logo
Bills Suspended Edge Rusher Still Thrilled To Join Team

Bills Suspended Edge Rusher Still Thrilled To Join Team

Yahoo01-06-2025

Bills Suspended Edge Rusher Still Thrilled To Join Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Former Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Michael Hoecht knows he let his new team in the Buffalo Bills down.
Shortly before coming to terms on a three-year deal in free agency, the defensive line tweener was notified that he was in violation of the league's PED policy - worthy of a six-game suspension.
Advertisement
Buffalo didn't care, though. They still signed him knowing that they will need a versatile player of his caliber to match-up against the top teams in the conference.
That message of loyalty was important for Hoecht and a big reason why he wanted to come to Western New York. Playing for a Super Bowl contender certainly helps as well.
"We've got loaded talent, top to bottom. So more than anything, more than money on [a] contract, I'm a football junkie," Hoecht said on the Ross Tucker Podcast.
"I think, more than anything in the world, I think it's so cool going to a team that's going to be good. A team, hopefully, if all goes well according to plan, deep in the playoffs, and a chance to bring a Lombardi [Trophy] to Western New York. It couldn't be a more exciting team to be a part of."
Advertisement
It will be a little bit before Hoecht can suit up for the Bills. His six-game suspension, though, is perfectly placed in the team's schedule. Buffalo is on a bye week the following week Hoecht is reinstated - it will allow him to acclimate himself quickly to his new team.
And prove to his new team why they were right to stand by him after all.
Related: Bills Ex Stefon Diggs Caught In Patriots Controversy Via Boat Video
Related: Bills' Sean McDermott Speaks Out On Tush Push
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jets owner Woody Johnson buys stake in Premier League's Crystal Palace
Jets owner Woody Johnson buys stake in Premier League's Crystal Palace

USA Today

time8 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Jets owner Woody Johnson buys stake in Premier League's Crystal Palace

Woody Johnson is going international. The New York Jets owner has become a familiar face across the pond in recent years, having previously served as the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom during President Donald Trump's first administration. As the NFL's international marketing rights have expanded, teams began vying for exclusive shares of specific markets. Johnson's Jets were awarded marketing rights to the UK, making it the green-and-whites' second home under the NFL Global Markets program. Eight other teams have those rights. Now Johnson is digging into the world's game, buying a stake in the Premier League's Crystal Palace. The move was announced by the soccer team on Monday, with ESPN reporting the 43% stake owned by John Textor was sold to Johnson for $254 million. We can confirm that Robert Wood Johnson 'Woody' has signed a legally binding contract to purchase Eagle Football's holding in the club statement ⤵️#CPFC 'Whilst the completion is pending approval from the Premier League and Women's Super League, we do not envisage any issues and look forward to welcoming Woody as a partner and director of the club,' the club said in a statement. The sale will have to pass the league's Owners and Directors' Test, something that isn't expected to be a problem. Johnson bought the Jets for $635 million in 2000, an NFL record at the time. He now adds a second professional sports franchise to his portfolio, a trend that is becoming increasingly commonplace across pro sports. Johnson is set to join a Crystal Palace ownership group that includes Washington Commanders owners, Josh Harris and David Blitzer – who each own 18% of the club. The Jets owner previously attempted to buy Chelsea F.C. in 2022, noting he became a fan of the team during his time as ambassador. Now it appears Johnson will be trading in his Chelsea blue for Palace's red-and-blue.

Court upholds nearly $1.4 million arbitration award against Reggie Bush
Court upholds nearly $1.4 million arbitration award against Reggie Bush

NBC Sports

time18 minutes ago

  • NBC Sports

Court upholds nearly $1.4 million arbitration award against Reggie Bush

Nearly 20 years later, the events that clouded Reggie Bush's entry to the NFL still resonate. Via Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times, a judge recently upheld an arbitration award requiring Bush to pay Lloyd Lake $1.4 million for defamation. It was Lake's alleged provision of benefits to Bush's family that sparked a controversy that resulted in USC football being sanctioned and in Bush losing his Heisman Trophy. (He has since gotten it back.) The timing of the story's emergence also may have contributed to the Texans' decision to pass on Bush with the first overall pick in the 2006 draft. He was picked by the Saints at No. 2. He also played for the Lions, Dolphins, 49ers, and Bills in an 11-year NFL career. Lake originally sued Bush in 2007. The case was settled in 2010. The second lawsuit flowed from allegations that Bush violated a non-disparagement clause in the settlement agreement. The agreement also contained a clause requiring future disputes to go to arbitration. According to Kartje, Bush appeared on the I Am Athlete podcast in 2022 and accused Lake of blackmail and exaggerated Lake's criminal record, saying it was 'as long as the Cheesecake Factory menu.' Bush, per Kartje, also falsely accused Lake of being a convicted rapist. The arbitrator ruled in Lake's favor, awarding him $500,000, along with $764,640 in attorneys' fees and $116,780 in other costs. Bush has appeal rights. Typically, however, it's very difficult to get a court to throw out the results of a private arbitration agreement. That's mainly because courts love arbitration agreements; they reduce the load of cases that otherwise would have to be resolved by the court system.

McLaurin to Raiders? 1 Perfect Landing Spot for Each NFL Minicamp Holdout
McLaurin to Raiders? 1 Perfect Landing Spot for Each NFL Minicamp Holdout

Fox Sports

time18 minutes ago

  • Fox Sports

McLaurin to Raiders? 1 Perfect Landing Spot for Each NFL Minicamp Holdout

It feels awfully late in the calendar for there to be this much intrigue about player movement. Typically, most NFL business has been conducted by the time teams break for some summer downtime before training camp, but this year feels like it could be an outlier. Several big-name free agents sat out of mandatory minicamp over the last two weeks – a tried and true tactic for either securing a new long-term deal or forcing a trade out of town. And while it's a given that most – if not all – of them won't be traded, it's still fun to think about. Assuming NFL teams do look into moving some of their unhappy veterans, we decided to settle on one perfect trade partner for each. Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ramsey is the easiest star to speculate about, since the Dolphins have acknowledged they're trying to trade him. But where should the three-time All-Pro go? There's been plenty of talk about a reunion with the Los Angeles Rams, and there's a lot of smoke that a trade to Pittsburgh could be coming. Personally, I don't know how much sense either of those destinations makes. If I'm purely looking for fit, how about a trade that'd send Ramsey a short drive up I-75 to Tampa? The Buccaneers have the cap space, and their roster looks primed for another run at the NFC South title. Personally, I don't think they're far off from being real-deal contenders to win the entire conference. Yes, Tampa Bay did spend two big picks at cornerback during the draft, but wouldn't it be exciting to have a player like Ramsey to mentor them at least for the 2025 season? Or, if need be, they could easily play Ramsey with Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety. The fun thing about this trade is it would pair Ramsey with one of the league's best defensive minds in Bucs head coach Todd Bowles. The Buccaneers are a good team. Adding a talent like Ramsey could help them take that final step toward being a real contender. Cincinnati Bengals edge Trey Hendrickson: Carolina Panthers The tough thing about veteran trades at this time of year is that the options have become limited. Teams spend the spring investing their cap space and earmarking money for future use, so it's hard to find more than a handful of teams that can afford to part with draft picks as well as offer a high-end contract. The Panthers might be willing. Even with the large number of free agent contracts they've signed, Carolina still has some cap space, and they can afford to wait on extending Bryce Young. They also need the help on the edge, as the Panthers have been lacking a true star pass rusher since they shipped Brian Burns out of town. Carolina doesn't currently fit the mold of a contender that a 30-year-old All-Pro like Hendrickson would likely want to play for, but that's the risk of asking for a trade. Maybe he and the Bengals can still reach an agreement on a new contract. But if not, maybe he can help the Panthers navigate the type of impressive turnaround he was part of in Cincinnati. Miami Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith: Pittsburgh Steelers It didn't make much sense when the rumors about this trade leaked out in recent months. Now, with Aaron Rodgers on board, I'm firmly in favor.I'm guessing the Dolphins would prefer to pay Smith, but the reality of their salary cap might make that easier said than done. Smith was electric in the final eight games of 2024, averaging seven catches and 67 yards per outing, with seven of his eight touchdowns coming in the home stretch. Sounds like a perfect guy to pair with Rodgers. Not only would Smith be an extra pass catcher for an offense that needs them, but he'd be a great add for Arthur Smith. The Steelers' offensive coordinator is famous for his preference for two tight end sets, and he oversaw Smith's breakout when both were with the Tennessee Titans. Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin: Las Vegas Raiders To be clear: I'm incredibly confident Terry McLaurin will remain a Commander. He's been loyal to that franchise, even when times weren't so good. He's done nothing but produce, even when he didn't have a star quarterback. He's even held out before, as he used this strategy to secure his current extension back in 2022. I really don't think Washington will let him walk when it finally has a chance to contend. But if I'm dreaming up a perfect landing spot for McLaurin, Vegas really sounds fun. Talk about a big swing for a team that hasn't had a lot to get excited about. The Raiders are already in decent shape for Geno Smith's first season. Brock Bowers is a star, and Ashton Jeanty should be one soon. Jakobi Meyers is a solid receiver, but Vegas still needs to upgrade its receiver room. Rather than take your chances in the draft, why not ship a pick or two to Washington and lock in McLaurin for the rest of his prime? Make fun of me if you want, but a Raiders skill group of McLaurin, Bowers, Jeanty and Meyers might be the best in the AFC West. Pittsburgh Steelers edge T.J. Watt: Washington Commanders Again, I'm not buying that the Steelers would do this. Watt is an iconic piece of that franchise — and that word carries weight in Pittsburgh. Furthermore, even with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Steelers' hopes of accomplishing anything this season will still rest on their defense. Why not indulge one delusional fantasy with another? If Washington were to trade Terry McLaurin, they'd be opening some financial wiggle room to add another lucrative player. They could get at least two, if not three, years of play out of Watt before they have to worry about extending Jayden Daniels. They definitely need the pass rush help. Watt would give Dan Quinn a blue chip player, which he doesn't really have right now, on his Commanders' defense. Adding him to a pass rush that currently includes Frankie Luvu, Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise and Clelin Ferrell would upgrade the Washington pass rush from "so-so" to outright dangerous. Sure, maybe it's a mixed message to hinder the offense by trading McLaurin only to add T.J. Watt. But, with all due respect to Scary Terry, I think it's a bit harder to find a DPOY-level edge rusher than an All-Pro caliber receiver in today's NFL. David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_ . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store