QB Fields informs teams he’s dealing with epilepsy
Former Ohio State quarterback and projected first-round pick Justin Fields has told NFL teams that he is managing epilepsy, NFL Network reported Wednesday.
Other members of Fields’ family have outgrown the neurological condition, and doctors believe he will, too, per the report. Diagnosed years ago, Fields has not had any epileptic seizures recently and takes medication, per the report.
Alan Faneca, Tiki Barber, Samari Rolle and Jason Snelling also dealt with epilepsy during their NFL careers.
Fields passed for 5,373 yards and 63 touchdowns in 22 games over two seasons with Ohio State. He transferred there after one season at Georgia, in which he played in 12 games in a backup role and threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns.
He was intercepted nine times in college and had a completion percentage of 68.4.
Fields could be selected as high as No. 3 by the San Francisco 49ers in the draft, which begins April 29. SMITH BOOKED IN LOUISIANA BATTERY CASE >> Aldon Smith has turned himself in to authorities in Louisiana after an arrest warrant had been issued for the Seattle Seahawks defensive end.
The St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s department said Smith was booked on a second degree battery charge Tuesday night. Officials said Smith was released on $25,000 bond.
Smith is scheduled to be arraigned on July 14.
The sheriff’s office issued the warrant following an incident last weekend. Deputies responding to a call for medical assistance in Meraux on Saturday found a man who said he had been assaulted by an acquaintance outside a business in Chalmette, Sheriff James Pohlmann said. Detectives identified the suspect as Smith, 31, and took out a warrant.
NFL ELIMINATES PRESEASON OTS, DEFEATS ONSIDE KICK PROPOSAL >> NFL owners approved eliminating overtime in preseason games and expanded selection of jersey numbers for receivers, running backs and defensive backs.
The league also will allow on-field officials to get certain “objective information” from the replay official and designated members of the officiating department “when clear and obvious video evidence is present.”
During a virtual meeting, the 32 owners also defeated a proposal by the Philadelphia Eagles that a team be given two chances per game to retain possession after a score by converting a fourth-and-15 play from its 25-yard line. Some owners, general managers and coaches considered that too gimmicky, though they are eager to find a solution to the neardisappearance of the onside kick.
The league announced that its 2021 schedule, the first with a 17game regular season, will be released
May 12.
ANTONIO BROWN SETTLES LAWSUIT WITH EX-TRAINER >> Antonio Brown has settled the civil dispute with his former trainer who had accused the wide receiver of sexual assault, both sides announced. Terms were not disclosed.
Currently a free agent, Brown is expected to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers soon now that he’s clear of the lawsuit, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
WARD, FORMER DE LA SALLE, OREGON PLAYER, ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT >> T.J. Ward, the walk-on at Oregon from De La Salle High who became a key part of Denver’s famed “No Fly Zone” secondary that helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50, officially announced his retirement.
Ward played eight seasons in the NFL, earning All-Rookie team honors, two trips to the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. He last played for the Buccaneers in 2017, although he spent a month with the Cardinals last season.
A second-round pick by the Browns in 2010, Ward played eight seasons in the NFL, including three in Denver, where he teamed with Chris Harris Jr., Aqib Talib, Darius Stewart and Bradley Roby to form one of the best defensive backfields in the game.
Motorsports INDY 500 TO HOST UP TO 135,000 FANS INMAY>>
Next month’s Indianapolis 500 is set to be the most-attended sporting event since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak as 135,000 fans will be allowed inside the sprawling Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), organizers said.
A plan developed along with state and local health officials determined the IMS could be filled to 40% capacity for the May 30 race.
“The number-one thing fans can do to ensure a great race day is get vaccinated as quickly as possible,” Mark Miles, chief executive of the
company that runs IndyCar and the IMS, said in a news release.
“We continue to offer vaccinations at IMS and will be extending our mass vaccination clinic throughout the month of May. This is all part of the effort to continue getting Indiana back on track.”
The Indianapolis 500 was held without fans last year and run in August.
The safety plan for the race includes mandatory masks throughout the venue and temperature screenings upon entry.
Tennis NADAL ADVANCES, FOGNINI DEFAULTED AT BARCELONA OPEN >>
Rafael Nadal needed three sets to beat his 111th-ranked opponent in his first match at the Barcelona Open, while Fabio Fognini was disqualified for alleged verbal abuse.
Fognini was defaulted while trailing 6-0, 4-4 against qualifier Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain, after a line judge told the chair umpire that the ninth-seeded Italian had used foul language.
Nadal had to overcome a slow start to defeat Ilya Ivashka of Belarus 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the clay-court tournament.
Olympics U.S. WOMEN TO FACE SWEDEN IN GROUP STAGE IN SOCCER >>
The United States will open the women’s Olympic soccer tournament on July 21 against Sweden, the team that beat the World Cup champion Americans in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
The two teams were drawn into Group G on Wednesday and will also play Australia and New Zealand at the Tokyo Games.
Defending champion Germany did not qualify.
In the men’s tournament, Olympic champion Brazil will face silver medalist Germany. The group also includes Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia.