NFL Capsules: Chiefs suspend RB Larry Johnson
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who made two gay slurs within a 24-hour period, was given what amounts to a one-game suspension Wednesday night, but Johnson's agent said he would appeal.
Agent Peter Schaffer said the game check and other lost revenue would amount to about a penalty of about $600,000 for the former two-time Pro Bowl player.
In a three-sentence release, the Chiefs said Johnson would be suspended until Monday, Nov. 9 for conduct detrimental to the team. The Chiefs are on their bye week and will not play again until traveling to Jacksonville on Nov. 8.
The Chiefs had been saying for three days that they were "investigating" the situation. Johnson was told to stay away from the team on Tuesday.
Schaffer said he had consulted with the Players Association about the appeal.
"We will be filing an appeal on behalf of Larry tomorrow," Schaffer told The Associated Press. "While we respect the Chiefs' ability to try to discipline a player, we disagree and respectfully disagree that the punishment they propose is warranted by the facts or allowable by the collective bargaining agreement. Hopefully, we will be able to work out a mutual and positive resolution with the Chiefs short of a hearing. If we don't, then this will go to an arbitrator."
Schaffer said they would try to expedite the matter and get a resolution before the team's next game on Nov. 8.
In 2007, Johnson signed a five-year contract extension that guaranteed him about $19 million and could be worth as much as $45 million. But because of these latest problems, his future with the Chiefs beyond Nov. 8 may still be cloudy.
Coach Todd Haley and first-year general manager Scott Pioli have repeatedly said they are trying to build a new culture and a new attitude for a struggling franchise, which has sunk to the bottom of the NFL and that disloyalty will not be tolerated.
Johnson, who needs just 75 yards rushing to break the team's career record, first used the gay slur on his Twitter account in an exchange with one of his followers on Sunday night. Earlier he had posted comments calling Haley's qualifications into question.
Then in a whispered remark on Monday after telling reporters in the locker room he was not talking, Johnson repeated the slur, according to the Kansas City Star which has posted audio of the alleged comment.
The three-sentence news release issued Wednesday night by the team said only that Johnson, who turns 30 in a few weeks, was suspended for conduct detrimental to the club. The Chiefs said they would have no further comment on Johnson's status "at this time."
Johnson wrote the objectionable material on his Twitter account several hours after the Chiefs (1-6) lost 37-7 to San Diego, one of their most lopsided home losses ever.
Johnson issued an apology on Tuesday, almost exactly 12 months after apologizing to the team and its fans and ownership for two incidents in Kansas City nightspots that led to his pleading guilty to disturbing the peace.
Those problems caused him to be benched for three games in 2008 and suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell for an additional game.
Johnson was one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2005 and '06, running for more than 1,700 yards each season and earning Pro Bowl honors. But this season, like the Chiefs, he has struggled.
Rams get linebacker Vobora back from suspension
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Rams linebacker David Vobora took the majority of snaps with the first string Wednesday in his first practice since a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
The second-year player said Wednesday he did nothing wrong and plans to file a lawsuit over the matter.
"The system is difficult because I made every move I possibly could to check on certain supplements, got it checked out a number of times through the NFL hotline, and they told me there was nothing that could possibly trigger positive tests," Vobora said.
Vobora said he was informed of the pending suspension in July and dropped his appeal of the decision. Vobora accepted the penalty after sustaining a concussion against the Packers, which would have sidelined him for a week anyway.
Vobora said he's spoken to players who have used the same supplement without getting suspended. He said he would advise teammates that you can never be too careful.
"If you call the hotline and say 'I've got a broccoli supplement,' they're going to say, 'Well, there's nothing in broccoli that would test positive, but you still take it at your own risk.'"
Vobora became a starter after being the final pick of the 2008 draft. He thanked the Rams for supporting him after he explained the situation to coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney.
During the suspension, Vobora said he worked out three times a day and watched the winless Rams' games on television. St. Louis plays at Detroit on Sunday.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever gone through," Vobora said. "It was definitely a humbling experience. It was a few times when it was hard not to tear the TV off the wall."
Spagnuolo said Vobora looked good his first day back.
"He had some fresh legs," the coach said. "He did some kickoff stuff with the special teams and he was ahead of everybody."
The Rams also signed long snapper Ryan Neill to replace Chris Massey, lost for the season with a knee injury in Sunday's 41-7 loss to the Colts.
Neill, who played for the Bills in 2007-08, prevailed in a four-player tryout Tuesday. He was cut in training camp and got the thumbs up from St. Louis punter Donnie Jones and kicker Josh Brown.
"When you're with somebody for 2 1/2 years and all of a sudden you've got to switch, of course it's going to be different," Jones said. "But things happen and you've got to adjust."
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Jurors hear about night Jaguars player shot
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A witness told jurors on Wednesday that she saw gunfire from her apartment window the night Jacksonville Jaguars player Richard Collier was shot and paralyzed but could not identify the shooter.
Virginia Corbie testified for the prosecution in the trial of Tyrone Hartsfield, 33, who is charged with attempted murder. He is accused of shooting Collier on Sept. 2, 2008, as the offensive lineman waited with a recently cut teammate in his car for Corbie's two daughters.
Corbie said she saw a man holding a gun with both hands, shooting at Collier's red Cadillac Escalade.
"That's when I freaked out and realized something bad was happening," said Corbie.
Corbie is the mother of Jemilia Corbie, who was dating Collier, and Natalia Corbie, Jemilia's younger sister. Collier and Kenny Pettway had followed the Corbie sisters to their mother's apartment complex near downtown Jacksonville and were waiting for them to come back out.
Virginia Corbiee said it was dark, so she could not identity the shooter other than to say he was black, thin and wearing a white T-shirt.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer Wes Whitehead, who was first to respond to the shooting, testified that he found Collier lying across the center console, with his head in the back seat and his body in the front seat.
"He did not appear to be conscious. He wasn't making any noise," Whitehead said.
Most of the testimony dealt with physical evidence. Police experts discussed the six .45-caliber shell casings found in and around Collier's car; Collier's pants and shirt removed at the hospital containing bullet holes and the bloody front seat of his car with three bullet holes.
Carol Hanna, a latent fingerprint expert with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, testified she found no prints matching Hartsfield or Collier on six cards she examined. Another agent found no DNA in Collier's car that implicated Hartsfield.
The state's star witness, Stephan Wilson, on federal probation in an Atlanta bank robbery, is expected to take the stand Thursday. He told police he went with Hartsfield to the shooting scene. He secretly recorded five hours of tape of his conversations with Hartsfield.
Collier, 28, testified Tuesday that he was sitting his car outside the women's home talking with Pettway when a barrage of gunshots began. He says he never saw the shooter and neither did his friend.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda claims Hartsfield shot Collier as revenge for a fight between the two men earlier at a Jacksonville club.
Defense attorney Ann Finnell told jurors that there were several people who had grudges against Collier.
Jets WR Edwards won't go into assault charge
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards refused to provide details Wednesday about the misdemeanor assault charge he faces over accusations he punched a man outside a Cleveland nightclub.
"I have lawyers for that, and that's their job to take care of that," Edwards said in his first media availability since the charge was filed Monday. "Right now, I'm focusing on football. That's what I'm here to do. Those people can take care of that and I can focus on helping this team out."
Edwards is accused of punching promoter Edward Givens, a friend of NBA star LeBron James, following an argument Oct. 5. Two days later, the Browns traded Edwards to the Jets.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. An arraignment was scheduled for Nov. 17 in Cleveland Municipal Court. Patrick D'Angelo, one of Edwards' attorneys, said the receiver will plead not guilty.
When asked if he threw the punch, Edwards said: "It's still a legal matter. It's still pending. We'll see what happens with that."
Edwards has nine catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in three games since being acquired from Cleveland.
The Jets said in a statement Monday that the team was aware of the allegations before the trade and will let the legal process run its course.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Injuries
Eagles' Westbrook to be game-time decision
PHILADELPHIA — Brian Westbrook will be a game-time decision for the Philadelphia Eagles against the New York Giants on Sunday after suffering a concussion earlier this week.
"We'll see how he does this week," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday.
Westbrook was knocked unconscious in the Eagles 27-17 win over Washington on Monday night when he took a knee to his head in the first quarter.
The NFL instituted a rule in 2007 that states a player who loses consciousness during the course of a game cannot return to that game.
Westbrook did not practice Wednesday, nor did he do his scheduled weekly press conference.
Reid and Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder both said the star running back was doing better immediately after the game.
"His eyes were clear," Reid said. "He didn't have that hazy look about him."
Burkholder, who ushered Westbrook off the field is taking the one-day-at-a-time approach, but is encouraged by what he has seen.
"He knows everything," Burkholder said. "He knows his brother was on the field. He knows Andy was behind me. He remembers walking off the field, going to the locker room, being on the field in the second half. He remembers all of that.
"Now, we're looking at a headache. Once his headache clears, and it's a mild headache, but it's still a headache. Once that clears we'll get his heart rate up and see how he responds. If he does well there we'll try some football drills."
Burkholder said through the years he has seen players who were knocked unconscious come back and play the following week and players who were not knocked unconscious not able to play the following week.
"Every situation is different," the trainer said. "Some guys take 10 days, some guys take three days."
The Eagles have one less day to get Westbrook back, after playing Monday night.
"That's one of the things I told management after the game," Burkholder said. "We have a short week. That will play into it. But I can't worry about that. I worry about Brian."
If Westbrook can't play, he will be replaced by rookie running back LeSean McCoy, the team's second-round draft pick out of Pitt.
McCoy played in place of Westbrook, who was out with a knee injury against Kansas City in the third game of the season and finished with 84 yards rushing on 20 carries with a touchdown.
That was the Chiefs. This is the Giants.
Westbrook has done well against the Giants, including an 84-yeard punt return for a touchdown in the Eagles' win in 2003. In nine games against New York, he has topped 100 total yards eight times and 100 yards rushing five times. He's also scored 11 touchdowns in those nine games.
The one Giants game Westbrook missed, early in the 2007 season, the Eagles lost and scored just three points.
"You prepare for Westbrook," Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. "He's a great player and he's a guy they rely on tremendously. In key situations, he's going to get the ball."
This week he might not.
"I'm not a doctor and I'm not Brian, so I don't know," Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said. "But it's a tough deal. You get a knee to the head like that, it's tough.
"Will there be pressure if Brian can't play, I hope not, but there will be. For (McCoy) it's just a matter of relaxing. It's a different role for him. He just has to see the hole, hit it and hold onto the ball. The same things he did in camp and the preseason."
McCoy, for his part, said he's ready if he has to go.
"There's always a little pressure on you," the rookie back said. "But that's my job to go in and help us out, if Brian can't go."
Looking to bolster their depth at the position, the Eagles signed P.J. Hill off New Orleans' practice squad. Hill, 5-foot-10, 218 pounds, was signed as a rookie free agent by the Saints out of Wisconsin. He carried 26 times for 128 yards, a 4.9 yards per carry average and scored three touchdowns in the preseason. Among the Saints' final cuts, he was signed to the team's practice squad on Sept. 7.
NOTES: Reid ruled defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee), wide receiver Kevin Curtis (knee) and linebacker Omar Gaither (foot) out for Sunday's game. Defensive end Darren Howard (ankle), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (foot), and safety Victor Harris (ankle) did not practice Wednesday, but are expected to be ready by Sunday.
DT Harris returns to Bears practice
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Back at practice, Tommie Harris appeared to be in a good mood as he walked off the field giggling with linebackers Lance Briggs and Jamar Williams.
He didn't stop to talk. Didn't acknowledge requests for comment.
Harris had nothing to say, although the fact that the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle practiced Wednesday for the Chicago Bears was telling. Coach Lovie Smith made it clear he has to practice if he wants to play, and the message apparently got through.
Harris participated without limitations for the first time on a Wednesday since the season opener after sitting out practice last week and being held out of a 45-10 loss at Cincinnati.
"By giving him off last week, he was able to get a little more work in this week so that's got to be good for him," Smith said.
The positive spin came on the heels of a loud message from Smith, who confirmed Monday that he benched Harris against the Bengals even though he could have played after being listed as doubtful because of his chronic left knee injury. On the surface, it appeared to amount to a paid suspension for a player who hasn't always stuck to his rehab regimen.
"It's not like I've had a problem with Tommie practicing," Smith said. "Physically, we've chosen to keep him out to try to let him get in a little bit better position to play Sunday. Giving him the week off last week, we feel like we're ahead of the 8-ball a little bit. It's not like he's bowed up about practicing. He wants to practice."
Asked if Harris will continue to practice without limitations, Smith said, "I can talk on today. Tommie had an excellent day today. There were no issues. Looking any farther to the future is hard for me to say on anyone."
It's not unusual for the Bears to hold Harris out of one or two practices a week and to limit his activity. But the Bears allowed a season-worst 448 yards and touchdowns on the first four possessions to the Bengals, though it would be hard to pin that on the absence of Harris.
The Bears were hoping new defensive line coach Rod Marinelli would bring out Harris' old disruptive ways, but all they've gotten so far are a few flashes and little consistency. Although Harris has just nine tackles with no sacks he's certainly not the only one to blame for a pass rush that failed to produce a sack the past two weeks in losses to Atlanta and Cincinnati.
The Bears' problems aren't limited to that area.
The offensive line again failed to protect golden-armed quarterback Jay Cutler, who has been erratic lately, but if changes are coming there or in another area, Smith wouldn't say even though general manager Jerry Angelo told the team's Web site they are in store.
In fact, Smith he made it clear he wasn't going to talk about his lineup when he was asked about the offensive line, a sharp contrast from a week ago when he insisted a shakeup was not in store.
"I'm not going to talk about anything personnel-wise," Smith said. "To me, that's pretty clear. If that's all you want to talk about, then there's nothing else to talk about."
If the Bears make a change, one possibility might be Josh Beekman starting at left guard over Frank Omiyale. On defense, cornerback Nathan Vasher could play more at safety after seeing time there last week. And Harris figures to play against Cleveland if he gets his work in this week.
He took a big step by practicing on Wednesday.
"It's very important, just to be able to go over different things that he does on the football field as opposed to somebody else out there, because he is a very important part of our defense," defensive tackle Anthony Adams said. "So to have him out on the practice field is definitely a plus."
-- Andrew Seligman
Bills QB Edwards returns to practice
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Trent Edwards' first priority is getting healthy before he'll worry about reclaiming his job as the Bills' starting quarterback.
Edwards practiced on a limited basis Wednesday for the first time since sustaining a concussion in a 16-13 overtime win at the New York Jets on Oct. 18. He's already been ruled out from playing against Houston this weekend.
Edwards said he's feeling better and noted that any concussion-related effects are "slowly but surely" going away. He steered away from a question about whether he'll have to unseat backup Ryan Fitzpatrick, who's led Buffalo (3-4) to two straight wins.
"That's not on the top of my mind right now," he said, noting he'll assist Fitzpatrick in preparing to make his second start. "I have a lot to think about in terms of just getting healthy and helping the team win."
Edwards' status as the starter is uncertain after coach Dick Jauron this week declined to say whether Edwards will get his job back once he's cleared to play. That decision won't come for at least another two weeks, as the Bills enter their bye after playing Houston.
Before he was hurt, Edwards was taking the brunt of the blame for an offense that had combined to score 13 points in losing its previous three games. Though the offense hasn't been much more productive under Fitzpatrick, the fifth-year player has at least been efficient in completing scoring drives.
Fitzpatrick rallied the Bills from a 13-3 deficit to beat the Jets. Despite generating 167 yards and nine first downs in a 20-9 win at Carolina last weekend, Fitzpatrick produced four scoring drives, each set up by Panthers turnovers.
Edwards declined to put a timetable on his recovery, saying he's following the advice of the team's doctors. The concussion was the second he's sustained in a little over a year.
In other injuries, starting defensive tackle Kyle Williams and fullback Corey McIntyre are not likely to play this weekend after both sprained a knee against Carolina. Safety Bryan Scott has a chance to return after missing four games with a sprained left ankle.
Tight end Shawn Nelson (migraines), right tackle Jonathan Scott (ankle) and safety Donte Whitner (ankle) did not practice.
-- John Wawrow
Ravens' LT Gaither lines up at practice
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When the Baltimore Ravens' offensive line returned to work Wednesday, Jared Gaither was lined up with the starters at his customary left tackle position during blocking drills.
After missing two games with a scary neck injury that caused him to be carted off the field Oct. 4 against the New England Patriots, Gaither is expected to return Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
His neck is "pretty much 100 percent," Gaither said, adding that he didn't expect any position change after speculation arose that he might be shifted to right tackle.
"I expect to be back where I left off," he said.
On Monday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to specify whether Gaither would play left or right tackle.
In Gaither's absence, rookie first-round pick Michael Oher started at left tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings. Now, Oher is going back to his normal right tackle spot.
"Jared looks great," Oher said. "He's been working hard to come back. He looks like the old Gaither to me."
When asked if he thought he would return to right tackle, Oher replied: "Of course. Why not?"
Against the Broncos, both Gaither and Oher figure to be tested by NFL sacks leader Elvis Dumervil. The speedy outside linebacker leads the NFL with 10 sacks.
Dumervil is tied as the second-fastest player to reach 10 sacks since it became an official NFL statistic in 1982, matching former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan's total for six games in 2001.
"He's an explosive player, a great player," Oher said. "He has a high motor."
The Broncos lead the NFL in scoring defense (11.0 points) and third-down percentage (26.9 percent). Dumervil has registered seven sacks on third downs.
"The Broncos are going to test everybody's pass protection, for sure," Harbaugh said. "Our pass protection has been good, but it needs to get better. What makes them good is they beat blocks one-on-one. They do a nice job of bull-rushing, and they do a nice job of getting on edges. They're relentless, they never stop and they've got some talented, fast guys."
Chargers' Hardwick returns to practice
SAN DIEGO — San Diego Chargers center Nick Hardwick returned to the practice field for the first time since injuring his left ankle in the season opener.
Hardwick practiced on Wednesday, although he most likely won't play in Sunday's home game against Oakland.
Hardwick, who was wearing a brace on his ankle, was limited to individual work during the practice session, and said he's still a few weeks away.
Hardwick was hurt in the season opener at Oakland and had surgery. The team said then it expected him to be out eight weeks.
"It felt good to get back in costume, but we don't know how close or far away I actually am," Hardwick said. "It'll depend on how it feels tomorrow. We'll stress it again and make another evaluation. It's a process."
Coach Norv Turner said there's no timetable. "It's another step closer to where he wants to be," Turner said.
Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman was limited in practice with a foot injury. Inside linebacker Kevin Burnett (ankle) and nose tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo (ankle) missed practice.
Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw has right ankle examined
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Running back Ahmad Bradshaw traveled to North Carolina to have his bothersome right ankle examined by specialst Dr. Robert Anderson.
There was no immediate word Anderson's diagnosis for the injury that has kept Bradshaw out of practice most of the season.
Bradshaw has missed Wednesday and Thursday practice most weeks while wearing a boot to protect both his sore right ankle and foot. He worked on a limited basis last Wednesday.
Despite the injury, which Bradshaw said resulted from his days in college, he has rushed for 455 yards this season.
Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce missed practice on Wednesday today with a sore ankle.
Backup cornerback Kevin Dockery was excused from practice because of personal reasons.
Redskins TE Cooley has ankle surgery
WASHINGTON — The Washington Redskins say tight end Chris Cooley could return to action in a month after having an operation on his broken right ankle.
Cooley's surgery was Wednesday, two days after he was injured in the first half of Washington's 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Redskins originally feared the two-time Pro Bowl player could be sidelined for two months and might have to go on injured reserve, missing the rest of the season.
After Wednesday's operation, though, he is expected to miss four weeks, barring any setbacks.
Cooley, who has never missed a game since the Redskins drafted him in the third round in 2004, has 29 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Stafford practices for 2nd straight day with Lions
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford took another step toward being able to play.
Stafford participated without limitations in the parts of practice the media was allowed to watch for the second straight day Tuesday.
The Lions (1-5) host the St. Louis Rams (0-7) Sunday.
Stafford has missed two games with an injured right knee. Detroit had a bye Sunday, giving the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft another week to recover.
Receiver Calvin Johnson's right knee prevented him from practicing with his teammates in the open portion of the workout. Johnson has missed one game with the injury.
Jets WR Cotchery limited, but expects to play
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery expects to return from his injured left hamstring and play Sunday against Miami despite being limited in practice.
Cotchery was injured in practice three weeks ago, but was able to play in the loss at Miami on Oct. 12 and had one catch for 4 yards. He then sat out the loss to Buffalo and the win at Oakland.
Wide receiver Brad Smith, who has also missed the last two games with a quadriceps injury, was also limited and could play Sunday. Defensive end Shaun Ellis (knee/ankle), linebacker Bart Scott (knee) and right tackle Damien Woody (foot) were also limited.
Wide receiver David Clowney (ankle), right guard Brandon Moore (foot) and cornerback Lito Sheppard (quad) didn't practice.
Berrian, Henderson, Winfield hurting for Vikings
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have three starters fighting injuries: Wide receiver Bernard Berrian, middle linebacker E.J. Henderson and cornerback Antoine Winfield.
Berrian hurt his left hamstring last week at Pittsburgh. Winfield missed that game because of an injury to his right foot. Henderson's knee is on the mend. They were all held out of Wednesday's practice.
The Vikings visit Green Bay this weekend in Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field. The quarterback appeared on the injury report with a hip problem, and Favre was listed as limited in Wednesday's practice.
Another starter, linebacker Ben Leber, was limited in practice because of a calf injury.
Player Moves
Eagles sign RB Hill off Saints practice squad
PHILADELPHIA — Concerned over their depth at running back with Bran Westbrook recovering from a concussion, the Philadelphia Eagles have signed P.J. Hill off the New Orleans Saints practice squad.
To make room on the 53-man roster for Hill, who was signed Tuesday, the Eagles placed linebacker Omar Gaither on injured reserve with a foot injury, ending his season. Gaither was hurt two weeks ago in the team's loss to the Raiders and underwent surgery last week.
Hill, 5-foot-10, 218 pounds, was signed by the Saints as a rookie free agent out of Wisconsin. He had 26 carries for 128 yards, a 4.9 yards per carry average, and scored three touchdowns in the preseason.
He was among the Saints' final cuts before being signed to the team's practice squad.
In college, Hill joined Ron Dayne as the only backs in Wisconsin history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of their first three seasons. Hill finished his college career with 3,942 yards and 42 touchdowns.
He will join fellow rookie LeSean McCoy, the Eagles' second-round pick out of Pitt, in the team's backfield.
Bucs sign Pressley to add depth at fullback
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have added depth at fullback by signing Chris Pressley from the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad.
The Bucs also announced on Wednesday that defensive end Maurice Evans has been added to the practice squad.
Pressley entered the NFL with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in April. He was released in September and signed to Cincinnati's practice squad.
The Bucs have down a fullback since B.J. Askew had a season-ending injury in a car accident and was placed on injured reserve.
49ers give Brown 3-year extension
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco cornerback Tarell Brown has received a three-year contract extension that takes him through the 2013 season.
Brown, a fifth-round draft pick in 2007 out of Texas, is a backup in the 49ers' secondary who competed for a starting job during training camp before injuring his toe and missing time.
Brown received increased playing time last season at nickel back and also contributed 16 tackles on special teams.
Elsewhere
Jets to open season tix to public, cut some prices
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets are making season tickets for the new Meadowlands stadium available to the general public, beginning Nov. 1, and are cutting the prices on some premium seats by as much as 50 percent.
The team announced Wednesday it would reduce prices in the four sections of the Mezzanine Club, which makes up approximately 7,000 of the 80,000 seats in the new stadium.
The reductions will include corner-seat tickets, which are being cut from $400 to $195, and sideline seats, which are going from $500 to $295. Goal-line seats are going from $400 to $245, while prime seats — around the 50-yard line — are being reduced from $500 to $395.
"The jump from $120 a ticket or $150 a ticket to $400 just put it out of reach for a lot of people who did want to experience the clubs," Matt Higgins, the team's executive vice president of business operations, told The Associated Press. "We came to the conclusion that these prices are really 2007 prices in a 2009 world.
Higgins, owner Woody Johnson and Thad Sheely, the team's executive vice president of finance and stadium development, conducted research through focus groups and devised a plan they thought would make purchasing Mezzanine Club tickets more affordable for fans.
"We looked at the possible pricing options we had, and we took the most aggressive option we could, which is slashing the price more than 50 percent on the entry point," Higgins said. "Our strategy is really clear: We want to open the building sold out."
Craig Depken, an economics professor at UNC-Charlotte who specializes in sports economics, expressed "shock" concerning the 50 percent cut in price.
"The 50 percent reduction is dramatic but not surprising," Depken said. "This will be happening across the board.
"They might want to get the stadium sold out, take a hit the first year from where they could be on (ticket) prices, but the people are in the building and they are having a good time. And then the next year, maybe the ticket prices go up."
The Jets said they have sold 70 percent of their non-premium seats to existing season ticket holders, but have no plans to adjust the prices of the personal seat licenses in the new stadium. Higgins said there are also a few thousand upper-bowl non-PSL seats available.
The Giants, who will share the stadium with the Jets, have no plans to further reduce any of their ticket pricing.
"You never sell 100 percent to your existing season ticket holders when you move to a new building," Higgins said. "Seventy percent, though, meets our internal projections. We are not going to be changing pricing in our other sections because they are selling according to our projections."
Sheely said an e-mail was sent to existing club seat holders regarding the price cuts.
"It's basically to say you have the option to upgrade your location or buy additional seats now," Sheely said. "With the 50 percent cut, you can almost buy twice as many seats if you'd like."
But is such a cut just a matter of semantics?
"It's kind of funny the way it has been marketed, lowering prices on a stadium not opened yet," said Jon Greenberg, executive editor of Team Marketing Report, which surveys ticket prices in sports. "They did the smart thing. They talked to focus groups, which really said the prices are too high.
"It's always interesting to see when people decide to raise or lower ticket prices. These stories are going to come out a lot. ... They are discovering a lot of people can't afford this."
The Jets are also beginning an advertising campaign, which includes images of hard hits by New York players with the slogan: "Opportunity Has Never Knocked This Hard."
"There is a palpable sense that the team is moving in a different direction," Higgins said. "Woody Johnson has set the tenor that we're going to do whatever it takes to win every year and deliver a great experience to our fans on the field and off the field. The ad campaign taps into that sense."
Beginning Nov. 1, fans can call a team hot line to purchase tickets and visit newjetsstadium.com for more information. The Jets will also hold a one-day presale Friday for their Facebook fans to purchase season tickets for the new stadium.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Jets QB Sanchez donates 1,000 hot dogs, burgers
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Mark Sanchez is hot-doggin' it again.
This time, the New York Jets' rookie quarterback isn't sneaking a snack on the sideline, though.
Sanchez bought 500 hot dogs and 500 hamburgers, along with buns and rolls, through A&P supermarket, and donated them to the Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown, N.J.
"Something happened here and wanted to turn it into a positive," Sanchez said Wednesday.
Sanchez was grilled Sunday after television cameras caught him trying to discreetly put mustard on a hot dog and eat it late in New York's 38-0 win at Oakland. He apologized after the game, saying he didn't feel well and needed to eat something.
"I didn't mean it as a form of disrespect," Sanchez said, adding that the incident served as a reminder that his actions on and off the field will be scrutinized as an NFL quarterback.
"I wasn't trying to take away from anything the team had going on," he said. "People have gotten some laughs out of it and we all kind of joked about it, but it's one of those things that I definitely need to learn from and it was a mistake. It won't happen again."
He also wouldn't reveal who served him up the frankfurter that landed him in hot water.
"I can't roll over on my hot dog connect," he said with a grin.
Coach Rex Ryan said he was "disappointed" with Sanchez, and realizes the quarterback didn't mean to be disrespectful — although that's how it appeared to some.
"To me, I'm an old-school football guy and you're playing a great game of football. I know you're hungry, but leave that for the fans," Ryan said. "You can go to the locker room and you can eat afterward. You know, hey, that's not the biggest mistake he's ever going to make."
Ryan said he spoke to Sanchez about the incident on the flight home, and was pleased about the plan the quarterback cooked up.
"It is unfortunate that here we have a great game, run for 300-some yards — breakout game — 38-to-zip score, get a shutout and now the focus is on the hot dog," Ryan said. "I think Mark is doing the right thing with the plans that he has."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Ex-Viking Orlando Thomas still fighting ALS
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Former Minnesota Vikings strong safety Orlando Thomas is continuing his fight with Lou Gehrig's Disease and has not died, as had been reported, his agent said Wednesday.
The Vikings said they announced on their Web site that Thomas had died based on information from his alma mater. A few hours after the false report surfaced, the team and the ex-player's agent reported that Thomas, 37, was still alive.
"Somebody put something on a MySpace page or something like that ... and it traveled, but it's not true," said his Chicago-based agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Bartelstein spoke with Thomas' daughter, who confirmed he was alive. Bartelstein said Thomas was watching basketball with his family Wednesday evening.
"He's fighting like heck, and he's alive and well," Bartelstein said.
Thomas began feeling symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2004, and the disease was diagnosed in 2007. He's no longer able to speak. He lives in Lafayette, La.
"He's the greatest fighter I've ever known," Bartelstein said. "It's a daily, daily battle that he fights, but he's fighting it."
Thomas was a hard hitter who had 22 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries for the Vikings from 1995-2001. He was drafted in the second round out of Southwest Louisiana, the school now known as Louisiana-Lafayette.
The Vikings posted an explanation and an apology on their Web site late Wednesday. The team said the incorrect information on Thomas' death came to the organization from a person at the university.
"We are thankful that this report was inaccurate and he and his family continue to be in our thoughts," the statement read. "We regret the inaccurate report and send our sincere apologies to Orlando and his family."
Longtime Chiefs coach Darvin Wallis dies
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Darvin Wallis, a longtime NFL assistant coach with Cleveland and Kansas City, has died.
Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said Wednesday that the 60-year-old Wallis died in Colorado on Friday. He said the cause of death was not immediately determined.
Wallis was an NFL coach for 26 seasons, including 19 with Kansas City as a defensive assistant/quality control coach before retiring in January 2008.
He began his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns under head coach Sam Rutigliano in 1982. Before joining the Browns, he was a college assistant at Mississippi, Tulane and Adams State.
"On behalf of my family and the entire Chiefs organization, we want to extend our deepest sympathies to Vicky and the Wallis family," said Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. "Darvin worked tirelessly behind the scenes for the Chiefs for nearly 20 years. He was a beloved figure at Arrowhead, and we will always remember and appreciate his lasting contributions to our team."
Wallis is survived by his wife, Vicky, and sons Tyson, Darvin Jr., and Austin.
Green Bay mayor renames Minnesota Ave. for Rodgers
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The city of Green Bay is renaming Minnesota Avenue in honor of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers — for this week, anyway.
It's one of four fan-inspired suggestions Mayor Jim Schmitt has chosen to help the city take a few lighthearted welcome-back jabs at Brett Favre before Sunday's game against Favre's Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.
Schmitt also announced an essay contest asking eighth-graders to come up with the top 12 reasons to stay in Green Bay. On Friday, the mayor and his staff will wear flip flops and are encouraging fans to do the same. On Saturday, Schmitt will host a pep rally featuring waffle fries.
Rodgers wears jersey No. 12, and flip flops and waffle fries are jabs at Favre's flaky attitude toward retirement.
Fans sent the mayor's office about 1,700 ideas to welcome back Favre.
