PATRIOTS
Brady speaks up
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady said his decision not to pursue an appeal of his four-game suspension in the "Deflategate" saga was "a personal decision."
The four-time Super Bowl winner spoke for the first time Friday at New England's training camp. He is allowed to practice with the team and play in the Patriots' preseason games, but will miss the first four regular-season games.
"I tried to come out here and just focus on what I need to do to get better and help our team," he said. "I'll be excited to be back when I'm back, and I'll be cheering our team on, hoping they can go out and win every game."
Brady was suspended for his role in the use of deflated footballs in the 2014 AFC championship victory over Indianapolis. He initially won a court appeal, but that was overturned, and Brady chose not to continue the legal fight.
TITANS
DB Huff suspended
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans defensive back Marqueston Huff has been suspended one game without pay for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
The NFL announced Huff's suspension Friday. The ruling means Huff won't play in the Titans' Sept. 11 season opener with the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL officials said Huff would be eligible to return to the Titans' active roster after the Vikings game.
The 24-year-old Huff played in all 16 games for Tennessee last season and led the Titans with 15 special-teams tackles. The former fourth-round draft pick from Wyoming played 14 games and made one start at safety in his rookie year of 2014.
JETS
Pair gets testy
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets stars Darrelle Revis and Brandon Marshall got testy with each other during training camp practice, with the two jawing and Marshall taking a swipe at Revis.
Revis and Marshall talked trash throughout practice Friday, and things appeared to come to a head when the wide receiver caught a pass. Marshall then yelled at Revis, who was lining up for the next play, and hit Revis' shoulder pads with an open-handed swipe.
Teammates quickly diffused the situation before things escalated, but the two continued to exchange words for the remainder of practice.
REDSKINS
Daniels' season ends
RICHMOND, Va. -- Washington Redskins rookie linebacker Steven Daniels is out for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Daniels confirmed he would be having surgery to repair the injury, which occurred during the first week of training camp.
"It just hurts," Daniels said Friday. "I've never been without a football season and now I don't have a football season right now. I've just got to take it day by day and stay learning from the older guys and just take it step by step."
Coach Jay Gruden said the team would like to place Daniels on injured reserve as long as he clears waivers. Washington lost injured cornerback Telvin Mitchel (Arkansas Razorbackls), a 2015 sixth-round pick, to the Indianapolis Colts on waivers a year ago, but Gruden downplayed that concern with Daniels.
"That was just such an oddity," he said. "It hardly ever happens. I don't think it'll happen again."
GIANTS
Cruz takes licks
Giants Coach Ben McAdoo is still easing Victor Cruz back, but he said he was glad to see the veteran wide receiver take a few licks in Thursday's practice.
Twice in that workout Cruz was knocked off his feet. Both times he got back up without any issues. It was the first time in a while he took a beating like that on a football field. Even last summer in camp, before his calf injury sidelined him for the season, he was typically avoiding contact as he tried to return from a torn patellar tendon.
"I think that's great, that's healthy," McAdoo said Friday of the hits on Cruz. "That's a part of it."
BILLS
Ragland hurts knee
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills rookie linebacker Reggie Ragland left practice Friday with a left knee injury.
Bills Coach Rex Ryan said the team does not believe any knee ligaments were damaged, but Ragland will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
The non-contact injury took place in a team drill near the end of Buffalo's morning practice. Ragland was going after the ball carrier on a running play before pulling up and going to the ground. He was able to walk to the locker room under his own power.
Ragland is projected to start at inside linebacker for Buffalo after being drafted 41st overall. The Bills are already without first-round pick Shaq Lawson, projected to start at outside linebacker.
In other Bills injury news, Ryan said defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (undisclosed non-football illness) will likely return to practice on Monday.
NFL
Dungy: Use rule correctly
CANTON, Ohio -- Tony Dungy would like to see the NFL's Rooney Rule used in the manner it was intended.
The new Pro Football Hall of Fame member said Friday that he doesn't believe teams are "following the spirit of the rule now." The rule, designed by and named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney, requires teams to interview minority candidates for coaching and front office positions.
Dungy, the first black coach to win a Super Bowl, with the Colts in February 2007, would like to see coaching searches slow down, one of the aims of the rule. He encouraged teams to "go outside the box" in their hiring practices.
Dungy, who turned around perennial loser Tampa Bay before winning the championship with Indianapolis will be inducted into the hall tonight.
Sports on 08/06/2016