first time that the league is investigating those allegations.

This is the third known allegation of domestic violence against Hill. The first came during Hill’s time at Oklahoma State and led to his removal from the football and track teams, as well as several NFL teams’ draft boards. The second was in 2019 while he was on the Chiefs. Both came from Hill’s ex-fiancé and the mother of his children, Crystal Espinal. The NFL could not levy a punishment for Hill’s pre-draft conduct and their 2019 investigation produced no consequences, either.

The league will now be looking into Vaccaro’s claims, which include eight separate acts of domestic violence. The investigation will include an interview with Vaccaro, who is also asking that Hill’s deposition from their divorce case be provided to the NFL.

The investigation will hang over Hill as he enters the 2026 offseason. He is owed $36MM next year, a figure that the Dolphins nor any other team will want to pay. He is expected to hit free agency and search for a new team, a process that could be impacted by this investigation and a resulting punishment. Hill also hinted at the potential for retirement in late October.

49ers Release K Matt Gay From Practice Squad, Add WR Javon Baker

December 9th, 2025 at 4:53pm CST by Connor Byrne

After a two-game run as their kicker, the 49ers announced that they have released Matt Gay from their practice squad. The team also parted with taxi squad quarterback Adrian Martinez.

Gay began the season with Washington, which cut him after he converted just 13 of 19 field goals in 10 games. The 31-year-old quickly caught on with the 49ers, who needed a temporary replacement for the injured Eddy Pineiro. Gay went on to perform well for San Francisco, hitting all four field goals and each of his four extra points in a pair of victories.

The 49ers will now turn back to Pineiro, who was out with a hamstring strain. Pineiro opened 2025 without a team, but the 49ers scooped him up after Jake Moody went 1 for 3 on field goals in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks. The 49ers cut Moody for Pineiro, which has worked out well for the club.

While Pineiro has only connected on 18 of 22 extra points this season, he has converted all 22 of his field goals. That includes six from 50-plus yards. If Pineiro keeps that up, it could help the 49ers (9-4) chase down the 10-3 Rams and Seahawks in the ultra-competitive NFC West.

Martinez, a 2023 undrafted free agent from Kansas State, appeared in one of the 49ers’ games this season. They had a greater need for Martinez, who briefly spent time on the active roster, when starter Brock Purdy was on the shelf for several weeks with a toe injury. Purdy returned in Week 11, Mac Jones remains in the fold as the backup, and the 49ers opened rookie seventh-round signal-caller Kurtis Rourke‘s practice window on Monday. They’re now the only QBs left in the organization.

With Gay and Martinez on their way out, the 49ers signed wide receiver Javon Baker to their practice squad. The Patriots used a fourth-rounder on Baker in 2024, but he caught just one pass in 11 games as a rookie. The former Alabama and UCF wideout didn’t make the Patriots’ roster out of camp this year. He briefly caught on with the Eagles’ practice squad, but they released him in mid-October.

Browns Place Jerome Ford, Ethan Pocic On IR

December 9th, 2025 at 4:13pm CST by Connor Byrne

Jerome Ford‘s season is over. The Browns announced that they’ve placed the veteran running back on IR with a shoulder injury. Center Ethan Pocic is also going on IR, an obvious move after he tore his Achilles in Week 14.

A Brown since they chose him in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, Ford was at his most productive in his second and third seasons. After totaling only eight carries as a rookie, Ford combined for 1,378 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 308 attempts from 2023-24. As a pass catcher, he added 81 receptions, 544 yards, and five scores (all in 2023) during that 31-game span.

This season will go down as a major step backward in usage and production for Ford, particularly on the ground. Rookie second-rounder Quinshon Judkins took over as the Browns’ lead back, which left Ford with a mere 24 carries for 73 yards in 13 games. While Ford did catch 26 passes, he chipped in just 103 yards through the air.

The emergence of Judkins left Ford as a potential trade candidate leading up to the Nov. 4 deadline. He ended up staying put, but Ford could find a new team in the coming months. Ford’s due to reach free agency in March, though it won’t be ideal timing after an injury-limited season in which he rarely touched the ball.

Along with putting Ford and Pocic on IR, the Browns made a few practice squad changes on Wednesday. They signed center Darrian Dalcourt and defensive tackle Keith Cooper. To make room for those two, the Browns released defensive end Ochaun Mathis and linebacker Mark Robinson from their taxi squad.

Ravens Sign Laken Tomlinson To Practice Squad, Release Carl Lawson

December 9th, 2025 at 3:32pm CST by Connor Byrne

One week after the Texans waived him, guard Laken Tomlinson has found a new home. The Ravens signed Tomlinson to their practice squad on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. They released defensive end Carl Lawson from their taxi squad to make room for Tomlinson.

Now 33 years old, Tomlinson entered the NFL as the Lions’ first-round pick (28th overall) in 2015. He has since started in a combined 162 of 173 appearances with the Lions, 49ers, Jets, Seahawks, and Texans. Known for his durability, Tomlinson has logged a full schedule in nine of his 11 seasons.

Having appeared in 10 contests this year, Tomlinson won’t put together his fifth straight 17-game slate. He started in seven games with the Texans before they bumped him from the lineup and later cut him. Tomlinson is Pro Football Focus’ 52nd-ranked guard among 80 qualifiers.

The addition of Tomlinson comes a day after the Ravens lost guard Ben Cleveland to a three-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s Substances of Abuse policy. Cleveland has come off the bench in 10 games this season. Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele have served as full-time starters. With Cleveland unavailable for the next few weeks, Tomlinson will join Emery Jones in giving the Ravens another depth option at guard.

Lawson appeared in 15 games and picked up five sacks with the Cowboys last season, but his impact in Baltimore was minimal. He played in one game with the Ravens – a Week 13 loss to Cincinnati, one of his ex-teams – before they cut him. Lawson totaled 26 defensive snaps and made one tackle in that contest.

Giants Designate LB Darius Muasau, CB Art Green For Return From IR

December 9th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants could have a pair of defenders back in the fold in time for their Week 15 game. Linebacker Darius Muasau and cornerback Art Green have been designated for return from injured reserve, per a team announcement.

Muasau has been on IR for one month due to an ankle injury. Green, meanwhile, has been sidelined one week longer while recovering from a hamstring ailment. Both players now have up to 21 days to practice before they must be brought back onto the active roster.

[RELATED: IR Return Tracker]

In the case of Muasau in particular, having him available for the closing stages of the season would be a welcomed development. The 2024 sixth-rounder made seven starts as a rookie, and he remained a first-team presence through the current campaign before being injured. Muasau has logged a 56% snap share in 2025, totaling 32 tackles and one sack in eight games. He will look to resume that level of production upon returning to action.

Bobby Okereke has remained a starter this season, his third in New York. Fellow linebacker Micah McFadden has not played since undergoing foot surgery in September, though, something which has created a vacancy in the Giants’ starting lineup. Muasau, 24, finishing strong would help his chances of securing his spot as a defensive regular for 2026.

Green will not be expected to see the field on defense when he returns. The former UDFA is also in his second season with New York, but he has strictly contributed on special teams to date. Having logged a snap share of 78% in that regard prior to his injury, Green will no doubt reprise his role as a key third phase presence once he is activated.

Clemson DT Peter Woods To Enter 2026 Draft

December 9th, 2025 at 1:40pm CST by Connor Byrne

After a stellar run as a three-year starter at Clemson, defensive tackle Peter Woods is on his way to the pros. Woods announced that he’ll enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

Woods could have remained with the Tigers in 2026, but he’ll forgo his senior year after earning first-team All-ACC honors this season. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder put up 30 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and two sacks in 12 games in 2025. With 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, he logged even stronger numbers across 11 games last year.

While plenty could change between now and April’s draft, Woods is currently considered a slam dunk to go somewhere in the first round. ESPN ranks the 20-year-old as the third-best player and top defensive tackle in the class.

Woods is versatile enough to line up inside or outside, and with 42 hurries, he showed the ability to disrupt quarterbacks in college. Although Matt Miller of ESPN notes that Woods didn’t produce great sack numbers at Clemson, his “position-specific traits” may make him a top 10 pick.

Mason Graham, the fifth overall selection of the Browns, was the first defensive tackle to come off the board in the 2025 draft. Woods could follow in Graham’s footsteps as a top five pick next spring.

Lions To Bring Back CB Arthur Maulet

December 9th, 2025 at 12:35pm CST by Connor Byrne

Two weeks after waiving Arthur Maulet, the Lions are reuniting with the cornerback. Maulet will rejoin the Lions’ active roster, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.

A veteran of several teams, including the Ravens from 2023-24, the well-traveled Maulet first joined the Lions’ practice squad on Oct. 8. They were dealing with injuries to cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Khalil Dorsey at the time. Maulet went on to appear in six games after that, tallying 14 tackles and an interception.

With Reed, Arnold, and Dorsey healthy heading into a Week 13 Thanksgiving showdown with Green Bay, the Lions moved on from Maulet. However, the playoff contenders’ secondary has taken a beating since then.

Arnold is done for the season as a result of a shoulder injury that bothered him throughout the year. The Lions suffered an even worse blow when star safety Brian Branch tore his Achilles in a Week 14 win over the Cowboys.

Detroit addressed its safety depth to some degree with the signing of veteran Damontae Kazee to its practice squad on Monday. The team is now making a more aggressive move in committing an active roster spot to the 32-year-old Maulet ahead of a Week 15 meeting with the high-flying Rams, currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Maulet will rejoin Reed, Dorsey, Amik Robertson, and Rock Ya-Sin to comprise the 8-5 Lions’ cornerback group as they attempt to rally for a playoff berth.

Latest On Raiders’ Pete Carroll, John Spytek

December 9th, 2025 at 11:48am CST by Connor Byrne

DECEMBER 9: Several NFL executives predict Carroll will wind up being a one-and-done Raiders coach, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes. If that holds true, it will be interesting to see if another NFL gig winds up presenting itself during the 2026 hiring cycle.

DECEMBER 8: After finishing a dismal 4-13 last season, the Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. Their replacements, Pete Carroll and John Spytek, are on pace to produce similarly poor results in 2025. At 2-11, the Raiders are tied with the Giants and Titans for the NFL’s worst record with four games remaining.

Although Carroll joined the Raiders with plenty of past success under his belt, he’s already on the hot seat. Carroll has fired two key assistants – offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, then the league’s highest-paid OC, and special teams coach Tom McMahon – in what has been a nightmarish season. With the Raiders having lost seven in a row, Carroll’s reshuffling of the coaching staff hasn’t worked.

Despite the Raiders’ struggles, Carroll hasn’t lost any desire to continue coaching, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Already the oldest head coach in league history, Caroll will roam the sidelines at the age of 75 if he returns in 2026. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Raiders move on from Carroll after this season, Jones says.

While Carroll’s Raiders tenure may go down as a one-and-done stint, the same isn’t true for Spytek. The 45-year-old “will continue to be considered safe,” Jones reports. That isn’t a surprise when considering Spytek’s ties to Raiders part-owner Tom Brady, who wields heavy influence over the franchise’s decisions.

Spytek and Brady were college teammates at the University of Michigan. Their paths crossed again when Spytek was a bigwig in the Buccaneers’ front office and Brady was their quarterback from 2020-22.

A few days after hiring Spytek, the Raiders brought in Carroll, who initially had reservations about the job. Carroll said Brady’s presence “shifted my thought about what this opportunity was about.” Expectations were that the Mark Davis-owned Raiders would afford the former Super Bowl winner a longer leash than they gave Pierce and Josh McDaniels, their most recent full-time head coaches. Pierce lasted 26 games (seven in an interim role), while McDaniels was in charge for 25. Carroll may not make it that far.

If the Raiders fire Carroll, they could wind up in the unenviable position of searching for a new head coach and a different starting quarterback for the second straight offseason. The modest success Carroll and former Seahawks starter Geno Smith had together in Seattle has not transferred to Las Vegas. Hoping he would provide a short-term answer under center, the Raiders traded a third-round pick for Smith last April and immediately gave him a two-year, $75MM extension. The move has backfired, though, with the 35-year-old performing like one of the league’s worst QBs this season. If Carroll isn’t safe, Smith might not be either.

Buccaneers Place G Ben Bredeson On IR

December 9th, 2025 at 11:01am CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers’ offensive line has been dealt another blow late in the year. Ben Bredeson will not be able to play again during the regular season.

The veteran guard was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per a team announcement. That means Bredeson will be sidelined for at least Tampa Bay’s four remaining games until the playoffs. If the Bucs manage to reach the postseason, getting Bredeson back would be key for an O-line which has dealt with several injuries throughout the year.

A knee injury suffered on Sunday caused Bredeson to exit Tampa Bay’s upset loss against New Orleans. Yesterday, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman noted how the sixth-year blocker was already in line to miss the Buccaneers’ upcoming Thursday night game. He indicated an IR stint was a possibility in this case. As such, today’s move comes as little surprise.

Nevertheless, Bredeson’s absence will be acutely felt. Tampa Bay has already been without starting right guard Cody Mauch since September, and he will not return this season. Graham Barton missed time at the start of the year, and Bredeson replaced him at center until his return. The latter has totaled 11 appearances in 2025, his second straight season as a full-time Buccaneers starter. Bredeson, 27, is under contract through 2027.

In his absence, Auman predicts Tampa Bay will continue with a guard tandem of Michael Jordan and Dan Feeney moving forward. In other words, the 7-6 team will need to rely on a far different setup at that position than it envisioned at the start of the year. The struggling Buccaneers are tied with the Panthers for top spot in the NFC South as things stand, so a playoff berth is far from assured.

In a corresponding move, linebacker Nick Jackson has been signed from Tampa’s practice squad to the active roster. Jackson made a pair of appearances in September, and he will now be in position to contribute on special teams down the stretch.

Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson Undergoes Core Muscle Surgery

December 9th, 2025 at 10:15am CST by Adam La Rose

DECEMBER 9: Hendrickson has indeed undergone surgery, Rapoport reports. The procedure took place this morning, and its recovery timeline ensures a return in time for Cincinnati’s final four games will not be possible. Now, attention will turn to the matter of Hendrickson’s pending free agency.

DECEMBER 8: Trey Hendrickson remains out of the Bengals’ lineup. Last year’s sack leader will not play in Week 15, and there is a strong chance his final appearance of the season has already taken place.

Hendrickson has been dealing with what has been termed a hip injury for much of the season. After briefly returning to action, the All-Pro edge rusher has been sidelined since Week 9. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor ruled Hendrickson out for this week when speaking to the media on Monday, noting (via ESPN’s Ben Baby) a visit with a specialist is upcoming.

Since Taylor’s remarks, Baby’s colleague Adam Schefter has reported Hendrickson is set to undergo core muscle surgery to correct an issue which has not healed as expected with rest. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero caution that the upcoming visit with Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia comes as Hendrickson is merely considering surgery at this point. Provided he does go under the knife, though, Hendrickson’s season will almost assuredly be over.

Schefter notes the procedure will carry a recovery timeline of roughly six weeks. The Bengals have four games remaining in the regular season and at 4-9 they are not in position to qualify for the playoffs. Barring a major turnaround over the coming weeks, Hendrickson will thus not be able to return (presuming he does proceed with surgery).

In that event, this situation will become one to watch closely. Hendrickson’s 2025 round of contract talks with the Bengals nearly produced an extension agreement. With the team unwilling to provide guarantees beyond the first year of a long-term pact, though, a compromise was reached. Hendrickson received a bump in compensation for this season while remaining on track for free agency in the spring.

Given today’s update, the four-time Pro Bowler is now in position to reach the open market after a season in which he played just seven games. Hendrickson racked up 57 sacks across his first four Bengals season, but he has registered just four in 2025. If that remains the case through to the end of the campaign, his free agent stock will certainly take a notable hit.

On the other hand, Hendrickson drew trade interest before and during this season. The 31-year-old will no doubt be among the top edge rushers on the market in March, provided he and the Bengals do not reach agreement on a new deal. For now, attention will turn to Hendrickson’s decision regarding surgery.

In the meantime, a Bengals defense which has underperformed in several areas will continue with its best player still unavailable. Cincinnati has recorded 21 sacks this season, which ranks 29th in the NFL. A return on the part of Hendrickson would aid the team’s efforts to improve in that regard, but it appears that will not be taking place.