NFL – Page 5 – North Platte Post Archive

Lions’ Raiola Loses Appeal, 1-Game Suspension Upheld

Posted on December 23, 2014

DETROIT (AP) — Lions center Dominic Raiola lost his appeal of a one-game suspension for stepping on Chicago Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson.

Appeals officer Derrick Brooks, the Hall of Fame linebacker appointed by the NFL and the players’ union, upheld the suspension Tuesday.

The punishment was handed down Monday by Merton Hanks, the NFL’s vice president of football operations. The league said this was Raiola’s sixth rules violation related to player safety since 2010.

Raiola stepped on Ferguson’s right ankle Sunday while the Chicago lineman was on the ground early in the third quarter. Raiola said after the game it was not intentional, and that he talked to Ferguson and apologized.

Raiola has been with the Lions for his entire 14-year career, playing every game of every season except 2008.

Detroit plays at Green Bay on Sunday for the NFC North title.

NFL Moves 2 Games to Late Sunday Afternoon

Posted on December 23, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The division-deciding games at Green Bay and Atlanta will be played late Sunday afternoon.

The NFL moved the Lions-Packers game for the NFC North to 4:25 p.m. EST. It also put the Panthers-Falcons game in that time slot, but switched networks for that showdown for the NFC South crown to CBS. Detroit-Green Bay will be on Fox.

The prime-time game is Cincinnati at Pittsburgh to decide the AFC North.

Jacksonville at Houston has been moved from late afternoon to 1 p.m. EST for the final day of the regular season.

NFL Domestic Violence is AP Sports Story of Year

Posted on December 23, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL’s troubles with domestic violence have been selected the sports story of the year in an annual vote conducted by The Associated Press.

Ninety-four ballots were submitted from U.S. editors and news directors. Voters were asked to rank the top 10 sports stories of the year, with the first-place story receiving 10 points, the second-place story nine points and so on.

NFL domestic violence received 659 points and 29 first-place votes in the results announced Tuesday.

The No. 2 sports story was Clippers owner Donald Sterling being forced out by the NBA after his racist statements. It received 518 points.

The Ins and Outs of the Playoff Races

Posted on December 22, 2014

With five of the six playoff slots in the NFC and four in the AFC decided, some would think much of the drama of the schedule’s final week has been removed.

Think again.

All nine of the teams already qualified for the Super Bowl chase have something to play for on Sunday.

Start with the defending league champion Seahawks (11-4). Excluding any Week 17 ties in the multitude of scenarios, Seattle not only will get the NFC West title by beating St. Louis, but also home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Not a pleasant thought for its opponents.

New England (12-3) doesn’t need anything else to happen but to beat visiting Buffalo on Sunday to clinch staying home for the AFC playoffs.

NFL Announces 32 Nominees for Walter Payton Award

Posted on December 16, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has announced the 32 players eligible for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

Among the nominees are Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, Dallas running back DeMarco Murray, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, Kansas City linebacker Tamba Hali and Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis, who was a finalist last year.

Named for the late Hall of Fame running back, the award recognizes a player’s community service and performance on the field.

Each team nominates a player, and the NFL Foundation donates $1,000 to a charity of his choice. The three finalists will receive an additional $5,000 contribution. They will be announced next month.

The winner will receive a $20,000 donation in his name to his favorite charity. The announcement will be made during the NFL Honors show Jan. 31, the night before the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

Owners Approve New Personal Conduct Policy

Posted on December 10, 2014

IRVING, Texas (AP) — NFL owners approved changes to the personal conduct policy Wednesday, but Commissioner Roger Goodell will retain authority to rule on appeals.

A special counsel for investigations and conduct will oversee initial discipline, Goodell said. The commissioner also may appoint a panel of independent experts to participate in deciding an appeal.

The players’ union has sought negotiations with the NFL on any revamping of the policy, and said Tuesday it would “reserve the right to take any and all actions” should the owners act unilaterally. The union could consider Wednesday’s vote by the owners as a violation of the collective bargaining agreement reached in 2011 to end the lockout of the players.

NFL to Recognize Sportsmanship

Posted on December 9, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has created a sportsmanship award to be voted on by league players.

Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the award Tuesday, with each team nominating one of its players during the season. A panel of former players will select eight finalists from the 32 nominees.

Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin will be on the panel, along with Warrick Dunn, Karl Mecklenburg and Leonard Wheeler.

The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award when the players vote on Dec. 19. From the eight finalists, each team’s players will submit a consensus vote of its choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.

The winner will be announced during the nationally televised “NFL Honors” show on Jan. 31, the night before the Super Bowl. The Associated Press NFL individual awards are announced during that show.

Senators to NFL: Drop ‘Blackout’ Rule or We Might

Posted on December 4, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators from both parties are urging the National Football League to get rid of a rule that bars home games from being televised in a local market if they have not sold out.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal and John McCain say the NFL’s “blackout” rule is unfair to fans who have helped the league reap billions of dollars in revenue from broadcast rights to games that are among the most-watched programs on TV.

The Federal Communications Commission voted this fall to stop enforcing the NFL’s blackout policy, but the action did not end blackouts, which are written into the NFL’s private contracts with broadcast and cable companies.

Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, and McCain, an Arizona Republican, warned that if the league does not repeal the rule, Congress may step in.

NFLPA Setting Up Commission on Domestic Violence

Posted on December 1, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the NFL Players Association says the union is establishing an eight-member commission to advise it about domestic violence prevention and discipline.

In a letter sent Monday to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith writes that “when these matters are left solely to the NFL, the process is mismanaged and often the end result has not been able to withstand outside review.”

Rockefeller’s committee is holding a hearing Tuesday about domestic violence in professional sports, with representatives of the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball scheduled to testify. Officials from the basketball, hockey and baseball unions are also scheduled to appear.

Smith says “long-scheduled overseas travel prevented” the NFLPA from participating Tuesday.

Judge to Weigh Fairness of NFL Concussion Deal

Posted on November 19, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Critics of what could be a $1 billion settlement of NFL concussion lawsuits will have their day in court in Philadelphia.

Dozens of former players, relatives and lawyers on Wednesday hope to speak to the judge weighing final approval.

The deal was announced last year to settle claims the NFL long hid what it knew about concussion risks.

The NFL expects about 6,000 former players to develop Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in the coming decades. They would get an average $190,000.

Some critics say that’s not enough to cover their needs — especially when the NFL takes in $10 billion each year.

Lead plaintiff Kevin Turner is battling Lou Gehrig’s disease and can’t make the hearing. But he hopes the deal is approved.

Turner says time is of the essence for players like him.