Watson donates first game check
Texans rookie helps hurricane-affected stadium workers.
Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson donated his first NFL game check to three NRG stadium employees in Houston who were affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Watson surprised three women who work in the team cafeteria at the stadium Wednesday. Watson donated about $27,000 of his base salary of $465,000.
In a video shared by the team, he told the women: “For what you all do for us every day and never complain, I really appreciate you all. So I wanted to give my first game check to y’all to help y’all out in some type of way.”
The women became emotional when he handed them an envelope with a red ribbon and one asked for a hug. He quickly obliged with a big grin. The former Clemson star told them: “Hopefully, that’s good and that can get you back on your feet. And anything else y’all need, I’m always here to help.”
Vikings: Quarterback Sam Bradford has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Detroit because of lingering soreness in his left knee, meaning Case Keenum will make his third straight start.
Bradford hasn’t practiced with the team for a week. After his latest absence from the field Thursday, coach Mike Zimmer said again that surgery is not needed for Bradford, only rest. Zimmer said he doesn’t think Bradford’s injury will be a longterm concern.
Starting right tackle Mike Remmers also missed practice, because of an illness.
Browns: Myles Garrett, the top overall pick in this year’s draft, returned to the practice field for the first time
in three weeks, increasing the possibility he could make his regular-season debut Sunday against Cincinnati.
Garrett has missed Cleveland’s first three games with a high right ankle sprain. The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder stretched, ran and joined Cleveland’s defensive lineman as they went through individual drills during the portion of practice open to the media.
It’s possible Garrett will be used only in obvious passrush situations this week, but coach Hue Jackson said the team will continue to take a restrained approach.
Cardinals: Got some good news on the injury front, with indications that some of their injured players will be back for Sunday’s game
against San Francisco.
The exception is guard Alex Boone, who has a pectoral injury and could be sidelined three to four weeks. Boone was filling in for Mike Iupati at left guard, who missed the past two games with a triceps injury.
Iupati said Wednesday he was “100 percent” certain he will play Sunday.
Like Iupati, left tackle D.J. Humphries was limited in practice. He hasn’t played since spraining a knee in the season opener.
Linebacker Deone Bucannon, who hasn’t played all season after a setback in his recovery from ankle surgery, participated fully in practice.
Redskins: Tight end Jordan Reed is confident he’ll be able to give it a go Monday
night against the unbeaten Chiefs. A chest-rib injury sidelined Reed for Washington’s Week 3 victory over the Raiders, but he was back at practice Thursday and expects to play at Kansas City.
“Some time went by, and the injury severity went down some and the pain went down and things like that and I got some strength back in my chest,” Reed said.
Saints: Placed veteran fullback John Kuhn on injured reserve because of a biceps injury, ending his season and activated receiver Willie Snead, who is returning after a three-week suspension stemming from a drunk-driving arrest.
Cowboys: The NFL has asked a federal appeals court to dismiss Ezekiel Elliott’s
entire lawsuit in its bid to lift an injunction that blocked the star running back’s sixgame suspension over a domestic violence case in Ohio. The league wrote in a filing to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans that the players’ union case filed on behalf of Elliott had resulted in “hopelessly doomed proceedings.”
League: Commissioner Roger Goodell held a round-table meeting with roughly 25 owners, league executives and players Tuesday night to discuss the national anthem demonstrations. Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas said the group talked about what to do to move forward and how to approach the “whole kneeling situation.”