Football

Jake Ford knows where the next stop on his football journey will be, but remains unsure exactly when it will happen.Ford, an Australian punter/kicker, went first overall in the CFL global draft Thursday to the B.C. Lions. But given the COVID-19 situation in Canada, the 2021 season might not start...

Once again, the CFL will not get an interest-free loan from the federal government.The two sides have maintained informal dialogue since last August when the CFL cancelled plans for an abbreviated 2020 season. That decision came after the league was unable to secure a $30-million interest-free loan from Ottawa during...

The Patriots have terminated the contract of Super Bowl 53 MVP Julian Edelman after the receiver failed a physical.The news was listed on the NFL’s transactions wire on Monday.It brings an abrupt end to the 11-year New England tenure of the 34-year-old, who was a favourite option of quarterback Tom...

Marv Levy has joined a very limited fraternity.The 95-year-old Chicago native, who guided the Montreal Alouettes to two Grey Cup titles over five seasons as head coach, headlines the ‘21 class named Tuesday for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.When Levy is formally inducted in November, he’ll join...

The CFL has continued talks with the federal government about securing financial assistance in an effort to return to the field this season.A source confirmed talks are ongoing. The source was granted anonymity because the league and federal government have not divulged details of the talks.The two sides have maintained...

Nike has suspended its endorsement contract with Deshaun Watson amid allegations of sexual assault and harassment against the Houston Texans quarterback.“We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson,” Nike said in a statement released Wednesday. “We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”Watson has been...

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers say in their 2020 annual report that restrictions introduced to combat the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in a $7-million loss.The Blue Bombers said the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus and related restrictions had a “devastating impact” on sports across Canada, including the cancellation of...

The Montreal Alouettes are embracing the possibility of NFL games being played in their city, while the operators of Regina’s Mosaic Stadium are leaving the door open to the scenario as well.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday the league has set its sights on playing in Canada as part of...

Operators of Montreal’s Olympic Stadium and Vancouver’s BC Place say they are interested in exploring opportunities to host NFL games.The provincial body that runs Olympic Stadium for the Quebec government and the provincial Crown corporation that runs BC Place said in separate statements Wednesday the NFL could be a good...

The CFL and XFL are continuing their talks on a potential partnership and ways to grow the game.However, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, a co-owner of the American-based XFL, gave the impression the two sides are much further along with a recent tweet.“We’ll figure out a smart season that’ll create phenomenal...

Dan Snyder is buying out the Washington Football Team’s minority owners and will become the sole owner of the club.An NFL spokesman on Wednesday confirmed that Snyder’s application for a debt waiver of $450-million was approved by the finance committee and that the deal is pending approval from team owners....

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has been sued by four more women who accuse him of sexual assault and harassment.The lawsuits were filed Thursday night, hours after the NFL said it was investigating earlier allegations by three massage therapists who said the quarterback sexually assaulted them during massages.The claims in...

Because they are community-owned, the Green Bay Packers’ books are open to the public.Last year, Green Bay’s share of the NFL’s revenue distribution was US$296-million. That revenue is largely drawn from TV contracts and divvied evenly among all 32 clubs.Meanwhile, the NFL’s salary cap is headed down because of pandemic...

Washington dipped into the free agent pool and spent significant money to fill a void at cornerback.The team reached an agreement to sign William Jackson to a contract worth $42-million over three years with $26-million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The...

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams has agreed a six-year deal worth $138.06 million to stay with the franchise, his agency said on Wednesday.The deal includes $55.1 million in fully guaranteed money and a $30.1 million signing bonus, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history, NFL...

The CFL has denied a claim from the United Football Players Association suggesting the league will likely cancel its 2021 and ’22 seasons.The UFPA made the claim Tuesday in an update posted on Twitter regarding the CFL-XFL partnership. Last week, the two leagues announced jointly they were entering serious discussions...

Veteran linebacker Henoc Muamba, the CFL’s top Canadian in 2019, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on Tuesday.Muamba, a 32-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., became a free agent last month.Muamba had 93 tackles in 17 games in 2019 with the Montreal Alouettes. In addition to being named the league’s top Canadian, Muamba...

Linebacker Shaquil Barrett has agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are aren’t wasting time doing whatever’s necessary to retain key components of their Super Bowl-winning roster.Barrett has been one of the NFL’s top pass rushers over the past two seasons and...

Drew Brees is headed from the Superdome to the Golden Dome.The quarterback great joined NBC Sports on Monday, a day after announcing his retirement from the NFL. He will serve as an analyst for Notre Dame games as well as work from the studio during “Football Night in America” on...

Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the NFL’s leader in career completions and yards passing, has decided to retire after 20 NFL seasons, including his last 15 with New Orleans.“Til the very end I exhausted myself to give everything to the Saints organization, my team and the great city of New Orleans,”...