NFL notes: Oneida Nation requests meeting with all NFL owners

Characterizing their meeting with the NFL about their disapproval of the use of Redskins by the Washington franchise as disappointing, representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation requested a meeting with all 32 NFL owners during Super Bowl week.

They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive.

"Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. Of course, we're disappointed."

The Oneidas asked Goodell and Snyder to "visit our homelands," and sought an amendment to league bylaws to prohibit franchises from naming a team with any term that is a racial epithet. Halbritter says the dictionary defines the word "redskins" precisely that way.

And Halbritter's group asked Goodell to "use his power to bring Snyder before the league executive committee for possible sanctions" should the team continue to use the name.

"We met at the request of Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation," the NFL said in a statement. "We listened and respectfully discussed the views of Mr. Halbritter, Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Representative Keller George and their colleagues as well as the sharply differing views of many other Native Americans and fans in general."

Around the league

Packers • Linebacker Clay Matthews, who hasn't played since breaking his right thumb against Detroit on Oct. 6, said Wednesday he will get the pins removed from the thumb on Monday. He won't play against the Bears that night.

Eagles • Two weeks after suffering a concussion, Nick Foles will start at quarterback vs. the Raiders on Sunday in place of Michael Vick, who is out for the second time this season with a hamstring injury.

Bills • Quarterback Thad Lewis missed practice Wednesday because of sore ribs and is "50-50" to play Sunday against unbeaten Kansas City, coach Doug Marrone said.

Browns • Cleveland director of player personnel Jon Sandusky pleaded guilty to refusing a chemical test when he was pulled over last month for suspicion of drunken driving in Fargo, N.D. Sandusky, 36, received a suspended sentence and was placed on unsupervised probation that requires him to complete a chemical dependency evaluation. —

Schedule

Thursday

Cincinnati at Miami, 6:25 p.m., NFL Network

Sunday

Minnesota at Dallas, 11 a.m.

Tennessee at St. Louis, 11 a.m.

Atlanta at Carolina, 11 a.m.

New Orleans at N.Y. Jets, 11 a.m.

Kansas City at Buffalo, 11 a.m., Ch. 2

San Diego at Washington, 11 a.m.

Philadelphia at Oakland, 2:05 p.m., Ch. 13

Tampa Bay at Seattle, 2:05 p.m.

Baltimore at Cleveland, 2:25 p.m.

Pittsburgh at New England, 2:25 p.m., Ch. 2

Indianapolis at Houston, 6:30 p.m., Ch. 5

Open: Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, N.Y. Giants, San Francisco

Monday

Chicago at Green Bay, 6:40 p.m., ESPN