Raiders owner Davis seems to be closing in on Vegas move
HOUSTON >> His eyes on Las Vegas, Raiders owner Mark Davis says he hasn’t shut the door on anything. Oakland, though, might have shut the door on itself as home for his team.
“Oakland was in the driver’s seat if they could’ve put together anything,” Davis said Wednesday at the NFL’s fall meetings, after updating his fellow owners on his desire to relocate to the gambling capital. “They came up with nothing.
“Las Vegas has already done what it is supposed to do and we have to bring it up to the National Football League and get permission to move to Las Vegas.”
Nevada lawmakers approved a deal last week that increases hotel taxes in the Las Vegas area to raise $750 million for a stadium and more than $400 million to expand and upgrade the Las Vegas Convention Center. Billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson is putting $650 million toward the project, while the Raiders and the NFL will kick in $500 million.
Commissioner Roger Goodell also said the NFL is looking into establishing a developmental league; reexamining the rules for onfield player celebrations; and reopening the labor agreement. He said the league is monitoring declining TV ratings, too.
Several owners insisted it’s far too early to reach any conclusions in the Raiders’ relocation issue, and none of them wanted to touch the relationship an NFL team might have with a casino mogul.
Jets turning back to Geno Smith at QB
Fitz Magic fizzled, so it’s Geno Smith’s turn — again.
The Jets will start Smith at quarterback on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens at MetLife Stadium, sending Ryan Fitzpatrick and his oneyear, $12 million contract to the sideline.
At the NFL fall meetings in Houston on Wednesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson said it was coach Todd Bowles’ call to go with Smith with the Jets sinking at 1-5 and on a fourgame losing streak.
“I am behind the coach 100 percent,” Johnson said. “Our coach made the decision he felt needed to be made.”
Fitzpatrick has been a major reason for the Jets’ struggles, throwing an NFL-leading 11 interceptions and just five touchdown passes during a brutal start.
After the Jets lost 28-3 at Arizona on Monday night, Bowles said Fitzpatrick would remain the starter. But he backtracked a bit from those comments Tuesday during a conference call.
Redskins’ Reed tried to hide concussion
Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed said he knew he had suffered a concussion during a recent game and didn’t tell anyone.
Reed missed the Redskins’ most recent game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was limited in practice Wednesday and was wearing a yellow noncontact jersey.