NFL ROUNDUP Friday’s news

Houston Texans

GM Brian Gaine fired after 18 months

HOUSTON

The Houston Texans have abruptly fired general manager Brian Gaine less than 18 months after he took the job.

The team announced the move Friday with a statement from team owner Cal McNair, who said only that “while the timing may be unusual, this decision was made in the best interest of the organization in our quest to build a championship team.”

The Texans went 11-5 in 2018, Gaine’s first season in charge after he spent the 2017 as vice president of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills.

Senior vice president of football administration Chris Olsen will run the team’s football operations while the Texans search for a new general manager.

Kansas City Chiefs

Prosecutor: Criminal probe of Hill inactive

OLATHE, Kan.

A criminal investigation into allegations that Kansas City Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill’s son was abused is no longer active.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe told The Kansas City Star Friday he would re-evaluate his decision if new evidence emerges. Howe said he still believes the 3-year-old boy was hurt but he declined in April to file charges because he couldn’t prove who injured the child.

The Chiefs suspended Hill on April 25 after a local television station aired a recording of a conversation between Hill and his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, discussing the boy’s injuries. Hill has consistently maintained his innocence, saying his son’s health is his top priority.

At the time, owner Clark Hunt said he was “deeply disturbed” by the audio recording. Chiefs spokesman Ted Crews said Friday the team would have no new comment on Hill’s situation. Hill has been banned from the team’s offseason voluntary workouts. The Chiefs end their offseason next week with mandatory minicamp.

Green Bay Packers

Team will wear helmet decal to honor Starr

MILWAUKEE

The Packers will wear a No. 15 helmet decal this season to pay tribute to Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr.

The organization announced Friday that it also will honor Starr during halftime of the team’s home opener Sept. 15 against the Vikings. Dozens of former Packers, including some of Starr’s former teammates, are expected to be in attendance.

Green Bay also is awarding a $250,000 impact grant to the Bart and Cherry Starr Foundation. The grant will benefit four charitable organizations that the Starr family supports.

Starr died on May 26 while recovering from the effects of a stroke suffered in 2014. He was 85.

Starr was the quarterback of the Packers from 1956-1971, winning a total of five titles, including the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968. He was MVP in both games.

PFWA AWARD

Horrigan wins award named for his father

Football historian Joe Horrigan, who retired on June 1 as executive director after 42 years on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s staff, has been selected as the 2019 Jack Horrigan Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America.

Joe, son of the late Jack Horrigan, is the 47th award winner. He’s the second person who has worked for the Hall of Fame to receive the honor, joining Don Smith (1997).

The Jack Horrigan Award is given to the league or club official for qualities and professional style in helping the pro football writers do their job. The award is named for a sports writer for UPI and the Buffalo Evening News, public relations director for the American Football League (1963-66) and vice president of public relations for the Buffalo Bills (1966-73).

Joe Horrigan was nominated for the award for his meticulous documentation of pro football history and making that history accessible to journalists during his tenure at the Hall of Fame.

Associated Press