The AFC South champions ranked 21st

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kareem Hunt promises to change. The NFL will hold him to his word.The league suspended the Cleveland Browns running back for eight games on Friday for two “physical altercations Jordan Scarlett Jersey ,” one in which Hunt shoved and kicked a woman in a hotel hallway while he played for Kansas City.Hunt will not be eligible to play until November as part of his penalty for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy. The 23-year-old, who quickly became a star player with the Chiefs before his conduct prompted the team to cut him during a Super Bowl push last season, will not be paid during the half-season suspension, which will be lifted on Aug. 31. He can practice and will be eligible to play in Cleveland’s preseason games.Hunt will not appeal the league’s findings, which came following an investigation into the hotel incident and a fight in June at Put-In-Bay island, a resort area in Ohio.“I want to again apologize for my actions last year,” Hunt said in a statement released by the Browns. “I know that my behavior hurt a lot of people, and I again apologize to them. I respect the league’s decision on discipline, and I appreciate the time I spent with Commissioner Goodell last week. I’m grateful for my time with the Browns over the last month and thankful to all the people in the organization that have welcomed me.“I also appreciate all of the support I received from my union through this process. My commitment to earning the trust of the league, my teammates, the organization and this community through my actions will continue, and I understand there is a lot of hard work ahead of me before I’m able to fully return to playing the game I love.”The league recently completed its investigation that included a review of law enforcement records, video and electronic communications and interviews with witnesses as well as Hunt.In November, surveillance video taken in February in a Cleveland hotel where Hunt stayed during the offseason. The disturbance involved several people, and Hunt was seen shoving the woman before kicking her as she scrambled to get off the floor. Police investigated but the woman did not file charges against Hunt.The disturbing images drew a public outcry and resulted in the Chiefs cutting ties with one of their top players in the final month of the regular season. Hunt later admitted lying to the Chiefs about the situation.Hunt was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and missed Kansas City’s final five games. His career appeared at a crossroads before the Browns, at the prompting of general manager John Dorsey David Montgomery Jersey , signed Hunt in February. Dorsey drafted Hunt while he was in Kansas City and felt the Ohio native was contrite and deserved a second chance.NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The Associated Press the league inquired about a third matter involving Hunt. In January 2017, a man alleged that Hunt and a teammate assaulted him in a Kansas City nightclub. McCarthy said Hunt will not be disciplined for that.In recent months, Hunt has been receiving counseling and assured Goodell he “accepts responsibility for his conduct and the discipline that has been imposed,” the league said. “He has committed to take advantage of available resources to help him grow personally and as a member of the Cleveland community, and to live up to his obligations as an NFL player.”Dorsey has been unwavering in his support of Hunt.“I know that he has really done a nice job of being committed and of doing that work so that he can be the best version of himself,” Dorsey said Thursday. “I know he has been diligently working on that.”Hunt has been working out at the Browns’ facility in Berea, Ohio, and is scheduled to take part in the team’s offseason program starting April 1.Hunt’s suspension caps a busy week for the Browns, who acquired superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Tuesday in a trade with the New York Giants. Cleveland has also made several other moves in free agency.As a rookie, Hunt led the league in rushing with 1,327 yards, scoring eight touchdowns. He also showed his versatility by catching 53 passes for 455 yards and three TDs. In 11 games last season, he ran for 824 yards and seven touchdowns.Hunt’s arrival has made Browns third-down running back Duke Johnson expendable and the team has considered trading him.Johnson has been a valuable and versatile player since Cleveland drafted him in 2015. He led the team in receptions and yards receiving in 2017, but got fewer chances last season because of rookie Nick Chubb, who rushed for 996 yards and scored eight TDs. Richie Incognito is so accustomed to people counting out the Bills this season, the veteran guard isn’t fazed by questions regarding injured running back LeSean McCoy’s uncertain status for Buffalo’s AFC wild-card playoff game at Jacksonville on Sunday.

In a year Buffalo has overcome various obstacles – a snowstorm www.bearsfootballauthentics.com/riley-ridley-jersey-authentic , roster purge and a four-way playoff tiebreaker – to snap a 17-season postseason drought , what’s one more hurdle, the 11-year veteran wondered.

”This team thrives off adversity. It thrives off negative situations. It thrives off everyone picking against us. So we have everything going our way,” Incognito said Wednesday.

”People are picking against us. We’re missing a couple of guys. So I like our chances.”

McCoy’s status is up in the air after the Bills’ top offensive threat missed practice because of an injured right ankle. He was carted off the field after being hurt on the opening drive of Buffalo’s 22-16 win over Miami on Sunday.

Coach Sean McDermott would only say medical tests were negative and listed McCoy as day to day. McDermott declined to speculate whether McCoy will be able to practice at all this week.

McCoy was initially scheduled to address reporters following practice, but was not made available because team officials said he was still being treated by trainers during the period designated for interviews.

McCoy’s value to the Bills is difficult to underestimate in a season the 29-year-old became the NFL’s 30th player to top 10,000 career yards rushing.

The ninth-year player leads Buffalo with 1,138 yards rushing, 59 catches and eight touchdowns, including two receiving. Overall, his 1,586 yards from scrimmage account for 33 percent of the Bills’ total.

In finishing 9-7, the Bills were 8-2 when topping 100 yards rushing.

”Of course, Shady is a special playmaker. You miss him when he’s not out there,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said, referring to McCoy, who’s nicknamed `Shady.’

”But at the same time Shareef Miller Jersey , you can’t use it as an excuse. We have to go out there and make plays, myself, the receivers,” he added. ”We’ll pick him up if he’s not out there.”

Buffalo lacks depth at the position a week after backup Travaris Cadet broke his ankle.

That leaves Mike Tolbert and Marcus Murphy as the only running backs on the roster, along with fullback Patrick DiMarco. Murphy was promoted off the practice squad last week and led Buffalo with 41 yards rushing, while adding two catches for 7 yards against Miami.

Murphy had one career carry for no gain during his previous two seasons with New Orleans. He understands he can’t alone replace McCoy.

”I really don’t think about it like that. I know I have a role in this offense just like everyone else,” Murphy said. ”I can’t be Shady.”

On Tuesday, the Bills added insurance by signing running back Aaron Green to their practice squad. Green played two games with the Los Angeles Rams last season.

The Bills have persevered with a next-man up approach in a season they traded three starters, including receiver Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams in August and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville in October.

Despite a roster that closed the regular season with just 20 returning players, Buffalo clinched the AFC’s sixth and final playoff berth by beating Miami. The Bills then got help when Baltimore gave up a last-minute touchdown on fourth-and-12 in a 31-27 loss to Cincinnati.

That left Buffalo in a four-way tie, and inched ahead of Baltimore based on having a better strength of victory percentage. The Bills were 2-4 against playoff-bound teams (Kansas City and Atlanta), while Baltimore went 0-5.

Buffalo finished sixth in yards rushing and faces a Jaguars defense that ranked second in yards allowed, but was inconsistent against the run.

The AFC South champions ranked 21st in yards rushing allowed, and gave up 140 yards or more five times this season – including 256 in a 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Jets in Week 4.

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