CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league will continue to do “everything we can” to make football safer.

Goodell has talked a lot recently about player safety and he discussed it again during a lecture and question-and-answer session at the department of exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina.

He's calling for “a culture of safety for every sport” and welcomes the national conversation about player safety and the growing issue of concussions.

SAN FRANCISCO — Six-time Pro Bowl kicker David Akers was released by the San Francisco 49ers after two seasons filled with record-breaking highs and incredible lows.Akers appeared in all 32 regular-season games and five playoff contests the past two seasons. He connected on 73 of 94 field goal attempts and all 78 extra points.In 2011, Akers set NFL records with 44 field goals made and 52 attempted, but Akers made just 29 of 44 attempts last season, his lowest percentage since 1999.

TAMPA, Fla. —Mark Teixeira is going to be out at least until early May with a strained right wrist tendon, the latest major injury setback for the New York Yankees.The first baseman was hurt swinging a bat Tuesday in an indoor cage during pregame warm-ups with the U.S. WBC team. Initially, Teixeira was expected to be out eight to 10 days, but he was examined by Yankees doctors in New York on Wednesday and a diagnosis of eight to 10 weeks was given.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Pitcher Derek Lowe and the Texas Rangers have reached agreement on a minor league deal.The 39-year-old righty is expected to report to spring training on Friday.

NEW YORK — Doctors are optimistic that New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal will recover fully after being struck in the eye by a deflected puck.Staal was injured Tuesday night in the third period of New York’s 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.