Denver Broncos Coach John Fox came to linebacker Von Miller’s defense Thursday, 24 hours after publicly expressing frustration over his multiple traffic transgressions.
Fox said that the team was helping Miller, who is suspended for six games, stay out of trouble any way it could.
Miller was arrested when he tried to buy a weapon last month and a routine background check revealed an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on traffic charges from last year. He was also pulled over near his suburban Denver home last week and cited for speeding and driving with a suspended license.
A third citation surfaced in California late Wednesday, but his agent disputed a Dallas television report that there was an open warrant for Miller stemming from that ticket, a 2012 speeding charge in Orange County.
Fox did not go into specifics on how the team was helping Miller, the league’s defensive rookie of the year in 2011 and a two-time Pro Bowler.
“Let me just say, anything that can be done, we’re doing,” Fox said.
He added, “I would remind people it is traffic citations.”
FREEMAN ADDRESSES ABSENCE Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman recently missed a meeting for a team photo, but he said it was not a distraction for the Buccaneers. Freeman, a fifth-year pro, said he overslept and did not show up on time for a photo shoot on Labor Day. He later was not selected as a team captain, but he said he did not feel the vote was related to the unexcused absence.
“It’s something I feel badly about,” Freeman said after practice Thursday. “It’s obviously upsetting. But at the same time, you’ve got to put it behind you and continue to play.”
Coach Greg Schiano said Freeman’s absence from the photo “was dealt with by me internally, and we’ve moved on.” JAGUARS’ DEFENSIVE WOES The Jacksonville Jaguars, coming off a 28-2 home loss to Kansas City, could be without both starting cornerbacks against the Oakland Raiders. Alan Ball left practice early after injuring a groin muscle, and the other starter, Dwayne Gratz, has been ruled out for at least three games with a badly sprained right ankle.
SAINTS PICK UP DEFENSIVE END New Orleans signed defensive end Jay Richardson, bolstering the line after a left knee injury to Tyrunn Walker in Week 1.