Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin was hospitalized Monday for treatment of a viral infection.
The 32-year-old Kiffin had been sick for a few days. He led the Raiders to a 27-23 win over Arizona on Saturday in his first game as an NFL head coach and looked fine after the game, but continued to feel ill. On Sunday, Oakland canceled a scheduled conference call between Kiffin and reporters.
The Raiders returned to practice Monday and some players weren’t even aware Kiffin, the youngest coach in the league, was absent until they took the field.
Jets
Running back Thomas Jones has a strained right calf muscle and hopes to return in time for the team’s season opener, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.
“He had an MRI on the right calf and it was determined that he has what is essentially a strain of the calf muscle,” Rosenhaus said. “He said the doctor was vague in terms of how much time he would miss, but it would probably be a week-to-week injury.”
Rosenhaus added Jones told him he was “confident he would be ready” for the Jets’ season opener at home against New England on Sept. 9.
Jones walked with a slight limp Monday, a day after injuring the leg, and spent most of the morning session working on a hand bike and doing calisthenics. Jones’ leg had a small wrap around it.
Panthers
Tackle Kenyatta Walker signed a one-year contract. The 6-foot-5, 302-pound Walker, who spent his first six seasons with the Buccaneers, started 73 of 75 games at right and left tackle. He hurt his knee early last season and missed the final 13 games. The Buccaneers released him in the offseason.
“We thought it was an opportunity to get an experienced veteran in here to compete and add depth,” general manager Marty Hurney said.
And, perhaps, friction.
Walker had a running feud with Panthers DLs Kris Jenkins and Julius Peppers starting in 2003, when Peppers took a swing at Walker after he claimed Walker was putting his hands inside his facemask. Jenkins at one point suggested Walker should be playing in the Canadian Football League.
The Panthers sent tapes to the league claiming they showed Walker’s dirty play.
In the second game between the teams that season, also a Carolina win, Walker was called for three personal fouls and Jenkins ripped him after the game.
That past could make for some interesting practices when the 28-year-old Walker goes up against Jenkins and Peppers every day.
Jaguars
Free agent safety Sammy Knight signed a one-year, $820,000 contract Monday, adding a veteran to the team’s mix of young players at that position.
The team also released safety Kevin McCadam.
Knight started 16 games in each of the last eight seasons, playing with New Orleans, Miami and Kansas City. The Chiefs released him in March.
Jacksonville replaced starters Deon Grant and Donovin Darius in the offseason. The Jaguars drafted safety Reggie Nelson with the 21st overall pick, and he has played well in training camp and the first preseason game. Strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh has also been impressive.
But the team’s backups have mostly struggled.
Chiefs
Arena Football League star wide receiver Bobby Sippio agreed to terms on a two-year contract. In his most recent AFL season, Sippio had 163 catches for 2,391 yards and 70 touchdowns with the Chicago Rush.
Sippio, a converted defensive back who played cornerback and safety for Western Kentucky, first tried to make the NFL as a free agent with Miami in 2004.
Colts
Safety Bob Sanders thinks he’ll finally be practicing Wednesday.
Sanders has been on the physically unable-to-perform-list since July 30, the first day the Colts practiced, and hasn’t been in pads since having offseason shoulder surgery four months ago.
The Colts’ biggest hitter is eager to get started.
“I’m excited to see how it feels and get the timing down and stuff,” Sanders said after Monday afternoon’s practice. “I’m still hoping to play in the third preseason game (against Detroit), but right now we want to get a full week of practice in and see how it goes.”
Coach Tony Dungy has acknowledged the Colts will be cautious in using Sanders this month.
Giants
Backup quarterback Jared Lorenzen hurt an ankle in practice Monday after being hit while throwing a pass. Lorenzen lay on the field for about a minute before he got up and was treated. He returned to practice a few minutes later.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin was miffed after the play because quarterbacks are not supposed to be hit during practice.
“You don’t hit the quarterback and you don’t hit him low,” Coughlin screamed in a sentence that included a few colorful words. Lorenzen did not know who hit him, and Coughlin would not identify the culprit.
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