NFL News & Rumors Digest

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas put football coach Bobby Petrino on paid leave Thursday following he failed to disclose he had been riding with a female employee half his age when his motorcycle skidded off the road over the weekend.

Petrino, who coached the Atlanta Falcons throughout the 2007 NFL season before quitting immediately after 13 games to take the job at Arkansas, apologized and stated he had been concerned about guarding his family members and keeping an “inappropriate connection from becoming public.”

“I will completely cooperate with the university throughout this procedure and my hope is to repair my relationships with my household, my athletic director, the Razorback Nation and remain the head coach of the Razorbacks,” he said in a statement issued by the university.

Athletic director Jeff Extended announced the choice at a late-night news conference and said he had no timeline in determining the 51-year-old Petrino’s future with the Razorbacks.

“I’m at the beginning of the review. I don’t know what I’m going to find,” Extended stated.

Extended said he was disappointed that he didn’t hear about the passenger — former Arkansas volleyball player and present football system employee Jessica Dorrell, who is 25 — till Petrino named him Thursday afternoon, minutes before a police report was released that disclosed her presence at the accident.

Petrino, who is married with 4 youngsters, didn’t mention he had a passenger in the course of a news conference on Tuesday, two days following Sunday’s accident, and a school statement that day quoted Petrino’s family as saying “no other people” were involved.

Petrino, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, was hospitalized, but has because returned to practice. He will not be cited for the accident that occurred near the little town of Crosses on a road well-liked with motorcyclists.

Copyright 2012

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For a lot more NFL news see: Arkansas puts Bobby Petrino on leave for lying about accident.

Related Posts:

• Brees Dodges Question About Offseason Workouts
• Bears RB Barber Opens Up About Arrest of Close Friend Hurd
• Parcells Tells Saints He Won’t Unretire to Coach Team in 2012
• Retired Bills DE: Gregg Williams Was ‘softest’ Coach
• Giants’ Coughlin Diffuses Talk About Legacy: ‘It’S Not About Me’

The Houston Texans announced Wednesday that defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will take a medical leave of absence because of a surgical procedure scheduled later this week. He is expected to return later this season, though the team wasn’t particular.

Tv station KRIV reported that Phillips’ leave will last “a couple of weeks.”

With Phillips out, linebackers coach Reggie Herring will take more than play-calling duties on defense.

In his initial year with the Texans, Phillips has guided Houston’s defense to a dramatic turnaround whilst converting it from a 4-three to a three-4 scheme. The unit is presently ranked No. 1 overall — giving up just 274.9 yards per game — and is a massive reason for the team’s 10-three record and 1st AFC South title in franchise history. Last year, the Texans finished 30th overall (376.9).

Losing Phillips is an additional setback for the Texans, who have experienced their share of adversity this season. The team is playing with third-string rookie quarterback T.J. Yates after losing starter Matt Schaub and backup Matt Leinart for the season. Also, top wide receiver Andre Johnson has missed a total of seven games due to the fact of injuries to both hamstrings.

(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more NFL news see: Texans’ Phillips to take medical leave of absence DC will return.

Related Posts:

• Texans’ Phillips Believes Teams Should Want Him as Head Coach
• Leinart Named Texans’ Starter for Injured Schaub After Bye
• Texans’ Johnson Not Ready to Return From Injury vs. Bucs
• Too Many Roughing Calls Add Up to Texans’ Rough Loss to Colts
• Texans TE Daniels Says Knee Will Not Limit Him vs. Colts

The Ravens backfield will probably look a lot various next year.

Backup running back Willis McGahee appears to be on his way out unless he takes a paycut from his $ 6 million salary.  Two time Pro Bowl fullback Le’Ron McClain is also headed for totally free agency if we don’t go back to 2010 league rules and Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun writes that McClain is “not expected to return.”

McClain has somewhat jokingly pushed for more carries in recent years and need to get a nice contract for any team looking for a lead blocker.  We wouldn’t totally rule out a return for McClain in Baltimore, if only simply because the Ravens may well not want to have to fill two massive holes via free agency.

Obtaining a veteran backup to replace McGahee shouldn’t be so hard in a buyer’s market.

Related Posts:

• Ravens’ McClain, Ayanbadejo to Play Through Injuries vs. Texans
• Browns’ Hillis Questionable With Hip Injury, but Expected to Play
• Raiders LB McClain Expected to Play; Huff ‘Real Questionable’
• Hines Ward on Ravens loss: “It’s one game, not the Super Bowl”
• Okung expected to return for Seahawks this week

Eagles Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik is expected to be released from a Pennsylvania hospital this week, his son-in-law told the Philadelphia Enquirer Tuesday.

Related Posts:

• Eagles Hall of Famer Bednarik hospitalized in serious condition
• Hall of Famer Bednarik, 85, hospitalized
• Bednarik expected to stay in the hospital a couple days
• Michael Vick Will Practice This Week
• NFL Expects to Hear Payton, Saints Appeal This Week