Skip to main content

Chiefs’ Stephenson returns from 4-game suspension

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Right tackle Donald Stephenson is back with the Kansas City Chiefs.

He’s just not back in the starting lineup.

Stephenson returned from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs Wednesday, but Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Ryan Harris remains the starter on the right side and that Stephenson would have to work his way back into the mix.

“He’s just going to get himself back in the swing of things,” Reid said. “He’ll rotate back in there in practice. He hasn’t done any football for a month, so we’ll let him get acclimated.”

Stephenson was suspended in late August, and said at the time that he took a medication that requires a therapeutic-use exemption and failed to properly investigate it.

He was able to practice with the Chiefs throughout training camp, but Reid held him out of one of the preseason games so that he could get a better look at players he had available.

Stephenson said that he stayed in shape during his monthlong hiatus, during which he was barred from the team facility, by working out twice a day in Dallas. When asked whether he would be able to play Sunday in San Francisco, the third-year pro replied with a shrug.

“I feel like I’m in shape. I worked my butt off for the past month. Whenever they’re ready, I’m ready to go,” he said. “The only way to get in football shape is to play football. The only thing I could do was work out and stay in shape.”

It’s hardly surprising that Reid was hesitant to shake things up. After losing left guard Jeff Allen to a season-ending injury in the opener, and Stephenson to his suspension, the Chiefs’ rejiggered offensive line has finally started to play well the past couple of weeks.

The Chiefs ran for 174 yards in a 35-14 pasting of Miami two weeks ago, and piled up 207 yards rushing in Monday night’s 41-14 rout of New England. In that game, quarterback Alex Smith enjoyed a nice pocket most of the night, throwing for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

“It’s been a little battle with the personnel and we’ve had some injuries and things change,” Smith said, “but the guys up front have been doing a good job moving around.”

Eric Fisher is starting to look comfortable back at left tackle, the position the former No. 1 overall pick played in college. Mike McGlynn has hardly looked like a journeyman at left guard, and Zach Fulton has barely resembled a rookie sixth-round pick at right guard. Rodney Hudson has been a reliable center, and Harris has filled in admirably in Stephenson’s absence.

“We had some injuries in the beginning, some spots to fill and had to go through that. It’s kind of hard to click when you’re moving guys around the line constantly,” Fisher said. “The last few weeks, we’ve been able to stick together and that’s always going to help an offensive line.”

Good for the offensive line. Maybe not so good for Stephenson’s chances of starting soon.

Regardless, Reid said he welcomed the big right tackle’s return. He pointed out the attrition rate of offensive linemen is high, and that you can never have too much depth.

“You need everybody,” Reid said. “You need all the players as you go, and you want to make sure they’re all ready to play and ready to go.”

NOTES: WR Donnie Avery, who sustained a groin strain in Monday night’s game, missed practice on Wednesday. S Eric Berry also remained out with a high ankle sprain that has caused him to miss the last two weeks. … Reid gave a shoutout to the Kansas City Royals, who beat the Oakland A’s in a dramatic 12-inning AL wild-card game Tuesday night. The Royals play the Angels on Thursday in Los Angeles in the first game of their best-of-five AL Divisional Series.

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 News

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