Nov 5, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Suspended NFL running back Ray Rice arrives with his wife, Janay Rice for his appeal hearing on his indefinite suspension from the NFL. Brad Penner-USA TODAY
Independent investigator Robert Mueller’s report on the Ray Rice case found no evidence that the NFL saw the in-elevator video before it was released of the former Baltimore Ravens running back hitting his now-wife but suggested that the league could have done more to determine what happened.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell contended that the league had not seen video of Rice punching Janay Rice, who is now his wife, in an Atlantic City elevator last winter.
Goodell and 50 other league employees were interviewed by Mueller’s investigators, including all the women who were at the league office in New York on April 9 when the elevator video was reportedly sent there.
“We found no evidence that anyone at the NFL had or saw the in-elevator video before it was publicly shown. We also found no evidence that a woman at the NFL acknowledged receipt of that video in a voicemail message on April 9, 2014,” the report said.
“We concluded there was substantial information about the incident — even without the in-elevator video — indicating the need for a more thorough investigation. The NFL should have done more with the information it had, and should have taken additional steps to obtain all available information about the February 15 incident.”
—The Cleveland Browns and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan parted ways Thursday after reports surfaced that friction between the coaching staff and front office became an issue for the first-year assistant.
Shanahan met with owner Jimmy Haslam on Wednesday and requested his release, which was granted. Quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains was fired.
Shanahan, among others, is a candidate to fill the head-coaching vacancy with the Buffalo Bills. The Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders already have interviewed his father, Mike Shanahan, and would consider hiring the father-son duo with Mike as head coach and Kyle as offensive coordinator, according to Cleveland.com. Mike Shanahan could also interview with the Chicago Bears.
—Alabama junior receiver Amari Cooper, junior running back T.J. Yeldon and junior safety Landon Collins are among the latest players to enter the 2015 NFL Draft, according to reports Thursday.
According to a report by Yahoo Sports, Collins and Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney will bypass their senior seasons to enter the draft. Both are projected as first-round picks by NFLDraftScout.com.
Cooper is ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect and the top wide receiver by NFLDraftScout.com. The All-American finished the 2014 season with 124 catches for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns. Yeldon rushed for 932 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this year, falling short of his third straight 1,000-yard season. He is ranked as No. 7 running back and the No. 70 overall prospect by NFLDraftScout.com.
—Ryan Pace will be the next general manager of the Chicago Bears. The team agreed to hire the veteran personnel man who spent 14 seasons with the New Orleans Saints in various roles, including the past two as director of player personnel.
Pace, 37, is the NFL’s youngest general manager. The Bears will introduce him Friday at a press conference.
Pace replaced Phil Emery, who was fired Dec. 29 after three seasons as general manager. Pace will be the third general manager in five years for the Bears. Jerry Angelo, like Pace and Emery a first-time GM, was fired after the 2011 season.
—The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Dirk Koetter as their new offensive coordinator, the team announced Thursday.
Koetter, a 30-year coaching veteran in college and the NFL, had spent the last three seasons as the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator. The Falcons terminated coach Mike Smith last week and gave Koetter permission to seek a lateral move.
—Terrelle Pryor signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, who will add the quarterback to the mix of backups behind starter Alex Smith.
Pryor is an athlete at 6 feet 5, 230 pounds and some have suggested his only lasting NFL position would be wide receiver, a position he did not play at Ohio State or either of his pro stops — Oakland Raiders (2011-2013) and last offseason with the Seattle Seahawks.
If Pryor was signed as a quarterback, the Chiefs would have five on the roster entering the offseason. No. 2 quarterback Chase Daniel could be in jeopardy at $3.75 million. The Chiefs drafted Aaron Murray in 2014 and also have Tyler Bray in the mix.
—Quarterback Kurt Warner was ready to return to the field for the Arizona Cardinals had injuries led the team to approach him about playing this season.
The 43-year-old who played in Super Bowls with the St. Louis Rams and Cardinals is working as an analyst for NFL Network.
The Cardinals lost starting quarterback Carson Palmer to a torn ACL and his backup Drew Stanton to a knee injury at a game in St. Louis with Warner in attendance.
—Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill is one of five finalists for the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award.
Hill started seven of the final nine games for the Bengals and closed the season with three consecutive 100-yard games. He reached the 100-yard mark five times overall and is the third rookie in NFL history to have four games with 140 yards or more (Curtis Martin 1995, Eric Dickerson 1983). Hill finished the year with 1,124 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in addition to catching 27 passes for 215 yards.
The other candidates for the Rookie of the Year award are the New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
—Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley signed a two-year contract extension through the 2016 season, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported this week.
The Steelers have not yet confirmed the deal.
Pittsburgh’s offense finished second in total yards in the NFL and averaged 27.2 points per game this season.
—Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was back on the practice field Thursday after resting and undergoing treatment on his injured left calf for more than a week.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers looked fine moving around on the field and that he took approximately 50 percent to 60 perceet of the reps with the Green Bay offense. He sat out two light team practices last week and Wednesday’s session.
ESPN reported earlier Thursday that Rodgers has a slight tear in the calf in addition to the strain. Rodgers said before returning to practice that he intended to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in an NFC divisional round game in Green Bay.
—The NFL on Thursday rejected an appeal by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch challenging a $100,000 fine from earlier this season for his failure to talk with the media.
Lynch received several warnings from the league office about not speaking with reporters before the fine — $50,000 for this season and $50,000 for last season — was handed down on Nov. 19.
—San Diego Chargers offensive lineman Jeromey Clary announced his retirement after nine seasons in the NFL.
Clary, 31, was a sixth-round pick by the Chargers in 2006 and started 93 of 103 regular-season games. A right tackle much of his career, Clary moved to guard in 2013. His missed the 2014 season after three hip surgeries during a six-month span.
—Texas junior defensive tackle Malcom Brown will ride his breakout season all the way to the 2015 NFL Draft.
Brown informed head coach Charlie Strong on Thursday that he will give up his senior season of eligibility to turn pro.
Brown is projected as a first-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com, which rates the 320-pound junior as the No. 4 defensive tackle and 25th-best prospect overall.
—Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. joined the parade of college football players announcing their intention to enter the 2015 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-3, 294-pound Edwards said Thursday that he decided to skip his senior season with the Seminoles. He led Florida State this year in tackles for loss with 11 and had three sacks.
Edwards is listed as the No. 11 defensive end prospect in 2015 by NFLDraftScout.com.
