The news that the homes of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce were burglarized last month was weird. The latest wrinkle in the situation is even weirder.
According to NBC News, the FBI is investigating whether the incidents were part of a “transnational crime ring, such as one from South America.”
The article mentions two other recent burglaries, targeting Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr., whose house was robbed while he attended a Vikings game in September.
Medina, Minnesota police told NBC News that, as part of the Conley case, it is working with other departments from other states that are investigating burglaries at the homes of high-profile individuals.
“We are aware of some of the other athletes in different states that have had their homes burglarized,” the statement from the Medina police to NBC News said. “Our investigator is working with those agencies and other state and federal partners. We can’t say for sure that they are all related.”
A separate report emerged on Wednesday that the Starfish Lake, Minnesota home of Cowboys and former Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph was robbed in a series of burglaries in the affluent St. Paul suburb. The Sunfish Lake burglaries reportedly share similarities with other crimes targeting professional athletes.
West St. Paul police chief Brian Sturgeon told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the thieves are “using some sophisticated techniques” to determine when people are not in their homes and where exterior cameras are situated. One victim said that burglars are entering second-floor windows that lack glass-break sensors, since security companies usually don’t install such devices on windows that would require the building to be scaled.
So to anyone who might be concerned about being targeted, make sure all windows have glass-break sensors, and make sure the property is blanketed with cameras.
Also, make sure to turn the security system on whenever you leave the house.
On Monday night, a large metal sheet fell from the roof of AT&T Stadium to the playing field. Via ESPN.com, City of Arlington communications coordinator Susan Schrock has since said that the venue is fine.
“Our building inspector and our deputy fire marshal did talk to AT&T Stadium crews today and determined that there weren’t any structural issues with the venue or the roof,” Schrock said. “And that this was in fact just a piece of metal that was a covering lid to one of these cable trays that was blown off by a gust of wind.”
It nevertheless speaks to a design flaw that previously was unknown. Wind gusts happen, and engineers and architects are supposed to take that into account when designing the roof, including the covering lid to the cable tray.
So what else don’t they know about? It’s easy to say there are no structural issues as to the piece that fell. There might be other design flaws that haven’t become obvious yet because there hasn’t been a gust of wind, or an equivalent trigger, to expose it.
Bottom line? Arlington should demand something more than an assurance that the issue with the falling metal on Monday night has been identified and rectified. It should mandate a full review of the building to ensure that no other problems are lurking.
If they don’t — and if there’s a future incident that gets someone injured or worse — the fact that a top-to-bottom review wasn’t done after Monday’s incident will become evidence of failure to ensure that the building is safe for employees and customers to enter.
Beyond being a basic question of liability, it’s also a fundamental matter of right and wrong. The powers-that-be are on notice that there could be unknown issues at the stadium. If they don’t fix it, shame on them.
The Cowboys have three of their starting offensive linemen on their injury report, and both guards missed practice Wednesday.
Right guard Zack Martin (ankle/shoulder) and left guard Tyler Smith (ankle/knee) did not participate in the team’s walk-through.
Left tackle Tyler Guyton (shoulder) was estimated as a full participant.
The Cowboys also practiced without fullback Hunter Luepke (calf) and linebacker Nick Vigil (foot).
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee), linebacker Eric Kendricks (shoulder), defensive Marshawn Kneeland (knee), wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (back/foot) and cornerback Jourdan Lewis (neck) were limited.
Cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) could make his 2024 debut this week as he returned to full participation, and swing tackle Chuma Edoga (toe) appears ready to return from injured reserve after a full practice.
Cowboys safety Markquese Bell will miss the rest of the season with a dislocated left shoulder that may require surgery, Todd Archer of ESPN reports.
Special teams coordinator John Fassel became emotional talking about Bell on Tuesday, knowing the severity of the injury.
Bell was injured while covering a kickoff early in the second quarter Monday night on a muffed catch by Texans returner Dameon Pierce. He did not return.
He played 34 defensive snaps and 168 on special teams in nine games and made six tackles.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said earlier this week that he hopes to have cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the practice field this week, but the veteran won’t be working with the team on Wednesday.
Quinn told reporters that Lattimore, who has a hamstring injury, will work on the side while the rest of the team works to get ready to face the Cowboys at home.
“We’ll see what tomorrow looks like if we’re able to work him into some of the practices,” Quinn said, via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post.
Lattimore has not played for the Commanders since being acquired in a trade with the Saints earlier this month. He had 30 tackles in seven games for the Saints before the trade.
The Cowboys will get two players back on the practice field Wednesday.
The team announced that wide receiver Brandin Cooks and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland have been designated for return from injured reserve.
Cooks developed an infection in his knee after a procedure and last played in Week Four. He had nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown before being sidelined.
Kneeland played in the first five games of the season, but has been out for the last five after injuring his meniscus. The 2024 second-round pick had 10 tackles and a pass defensed in those appearances.
Both players can practice with the team for the next three weeks before the Cowboys will reach a deadline to activate them.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Tuesday he is not giving up play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
“Haven’t considered that,” McCarthy said, via Ed Werder of WFAA. “Don’t think like that.”
The Cowboys rank 20th in total offense and tied for 24th in scoring a year after ranking fifth in yards and first in points last season. Quarterback Dak Prescott, the MVP runner-up to Lamar Jackson in 2023, tore a hamstring in Week 9 and is out for the season.
The team’s defense has been even worse, ranking 27th in yards and 31st in points.
When McCarthy arrived in Dallas in 2020, Kellen Moore remained on staff as offensive coordinator and play caller. The Cowboys dismissed Moore after the 2022 season, and McCarthy resumed being a play caller last season after calling plays during his entire tenure in Green Bay.
The Cowboys, who are 3-7, are expected to move on from McCarthy after the season.
With Colorado thriving in 2024 and coach Deion Sanders being linked to other jobs (on Friday, former Cowboys teammate Michael Irvin made clear his intention to pitch Deion to Jerry Jones), Sanders was asked about the situation at a press conference on Tuesday.
The initial question mentioned college and pro jobs. At no point did Sanders reiterate his comments from 2023 that he would never coach in the NFL.
Then, after joking that the question was “disrespectful” with the Colorado athletic director in the room, Deion said this: “Price. There’s a price of everything.”
He paused before continuing.
“I’m happy where I am, man,” Sanders said. “I’m good. I got a kickstand down. . . . It means I’m resting. I’m good. I’m happy. I’m excited. I’m enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here. Truly do. Next question.”
The kickstand metaphor might be perfect. It’s arguably the best way to describe every college coach. Kickstands are meant to be put down, until they’re put up.
It’s perfect for Deion, who seems to be destined to climb the ladder to a bigger job, the same way he climbed from Jackson State to Colorado. The question is whether he takes another college job, or whether he goes to the NFL.
Monday night’s lopsided game between the Texans and Cowboys nevertheless lit up the ratings.
According to ESPN, the ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 multicast racked up an audience of 17 million viewers, on average. The Texans won the game, 34-10.
The placement of the game on ABC surely pumped up the numbers. Still, given that the Texans had been lackluster in a pair of prime-time games and the Cowboys have played poorly for most of the year (especially at home), an audience that big for a game that lacked sizzle says something.
ESPN didn’t provide a specific number for the ManningCast. That’s a trend that began earlier this year. When ESPN thinks the number for the Peyton and Eli show is good, it’s disclosed. When ESPN thinks it’s not, it isn’t.
Next Monday, the numbers should be much better. On the Monday night before Thanksgiving, the Chargers host the Ravens in the first Harbaugh bowl since Super Bowl XLVII.
Since the owner said he has no desire to see Trey Lance start a game this season, it was a given that Cooper Rush would retain his starting job.
Coach Mike McCarthy made it official Tuesday, announcing during his media availability that Rush will start Sunday at Washington.
McCarthy added that the Cowboys will add some packages for Lance.
Rush threw for a career-high 354 yards in Monday night’s 34-10 loss to the Texans. He completed 32-of-55 passes with a touchdown and an interception.
Both Rush and Lance are free agents in March, and the Cowboys surrendered a fourth-round pick in August 2023 to get Lance from the 49ers.
Rush has played 158 snaps since Prescott’s injury, including 128 of 143 plays the past two games he started. Lance got 15 snaps in mop-up duty in the Week 10 loss to the Eagles.
