Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:orgs/american_football_conferencetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/owners_alter_rules_head_safety_2ab5

National Football League players will be penalized for using the crown of their helmet against defenders and quarterbacks figure to fumble more often under rule changes adopted Wednesday.

2013-03-20T18:32:19ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Hasselbeck_joins_Colts_backup_Luck_d904

Matt Hasselbeck signed a free agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, a day after the 14-season National Football League quarterback was released by the Tennessee Titans.

2013-03-19T17:33:54ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/16/veteran_Stallworth_burned_hot-air_balloon_f240

National Football League free agent receiver Donte Stallworth suffered severe burns when a hot-air balloon containing him and his girlfriend struck power lines on Saturday, the Miami Herald reported.

2013-03-16T21:21:43ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/13/Welker_signs_two-year_deal_with_5ec5

Receiver Wes Welker, who is New England's all-time reception leader, has signed a two-year contract with the Denver Broncos.

2013-03-14T01:31:50ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/12/Bills_dump_Fitzpatrick_after_woeful_2466

Ryan Fitzpatrick was released by the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, 18 months after the National Football League team signed the quarterback to a six-year contract extension worth $59 million.

2013-03-12T21:00:11ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/12/Gonzalez_puts_retirement_stay_with_5790

Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez has changed his mind about retirement, saying Tuesday he will rejoin the NFL club after falling one game short of reaching last month's Super Bowl.

2013-03-12T19:52:39ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/04/Flacco_inks_record_deal_after_8ef8

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco signed the richest contract in National Football League history Monday, a six-year deal worth $120.6 million to stay with the Super Bowl champions.

2013-03-04T19:38:47ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/02/Flacco_agrees_Ravens_contract_647f

Super Bowl most valuable player Joe Flacco has agreed to terms on a new contract with the Baltimore Ravens, the Baltimore Sun reported.

2013-03-02T04:33:42ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/Chiefs_obtain_Smith_from_49ers_b8fe

Two decades after NFL legend Joe Montana left the San Francisco 49ers for Kansas City, another star quarterback -- Alex Smith -- is set to leave the 49ers and join the Chiefs, according to reports.

2013-02-27T18:53:38ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/25/Brady_sign_lucrative_extension_report_17b2

Three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the New England Patriots, according to a report in Sports Illustrated.

2013-02-26T01:29:19ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/21/Americans_frequent_victims_seafood_fraud_06db

Fish sold in the United States is often deliberately mislabeled, making American consumers the unwitting victims of "widespread seafood fraud," according to a report out Thursday.

2013-02-21T21:32:26ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/08/Faulty_relay_device_blamed_Super_49f7

An electrical relay device installed at the Superdome to help prevent blackouts failed and caused the power outage that shut down the Super Bowl, the suppliers said on Friday.

2013-02-08T18:45:08ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/07/figure_Saints_bounty_scheme_reinstated_7583

Gregg Williams, the major figure in the New Orleans Saints payoffs-for-injuries bounty scheme, was reinstated Thursday by the National Football League after being suspended indefinitely 11 months ago.

2013-02-07T18:58:09ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/07/Vikings_star_rusher_Peterson_undergoes_eade

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson underwent successful hernia surgery on Thursday to repair a torn abdominal muscle, the National Football League team announced.

2013-02-07T18:22:04ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/05/Baltimore_celebrates_Super_Bowl_champ_0402

The city of Baltimore welcomed their Super Bowl-winning Ravens home with a raucous party on Tuesday, with defensive star Ray Lewis taking center stage after the triumph in his final NFL game.

2013-02-05T22:09:23ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/04/Super_Bowl_Flacco_eyes_contract_5bda

Joe Flacco has his Super Bowl MVP trophy and his first NFL championship ring and now the Baltimore Ravens quarterback says it is time to negotiate a new contract.

2013-02-04T20:31:52ZAFP Global Editionby Greg Heakestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/04/Ravens_edge_49ers_capture_Super_874e

The Baltimore Ravens captured their second Super Bowl title by squeezing past San Francisco 34-31 in a championship game that featured a 35-minute power failure at the Superdome.

2013-02-04T11:15:21ZAFP Global Editionby Greg Heakestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/04/Blackout_just_Super_blip_Ravens_886f

In one of the most electrifying Super Bowls on the field, the Baltimore Ravens overcame a 35-minute stadium power failure Sunday to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31.

2013-02-04T11:11:09ZAFP American Editionby Greg Heakestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/04/Lewis_takes_final_bows_champion_1bee

Ray Lewis said so long to the National Football League Sunday and he did it in style, going out a champion after the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl 47.

2013-02-04T11:10:46ZAFP American Editionby Greg Heakestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/04/Sentimentality_scoops_Super_Bowl_c9eb

Unabashed sentimentality took the unofficial Super Bowl trophy for advertising brilliance on Sunday, with draft horses and pickup trucks both putting a lump in America's collective throat.

2013-02-04T11:10:11ZAFP Global Editionby Robert MacPherson