|
 The hearing could be extended to June 25, ESPN's Adam Schefter
reported.
The NFL suspended Brady for the first four games of the 2015 season
in connection with the Patriots using underinflated footballs in the
AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts in January. The
Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick refused to comment on the suspension
Friday, saying the team had already moved on to next season.
- - -
The Atlanta Falcons released linebacker Prince Shembo after he was
charged with aggravated cruelty to animals in connection with the
death of a former girlfriend's dog.
Shembo, 23, is accused of killing the dog, according to Gwinnett
(Ga.) County police. He was not taken into custody as of Friday
afternoon, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.
"We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince
Shembo," the Falcons said in a statement.
"We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved
in something like this. Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince
Shembo."
A Yorkie named Dior died of blunt force trauma, according to a
necropsy report. Denicia Williams had reported to police on April 19
that her former boyfriend killed the dog.
Shembo, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Falcons in 2014
from Notre Dame, played in all 16 regular-season games last year and
finished his rookie campaign with 59 tackles.
- - -
Offensive tackle Ryan Harris rejoined the Broncos on Friday, two
days after Denver lost starting left tackle Ryan Clady to a
season-ending knee injury.
The Broncos signed Harris, an unrestricted free agent, to a one-year
contract and placed Clady on injured reserve.
The 6-foot-5, 302-pound Harris, drafted by the Broncos, also played
for current head coach Gary Kubiak in 2012-13 with the Houston
Texans.
- - -
St. Louis Rams running back Trey Watts received a four-game
suspension from the NFL on Friday for a violation of the league's
substance abuse policy.
Watts will sit out the first four games of the regular season before
he is eligible to return on Oct. 5 after the Rams' game against the
Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 4.
- - -
[to top of second column] |
One week into the great quarterback battle, no blood was drawn at
One Bills Drive. During the four workouts, Matt Cassel, EJ Manuel
and Tyrod Taylor split first-team reps fairly evenly, and Buffalo
Bills head coach Rex Ryan indicated that this is going to be a
marathon, not a sprint.
On Friday, the Bills added another quarterback to the mix, claiming
Matt Simms one day after he was released by the New York Jets.
The 26-year-old Simms, the son of former New York Giants quarterback
Phil Simms, signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2013
and played for Ryan and current Bills quarterback coch David Lee.
- - -
The Minnesota Vikings, playing their home games outside this season
before moving back into a new dome stadium next year, could have a
home-field advantage on the longer extra-point kicks in 2015.
The NFL announced last week that extra points will now be kicked
from the 15-yard line with two-point conversions remaining at the
2-yard line. The new rule also gives the defense the ability to
score two points on returns.
The Vikings are a cold-weather team this season at TCF Bank Stadium,
and special teams coach Mike Priefer likes it that way.
Priefer said the new PAT rule will make kicks tougher on cold days,
giving the Vikings an edge over their opponents.
"I'm excited about it. I think it will be a home-field advantage for
us because it's nasty," Priefer told the Pioneer Press. "TCF is a
nasty place to kick in November and December, and our guys will be
ready for it."
- - -
(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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