Category: NFL (Page 1102 of 1282)

Tight end Kellen Winslow and linebacker Joey Porter have kick-started the smack talk again in preparation for Sunday’s Browns-Dolphins game. In two meetings last year, the two players jawed at each other before, during and after games, as well as took physical shots at one another. Porter, who was playing for the Steelers at the time, ended up calling Winslow an ethnic slur and was fined $10,000 by the NFL.

Well, they’re at it again:

“He’s a receiver, really,” Porter said. “He’s not a tight end, because he’s not going to block anybody. If you ask me who’s going to win the Joey Porter-Kellen Winslow battle: Me.”

“I think Joey Porter needs a hug,” Winslow said, smiling. “He’s so angry, man.”

“It really hasn’t been a war,” Porter said Wednesday. “It’s been one-sided. I’ve never lost to him. It’s like me picking on my little brother.”

“I’m not into the individual-battle thing,” (Winslow) said. “It’s a team thing. We’re 2-3 and they’re 0-5 and we’re looking for a win. He doesn’t have to worry about me. He should be worried about the team concept. They’re 0-5 right now.”

“I’m sure he will,” (Winslow) said. “The only reason I did that [offer the handshake] last year was to give our team some confidence and get them going a little bit. But again, I’m not worried about Joey.

“He’s not even their best player.”

Up until his, “He’s not even their best player” comment, I think Winslow showed some maturity. Personally, I think Porter should just shut his mouth and play. He’s not in Pittsburgh anymore and maybe instead of jawing with opponents or guarantying wins, he should worry about why Miami has the NFL’s second worst run defense.

Oh, it’s bad in Carolina. On Wednesday the Panthers signed Vinny Testaverde to fill a roster spot vacated when Jake Delhomme was placed on IR due to an elbow injury. On Thursday, news broke that Testaverde may actually start in Arizona this weekend, because backup David Carr hurt his back last Sunday in New Orleans.

To put things in perspective, Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy the same year Panthers wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was born. In tribute of Vinny’s comeback to the NFL, I found this commercial on YouTube. I have absolutely no idea what it’s for or why anyone would want to cast Testaverde in a commercial, but enjoy.

A scary moment occurred during the Texans-Dolphins game Sunday when Miami quarterback Trent Green knocked himself out trying to block Houston defensive tackle Travis Johnson. Green, who missed significant time last year due to a serious concussion, lay motionless on the field for several seconds and eventually was taken off the field on a gurney.

Johnson, irate that Green tried to take his knees out, stood over the motionless QB and began taunting him after the play had ended. Johnson was still fuming after the game and showed little concern over Green’s health.

This is what Keith Olbermann of NBC had to say about Johnson’s reaction during halftime of the Bears-Packers game Sunday night:

Well said, Keith. Johnson has close to 100 pounds on Green – how else is Green supposed to block him? Not to mention, by league rules, it was a legal hit.

An arbitrator has ruled that the Atlanta Falcons can proceed to try and reclaim close to $20 million that was paid to suspended quarterback Michael Vick. The NFL Players Association will appeal the ruling, however, so no immediate decision on whether or not Vick will have to repay the Falcons will be made for some time.

Burbank’s ruling in the Vick-Falcons case said the Falcons are entitled to pursue the recovery of signing, option and roster bonuses because payments to Vick were not for money earned, as in the Lelie case, but for future services that can’t be earned because the NFL has indefinitely suspended Vick.

It will be interesting to see if the Falcons, a) recoup the entire $20 million, and b) if Vick even has the money to repay the debt. If you’re handed a large sum of money, it’s not like you’re immediately running to the bank and depositing the cash in your savings account. Twenty million should be nothing to Vick, but hey then again, not many of us know how much building and maintaining an illegal dog fighting operation costs.

As for the Falcons, that $20 million would be put on the following year’s salary cap. So in other words, if they recoup that money by the end of the year, they head into 2008 with a large salary cap, surely enough to pay a few high-profile free agents (or a No. 1 draft choice named Brian Brohm).