Sports

No, Todd Bowles won't be retiring.

Last December, Bill Belichick consigliere Mike Lombardi was spreading the phony rumor that Bowles could be calling it a career. Some viewed that as an effort to speak a desirable vacancy for Belichick into existence.

Even without Bowles retiring, the Bucs were a team to watch — given their history of interesting (to say the least) decisions when it comes to their coaches.

With Bowles getting a multi-year extension, it means that the Bucs won't be a path back to pro football for Belichick in 2026. Or maybe ever.

There aren't many other viable spots. Miami could be interesting, if owner Stephen Ross is willing to rankle the fan base by hiring Don Shula's nemesis as Belichick chases Shula's all-time wins record.

For now, it feels as if the Bowles extension delays (and potentially destroys) the most viable (or the least non-viable) option Belichick had at the next level.

Several months ago, the folks at North Carolina would have reacted to that with relief. Now? Well, it may not quite be relief.

The performer who protested during halftime of the Super Bowl was not arrested at the time. He has been arrested now.

Via Marco Cartolano of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Louisiana State Police said Thursday that Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, 41, is accused of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace by interruption of a lawful assembly.

Nantambu displayed a Palestinian and Sudanese flag as an act of protest during the Super Bowl LIX halftime show at the Superdome in New Orleans. He received a lifetime ban from all NFL events.

The authorities determined that, while Nantambu had a right to be on the field, he deviated from his role and disrupted the event.

"We commend the Louisiana State Police for its diligence and professionalism in this matter. We take any attempt to disrupt any part of an NFL game, including the halftime show, very seriously and are pleased this individual will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," chief NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Cartolano.

And here's the Mad Libs kicker to this story. Nantambu has claimed he’s the man at whom Antonio Brown shot a gun at following a fight at a Miami boxing event in May.

The Patriots have moved on from one of their young defensive players.

New England announced on Thursday that the club has waived defensive tackle Wilfried Pene.

Pene had signed with the Patriots in the spring as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech. He had 3.5 sacks for the Hokies in his final collegiate season.

New England currently has Christian Barmore, Joshua Farmer, Isaiah Iton, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Jahvaree Ritzie, and Jaquelin Roy listed on their roster at defensive tackle.