Category: NFL (Page 409 of 1282)

Seven Packers questioned in sexual assault investigation

The Green Bay Press Gazette reports that six Packers players were questioned in an alleged sexual assault case in Lake Delton. While all six (Clay Matthews, Matt Flynn, Brad Jones, Khalil Jones, Josh Sitton and Korey Hall) were cleared of any wrongdoing, an unnamed seventh player remains under investigation.

Police responded to Canyon Road in Lake Delton around 4:20 a.m. Saturday to a report that two women were sexually assaulted, Grimsled said. The assault reportedly occurred between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. at a rental condominium at 1050 Canyon Road at the Wilderness Resort Golf Cabins.

Seven players staying at the condo were questioned, and all cooperated, according to police. They were all released, but police are still investigating whether one player was involved in both assaults. The six others are not suspected of criminal activity, Grimsled said. They are Matt Flynn, Khalil Jones, Josh Sitton, Korey Hall, Brad Jones and Clay Matthews.

The women initially indicated more than one player was involved, according to police. After further interviews, the six men were allowed to leave. The seventh was further interviewed before being released, but his involvement remains under investigation.

The players were reportedly in Lake Delton for a golf tournament hosted by Matthews. No other details are currently available, so it’s best not to jump to conclusions without any hard facts being made public yet.

That said, if the unnamed player is eventually charged with sexual assault, how stupid does he have to be to get nabbed for that with everything that Ben Roethlisberger has gone through over the past couple of months? Again, let’s not jump to any conclusions. Nobody knows what actually happened at this hotel and for all we know, these women are looking for money and/or attention.

Still, this is troubling news to say the least and not just for the Packers, but for the NFL as well.

Update: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that cornerback Brandon Underwood is the unnamed Packer that is under investigation for sexual assault.

“(The) seventh did have contact with the two females,” Grimsled said. “We were pretty sure of that. Everybody was cooperative.

“It comes down to ‘was it consensual sex?’ One side says yes, the other says no.”

When apprised that the investigation centered on Underwood, 23, several players who wished to remain anonymous said he had been a problem since he was drafted in the sixth round in 2009 out of Cincinnati. Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt talked last season about Underwood being immature early in his rookie season.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

Bills’ head coach Chan Gailey doesn’t know where Marshawn Lynch is

From BuffaloBills.com:

Bills head coach Chan Gailey was asked about RB Marshawn Lynch and when or if he might practice when he appeared on the Shredd and Ragan show on 103.3 the Edge.

“I don’t know,” said Gailey. “I have not talked to Marshawn. You’ll probably have to ask him. Somebody told me he was in town for a couple of days and then I heard he left town. So I don’t know. You’d have to ask him about that.”

Bills’ safety Donte Whitner doesn’t know where Lynch is either:

“I don’t know when to expect to see him,” Whitner said in regards to participating on the practice field. “I saw him two days ago. Other than that I really haven’t seen him.”

There’s speculation that Lynch went back home to California, but nobody knows why exactly. Considering the team has, at the very least, discussed trading him at various points during the offseason, chances are he’s disgruntled about his role with the Bills.

With Fred Jackson and rookie CJ Spiller already on board, Lynch is expendable in Buffalo. The problem is that the Bills seemingly can’t find any takers for the former first rounder. Seattle has been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Lynch and maybe speculation will continue to grow now that the Hawks have dumped LenDale White. Either way, it doesn’t appear that Lynch is long for Buffalo.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

Roethlisberger looking forward to second chance

Speaking to the media for the first time since he rejoined the Steelers earlier in the week, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said that he was looking forward to a “second chance” and a new opportunity.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“I’ve put a lot of thought into my life, decisions that I’ve made in the past that I’ve been sitting at home thinking about things. I’ve been working closely with the commissioner on ways to make changes, corrections. So, I’m looking forward to the second chance and a second opportunity, not just in football because I think everyone knows what you’re going to get in football, but in life. I think that’s what’s kind of more important.

“A lot of them are personal things, you know, which is just something that I need to do. But it’s been neat being able to really re-evaluate my life and spend time with my family and kind of re-evaluate and re-figure what’s important in my life. That’s me … evaluating what I need to do and be smarter when it comes to certain things. Like I said it’s a new chapter and I’m looking forward to it and it starts with football. I’m glad to be back here … I’ll be talking to you guys a lot more.”

There are no shortage of young, drunk women that are ready to fawn over athletes and regret their decisions later. So we’ll see if Big Ben has made wholesale changes and whether or not he’ll follow through on some of the things he said to the media today.

And I hope he does change. Our society doesn’t need yet another athlete that has no concept of what it is to be a role model to kids. (Not that I think athletes should be role models anyway, but it doesn’t help when they publicly are accused of sexually assaulting not one, but two women in under a year.)

On a related note, the Post-Gazette is also reporting that it’s “obvious” that Byron Leftwich will be starting for the Steelers in Week 1. Dennis Dixon has yet to work with the first team, although that could change when training camp begins later this summer.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

The Colts have a potential mess on their hands regarding Wayne

Peyton Manning needs a new contract, as do 18 other Colts players that are set to become free agents in 2011.

Reggie Wayne doesn’t need a new contract, but he wants one. He’s also willing to skip the team’s mandatory three-day mini-camp this weekend in order to show the Colts that he’s unhappy with his current deal.

Wayne has two years remaining on the six-year, $39 million contract he signed in 2006. He’s making less than $6 million per season, which is where the root of the issue comes in. Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall and Randy Moss – three players that Wayne outperformed last year – are just some of the receivers that are making more than Indy’s star receiver. Those three are all making $9 million a year, while four other receivers had multiyear contracts in 2009 that reached more than $8 million annually.

The problem is that the Colts’ main focus (and rightfully so) is on Manning. The quarterback that has led them to two Super Bowls over the past five years needs a new deal to help him finish out his career in Indianapolis and the Colts have made re-signing him priority No. 1 on their to-do list.

No matter how good they may be, the Colts’ front office doesn’t make it a habit of re-working players’ contracts that still have two years remaining on them. Wayne may be one of the team’s most productive players, but Manning, Joseph Addai, Antonie Bethea, Melvin Bullitt, Clint Session and Adam Vinatieri all need new deals when 2010 wraps up. Wayne is set through 2011.

There’s no doubt that Wayne is underpaid. But the Colts’ hands are tied at the moment until Manning gets his new deal and they have a plan in place to retain the other potential free agents. He may have to show some patience and have faith that the team will re-work his deal after the season. That said, if he continues to hold out through training camp, he may force the Colts into a making a decision that they didn’t think they’d have to make for another year or so.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

Revis reportedly furious over Jets’ contract offer

Trouble could be brewing between the Jets and stud cornerback Darrelle Revis, who skipped today’s OTAs because he’s not happy with how his contract talks with the team have gone thus far.

From the New York Daily News:

“Darrelle’s actions always speak louder than his words,” a league source told The Daily News.

Revis, who is entering the fourth-year of his six-year rookie deal, is scheduled to make $1 million this season. He’s looking to top Raiders’ Nnamdi Asomugha’s 15.2 million per year deal to become the highest paid cornerback in the league.

Rex Ryan said he didn’t have direct communication with Revis before the All-Pro corner decided to skip today’s session.

“I love him. He’s a great guy,” Ryan said. “The fact that he wasn’t out there today, this is voluntary camp. So you’d have to ask him the reason why he wasn’t here.”

Revis publicly stated a couple of weeks ago that he had faith that the Jets would offer him a fair deal. This is the first bump in the road, so there’s no need to panic yet.

That said, the Jets are going to have to pony up at some point. Maybe Revis won’t be able to make what Asomugha earns, but the Jets are going to at least have to come close. Revis is the best cornerback in the league and a vital part of New York’s defense. A deal will still likely be struck before the season starts, but this is an interesting development.


Photo from fOTOGLIF

« Older posts Newer posts »