IN BRIEF
ESPN, NFL Network suspend analysts amid investigations
Former NFL players Donovan
McNabb and Eric Davis won’t appear on ESPN as the company investigates allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior while they were at NFL Network. “We are investigating, and McNabb and Davis will not appear on our networks as that investigation proceeds,” ESPN vice president of communications Josh Krulewitz told USA TODAY on Tuesday. McNabb co-hosts a show on ESPN Radio and occasionally appears on First Take, while Davis cohosts a show on ESPN Radio from Los Angeles. McNabb and Davis are two of several players-turned-commentators named in a new filing in a lawsuit brought by a former wardrobe stylist at NFL Network, a group that includes current employees Marshall Faulk, Heath
Evans and Ike Taylor. The suit also names Warren Sapp and Eric Weinberger, a top executive at Bill Simmons’ media group. In the suit, Jami
Cantor, who worked at NFL Network for a decade, claims that McNabb made sexually inappropriate comments to her in text messages, asking repeatedly about a specific sex act. Evans, Faulk and Taylor have been suspended by NFL Network, while a spokesman for Simmons’ The Ringer told USA TODAY in a statement that Weinberger has been placed on leave pending an investigation. — Tom Schad, A.J. Perez
Canseco tweets could be costly
Jose Canseco’s tweets about politicians and sexual molestation cost him whatever chance he had at working in Major League Baseball in 2018. In his first of several tweets, he wrote: “What is going on with all these politicians molesting women I’ve been molested by several women and never complained.” As most of the responses were imploring him to rethink what he was saying or delete altogether, he continued. Canseco, 53, is likely to lose his studio analyst job on Oakland Athletics telecasts as a result. He had joined the NBC Sports California broadcasting crew as a preand postgame commentator last season. Although a final evaluation of which analysts to bring back wasn’t due until the new year, the cable outlet issued a statement distancing itself from his remarks. “Jose Canseco is no longer an employee with NBC Sports California. His agreement with us ended after the 2017 baseball season,” the statement said. — Kevin Spain, Jorge L. Ortiz
Packers’ Rodgers cleared to play
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aar
on Rodgers announced Tuesday night that he’s been cleared to return to the lineup, two months after his status for the duration for the season was put in question after he broke his collarbone. Rodgers was placed on injured reserved and was designated to return as soon as Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. — A.J. Perez
Kurt Busch re-signs with SHR
Kurt Busch and Stewart-Haas Racing have reached an agreement that will keep Busch, who won the Daytona 500 but no other race this year, in the team’s No. 41 Fords next year. The team is expected to announce Busch’s decision to stay with SHR this week when final details are worked out. Busch confirmed his new deal to Motorsport.com. “Having my hard work pay off by winning ... the 2017 Daytona 500 has given me the drive to continue conquering the NASCAR world,” he said. — Mike Hembree
Four set for Geico Champions Bowl
Four state champion high school football teams will extend their season one game by playing in the Geico State Champions Bowl Series on Dec. 23 on ESPNU. Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), the No. 8 team in the USA TODAY Super 25 high school football rankings, will play No. 12 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) in Phoenix. The second game will feature No. 23 Chandler, Ariz., vs. Miami Northwestern (Miami). — Jim Halley