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League roundup

[February 04, 2017] Feb 3 (The Sports Xchange) - Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick declared Friday that he is officially retired, approximately 48 hours before his former team plays in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.

Vick was the No. 1 overall pick in 2001 whose tenure in Atlanta ended in disgrace when he was arrested for running a dogfighting operation and spent 21 months in federal prison.

He didn't play at all in 2016 and that helped Vick decide it was time to move on.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, compared the rivalry "like the little brother trying to keep up with the big brother."

During an appearance on University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari's podcast, Roethlisberger was asked if the Steelers have a hatred for the Patriots, who have won six of the past seven games against Pittsburgh.

"I'd say there's more respect than a hatred," Roethlisberger told Calipari, via ESPN.com.

"There's divisional hatred, Baltimore and us, Cincinnati and us, but I don't think there's a hatred there. We've played them now twice in my 13 years in the championship game, my rookie year and this year ... obviously, they've gotten the better of us twice in the championship game and kind of had our number, so we're like the little brother trying to keep up with the big brother in a sense."

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Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said he expects quarterback Carson Palmer will return to the team for the 2017 season.

The 37-year-old Palmer hasn't committed to being the Cardinals' quarterback in 2017 for a 15th NFL season.

"I think he'll announce he's coming back real soon," Arians told ESPN. "I think it's just a matter of letting all the bumps and bruises heal, have a great time with the kids snow skiing ... and he'll be back."

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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent next month.

The opt-out period is March 2-7, a league source told the San Jose Mercury News.

The 29-year-old Kaepernick will make it official to opt out during that period, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.

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The New Orleans Saints plan to re-sign fullback John Kuhn to a one-year deal.

Kuhn, who will enter his 12th NFL season, is expected to sign the contract that includes an $80,000 signing bonus, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Kuhn, 34, originally joined the Saints on a one-year deal during the 2016 training camp after spending nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers. (Editing by Andrew Both)

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