Update on the latest sports

NFL-NEWS

Heat illness sidelines Cowboys’ Nsekhe

UNDATED (AP) — Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe (nih-SEHK’-ee) is out for Sunday’s game at the Los Angeles Chargers after being hospitalized overnight because of heat illness.

Coach Mike McCarthy says Nsekhe was treated after practice Thursday. The athletic trainers decided to send him to the hospital because they didn’t like the way the 35-year-old was responding to rehydration. He was released Friday morning.

The temperature was approaching 90 degrees with about 50% humidity when the team’s roughly two-hour practice ended.

In other NFL news:

—The Los Angeles Chargers have placed starting offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga (buh-LAH’-gah) on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least three games. Bulaga was battling groin and back injuries throughout training camp. He started at right tackle during last Sunday’s opener at Washington, playing 45 snaps before being sidelined early in the third quarter after tweaking his back. He didn’t practice this week as the Chargers prepare for Sunday’s home opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Storm Norton came in for Bulaga last week and is expected to get the start at right tackle.

—The back issue that bothered Green Bay outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith throughout the preseason will now force the Packers to play without their Pro Bowl pass rusher for the next few weeks. Packers coach Matt LaFleur says Smith is going on injured reserve. The Packers host the Detroit Lions on Monday night. Smith has 26 sacks for the Packers over the last two seasons. He practiced just one day during training camp and played 18 snaps in the Packers’ 38-3 season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints.

—Cleveland Browns starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. is going on injured reserve with a hamstring issue that will keep him out at least three games. Walker signed as a free agent in March after four seasons with Indianapolis. He led Cleveland with nine tackles in last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s also the Browns’ signal caller on defense. Cleveland may also be without starting left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., who hurt his ankle in last week’s game. His backup, Chris Hubbard, has a triceps injury and was ruled out for Sunday’s home opener against Houston.

—Linebacker Kyle Van Noy is out for the Patriots matchup with the Jets with a throat injury. An abdomen issue will also sideline kicker Quinn Nordin. The undrafted rookie was a healthy scratch for last week’s opener against Miami. In addition, tight end Jonnu Smith (hip), right tackle Trent Brown (calf), tackle Yodny Cajuste (hamstring) and linebacker Ronnie Perkins (shoulder) are all listed as questionable for New England’s first road trip of the season.

—Miami Dolphins wide receiver Will Fuller will be away from the team indefinitely while he deals with a personal issue. He has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against Buffalo. Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Fuller’s situation will be considered a day-to-day issue and that the speedy wide receiver would remain on the active roster. Fuller returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since being activated from a six-game suspension he was handed last season for a performance-enhancing drug violation. He did not practice Thursday and was ruled out Friday.

—New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton says the club has decided to continue practicing at TCU next week in preparation for their Week 3 game at New England before returning to their New Orleans-area headquarters in Week 4. Payton says they plan to host the New York Giants in the Superdome. The Saints have been displaced to the Dallas area since Aug. 28. They left New Orleans as Hurricane Ida approached Louisiana’s coast. The Saints had to cancel their final preseason home game and move their first regular season home game last week to Jacksonville.

—Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs will miss this week’s game at Pittsburgh with injuries to his toe and ankle. Jacobs didn’t practice all week for the Raiders after rushing for 34 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening 33-27 win in overtime against Baltimore on Monday night. Coach Jon Gruden said Friday that Jacobs won’t play Sunday against the Steelers. The Raiders gave free agent Kenyan Drake an $11 million, two-year contract this offseason to give the team another option out of the backfield with Jacobs but Gruden says Peyton Barber also will take a big load.

—The list of kickers signed by the Tennessee Titans just keeps growing with the addition of Ryan Santoso to the practice squad Friday. Randy Bullock will kick Sunday for the Titans in Seattle as their fourth different kicker since training camp started. Santoso provides some insurance with Sam Ficken and Tucker McCann both on injured reserve. This is Santoso’s second stint with Tennessee. Santoso spent three weeks with the Titans in 2019 and spent last season on the New York Giants’ practice squad.

LSU-GAMBLING SPONSORSHIP

LSU, Caesars Sportsbook, enter sponsorship agreement

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LSU and Caesar’s Sportsbook have announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement that makes Louisiana’s flagship state university the first in the Southeastern Conference to enter a financial partnership with a gambling company.

A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that Caesars will pay LSU “multiple millions” of dollars for signage at Tiger Stadium and other LSU sports venues.

The deal comes as Louisiana, already home to several land-based or riverboat casinos, prepares to permit legal sports betting. The state’s Gaming Control Board is accepting casino applications for sports betting licenses.

The deal also comes as national rules governing college sports have begun to allow college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness without jeopardizing their eligibility. It remains unclear with players older than 21 will be able to participate in any of Caesar’s advertising campaigns at LSU or around the state.