NFL notes: Bush out six weeks with broken leg
Reggie Bush’s broken leg likely will sideline him about six weeks but not the rest of the season, a person familiar with the injury said.
Bush was expected to be examined again Tuesday, according to the person who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not officially updated Bush’s condition.
The Saints had the day off after returning early in the morning from their 25-22 Monday night victory at San Francisco. Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said there were no planned updates on Bush’s injury.
The bone in Bush’s lower right leg was broken when he recovered his muffed punt with 6:58 remaining. He had trouble catching the ball at windy Candlestick Park and was injured during the scrum after he dove for the ball and players landed on him.
“Last second it kind of shifted a little bit, just enough for me to drop it,” Bush said. “I tried to recover it and somebody took my leg out. I don’t know who it was, what happened or how it happened. I just know my leg got taken out. That’s it.
“It hurt like hell. When I got back up and tried to walk on it, it felt terrible.”
The injury capped a difficult past few days for Bush, who gave back his Heisman Trophy last week. The NCAA punished USC after concluding that Bush and his family improperly accepted money and gifts from sports agents while Bush played for the Trojans. Bush said he returned the award to end the controversy.
What shocked Kenny McKinley’s teammates and coaches was how well he hid the pain that led him to put a gun to his head and end his life.
Members of the Denver Broncos said they didn’t see any hint that the gregarious 23-year-old wide receiver was suicidal.
Neither did the players at his alma mater, South Carolina, when he visited them earlier this month.
However, an Arapahoe County Sheriff’s report that was released Tuesday quoted one investigator as saying McKinley had been depressed over a knee surgery he had a month ago.
“He had made statements while playing dominoes shortly after the surgery that he should just kill himself,” the officer reported. “No one believed he was serious.”
The report provided no explanation for the source of the investigator’s information.
Houston left tackle Duane Brown was suspended for four games without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs, joining linebacker Brian Cushing on the sideline for the same infraction. … Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said either Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch will start Sunday at Tampa Bay because Dennis Dixon is lost indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee. … The NFL fined Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh $15,000 for impermissible verbal and physical contact with an official. During the Ravens’ 15-10 loss Sunday to Cincinnati. Harbaugh made contact with line judge Ron Marinucci in the chest while demonstrating where outside linebacker Terrell Suggs hit Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer during a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty. … Running back Larry Johnson has been released by the Washington Redskins after gaining 2 yards on five carries in two games with the team. Johnson’s best years were 2005-06, when he had consecutive 1,750-yard seasons. … New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was fined $10,000 by the NFL for tossing his helmet into the stands against the Indianapolis Colts. … The Atlanta Falcons placed backup running back Jerious Norwood on season-ending injured reserve because of a knee injury.