Brett Favre needs surgery on his left ankle in order to play this season for the Minnesota Vikings, he said in a statement posted on his website. The quarterback said he has had surgery on it twice before, but that the injury "is not debilitating" and he has come through far worse. "I don't believe major surgery on the ankle would be required for me to return in 2010," he said. The holder of all the NFL's major career passing records, Favre will turn 41 in October.
Jeff Feagles, the New York Giants punter, announced his retirement after 22 seasons and a league-record 352 consecutive games. The league's oldest active player at 44, Feagles signed a contract earlier this month to play another season, but changed his mind after having trouble getting in shape. He never missed a game throughout his career.
A gang member convicted of killing Darrent Williams, the Denver Broncos cornerback, in a drive-by shooting, was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,152 years after family members recounted the devastating impact of the killing. Willie Clark, 26, was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2007 slaying. Williams died in the arms of Javon Walker, his teammate.