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NFL-National Football League roundup

Oct 16 (The Sports Xchange) - New England Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo, the team's leading tackler, is out for the rest of the 2013 season with a torn pectoral muscle. Mayo was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Mayo is an every-down player in the Patriots' vast defensive scheme. He participated in nearly 96 percent of New England's defensive plays last season. He was injured in the second half of the Patriots' 30-27 victory over New Orleans on Sunday. - - Denver Broncos coach John Fox was surprised with the recent comments made by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay about quarterback Peyton Manning. Irsay said in an interview this week that he lamented the fact that the Colts won only one Super Bowl during Manning's 14-year run in Indianapolis before the Colts released him in 2012. "To me, in my opinion, they were disappointing and inappropriate," Fox said during his weekly appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "I mean, Peyton would never say anything. He's too classy to do that." - - The winless New York Giants plan to sign running back Peyton Hillis, according to reports. Hillis was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in September. He worked out for the Giants on Tuesday along with Danny Ware, Fox Sports reported. - - The NFL made Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall pay for his decision to wear green shoes to support Mental Awareness Week during last Thursday night's game against the New York Giants. Marshall was fined $10,500 by the league for a uniform violation. He posted on Twitter a picture a notification letter informing him of the fine. "Football is my platform not my purpose," he tweeted. "This fine is nothing compared to the conversation started & awareness raised." Marshall, who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011, received permission to wear the shoes, but he knew in advance that he would be fined for doing so. - - Less than two weeks after the Minnesota Vikings signed Josh Freeman, the fifth-year quarterback will start Monday night against the New York Giants. "We're going to see how the week goes, but our anticipation is, he'll perform well," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said Wednesday morning. - - If the NFL has considered selling additional Thursday night games to another media outlet, the league is not acknowledging it. "Wondering where the idea of Thursday night doubleheaders came from? So are we. We have not considered this," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday on Twitter. "Haven't even discussed it." The Wall Street Journal reported that the NFL is disappointed that the NFL Network game isn't drawing more viewers and it was considering adding a second game for a doubleheader package that might create more interest. - - Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Carl Nicks underwent surgery Tuesday night on the left foot after a recurrence of a MRSA infection, the team announced. Nicks missed Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles after the serious infection was diagnosed. Details of the procedure were not known, but coach Greg Schiano said Nicks had received a second opinion before going ahead with it. - - Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson did not practice Wednesday. He was excused to tend to personal matters related to the death of his 2-year-old son but will return to the team facility in Eden Prairie, Minn., on Thursday. - - Former Pro Bowl wide receiver Irving Fryar was indicted on charges of conspiracy in theft for a mortgage fraud scam, the New Jersey state's Attorney General office announced. According to prosecutors, Fryar and his mother, Allene McGhee, attempted to steal nearly $700,000 by applying for five home equity loans on her house during a five-day period in 2009. - - After denying earlier in the week that Jay Ratliff would be waived, the Dallas Cowboys released the veteran defensive tackle under a failed physical designation. Ratliff, 32, had not played this year. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list before the season with sports hernia and hamstring injuries, but was eligible to be activated from the PUP this week. (Editing by Frank Pingue)