BEREA, Ohio — Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield returned to practice Thursday after missing one day to rest an assortment of injuries.
Mayfield is dealing with shoulder, foot and knee issues. However, he’s expected to play Sunday when the Browns (5-5) host the Detroit Lions (0-8-1).
Mayfield was kept off the field on Wednesday, when he seemed unsure of his status for this week’s game. The 25-year-old looked good during the portion of Thursday’s practice open to reporters, firing passes and moving well despite his knee and foot injuries.
He hurt his right knee in the third quarter of last week’s 45-7 loss to the New England Patriots. Backup Case Keenum, who started one game earlier this season when Mayfield couldn’t play because of a torn labrum and fracture in his left, non-throwing shoulder, finished up.
Mayfield has thrown just nine touchdown passes in nine games as the injuries have affected his performance.
Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett was back after missing one day because of a personal matter. Garrett leads the NFL with 13 sacks. Also, wide receiver Jarvis Landry (knee) and Malik Jackson (knee) returned as well.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin) rode a stationary bike at the start of Thursday’s practice. He appeared to aggravate an injury that kept him out of two games while running a route on Wednesday.
The Browns are hoping running back Nick Chubb returns at some point this week after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
RAVENS: Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed his second straight practice, as an illness unrelated to the coronavirus continued to sideline the team’s most important player.
Jackson, who was sent home from the team facility Wednesday morning, could return to practice Friday for the Ravens’ final on-field workout before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said before practice Thursday that Jackson was feeling better.
Jackson also missed the Ravens’ first two practices before their Week 4 trip to Denver. But he recovered from back soreness to participate fully in their Friday practice, then went 22 for 37 for 316 yards and a touchdown in the 23-7 win over the Broncos.
Jackson also sat out one practice before wins in Week 3 and Week 6 over the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively, while recovering from an illness.
Center Bradley Bozeman, who missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness before returning Thursday, said Jackson’s absence is not “that big of a deal.”
“I know Lamar, he’s doing his things at home he needs to do,” he said. “He’s watching plays. He’s getting everything right at home. When he comes back in, he’s not going to miss a step. I mean, he’s done it week in and week out. He’s continued to build on that, continued to step up to the plate when he needs to. So I don’t see that being an issue.”
The Ravens were also without two of Jackson’s top targets at practice. Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (thigh) missed his second straight workout, while rookie wide receiver Rashod Bateman was absent for the open portion of practice.
Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, defensive tackle Brandon Williams (shoulder) and outside linebacker Pernell McPhee were also missing. Along with Bozeman, cornerbacks Tavon Young (foot) and Jimmy Smith (hip) returned after absences Wednesday.
TAUNTING: The NFL has sent a training video focusing on taunting and created for teaching purposes.
In a memo from football operations chief Troy Vincent to the 32 teams and obtained by The Associated Press, the video reviews actions that are appropriate celebrations and are encouraged. It also spotlights video examples of disrespectful acts toward the opposition and/or the bench area of the opponent.
Vincent stressed to the teams the importance of keeping sportsmanship in the game.
Taunting has been a point of emphasis all season, and controversy about the calls reached a zenith in Chicago’s 29-27 loss on Nov. 8 at Pittsburgh.
Chicago appeared to get a stop on a late Pittsburgh possession, only to have linebacker Cassius Marsh, who spent training camp with the Steelers, get flagged for taunting after sacking Ben Roethlisberger on third down.
Marsh’s celebration looked relatively innocuous. Referee Tony Corrente didn’t think so.
STEELERS: Mason Rudolph is practicing as if he’s going to start on Sunday night when Pittsburgh faces the Los Angeles Chargers.
Of course, the longtime backup quarterback has no idea if all that preparation will lead to him being under center on the first play. That’s just the nature of things during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Rudolph ran with the starters on Thursday, Ben Roethlisberger continued to participate virtually, and the team held out hope their 39-year-old star will be removed from the COVID-19 list in time to head west.
Roethlisberger tested positive for COVID-19 last Saturday and went onto the COVID-19 list less than 24 hours before Pittsburgh’s game against Detroit. Rudolph started instead, playing unevenly during an ugly 16-16 tie against the winless Lions that halted the Steelers’ four-game winning streak.
ZAC STACY, a former Jets running back, violently assaulted his ex-girlfriend on Saturday, punching her in the head and then throwing her against a television and their son’s chair. The woman said Stacy was visiting her and their five-month-old son, who can be seen in the video.
The extremely graphic video was published by TMZ on Wednesday night.
Stacy left Florida after cops were called and is now on the run, say police in Oakland, Florida. In a video published Thursday, the woman said “I don’t know why his friends are hiding him.”
Stacy’s ex-girlfriend filed for a restraining order against him on Monday, citing the attack, according to TMZ.
“He punched me several times in the head! I begged him to stop because the baby was on the couch just a few feet from where he punched me,” she wrote, describing the events seen in the video.
The woman apparently avoided any major injuries from the attack.
Stacy, 30, played in the NFL for three seasons.
PACKERS: Green Bay is having trouble getting healthy this week in preparation for its game at rival Minnesota.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (toe) did not practice for the second straight day, though the three-time NFL MVP said this week he’s certain he’ll play Sunday. Left tackle David Bakhtiari (knee), trying to make his way back from a torn ACL suffered late last season, has also not been practicing this week.
Wide receivers Allan Lazard (shoulder) and Malik Taylor (abdomen) have both been absent from practice this week, too. Running back Aaron Jones (knee) is unlikely to play Sunday after getting hurt in the last game
TITANS: Wide receiver A.J. Brown seemed to have everything going his way in 2020, having his best season yet in the NFL on the way to earning his first Pro Bowl honor.
Behind his big smile, Brown said he was battling so hard with depression back then that he thought of killing himself. He shared a video on social media Nov. 12 on the one-year anniversary of that dark time, encouraging people to ask for help, and Brown told reporters that’s why he finally spoke up.
“It was a dark moment, and it was a year ago where I had thought about taking my life, you know? And it was special to me because it just came with my heart that I wanted to share with others and help others so much as I can,” Brown said of sharing his own struggle.
Growing up in Mississippi, Brown said he always brushed off his feelings and didn’t consider what depression really was. Brown wouldn’t share what led to his depression. Those feelings wound up almost overwhelming him.
Brown said he thought long and hard about posting the video he recorded earlier on Nov. 12. He was nervous about whether he should share his personal struggle with the world. Brown described what gave him the courage to do it.
“I just wanted to put out a positive message that I’m still here,” Brown said. “I’m still growing. I’m still learning. I’m blessed. I’ve got a lot of things to be grateful for and someone was there for me. So reach out to your loved ones and ask them how they’re doing and listen to them, you know, because it’s important.”
The response to Brown’s video has been very positive. Brown said a lot of men reached out, telling him what he shared was powerful. He also sat down with several Titans teammates who talked about their own struggles, which Brown says they need to do more often.
“You need to look out for one another,” Brown said. “I know we play this beautiful game, but you know, life is beautiful.”
Brown said it’s easy to put on a smile and pretend everything is OK. He credits former Mississippi teammate and roommate Elijah Moore, rookie with the New York Jets this season, with helping him through his most difficult moments. He also reached out for professional help, which he’s still using.
The receiver currently leads the Titans with 41 catches for 567 yards and three touchdowns.
Titans Coach Mike Vrabel said Monday he appreciates Brown’s courage in speaking up about mental health. The coach focuses regularly on the mental health of the Titans and said he is glad they’ve been able to provide a safe space for people dealing with the strain that being in the NFL can put on professional athletes.
“Hopefully his message can help somebody else feel comfortable to seek help, get things off their chest, to be able to talk through things, and I think that is a great example,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel added that the Titans discussed a college football player whose death in November 2015 was ruled a suicide and how his mother thought her son seemed happy. That struck home with Vrabel, father of two sons, with one playing football at Boston College.
“Having kids that are going to start going off away from college and moving on and having their own life, these are real things we all deal with,” Vrabel said. “It is great when people can, especially significant professional football players or athletes, are willing to address it and willing to make statements about it.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
