Football

Mayor: New Orleans deserves Super Bowl spotlight
A 20-story-high mural of the Lombardi Trophy, affixed to the glass exterior of a bustling hotel that was once a shattered symbol of Hurricane ...
49ers' Gore kept hope through all the adversity
Ray Rice has known nothing but winning since he came into the NFL. For Frank Gore, it took a while. Two running backs with contrasting styles and ...
Who are these guys at QB in Super Bowl?
No Tom Brady. No Aaron Rodgers. No Ben Roethlisberger. Not a Manning in sight. Super Bowl has a pair of fresh faces at quarterback, bona fide nobodies ...
Ravens' Ed Reed agrees with president's concerns
Unlike several players at the Super Bowl, Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed agrees with President Obama that football needs to be made safer. Reed wants ...
NFC blows out AFC 62-35 in Pro Bowl in Hawaii
A handful of shenanigans and plenty of points — yet still another ho-hum Pro Bowl. Whether the NFL's all-star game will return next season is ...
Players defend Pro Bowl after 62-35 NFC win
After a week in Hawaii and a blowout game, the NFL's all-stars are defending the Pro Bowl as a worthy reward for top players who don't make the Super ...
Ravens D-coordinator Pees has own means of success
When it comes to running the Baltimore Ravens defense, Dean Pees has no regard for history, tradition or statistics. Pees doesn't give a hoot about ...
49ers boast one of best linebacking corps around
This week in the Big Easy, NaVorro Bowman plans to finally make good on the steak dinner he owes pal Patrick Willis. Bowman is only a couple of months ...
Team flag waves as 49ers arrive for Super Bowl
Jim Harbaugh stepped to the podium, smirked a bit, and greeted his first news conference as a Super Bowl coach. "We're super happy to be here," he ...
Ravens, 49ers bring big-hitting 'D' to Super Bowl
It was as if linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Bernard Pollard and the rest of the Baltimore Ravens' defense set out to provide a quarter-by-quarter ...
AP Source: Titans interested in hiring Williams
Gregg Williams may be a step closer to returning to the NFL after being suspended indefinitely for his role in the Saints' bounty program.
Obama: Tough call on letting a son play football
President Barack Obama is a big football fan with two daughters, but if he had a son, he says he'd "have to think long and hard" before letting him ...
Ravens WR Smith beats defensive backs, adversity
Torrey Smith overcame a variety of obstacles to become the deep threat the Baltimore Ravens needed to make it to the Super Bowl. Smith helped his ...
Alex Smith handles role with unselfishness, class
Alex Smith ran off the field at Candlestick Park two weeks ago to a standing ovation and cheers from the sellout crowd, not much different from the ...
EJ Manuel leads South to Senior Bowl win, 21-16
EJ Manuel's January couldn't have gone much better on the field. More importantly, he's hoping for a similarly happy February for his family.
Ravens hold final practice before heading south
The music blared in the Baltimore Ravens locker room Saturday as the players threw their football gear into black duffel bags lying in front of their ...
In New Orleans, an unwelcome mat for Goodell
New Orleans Saints fans are celebrating the return of coach Sean Payton from his suspension following last year's "bountygate" scandal. But NFL ...
Charges won't be filed against 49ers' Crabtree
Criminal charges won't be filed against 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree after an alleged sexual assault in a hotel after the team's playoff ...
Penn State says Sandusky settlements appear close
Penn State's negotiator for civil claims involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky said Friday the school has been in talks with 28 ...
Ohio judge weighs whether to keep rape trial open
A battle over closing the trial of two Ohio high school football players charged with raping a 16-year-old girl appeared to end Friday as an attorney ...
Ravens' Caldwell still longs to be head coach
Jim Caldwell enjoys his job as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, and he's quite good at it. Before taking over in early December Caldwell ...
AP NewsBreak: ND pres defends handling of Te'o
Top administrators at Notre Dame decided within hours of hearing about the Manti Te'o dead girlfriend hoax that it did not involve a crime and within ...
Mistrial in ex-cheerleader's libel lawsuit
Jurors couldn't decide whether two lewd posts about a former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader were substantially true or not, leading a federal judge ...
QB Young says he 'probably' signed loan papers
Former NFL quarterback Vince Young admitted under oath he probably signed at least some of the documents for a $1.9 million loan he claims he ...
Former NFL kicker Erxleben charged with fraud
Former Texas All-American and NFL kicker and punter Russell Erxleben, who previously served a federal prison sentence for securities fraud, was ...