NFL League and Player Capsules: Rodgers throws 3 TDs, Packers rout Colts 59-24
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers extended his sizzling start to the preseason, throwing three touchdowns before halftime.
The points just kept coming after that for the Green Bay Packers (2-1), who scored six offensive touchdowns and twice on special teams on their way to a 59-24 preseason rout of the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.
Expectations are high in Green Bay this season, and Rodgers has shown every indication that he is ready to lead a deep playoff run.
"When we get into a rhythm like we have this preseason on offense, we're going to be tough to stop," Rodgers said. "It's fun."
For the Colts (0-3), the biggest worry wasn't the final score.
Running back Joseph Addai left the game in the third quarter with a concussion and linebacker Gary Brackett hurt his right hand. Addai said he "just got a little dizzy" but was fine after that.
"Really, they didn't do any tests, they didn't need to," Addai said. "I was fine. If I needed to go back in, I could've."
Colts coach Jim Caldwell didn't have an immediate update on injuries, and wasn't overly concerned about the lopsided final score.
"It wasn't 59 points against our starters, it was 59 points overall," Caldwell said.
Rodgers threw for 195 yards in the first half Thursday. In three preseason games, he has completed 77.4 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions.
Peyton Manning made plenty of big plays against a porous Packers pass defense early on, but Rodgers was up for an offensive exhibition against one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks. Trailing 17-7 early in the second quarter, Rodgers rallied the Packers to a 28-17 halftime lead — including a masterful touchdown drive in the two-minute drill just before halftime.
Adding to the injury problems for Indianapolis, cornerback Jacob Lacey left the game with a concussion, offensive tackle Tony Ugoh hurt his toe and defensive tackle Antonio Johnson sustained a groin injury.
"Obviously the score got away at the end, which is certainly possible in the preseason; you're playing a lot of young guys," Manning said. "Offensively, some things that we did well, but as with most preseason games, some things that we can certainly improve on."
Manning threw for 214 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He stayed in the game for one series after halftime, only to have things turn ugly.
Manning was hit and stripped of the ball by outside linebacker Frank Zombo, an undrafted free agent making a bid for a roster spot, and it was scooped up by linebacker Robert Francois — who delivered a hard hit Addai when the running back tried to tackle him, leaving him woozy on the sideline.
The Packers' offensive and special teams success was tempered by another shaky preseason performance from the first-team defense, although rookie safety Morgan Burnett pounced on a Manning pass for an impressive interception late in the second quarter.
Green Bay's defense has struggled in its first three preseason games. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers is keeping his scheme fairly vanilla until the games count — although he did dial up pressure at times Thursday — and a few key players are out injured.
Green Bay was without cornerback Al Harris, outside linebacker Clay Matthews, defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and safety Atari Bigby.
"Defensively, we haven't played a game yet with all of our players on the field," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "So the continuity is probably not where we'd like it to be right now."
The Colts played without center Jeff Saturday and tight end Dallas Clark.
Packers running back Ryan Grant got his first extensive preseason action, with mixed results. Grant rushed for 36 yards on eight carries, but lost control of the ball before teammate Scott Wells recovered. Packers backup running back Brandon Jackson lost a fumble.
"We had the ball on the ground too many times," McCarthy said. "We need to eliminate that from our play."
Notes: The Packers lost cornerback Brandon Underwood to a shoulder injury, defensive lineman Jarius Wynn to a concussion and linebacker Desmond Bishop to a hamstring injury. ... Packers TE Jermichael Finley caught 6 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. ... Colts WR Reggie Wayne caught 7 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. ... Tara Greene, wife of Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene, sang the national anthem.
Bradford sharp, Brady sharper in Rams 36-35 win
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Poised and precise, Sam Bradford made an impressive debut as a starting NFL quarterback. It may have earned him the No. 1 job in the regular-season opener.
The top pick in the NFL draft zipped passes between and over defenders, threw for two touchdowns then watched the second half from the sidelines as the St. Louis Rams beat the New England Patriots 36-35 on Josh Brown's 37-yard field goal on the last play Thursday night.
But will Bradford be back under center for the Rams first snap Sept. 12 against the Arizona Cardinals?
"We've got to look at the film," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "I want to see how he handled things when there was pressure."
He seemed to do just fine.
Bradford completed his first six passes, finished 15-of-22 for 189 yards and was sacked just once. He rarely got flustered and quickly located open receivers.
"It was a blast out there tonight," he said. "I had fun. I was used to doing what I was doing — moving the offense up and own the field."
The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner missed most of last season at Oklahoma with a shoulder injury and made his first start since last October. When training camp began, Spagnuolo gave the starting job to A.J. Feeley, but he was sidelined with a sprained right thumb and Bradford got his chance after struggling for two games as a backup.
"He was putting the ball on the money," Rams running back Steven Jackson said. "You can tell he really knows the offense. I'm really impressed with how far he's come in a short time."
Other than Tom Brady, who completed 18 of 22 passes for 273 yards, and rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught two of Brady's three touchdown passes, there was very little impressive about the Patriots (2-1).
St. Louis (2-1) led in time of possession, 43:46 to 16:14, and in offensive yards, 462-288. The Patriots gained more than 10 yards on just four of 11 series while the Rams went nine for 11. And only one of the Patriots possessions lasted more than five plays; the Rams had nine.
"We didn't do well on anything," New England coach Bill Belichick said.
The Patriots offense didn't get a first down until 3:10 remained in the first half and finished with 12. Their defense gave up 30.
"They were able to move the ball at will," safety James Sanders said. "It was demoralizing."
New Rams owner Stan Kroenke had a much different feeling. One day after the NFL approved him, he went into his team's locker room before the game.
"That was terrific," Spagnuolo said. "He stayed for the entire game — late into the night."
The Patriots had rallied from a 27-14 deficit to a 35-27 lead on Brady's touchdown passes of 65 yards to Randy Moss and 20 yards to Gronkowski and Brian Hoyer's 5-yarder to Sam Aiken with 11:14 left after an interception by Brandon McGowan.
Keith Toston scored on a 2-yard run but an incomplete pass for a conversion left the Rams behind 35-33.
They got the ball back after a punt and kept shredding the defense. Quarterback Keith Null directed a 41-yard drive to the Patriots 19 and Brown won the game with his third field goal.
Bradford led scoring drives on three of his first four series.
He went 4 for 4 for 48 yards and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Michael Hoomanawanui on his first series. On his third possession, Bradford was 3 for 4 for 48 yards, setting up a 25-yard field goal by Brown for a 10-7 lead.
And on his fourth series, he hooked up with Hoomanawanui again for a 12-yard score and a 17-7 lead. Brown added a 45-yard field goal after Gronkowski's 14-yard touchdown catch, putting St. Louis ahead 20-14 at halftime.
Bradford "made some good throws," Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden said, "but we didn't make a lot of plays to make him look bad."
Another Rams rookie quarterback, free agent Thaddeus Lewis from Duke, led a 15-play, 76-yard march on the first series of the third quarter. It lasted 9 minutes, 19 seconds and ended with a 20-yard scoring pass to Brandon Gibson.
The Patriots had grabbed the lead just 12 seconds into the game on a 97-yard kickoff return by Brandon Tate.
Then Bradford took the field.
"Before I went out there, I took a deep breath and said, 'Do what you know how to do,' " he said.
And that's what he did.
Notes: Donnie Avery, who led Rams receivers with 47 catches last year, "probably has a significant knee injury," Spagnuolo said. Avery was hurt late in the first half when he jumped and landed after a long pass to him fell incomplete. ... The Patriots rushed for just 28 yards on 11 carries., Two Rams runners, Toston with 41 yards and Kenneth Darby with 35, outgained them. ... Wes Welker, playing for the second straight week after major knee surgery in February, had two catches for 41 yards for the Patriots.
-- Howard Ulman
Injuries
Giants starting C O'Hara out with ankle injury
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Shaun O'Hara has always prided himself on his toughness. But the pain that has spread around the Giants' starting center's left ankle from Achilles' tendinitis has finally ended his preseason.
After watching O'Hara battle through the pain from the start of training camp, doctors put the foot in a hard cast Thursday. Starting left guard Rich Seubert took O'Hara's first-string practice snaps, and will start the team's third preseason game Saturday in Baltimore.
"It's just something I've been dealing with pretty much all through camp," O'Hara said. "I've had some good days and I've had some bad days. It's been something we've been kind of coping with and working through. It's reached the point where we decided we need to just try to isolate it and give it some complete and total rest."
O'Hara said he hoped this would enable him to start the regular season opener Sept. 12 against Carolina. But the reality is that the 11th-year veteran will have to deal with his condition throughout the season. Now tagged as his primary backup, Seubert will have to anticipate moving over a spot on a regular basis, even though he's rarely played center in games.
Seubert did work a two-minute drill at center against Carolina in 2006, and has had some situational appearances at tight end. But he has built the vast majority of his resume at guard.
"Whatever they want me to do," said Seubert, heading into his 10th season. "I've played center in practice ever since rookie year. I've always taken snaps. In this business, the more you can do the better off you'll be. I feel comfortable at center."
O'Hara's injury actually presents an additional opportunity for Seubert to stay on the field. His starting job was believed endangered due to the battle at left tackle which starter David Diehl and second-year challenger Will Beatty are waging. Also, since the signing of former Eagles Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews last week, Seubert's starting status has never been more tenuous.
But O'Hara's potentially chronic condition has put Seubert on call. Fourth-year player Adam Koets took most of the center snaps last week, but currently stands third on the depth chart.
"You always have to be ready to play," Seubert said. "We take our quarterback-center exchange and footwork seriously every day. That's our job, to be ready.
"If you're a guard, you might have to play center. We only dress seven guys for a game, so wherever you're playing, you'd better have a couple of backups at center because what if two guys go down? You've got to know what everybody's doing, so mindset-wise, you take the same mindset every week."
Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Seubert will take the first 20 to 25 snaps, with Koets following him in. The rest of the starters, including quarterback Eli Manning, are scheduled to play three quarters. Manning is making his return from the 12-stitch, Jets-inflicted gash that sidelined him for last week's game against Pittsburgh.
O'Hara just hopes the rest works.
"We've been riding that roller coaster up and down of feeling good and then feeling bad," O'Hara said. "Rather than risk doing that the entire season, if we can calm everything down and make significant improvement for the next two days, then hopefully it's an afterthought once we get to Week 2."
Notes: S Sha'reff Rashad returned to practice after missing time because of a concussion. ... DT Jay Alford missed practice because of pain and swelling in his surgically-repaired left knee, but said he expects to play Saturday in Baltimore. ... CB Terrell Thomas (calf) is doubtful. WR Sinorice Moss (groin) was declared out.
Hamstring tear bad news for Panthers' Francisco
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — There would inevitably be smiles and chuckles each time a list showing NFL teams' "top acquisitions" would circulate this offseason and Aaron Francisco would appear in Carolina's column.
Still, while he was there by default because the Panthers made no big-name signings, Francisco has played in the last two Super Bowls and was supposed to be a key cog on special teams, an area where the Panthers desperately needed help.
Only now a lingering, ugly looking hamstring injury is putting Francisco's once secure roster spot in jeopardy.
"I can definitely say it's the most frustrated I've been in my career," Francisco said Thursday. "to be out here on a new team trying to earn a job and then not be able to get on the field. Hopefully, I can get back soon enough, before the last preseason game."
Francisco needed only to lift his shorts slightly to reveal the bloody bruising on the back of his left thigh Thursday to indicate why he was again sidelined after practicing some a day earlier.
He first suffered what he called a partial tear of his hamstring on Aug. 3, the sixth day of training camp. Close to returning, he re-injured it on the last day of camp on Aug. 18 as he did conditioning drills.
That's when the muscle started bleeding and the bruising occurred. It had gone away by Wednesday, so Francisco tried to practice. But he experienced intense pain and the bruising was back Thursday.
The Hawaii native can now only hope he'll be fit to play in Carolina's final preseason game Sept. 2 at Pittsburgh. If not, the coaching staff will face a tough decision when final cuts come two days later, even though the 27-year-old Francisco has an impressive resume with Arizona and Indianapolis.
"Yeah, I'm a little concerned. I haven't been able to show the coaches what I can do," Francisco said. "Normally I can push through injuries and play through them, but it's my first time ever having a hamstring injury. It's the one thing you can't push, or it will just set you back even further."
While Francisco is perhaps best known for desperately trying to push Pittsburgh's Santonio Holmes out of bounds on his game-winning touchdown catch in the Super Bowl two years ago, he's carved out a career as a solid special teams player after going undrafted out of BYU in 2005.
After leading the Cardinals in special teams tackles in 2006, Francisco spent two seasons as Arizona's special teams captain and fill-in starter at safety. He was playing that role when Holmes caught the winning TD in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2008 season. Francisco still catches some grief from Cardinals fans, but he insists Holmes wasn't his assignment.
"Fans, they see the guy close to the ball and they automatically assume it's that guy's fault," Francisco said. "But any football player who knew what coverage we were in and what route we got would know that wasn't my main responsibility on that play."
It turned out to be his final game in Arizona, and Francisco acknowledged it "caught me off guard" when he was let go in final cuts before last season.
Francisco quickly signed with the Colts two days later. He was inactive for six straight games late in the season, but started the final two at strong safety and played on special teams in his second straight Super Bowl — another loss.
"Great experiences," he said. "Obviously, I would have liked to have won at least one of them, but it's always good to go."
The Colts didn't offer the restricted free agent a contract tender this spring, but Francisco quickly received interest from other teams. The Panthers intrigued him because last season they ranked 29th in punt return coverage, 30th in kickoff return coverage and had openings in a young secondary.
"I had some other options, but this definitely I thought was the best fit for me," Francisco said.
But he's only been able to watch as Carolina's coverage teams have struggled again and rookie Jordan Pugh has moved up the depth chart at safety.
Francisco expressed frustration on Thursday as he glanced down to his bad left leg, uncertain if he'll have a job in Week 1.
"We got a pretty good look at him in the OTAs and minicamp, but he's got some catching up to do," coach John Fox said. "Hopefully, he can do it in the next two weeks."
-- Mike Cranston
Rams WR Avery hurts right knee late in first half
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — St. Louis Rams wide receiver Donnie Avery injured his right knee late in the first half of a 36-35 exhibition win over the New England Patriots on Thursday night.
Avery, who led Rams wide receivers with 47 catches last year, was hurt with 1:32 left in the first half. He jumped for Sam Bradford's long pass down the right sideline, fell and clutched his knee as the ball dropped incomplete.
"He probably has a significant knee injury," St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "We'll know further when we get the test. Hopefully, it's not."
Before Avery was carted off the field, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker went over and extended his hand. Welker is playing again after having surgery for a torn ligament in his left knee in February.
Avery, a second-round draft pick out of Houston in 2008, had 53 receptions as a rookie and started 28 games in his first two seasons. He caught two passes for 48 yards Thursday before getting injured.
Colts LB Brackett leaves game with hand injury
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Indianapolis Colts defensive captain Gary Brackett left with a right hand injury late in the first quarter of Thursday night's game with the Green Bay Packers.
Brackett's locker was cleared out after the game and coach Jim Caldwell said he had no updates on any of his team's injuries.
Brackett, the starting middle linebacker, was trying to tackle Ryan Grant on a short gain when it appeared teammate Philip Wheeler came crashing through and hit Brackett's hand with his helmet.
"I didn't see him on that play, I just made the play. I didn't see Gary at all," Wheeler said.
More than a half-dozen trainers and Colts personnel surrounded Brackett, who left for the locker room a few minutes later with a towel wrapped over his right hand and forearm.
The 30-year-old Brackett agreed to a $33 million, five-year deal in the offseason to stay with the Colts hours after he became an unrestricted free agent.
Colts RB Addai sustains concussion vs Packers
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Indianapolis Colts starting running back Joseph Addai sustained a concussion midway through the third quarter of Thursday night's exhibition game with the Green Bay Packers.
"It's nothing," Addai said after the game. "I was fine. I just got a little dizzy, but I was cool."
Addai was hurt making a tackle of Robert Francois after Francois scooped up a fumble by Peyton Manning when the quarterback was hit stepping up in the pocket.
Addai ran down Francois, but came down hard making the tackle at the Colts 2. He described his injury more of just getting the wind knocked out of him.
"I just had to catch my breath. I was fine," Addai said. "If I needed to go back in, I could've, I was straight."
Addai walked slowly to a cooler and sat with his head in a towel while trainers spoke with him. After a few minutes, he paced the far end of the Colts' sideline watching the action and later was talking with Adam Vinatieri and Clint Session.
RB Hardesty back with Browns
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty is practicing for the first time since injuring his right knee during a pre-training camp workout.
Hardesty sustained a bone bruise to his knee during a 1-on-1 tackling drill before Cleveland's veterans reported to camp. Hardesty said he hurt his leg while making a cut.
Browns coach Eric Mangini said Hardesty, who has had a history of knee problems, will be limited in practice Thursday as the team prepares for Saturday's third exhibition game in Detroit. Mangini said Hardesty is questionable against the Lions "with the arrow pointed down."
The Browns traded three picks to Philadelphia to move up in April's draft and select him in the second round (No. 59 overall). He rushed for 1,345 yards last season at Tennessee.
-- Tom Withers
Steelers safety Ryan Clark won't play in Denver
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark will sit out Sunday's exhibition game in Denver because playing at a high altitude can trigger a red blood cell condition that caused him to lose his spleen and gall bladder after a 2007 game there.
Clark also didn't play in the Steelers' regular season game in Denver last season. He does plan to run before Sunday night's game, as he did last year, to test his reaction to being in the mile-high atmosphere.
Clark became seriously ill after playing in Denver on Oct. 21, 2007, losing more than 20 pounds and missing the rest of the season. He returned to play without problems in 2008 and 2009, and he re-signed with Pittsburgh after last season.
Eagles TE Ingram has cyst in knee drained
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles second-year tight end Cornelius Ingram has had a cyst in the back of his knee drained after undergoing an MRI for knee and calf pain.
Team officials say Ingram had the cyst drained Thursday after it was discovered a day earlier by an MRI on his surgically repaired left knee. Ingram has been hampered by discomfort in the knee and calf during training camp.
The Eagles selected Ingram in the fifth round of the 2009 draft. He had sat out his entire senior season at Florida with a torn ACL then missed last year when he reinjured the knee.
Ingram will not travel with the team for Friday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
LB Urlacher will miss Arizona game
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss Saturday's preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals as he nurses a left calf muscle strain.
Coach Lovie Smith said Urlacher has improved, but the team is taking no chances. Urlacher was hurt in last Saturday's game against Oakland.
Urlacher has missed every practice this week. Wide receiver Earl Bennett (hamstring), safety Major Wright (finger), safety Craig Steltz (ankle) and quarterback Caleb Hanie (shoulder) have also missed every practice and are unlikely to play.
Player Moves
AP Source: Pats' PK Gostkowski agrees to extension
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says New England Patriots placekicker Stephen Gostkowski has agreed to a contract extension.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the matter.
Boston media outlets are reporting the extension is worth nearly $14 million and is through the 2014 season. Earlier, Gostkowski, a restricted free agent, had signed a one-year tender offer for $1.759 million for 2010.
Gostkowski replaced Adam Vinatieri as the Patriots kicker after being drafted in the fourth round in 2006. He has made 103 of 121 field goal attempts for a team record 85.1 percent accuracy rate. He's missed just one extra point.
-- Howard Ulman
Barton won't report to Panthers after waiver claim
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Offensive lineman Kirk Barton has decided not to report to the Carolina Panthers, a day after he was claimed off waivers.
Coach John Fox said Thursday he believes Barton has decided to retire.
The Panthers waived reserve tackle Jason Capizzi on Wednesday to make room for Barton, who was waived by Denver earlier this week. The 25-year-old Barton is a former seventh-round pick by Chicago out of Ohio State. He's bounced around the league with several teams and played in one NFL game the past two seasons.
Barton's decision left the Panthers a player short of the 80-man limit as they search for help with pass protection. Carolina has allowed 11 sacks in two exhibition games.
Buccaneers waive WR Brooks, K Lawrence
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have waived kicker Hunter Lawrence and receiver Chris Brooks.
Lawrence joined the team as an undrafted free agent on April 26. Brooks was an undrafted free agent who signed with the club on May 3. The team announced the moves Thursday.
Elsewhere
Browns create ring of honor for past greats
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — When he coached in Green Bay, Mike Holmgren would point to the names ringing the upper deck facade at Lambeau Field.
Ray Nitschke. Vince Lombardi. Bart Starr. Paul Hornung.
Those Packers set the standard.
"I could say, 'Look up at those names. Know who they are. Study them,'" Browns president Mike Holmgren said Thursday. "For the young players coming into the league, there's no better example than the men who are going to be in our ring of honor."
The Browns, with a history rivaling any NFL franchise, will unveil a ring of honor with the names of their great players during a halftime ceremony on Sept. 19.
They're hoping the greatest one of all shows up.
Jim Brown, stripped of his senior advisor title by Holmgren, has not committed to attending the event. Brown is one of 16 Hall of Famers whose names will be permanently displayed on the facing of the stadium's upper deck — an honor Holmgren feels is long overdue.
Following a report that Brown intended to skip the ceremony, Holmgren said he called the legendary running back and that the two had a "great conversation."
Holmgren now believes Brown may attend.
"I'm hopeful that he'll be there," Holmgren said Thursday at a news conference attended by Hall of Famers Paul Warfield and Joe DeLamielleure. "Jim Brown is synonymous with the Cleveland Browns. It's going to be a great celebration for all of us and the 16 families, and I trust he'll be part of that. He's going to holler back at me."
Speaking to WSKO, a sports radio station in Syracuse, N.Y., Brown wouldn't say if would attend the ceremony or not. "I'm a very sensitive person. I do like to be respected. I'm very loyal. I like it to be a two-way street," he said.
"I don't really need to comment on where I go, why I go, why I don't go," he added.
Brown served as an executive advisor to owner Randy Lerner for several years. When Holmgren took over, he revamped Cleveland's front office. Brown was one of the casualties.
"That happens when you have someone come in and they are changing things," Holmgren said. "New people come in, people go, their responsibilities change and that was what happened with Jim. It's important to understand with Jim that his role, what I would like him to do, the importance of Jim Brown to the Cleveland Browns and this community, none of that stuff is different and he knows that. I told him that.
"His responsibilities prior to me coming on board have changed a little bit. Would I like Jim Brown to come in and talk to our rookies? Absolutely. Do I want him as part of this day? Absolutely. Listen, the glass is half full. I think everyone is going to be there."
Among the other Browns legends to be honored in the initial ring of honor class are coach Paul Brown, quarterback Otto Graham and kicker/tackle Lou Groza.
"I'm overwhelmed," said Warfield, previously enshrined in the Miami Dolphins' ring of honor. "This organization has the richest and proudest history. There's something special about the Cleveland Browns."
When he took over, Holmgren said he was stunned to learn the Browns did not have a ring of honor, a tradition shared by almost half of the league's teams. Holmgren said part of the reason he came to Cleveland was because of the team's storied past.
Holmgren said the team has not yet established criteria for induction into the ring of honor. He said starting with the team's Hall of Famers was "an easy call." The Browns are also planning a season-long exhibit at the stadium to honor their history.
Holmgren's hope was that the ring of honor could serve as something for young players to aspire to make. Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas feels the team's nod to its glory days will affect everyone who straps on a plain orange helmet.
"It's inspirational, motivational and important," Thomas said. "This franchise was built on the backs of a lot of great NFL players — some of the greatest of all-time. It's important to understand the tradition and history of the Cleveland Browns. I think it's a great step for us to have a ring of honor. I know it means a lot to current and former players."
For DeLamielleure, a self-described "football junkie" and also a member of Buffalo's ring of honor, it's one more chance to hear a stadium roar.
"My eight grandchildren will get to see this and it's going to mean a lot to them," he said.
-- Tom Withers
West Point graduate chasing dream of being in NFL
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions linebacker Caleb Campbell says he got emotional two weeks ago when he sang the national anthem in a football uniform for the first time in 32 months.
The West Point graduate says he thought about his classmates protecting the country while he was representing them in the NFL.
Campbell will get another chance Saturday night in Detroit against the Cleveland Browns.
He has a shot to make the team after enduring a long wait to resume his dream of playing professional football.
Detroit drafted Campbell in 2008 in the seventh round. He was a day away signing his contract when the Army revised a policy and forced him to cease playing football in order to perform "full time traditional military duties," until at least 2010.
-- Larry Lage
