Texas NFL Capsules: Coach's recovery continues to inspire, awe Cowboys
IRVING (AP) — Joe DeCamillis walks a little faster, screams a little louder. He's made it through five preseason games without taking any painkilling shots.
Best of all, he's sleeping in his own bed again. Well, most of the time.
DeCamillis isn't fully recovered from the broken neck he suffered when the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility collapsed last spring and, in some ways, never will be. But he's making progress and continuing to amaze and inspire people in the organization and throughout the NFL.
"Hopefully, I can coach a little harder and be on top of things a little bit better than I was last year," DeCamillis said. "I wasn't at my best last year, there was no question about it. But I'm getting close to that now. I'm hopefully going to be in position to help the team a little more."
DeCamillis was hired early last year to punch up the Cowboys' special teams. He was on the field for one of the first times, working with rookies during a minicamp, when bad weather forced them to move into a tent-like structure. The storm toppled the building, leaving him with four broken vertebrae.
Two titanium rods were implanted to reconstruct his spinal cord and neck. Just 16 days later, he was on the practice field for the club's first offseason workout, wearing a neck brace and screaming into a bullhorn. He hardly missed a day of work the entire season.
He received an injection before every single game — "I've never had a player do that," marveled coach Wade Phillips — yet it still wasn't enough. The medicine wore off by the fourth quarter after several hours of DeCamillis further pushing his aching body. Plus, there was the logistical problem of him constantly being in harm's way on the sideline.
"I was really worried about him last year and I still am to a certain extent," Phillips said. "Last year, I was, 'Stand back, Joe. You need to get away from the sideline. During plays and things like that, stand behind us.' You just had to remind him of that stuff. He couldn't get banged up at all. ... But he still did his job and did it really well. I can't say enough about that."
Joe D, as he's widely known, received letters from Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Panthers coach John Fox and Mike Shanahan, who was out of coaching then but will be guiding the Washington Redskins against DeCamillis and the Cowboys in the opener Sunday night. DeCamillis knew those guys through the fraternity of NFL coaches, but he wasn't close with them; that's why their notes meant so much.
DeCamillis also became just the fourth recipient of a Special Courage Award given out by the Ed Block Foundation, which has honored the bravery and toughness of NFL players for 32 years. Phillips went to Baltimore for the award ceremony and was his presenter.
"I knew he felt good about me before that, but when he came to that and said what he did, it was a great experience," DeCamillis said. "I know my family appreciated it as well as I did."
Last week, an attorney for DeCamillis and scouting assistant Rich Behm, a father of three young children who was paralyzed in the accident, announced the settlements of lawsuits related to the collapse. He said DeCamillis will receive about $9.5 million, Behm about $24.5 million.
DeCamillis' rehabilitation continues.
Training camp was a grind for him more than anyone, but he also made a pleasant discovery. He didn't have to sleep on that dang reclining chair any more.
He took it to San Antonio for the two weeks the club was there, but left it home for the two weeks spent in Oxnard, Calif. Since returning a little more than a week ago, he's spent about half his nights on the chair and half in bed.
"My wife hopes it goes away a lot more than I do," DeCamillis said. "She didn't want it to come back in the house, I can promise you."
He's hoping to avoid painkilling shots, but realizes he might need them, especially once the weather turns cold.
He still gets worn out by the afternoon, but he lingers longer on the practice field. He's also been more focused while he's out there. And he's remained as salty as any coach you've ever heard.
"Joe D is Joe D," kicker David Buehler said, laughing. "He's a pretty intense guy. His spirits were high last year, but they're even higher now."
Keith Brooking played for DeCamillis in Atlanta and was reunited in Dallas last season. He appreciates what the coach has endured as much as anyone.
"Regardless of how long you've been in this league — young guys, old guys — to see the sacrifices that guy made, and what it took for him to overcome his injuries, that's inspiring," Brooking said. "That's what football is all about. He's a great example for all of us."
Like anyone who goes through a life-altering event, DeCamillis emerged a changed man.
For the better, he insists.
"I think it is going to make me a better coach in the long run," he said. "I know it's made me a better person. I know it's made me a better husband, and I know it's made me a better father. Because I got perspective on what was really important in my life, which is my family, my wife and, you know, my faith. And I think those things are really what is important in life, and that definitely woke me up to see that. It (the accident) may be a blessing in disguise. I wouldn't wish it on anybody else, but I can tell you there was some good that came out of it, too."
Texans sign QB Leinart
HOUSTON (AP) — Quarterback Matt Leinart has officially joined the Houston Texans.
The former Heisman Trophy signed a one-year contract Tuesday. He was cut by the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday and agreed to terms with the Texans earlier this week.
The 27-year-old Leinart will be the No. 3 quarterback on the Texans behind Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky.
The team would not disclose terms of the deal. The Houston Chronicle reported that the contract has a base salary of $630,000, with a maximum value of $1 million. Leinart's agent, Tom Condon, would not confirm the terms when reached by phone by The Associated Press.
The Texans return to practice Wednesday, leading up to Sunday's season opener against Indianapolis.
Leinart complained during training camp that he had issues with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, and the two met late in the preseason. With Kurt Warner retired, Leinart figured he would get to start this season, but Derek Anderson won the job.
The Cardinals failed in efforts to trade Leinart before cutting him. By releasing him, Arizona doesn't have to pay him the $2.5 million he was due for the coming season.
Leinart was the 10th overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2006 draft. He appeared in 12 games as a rookie under coach Dennis Green and threw 11 touchdown passes with 12 interceptions. He started the first five games in 2007 under Whisenhunt before breaking his collarbone, and Warner took over.
Houston had the NFL's top passing offense last season (291 yards per game) and Schaub led the league with 4,770 yards passing.
The depth chart behind Schaub became an issue in Houston's last preseason game, when Orlovsky threw two interceptions. Third-stringer John David Booty, who succeeded Leinart as Southern Cal's starter in 2006, threw a pair of touchdown passes in the game.
The Texans cut Booty on Saturday, and joined a group of teams reportedly interested in Leinart.
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Redskins' Doughty thriving despite hearing loss
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — "Reed!" ''Reed!" ''REEEEEEED!"
Jim Haslett kept yelling Reed Doughty's name, trying to get the safety's attention at a Washington Redskins practice this week.
Doughty didn't respond because Doughty couldn't hear. Finally, several teammates went over and tapped him on his shoulder, making him aware that he was wanted by the defensive coordinator.
"The communication between us is not great," Haslett said. "Because when I yell, I get louder — and he still doesn't hear."
Beginning his fifth season in the NFL, Doughty is one of the great survivor stories of pro football, having overcome several gut-wrenching physical and psychological setbacks — any one of which might have caused a weaker athlete to throw in the towel. Yet the 27-year-old with the boyish face is still plugging away, and he is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday night when the Redskins open the season against the Dallas Cowboys.
"Perseverance is one of his strongest traits," safeties coach Steve Jackson said. "You can't knock a good man down, and he's a good man. He's had a lot of things try to knock him down."
Consider the hurdles listed in the Reed Doughty bio:
— He was a sixth-round pick from Northern Colorado, a Football Championship Subdivision school that averages about two draftees per decade.
— He's had hearing loss his entire life, inherited from his father. It gets worse as he gets older. It stumped the coaches when he was a rookie in 2006.
"For a guy to be so smart, he used to always make a lot of mistakes. And no one knew why. You look at him, and every time you say something, he's really looking at you, at your face and everything. And you're like, 'Gah, he really pays attention. Why doesn't he know anything? He must be a dumb son of a ...,'" said Jackson, his voice trailing off into a laugh.
"But he was looking at you," Jackson continued, "to read your lips."
Jackson realized he should no longer talk while writing on the whiteboard during meetings — because his back was turned to Doughty. Jackson therefore developed a whole new rhythm: Write something, turn to speak, write something, turn to speak.
"His play picked up," said Jackson, snapping his fingers, "like that."
— Also in 2006, Doughty's son Micah was born six weeks prematurely and had chronic kidney failure. After long days of practice and meetings at Redskins Park, Doughty would go home and help his wife hook up their son to a dialysis machine. When Micah was 19 months old, he had finally grown enough to accept a kidney transplant. The donor was Doughty's wife, Katie.
Micah turned 4 last week. Doughty beamed with pride at the mention of the milestone.
"He's doing phenomenal," he said.
— In 2008, Doughty had a serious nerve problem in his back. It spread, causing numbness in one foot. He was placed on injured reserve in early October and had surgery. Not too many people were expecting him back in 2009.
"It was scary," Doughty said. "There were a lot of doctors saying this was something you may never come back from, but the surgeon that did it told me I think this is something you'll come back from and do quite well. So I just trusted God that no matter what happened I'd be healthy just so I could play with my kids. And if I could play football on top of it, that would be awesome. And I just worked hard in rehab and it worked out."
Doughty is returning the favors as much as he can. It takes nearly a full column in the media guide to list his volunteer work with groups such as the National Kidney Foundation and the Spinal Research Foundation.
While Micah is doing well and the back injury is firmly in the rearview mirror, Doughty and his teammates and coaches still have the daily challenge of dealing with his hearing loss. He now wears a hearing aid in meetings, but it doesn't work on the field because it can't filter out all of the background noise from the crowd.
When Doughty is in the game, he often stands near middle linebacker London Fletcher to hear the defensive call, then relays a separate call to the rest of the secondary. The Redskins can trust Doughty with that role because he's studious and knows the play book well.
Doughty and fellow safety LaRon Landry have also become adapt at using hand signals to communicate, but messages don't always get through. Landry says there have been times he's tried to alert Doughty to a change in plans before the snap — but to no avail.
"I try to call him and he's over there — he's in tune (to the play) — so I just let him play that side and just adapt," Landry said.
But it usually works out because of Doughty's smarts and toughness — not to mention a strong faith that has seen him through all his trials, plus enough humbleness for him to realize his role.
"The coaches trust me," Doughty said. "I may not be a flashy player, but I'm going to make good tackles, make good decisions and execute the game plan."
Doughty also offered this well-grounded assessment of his hearing loss and hair loss, both genetic and inevitable.
"I'm bald. I'm going to be deaf," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And I've got a great family with two great kids, so I'm not worried about it."
Doughty has started 16 of his 45 games over four seasons. A natural strong safety, he is now working with the first team at free safety only because Kareem Moore is out with a sprained right knee.
Yet, considering all that he's been through, Doughty has accomplished quite a bit. After all, how many players can sum up their career like this?
"Stuff happens, and they trust me to play," Doughty said. "And I'm still here because of that."
-- Joseph White
AP Sources: Redskins, Titans talking Haynesworth
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Washington Redskins and Tennessee Titans are in discussions about a trade of disgruntled defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The people spoke to the AP on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential.
Washington signed Haynesworth to a $100 million contract in 2009 as a free agent, and the tackle accepted a $21 million bonus in April. It's been a nonstop battle of wills between Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and the ex-Tennessee star since then.
The Titans declined to comment, and the Redskins did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But Titans coach Jeff Fisher was asked about the team's interest Tuesday night during his weekly radio show on WGFX-FM 104.5 The Zone, and he said Haynesworth is under contract with the Redskins.
"If they're willing to look into the possibility of dealing him, of course we'll listen to them. We listen to those types of things almost every day," Fisher said.
"This just happens to be a big story because of the circumstances and the situation that arose with the offseason payment and then of course with all the drama associated with the offseason conditioning and the conditioning test and everything. Our focus right now is on the Raiders."
Washington quarterback Donovan McNabb also discussed Haynesworth on a radio show and said the Redskins can't win without the tackle.
"He plays a major part on our defense, and everyone knows that," McNabb told ESPN980. "It's just unfortunate what's been going on and how everything has transpired, but that's the game of football, and I think he'll handle it the right way."
ESPN first reported the teams were discussing a possible Haynesworth deal.
Shanahan was hired in January, and Haynesworth did not participate in the team's offseason program while lobbying for a trade because he didn't want to play nose tackle in the new 3-4 defense. Shanahan gave Haynesworth a chance to leave, but the tackle stayed and accepted the bonus in his contract.
Haynesworth skipped a mandatory minicamp and was fined. In training camp, Shanahan required Haynesworth to pass a conditioning test before practicing, which Haynesworth didn't do until the 10th day of camp. The tackle seemed to be accepting his role in the 3-4 defense by the third preseason game.
Then Shanahan made Haynesworth play almost the entire game Thursday in the preseason finale against Arizona when the regular starters had the night off. Haynesworth played 49 of 55 snaps and was on the field in the final minutes.
His status for Sunday night's opener against Dallas has been in question with Shanahan saying only that he will play the best players ready to play.
The Titans have missed Haynesworth's presence in the middle of their line, slumping to 31 sacks without him helping collapse offensive lines. He managed only four sacks with the Redskins himself, a big dip from his 8½ sacks in 2008 with Tennessee.
And the Titans know him well, having drafted Haynesworth in the first round in 2002. They used the franchise tag to keep Haynesworth in 2008 to help keep him focused, and the deal they eventually offered in 2009 was nowhere near what he got from Washington in the first hours of free agency.
The former University of Tennessee lineman has 28 career sacks and six forced fumbles in his first eight NFL seasons.
-- Teresa M. Walker
McNabb: Ankle not 100 percent, will start Sunday
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donovan McNabb said Tuesday his sprained ankle isn't 100 percent, but it won't keep him from starting the Washington Redskins' opener Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
"Yes, I will be starting this weekend," McNabb told ESPN980. "And I look forward to it."
McNabb sprained his left ankle 2½ weeks ago in a preseason game against Baltimore. McNabb said the injury isn't classified as a high ankle sprain — the more severe type that has more significant ligament damage and a longer recovery time — but he said it's "very close to it." He said he's getting multiple treatments each day.
"Is it 100 percent? No. ... But it's getting better," he said.
McNabb returned to practice Monday, but lost valuable time working with a new offense as he prepares for his Redskins debut after 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles.
McNabb also talked about the ongoing saga surrounding defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, whose relationship with coach Mike Shanahan has been strained for several months over various issues. It's uncertain what Haynesworth's role will be — or whether Haynesworth will still be with the team, given the possibility of a trade — by the time kickoff arrives Sunday.
"Albert is a guy that's one of our brothers in the locker room, and we want to protect him and make sure that he's taken care of and he's fine," McNabb said. "Albert is a guy who understands now, he understands that, 'Hey, I've got to put the time and effort in to get an opportunity to show what I can do.' And he knows what he can do.
"We can't win without Albert. He plays a major part on our defense, and everyone knows that. It's just unfortunate what's been going on and how everything has transpired, but that's the game of football, and I think he'll handle it the right way. ... I think he'll be here. I hope he'll be here. ... As a player, you would want Albert to be here."
Parcells hands control of Dolphins to GM Ireland
MIAMI (AP) — Bill Parcells is putting his protege in charge.
The Miami Dolphins' football czar has given control of the team to general manager Jeff Ireland but will retain a role as a daily consultant. The Dolphins announced the move in a three-sentence statement Tuesday, five days before the start of the season.
The change was part of a long-range plan when the Parcells regime took over at the end of the 2007 season, the statement said.
"This was the intent of the structure put in place in the past," the Dolphins said. Ireland will assume full control over all aspects regarding the team and support staff.
Parcells joined the Dolphins in December 2007 as executive vice president of football operations, then hired Ireland two weeks later. They were also together with the Dallas Cowboys.
The 69-year-old Parcells can leave Miami at any time and collect the balance of the $12 million due him under a four-year contract that expires after the 2011 season.
He was hired by Wayne Huizenga as the Dolphins staggered to the end of a 1-15 season in 2007. In the Parcells regime's first year in 2008, Miami made a great leap forward to 11-6 and a playoff berth under first-year NFL coach Tony Sparano, who also came from the Cowboys.
Last season the Dolphins regressed to 7-9, extending to nine years their drought without a postseason victory.
During the past offseason, the team acquired Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall, hired Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator and revamped the defense. The front office has continued to be busy in recent days, acquiring six players since Saturday, and the Dolphins have 20 players with two years' experience or less.
Owner Stephen Ross has said he expects the Dolphins to play in the Super Bowl this season, while most prognosticators expect a record around .500.
The news that Parcells was stepping back caught linebacker Channing Crowder by surprise.
"He's just a great guy to have on your side," Crowder said. "But he brought a bunch of great people in, too. Tony is an amazing coach, and Jeff Ireland knows what he's doing."
There was no comment from the secretive organization about the change in hierarchy beyond the statement. The team was off Tuesday, and Parcells rarely does interviews.
"The clock's ticking for guys like me," he said in 2008, shortly before his first season with Miami. "You know you can't do it forever."
Ross, who completed his purchase of the franchise from Huizenga in January 2009, didn't respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
Ireland rarely talks to the media but offered occasional glimpses into the how the regime worked under Parcells. For example, Parcells was very much involved in preparations for the most recent draft, Ireland said in April.
"It's constant," Ireland says. "It never stops. Bill and I have grinded through every single player two or three times."
There have been occasional hints that Parcells had created an atmosphere allowing him to step back. One clue came when Sparano spoke two weeks ago of Dan Henning, the Dolphins' third-year offensive coordinator.
"Our relationship has really grown tremendously," Sparano said. "Early on in the process he was a Bill guy. And now I would feel safe to say he's a Tony guy."
Parcells worked a full schedule during training camp, arriving early, watching practices from a golf cart and often offering players feedback. Safety Yeremiah Bell laughed when asked two weeks ago about Sparano's ability to recall obscure moments in games.
"He probably gets some of that from Bill," Bell said. "Bill is like that, too. Bill remembers every play. He'll tell you about a play on Sunday you don't even remember."
As a coach, Parcells took over losing teams with the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys and transformed them into winners. He won five division titles in 19 seasons and led the Giants to two Super Bowl championships.
He quit coaching after the 2006 season with Dallas.
Ireland spent seven years in player personnel with the Cowboys, including his final three as vice president of college and pro scouting. Dallas went 13-3 and won the NFC East in his final season there.
Before that, he was an NFL scout for 11 years.
Ireland has been around football since childhood, spending summers as a ball boy during training camp for the Chicago Bears. His grandfather, former Philadelphia Eagles player Jim Parmer, scouted for the Bears. Ireland's stepfather is E.J. Holub, a former linebacker with the Kansas City Chiefs.
-- Steven Wine
