The NFL has suspended New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and Indianapolis Colts defensive back Chris Lammons for three regular-season games for their role in a February 2022 fight in Las Vegas.
Both players pleaded no contest to misdemeanour charges on July 11 as part of a plea bargain with Nevada prosecutors, avoiding any potential jail time.
The league announced its discipline on Friday, after Kamara was granted a meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell earlier this week.
Kamara, the Saints’ leader in yards from scrimmage in five of the last six seasons, will miss games against the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers.
Kamara spoke publicly for the first time since the start of training camp, taking questions Friday after practice but before the NFL’s punishment was announced.
“I never want to be involved in something where someone gets hurt or severely injured or anything. Poor judgement on my end, definitely a bad decision,” Kamara said. “I was completely wrong, embarrassed the Saints, embarrassed my family, my mother. Embarrassed myself.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t tough,” Kamara continued. “I’ve lost a lot throughout this ordeal. I’m definitely not looking for any pity and not looking for somebody to give me a pat on the back and say, ‘It’s OK.’ I know what I did. ... And I definitely take responsibility. That’s part of being a man and growing. From here, I just got to make the right decisions and make the right choices.”
Kamara, Lammons and two other defendants were accused of beating a Houston man unconscious. As part of their plea bargains, Kamara and Lammons agreed to each pay $100,000 towards the victim’s medical bills, as well as an undisclosed amount from a separate civil lawsuit that was settled.
Kamara admitted Friday that he had a hard time focusing on football while the NFL’s discipline was pending.
“It’s hanging over you,” Kamara said. “Obviously, it’s self-inflicted. But nonetheless, it’s still something that’s, you know, it’s like a dark cloud. ... It’s hard to kind of enjoy some of the smaller things.”
A third-round draft pick out of Tennessee, Kamara was the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year and has been among the NFL’s most versatile weapons since entering the league.
In six seasons, all with the Saints, Kamara has amassed 5,135 rushing yards and 49 rushing touchdowns while adding 430 receptions for 3,753 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Kamara has averaged 101 scrimmage yards over 88 career games, second only to Christian McCaffrey (113.1) among active players with at least 75 games played.
Bengals wide receiver Higgins to sign franchise tag
After months of speculation regarding where Tee Higgins would play in the 2024 NFL season, the star wide receiver will officially remain with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Higgins will sign his franchise tag with the Bengals on Saturday, and is expected to be present when the team begins training camp next month.
The signing was first reported by Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, and later confirmed by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Higgins had the franchise tag placed on him by the Bengals on February 26, and then asked to be traded a few weeks later.
In early April, however, he then said he intended to play for Cincinnati in 2024.
By signing the tag, which will pay him $21.8million in salary for the upcoming season, Higgins and the Bengals have until July 15 to work out a multi-year deal.
Higgins is coming off an injury-marred 2023 season, as he was limited to just 12 games due to ailments to his hamstring and ribs.
He finished the year with 42 catches for 256 yards and five touchdowns after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022.
The Bengals reached the AFC conference championship game in those two seasons before finishing last in the AFC South in 2023 with a 9-8 record.
A second-round pick by Cincinnati in 2020, the 25-year-old Higgins has 257 career receptions for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns in 58 games in his first four pro seasons.
The Bengals are scheduled to open training camp on July 26.
Jaguars, QB Lawrence agree to 5-year, $275 million extension
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to a five-year, $275 million extension that includes $200 million guaranteed, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
With a $55 million average salary, Lawrence ties Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow for the most in NFL history.
Detroit’s Jared Goff, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers are the other quarterbacks making at least $50 million per year.
Lawrence’s deal is surpassed in total guaranteed and fully guaranteed money only by Burrow and Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson.
The 24-year-old Lawrence is entering the fourth season of his rookie deal and the Jaguars exercised his fifth-year option earlier this offseason.
The first overall pick in the 2021 draft, Lawrence has completed 63.8 percent of his passes in 50 regular season starts for 11,770 yards with 58 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He has compiled a 21-31 record as a starter in three seasons, including 1-1 in the playoffs. He led the Jaguars to an AFC South title and a playoff win in 2022, earning a Pro Bowl selection.
Jacksonville and Lawrence got off to an 8-3 start last season and appeared to be legitimate contenders in the AFC, but the Jaguars lost five of their final six games and failed to reach the playoffs after spending three months atop the AFC South.
Lawrence missed the first game of his career against Carolina on December 31 due to a shoulder injury, a 26-0 victory for the Jaguars.
He also missed significant practice time because of other injuries: a sprained left knee in Week 6, a sprained right ankle in Week 13 and a concussion in Week 15.
Patriots to retire number 12 shirt and build statue in Brady's honour
The New England Patriots will retire the number 12 shirt and build a statue in honour of iconic quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady was inducted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame on Wednesday, having led them to six Super Bowl titles during his 20-year stint with the franchise.
The three-time MVP is the all-time regular-season leader in pass attempts (12,050), completions (7,753), passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649) in the NFL.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said the statue would be placed outside the franchise's Hall of Fame to recognise Brady "not as the greatest in franchise history, but as the greatest in all of NFL history".
"I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot," Brady said at the ceremony at the Gilette Stadium.
Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick added: "Thank you for all that you've done for us. Thank you for all you've done for me. And thank you for the example and motto you've been for all of us on a daily basis for 20 years."
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