National Football League roundup

[September 24, 2014]  Sept 23 (The Sports Xchange) - Events leading up to the death of former Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas in a single-car crash in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday night are under investigation by authorities who received multiple inquiries from drivers who claim he intentionally attempted to run them off the road.

Bironas, 36, lost control of his SUV while traveling at a high rate of speed and went off the road, hitting several trees before turning upside down around 11 p.m. CT, Metro Police said. He was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol.

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Linebacker James Harrison is back in uniform with the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending a brief retirement that lasted less than a month after a meeting with team officials Tuesday.

The longtime Steelers defensive stalwart began last season with the Cincinnati Bengals but was released. Harrison announced his retirement Aug. 30, and it became official on Sept. 5.

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Carolina Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert will miss at least eight weeks recovering from a hairline left leg fracture after being placed on injured reserve/designated for return.
 

Tolbert's roster spot was filled by linebacker D.J. Smith, who signed with the team Tuesday. Tolbert is eligible to return Week 13 when the Panthers play the Minnesota Vikings.

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Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cary Williams apologized to teammates this week for his critical postgame remarks Sunday after a 37-34 victory over the Washington Redskins.

Williams said he was angry when he made the comments questioning coach Chip Kelly bringing the players in for a practice the day after a Monday night game in Indianapolis.

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Ongoing health concerns will force offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford to take indefinite leave from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tedford did not travel with the team to Atlanta, when the Buccaneers lost a third consecutive game to start the season and was not at practice Monday, coach Lovie Smith announced.

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San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Manti Te'o is expected to miss multiple games with a foot fracture, although he will avoid going on injured reserve, according to U-T San Diego.

The injury is to the same right foot that cause him to miss the first three games of his rookie season and undergo offseason surgery.

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Former Arizona State running back Marion Grice signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, who plucked the sixth-round pick off of the San Diego Chargers' practice squad.

Grice rushed for 79 yards in a preseason game against the Cardinals, who lost two running backs last week when Jonathan Dwyer was placed on the non-football injury list and the team released Chris Rainey.

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Houston Texans running back Arian Foster was a late scratch last week and his absence because of a hamstring injury was felt in a loss to the New York Giants.

Foster said Monday he was "day to day" leading up to Sunday's game against Buffalo. He sat out the preseason and started the regular season with 241 yards on a league-high 55 carries.

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The Dallas Cowboys traded up to draft cornerback Morris Claiborne in 2012, but Jerry Jones is kicking himself now for making that move.

Jones dealt first- and second-round picks to nab a player that the Cowboys expected to develop into a lock-down corner. That hasn't been the case with the No. 6 overall selection.

"Is he what we had hoped for at this point when we drafted him with the sixth overall pick, giving up the (second-round) pick to go up to the sixth pick to get him? No," Jones said on KRLD-FM. "But he's going to be a good player."

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The Jacksonville Jaguars waived safety Chris Prosinski, tight end Marcel Jensen and wide receiver Kerry Taylor on Tuesday and signed rookie linebacker Jeremiah George, rookie tight end Nic Jacobs and fifth-year safety Sherrod Martin to the 53-man roster.

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The Washington Redskins signed free-agent offensive lineman Tevita Stevens to the practice squad and released offensive lineman Braxston Cave on Tuesday.

Stevens had been waived by the Redskins on Aug. 28, signed to their practice squad on Aug. 31 and released again on Sept. 2. Cave was signed to the practice squad on Sept. 2. (Editing by Frank Pingue)

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