Washington: Washington Redskins cornerback Cedric Griffin will miss the rest of the National Football League’s regular season after receiving a four-game ban for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Griffin’s ban begins immediately and he will be eligible to return to Washington’s active roster on December 31, a day after his team’s regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL said in a statement yesterday.
A second-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2006, Griffin started 14 of 16 games last season for the Vikings, but made only one start this season for Washington.
The 30-year-old Griffin was credited with 25 tackles and one forced fumble in nine games for the Redskins.
Washington (6-6) has won three consecutive games to move within one game of the National Football Conference East division-leading New York Giants.
Meanwhile, the New England Patriots juggled their receiving corps o by re-signing veteran receiver Donte’ Stallworth after losing Julian Edelman to injury, the American Football Conference East division champions said yesterday.
Stallworth, who entered training camp with the Patriots but was cut before the start of the season, was signed after Edelman suffered a season-ending foot injury in Sunday’s win over Miami that gave New England a fourth consecutive division title.
Edelman had 21 catches for 235 yards and three touchdowns and a 15.5-yard average on punt returns.
The 32-year-old played with New Orleans, Philadelphia, New England, Cleveland, Baltimore and Washington. AGENCIES
