KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Coach Andy Reid blamed the turf in Arizona for injuries to two key Kansas City Chiefs players in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.
The Chiefs lost cornerback Trent McDuffie with a hamstring injury. An ankle injury to kicker Harrison Butker forced the Chiefs to use a safety, Justin Reid, to kick two extra points and to kickoff.
“They resodded it, which is a good thing because they practice in there,” Reid said of the field at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. “But it was a little bit loose. That’s what happens sometimes when you resod, is it’s loose.
“It was part of the Butker injury and McDuffie injury … The turf picked up and I would tell you that that did have something to do with it. If it didn’t, I would tell you that, too. So it’s not an excuse by any means, but I mean, you all can see it. Watch the tape.”
The Chiefs placed McDuffie on the injured reserve list, meaning he will miss Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium and at least three more games after that.
Butker appears unlikely to play against the Chargers. The Chiefs said he would not work in the team’s only full practice of the week on Tuesday.
The Chiefs signed kicker Matt Ammendola to their practice squad this week, and he could be promoted to the active roster in time for Thursday’s game.
Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid will plead guilty to a felony DWI charge stemming from his 2021 crash that severely injured a young girl, his lawyer announced Tuesday.
According to multiple reports, court records state Reid will plead guilty on Sept. 12 and faces up to seven years in prison.
“Mr. Reid is sorry for his actions and hopes that his plea brings some sense of justice to all those he affected,” Reid’s lawyer J.R. Hobbs said in a statement.
Reid, 37, was accused of driving while intoxicated after his Ram pickup truck crashed into two vehicles near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021. The accident left 5-year-old Ariel Young with a traumatic brain injury and caused non-life-threating injuries to a 4-year-old. In November 2021, Young’s family announced they had reached a care plan for her.
The accident left 5-year-old Ariel Young with a traumatic brain injury.Reid will plead guilty to a felony DWI charge, his lawyer announced. Reid crash his car and severely injured a young girl.
“Mr. Reid sincerely apologizes to A.Y. and her family, and to his own family,” Hobbs said. “He also extends his deep apologies to the Hunt family, the Chiefs organization and Chiefs Kingdom.”
Court documents say Reid, the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, measured a 0.113 blood alcohol level and was driving 83 miles per hour 1.9 seconds before the crash.
Reid, who originally pleaded not guilty back in April, was set to see his criminal trial begin on Sept. 26 but likely will avoid that now. The crash happened three days before the Chiefs lost to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. Reid was a coach with the Chiefs from 2013-2020 and his contract was not renewed after the 2020 season.
FRISCO – And suddenly, a major decision in the offensive line is no longer a “choice.”
We do not pretend to know all the ins and outs of the Dallas Cowboys’ personnel-related decision-making. We may agree with the powers that be on a potential hole in the roster … but we may not share the intricacies in why we might see the answer differently than personnel boss Will McClay and the Cowboys see it.
Money? Injuries? Personal issues? An NFL team is obviously more privy to those details than most of us are.
Which brings us to the Cowboys’ offensive line issues – which late Wednesday reached a critical stage due to a serious injury.
Left tackle Tyron Smith hasn’t played a full season since 2015, and he won’t do do again in 2022 after sustaining a hamstring tear at practice here at The Star.
We are told there is a concern there that Smith will be “out for months.” So now it’s not just about too-young swing tackles late-round rookie Matt Waletzko (he’s got a shoulder injury) or second-year guy Josh Ball, who has not impressed, with another shot at it in Saturday’s preseason game at the Chargers.
Now it’s about who starts at left tackle. And about a swing tackle, too.
In our view – while also acknowledging the idea of kicking prized rookie Tyler Smith to tackle (or even shifting Zack Martin), Dallas needs to add TWO new tackles.
Isn’t it obvious that Eric Fisher – once the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, who played eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and was in the Pro Bowl as recently as 2020 – is an upgrade over Ball? And over Waletzko?
Fisher moved to the Indianapolis Colts for the 2021 season and was a full-time starter, good enough for the Colts to try to bring back before the two sides couldn’t agree on contract terms.
Entering last season, he was coming off a torn Achilles; notably, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently boasted about Dallas’ success with players in that circumstance.
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Is he too old? Fisher is 31, same age as Tyron and fellow future Hall of Fame right guard Zack Martin.
Is he injured? Again, even after the Achilles, he started in 15 games for the Colts.
Is he expensive? Ah, there is the rub, though that matters much less to Dallas than it did a day ago.
Fisher was a $12 million APY guy in his final years with the Chiefs. Last season he took a reduction with a one-year, $8.4 million deal with the Colts. Presently, Pro Football Focus’ projection has him being worthy of a three-year, $16 million contract.
The Cowboys were already going to look at help; the search just intensified, and there will be other names in this conversation, like Daryl Williams and Jason Peters and Nate Solder and others. … like retired Rams star Andrew Whitworth, who on Thursday said he fielded a Cowboys call.
And yes, Dallas – knowing Tyron might miss the entire season – should gobble up two of them.
One to replace Ball.
One to replace Tyron.
Tyron – the protector of Dak Prescott’s blind side – has gone down. Dallas now needs an Eric Fisher-level player to plug in at left tackle to make sure the season doesn’t go down with him.
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Len Dawson, who led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl IV and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as both a player and broadcaster, has died at the age of 87, according to his family.
“With wife Linda at his side, it is with much sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson,” the family said in a statement to KMBC in Kansas City, where Lawson previously worked as a sports broadcaster. “He was a wonderful husband, father, brother and friend. Len was always grateful and many times overwhelmed by the countless bonds he made during his football and broadcast careers.
“He loved Kansas City and no matter where his travels took him, he could not wait to return home.”
Dawson, who had entered hospice care in Kansas City on Aug. 12, worked for the Chiefs for nearly a half-century: 14 years as a quarterback and 33 as a broadcast analyst.
He spent the first five years of his 19-season professional career as a sparingly used backup for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, but his career took off after he signed in 1962 to play for the AFL’s Dallas Texans (soon to be the Kansas City Chiefs) to play under Hank Stram, who had been an assistant at Purdue during Dawson’s stellar collegiate career.
The man Stram once called “the most accurate passer in pro football” immediately showed he was worthy of being a team’s No. 1 quarterback, leading the AFL in completion percentage (61.0) and earning 1962 Player of the Year honors while carrying the Texans to the league title.
After moving to Kansas City the next year, the team’s success continued under Dawson, who was a seven-time All-Star/Pro Bowler and twice was a first-team All-Pro.
In 1966, he took the Chiefs to another AFL title, which for the first time meant a trip to what would come to be known as the Super Bowl. Dawson played well (16-of-27, 211 yards), but the Chiefs were overmatched by Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in a 35-10 loss.
The Chiefs were back three seasons later to face the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Despite Joe Namath and the New York Jets upsetting the Baltimore Colts the previous year, the NFL was still seen as superior and the Vikings came in as a double-digit favorite.
But the Kansas City defense dominated and Dawson played a typically strong game (12-of-17, 142 yards), including a 46-yard touchdown pass to Otis Taylor in the third quarter that sealed the 23-7 victory.
Dawson was selected as the second-team quarterback, behind Namath, on the AFL’s all-time team in 1970.
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1987 and as a broadcaster in 2012, following a TV and radio career that began as a sports anchor on Kansas City TV in 1966 while he was still playing for the Chiefs, oftentimes going to KMBC after practice to broadcast that night’s sports report. Dawson went on to become an analyst for games on NBC as well as a longtime host of HBO’s “Inside the NFL.”
After a series of health issues that included prostate cancer and quadruple heart bypass surgery, Dawson retired from broadcasting in 2017 following 33 years as the Chiefs’ radio color analyst.
Dawson remained a beloved figure in Kansas City, even though he cut back on public appearances several years ago when his health began to fail him. But he always had time for fans, whether it be a photograph or signature, the latter often on an iconic black-and-white photo from halftime of that first Super Bowl: the exhausted quarterback, white uniform caked with mud, sitting on a folding chair with a cigarette in his mouth and a bottle of Fresca at his feet.
It perfectly captured a time and place. And it perfectly captured a man who embodied poise and self-assurance.
Dawson was born June 20, 1935, the ninth of 11 children who filled the house of James and Annie Dawson in the blue-collar manufacturing town of Alliance, Ohio. He was a three-sport athlete at Alliance High School, setting records in football and basketball, and turned his success on the gridiron into a scholarship offer from Purdue.
There, Dawson led the NCAA in passing efficiency as a sophomore while also playing defense and kicking, and he helped lead a memorable upset of Notre Dame during the 1954 season. By the end of his college career, Dawson had thrown for more than 3,000 yards despite playing in an era that favored ground-and-pound football, and was chosen by the Steelers in the first round of the 1957 draft.
He ultimately found success with the Chiefs, and when he hung up his helmet after the 1975 season, Dawson retired with 28,711 career passing yards and 239 touchdowns. All but 204 yards and two touchdowns came with the Chiefs franchise.
Dawson was married to his high school sweetheart, Jackie, from 1954 until her death in 1978, and together they had two children. His second wife, Linda, remained by his side even when Dawson was forced to enter hospice care.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Len Dawson, the 87-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title, has entered hospice care in Kansas City.
KMBC-TV, the Kansas City station where Dawson began his broadcasting career in 1966, confirmed Dawson is in hospice care through his wife, Linda.
Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson, and former quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, died at 87.Bettmann Archive
Len Dawson of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during an AFL Football game in 1969 in Kansas City.Getty Images
The MVP of the Chiefs’ 23-7 Super Bowl victory over Minnesota in January 1970, Dawson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2012.
From Alliance, Ohio, Dawson starred at Purdue and was selected fifth overall by Pittsburgh in the 1957 NFL draft. After seeing limited time in the NFL in three seasons with the Steelers and two with Cleveland, he joined the Dallas Texans in the American Football League in 1962, reuniting with former Purdue assistant coach Hank Stram.
Len Dawson fires a pass against the Green Bay Packers during Super Bowl I on January 15, 1967 in Los Angeles.NFLLen Dawson led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title.WireImage.com
Dawson moved with the team to Kansas City the following season and remained the Chiefs’ starting quarterback until retiring in 1975.
In addition to his work at KMBC where he was the station’s first sports anchor, Dawson was a game analyst for NBC and the Chiefs’ radio network and hosted HBO’s “Inside the NFL” show.
Len Dawson scrambles with the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during a game December 17, 1972 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta.Getty Images
The quarterbacks were the story at camps Tuesday. New Carolina Panthers QB Baker Mayfield hit on a electric deep ball that got fans talking. The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts had his most impressive day so far, and the Joneses — the New York Giants’ Daniel Jones and the New England Patriots’ Mac Jones — logged encouraging days for their teams.
In non-QB news, Kyle Pitts continues to dominate Atlanta Falcons practices. New York Jets rookie running back Breece Hall is coming on strong, showcasing his burst and versatility. And Orlando Brown Jr. practiced for the first time since signing his one-year contract worth almost $16.7 million.
Things are picking up throughout the NFL. Who made a mark Tuesday? Who got dinged up? Who had the most fun?
Here’s what you need to know from camps across the league:
What our NFL Nation reporters saw today
The kicking competition between Lirim Hajrullahu and Jonathan Garibay has gotten off to a slow start. On Tuesday, Garibay made 6 of 8 attempts in special teams drills but missed all three tries from 49, 54 and 59 yards in the special situation portion of the work. Hajrullahu was just 3-of-8 in drills and made one attempt in his situational work.
In three days of kicking, both kickers are 17-of-27.
“That wasn’t [a] confidence builder going against about a 50 mph wind trying them from 60 yards out,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “I was kidding somebody [and said], ‘I just want to see them make extra points and kicks from the 20 and the 30.'”— Todd Archer
It took six practices into training camp, but Lamar Jackson finally threw an interception. Jackson was picked off by safety Tony Jefferson, who made an outstanding play by tipping the ball to himself before pulling it in.
“I don’t know how he got a hand on that ball, in and of itself,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after practice.
Jackson’s first interception came on what was his sharpest day of the summer. He completed 15 of 19 passes (79%), which included a drop by Rashod Bateman on a deep throw. — Jamison Henley
Bills safety Jordan Poyer suffered an elbow injury during the team’s 11-on-11 drills while tackling rookie running back James Cook. He hyperextended his elbow and will miss a few weeks, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Poyer left the team’s locker room with his left arm inside a shirt and appeared to be wearing a sling. Safety Micah Hyde is also making his way back from hip/glute injury. He has yet to fully participate in practice after suffering the injury Friday. The injuries have opened up opportunities for backups Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin. Johnson seemed to get more opportunities Tuesday with Poyer out, but it will certainly be a competition to watch.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White also continues to progress after tearing his ACL nine months ago. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said that the athletic trainers communicated to him “[White’s] really progressing well and they’re excited about where he is at this point.” — Alaina Getzenberg
Carolina Panthers: Panthers wideout Robby Anderson tweeted “Noooooo” back in April when news came out the Panthers were interested in acquiring quarterback Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns. On Tuesday, teammates and fans were saying “Ooooooh” over a play Anderson made with the former No. 1 overall pick. Mayfield, working with the 1s, threw a strike of about 50 yards that the veteran wide receiver hauled in close to the goal line.
Explosive plays is what you get with Mayfield, and what the Panthers haven’t had in a few years. You also get occasional mistakes. Linebacker Frankie Luvu jumped Mayfield’s pass for an interception late in a two-minute drill. Overall, the day had to go to Mayfield over Sam Darnold, who was working with the 2s, although not by much. In the red zone, Mayfield was 3-for-8 for a touchdown. Darnold was 6-for-8 with two touchdowns and an interception due to an amazing defensive play.
The battle to be the starting QB is still too close to call, but coach Matt Rhule likes how Mayfield has picked up the offense. “We test guys every day,” he said. “His tests come back in the hundreds. He’s a pros pro.” — David Newton
Atlanta Falcons: When the Falcons drafted tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 pick in 2021, the franchise knew he had the potential to be a game-changer and generational player. And while it’s just training camp, the difference in Pitts’ play from a year ago to now is noticeable.
On almost every rep, Pitts is winning off the line of scrimmage and then getting open for the quarterback — both in team and individual drills. The most noticeable one Tuesday came in an individual rep against linebacker Mykal Walker. Pitts accelerated, stopped for the smallest of seconds and then burst past Walker for an easy reception on a deep pass.
The Falcons have a lot of questions this year, but Pitts is not one of them. Through a week, he’s been the most dominant player Atlanta has. It might not be close. — Michael Rothstein
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts is heating up. It was the team’s first day in pads and Hurts had his best showing of the summer, highlighted by a 50-plus yard dime to Jalen Reagor, the former first-round pick who is “battling for a spot” on the team, per coach Nick Sirianni.
Hurts followed with a laser over the middle to new battery mate A.J. Brown. Earlier in the session, during one-on-ones, he hit DeVonta Smith down the left sideline, dropping it in over corner James Bradberry. Hurts has been up and down to this point in camp, with the arrow pointing up over the last couple days. — Tim McManus
New York Giants: Daniel Jones had himself a day. His best this summer. By a good margin. It’s a good sign considering the Giants’ offense hadn’t exactly been lighting it up early in camp as they learn Brian Daboll’s offense.
For the most part, the first-team unit and its quarterback have struggled. Not Tuesday, when Jones went 16-of-20 with two touchdowns and two interceptions on a day when wide receiver Kenny Golladay sat out team drills. His replacement, David Sills, did a good chunk of the damage. Sills had five catches in live drills, including a touchdown reception to end the day’s action.
“It felt good being in there,” Sills said. “I think DJ has a good feel for where I’m going to be. A trust for me.”
If not for a late red-zone interception, Jones’ numbers and the offense’s performance would look and feel even better. Overall, still a good day. — Jordan Raanan
Houston Texans: Davis Mills was excellent in Monday’s practice, probably his best day in camp. Mills went 13-for-17 in team drills with two TD throws the red zone team 22 period. He also went 6-6 with four TD passes during 7-on-7 red zone from the 12-yard line period. He led the Texans offense into scoring position during the two-minute drill after facing a 4th and 15. — DJ Bien-Aime
New York Jets: With RB1 Michael Carter sitting out 11-on-11 drills with a minor ankle injury, rookie Breece Hall got a chance to get extensive work with the starters. He rotated with Ty Johnson and rookie Zonovan Knight, but Hall got the most carries.
Listed as 5-foot-11, 217 pounds, Hall is the biggest back on the roster. He showed excellent open-field speed and made a diving catch in a 7-on-7 period. The Jets love his versatility, and he will push Carter for early playing time. Carter is listed as day-to-day. — Rich Cimini
Kansas City Chiefs: After sitting out the first week of camp, left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. signed his one-year contract worth almost $16.7 million and practiced for the first time. Brown stepped immediately into the starting lineup as the Chiefs put him to work during a run-blocking period and later a 1-on-1 pass-blocking drill. Brown departed practice shortly before its end for a conditioning session, which is part of the team’s acclimation plan for Brown, who missed all of offseason practice as well. The plan is to steadily increase his workload. — Adam Teicher
New Orleans Saints: Saints quarterback Jameis Winston had one of his best plays of camp when he hit wide receiver Deonte Harty in stride for a touchdown of at least 50 yards in 11-on-11 drills.
Harty, an All-Pro kick returner, is one of the fastest players on the roster, and he showed off his speed by easily beating safety Justin Evans for the score. Starting safety Tyrann Mathieu, who has been excused from camp for personal reasons, has not returned to the team yet.
Harty joked that he owed Winston one for dropping a pass earlier in camp.
“He knew he wanted to throw it there. He told me exactly what to do and I went out there and did it,” Harty said.
He added: “I never lose stride with Jameis. I’ve got faith in his arm.” — Katherine Terrell
Green Bay Packers: The biggest difference in Jordan Love compared to last year was evident Tuesday. One day after he threw a practicing-ending, pick-six, he came back with perhaps his best performance of camp.
Last year, he might have tried to play it safe after a bad day. This time, he came back firing even with heavy pressure in his face. He didn’t flinch and found his primary targets with two of his best throws of camp: a deep crosser to Sammy Watkins and a perfectly-placed ball that rookie Romeo Doubs caught in spectacular, outstretched fashion for a touchdown in the back corner of the end zone during a red-zone period.
“I think it does show growth,” Love said after practice. “Just to be able to trust that I know where the receiver’s going to be with pressure in my face and still be able to try and slow it down a little bit to focus on where I need to put the ball. When you first get here, I wasn’t able to make those throws under pressure.” — Rob Demovsky
New England Patriots: QB Mac Jones capped off his practice with a touchdown throw to receiver Nelson Agholor that sparked an offensive celebration, but Jones acknowledged that the defense has had more success through the first six practices of camp.
“It’s very competitive and when we lose the day, to me that’s like a shot in the heart,” Jones said. “So better days ahead. You know we’re in the start of this thing and we got to get it going.” — Mike Reiss
Top NFL news of the day
Dolphins stripped of 2023 first-round pick, owner fined $1.5M for tampering with Tom Brady, Sean Payton
The NFL notified the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday that the team would be stripped of its 2023 first-round pick, among other disciplinary measures, for violations of league policies relating to the integrity of the game.
Denver Broncos WR Tim Patrick carted off with right knee injury; team awaiting test results
Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick, who led the team in touchdown catches last season, was carted off the practice field Tuesday with a right knee injury team officials feared will force the fifth-year player to miss significant time.
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Can’t spell Elijah Moore without HIM. @e_moore03 (via @nyjets) pic.twitter.com/qHuhPnhRkD
— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2022
.@marlon_humphrey mic’d = lots of screaming 🤣 pic.twitter.com/9ZcrH3hmse
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Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid 😈@JJWatt x #CardsCamp pic.twitter.com/u0DN6TbenL
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Separation. ✅ pic.twitter.com/6Qgr4PPXok
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 1, 2022
The new Chargers duo is going to be dangerous ⚡️
(🎥 @chargers) pic.twitter.com/OkKfekTyxe
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You can see the disappointment in Mike McDaniel’s face when he finds out he’s missing Yeezy day 😂 https://t.co/kKZtyscEry pic.twitter.com/ObqFmHajr3
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) August 2, 2022
Put some respect on @_tonyjefferson’s name 🤨@oakley play of the day 👇 pic.twitter.com/PJCcXAmFTJ
With 2022 NFL training camps getting ready to hit high gear, young starting quarterbacks around the league are getting valuable reps.
At the New England Patriots camp on Friday, onlookers anticipated that quarterback Mac Jones would raise his level of performance after the offense was almost shut out completely, scoring just one touchdown on 11 repetitions in a red zone drill at the end of Thursday’s practice.
Jones didn’t disappoint, showing that his connection with tight end Jonnu Smith is in a better place than it was for most of 2021. On one play, Jones lofted about a 20-yard pass to Smith in the back of the end zone, with safety Kyle Dugger in coverage, and Smith leaped high to snare the pass for a touchdown. Smith, who later caught another touchdown from Jones, then followed with an emphatic spike.
While he was mostly sharp, Jones did throw his first interception of camp — right into the chest of cornerback Jalen Mills.
In Philadelphia, quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense had a rocky outing Friday following a strong showing in the opening practice. In Tennessee and Washington, it was young receivers who made their mark.
Here’s what you need to know from camps across the league:
What our NFL Nation reporters saw today
Washington Commanders: Second-year receiver Dyami Brown needs to be a bigger threat for Washington in his second season. A third-round pick in 2021, he caught just eight passes. But his speed still excites Washington, and Friday he made a terrific catch. On the play, quarterback Carson Wentz threw deep down the left side to Brown. Corner Kendall Fuller was in perfect position to intercept the ball with Brown pinned to his side. But as Fuller extended for the ball, Brown jumped and reached over the veteran and snagged the ball as they fell to the ground.— John Keim
Philadelphia Eagles: Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense struggled following a strong showing in the opening practice.
“It didn’t look good,” center Jason Kelce said.
Corner Avonte Maddox provided one of the defensive highlights, elevating to intercept a floating Hurts pass intended for tight end Dallas Goedert.
“It’s Day 2 of camp. We’ll get it right,” Goedert said.— Tim McManus
Tennessee Titans: Rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks turned in another outstanding day of work. He used his size to create separation and win reps in one-on-one period. The momentum rolled over to group periods of practice when he caught a couple of passes from Ryan Tannehill in traffic across the middle.— Turron Davenport
Green Bay Packers: Given his injury history, it would’ve been easy to say “Same old Sammy Watkins” when he began camp on the non-football injury (NFI) list. But the veteran receiver the Packers signed in the offseason was relieved after he was able to start practicing on Day 3 of camp. He said he felt what he called “a tweak” in one of his hamstrings following a pre-camp workout.
“The next day I went out and ran routes and ran around and felt great, and I think I was kind of in my own head [thinking], ‘Man, this happened again,'” Watkins said. “But it was really nothing.” His return to practice on Friday came on a day when the Packers conducted only a short, half-speed practice. Still, Watkins was able to catch a few passes from Aaron Rodgers as he eased his way back.— Rob Demovsky
Kansas City Chiefs: Newly signed defensive end Carlos Dunlap was not at practice. Dunlap told the Chiefs he needed a few days to get some things in order at home and won’t return to camp until the middle of next week. — Adam Teicher
New England Patriots: Rookie guard Cole Strange, the team’s first-round pick, ended practice with an exclamation point as coach Bill Belichick summoned him as part of a punt-catching competition. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Strange hauled in one punt, and then when undrafted rookie defensive lineman DaMarcus Mitchell (Purdue) missed his attempt, Strange followed by catching another with a football already in his grasp. That set off a wild celebration by the offense, which didn’t necessarily win anything other than bragging rights. — Mike Reiss
New York Jets: Newly-signed linebacker Kwon Alexander will be brought along slowly as he gets into football shape. The Jets’ plan is to have him work on his own for a couple of days before getting on the practice field next week for limited work. He was unsigned since the end of last season, so he had no offseason program. He will be used in the ‘Sam’ and ‘Will’ linebacker spots, starting off as a backup.
“No expectations,” said coach Robert Saleh, who coached him in San Francisco. “(He) just has to do what he always does, which is to bring a lot of juice, a lot of energy.” — Rich Cimini
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers ranked in the bottom half of the NFL last season in scoring points before halftime, so at the end of practice coach Matt Rhule gave quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield each a chance to see what they could do with 1:45 left on the clock. Darnold engineered a touchdown drive thanks to pass interference on a deep pass and a circus catch in the end zone by wide receiver Shi Smith after the ball was tipped by a defender.
Mayfield’s group produced a long field goal as time expired. Carolina also ranked in the bottom half of the league in red zone scoring in 2021. Darnold went 0-for-4 on his first series there Friday. Mayfield went 1-for-4. Darnold did complete his first deep pass of practice with a 40-plus yard strike to Terrace Marshall Jr. — David Newton
Buffalo Bills: Starting safety Micah Hyde was injured while trying to intercept a Josh Allen pass. Hyde dropped the ball as he came to the ground. After a couple of seconds, starting safety Jordan Poyer motioned to the team’s athletic trainers, who came over to attend to Hyde. Multiple Bills players took a knee while Hyde was looked at and the music playing was turned off.
He limped off the field with their assistance and held the back of his leg at one point before sitting in the passenger seat of cart, which took him to the team’s locker room. Hyde is dealing with a hip/glute injury that is still being evaluated. He and Poyer make up arguably the best safety tandem in the NFL, so any time missed would be a big loss for this Bills defense. Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin filled in for Hyde the rest of practice. — Alaina Getzenberg
Top NFL news of the day
Commanders’ Chase Young to miss at least season opener
Washington defensive end Chase Young will miss at least the season opener — and possibly more — because of a knee injury he suffered late last year. One team source had told ESPN this month that Young would return mid-September at the earliest.
Cardinals’ J.J. Watt not a fan of ‘bobblehead’ Guardian Cap
Arizona’s Watt is not a fan of wearing the Guardian Cap during training camp and wasn’t shy in sharing his thoughts on Friday.
“You feel like a bobblehead,” Watt deadpanned. “Like you’re gonna fall over. I’ll probably get fined for this. This is great. … There’s 15 grand gone.”
The Guardian Cap is required for all offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends and linebackers during training camp practices until the second preseason game.
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Some wholesome content for your Friday morning 💙❤️🥹 pic.twitter.com/bEdtVdjSvG
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 29, 2022
🔥 @juliojones_11 pic.twitter.com/UZAEsJhveL
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 29, 2022
Training Camp Touchdown 💪@Tua 👉 @b_sanders pic.twitter.com/wzkagNuaan
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) July 29, 2022
Sammy Watkins (11) is on the field after missing the first two days on the NFI list with a hamstring. pic.twitter.com/h2GDAtRBj3
Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Justyn Ross will miss the 2022 season after the team placed him on injured reserve Monday.
Ross, who signed out of Clemson as an undrafted free agent, recently underwent another foot surgery, Andy Reid told reporters Friday. Ross’ final season at Clemson ended early when he had foot surgery last November.
Ross caught 46 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns in his final year with the Tigers. He missed the entire 2020 season after being diagnosed with a congenital fusion in his spine that required surgery.
He was the No. 148 prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
For more news, follow The Athletic’s NFL training camp updates.
(Photo: Denny Medley / USA Today)
What is the significance of the injury?
Nate Taylor, Chiefs beat writer: Ross, unfortunately, becomes the first major injury this season for the Chiefs. In different circumstances, Ross could’ve been a nice surprise for the Chiefs, a potential weapon who might’ve had a number of highlights connecting with superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Instead, Ross’ journey toward making his NFL debut will be long and grueling, a rehab that will take months before the team can evaluate his athleticism at the sport’s highest level.
How will Ross’ absence test Kansas City’s receiving depth?
Taylor: This season, without Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs hope their receiving corps is known for the number of quality options for Mahomes. Ross’ injury removes what could’ve been a quality option.
Instead, the Chiefs still have five receivers — alongside star tight end Travis Kelce — that are expected to build timing and chemistry with Mahomes during the training camp: Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore and Josh Gordon.
Those five receivers will be responsible for helping Mahomes maintain the potency of the Chiefs’ offense.
The Kansas City Chiefs will visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 2 of the upcoming 2022 season, setting up a Super Bowl LV rematch in what will be the latest installment in the Patrick Mahomes-Tom Brady rivalry.
The NFL announced the Week 4 game Thursday morning, ahead of the release of the full regular-season schedule later in the day.
The game will mark the sixth meeting between Mahomes and Brady and will air on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.” Brady is 3-2 in the games against Mahomes; he has played three as a member of the New England Patriots and two with the Buccaneers.
The Bucs beat the Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV behind three touchdown passes from Brady, who was named the game’s MVP and won his record seventh career title. Mahomes struggled in the Super Bowl loss, throwing two interceptions.
Mahomes, 26, passed for 4,839 yards and 37 touchdowns last season and led the Chiefs to their fourth consecutive trip to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brady, who turns 45 in August, led the league with a career-high 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdowns in 2021, his second season with the Buccaneers.
The NFL already has announced several matchups for the 2022 season, including a Week 2 Monday Night Football doubleheader, the league’s 2022 international series games and one of three Christmas Day games.
