LDN - Sports

National Football
League roundup

[May 13, 2017] May 12 (The Sports Xchange) - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, three months after winning his fifth Super Bowl ring, has been selected to be the cover boy of "Madden NFL 18."

Brady, who will turn 40 in August, becomes oldest player to appear on the cover of the popular EA Sports football video game.

EA Sports announced Friday that Brady follows teammate Rob Gronkowski, who was on the cover of last year's edition. It marks the first time in Madden's 29-year history that teammates have been on the cover in back-to-back years.

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The Houston Texans signed first-round pick Deshaun Watson to a four-year contract and the quarterback was available for the start of rookie minicamp.

As with all first-round selections, the contract comes with a team option for a fifth season. The deal is worth $13.8 million and includes a signing bonus of $8.21 million, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle

The Texans also signed second-round linebacker Zach Cunningham and fifth-round cornerback Treston Decoud on Friday. Cunningham's deal is worth $4.47 million with a $1.39 signing bonus, according to the newspaper.

The Texans traded the No. 25 pick in 2017 and next year's first-round selection to the Cleveland Browns to move up to the No. 12 spot to draft Watson out of Clemson.

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Suspended NFL linebacker Rolando McClain was arrested in Alabama on firearm and drug charges.

McClain was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana, carrying a firearm without a permit and a misdemeanor equipment violation, according to Hartselle (Ala.) Police.

The 27-year-old McClain was released from jail on a $2,000 bond later in the day.

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The Detroit Lions signed their first-round pick, linebacker Jarrad Davis, before the start of rookie minicamp.

Davis, the 21st overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Florida, will get a slotted four-year contract worth about $10.4 million that includes a team option for the fifth year, according to the Detroit Free Press.

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The San Francisco 49ers signed rookie cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to a four-year contract.

Witherspoon is the seventh player of the 49ers' 10-member draft class to sign a deal.

San Francisco has yet to sign first-round picks Solomon Thomas (Stanford) and Reuben Foster (Alabama) as well as third-round selection C.J. Beathard (Iowa).

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The Patriots released tight end Michael Williams, who was competing for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen.

Williams, 26, spent the 2016 season on injured reserve with a torn ACL.

Former NFL wide receiver Michael Jackson was killed in a motorcycle accident in his hometown in Louisiana. He was 48.

Jackson played eight seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in the 1990s.

Louisiana State Police said Jackson crashed into a car that was backing out of a parking space and into both lanes of the highway while the motorcycle was traveling "at a high rate of speed" around 1 a.m. Friday in Tangipahoa, La.

Jackson struck the driver's side door, and both Jackson and the driver of the car were killed, according to police.

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Detroit Lions great and Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Yale Lary died at his home in Fort Worth, Texas, at the age of 86.

Lary was one of the best all-around players during an 11-year career (1952-53, 1956-1964) as a safety, punter and kickoff returner. He was a key member of the Lions' last three NFL championship teams in 1952, 1953 and 1957.

Lary missed two seasons (1954-55) in the prime of his career to serve in the Army. He was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

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The Indianapolis Colts signed free agent defensive tackle Josh Boyd and waived outside linebacker Curt Maggitt with an injury settlement.

Boyd, 27, played in 26 career games (four starts) in three seasons (2013-15) with the Green Bay Packers and totaled 43 tackles and one pass defensed.

Maggitt, 24, saw action with the Colts in nine games as a rookie in 2016 and totaled four tackles and four special teams stops. He was placed on the injured reserve list on Dec. 12 with a knee injury. (Editing by Andrew Both)

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