ASHBURN, Va. — Ron Rivera said Wednesday he spoke to Eric Bieniemy about his comments that some Washington Commanders players expressed concern over the new offensive coordinator’s coaching style, apologizing for the remarks that put him in hot water around the NFL.
Rivera attempted to clarify what he said about players coming to him to ask about Bieniemy's vocal approach on the practice field.
“I basically told him I put my foot in my mouth,” Rivera said. “I think what I said wasn’t as clear as it needed to be. And I think the understanding of it is just the fact that I think everybody is making, in my opinion, a little more than needs to be made of this.”
Rivera, who hired Bieniemy fresh off the longtime assistant winning a second Super Bowl with Kansas City, said it was his intent to explain that coaches have different ways of doing things. He did that by contrasting Bieniemy with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, who like Rivera has been a head coach in the pros before.
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Bieniemy has not been hired for a head job in the NFL, despite interviewing with nearly half the league.
Players who worked under Bieniemy with the Chiefs came to his defense, including now-Miami receiver Tyreek Hill, who said on social media, “There is no other coach that has your back” like Bieniemy.
“Take that coaching and get better,” Hill posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “It’s tough but I promise you it will make you better.”
Bieniemy defended himself Tuesday, saying he has always been an intense coach who demands a lot from players.
“My job is to make sure that we’re doing it the right way,” Bieniemy said. “There’s a way to do it. Do they understand that? Yes, because they’re seeing the results. Will everybody buy in? I believe so, but if not, it’s OK, because you know what: My No. 1 job is to help take these guys to another level.”
Dolphins' Waddle leaves joint practice early
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle left Wednesday's joint practice against the Atlanta Falcons with an apparent injury.
Waddle made a catch during drills and went down grabbing at the right side of his body. The Dolphins' third-year receiver walked off the practice field under his own power after being down for about five minutes.
Waddle had 75 receptions and 1,356 yards receiving last season — his second straight season surpassing 1,000 yards.
“I think Waddle has probably had one of the best camps on our team this year,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “It really started with OTAs. From the first day he came, he showed up, he was locked in. It's kind of unfortunate to see something like that happen. I hope that it's just a couple days. I hope he gets better.”
It was Miami's second joint practice against Atlanta ahead of Friday's preseason game in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Former Raider Ruggs sentenced over fatal DUI
LAS VEGAS — Former Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs was sentenced Wednesday to at least three years in a Nevada prison for killing a woman in a fiery crash while driving his sports car drunk at speeds up to 156 mph on a city street nearly two years ago.
“I sincerely apologize,” the former first-round NFL draft pick said as he stood for sentencing in Las Vegas after pleading guilty in May to felony DUI causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, a charge carrying a six-month jail sentence that will be folded in with his three-to-10-year prison term.
Ruggs, now 24, was cut by the Raiders while he was still hospitalized following the predawn crash on Nov. 2, 2021. The collision killed Tina Tintor and her dog, Max, and injured Ruggs' passenger, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, his fiancee and mother of their daughter.
“I have no excuses,” Ruggs said, citing pain the case has caused his family, teammates and Tintor's family. Ruggs said that after prison, he intends to counsel others “about the dangers of driving at unsafe speed and driving and drinking.”
In a statement read in court by Tintor’s cousin, David Strbac, Tintor’s mother, Mirjana Komazec, offered grief, grace and memories of “what it was like to hug and embrace her, knowing we will never be able to kiss her on her forehead or tell her how much we love her and how absolutely proud of her we are.”
AP source: New Bills' stadium overruns near $300M
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Three months since construction began on their new stadium, the Buffalo Bills are already facing a potential cash crunch with the latest projections having the team on the hook for as much as $300 million in cost overruns, four people with direct knowledge or who were briefed on the financial details told The Associated Press this week.
What was initially estimated to cost $1.4 billion in March 2022, and increased to $1.54 billion months later, is now projected to have jumped to $1.65 billion and approaching $1.7 billion, the people told the AP on the condition of anonymity because the team has not disclosed those figures.
The rising price tag is notable because the Bills are contractually required to cover any overruns beyond the then-agreed to cost of $1.4 billion as part of the tentative deal the team reached with the state and Erie County 16 months ago.
Increased labor and material costs were cited for the increased price, with one person saying one line item has already come in at $75 million over budget. Another person said a delay in sending out bids also had an effect in upping the cost.
BRIEFLY
CARDINALS: Arizona running back Marlon Mack is out for the season after suffering a left Achilles tendon injury during Tuesday’s practice. Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed the extent of the injury on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Mack was signed earlier this week in the hopes the veteran could add some depth in the backfield behind starter James Conner.
PACKERS: Punches were thrown and players tossed to the ground during scuffles that interrupted a joint practice Wednesday between the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals ahead of their preseason opener. Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins was at the center of a couple of fights that briefly delayed the practice.
BROWNS: Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson will start Friday night’s exhibition against Washington, giving him another chance to knock off some of the rust he developed while being suspended last season. Watson said he doesn’t know how long he’ll play against the Commanders. Last year, Watson was on the field for just eight plays during his hyped preseason opener at Jacksonville before the NFL suspended him 11 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
RULE: Special teams coaches and standout players weren't happy when the NFL changed the kickoff rules this offseason to allow fair catch touchbacks in the field of play. The rule was put in place to cut down on the number concussions and other injuries from what has been the most dangerous play in the game. Now those same coaches and players are interested in how teams approach the new rule in the exhibition season in hopes of finetuning their strategy when the regular season starts in September.
