Skip to main content

Season over for key Cardinals defender Abraham

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — A severe concussion has ended John Abraham’s season, and perhaps his career.

Arizona placed the 15-year NFL veteran on injured reserve on Friday.

“You feel bad for somebody who it’s probably the end of their line,” coach Bruce Arians said.

The 36-year-old outside linebacker sustained a concussion in the season opener against San Diego. He left the team briefly after that, reportedly contemplating retirement, before making an attempt to return this week.

‘I think the concussion had a part to do with the depression and everything that went on last week,” Arians said. “He was excited and ready to roll and hoping to get the OK from the doctor, then to get that kind of news was real hard.”

The extent of the injury became apparent in a concussion test Abraham took on Thursday.

“The concussion protocol really did its job coming back finding a couple of problems,” Arians said. “The doctors feel that he should shut it down for at least a year. We’re glad we caught it now and not later.”

Asked what those problems were, the coach said he wasn’t smart enough to know what “all those words” mean, “but it’s not good.”

It’s the latest in a series of problems to hit the Cardinals.

Quarterback Carson Palmer is out with a nerve injury in his shoulder. The team lost defensive tackle Darnell Dockett for the season with a knee injury in training camp.

Then this week, backup running back Jonathan Dwyer was arrested on domestic violence charges. The Cardinals quickly placed Dwyer on the non-football illness list, ending his season.

Abraham is the NFL’s active career sacks leader with 133 ½, ranking him ninth on the league’s all-time list. He had a team-high 11 ½ sacks with the Cardinals last season and is in the second year of a two-year contract with Arizona.

Abraham had four forced fumbles last season, giving him 48 for his career, tied with Jason Taylor for most in NFL history.

Outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said the team will miss “just the football experience, a guy that’s played in the league for 15 years and played at that high level.”

Arians said the team will miss Abraham’s leadership, too, calling him “an extra coach.”

Tight end John Carlson, who has had his own concussion issues, noted how the NFL’s attitude toward those injuries has changed.

“That’s an example of the league being proactive and looking after a guy’s interests,” Carlson said. “I appreciate that. There’s been such a shift in recent years in the league, starting at the top and that’s a great thing that they’re looking after his long-term health.”

Abraham had a tumultuous early season with Arizona.

He arrived late to training camp, later confirming that he had been undergoing rehabilitation for an alcohol issue. He was arrested in suburban Atlanta in June and accused of drunken driving.

Abraham played six seasons with the New York Jets and seven with the Atlanta Falcons before signing with Arizona as a free agent.

Originally, Abraham was to be only a pass-rush specialist with the Cardinals, but he moved into a full-time role when Arizona lost starting linebackers Sam Acho and Alexander to injury against New Orleans in the third game of last season.

Abraham went on to be one of the top players on a defense that ranked sixth overall in the NFL, earning his fifth Pro Bowl appearance.

Arians said Acho, Alexander and recent signee Thomas Keiser will rotate at Abraham’s position.

The Cardinals also re-signed punter Drew Butler because regular punter Dave Zastudil still is nursing a sore groin. Butler punted in both of Arizona’s games but was cut Tuesday.

Butler had a punt blocked in each of his two games with Arizona, but Arians said neither was the fault of the punter. The four punts he did get off averaged 54.5 yards per kick.

___

NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related Stories

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote