Struggling Lloyd Gets Testy

The Pittsburgh Steelers had hoped linebacker Greg Lloyd’s return from a knee injury would bolster a defense ravaged by free-agency losses.

But the only thing Lloyd has been hitting lately is reporters. On Tuesday, he shoved a Russian television journalist on his way out of the locker room.

Vladimir Artemyuk, working on a temporary assignment for a local Pittsburgh station, was leaving the locker room when Lloyd came up behind him, pushed him out of the way and walked quickly past without saying a word.

“Is it a habit among American sportsmen to behave like that?” Artemyuk asked. “The American people seem so polite.”

Others in the Pittsburgh media said they too have been bumped by Lloyd. And last week, Lloyd cursed out a writer who had requested an interview. In July, Lloyd even criticized the Irish people, calling them “rude” during the Steelers’ visit to Dublin for an exhibition game.

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The Cincinnati Bengals waived wide receiver Gunnard Twyner and promoted linebacker Tim Terry from the practice squad to the 53-player roster.

Twyner, a rookie from Western Illinois, had four receptions for 45 yards and four kickoff returns for 72 yards in the Bengals’ first two games. He was on the weekly inactive list for the third game, and Friday he had been put on the inactive list for today’s game against the New York Jets.

Terry is a rookie from Temple. The Bengals said he was activated because of uncertainty over the playing status of starting linebacker Gerald Dixon.

Dixon learned Saturday that a brother had been killed late Friday in a traffic accident, the Bengals said.