NFL owners, players agree on opt-out guidelines
Philadelphia vs. New England, 10:30 p.m.
Toronto vs. New York City, 8:30 p.m. SportingKC vs. Vancouver, 10 p.m.
San Jose vs. Real Salt Lake, 8:30 p.m. Seattle vs. Los Angeles FC, 11 p.m.
Columbus vs. Minnesota, 8 p.m. FC Cincinnati vs. Portland, 10:30 p.m.
NFL training camps are set to open after the league and the players’ union reached agreement on several issues, including future salary cap mechanisms and how players can opt out of the upcoming season because of the coronavirus.
The NFL Players Association’s executive committee and 32 player representatives approved the offers Friday.
Players who decide they want to opt out have until Aug. 3 to do so, and they will receive a stipend from the owners. The amount of the stipend will be $350,000 for medical opt outs and $150,000 for voluntary opt outs, two people with knowledge of the decisions told AP.
Offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif became the first player to opt out of the upcoming NFL season, choosing to put his medical degree to use on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic rather than helping the Chiefs defend their first Super Bowl title in 50 years.
Duvernay-Tardif has been working to fulfill his requirements to become a doctor in the offseason, and has spent this summer working at a clinic in his native Canada. He said that experience helped him decide that if he was going to take any risks with his health, it would be to help patients dealing with the virus.
The Vikings signed coach Mike Zimmer to a three-year contract extension through the 2023 season, finalizing a key piece of business before the beginning of training camp. Zimmer has a 57-38-1 record over six seasons, the third-best winning percentage (.599) of the nine head coaches the franchise has had over 59 seasons.
Auto racing: Austin Hill cruised to win the opener of the first Truck Series doubleheader at Kansas Speedway. Moffitt won the opening stage before finishing second, nearly three seconds behind Hill.
Golf: Michael Thompson and Richy Werenski topped the 3M Open leaderboard going onto the weekend, Tony Finau and Talor Gooch climbed within a stroke. In warmer and windier conditions on the quiet, spectatorfree TPC Twin Cities course in Blaine, Minn., the scores crept up after Werenski led the first-round pack with an 8-under 63. The 24-year-old, who’s winless on the PGA Tour, followed up with a 67. Thompson caught him with a 66. Brooks Koepka was on the who’s-who list of players to miss the cut, shooting a 71 to finish at 1 under.
NBA: Bucks G Eric Bledsoe practiced with his teammates for the first time since learning he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Bledsoe had arrived at Walt Disney World for the relaunch of the NBA season on Wednesday. ... An ownership group led by longtime NBA player Arron Afflalo is putting together an offer to buy the Timberwolves, two people with knowledge of the bid said. The group will consist of two to five individuals with a net worth of more than $10 billion.
NHL: Veteran D Brent Seabrook won’t play for the Blackhawks in the NHL playoffs after not feeling well enough following three surgeries. He underwent two hip surgeries and right shoulder surgery earlier this year. He was originally scheduled to miss five to six months but hoped to be ready for the resumption of the season.
WNBA: Atlanta Dream F Glory Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus and will miss the start of the season. The team also said C Kalani Brown tested positive for the coronavirus on July 9 and remains under quarantine as the team prepares to play in the WNBA bubble.