Seahawk great dies
CORTEZ Kennedy was a hulking force at defensive tackle, the cornerstone of a franchise that had little to cheer about for most of his playing career.
And yet, what Kennedy accomplished as a player with the Seahawks — which was good enough for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — was secondary to the affable personality that made him a revered figure long after his career ended.
Police in Orlando, Florida, said the 48-year-old Kennedy was found dead Tuesday morning. Orlando Police Department public information officer Wanda Miglio said the circumstances surrounding the death are still unknown, but that there is nothing suspicious about it.
An investigation is being conducted. “The full story lies in his loving, fun, positive and giving heart,” said New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, who worked for the Seahawks during Kennedy’s playing career. “In my many years working in the NFL, no one better exemplified what it meant to be a great player on the field, and yet that paled in comparison to what Cortez meant to the people who knew him off
the field.”
NFL RULE CHANGES
Even if the No Fun League is going to ease up on its touchdown celebration restrictions, twerking may still draw a flag.
Roger Goodell said the new guidelines came after conversations with more than 80 current and former players.
The new policy would allow snow angels, group celebrations, going to the ground and using the ball as a prop.
The league, however, will continue to penalize any celebration deemed offensive or in bad taste, including those that embarrass opponents or mimic the use of weapons. If celebrations are deemed a violation by on-field officials, players could still be penalized under existing unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting violations, as well as fined.
Also, NFL owners cut the overtime period from 15 minutes to 10 for the regular season. Playoff games will also use 10-minute time blocks in overtime, but won’t end in ties.
L.A. NOT SUPER YET
Thanks to rain, the Super Bowl isn’t returning to the Los Angeles area for an extra year.
After the Rams announced that their new shared stadium with the Chargers would be delayed until 2020, the NFL owners made a unanimous decision to push back the site as the host for the Super Bowl for another season. Instead, the stadium will play host to Super Bowl LVI, with Super Bowl LV now being played in Tampa.