Lady Raiders blown out by Gordonsville in regular season finale

Steelers' Justin Fields 'definitely competing' to be QB1

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields credits Bears general manager Ryan Poles for staying true to a promise by trading the former first-round pick to his preferred destination. Fields landed in Pittsburgh in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick as potential competition for Russell Wilson after the Bears decided to use the No. 1 overall pick to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Once that decision crystallized for Chicago, Poles personally committed to "doing right by Justin Fields." "Shoutout to Poles," Fields said Tuesday after organized team activities with the Steelers. "We communicated to him through my agent, and I told him where I wanted to be and this was a place I wanted to be, so he honored that and I appreciate him for that. Nothing but love for the city, the fans, my teammates and coaches." If Fields plays more than 51 percent of the total snaps for the Steelers in 2024, Chicago's draft compensation in return is upgraded to a fourth-round pick. They cleared the depth chart in a matter of weeks, dealing former starter Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles and allowing Mason Rudolph to join the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Fields, the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft, had 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in three seasons with the Bears. It's also a fresh start for Wilson, who enters Year 13 with something to prove. He signed with the Steelers after being released by the Broncos despite a total cap hit of more than $80 million. Fields said he's grateful to be in Pittsburgh and declined to answer whether the Bears did everything they could to facilitate his growth on the field. "It is what it is. That's in the past," Fields said. As for his next chapter with the Steelers, Fields said his intentions are clear inside the building. "I'm definitely competing. Russ knows that," Fields said. "We're competing against each other every day. I definitely don't have the mindset of me just sitting every day. I'm pushing him to be his best and he's pushing me to be my best each and every day." Fields said he's not the same quarterback he was last year. "I have a lot more room to grow," Fields said. "I'm going to continue to get better each and every day. I'm nowhere near my ceiling." --Field Level Media

Bills QB Josh Allen celebrates 28th birthday with WR intros

Bills quarterback Josh Allen celebrated his 28th birthday on Tuesday by slinging passes to supporting cast members and introducing himself to new wide receivers. Buffalo enters the seventh season with Allen under center with a number of changes in the program, specifically the wide receiver depth chart. Gabe Davis left in free agency and Stefon Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans. Allen has passed for 22,703 yards with 167 touchdowns in his career while embracing becoming the face of the franchise. When the Bills flipped a considerable portion of the roster in the offseason -- in part due to Allen's market-aligned pay consuming 22.4 percent of the salary cap -- head coach Sean McDermott challenged Allen to dig further into a leadership role. "Tremendously impressed, proud," McDermott said of Allen's growth. "The type of person he is. The type of character he possesses. The things that he is -- like most franchise quarterbacks probably -- has to do, beyond the field. And how he handles those things, to me, that's what I'm most proud of." Signed as a free agent after winning two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, Marquez Valdes-Scantling is still getting to know Allen. But his initial takeaway had nothing to do with Allen's rocket launcher for a throwing arm. "Josh is normal," Valdes-Scantling said. "One of the best quarterbacks in the league might have an ego. But the best thing is, Josh is a normal dude." The Bills also added Keon Coleman with the No. 33 pick in the draft, giving Allen a pair of 6-foot-4 targets to help ease the loss of the reliable Diggs. Allen said he can sense Coleman has plenty of tools to work with before he ever takes the field. "He can move and he can jump," Allen said. Allen said the 29-year-old Valdes-Scantling and fellow veteran newcomer Curtis Samuel are very good leaders in the wide receiver room and Coleman has shown the willingness to study and learn. "It's a fun process to get to know some of these guys on and off the field. Get to know their body language, where and how to throw the football. That's the fun part," Allen said. --Field Level Media

Dolphins stress communication with absent QB Tua Tagovailoa

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel can deal with an occasional absence from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, even during negotiations toward a long-term contract extension. Tagovailoa was excused from Tuesday's team workout after attending Monday. He played in former Alabama head coach Nick Saban's annual charity golf tournament, a date previously cleared by the Dolphins. "I think what's important in the player-coach relationship is communication," McDaniel said after noting Tagovailoa doesn't have perfect attendance and has "been here and not been here," during OTAs. "I think however things play out, as long as we're communicating and we're on our P's and Q's in what we need to get accomplished, then we have a fighting chance. It's been a good exercise in our relationship this offseason." This is the final season on the rookie deal Tagovailoa signed, a fifth-year team option worth $23.1 million. But the going rate for plus starters in the NFL is more than double that rate annually. McDaniel said Tuesday he wouldn't speak for Tagovailoa regarding specific reasons or rationale behind other absences. The Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa fifth overall in 2020 and he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards in 2023. He also tallied 29 touchdown passes and largely stayed healthy. For the first time in his pro career, he played all 17 games in the regular season after concussions impacted his 2022 season. Last summer, Tagovailoa dedicated himself to martial arts in an effort to promote safer landings -- thus avoiding head injuries from helmet-to-turf contact. This offseason is all about getting cut, improving agility and being more of a threat outside of the pocket. McDaniel said Tagovailoa, 26, is down "10 to 15 pounds." "The results speak for themselves," McDaniel said. "He's svelte." --Field Level Media

Report: Assault charge dropped against Rashee Rice

One of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice's legal problems appears to have been resolved. NFL Network reported Tuesday that assault charges from an alleged incident in Dallas have been dropped. Rice had been under investigation by Dallas police after a photographer was injured outside of a Dallas nightclub on May 5. According to NFL Network, the photographer filed an affidavit with police saying it was a "misunderstanding" and requesting all charges to be dropped. Rice, 24, is participating in the Chiefs' voluntary offseason activities this week as he continues to navigate legal issues from two separate incidents. When the alleged nightclub assault took place, Rice already was in trouble in Dallas for his connection to a six-car crash on March 30. He turned himself in to police several days later and faces one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. Seven people were left with injuries, including at least one woman who sustained "serious bodily injury" and another who was stranded on the highway with her 4-year-old son for about five hours after the crash. The Chiefs are bracing for a multi-game suspension for Rice, ESPN previously reported. The team and the league are waiting for the legal process to play out on both incidents. Rice was second only to tight end Travis Kelce in catches (79) and receiving yards (938) among the Chiefs pass catchers as a rookie in 2023. He led the Super Bowl champions with seven receiving touchdowns. --Field Level Media

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell took part in the team's OTAs on Tuesday, less than a month after he suffered a minor wound in a shooting in Sanford, Fla. In the incident, Dell, 24, was shot in the leg and hospitalized briefly. Dell was one of 10 people wounded in a shooting outside of a nightclub, according to media reports from Florida. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office said none of the victims' injuries were life-threatening. A 16-year-old was arrested and charged with attempted homicide and other charges. "Happy for Tank to get back out there. He went through a very tragic situation," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters Tuesday. "We're just happy that he's here, happy that he's back out being able to do what he loves doing and that's playing football. It's fun to see him running around. Being that same player he's been before, making plays and being a dynamic player for us. Everyone is excited to see Tank." The Texans selected Dell in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he went on to have a strong rookie season with 47 receptions for 709 yards and seven touchdowns over his first 11 games (eight starts). He suffered a broken leg early in a Week 12 game against Denver and missed the rest of the season. --Field Level Media