Football Wiretap

Green Bay Packers president and CEO Ed Policy said the team may need to make adjustments to stay financially competitive over the long term, addressing the challenges facing the NFL's only publicly owned franchise. Policy spoke Friday as the Packers released their annual financial report for the 2026 fiscal year, ahead of the organization's shareholders meeting.

"It's like other teams have access to this ATM machine that we just don't have right now," said Policy.

The Packers reported an operating loss for the first time in a non-pandemic year since 1990, despite overall net income rising 54.8 percent to $132.5 million. That figure was boosted by $133.6 million in nonoperating revenue, which included gains from corporate investments and Green Bay's share of ESPN's purchase of NFL Network. Each of the league's 32 teams received $453.2 million from the NFL, primarily generated through national television contracts.

On the operating side, the Packers reported $753 million in revenue against $754.1 million in expenses. Revenue increased 4.7 percent, while expenses rose 18.7 percent, driven largely by a $130 million increase in player costs. Green Bay acquired edge rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys last year and signed him to a four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed, while also accelerating payments to several traded players.

Policy said the team will need to pursue new revenue strategies moving forward.

"We're going to have to be more aggressive with revenue generation going forward," said Policy. "We all know the cost of competing in the NFL is going up, and other teams have access to capital sources that we just don't have."

Unlike most NFL franchises, the Packers cannot sell minority ownership stakes to raise capital, a structural difference Policy said puts Green Bay at a disadvantage over time.

"For example, a team can sell 5 to 10% of their equity without giving up any controlling interest in the team, and they could raise more money than we have in our capital reserve fund in just a matter of months," said Policy.

Policy confirmed the Packers have no plans to sell naming rights to Lambeau Field but remain open to similar deals for their practice facility, following the recent renaming of the Titletown practice field to Emplify Health Field under a new sponsorship agreement. The organization also plans to host more events at Lambeau Field, similar to May's Luke Combs concerts and the upcoming Notre Dame-Wisconsin football game scheduled for Sept. 6.

Policy expressed confidence in the team's near-term financial position while acknowledging the need for longer-term planning.

"I feel very good about the Packers' financial strength and condition in the medium term and the short term, certainly," said Policy. "But we are keeping a very close eye on some of these long-term trends, looking at how they impact us and our financial health in the long term. We do have to make sure that we're always in a position where we can continue to invest wisely in whatever it takes to field a championship-caliber team, whether that's player costs, football staff or facilities."

The Dallas Cowboys had significant interest in Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby when he put his name into this year's supplemental draft, multiple sources said, despite gambling-related concerns surrounding the prospect.

Dak Prescott remains signed through 2028, but sources indicated pursuing Sorsby at a potentially lower cost made sense as a long-term succession option, even if it risked drawing additional attention to the Cowboys' quarterback room. The move would have added yet another storyline to a Dallas offseason already shaped by ownership's tendency to court headlines.

Ultimately, the NFL declined to hold a supplemental draft this year, making Sorsby ineligible and closing off any path for Dallas to pursue him through that process.

The interest in Sorsby came during an offseason in which the Cowboys otherwise avoided their usual contract drama, most notably with wide receiver George Pickens choosing not to hold out over his franchise tag situation. That relative quiet has allowed Dallas to focus on roster building elsewhere, including the additions of safety Jalen Thompson, pass rusher Rashan Gary and linebacker Dee Winters, along with two first-round draft picks in safety Caleb Downs and pass rusher Malachi Lawrence.

Patrick Mahomes achieved another milestone in his recovery from left knee surgery Friday, arriving at Missouri Western State's campus fully cleared to participate in Chiefs training camp. The Chiefs' medical staff and Dr. Dan Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys' team physician who repaired Mahomes' torn ACL and LCL, signed off on his full participation.

"I feel stronger than I've ever felt, as far as strength and lifting [weights]," said Mahomes. "I feel amazing. ... I'm excited just to be able to play football. I've been seeing cinderblock walls rehabbing every single day in Kansas City. Now to be on that practice field with my teammates, it's going to be a lot of fun."

Mahomes will continue wearing a compression sleeve and brace on his left leg, consistent with his approach during the offseason program. The significant shift from two months ago is that Mahomes is expected to lead the first-team offense through 11-on-11 repetitions throughout camp. He recently demonstrated to the medical staff that he can run, cut and change directions safely alongside teammates.

Andy Reid said he does not plan to limit Mahomes' usual workload, marking the first time since his December injury that Mahomes will practice alongside key skill-position players including running back Kenneth Walker III, tight end Travis Kelce and receivers Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton.

"He's been working so hard that you have a pretty good feel that he's in a good place," said Reid. "We've got to see how things go and not make any predictions about [Week 1]."

Mahomes has focused his recovery around being ready for the Chiefs' season opener against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14. He plans to use camp to demonstrate improved pocket movement, sharper decision-making and quicker ball release compared to last season.

"I don't get hit, so that's one part of it, but it's good to be out there and have bodies around and be able to go through and run the offense," said Mahomes. "I want [Reid] to call [plays] it like we're going to call it in the regular season. That's going to be the best way for me to prepare myself. I want to go out there and test [the knee]."

Should his recovery continue progressing well, the Chiefs will need to decide whether Mahomes plays in one of the first two preseason games, something he has never missed in his nine-year career.

"I'm a competitor, so [on] game day I'm going to want to be out there," said Mahomes. "But I understand the process of getting myself ready to play in the regular season is more important. We'll see. The coaches and doctors will make that decision for me, but I'll prepare myself like I'm going to play."

Mahomes said he received guidance throughout his recovery from Tom Brady and Tyrann Mathieu, both of whom sustained ACL tears and continued producing at an elite level afterward.

"The process isn't over," said Mahomes. "It'll be something I'll probably be dealing with the next few years of my career, and throughout the rest of my career. But I feel comfortable now being able to go out there and run the offense the way the offense is supposed to be run. This will be the hardest training camp that you can have, as far as preparing for the season. I'm glad I'm able to do that, starting tomorrow."

Tony Romo was arrested Thursday on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office arrest report, Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests after being stopped while driving south on Interstate 43.

Sheriff's officials said Romo was taken into custody, booked and released. He has a court appearance scheduled for Sept. 21. Romo attended high school roughly 35 miles from Milwaukee in Burlington, Wisconsin.

Romo, 46, has served as CBS' lead NFL game analyst since 2017, following a playing career spent entirely with Dallas from 2004 to 2016 that included four Pro Bowl selections. CBS declined to comment on the arrest.

Romo remains the Cowboys' franchise leader in career touchdown passes with 248. He also held the team's career passing yards record until Dak Prescott surpassed him last season.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning spent his offseason focused not just on recovering physically but on embracing a stronger leadership role for the Longhorns. Teammate Colin Simmons described the shift in Manning's approach.

"We need a different side of Arch if we want to get somewhere," said Simmons. "So, Arch definitely brought that side of him out, and I feel like as long as we trust and believe in Arch as a team and never look past him or look down at him, we're going to be OK."

Manning struggled early in his first season as Texas' starter, a stretch that included a difficult opener against Ohio State in which he threw for just 170 yards. Coach Steve Sarkisian said Manning's natural humility, shaped in part by his family's football legacy, initially made it difficult for him to fully embrace the leadership role.

"He had never been the starter," said Sarkisian. "A lot of us were pushing Arch to become the leader because it was his team. Arch always took the idea, 'I haven't earned it yet.' It was almost ingrained in him from his grandpa. You've got to earn everything you get. It was the whole NIL, it was the leadership, it was all these things. So ironically, it took failure. It took all this adversity that he had to go through for him to get on the other side of it."

Sarkisian said that adversity ultimately earned Manning greater respect from his teammates as the season progressed.

"That's really when the team, as much as they loved him before, that's when the respect kicked in because they're like, 'That guy's mentally tough and he's physically tough to get on the other side of that and now play the way that he's playing the second half of the season,'" said Sarkisian. "What Colin is saying is 'Give us more of that.' That's really what Arch has been doing, and they've been feeding off of him. You can feel it that this is his team."

Manning missed much of spring practice with a foot injury but began working with Texas' revamped running back and receiver groups once medically cleared, even bringing several teammates to his native New Orleans for extra training sessions.

"It was great," said Manning. "We got a lot of good work in. I needed to have them down and see them a few extra times because I didn't do spring ball. I'm glad they came. They're a bunch of good guys. They all get along too, which is nice. Having a bunch of guys play the same position and be best friends is unique."

Improving Texas' short-yardage passing game has been a major offseason priority. Manning completed just 56.3 percent of his passes on throws between zero and 10 yards last season, ranking 66th out of 67 FBS quarterbacks in that category.

"That's not very good," said Manning, reacting to the statistic.

Sarkisian expects improvement in that area this season, citing a stronger receiving corps led by transfer Cam Coleman, along with running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.

"He is fundamentally much better," said Sarkisian. "We have a better understanding of what he really likes to throw in that range because not every pass is the pass he wants to throw. We've got better weapons around him. We can't just drop back and pat the ball. That's a recipe for disaster."

Manning acknowledged being hard on himself during his early-season struggles before eventually settling in and closing the year strong, throwing 14 touchdowns against just two interceptions over his final six games.

"I was mad at myself," said Manning. "I'm like, why am I not playing well? It's not supposed to be like this. I'm letting myself down. I'm letting the team down, the fans. And it was definitely challenging, but I think there's nothing you can do besides keep trying to get better and work hard and get through it."

Manning also addressed the constant scrutiny that comes with his name and position.

"I can't control what people say," said Manning. "I'm trying to do a good job of just controlling what I can control. Oftentimes I'm like, I wish I could be a little bit more under the radar. It's like that'll never happen. Obviously when you can stack some good games together, it helps build confidence of you and the team. I think I still left some out on the table, and we're all trying to prove that this year."

The Baltimore Ravens have waived undrafted rookie quarterback Diego Pavia, releasing the Heisman Trophy finalist less than a week before training camp begins. The move made roster space for free-agent center Ethan Pocic, who passed his physical and signed a one-year deal Thursday.

Baltimore's roster now includes four quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson and undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano. The Ravens have traditionally carried only two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, with Huntley firmly established as Jackson's primary backup.

Baltimore signed Pavia as a college free agent on April 28, ahead of the team's rookie minicamp. The Ravens held some familiarity with Pavia through his college coach, Clark Lea, who is close friends with Ravens head coach Jesse Minter. Still, with four other quarterbacks already on the roster, Pavia received limited practice opportunities, and it always appeared unlikely Baltimore would carry five quarterbacks through camp and the preseason.

Pavia became Vanderbilt's first-ever Heisman finalist last season, finishing second in the voting behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who was later selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Carolina Panthers second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during the team's opening training camp practice Thursday. Scourton will seek a second opinion on the injury.

The injury represents a significant setback for Carolina, which had planned for Scourton to serve as a top pass rusher alongside free agent addition Jaelan Phillips. Scourton went down on a wet field late in practice during team drills, appearing to be engaged with an offensive lineman on the play, and players immediately gathered around him.

He was carted off the field holding his hand over his face. As the cart departed, coach Dave Canales and every player on the roster individually approached to hug Scourton before he was taken to the training room.

Canales reflected on the team's bond following the injury.

"They care about each other," said Canales. "Whenever you're in a group of people doing something hard together, it has a way of creating a special bond. Between all the workouts and going through a full season and an offseason and all that, it means something to the guys. I'm proud of that."

Scourton put together a strong rookie season last year, appearing in 17 games with eight starts and recording 47 tackles, five sacks and nine quarterback hits while helping anchor the NFL's 15th-ranked defense. Quarterback Bryce Young, who was near the play but did not see the injury occur, praised Scourton's development as a leader on defense.

"It's been really cool to see him come into his own," said Young. "He has a super-high motor, has great energy. He's fun to be around. He turns into that different competitor when he's on the field. We feel that during practice. He has raised the level of [intensity at] practice many times. We don't know anything yet (on the injury), but we're just praying for him."

Canales indicated the Panthers have sufficient depth to manage without Scourton if the injury proves serious.

"We've got depth," said Canales. "That's why we keep bringing in guys. If it comes to that [a serious injury] we have guys that we trust."

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers is not expected to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list, marking positive progress following last year's serious knee injury. The Giants placed defensive linemen Roy Robertson-Harris and Sam Roberts, along with tight end Thomas Fidone II, on the PUP list Thursday, though Nabers was not among them.

New York's rookies and quarterbacks reported Thursday, with veterans set to report Tuesday before the team departs for training camp in West Virginia. John Harbaugh recently expressed optimism about both Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo, who each suffered season-ending injuries last year.

Skattebo, who fractured his ankle, returned to practice this spring, while Nabers did not. Nabers underwent a second surgery on his right knee earlier this year to clear scar tissue, an injury Harbaugh described as complicated.

Nabers, 22, spent much of the summer rehabbing at the Giants' facility, sources told ESPN, an important step in his recovery process after being injured in Week 4 last season. It remains unclear how much he will practice once camp begins, even without a PUP designation, as the Giants plan to bring him along gradually. New York has more than seven weeks before its season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football" at MetLife Stadium.

Harbaugh addressed Nabers' progress in recent comments.

"Working his way into practice as camp gets started one way or the another," said Harbaugh. "To what degree, we will find out. But there is a lot of optimism around [Nabers and Skattebo]."

Nabers' recovery timeline has shifted multiple times. The Giants initially expected him to be ready for the start of training camp before adjusting the target to sometime this summer, and now hope for a Week 1 return. Harbaugh said this spring that Nabers was in the "slog of it," and Nabers appeared at a celebrity softball game in late May but was not running at full speed.

Nabers set franchise rookie records in 2024 after being selected sixth overall out of LSU, catching 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. He continued that production into his sophomore season, posting 18 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns before his Week 4 injury against the Los Angeles Chargers. His 127 career receptions through his first 19 games rank second in NFL history through 20 games, trailing only Odell Beckham Jr.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett participated in the team's first training camp practice Thursday while negotiations continue on a reworked contract for this season. Brissett had sat out the voluntary portion of Arizona's offseason program and served as a hold-in during June's mandatory minicamp.

Brissett took reps alongside Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck and Kedon Slovis, working his way back into practice by going last in each quarterback rotation during drills. First-year coach Mike LaFleur had indicated before practice that Brissett would participate Thursday.

Asked how Brissett ended up practicing after missing every other offseason session, LaFleur offered a straightforward explanation.

"I mean, he's here," said LaFleur. "He's under contract and it's the first day of practice."

LaFleur described contract discussions with Brissett as ongoing but productive. Brissett is currently scheduled to earn a base salary of $4.88 million, including $1.5 million guaranteed, with the ability to earn up to $5.39 million through incentives.

"It's been productive between us and his team, so still ongoing but I'd say we're productive," said LaFleur.

 LaFleur downplayed the framing when asked whether Brissett's return to practice signals an open quarterback competition.

"I'd describe it as Practice 1 on July 23," said LaFleur.

With Brissett back on the field, LaFleur said the immediate focus is getting him acclimated to Arizona's system, including its cadence, formations, no-huddle package, and both the passing and running games.

"So, not really worried about that stuff right now," said LaFleur. "Really not worried about what any of these guys have ever done in the past. It's just about building that one day at a time and seeing how good we can be every single day. Like I told him yesterday, we don't need a peak on July 23. We need to get better on July 23. We need to compete against each other on July 23. We need to have the best first block we can without pads. And then we put the pads on, now we get to play a little bit more real football, and we don't have to peak on July 30 or whenever. We just have to get better. And then when we get to Sept. 13, that's when we have to say, 'Hey, did we do everything we could to be the best Cardinal team we could be?'"

Fernando Mendoza signed his rookie contract with the Las Vegas Raiders Thursday, the team announced. The first overall pick agreed to a four-year, $57.27 million fully guaranteed deal with a fifth-year option, completing the Raiders' entire 10-player 2026 draft class ahead of training camp.

Veterans are set to report July 28, with the team's first training camp practice scheduled for the following day. Mendoza's signing leaves Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson as the only unsigned first-round pick remaining in this year's draft class.

Mendoza becomes the first player Las Vegas has selected first overall since JaMarcus Russell in 2007. He will compete for the starting job against veterans Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell, with Cousins currently holding the edge after receiving the majority of first-team reps during the offseason program. Mendoza spent most of that time working with the third-team offense, with occasional second-team snaps.

Las Vegas signed Cousins in free agency this offseason with the expectation that he could open the season as the starter, allowing the team flexibility to develop Mendoza at his own pace.