The kicking motion that Tom Brady made on what would be one of the final plays of the season for the New England Patriots is going to be reviewed by the NFL for possible disciplinary action, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello on Tuesday. The news was reported via Ed Werder on Twitter with additional information in another ESPN report.

[GALLERY: TOM BRADY AND CONTROVERSY]

The play in question came during the final minute of the first half. Brady was sliding to the ground during a run to avoid a hit from Baltimore’s defense and in a quick motion raised his leg into the air, making contact with Ravens safety Ed Reed, who subsequently walked away without injury. The Ravens ended up winning the AFC Championship game in rather convincing fashion, 28-13.

Ravens safety Bernard Pollard said Brady “knew what he was doing” and said he’s fine with whatever the NFL ultimately decides but alluded to the idea that the league should fine him if it wants to stay consistent with its principles.

NFL will review Tom Brady play for possible discipline for appearing as though he tried to defend himself by kicking at Ed Reed—
Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) January 22, 2013

Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker will be a free-agent if the team doesn’t sign him.(Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker’s future with the team is uncertain, but quarterback Tom Brady wants one of his favorite targets back with team to make another postseason run.

Welker will be a free-agent in the offseason unless the Patriots slap him with the franchise tag again or sign him to a long-term deal. Welker received the tag in 2012 and he received a $9.5 million salary. This season, he led the team with 118 catches and 1,354 yards. He also scored six touchdowns.

“I think those business parts of the game are … those usually take care of themselves,” Brady said to Boston radio station WEEI.  ”Certainly I’m not involved in any of those. Everybody knows how I feel about Wes, our whole team feels that way about Wes. He’s just one of the best players I’ve played with and played against. He’s just a phenomenal player, and he’s been the heart and soul of what our team is all about. He’s been so selfless, and the way that he carries himself and commits himself to help our team win, it’s second-to-none. But like I said, those aren’t my decisions.”

Welker had eight catches for 117 yards in the team’s 28-13 AFC Championship loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick says he plans on coaching next season. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

For those who think that the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady partnership is going away after the New England Patriots latest postseason disappointment, Belichick says he plans to patrol the sidelines in his customary hoodie and cutoff sleeves next season.

“I’ll be here,” Belichick said, via WEEI.com. “You’ll have to deal with me again next year. I know that’s disappointing for a lot of you. Until I’m told otherwise, I plan on being here.”

“That’s the NFL. The last game, you play a game this time of year, you’re either [in] euphoria or it’s a crash landing. And for us yesterday, it was a crash landing. A year ago at this time, it was the other feeling,” he said.

The Patriots haven’t won the Super Bowl since the end of the 2004 season. Belichick just completed his 18th year as a head coach, including the last 13 years with the Patriots. He has a career 187-101 record and an 18-8 postseason mark with three Super Bowl titles.

Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard had a few choice words for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady after the Ravens beat the Pats 28-13 in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the Super Bowl.

Pollard is referring to Brady sliding feet first into the groin area of Ravens safety Ed Reed late in the second quarter after he avoided a rush and tried to pick up a first down. Brady’s right leg came up as Reed tried to jump over him.

“You’ve got to keep them legs down,” said Pollard, via Comcast Sports Network New England. “You’ve go to keep the legs down. We all know and understand what’s going on there. And as a quarterback, when you go to slide, we’re taught . . . we can’t do anything. When you come sliding, and your leg is up in the air trying to kick somebody, that’s bull crap.”

The league has not announced if there will be any punishment for Brady, who was not flagged on the play. Pollard, when playing for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008, is the same player that put Brady out for the entire 2008 season when he hit Brady’s knee tearing his ACL and MCL.

Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib left the AFC Championship with a thigh injury. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

New England Patriots quarterback Aqib Talib injured his thigh in the first quarter of the AFC Championship game on Sunday did not return in the Patriots’ 28-13 loss.

Talib appeared to limp off the field after breaking up a third-down pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin. The CBS broadcast showed Talib going into the Patriots’ locker room, at which point he was listed as questionable to return.

Talib returned to the sidelines later in the first half but never returned to the game. He was replaced by Kyle Arrington.

The Patriots pass defense struggled without Talib, their shutdown cornerback. In the third quarter, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco completed 11 of 18 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Flacco threw another two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to cement the Ravens’ lead at 28-13.

The Patriots acquired Talib in an early-November trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brian Daboll is rejoining the New England coaching staff for the 2013 playoffs. (Getty Images)

Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has returned to the New England Patriots and will assist the team for the remainder of their playoff run, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announced Monday. Daboll spent six years with Belichick in New England from 2000-2006, serving as a defensive coaching assistant and wide receivers coach before moving on to positions with the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and the Chiefs.

Daboll was dropped from the Chiefs coaching staff as part of wholesale changes with the hiring of former Eagles Coach Andy Reid to take over in Kansas City.

This isn’t the first time New England has brought back a former coach to help during a playoff run. Belichick brought back former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during last season’s playoffs after McDaniels was fired as head coach of the Denver Broncos and offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams. McDaniels would later be re-hired as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator.

One day after tweeting some merciless critiques of the Patriots, Ayanbadejo has apologized on Twitter for his comments. On Sunday night, the Ravens linebacker ripped the Pats for Spygate and a “gimmick” offense.

Ayanbadejo’s tweets sparked some controversy, although the Patriots made it pretty clear they weren’t concerned with what Ayanbadejo had to say on Twitter. Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib said the linebacker’s tweets didn’t interest him.

“I can’t speak for everybody but me personally I’m not on the social network, Facebook, none of that,” Talib said, via USA Today. “So that’s in one ear and out the other.”

The Ravens and Patriots face off Sunday for the AFC Championship game. Ayanbadejo is largely considered levelheaded and intelligent, making his comments relatively surprising. It’s likely that Ayanbadejo’s overnight apology was the result of pressure from someone within the Ravens leadership.

I made selfish comments on twitter last night that reflected poorly upon myself, my teammates, and the organization. For that I apologize.

—
Brendon Ayanbadejo (@brendon310) January 14, 2013

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is out for the rest of the postseason after re-injuring his forearm, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported on Sunday night.

Citing a source, Florio reported that Gronkowski would need another surgery on the forearm.

Gronkowski left New England’s AFC divisional-round game against the Houston Texans on Sunday after falling hard on his left arm while trying to make a catch. Gronkowski originally injured the arm in Week 11 while blocking on an extra point, and he did not return until Week 17.

Gronkowski’s loss would be a major blow for the Patriots offense moving forward in the playoffs. The star tight end was also hampered by an injury in last year’s postseason.

Per source, Rob Gronkowski is done for the rest of the postseason.Re-injured forearm and needs another surgery.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 14, 2013

Arian Foster is adapting bulletin-board material to the age of Twitter, changing his avatar or profile picture on Monday to a screenshot of a Boston journalist’s column lambasting the Houston Texans as “frauds.”

The Texans running back Foster took exception to a piece from Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy that called the Texans “pure frauds” and the “worst 11-1 team in the history of the NFL” as they prepare to take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs this Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Here’s the opening excerpt from Shaughnessy’s column to which Foster changed his avatar:

The 2012-13 New England Patriots just became the first team in NFL history to get back-to-back byes before advancing to the conference championship game.

Could this get any easier?

I mean, seriously? The planets are aligned and the tomato cans are in place. The fraudulent Houston Texans are the only team standing between the New England Patriots and a trip to the AFC Championship game. All the Patriots have to do is beat the terrible Texans. One week from Sunday. At Gillette Stadium.

And a look at Foster’s new avatar:

The Patriots and Texans faced off in a much-anticipated matchup in Week 14 this season in Foxboro, where the Patriots walloped to a 42-14 victory that sent the Texans spiraling to a 1-3 finish to the season.

Throughout the day, Foster continued to mock the column on Twitter, tying it to the BCS national championship game:

The tomato cans are in place for Bama.

— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) January 8, 2013

For his part, Shaughnessy also took note of the avatar change and playfully responded to Foster:

hey @arianfoster — Loving the avatar. Bring your A game to Foxboro on Sunday.

— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) January 7, 2013

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski broke his arm during a game against the Colts on Nov. 18. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Although Rob Gronkowski returned to Patriots practice from a broken arm last week, coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that his star tight end is still “not ready yet” to play in a game. Gronkowski, who suffered the injury on Nov. 18 and was expected to miss four-to-six weeks, will not return to full-time action until he is medically cleared to play, according to Belichick.

The third-year pro caught 53 passes for 748 yards and 10 touchdowns in the season’s first 10 games. New England has won four of the five games he has missed, as tight end Aaron Hernandez returned from his own injury to post 29 receptions for 296 yards and three touchdowns over that stretch.

Belichick said that the team is evaluating Gronkowski’s injury day-by-day and the decision is fully in the hands of team doctors, according to The Boston Globe‘s Mike Whitmer.

“He did more last week than he did the week before, and we’ll see where he’s at today and tomorrow when we go out there, see what he can do,” Belichick said on Wednesday, prior to the team’s practice. “We’ll take it day-to-day, based on where he’s at. He’s moving along, not ready yet.”

…

“There’s nothing more important than a player’s health and safety, so when they’re cleared to play, then we make a playing decision, and if they’re not cleared to play, then there’s no decision to make.

“I don’t think that’s a decision that a coach makes or influences, that’s a medical decision if it’s a medical situation. Once it’s a competitive decision, then that’s a coach’s decision. [If it's a] medical decision, that’s made by medical people.”

The Patriots enter their season finale against the Dolphins as the No. 3 seed in the AFC, trailing the Texans and Broncos by one game.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski will not play for the Patriots Sunday against the Jaguars, according to Shalise M. Young of the Boston Globe.

The Patriots may be taking extra care not to rush Gronkowski back before the playoffs. He was expected to need four-to-six weeks of recovery time after breaking his arm late in the Patriots’ 59-24 blowout win over the Colts on Nov. 18.

The Patriots currently own the AFC’s third-best record and remain in contention for homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, but will be heavily favored to close out the regular season with wins against the Jaguars and Dolphins.

Rob Gronkowski will not play on Sunday in Jacksonville, according to a league source—
shalise manza young (@shalisemyoung) December 21, 2012

As @shalisemyoung reported, looks like Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski gets another week to recover. Hearing NE planned it this way all along.—
Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 21, 2012

The Giants will wear Sandy Hook Elementary School decals on Sunday. (Picture courtesy of NY Giants Twitter page)

The New York Giants will wear a decal on the back of their helmets for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons to honor the memory of the people who lost their lives in a shooting in Newtown, Conn on Friday, reports NFL.com.

Every Giants players will have a decal that has the initials S.H.E.S., which stands for Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The New York Jets and the New England Patriots also will wear various decals on their helmets this weekend.  The Patriots will send up 26 white flares, one at a time for each shooting victim, during a moment of silence before the start of their Sunday night home game against the San Francisco 49ers.

A gunman killed 20 children and six adults at the school and before killing himself.  Newtown is about 60 miles northeast of New York City. The NFL has also asked each home team to observe a moment of silence before the national anthem.

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is one of 19 players listed as questionable for Sunday. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

A grand total of 19 Patriots are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the 49ers. All 19 players were also listed as having limited participation in practice on Friday. Only one player on the injury report, linebacker Jerod Mayo, was listed as probable rather than questionable.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski highlights the injury report, having made his first return to practice on Friday since his surgery on Nov. 19 to repair a broken forearm. While he is listed as questionable, meaning there’s a 50-50 chance he could play, a league source says he will not play on Sunday night.

Despite being listed as questionable, league source says TE Rob Gronkowski will not play Sunday night against the 49ers.

—
  (@ProFootballTalk) December 14, 2012

Haha profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/14/gro… ... So if 19 guys are 50-50 to play, that means there's an outside chance the Pats only dress 34 guys Sunday?!?

—
Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 14, 2012

The Patriots placed Donte Stallworth on injured reserve with an ankle injury. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The New England Patriots placed wide receiver Donte Stallworth on injured reserve with an ankle injury and released tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, the team announced Monday. 

NFL.com reports that Patriots are re-signing wide receiver Deion Branch to fill Stallworth’s roster spot. The Patriots released Branch during training camp but brought him back on Sept. 19 only to let him go again last month.

Stallworth suffered a high ankle sprain on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady during the third quarter of the Patriots’ 42-14 victory over the Houston Texans on Monday night. Stallworth had just re-signed with the team on Dec. 4 and was seeing his first action of the season. The touchdown pass he caught from Brady was his only reception of the game.

Stallworth has played nine NFL seasons with six different teams and signed with the Patriots in March but was released after training camp.

Branch's locker has been intact since he was released…was more 'when' he'd come back than 'if'—
shalise manza young (@shalisemyoung) December 12, 2012

Jermaine Cunningham has been suspended four games by the NFL for violating it’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. (Otto Gruele, Jr, Getty Images)

New England Patriots defensive end Jermaine Cunningham has been suspended for four games by the NFL for a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, the league announced today. Cunningham will be eligible to return on December 24th, and will not be allowed to visit the Patriots team facilities until that time.

The league did not announce the nature of Cunningham’s violation or what drugs were involved.

Cunningham is the second Patriots player this season to be suspended for a violation of the league’s PED policy. The other, running back Brandon Bolden, was also suspended four games earlier this year — a suspension he will continue to serve until December 3rd. Current Patriots cornerback Aquib Talib was suspended by the NFL earlier this year for taking Adderall while a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cunningham has played in all 11 of the Patriots’ games this season, contributing to 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He had six total tackles in the Patriots’ Thanksgiving Day demolition of the New York Jets.

NFL announces Patriots DE Jermaine Cunningham is suspended for four games for PED violation. Third NE player this year (Bolden, Talib).—
Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 26, 2012

Tim Tebow edges President Barack Obama in a Nielsen poll for most preferred Thanksgiving guest. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Beating out President Barack Obama, Lady Gaga and Big Bird, New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was voted by Americans in a Nielsen poll as the guest they’d most prefer to have seated with them at a Thanksgiving dinner table, according to a report from The New York Post:

The survey, released today by Destination America, shows that 23 percent of people in the United States said they would prefer the Jets backup to the Commander in Chief, who only garnered five percent of the vote.

Lady Gaga and Big Bird also received more votes than Obama.

Tebow and the Jets will be celebrating Thanksgiving doing battle with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, as the two teams kick off a game Thursday night at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Jets are coming off their fourth win of the season after a road win last week against the St. Louis Rams. The Patriots beat the Jets in Week 7 and currently lead the AFC East as the team looks for its eighth win of the season tonight.

Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is set to play for the first time since Week 7. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez will play Thursday against the New York Jets, reports NFL.com.

Hernandez has been limited in practice this week because of an ankle injury and NFL.com reports that “barring any setbacks” Hernandez will suit up for the Thanksgiving matchup. Hernandez has not played since Week 7, a Patriots’ 29-26 victory over the Jets.

Hernandez has played in four games this season and has 17 receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns.

Rob Gronkowski will miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on a broken arm. (Jared Wickenham, Getty Images)

Rob Gronkowski will miss 4-6 weeks thanks to a broken arm, according to a report on Comcast Sportsnet New England.

Gonrkowski suffered the injury in the closing stages of the New England Patriots’ 59-24 rout of the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night. The Patriots were initially mum on a timetable for his return, but it has been confirmed that the tight end has undergone surgery and could be absent through the end of the Patriots’ regular season.

The Patriots will miss Gronkowski’s effectiveness as a receiver, but the team currently sits in a good position in the AFC East – the Patriots are 7-3, and their next two games are against divisional opponents (Jets and Dolphins) that share 4-6 records.

The Patriots are concerned that tight end Rob Gronkowski may have broken his forearm in today’s game against the Colts, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com

Likely bad news for the #Patriots: Team fears Rob Gronkowski has broken his forearm, I'm told. Tests to confirm ongoing.—
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 19, 2012

Gronkowski will get X-rays according to a person informed of the injury, per USA Today. The person did not reveal which arm was injured

Gronkowski had seven receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns Sunday.

The Patriots released receiver Deion Branch on Saturday. Branch only had nine catches this season. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

The New England Patriots released former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch on Saturday  reports ComcastSportsNet New England.

The team elevated Greg Salas up to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.

Branch has been battling a hamstring injury and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. Branch had nine catches for 80 yards in seven games this season and 6,579 yards and 39 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons.

He won MVP honors in Super Bowl XXXIX with a 10-catch, 143-yard performance in the Patriots’ 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Branch will be available on waivers on Monday. The Patriots also released cornerback Malcolm Williams and added recently acquired cornerback Aqib Talib to the roster.

The Patriots have released Deion Branch and Malcolm Williams. Greg Salas and Aqib Talib are added to the 53. #PatriotsTalk—
Tom E. Curran (@tomecurran) November 17, 2012

Patriots RB Brandon Bolden has been suspended for four games for violation of the performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Brandon Bolden has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs. The NFL would not report which drug caused the failed drug test.

Bolden missed the past two games from a knee injury and was not expected to play this Sunday. He will miss games against the Bills, Colts, Jets and Dolphins, and will not be eligible to return to the active roster until the Patriots game against Miami on Dec. 2.

The undrafted rookie from Mississippi has 43 carries for 234 yards and two touchdowns this season.

The Patriots acquired suspended cornerback Aqib Talib from the Buccaneers. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

The Buccaneers have traded talented but sometimes troubled cornerback Aqib Talib to the Patriots. The trade details included Talib and the Bucs’ 2013 7th-round pick for a Patriots 2013 4th-round pick, according to the Bucs.

Talib still has three games remaining in a four-game suspension for taking the prescription drug Adderall without a prescription. He has faced off-field legal troubles on multiple occasions, leading to speculation that new Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano would attempt to deal him before today’s trade deadline.

Talib, 26, was a first-round pick of the Bucs out of Kansas in 2008 and tallied 18 interceptions and 53 passes defensed in five years

Talib will represent another bid by Bill Belichick to turn a troubled or disgruntled player into an asset under the Patriots’ system, including Corey Dillon, Randy Moss and Albert Haynesworth.

Patriot’s QB Tom Brady leads a fast-paced offense that Jets linebacker Calvin Pace called “borderline illegal.”

Calvin Pace says the Pats’ fast paced offense has always been a challenge, and now stopping it is even tougher.

“It’s borderline illegal because sometimes the guys aren’t always set when they snap the ball,” Pace said Wednesday. “But it’s smart. Why not hurry a team up? I wish we would do it. For a defense, it just puts pressure on you.”

The Patriot’s no-huddle tactic kicks the offense tempo up a notch, leaving some teams scrambling. The Patriots have run 473 plays, 39 more than the next.

“It’s very difficult,” linebacker David Harris said. “You’ll see defenses not even lined up and they’re already running a play. They get a lot of extra yardage because of it. It causes guys to lose their mind. You can see it on film.”

Going into Sunday’s game against the Patriots, the Jets defense needs to communicate and move quickly to keep up.

There are signs that tight end Aaron Hernandez may return to the New England Patriots lineup this Sunday in Seattle, according to tweets from Andy Hart of Patriots.com and Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

Take it for what it's worth, @AaronHernandez just yelled to a teammate "what time we leave today?" #Patriots fly to Seattle this afternoon.—
Andy Hart (@JumboHart) October 12, 2012

Aaron Hernandez has travel bag packed at locker bit.ly/RmEpi3—
Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) October 12, 2012

Belichick says Hernandez "could be a game-time decision," or maybe they'll know sooner.—
Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) October 12, 2012

Hernandez was cleared to practice last week after being sidelined by an ankle injury in Week 2, that was initially diagnosed to be worse.

The injury has limited Hernandez to 6 catches for 59 yards and a touchdown this season after career highs of 79 catches for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns in 14 games last season.

New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes was fined $21,000 by the NFL for an illegal blindside block on Buffalo Bills tight end Scott Chandler.

Despite Spikes’ statement that “I don’t think I’ve done anything illegal,” a fine was expected after he launched himself at Chandler and struck him in the head. No penalty was called on the fourth-quarter interception return, but Chandler was knocked out of the game.

The Buffalo News reported Chandler was medically cleared for contact by Monday and didn’t miss any practice this week.

Pats tight end Kellen Winslow requested to be released, and the team acquiesced according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter who broke the news via Twitter:

TE Kellen Winslow asked for and received release from Patriots, per source. Also sounds like Aaron Hernandez healing quicker than expected.—
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 27, 2012

Winslow signed a one-year contract with New England on Sept. 19, three days after Aaron Hernandez suffered a right ankle sprain in the team’s 20-18 loss to the Cardinals during Week 2. He had one reception for 12 yards as Hernandez’s replacement in Sunday’s 31-30 loss to the Ravens on Sunday. Winslow, 29, was the 6th overall draft pick by the Browns in 2004 and is entering his eighth season in the league.

Bill Belichick will be fined $50,000 for making contact with a referee after the Pats’ 31-30 loss to the Ravens, reported NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport via Twitter:

The NFL has fined #Patriots coach Bill Belichick $50K for "impermissible physical contact with an official," league announced.—
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 26, 2012

Belichick grabbed an official’s arm on his way off the field after the Ravens’ winning field goal. The Pats coach said on Monday he was trying to find out if the kick was being reviewed.

“I’ve coached in this league a long time,” Belichick said. “I’ve never been penalized, never had any incidents with officials or anything like that. I have never meant any disrespect or in any way tried to abuse or be disrespectful to the officials and the job that they do. I was trying to get an explanation for obviously an important call/play in that game.”

Before last week’s games, the league had issued a warning about improper conduct between coaches and replacement officials. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on Ravens coach John Harbaugh during the fourth quarter–Harbaugh later said he inadvertently bumped an official while trying to call a timeout–but no fine was issued.

Bill Belichick is facing scrutiny after grabbing a referee at the conclusion of last night’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens (Rob Carr, Getty Images)

New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick has directly addressed the controversy surrounding his grabbing of an official after his team’s last-second loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Boston Herald has Belichick’s full comments, wherein he explains that he was merely trying to get the official’s attention to see if the field goal that won the game for Baltimore was reviewable.

“I’ve coached in this league a long time and never been penalized, never had any incidents with officials or anything like that. I have never meant any disrespect or in any way tried to abuse or be disrespectful to the officials and the job that they do. I’m trying to get an explanation for obviously an important call, play, in that game. That’s the number one thing between coaches and officials. It’s always at the forefront. It’s just communication of what’s going on, of what’s happening.”

Belichick was widely thought to be facing a fine from the NFL for his actions (video here), just as Broncos coaches faced earlier today. The league has made no announcement as of yet concerning Bellichick’s actions.

At the Online News Association’s annual conference, in San Francisco, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo was asked whom he would most like to see opining in 140-character bursts using his company’s service. Costolo did not hesitate.

“The quarterback of the New England Patriots, Tom Brady,” he said, according to Matt Pepin of Boston.com.

Costolo then admitted that he, like Brady, is a University of Michigan alum, so perhaps his answer was colored by that association.

Brady — who already gets more publicity than he knows what to do with — does not have a Twitter account, but more than 30,000 people follow the parody feed @TomBradysEgo.

Giants safety Kenny Phillips was fined $30,000 for a hit on Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

The NFL fined Giants safety Kenny Phillips and New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo for illegal hits on Friday.

The league fined Phillips $30,000 for a hit on Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson during the third quarter of the Giants victory on Sunday. Phillips was one of four Giants players fined for various infractions.

Mayo was fined $21,000 for a hit on Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Early Doucet, according to league office.

Phillips led with his shoulder pad on the hit on Jackson and was not penalized on the play.

“I peaked around,” Phillips said. “Whenever you see a big hit, the flag usually comes out no matter if it was a legal hit or an illegal hit. The flag is going to come.”

Mayo’s fine was for striking a defenseless receiver in the head and neck area and Mayo also was not penalized on the play.

There was a lot of head-scratching in New England on cutdown day when the Patriots axed wide receiver Deion Branch. With Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney already sent packing, Branch’s spot on the roster had seemed assured.

But after Sunday’s offensive debacle, perhaps Bill Belichick felt as if he had to go out and bring back one of Tom Brady’s favorite security blankets. Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe was the first to report that Branch has re-signed with New England.

Although he isn’t what he once was physically, Branch, 33, still has a knack for getting open on short and intermediate routes, and he has a rapport with Brady that the QB is still trying to develop with new vertical threat Brandon Lloyd. Branch had 51 catches for 702 yards and five TDs last season.

Branch had said over the weekend, at Troy Brown’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony, that he would love to return to the team. Sure enough, he never had to leave town.

Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker said that “coaches coach and players play” when asked about his reduced role. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker didn’t want to stir up any controversy about not playing much in the first quarter of Sunday’s 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Welker wasn’t sure he would even start the game and didn’t see action until tight end Aaron Hernandez got hurt.

“I really wasn’t positive even leading up to the first series,” he told Boston radio station WEEI. “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I just go out there, and whenever my number’s called, I go out and play. … It is what it is. Coaches coach, players play. That’s all I can do.”

Welker ended up catching five passes for 95 yards.

“We got a good team and some good players, and (offensive balance is) good to have,” Welker said. “If we have to rely on me to make 120 catches, it’s not where we want to be as an offense. We have some guys that really stepped up and it’s good to have those guys out there and making plays for us.”

The Patriots’ Aaron Hernandez could be out up to six weeks with an ankle injury suffered Sunday. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

In what could be a big blow to the New England Patriots’ offense, tight end Aaron Hernandez could be out for up to six weeks with an ankle injury, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported Sunday night.

Hernandez hurt his ankle while blocking on a screen pass during the Patriots’ second offensive series of their 20-18 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. ESPN’s Mike Reiss and Field Yates reported that Hernandez left Gillette Stadium after the loss on crutches and wearing a walking boot.

There were fears that Hernandez might have broken his ankle, but multiple reports indicated that was not the case.

The Patriots’ offense struggled mightily on Sunday without Hernandez, who has a starring role in the Patriots’ two-tight end offensive system along with Rob Gronkowski. Hernandez is a hybrid tight end who plays multiple roles in the offense.

“When he went down it took away a lot of things they are able to do,” Cardinals safety James Sanders told ESPN. “It’s unfortunate for them, but it helped us out as a unit. I just pray that he’s healthy.”

Without Hernandez, the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady suffered their first defeat in a home opener in 10 seasons.

The Chargers will honor Junior Seau at their home opener. (Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

The family of late NFL linebacker Junior Seau will be guests of honor for a special ceremony that will also include a “surprise gift” at the San Diego Chargers home opener, according to TMZ.

A rep for the Chargers tells us … Junior’s mother, father, ex-wife, 4 children and other family members will be the guests of honor during a pre-game ceremony dedicated to Seau …

We’re told the team will officially retire Junior’s #55 jersey during the ceremony … and the family will be presented with a special “surprise gift” from the organization.

The team will also debut the special #55 helmet sticker, which each Chargers player will wear during the game.

The 12-time Pro Bowler, who starred for the Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003-05) and the New England Patriots (2006-09), was found dead in his San Diego home on May 2 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

After signing on Aug. 17 to much fanfare amid hopes that he would revive the New England Patriots’ return game, former Florida RB/Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps will not get a chance to do so until the 2013 season.

On Friday, the Patriots announced that they had placed Demps on injured reserve, ending his season just two weeks after he signed.

#Patriots Release 22 Players & Place Jeff Demps on IR: bit.ly/Rxaa7H—
New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 01, 2012

It’s too early to know for sure, but either New England felt as if Demps was not yet ready to contribute in an NFL game — understandable given his focus on track for most of the calendar year — or the knee he tweaked in Wednesday’s preseason finale is more serious than has been reported.

At any rate, Demps figures to be given every opportunity to win a roster spot next season, as he was signed to a three-year deal with $211,000 guaranteed, the second-highest amount ever given to an undrafted free agent.