Update on the latest sports
APNFL-TV DEALS
Amazon gets Thursday night games, NFL nearly doubles TV deal
UNDATED (AP) — -The NFL will nearly double its media revenue to more than $10 billion a season with new rights agreements announced Thursday, including a deal with Amazon Prime Video that gives the streaming service exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football” beginning in 2022.
The league took in $5.9 billion a year in its current contracts. Amazon has partnered with the league to stream Thursday night games since 2017, but it will take over the entire package from Fox. Games will continue to air on CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN, while ABC will have a limited schedule of games as well as returning to the Super Bowl rotation (two games) for the first time since the 2005 season.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
—Three masseuses are suing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson for alleged sexual assault. They accuse the star player of a “disturbing pattern” of behavior toward women. The lawsuits were filed this week. The 25-year-old Watson has broadly denied that he acted inappropriately and said he looks forward to clearing his name. A Houston police spokeswoman declined to comment on whether any of the incidents were reported to police. According to the suits, the women live in Texas, Oregon and Georgia and work giving massages.
In NFL personnel moves:
— Receiver Will Fuller has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. Center Matt Skura, a starter with Baltimore for the past four seasons, also agreed to a one-year deal. Fuller is coming off his best season of his five-year career. He had 53 catches for 879 yards and eight scores, all career highs.
—The Tennessee Titans have agreed to a one-year deal with All-Pro long snapper Morgan Cox bringing him back to his home state. The Titans announced the agreements Thursday along with defensive lineman Denico Autry and offensive tackle Kendall Lamm as they finalize the paperwork on their free agent signees.
—The Buffalo Bills have agreed to sign former Chicago Bears starter Mitch Trubisky to a one-year contract and serve as Josh Allen’s primary backup. Trubisky was the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft who has struggled through inconsistencies since leading the Bears to the playoffs in 2018. Trubisky went 29-21 with Chicago.
—The Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $14.5 million with free agent running back Kenyan Drake to complement starter Josh Jacobs. A person familiar with the deal says Drake will be guaranteed $11 million under the deal. A second person familiar with a separate deal said tight end Derek Carrier has agreed to return to the Raiders on a one-year deal.
—The Buffalo Bills have agreed to sign former Chicago Bears starter Mitch Trubisky to a one-year contract and serve as Josh Allen’s primary backup. Trubisky was the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft who has struggled through inconsistencies since leading the Bears to the playoffs in 2018.
—The Browns are re-signing free agent returner Jojo Natson, who tore a knee ligament just three games into last season. Natson signed a one-year deal with Cleveland in 2020, but had it cut short when he got hurt returning a punt in Week 3.
—Linebacker Kyle Van Noy is returning to the New England Patriots after one year with the Miami Dolphins. Van Noy confirmed reports that he was returning to Foxborough on a two-year, $13 million deal in a short video posted on Twitter. He left for Miami in free agency in the summer of 2019, signing a four-year, $51 million deal to play for Dolphins coach and former Patriots assistant Brian Flores.
—Patrick Chung says he is retiring from the NFL after 11 seasons and three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots. Chung announced his decision in an Instagram post, thanking coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft for drafting him in 2009. He had two stints in New England. His first ended in 2012 when he signed a three-year deal with the Eagles. But he stayed in Philadelphia for only one season before re-signing with the Patriots in 2014.
—Phillip Lindsay’s time with his hometown Denver Broncos has ended. The Broncos agreed to remove the right-of-first-refusal tender they had placed on the fourth-year running back from the University of Colorado. That makes him an unrestricted free agent. Lindsay topped 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first two seasons and scored a combined 16 touchdowns. But his production plummeted last season when he battled injures.
MLB-NEWS
Mets’ Carrasco strains hamstring, likely to miss opener
UNDATED (AP) — New Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco strained his right hamstring during conditioning after throwing batting practice and seems certain to miss the start of the season.
The right-hander, who turns 34 on Sunday, has not appeared any any exhibition games this year. He is in remission from leukemia and had the novel coronavirus vaccine, causing him to start spring training workouts behind other players. He then stopped throwing for a stretch because of elbow soreness. Carrasco was traded by Cleveland with All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor on Jan. 7.
In other MLB news:
—Brandon Woodruff is stopping the Milwaukee Brewers’ revolving door of opening-day starting pitchers. Manager Craig Counsell says Woodruff will start the Brewers’ season opener for a second straight year. Woodruff will be facing Kenta Maeda when the Brewers host the Minnesota Twins on April 1. Having the same pitcher start the season opener in back-to-back season is unusual by recent Brewers standards. Milwaukee had a different pitcher start each of the last seven openers.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
NBA relaxes some protocols
UNDATED (AP) — The NBA is relaxing some of its health and safety protocols for individuals who are fully vaccinated. The changes include fewer mandated coronavirus tests, no quarantine requirements following contact tracing issues and even the ability to visit restaurants again.
Only one team — the New Orleans Pelicans — has publicly acknowledged a team-wide vaccination effort so far, doing so this past weekend after state rules in Louisiana were amended and made it possible for the team to start the process for players, coaches and staff.
No one in the NBA will be considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after receiving the final vaccine dose.
In other virus-related news:
— The NCAA has released capacity figures for its six March Madness venues. Because of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no arena will hold more than 22% of its capacity. Lucas Oil Stadium, which will host the Final Four along with games over the first and second weeks, will hold 6,900 fans on one court and 8,500 on the other. That’s 22% of capacity, which is the largest capacity of any of the six arenas. Games also will be played at Indiana University, Purdue, Farmers Coliseum, Hinkle Fieldhouse and Bankers Life Fieldhouse, with capacity ranging from 3% to 19%.
— The Buffalo Sabres’ home game Thursday night against the Boston Bruins will go on as scheduled, “as of now.” The teams issued the same announcement based on the results of COVID-19 tests and contact tracing. The Sabres canceled their pregame practice after a member of their staff was placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. The Bruins also canceled their session after a player was placed in the protocol.
— The Yankees and Mets will be allowed to start the season with a maximum 20% capacity. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that the Yankees could have up to 10,850 fans for their April 1 opener against Toronto at Yankee Stadium and the Mets could have up to 8,384 for their April 8 home opener against Miami at Citi Field. Attendees will have to provide proof of immunization against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test. That requirement will be re-evaluated in mid-May.
—Oklahoma guard De’Vion Harmon will miss the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament after testing positive for COVID-19. Harmon is the Sooners’ No. 2 scorer, averaging 12.9 points while providing 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest. The sophomore scored 22 points earlier in the season in a win over Kansas and a career-high 23 in a loss to Oklahoma State.
—Wimbledon organizers are working on the basis of having a reduced number of spectators in the grounds for this year’s tournament because of coronavirus restrictions. The All England Club says it is remaining “flexible” as it reacts to changing circumstances amid the pandemic as the British government follows a roadmap out of lockdown. The club says there will be mandatory requirement for all players, their support teams and tennis officials to be in an official tournament hotel rather than in private houses. Wimbledon was scrapped last year for the first time since World War II.
ROBINSON AWARD-CURRY-WNBA
Curry, WNBA players receive Jackie Robinson award from NAACP
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — NBA star Stephen Curry is drawing acclaim from civil rights leaders for his work campaigning for social justice, his support of women’s causes and his interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the pandemic.
The NAACP is giving him its Jackie Robinson Sports Award. And, for the first time, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization is recognizing more than one person by honoring the WNBA Players Association. WNBA players have been applauded for their activism in a unified movement that has featured kneeling for the national anthem and messages supporting Black Lives Matter. The award is named for the late Dodgers great who broke baseball’s racial barrier. It recognizes athletes for their success as well as their commitment to social justice, civil rights and their communities.
PGA-HONDA CLASSIC
Jones ties course record with a 61 in Honda opening round
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Matt Jones has tied the course record at PGA National in the first round of the Honda Classic with a 9-under 61.
Brian Harman shot a 61 at PGA National in the second round of the 2012 Honda. Tiger Woods shot a 62 in the final round that same year. Until Thursday, they were the only rounds of 8 under or better since the event moved to PGA National 15 years ago.
Jones, an Australian ranked No. 83 in the world, was flawless with nine birdies and no bogeys. He strung together four consecutive birdies on holes 2-5 to grab the early lead, then added birdies on the par-4 11th and 13th before revving up again for the finish.
