41-year-old Brees opts to return to Saints
NEW ORLEANS — Quarterback Drew Brees’ record-setting NFL career is on track for a 20th season — and a 15th with the New Orleans Saints.
The 41-year-old Brees announced his intention to return for what would be his 20th NFL season in a social media post on Tuesday.
“My feelings about the 2020 season! I look forward to the grind and the journey, for the reward at the end will be worth it,“Brees wrote in his announcement. “Love you (hash) Who D at Nation. Let’s make another run at it!”
Brees missed five games with a throwing hand injury that required surgery but was still productive last season while leading New Orleans to a third straight playoff appearance. Brees’ 74.3 percent completion rate ranked second in NFL history behind only his 2018 record of 74.4 percent.
He also passed for 27 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions and was selected to a fourth straight Pro Bowl, the 13th of his career.
His decision to return will set in motion negotiations on a new contract. His last contract voids automatically at the end of the current league year that concludes March 18.
In other pro football news:
Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen has agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
Olsen, 34, was released by the Panthers earlier this month after nine seasons with the team amid a rebuilding process under first-year coach Matt Rhule. Olsen has 718 receptions for 8,444 yards and 59 touchdowns during his 13-year NFL career.
Newman shows improvement
Ryan Newman is awake and speaking with his family and doctors, a day after a horrific crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500, his team announced.
Roush Fenway Racing released an update that read:
“Ryan Newman remains under the care of doctors at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona, Florida. He is awake and speaking with family and doctors.
”Ryan and his family have expressed their appreciation for the concern and heartfelt messages from across the country. They are grateful for the unwavering support of the NASCAR community and beyond.”
Brief stint ends for Cavs’ Beilein
First-year coach John Beilein is walking away from the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to multiple reports.
Beilein, 67, signed a contract last May for four years with a team option that carried a salary worth $4 to $4.5 million per year after spending 41 years in the college ranks, the last 12 at Michigan. The Cavaliers are 14-40, the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Associate head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, 40, will succeed Beilein. A former coach of the Grizzlies and Rockets, first taking over in an interim capacity with both, Bickerstaff is the Cavs’ sixth coach in the past seven seasons.
Fresh off of securing a buyout with Detroit, veteran guard Reggie Jackson intends to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers once he clears waivers Thursday, a person with knowledge of Jackson’s plans confirmed. Jackson averaged 14.9 points, 5.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 14 games this season.
NCAA to push transfer change
The NCAA took a significant step toward allowing all Division I athletes to transfer one time without sitting out a season of competition.
A plan to change the waiver process is expected to be presented to the Division I Council in April. If adopted, new criteria would go into effect for the 2020-21 academic year and be a boon for athletes in high-profile sports such as football and men’s and women’s basketball.
The NCAA’s announcement comes a day after the Atlantic Coast Conference joined the Big Ten to become the second Power Five conference to publicly support the one-time exception for all transferring athletes.
Bouwmeester back in St. Louis
Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is back in St. Louis after collapsing on the bench during a game in Anaheim last week and said in a statement that he is “on the road to recovery.”
Bouwmeester, 36, collapsed during the first period of a game Feb. 11 after going into cardiac arrest. He had a cardioverter defibrillator implanted into his chest at UCI Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized until returning to St. Louis on Sunday.
The Blues took a step toward filling his spot on the blue line by acquiring defenseman Marco Scandella, 29, from the Montreal Canadiens for a 2020 second-round pick and conditional 2021 fourthround pick.
In other news:
Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to help host Pittsburgh beat Toronto 5-2 and overtake Washington atop the Metropolitan Division.
The Capitals bolstered their blue lineby acquiring veteran defenseman Brenden Dillon from San Jose. Washington sent Colorado’s 2020 second-round pick and a conditional 2021 third-rounder to San Jose for the pending unrestricted free agent.
Cincinnati coach resigns over slur
FC Cincinnati head coach Ron Jans was forced out after an investigation by Major League Soccer found he’d used a racial slur in the locker room and made other troubling comments.
Jans resigned after the team notified him he couldn’t continue as coach. Jans had been suspended pending the investigation, which was prompted by a complaint from the MLS Players Association.
The club designated Yoann Damet as interim head coach while the team conducts a search. Cincinnati is training in Florida ahead of its second season in MLS, which opens March 1 at the New York Red Bulls. …
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin lost her opening match at the Dubai Championships as Elena Rybakina rallied to beat the American 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3.
The fifth-seeded Kenin was playing her first WTA Tour event since earning her maiden major title.
Third-seeded Elina Svitolina and No. 4 Belinda Bencic also lost. Svitolina was ousted 6-2, 6-1 by American Jennifer Brady, while Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Bencic 1-6, 6-1, 6-1.