Dallas Police Mistakenly Announce Arrest of Cornerback Aqib Talib

Dallas Police Department made an enormous error involving Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib.
The department announced via their Twitter account that they had arrested the star athlete for pubic intoxication.

.@dallaspd arrest Denver Bronco Aqib Talib for public intox after he was throwing bottles causing a disturbance. Talib was danger to self

— Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) June 29, 2014

...and others. Talib was intoxicated in a club causing a disturbance.

— Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) June 29, 2014

#BREAKING Talib was arrested at about 1:45 this morning after being escorted out of Club Syn in 1200 block of Main St. #NFL

— Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) June 29, 2014

#BREAKING Talib was taken to the Dallas Marshall's detention center where public intox prisoners are held and processed. #nfl

— Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) June 29, 2014

The problem is the police did not arrest Broncos free agent acquisition. They arrested his brother. A fact they quickly had to rectify:

#BREAKING CORRECTION - Yaqub Talib 31yrs old was arrested. My apologies to Aqib Talib. Original information reported was incorrect.

— Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) June 29, 2014

@tanyaeiserer @matthewhaag Original email 2 me was an NFL player was incorrect. Unaware there was a brother. Confirmed id on rpt.

— Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) June 29, 2014

The Broncos confirmed that their Talib was at home at the time of the incident.

Jerry Rice Jr Signs With Redskins

Jerry Rice Jr., son of the legendary receiver Jerry Rice, has found a home in the NFL.

Rice Jr. announced via his Instagram that he signed a contract with the Washington Redskins. The team has not confirmed the information.

Rice Jr. had a very unimpressive college career with a total of 20 receptions for 155 yards between his college career at both UCLA and UNLV.

Rice Jr. tried out for both the 49ers and the Ravens but neither team was impressed enough to sign him.

Son of Legendary NFL Referee Hired By the League

The NFL hired 13 new officials for the 2014 season. Among those hired was Shawn Hochuli, son of longtime NFL referee Ed Hochuli. The younger Hochuli will work as a side judge.

The league also hired Brad Freeman, the son of back judge Steve Freeman, a former Bills player.

Two women were also hired, line Judge Sarah Thomas and head linesperson Maia Chaka, both who will work minicamps and preseason games. They are part of the officiating development program.

Chicago Bears Sign Safety Adrian Wilson

The Chicago Bears made a move to beef up their secondary this off-season.

According to the team website, the Bears signed safety Adrian Wilson to a one year deal on Monday. The five time Pro Bowler played 12 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals where he amassed 885 tackles, 27 interceptions, 25½ sacks, 99 pass breakups and 15 forced fumbles in 162 games.

Wilson was released by the Cardinals in March 2013 and was signed  to a three year contract by the Patriots. Wilson would never play a regular season game for the Patriots though, as he would suffer a season ending Achilles injury during the summer. The Patriots released him this April.

Signing Wilson was a good move for the Bears after Major Wright left via free agency. The Bears also signed Ryan Mundy and drafted Brock Vereen for the safety position.  Each will be given the opportunity to compete for the starting job.

NFL Removes Concussion Cap For Ex-Players

The NFL has reached a new settlement with regards to their retired players concussion related injury claims.

The league originally set a cap of $675 million to pay out to former players who suffered from neurological problems believed to be brought on by concussions during their professional career.

According to the Associated Press, the new settlement agreed to on Wednesday is designed to last at least 65 years. The settlement also eliminates a provision that barred anyone who receives concussion payout from the NFL from suing the NCAA or any amateur football league.

More than 4,500 former NFL players including Tony Dorsett and Jim McMahon, who suffers from dementia, have filed suit against the NFL claiming fraud for their handling of concussions.

While the overall cap has been removed, amounts paid to individual players will remain the same with amounts being paid out gradually declining. According to the new agreement, a young retiree with ALS would receive $5 million, a 50 year old with Alzheimer's disease would get $1.6 million and an 80-year-old with early dementia would get $25,000.

Despite the new agreement, the proposal still does not include an admission from the NFL that it hid information from players about head injuries.

Dolphins Lose RB Knowshon Moreno for 4-5 weeks

With the season still two months away the Dolphins were dealt another blow today in the injury department.

Sources with the team say running back Knowshon Moreno will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery this week and miss four to five weeks.

Moreno signed a $3.275 million, one-year contract in March.  Moreno had been practiced lightly during Dolphins training camp and the team revealed he was hampered by an injury though did not reveal the nature at the time. The Dolphins hope to have him back in time for the preseason.

During his NFL career with the Broncos Moreno rushed for 3,648 yards and 26 touchdowns and made 157 receptions for 1,401 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is expected to be a key role player for the Dolphins this season.

Chargers Sign CB Brandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers reached the Pro Bowl for the first time last season. Despite that accomplishment, the Kansas City Chiefs cut the 28-year-old cornerback in a cost cutting move earlier this month.

Flowers met with the division rival San Diego Chargers last week. The team announced Tuesday they signed Flowers to a $3 million deal including a $1.5 million signing bonus. Flowers can earn an additional $2 million based on the number of snaps he plays and if the Chargers reach the playoffs.

Flowers has 17 interceptions including six for touchdowns and 91 pass breaks ups over his six year career. Last season he finished with 68 tackles, a sack and an interception.

Flowers is a small but incredibly fast corner. He will be a welcome addition to a defense that finished 29th in passing yards allowed per game last season.

The signing of Flowers gives the Chargers the opportunity to allow first round draft pick Jason Verrett to heal from off-season shoulder surgery. The team will need to cut a player in order to make room for Flowers.

Miami Dolphins Lose Mike Pouncey For Three Months

The Dolphins were dealt a harsh blow Monday.

According to ESPN, the Dolphins starting center Mike Pouncey will be out three to four months because of hip surgery. The time begins all of training camp, preseason and the start of the regular season.

The Dolphins were already concerned about losing Pouncey to a suspension because of his involvement in the Incognito scandal from last season. Now this injury will have him out far longer than they anticipated.

Pouncey is a major loss for the Dolphins. He is one of the top starters returning from last season and calls the pre-snap blocking schemes on the offensive line. Now the Dolphins will have to begin the season with five new starters.

Pouncey is one of the top centers in the league. Without him the Dolphins will have to start either Sam Brenner who has played at center this off-season or Nate Garner who filled in at center for Pouncey for two games last season.

Their biggest challenge will come in week one when they have to face the New England Patriots in Miami. The task will be harder without their most key offensive lineman.

Seattle Seahawks Receive Super Bowl Rings

After four months of waiting, the Seattle Seahawks received their Super Bowl rings yesterday.

The team threw a big bash that included a performance by Usher before each member was presented their ring.

The Seahawks twitter account described the ring in detail:

"The white gold Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII championship ring features a three-dimensional Seahawks logo of 64 round diamonds with a vibrant emerald hue tsavorite eye.  The iconic logo is outlined in blue and is framed by 12 diamonds. The Vince Lombardi Trophy, comprised of one marquis diamond, stands in the background amongst a sea of 107 round diamonds with a border reading 'WORLD CHAMPIONS.'  Forty blue sapphires surround the ring top flanked by two '12' flags."

The rings also have multiple messages engraved on the inside: "LEAVE NO DOUBT," "24/7," "SEA 43- DEN 8" and "WHAT'S NEXT?"

Each player took to their social media accounts to show off their new rings:

What a night.. @usher and I! #SuperBowlRing pic.twitter.com/Ta5T7aGe5u
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) June 20, 2014
 

Congrats to the champs and what a phenomenal ring!

Buffalo Bills For Sale

Word is coming out of Buffalo that the Bills are now officially up for sale.

When Ralph Wilson passed away in March, his widow, Mary Wilson, announced she intended to sell the team. Wilson owned the Bills since 1959.

According to QMI Agency, the club finally began the process  on Wednesday of selling the franchise by mailing perspective buyers a confidentiality agreement and full financial data on the team.

The team is expected to be sold for around $1 billion. Perspective buyers include Donald Trump, former Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Gollisano, and a group including singer Jon Bon Jovi and Toronto Maple Leafs owner Larry Tanenbaum.

Richard Sherman Involved in Training Camp Scuffle

Training camp for the Seattle Seahawks got off to a heated start, and not just because of the weather.
According to the Associated Press the offense and defense got into an altercation during practice.
Wide Receiver Bryan Walters made a diving catch on the sideline and free safety Earl Thomas fell on top of him. The problem being these are supposed to be non contract drills and Walters injured his shoulder on the play.
On the next play wide receiver Phil Bates and cornerback Richard Sherman grabbed each other at the snap and wouldn't let go. Sherman ripped off Bates' helmet and then punches flew causing Sherman's helmet to fly. Receiver Percy Harvin jumped into the melee before Marshawn Lynch came in to pull Harvin back.
Later wide receiver Doug Baldwin and Thomas would get into a verbal altercation but neither threw punches.
Pete Carroll halted practice to speak to his squad and calm the situation.
Afterwards Thomas described the situation best, "It's all in the game we're teammates at the end of the day. Obviously we're all going after the same goal."

Dallas Clark Retires as an Indianapolis Colt

After 11 seasons in the NFL, Dallas Clark decided to walk away from the game he loves. Clark signed a one-day contract with the Indianapolis Colts to retire today as a member of the franchise, the team who originally drafted him in the first round in 2003.
In his rookie season, he set a franchise record in receptions with 427 and receiving touchdowns with 46. In 2006, he had the highest receiving yards for a tight end in the postseason with 317. The Colts would go on to win the Super Bowl that year.
Clark played nine seasons for the Colts before being a casualty of salary cap restrictions in 2011. The team finished 2-14 that season. He spent one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and one season with the Ravens in 2013.
Clark retires with 505 receptions for 5,665 yards and 53 touchdowns in 143 games over his 11-year career.
In an emotional press conference he thanked his former teammates, the city and the franchise for his years with the team and his joy to be able to retire as a member of the Colts.
"I'm a Colt, and I'm very lucky to say that," Clark said. "There's not 31 other teams like this. This is special."

Miami University Offers Name Help to Redskins

After losing the trademark on their name today, the Washington Redskins found themselves the topic of conversation all over social media.

 

People had many suggestions for name changes for the franchise. The best advice may have come from Miami University:

Hey @Redskins, if you need help finding a new name just let us know. #RedHawks
— Miami Athletics (@MiamiRedHawks) June 18, 2014

Now you may ask what does a division one college team in Ohio know about the name of the NFL franchise? Simple. It used to be their name.

For over 100 years, Miami University was known as the Redskins. For 25 years beginning in 1971 the team began a long battle that led to their eventual name change to the RedHawks in 1997.

The poke at Washington was cute, but it is doubtful that it will do anything to change Snyder's mind. Point to Miami U though for having fun with the situation.

Jets Release Running Back Mike Goodson

According to the New York Jets twitter feed, the team has released the often troubled running back Mike Goodson. Goodson failed to show up at the mandatory minicamp which started today.
General manager John Idzik announced that Goodson  was let go with a designation of ''left squad."

In May 2013 Goodson and an acquaintance were found in a car with a gun and a hollow point bullet. He was indicted on weapons charges in November and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Goodson was suspended the first four games of last season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He played in just two games before tearing two knee ligaments in October.
Goodson's was signed as a free agent in March 2013 after spending time with the Panthers and the Raiders. His spot on the team was tenuous with the signing of Chris Johnson in the off-season.

Aaron Hernandez Challenges One Case, Due In Court on Second

Aaron Hernandez was in court Monday facing charges of assault and battery and making threats. The charges stem from an incident in which he attacked a fellow inmate and threatened a guard while he was being held in the Dartmouth County Jail. He pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Meanwhile, defense attorneys for the former NFL player were in a pre-trial hearing Monday before Judge E. Susan Garsh urging the judge to dismiss the charges against Hernandez in the Odin Lloyd murder case. Hernandez's attorney, James Sultan said the case against his client was "woefully lacking."

A tentative trial date on the Lloyd charges is set for October 6. Hernandez pleaded not guilty in September 2013 to the murder of Odin Lloyd who was found dead near Hernandez's home in  June 2013.

Hernandez is due back in court on Wednesday afternoon in Suffolk Superior Court to be arraigned on double murder charges. He is accused of gunning down two men in 2012 after an altercation inside a Boston nightclub.

Prosecutors allege that after the incident in the club involving the victims Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, Hernandez followed them in an SUV, pulled up alongside them when their car stopped at a red light and shot the two victims and a surviving third victim.

The double murder is believed to be a stronger case with more compelling evidence. Hernandez has been in jail without bail since June 2013.

Washington Redskins Lose Trademark Protection

The years of argument over the use of the name "Redskins" has taken a dramatic turn today.

According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Patent and Trademark office has cancelled the team's federal trademark protection calling the name "offensive to Native Americans."

The battle over the name has been raging for years with the first filing against the name filed back in 1992.

The Redskins issued a press release stating "we are confident we will prevail once again and that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's divided ruling will be overturned on appeal."

Without trademark protection, anyone can sell merchandise using the "Redskins" name and colors without fear of  being sued by the NFL franchise. While this doesn't force Snyder to change the name, it would have an economical impact, which could be far more persuasive to a businessman such as he than any humanitarian argument could ever make.

An immediate appeal by the team is expected in this case. Stay tuned.

Jimmy Graham Case Could Change the Concept of Tight End

Jimmy Graham is a premiere tight end. He is one of the top tight ends in the league. In his NFL career so far he has made 301 receptions for 3,863 yards and 41 touchdowns.

But Graham is not happy with being labeled just a tight end. Graham wants to be recognized as a wide receiver and receive the salary of a wide receiver.

You see with evolution of the game to a more pass happy system, the days of the blocking tight end of the Mike Ditka era are long gone. Since the days of Ozzie Newsome, tight ends have been used more as an additional receiver rather than an extra blocker. That's why a player like Tony Gonzalez can retire with reception and touchdown numbers on par with some of the top receivers of his era
.
That being said, Jimmy Graham feels it is in his best interest to be recognized as a wide receiver. This of course could lead the way to other tight ends following suit and seeking both recognition and compensation as a wide receiver and not a tight end.

This is the dilemma that Graham and the league face as Graham's grievance hearing is scheduled to begin next Tuesday.

The NFL Management Council will make an argument that Graham was lined up within four yards of the tackle, the traditional spot for a tight end, on 60 percent of Saints plays and that Graham list himself as a tight end on his personal twitter account.

The NFL Players Association will argue that Graham lined up in the slot or wide out position on more than two thirds of the Saints play.

At issue is what will the Saints be forced to pay Graham for a one year franchise tag salary. As a tight end Graham would receive just over $7 million, as a wide receiver he would receive $12.3 million.

The collective bargaining agreement, agreed upon by the league and the players in 2011, states that franchise-tag designation is based upon which position the player played the most snaps during the prior year.

The hearing will be heard by an outside arbitrator who will have to determine what is considered lining up as a tight end.  The outcome of the hearing could have a profound impact on other tight ends around the league.

Former NFL Running Back Rodney Thomas Dies

Former NFL running back Rodney Thomas passed away on Saturday. He was 41 years old

Thomas played his college career with Texas A&M. He would become fifth all time in rushing for the Aggies while rushing for 3,014 yards and 41 touchdowns. He would be drafted by the Houston Oilers in the third round in 1995.

Thomas would rush for 947 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season. He would remain with the Oilers through their move to Tennessee in 1997 and their later name change to the Tennessee Titans. There he would get to play in Super Bowl XXXIV in a defeat to the St. Louis Rams. His rushing yards dwindled through the years as running back Eddie George became the leading rusher for the team. Despite this fact, Thomas remained loyal to the Titans, turning down more lucrative offers to play for other teams.

Thomas would sign as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2001. He would play in 12 games for the Falcons rushing for 126 yards on 37 carries and catching two passes for an additional 26 yards. He was waived by the Falcons before the 2002 preseason and soon after retired from football.

 For his NFL career Thomas played in 103 games where he would rush for 1,973 yards on 532 carries and 12 touchdowns. He was known for being a great leader and a role model during both his college and professional football career.

Thomas died in his hometown of Groveton, Texas. The cause of death is unknown for now while an autopsy is underway.

Legendary Steelers Head Coach Chuck Noll Dies

Steelers former head coach and hall of famer Chuck Noll passed away last night at the age of 82.

Chuck Noll was a legend. A mythical god in a blue collar town that loved their gritty tough no-holds-barred team. Noll coached in the era before penalties softened the intense game and his Steelers were the toughest of them all. Noll was the brains behind the 70s defense known as the  Steel Curtain.

Noll started his professional football career as a player when he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1953 out of the University of Dayton where he would study, play and learn under the tutelage of the legendary coach Paul Brown. He retired from football in 1959 at the age of 27 to become a coach.

When Noll was hired as the 14th head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 at the age of 34 he was the youngest head coach in the league. He had previously coached with the Baltimore Colts under Don Shula and the San Diego Chargers under Sid Gillman.

Noll's first three season started off poorly as the team finished with a 12-30 record. Noll then went on to lead the Steelers to eight straight playoff appearances and four Super Bowl championships in six years. He racked up an impressive 209 wins in a coaching career that spanned 23 seasons.

Noll would finally be recognized as NFL Coach of the Year in 1989. He would retire from the Steelers after the 1991 season and would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Eleven of his former players would also make it into the Hall of Fame.

No other coach has ever won as many Super Bowls or seen as much success as Noll. He was not only a great coach but a great man who was beloved and respected throughout the league.

Maurkice Pouncy Becomes Highest Paid Center in the NFL

Maurkice Pouncey's season ended early and tragically last year. On the eighth play of the first game of the season, Pouncey tore his ACL when teammate David DeCastro fell on it.

Despite the injury, the Steelers rewarded their Pro Bowl center with a 5 year $44M contract extension making him the highest paid center in the league.

Pouncey made the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons in the league, but has only played one full regular season in his four years. He is still considered one of the most naturally gifted lineman in the league.

The question is, can the Steelers keep Pouncey healthy? While being prolific, he is consistently injury prone even having to sit out the 2011 Super Bowl because of an ankle injury. Health issues aside, when Pouncy is under center, he is great protection for Ben Roethlisberger.

The Steelers seem confident in the 24 year old and the long term potential he brings to the team. Pouncey is nine months into his recovery and hopes to be back to full strength in time for the start of training camp in July. With no contract issues lingering overhead, his recovery and return to the team on time and ready should be both welcome and easy.

Atlanta Falcons Chosen For New Season of Hard Knocks

After much speculation, denials and refusals by many teams, HBO Sports has announced that this season of Hard Knocks will feature the Atlanta Falcons.
This is the ninth season of the series which follows a team through training camp all the way up to the beginning of the season. The Cleveland Browns were originally expected to be featured, but opted out due to a contract agreement that allows teams with first year head coach's to not participate.
The Falcons were originally asked to appear in 2012 but declined the offer. This time around Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team "looks forward to showcasing our great players and coaches to football fans all across America."
The choice of the Falcons is an interesting one. They finished 4-12 last season after five straight winning seasons and four playoff appearances. Wide receiver Julio Jones will be coming back off a broken right foot that ended his season early last year.  Running back Steven Jackson starts only his second year with the Falcons; last year he rushed for only three touchdowns. Quarterback Matt Ryan still threw for over 4500 yards, but was unable to carry his team into the playoffs when Jones was hurt and his defense and special teams began to struggle. The team did sign punt/kick returner Devin Hester in the off-season to try to help their struggling special teams and drafted offensive tackle Jake Matthews to protect Ryan in the pocket.
The mix of characters and the colorful back drop of Atlanta and the Georgia Dome should make this one of the more interesting seasons of Hard Knocks. The show will premiere on HBO on August 5th.

Will Hill Waived From the Giants

The New York Giants have parted ways with safety Will Hill.

The Giants waived Hill after he received his second suspension in so many seasons. Hill was suspended the first four games of 2012 and 2013 for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He was facing a six game suspension this season for the same offense.

Hill went undrafted out of Florida in 2012 because of his off-field issues during his time in Gainesville. The Giants signed him as a free agent where he would go on to play in 24 games total, starting in only 10. Last season, Hill had 77 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

With an already depleted secondary, the Giants will move fast to bring in another safety before the start of training camp next month.

Hill meanwhile, will have the difficult task of finding a team willing to take on a troubled player who wouldn't be available to play until week 7 of the season. His time in the league may be in serious jeopardy.

Daryl Washington Suspension

Friday the NFL announced the suspension of Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington  for the entire 2014 season for once again violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Washington was suspended four games last season for a previous violation of the policy. He also faced an additional suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy after being charged with two counts of aggravated assault on his ex-girlfriend. Washington pleaded guilty to the charges in March and was sentenced in April to one year of supervised probation.

Washington made a statement through his agent admitting to using marijuana and apologizing to his team and fans. He will lose $2.9 million in salary due to the suspension. The Cards are also trying to not pay his bonus.

The loss of Washington on the interior of the Cardinals defensive line is significant. Washington was the team leader in tackles in 2011 and 2012. With Karlos Dansby already lost to free agency, it is unclear what the Cards will do without their presence on the defense. Second year player Kevin Minter is slated to take over the spot left by Dansby but there is no clear standout player to take over Washington's spot.

The team has already responded to the suspension with Cardinals GM Steve Keim stating it was "completely unacceptable for Daryl to put us in this position" and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett tweeting that the information was "old news" for the team.

Washington's future with the Cards and in the league are uncertain at best. With continued off field issues, he is a liability to any team. Unless he makes significant changes to his life, he may be facing the end of his NFL career.