Return of Burfict a boost for Bengals
Linebacker Vontaze Burfict is back on the Bengals’ active roster after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancer policy.
He’s glad to be back, even doing some work with special teams. He watched his teammates pull out a 37-36 road win Sunday against the Falcons on Andy Dalton’s touchdown pass to A.J. Green with 7 seconds left in regulation.
“Of course, I missed it,” Burfict said. “My daughter came downstairs and said, ‘Daddy, we won.’ ”
Burfict is expected to play Sunday when the Bengals (3-1) host the Dolphins (3-1), but how much he’ll play is unknown.
The Bengals hope he can shore up a defense that ranks 29th in yards allowed and last in opponents’ third-down conversions.
“I think we’ll be all right,” Burfict said. “Every game, there are always two or three plays that get messed up. Last year, the other teams wouldn’t score on those plays. This year, they’re scoring sometimes.”
Burfict expects his biggest contribution might be his fiery personality — the same intensity that has led in the past to penalty-causing, suspension-inducing hits.
“I’m a vocal leader,” he said. “I’ll add my little two cents. I think that can help.”
The family of late linebacker Junior Seau has settled its wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL over his 2012 suicide.
The confidential settlement comes after the family opted out of the NFL concussion settlement covering more than 20,000 retired players. That plan pays up to $4 million to families of men like Seau, who were found after their deaths to have the brain deterioration chronic traumatic encephalopathy, known as CTE.
Payments have been awarded in 66 of the 86 CTE claims filed as of Oct. 1, according to the latest report. Lawyers for the players expect payouts to top $1.4 billion over 65 years for the six qualifying conditions, which also include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
The Packers ruled out WR Randall Cobb for Sunday’s game at Detroit, a hamstring injury sidelining him for the second consecutive week. ... Dolphins DE Cameron Wake is doubtful Sunday at Cincinnati with a knee injury. Wake sat out practice for the third day in a row. He hasn’t missed a game since 2016. ... The Titans will be without two defensive starters against the Bills: LB Wesley Woodyard and S Kenny Vaccaro. ... Jets CB Trumaine Johnson was ruled out for Sunday against the Broncos because of a strained quadriceps. He was hurt during practice Thursday and sat out Friday. ... Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers is dealing with what coach Todd Bowles calls a “serious” illness and it’s uncertain if he’ll be on the sideline against the Broncos. “Coach Rodgers couldn’t do his interviews today because he is ill of a nature we can’t discuss right now,” Bowles said. “We’ll see going forward where he is and go from there. He will not be here today, and he was not at practice.”