Nearly 500 employees at NFL headquarters in New York turned over phone and email records to investigators looking into how Commissioner Roger Goodell and his staff pursued and handled evidence in the Ray Rice case, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation won’t be made public until former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III releases his report. The report is expected to be completed this month, one of the sources said.
Mueller has been investigating whether anyone at the NFL had seen or obtained video of the former Baltimore Ravens running back striking his then-fiancee inside an elevator at an Atlantic City, New Jersey casino before the video was published online.
League employees were instructed to cooperate with Mueller’s team of investigators and respond immediately to requests for information, the sources said.
Investigators zeroed in on phone calls made from NFL offices to numbers with a New Jersey area code. Employees also were asked to identify certain numbers in question and investigators even called some of the numbers to verify call recipients.
A representative for Mueller, who led the FBI for 12 years under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, declined comment.
Mueller’s team is trying to identify who called a law enforcement official who said he mailed a DVD of the video to league headquarters to the attention of the NFL’s security chief. The official played for the AP a 12-second voicemail from an NFL office number dated April 9, where a woman confirms receipt of the video.
Mueller now works in private practice in a Washington law firm. His probe is being overseen by owners John Mara of the New York Giants and Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the league said three months ago that Mueller would have access to all NFL records and would have full cooperation from league personnel.
Bears: McCaskey shoved by Saints fan during game
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears say chairman George McCaskey was pushed by a New Orleans Saints fan during Monday night’s game at Soldier Field.
Bears spokesman Scott Hagel told Chicago’s WMAQ-TV on Tuesday that McCaskey was allegedly shoved in the back by a Saints fan who was then tackled by a Bears fan. Hagel says security arrived and the Saints fan was removed from the stadium.
Chicago police say 58-year-old Richard Kohnke of New Orleans was arrested and charged with simple battery for pushing someone. Messages left Tuesday by The Associated Press at listed phone numbers for Kohnke were not immediately returned.
Police spokesman Veejay Zala says the altercation took place around 10 p.m. Monday. He didn’t have further details.
Chargers WR Allen has broken collarbone
SAN DIEGO — Keenan Allen, the San Diego Chargers’ leading receiver, has a broken right collarbone, the team said Tuesday.
Allen, who has 77 catches for 783 yards and four touchdowns this season, also injured his right ankle during the Chargers’ loss Sunday to the Denver Broncos.
Coach Mike McCoy said the Chargers have no plans to put Allen on injured reserve.
With Allen’s status in doubt for Saturday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, the Chargers will lean more on wide receivers Malcom Floyd and Eddie Royal.
Eagles LB Cole to miss game against Redskins
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles will likely be without veteran outside linebacker Trent Cole when they face a must-win game against the Redskins on Saturday.
Cole suffered a broken hand in the Eagles’ 38-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Defensive coordinator Bill Davis said it doesn’t look good for the veteran to play Saturday.
“There’s some things he has to decide,” Davis said.
Cole has not decided yet if he is will have surgery on the hand, which would likely end his season. As far as playing this week, the 10-year veteran said he still has time to decide.
“It’s all up in the air,” he said. “We’ll see. We still have time to decide.”
Brandon Graham, who will start in place of Cole, will make his first start since the 2012 season when he was a defensive end in a 4-3 alignment.
Last year, under Davis, the Eagles switched to a 3-4 and Graham became the team’s backup outside linebacker to Cole and Connor Barwin.
Graham said Tuesday he’s ready to play with the same intensity as Cole.
“We’ve been together for five years now — I can’t believe it’s been five years already — but I’ve learned a lot from him in those years and I’m ready,” Graham said.
By wire sources