Snyder, Goodell discuss ‘Redskins’
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder met Tuesday in New York, but Snyder has no plans to change the controversial name of the franchise, according to reports.
The meeting comes one day before a publicized forum between senior NFL officials and Oneida Indian Nations in New York.
The Washington Post reported the meeting wasn’t about changing the name but more about gathering “information on the team’s plans for dealing with the issues involved, including assessing and addressing opposition to the name.”
The Oneida held a protest before the Redskins hosted the Packers because they consider the name a slur.
In June, Goodell defending the team’s name in a letter to Congress. He said in September the decision to change the team’s name is ultimately Snyder’s to make. Snyder has not shown he will bow to the growing pressure to change the franchise’s nickname. Speedy recovery: Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is pushing hard to come back sooner than expected from his groin injury, but he wants to play it smart.
“I’ll push it as much as I can,” Cutler said Tuesday. “That’s up to the trainers and doctors.”
Cutler, who was injured Oct. 20 against the Redskins, on whether he can come back sooner than the prescribed four-week timetable: “That’s the goal.”
Cutler attended but did not participate in the Bears’ practice Tuesday. Patriots add to D-line: To bolster an injury-plagued defensive line, the Patriots acquired tackle Isaac Sopoaga from the Eagles just before the trade deadline. The teams will swap a pair of late-round picks in the 2014 draft as part of the deal.
Sopoaga, 32, will add some depth to the Patriots with Vince Wilfork out for the season with a torn Achilles and Tommy Kelly having missed the last three weeks with a knee injury.
Sopoaga played the previous nine seasons with the 49ers. Extra points: Giants GM Jerry Reese gave a clear vote of confident to coach TomCoughlin, despite the team’s 2-6 start. “Coach Coughlin is a tremendous football coach,” Reese said. “This is not Tom’s first rodeo.” ... Tommy Smith will be the new president and CEO of the Titans, replacing his father-in-law, Bud Adams, who died last week. ... Cowboys G Brian Waters will miss the remainder of the season with a triceps injury. ... Patriots OT Sebastian Vollmer was placed on injured reserve, a day after surgery on his broken right leg. ... Seahawks WR Sidney Rice will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. ... Eagles QB Nick Foles has been cleared for contact following a concussion. He missed Sunday’s 15-7 loss to the Giants. ... The Bengals placed CB Leon Hall on injured reserve with a torn right Achilles. ... Dolphins WR Brandon Gibson landed on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon. ... Pita Asiata, father of Vikings RB Matt Asiata, died Monday in a vehicle crash on Interstate 80 outside Salt Lake City. Asiata, 53, was the driver of a charter bus that slammed into the back of a construction vehicle.