NFL notebook: Texans owner McNair dies at 81

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, who had battled several types of cancer during the past few years, died Friday at age 81, the team announced. McNair was responsible for bringing the NFL back to Houston after the Oilers left for Tennessee. He purchased an expansion franchise for $700 million in 1999 and the Texans began play in 2002. "It is with deep sadness that we announce Houston Texans Founder, Senior Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and philanthropist, Robert C. McNair passed away peacefully in Houston today with his loving wife, Janice, and his family by his side," the team said in a statement. McNair raised eyebrows in 1999 when he paid $700 million for the franchise, six years after expansion teams were awarded to Jacksonville and Carolina for $140 million. But he said he was satisfied with the price he paid and, earlier this year, Forbes magazine estimated the Texans' value at $2.8 billion. On the field, the Texans struggled before finally reaching the postseason in 2011. But they've never had much success in four trips to the playoffs, losing each time in the divisional round, though there's optimism this year after seven straight wins that the team can make a longer run. Off the field, McNair had considerable influence in the NFL, bringing the Super Bowl to Houston twice during his ownership and also chairing the league's finance Last year, McNair stirred controversy with a comment about players and the national anthem protests, saying "We can't have the inmates running the prison." At least two Texans players were upset and skipped a practice. He said his comments were misinterpreted. McNair is survived by his wife and his four children, Cal, Cary, Melissa and Ruth, and 15 grandchildren. Cal is the Texans' CEO. -- New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold was ruled out of Sunday's game against the New England Patriots because of a right foot injury. Darnold had not practiced during the week and was not expected to play on Sunday. He also missed last weekend's 41-10 loss to Buffalo because of to the injury suffered against Miami on Nov. 4. Veteran Josh McCown is expected to get his second straight start for the Jets, who have dropped four in a row entering Sunday's matchup against the AFC East-leading Patriots. The 39-year-old McCown saw his first action in last week's loss, completing 17 of 34 passes for 135 yards and two interceptions. New England quarterback Tom Brady did not practice Friday because of illness but is expected to play. If so, the matchup between the 41-year-old Brady and McCown will feature the second-oldest QB duel in NFL history. Vinny Testaverde, 44, and Brett Favre, 38, faced off in the oldest matchup in 2007. McCown was in the midst of a career-best season in 2017 before suffering a fractured hand in December. He threw for 2,926 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In a 24-17 loss to New England last October, McCown threw for a season-high 354 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The No. 3 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft out of USC, Darnold has struggled in his rookie season, completing only 55 percent of his passes for 214.9 yards per game with 14 interceptions to 11 touchdowns. His 68.3 passer rating is the worst among starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Darnold had his worst game in the 13-6 loss at Miami, throwing a season-worst four interceptions while finishing 21 of 39 for 229 yards in the 13-6 loss. --New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will return to the lineup for Sunday's matchup at the New York Jets. Gronkowski sat out the last two games because of back and ankle injuries, but last week's bye apparently sped up his recuperation. "Good to go; excited to be back out there on Sundays," Gronkowski told reporters Friday. "I'm excited to be back out there, and I'll be ready to roll." Gronkowski has missed three games this season, including a 34-10 beating by the Tennessee Titans before New England's bye. Quarterback Tom Brady failed to throw a touchdown for the second time in three games without one of his top targets in the lineup. The 6-foot-6, 268-pound Gronkowski has not scored since the season opener, when he had seven receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown. He last played on Oct. 29 but had only three catches for 43 yards in a 25-6 win at Buffalo. --Rookie quarterback Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills will be back in the starting lineup on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars after missing four games because of a right elbow injury, coach Sean McDermott announced. Without Allen, the seventh overall pick of the 2018 draft out of Wyoming, the Bills (3-7) lost three of four games, with Derek Anderson, Nathan Peterman and Matt Barkley playing quarterback during his absence. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen has started five of the six games he has played in his rookie season, completing 75 of 139 passes for 832 yards and two touchdowns with five interceptions. Allen has added 155 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 35 carries while posting a 2-3 record as a starter. --Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, who suffered a stinger in last Sunday's game, was a full participant in practice on Friday and is expected to start on Monday night against the Houston Texans (7-3). Mariota was limited in practice the previous two days after sustaining what is listed as neck injury when he was sacked late in the second quarter by Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis. He did not return in the second half as the Titans (5-5) went down to a 38-10 defeat. "He felt better," Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. " ... It looked good today, but that's why you practice. You try to always improve and get better. I would imagine that Marcus is going to be the starting quarterback after being not limited, and full, and probably hope to start." Mariota has completed 146 of 214 passes this season for 1,583 yards and seven touchdowns with six interceptions, in addition to rushing for 255 yards and two scores. --Wide receiver A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals, who has missed the last two games because of a toe injury, on Friday was listed as questionable for Sunday's AFC North matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Green has not practiced all week and the Bengals (5-5) said they will re-evaluate him on Saturday. Coach Marvin Lewis said earlier in the week that although Green had not yet been able to practice, he expected the wide receiver would be on the field sometime this week and that he thought he would play against the Browns. Lewis said Friday that he hoped Green could practice on Saturday. The Bengals have lost to the New Orleans Saints and the Baltimore Ravens the last two weeks without Green. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Green has 45 receptions this season for 687 yards (a 15.3-yard average) and six touchdowns. He averaged 85.9 receiving yards in the eight games he has played. --To the surprise of absolutely no one, coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens announced that Lamar Jackson will start at quarterback in place of Joe Flacco in a home game on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. Flacco did not practice for the second consecutive week because of a hip injury sustained three weeks ago as the Ravens (5-5) suffered a 23-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. "I'm counting on Lamar being the starter," Harbaugh said, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. "I think that's pretty straightforward." Jackson, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner from Louisville and the Ravens' No. 1 draft choice this year, passed for 150 yards and rushed for another 117 on 27 carries in a 24-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that broke a three-game losing streak last week. --New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady missed practice on Friday because of an illness, but is expected to start on Sunday against the New York Jets, according to media reports. It's the first time this season that Brady has missed a practice. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday because of a knee injury hat he apparently sustained in a loss to the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 11 prior to New England's bye. The Patriots officially listed Brady as questionable to play on Sunday. The 41-year-old Brady, who failed to throw a touchdown pass for the second time in three games in the 34-10 drubbing by the Titans, did post a message on his Instagram account Friday with a "Happy (black) Friday!" wish. The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player came up gimpy on a trick play against the Titans after taking a hit to the knee on a reception from wide receiver Julian Edelman in the fourth quarter. Brady did not return to the game, but New England was already down by 24 points. Backup Brian Hoyer attempted only one pass in mop-up duty. --Carolina Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess sat out a third consecutive day of practice, dimming his chances of playing against the visiting Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Funchess is dealing with a back injury that coach Ron Rivera said surfaced after last weekend's 20-19 loss to the Detroit Lions. It was a forgettable game for Funchess, who had two receptions for 39 yards with a number of dropped passes, including one in the end zone. Funchess has three touchdowns on 41 catches for a team-leading 516 receiving yards, but he has been limited to five receptions for 71 yards in back-to-back losses at Pittsburgh and Detroit. A second-round pick of the Panthers in the 2015 NFL Draft, Funchess established career highs with 63 catches for 840 yards and eight touchdowns last season. --Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams was hospitalized overnight in Dallas after suffering a chest injury in Thursday's 32-23 loss to the Cowboys. Williams played the entire game but was taken by ambulance to the hospital afterward. A team spokesman cited precautionary reasons for the hospital visit, according to The Washington Post. Redskins coach Jay Gruden provided an update on the injury Friday morning, telling reporters that Williams was hospitalized to undergo X-rays on his ribs. The X-rays were negative, according to Gruden, who said he expected the six-time Pro Bowl selection to be back at practice on Monday. "It's just going to be sore," Gruden said. Williams had just return to the lineup Thursday after missing the previous three games following thumb surgery. He suffered a dislocated thumb against the New York Giants on Oct. 28.