The NFL has suspended former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the first 10 weeks next season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The league announced the punishment Thursday. It takes effect on Aug. 26, which is roster cutdown day, and Tucker is eligible for reinstatement on Nov. 11.

He is a free agent after the Ravens released him last month in the aftermath of reports that he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by massage therapists.

The Baltimore Banner since January has reported that more than a dozen massage therapists have accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior.

A five-time All-Pro, the 35-year-old Tucker has played his entire 13-year career with Baltimore.

Coming off his worst season Tucker is considered one of the best kickers in NFL history.

Bucs extend contracts of Bowles, GM Licht

The Buccaneers signed general manager Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles to multi-year contract extensions.

Bowles is coming off his third year as coach in which he led the Bucs to a fourth-straight NFC South title.

He was promoted in 2022 after Bruce Arians stepped down following the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV victory. Bowles had previously served as the team’s defensive coordinator for three seasons.

His 27 regular-season victories are the franchise’s second-best total through three seasons behind Arians.

Licht is the fifth longest-tenured general manager in the league as he enters his 12th season.

Along with drafting and re-signing key players in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs, Vita Vea and Antoine Winfield Jr., Licht played a significant role in the acquisition of Tom Brady.

Saints

St. Paul can’t hang onto early lead vs. Louisville

An Austin Martin home run gave the Saints a first-inning lead, but it was gone by the top of the second in a 4-2 loss to Louisville at CHS Field.

Martin went 2 for 4 on the day, with Aaron Sabato driving in St. Paul’s other run on an RBI double in the fourth.

The Bats eased past their hosts with their two-run second to go with lone runs in the seventh and ninth innings.

Starting pitcher Trent Baker took the loss after giving up five hits and two earned runs in five innings. Reliever Travis Adams matched those statistics over four innings.

St. Paul and Louisville are each 1-1 in the early running of the second half of the International League season.

NHL

League, NHLPA close to 4-year CBA extension

Two people familiar with negotiations say the NHL and NHL Players’ Association are close to an agreement on a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement.

They confirmed that going to an 84-game season from 82 is among the changes coming.

The league and union have been in talks since April and are on the verge of a deal more than a year before the current CBA expires.

Other changes include shortening the maximum length of contracts and adding a playoff salary cap.

Benn remains with Stars on 1-year, $1M extension

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has signed a one-year contract to stay with the only team he has played for in his 16 NHL seasons.

The deal has a base salary of $1 million, plus an additional $3 million in potential performance bonuses. This past season was the end of Benn’s $76 million, eight-year contract.

Benn, who turns 36 on July 18, had 16 goals and 33 assists in 80 regular-season games. It was the 13th time in his career to be over 40 points in a season, though he had only one goal and two assists in Dallas’ 18 postseason games.

Mike Modano is the only player in franchise history with more than Benn’s 1,192 regular-season games, 399 goals and 956 points.

golf

Hensby, Harrington pace U.S. Senior Open field

Padraig Harrington made four birdies, though it was the bogey he saved after losing a tee shot deep in a thicket of trees on the 15th hole that helped him keep a share of the first-round lead with Mark Hensby at the U.S. Senior Open.

The leaders shot 3-under 67 for a one-shot edge over a group of six, including Stewart Cink, who hit the first 17 greens before making bogey after coming up short on No. 18.

It was quite a different scene for Hensby, who made seven birdies on his front nine and got to 6 under at the turn, but finished bogey-bogey for his 67.

Roy, Potgeier share Rocket Classic lead

Kevin Roy and Aldrich Potgieter each shot 10-under 62 to break the Rocket Classic record and share the first-round lead.

Detroit Golf Club has been one of the easiest courses since the PGA Tour made it an annual stop in 2019.

A pair of Korn Ferry graduates took full advantage.

Potgieter, the 20-year-old South African who grew up in Australia, started at No. 10 and set a tournament record with a 7-under 29 on the back nine. He added three birdies on his back nine and caught the left edge on a 12-foot putt on his final hole.

Potgieter and the 35-year-old Roy each had an eagle and eight birdies in bogey-free rounds.

Dryburgh, Porter tied atop Dow leaderboard

Cassie Porter drove the green on a reachable par 4 and chipped in to start a streak of three straight birdies, teaming with Gemma Dryburgh in foursomes for a 4-under 66 to lead the Dow Championship in the LPGA Tour’s only team event.

The duo dropped only one shot and finished with six straight pars for a one-shot lead over six teams, including Lexi Thompson and Meghan Kang, and Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho.

The defending champions are Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul, both among the top five in the women’s world ranking.

They were among those two shots behind at 68.

Dryburgh is a 32-year-old from Scotland, while Porter is a 22-year-old Australian in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

They carefully picked out which holes for the longer Porter to start at Midland Country.

— From news services