NFL

The Carolina Panthers selected Young, the slender and dynamic Alabama quarterback, with the No. 1 pick, seven weeks after making a blockbuster trade with Chicago to move up to get their choice of potential franchise players.

The National Football League Players Association showed that during the 2022 season, NFL players suffered more non-direct contact injuries on turf than natural grass.

The players are suspended through at least the conclusion of the 2023 season for betting on NFL games last year.

Damar Hamlin participated in the Buffalo Bills voluntary workout program, which began Monday. The 24-year-old collapsed on the field after making a routine tackle in a Jan. 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chris Smith was a fifth-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 after a standout career at Arkansas. He was on several NFL teams and played in the XFL this year.

The Pro Bowl receiver did not play last season after ACL surgery. He joins a Ravens team that used the franchise tag on NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has asked to be traded.

Aaron Hernandez was convicted of murder in 2015 and died in prison two years later.

The two potential NFL rule changes were among nine the league announced this week in its 2023 playing rules, bylaw and resolution proposals submitted by clubs.

Dolphins released Byron Jones, meaning a hole at cornerback needed to be filled.

Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday night, the team announced. He was 86.

The report rated teams in eight categories — everything from meals and nutrition to training and travel — based on anonymous responses from about 1,300 players. The teams were ranked from 1 to 32.

Irv Cross, who died in 2012, was diagnosed with Stage 4 CTE.