KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl championship in five decades, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is finally eligible to sign a contract extension this offseason. And while there is no hurry given the fact that Mahomes is entering just his fourth season in the league — and the Chiefs could simply pick up his fifth-year option — the reality is both sides are eager to come to terms on what could be a record-setting deal.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have struck gold in recent years with picks such as quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But much of their draft history, especially when it comes to quarterbacks, has been spotty. Todd Blackledge was possibly their biggest first-round bust when they picked him seventh overall in 1983, and second-round choices Mike Elkins and Matt Blundin never gave Kansas City the solution behind center. That didn't happen until the Chiefs traded up to pick Mahomes with the 10th overall choice in the 2017 draft, laying the cornerstone for last year's Super Bowl run.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Four-time All Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski has agreed to come out of retirement and play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a reunion with former New England teammate Tom Brady. A proposed trade that needs to be finalized before this week’s NFL draft reportedly would have the Patriots sending Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth-round selection. The deal is pending completion of a physical.
NEW YORK (AP)— Alex Rodriguez and fiancee Jennifer Lopez have retained J.P. Morgan to represent them in raising capital for a possible bid for the New York Mets. The move was first reported by Variety and confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the decision. The three-time AL MVP retired in August 2016 with 698 home runs, a .295 average and 2,086 RBIs in 22 years. He was suspended for the 2014 season for violations of Major League Baseball’s drug agreement and labor contract.
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Ball State guard K.J. Walton will return for his sixth college season after receiving a waiver from the NCAA and the approval of the Mid-American Conference. The former Missouri player sat out the 2017-18 because of college basketball's transfer rule and played just 10 games last season because of an ankle injury that required surgery. He has started 35 games of the 42 he's appeared in with the Cardinals and averages 11.7 points and 4.5 rebounds.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA has announced a pace-of-play guideline for instant replay officials to complete video reviews in less than two minutes of a college football game. The Playing Rules Oversight Panel also approved the rules change no longer requiring players to head to the locker room after being penalized for targeting. All other aspects of the rule discouraging above-the-shoulders contact remain the same.
UNDATED (AP) — The English Premier League has been asked by human rights activists and one of its major broadcast partners to consider blocking Saudi Arabia's attempt to buy Newcastle. Amnesty International wrote to league chief executive Richard Masters to say the takeover could be exploited by Saudi Arabia to cover up “deeply immoral” breaches of international law. Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports said the kingdom should be held to account for a Saudi-backed pirate network stealing live broadcasts of games.