BELL: OUTHOUSE TO K.C. PENTHOUSE
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed running back Le’Veon Bell two days after he was released by the New York Jets.
The team announced the move Thursday to add another potential dynamic offensive player to an offense that already features Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce.
“Kansas City, (hash) ChiefsKingdom, thank you for the opportunity let’s go!” Bell tweeted.
Bell was cut by the Jets after a disappointing tenure in New York that lasted less than two full seasons. Bell and coach Adam Gase appeared to not mesh since the running back signed a fouryear, $52.5 million contract with $35 million guaranteed last year as a free agent.
Bell spent his f irst six NFL years in Pittsburgh, and was an All-Pro twice and ranking second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 7,996 from 2012-17.
Now he joins the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in a backfield with first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has rushed for 344 yards and has 169 yards receiving in five games.
Bell gives coach Andy Reid another option after postseason star Damien Williams opted out of the season over coronavirus concerns.
Newton, Gilmore return
Patriots quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore returned to practice for the first time since testing positive for the coronavirus, putting both players on track to be in the lineup when New England hosts Denver on Sunday.
Newton, who missed New England’s loss at Kansas City after his Oct. 2 positive test, was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday. Gilmore was activated from the list Thursday, following his Oct. 7 positive test. Practice squad player Bill Murray also returned from the COVID list Thursday.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick was noncommittal when asked about the likelihood of Newton and Gilmore being ready to play this weekend.
Falcons shut down facility
The Atlanta Falcons became the latest NFL team to deal with a shutdown of their facility due to issues with the novel coronavirus.
The Falcons’ facility was closed after they had one new positive test for the coronavirus in their results returned Thursday morning, according to the team. The positive test was by a member of the coaching staff, according to a person familiar with the results.
The Falcons said they were working remotely. There was no immediate change to the status of their game scheduled for Sunday against the Vikings.
“We’ll obviously continue to monitor that situation very carefully,” Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, said in a conference call.
The team was given the option to reopen its facility Thursday afternoon, according to a person familiar with the situation, but decided to continue remote operations all day.
Prescott sends message
Quarterback Dak Prescott has a message for his Cowboys teammates: he will be back better than ever.
Prescott sent his f irst public message since suffering a compound fracture of his ankle in last Sunday’s game via his Instagram story.
The message was in response to a get well video published on social media by his teammates in hopes of cheering him up and keeping him in the loop after Prescott suffered a seasonending compound fracture and dislocation on his right ankle in Sunday’s victory against the Giants.
Prescott had surgery on Sunday night to repair the injury. He was released from the hospital on Monday.
He took to Instagram to express his gratitude for the good wishes and added a promise.
“Forever thankful for the love and support I’ve received. I’ll be back stronger and better. Thank you all,” Prescott said on his Instagram story.
Prescott then followed with his own video to fans as he was driving to the doctor for the first time to get his ankle checked out post surgery.
“I want everyone to know I am doing well,” Prescott said.
The rehab and recovery is expected to take four-to-six months.
Notable
Baker Mayfield’s injured ribs aren’t the only concern this week for the Browns. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was sent home feeling ill on Thursday as coach Kevin Stefanski said the team acted out of caution because of COVID-19 concerns while preparing for this week’s matchup against the unbeaten Steelers. Stefanski said Beckham did not test positive for the coronavirus.
The Chiefs will be without offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and wide receiver Sammy Watkins when they visit the Bills on Monday night for a game that was pushed back because of COVID-19 protocols. Osmele tore tendons in both of his knees and Watkins hurt his hamstring during Sunday’s loss to the Raiders.