Rams found liable for Bush’s knee injury
A jury in St. Louis on Tuesday ordered the NFL’s Rams to pay former running back Reggie Bush $12.5 million for a severe knee injury he suffered in 2015, the team’s final season in St. Louis before moving to Los Angeles.
The jury found the Rams 100 percent liable for Bush’s injury and ordered the team to pay $4.95 million in compensatory damages and $7.5 million in punitive damages, the St. Louis PostDispatch reported.
Attorneys for the Rams said they plan to file a motion for a new trial.
Bush was playing for the 49ers when he was pushed out of bounds during a game on Nov. 1, 2015, at what was then the Edward Jones Dome, now known as the Dome at America’s Center. He slipped on a surface that the lawsuit dubbed the “concrete ring of death,” about 35 feet (11 meters) behind the 49ers’ bench.
Bush suffered a seasonending left knee injury. The lawsuit contended the injury undermined his earnings as a player for the rest of his career. He signed with Buffalo in 2016 and retired in 2017. Now 33, he works as an analyst for the NFL Network. LUCK TESTS SHOULDER >> The Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck attempted his first passes in front of reporters Tuesday as the Colts opened their three-day minicamp.
The Stanford product only threw a handful of balls before he finished with a lob of about 20 yards. Luck continues to recover from surgery on his right shoulder that took place in January 2017. MINICAMP HOLDOUTS >> Arizona running back David Johnson skipped the first day of mandatory minicamp amid reports that the sides are discussing a new contract.
• All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald is not attending the Rams’ mandatory minicamp while he continues his lengthy quest for a new contract. RECOVERING STARS >> Odell Beckham Jr. has been cleared to practice although the star New York Giants’ receiver did little work in team periods at the opening of the first mandatory minicamp under new coach Pat Shurmur. Beckham appeared to cut well testing the left ankle that was broken on Oct. 8 against the Chargers, sidelining him for the final 11 games.
• Panthers four-time All-Pro middle linebacker Luke Kuechly says he should be ready for full contact when training camp begins following offseason surgery for a torn labrum in his shoulder.
NBA
RAPTORS HIRE NURSE >> Nick Nurse has agreed to become the next coach of the Toronto Raptors. Nurse will be replacing his former boss, Dwane Casey under whom he spent the past five seasons as a Raptors assistant.
Soccer
U.S. WOMEN SWEEP CHINA >> Tobin Heath scored the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute in her return from injury, and the U.S. national team beat China 2-1 on in Cleveland to sweep the two-game exhibition series.
Megan Rapinoe put the U.S. ahead 1-0 in the 35th by heading home Christen Press’ cross at the far post. Press became the 37th player to appear in 100 matches for the U.S. REAL MADRID TABS LOPETEGUI >> Spain coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager after the World Cup. Lopetegui will take the place of Zinedine Zidane.
• Manchester United has been rated by Forbes as the world’s most valuable soccer team for the second straight year. The team’s worth increased to $4.12 billion from $3.69 billion a year ago and ranked just ahead of Real Madrid ($4.09 billion) and Barcelona ($4.06 billion).
Golf
PGA SCHEDULE SHUFFLE >> The Houston Open is moving to the fall on the PGA Tour, returning to the schedule in the fall of 2019. The move to the fall paves the way for Minnesota to take Houston’s spot in the main portion of the schedule next summer.