NFL to OBJ: Time to leave $250K watch in locker room
Odell Beckham’s football fashion taste clashed with the NFL’s.
The league reached out to the Browns on Monday and told them that their star can no longer wear a watch on the field after he sported an expensive one during Sunday’s season opener against Tennessee.
The flashy, fashionable wide receiver wore an orange Richard Milledesigned watch — which retails for more than $250,000 — during the Browns’ 43-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
On Monday, league spokesman Michael Signora said while there are no rules prohibiting jewelry, there is a policy “prohibiting hard objects.”
Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said he was not aware that Beckham had on the lavish time piece. Kitchens also said the team will abide the rules.
“As long as they’re going to enforce that with everyone, I’m fine with it,” Kitchens said. “Let’s just make sure it gets enforced with everybody.”
It’s not clear if Beckham spoke with anyone from the league or if he will be fined for his fashion faux pas.
Beckham, who came to Cleveland in a blockbuster offseason trade from the New York Giants, caught seven passes for 71 yards in his first action for the Browns.
Known for his style and onehanded catches, the 26-year-old Beckham drove his customized, orange Rolls Royce to FirstEnergy Stadium for Sunday’s game.
Beckham will return to New York next week as the Browns play the New York Jets on Monday night.
Wil Lutz made a 58-yard field goal as time expired to lift the New Orleans Saints to a 30-28 victory over the Houston Texans on Monday night in game that had three scoring plays in the final minute.
SAINTS CAP WILD COMEBACK WITH LAST-SECOND FG >> Deshaun Watson threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to former Saints receiver Kenny Stills with 37 seconds left, capping a twoplay, 75-yard drive that put the Texans in front after they began their final possession down by six with 50 seconds left.
But there was just enough time remaining for Saints quarterback Drew Brees to secure a dramatic 30-28 win.
Brees capped a 370-yard, twotouchdown performance by completing a 15-yard pass to Tedd Ginn Jr, an 11-yarder to Michael Thomas and another pass to Ginn for 9 yards in quick succession. That allowed New Orleans to save its final timeout until just 2 seconds remained and set up Lutz’s game-winning boot.
JAGUARS TRADE FOR BACKUP QB >> The Jacksonville Jaguars have acquired
quarterback Josh Dobbs in a trade with Pittsburgh, giving them a backup while Nick Foles recovers from a broken collarbone.
The Jaguars gave up their fifthround pick in the 2020 draft for Dobbs, who was in his third season with the Steelers.
COLTS PUT FUNCHES ON IR >> Coach Frank Reich says Colts receiver Devin Funchess will be placed on injured reserve after having surgery on a broken collarbone.
Funchess was injured during Sunday’s 30-24 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers while diving to catch a pass in the end zone in the final minute of regulation. T.Y. Hilton later scored and Marlon Mack added a 2-point conversion run to send the game to overtime.
College football
PETRINO OFFERS APOLOGY TO ARKANSAS FANS >> Former coach Bobby Petrino apologized to fans in Arkansas seven years after he was fired for misleading officials about his extramarital affair with an athletic department employee that was exposed after a motorcycle crash.
Petrino returned to Arkansas, where he coached the Razorbacks for four seasons, for the first time since 2012. In a packed ballroom for a Little Rock Touchdown Club luncheon, Petrino told the audience he was nervous about the speaking engagement, comparing it to game day.
“I wanted to be able to come here and apologize to everybody, the fans, the players, and truly tell you how sorry I am for the way it ended,” Petrino said. “But I also wanted to come here and thank you for everything the people in this room and this state did for me and my family. You were great to us.” GATORS WILL BE SHORT-HANDED >> No. 9 Florida likely will be without two of its best players to open Southeastern Conference play Saturday.
Coach Dan Mullen said Monday that elusive receiver Kadarius Toney will miss “a couple of weeks” because of a left shoulder injury and speedy cornerback CJ Henderson is doubtful to play at Kentucky because of a sprained left ankle. Mullen added that he won’t put Henderson on the field “unless he’s 100 percent healthy.”
Tennis
ANDREESCU MOVES TO NO. 5 AFTER U.S. OPEN VICTORY >> A year ago at this time, Bianca Andreescu was ranked outside the WTA’s top 200 after losing in the first round of U.S. Open qualifying. Look at her now.
Thanks to winning her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, Andreescu jumped 10 spots to a careerhigh No. 5 in the rankings on Monday, while Ash Barty again replaced Naomi Osaka at No. 1.
Andreescu’s 6-3, 7-5 victory over Serena Williams in the final on Saturday continued the 19-year-old Canadian’s rapid rise from 178th at the end of last season.
She is the first woman in the Open era, which began in 1968, to win the U.S. Open in her main-draw debut at the tournament. This was only her fourth career appearance at any Slam.
MATOS BANNED FOR LIFE FOR MATCH FIXING >> Brazilian player Diego Matos was banned for life from professional tennis on Monday after being found guilty of match-fixing.
Matos, aged 31, was also fined $125,000 and ordered to repay illicit winnings of $12,000 by the Tennis Integrity Unit.
The TIU said he contrived the outcome of 10 matches in 2018 at ITFlevel events in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Portugal, and Spain.
This and that
• The Indiana Fever fired coach and general manager Pokey Chatman, a day after the team finished with a third straight losing season.
• The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed star defenseman Zach Werenski to a three-year, $15 million contract extension.
Werenski was a restricted free agent, and one of the team’s priorities was signing the 22-year-old player to a multiyear deal before camp opens Thursday.
• Jayson Tatum returned to practice with the U.S. men’s basketball team Monday, less than a week after he sprained his left ankle.
He did not play Monday night when the U.S. (5-0) closed World Cup second-round action with a win over Brazil. It is unclear if Tatum will be ready for a quarterfinal against France on Wednesday.