NFL notebook: Cowboys’ Josh Brent indicted in crash that killed friend
ASSOCIATED PRESS December 26, 2012 10:50PM
Brian Hoyer (shown Sunday against the Bears) will become the fourth quarterback to start for the Cardinals this season. | AP
Updated: December 26, 2012 11:35PM
A grand jury in suburban Dallas formally indicted Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent on one count of intoxication manslaughter Wednesday.
Brent is charged in connection with a crash Dec. 8 that killed his friend, former Illinois teammate and Cowboys practice-squad linebacker Jerry Brown. He is out of jail on $100,000 bond.
Police say Brent was speeding when his vehicle struck a curb and flipped. Brown was pronounced dead at an area hospital.
Intoxication manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, but Brent also might be eligible for probation. No court dates have been scheduled.
Tebow defends self
New York Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow insisted he never asked out of running wildcat plays last week, but he acknowledged what he said to coach Rex Ryan might have been misinterpreted as such.
‘‘I never said, ‘Hey, I won’t do anything,’ ’’ Tebow said. ‘‘That wasn’t the talk at all. He knows that, and everybody on this team knows that. I’d never not do something if I was asked, and I think that’s what’s disappointing about the whole situation — people saying, ‘You quit,’ or, ‘You didn’t do this.’ It was not it at all.’’
Tebow said he realized Ryan might have misinterpreted his comments when he wasn’t in wildcat packages during practice last Wednesday and Thursday. He said he reiterated to Ryan on Friday he would do anything the team asked of him.
Cards pick Hoyer as QB
Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said quarterback Brian Hoyer will make his first NFL start Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, less than three weeks after the team claimed him off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hoyer will be the fourth quarterback to start for the Cardinals this season. Kevin Kolb is out for the season with a rib injury, and John Skelton and Ryan Lindley have been benched for lack of production.
Browns hurting at QB
Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Brandon Weeden and backup Colt McCoy missed practice with injured right shoulders, and the team said third-stringer Thad Lewis might make his NFL debut Sunday against the Steelers. The Browns also signed quarterback Josh Johnson as insurance.
Lewis active but out
The Baltimore Ravens added veteran linebacker Ray Lewis, who hasn’t played since Oct. 14 because of a torn right triceps, to their 53-man roster, but coach John Harbaugh said he won’t play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sun-Times wires
