The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Elliott reportedly involved in bar incident
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, whose behavior is under investigation by the NFL, reportedly has drawn unwanted attention because of an incident Sunday night in a Dallas bar.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, whose behavior is under investigation by the NFL, reportedly has drawn unwanted attention because of an incident Sunday night in a Dallas bar.
Dallas police say that they were summoned to Clutch bar at around 9:40 p.m. CDT because a 30-yearold patron said he had been physically assaulted by an unnamed man in the incident, which was first reported by 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas. The man was taken to a hospital for nonlife threatening injuries and no arrests were made and Elliott was not named on the police report. However, The Fan, TMZ, the Dallas Morning News and ESPN cited sources naming him in what Dallas police told The Washington Post in an email is an ongoing investigation. A lawyer for the Cowboys star has not responded to a request from The Post for comment.
Elliott, who will turn 22 on Saturday, led the NFL in rushing as a rookie. But an allegation of domestic violence, for which no charges were filed, has hung over the offseason and could result in his suspension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday that “there’s a growing sense” that Elliott could face “some sort of short suspension here in the coming weeks at some point, once the NFL wraps up its investigation.” The NFL has denied that a decision on possible discipline has been made and the league typically closes shop until the opening of training camps.
Elliott’s judgment has been called into question at times during the offseason, drawing unneeded attention while an investigation is proceeding. During a St. Patrick’s Day parade, he pulled down a woman’s top, a move that was captured on video. “There is not much that I want to say other than that was unfortunate and not good,” owner Jerry Jones said of the incident in late March. “It wouldn’t be the right emphasis one way or the other to get into any communications or dialogue since that happened.”
Panthers fire GM
Just over a week before training camp opens, the Carolina Panthers have no general manager. And no president.
The team that faded from a Super Bowl spot to a losing season in 2016 fired Dave Gettleman, eight days before the Panthers get down to preseason business. They already were without a team president after Danny Morrison resigned in February.
Owner Jerry Richardson said in a statement he made the decision after a long evaluation of the team’s football operations.
“I want to thank Dave for the role he played in our success over the past four seasons,” Richardson said. “While the timing of this decision is not ideal, a change is needed.”
The Panthers report to Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on July 25 and have their first practice the following day.
Gettleman had been Carolina’s general manager for four seasons, when the Panthers went 43-26-1. But Carolina was 6-10 last season a year after reaching Super Bowl 50, where it lost to Denver. The Panthers had won the NFC South his first three years at the helm.
Cousins franchised
Kirk Cousins will be the first quarterback in NFL history to play consecutive seasons on the franchise tag.
Cousins and the Washington Redskins didn’t sign a long-term deal by the deadline. He will make $23.94 million on the franchise tag in 2017 after earning $19.95 million last year.
Team president Bruce Allen said in a prepared statement that the Redskins’ goal was to sign Cousins to a long-term contract and offered him $53 million guaranteed or $72 million in the event of injury. That would have been the second-most fully guaranteed money given to a QB behind Aaron Rodgers’ $54 million.
The 28-year-old Michigan State product is going into his third full season as Washington’s starter. Cousins set franchise records with 4,166 and 4,917 yards the past two seasons, but has yet to win a playoff game.
No deal for Bell
The Pittsburgh Steelers and star running back Le’Veon Bell failed to reach an agreement on a longterm contract, meaning Bell will play on a one-year tender this season.
Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on Bell in March and had until Monday afternoon to work out a new deal. Bell instead will make $12.1 million this season, the average of the five highest-paid running backs in the league.
Bell could become an unrestricted free agent next spring or the Steelers could place the franchise tag on him a second time. General manager Kevin Colbert says the team will “resume its efforts” to re-sign Bell next offseason.