NFL owners will discuss a proposal to allow players under contract to participate in flag football when the sport makes its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles.

The league released a proposed resolution on Thursday on the issue that will be considered next week by owners at the spring meetings in Minnesota.

If the resolution is approved by at least 24 of the 32 team owners, the league would be allowed to negotiate with the NFL Players Association, Olympic officials and national governing bodies on the specifics of letting NFL players participate.

The NFL has been making a big push into flag football in hopes of increasing youth participation and opportunities for women in the sport. The league played a major role in making sure the Los Angeles Olympics would be the first with flag football, with events for both men and women.

QB Williams looked for ways to avoid Bears >> Caleb Williams wanted nothing to do with the Chicago Bears as last year’s NFL draft approached, and the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and his father looked into how they could have a hand in which team selected him, according to a book to be published in September.

In “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,” author and ESPN reporter Seth Wickersham describes how Williams and his father, Carl Williams, asked attorneys to find a workaround to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, explored signing with the United Football League and considered publicly ripping Chicago and the Bears to create an untenable situation for the team.

Williams later resigned himself to being drafted by the Bears, and after a pre-draft visit to the team facility, he believed he could help lead a turnaround.

MLB

Former A’s player Kemp retires >> Tony Kemp is calling it a career.

The veteran utility player announced his retirement on social media after nine seasons in the majors.

The 5-foot-6 Kemp hit .237 with 35 home runs and 184 RBIs in 739 games for the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles.

Kemp moved from Houston to Chicago at the trade deadline in 2019, then signed with Oakland before the 2020 season. He enjoyed his best season in 2021, hitting a career-best .279 in 131 games.

Twins’ Correa and Buxton placed in concussion protocol >> Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton were both placed in the concussion protocol following a collision during Thursday’s game against Baltimore.

Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins hit a fly ball to shallow center field leading off the bottom of the third. Correa retreated to the outfield grass in pursuit while Buxton raced in. Buxton appeared to call off Correa at the last minute, but it was too late. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Buxton slammed into the 6-3, 220-pound Correa.

Correa exited the game immediately and was replaced by Jonah Bride. Buxton stayed in for the remainder of the third inning but did not return for the fourth and was replaced by Ty France.

Motor sports

NASCAR hammers Buescher for illegal modifications at Kansas >> NASCAR penalized driver Chris Buescher and his Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing team for illegal modifications to the bumper of his No. 17 Ford at Kansas Speedway.

The sanctioning body docked the team 60 driver points, 60 owner points, five driver playoff points and five owner playoff points for the level one violation. It also fined the team $75,000 and suspended crew chief Scott Graves from the next two races: the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600.

The hefty penalties came three days after Buescher finished eighth at Kansas and dropped him from 12th in the Cup Series point standings to 24th, well out of playoff contention.

Tennis

Sinner routs Ruud to reach Italian Open semifinals >> Maybe it was the pope’s blessing. Or maybe Jannik Sinner just likes playing against Casper Ruud.

Whatever it was, the top-ranked Sinner cranked up his level to near perfection at times in a 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of Ruud in the Italian Open quarterfinals — a day after Sinner was granted an audience with the new tennis-playing pope just down the road at the Vatican.

In his fourth match back after a three-month doping ban, Sinner blasted winners on the lines, finished off points with aggressive overhead smashes and never really let Ruud — one of the best clay-court players on tour — have a chance.

Wrestling

Commentator Jim Ross diagnosed with cancer >> Longtime pro wrestling commentator Jim Ross has colon cancer.

The 73-year-old Ross said in a social media post that he was diagnosed this week and is scheduled to have surgery in the next two weeks.

“I appreciate your concern and support,” he said.

Ross is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment from 1993 to 2013. His catch phrases have seeped into popular culture and made him one of the most popular wrestling play-by-play voices of all time.

Ross, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007, has been with All Elite Wrestling since 2019.