NFL notebook: Carruth apologizes for murder, wants custody of son

The 15-page letter was published Monday by CBS Charlotte affiliate WBTV, to
whom Carruth sent the letter. According to the outlet, Carruth had previously
written letters to the woman, Saundra Adams, but had never received a
response.

Carruth was sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison after he was found guilty on
three charges related to the shooting death of Cherica Adams in November 1999.
Adams was eight months pregnant at the time. During trial, prosecutors
explained that Carruth did not want to pay child support and hired a hitman to
kill Adams. Adams, however, lived for a month after the shooting and delivered
the child. The boy, Chancellor Lee Adams, was born with cerebral palsy as a
result of his mother's gunshot injuries.

Carruth is scheduled to be released from prison in October and in the letter
said he believes he should get custody of Chancellor Adams, who is now 18 but
in need of care. Cherica's mother Saundra Adams, who has raised Chancellor his
whole life, responded on Twitter saying she has forgiven Rae but adding, "I
can say definitively he's not ever going to have custody of Chancellor."

--There was no Super Bowl surprise for the New England Patriots when
cornerback Malcolm Butler did not start the game.

Safety Devin McCourty, a defensive captain since his second season in the
league, said Butler was aware he would not start against the Philadelphia
Eagles. Eric Rowe got the nod, despite Butler playing 97.8 percent of
defensive snaps in the regular season.

"As far as I know, all of that is the furthest thing from the truth," McCourty
said. "We all knew he wasn't starting all week. That wasn't a secret to the
guys on the team."

--In-house candidates Duce Staley and Mike Groh will reportedly interview with
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson for the team's vacant offensive
coordinator position Monday.

ESPN reported Pederson will interview Staley, who played for the team and
serves as running backs coach, and Groh, wide receivers coach and the son of
Al Groh, for the post vacated by new Colts head coach Frank Reich.

Staley, 42, joined the coaching staff in Philadelphia in 2011 under head coach
Andy Reid and remained with the franchise under Chip Kelly and Pederson. Groh,
46, joined the Eagles in 2017 and previously held the same title coaching
receivers with the Chicago Bears (2013-15) and Los Angeles Rams (2016).
Pederson will remain the team's playcaller.

--Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater calls 2017 "my favorite
season" in the NFL despite playing no meaningful snaps last year.

Of course, you have to put Bridgewater's comments in context after he missed
the entire 2016 season recovering from a career-threatening knee injury.

"It was probably my favorite season by far, even though I didn't play much,"
Bridgewater said, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. "This season challenged my
mindset because as bad as I wanted to be out there playing -- being the
competitor that I am, I wanted to go to war and go to battle with my guys -- I
had to be out there in a different aspect. I had to be there for the guys
mentally.

"It gave me a different role and I accepted it. It was one that was hard to
accept because I'm a competitor, but I wouldn't trade this year for nothing."

--The Minnesota Vikings officially hired former Oakland Raiders offensive
coordinator Todd Downing as senior offensive assistant, the team announced
Monday.

Downing, who is entering his 18th NFL season, rejoins the Vikings in 2018
after last coaching with the club in 2005. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native
held multiple posts during his five-year stint with Minnesota from 2001-05.

Downing, 37, served as the Raiders' offensive coordinator last season after
spending two years as quarterbacks coach. He was not retained by the Raiders
when the team hired Jon Gruden as head coach in January.

--Field Level Media