Former NFL player and coach Eugene Chung is still waiting to meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding an anti-Asian comment he says a team made about him during a job interview this year.

Chung said on a conference call Monday the league never told him why a requested meeting with Goodell was not arranged nor how the NFL’s investigation was conducted.

Chung, who spent time with five teams as a player and coached with the Eagles and Chiefs, has not identified the coach who he says told him that Asian Americans were “not the right minority” in the NFL.

The NFL reviewed the matter and said this month that after “multiple discussions”, including Chung and his representative, the league was “unable to confirm the precise statement that was made, or by whom and under what circumstances any such statement was made.”

But Chung wants more information about the investigation.

“I know people I have talked to, head coaches and people high up in the executive offices, who knew nothing about it,” he said.

“I’m not interested in outing anybody, it’s irrelevant. The mere fact that statement was made to me raised a lot of questions on my behalf.

“My goal is to find out whether Asians are considered a minority (by the NFL). There is legitimate confusion and when the statement was made it was shocking. I want to get clarity and clarification on whether Asians are considered a minority when it comes to the hiring process. I want to get that out there and answered.”

PACKERS: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay are negotiating a revised contract by which the NFL’s reigning most valuable player would end his offseason standoff with the team to report to training camp and play for the Packers during the upcoming season, according to The Washington Post.

The deal, if completed, could set up Rodgers’s potential departure from Green Bay after one or two more seasons. It was not clear Monday whether the negotiations would be finished in time for Rodgers to report to training camp Tuesday with fellow Packers players.

Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy remains hopeful Rodgers will play for them this season, but says he doesn’t know whether the three-time MVP will arrive for the start of training camp.

“We’ve been in constant communication,” Murphy said Monday after the NFL’s only publicly owned team held its annual shareholders meeting. “It’s been obviously months. I’m hopeful that we can have it all resolved.”

Murphy’s comments followed an NFL Network report that Rodgers has indicated to people close to him he does plan to play for the Packers this season. ESPN later reported that Rodgers and the Packers were close to an agreement that would include voiding the 2023 season from his contract. Rodgers’ agent, David Dunn, didn’t respond to a message seeking comment.

The Packers hold their first training camp workout Wednesday. Murphy said there’s no scenario under which the Packers would trade Rodgers.

COLTS: Coach Frank Reich will miss the start of training camp after testing positive for COVID-19, General Manager Chris Ballard announced.

Ballard said Reich’s test results came back late last week and the fourth-year coach, who is fully vaccianted, has been asymptomatic. It’s still unlikely Reich will return to the practice field until early next week.

In Reich’s absence, the Colts plan to split coaching duties between new offensive coordinator Marcus Brady, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone. Reich will continue to participate through video calls.

“We’re not going to name an interim coach,” Ballard said. “Bubba has a little more time than some of the others, so we’ll split some things up.”

Colts players are scheduled to report to camp at Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield, Indiana, a northern suburb of Indianapolis, on Tuesday. The first of 19 practices is scheduled to be held Wednesday – in front of fans for the first time since 2019.

Ballard said the only other positive test within the organization was a staff member he declined to name.

TEXANS: Neither Deshaun Watson nor the Houston Texans has much leverage in a trade now, but they’re seemingly counting on Watson’s talent to tilt the scales.

The Texans made it known through NFL Network on Monday that they are willing to trade Watson and have been listening to offers for some time. And their asking price in return is exorbitant, per ESPN: a combination of five high draft picks and starting caliber players. Any package must include three first rounders, the league’s network said.

Watson, however, is facing 22 separate lawsuits alleging sexual assault and misconduct during massage sessions.

The reality is Houston erred by not granting Watson’s trade demands early this year before the explosive lawsuits tarnished his previously clean reputation. And Watson, despite holding a no-trade clause to dictate his destination, allegedly ruined several women’s lives with his alleged behavior – thereby losing his own leverage, as well.

The Houston Chronicle also reported on Sunday that while Watson doesn’t want to be in Houston and the Texans don’t want him there, “a trade doesn’t appear imminent” and “any move would likely come when his legal issues are resolved.” Watson is reluctant to agree to a non-disclosure agreement in any settlement of the lawsuits against him, per NFL Network, which is helping to hold up the resolution of the cases. The reason is because Watson wants to be able to tell his side of the stories, the network said.

BENGALS: Defensive end Sam Hubbard has signed a four-year contract extension.

Hubbard, a Cincinnati native who played at Ohio State, was entering the fourth season of his rookie deal. A third-round draft pick (77th overall) in 2018, he’s played in played 44 career games and has 16 1/2 sacks, third most among all players from his draft class.

The 26-year-old Hubbard has been the full-time starter at right defensive end since 2019. The deal was announced Monday, two days before the opening of training camp.

« Previous

Verdugo homers in eighth to lift Red Sox to 5-4 win over Blue Jays

Next »

Olympic athletes adjust to Summer Games with no fans