Browns sign former Pats TE Watson to a multiyear deal

The Cleveland Browns filled a gaping offensive hole, signing free agent tight end Benjamin Watson to a multiyear contract.

Watson spent the past six seasons with the New England Patriots, where he previously worked with Browns coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

The Browns did not release financial terms. ESPN.com reported that Watson signed a three-year deal worth $12 million, including $6.35 million guaranteed. He is the third free agent to sign with Cleveland, joining linebacker Scott Fujita and right tackle Tony Pashos.

Watson should improve a position that has been thin for the Browns since they traded Kellen Winslow.

Pro football: Tomlinson meets with Jets officials

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson was at the Jets' training facility in Florham Park, N.J., meeting with team officials about joining the offense that ranked No. 1 in rushing last season.

Tomlinson's visit came a day after he met with the Minnesota Vikings and left without a deal. He arrived in the New York area Thursday night.

Tomlinson, released by San Diego last month, ranks eighth on the NFL's career rushing list with 12,490 yards. If he signs with the Jets, Tomlinson would serve as a backup to Shonn Greene, who emerged as the Jets' primary running back in his rookie season and made Thomas Jones expendable. Jones signed with Kansas City earlier this week.

More pro football: Roethlisberger's lawyer hires private investigator

An attorney for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has hired a private investigator to look into a sexual assault allegation made by a 20-year-old Georgia college student.

Police in the college town of Milledgeville continue to investigate, but have released little information since the accusation was made a week ago.

The two-time Super Bowl champ's lawyer, Ed Garland, said he has hired his own investigative team.

"Any lawyer representing anyone needs to know all the facts so that he can perform his duties," he said.

Roethlisberger has not been charged, and Garland said "no criminal conduct took place."

Carl Cansino, a lawyer for the club where the woman says the assault took place, said he was contacted by the private investigator, Charles Mittelstadt. Cansino was also on hand when authorities interviewed club manager Rocky Duncan Wednesday.

Pro baseball: White Sox prospect Mitchell hurt

Chicago White Sox outfield prospect Jared Mitchell sprained his right ankle while making a spectacular, against-the-wall catch on a drive off the bat of Juan Rivera in a 10-7 split-squad win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Mitchell was carted off the field and taken to the hospital for X-rays.

"They say for now it's a sprained ankle," bench coach and acting White Sox manager Joey Cora said. "They don't think it's a break but they're checking the ligaments."

Skipper Ozzie Guillen traveled with the other half of the team to Las Vegas for two games against the Cubs.

Golf: Report says Elin handed medical personnel 2 pain pill bottles

While she waited for an ambulance to take her unconscious husband to a hospital in the early morning hours after Thanksgiving, Tiger Woods' wife went into their Isleworth home, retrieved two small bottles of pain pills and said he had taken some earlier.

Elin Woods also tried to ride in the ambulance to the hospital with her husband, but the crew wouldn't let her, saying this was a case of domestic violence — although officials later were confused because they uncovered no evidence to support that. Those are among new revelations contained in investigative records released by the Florida Highway Patrol following a public records request by the Orlando Sentinel. Woods was injured in a Nov. 27 crash when he tried to drive away from his south Orange County mansion about 2:30 a.m. EST but bounced off two curbs, ran through a row of shrubs, hit a fire hydrant then crashed into a neighbor's tree. FHP ticketed him for careless driving, and he paid a $164 ticket.

More golf: Kendall leads rain-delayed Puerto Rico Open

Skip Kendall topped the Puerto Rico Open leaderboard at 5 under after nine holes when first-round play was suspended because of darkness in the rain-delayed PGA Tour event. Heavy morning rain suspended play just 20 minutes after the first tee time and the round didn't resume until 4:35 p.m. Downpours also forced the suspension of play Thursday, when 6.6 inches fell at oceanside Trump International Golf Club-Puerto Rico.

The 45-year-old Kendall holed a 7-iron shot from 159 yards for eagle on the par-4 10th on Thursday, then chipped in for birdie on the par-3 11th yesterday morning. He also birdied the par-4 13th and par-3 16th.

College football: Leach testifies in lawsuit vs. Texas Tech

Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach spent more than five hours behind closed doors, testifying under oath as part of his lawsuit against the school for firing him amid allegations he mistreated a player suffering from a concussion.

After completing his deposition, Leach gave a brief statement, his voice cracking with emotion as he talked about how great it was to be back in Lubbock after a decade building his pass-happy team into a Big 12 powerhouse.

More college football: Oregon QB Masoli suspended for next season

Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the upcoming season by coach Chip Kelly after pleading guilty to second-degree burglary in the theft of a pair of laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity.

Masoli, who had been mentioned as a potential Heisman candidate, will remain on scholarship with the Ducks.

"He does have a redshirt season available to him if he chooses to do that," Kelly said.

Kelly announced the suspension just hours after Masoli appeared in Lane County Circuit Court to answer to the burglary charge.

Skiing: Vonn clinches third World Cup overall title

Lindsey Vonn finished with a fitting flourish, the perfect way to cap a nearly perfect season, one chock full of victories, medals, trophies — and injuries.

Now the American is looking forward to some well-earned time away from the slopes.

A day after bruising her right knee in a crash, and skiing with her broken right pinkie protected by a green molded cast, Vonn clinched her third consecutive World Cup overall title with a U.S.-record 33rd career race win in a super-G at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

"My body is completely — pretty much completely — broken," she said.

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