Football Wiretap

ESPN has parted ways with NFL analyst Ryan Clark, sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic. Clark was informed of the move Monday while appearing on "NFL Live," a decision that led him to not finish the broadcast.

Sources said ESPN moved up the timing of the news after receiving media inquiries about Clark's status, fearing it would leak before he could be told directly. The network had originally planned to inform Clark on Tuesday morning, but concerns about the story surfacing online prompted the change. Speculation about Clark's job security had circulated since after the Super Bowl in February, and The Athletic learned last week that his departure was likely.

ESPN and NFL Network are expected to announce additional layoffs Tuesday as part of broader cuts across parent company Disney. Sources said a small number of on-air personalities based in Bristol, Connecticut, will be affected, along with a larger group of employees at NFL Network. ESPN acquired NFL Network and other league assets in February as part of a roughly $3 billion deal that gave the NFL a 10 percent stake in ESPN.

ESPN declined to comment on Clark's departure or any additional layoffs.

Clark, who earned more than $2 million annually, had spent over a decade with ESPN. Sources said internal doubts about his future had persisted since February, despite his planned involvement in next year's Super Bowl LXI coverage, which will mark ESPN's first broadcast of the event.

Sources indicated ESPN executives had grown increasingly concerned about some of Clark's on-air choices, tension that peaked during an incident last September involving colleague Peter Schrager. During a segment on "Get Up," after Schrager defended Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb's performance, Clark said, "That's the non-player in you." When Schrager asked him not to belittle him and noted other perspectives existed, Clark responded, "Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish."

Clark later apologized publicly for the exchange, posting on social media that he regretted the interaction with Schrager both on and off the air.

Clark, 46, played 13 NFL seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers, after entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He transitioned to broadcasting following his retirement after the 2014 season and eventually earned a spot on ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" alongside host Scott Van Pelt and analysts Jason Kelce and Marcus Spears, a role he held for three years. He also made regular appearances on "First Take," "Get Up" and "NFL Live," and hosts his own podcast, "The Pivot."

Clark signed his most recent ESPN contract in 2024 following a public negotiation process. He addressed that period in a social media post at the time.

"3 years ago I signed an extension with ESPN. I was so grateful for more time," wrote Clark. "I (was) excited to prove I was worth more, felt I deserved more. We disagreed, & that's ok. I set out on a mission to leave no doubt, end all conversations about who I was in this business. The season is over. The deal is up. Time to make a decision. Either way it goes. The mission don't change. I want to be the best doing it. Everyone should. I'm more motivated today than ever. I'm still the same #UndraftedFreeAgent!"

The Green Bay Packers agreed to a three-year, $57 million contract extension with defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt on Monday, his agency, Win Sports Group, told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The deal includes a $20 million signing bonus and keeps Wyatt under contract through the 2029 season.

The extension comes less than a week after Green Bay signed linebacker Isaiah McDuffie to a one-year, $8.8 million extension through 2027. The Packers have also extended receivers Jayden Reed and Christian Watson this offseason and are expected to turn their attention next to tight end Tucker Kraft.

Green Bay selected Wyatt with the No. 28 pick in the 2022 draft and exercised his fifth-year option last year, which had him scheduled to earn $12.94 million in 2026 before this extension. The team committed to the deal despite Wyatt missing seven games last season due to a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments suffered during a Thanksgiving win over Detroit.

Wyatt recorded four sacks and seven quarterback hits across 10 games last season and has totaled 16 sacks and 30 quarterback hits over four seasons. After a slow start to his career, he has posted 14.5 sacks over his last three seasons combined.

Wyatt expressed confidence in his continued development following last season.

"Me personally, I know I got a lot more in the tank," said Wyatt. "I feel like I got a lot more in the tank than what I put out there this year or the past three years I had. I know I have a lot more and I feel like this injury right here really is going to help me get above this hump, just showing y'all what I have."

Wyatt, 28, did not participate in on-field practices during the offseason program. He is expected to play a key role in new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon's scheme, which will shift to a 3-4 front after Green Bay played a 4-3 defense throughout Wyatt's first four seasons.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst praised Wyatt's impact when healthy earlier this offseason.

"We really like him," said Gutekunst. "He's gotta get over the injury thing and make sure he can stay available to us, but when he's out there he's very, very impactful, not only in the run game but as a pass rusher as well. So we would like to do that, keep him around in some form or fashion."

Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL team owners have not yet finalized a contract extension, but expect to complete one in the coming months, according to four people familiar with the owners' thinking. The extension would keep Goodell in place to oversee upcoming broadcast rights negotiations and collective bargaining talks with players, potentially including discussions over an 18-game season.

Goodell's current contract runs through March 2027, when he will turn 68. He signed his most recent three-year extension in October 2023.

The timeline for finalizing a new deal remains unclear. The NFL has scheduled a special owners' meeting for Aug. 26 in Atlanta focused on ratifying the proposed $9.612 billion sale of the Seattle Seahawks. Beyond that, owners hold regularly scheduled quarterly meetings in October and December. The October meeting could serve as a natural target, given that Goodell's 2023 extension was announced during a similar October gathering.

One person familiar with the situation described completing the extension as "critical" given the looming labor and broadcast negotiations. Another said confidence remains high that a deal will be finalized, though the exact timing remains uncertain. There does not appear to be significant opposition among owners to the extension.

The league's next major undertaking involves formal negotiations with the NFL Players Association and its newly elected executive director, JC Tretter, on a new collective bargaining agreement. The current labor deal runs through the 2030 season and prohibits the league from unilaterally extending the regular season without union agreement.

Some owners had previously hoped for an 18-game season as soon as 2027, though that timeline has grown increasingly unlikely. Formal CBA negotiations, including discussions on an expanded schedule, have not yet begun, according to people familiar with the matter.

The NFL's current broadcast deals, signed in 2021, are worth more than $110 billion over 11 years, with an opt-out provision that could allow the league to renegotiate early. The NBA and WNBA's broadcast agreements, worth roughly $76 billion over 11 years, have added pressure that could push the NFL's next deal significantly higher given its larger viewership.

If Goodell signs another three-year extension, he would be 71 by its conclusion, raising longer-term questions about succession planning. Late Colts owner Jim Irsay had previously floated splitting the commissioner's responsibilities into separate business and football-oriented roles following Goodell's eventual departure.

Goodell reflected on the league's direction when his 2023 extension was announced.

"There are a lot of challenges out there," said Goodell. "But there are also a lot of opportunities for us. And we're focused on how we make the NFL better every day, how we've become a global sport. I think some very exciting things are happening in that context. I feel really good about where the National Football League is today. But we don't sit around and tell ourselves that."

Goodell has never confirmed a retirement timeline despite past reports in 2017 suggesting he planned to step down by 2024.

"We'll see what the future holds," said Goodell in 2023. "I don't know. We'll see. So I'm not making any commitments other than, for the next three years, I'm going to bust my butt."

Owners elected Goodell commissioner in 2006, and he has remained a polarizing figure through controversies involving player discipline and league scandals, while also expanding the NFL's global footprint through international games. The Seahawks' pending sale price represents a 59 percent increase over the $6.05 billion paid for the Washington Commanders in 2023, the previous record for an NFL ownership change.

NFL players are using social media to push for natural grass fields across the league, pointing to the temporary grass surfaces installed for World Cup matches held in NFL stadiums this summer. Players attached the hashtag "WorthTheCost" to posts questioning why those surfaces were available for the tournament but not for their own games.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, Washington Commanders tackle Laremy Tunsil, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen and New York Jets defensive lineman Harrison Phillips were among those who posted the hashtag Friday.

"If stadiums can make grass work for the World Cup, they can make it work for NFL players," multiple players wrote on X. "We're #WorthTheCost."

The NFL Players Association pointed to a statement it issued in mid-June as the World Cup began, criticizing the league's approach to field surfaces.

"The temporary installation of natural grass fields for the World Cup is a choice by certain NFL team owners to do for soccer players what they refuse to do for NFL players," the NFLPA said. "It's no longer a question of capability: the technology exists, the expertise exists and the resources exist to install the high-level grass fields that our players overwhelmingly prefer. We have seen the meaningful investments made to meet the standard for international athletes and global events. NFL players, who regularly compete on these fields, help fund these stadiums, and whose work makes the league what it is today, deserve the same commitment to quality grass fields."

The union's statement cited a player poll showing 92 percent of more than 1,700 respondents preferred natural grass, while just 2 percent favored synthetic turf. NFLPA executive director JC Tretter elaborated on the players' preference earlier this offseason.

"You want high-quality surfaces," said Tretter. "I think one thing is understanding what our players care about, and there is something there that the data hasn't been able to spit back out at us. There is something about the feeling of being on grass, your body feels different. I think if you ask the coaches, just standing on grass versus standing on turf feels different. There is something there that impacts the body."

As stadiums began removing their temporary World Cup grass surfaces, the NFLPA encouraged players to speak out publicly. Steelers cornerback Doneiko Slaughter and Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams were among those who echoed the campaign.

"We've seen what's possible," they posted. "Now it's time to make grass fields the standard. Players are #WorthTheCost."

The NFL remains evenly split between surface types, with 15 venues using natural grass and 15 using synthetic turf. Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft, whose team already plays on grass, voiced support for expanding the standard leaguewide.

"Green Bay Packers are spoiled since we play on the greatest surface in the NFL," said Kraft. "Natural grass is the best, and should be the only surface we play on. We are #WorthTheCost."

A 2023 poll conducted by The Athletic found that 82.7 percent of players considered turf-related injury risk a real concern. Ownership groups have shown mixed willingness to address the issue. Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones expressed skepticism in 2023 about installing grass at AT&T Stadium, while Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said this month he has always believed football should be played on grass, citing safety and aesthetics.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle also addressed the issue in a June statement, arguing the World Cup preparations proved the change is feasible.

"We've made it clear that we prefer grass fields," said Kittle. "We know it's better on our bodies. And clearly, we know it's possible based on everything that went into putting down grass fields for the World Cup in each stadium. At this point, it comes down to the NFL making it a priority and choosing to invest in us as players, because our bodies are our business, which they get to capitalize on!"

The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals personnel executive Ryan Gold indefinitely for violating the league's gambling policy.

The league said Friday that its investigation determined that Gold provided confidential, non-public inside information regarding 2026 draft selections by the Cardinals before the picks were announced, and Gold also participated in parlay bets on NFL and college games. The league didn't say who Gold had provided with the information.

"The Gambling Policy, which is annually reviewed with all NFL personnel, strictly prohibits anyone in the NFL from participating in or facilitating any form of sports gambling, and from providing third parties non-public information," the NFL said in a statement. "Although there is no reason to believe the integrity of any NFL game was affected, the League takes any violation of the Gambling Policy with the utmost seriousness."

Aaron Donald has not yet decided whether he will return to the NFL, and a final call may not come until training camp or right before the 2026 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The update follows weeks of speculation about a potential comeback with the Los Angeles Rams.

Rapoport addressed the uncertainty surrounding Donald's timeline.

"A real possibility is probably a pretty good way to describe it. My understanding is Aaron Donald himself does not really know right now whether this is going to happen," said Rapoport. "If he does show up, it would probably even be to the end of training camp or maybe even be, could even be into the season, because he's not going to be playing 50 or 60 plays on defense, he'd be more of a spot guy. But yes, Aaron Donald does seem to be exploring this possibility."

Speculation intensified after video surfaced July 10 showing Donald running drills at the Rams' Woodland Hills facility. ESPN's Adam Schefter later reported the session was a self-directed workout, with Donald telling the team he wanted to test his body's response to being back in pads. Schefter said Donald spent roughly an hour completing agility and explosive drills.

Talk of a possible return has circulated since Donald retired three seasons ago, but interest has grown this offseason following Los Angeles' addition of Myles Garrett, the NFL's active sacks leader. Pairing Garrett with a returning Donald would give the Rams a Hall of Fame-caliber pass-rushing duo.

For now, Donald's decision remains unresolved, and it may be some time before the Rams and the league learn whether he plans to play in 2026.

Alvin Kamara will play for the New Orleans Saints in 2026 on a reworked contract. Details of the restructured deal were not immediately available.

Agent Brad Cicala addressed the outcome directly.

"Alvin's goal, and the team's goal, was for him to remain with the Saints and retire a Saint," said Cicala.

Kamara had been set to earn up to $11.5 million in base salary this season before the Saints renegotiated his contract for cap purposes in early March. An additional $3 million of that salary became guaranteed last year.

New Orleans signed running back Travis Etienne Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars in March to a four-year deal worth more than $12 million annually over its first three seasons. The addition pushed the Saints' running back spending to $21 million in salary cap space across seven players, the highest total in the NFL before Kamara's revised deal.

Kamara addressed playing alongside Etienne during offseason workouts, drawing comparisons to previous running back tandems in New Orleans.

"We've done it here before. I mean, you saw Mark and I, and then you saw Latavius and I, and I think just having two talented backs, it benefits each back," said Kamara. "I don't think you have an issue with defenses focusing on one or the other. It's like you got to try to prepare for both. I mean, it puts them in a dilemma right there ... I think we'll complement each other well. It's two talented dudes."

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens will play the 2026 season under his $27.3 million franchise tender after Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for tagged players to reach long-term deals passed. The outcome had been expected since the Cowboys announced before the NFL draft in April that they did not plan to negotiate a long-term extension with Pickens.

Dallas last signed a first-time tagged player to an extension when it agreed to terms with wide receiver Dez Bryant in 2015. Pickens has already signed his franchise tender, locking in his 2026 salary, and said last month he was prepared to play the season under that arrangement.

Pickens addressed his approach to the situation following the first day of mandatory minicamp.

"Like the tag and all that, it's just football first," said Pickens. "So, definitely play football first, kind of like I did last year, and then worry about [the contract] ... Well, let my agent worry about it, really."

Pickens was one of four players to receive the franchise tag this offseason. The other three reached long-term deals well ahead of the deadline. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones signed a two-year, $88 million contract in March, New York Jets running back Breece Hall agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal in May, and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. signed a three-year, $54 million contract in June.

Dallas has seen several tagged players go through a season under the designation since striking its deal with Bryant, including quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony Pollard. The Cowboys eventually reached long-term agreements with Prescott and Lawrence after tagging them a second time, while Schultz and Pollard departed in free agency following their tagged seasons.

Dallas acquired Pickens last year from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, along with sending back a 2027 sixth-round selection. Pickens delivered the best season of his career in his first year with the Cowboys, posting career highs of 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.

Stefon Diggs is still a free agent just over two weeks before the start of NFL training camps.

Although he admits he's probably no longer a top-tier wide receiver, Diggs also apparently is confident that he is better than any team's current No. 2 target.

"My opinion, I can compete with anybody," Diggs said in a video posted last week to his YouTube channel. "But take those [top wide receivers] as your 1s, right? You can't name a No. 2 better than me."

A group led by San Francisco 49ers limited partner Vinod Khosla has agreed to purchase the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced Saturday. Multiple league sources said the sale price will be $9.612 billion, a record for an NFL franchise.

The Khosla family will be required to give up its ownership stake in the 49ers as part of the deal, which remains subject to approval from NFL owners. Sources said owners have been asked to keep a date in late August open for a special meeting to vote on the transaction.

Khosla addressed the agreement on behalf of his family.

"We are honored to be entrusted as the next stewards of the Seattle Seahawks," said Khosla. "We look forward to building on the winning legacy Paul Allen created and to earning the trust of the Seahawks organization and fans everywhere."

The Seahawks went up for sale after winning the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots earlier this year. The franchise has been controlled by the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen since his death in 2018, with his sister Jody Allen overseeing the trust under a directive to eventually sell the team and donate the proceeds to charity.

Allen originally purchased the Seahawks from Ken Behring in 1996, a deal that became official in 1997 and prevented the franchise's relocation to Southern California. Seattle has reached the playoffs in seven of the past 10 seasons and plays at Lumen Field, which received nearly $20 million in upgrades ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Khosla founded venture capital firm Khosla Ventures and holds a net worth of $13.8 billion, according to Forbes. His firm has made early investments in companies including OpenAI, DoorDash and Instacart. Khosla joined the 49ers ownership group in 2025, acquiring a 3.1 percent stake at a valuation exceeding $8.5 billion.

The sale marks the second-highest price ever paid for a North American sports franchise. Mark Walter's agreement to purchase majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025 set the record at $10 billion. The Seahawks sale surpasses the $6.05 billion paid for the Washington Commanders in 2023 and the $4.65 billion paid for the Denver Broncos in 2022.