USA TODAY US Edition

Bears’ recovering Miller back at home

- Heather Tucker

Three weeks after he was injured on a play and left to wonder whether doctors would be able to save his leg — much less whether he would play another snap in the NFL — Bears tight end Zach Miller is home. He tweeted Monday night: “Freedom!!!! Guess who’s home!?!? #DayByDay” Miller had surgery to repair a torn popliteal artery in his left leg, the result of a gruesome injury suffered against the Saints on Oct. 29. The injury prompted reports that Miller not only might never play football again, but that part of his leg might require amputation. He has had other procedures and doctors were able to save his leg. He dislocated his knee on the hit, which led to the arterial damage. Nerve damage also is possible, even later. Miller was in a New Orleans-area trauma hospital for about a week after his initial surgeries before moving back to Chicago and having further treatments.

Steelers’ starter suspended

The Steelers’ clicking offense will be without one of its starters for a month. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert was suspended for four games Monday for violating the NFL’s policy on performanc­eenhancing drugs, the team announced. Gilbert will not appeal the ban. He will miss games against the Packers, Bengals, Ravens and Patriots. He is eligible to return in the penultimat­e game of the regular season against the Texans on Christmas. The Steelers scored a season-high 40 points in last Thursday’s win over the Titans.

Cutler in concussion protocol

Jay Cutler’s availabili­ty for the Dolphins on Sunday against the Patriots at New England is uncertain because he’s in the concussion protocol, but he’s expected to start if healthy. Coach Adam Gase says Cutler remains his No. 1 quarterbac­k even though Matt Moore came off the bench to throw for 282 yards in the second half of Sunday’s 30-20 loss to the Buccaneers. Cutler threw three intercepti­ons in the first half before he left at halftime. It’s the second time in five weeks he has been knocked out of a game because of an injury. The defeat was the Dolphins’ fourth consecutiv­e loss.

Winston not ready to return

Buccaneers quarterbac­k Jameis Winston still is not ready to return to the field and will sit out this week against the Falcons. Buccaneers coach Dick Koetter made the announceme­nt Monday, according to the team. Winston, who has been fighting a right shoulder injury since Week 6, was benched two weeks ago to give him a chance to properly heal and rest. But Koetter said Winston still hadn’t been cleared. Backup Ryan Fitzpatric­k has led the Buccaneers to two victories, including Sunday’s 3020 win over the Dolphins, in Winston’s absence. “Ryan’s done exactly what I thought he’d do,” Koetter said. “Ryan made really good decisions. We didn’t turn the ball over.” The NFL confirmed last week that it is investigat­ing allegation­s from a female Uber driver that Winston made unwanted sexual advances toward her during a ride in March 2016. Winston has denied the allegation­s and said he wasn’t the only passenger in the car. Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby, Winston’s teammate at Florida State, said he was in the back seat with the quarterbac­k, though the driver’s lawyer contested that claim.

Broncos fire coordinato­r

The Broncos announced Monday that offensive coordinato­r Mike McCoy was fired. McCoy was in his second stint with the team after serving as offensive coordinato­r from 2009 to 2012. The Broncos lost their sixth consecutiv­e game Sunday — 20-17 to the Bengals — and are 3-7. Through the first 10 games of the season, they have averaged 18.3 points.

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