Minnesota Places Ailing Harvin on Season-Ending IR
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings placed wide receiver Percy Harvin on injured reserve Wednesday, abruptly ending a season that began so well for one of the NFL’s most versatile players.
Coach Lesl ie Frazier answered questions about Harvin’s status cryptically and vaguely at his regular news conference, when he ruled Harvin out of practice again because of the severely sprained ankle that has kept him out of the last three games. Then about six hours later, the Vikings announced the move that declared their top pass-catcher done for the year.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice Wednesday and appears on track to return this weekend against San Diego.
Roethl isberger hasn’t played since spraining his right shoulder and dislocating a rib in a 16-13 overtime victory over Kansas City on Nov. 12. He was limited in practice but coach Mike Tomlin was encouraged by Roethlisberger’s performance.
Tomlin called it a “positive” day for his franchise quarterback but isn’t quite ready to say Roethlisberger is ready to start against the reeling Chargers (4-8). Roethlisberger will throw again today and barring any setbacks he likely will be back in the lineup as Pittsburgh (7-5) tries to stay in the thick of the AFC playoff race.
BILLS SELLOUT: The Buffalo Bills home game against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday is sold out after a local restaurateur committed to purchasing the remaining tickets.
The Bil ls announced Wednesday that Russell Salvatore, of Russell’s Steaks, Chops and More, had stepped in to prevent the game from being blacked out on local TV. The Bills had said last week that there were more than 10,000 tickets unsold.
Salvatore called this his holiday gift to Bills fans.
PACKERS: Running back Ryan Grant is back with the
Green Bay Packers.
The veteran was signed Wednesday to add depth to Green Bay’s banged up running backs. The Packers announced last week that Cedric Benson would stay on injured reserve with a foot injury, and Johnny White was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a concussion. There are also multiple reports that James Starks was hurt in Sunday’s victory over Minnesota, when he ran for a team-high 66 yards and scored Green Bay’s third rushing touchdown.
Grant is fifth on Green Bay’s all-time rushing list, running for 4,016 yards and 25 touchdowns from 2007-11.
JETS: Rex Ryan is sticking with Mark Sanchez as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback.
The coach announced Wednesday that Sanchez, benched last Sunday against Arizona, will get the start this week over Greg McElroy and Tim Tebow when the Jets play the Jaguars at Jacksonville.
SEAHAWKS: Seattle cornerback Brandon Browner has dropped the appeal of his suspension for using performance-enhancing substances and will miss the final four games of the regular season.
Browner’s decision was announced by the league Wednesday. He will be eligible to rejoin the team Dec. 31 and able to play in the postseason should the Seahawks make the playoffs.
BROWNS: Offensive tackle Joe Thomas called former teammate Peyton Hillis “a terrible distraction” last season, and said the running back put his contract situation ahead of the team.
Hillis is returning to play in Cleveland this week with the Kansas City Chiefs. Thomas unloaded Wednesday on Hillis, saying he didn’t always play hard and called his time with the Browns “toxic.”
Thomas said Hillis “wasn’t real popular around here the way he went about his business” and that “he just wouldn’t listen to anybody.”
Hillis sat out a game with strep throat last season on the advice of his agent. He also missed several games with a hamstring injury and his quest for a new contract with the Browns was always an issue.
Hillis signed as a free agent with Kansas City in the offseason.
CARDINALS: Arizona’s John Skelton will be back at starting quarterback when the Cardinals play the Seahawks on Sunday in Seattle.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt says his decision to replace rookie Ryan Lindley was based on several factors, including the environment the Cardinals will face in Seattle, where the crowd is among the loudest in the NFL and the conditions are likely to be cold and wet.