Cowboys assistant rushed to hospital Manning headlines Hall semifinalists
The Dallas Cowboys canceled practice Tuesday after a medical emergency involving strength and conditioning coordinator Markus Paul.
The Cowboys said Paul became ill at the team facility and was treated by team medical personnel before being taken by ambulance to a hospital.
An update from the team later Tuesday said that “per the Paul family, Markus is in the process of undergoing further medical tests.”
The Cowboys said more information would be made available at the “appropriate time.”
Coach Mike McCarthy’s daily meeting with reporters was canceled, as were interviews with players.
Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Jared Allen and Calvin Johnson are first-year eligible players to make the list of 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2021.
Joining them are four previously eligible players who hadn’t made the semifinals: Eric Allen, Willie Anderson, Cornelius Bennett and Rodney Harrison.
The group of 25 announced Tuesday also includes Ronde Barber, Tony Boselli, LeRoy Butler, Alan Faneca, Torry Holt, John Lynch, Clay Matthews, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Steve Tasker, Fred Taylor, Zach Thomas, Hines Ward, Reggie Wayne, Patrick Willis, Darren Woodson and Bryant Young.
Candidates will be trimmed to 15 modern-day finalists who will be considered for entry by the selection committee during Super Bowl week. Inductions are scheduled for next August, when the 2020 class and a special centennial class also will be enshrined after the COVID-19 pandemic forced postponement of those ceremonies last summer.
Also on the ballot in the coaching category is Tom Flores; in the contributors category is Bill Nunn; and in the seniors category is Drew Pearson.
Ravens’ outbreak now totals 10
Ten members of the Baltimore Ravens’ organization — five players and five staffers — have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days as they prepare for a Thanksgiving night matchup with the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.
Those results represented totals over several days and were confirmed Tuesday evening by a person familiar with the situation.
The Ravens returned to conducting team operations remotely Tuesday, and the NFL said Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh is still on. But the league seemed to leave open the possibility of the game being rescheduled if needed, based on further test results.
“We will continue to monitor developments in consultation with our medical experts,” the NFL said in a statement.
The Ravens placed linebacker Pernell McPhee on their COVID-19 reserve list Tuesday, a day after coach John Harbaugh confirmed that running backs Mark Ingram II and J.K. Dobbins had tested positive.
Defensive tackle Brandon Williams has been placed in quarantine as a high-risk close contact.
Burkhead says he’s out for year
Patriots running back Rex Burkhead said the knee injury he suffered Sunday against the Texans will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season.
In an Instagram post Tuesday, Burkhead wrote that he looks forward to “coming back better than ever in 2021.” The proclamation comes after he was carted off the field in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-20 loss at Houston after a knee-to-helmet collision with Texans cornerback Bradley Roby.
Burkhead was having one of the best years of his career, with a combined 466 yards and six touchdowns rushing and receiving.