New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is retiring after 16 NFL seasons, the team announced Wednesday.
Manning will hold a press conference on Friday. The 39-year-old said after the regular season that he planned to discuss his future with his family before making a decision.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Manning led the 10-6 Giants from a wild-card berth to a famous upset of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII following the 2007 season, winning MVP honors. Four years later, he managed the feat a second time, also against the Patriots.
Manning wraps up his career with a 117-117 record as a starter, having completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 57,023 yards, 366 touchdowns and 244 interceptions, with a passer rating of 84.1.
–Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier told reporters that he “fully expects” veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to be back with the team in 2020.
Fitzpatrick indicated after the regular season ended that he plans to keep playing but would think over all options before deciding.
The 37-year-old is under contract for $8 million in 2020, with $4 million of that guaranteed after he hit $2.5 million in performance escalators in 2019. The journeyman played in 15 games and made 13 starts for the Dolphins — his eighth NFL team — this season, throwing for 3,529 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
–With help from Nevada governor Steve Sisolak, the formerly Oakland Raiders announced their official name change to become the Las Vegas Raiders at the site of their new home.
“I do hereby proclaim January 22, 2020, as the day to celebrate the renaming of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Sisolak said from Allegiant Stadium before the team unveiled a banner with the new name.
Several players, past and present, were on hand for the announcement, and they took turns on stage to help hammer a stake holding a sign that read, “Las Vegas Raiders est. 2020.” The group included quarterback Derek Carr and former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim Plunkett.
–Free-agent-to-be safety Devin McCourty is not planning to retire this offseason, but it’s unclear if he will remain with the Patriots in 2020.
McCourty’s agent, Andy Simms, told ESPN that McCourty “wants to play” and that “retirement is not an option.”
The 32-year-old suggested last January, before Super Bowl LIII, that he could consider retiring if the Patriots won the title, which they did against the Los Angeles Rams. But he returned for the 2019 season and now plans to play at least one more season.
–Former Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has accepted the offensive coordinator position with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Two other former NFL head coaches — Ben McAdoo and Scott Linehan — also interviewed for the job.
Gruden, 52, becomes Jacksonville’s third offensive coordinator since 2018. The team and John DeFilippo parted ways earlier this month. DeFilippo since has been hired as quarterbacks coach of the Chicago Bears.
–The Green Bay Packers will bring back defensive coordinator Mike Pettine in 2020, ESPN reported several hours after head coach Matt LaFleur was noncommittal about Pettine’s future.
During a season-ending press conference, LaFleur was asked about Pettine’s status and said he was “still working through everything right now.” According to ESPN, LaFleur met with Pettine after the media session, and the two plan to move forward.
Pettine, whom LaFleur retained from Mike McCarthy’s staff when he took over as head coach last January, will return for his third year with the Packers, who finished 18th in total defense (352.6 yards per game) and ninth in scoring defense (19.6 points per game) this season.
–Houston Texans safety Justin Reid confirmed that he played through a torn labrum in his shoulder throughout the 2019 season and will undergo offseason surgery.
Reid wrote on Twitter that he hurt the shoulder before the season and doubted at times that he could play all year.
He started 15 regular-season games and two playoff games despite the injury, missing one regular-season contest because of a concussion. He made 78 tackles in the regular season with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
–Free agent wide receiver Antonio Brown locked himself in his house and was avoiding police attempts to contact him amid an investigation into an alleged battery incident, according to the Hollywood (Florida) Police Department.
According to USA Today, public information officer Christian Lata said police have tried to reach Brown but have been unsuccessful.
Brown, 31, is a suspect in an alleged incident involving a moving truck and its driver.
–Patriots cornerback Joejuan Williams was arrested in Cumberland County, Tenn., on Jan. 17 and faces drug possession charges, according to television station WTVF.
According to the report, he faces charges for speeding, possession of a controlled substance, possession of legend drugs without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.
–Field Level Media
