NFL notebook: RB Hunt leaves Chiefs after video surfaces

Running back Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs was told to leave the team's practice facility on Friday after a video showing him pushing and kicking a woman was published, according to ESPN. Pro Football Talk reported that Hunt was to be placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List while an investigation takes place. Hunt was seen leaving the facility about 20 minutes after TMZ Sports released surveillance footage from the hotel in Cleveland, where Hunt was involved in an incident last February. The Chiefs, who play on the road against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, did not immediately release a statement regarding Hunt. The video shows Hunt arguing with Abigail Ottinger, a 19-year-old student at Kent State, in a hallway at the hotel. At one point, Hunt is seen shoving Ottinger, who hits him in the face. After friends try to hold back Hunt, he pushes one of them into Ottinger, causing both of the others to fall. While Ottinger is on the ground, Hunt is seen kicking her. A woman can be seen with her phone, presumably shooting video of the incident, but another man takes the phone from her. Cleveland Police arrived at the hotel and investigated the incident, which was reported in the media when it happened, but no charges were brought. Kareem Hunt and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt downplayed the incident when asked about it during training camp. Placing Hunt on the Commissioner's Exempt List, as is often done when a player is accused of domestic violence, means Hunt would not participate in practices or games but would still get paid. Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards last season as a rookie and in 11 games with the AFC West-leading Chiefs (9-2) this season he is fifth with 824 yards rushing and seven touchdowns while also making 26 receptions for 378 yards and seven more scores. --Running back Melvin Gordon will not play in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a knee injury, the team confirmed Friday. It was not unexpected because the Chargers said Monday that Gordon was considered week to week after an MRI disclosed that he is dealing with an MCL sprain of his right knee. After Gordon failed to practice in any capacity on Wednesday through Friday, coach Anthony Lynn confirmed to reporters that the 25-year-old will be sidelined for the second time this season. Austin Ekeler will be the starting running back behind quarterback Philip Rivers, backed up by Justin Jackson and Detrez Newsome. Gordon leads the Chargers with 153 carries for 802 yards and nine touchdowns, in addition to 44 receptions for 453 yards and four more scores. Ekeler has 70 carries for 409 yards and a touchdown, and 32 catches for 354 yards and three scores. --Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green appears to be good to go for Sunday's game against the visiting Denver Broncos. Green, who was not listed on the team's injury report Friday, will provide a much-needed boost for the slumping Bengals after he sat out the past three games due to a toe injury. Cincinnati (5-6) lost all three games without Green in the lineup to drop into ninth place in the crowded AFC race for the sixth and final playoff slot -- one game behind the division rival Baltimore Ravens. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Green suffered the injury in a 37-34 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 28. The 30-year-old Green has 45 receptions for 687 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches for the Bengals. --Defensive end J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans on Friday was listed as questionable for Sunday's home game against the Cleveland Browns because of a knee injury. Even though there was no talk during the week about Watt possibly missing a game for the first time this season, he was limited in practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before the final injury report was published. Watt missed nine snaps in the Texans' 34-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Monday night, but six of those came when AFC South-leading Houston (8-3) removed several starters late in the game. There was no indication that Watt was in any discomfort as he stood on the sideline in the final minutes of the game, for which he was selected AFC defensive player of the week after having 1.5 sacks against Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota and forcing a fumble. --The status of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco remains murky for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Flacco, sidelined for the last two games with a hip injury, practiced on a limited basis for the second straight day on Saturday and made "quite a bit of progress," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters. Harbaugh said Flacco was an "option" to see playing time Sunday against Atlanta but noted that "there's still doctors involved at this point." The team later listed Flacco as doubtful on Friday's injury report. Rookie Lamar Jackson delivered two flashy performances in the two games that Flacco sat out. The 2016 Heisman Award winner rushed for 190 yards, including 117 in 24-21 win over Cincinnati in Week 11 after Baltimore's bye week. Flacco sustained the injury when Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt drove him to the ground on the sixth play of the game. Tuitt was penalized for being offsides and on the next play Cameron Heyward hit Flacco, who stayed in the game and completed 23 of 37 passes for 206 yards. --Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Jackson has been dealing with a thumb injury that limited him in practice this week and hindered him in last week's victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The 31-year-old Jackson received a second opinion on the thumb earlier this week, visiting a special in New York. He wore a brace on his thumb Wednesday and Thursday before the team announced he would be unable to go against Carolina. During practice a week ago, Jackson also sported a brace on his left hand but wound up playing 36 snaps and finished with three catches for 19 yards against the 49ers. Jackson has 40 receptions for 750 yards with four touchdowns in 11 games this season. --Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton does not expect his thumb injury to affect his preparations for next season. Dalton, who underwent season-ending surgery earlier this week on his right thumb, told the Athletic that the injury will not prevent him from being ready to throw for the start of organized team activities in April. The veteran quarterback reportedly had the procedure to repair torn ligaments in the thumb. Dalton, who also broke the thumb during the postseason in 2015, said he wants to make sure the injury is fully healed. "There's no reason to rush anything," Dalton said. "It's kind of the same thing when it happened last time, it was like 'OK, you could be playing in the next round of the playoffs or don't touch a football for a couple months.'" Dalton was hurt in a 35-20 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 25. It was the third consecutive loss for the Bengals (5-6), dampening their chances of reaching the postseason. Jeff Driskel, who replaced Dalton against the Browns, will make his first NFL start in Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. --Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt will interview for the head coaching job at Georgia Tech, ESPN reported. The position became vacant when longtime Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson announced his retirement on Thursday after 11 years at the school. Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he has not had any conversations with prospective successors to Johnson -- although he acknowledged there was no shortage of interest in the job. "I think it may serve as a positive to kind of allow things to settle a little bit," Stansbury said. "Right now, my phone's blowing up and everybody's calling with either advice or they know a guy." According to ESPN, the school is seeking a candidate that has both NFL experience and ties to Georgia Tech. Whisenhunt fits that bill on both counts. He has ample experience as a head coach, spending six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and two with the Tennessee Titans, and played tight end at Georgia Tech. --The Chicago Bears will again go with backup quarterback Chase Daniel on Sunday against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., with Mitchell Trubisky listed as doubtful because of a right shoulder injury. Daniel passed for 230 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Bears to a 23-16 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, with Trubisky watching the game from the bench in street clothes. Trubisky has been limited in practice all week and was cleared to throw by the Bears' training staff only on Friday. "I have to be honest with the trainers, the docs, coach and myself," Trubisky said. "Just making sure we handle this thing the right way, staying positive and making sure when I go back out there I'm 100 percent, and I can do exactly what this team needs me to do. If I'm not, I'm doing myself a disservice and this team. I feel good." --Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles, who has not played since the season opener because of a nagging hamstring injury, said Friday that he expects to play Monday night when the Eagles host the Washington Redskins. "That's the plan," said Sproles, who has played only four games in the last two seasons after practicing on Thursday and Friday. If he plays, Sproles will back up Josh Adams, who has taken over as the Eagles' lead back, with Jay Ajayi out for the season because of a knee injury. The 5-foot-6, 189-pound Sproles missed out on the Eagles' run to their victory in the Super Bowl last season after he sustained a broken arm and a torn ACL on the same play in the third week of the season against the New York Giants. The 35-year-old Sproles re-signed with the Eagles in April and at training camp in July announced that his 14th season in the NFL would be his last. Since being selected in the fourth round (No. 130 overall) of the 2005 draft by the then-San Diego Chargers, Sproles has amassed 3,376 yards and 22 touchdowns rushing, 4,678 yards and 30 scores receiving, and 11,171 yards and nine touchdowns on kick returns.