Irsay also gave $1 million to the Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis last month to help in relief efforts.

Less than a week after Patriots owner Robert Kraft sent their team plane to China to pick up 1.2 million masks for Massachusetts and New York , the Indianapolis owner said on social media: “Just procured 10,000+ masks (N-95) and am passing them along to Indiana State Dept. of Health for distribution as most urgently needed.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay said Sunday on Twitter he has more than 10,000 N95 masks that he’s set to donate to the Indiana State Department of Health in hopes of getting them to the people most in need.


Jets’ superfan ‘Fireman Ed’ praises Kraft, Patriots

One of New York sports’ biggest fans had plenty of nice things to say about Robert Kraft and the Patriots this weekend.

Ed Anzalone, also known as Jets’ superfan “Fireman Ed,” told the New York Post he thought Kraft was “wonderful” for his decision to fly in masks to help New York medical personnel on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus.

“I don’t like his team. They’ve been beating us up for quite some time. But Kraft is just a wonderful guy, so I’m not surprised by his actions,” Anzalone told the New York Post.

“My hatred for the Patriots is real … that doesn’t change. But this is a whole different ballgame,” Anzalone said. “This is about the human race and saving as many lives as possible.”

Anzalone said he’s been doing “his part” when it comes to the quarantine guidelines.

“I’m just being cautious and staying home, trying to do my part,” he said.

Cuomo tempers Trump’s optimism

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that he would “love to see sports back" as soon as possible, but also sounded a dubious note when asked about statements from the president that seemed to suggest an August date as a possible restart for sports.


“I would love to see sports back, [to] help with cabin fever,” said Cuomo. “But this is not about hopes and dreams and aspirations and what you would like to see.”

Cuomo was quick to indicate that he wasn’t dismissing the idea, but instead urged citizens to look to people who might be best suited to make such a statement.

“Follow the data,” he said. “Follow the science. Let the … health-care professionals tell you when it’s safe to re-open. And that’s when you re-open.”

Saints, NFL mourn passing of Tom Dempsey

Former NFL kicker Tom Dempsey, who played in the NFL despite being born without toes on his kicking foot and made a record 63-yard field goal, died late Saturday while struggling with complications from the new coronavirus, his daughter said Sunday. He was 73.

The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate first reported Dempsey's death. Ashley Dempsey said Sunday that her father, who has resided in an assisted living home for several years after being diagnosed with dementia, tested positive for the coronavirus a little more than a week ago.

The Orleans Parish coroner has yet to release an official cause of death.

Dempsey’s game-winning field goal against Detroit on Nov. 8, 1970, stood as an NFL record for 43 years until the Broncos’ Matt Prater broke it with a 64-yarder in Denver in 2013.

Dempsey spent 11 seasons in the NFL: His first two seasons were with New Orleans (1969-70), the next four with Philadelphia, then two with the Los Angeles Rams, one with the Houston Oilers and the final two with Buffalo. He retired after the 1979 season.


“Tom’s life spoke directly to the power of the human spirit and exemplified his resolute determination to not allow setbacks to impede following his dreams and aspirations,” Saints owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. “He exemplified the same fight and fortitude in recent years as he battled valiantly against illnesses but never wavered and kept his trademark sense of humor.”

English soccer player under fire for ‘lockdown party’

England defender Kyle Walker is facing disciplinary action from English Premier League team Manchester City after appearing to break lockdown conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 29-year-old Walker apologized on Sunday after it was widely reported he held a party involving two sex workers at his home last week, breaking the government’s rules on social distancing. The country is in the middle of a three-week lockdown.

“I want to take this opportunity to issue a public apology for the choices I made last week which have resulted in a story today (Sunday) about my private life in a tabloid newspaper,” Walker’s statement read.

“I understand that my position as a professional footballer brings the responsibility of being a role model. As such, I want to apologize to my family, friends, football club, supporters and the public for letting them down."

He added: “My actions in this matter are in direct contrast to what I should have been doing regarding the lockdown. And I want to re-iterate the message: Stay home, stay safe.”


City said it will now look into Walker’s conduct.

Spanish players criticize league’s furloughs

Soccer players in Spain on Sunday criticized the Spanish league’s decision to ask clubs to put the footballers on government furloughs during the coronavirus crisis.

The league on Friday said the furloughs were needed because there was no agreement on the size of the salary cuts that players must take to reduce the financial impact of the pandemic.

“It is strange that the Liga supports (the furloughs),” Spain’s players’ association said in a statement.

It said the league should have created a financial cushion for this period considering it had always boasted about its “economic control measures" and the "well-balanced economy” of the Spanish clubs. The association said it also should be taken into account that the league has been temporarily suspended and not yet canceled.

The league and the players’ association have been in talks to try to find ways to mitigate losses that could reach nearly 1 billion euros ($1.08 billion) if the season cannot be restarted because of the pandemic.

Feely among athletes helping fight

Former NFL kicker Jay Feely and his family are purchasing meals from restaurants and taking them to the healthcare workers and first responders. According to USA TODAY, Feely and his family started a gofundme page, called, “Food Fighters,” asking for donations. Former teammate Kurt Warner was among those chipping in -- the former MVP donated $1,000. “The reason we wanted to do it, we were watching (the numbers) sitting at home,” the former Cardinals kicker said. “My whole career, through the greatest blessing of playing in the NFL, I was given a platform where I can do some good.” ... Robin Harris, the executive director of the Ivy League, was among the first group of decision-makers to cancel tournaments, pulling the plug on the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments before most others made similar moves. Harris, who heard plenty of criticism in the moment, is now seen as prescient. In an interview with the Associated Press over the weekend, she was asked when college administrators should start thinking about sports again. ”If we don’t have students in dorms, if we don’t have students on campus, I don’t see how we would ever have athletics competition," Harris said. "That, to me, seems the threshold: When do students come back?” ... Serbian soccer player Aleksandar Prijovic has been sentenced to three months of home detention for flouting a curfew imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. The 29-year-old striker who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad pleaded guilty Saturday. Police had arrested Prijovic and 19 others for gathering at a hotel lobby bar in Belgrade on Friday and violating the country’s 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. lockdown orders.