Football

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has pledged $1 million "to improve police training and address systematic racism through education and advocacy in our country."Prescott's Instagram post represents his first comments on social media regarding George Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last week. "As our communities take action, protesting and fighting for the justice of George and every black life, I am with you!" Prescott wrote.Prescott said he has battled anxiety while facing the coronavirus pandemic without football. He also is mourning the death of one of his brothers, Jace, in April."He and I shared the same

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, a Pakistani American businessman and the NFL's first minority owner, released an essay on Wednesday denouncing the systemic inequity for people of color that exists in the country and writing that if the issue is not addressed, we risk failing the next generation.Khan said he has battled racism and prejudice since coming to the United States in 1967, both as a student and while he was building his automobile bumper business. He joined an increasing list of professional sports franchise owners, celebrities, and politicians demanding change.1 Related"I came to the United States

HOUSTON -- The Texans will not hold virtual meetings on June 9, the day of George Floyd's funeral, so that those players in Houston can attend if they are able, head coach Bill O'Brien said on Wednesday.O'Brien is planning to attend the funeral.Floyd, a 46-year-old black man from Houston, died last week in Minneapolis after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.On Wednesday, O'Brien spoke at length about Floyd's death and the state of race in the United States, saying, "We stand by you, and we are ready to do our part

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Retired Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly is considering a front-office job as a pro scout, the team said Wednesday.Kuechly, 29, surprisingly retired in January, saying he wasn't sure if he could play as "fast, physical and strong'' as he did during his eight NFL seasons that included seven Pro Bowl selections and the league's Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2013.He didn't explain why he wouldn't be able to play at the level to which he was accustomed, but Kuechly missed seven games from 2013 to '17 because of concussions.Kuechly has been weighing options to

NFL players are not expected to return to their team facilities until training camp, sources told ESPN.Most teams already have reopened their facilities on a limited basis for essential employees amid the coronavirus pandemic, but healthy players still are not allowed to return.Discussions about when to allow players to return are ongoing, sources said, and neither the NFL nor any teams have announced official dates for when training camp will begin.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell informed teams Tuesday, in a memo obtained by ESPN, that they must hold training camps at their main practice facilities because of the virus.1 RelatedThe memo

PITTSBURGH -- When Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner flexed for the camera, the muscles in his back inflated and seemed to pop off his body.The images took the internet by storm a week ago.Asked about it on Tuesday, Conner laughed."Nah man, it's just the angle -- I ain't been working out," he said sarcastically."But no, honestly, a lot of people comment on it and say I'm going to be stiff or all this. I'm a professional. I know how to work out. I think it starts with genetics, but I've also been putting a lot of work into the

Exactly 100 days remain before the scheduled start of the NFL season. If the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs actually kick off Sept. 10 at Arrowhead Stadium, they will produce one of the most significant moments in league history.None of this country's major professional leagues has managed to resume play since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The NFL and NFL Players Association have more time and less urgency than their cross-sport counterparts, but the issues -- testing, safety protocols, payroll adjustments and fan policies among them -- are no less difficult to resolve.The NFL has been pledging an

NFL teams must hold training camps this summer at their main practice facilities because of the coronavirus pandemic, commissioner Roger Goodell told all 32 organizations in a memo Tuesday obtained by ESPN.In addition, teams will not be allowed to hold joint training camp practices with other teams, the memo said."The NFLPA was strongly in favor of these two decisions, which were made to limit exposure risks by avoiding the need for clubs to clean and maintain two facilities, by limiting the need for players and club staffs to travel to another location (sometimes located at a considerable distance from the

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio called George Floyd's death a "societal issue that we all have to join in to correct," but said he doesn't see discrimination or racism as problems overall in the NFL."I think our problems in the NFL along those lines are minimal. We're a league of meritocracy, you earn what you get, you get what you earn. I don't see racism at all in the NFL, I don't see discrimination in the NFL," Fangio told reporters Tuesday when asked about his experiences in the league over the past four decades. "We all live

HOUSTON -- Defensive tackle Tim Jernigan will not be signing with the Houston Texans after agreeing to a deal in principle with the team earlier in the offseason, he announced on Instagram."Guess I'm not goin to Houston..but the show not ova," he wrote.On April 1, Jernigan's agent said the defensive tackle and the Texans had agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $3.75 million with $1.25 million guaranteed.The Texans had a need at defensive tackle after losing D.J. Reader, who agreed to a four-year, $53 million free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in March.Houston did add depth to