Former NFL running back LeShon Johnson has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison after he was convicted of six felonies related to dog fighting.
Authorities seized 190 dogs from Johnson’s property, the most dogs ever seized from any individual in a federal dog fighting investigation. This is Johnson’s second dog fighting conviction; he was also convicted of state dog fighting charges in Oklahoma in 2004.
“LeShon Johnson continued to traffic dogs for illegal fighting despite a 2004 state conviction for similar conduct,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson. “We are grateful to our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the FBI for partnering with ENRD to bring this repeat offender to justice and to the U.S. Marshals Service for executing the biggest rescue operation of its kind.”
The Department of Justice says Johnson made hundreds of thousands of dollars through his dog fighting operation, selling dogs he described as fighting champions, selling puppies he said were bred to be fighting champions, and charging stud fees to other dog fighters so that his champion males could breed with their females.
The 55-year-old Johnson was a third-round pick of the Packers in 1994 and also played for the Cardinals and Giants before finishing his pro football career with the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers.
Cardinals Clips
Signs continue to indicate that Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a major injury during Wednesday’s season opener.
After undergoing a CT scan and X-Rays on Wednesday night, Darnold underwent an MRI on Thursday morning that is under review, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Darnold is expected to miss some time, but Schefter reports the team believes it “dodged a bullet.”
Darnold was sacked on the fifth play from scrimmage in Wednesday night’s game and came off the field with a visible limp. He was examined in the sideline medical tent before going up to the locker room for further evaluation. He was then transported to a local hospital to undergo a CT scan.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said postgame that Darnold did not suffer a fracture, which was positive news.
Drew Lock played in Darnold’s stead and helped lead Seattle to victory. Second-year QB Jalen Milroe is also on Seattle’s 53-man roster.
The Seahawks will be on the road to face the Cardinals in Week 2.
The Seahawks received some positive news on quarterback Sam Darnold, but the extent of his hip injury is still unclear.
In his postgame press conference on Wednesday night, head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters that doctors were able to rule out a fracture.
“Let’s say it’s good news right now. I know our thoughts and prayers are with Sam — we love him. The guys really pulled through for him,” Macdonald said. “At this point, we were able to rule out a fracture. So, there’s some more tests to be done. But that’s what I’m saying when it’s positive, but I know — we’re still working through all that, but right now a fracture is out, which is great news.”
Darnold exited the game in the first quarter after he was sacked on third down to end Seattle’s first possession. After limping off the field, he was examined in the sideline medical tent before limping back up to the locker room for further examination.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Darnold was transported to Harborview Medical Center to undergo a CT scan on his hip. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted Darnold received positive news on the CT scan and his X-Ray, indicating that he was able to avoid a major injury. But Darnold is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday to confirm the diagnosis.
Given the lack of clarity on the injury, Macdonald said he didn’t know what Darnold’s status would be for Seattle’s Week 2 matchup against Arizona.
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said this week that he feels good about running back Jeremiyah Love being in the lineup against the Chargers in Week 1, but it remains to be seen what kind of role the rookie will play coming off of an ankle injury.
It seems clear that any role for Love will include splitting time with Tyler Allgeier. The Cardinals have Allgeier listed as the No. 1 running back on their first depth chart of the regular season. Bam Knight is listed as the third running back.
That was also the case in the preseason, although Love did not play after injuring his ankle in the team’s first game of the summer.
Depth charts can change and it’s hard not to imagine that Love will wind up taking on more and more of the work if he produces the way he did at Notre Dame, but, for now, the Cardinals are calling Allgeier the starter.
Jacoby Brissett who is in his first season as a starter for the Cardinals, was named one of five captains for the team this season.
On Monday, the Cardinals announced results of the players’ captainship vote from Thursday.
Center Hjalte Froholdt was the other offensive captain. Safety Budda Baker and linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. were the defensive captains. Long snapper Casey Kreiter will represent the special teams.
“Whether you are a captain or not a captain, you be who you are within your own personality,” coach Mike LaFleur said, via Darren Urban of the team website. “When you do get voted a captain, that says your teammates and the locker room looks up to you.
“I can’t think of five better people to look up to, in terms of guys who will keep it real with each other, hold people to standards, communicate with me. I don’t need to know everything that’s going on in the locker room. I just need to know what’s pertinent.”
It is the fifth consecutive season for Baker to serve as a captain. Froholdt and Wilson are repeat picks, after becoming captains for the first time in their careers last year.
“There were quite a few guys who I won’t mention who were right up there in the running for it,” LaFleur said. “These guys are still going to have a voice, too. And some of it will be through the silent tape, if that makes sense. That’s as important as anything, actually what you’re doing [on the field].”
Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love injured his ankle in an Aug. 13 preseason game against the Raiders. It was diagnosed as a high-ankle sprain, and he has not practiced or played since.
Love is moving closer to a return, though, and coach Mike LaFleur insinuated that the rookie did something on the practice field Monday.
“Progressing,” LaFleur said, via Bo Brack of PHNX Cardinals. “He was out there moving around today. We’ll see on Wednesday. I’ll have a better idea for all those guys [who are injured].”
The Cardinals will have their first injury report of the season on Wednesday, which will be the first indication of where Love is in his rehab. LaFleur was asked about his optimism for the third overall pick to play against the Chargers.
“Yeah, I feel good,” LaFleur said.
Love had 14 touches for 73 yards in the first half of the only preseason game he played.
Training camp opened with four, and potentially five, NFL quarterback competitions.
In the end, all five jobs went to the older of the two primary contenders.
The first decision came in Minnesota, where Kyler Murray prevailed over 2024 top-10 selection J.J. McCarthy in the first competition to be resolved, before the first preseason game. The backup job there also has apparently gone to the older player, with Carson Wentz seemingly leapfrogging McCarthy. (The Vikings have yet to release their Week 1 depth chart.)
Minnesota will enter the season with three former high first-round picks in their quarterback room. Murray was No. 1 overall in 2019, and Wentz was the second overall pick in 2016.
The next decision was made by the Browns, where Deshaun Watson was made the starter (at least for Week 1 and likely Week 2) two weeks ago today, over 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders. Watson was the 12th overall pick in 2017.
Last week, the Raiders finally declared that Kirk Cousins, who entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2012, would start Week 1 over Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in 2026.
And now the Falcons have gone with Tua Tagovailoa, pick No. 5 in 2020, over Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall selection in 2024. That one feels even more tenuous than Watson in Cleveland; the Falcons were hoping Penix would be ready to go. Ultimately, they decided he wasn’t — and Tua got the nod over Cooper Rush (who’s technically older than Tua).
The fifth competition never became one, because Jacoby Brissett got a new deal done before a hold in gave Gardner Minshew or Carson Beck a chance to learn the new offense and potentially supplant Brissett.
In many situations, winning the starting job to start the season means securing the privilege of eventually being benched. That’s a very real possibility for Watson, Cousins, and Tagovailoa. The safest of them all is Murray, who was likely signed to be the starter — and who is playing for a team that wants to have the same quarterback in place for all 17 regular-season games.
Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson got his long-awaited contract extension this week, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season. It is what he wanted.
“I want to be a centerpiece of trying to flip something,” Wilson said, via Darren Urban of the team website. “That’s way more gratifying and rewarding going through the dark days and tough times when you’ve lost bad games, when there is more Niner fans than Arizona fans [in the stands]. How cool would it be . . . when we are in the race of the playoffs or a playoff team or in the playoffs and being a centerpiece of turning the tides? That sense of loyalty, that just screams the type of player and person I want to be.
“I’ve got so much love for Arizona. Not even tied to the franchise, I could see myself living here the rest of my life.”
While letting his agent handle contract talks, Wilson wasn’t sure the deal would get done before the start of the season. A report Wednesday morning indicated a deal was unlikely, with Wilson set to enter free agency in March.
Wilson saw the report.
“Conversations happened, tides turned and things got done,” Wilson said. “I couldn’t even sleep [with excitement after the deal got done Wednesday night].”
Wilson caught 85 passes for 1,113 yards and seven touchdowns over his first two seasons. The Cardinals wide receiver had 78 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
The team sees him as part of the foundation for the rebuild.
“His approach every single day, it’s just so consistent,” coach Mike LaFleur said. “It’s the meeting rooms, his attention to detail, just how he goes about his business. He’s the perfect example of, ‘Don’t mistake his kindness for weakness.’ This dude is a tough dude, and I’ve gotten to see a little bit more. I knew it, and I’ve seen it, but then you get to see it even a little bit more during competition.”
The Cardinals have crossed the proverbial goal line and are locking up one of their key young offensive players.
According to a joint report from ESPN and NFL Network, receiver Michael Wilson has agreed to a three-year extension with the club.
Wilson, a third-round pick in 2023, was entering the last year of his rookie contract.
The deal is worth $75 million with a maximum value of $78 million with $47 million guaranteed.
Josh Weinfuss of ESPN reported on Wednesday night that there had been “movement” in negotiations and that a deal could happen before the end of the week.
Wilson, 26, set career highs last season with 78 receptions, 1,006 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.
In his 46 career games with 38 starts, Wilson has caught 163 passes for 2,119 yards with 14 TDs.
The Cardinals will open the 2026 season on the road against the Chargers on Sept. 13.
The Cardinals and the representation for wide receiver Michael Wilson have negotiated a contract extension for awhile. Just when it appeared Wilson would enter the season in the final year of his rookie deal, comes word that the sides have made progress.
Josh Weinfuss of ESPN reports that there has been “movement” in negotiations and “something could come down in the next day or so.”
Wilson caught 85 passes for 1,113 yards and seven touchdowns over his first two seasons. The Cardinals wide receiver had 78 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Wilson’s 593 routes for the season were the third-most in the NFL.
He spoke about his contract earlier this offseason, saying “ultimately that stuff is going to take care of itself.”
