Bengals' Rey Maualuga pleads guilty to drunk driving


The rookie linebacker from USC receives a suspended seven-day jail sentence for incident that took place last week.

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga pleaded guilty to drunk driving Tuesday in Covington, Ky., and received a suspended sentence.

The rookie linebacker from USC was arrested Friday after police said he hit a parking meter and two parked cars in northern Kentucky. He was charged with drunk and careless driving, and a court hearing was scheduled for Feb. 25.

He changed his plea to guilty on the drunk-driving charge Tuesday and received a suspended seven-day jail sentence. The careless driving charge was dropped. Maualuga had his driver's license suspended for 90 days and was ordered to participate in an alcohol and drug education program.

Maualuga also was put on probation for two years and ordered to pay $884 in fines plus court costs. He'll also have to make restitution for damages from the accident, which haven't been determined yet.

In a statement released through his agents, Maualuga apologized "for letting everyone down and making a terrible decision to drive under the influence. I wanted to acknowledge fault quickly and accept the consequences for my actions, which are the same that anyone else facing these charges would receive."

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez will have surgery on his left knee and is expected to be ready in time for training camp. The team said that the operation will repair the patella ligament that holds the kneecap in place.

Sanchez dislocated the kneecap during fall practice before his junior season at USC.

Jets Coach Rex Ryan has been fined $50,000 by the team for making an obscene gesture at a mixed martial arts event last weekend. The team's decision comes after a smiling Ryan was caught gesturing by a cellphone camera at the competition in Sunrise, Fla., on Saturday night.

Coach Gary Kubiak has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the Houston Texans through the 2012 season, according to media reports.