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Football Capsules: Manning, Giants agree to 6 years, $97 million deal
ALBANY, N.Y. — The Giants don't think being the highest paid player in the NFL will change Eli Manning.
Nothing seems to.
"He is a franchise quarterback," Giants general manager Jerry Reese said Wednesday. "He has done everything we asked him to do. He has come in, taken a lot of flack from you guys (the media) and he just keeps going. He does what we ask him on the field and he does what we ask him to do off the field. He is a good football player."
The easygoing New Orleans native, who took over as the Giants starter midway through his rookie season in 2004, has proven a worthy No. 1 overall draft pick. In his first four NFL seasons as the full-time starter, Manning has won a Super Bowl and was MVP of the game, helped his team to the playoffs all four years and is coming off his first Pro Bowl season.
Now he's set to make more money than even older brother Peyton.
Eli Manning agreed to a six-year, $97 million contract extension, an average salary of roughly $15.3 million, according to a person close to the talks. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not signed and had not been announced, said Manning is guaranteed $35 million under the deal that will keep him with the Giants through the 2015 season.
The extension will pay Manning $200,000 per year more than All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha of the Oakland Raiders, who agreed to a three-year, $45.3 million contract this year.
Peyton Manning earns an average of $14.17 million annually with the Indianapolis Colts.
Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers has Eli Manning beat this season, when he'll make $16.7 million — but it's only a one-year deal.
Manning declined to talk to the media during lunch at Giants training camp on Wednesday.
Tom Condon, Manning's agent, was not immediately available for comment. Reese was hopeful that Manning's contract would be completed quickly, adding it's always important to get the quarterback signed.
Reese said that a lucrative new contract would not put more pressure on Manning.
"He is used to that," Reese said. "He won't get more pressure than he already has in this market. He knows how to handle pressure and he has done it before. I don't expect to see any difference in his attitude and his work ethic. He works hard. He expects a lot from himself. He knows what his role here is with us and we expect him to continue it for a long time."
Manning was in the final year of the contract he signed as a rookie in 2004 and will make $9.4 million under that deal this season.
The two sides have been discussing a contract for months, but they worked out the final details in recent days.
While Manning's contract was to expire at the end of this season, there was little chance the Giants would lose him to free agency. They could have named him a franchise player and Manning has long said he wants to remain with the Giants.
Manning's Pro Bowl season last year included 3,238 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. He also threw only 10 interceptions, 10 less than the previous season.
Manning has started the last 71 games for New York, the third-longest streak among active quarterbacks at the end of last season. During that span he also has become the first Giants quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards and at least 20 touchdowns in four consecutive seasons.
Rivers 'optimistic' deal will get done with SD
SAN DIEGO — News of Eli Manning's six-year, $97.5 million contract extension was duly noted in San Diego, where Philip Rivers is in the last year of his deal.
Manning was briefly the property of the Chargers on draft day 2004, before being traded to the Giants for Rivers and draft picks.
Rivers said after Wednesday morning's practice that he's optimistic and hopeful that he'll be in San Diego for a long time.
There apparently hasn't been much movement on talks between Rivers' agent and the Chargers regarding an extension.
Redskins sign D.J. Hackett, waive Roydell Williams
ASHBURN, Va. — D.J. Hackett signed with the Washington Redskins on Wednesday, giving the team another option for the No. 5 receiver spot after Roydell Williams was waived with a finger injury.
Hackett had been looking for work since the Carolina Panthers released him in February. He previously played three years with the Seattle Seahawks, where current Redskins head coach Jim Zorn was an assistant.
"Hack knows the offense, he knows the terminology," Zorn said.
Hackett signed a two-year free agent deal with the Panthers in 2008, but caught only 13 passes for 181 yards. He was plagued by injuries, dropped on the depth chart and was cut after one season.
The Redskins have four shoo-ins at receiver: Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Williams was a contender for the fifth spot until breaking his left pinkie in practice on Sunday. He was waived-injured on Wednesday.
The Redskins also signed first-year defensive lineman Michael Marquardt, who played at Arizona State and spent last season on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad.
Eagles DE arrested on marijuana possession charge
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Juqua Parker was arrested on a marijuana possession charge early Wednesday near the team's training camp in northeast Pennsylvania.
Lower Saucon Township police said Parker was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation at 12:33 a.m. near Lehigh University, where the Eagles train.
Parker was carrying "a small amount of marijuana" and was taken to Northampton County Prison, police said. Parker was released after posting $1,000 bail later Wednesday morning, a prison official said.
Eagles coach Andy Reid said he was aware of the incident.
"It's in the law's hands right now. As time goes on, I'll know more," Reid said.
Reid said the team curfew was 1 a.m.
The 31-year-old Parker played four seasons with Tennessee before joining the Eagles in 2005. He was a full-time starter last year for the first time in his career, finishing with five sacks, 76 tackles and one interception that he returned 55 yards for a touchdown in a win over San Francisco.
Parker is listed as the team's starting left defensive end, but the Eagles regularly rotate their linemen. He didn't practice Wednesday morning because Reid gave players over 30 the session off.
Parker legally changed his name from Juqua Thomas in 2008 to fulfill a request by his late father.
WR Braylon Edwards back practicing with Browns
BEREA, Ohio — Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards practiced Wednesday after missing Cleveland’s first four days of training camp with an undisclosed injury.
Edwards was given medical clearance by the Browns’ training staff on Tuesday and rejoined his teammates a day later for a two-hour morning workout. The four-year veteran had been limited to riding a stationary bike, agility drills and light running because of an apparent leg injury that Browns coach Eric Mangini has kept under wraps.
"I felt all right getting back into the mix of things," an upbeat Edwards said following the first of two practices. "It’s one thing to watch on the side and another thing to actually go through and participate. It felt good."
Edwards also missed Cleveland’s mini-camp last month with an injury.
The former Pro Bowler showed no signs of rust in his first practice. He made a leaping touchdown catch of a Derek Anderson pass in the back of the end zone. Edwards went up high and plucked the ball off cornerback Gerard Lawson’s helmet.
"I love football, so being able to go out there and do that reminds me of why I’m here, why I originally started playing football," he said.
Edwards, who was one day late arriving at camp, disputed reports that Mangini was punishing him by keeping him out of Cleveland’s first six practices. He also dismissed reports that he intentionally sat out to force the Browns to give him a new contract. He is in the final year of his deal.
"The Browns and I are on the same page," he said. "My teammates and I are on the same page. I have never made any contract (demands). That’s just rumors and hearsay to spark more controversy. I’ve never said anything about a contract. I don’t have any intentions of playing for a contract. I’m just out here trying to be the best that I can be and help this team do good things this year."
-- Tom Withers
Reports: Browns’ Stallworth meets with Goodell
BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth, suspended indefinitely for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk, met in New York with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about a possible reinstatement, according to media reports.
Stallworth was recently released from jail after serving 24 days for a DUI conviction.
Miami's WPLG-TV first reported Stallworth's meeting with Goodell. ESPN.com and The Plain Dealer, both citing unnamed sources, also said the meeting took place.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello would not confirm the meeting or give any timetable on a possible decision by Goodell.
"We do not comment on the details of the review process," Aiello said in an e-mail response. "So we decline to comment on the report of a meeting today. When a decision is made, we will announce it."
Browns coach Eric Mangini declined to comment Wednesday on Stallworth's status, saying it was a "league matter" and that the team would address it at the proper time.
Stallworth pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter in the death of 59-year-old Mario Reyes of Miami. Stallworth admitted drinking at a Miami Beach hotel before the accident. He reached an undisclosed financial settlement with Reyes' family, which factored into his relatively light sentence.
Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns before last season but was injured much of the year.
-- Tom Withers
Scare over Bush's knee short-lived
METAIRIE, La. — Reggie Bush reached down to grab his left knee, gasped as if in pain, then looked over at the sideline, grinning.
Bush realized he'd caused a stir Wednesday morning when he suddenly walked off the practice field and returned with his surgically repaired left knee wrapped in ice.
So during the club's second practice of the day in the evening, the star running back took a moment to joke about it, then returned to full participation in team drills.
"I iced it just as a precaution, so when I ice it, that means I'm just maintaining," Bush said between practices. "I've got to stay on top of it and treat it as if it was the first day I injured it."
Bush had surgery on his left knee in December to repair cartilage. Drafted second overall in 2006, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Southern California has missed 10 games in his past two seasons, including four games in 2007 because of a posterior cruciate ligament tear, also in his left knee.
Coach Sean Payton already has held Bush out of a couple practices on days when the Saints practiced twice, limiting him to one practice a day.
When Bush has practiced, he has done so vigorously. On Tuesday afternoon, he turned an end run into a 15-yard touchdown during 11-on-11 drills. He ran hard on Wednesday afternoon and did not shy away from contact.
Bush said he's had one MRI performed since training camp began late last week and said "everything came back great."
"Now it's just about getting myself back to football shape and getting my knee back to carrying the load again," Bush said.
Payton said that the Saints want to be careful with Bush and added he was confident he is healthy enough to play.
"He's smart by grabbing some ice and trying to get some treatment while he's out at practice, and he is doing fine," Payton said.
"I'm just trying to be smart about the amount of work I give him so that it doesn't become a bigger factor when we get ready to play in the season. But he'd play this evening if we were playing," he said. "I'm not concerned with Reggie at all."
Notes: Payton said CB Randall Gay is expected to miss several practices with an enflamed bursa sac between his Achilles' tendon and heel bone. "Fortunately for us it's not more serious than that." Payton said he was not sure whether Gay would play in the team scrimmage Saturday afternoon.
Falcons’ Douglas suffers leg injury
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons are awaiting a medical report on Harry Douglas after the wide receiver left Wednesday’s practice with an apparent leg injury.
Douglas has received more work with the first-team offense in training camp while top receiver Roddy White is holding out for a new contract.
After catching a pass, Douglas fell and grabbed his left leg. He tried to stand with help from teammate Michael Jenkins before again falling to the ground.
Trainer Ron Medlin was summoned, and general manager Thomas Dimitroff also walked up to Douglas, who was driven off the field on a cart.
Douglas, a 2008 third-round pick from Louisville, had 23 catches for 320 yards in his rookie season.
Vikings’ suspensions case awaits federal ruling
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings linemen Kevin and Pat Williams still don't know if they'll be suspended by the NFL in their dispute over its anti-doping policy, but the fight won't be in state court any time soon — if at all.
Hennepin County Judge Gary Larson put state court proceedings in the case on hold Wednesday, pending a decision from a federal court. He said a state trial during the 2009 season was unlikely.
"The court routinely accommodates parties' work and family obligations," Larson wrote, adding that "it is not likely that the court would, or could, force plaintiffs into trial during the middle of the playing season."
Larson granted the NFL's request to hold off until the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs in. That panel hears arguments Aug. 18 in St. Paul.
The players, who are not related, are not accused of taking steroids. They tested positive last summer for a banned diuretic that can mask the presence of steroids after taking the weight-loss supplement StarCaps. The diuretic, bumetanide, wasn't listed on the label.
The NFL wants to suspend the players for four games each.
"I just want it to be over," Pat Williams said at practice in Mankato. "If they're going to suspend me, they'll suspend me. If they ain't, they ain't. I'm just tired of it dragging and keeping going because you don't want to keep it over your head, your family's head, your teammate's head, your coach's head, your owner's head."
The players wanted swift resolution so the suspensions wouldn't hang over them during the upcoming season, which begins with a Sept. 13 game at Cleveland.
After the Williamses sued to fight the suspensions announced last December, the NFL argued to a federal judge that U.S. labor law pre-empted the pair's state claims. The judge dismissed some aspects of their lawsuit but left others up to the state court, a part of the ruling the NFL has appealed.
NFL spokesman Michael Signora said the ruling recognizes that "no useful purpose is served" by litigating the case in two courts. He said the NFL continues to believe a federal court should resolve disputes over the collective bargaining agreement as it covers banned substances.
The federal appeals court could decide that the case belongs in its jurisdiction. That would give the NFL freedom to enforce the suspensions, barring other legal maneuvering.
The players' lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, said Wednesday's decision makes them "more confident they can go about their job and not be disrupted for the next several months."
Kevin Williams, a former Oklahoma State standout, called the state judge's decision a "step forward."
"There's a chance that it could still go against us," he said.
The Vikings are eager to get the players back for a run at the NFC championship.
"Those guys are a big part of the team, especially on the defensive side of the ball," Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson said.
The NFL Players Association has its own federal appeal pending in an attempt to aid the Williamses and three other players suspended for the same alleged violation: New Orleans Saints Charles Grant and Will Smith, and former Saint Deuce McAllister. The union has argued the NFL didn't properly inform players about what it knew about the products they used.
-- Brian Bakst
Jackson returns to practice with Vikings
MANKATO, Minn. — Tarvaris Jackson is practicing again with the Minnesota Vikings.
Jackson said after Wednesday morning’s workout that his sprained left knee felt fine, and that he experienced no problems moving around during drills. He participated in most of the activities, except for a full-team, 2-minute drill at the end.
Jackson was hurt on Saturday. He said his goal was to return by Wednesday.
He’s competing with Sage Rosenfels for the starting job left wide open when Brett Favre decided to remain retired. Jackson missed time last August because of a knee injury, but he said this time it’s not as serious.
Sparano: Roth's groin injury not significant
DAVIE, Fla. — Miami Dolphins linebacker Matt Roth says it hurts to be idle at training camp.
He won't say where it hurts, though.
Roth's curious inactivity kept him out of team drills for a fourth consecutive day Wednesday. He rode a bicycle and took part in other individual conditioning work while the team practiced, then denied there was any misunderstanding about what ails him.
"The medical stuff I'm not allowed to talk about," Roth said. "There's no misunderstanding. I'm trying to work hard and get back on the field."
On Saturday, Roth failed a conditioning test. On Sunday, coach Tony Sparano said Roth had an illness that had yet to be diagnosed. Then Roth's agent said the problem was Roth's groin.
On Wednesday, Sparano confirmed Roth has a groin injury.
"It isn't significant," Sparano said. "I do believe he was initially sick. So now we are going to deal with this and get him up and ready to go."
Sparano and Roth declined to offer a timetable for recovery. Sparano may have been sending Roth a message in noting the injury means more snaps in practice for Jason Taylor, who rejoined the Dolphins during the offseason.
"Fortunately we have Jason here," Sparano said. "This is great for Jason, because he is getting a lot of reps."
Roth enjoyed his best season last year, when he moved from end to outside linebacker and started 14 games. But the Dolphins are eager to establish a role for Taylor, who's expected to upgrade their pass rush.
Guard Donald Thomas took part in one session of team drills Wednesday, another step in his comeback from a foot injury last September.
"It was kind of like I'm back now," Thomas said. "It felt good to put my hands on somebody again."
Thomas, a sixth-round draft choice in 2008, was a training camp surprise last year and won a starting job before being sidelined for the season in the opening game.
How rusty did he feel in practice?
"I need a tetanus shot," he said with a chuckle. "Seriously, I've got a long way to go."
-- Steven Wine
Raiders' Barnes sidelined by ankle injury
NAPA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Khalif Barnes is expected to miss the start of the regular season after an MRI revealed a fractured left ankle.
Barnes, who signed a one-year contract with the Raiders in March, was injured when offensive lineman James Marten blocked defensive end Ryan Boschetti into the back of Barnes' left leg during a team scrimmage Tuesday. Barnes collapsed in a heap and lay prone for several moments as trainers checked his knee and ankle.
He eventually limped off the field and was taken to a hospital for the MRI that revealed a fracture. He is expected to be out six to eight weeks.
"It sucks but it's the nature of our game," Barnes said Wednesday. "It's nobody's fault. It was something freakish that happened. I've been hit like that a few times but the ankle got caught and fractured the bone a little bit."
Barnes was signed to compete with Mario Henderson for the Raiders' left tackle job in what is considered to be Oakland's most crucial camp battle. Henderson started five games in 2008, including the final three when he did not give up a sack.
Raiders coach Tom Cable had hinted the loser of the battle might be moved to right tackle, but those plans have been put on hold while Barnes recovers.
"It sets us back a little bit," Cable said. "You just move forward in this business. He will be back, which we are fortunate that way, and he should be back rather early in terms of the regular season. So we will at least have the depth we were counting on there in the first place."
Barnes's left foot was placed in a cast that extends almost to his knee, forcing the 6-foot-5, 325-pounder to use crutches to get around. He is expected to stay in the cast for two weeks before being fitted for a walking boot.
"I was real frustrated yesterday when it initially happened but as time went on I figured I have to stay positive," Barnes said. "So now, since I can't do anything physical on the field, what I can do is stay in my playbook, make sure I'm fresh and even be better than I was progressing than right now. I'll bounce back."
Through the first week of camp, Barnes had been working primarily with Oakland's second-team offense while Henderson took the majority of reps with the starting unit.
The Raiders are searching for a replacement for Kwame Harris, who opened as the team's starting left tackle last season before getting benched in favor of Henderson late in the year.
With Barnes out, Oakland signed offensive lineman Seth Wand, who played in one game for the Raiders a year ago. To make room for Hand, the team waived linebacker Chris O'Neill.
Bengals put TE Kelly on injured reserve
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Reggie Kelly went on injured reserve Wednesday after having surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles' tendon in his left leg.
The starting tight end was injured during a non-contact drill two days earlier. Kelly, an 11-year veteran, is expected to be fully healed by the start of next season.
It was the first significant injury of the Bengals' training camp. Kelly was the team's third-leading receiver last year, catching 31 passes for 207 yards.
The Bengals also had two more tight ends get hurt on Wednesday.
Reserve Ben Utecht had a concussion during an evening practice on Wednesday and was taken to a hospital as a precaution. During a full-speed drill, Utecht appeared to hit helmets with linebacker Darryl Blackstock and fell to the ground, temporarily unconscious.
Teammates knelt next to Utecht and prayed while he was strapped to a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance for the trip to the hospital, where he was kept for observation. Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said Utecht had full movement of his arms and legs.
Daniel Coats, another reserve tight end, sprained his ankle in a morning workout and was on crutches for the evening session. The injuries leave only two rookie tight ends — third-round pick Chase Coffman and free agent Darius Hill.
Panthers place Kemoeatu on IR; sign Hypolite
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Carolina Panthers placed starting defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season the same day he underwent surgery on his torn right Achilles' tendon.
The Panthers replaced him on the 80-man roster with undrafted rookie defensive tackle George Hypolite.
Kemoeatu was injured minutes into Carolina's first training camp practice Monday. Kemoeatu said Tuesday he was holding out hope of returning for the last month of the season, but the Panthers couldn't hold a roster spot that long.
"It was kind of expected," coach John Fox said of the decision. "Usually an Achilles' rupture is that kind of injury. I think the surgery went well and we'll start the rehab process."
The 6-foot-1, 290-pound Hypolite played at Colorado and was waived by Jacksonville last month. He was on the field, wearing No. 75, for Carolina's second practice Wednesday.
The Panthers will likely continue to look for help at defensive tackle, an area they had little depth before Kemoeatu's injury.
FitzSimmons and Delmas among banged-up Lions
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions have some walking wounded less than a week into training camp.
Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Wednesday that tight end Casey FitzSimmons is out "longer than day to day" with an ankle injury, and rookie safety Louis Delmas was held out of morning practice with a sore knee.
Schwartz says he's not concerned about Delmas' injury, listing him as day to day. He did not set a timetable on FitzSimmons' possible return. FitzSimmons is a graduate of Chester (Mont.) High School and Carroll College and is in his 7th season in the NFL
Chiefs waive QB Martin
RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The Kansas City Chiefs have waived quarterback Ingle Martin.
The move was announced Wednesday.
Martin was the third quarterback for the Chiefs for five games last year, but did not throw a pass.
A fifth-round draft pick out of Furman, he was with the Green Bay Packers in 2006-07 and appeared in one game.
Seahawks sign former W. Wash. LB Simmons
RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks have waived reserve linebacker Tony Taylor and signed former Western Washington University linebacker Shane Simmons.
Taylor was released with the designation of injured because of a knee injury. Seattle signed the two-year veteran from Georgia as a free agent in May.
Simmons was in Seattle's minicamp in April for a tryout. He was briefly on the Oakland Raiders' roster in 2008 before being released last June.
Collective Bargaining
Goodell reassures retired players on benefits
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reassured retired players that their pensions and disability benefits would not be reduced in a labor dispute next year, refuting statements made by the NFL Players Association.
In a letter to the NFL Alumni Board of Directors on Wednesday, Goodell wrote that claims made by the union — including NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith — that retired players have the potential to be affected next year "have no basis in fact."
"In all my conversations with DeMaurice Smith, he has never raised the subject with me," Goodell wrote in response to questions raised by NFL Alumni board members. "Had he done so, my answer would have been unequivocal — there will be no reduction in pension or disability payments to retired players during 2010."
In a statement released by the NFLPA, Smith responded by challenging the NFL to guarantee paying benefits beyond 2010.
"If these benefits are now being guaranteed for one year by the NFL, which they currently are not, then that's a win for the players," NFLPA benefits director Miki Yaras-Davis said.
Portions of Goodell's letter were released by NFL Alumni and Fourth and Goal, an independent retired-player advocacy group. Goodell was responding to concerns raised by the groups' directors after NFLPA members stated retired players would take a hit in an uncapped year.
Smith had told a group of retired players at a meeting in Las Vegas in June that their benefits would be affected.
In the letter, Goodell said that since 2007, owners consistently have agreed not to reduce funding to retired players if a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached and results in the salary cap being lifted next season.
The debate is viewed as a sign both the league and the union are courting the support of retired players in negotiations to reach a new collective bargaining agreement.
Numerous former players have had a long-standing rift with the NFLPA, believing their needs were dismissed by former executive director Gene Upshaw, who died last August. Smith has made strides to ease tensions and address retired players' concerns since he was elected in March.
Still, retired players are taking sides.
NFL Alumni and Fourth and Goal board member Jerry Kramer welcomed Goodell's letter, noting it validates the trust he's had in working with the commissioner for the past three years.
"To hear that was not truth was both good news for the guys on disability and pensions, and it was good news for me because I have a lot of reasons to trust the commissioner," said Kramer, the former Packers offensive lineman. "And this just solidified my position there. It's a big announcement for me."
Kramer said the NFL, under Goodell, is contributing up to $9 million more toward retired player benefits than it previously did.
As for the NFLPA, Kramer questioned whether the union was using this issue to gain support from retired players in labor talks.
"You've got to assume this is the first shot in the collective bargaining process," he said.
Hall of Famer Mike Ditka said it's simply about doing what's right.
"The outcome of labor negotiations should not directly or indirectly impact the retirees pension and disabilities in 2010 and beyond. They have already suffered from the being on the short end of the stick," said Ditka, who is also the chairman of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.
Former Vikings running back Robert Grant referred to Goodell's letter as "gamesmanship by the owners" in a bid to hurt the union.
Grant considers himself an independent activist and said he has dropped his NFL Alumni and NFLPA membership.
"I urge players to think for themselves and sit in the middle," Grant said. "Nobody's jumping up and down, because all of this is just posturing because they plan to break that union."
-- John Wawrow
Online
Some NFL teams clamp down on tweets
DAVIE, Fla. — The only tweets during the Miami Dolphins scrimmage Saturday will come from the officials' whistles.
The Dolphins are at the forefront of an NFL clampdown on Twitter and other social media, with new restrictions imposed on players, reporters and even spectators.
Miami's secretive Bill Parcells regime prohibits fans and media at training-camp practices from tweeting, blogging or texting. At least six other teams have also imposed such restrictions on reporters, even though the workouts are open to the public.
Twitter intolerance is no surprise in a league where paranoia is part of the playbook. Like many Americans, coaches are anxious and a little confused about the rapid pace of change in communication.
"I don't really have a Twitter policy," Denver coach Josh McDaniels said. "I don't know what it means; I don't know what it is. I don't know MyFace, Spacebook, Facebook stuff. I don't know what that is either."
McDaniels mangled the Web-site names in jest, and the Broncos actually do prohibit tweeting. Such restrictions run contrary to a recommendation from league headquarters that teams allow tweeting and blogging during training camp practices.
"It is not practical to prohibit media from doing some reporting (via tweeting, texting, blogging, etc.)," a league memo to teams said.
Along with the Broncos and Dolphins, the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions disagree. They don't allow reporting from the practice field.
The Broncos also banned cell phones and computers at workouts to prohibit fans from tweeting or texting. The Colts went a step further by prohibiting reporters' notebooks (the spiral kind) at practice, but the ban was quickly rescinded.
Some teams, including the Dolphins, have urged their players not to tweet. Other teams are more lenient about the use of social media. All teams are weighing the impact of the new modes of communication.
"When cell phones came in," Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips recalled, "one team had a player on the sideline during a preseason game who was on a cell phone. So you have to come up with rules when these new technologies come out."
The Cowboys don't prohibit players from tweeting. Neither do the Carolina Panthers.
"Not yet," Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams said. "But I know it's coming."
Driving the clampdown is a fear important information might leak out. Twitter allows for only 140 characters, but "I broke my leg" requires just 14.
"Coaches certainly are paranoid," Phillips said.
They fear opponents might gain a competitive advantage from even the briefest tweet about injuries, personnel decisions, trick plays or food. The Chargers allow players to tweet, but fined cornerback Antonio Cromartie $2,500 for using Twitter to complain about training camp chow.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league encourages players to tweet, and about 300 do so. As of Wednesday afternoon, the league had 772,473 followers on its Twitter site.
"We've been at the forefront as technology has changed," said McCarthy, who said he follows 600 Twitter accounts. "We have embraced Twitter. The commissioner tweeted from the draft. When done properly, it's a tremendous opportunity to talk with fans."
Some coaches remain unconvinced. The Dolphins' Tony Sparano conceded he's not well-versed on the new social media, but he urged his players to steer clear of Twitter.
"Our policy here is that our information is our information, and it should stay in-house," Sparano said. "Something they think is innocent can really hurt an individual, can really hurt team chemistry, and maybe can lead to somewhere down the road a loss of a game. I believe that. I'm one of those guys that will try to take that variable out of the way if you can.
"But it doesn't look to me like something that can completely be controlled."
The Dolphins will try. They require the media to shut off all electronic gear — computers, cell phones, cameras — about 25 minutes into practice, when team drills begin. The Dolphins are also policing fans, a daunting challenge for a team that drew more than 3,100 spectators to the opening workout last week.
"I would acknowledge that enforcing the restrictions can be difficult," said Harvey Greene, Dolphins senior vice president for media relations. "We're not looking over everybody's shoulder, but we do have a concern about information flow."
The Professional Football Writers of America has complained about the media restrictions at practices open to the public. The Jaguars and Vikings initially prohibited tweeting by reporters but lifted their bans following complaints.
"It would be a shame for a beat writer to get beaten on a story by a 12-year-old in the stands who is allowed to blog," said Charean Williams, president of the PFWA. "I appreciate the teams that have reversed their policies, and I think the league will listen to us and we'll get this changed for 2010."
Some teams are coming to terms with the new technology. The Eagles have an air-conditioned trailer at camp for bloggers. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio sends text messages to reporters.
Browns coach Eric Mangini laughed when asked about concerns that information regarding an injury might leak via a tweet.
"There are all different avenues to communicate," Mangini said, "and I think they're great ways to communicate."
Even at Dolphins camp, the 21st century is making inroads. On Wednesday, Sparano said he just learned how to text.
-- Steven Wine
Arena
AFL suspends operations indefinitely
The Arena Football League has shut down, this time indefinitely.
The league, which previously called off play for the 2009 season but had said it planned to return in 2010, sent a terse, one-paragraph statement to its teams late Tuesday announcing it had suspended operations.
The statement said the AFL's board had been "unable to reach any consensus on restructuring the league over the past eight months."
The 22-year-old indoor league had lost its commissioner and two teams since the end of last season. It reached a new agreement with its players this year, but that wasn't sufficient to persuade enough AFL owners that the league could return to profitability.
The AFL's board said "there are no other viable options available to the league right now."
The league is likely to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
"I've always thought the game was an attractive game, but we all know when you get the kind of pressure we're in, in these economic times, and then you have an economic model that really doesn't work, then it's not surprising to see it stop play," said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who also owned the AFL's Dallas Desperadoes.
Jones, Super Bowl winner John Elway and rock star Jon Bon Jovi were among the marquee names with a financial stake in AFL teams.
Former NFL MVP Kurt Warner threw touchdown passes on the AFL's 50-yard fields before throwing them in Super Bowls. And the high-scoring games helped the league find a niche in small markets like Grand Rapids, Mich., to major ones like Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Soul, co-owned by Bon Jovi, were the last ArenaBowl champions in 2008. Craig Spencer, another Soul co-owner, said on Wednesday the team stands by the league statement.
David Baker abruptly resigned as league commissioner two days before the 2008 ArenaBowl championship game. Owners did not look for a replacement.
ESPN, which owns a small equity share in the league, said it is not involved in management of the AFL. The network said Tuesday its broadcast agreement with the league had been terminated.
Some AFL owners remain optimistic that the league can return in some form in 2010, perhaps in conjunction with the af2 league, an AFL offshoot that remains in business.
"We're hopeful things will work out here in San Jose," SaberCats vice president Hank Stern said.
The league still faces numerous legal issues. The owners could file for bankruptcy, but most players and coaches who were not paid salaries or roster bonus money in 2009 are looking to recoup that cash, according to Richard Berthelsen of the NFL Players Association.
Berthelsen assisted the AFL players union the past season and said there are several unresolved issues.
"I don't want anybody to think that because the league has made the announcement that they did, the players are just going to go away," he said by phone Wednesday
AFL owners could not agree on long-term structural improvements that would keep the league profitable.
A disagreement among owners about whether to bring in a private equity firm to invest in the league became a major sticking point in December.
"As with any league that is underfinanced and is competing for television time, there are differing views on how to make that succeed," Berthelsen said. "The players did everything they needed to, and then some, so that the league could survive. They were saying if player costs is the difference between surviving and not surviving, let's see if we can do something that would allow the league to survive."
Soul coach Bret Munsey accepted a buyout from the organization and took a job with the upstart United Football League. Munsey said he met with Bon Jovi in January, and the rocker told him he was confident the league would find a way to improve financially and find stability for the long haul.
For whatever reasons, there were no easy solutions.
Munsey wears his ArenaBowl championship ring as a reminder of just how fun the AFL was for him.
"I'm very proud of that," he said. "It's something that doesn't happen too often."
And it doesn't look like the Soul will get a chance to defend that title.
-- Dan Gelston
NFL refs lament loss of Arena League opportunities
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It's not just players such as Kurt Warner who used the Arena Football League as a steppingstone to the NFL. The indoor circuit also was a training ground for many referees on their way up, and a place for them to keep their skills sharp in the offseason after they got there.
The Arena League shut down this week, giving up after a year on the sidelines when it couldn't figure out a way to make money.
Players and executives throughout football lamented the demise of the 8-on-8 NFL offshoot that propelled Warner to the Super Bowl MVP and turned John Elway and Jon Bon Jovi into owners.
But the AFL also will be missed by referees, who used their time indoors to hone their skills and get discovered by NFL scouts.
"It's a shame," said Ed Camp, a linesman in his 10th year in the NFL. "They always say the more snaps you see, the better you're going to be. That was another opportunity."
Baseball and hockey have their minor leagues, where teams can develop players while stocking the rosters in small towns that could never support a major league club. The NBA started its developmental league in 2001 for players who were done with college but not ready for the NBA.
Although football has never had a formal minor league for players, the NFL took over the Arena League's officiating program in 2001 so that referees, at least, would have a clearer path to the top.
"Direct supervision of this program will allow the NFL to track the progress of new officials ascending through the ranks," the NFL said in an overview of the program. "This program will allow officials to work more games and will accelerate their development."
An NFL spokesman could not immediately say how many of the league's officials had worked in the Arena League. But of the five officials in Foxborough on Wednesday for the New England Patriots' training camp, three had worked in the AFL or its offshoot, af2.
Umpire Paul King said the indoor league's shorter and narrower field, designed to fit into basketball and hockey arenas, made things move quickly — and the officials had to react.
"The speed of the game was beneficial for those quick reflexes you need on the field," said King, who was part of an NFL officiating crew in Foxborough on Wednesday to work the New England Patriots' training camp. "It was a great opportunity for officials."
NFL officiating is considered part-time work, and many of the men who wear stripes on Sundays are wearing pinstripes during the week as teachers, businessmen or priests. Some also keep busy by working college games or minor pro leagues such as NFL Europe, the AFL or its offshoot, af2.
NFL Europe, later known as NFL Europa, closed its doors in 2007 after 16 years. The Arena League suspended play for 2009, saying owners hoped to restructure and work out a new deal with the players that would allow it to be profitable next year. The league said this spring that it had a new collective bargaining agreement with the players and that it was working on a new TV deal with ESPN.
But this week, the Georgia Force posted on their Web site a note that said: "On August 4, 2009, the Arena Football League announced it was suspending operations, effective immediately. As a result, the Georgia Force will cease operations." The Philadelphia Soul, the defending ArenaBowl champions owned in part by Bon Jovi, left a note on their Web site thanking fans for five years of support.
ESPN said its broadcast deal with the AFL had been terminated.
The league has yet to publicly confirm its demise. But in a statement sent to teams on Tuesday night, it said it was suspending operations.
King, who had worked in both the Arena League and NFL Europe, said he hadn't been on a field since December and it felt odd to have the spring off for the first time in a long time. On the other hand: "I got to see my family in the spring," he said.
The NFL officials at training camp on Wednesday noted that referees will still be able to come up through the ranks in college, though fewer games will mean fewer chances. King also said that college conferences have different expectations from officials than the NFL in terms of where to stand and what to watch for — not to mention the different rules they have to adjust to at each level.
"Coming from a college conference, it makes for a tougher transition," he said. "There should be some developmental program for officials to keep working."
Both King and Camp said they didn't think the quality of officiating in the NFL would suffer. Instead, it would hurt the officials themselves in their personal development and their chances for advancement.
"That was a big opportunity to get scouted and go under the grading system you're going to get from the league," Camp said. "It opened our eyes to what would be expected of us."
Elsewhere
Rams to retire Jones' number at opener
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams will retire the No. 75 worn by Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones during the team's home opener on Sept. 27.
The Rams host Green Bay in the first regular season home game for the 2009 season. The team had earlier announced plans to retire the number, but didn't announce when until Tuesday.
Jones coined the term "sack" and had 173 1/2 for his career, including 21 during the 1967 season. He was the NFL defensive player of the year in 1967 and 1968, and was voted to the Pro Bowl nine times.
Jones was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
Packers partner with Wisconsin Lottery
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are partnering with the Wisconsin Lottery, taking advantage of an NFL decision allowing teams to associate with state-run lotteries.
Packers logos will be featured on a $10 scratch-off game with a top instant prize of $50,000. Fans also can win Packers-themed prizes, including four club seats to all home games for the 2010-12 seasons.
The team also is pursuing a corporate sponsorship deal for its practice jerseys, another new sponsorship area now allowed by the NFL. Team president and CEO Mark Murphy said last week that no deal appeared imminent.
No clemency request by former Ohio football star
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett has withdrawn a request for early release from prison so he could pursue an NFL career.
Clarett had argued that the sooner he was released, the sooner he could make a comeback, possibly in the NFL. But he sent a letter Monday to the Ohio Parole Board explaining his decision to withdraw the request, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman JoEllen Culp said Wednesday.
Parole board records are not public. A message left with Clarett’s lawyer, Percy Squire, was not immediately returned.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien had opposed the move, saying the former Buckeyes standout hasn’t made a strong case to be released so early in his prison term.
"It probably was a reality check by both Mr. Clarett and his lawyer that they had no chance of obtaining clemency under the circumstances," O’Brien said Wednesday.
Clarett, 25, was sentenced in September 2006 to serve at least 3½ years for a holdup outside a Columbus bar and a separate highway chase earlier that year that ended with police finding loaded guns in his SUV.
O’Brien’s office agreed to the 3½-year term on the grounds Clarett behaved himself in prison.
Clarett could be out in March if a judge releases him early, although he would still have to spend six months in a halfway house.
Squire previously said Clarett had an opportunity to play NFL, arena or Canadian professional football if he was released within the next few months. O’Brien said it appeared Clarett wanted to be released in time to play football in Canada this year in preparation for a possible return to the NFL in 2010.
The former tailback led the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship.
Clarett stirred controversy in December 2002 by criticizing Ohio State officials for not allowing him to fly home to Youngstown for the funeral of a friend.
But on Jan. 3, 2003, he provided the winning touchdown against Miami, giving Ohio State its first national title in 34 years.
The following September he was suspended by the university for violating NCAA rules. He later unsuccessfully challenged the NFL’s eligibility rules.
The Denver Broncos drafted Clarett in the third round in 2005, but he was hurt in training camp and cut without playing a down.
In his latest blog posting, Clarett did not address his parole request.
"I’m a man and I struggle," he wrote on the blog Monday. "I’m not speaking of anything specific. I’m just talking in general. Depression comes and depression goes."
Clarett, housed at a Toledo prison, phones the blog entries to relatives who post them.
-- Andrew Welsh-Huggins
