LDN - Sports

National Football League roundup

[December 23, 2016] Dec 22 (The Sports Xchange) - New England Patriots receiver Michael Floyd admits he made a big mistake in regards to his recent drunk-driving arrest.

Floyd faced reporters after Thursday's practice, his third since joining the Patriots. The Arizona Cardinals released Floyd on Dec. 14 -- two days after his arrest -- and New England claimed him off waivers the following day.

"I think in life everyone makes mistakes. I think right now it's about learning from that mistake," Floyd told reporters.

Floyd, 27, faces six charges stemming from his arrest in Scottsdale, Ariz. His first court appearance is slated for Feb. 24.

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Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is downplaying reports that he is being urged to retire after sustaining his second concussion in as many seasons.

Kuechly, 25, was cleared from concussion protocol last week but did not play in the Panthers' game against the Washington Redskins last Monday.

A Bleacher Report story cited anonymous NFL players lobbying Kuechly not to play for the rest of the season and consider retirement.

Kuechly is a four-time Pro Bowler, a three-time first-team All Pro and was the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 after winning the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year honor the year before.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green told reporters that he plans to play in Saturday's game against the Houston Texans.

Green has been sidelined for the past four games with a Grade 2 right hamstring tear suffered in a Week 11 loss against the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 20.

Green was voted to a sixth straight Pro Bowl this week and is 36 yards shy of a sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season. Before getting hurt, Green averaged a career-high 96.4 yards per game.

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Atlanta Falcons star receiver Julio Jones is expected to return to action against the Carolina Panthers after a two-game absence due to a sprained toe.

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Falcons coach Dan Quinn told reporters that Jones will be in Saturday's lineup against the Panthers.

Jones suffered the injury on Dec. 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The four-time Pro Bowl selection began making significant progress earlier this week.

Despite missing the two contests, Jones still leads the NFL with 1,253 receiving yards. He racked up a franchise-record 300 yards against the Panthers on Oct. 2 when Atlanta recorded a 48-33 victory.

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New York Giants star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. said he was fined for wearing special Craig Sager-themed cleats during last Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.

"I got fined 18k ($18,000) for Craig Sager cleats that were auction off the cleats to the highest bidder and donating the proceeds to his cancer research," Beckham wrote in an Instagram comment Wednesday.

Sager, an NBA sideline reporter for TNT, died last week at age 65 after a public battle with cancer.

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Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden said he will undergo surgery following the season to repair two injured groin muscles.

Haden told reporters that doctors told him his recovery will be six-to-eight weeks.

He suffered one of the groin injuries in September and it caused him to miss a game against the Dolphins. He suffered another groin injury in mid-October and sat out Cleveland's next two games. (Editing by Larry Fine) ))

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