NFL turns over email, phone records in Ray Rice video probe

Nearly 500 employees at NFL headquarters in Manhattan turned over phone and email records to investigators looking into how commissioner Roger Goodell and his staff pursued and handled evidence in the Ray Rice case, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation won't be made public until former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III releases his report.

Mueller has been investigating whether anyone at the NFL saw or obtained video of Rice, a former Raven, striking his then-fiancee inside an elevator at an Atlantic City casino before the video appeared online.

League employees were instructed to cooperate with Mueller's team of investigators and respond immediately to requests for information, the sources said.

Investigators zeroed in on phone calls from NFL offices to numbers with a New Jersey area code. Employees also were asked to identify certain numbers in question, and investigators even called some of the numbers to verify call recipients.

A representative for Mueller declined to comment.

The investigation is trying to identify who called a law enforcement official who said he mailed a DVD of the video to league headquarters to the attention of the NFL's security chief. The official played the AP a voice mail from an NFL office number dated April 9, on which a woman confirms receiving the video.

Report: Bears demote Cutler

Citing a source, ESPN.com reported the slumping Bears plan to start Jimmy Clausen at quarterback over Jay Cutler against the Lions. Cutler has a league-high 24 turnovers. Clausen has thrown only nine passes this season and hasn't started since 2010 with the Panthers.

Cam back at practice

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton returned to practice Thursday, eight days after an automobile accident left him with two fractures in his lower back.

Ron Rivera wouldn't say if he'll start Newton or Derek Anderson against the Browns in a game with playoff implications for the Panthers (5-8-1).