Falcons Extend George’s Suspension

The Atlanta Falcons, unable to work out a trade for quarterback Jeff George, have extended his suspension for three more games because of comments he made to the media.

The team said Monday that Bobby Hebert remains the starting quarterback, apparently for the rest of the season. Hebert had four turnovers Sunday in a 39-17 loss at San Francisco that dropped the Falcons to 0-4.

George already was suspended for one game, costing him about $227,250, after a sideline confrontation with June Jones when the coach benched him during a loss to Philadelphia last week.

George spoke with several reporters to give his side of the story, then held a news conference, accompanied by agent Leigh Steinberg, to further address the suspension.

George also made it clear he had no plans to apologize to Jones and said the suspension was unwarranted because any competitor would complain about being removed.

On Monday, Jones immediately announced at his weekly news conference in Suwanee, Ga.,: “We’ll try to extend the suspension and go on from here. Bobby will start this week.”

Jones cited NFL rules that allow a suspension of up to four games for conduct detrimental to the team. He said George met that criteria with his post-suspension media blitz, although he conceded the NFL Players Assn. will appeal.

“We’re going to contest both weeks of the suspension,” Steinberg said, adding the paperwork was still being compiled for the grievance. “This has to be the most expensive shouting match in the history of football.”

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Carolina Panther rookie running back Tshimanga Biakabutuka has suffered a season-ending knee injury, the team said.

An MRI exam showed a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament in Biakabutuka’s left knee and he is to undergo surgery next week, followed by at least eight months of rehabilitation, the team said.

Biakabutuka, a 27-day holdout, had rushed for 229 yards in four games. The Panthers signed Leroy Hoard to fill the roster spot.

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Chicago Bear quarterback Erik Kramer said that he will miss the next six weeks because of an herniated disk in his neck.

Tests showed the disk problem, just below his neck, resulted from an inflammation putting pressure on the nerve.

“Everything to me has been presented as highly positive that I’ll be back in a relatively short amount of time,” Kramer said.

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Minnesota Viking Coach Dennis Green asked a judge in Minneapolis to dismiss his lawsuit against his former lover, although Green also asked to retain the right to seek sanctions against her attorney.

Green’s attorneys asked Hennepin County District Judge Andrew Danielson to dismiss the case without prejudice, which would let them ask the court for monetary sanctions against attorney Lori Peterson.

“They feel that the lawsuit was started for improper purposes,” Danielson said.

Peterson represents a woman with whom Green had an affair in 1992, his first year as Viking coach. Green reportedly paid the woman to have an abortion. The woman sued Green this summer claiming he breached a confidentiality agreement, but Danielson dismissed that suit.