Goodell says NFL has moved on from Kaepernick special workout
Belichick cuts off videotape talk
NEW YORK, Dec 12, (RTRS): NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Wednesday that the league had “moved on” from last month’s long-awaited workout with Colin Kaepernick, three years after the former 49ers quarterback kneeled during the pregame national anthem in protest of racial injustice.
The protests drew the ire of US President Donald Trump and Kaepernick said teams would not sign him because of his activism. He eventually settled a collusion grievance case with the National Football League in February.
The NFL announced the special workout with just a few days’ notice, and the 32-year-old quarterback moved the tryout from the Atlanta Falcons facility to a high school after learning the media would not be permitted to attend otherwise.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday shed very little light into the NFL’s investigation of the organization for videotaping the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline this past weekend.
Belichick was rather curt with reporters, marking the third straight day in which he was asked about a team videographer who was caught filming the Bengals’ sideline during Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
When asked whether the scout involved was aware of the rules that he can’t film from the press box, Belichick said, “He was doing his job. That’s what he was doing, he was doing his job. Like we all tried to do.”
The New Orleans Saints placed defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and defensive end Marcus Davenport on injured reserve, officially ending their seasons.
The team added replacements at each position by signing defensive tackle T.Y. McGill and defensive end Noah Spence.
Rankins and Davenport were hurt in the Saints’ Sunday loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Rankins has what multiple outlets have reported as a significant ankle injury that will likely require surgery, while Davenport reportedly has a Lisfranc foot injury.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen returned to practice on a limited basis and is expected to play Sunday after missing five of the team’s past six games due to a hamstring injury.
Thielen first injured his hamstring Oct 20 against the Detroit Lions while catching a 25-yard touchdown. He tried to return in a Nov 3 game at Kansas City but left after just seven snaps, as the same hamstring continued to give him problems.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could get two Pro Bowlers back from month-long absences for their Sunday home game against the Buffalo Bills as running back James Conner and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster each practiced in full.
Both players have been out since Nov 14 at Cleveland, when Conner aggravated his shoulder injury and Smith-Schuster was concussed and hurt his knee.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston said that he intends to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions despite having a hairline fracture of the thumb on his throwing hand.
“It’s getting better every day,” Winston told reporters. “I’m just taking it day by day. I’m gonna be ready to go as soon as I can.”
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is recovering after having surgery on his left foot earlier this week.
Newton underwent the operation in New York to have a Lisfranc injury repaired. There isn’t yet a recovery timeline.
Oakland Raiders rookie running back Josh Jacobs is expected to return this week after sitting out the team’s Week 14 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
NFL Network reported that Jacobs was encouraged by test results and is feeling better physically. Prior to last week’s game, NFL Network reported his injury was a fractured shoulder plate.
New York Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones shed his walking boot and was seen jogging on the practice field.
Jones is working his way past a reported high ankle sprain that forced him to sit out the Giants’ 23-17 overtime setback to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. The loss was the franchise-hightying ninth in a row for New York, which hosts the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.