NFL – Page 2 – North Platte Post Archive

5 Players Finalists for Players’ Union Award

Posted on March 5, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — Previous Walter Payton Award winner Charles Tillman and four others are finalists for the Byron “Whizzer” White Award given annually by the NFL Players Association for community service in players’ cities and hometowns.

Bears cornerback Tillman, the 2013 Payton recipient as the league’s Man of the Year for his charitable work, is joined by Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt, Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, and Giants linebacker Jameel McClain.

The winner, who will receive $100,000 for his foundation or a charity of his choice, will be announced March 18 at the NFLPA’s annual meetings in Hawaii.

The award is named for Supreme Court Justice Byron Raymond “Whizzer” White, a scholar, athlete, humanitarian and public servant. Each team nominated players.

Last year’s winner was 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin.

NFL Salary Cap Increases $10 Million to Top $143 Million

Posted on March 2, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL’s salary cap is going up $10 million to $143.28 million for the 2015 season.

All 32 teams and the players’ union were notified Monday of the increase, the second straight season the cap went up by at least $10 million. Adding in benefits, the league says the projected player costs will be $180.775 million per team.

The NFL’s business year starts March 10, when free agency begins.

The salary cap is determined by a series of NFL revenue streams, with the players receiving 46 percent to 48 percent of those revenues, depending on the year.

Buffalo Engineers Seek to Build Better NFL Schedule

Posted on February 27, 2015

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Two industrial engineering students at the University at Buffalo have been working on a new NFL schedule to minimize competitive imbalance.

Kyle Cunningham and Niraj Pandy say they’ve developed an algorithm that comes close to matching — and in some cases improving — a schedule the NFL produces each year.

They say they’ve reduced the number of times that teams play more-rested opponents coming off a bye week or a Thursday night game. They eventually developed a program that produced a variety of schedules in which no team played more than two games against more-rested opponents per season.

The study was prompted in 2013 when the Buffalo Bills complained their schedule included six games against opponents coming off extended breaks.

The students are presenting their findings today in Boston.

2 Members of Congress Write Goodell About Domestic Violence

Posted on February 24, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two members of Congress have asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to clarify whether teams can lose draft picks if they do not properly address domestic violence.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Goodell, Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, and Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California, write: “We urge you to create accountability at all levels of the NFL, particularly among team owners, who have the most direct financial incentives to avoid long-term suspensions and quickly get players back on the field.”

The letter notes that the league has docked clubs draft picks in the past, such as when the Saints were investigated for a bounty system and when the Patriots were caught videotaping an opponent’s sideline signals.

NFL Prospects Attempt to Move Past Forgettable Moments

Posted on February 22, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NFL prospects come to Indianapolis each February to focus on their futures.

It’s their past embarrassments that always seem to get attention at the league’s annual scouting combine.

Here, no question is off limits — dropping the football on the 1-yard line before a score, sitting out a season because of an academic scandal, even aiming too high on an opposing player and getting ejected in a conference championship game.

And here, the possible draft picks will get their chance to explain what happened.

NFL’s Competition Committee May Consider Replay Expansion

Posted on February 20, 2015February 20, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rams coach Jeff Fisher says the NFL’s competition committee has an unprecedented number of proposals to expand replay reviews next season.

Fisher is the committee co-chair, and he says he’s not sure it will happen. Fisher says everything currently is reviewable — other than penalties — and that it may take too much time to review questionable calls frame by frame.

Footballs also are expected to be part of the discussion, eventually. Fisher says football-maker Wilson usually makes a presentation before the committee, but that it will likely be delayed this year until after the NFL completes its investigation into the underinflated balls used by New England during the AFC championship win against Indianapolis.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Made $35 Million in 2013

Posted on February 14, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made $35 million in 2013, according to tax returns submitted by the league.

The NFL on Friday released the amount Goodell earned in salary, bonus and pension compensation. Goodell made $35.1 million in 2012, with an additional $5 million in incentive pay and $4.1 million pension payment from the 2011 lockout year that was paid in 2012.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, a member of the league’s compensation committee, said in a statement that compensation packages are reviewed annually. The committee will “conduct a thoughtful review and make a determination of 2014 compensation in March.”

Goodell was heavily criticized this season for his handling of the domestic violence case of former Baltimore Raven Ray Rice.

The league’s revenues have approached $10 billion and its TV ratings dominate all other programming.

US Judge Wants NFL Concussion Settlement to Aid More Players

Posted on February 2, 2015

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The judge presiding over thousands of NFL concussion lawsuits wants lawyers to tweak the proposed settlement to benefit more retired players.

Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody in Philadelphia is considering a plan that could pay out $1 billion over 65 years.

Brody has granted preliminary approval but asked Monday that players get credit for time spent with NFL Europe. She also wants families to have more time to file for deaths involving traumatic brain injury.

Brody has asked the NFL and players’ lawyers to file revisions by Feb. 13.

The NFL expects 6,000 of nearly 20,000 retired players to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or moderate dementia someday.

Critics say former players exhibiting mood disorders would be left out of the settlement, but Brody did not reference those concerns Monday.

Patriots beat Seahawks 28-24 for Fourth Super Bowl Win

Posted on February 1, 2015

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns and Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass in the end zone with 20 seconds left, helping the New England Patriots hold on to beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 Sunday night for their fourth Super Bowl title.

The Patriots had lost three straight Super Bowls since winning three in four years a decade ago.

The 37-year-old Brady led them back, hitting Julian Edelman with 2:02 left for his 12th career Super Bowl touchdown pass, breaking Joe Montana’s record.

The Seahawks pulled off a miraculous rally to beat Green Bay in the NFC Championship game and were in position for another improbable victory when Jermaine Kearse made a juggling, 33-yard catch while on his back.

With the ball on New England’s 1, Seattle appeared to be headed toward a second straight Super Bowl title. Butler spoiled the Seahawks’ bid, stepping in front of Ricardo Lockette for the interception.

Rodgers Wins 2nd NFL Most Valuable Player Award

Posted on January 31, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) — Aaron Rodgers has won his second Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award in somewhat surprisingly easy fashion.

Rodgers, who also took the honor in 2011, received 31 votes for the 2014 award from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Houston’s J.J. Watt, seeking to become the first defensive player to win MVP since 1986, got 13 votes.

Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, the 2014 Offensive Player award winner, and quarterback Tony Romo each got two votes. Patriots QB Tom Brady and Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner received one apiece.

Rodgers threw for 38 touchdowns and a league-low five interceptions; he has thrown 512 passes at home without a pick. He led the Packers to two victories at season’s end despite playing with a severe calf injury.

The award was presented at the “NFL Honors” show Saturday night.