NFL

Atlanta radio hosts fired after mocking Gleason

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:08:20 -0400

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Three hosts of an Atlanta sports radio show were fired Monday after they mocked a former NFL player who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease.

Atlanta radio station 790 the Zone fired Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino and Steak Shapiro for making comments about Steve Gleason, who played for the New Orleans Saints from 2000-06.

The hosts did a mock interview with Gleason and imitated a robotic voice.

"We deeply regret the offensive programming that aired this morning on "Mayhem In The AM" on 790 The Zone, related to former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS," station general manager Rick Mack said in a statement. "We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment. 790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family and all those touched by ALS."

The Falcons also weighed in on the issue concerning the mockery of the 36- year-old Gleason, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in January 2011.

"The content concerning Mr. Gleason was completely inappropriate and is not representative of the views of the Falcons organization, nor does it represent the way we conduct our business on and off the field. To single out Steve the way he was this morning is totally lacking in taste and discretion," the team said.

Former Dolphins WR Chad Johnson released from jail

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:59:00 -0400

Fort Lauderdale, FL (Sports Network) - Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson spent just a week in jail instead of 30 days he was sentenced for after he slapped his attorney on the behind during a court appearance last week.

Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh heard Johnson's apology in court for his actions Monday. Johnson was released from jail later in the day.

"I had a lot of time to reflect, a lot of time to think where I've been, where I'm at now, where I'm going," Johnson told a number of reporters. "I have to make my next move my best move.

"A lot of people have tried to get me to slow down in life, coaches, agent, lawyer. There was one person that was able to do it and that was my judge, Ms. McHugh."

Johnson originally turned himself into authorities last month for violating several terms of his probation. Johnson, while a member of the Miami Dolphins, was arrested last August on a misdemeanor after allegedly head-butting his then-wife Evelyn Lozada during an argument.

The 35-year-old veteran played his first 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and spent the 2011 campaign with New England. He has 766 career catches for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns.

Packers release LB Bishop

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:51:27 -0400

Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - The Green Bay Packers released veteran linebacker Desmond Bishop on Monday.

Bishop, who missed the entire 2012 campaign with a hamstring injury, has spent his entire six-year career in Green Bay since being selected by the Packers in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

The University of California product has played in 69 games, including 26 starts, with the Packers, racking up 310 tackles, nine sacks, seven forced fumbles and an interception.

Chad Johnson released from jail after apology

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:30:24 -0400

Fort Lauderdale, FL (Sports Network) - Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson was released from jail Monday after apologizing to a judge for his court room behavior last week.

Johnson was sentenced to 30 days in jail last Monday during a hearing in front of Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh, who assessed the jail term after Johnson playfully slapped his attorney's butt for his good work during a probation violation hearing.

Johnson apologized to the judge after a week in jail on Monday and was ordered an immediate release.

McHugh was set to keep Johnson out of jail before the butt slap, but reversed her decision, saying the former receiver was not taking the situation seriously.

"I had a lot of time to reflect, a lot of time to think where I've been, where I'm at now, where I'm going," Johnson told a number of reporters. "I have to make my next move my best move.

"A lot of people have tried to get me to slow down in life, coaches, agent, lawyer. There was one person that was able to do it and that was my judge, Ms. McHugh."

As part of the recent plea agreement, Johnson will be required to perform 25 hours of community service and undergo two counseling sessions a week. His probation was extended for another three months through mid-October.

The 35-year-old Johnson was in court last week for failing to appear before his probation officer. He was given probation last August after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor domestic battery charge against his former wife, an action which prompted his release from the Miami Dolphins.

Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, did not play during the 2012 season following his release. He had signed with Miami in the summer of 2012 after playing the 2011 season with New England and starred for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2001-10.

Jets agree to terms with TE Winslow

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:36:04 -0400

Florham Park, NJ (Sports Network) - The New York Jets have signed tight end Kellen Winslow, the team announced on Friday.

Terms of the contract were not made available, but multiple sources are reporting the deal to be a one-year pact.

With the Jets extremely thin at the tight end position and Winslow looking to revitalize a once promising career, the situation seems ideal for both parties.

Winslow has amassed 438 receptions for 4,848 yards and 23 touchdowns since 2004, but his last productive season came in 2011, when he hauled in 75 passes for 763 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

That was his last of three seasons in Tampa Bay, as he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks the following offseason. He was so ineffective in his first training camp with Seattle that he failed to make the team.

He briefly caught on with the New England Patriots in 2012, but appeared in just one game and his only production came on a 12-yard catch.

Jeff Cumberland is the only other tight end on New York's roster with any significant playing experience after the team let five-year starter Dustin Keller leave for Miami via free agency.

Chiefs claim DE Lane off waivers

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:49:19 -0400

Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Chiefs claimed defensive end Austen Lane off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday.

Lane has played in 28 games, including 17 starts, over three seasons with the Jaguars, racking up 64 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble.

The Chiefs also released defensive tackle Daniel Muir.

Over six seasons with Green Bay (2007), Indianapolis (2008-11) and the New York Jets (2012), Muir has recorded 111 tackles in 46 games, including 26 starts.

Falcons ink second-round pick Alford

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:29:14 -0400

Flowery Branch, GA (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Falcons on Friday signed cornerback Robert Alford, the team's second-round draft pick.

Alford enjoyed a standout career at FCS Southeastern Louisiana, earning first- team All-America honors as a senior last fall. He registered 137 career tackles, with 20 passes defensed, 10 interceptions and started 31-of-32 games for the Lions.

The Falcons chose the 5-foot-10, 186-pounder with the 60th overall selection, while he was the first FCS player to be picked in April's draft.

Dolphins sign third-round pick

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:30:01 -0400

Miami, FL (Sports Network) - The Miami Dolphins announced on Friday that the team signed offensive tackle/guard Dallas Thomas.

Thomas, a Tennessee product, was selected in the third-round (77th overall) in April's draft.

The 6-foot-5, 306-pounder saw action at both guard and tackle with the Volunteers, starting 37-of-50 games played in Knoxville and earned second-team All-SEC honors last fall.

Extra Points: Dissecting the Jags' QB situation

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:19:11 -0400

Philadelphia, Pa (Sports Network) - When you introduce competition into any environment, things tend to get better.

That's why Jacksonville general manager Dave Caldwell recently said a guy who just got cut to make room for Tim Tebow has a chance to be the Jaguars' starting quarterback in 2013.

Caldwell's narrative was cobbled together with an eye toward creating competition for his two incumbent signal callers, Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne.

The Jags were awarded third-year quarterback Mike Kafka off waivers from New England earlier this week shortly after the Patriots jettisoned the former Northwestern star in favor of Tebow.

"I'm really thankful to be here, and I'm happy to be here," Kafka said after being picked up by Jacksonville. "Now, it's time to get to work. Nothing really surprises me in this league. That (signing Tebow) was (the Patriots') decision and now I'm happy to be here. I'm looking forward to getting to work."

The 6-foot-3 Kafka has decent size and instincts for the position, but his arm strength isn't exactly going to remind you of John Elway or Brett Favre.

Originally a a fourth-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 2010, Kafka didn't show much in a cup of coffee with the Eagles, playing in four games and completing 11-of-16 passes for 107 yards before finally being beat out by Trent Edwards for the Birds' third spot before the 2012 season. He compiled a dismal 23.1 passer rating in preseason play.

Let's just say an established quarterback wouldn't exactly sweat if Kafka sauntered into the locker room.

Gabbert and Henne, though, would be wise to take any bluff from Caldwell -- no matter how empty -- seriously.

"Kafka has just as good an opportunity (as Gabbert, Chad Henne or undrafted rookies Matt Scott and Jordan Rodgers)," Caldwell recently said on Sirius XM Radio, likely in an effort to light a fire under the QBs, especially the underachieving Gabbert, who was the 10th overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft.

The Jaguars are now one of only two teams currently in the NFL with five quarterbacks on the roster.

All of Gabbert's antagonists in this drama have some nice qualities. Henne has extensive starting experience (31 games in Miami and six last season when he took over for the injured Gabbert), while Kafka once scored a 35 on his Wonderlic test and is considered a bright signal caller with the ability to read defenses.

Scott is an athletic, read-option threat, and Rodgers, the baby brother of former MVP Aaron Rodgers, has genetics on his side although he is currently recovering from sports-hernia surgery.

The 6-4, 233-pound Gabbert remains the only one with a plus-ceiling as a player, however, and is straight out of central casting when it comes to quarterbacks, so developing him remains the most sensible option for the Jags.

As poorly as Gabbert has performed in his NFL career, remember he has had little to no continuity at the top of this organization.

During Gabbert's rookie season, Jack Del Rio was in the midst of his last stand after nine years in Jacksonville and the Mizzou product started 14 games, was sacked on 40 different occasions and fumbled an NFL-high 14 times. His 50.8 percent completion percentage was second-worst in the NFL, besting only Tebow's laughable 46.5 mark, and his 5.4 yards per attempt, along with his 65.4 overall passer rating were dead last.

In came Mike Mularkey, an offensive-minded head coach, and a promising start for Gabbert in 2012, one in which he threw for career-high 260 passing yards with two touchdowns and a solid 96.1 quarterback rating in a season-opening loss at Minnesota, quickly dissipated.

Gabbert went on to tear the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder against Oakland on Oct. 21 before eventually being put on season-ending injured reserve a month later.

"I think I was better last year than I was the year before," Gabbert said. "It's just all about getting comfortable in an offensive system."

Now it's Gus Bradley's turn with Gabbert. A defensive-minded mentor, Bradley brought in Jedd Fisch as his offensive coordinator and Frank Scelfo as quarterbacks coach.

Fisch has 16 years of coaching experience with mentors like Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, two-time Super Bowl champion and Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan, Super Bowl champion and former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick, and national champion and South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier.

Scelfo is a 30-year vet who recently spent two seasons as quarterbacks coach for the University of Arizona, where he tutored the Eagles' Nick Foles, one of the players who made Kafka expendable in Philly.

"Look at some quarterbacks. It takes maybe more than two years, three or four years," Caldwell said earlier this offseason when discussing Gabbert and his poor performance. "(Gabbert) came out as a junior and he's a very young quarterback and he still has a lot of upside. I always thought Blaine was going to be a long-term project when he came out anyway.

"Look at the quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning, they spent a full five years in college. Blaine should be a rookie coming out this year. Let's work with him."

And work they will, but this time Bradley and his coaching staff will have a heavily populated safety net, one which figures to foster a wide-open quarterback competition.

"We don't feel there's much of a rush," Caldwell said when asked about his crowded QB situation at minicamp. "When it presents itself and we feel good about it, that somebody's the flat-out winner, we'll (name the starter). We've got to go through camp and some preseason games to figure it out."

Bills sign QB Manuel

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:19:06 -0400

Orchard Park, NY (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Bills came to terms with their top draft choice Friday, as quarterback E.J. Manuel signed his rookie contract.

Per team policy, financial terms of the pact were not disclosed.

Manuel was selected 16th overall in April's draft and is expected to compete for the starting quarterback spot with Kevin Kolb, who signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Bills in March.

"It's a great feeling and I'm excited to be truly part of the team now," Manuel told the Bills' official website. "I had no doubt at all. I knew I was going to be here and it was going to be done before training camp. I'm just glad it was done earlier instead of later."

Manuel, who went 25-6 as a starter at Florida State, was the last of Buffalo's eight draft picks to ink his rookie deal.