Fitzgerald to return for 14th season

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has confirmed he will be back to play a 14th NFL season.

In a text to azcardinals.com’s Darren Urban, Fitzgerald confirmed a report that he had told ESPN on Wednesday that he would play another season.

Speaking at the PGA’s Waste Management Open Pro-Am on Tuesday, Fitzgerald said he felt much better physically and had pretty much made up his mind on whether he would return, but wasn’t ready to make it public.

At 33, Fitzgerald, a Pitt product, led the NFL in receptions last season with 107.

Colts

Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee said he is retiring. The 29year-old two-time Pro Bowl pick made the announcement in a statement on Twitter, thanking fans. McAfee wrote that three knee surgeries in four years, the expectation of additional operations in the future and an offer to work for Barstool Sports convinced him to walk away despite having two years and nearly $6 million remaining on his contract. McAfee said he met with team owner Jim Irsay for 1 hour, 45 minutes this week, and that although Irsay encouraged him to continue playing, Irsay also was supported his decision.

NFLPA

The players union will be making a push for improved equipment and for more consistent compliance with the concussion protocol. At their annual Super Bowl news conference Thursday in Houston, the NFL Players Association also insisted there will be no extension of the 10-year labor agreement signed in 2011. But the union would be open to a renegotiation before that deal expires.

Elsewhere

The Louisiana man accused of killing former NFL running back Joe McKnight during a road rage dispute was indicted on a charge that carries a mandatory life sentence. A grand jury charged Ronald Gasser, 55, of Terrytown, with second-degree murder, Jefferson Parish District Attorney Paul Connick Jr. said. Authorities said both McKnight and Gasser were driving erratically and yelling at each other before they stopped and McKnight walked to Gasser’s vehicle about 2:40 p.m. on Dec. 1. They said when McKnight, 28, confronted Gasser, Gasser shot McKnight three times. Gasser is white; McKnight black. McKnight played three seasons for the Jets and one with the Chiefs. He spent the past season in the Canadian Football League.