NFL Capsules: Brr! NFL going outdoors in N.J. for 2014 Super Bowl

IRVING — February. Gray skies. Snowflakes. Brrrrrrrr.

Well, grab your boots and plow the snow. The Super Bowl is coming to the Meadowlands. In New Jersey? In the dead of winter?

"We’ll all pray that it doesn’t snow that day," Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said.

NFL owners voted Tuesday to put the 2014 Super Bowl in the new $1.6 billion Meadowlands Stadium that this season will become home to the New York Jets and Giants. It’s the first time the league has gone to a cold weather site that doesn’t have a dome; until now, those places couldn’t even bid on the big game. So, why the risk?

"Let’s face it," Giants co-owner John Mara said, "there’s only one New York City."

"We promise the greatest game in the greatest venue in the greatest city," added another co-owner, Steve Tisch. "Now we’ve got to deliver."

Mother Nature may have a lot to say about that. The coldest kickoff temperature in Super Bowl history was 39 degrees, and that would be considered a warm February day in East Rutherford, N.J. Average February temperatures there are 24 to 40 degrees, with several inches of rain, according to the bid documents. Remember, the game kicks off after the sun goes down in the Eastern time zone, so temperatures would be dropping throughout the night.

"Everyone knows it’s risky," said Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, whose bid was eliminated in the second round.

It might end up being another Ice Bowl, Fog Bowl, Freezer Bowl or something else worthy of a frigid nickname. That’s not what the bidders had in mind when they adopted the slogan, "Make Some History," but for all the inconvenience to those in the stadium, it might look great on TV.

The extended version of Bart Starr’s game-winning sneak in the Ice Bowl in 1967 opens with Cowboys defenders scraping their cleats into the ice to try getting some traction. Teeth chatter just watching the replay of Tom Brady’s fumble that was ruled an incompletion in the snow-filled Tuck Rule game. In Brett Favre’s final game with the Packers, he ends a chilly playoff game by throwing an interception, then runs off with steam coming out of his mouth; it was against the Giants, too.

"People talk about the weather, but, you know, this is football, not beach volleyball," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the NFL Network.

The NFL has required an average temperature of 50 degrees or a dome for a team to even bid on hosting the Super Bowl, but the league bent the rule to let New York bid. It’s billed as a one-time exception, but just a few years ago, the NHL experimented with an outdoor game on New Year’s Day, and it came off so perfectly that teams now fight to host what’s become the annual Winter Classic. Maybe this will work out that well, too.

"I think it will turn out to be a great event," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.

The weather worries could even add to the hype. In addition to predicting which teams will make it, fans can guess how nasty it might be.

"We’ve played some (frigid, wet December) games there and I know firsthand that the fans had great experiences even though it was in inclement weather," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.

Players are split on the decision. In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room, quarterback Byron Leftwich said the weather doesn’t matter "because it’s the Super Bowl ... and you’re not going to let 15 degrees change anything." But linebacker James Farrior countered, "I play enough games in the cold."

Giants and Jets players are thrilled.

"There’s something special about this city, man," Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said following a rally in Times Square.

"We should’ve done this years ago," said Giants defensive end Justin Tuck, who also was part of that celebration.

The 50-degree rule was created for the comfort and convenience of fans and players. Anyone who has ever planned an outdoor event can appreciate how much of a relief it is to not worry about the weather. Neutral conditions, like those in a dome, also are supposed to help the caliber of play. It also makes it more comfy for all the practices, parties and other events during the week leading up to the game. It’s been at least 57 degrees for every Super Bowl since 1975, when it was 46. That’s why Florida and California have been such frequent hosts.

"In the back of everybody’s mind, people want to be in South Florida that time of year," Ross said.

Tuesday’s vote had been widely considered a formality, but it didn’t play out that way. Even after Miami was eliminated, it took two more rounds of voting for New York to get the nod over Tampa.

"New York knows how to put on an event," Ross said, putting aside his weather warnings. "It’s not like you lost to some small town that doesn’t know how to put on big events."

Being just outside the Big Apple means lots of glitz and spectacle, Buildup will include everything from a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to parties at internationally renowned destinations. There will be game-day shots of the Manhattan skyline in the distance, and thousands watching on the jumbo-screen TVs in Times Square. The flip side is that security will become a bigger issue, perhaps among the most expensive pieces of the budget. An expected economic impact of $550 million would help offset some of the cost.

Planners are already making the most of the weather. They’re plotting to give out hand warmers and heated seat cushions — and will be selling plenty more NFL-branded merchandise to help fight off the elements. They’ll also have hundreds of folks ready to shovel away snow, and anything else necessary to make the experience more than bearable.

The team owners were asked where they would sit — indoors or out?

"Probably both," Jets owner Woody Johnson said.

Mara laughed and said, "I like that."

Other cities have built big, expensive stadiums and would love to have the weather rule waived for them.

Odds are, the NFL will wait and see how this foray into the great outdoors in winter goes. Then the league might OK another bid — like for Washington, saying the nation’s capital deserves the nation’s most popular event — but it would take a year or two to figure out the logistics. And votes are taken four years out, so it might be until 2019 or 2020 before it happens again.

The upcoming Super Bowl, in February 2011, will be at Cowboys Stadium, followed by Indianapolis’ new stadium in 2012 and a 2013 return to the Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina ripped off part of the roof.

The 2014 game will be held Feb. 2nd, 9th or 16th, depending on how that season’s schedule is set up.

That leads to one more question: Anybody have a 1,300-day forecast?

Football weather by the numbers:

84 degrees: Temperature for warmest Super Bowl, Super Bowl VII, played in 1973 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

50: Average temperature the NFL has required for a team without a domed stadium to host the Super Bowl.

24 to 40 degrees: The average temperature range for the Meadowlands area during February.

39: Temperature for coldest Super Bowl, Super Bowl VI, played in 1972 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.

Minus-9: Temperature for the AFC championship game played in 1982 in Cincinnati, where the Bengals beat the San Diego Chargers. Judging by the wind chill — minus-59 — it was the coldest game in NFL history.

Minus-13: Temperature for the "Ice Bowl," the 1967 NFL title game where the Green Bay Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys in Wisconsin. The wind chill was minus-48.

Hushed seconds and then the ‘Super’ explosion

CARLSTADT, N.J. — Let the celebration begin. For once, the Jets and Giants teamed up for a win.

NFL owners voted Tuesday to play the 2014 Super Bowl in the new $1.6 billion Meadowlands Stadium in what may very well be the first cold weather championship for the world's biggest football game.

The league made a special exception for the Giants and Jets to bid on the game, and supporters of both teams held their breath when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement after the fourth and final vote of the owners.

As soon as Goodell said New York and New Jersey, there were roars, screams, cheers and clapping. The crying towels were thrown away. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie high-fived Jets center Nick Mangold and Giants guard Chris Snee.

"It's about time they pick a site that has some luster and pizazz," said music promoter Jeff Colon, 48, of Brooklyn, who watched the announcement on one of the giant TVs in New York City's Times Square. "I think true football fans will be able to enjoy the game."

Two Florida cities — Miami and Tampa — and Meadowlands organizers delivered final presentations to the owners on Tuesday in Irving, Texas and the balloting was close. No one got the 75 percent needed on any of the first three ballots. Miami was eliminated after the second and the NY-NJ group won the majority needed on the fourth vote.

"Nobody knows how to host an event like the greatest city in the world," Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. "The Super Bowl is the greatest event and I think meant to be played on the greatest stage. I'm happy for John Mara and Steve Tisch and their families and for Woody Johnson and the Jets. They have invested greatly in this region, and it's good to see them rewarded and New York and New Jersey rewarded."

Mangold said the reward would extend beyond the $550 million economic bonanza for the region. Talking in a style that would make Jets coach Rex Ryan proud, Mangold predicted a game that area fans would love.

"Put my stamp on it, this will be the first two home teams playing in the Super Bowl," he crowed.

Ryan, naturally, also applauded the decision.

"To me, it's a no-brainer when you consider that this vote helps two teams, the Jets and the Giants," he said. "Add in the fact that you have as good a stadium as there is in the league and no one is going to complain about this not being a great Super Bowl, because you're in the best city in the world."

The Super Bowl is expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to New York City, in part from an estimated 250,000 visitors expected to attend the NFL Experience public trade show, said Chris Heywood, a spokesman for NYC & Company, the city's tourism arm. About 50,000 to 60,000 people are expected to stay in the city's hotels, while media sponsors and corporate sponsors also will be adding their cash to the mix.

"We're the city that hosted the greatest game ever played more than 50 years ago, and we'll be ready for Super Bowl XLVIII," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "Our restaurants, stores and hotels will be ready. Our pubs, cafes and attractions will be ready. And if it snows? We'll be ready for that too."

Bloomberg said 48th Street would be renamed 48th St.-Super Bowl Way in honor of the upcoming game.

The outspoken Christie was ready for questions about people inevitably saying 'New York got the Super Bowl.'

"Those comments would come from the geographically challenged, because I'm looking out that door, and it's New Jersey, and I look where that stadium is, and it's New Jersey, and when everybody gets on the train or in their cars or on buses, they're going to be coming to that game in New Jersey," the first-term governor said, adding that the selection of the stadium might be the impetus he needs to run for a second term in November 2013.

"This is not a competition between us and New York, what this is, though, is New York is going to have to live with the fact that, when the game comes up, they're going to say: 'Live from East Rutherford, New Jersey.'"

As Christie addressed about 200 people in Redd's Restaurant and Bar, Eddie Marthinson and Paul Helwig sat at the bar and drank some beers. All they wanted to talk about was football.

Helwig, 63, of Woodridge, said he has watched every Super Bowl on television. The only one the Jets' fan missed was when the Jets played the Colts in Super Bowl III.

"I was in a rice paddy in Vietnam," Helwig said. "I listened on the radio at four in the morning."

Marthinson, a 66-year-old Giants fan, said he was at the Colts-Giants title game at Yankee Stadium in 1958.

"Football is supposed to be an all-weather sport," he said. "Some of the greatest games in NFL history have been played in the cold."

Dennis Robinson, the chief executive of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority in the Meadowlands, where the new 82,500 seat facility is located, said the weather would not be a problem, noting the Jets' final home game this season was played just six hours after a major snowstorm ended.

"This is the icing on the cake after 34 years," Robinson said. "This is the ultimate worldwide event. We've had a papal visit, the World Cup, the Final Four and now the Super Bowl in 2014."

Some of the greatest games in NFL history have been played in the cold, including the Giants' NFC championship win over Green Bay in January 2008, when the temperature plunged to about minus 25.

"Nobody wants to play in the cold," Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "But New York City — there's something special about this city, man. It's one of the best cities in the world, so why not have a Super Bowl here?"

Added Giants defensive end Justin Tuck.

"The biggest game and the biggest market? We should've done this years ago," he said.

-- Tom Canavan

N.Y. and N.J. bet big on Meadowlands Super Bowl

Tourism leaders in New York and New Jersey are hoping thousands of football fans flock to the region in February 2014 and wear winter overcoats with deep pockets.

The Super Bowl could bring in as much as $550 million to the region, according to some estimates. But these measures, sports and economic experts say, are an inexact and vary based on factors ranging from what teams are playing to the weather.

That’s not such a big deal in Miami or Los Angeles, but the average temperature for the Meadowlands area in February is somewhere between 24 to 40 degrees, with several inches of rain. And the game is usually at night, when temperatures drop. Did we mention there’s no roof on the new $1.6 billion stadium?

That may keep some fair-weather fans away and the die-hards too, if their flights are canceled due to snow.

"The quality of the game itself or the fans — depending on how drunk they are — may feel the effects of the cold weather," said Allen Sanderson, sports economist at the University of Chicago.

Still, those in the region’s tourism industry were thrilled at Tuesday’s news that Meadowlands secured the bid.

"This is a huge shot in the arm," said Mark Giangiulio, Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Hotel and Lodging Association, and general manager of the Grand Summit Hotel in Summit, N.J.

Chris Heywood, a spokesman for NYC & Co., the city’s tourism arm, said the Super Bowl is expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the city, in part from an estimated 250,000 visitors expected to attend the NFL Experience public trade show. About 50,000 to 60,000 people are expected to stay in the city’s hotels, while media sponsors and corporate sponsors will also be adding their cash to the mix, according to his estimate.

Separately, a study commissioned by the owners of the New York Jets and Giants football teams estimated the game could bring as much as $550 million to the New York-New Jersey region, said Alice McGillion, spokeswoman for the new Meadowlands Stadium. The study was completed as part of the bidding process, and no breakdown of the sum was released.

Sports marketing and economic experts though, say these estimates are typically over-inflated and inexact. If two smaller market teams come to the game, it hurts results. If the teams are from nearby, it cuts into the hotel and restaurant revenue. And rental cars, typically a big measure in these estimates, won’t likely be used as much at this site, given the weather and availability of public transportation.

"Move the decimal point one place to the left," Sanderson said.

There is, however, the novelty effect of the location which could draw a few fans or at least sell advertising. And with the location so close to New York, corporations are more likely to go as they could do more networking while in the area.

The bigger economic issue, sports experts say, is the selection of this site underscores implicit agreement between many areas and the league that if they build new stadiums, they will get a Super Bowl. That encourages other cities to get taxpayer money to renovate or build new stadiums.

The Meadowlands Stadium will become home to the Jets and Giants this season.

"Is it risky? Of course it is, but it’s a measured approach to take care of those that finance the NFL," said David Carter a professor of sports marketing at the University of Southern California.

"What would the economic impact be for the NFL if the Super Bowl was not held there?"

-- Sarah Skidmore

Miami, Tampa fall in 2014 Super Bowl chase

MIAMI — Moments after their bids to host the 2014 Super Bowl were left out in the cold, hopeful organizers from Miami and Tampa began looking at the same thing. That, of course, was 2015 — and finding a way to get football's biggest spectacle back to the Sunshine State.

IRVING — The NFL isn't ready to expand the new overtime rule to the regular season.

Lawyer: Roethlisberger friend probe to take months

PITTSBURGH — It will be "months as opposed to weeks" before the attorney for a Pittsburgh suburb recommends whether a police officer should be disciplined for being with Ben Roethlisberger the night he was accused of sexual assault in Georgia.

Coraopolis solicitor Richard Start said Tuesday that he had finished reviewing the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s 500-page file on the quarterback’s night out in Milledgeville on March 5.

Start initially planned to recommend to Coraopolis council whether Officer Anthony Barravecchio should be disciplined based solely on that review. But Start told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was continuing to investigate and wouldn’t finish until at least July.

"I spoke without having read the file. Once I read the file, the time parameters I spoke of were not realistic," Start said.

Witnesses and Roethlisberger’s accuser say a man investigators later identified as Barravecchio escorted the 20-year-old woman down a hallway to a rest room where she says Roethlisberger forced her to have sex. A Georgia prosecutor decided there was not enough evidence to charge Roethlisberger.

Barravecchio’s attorney has denied his client did anything wrong and specifically denies that Barravecchio led the accuser to the rest room.

Start said he cannot comment on his continuing investigation, including who he will speak to as part of it or why he determined the need to extend his review.

Start said it will "take months as opposed to weeks" to finish his investigation, and that the earliest he will make a recommendation to borough council will be July. Barravecchio remains on normal duty, he said.

The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the actions of another police officer friend of Roethlisberger’s who was present that night, Trooper Ed Joyner.

State police permitted Joyner to work as Roethlisberger’s personal assistant, but the agency rescinded that permission because of the Georgia accusations. Joyner has appealed through the state troopers’ union.

Coraopolis has no similar rule requiring consent for outside work. If it’s determined he subjected his department to disrepute, the officer could face unspecified discipline for conduct unbecoming an officer, Start said.

Start said he would be willing to speak to the state police about their companion investigation, but wouldn’t say if he had made such a request.

State police spokeswoman Lt. Myra Taylor did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. She previously said the Joyner investigation may not wrap up until August.

Barravecchio’s attorney, Michael Santicola, said he did not believe that there had been any change in the situation.

"We are confident that the result will not change and they will find no reason for disciplinary action," he said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation report says Barravecchio told investigators he spent most of his time at the club seated on a barstool by the door to the back hallway and didn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

At one point, Roethlisberger said, "Hey, show this girl where the bathroom is," and Barravecchio told investigators he opened the door to the back hall and the woman followed him down the hall, giggling, according to Georgia investigators. When Barravecchio pointed to the bathroom she sat on a stool next to the bathroom door where Barravecchio said he left her, according to the report. He said that he didn’t see anyone else go back there.

Roethlisberger’s accuser told investigators she was on the stool when the quarterback walked down the hallway, exposing himself, before he allegedly took her into the restroom and assaulted her.

-- Joe Mandak

Leftwich emerging as Roethlisberger’s replacement

PITTSBURGH — The competition to temporarily replace Ben Roethlisberger as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback is becoming a one-man race.

Byron Leftwich is handling nearly all of the first-team snaps in practice, a strong indicator he will be the starter while Roethlisberger serves his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wants to go into training camp with what he calls a "pecking order" defined at quarterback. So far, that’s Leftwich, followed by third-year QB Dennis Dixon and longtime backup Charlie Batch.

With the Steelers practicing only three days a week though June 10, Tomlin seemingly would give far more work to Dixon or Batch if either figured to go into camp as the designated replacement.

Still, Dixon — the least-experienced of the three — isn’t complaining.

"I have no idea," Dixon said Tuesday when asked if he can win the temporary starting job. "I’ve just got to continue to do what I do best and hopefully that’s enough. Just go out there and get the trust of my teammates day in and day out."

While Leftwich is running mostly with the starters, Dixon said he’s getting enough time with the top receivers to be comfortable.

"I feel like I’m getting better each and every day, which is a good thing for me," said Dixon, who has started only one NFL game. "Focus on the little things and big things will follow as far as the playbook goes. As of right now, I feel real good."

Tomlin doesn’t want players arriving at training camp questioning who will be filling various roles, if only because it will be even more difficult then to get meaningful work for all four quarterbacks.

Leftwich will need considerable work with the regulars during camp because he’ll likely be starting until October. However, Roethlisberger also needs time with the regulars because, once the season starts, he won’t practice with them again until his suspension ends.

"But I can’t be thinking about September in May," Leftwich said. "I’ve got to take this month to month, day by day, and make sure I’m continually getting better. I’m quite sure they’ll do the right thing."

The Steelers apparently signaled their plans by trading a seventh-round pick to Tampa Bay for Leftwich within hours of Roethlisberger being suspended on April 21.

Leftwich, formerly with the Bucs, Jaguars and Falcons, was the backup when the Steelers won the Super Bowl during the 2008 season. He signed with Tampa Bay last year for the chance to start, but wound up playing only three games.

While Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians tweaked the playbook some while Leftwich was gone, it apparently hasn’t taken much time for Leftwich to get caught up.

"When you like something, you never forget it and I never forgot his offense," Leftwich said. "It changed some, but as a quarterback you’re so used to things changing here and there, you can pick up on it. Especially when he makes it as easy as he makes it. There’s always a rhyme or reason to what he does. I know the way he thinks."

The Steelers also understand how Leftwich thinks, one reason why they hurried to reacquire him once they knew for certain that Roethlisberger would miss the start of the season.

They liked how Leftwich ran the offense in practice and during the minimal playing time he got in 2008, and how he easily settled into their locker room.

"I’ve got confidence in myself and I believe they have confidence in me," Leftwich said. "I’m not new around these guys."

-- Alan Robinson

Coach Tomlin steps in for Big Ben at youth camp

PITTSBURGH — Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been booted from a youth football camp in Pittsburgh, with coach Mike Tomlin taking over as his last-minute replacement.

Tomlin has agreed to fill in for his quarterback in putting on a three-day youth football camp that will be held next month at a suburban Pittsburgh high school.

Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old college student in Milledgeville, Ga., in March. Although he was not charged, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended the two-time Super Bowl champion six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Formerly known as the Ben Roethlisberger Football Camp, the camp is now being called the Coach Tomlin Football Camp, and will be held June 21-23 at Mars Area High School. The camp, run by ProCamps Worldwide, is open to youngsters between the ages of 7 and 14.

ProCamps spokeswoman Julie Roberts said the company worked together with the other parties involved to make the change from Roethlisberger to Tomlin.

Mike Norton, a spokesman for title sponsor Old Spice’s sports-related programs, said ProCamps was responsible for selecting the players and coaches involved in all its camps.

In addition to Old Spice, the camp has 20 sponsors or partners, including two presenting sponsors, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Bowser, a Pittsburgh car dealership. The camp lists 17 other corporations or businesses as partners, including Outback Steakhouse, McDonald’s, Bridgestone, Pizza Hut, Verizon Wireless, Fifth Third Bank, Fairfield Inn, Nike, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and KDKA-TV.

"We had nothing to do with the name change," said Aaron Billger, a Highmark spokesman. "We are sponsors of programs that focus on kids and kids’ health ... and this program is about getting young people outside and active."

It is uncertain if any of the corporate or business sponsors threatened to pull out if Roethlisberger continued to run the camp, but there were concerns about being linked to a camp headed by him.

Roethlisberger was ordered by the NFL to undergo an evaluation, and he is currently barred from attending any team activities and offseason practices.

"At the request of Ben Roethlisberger, I have agreed to host this year’s Youth Football Camp," Tomlin said in a statement given to The Associated Press. "Ben has expressed his hopes that this outstanding community program can continue despite his absence as he addresses issues regarding his personal life. The camp already has a significant number of kids signed up who are expecting a great experience, and both Ben and I want to make sure they are not disappointed.

"Helping children understand and enjoy the game of football has been a passion of mine for many years. I look forward to this opportunity to use football to teach important life lessons to all the kids in attendance."

Campers are promised nine hours of football instruction, a T-shirt and a team photo signed by Tomlin. Nearly 500 youngsters attended last year, the camp’s second year of existence.

It is uncommon for NFL coaches to stage such youth camps because they take place during what normally is their vacation period, between the time when voluntary offseason practices end and training camp begins.

-- Alan Robinson

Retired NFL players to union: Rift not settled

IRVING — Retired NFL players seeking better benefits have a message for new union leader DeMaurice Smith: Their dispute isn’t over.

A vocal group headed by Hall of Famers Joe DeLamielleure and Elvin Bethea on Tuesday rejected a claim by the executive director of the NFL Players Association that the union and former players have settled their differences.

The retired players say Smith’s assurance that benefits will improve is nothing more than talk until they see proposals. The ex-players want $100 million added to the pension fund to help NFL alums, particularly those with debilitating injuries.

The group spoke with reporters in Irving, Texas, not far from a meeting of NFL owners.

"Today, we put the NFL Players Association on notice," said former Buffalo defensive back Jeff Nixon.

The former players warned that if Smith assumes there isn’t a divide, owners will exploit the differences in labor negotiations. Smith, who declared the rift over last week during a speech in Charlotte, N.C., is among many who expect a lockout when the current labor deal expires after the 2010 season.

Two NFL strikes in the 1980s were notable for players crossing the picket line, which hurt the union in negotiations. The former players warned Tuesday of a replay.

"The union needs to do a better job of communicating with all players," Nixon said. "They’ve created some divisions. We don’t need these divisions. We need to be united."

George Atallah, a union spokesman, said the association had no comment.

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Billy Joe DuPree said the former players need a voice at the bargaining table. Without it, he said, pensions that run as low as a few hundred dollars a month will continue.

"We’ve got to take whatever crumbs that are thrown out," said DuPree, who has co-written a book with labor attorney Spencer Kopf called "The Unbroken Line" that tells the story of players they consider forgotten in the modern NFL.

"We’re not asking for the NFL to give handouts," DuPree said. "We’re asking for opportunities for guys to be self-sufficient."

Kopf said Smith has signaled that he is an extension of the Gene Upshaw era by leaving in place executives responsible for a negligence lawsuit won by former players against the union.

"You look at the structure and how it’s supposed to protect the players and frankly ... it just doesn’t do it," said Kopf, who played a role in settling the 1982 strike.

Nixon said the former players want a better accounting of how the marketing arm of the union decides which players get called on for appearances, and why executive salaries in the organization run as high as seven figures. Outspoken players are passed over for chances to sign autographs and be more visible, Nixon claimed.

"If you’ve been a critic of the union, they can lock you out of that country club," Nixon said.

-- Schuyler Dixon

Scaife: Time to work in Titans’ offseason program

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Titans tight end Bo Scaife wants the security of a long-term deal. He insists not getting that contract isn’t the reason why he stayed away from Tennessee’s offseason program until this week.

The tight end arrived Monday and took part in Tuesday’s minicamp session. Tagged as the team’s franchise player in 2009, Scaife missed unrestricted free agency thanks to the league’s labor deal. He had signed the team’s one-year tender for $4.9 million but had been working out on his own in Colorado.

"I’ve really just been doing my own thing," Scaife said. "I’ve got a little girl and taking care of her and just preparing myself to have the best season of my career. You know when it’s a good time when you feel it, and I just felt it."

So he wasn’t unhappy not being given a long-term contract yet? Just stayed away trying to make his feelings known?

Scaife said that might have been a little part of it.

"I love the Titans. I love my teammates. I love coach (Jeff) Fisher and the rest of the coaching staff. Upstairs, they’ll take care of that but downstairs I have no problem with anyone down here or any one of my teammates," Scaife said.

The five-year veteran is a key piece of this offense, especially this season. He is the oldest of the tight ends on the roster after Alge Crumpler signed with New England as a free agent. He ranked third on the team in 2009 with 45 catches for 440 yards playing in 14 games.

He now is expected to help lead Jared Cook, going into his second NFL season, and Craig Stevens, going into his third.

"He’s very important to our offense," Fisher said. "Both the younger guys are stepping up, and he’s going to play. He’s an experienced guy who has a good feel and has been very productive for us."

The Titans took a chance on Scaife in the sixth round in 2005, gambling on the 6-foot-3 tight end despite having torn both anterior cruciate ligaments. Scaife led the team with a career-high 58 catches for 561 yards in 2008, which earned him that franchise tag with $4.46 million in 2009. He has played in 76 games through his first five seasons.

Scaife said he knows he’s being well paid even with his one-year deal for the upcoming season and is leaving the work to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

"It’s a blessing just to have what I do have. I’m never one of those guys to be upset. I’m not a holdout guy, never going to be a holdout guy. Every little piece that I get I’m blessed to have because I know a lot of people don’t have that. So I’m glad what the Titans are giving me right now, and hopefully we’ll figure something out one of these days," Scaife said.

Vince Young played with Scaife in college at Texas and knows the trainer that worked with Scaife. But he said it’s good to have Scaife back for the offense to get in synch.

"As a leader of the team, I was happy to see him here working out with the rest of the guys," Young said.

Fisher hadn’t had a chance to talk with Scaife yet, but the coach said he thought the team had taken care of the tight end over the past two years.

"Guys do different things for different reasons. You know it’s good. It looks like he’s been working out. He’s in shape, picked the offense up fine as long as he continues to participate in the offseason program things will be fine," Fisher said.

This leaves only two Titans still not taking part in the offseason program or the voluntary minicamps — running back Chris Johnson and middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch. Fisher said Tuesday the Titans would like to meet with Johnson before the next minicamps in June, and Tulloch has yet to sign his one-year tender.

Scaife said he talks with Johnson and Tulloch all the time and that he’s sure both have their reasons.

"I want them to come back. They need to be back with their teammates, but I’m not going to knock anything they do," he said.

Notes: The Titans waived returner/receiver Mark Jones, offensive lineman Kenny Alfred and running back Dominique Lindsay. Jones had been healing up from neck surgery, and the team drafted two new returners in Damian Williams and Marc Mariani. ... Auburn coach Gene Chizik watched practice Tuesday. Fisher’s son, Trent, will be walking on at Auburn this fall. Fisher said Chizik was passing through town and stopped by.

-- Teresa M. Walker

Fisher: Titans hope to sit down with Johnson soon

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday the Titans would like to meet and talk with unhappy running back Chris Johnson before the team’s next minicamps in June.

Johnson has stayed away from the team’s offseason program and voluntary minicamps including Tuesday’s session. The Associated Press NFL 2009 Offensive Player of the Year wants a pay hike after becoming the sixth man in league history to rush for at least 2,000 yards.

The Titans have argued publicly that Johnson has three years left on the five-year, $12 million deal signed in 2008 that guaranteed him about $7 million. Team officials also have noted rules in the final year of the league’s collective bargaining agreement limit pay raises to 30 percent, also making a new deal impossible without paying millions up front.

"I think it makes sense to get everybody together, and I think that’s what we’ll push for," Fisher said. "There’s no purpose, no set agenda. But it would make sense to get together and try to sort things out. It may happen before we come back in June, it may not. It makes sense to do that."

Johnson has said he’d like to become the highest paid offensive player in the league, which is unlikely for a running back. Right now he isn’t even the highest-paid running back on his own team with a scheduled $550,000 salary for 2010.

His agent, Joel Segal, did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press on Tuesday. Johnson did not immediately return a text to his cell phone.

The running back is coming off a rare season. Johnson ran 358 times for 2,006 yards, and Johnson was the NFL’s leading rusher by a margin of 590 yards more than Steven Jackson of St. Louis. He set the single-season record for yards from scrimmage with 2,509, topping Marshall Faulk’s mark of 2,429 set in 1999 with St. Louis. He became the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards with 500 yards receiving in the same season.

He also was the first player in NFL history to rush for three touchdowns of 85 yards or longer in a career — all in one season. Only Eric Dickerson (3,318) and Edgerrin James (3,262) ran for more yards in their first two seasons than Johnson with 3,234 to start his career. Asked if the meeting would be to air out feelings, Fisher said no.

"We clearly have an issue. We’re going to try to get it resolved. That’s all I can say," the coach said.

Johnson isn’t the team’s only player unhappy with his contract status. Tight end Bo Scaife, who signed a one-year tender for $4.9 million, joined the offseason program Monday and was on the field for his first minicamp session Tuesday. Linebacker Stephen Tulloch was offered a one-year tender but has not signed.

Fisher said he hopes to have Johnson back for the June minicamps with the first session scheduled for June 14 but that he couldn’t predict what would happen. Fisher said he hasn’t talked to the running back lately. Johnson is scheduled to hold a youth football camp in nearby Franklin, Tenn., on June 16.

"He invited me to participate in his football camp," Fisher said. "I told him I’d like for him to participate in mine."

-- Teresa M. Walker

Titans rookie donates to Tenn. flood victims

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Rhodes scholar and Titans rookie Myron Rolle hasn’t signed his NFL contract yet. That isn’t stopping him from making donations to help Tennessee flood victims.

Rolle presented a pair of $1,000 donations Tuesday to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund and the Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund. The money came from the foundation he started in January 2009 after playing his final game at Florida State and before heading to England for his studies.

The safety lasted until the final pick of the sixth round of the NFL Draft. He says he wants to help his new town.

Rolle says he’s "not rich" and he is "not crazy wealthy." He says "it’s very pertinent to help in a community" and that "this is my first way of doing so."

Saints’ Coleman arrested for simple battery

FRANKLIN, La. — New Orleans Saints rookie linebacker Harry Coleman is facing simple battery charges stemming from an arrest over the weekend. St. Mary Parish authorities say records show that Coleman was arrested early Sunday morning by police with the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana and was released soon after.

Details surrounding his arrest are unclear. A woman taking calls at the Chitimacha Police Department says only the chief can discuss it and he did not immediately return phone and e-mail messages.

Saints coach Sean Payton says Coleman’s status with the team is unchanged at this time. Coleman, a standout at LSU, signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in late April.

Panthers CB Marshall practices, will sign tender

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Richard Marshall is back on the field after missing minicamp while upset about his contract situation.

Marshall is participating in voluntary workouts this week at Bank of America Stadium. He said Tuesday he hasn’t signed his one-year tender worth $1.759 million, but will before the start of training camp.

Marshall is one of many NFL players with four years of service who would’ve been unrestricted free agents if the owners hadn’t decide to end the collective bargaining agreement after this season. The move put different rules in place that left Marshall a restricted free agent with few options.

Coach John Fox says Marshall is in great shape despite also skipping the team’s offseason conditioning program.

-- Mike Cranston

Horn is newest player in Saints HOF

METAIRIE, La. — Former NFL receiver Joe Horn has become the latest player elected to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame.

Horn played for the Saints for seven seasons from 2000 through 2006 and was part of the first two Saints teams ever to win playoff games. During his time with the Saints, he caught 523 passes for 7,622 yards and scored a team-record 50 receiving touchdowns.

Horn is now 38 years old. Having left the club only three seasons ago, he was in his first year of eligibility for election to the club’s hall of fame, which is located in the Louisiana Superdome. He was the lone player in the hall’s 2010 class.

Bills’ Lynch, Schobel skip voluntary practice

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch and defensive end Aaron Schobel did not attend the team’s first voluntary organized activity. The duo were the only two absent from new head coach Chan Gailey’s first full practice on Tuesday.

Gailey says he did not assume Lynch would be at the voluntary practice. Lynch’s future with the team became a question after the 2007 first-round draft pick failed to attend the team’s voluntary conditioning program in early April. Schobel has contemplated retirement since the end of the season.

Patriots sign 3rd-round pick Taylor Price

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have signed wide receiver Taylor Price, a third-round draft choice. So far, Price is the highest pick in this year’s NFL draft to sign.

The Ohio University standout was the 90th overall selection in the draft and is the second of the Patriots’ picks to sign. The 6-foot, 212-pounder set a school record with 149 catches, and his 2,019 career receiving yards are the second-most in school history.