Seahawks’ Thomas ends holdout
Seahawks safety Earl Thomas ended his lengthy holdout in time for the start of the regular season, even without the long-term contract he was seeking.
Thomas showed up at the Seahawks facility Wednesday morning and was welcomed back by his teammates. Coach Pete Carroll said he met briefly with Thomas, but wouldn't commit to whether Thomas would play in the opener Sunday against Denver.
Thomas posted to Instagram Wednesday announcing his return.
The post was a surprising conclusion to a long offseason of drama centered on whether Thomas would play out the final season of his contract, receive the extension he hoped for, or possibly be traded. Thomas' reaction to the lack of a resolution was clear in his post: "The disrespect has been noted and will not be forgotten."
For the moment, Carroll put an end to the speculation about whether Thomas would possibly be traded, saying "He's a Seahawk. He's always been and will be one forever."
Steelers losing patience with Bell
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell's chair remained tucked neatly into his locker on Wednesday, meaning he will almost certainly not be available when the Steelers open the season in Cleveland this weekend.
And while Bell's agent took to the airwaves to vaguely explain Bell's reasoning for staying away, the men Bell has played alongside for the past five years are starting to run out of patience.
"Honestly it's a little selfish," said center Maurkice Pouncey, a captain who had predicted Bell would arrive by Wednesday.
Veteran offensive guard Ramon Foster poked a little fun at Bell on social media, tweeting out a picture of Bell's head attached to the body of the character from the "Where's Waldo" line of children's books.
Bell and the Steelers spent each of the past two springs failing to come to terms on a new contract. Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on Bell each time.
Bell's agent Adisa Bakari was interviewed on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday and hinted at a concern Bell would be overworked this season by the Steelers, which could affect his earning potential when Bell reaches the open market in 2019. Bell's 406 touches led the NFL in 2017.
Bradford says he’s done all he can to have healthy season
If another injury comes, Sam Bradford says, there is nothing else he could have done in his preparation for the coming season to avoid it.
Approaching Sunday's debut as Arizona's starting quarterback, Bradford said Wednesday his battered left knee "does feel as good as it has felt in a long time."
"I've done everything in my power to put myself in this position," the former Oklahoma star said. "If something happens and it doesn't hold up, I'm going to hold my head high knowing that I put my body and myself in the best position to succeed."
Nike unveils Kaepernick ad to air during opener
Nike has unveiled its first "Just Do It" ad narrated by Colin Kaepernick, a spot scheduled to air during the NFL season opener on Thursday night as well as during the U.S. Open tennis tournament and other major sporting events.
The two-minute spot released Wednesday highlights superstar athletes LeBron James, Serena Williams and others, and touches on the controversy of NFL players protesting racial inequality, police brutality and other issues by demonstrating during the national anthem.