The New England Patriots preseason game against the Green Bay Packers was called off Saturday night after rookie Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field early in the fourth quarter.

Bolden, a seventh-round pick by New England out of Jackson State, appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Malik Heath of the Packers.

Bolden lay motionless on the field as medical officials tended to him. He was eventually carted off the field and the Patriots said after the game that Bolden had feeling in all his extremities. Bolden will be held overnight at a hospital in Green Bay for observation.

The teams conferred and decided not to continue the game with the Patriots leading 21-17 with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter.

The incident came more than seven months after Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field on what appeared to be a routine tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.

Hamlin has since returned to the Bills and played in his hometown of Pittsburgh earlier in the day and had three tackles in a loss to the Steelers.

New Orleans Saints veteran tight end Jimmy Graham was arrested Friday night in California following a medical episode that caused him to become disoriented, the team said in a statement on Saturday.

According to reports, police stopped Graham after he was wandering in traffic. He was booked on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and taken to a hospital, where he was met by Saints team doctor John Amoss.

Graham, 36, spent the night at the hospital for testing, with Amoss believing he likely suffered a seizure. He was discharged Saturday and is back with the Saints as they prepare to visit the Los Angeles Chargers in a preseason game on Sunday.

Graham is in his second stint with New Orleans after signing a one-year contract on July 25.

The Saints selected Graham in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft and he spent his first five seasons with New Orleans, going to the Pro Bowl three times.

He was traded to Seattle in March 2015 and went on to earn two more Pro Bowl selections in three seasons with the Seahawks before playing two years each with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.

Graham did not play in the NFL last season, telling his agent “that if I don’t retire as a Saint that I wasn’t going to play again.”

Graham is now happy to be back with New Orleans, and he enters the 2023 season fourth all-time among NFL tight ends in touchdown catches (85), seventh in receptions (713) and eighth in receiving yards (8,506).

“I’m feeling better than ever. I’m still 6-(foot)-7 and I like the red zone,” Graham said. “I definitely came into this with a chip on my shoulder and with something to prove.”

The Baltimore Ravens made a move to address an uncertain pass rush by agreeing to a contract with three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney on Friday.

NFL.com reports Clowney's deal is for one year.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft by the Houston Texans, Clowney will remain in the AFC North after spending the last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. The 30-year-old brings proven experience to a Baltimore defence that moved on from two of its best pass rushers from 2022, Justin Houston and Calais Campbell, during the offseason.

Clowney has amassed 43 sacks in 109 career games over nine NFL seasons and has had nine sacks or more in three of the last six campaigns, including his first season with the Browns in 2021.

The veteran is coming off a disappointing 2022 season, however, in which he recorded only two sacks in 12 games and clashed with the Browns' coaching staff at times. Cleveland benched Clowney for the season finale after he commented that the organisation showed favouritism to All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett.

Clowney joins a Ravens' outside linebacker corps that was expected to give increased roles to a pair of young and less proven players, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo.

Oweh, a first-round pick in 2021, has flashed talent with eight sacks in 32 career games. Ojabo, a second-round selection in 2022, played in only two games as a rookie.

Clowney, who spent his first five seasons with the Texans and has also played for the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, is the second veteran defensive addition made by the Ravens in as many days. Baltimore signed cornerback Ronald Darby on Thursday after announcing starter Marlon Humphrey underwent foot surgery and will miss the beginning of the season. 

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera announced Friday that second-year pro Sam Howell will begin the season as the team's starting quarterback.

Howell beat out veteran Jacoby Brissett to start Washington's season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 10.

The 2022 fifth-round pick started the Commanders' final game of last season and entered the offseason as the favorite to win the job, though the team added the more experienced Brissett in March to provide competition.

Howell won the battle with a strong performance in the Commanders' preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns last week. The 22-year-old completed nine of 12 attempts for 77 yards and threw a 26-year-old touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson in Washington's 17-15 win.

"He's basically met the challenge that we've talked about, and that was seeing the growth and improvement from (offseason training activities) and minicamp," Rivera told reporters before Friday's practise. "And then (we) talked about going into training camp and continue to grow and show us what he's capable of.

"We've been very pleased with (his progression), to the point where I decided (Thursday) we were going to name him the starter going into the regular season."

After spending much of his rookie year as the Commanders' No. 3 quarterback, Howell got the nod for the team's 2022 season finale against the Dallas Cowboys and helped Washington to a 26-6 win. The North Carolina product completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 35 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Howell will be the seventh different quarterback in the last seven seasons to start an opener for Washington, which is coming off an 8-8-1 season but finished last in the competitve NFC East division.

Brissett, who's started a total of 48 games with four teams over a seven-year career, gives Washington a capable alternative should Howell struggle in his first opportunity as a full-time starter.

The 30-year-old spent most of last season as the Browns' starting quarterback with Deshaun Watson serving an 11-game suspension. Brissett finished the campaign with 2,608 passing yards and 12 touchdowns and was intercepted just six times to go along with a 64 per cent completion percentage. 

Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey will miss the start of the upcoming season due to a lingering foot injury that will require surgery. 

NFL.com reported Wednesday that Humphrey, Baltimore's top cornerback, is expected to miss about a month and likely will be unavailable for the Ravens' first two games.

Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Humphrey will have surgery Wednesday, but was optimistic the seventh-year veteran wouldn't miss a large amount of time.

"It's not going to be a long-term deal," Harbaugh told reporters following Wednesday's practice. 

"It's been a lingering thing," Harbaugh said of Humphrey's injury. "It's something we want to take care of now instead of waiting."

The Ravens have already been hit hard by injuries at the cornerback spot this summer.

Damarion Williams, a candidate to be the team's primary slot defender, underwent left ankle surgery earlier this week and is expected to be out until October. Rock Ya-Sin, the projected outside starter opposite Humphrey, has not practised for nearly two weeks due to a knee injury but is expected to be fine for the season's start.

"We have guys ready to play, and we'll see what we can do," Harbaugh remarked. 

Humphrey earned his third career Pro Bowl nod in 2022 after recording 71 tackles, three interceptions and three sacks while starting all 17 games. The 27-year-old has started at least 12 games for the Ravens in each of the past four seasons.

Dalvin Cook is teaming up with former NFC North rival Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets on a one-year contract, multiple media outlets reported Monday.

The former Minnesota Vikings running back can earn up to $8.6million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Vikings cut Cook in June for salary cap space, making him an unrestricted free agent.

While Cook, a former star at Florida State, had previously discussed signing with the Miami Dolphins, he visited a Jets practice on July 30 and later told NFL Network that New York was “right at the top of the list” of prospective teams.

“It’s a unique situation because I think [the Jets] are building something special over there,” Cook told NFL Network. “When you look at it, you always want to be around a great QB, you always want to be around somebody you can pick his brain and just learn from. A-Rod is a four-time MVP. So, just being around a guy like that you can learn a lot more and just develop as a player.

“That’s what I’m looking to do.”

A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Cook joins a backfield that also includes Michael Carter and talented second-year man Breece Hall.

Hall led the Jets in rushing last season despite suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in Week 7. He remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list and has not resumed practising.

Cook, 28, has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in each of the last four seasons, peaking in the 2020 campaign, when he produced 1,918 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns.

Over the last four seasons, Cook’s 6,423 scrimmage yards are second only to Derrick Henry’s 6,914.

Ezekiel Elliott has found a new home.

The 28-year-old running back is expected to sign with the New England Patriots on a one-year deal worth up to $6million, according to a report from NFL Media on Monday.

The 2023 NFL regular season is less than a month away, and Elliott has been a free agent since the Dallas Cowboys released him in March.

Drafted fourth overall by the Cowboys in 2016, Elliott was a two-time rushing champion in Dallas, including in his rookie year when he tallied a career-best 1,631 yards over the ground.

He also won a rushing title in 2018 and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, but hasn't earned that honour since 2019.

After averaging 96.52 rushing yards per game and 4.62 yards per attempt in his first four seasons, he's averaged 60.79 yards per game and 4.01 yards per carry in the last three years.

He still has a nose for the end zone, tallying 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022 - only four players had more - but wasn't a threat to break off a long run, averaging a career-low 3.79 yards per carry.

Of the 31 players with at least 175 carries last season, Elliott's rushing average beat out only Leonard Fournette's mark of 3.53.

He struggled mightily to move the ball in Dallas' two playoff games last season, rushing for a mere 53 yards on 23 attempts.

In March, he became expendable when the Cowboys designated Tony Pollard as a franchise player for the 2023 season.

Pollard emerged as the Cowboys’ best running back and earned his first Pro Bowl nod with an outstanding 2022 campaign in which he rushed for 1,007 yards and scored 12 total touchdowns. His 5.22 yards per rush attempt ranked second in the NFL among players with at least 175 carries.

Elliott now joins a Patriots backfield led by Rhamondre Stevenson, who rushed for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 with an average of 4.95 yards per rush - fifth highest among qualifiers.

Elliott's first regular-season game with New England will come against a familiar foe, as the Patriots open the season September 10 against the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, a divisional rival of the Cowboys.

In Week 4, Elliott will get to face his former team with New England visiting Dallas on October 1.

The Atlanta Falcons are entering the 2023 season without one of their leading tackers from last year.

In a surprise move, the Falcons opted to waive 2022 starting linebacker Mykal Walker on Sunday.

Atlanta made the decision to release Walker two days after he started and had four tackles in Friday's 19-3 preseason win over the Miami Dolphins.

Earlier Sunday, the Falcons signed linebacker Frank Ginda, the 2023 USFL defensive player of the year.

Walker played in 16 games and started 12 for the Falcons last season, finishing with a career-high 107 tackles - the third most on the team. He also had two interceptions, a sack and four tackles for loss.

A fourth-round draft pick by the Falcons in 2020, the 25-year-old Walker had 174 career tackles in 49 games.

Walker thanked the Falcons in a social media post.

Damar Hamlin is just one step away from completing one of the most remarkable comeback stories in the sporting world.

The Buffalo Bills safety reached another milestone in his recovery on Saturday, playing for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest mid-game and needing to be resuscitated on the field on Jan. 2.

Hamlin suited up for the Bills’ preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts and saw his first live action since his startling and public medical emergency.

After the exhibition kicked off, Hamlin wasted no time getting back to business.

Hamlin made three tackles, including a fourth-and-1 stop of Colts running back Evan Hull for no gain, while playing parts of three defensive series.

Hamlin, 25, received support from players on both sidelines before kickoff, and the Highmark Stadium crowd cheered each time his name was called.

The Bills won the game 23-19, but Hamlin’s successful overshadowed the outcome.

Assuming Hamlin makes the Bills’ final roster, the last hurdle he faces is playing in his first regular-season game – a milestone that will be undeniably emotional.

After participating in full-contact practices about two weeks ago, Hamlin told reporters about the mental obstacles of returning to NFL football.

“I made the choice to play. But I’m processing a thousand emotions. I’m not afraid to say that it crosses my mind of being a little scared here and there,” Hamlin said at the time. “My faith is stronger than any fear. That’s what I want to preach up here.

“And that’s the message I want to spread on to the world that as long as your faith is stronger than your fear, you can get through anything.”

Hamlin’s long-awaited return to the field was delayed a bit longer as a thunderstorm pushed back the start time of Saturday’s exhibition by a little over an hour.

The Bills open the regular season on the road against the New York Jets on Sept. 11.

Buffalo’s home opener is on Sept. 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tom Brady and Michael B Jordan investing into British football clubs shows "everybody wants a piece" of the beautiful game, so says Justin Kluivert. 

A-list Hollywood actor Jordan invested into Bournemouth last year, while NFL great Brady, one of the most successful sportspeople on the planet, recently put money into Championship club Birmingham City.

Jordan's investment helped Bournemouth stave off relegation from the Premier League last season, and the Cherries have made some big signings this transfer window.

Kluivert, son of former Milan, Barcelona and Newcastle United star Patrick Kluivert, has been among those additions, with the 24-year-old joining from Roma.

While he has not yet met Jordan, Kluivert believes the superstar's investment is evidence of football's attraction.

"Of course, football is the most beautiful sport there is," Kluivert said in an exclusive interview with Stats Perform.

"So everybody knows that and everybody wants a piece of that, and that's beautiful."

Kluivert also referenced the growth of women's football, as well as the influx of star players to the Saudi Pro League, as proof that football is continuously developing.

"You see it also with women's football how big that's getting, and it's only getting bigger and bigger," he added.

"Now you can see in Saudi Arabia, this league is going to be very good. I think in America [too], so it's going global, very big.

"I think everybody's going to want a piece of that and love football, and love to watch it and love to be part of it. Yeah, that's nice."

Jordan is not the only Hollywood star to have invested into a club, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney having grown Wrexham into a global brand following their takeover of the Welsh team in 2020.

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs was sentenced Wednesday to three to 10 years in prison for killing a woman and her dog while driving drunk in November 2021.

Ruggs pleaded guilty in May to a felony charge of driving under the influence causing death in the accident that killed 24-year-old Tina Tintor near the Las Vegas Sunset Strip on Nov. 2, 2021, as well as a misdemeanour count of vehicular manslaughter. 

The 2020 first-round pick will be eligible for parole after three years.

Police reports stated that Ruggs was driving at speeds of up to 156 mph before his Chevrolet Corvette Stingray rear-ended an SUV driven by Tintor. Tests taken after the incident revealed Ruggs' blood alcohol content to be over 0.16 per cent, more than twice the legal limit in Nevada.

Tintor and her dog, Max, died from thermal injuries as a result of the accident, according to the Clark County cornorer's office.

The Raiders released Ruggs from the remainder of his four-year, $16.7 million contract less than 24 hours after his arrest.

Ruggs read a prepared statement during Wednesday's hearing in which he apologised to Tintor's family and expressed remorse for his actions.

"To the parents and family of Ms. Tintor, I sincerely apologise for the pain and suffering my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021 have caused you, your family and those who knew Ms. Tina and Max," he said. 

"I let my family, my teammates and those who believed in me down with my actions and hurt so many."

The Raiders selected Ruggs with the 12th overall pick of the 2020 draft. The 24-year-old appeared in 20 games with Las Vegas and totalled 921 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 50 catches. 

The New Orleans Saints are beefing up their roster just days ahead of their preseason opener.

The Saints plan to sign running back Kareem Hunt and linebacker Anthony Barr, pending the former Pro Bowlers pass their physicals.

The news was first reported Tuesday by Dianna Russini of ESPN, one day after both veteran free agents visited the team.

Hunt spent the past four seasons with the Cleveland Browns and joins a Saints team looking to find a suitable replacement for Alvin Kamara after the five-time Pro Bowl running back was suspended for the season's first three games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller are also in the mix to get the start in New Orleans' season opener against the Tennessee Titans on September 10.

The 28-year-old Hunt played in all 17 games last season as Nick Chubb's backup, rushing for 468 yards and three touchdowns on 123 carries for an average of 3.8 yards per attempt.

A third-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, Hunt earned Pro Bowl honours and was named the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year, amassing career highs of 1,327 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns with 53 receptions for 455 receiving yards in his first year.

The 31-year-old Barr played in 14 games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, registering 58 total tackles and a sack, after spending his first eight pro seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

A first-round pick by the Vikings in 2014, Barr has been selected to four Pro Bowls - most recently in 2018 - and is expected to help with linebacker depth after Andrew Dowell was lost for the season due to a torn ACL while Demario Davis is nursing a calf injury.

The Saints, who finished 7-10 last season to miss the playoffs for the second year in a row after winning four consecutive NFC South titles, play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in their preseason opener.

Justin Houston will be lining up for the Carolina Panthers' defence in 2023.

The four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker signed a one-year contract with the Panthers on Sunday.

Houston spent the past two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and registered 9 1/2 sacks in 2022 to give him 111 1/2 in his career - fourth most among all active players.

Selected in the third round by Kansas City in the 2011 NFL draft, Houston's best season came for the Chiefs in 2014 when he earned All-Pro honours by racking up 22 sacks - just one-half sack shy of the NFL single-season record.

After spending his first eight pro seasons with the Chiefs, Houston spent the next two years with the Indianapolis Colts before signing with Ravens prior to the 2021 season.

Houston will be reunited with first-year Panthers coach Frank Reich and joins Carolina's new 3-4 defensive scheme to play opposite Brain Burns, a Pro Bowl selection in 2022.

The 34-year-old Houston, who has 182 quarterback hurries and 19 forced fumbles in 163 career games, previously played for Reich in Indianapolis.

The Cincinnati Bengals have come to terms with linebacker Logan Wilson on a four-year extension worth up to $37.25 million, according to sources.

Wilson, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract, will make an average of $11.2 million over the first two years of the deal.

Wilson has 123 tackles, 2 ½ sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in 15 games last season as Cincinnati captured its second straight AFC North title.

In three seasons with the Bengals, the 27-year-old Wilson has 256 tackles, seven interceptions and 4 ½ sacks in 40 games.

The Bengals have given Wilson and defensive end Trey Hendrickson extensions, and star quarterback Joe Burrow is soon to get what could be the richest contract in NFL history.

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.