CLEVELAND — The Browns suspended Kellen Winslow on Tuesday for one game without pay for critical comments the tight end made after Sunday’s loss at Washington.
Winslow, who spent three days at the Cleveland Clinic this month with an undisclosed illness, revealed he had a staph infection — for the second time — before lashing out at general manager Phil Savage as the Pro Bowler’s teammates dressed after their 14-11 loss to the Redskins.
Winslow complained the team, which has had at least six cases of staph in the past three years, asked him to conceal his illness. He also vented at Savage for not checking on him while he was in the hospital, said he felt the Browns were treating him like a “piece of meat,” and said he considered requesting a trade.
Savage shot back with a 352-word statement Tuesday, suspending Winslow and calling his comments and behavior “unwarranted, inappropriate and unnecessarily disparaging to our organization.”
Winslow will miss Sunday’s game at Jacksonville and it will cost him $235,294 — his one-game paycheck.
Johnson could sit out
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs coach Herm Edwards hinted running back Larry Johnson, under NFL investigation for allegedly assaulting a woman, could be benched for a second straight game regardless of what the league decides.
“Decisions of all that will take place when it has to be made,” Edwards said. “. . .I’m going to do the right thing for the football team.”
Johnson was not activated last week as punishment for violating team rules. Since then, it has become known a woman alleges Johnson spat on her several times during an argument at a nightspot this month. No charges have been filed, but it’s the fourth time in five years Johnson has been accused of assaulting a woman.
The Chiefs also switched kickers, releasing Nick Novak and signing rookie Connor Barth.
Footnotes.
Former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick plans to plead guilty to state dogfighting charges, a step that could allow him to qualify for an early release from federal prison and into a halfway house, Surry (Va.) County court papers show. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Oct. 30.
• Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said his broken pinkie will keep him off the football field again this week.
• Reggie Bush had surgery on his left knee and it’s unclear when the Saints running back will be back with the team.
• Rodney Harrison’s career is almost certainly over after the Patriots safety tore his right thigh muscle during Monday night’s victory over the Broncos.
• Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has not been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Giants despite suffering the seventh concussion of his career last weekend.
• The Eagles signed fullback Kyle Eckel to a two- year contract and released safety J.R. Reed.
• The 49ers gave center Eric Heitmann a contract extension through 2011.
• Bills backup linebacker John DiGiorgio is scheduled to have season-ending surgery next week to repair a torn ligament in his right knee.
