March 2020 - Football Wiretap

David Bakhtiari Out For Season With Torn ACL

Dec 31, 2020 8:33 PM

The Green Bay Packers fear David Bakhtiari suffered a season-ending torn ACL during practice on Thursday.

The injury comes just six weeks after they signed Bakhtiari to a record-setting four-year, $103.5 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.

Bakhtiari has been either first- or second-team All-Pro each of the past four years. He was named a Pro Bowl starter when the selections were announced last week.

Rob Demovsky/ESPN

Tags: Green Bay Packers, Injury

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Ryan Fitzpatrick Tests Positive For COVID-19

Dec 31, 2020 1:25 PM

Ryan Fitzpatrick has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the Miami Dolphins' Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills. 

Tua Tagovailoa was going to start Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Bills regardless, but Fitzpatrick was used in relief last week against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Dolphins have signed Jake Rudock to serve as backup quarterback in Week 17.

Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero/NFL Media

Tags: Miami Dolphins

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Browns Shut Down Practice Facility After Additional COVID-19 Positives

Dec 31, 2020 1:20 PM

The Cleveland Browns have shut down their practice facility for the second straight day after two players tested positive for COVID-19.

Tight end Harrison Bryant and linebacker Malcolm Smith were the two players who tested positive.

The Browns have been dealing with coronavirus issues since Saturday, when they had to place their top four wide receivers on the reserve/COVID-19 list as high-risk close contacts after they came into contact with another player who had tested positive.

Jake Trotter/ESPN

Tags: Cleveland Browns

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Kyler Murray To Play In Arizona's Must-Win Week 17 Game

Dec 30, 2020 4:12 PM

Kyler Murray will play in the Arizona Cardinals' Week 17 game against hte Los Angeles Rams.

Murray suffered a leg injury late in last week's loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

"Yeah, I'll be playing," Murray said.

In his first comments since the injury, Murray said he's "feeling good" and that he was hit in the "right spot" on his right leg.

Josh Weinfuss/ESPN

Tags: Arizona Cardinals

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Dalvin Cook To Miss Week 17 After Father's Death

Dec 30, 2020 1:18 PM

Alvin Cook will miss the Minnesota Vikings' Week 17 game following the death of his father.

Cook returned to his home in Miami on Tuesday to be with his siblings and will miss the Vikings' daily COVID-19 tests, making him unavailable for the season finale.

Cook's father was just 46 years old. 

Cook leads the NFL in total yards from scrimmage and has scored 17 touchdowns this season.

Courtney Cronin/ESPN

Tags: Minnesota Vikings

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NFL Attendance Drops From 17M In 2019 To 1M In 2020

Dec 30, 2020 1:00 PM

The NFL will cross the one million total fan attendance mark in Week 17. Only 102 of 240 games had fans present due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. By comparison, the NFL had more than 17 million fans attend regular season games in 2019.

The NFL has deferred to state and local authorities when it comes to determining the number of fans permitted to attend games.

Mike Florio/ProFootballTalk

Tags: Legal

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P.J. Fleck Drawing NFL Head Coaching Interest

Dec 30, 2020 8:23 AM

P.J. Fleck of the University of Minnesota is drawing interest from NFL teams.

Fleck is one of the only current college football coaches to both play and coach in the NFL.

Tom Pelissero/NFL Media

Tags: Misc Rumor

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49ers 'Believe' Jimmy Garoppolo Will Be Starting QB In 2021

Dec 30, 2020 8:02 AM

The San Francisco 49ers remain publicly committed to Jimmy Garoppolo at their starting quarterback in 2021 despite only having one healthy season over the past three.

“I do believe Jimmy’s going to be our quarterback next year,” Kyle Shanahan said this week.

The 49ers are 22-8 when Garoppolo plays and 7-26 with all other quarterbacks under Shanahan.

“Look at Jimmy’s record when he’s been here. Jimmy, you can win with. He’s proven that,” Shanahan said. “He’s proven he’s a starting quarterback in this league. We had a couple of other guys who got opportunities this year who played like they have a chance at times to be starting quarterbacks, but they did play like backups overall.”

Garoppolo signed a five-year, $137.5 million contract after the 2017 offseason.

“I think he would have taken steps forward and it would’ve been great for him to play this year,” Shanahan said. “After what he got playing the year before, being able to go through his first full season, I think regardless of how it started out, it would have been a good experience for him to only get better. The injuries he had kind of took the year from him. ... It was unfortunate for Jimmy and for our team. I know it’s frustrating for him, but that’s why he’s got to go into this offseason and do everything he can in this offseason to get ready for Week 1 next year.”

Josh Dubow/Associated Press

Tags: San Francisco 49ers, Free Agent Rumor, Misc Rumor

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Russell Okung Becomes First Player Paid In Bitcoin

Dec 29, 2020 3:08 PM

Russell Okung will receive approximately half his 2020 salary in Bitcoin, becoming the first professional player to be paid by his team in this form of currency.

Okung was due $13 million in salary for the season and $6.5 million will be paid via Bitcoin.

The Panthers partnered with the Bitcoin platform Zap in order to split Okung's 2020 salary, per CoinDesk's William Foxley.

Michael Shapiro/Sports Illustrated

Tags: Carolina Panthers

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Jared Goff Undergoes Surgery On Thumb, Out For Week 17

Dec 28, 2020 10:17 PM

Jared Goff underwent surgery on his broken right thumb on Monday and won't play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

"We felt like that was going to be the best thing to do for him and for our team," Sean McVay said.

Goff could return for the playoffs if the Rams advance. 

John Wolford will start in place of Goff.

ESPN

Tags: Los Angeles Rams, Injury

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Kyler Murray Could Miss Week 17 With Lower Leg Injury

Adam Schefter/ESPN

Washington Releases Dwayne Haskins

ESPN

Chiefs Clinch No. 1 Seed As Travis Kelce Sets TE Record

Adam Teicher/ESPN

Jerry Jeudy: Dropped Passes Are Unacceptable

Sean Keeler/Denver Post

Jared Goff Could Miss Week 17 With Broken Thumb

Adam Schefter/ESPN

Jaguars Clinch First Overall Pick In 2021 NFL Draft

Michael DiRocco/ESPN

NFL Will Add 17th Game To Regular Season In 2021

Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport/NFL MEdia

Multiple NFL Teams Interested In Urban Meyer

Adam Schefter/ESPN

Broncos To Retain Vic Fangio In 2021

Adam Schefter/ESPN

Alvin Kamara Runs For NFL Record Six Touchdowns

Mike Triplett/ESPN

Logan Ryan Signs Three-Year, $30M Deal With Giants

Jordan Ranaan/ESPN

Travis Kelce On Verge Of Breaking TE Yardage Mark

Kevin Patra/NFL

Several Lions Coaches Determined As High-Risk COVID-19 Close Contacts

Kevin Patra/NFL

Dwayne Haskins Apologizes For Maskless Photos With Strippers

John Keim/ESPN

Josh Gordon Has Setback In Recovery

Brady Henderson/ESPN

Mike Tomlin Plans To Talk To JuJu Smith-Schuster About Logo Dancing

Brooke Pryor/ESPN

49ers Sign Josh Rosen

Nick Wagoner/ESPN

Cam Newton: 'I Did Not Live Up To' Patriots Standard

Nick Shook/NFL

Mike Tomlin: 'We're Not A Good Football Group Right Now'

Mike Florio/Pro Football Talk

Seahawks Add Josh Gordon To Roster

Brady Henderson/ESPN