LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[March 24, 2017] March 23 (The Sports Xchange) - The stolen Super Bowl jerseys belonging to quarterback Tom Brady were returned to the New England Patriots on Thursday, the FBI announced.

Jerseys worn by Brady in the 2015 and 2017 Super Bowls arrived at the team's headquarters at Gillette Stadium.

The uniform top Brady wore in last month's Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons disappeared shortly after the game and it set off an investigation led that to both jerseys being recovered in Mexico.

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The Super Bowl champion Patriots will make their fifth trip to the White House on April 19, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced.

Their come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI has set up a date with President Donald Trump.

Tight end Martellus Bennett, now with the Green Bay Packers, joined running back LeGarrette Blount, defensive tackle Alan Branch, linebacker Don't'a Hightower, defensive end Chris Long and defensive back Devin McCourty in stating that they will not attend. Brady is a friend of Trump and coach Bill Belichick sent a congratulatory letter to Trump in the final days of his campaign.

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Packers tight end Martellus Bennett isn't a fan of the NFL's plan to instruct players how to properly celebrate on the field in an upcoming video.

Bennett vented his displeasure in a series of messages on Twitter that were directed at the NFL and Troy Vincent, the executive vice president of football operations. Bennett said the NFL wants players to be robots, not individuals.

"An educational video on appropriate celebrations. Not signing up for that class," Bennett wrote.

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The Packers addressed their limited backfield by re-signing running back Christine Michael to a contract.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Michael joins converted wide receiver Ty Montgomery as the lone running backs on the roster. He finished with 31 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown in 2016. He has 254 carries for 1,080 yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 37 career games.

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The New York Jets added depth at wide receiver by agreeing to terms with Quinton Patton.

Patton, who visited the Jets last Saturday, had career highs with 37 catches and 408 receiving yards in 14 games last season with the San Francisco 49ers.

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The Los Angeles Chargers re-signed running back Branden Oliver to a one-year contract and safety Adrian Phillips signed his exclusive rights free agent tender to remain with the club.

Financial terms were not disclosed by the team for Oliver, who will battle Kenjon Barner, Kenneth Farrow and Andre Williams behind starter Melvin Gordon.

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Senior vice president of NFL officiating Dean Blandino could be in for a few hectic Sundays at replay headquarters. Commissioner Roger Goodell said all NFL replays will be subject to approval by Blandino, not the referee on the field.

How the league will handle the circumstance of simultaneous replays in separate games is uncertain.

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New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and Johnny Manziel were discussing a return to the league for the embattled quarterback during last month's Super Bowl, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported.

Payton also was interested in Manziel possibly joining the Saints in the future, according to the report. Manziel has struggled with substance abuse and legal issues since being picked by Cleveland with a first-round pick in 2014.

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Former NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar wrote on Twitter that he meant "no disrespect" to Dwight Clark after making a comment on Cleveland radio about the ex-tight end's ALS diagnosis.

Clark, 60, served as the Browns' director of football operations when the franchise resumed operations. He was with the club from 1999 to 2002.

Kosar, who received many requests for an apology, took to Twitter to address the comment. "I absolutely Ment (sic) no Disrespect to Dwight! I Spoke strongly about the need for prevention & care before U Get to This Sad Point!"

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