Outgoing Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder has agreed to pay the NFL $60 million following an independent investigation into allegations of workplace and financial improprieties, the league announced Thursday.

The investigation, led by former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, found that Snyder sexually harassed a former team employee and withheld around $11 million in revenue from other owners by deliberately omitting ticket sales revenue on reports sent to the league.

The NFL released the findings of the year-long investigation shortly after the owners unanimously approved Snyder's agreement to sell the Commanders to a group led by Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris for $6.05 billion, the highest purchase price ever for a North American professional sports franchise.

The investigation was prompted by testimony given by Tiffani Johnston, a former cheerleader and marketing employee, to a Congressional hearing looking into allegations of workplace misconduct within the organisation in February 2022.

Johnston stated that Snyder placed his hand on her thigh during a work-related dinner and pushed her towards his limousine after the function in an unsuccessful attempt to have her ride with him.

White's investigative team conducted several interviews with Johnston on the matter and found her to be "highly credible," and her account of the events was corroborated by other witnesses, according to the report.

“The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What Ms. Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL’s values."

Another former employee, Jason Friedman, testified that the team knowingly withheld ticket revenue that was to be shared with other teams according to NFL bylaws. Friedman also said the Commanders retained security deposits from customers purchasing leases for stadium suites for more than a decade.

The report said it was unable to determine the exact amount of money withheld due to Snyder and the Commanders not fully cooperating with the investigation.

Harris' group, which includes NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, agreed to purchase the Commanders for the record sum in May pending owners' approval, which was granted in a special meeting held Thursday in Minnesota. In addition to the 76ers, Harris' holding company is also the majority owner of the NHL's New Jersey Devils.

Snyder purchased the then-Washington Redskins in 1999 for $800 million and had a tumultuous reign of more than two decades. He and his wife, Tanya, agreed to put the franchise up for sale in November amid pressure from the NFL and corporate sponsors. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers' Alex Highsmith was one of the NFL's top pass rushers in 2022, and now he's getting paid like one.

The Steelers and Highsmith agreed on Wednesday to a four-year extension for a reported $68million.

"This means everything," Highsmith said to the Steelers' official website just moments after signing his contract. "I know I am a Pittsburgh Steeler through and through, and just to be a part of this amazing organization for four more years means the world to me, to my wife, to my whole family. This is where I want to be. This is where I want to play ball. I am unbelievably grateful. I am super thankful to be here and can't wait to get to work. I am excited."

A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the 25-year-old Highsmith was entering the final year of his rookie contract - a four-year, $4.5million deal.

His new contract now makes him one of the highest-paid pass rushers in the league.

The big payday comes after a breakout season in 2022 for Highsmith, who racked up 14 1/2 sacks while tying for the NFL lead with five forced fumbles. He also registered 20 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss.

"It was a good year, but I'm far from satisfied," said Highsmith in the offseason. "I never get complacent or comfortable, but I am grateful for a better year and being injury free for a year. I never want to get complacent, but I always want to be grateful."

Highsmith, who became a full-time starter in 2021, has 22 1/2 sacks and 32 tackles for loss in 49 career games.

The simplest helmet in the NFL is getting even simpler.

For three games in the 2023 regular season, the Cleveland Browns are trading their classic orange, logo-less helmets for white ones.

The Browns will don an all-white look - white helmets, jerseys and pants - for their Week 2 Monday Night game on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, at home against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6 and in their final home game of the season against the New York Jets on Thursday Night in Week 17.

The white helmet features an orange stripe down the middle sandwiched around two brown stripes, similarly to their orange helmet with a white stripe down the middle flanked by two brown ones.

This will mark the first time the Browns will wear white helmets since 1951.

Cleveland began wearing its familiar orange, logo-less helmets in 1952 after sporting white ones for its first six seasons as a franchise.

A change to the classic look could be just what the team needs to end its championship drought.

The Browns are one of 12 NFL teams to have never won a Super Bowl and are one of just four franchises never to have even played in one, along with the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.

Their last NFL title came in 1964 – two years prior to the advent of the Super Bowl.

The Browns finished in fourth place in the AFC North last season with a 7-10 record to miss the playoffs for the 19th time in the last 20 years - the 2020 season being the lone outlier - but open this season with raised expectations with quarterback Deshaun Watson set to play a full season after being suspended for 11 games in 2022.

Monday’s deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term contracts passed without three of the NFL’s top running backs unable to work out such deals.

The New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley, Las Vegas Raiders’ Josh Jacobs and Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Pollard will all play the 2023 season under the franchise tag.

With no long-term deals reached prior to the deadline, the three must wait until after the 2023 regular season in January to reach a new agreement.

Barkley never signed the tag he received by the Giants earlier this offseason in hopes of negotiating a long-term contract.

It was reported last week by ESPN that the 26-year-old Barkley would consider sitting out the Giants’ Week 1 Sunday Night opener against the Cowboys if he didn’t have a new deal.

Negotiations reportedly went down to the wire, but he ended up settling to the franchise tag and will be paid $10.091million for the 2023 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.

The former No. 2 overall pick ranked fourth in the NFL with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards in 2022, while scoring 10 touchdowns to earn a Pro Bowl selection - his first since 2018, when he was also named the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

His 57 receptions were tied for the team lead last season and his 1,650 scrimmage yards were seventh most in the league.

Jacobs and Pollard were both tagged by their respective teams back in March.

Jacobs became the first Raider to lead the NFL in rushing yards since Hall of Famer Marcus Allen in 1985 when he compiled 1,653 this past season. The 25-year-old added 12 touchdowns and 400 receiving yards on 53 catches to earn first team All-Pro honours.

The 26-year-old Pollard emerged as the Cowboys’ best running back ahead of three-time Pro Bowler Ezekiel Elliott, who was subsequently released in May in a move to save cap space.

Pollard 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.

The Tennessee Titans have upgraded their passing attack by signing free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on Sunday.

Hopkins agreed to a two-year, $26million contract with the Titans, with an additional $6million available in incentives, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.

The 31-year-old Hopkins becomes the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a Titans team that is inexperienced at wide out.

Treylon Burks had 33 receptions as a rookie in 2022, and is Tennessee's top returning receiver after the departures of Robert Woods and Austin Hooper.

Tennessee relies on a heavy ground attack behind Derrick Henry, ranking 30th in the NFL in net passing yards last season, averaging 171.4 per game.

Hopkins had 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns for the Arizona Cardinals in nine games in 2022 after missing the season's first six contests while serving a suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

He was released by the Cardinals on May 26 after the team failed to work out a trade for the three-time All-Pro receiver.

Arizona was unable to find a trade partner to take on Hopkins' $22.6million salary cap, leaving the rebuilding Cardinals no other choice but to release the 10-year veteran.

Hopkins spent three seasons with the Cardinals after being acquired via trade from the Houston Texans in March 2020.

He had a stellar debut season with Arizona, being voted to his fifth Pro Bowl after tying his personal best with 115 catches totalling 1,407 yards.

In 145 career games, Hopkins has 853 career catches for 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns.

Hopkins joins a Titans team that finished 7-9 last season after back-to-back AFC South titles.

Evan Engram had previously agreed to be franchise tagged by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That deal has since been replaced.

The Jaguars agreed to a three-year, $41.25million contract with Engram on Sunday that includes $24million guaranteed.

Engram's agent, Mike McCarney, announced the deal via Twitter.

Engram had agreed to play the 2023 season under the franchise tag and had until Monday to agree to a long-term contract with the Jaguars.

Had he not been able to work out a long-term deal, he would've been made $11.345million in 2023.

A first-round pick by the Giants in 2017, Engram signed a one-year, $9million contract with the Jaguars last March after five seasons in New York.

In his first season in Jacksonville, he ranked third on the Jags in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches with career highs of 73 receptions for 766 yards to go with four touchdowns.

He set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end, breaking Kyle Brady's mark of 64, set back in 2000.

Among all NFL tight ends last season, only Kansas City's Travis Kelce (110) and Minnesota's T.J. Hockenson (86) had more receptions than Engram.

Engram played a big role in Jacksonville's 31-30 comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers in a wild-card game last season, finishing with seven receptions for a team-high 93 yards with a TD.

In 82 career games, Engram has 335 receptions for 3,594 yards and 20 touchdowns.

The New York Jets and Quinnen Williams agreed Thursday to a four-year, $96 million extension that will make the 2022 All-Pro the NFL's second-highest paid defensive tackle, according to multiple reports.

Williams' new deal, which NFL.com reports contains $66 million in guaranteed money, will run through the 2027 season and is surpassed only by Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald's six-year, $135 million contract as the largest for an interior defensive linemen.

It's also the largest contract guarantee in Jets history, eclipsing the $51 million the team granted to linebacker C.J. Mosley in 2019.

Williams was entering the final season of his rookie contract and is coming off an outstanding 2022 campaign in which he recorded a career-high 12 sacks along with 55 tackles in 16 games, earning first team All-Pro honours for the first time in his four-year career.

The 25-year-old was selected by the Jets with the third overall pick of the 2019 draft, behind only Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and San Francisco 49ers star pass rusher Nick Bosa. Williams has compiled 191 tackles and 27.5 sacks in 57 career games, including 53 starts.

Williams is the fourth prominent defensive lineman to agree to a big new contract this offseason. The Tennessee Titans signed Jeffrey Simmons to a four-year, $94 million contract in April, while the Washington Commanders' Daron Payne received $90 million over four years and the New York Giants gave Dexter Lawrence $87.5 million over four years.

SImmons' extension also contained $66 million in guarantees.

The New York Giants open the 2023 NFL regular season against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in 60 days.

If Saquon Barkley doesn't have a long-term deal signed in five days, he'll reportedly consider sitting out the Giants' Week 1 game on September 10.

Barkley's "availability for Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys will be in serious question" if he doesn't have a new deal, according to ESPN's Dianna Russini.

In search of long-term contract, Barkley has not yet signed the $10.091million franchise tag he received by the Giants earlier this offseason.

The deadline for franchise-tagged players to reach long-term deals is Monday, and if he doesn't have a contract finalised by then, he'll have to wait until after the 2023 season to reach a new agreement.

Barkley did not report to any of the Giants' offseason programs and apparently is willing to continue to hold out if the negotiations remain at a standstill.

The 26-year-old Barkley is coming off a bounce-back season following injury-marred years in 2020 and 2021.

He ranked fourth in the NFL with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards in 2022, while scoring 10 touchdowns to earn a Pro Bowl selection - his first since 2018, when he was also named the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

His 57 receptions were tied for the team lead last season and his 1,650 scrimmage yards were seventh most in the league.

In 60 career games, the former No. 2 overall pick has 4,249 rushing yards, 1,820 receiving yards and 37 total touchdowns.

The National Football League announced Thursday it has suspended three players for at least the 2023 season for violating the league's gambling policy, while another received a six-game suspension.

Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, and free agent defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor have been issued indefinite suspensions through the conclusion of the 2023 season at a minimum. Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere will be ineligible for the first six games of the upcoming campaign.

The Colts waived Rodgers and Berry shortly after the NFL's announcement. The two players, along with Taylor, were determined to have placed wagers on NFL games during the 2022 season.

"We have made the following roster moves as a consequence of the determination that these players violated the league's gambling policy," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement. "The integrity of the game is of the utmost importance. As an organisation we will continue to educate our players, coaches, and staff on the policies in place and the significant consequences that may occur with violations."

Petit-Frere, a 2022 third-round pick who started 16 games at right tackle for the Titans as a rookie, was found to have made bets on other sports at the team facility.

"We have been made aware of Nick's suspension by the league," the Titans said in a statement "We believe in Nick and know that he has deep respect for the integrity of the game and our organisation. We will continue to emphasise to our players the importance of understanding and adhering to league rules and policies."

Rodgers, a cornerback who made nine starts for the Colts last season, issued a statement on June 5 acknowledging his involvement after reports surfaced he was under investigation by the league.

"Addressing the current reports, I want to take full responsibility for my actions," he said. "I know I have made mistakes and I am willing to do whatever it takes to repair the situation. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to be a distraction to the Colts organisation, my coaches, and my teammates. I've let people down that I care about.

"I made an error in judgement and I am going to work hard to make sure that those mistakes are rectified through this process. It's an honour to play in the NFL and I have never taken that lightly. I am very sorry for all of this."

Rodgers was entering his fourth season with the Colts after being selected in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. The 25-year-old appeared in 45 games with 10 starts and had three interceptions in 2021.

The NFL previously suspended five players in April, most notably Detroit Lions 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams, for gambling policy violations. Williams will miss the first six games of next season. 

Additionally, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley sat out the entire 2022 season for wagering on NFL games while then a member of the Atlanta Falcons. 

Ridley, who recorded 90 catches, 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Falcons in 2020, was traded from Atlanta to Jacksonville in November and has since been reinstated by the league.

The New England Patriots and wide receiver DeVante Parker have reached agreement on a three-year extension worth up to $33 million, according to reports.

Parker, 30, was heading into the final year of his current deal as a pending free agent in 2024. The deal reportedly includes $14 million in guarantees and pe-game roster bonuses.

In his first season with the Patriots, Parker had 31 receptions for 539 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.

The 6-foot-3 Parker caught ten of his 19 contested targets, leading to ten catches of 20-plus yards, which ranked second on the team to Jakobi Meyers. Parker’s 17.4 yards per reception lead all Patriots receivers in 2022.

Parker spent his first seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins and had his best season in 2019, when he caught 72 passes for 1,202 yards and nine TDs.

New England is one of the teams interested in signing veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and he visited the team earlier this month. It’s unknown if Parker’s signing affects the Patriots’ pursuit of Hopkins.

The Buffalo Bills announced Friday that head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane have agreed to two-year contract extensions through the 2027 season.

McDermott had three seasons remaining on a six-year extension he signed in March 2020. Beane previously received an extension through 2025 in December 2020.

The move keeps one of the NFL's most successful coach-GM pairings under contract for five more seasons. The Bills have gone 62-36 since hiring McDermott and Beane in 2017, a .639 winning percentage that ranks third in the league over that period behind only the Kansas City Chiefs (74-24, .756) and New Orleans Saints (65-33, .663).

Buffalo has won three consecutive AFC East titles and has reached the playoffs in four straight seasons. Only the Chiefs (eight) have a longer active streak of making the postseason.

The Bills have made five playoff trips overall during McDermott's six-year tenure, including an appearance in the 2020 AFC championship game. 

"Sean is a proud, Christian, determined man," Bills owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. "I remember before his interview for the Bills head coaching job thinking about him being a two-time National Prep Wrestling Champ. I thought to myself, you wrestled, you're determined, you love what you're doing, and you won.

"He comes to the Bills every day and will never ask anyone, player or coach, to do anything he wouldn't do."

Beane's personnel moves have played a big role in Buffalo's success as well. Most notably, he traded up in the 2018 draft to select franchise quarterback Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick and orchestrated a trade for All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs in 2020.

"Brandon is a very competitive person," Pegula said. "I know he likes to win, but I also know he hates to lose. He's not afraid to say what he's thinking and if he disagrees with something he will say so, even to the owner. I love it."

McDermott and Beane have a history together that extends beyond their time with the Bills, as the duo both worked for the Carolina Panthers from 2011-16 prior to being hired by Pegula.

"(Brandon), Sean, Kim (Pegula) and I have a very good relationship with open discussions, debate and a lot of communication," Terry Pegula said. 

The New York Jets have lost starting safety Chuck Clark to a season-ending torn ACL sustained in practice during organised team activities this month.

Clark was selected in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Baltimore and went on to play in 96 of the Ravens’ 97 games over the last six seasons.

He started all 17 games in 2022 and finished second on the team with a career-high 101 tackles, but Clark demanded a trade and was sent to the Jets in March for a seventh-round draft pick in 2024.

New York acted quickly after Clark was injured, signing free-agent Adrian Amos to a one-year contract on June 13.

Amos has also been durable as he hasn’t missed a game since Week 15 of the 2017 season while with the Chicago Bears, who selected him in the fifth round in 2015.

Amos started every game for the Green Bay Packers over the last four seasons and was second on the team in 2022 with a personal-best 97 tackles.

Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill is being investigated on allegations of assault and battery after an incident at a Miami Beach marina, the Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed Tuesday.

Hill allegedly hit a marina employee on the back of the head during an altercation Sunday, according to multiple media outlets in South Florida. No charges have been filed.

The Dolphins released a brief statement Tuesday in acknowledgement of the investigation.

“We are aware of the situation and have been in contact with Tyreek, his representatives and the NFL,” the Dolphins said in the statement. “We will reserve further comment at this time.”

Acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs in March of 2022, Hill signed a four-year, $120million contract extension with the Dolphins.

In his first season in Miami, Hill was selected to his seventh career Pro Bowl after accumulating 119 catches for 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns.

After Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said star wide receiver Stefon Diggs was not in attendance Tuesday for the start of the three-time defending AFC East champions’ mandatory minicamp, the team said he was at the facility but left before practice.

That comment from the Bills came after McDermott said he was “very concerned” about the absence of Diggs, who opted to skip all of Buffalo's voluntary sessions and workouts during the spring.

Diggs has been a Pro Bowl selection in all three of his seasons with Buffalo since being acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in March 2020.

Diggs, who signed a four-year, $96 million extension in April 2022 that runs through 2027, expressed frustration as Buffalo lost 27-10 at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs - a game in which he was seen making animated gestures at Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the sideline.

One day after that defeat, Diggs posted three messages to his Twitter account:

“Want me to be okay with losing? Nah.

“Want me to be okay with our level of play when it’s not up to the standard? Nah.

“It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.”

Diggs’ 338 receptions since joining Buffalo in 2020 are tied with Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders for the most in the NFL, and he ranks fourth in yards (4,189) and sixth in TDs (29) during that stretch.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said star wide receiver Stefon Diggs was not in attendance Tuesday for the start of the three-time defending AFC East champions’ mandatory minicamp.

McDermott did not say why Diggs was not with the team, though he did say he was “very concerned.”

Diggs has been a Pro Bowl selection in all three of his seasons with Buffalo since being acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in March 2020.

The Bills signed Diggs to a four-year, $96 million extension in April 2022 that runs through 2027, so money doesn’t appear to be the reason for his absence.

Diggs did express frustration after Buffalo lost 27-10 at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs, a game in which Diggs was seen making animated gestures at Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the sideline.

One day after that defeat, Diggs posted three messages to his Twitter account:

“Want me to be okay with losing? Nah.

“Want me to be okay with our level of play when it’s not up to the standard? Nah.

“It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.”

Diggs’ 338 receptions since joining Buffalo in 2020 are tied with Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders for the most in the NFL, and he ranks fourth in yards (4,189) and sixth in TDs (29) during that stretch.