Around the NFL: Redskins appeal trademark ruling

The Washington Redskins on Thursday formally appealed a ruling that stripped the team of trademark protection, the latest legal maneuver in the franchise’s attempt to defend its name against those who consider it a racial slur.

The team announced that it had filed its complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and that it “points out the many errors” in the decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board voted 2-1 on June 18 to cancel six uses of “Redskins” trademarked from 1967 to 1990, saying the name is “disparaging of Native Americans.”

“We believe that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ignored both federal case law and the weight of the evidence, and we look forward to having a federal court review this obviously flawed decision,” Redskins lawyer Bob Raskopf said in the team’s statement.

Hoyer to start again

Brian Hoyer has held off rookie Johnny Manziel for at least another week.

Browns Coach Mike Pettine has chosen Hoyer to start at quarterback ahead of Manziel in Cleveland’s second exhibition game on Monday night at Washington.

Pettine’s decision is somewhat surprising since he has stated that the quarterback competition is “open” and Hoyer started the preseason opener last week at Detroit. Pettine has said the two quarterbacks will share the snaps with Cleveland’s first-team offense against the Redskins.

“It’s just something right now where we are comfortable with Brian going out there to start the game,” Pettine said Thursday. “I think it’s a little overblown as to who the starter is going to be. The key component, as I’ve stated earlier this week, is that we are going to balance the reps.

“We will play it a little by ear as it goes on, we haven’t truly decided as far as the rotation but the goal is, for when we look at the stat sheet at halftime, that they both have the same amount of repetitions and hopefully they both get a good amount of work.”

Etc.

Prosecutors in Miami have dropped battery and disorderly conduct charges against St. Louis Rams linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar in a fight outside a South Beach nightclub. ... After an absence of nearly three weeks for undisclosed personal reasons, linebacker John Abraham arrived at Arizona Cardinals training camp. Coach Bruce Arians said Abraham, 36, underwent a physical Thursday morning and would work with the team’s training staff in the afternoon. Abraham was arrested in suburban Atlanta in late June on a drunk driving charge. Last week, in a statement released by the team, he apologized to his family, friends, the Cardinals and his fans “for letting them down.” The five-time Pro Bowl player is the NFL’s active career sacks leader with 133 1/2 and ranks ninth on the league’s all-time list. ...

Redskins rookie cornerback Bashaud Breeland said he’ll “deal with the consequences” of being cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana on the night before the team broke training camp. The fourth-round draft pick was cited Monday night on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth , about a dozen blocks from the Redskins training camp facility.... The New England Patriots released Ben Hartsock four days after signing the tight end. The 10-year veteran spent the past three seasons with the Carolina Panthers.