FOOTBALL

Patriots sign linebacker, release wide receiver

The New England Patriots signed veteran linebacker James Anderson and released wide receiver Mark Harrison.

Anderson started all 16 games with Chicago last year after spending his other seven NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He had 102 tackles and four sacks for the Bears.

Harrison spent last season on the Patriots’ reserve-non-football injury list after signing as a rookie free agent out of Rutgers last May.

• San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick received a new six-year contract extension that keeps him with the franchise through the 2020 season.

ESPN reported the deal is worth more than $110 million.

• The Super Bowl will scrap the Roman numerals for a year.

The 50th edition of the game will be played in February 2016 in Santa Clara, California. The NFL said it will be called “Super Bowl 50” instead of “Super Bowl L.”

• Former Pro Bowl defender Marcellus Wiley added his name to a lawsuit accusing NFL teams of illegally dispensing powerful narcotics and other drugs to keep players on the field without regard for their long-term health.

• The NFL suspended New York Giants defensive back Jayron Hosley for the first four games of the 2014 season for violating the substance abuse policy.

• Giants running back David Wilson has not been cleared for contact work and probably won’t be before training camp begins in late July.

Wilson underwent a CT scan on his neck, in which he suffered a herniated disk last October. Giants team physician Dr. Russell Warren told the team’s website that Wilson has made significant progress.

HOCKEY

WORLD CUP: The NHL and the players’ union are deep in conversations about staging another World Cup of Hockey in two years.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league and the NHLPA have held “very substantive discussions” recently about the return of the tournament, which hasn’t been held since 2004.

The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was staged in seven cities in North America and Europe, with the final in Toronto.

AHL: The Detroit Red Wings agreed to a three-year contract with Coach Jeff Blashill to lead their American Hockey League team, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

SOCCER

EXHIBITION: Wayne Rooney ended his four-game international goal drought as an experimental England side drew 2-2 with Ecuador in a feisty World Cup warm-up match at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Both teams ended with 10 men after Raheem Sterling was dismissed in the 79th minute for a sliding challenge on Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia, who saw red for pushing the Englishman and going to grab his throat.

GOLF

PRESIDENTS CUP: Jay Haas was chosen to be the next U.S. captain for the Presidents Cup and Nick Price returns as captain for the International team.

Haas played in the matches twice as a captain’s pick. He has been the assistant captain to Fred Couples the last three times, all American victories.

The United States has only lost the Presidents Cup one time – in 1998 at Royal Melbourne. The teams tied in 2003 in South Africa.

The Presidents Cup will be Oct. 8-11, 2015, at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. It will be the first time the matches are played in Asia.

– From news service reports