There are many news items around the world of sports to get to in this week’s newsletter.
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Christian McCaffrey extended
Superstar running back Christian McCaffrey signed a two-year $38 million extension to keep him with the 49ers through the 2027 season.
Thankful🙏🏼 ✍🏻 pic.twitter.com/QucdavRlhN
— Christian McCaffrey (@CMC_22) June 5, 2024
- The $19 million per year makes CMC by far the highest paid running back in the league, which is obviously well deserved for what he’s done.
- Many will point to McCaffrey arguably being the NFL’s top weapon yet making considerably less than other of the game’s best players, which speaks to the situation running backs are in money-wise right now.
- The bottom line is the Niners are rewarding McCaffrey, who just turned 28 a few days ago.
Player retirements
Veteran tight end Darren Waller has retired in a move that’s been expected all offseason.
We will always have Darren Waller’s unstoppable run to end the 2020 season:
13/200/3
7/75
9/150/1
5/112
9/117/1 pic.twitter.com/7Ft1kRKxwY— Wolf Sports (@wolfsports) June 9, 2024
- Waller was basically found by former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, who saw him working out pregame as a member of the practice squad with the Ravens.
- Waller was sensational when healthy, with his two best years coming with the Raiders when he posted receiving lines of 90/1,145/3 and 107/1,196/9 in 2019 and 2020.
- The Giants gain $11.6 million in cap space with Waller’s retirement, and in a statement said: “We have great respect for Darren as a person and player. We wish him nothing but the best.”
Former All-Pro center Corey Linsley has retired after a great career with the Packers and Chargers. He had not allowed a sack in 1,572 consecutive snaps before retiring.
hell of a career, corey 💙
→ https://t.co/teJ4kR7r0M pic.twitter.com/c59vpfR0Ed
See AlsoNFL Survivor Pool Picks (Week 9): Targets and AvoidsNfl The best value plays in your draftkings lineup for week 9 of the nfl season - read latest and trending Nfl news and headlinesThe Final UFL Special Teams Power Rankings - A Week 9 ReviewBest Week 9 Fantasy Football Matchups— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 5, 2024
Veteran cornerback Steven Nelson retired after nine NFL seasons.
- Nelson told Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 that he is retiring to spend more time with his family.
- This move comes after he was a team captain and intercepted a career-high five passes for the breakout Texans squad last season, so he’s going out with plenty left in the tank and his head held high.
Veteran cornerback Steven Nelson @CornerSuitePod a #Texans team captain who intercepted a career-high five passes last season, tells @KPRC2 he is retiring from #NFL 'I'm extremely proud of my legacy and my career.' https://t.co/e3BaFGz94d
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 9, 2024
Holdouts to monitor
Cowboys superstar receiver CeeDee Lamb and 49ers 2023 Second-Team All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk are both holding out of mandatory training while seeking new contracts.
#Cowboys star WR CeeDee Lamb has not been spotted in Dallas for mandatory minicamp, sources say. Lamb has not been present for voluntary OTAs, but is not reporting to minicamp, which subjects a player to fines.
Lamb seeks a new contract extension. pic.twitter.com/gw2M4Q1Et8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 4, 2024
- The players are subject to fines by skipping mandatory minicamp.
- We’ll now also have to watch Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, with Cincinnati’s mandatory workouts starting today.
- “Hold ins” are also a possibility for many, which appears to be the path Cowboys star defender Micah Parsons is taking.
NFL news and notes
Chiefs defensive lineman BJ Thompson suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest during a team meeting, but thankfully kicker Harrison Butker ran to the training room to get help and Thompson is said to be doing very well and was released from the hospital last night.
The Steelers signed head coach Mike Tomlin to an extension through 2027.
The 2024 NFL preseason television schedule was revealed. Network games were announced, but we also found the schedule of games on NFL Network.
Full 2024 NFL preseason television schedule (according to https://t.co/wlgKeV9BlJ): pic.twitter.com/8cgCIiRsit
— Wolf Sports (@wolfsports) June 7, 2024
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters last week that it wouldn’t shock him if “every No. 1 wide receiver and every No. 1 running back in the league is raising their hand to return kicks by Week 4” because of the new kickoff rules.
The Lions had to forfeit one OTA practice for violating on-field contact rules during OTAs earlier this offseason.
STATEMENT FROM THE DETROIT LIONS
"On Friday evening the organization was made aware by the NFL and NFLPA that Organized Team Activities (OTA) practices held the week of May 27 violated player work rules pertaining to on-field physical contact pursuant to the Collective…
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) June 8, 2024
Browns running back Nick Chubb told reporters that there is no timeline on his return from the knee injury suffered in Week 1 last season.
Recent free-agent signings:
- Super Bowl hero Mecole Hardman Jr. is back with the Chiefs.
- The Steelers signed cornerback Cameron Sutton, who was released by the Lions earlier this offseason following a domestic battery situation. Sutton began his career with Pittsburgh, playing for them from 2017-2022.
- Tight end Marcedes Lewis re-signed with the Bears for his 19th NFL season.
- The Buccaneers signed veteran receiver Sterling Shepard, who reunites with college quarterback Baker Mayfield.
- The Dolphins agreed to sign veteran safety Marcus Maye.
Positional usage to monitor based on offseason workouts:
- Just a couple of seasons removed from an All-Pro campaign, Eagles cornerback James Bradberry is seeing reps at safety.
- The Vikings have moved former Patriots first-round receiver N’Keal Harry to tight end.
- Lions star defensive lineman Alim McNeill might see some snaps at fullback.
The Vikings unveiled their “Winter White” uniforms.
The coldest uniforms in the game 🥶🥶https://t.co/xTb9VznKug pic.twitter.com/WjdDDNOwPB
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 6, 2024
New Texans receiver Stefon Diggs spoke to the media about his former team, saying that quarterback Josh Allen “was and still is my guy… I probably wouldn’t be right here if it wasn’t for him.”
Carlos Alcaraz (men’s) and Iga Swiatek (women’s) won the French Open.
The full 2024-2025 College Football Playoff schedule has been released.
OFFICIAL RELEASE: The College Football Playoff has announced dates, kick times and broadcast information for the 2024-25 playoff, the first year of the expanded 12-team format.
Read more » https://t.co/Ysq0kR5NfA#CFBPlayoff 🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/Lk6EqE37MM
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) June 5, 2024
The Stanley Cup Final is currently led, 2-0, by the Panthers over the Oilers.
The Phillies and Mets split the MLB’s London Series, 1-1.
Dornoch won the Belmont Stakes. The horse is co-owned by former MLB player Jayson Werth.
The San Antonio Brahmas and the Birmingham Stallions will play in the UFL title game this Sunday at 5:00 PM ET.
Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski has retired after 1,533 games over 18 NHL seasons.
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara plead guilty to fraud, and Major League Baseball says their investigation into the matter is closed.
Astros pitchers Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy both underwent Tommy John surgery and are out for the season.
The United States upset Pakistan at the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, and one of America’s top players has a full-time job as an engineer at Oracle.
The U.S. just stunned Pakistan at the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history.
Saurabh Netravalkar is one of Team USA's top players, but his full-time job: Principle Engineer at Oracle. pic.twitter.com/DXNVzRGAzs
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 6, 2024
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