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TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers say a third player has been diagnosed with MRSA, a staph infection that is resistant to many common antibiotics. General manager Mark Dominik made the announcement Friday, a day after confirming guard Carl Nicks is being treated for a recurrence of MRSA. Dominik and coach Greg Schiano declined to identify the third player involved in the case diagnosed late Thursday, saying the player requested his name not be released. "Ive spoken to the player, Ive spoken to his agent, and were not at liberty to confirm or deny any player right now," Dominik said. NFL.com reported the player was rookie cornerback Johnthan Banks. The second-round draft pick out of Mississippi State was the only new addition Friday to the injury report, which said Banks did not practice due to illness. Banks is listed as questionable for Sundays game against Philadelphia. Nicks, who along with kicker Lawrence Tynes was diagnosed as having MRSA in August, also sat out practice. He is questionable to play against Philadelphia. The team flew in an infectious disease expert to answer questions players had before practice. Schiano said the session lasted more than an hour, pushing back the teams practice schedule. "As in anything, I think so much of the fear is the unknown," Schiano said. "So as we became better educated, I think kind of understands the game plan and how to make sure this doesnt become a bigger problem." Dr. Deverick J. Anderson, an associate professor of medicine at the Duke University Medical Center and co-director of the Duke Infection Control Outwork Network said even though there are no other confirmed cases of MRSA on other NFL teams that he doesnt feel players and staff in Tampa Bay are at any higher risk of coming in contact with MRSA. Meanwhile, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith issued a statement on the situation. "We have been involved in an ongoing review of the MRSA incidents in Tampa Bay initiated by the concerns we had about the manner in which team officials responded to these cases," Smith said in a statement. "We advised the NFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that an outside expert should be brought in to assess the situation and we are pleased with their decision to take that recommendation," Smith added. "We have also been in regular contact with the player representatives from Tampa Bay. We will reach out to the Philadelphia Eagles player representatives today and provide them with our best medical guidance and regular updates from the outside experts." Smith said the situation in Tampa "underscores the need for a League-wide, comprehensive and standardized infectious disease protocol" as well as "improved accountability measures on health and safety issues by the NFL over the clubs." The initial cases of MRSA were confirmed while the Bucs were in New England holding joint practices with the Patriots before a preseason game. The team hired a company to sanitize One Buc Place, the teams headquarters and training facility, on two separate occasions in an effort to minimize the prospect of other cases. The Bucs said at the time they did not know where Nicks and Tynes were exposed to MRSA. Anderson did not plan to recommend a third cleaning of the facility, but that he was working with the team on things players can do themselves to minimize the risk of getting MRSA. "I can say that I believe it is a safe environment for players and staff," said Anderson, who toured the complex in August and also observed how the team practices after Nicks and Tynes were diagnosed in August. The expert said the cases involving Nicks and Tynes do not appear to be related, explaining there are different strains of MRSA. "We dont know about the third one yet. We still need additional information about the specific MRSA that were dealing with," Anderson said. "But we can actually definitely say that the first two cases were not related to each other." And, the doctor said Nicks and Tynes did not get the infection from one another. Nicks sat out the preseason and also missed the first two games of the regular season before being told he was "MRSA free." He started the past two games against New England and Arizona. Tynes, who helped the New York Giants win a pair of Super Bowls, signed with the Bucs before training camp. He was sidelined by an ingrown toenail on his kicking foot when he was diagnosed as having MRSA. The Bucs later placed Tynes on the non-football injury list instead of injured reserve. He is being paid his salary, however the players union has filed a grievance on the kickers behalf due concerns about how the team handled the infection. Discount Houston Texans Jerseys . Louis Blues were workmanlike, methodical and -- most of all -- effective on Monday night. Stitched Houston Texans Jerseys . Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes. http://www.cheaptexans.com/69s-cheap-cus...sey-texans.html. Like a magic trick, the puck popped out behind Stalock in the San Jose net. While Sharks coach Todd McLellan decried the legality of the tiebreaking goal, the Los Angeles Kings celebrated their latest, greatest escape yet. Authentic Houston Texans Jerseys . "Last year we were in a ton of situations, late-game situations we couldnt pull out. Wed kind of fold under the pressure, get frustrated or let a big shot frustrate us," guard DeMar DeRozan said. Cheap Houston Texans Gear . After a 99-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, his Celtics coaches and teammates have only positive things to say about the Toronto-born rookie.MINNEAPOLIS -- Matt Cassel was one day away from hitting the free agent market and fielding offers from other suitors. Then the Minnesota Vikings swooped in at the last minute. The Vikings agreed to terms with Cassel on Friday on a deal that will keep him in Minnesota, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because an official announcement had not been made. Terms of the deal, which was first reported by NFL Network, were not immediately available. The move helps solidify the Vikings shaky quarterback situation. The team used a musical chairs approach to the position last season, rotating Christian Ponder and Cassel, and even starting Josh Freeman for one game during a miserable 5-10-1 season. Cassel was by far the most effective of the three, going 3-3 in his six starts and being on the field at the end of all five of the teams victories. He completed 60.2 per cent of his passes for 1,807 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions after signing as a free agent from the Kansas City Chiefs. But he opted out of the final year of his two-year deal in February, and there was concern Cassel would choose to move to another team after he was forced to split time with the ineffective Ponder. New head coach Mike Zimmer said Thursday he "would love to have Matt Cassel back if Matt Cassel wants to be back." But the coach was also bracing for the likelihood Cassel would at least test free agency before giving the Vikings an answer. "Hes got a bunch of pretty girls looking at him right now," Zimmer said then.dddddddddddd "And he wants to explore and see whats best for him. I dont blame any of these guys. In free agency, I think thats why they have the rules is that they get a chance to go see what their markets worth. Then if they find a better situation than what they think is here, then I think thats everywhere." It appears Cassel knew where he wanted to be all along. Cassels familiarity with the teams offensive players -- Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph among them -- and the way the team responded to Cassels leadership on the field were among the big reasons the Vikings wanted him back. The agreement would appear to make Cassel the front-runner to be the starter when the 2014 season opens with new offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner calling the plays. Ponder is still on the roster, but his performance over his first three seasons has inspired little confidence among his teammates. The Vikings have the eighth overall pick in the upcoming draft, and there remains a strong possibility they will select someone to be the teams quarterback of the future. But keeping Cassel in the fold will reduce the pressure on the team to start a rookie. "It all depends, but what I want to do is play the best guy," Zimmer said. "I dont care if hes a rookie, if hes a veteran, if hes a returner. It doesnt matter to me who the quarterback is if he can win games, and thats really what its about, winning football games and figuring out how to do that." 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