Sports in Brief: Roethlisberger cleared by NFL

The NFL on Thursday cleared

Ben Roethlisberger

to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers beginning next week, although no decision has been made on the length of his suspension.

The quarterback was suspended without pay for six games last month by commissioner Roger Goodell after a 20-year-old college student accused him of sexual assault in Milledgeville, Ga. No charges were filed.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey was hospitalized after suffering a seizure in the Saints' weight room. "I am OK. Thanks to everyone who has shown their concern," Shockey said in a message posted on his Twitter account.

Saints safety Darren Sharper, who was with Shockey when the seizure happened, said trainers quickly attended to the star tight end, who seemed lucid again after about a minute and was able to walk on his own.

GOLF: Jason Bohn, Jeff Overton and Blake Adams shot 7-under 63s to share the first-round lead at the Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, where 2008 champion Phil Mickelson's return turned into a struggle after an impressive start. Mickelson birdied the first two holes, but that was the lowest he got on a hot day with ideal scoring conditions. Lefty finished with a 1-over 71 and is tied for 89th place, while 75 players were under par. If Mickelson comes back to win his third Colonial, the victory that would push him to No. 1 in the world - ranking ahead of Tiger Woods for the first time in his career.

Robin Freeman shot a 6-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead at the 71st PGA Senior Championship at Colorado Golf Club in Parker. Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer fired a 66.

COLLEGE: The late Pat Tillman and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard are among the 14 newly elected members of the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced.

Tillman played linebacker for Arizona State from 1994-97 and gave up an NFL career to enlist in the Army in 2002. He was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2004. Howard was a wide receiver for Michigan and won the Heisman 1991.

The other players named were defensive lineman Dennis Byrd of North Carolina State, center Ronnie Caveness of Arkansas, defensive lineman Ray Childress of Texas A&M, guard Randy Cross of UCLA, running back Sam Cunningham of Southern California, quarterback Mark Herrmann of Purdue, receiver Clarkston Hines of Duke, defensive back Chet Moeller of Navy, halfback Jerry Stovall of LSU, and linebacker Alfred Williams of Colorado.

Also elected to the Hall of Fame were coaches Barry Alvarez, who revitalized Wisconsin football after years of struggles and Gene Stallings, who coached Alabama to a national championship in 1992.

NASCAR: Ryan Newman captured his second straight Coca-Cola 600 pole and the ninth in 19 Sprint Cup races at the track. He was clocked at 187.546 m.p.h. and barely beat out all-star race winner Kurt Busch, who will start second in Sunday's race in Concord, N.C.

- Staff and wire reports