Category: NFL (Page 1237 of 1282)

After being suspended for one season for violating the NFL’s drug policy for the fourth time, Ricky Williams has reached a deal with the Toronto Argonauts to play in the CFL in 2006. The deal is reportedly a one-year contract worth $240,000, which would make Williams the highest paid running back in the league.

The $240,000 is a far cry from the $8.6 million that Williams still owes to the Miami Dolphins, but at least he will remain in game shape while he sits out for one season.

Against the Dolphins wish of Williams playing in the CFL, head coach Nick Saban said he would leave the final decision up to Ricky.

“We expressed to Ricky our concerns about playing in Toronto in 2006,” Saban said. “We are relying on assurances made by Ricky, his agent, the Toronto Argonauts, and the commissioner of the Canadian Football League that Ricky will return to the Dolphins in 2007.

“Based on these assurances and despite our concerns for Ricky playing in the CFL in 2006, we will leave it up to him to decide whether or not he will negotiate a contract to play for the Argonauts this year.”

I’ve never seen a decision to ultimately quit football to take drugs backfire as much as it has for Ricky Williams. He quits, realizes he owes $8.6 million, decides to return, gets caught again and now he’s playing in the CFL just to earn more money.

If this situation is not turned into an after school special on why drugs are bad, I don’t know what will.

The World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers received good news and bad news this weekend.

The good news, Big Ben Roethlisberger is looking even better this spring than last. The Pittsburgh coaching staff felt that Ben use to rely on physically ability and will to win in his first couple years. They feel the playoff experience has given Roethlisberger the confidence needed to excel even further as a leader on this Steeler squad. Pittsburgh’s not ready to become a throw first team, but they do believe Ben’s decision making and confidence will make it easier for the team to throw when the run is not successful.

The bad news, Santonio Holmes, the Steelers first round pick was arrested this weekend for disorderly conduct in South Beach. The Steeler organization has little tolerance for off the field problems. They released Plaxico Burress because of his attitude and continuing problems away from the gridiron. This won’t sit well with the Rooney family and I’m sure Holmes will feel the wrath of Bill Cowher.

There is nothing wrong about taking a nice boat cruise to release some frustrations after starting an NFL season 1-3. Unless of course that cruise was filled with sex toys, some strippers and a bunch of Minnesota Vikings that is.

Cornerback Fred Smoot and offensive tackle Bryant “Mount” McKinnie pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for their actions while at a party on a cruise taken during the Vikings bye week last season. Both players agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and perform 48 hours of community service as their penance.

Smoot was charged with using a sex toy on two female dancers in front of crew members during the cruise, while McKinnie had been accused of performing oral sex on a dancer in a public area of the boat.

The best quote of this article came from Steve Tallen, the prosecutor in this case:

“Hopefully, next year’s party will be at the children’s hospital,” Tallen said.

I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think the parents of those kids would like Smoot and McKinnie hanging around their sick children very much.

Unless of course it was one of those make a wish foundations and Smoot and McKinnie could rent that boat again.

Nine-year veteran defensive lineman Kenard Lang signed a three-year $4.7 million deal with Denver Broncos on Monday. Just a year ago, Lang’s former Cleveland Browns teammates Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren, Ebenezer Ekuban and Michael Myers joined the Broncos.

The former Browns defensive linemen helped produced pressure that created 36 turnovers, 16 more than the previous season, for a Broncos team that was one win away from a Super Bowl appearance in 2005.

Although Lang says that things in Cleveland seemed to be improving with the hiring of head coach Romeo Crennel, he is thrilled to be in Denver.

“It’s not that things (were bad in Cleveland). They’re getting better with Romeo over there, don’t get me wrong. But when you get tired of losing, it starts eating at your soul,” Lang said. “I can see that light at the end of the tunnel for me. Football is not forever, and I’d rather be with a team that knows what’s best to do, and that’s what coach Shanahan does.”

“Now I’m here in Denver, where it’s beautiful; I love it. The weather is always nice. It’s not cloudy; it’s not raining. The whole atmosphere is different. Nothing against Cleveland, they have great fans and everything, and I know Denver does, also, but it’s just the atmosphere,” Lang said.

Lang was a first round selection of the Washington Redskins in 1997 and played four seasons with the Browns starting in 2002. His best statistical season was set in 2002 when Lang recorded a career-high 79 tackles and six sacks.

Lang dropped 25 pounds to play in Crennel’s 3-4 defensive scheme last season, but will return to his more natural position of defensive end for Denver. He was cut this offseason for salary cap reasons.

The way things are turning out for the Browns and Broncos, I wonder if first round selection Kamerion Wimbley (also a defensive lineman/linebacker) should just bypass the Cleveland stop and sign with the Broncos too.