Panthers hopeful Newton will be ready for opener
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney is “cautiously optimistic” that Cam Newton will be ready for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams after the quarterback suffered a left mid-foot sprain in a preseason game.
Newton injured his foot in Carolina’s 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots on a sack.
Newton was trying to avoid pressure in the first quarter when he got tripped up and landed on the turf at Foxborough, Mass. He hobbled to the sideline and grimaced in pain on the bench before walking under his own power to the locker room.
The 2015 league MVP only played 11 plays, and the Panthers gained just 29 yards. He was sacked twice.
Newton left the stadium in a walking boot and did not address the media before boarding the team bus. He was playing in his first game since Dec. 17.
Newton struggled through shoulder issues last season, which limited his ability to throw downfield as the year progressed. By the end of the season, Newton could barely throw more than 20 yards and the team would sub him out on Hail Mary passes. He missed the final two games of the season and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in January.
The Panthers don’t have much experience at quarterback behind Newton.
Kyle Allen is second on the depth chart at quarterback, rookie third-round draft pick Will Grier is third and Taylor Heinicke fourth. They have just two NFL regular-season starts among them.
Son charged in death of ex-player Bennett
The son of former NFL lineman Barry Bennett is accused of shooting Bennett and his wife multiple times, killing them, driving out of state and boarding a flight to Mexico, according to criminal charges filed.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant and were searching for Dylan Bennett, 22, who is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, without premeditation, in connection with the deaths of his parents — Barry and Carol Bennett.
Their bodies were found Wednesday in their home near Long Prairie, a small town about two hours northwest of Minneapolis.
Authorities believe the Bennetts were killed Monday. The complaint said Carol Bennett, who would have been 64 on Thursday, was shot multiple times in the back and torso. Barry Bennett, 63, was shot multiple times in the torso and head.
Barry Bennett played 11 seasons with New Orleans, the New York Jets and Minnesota.
Manning remains Giants’ starting QB
New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur reiterated that 16-year veteran Eli Manning remains the team’s starting quarterback heading into the regular season even though Daniel Jones, who was drafted sixth overall out of Duke, has played well in the preseason.
Jones is 25-of-30 passing for 369 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason, while Manning is 9-of -3 for 86 yards and a touchdown after playing one series in each game.
Ruling: Tom Brady is no ‘Tom Terrific’
It’s settled: Tom Seaver is “Tom Terrific,” not Tom Brady.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected Brady’s application to take control of the nickname, ruling that it “points uniquely and unmistakably to Tom Seaver.”
It adds that giving Brady a trademark for “Tom Terrific” might lead people to conclude the Hall of Fame pitcher endorses any products, rather than the New England quarterback.
Brady has said he does not like the nickname and wastrying to trademark it to keep others from using it without his permission. But Seaver fans accused Brady of trying to appropriate their hero’s identity. Brady will have to make do with the nicknames TB12 and, of course, G.O.A.T. — or “Greatest of All Time.”