Mack, who made the AFC Pro Bowl team after the 1999 season as a kick off return specialist, has 11 months remaining on his suspended sentence. He has paid the money. He has reported every day. He has been a good probationer. Mack is averaging 23 yards on 30 kickoff returns and has a long of 50 yards.
Kickers are often their own island on a football team.
That's the case with the Bengals, where punter Daniel Pope and place kicker Neil Rackers are always together on the practice field. Pope is Rackers' holder. And when the rookie kicker from the University of Illinois struggled early in the season, Pope was there to keep his spirits up. It was Rackers' turn to offer support to Pope, who punted for Kansas City in 1999. He helped me get through mine, so I was just there to encourage him.