NFL Minicamp and OTA Dates Announced

Following are the rookie and veteran minicamp dates for 2012, as well as the organized team activity (OTA) dates.

Clubs are permitted to hold a rookie minicamp on one of the first two weekends after the NFL Draft and conduct one mandatory minicamp for veteran players.  Clubs with new head coaches, however, are permitted to conduct one additional voluntary minicamp for veteran players.  There is no restriction on the number of minicamps a club may hold for rookie players.

For the complete release, click here

NFL Expands Overall Roster Limit to 90 Players

Overall roster limits have been expanded from 80 to 90 players per club, the NFL announced yesterday. This will provide teams with greater roster flexibility and allow more players to be developed and evaluated.

The 90-player roster limit, which goes into effect today at 4:00 PM ET, includes players on the active, inactive, practice squad, and exempt lists, and the following reserve lists: injured, physically unable to perform, non-football illness, non-football injury, suspended (for less than one year), future, drafted-unsigned, exclusive rights, first refusal rights, unrestricted free agents with an individually negotiated right of first refusal, franchise, and transition.

The first roster reduction is to 75 players on the active list and will occur at 4:00 PM ET on the Tuesday, August 28 following preseason week 3. The final roster reduction is to 53 players on the active list and will occur at 9:00 PM ET on Friday, August 31 of preseason week 4.

2012 NFL Draft Notes

For the complete release, click here

2012 NFL Draft – All in the Family

Every year, many players join the National Football League from families rich in athletic tradition. Here is a sampling of draft prospects who had family members compete at either the collegiate or professional level in the world of sports.

For the complete release, click here

2012 NFL Schedule Announced

– 2012 Schedules Available on NFL.com and NFL Mobile –

The NFL announced today its 17-week, 256-game regular-season schedule for 2012, which kicks off on Wednesday night, September 5 and concludes on Sunday, December 30 with 16 division games.

The season begins with the NFL’s annual primetime kickoff game. The opener on September 5 on NBC (8:30 PM ET) will feature the defending-champion New York Giants hosting the division-rival Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. In a format introduced in 2004, the Super Bowl champion annually hosts the NFL season opener.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football will get underway on September 9 when the Denver Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers (8:20 PM ET) in a rematch of last season’s Wild Card playoff thriller.

Among the highlights of Kickoff Weekend are six division games, including a pair on Monday night, September 10.  ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheader will feature the AFC North’s Cincinnati Bengals at the Baltimore Ravens (7:00 PM ET) followed by the AFC West’s Oakland Raiders hosting the San Diego Chargers (10:15 PM ET). 

For the remainder of the season, ESPN will televise one game each Monday night in Weeks 2-15 and a Saturday-night contest in Week 16. There will be no Monday night game on the final regular-season weekend (Week 17) to provide more flexibility to the scheduling of the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs.

For the complete release and schedule, click here

Record 26 Players to Attend 2012 NFL Draft

A record twenty-six top prospects are confirmed to attend the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the NFL announced today. That includes a record five players from BCS National Champion Alabama: S Mark Barron, LB Dont’a Hightower, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Trent Richardson and LB Courtney Upshaw. 

Louisiana State will have three players in attendance, while Baylor, South Carolina, Southern California and Stanford will each have two players in New York this year.

For the complete release, click here.

Discipline Upheld In Saints Bounty Matter; Financial Penalties For Individuals Could Be Reduced

The New Orleans Saints, along with General Manager Mickey Loomis, Head Coach Sean Payton, and Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt, were notified today that after careful consideration of their appeals, Commissioner Roger Goodell has upheld the discipline that was imposed for continuing violations of the league’s anti-bounty rule that endangered player safety over a three-year period.

The club and the individuals will be expected to cooperate in any further proceedings and to assist in the development and implementation of programs to instruct players and coaches at all levels on principles of player safety, fair play, and sportsmanship.

If they embrace the opportunity and participate in a constructive way, Commissioner Goodell said he would consider mitigating the financial penalties on the individuals. In the case of the team, the commissioner would consider whether there are factors that would support modifying the forfeiture of the team’s 2013 second-round draft choice.

Sean Payton’s suspension without pay for the 2012 NFL season will begin on April 16.

The suspensions without pay of Mickey Loomis for eight games and Joe Vitt for six games will begin at the end of the preseason.

At the conclusion of their suspensions, the commissioner will review the status of each of the three individuals to determine their eligibility for reinstatement.

2012 Preseason Schedule Announced; National TV Games Feature 2011 Playoff Field

The NFL’s slate of 12 nationally televised preseason games will feature the entire 2011 playoff field, one of the highlights of the 65-game 2012 NFL preseason schedule announced today. 

The 2012 preseason will kick off on Sunday, August 5 (NFL Network, 8:00 PM ET) in Canton, Ohio when the Arizona Cardinals face the New Orleans Saints in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. 

The Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants will be showcased on national TV when the club faces the Chicago Bears on Friday, August 24 (CBS, 8:00 PM ET) at MetLife Stadium.

For the complete 2012 preseason schedule , click here

Giants & Cowboys Kick Off Season On Wednesday, September 5

The Super Bowl champion New York Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in the 2012 season-opening NFL Kickoff game on Wednesday, September 5 (NBC, 8:30 PM ET), the NFL announced today.

NBC will televise the game at 8:30 PM ET and NFL Kickoff 2012 at 7:30 PM ET.

Continuing a tradition that started in 2004, the previous year’s Super Bowl winner hosts the NFL Kickoff game to open the following season.

For the complete release, click here

2012 NFL Draft Order

For the 2012 NFL Draft order for all seven rounds, including compensatory selections, click here