Troubled NFL Player Escapes Suspension Brandon Marshall, oft-misbehaving wideout for the Denver Broncos, won’t be suspended this season, as many had predicted, for his latest arrest for domestic dispute, The Associated Press reports. Marshall learned Tuesday that the NFL will not punish him for violating the league’s conduct code, despite his repeated missteps with the law over the past couple years. Last season, his season was delayed while he dealt with a bunch of police-related charges. In March, Marshall was arrested following a fight with his new fiancée. However, the charges were dropped when the couple refused to testify against each other, according to AP.  ”We are humbled, enthused and excited by this decision by the commissioner’s office,” Marshall’s agent, Kennard McGuire, told AP. “We also understand that Brandon has to continue to grow, be accountable and responsible. We have no doubt he’ll do all the above and more.”

Hammerin’ Hank Among NHL Purchasers Hall of Fame slugger Hank Aaron is among a group that is purchasing the Florida Panthers hockey team for a reported $240 million, Reuters News reports. Included in the deal are the NHL team, BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.; an arena management company; and some land surrounding the arena, according Reuters. In addition to Aaron, whose homerun record stood for more than three decades, the purchasing group, Sports Properties Acquisition Corp., includes Andrew Murstein, a New York City taxi tycoon; former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo; and Richard Mack, a senior partner at Apollo Real Estate Advisors.

Former Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry, who is now jobless and facing a possible prison term on drug charges, must continue to pay $3,000 a month to one of his nine children, whom he fathered with nine different women. On Thursday, a DeKalb County judge rejected Henry’s request to halt support payments for his 5-year-old son. Attorney Randall M. Kessler had argued during the daylong hearing that Henry can no longer afford to pay the $3,000 because he’s no longer in the league and could be heading to prison. But Robert Wellon, arguing on behalf of Jameshia Beacham, the mother of Henry’s son, told Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger that the 30-year-old former super star had spent millions on jewelry, cars, a new home, and other luxuries. There were also many other items that Henry refused to identify, saying they had to do with his impending drug trial. Last fall, Henry was arrested in Colorado on felony cocaine possession charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned in April, his attorneys said. He is currently under house arrest in Colorado, having paid a $400,000 bond. When asked by Wellon why he had made several cash withdrawals of up to $70,000 after getting cut by the Broncos, Henry offered only, “All those big withdrawals have to do with my [criminal] case.” He went on to acknowledge the mistakes he has made. “Now that I look back on my life, not all of my decisions were good, and now I’m paying for it,” Henry said. “I just want to make good. … I want to take care of my children. I want to get my life back together.”

The Denver Broncos, who fired two-time Super Bowl-winning Coach Mike Shanahan Tuesday, could be adding a young African American to replace him. Broncos officials acknowledged Thursday that they have asked for permission to interview the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 32-year-old defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris, for Denver’s vacant head coaching job. Morris, the Bucs defensive backs coach, was just named as departing defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin’s replacement on Christmas. But the Denver Broncos may think the 32-year old Morris is the perfect replacement for head coach Mike Shanahan, who was fired on Tuesday. Also up for the Denver gig is New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo. NFL rules preclude teams from blocking interviews for head coaching positions, so the Bucs had no choice but to allow Morris the right to interview with the Broncos. The Broncos are expected to meet with Morris Monday after Spagnulo’s meeting with the team on Saturday, FoxSports.com is reporting. While Morris has no NFL-level head coaching experience or defensive coordinator experience, he studied under former Bucs defensive backs coach and current Pittsburgh Steelers head Coach Mike Tomlin from 2002-05. Tomlin, one of the NFL’s hottest young coaches, left the Buccaneers after the 2005 season to pursue a defensive coordinator position with Minnesota. A year later, he was leading the Steelers.

NBA player hopes to land back in Detroit. Ex-Detroit Piston Antonio McDyess is an ex-Denver Nugget just days after he was sent to Colorado in a three-man trade for Allen Iverson. Denver waived McDyess, who had already hoped to be re-routed back to Detroit, placing him in a 48-hour hold. If he goes unclaimed within the hold time, he could re-sign with the Pistons by Dec. 7 if no other team persuades him to suit up. McDyess, 34, reportedly wants to avoid having to re-locate.

Boston slugger’s wrist is healing well. Red Sox big-hitter David Ortiz says he’s about a month away from swinging a bat again after doctors advised him to recover from a wrist injury in the off-season. “It’s doing good,” Ortiz said at a news conference announcing a celebrity golf tournament in his native Dominican Republic. The slugger has been on the disabled list more than once for a partially torn tendon on his left wrist. Ortiz hit 54 homers in 2006, but his average has lowered since he went to Boston in ‘03.

Tatum Bell re-joins Denver Broncos. Running back Tatum Bell says he’s “humbled” and thankful to put on a Denver jersey in the NFL again. The 1,000-yard rusher in 2006 was cut by Detroit after a Broncos trade and hasn’t played in months, but he re-joins Denver this week. “I didn’t think I was going to get another chance, to be honest,” Bell says. “I thanked coach Shanahan for giving me this chance. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll play special teams, I’ll play center. I’ll do whatever it takes to help the Denver Broncos win.” Bell was in the middle of a dust-up in Detroit when he was accused of taking his replacement Rudi Johnson’s luggage. Bell calls the incident a mistake.

Ex-NFL player gets knocked by feds.

Former Broncos running back Travis Henry is in federal custody after allegedly attempting to make a drug deal in Montana. Henry, who was released by Denver in June after coach Mike Shanahan questioned his commitment, faces a hearing next week on charges that he and James Mack met with an undercover informant, allegedly planning to buy cocaine, the DEA says. Both men are being held on suspicion and conspiracy charges after agents alleged that the pair had plans to distribute the drug. The informant first agreed to cooperate with the government last month, according to affidavits, when he was stopped in Montana in a vehicle carrying six pounds of weed and three kilos of cocaine. He told authorities he was to be paid $5,000 for delivering the drugs allegedly supplied by Henry and Mack, with another $63,600 in proceeds being returned to Henry. The informant allegedly cooperated with Drug Enforcement agents, in exchange for leniency in his own case, leading to Henry’s and Mack’s arrests.