Brock on sports · June 25th

Dianna Russini told a recent podcast that a police officer pulled her over for texting while her two sons rode in the back seat. She mentioned that Bills coach Sean McDermott had just been fired and that she was trying to break the news. When the officer said he supported another team, she offered to FaceTime that team’s head coach, hoping the call would smooth things over.

The coach answered, asked what was up, and told the officer to let her go. The officer complied and no ticket was issued. The Times later identified the coach as someone other than Patriots’ Mike Vrabel, but they did not reveal a name.

A Times spokesperson called the maneuver “unacceptable conduct.” The article notes the paper hadn’t known about the podcast before publishing. It frames the story as a preview for an upcoming Athletic investigation that will examine the incident alongside other findings.

Ryan Grigson isn’t with the Vikings any longer. He turned down a chance to stay after the front office reshuffle. The new GM, Nolan Teasley, brought in Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner as assistants, and the plan was to shift Grigson into a different role.

That role never materialized. Grigson left the club this week, and his name vanished from the Vikings’ staff page.

He’s now looking for a new opportunity elsewhere, scouting the market for another front‑office job.

Grigson spent the past two seasons as the Vikings’ assistant GM after serving as senior vice president of player personnel from 2022 to 2024. Before that, he ran the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2016. His departure underscores how quickly things can shift in the NFL’s executive ranks.

A report earlier Wednesday indicated Ryan Grigson was leaving the Vikings to pursue another opportunity in the NFL. We now know what that opportunity is. Grigson is returning to the Browns as a senior football advisor, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. He held the same position for the Browns from 2020-21 and was a senior personnel executive in Cleveland in 2017. New Vikings General Manager Nolan Teasley offered to keep Grigson in a different role after hiring Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner as assistant General Managers. Grigson, though, chose to leave for Cleveland. Grigson served as assistant General Manager for the Vikings last season under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. It was a promotion from senior vice president of player personnel, a position he held with the Vikings from 2022-24. Grigson worked as the Colts’ General Manager from 2012-16.

''' When it comes to the question of whether the NFL's refusal to accept quarterback Brendan Sorsby's application for the supplemental draft violates the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NFL Players Association is in a very awkward spot. Sorsby isn't a member of the NFLPA. He won't be a member until he's drafted or goes undrafted and signs a free-agent contract. Anything the NFLPA may do to challenge the NFL's position on Sorsby would amount to prioritizing the rights of a non-member over the rights of a member. If Sorsby is drafted by a team with 90 players on the roster, a current union member would lose his job. And if Sorsby is picked high enough to guarantee a spot on the 53-man roster, a current union member eventually would be out of a job when the rosters are cut. The issue of the NFLPA's duty to current members when a non-member tries to secure access to the draft was mentioned in the appeals court ruling from the Maurice Clarett case in 2004. "[B]y reducing competition in the market for entering players, the eligibility rules also affect the job security of veteran players," the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit wrote when finding that Clarett's attack on the three-year rule should be rejected. "Because the size of NFL teams is capped, the eligibility rules diminish a veteran player's risk of being replaced by either a drafted rookie or a player who enters the draft and, though not drafted, is then hired as a rookie free agent." If push comes to shove, the NFLPA arguably should oppose Sorsby's effort to force a supplemental draft. Even though he'll eventually be a member of the union, he currently is not. The union has a duty only to its current members. And one of them undoubtedly would be affected adversely if the NFL lets Sorsby in. That doesn't eliminate Sorsby's ability to challenge the NFL's position on his own. No decision in that regard has been announced. Given that time is of the essence when it comes to the possibility of securing a court order forcing the NFL to conduct a supplemental draft with Sorsby in the draft pool, every second counts. With each day that passes without a lawsuit being filed, the chances of a lawsuit ever being filed will drop.

Former NFL running back Doug Martin died last October, after becoming unresponsive in the custody of Oakland, California police. Martin's parents are now suing Oakland over Martin's passing. Via the San Francisco Chronicle, Martin's parents filed a wrongful-death action in federal court on Tuesday. The lawsuit alleges that Oakland police used excessive force while detaining Martin. The paramedic company, Falck Northern California, also was named as a defendant. Martin's parents contends that first responders took too long to respond and failed to provide proper care. Attorney John Burris told the Chronicle that an independent pathologist has concluded Martin likely died from "restrained asphyxia," due to officers allegedly pushing his face into the floor and pressing on his back. "You’d like to think that when police are called to a situation for somebody who is having a mental breakdown, the person doesn’t wind up dead," Burris said. Burris added that the official autopsy and toxicology report have not been released by the Alameda County coroner. Burris said he hopes the lawsuit will compel the authorities to disclose the information. "The most important thing here is to find out what happened,” Burris said. “It’s not knowing that’s the difficult part for [Martin’s family]." A first-round pick in 2012, Martin played six years for the Buccaneers and one for the Raiders. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro in 2015.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and megastar Taylor Swift apparently will be tying the knot in New York City. At Madison Square Garden. The New York Times reports that Swift has rented the iconic sports arena for July 2 through July 4. Per the report, a 100-person gathering is planned for the Garden on July 2. On July 3, roughly 1,000 will be there. The Times also reports that a permit was filed with New York City to close the streets around Madison Square Garden from July 2 to midday July 4. Also, several members of the Chiefs have booked hotel rooms at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square around July 3. Amtrak police officers, per the report, have been told to expect a Kelce-Swift wedding on the weekend of July 4. Chiefs coach Andy Reid, when asked earlier this month whether he'll be attending the wedding, said he "can’t talk about it." Enough people have been talking about it off the record to allow the Times to nail down the key details.

From the moment a story surfaced that two men with ties to Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold had been arrested on robbery and kidnapping charges, it seemed that Arnold eventually could be implicated. Arnold has now officially been implicated. The Hillsborough County, Florida, State Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday night that it "will file charges against Detroit Lions player Terrion Arnold following his arrest in connection with a February robbery and kidnapping in Tampa." Also from the announcement: "Arnold is facing multiple felony charges which carry a potential sentence of up to life in prison." Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the arrest came hours after two defendants in the case agreed to plea deals. The Lions addressed the situation in a statement released on Wednesday night. "We are aware of the legal situation regarding Terrion Arnold," the team said. "We will not comment at this time out of respect for the ongoing legal process." Arnold previously denied wrongdoing in connection with the case. The issue first came to light when a detective testified in a hearing on charges against Lyndell Hudson and Christion Williams regarding their ties to Arnold. The men had been arrested for armed robbery and kidnapping in connection with an apparent attempt to recover property that allegedly had been stolen from a Florida home rented by Arnold. Arnold had reported the items missing to the Largo Police Department. The authorities contend that, within hours after making the report, Arnold orchestrated the kidnapping and robbery in an effort to recover the stolen property: watches, jewelry, designer bags and shoes, a cell phone, and an estimated $100,000 in cash. Hudson, Williams, and Freddie Hughes face life sentences on similar charges. Two other defendants — Arianna Del Valle and Jasmine Randazzo — agreed to plea deals on Wednesday. The Lions previously said that they did not believe Arnold was involved in the crime. “We got all the information that says he wasn’t involved. That’s what we know, that’s all we know, and that’s really all I can say,” coach Dan Campbell said at the annual league meetings. “As far as I know it’s not a big deal. It seems like he still wasn’t involved with this.” Team president Rod Wood previously told the Detroit Free Press that Arnold “was in my office the day after the allegations came out” and was “grilled” about what happened. The State Attorney's Office said it intends to file a pretrial motion aimed at keeping Arnold in jail until trial, claiming that "he remains a danger to the community." Arnold was a first-round pick of the Lions in 2024.

''' Previously, Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold denied involvement in the alleged robbery and kidnapping arising from an effort to recover property stolen from a house he rented in Florida. Now that Arnold has been arrested and will be charged with multiple felonies, a representative has issued a statement on Arnold's behalf. "Terrion Arnold categorically denies any involvement in the matters underlying the allegations made against him and maintains his innocence," Denise White of EAG Sports Management said, via Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. "There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations. Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences. . . . Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication." Arnold was arrested after two of the five other defendants in the case agreed to a plea deal on Wednesday. The State Attorney's Office in Hillsborough County, Florida, intends to request that Arnold remain jailed until the case goes to trial.

' Former NFL wide receiver Sammy Watkins is coaching high school football. Ocoee High School in Florida announced that Watkins is joining its staff. "The Ocoee Knights Football Family is proud to welcome Coach Sammy Watkins as our new Wide Receivers Coach," the football team's announcement said. "A dynamic playmaker and proven competitor at every level of football, Coach Watkins brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion for developing young athletes both on and off the field. His commitment to excellence and understanding of the wide receiver position will be an incredible asset to our program as we continue building a championship culture. Coach Watkins understands what it takes to succeed through hard work, discipline, and dedication. We are excited for our receivers to learn from someone who has competed at the highest levels of the game and is committed to helping our players reach their full potential." Watkins was a two-time first-team All-American at Clemson and projected as an NFL superstar, which is why the Bills traded two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to move up and draft him fourth overall in 2014. Watkins had a decent NFL career but didn't become the player the Bills hoped he would be, and after three years in Buffalo he was traded to the Rams. Watkins later spent time with the Chiefs and Packers, and had two stints with the Ravens. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has said he'd be interested in Watkins joining Clemson’s staff, but for now, Watkins will start his coaching career in high school.

As the American World Cup broadcaster, Fox was already partial towards the success of the U.S. Men’s National Team. But now, it’s clear that there’s a pretty big financial reward at stake for the network if the Americans make a deep run in the tournament. Fox stands to make upwards of $2 million per 30-second ad spot for a USMNT World Cup game if the team advances to the semifinal or final, according to a report by Michael McCarthy in Front Office Sports.