Favre says he may have played too long
Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre — who turns 50 on Thursday — told Peter King of NBC Sports that he’s concerned about whether he played too long, and the toll his 20-year NFL career may take on his long-term health.
The Hall of Fame QB told King that after he retired, a doctor offered to test Favre for elevated levels of Tao protein — an indicator that shows a chance for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Favre said he told the doctor, “I’d rather not know.”
He also said he considers whether he stayed in football too long.
“Absolutely. I wonder every day what tomorrow will bring just from [how] I did play. John Wayne was cool then. Maybe not so cool now.”
Despite his health concerns, Favre has no regrets about playing football.
“I wouldn’t trade any of it, the good and the bad.”
Burfict’s suspension upheld: Oakland Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s appeal to overturn his suspension for the rest of the season for a helmet-tohelmet hit has been denied.
Appeals officer Derrick Brooks ruled Wednesday that he would not reduce the longest suspension ever handed down for an on-field infraction. Brooks is appointed jointly by the NFL and the NFLPA and heard Burfict’s appeal of the ban for the final 12 games of the regular season and the playoffs.
He upheld the decision handed down last week by NFL Vice President of football operations Jon Runyan to punish Burfict severely for the hit on Indianapolis tight end Jack Doyle on Sept. 29. It was the third time Burfict has been suspended for a dangerous hit on the field.
Sherman says he owes Mayfield apology: Richard Sherman is backpedaling after blitzing Baker Mayfield.
The outspoken San Francisco 49ers cornerback said Wednesday that he plans to apologize to Mayfield after accusing the Cleveland Browns quarterback of not shaking his hand before Monday night’s game.
Sherman initially said he felt Mayfield disrespected him before the pregame coin toss by ignoring him. But after videos showed that Mayfield did shake hands with Sherman, the defensive star changed his tune.
“It’s definitely my bad,” Sherman said Wednesday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “I never want anybody to have to deal with some stuff that they didn’t do. And so, you know, the questions that he’s gonna get and the annoying, nonsense questions about some stuff that happened in a game that’s already been done, you know, sure he’ll get an apology for that.
“I’ll probably reach out to him via text or social media to actually get ahold of him and talk to him in person, I mean on the phone. But, yeah, because that sucks. Yeah, yeah, he definitely deserves an apology, and that’s my bad on that.”
Mayfield threw two interceptions – one by Sherman in the first quarter – as the Browns were trounced 31-3 by the unbeaten 49ers.
Kelce regrets sideline spat: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said he “regretted” shoving offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on the sideline during Sunday night’s 19-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
“I mean, we’re good,” Kelce said. “We’ve moved on as a team from last game. Me and coach Bieniemy have a very close relationship. I love him. He’s helped me out tremendously as a person, as a professional and I’m sure he’ll keep doing that throughout the rest of my career. Just what happened on the sideline, sometimes in football you get a little heated with your brothers or your coaches. Sometimes you’ve just got to rally the family together and let everybody know that we’re in this together to win a game.
“I mean, you guys saw me hug him afterwards I love the guy. That’ll never change. I appreciate him being on my tail to get me going.”
Giants depleted on offense: The New York Giants are going to be without their top two running backs and their two leading receivers against the New England Patriots.
Coach Pat Shurmur announced Wednesday running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) and Wayne Gallman (concussion), wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion) and tight end Evan Engram will not play on Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots (5-0).
It will mark the third straight game Barkley, the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has missed with a high sprain to his right ankle. He was hurt on Sept. 15 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has practiced on a limited basis in three straight workouts.
By sitting out, Barkley will get an extra 10 days to rehab for a possible return on Oct. 20 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Shepard, Engram and Gallman were hurt Sunday in the 28-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The injury to Gallman leaves the Giants with two healthy running backs, Eli Penny and rookie Jon Hilliman.