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NFL notebook: Pats deny reports of dissent

[January 16, 2018] A power struggle among New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and owner Robert Kraft threatens to end a relationship that helped the franchise win five Super Bowls over the last 17 years, according to an ESPN report published Friday.

The article, written by Seth Wickersham, describes that a contentious relationship has grown to a point that it could what has grown to a football dynasty. However, the Patriots issued a joint statement from Kraft, Belichick and Brady on Friday morning in response to the ESPN article.

"For the past 18 years, the three of us have enjoyed a very good and productive working relationship," the statement said. "In recent days, there have been multiple media reports that have speculated theories that are unsubstantiated, highly exaggerated or flat out inaccurate. The three of us share a common goal. ... As our actions have shown, we stand united."

In one claim, the ESPN report said Belichick was ordered to trade backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo -- who went to the San Francisco 49ers in October -- because of Brady's desire to continue playing well into his 40s. Belichick was "furious and demoralized" but reached out to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan to initiate trade talks.

--The Oakland Raiders are planning to introduce Jon Gruden as their next head coach during a news conference Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Media's Ian Rapoport both confirmed the Raiders are calling a "significant" press conference for Tuesday. The date of the official announcement was first reported by RaidersSnakepit.com.

The Raiders are giving Gruden a 10-year contract, the longest coaching deal in NFL history, sources told Schefter, and the pact is likely to be worth about $100 million. Gruden, who coached the Raiders from 1998 to 2001 and has been working as an ESPN analyst, was the leading candidate to return to Oakland even before the team fired head coach Jack Del Rio after last Sunday's season finale.

--Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was the only unanimous choice and one of four players to repeat on The Associated Press 2017 NFL All-Pro Team.

Brown received all 50 ballots votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the NFL. The 29-year-old Brown, who missed the last two-plus games with an ankle injury, finished the regular season with 1,533 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games.

The repeaters from the 2016 All-Pro Team were Brown, Los Angeles Rams interior defensive lineman Aaron Donald (who received 49 votes) and punter Johnny Hekker, and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner. The Rams, who finished 11-5 in their turnaround season to reach the playoffs, led the way with six All-Pros, including running back Todd Gurley, left tackle Andrew Whitworth, kicker Greg Zuerlein and kick returner Pharoh Cooper.

--New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is $2.5 million richer after being awarded first-team All-Pro honors, achieving the highest level of incentives possible as part of the revamped contract he signed last offseason.

Gronkowski initially missed out on the last part of his incentives when he did not record enough catches, receiving yards or touchdowns this season to reach the highest tier of his contract.

--Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy, nursing an injured right ankle, is still hoping to play in Sunday's wild-card playoff game at the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"We'll go from there. ... One movement at a time right now," coach Sean McDermott said Friday.

McCoy was carted off last Sunday during Buffalo's 22-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter after being tackled by linebacker Chase Allen and was replaced by Marcus Murphy, signed off the Bills' practice squad earlier in the week.

--Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee expects to play in the AFC wild-card game against the Bills on Sunday.

Lee practiced on a limited basis Friday for the first time since he sustained an ankle injury Dec. 17. He is officially listed as questionable but said he would be on the field in the playoff opener if medically cleared.

"In my head, (I'll) just continue to have my head up as far as me playing," Lee said. "If I had to decide, I am going to play until they decide I'm not."

--The New York Giants interviewed Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia on Friday morning for their vacant head-coaching vacancy and later in the day sat down with Josh McDaniels, the offensive play-caller in New England.

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The candidates met separately with a group from the Giants led by president and co-owner John Mara, new general manager Dave Gettleman and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams in Foxborough, Mass., as the Patriots have a first-round playoff bye that allows their coaching staff to be interviewed this week.

Patricia, 43, has been a member of the New England coaching staff since 2004 and the team's defensive coordinator for the last six seasons. McDaniels, 41, has coached under Bill Belichick with the Patriots for 14 of the last 17 seasons and was 11-17 as coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009-10.

--ESPN has fired former NFL players Donovan McNabb and Eric Davis following allegations of sexual harassment at another network, Sports Business Daily reported.

Last month, ESPN suspended the two from appearing on air after they were named in a lawsuit filed by former NFL Network wardrobe stylist Jami Cantor. The lawsuit accused McNabb of sending inappropriate text messages and Davis of rubbing his body against the woman and making lewd comments.

McNabb, a former quarterback, had appeared on ESPN television and radio shows. Davis, a former cornerback, co-hosted an ESPN radio show in Los Angeles with Marcellus Wiley and Kelvin Washington.

--Rams safety Blake Countess was fined $48,620 by the NFL for his hit last weekend on 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin. While the fine itself is significant (Countess makes a base salary of $540,000), some wondered if the league would instead suspend the second-year player as a repeat offender.

In Week 12, Countess was fined for a hit to the head of New Orleans Saints tight end Coby Fleener. Like the play with Goodwin, the hit left Fleener with a concussion.

According to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith, Countess can appeal the fine in hopes of getting it reduced since the fine exceeded the amount of money Countess earned for playing in the 49ers game ($31,765).

--Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry has been fined $48,620 by the NFL for his role in a Week 17 brawl following a touchdown against the Bills.

Miami running back Kenyan Drake and Buffalo cornerback Leonard Johnson were fined $12,154 apiece for the same incident. Landry and Drake were ejected following the fight, which resulted in 15-yard penalties against each.

Following his touchdown catch, Landry shoved Bills safety Jordan Poyer, setting off the fight. Drake threw his helmet after getting pulled from the pile. Landry said he was reacting in self-defense, but Dolphins coach Adam Gase described the altercation as embarrassing.

--Carolina Panthers defensive end Wes Horton was assessed $18,231 and safety Jairus Byrd fined $24,309 for illegal hits in the Week 17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Horton was fined for a helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Matt Ryan. Byrd's fine stemmed from a hit on receiver Mohamed Sanu.

--When the Jaguars host a playoff game for the first time in 18 years on Sunday, among those in attendance will be special guests of owner Shad Khan who recently suffered through some of the most devastating situations and storms in recent history.

The team announced Thursday that Khan and his Jaguars Foundation donated 1,000 tickets to the game against the Buffalo Bills, 500 going to refugees from areas throughout the world who have settled in North Florida and another 500 to Puerto Ricans in North and Central Florida displaced by Hurricane Maria.

--During a visit to a Charlotte elementary school, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper reportedly said he wants the Carolina Panthers to stay in Charlotte and is open to exploring options to make sure that happens.

"I cannot imagine any owner that would buy this team who would want to move it," The Charlotte Observer quoted Cooper as saying. "Obviously we want them to be here, and I'm open to options that local leaders and business leaders would have as we go forward."

Last month, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said he would put the team up for sale at the end of the season. The announcement came after Sports Illustrated reported that Richardson, the club's original owner, had paid numerous settlements to former team employees for sexual and racial harassment.

--Field Level Media

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