The Atlanta Falcons' worst fears about the foot injury to wide receiver Julio Jones have been realized. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that after Jones got his second opinion from Dr. Robert Anderson on Wednesday, he will undergo season-ending surgery next week.
When he was banged up in the Falcons' home Monday night loss, Jones, per media reports, had the screws come loose of the foot, which he had surgically repaired after the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. According to Mortensen, Anderson confirmed that Jones had a fracture.
Also on Wednesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Falcons' other Pro Bowl wide receiver, Roddy White suffered a pulled hamstring against the Jets that is set to keep him out at least one game.
With Jones headed to IR and the possibility of White missing extended time as well, there was speculation the team would look to trade tight end Tony Gonzalez to get something in return during what's setting up to be a lost season. After Gonzalez told Fox Sports' Jay Glazer he didn't want to be dealt, even to his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, Falcons coach Mike Smith made it clear Wednesday that the future Hall of Famer would remain on the team through what could be his final NFL season.
"Injuries are a part of the NFL and you've got to deal with them," Smith said. "Everybody has to deal with them. Our guys understand it's an opportunity for somebody else to step up. We've done it many times already this season. It's not going to be any different than any other week."
Jones leads the NFL with 41 catches and ranks second with 580 yards receiving. He made his first Pro Bowl team in 2012 when he had 79 receptions for 1,198 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Jones (6-3, 220) provides size mismatches for most cornerbacks and is the Falcons' top deep threat. He had eight catches for 99 yards, including a 46-yarder, against the Jets.
"It's tough to replicate what he can do," said quarterback Matt Ryan. "Certainly he's one of the most gifted receivers in the NFL. That makes it difficult to replace that but we have other guys who need to step up and I think will step up for us."
Ryan said he saw Jones on Wednesday before the receiver left the practice facility for appointment in Charlotte.
"We've all kind of been there before," Ryan said. "It's part of playing in this league. It's a tough, physical game. He's got a great mindset about it though. He's positive, he's upbeat."
The Falcons could seek help at wide receiver during the bye week. Jones' big-play ability will be difficult to replace.
"It's going to take some time to figure out what we're going to do, depending on how long he's out or whatever," Ryan said. "But we'll figure it out and try to find a way to get it done and be explosive in some different ways."
Harry Douglas, who has 16 catches for 219 yards, is in his fifth season. Most of his experience has come as the No. 3 receiver, and he could be asked to join Gonzalez in a lead role when the Falcons return from the bye week to play Tampa Bay on Oct. 20.
"I don't need to go out there and try to be Superman," Douglas said. "I've just got to play the game of football."
SCHAUB TO START WEEK 6
The Houston Texans will go at least another week with Matt Schaub as their starting quarterback. Coach Gary Kubiak told reporters on Wednesday that the "tough decision" was made to stick with Schaub for Sunday's Week 6 home game vs. the St. Louis Rams.
Schaub keeps getting the nod over backup T.J. Yates, who saw action late in Week 5's Sunday night road loss at San Francisco. The Texans lost that game 34-3, after Schaub was intercepted twice by the 49ers' Tramaine Brock, including one returned for a touchdown. It marked the fourth consecutive game in which Schaub threw a "pick six."
Despite Schaub's track record as Houston's top QB, his recent struggles have frustrated Texans fans as a team thought to be a strong Super Bowl contender has started 2-3. That sentiment took an ugly turn on Monday with a reported incident at Schaub's house.
Kubiak added that Schaub still gives the Texans "the best chance to win.". In five games, Schaub has seen his passer rating dip to 76.9, his worst mark as a Texan. Overall, he's thrown 9 INTs in relation to just 8 TD passes. But in their first two games, he also led great comebacks to earn victories over San Diego and Tennessee.
Yates completed 3-of-5 pass attempts for 15 yards in mopup duty against the 49ers. He's made five career-regular season starts, all as a rookie in 2011, going 2-3 while Schaub was sidelined by a foot injury. He did, however, help the Texans win their first playoff game in franchise history, with a 97.7 rating in the ensuing wild-card victory over Cincinnati.
SNYDER ADDRESSES SKINS' NAME
Redskins season-ticket holders received a letter from owner Daniel Snyder Wednesday defending the team’s embattled name. He took a far more conciliatory tone than he did the last time he publicly spoke on the topic – but made it clear that in recognition of “what it stands for,’’ the name would stay.
Back in May, Snyder told USA Today, "We'll never change the name. It's that simple. NEVER -- you can use caps."
In this week’s two-page letter, he did not change his stance, but in 31 uses of ‘Redskins,’ he did detail the history of the name (at least the franchise’s long-stated history of it, which has been disputed), and added: “I’ve listened carefully to the commentary and perspectives on all sides, and I respect the feelings of those who are offended by the team name. But I hope such individuals also try to respect what the name means, not only for all of us in the extended Washington Redskins family, but among Native Americans too.’’
Snyder’s shift in approach is the latest twist in a story that has swerved in multiple directions just since the NFL regular season began last month. The two most prominent names involved – the owner and the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell – haven’t backpedaled, but they have indisputably made their points more delicately than they had previously.
A spokesman for the Oneida Indian Nation in upstate New York – the tribe that has launched a radio campaign against the name and that put on a panel discussion about it in Washington Monday – wasn’t buying Snyder’s softer approach. Ray Halbritton invited Snyder to a proposed meeting between the tribe and the NFL to discuss the name.
“During his visit, we will organize a special meeting of Oneida Nation families where Mr. Snyder can personally explain to them why he believes they deserve to be called ‘redskins,’’ Halbritton said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “He can then hear directly from them why that term is so painful.”
In the season-ticket holder letter, Snyder put nothing in capital letters, choosing numbered items, polls, quotes, past honors bestowed by Native groups – and bold italics, for this line: “Our past isn’t just where we came from – it’s who we are.’’
Back in June, Goodell replied to a plea from a Congressional committee to change the name by calling the name "a unifying force that stands for strength, courage, pride and respect."
After three months of blistering criticism – and increased pressure from numerous directions – Goodell told a radio station last month that while he still believes the name is honorable, “I think what we have to do, though, is we have to listen. If one person is offended, we have to listen.”
On Tuesday, Goodell took yet another step away from his initial bluntness, telling reporters at the end of the league meetings in Washington about the planned get-together with Oneida Indian Nation officials.
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith is facing multiple felony weapons charges stemming from an incident at a house party.
According to the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit, three felony charges of possession of an assault weapon have been filed by the District Attorney’s office.
That is more bad news for Smith, who is on indefinite leave from the team after an arrest on DUI and marijuana possession charges.
At the 2012 house party, Smith was stabbed and two others in attendance were shot. Two guests at the house party were shot.
There is no claim that Smith was the shooter, but the incident did occur at his home near San Jose. The civil lawsuit accuses Smith of shooting into the air and of owning illegal firearms.
NFLPA ISSUES WARNING
The NFL Players Association posted a warning on its Twitter account Wednesday morning, telling players about possible fatal health risks linked to a popular weight-loss supplement.
The product - misspelled in the union warning - is OxyElite Pro, which has had reports of numerous dangerous side effects dating back at least two years. On Wednesday morning, the Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory based on numerous reports of acute non-viral hepatitis in Hawaii, in which, it said, "24 of these cases share a common link'' with OxyElite Pro.'' It advises anyone who has used the product to stop immediately and contact a health-care practitioner.
The FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Hawaii Department of Health have launched an investigation, the advisory said. Of 29 reported cases in Hawaii, one person has died, two have received liver transplants, and 11 have been hospitalized with acute hepatitis.
USPLabs LLC, the Dallas-based company that manufactures OxyElite Pro, issued a statement to the website NutraIngredients-USA.com, saying it will stop distributing two products sold under that name "out of an abundance of caution.'' It called the outbreak in Hawaii "a complete mystery" and said it is cooperating with the FDA investigation.
The FDA has warned supplement companies before about products containing dimethylamylamine, or DMAA, as OxyElite Pro does. In a warning issued this past April sparked by 86 reports of illness or death connected to DMAA, the FDA specifically mentioned OxyElite Pro and USPLabs.
AIKMAN RESPONDS TO FILM
Troy Aikman, suffering the damaging affects of a horrible concussion, asked the same questions over and over again. He was hospitalized, having been knocked out of the 1994 NFC championship game.
It wasn’t the only concussion the former Dallas Cowboy and Hall of Famer would sustain. It just might have been the worst.
Still, he’d do it all again, he told Sporting News’ Rayven Tirado after watching his tale and many others on the PBS documentary, “League of Denial.”
“I would,” Aikman said of playing in the NFL. “The answer for that is because I haven’t had any symptoms since retiring from the game. I’ve gone and I’ve seen specialists. I’ve been tested extensively and everything has checked out just fine…As I sit here today, no I wouldn’t change anything.”
The NFL and thousands of players who sued the league for concussion damages reached a $765 million settlement. Players accused the league of withholding information about the dangers of concussions.
Despite a greater level of scientific research being devoted to concussions, Aikman said if he had a son, he wouldn’t push him into the game. Today, he is healthy and says he has none of the symptoms that he knows so many others are living with.
Nevertheless, he has continued concerns.
“I do not have a son; if I had a son, I wouldn’t necessarily discourage him from playing football, but I don’t know that I would encourage him to play either,” he told SN.
He added: “I don’t know what the data show, but I haven’t sensed there’s been a reduction in head injuries. With that in mind, that’s concerning. As long as we’re having contact and as long as there are collisions, there’s going to be head injuries.
“What the long-term consequences are of that, we’re beginning to learn and that definitely will have an impact on the game as we know it.”
HERNANDEZ TRIAL UPDATE
Prosecutors in the murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez want the judge to recuse herself.
Hernandez was at a pretrial hearing Wednesday, his first time in court since being arraigned.
Assistant District Attorney William McCauley says he plans to file a motion to ask Judge Susan Garsh to give up the case. He hasn't explained why but referred to a 2010 case he and Garsh were both involved in. At the time, he accused Garsh of being antagonistic to prosecutors and limiting or excluding their evidence.
Hernandez's lawyers say they'll object to a recusal. Garsh didn't hear arguments on the issue.
Hernandez has been indicted in the killing of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's girlfriend.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Contributors: Vinnie Iyer, David Steele, Rana L. Cash, The Associated Press