NFL PLAYER NEWS

NFL Player News: Goff named Rams’ starting QB

The Sports Xchange

November 15, 2016 at 4:06 pm.

Aug 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Photo Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Photo Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Top overall pick Jared Goff has been tabbed as the Los Angeles Rams’ starting quarterback for Sunday’s game versus the visiting Miami Dolphins, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on Tuesday.

Coach Jeff Fisher reportedly met with the 22-year-old Goff and fellow quarterback Case Keenum on Tuesday morning to inform them of the move.

Los Angeles (4-5) is looking for a spark after seeing its offense held without a touchdown for the third straight game in Sunday’s 9-6 victory over the New York Jets.

Los Angeles traded a bevy of draft picks to the Cleveland Browns in the spring for the right to draft Goff with the top pick.

–Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is officially a backup and said that rookie Dak Prescott deserves to be the starter for the 8-1 team.

Romo made the declaration while reading from a five-minute statement at the Cowboys’ facility. He didn’t take questions and said it was in “the best interests of my team” not to do so.

“He has earned the right to be our quarterback,” Romo said. “As hard as that is for me to say, he’s earned that right. He has guided our team to an 8-1 record and that’s hard to do. If you think for a second I don’t want to be out there, then you probably never felt the pure ecstasy of competing and winning.”

Romo appeared emotional at times during his statement and reflected on different parts of his career.

–Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III may return this season.

Griffin has not played since fracturing his shoulder in the first game of the season.
However, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Griffin has never lost hope about playing again this season. Furthermore, Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown said Griffin is on track to make that return before the season ends.

The Browns even have had discussions about the possibility of Griffin returning to practice this week, according to a report by ESPN’s Josina Anderson.

— Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end and team captain Cameron Heyward announced on social media that he will miss the remainder of the season with a pectoral injury.

Heyward sustained the injury in Sunday’s 35-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

— Anquan Boldin and four other NFL players will visit Congress in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to discuss race issues and police brutality with lawmakers.

The Detroit Lions wide receiver will be joined by teammate and safety Glover Quinn, Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown and wide receiver Andrew Hawkins, and Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins.

The group will meet with representatives Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.), Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) and potentially Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), as well as members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

— New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has a chest injury, not a punctured lung as originally reported, and his injury is “not overly serious,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady also took a low hit from Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor in Sunday’s game, but isn’t expected to miss any time.

— New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker underwent shoulder surgery over a month removed from the team placing him on injured reserve.

Decker, who saw his season officially come to an end on Oct. 12, elected to have hip surgery later in the month.

— The Minnesota Vikings released embattled kicker Blair Walsh. Walsh missed his fourth extra point of the season in Sunday’s 26-20 loss to the Washington Redskins.

Kai Forbath, who was one of the six kickers who auditioned last week, is expected to sign with the Vikings, ccording to multiple reports.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans issued an apology and will no longer sit during the national anthem, as he did before last Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

“I want to start by apologizing to all the U.S. military members, their families, and the fans who I offended by my actions on Sunday,” Evans said in a statement. “It was never my intention as I have tremendous respect for the men and women who serve our country.”

Evans said his decision to sit was in protest of last week’s election results which saw Republican candidate Donald Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

— Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Sammie Coates has two broken fingers on his left hand, coach Mike Tomlin revealed.

Coates injured his left index finger against the New York Jets in Week 5 and his production began to suffer. He had 421 receiving yards over the first five games and has just one catch for 4 yards over the past four.

Coates apparently fractured the ring finger during his slump.

— The Buffalo Bills addressed their ailing secondary by signing a familiar face in veteran safety James Ihedigbo.

Safety Duke Williams was released to make room for Ihedigbo, who played two seasons with the New York Jets under the direction of current Bills coach Rex Ryan.

Buffalo has been searching for a starting safety since Aaron Williams (neck) was placed on injured reserve Nov. 1.

— The Arizona Cardinals re-signed Drew Butler and released fellow punter Ryan Quigley.
Butler initially was waived after three games with an injury settlement for his calf on Oct. 4.