NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Browns: The NFL has given the Cleveland Browns a 24-hour extension to sell the remaining tickets for Sunday’s game against San Diego and avoid a TV blackout. As of Thursday afternoon, the Browns said there were “a few thousand tickets” left. For a game to be aired on local TV, the league requires a game to be sold out 72 hours before kickoff. The Browns have until 4 p.m. today to sell the tickets. The team has not had a game blacked out since its expansion return in 1999.

Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger was “hurt” by teammate Hines Ward’s remarks questioning why a concussion kept him out of an important game against the Ravens. But the quarterback now agrees it was the right call to sit him down. Roethlisberger says he patched up his relationship with Ward during a phone call Monday. The quarterback says he was shocked and upset when coach Mike Tomlin told him Saturday he wouldn’t play in Baltimore. Now that he’s had time to consider the reasons for the benching, Roethlisberger says the move made sense.

Vikings: Running back Adrian Peterson was cited for speeding over the weekend after police clocked him driving 109 mph on a highway in suburban Minneapolis. Edina police spokeswoman Molly Anderson says Peterson was pulled over just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Peterson was driving his BMW on a state highway in a 55-mph zone. Anderson says he was given a citation and allowed to drive away. She called it a “very routine” traffic stop.

Seahawks: Tim Ruskell has resigned as president and general manager . Ruskell announced his resignation weeks before his five-year contract with the team ends. Seahawks vice president for player personnel Ruston Webster will serve as interim general manager.

Rams: Running back Steven Jackson has been fined $5,000 for throwing a ball into the stands. He does not plan on appealing. Jackson said he knew the fine was coming after he scored in the final minute of Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks. He said he just wanted to toss a present to the handful of fans who were still around at the end of the game.

Raiders: Bruce Gradkowski is heading home and the quarterback wouldn’t mind if he and his teammates were greeted with a blanket of snow. Gradkowski grew up in Pittsburgh, played in college at the University of Toledo and his mother still lives 10 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. Numerous other relatives also live in the area, making for a homecoming of sorts as the Raiders’ journeyman quarterback travels to the Steel City this Sunday.

Giants: Running back Ahmad Bradshaw and safety Michael Johnson didn’t practice because of injuries, leaving their availability for the team’s game against Dallas uncertain.

Associated Press