Man files suit vs. two Titans

NASHVILLE — A man has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe assaulted him in an alley behind a bar the first night of the NFL draft, upset at comments made about Sharpe’s job security with the team.

Dante R. Satterfield is asking for at least $500,000 in damages in the lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court. The lawsuit states that, after a conversation about the Titans drafting wide receiver Corey Davis at No. 5 overall, Sharpe and Titans offensive lineman Sebastian Tretola told Satterfield to follow them outside through a back door. The lawsuit states that Tretola acted as a lookout while Sharpe beat Satterfield unconscious, that Satterfield was taken by ambulance to a local hospital after 911 was called and that he remained unconscious for more than 12 hours. Satterfield suffered a concussion, broken bones in his face and a perforated eardrum. He met with police detectives Wednesday before the lawsuit was filed that afternoon. The Titans said in a released statement that they are aware of the lawsuit. “This case is not about the Tennessee Titans or the NFL,” Satterfield’s lawyer, Alex Little, told The Associated Press. “It’s about two individuals who, for no good reason, seriously injured an innocent victim. We are seeking to hold them accountable for the harm they have caused.” Neither Sharpe’s agent, Blaine Roche, nor Tretola’s agent, Joe Panos, immediately returned messages left at their offices Thursday for comment. Roche told The Tennessean, which first reported the lawsuit, that the claims were ridiculous.

› The Titans have agreed to terms with 12 undrafted free agents, the team announced Thursday night, before starting a rookie minicamp today in Nashville. Seven of the 12 free agents are offensive players, including quarterback

Tyler Ferguson of Western Kentucky. The other offensive free agents are wide receivers

Bra’Lon Cherry of North Carolina State, KeVonn Mabon of Ball State and Giovanni Pascascio of Louisville; running back

Akeem Judd of Mississippi; and tackles Steven Moore of California and Jonah Pirsig of Minnesota. The Titans added a pair of cornerbacks in Central Florida’s Jeremy Boykins and Connecticut’s John Green, plus linebacker Denzel Johnson of Texas Christian and nose tackles

DeAngelo Brown of Louisville and Roderick Henderson of Alabama State.

› CLEVELAND — Josh Gordon won’t be back in the NFL anytime soon. A person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press that the wide receiver, whose playing rights are held by the Cleveland Browns, has been denied reinstatement by the NFL. The person, speaking Thursday on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced publicly, said Gordon can reapply for reinstatement in the fall. Gordon has been suspended several times by the league, including his current ban for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He also was suspended for 10 games in 2014, then for the 2015 season, all for substance abuse violations. Now 26, Gordon rejoined the Browns last summer and appeared to be days away from returning to action when he entered a rehab facility in September.

TENNIS

› MADRID — Andy Murray’s struggles continued with a 6-3, 6-3 loss to lucky loser Borna Coric in the third round of the Madrid Open on Thursday, while 2016 tournament champion Novak Djokovic and four-time champion Rafael Nadal made it to the quarterfinals. Djokovic defeated Feliciano Lopez, 6-4, 7-5, and Nadal eased past Nick Kyrgios, 6-3, 6-1. The top-ranked Murray lost for the fifth time this year. Murray has won only one tournament this season, and he hasn’t made it past the semifinals in the three clay-court tournaments he has played. The 59th-ranked Coric became the first lucky loser to reach the quarterfinals in Madrid. He made it to the main draw only after Richard Gasquet withdrew because of a back injury. Next for Coric is a quarterfinal against Dominic Thiem, who won a thriller against Grigor Dimitrov, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9).

BASEBALL

› NEW YORK — The Mets’ season of high expectations took another serious hit Thursday when All-Star closer Jeurys Familia was diagnosed with a blood clot in his pitching shoulder that might require surgery. The arterial clot will be examined today in St. Louis by Dr. Robert Thompson, who treated starter Matt Harvey last year for thoracic outlet syndrome, the Mets said in a released statement. Treatment could include blood thinners and surgery. New York entered the year with hopes of returning to the World Series behind their dominant starting staff and a lineup led by slugger Yoenis Cespedes. But the Cuban outfielder tops a crowded disabled list that includes pitchers Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Seth Lugo; first baseman Lucas Duda; catcher Travis d’Arnaud; and captain David Wright.