Bengals deactivate Ocho Cinco for game against Steelers
PITTSBURGH -- The
Cincinnati Bengals have deactivated receiver
Chad Ocho Cinco for Thursday night's game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers for violation of a team rule.
The Bengals would not elaborate on why
Ocho Cinco was deactivated, and said there would be no comment until after the game.
However, ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen reports that according to a team source,
Ocho Cinco was 45 minutes late to a meeting Wednesday night.
He and coach Marvin Lewis then got into a verbal disagreement.
Ocho Cinco was sent home, and rookie Jerome Simpson -- who was to have stayed back in Cincinnati with an ankle injury -- traveled to Pittsburgh Thursday.
Ocho Cinco's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, addressed the issue during an interview on ESPN's "SportsCenter" Thursday afternoon. Rosenhaus hinted that the infraction was not major, and believes the suspension will not go beyond one game.
Reserve receiver Chris Henry likely will start in place of Ocho Cinco.
Ocho Cinco had ankle surgery in June and a shoulder injury in August, and has not been as involved in the Bengals' offense as much as in previous years. Meanwhile, his former college teammate, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, has become the team's primary receiver.
Houshmandzadeh leads the NFL with 73 catches, and has four touchdowns. Ocho Cinco, a down-field threat in previous years, has 41 catches, none for more than 22 yards
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