in NFL National Football League

Cortez Kennedy Dies; Bridgewater Throwing

Cortez Kennedy passed away at his home in Orlando, Fla.

When Cortez Kennedy was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, he said, “Now I can say I’m a Hall of Famer and say, ‘whoo, I’m in baby. I’m in for life.'”

The truth is Kennedy will be enshrined in Canton forever, but that life would turn out to be way too short. Kennedy was found dead in Orlando, Fla. Tuesday. No official cause of death has been released, but according to police there is nothing suspicious about the circumstances surrounding his death. He was just 48.

Kennedy was one of the best Seattle Seahawks of all time, a list that wasn’t very long until recently. Seattle was an afterthought in the NFL for most of the team’s existence, with just a few bright spots until the Mike Holmgren and Pete Carroll eras. Kennedy was inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 2006.

“Cortez Kennedy has been a pillar of the Seahawks franchise since joining the team as a rookie in 1990,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “Tez was the heart and soul of the Seahawks through the 1990s and endeared himself to 12s all across the Pacific Northwest as a player who played with a selfless and relentles approach to the game. Tez was an NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Pro Football Hall of Famer, and Seahawks ambassador, but more than his on-field accomplishments, he was a loyal son, father, teammate and friend to many, possessing a larger-than-life personality and an infectious laugh. We extend our warmest thoughts and prayers to his parents, Ruby and Joe Harris, daughter Courtney, and entire family on the unfortunate loss of a life-long Seahawk. We are proud to have been represented by such a special person.”

Kennedy was the 1992 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2012. In his 11-year career, Kennedy amassed 668 tackles, 58 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, one touchdown and three interceptions.

“The entire Hall of Fame family is stunned and deeply saddened to learn the news of Cortez Kennedy’s passing,” NFL Hall of Fame CEO David Baker said in a statement. “On behalf of the Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, Cortez’s fellow Hall of Famers, and our staff, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans. Cortez will be remembered not only for all his great achievements on the football field but how he handled himself off the field. He epitomized the many great values this game teaches which serves as inspiration to millions of fans. Although he left this earth far too soon, the Hall of Fame pledges to keep his legacy alive forever in Canton.”

The Seahawks drafted Kennedy with the No. 3 pick of the first round in 1990 out of Miami. While the cause of death isn’t yet know, his stepfather told the New York TImes that Kennedy had been experiencing headaches for the past week.

Kennedy is survived by his mother, Ruby, stepfather Joe Harris and daughter Courtney.

Bridgewater throws at Vikings OTAs

It’s a shock that he’s even attending. A year after a catastrophic knee injury ended his season and possibly his career, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was back throwing at Minnesota Vikings’ organized team activities Tuesday.

The Vikings announced the fact by posting a video of Bridgewater working out, his injured leg fully wrapped from the ankle to the thigh, on their twitter page.

It’s a terrific sign for Bridgewater, who was one of the young, emerging stars of the league before his injury last offseason. Bridgewater went 11-5 as a starter in 2015, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 3,231 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Vikings drafted Bridgewater with the 32nd pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Odell Beckham Jr. gets biggest shoe deal in NFL history

He might still be playing on his rookie contract, but Odell Beckham Jr. just added eight digits to his bank account. It’s being reported that Beckham has signed a five-year, $25 million deal with Nike. Nike had Beckham Jr. under contract out of college, but he was a footwear free agent this season and, apparently, had another massive offer on the table from Adidas that Nike had to beat to keep him in the family.

Beckham, at least for now, has a bigger contract with Nike than he does with the Giants, even though the team picked up his fifth-year option last month.

Cowboys will lose Irving for four games

The Dallas Cowboys already will be without defensive end Randy Gregory for the 2017 season and now it appears David Irving will also face a suspension, in his case a four-game ban for violating the league’s performance enhancing drugs policy. Irving is appealing the suspension.

According to the Dallas Star-Telegram, the failed test comes from a supplement Irving took as part of a marketing agreement.

Irving started two games last season and played in 15. He recorded 17 tackles, four sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and five passes defended. The Cowboys signed Irving off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad in 2015. The Chiefs had brought in Irving as an undrafted free agent.

Los Angeles loses Super Bowl LV, will get Super Bowl LVI

The Los Angeles Rams needed a waiver to host the 2021 Super Bowl and instead of getting it, were handed the following year’s Super Bowl instead. Now, Super Bowl LV will be held at the Big Sombrero, Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

The Rams get 2022’s Super Bowl and the extra year needed to ensure their Inglewood Stadium is ready for the big game.

“From our standpoint, we felt this was an appropriate thing to do,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday. “We were fortunate that Tampa had a very competitive presentation when they bid on the Super Bowl earlier [in 2016]. So this was a solution the membership got on very quickly.”

This will be the third Super Bowl hosted at Raymond James Stadium. The last one, Super Bowl XLIII, was one of the best ever played, a 27-23 win by the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1, 2009.

Raymond James Stadium was the site of this year’s 2017 College Football National Championship where No. 2 Clemson beat No. 1 Alabama 35-31.

To make a wager on any sport, go to the world famous Diamond Sportsbook by clicking here.

Written by Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a writer and photographer based out of East Tennessee. His work has appeared on Cracked.com, in USA Today, the Associated Press, the Chicago Cubs Vineline Magazine, AskMen.com and many other publications.

German Bundesliga

VfL WOLFSBURG vs. EINTRACHT BRAUNSHWEIG – German Bundesliga Relegation play-offs first leg
Golf Undigested

Golf Undigested Podcast – Episode 55