COLUMBIA, S.C.—Ray Lewis III, the son of two-time Super Bowl champion Ray Lewis, has died. Reports said the younger Lewis was 28. Lewis’ coach at Virginia Union, Mark James, said he learned of his former player’s death through family and social media. “He was a great kid. He played hard and it was a pleasure…

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.—Buffalo Bills star receiver Stefon Diggs is not present for the start of the team’s mandatory minicamp, coach Sean McDermott said before practice opened on Tuesday. “I’m very concerned,” is all McDermott would say regarding the absence of the team’s top receiver. Diggs had previously skipped the team’s voluntary spring sessions and workouts….

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.—What was once routine for Damar Hamlin, such as pulling on a helmet and heading out to practice, has become something the Buffalo Bills safety celebrated with a phone call to his parents. That was the case last week, general manager Brandon Beane said on Tuesday, after Hamlin participated fully in practice for…

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.—Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin kicked off a multicity tour at his home stadium on Saturday to distribute medical equipment and promote techniques that helped save his life in January. Hamlin handed out automated external defibrillators for close to 50 youth sports and community organizations on the Bills’ field at Highmark Stadium at…

The Los Angeles Dodgers invited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of LGBTQ people dressed as hedonistic nuns, to be honored in an upcoming pride game. The group uses extravagant Christian imagery as a form of mockery to scorn religious beliefs. This would never be tolerated if directed at Muslims or Jews, but our…

LAS VEGAS—Former NFL cornerback Damon Arnette has pleaded not guilty in Nevada to felony charges and his lawyer is challenging his indictment alleging he displayed a handgun during an argument with Las Vegas Strip casino valets in January 2022. “He never brandished a gun. He never pointed a gun,” defense attorney Ross Goodman said Thursday…

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.—Wearing shorts and his familiar No. 3 blue practice jersey, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin began easing his way back into football during the team’s voluntary minicamp on Tuesday, some five months after having a near-death experience on the field. The only thing missing was his helmet. Though held back from taking part…

CLEVELAND—Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, an unstoppable running back who retired at the peak of his brilliant career to become an actor as well as a civil rights advocate during the 1960s, has died. He was 87. A spokeswoman for Brown’s family said he passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on…

ATLANTA—Matt Ryan has joined CBS as an analyst, though he’s not giving up on landing with another team as a quarterback. CBS announced Monday that Ryan, a four-time Pro Bowler and the 2016 NFL MVP with the Atlanta Falcons, will serve as a studio and game analyst across multiple platforms for the upcoming season. “Excited…

LONDON—Wrexham’s Hollywood owners got their wish. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had thrown their support behind Notts County to gain promotion from the National League after seeing their own team win a tight title battle in England’s fifth tier. And McElhenney took to Twitter to congratulate Notts County after its penalty shootout victory over Chesterfield…