Matthews regrets his threat to quit
receiver
said he made a bad decision on Twitter to threaten to quit football if the NFL institutes a new rule mandating players stand for the national anthem.
Asked Friday if he stands by that initial statement, Matthews said “not right now.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that,” Matthews said. “I know the owners got a meeting next (week). Let’s just hope we don’t get to that.”
One of the Titans’ starting receivers, Matthews has stayed in the locker room during the national anthem through the last two games in protest of President
comments NFL players.
His father is a retired master sergeant in the Marine Corps, and his half brother also served in the Marines before being killed in Afghanistan in October 2015 while working as a private defense contractor.
The receiver wears a bracelet with his brother’s name and the Marine logo. Titans wide on
49ers release Bowman: The 49ers cut ties with one of the few remaining links to their last run of success when they released linebacker on Friday. General manager
said the team looked into possible trade partners and came close to completing one. But when that fell through, the team granted Bowman’s request and released him.
Elliott seeks new hearing: Attorneys for
indicated they intend to ask for another hearing before the federal appeals court that cleared the way for the league’s six-game suspension of the Cowboys running back and 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year over domestic violence allegations. Players’ union attorney
wrote to a federal judge in New York on Friday that Elliott’s legal team would pursue a hearing before a larger panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
A three-judge panel voted 2-1 to grant the NFL’s request to overrule a Texas court’s injunction that had blocked the suspension.
Extra points: The Raiders are still planning to host the Chargers in Oakland on Sunday despite concerns about poor air quality resulting from wildfires in Northern California’s wine country. The team said officials will continue to monitor the air quality in the Bay Area and would update fans if there were changes regarding the game. ... Texans S was fined $24,309 by the league for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Chiefs TE Travis Kelce on Sunday night. Also fined $9,115 by the league were: Panthers T for unnecessary roughness; and Vikings DT Eagles DE
and Cowboys LB — all for face-mask penalties. ... The Panthers said they’ve identified the fan who assaulted another fan during Thursday night’s game against the Eagles. Panthers executive director of risk management
said in a statement Friday the team is working with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to “pursue charges to the fullest extent of the law.”