NFL Player and League Capsules: Jets' Jenkins dropping weight while eating cookies
Comments 0NEW YORK (AP) — Kris Jenkins is dropping pounds by eating cookies — oatmeal raisin, chocolate. Six of them every day.
Since May, the New York Jets' hefty nose tackle has shed 20 pounds, putting him at a svelte 365.
"It sounds funny, but I got serious about it," he said. "And, I have to say, it has been going great."
The 6-foot-4 Jenkins was up to 390 — 30 more than his normal playing weight — earlier this year while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The injury sidelined him for the second half of last season.
"I couldn't run or do anything, and that's the hardest time I have personally to lose weight," Jenkins said. "Whenever I can't be active, I suffer. Honestly, I've had weight issues my whole career. It just got to the point where I got fed up."
So, Jenkins — weighing 385 at the time — flew to Miami to meet Dr. Sanford Siegal, creator of Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet, which has been around since 1975. And that's when he started gobbling up cookies to supplement his weight-loss program.
"They're more like muffin tops than cookies," he said with a chuckle.
They're 90 calories each, have 2½ grams of fat and contain ingredients like milk, soy, whole wheat flour, crisp rice and non-vegetable protein.
"It is both an asset and a liability, that name," said Matt Siegal, the doctor's son and the company's CEO. "People hear that name, Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet, and they think at best it's another fad diet or at worst, it's a scam — what, do you eat Oreos all day? Once people go and do research, any notion that this is not serious is immediately dispelled."
He's not exactly downing batches of Chips Ahoy or Famous Amos, but Jenkins has become quite the cookie monster and a believer. After all, the scale doesn't lie.
"They're basically appetite suppressants and they make you feel full," he said. "It's like being able to have carbs and a dessert at the same time and lose weight."
Even sweeter: Coach Rex Ryan challenged him and teammate Damien Woody to a three-way weight-loss competition and whoever loses the most — to be determined at a training camp weigh-in Sunday in Cortland, N.Y. — will have a donation made in his name to a charity.
"Right now, I don't know where either of them stand, so we're just going to see on the weigh-in day," Jenkins said. 'I'm hoping that I win and I pull this off."
His goal is to weigh 350 by the time training camp is over in late August.
"I've been blessed with genetics and things like that, but the thing you can't fight is time," said Jenkins, who turns 31 next week.
Jenkins recently told The New York Times he thought about retirement this offseason while rehabilitating from his injury. After discussing it with his wife, Tashia, and Ryan, Jenkins realized he wanted to get back on the field — maybe even more than he has in his previous nine seasons.
"I need this camp, I really do," he said. "I'm looking forward to this."
Jenkins raised some eyebrows last week during an interview with the NFL Network, when he said, "We've had some real men come in and step in for the women that we lost." He didn't specifically name any of his former teammates, but many fans and media assumed it was safety Kerry Rhodes.
Jenkins wouldn't confirm or deny he was talking about Rhodes, who lost his starting job last season and had disagreements with coaches before being traded to Arizona in March.
"When you have any player who comes into the locker room and you're ready to pad up and suit up and they think they're better than the team, as a veteran, I'm going to have a problem with that," Jenkins said. "You've got guys out on the field, bleeding and sweating to make sure we can try to be successful. So, when you have an individual that comes to the locker room and thinks they're above that, it upsets us."
Jenkins prefers to put all that in the past now, and he's focused on coming back healthier — one cookie at a time.
Gates gets $36M contract extension from Chargers
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Antonio Gates has caught plenty of big passes for the San Diego Chargers, and on Wednesday he hauled in the biggest contract ever given to an NFL tight end.
Gates agreed to a $36.175 million, five-year contract extension, with $20.4 million guaranteed, according to a person familiar with the deal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the figures weren't released. The deal averages $7.235 million per season from 2011-15.
A college basketball star at Kent State, Gates blossomed from a rookie free agent in 2003 to a superstar who is a three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler.
With three other star players unhappy about their contracts, talks with Gates apparently intensified this week. Gates and other veterans are due to report to training camp on Thursday, with the first full-squad practice on Friday.
"I've been blessed my whole career to be with one team," Gates said in a statement released by the team. "It's always good to get it out of the way. The goal is to win a championship. We all are human and it becomes a distraction even though you might not want it to be. It's always great to be able to go ahead and do what you need to do and get it out of the way."
It wasn't clear if getting Gates' deal done would lead to new deals for restricted free agents Marcus McNeill, Vincent Jackson and Shawne Merriman.
McNeill, the left tackle who protects quarterback Philip Rivers' blind side, and Jackson, a Pro Bowl wide receiver with two straight 1,000-yard seasons, are unhappy that they haven't been given long-term deals and are expected to hold out through training camp and the season's first 10 games. They are expected to return for the final six games to accrue another season toward unrestricted free agency.
Jackson and McNeill were tendered one-year deals at just more than $3 million each. When they didn't sign the offers by June 15, the Chargers were entitled to offer them their same salaries as 2009, resulting in a loss of about $2.5 million each.
Merriman hasn't signed his tender for $3.269 million, but the outside linebacker was due a 10 percent raise anyway, which would put his 2010 pay at approximately the tender amount. Still, he hasn't said when he'll report.
These negotiations between Gates and the Chargers went much more smoothly than in 2005.
Gates held out during training camp that year, leading general manager A.J. Smith to take the extreme measure of placing him on the roster exempt list in an attempt to break the impasse, automatically triggering a three-game suspension. Gates missed the final two exhibition games and the season opener, which the Chargers lost.
Gates dumped the agent who represented him then and hired Tom Condon.
Smith said in a statement that Gates' work ethic and desire are unmatched. Smith didn't return calls seeking further comment.
Since his rookie season, Gates leads tight ends in touchdown catches with 59. He ranks second in yards, 6,223, and third in catches, 479. Gates has led the Chargers in catches each of the last six seasons. In 2009, he topped the Bolts with 79 catches and a career-best 1,157 yards, with eight touchdowns.
This is the second big contract for a Chargers player in less than a year. Rivers was given a contract extension worth nearly $93 million toward the end of last year's training camp.
NOTES: The Chargers don't appear close to signing RB Ryan Mathews, the No. 12 overall draft pick and the heir apparent to LaDainian Tomlinson. Mathews missed three practices for rookies and select veterans. ... San Diego coach Norv Turner canceled Thursday's practice. ... Turner said third-year pro Brandyn Dombrowski sits atop the depth chart at left tackle and will get first crack at starting in McNeill's place, with Tra Thomas, 35, providing depth. "That's great news, but it's the beginning of training camp and I'm not taking anything for granted," Dombrowski said Wednesday. "I'm going to take advantage of the reps I get with the first team and try to make the most of this opportunity." Dombrowski was a super-sub last season, making two starts at right guard and seven starts at right tackle in place of injured teammates. While he hasn't played left tackle at any level, Dombrowski said he's more comfortable playing on the left side.
-- Bernie Wilson
Redskins' M. Williams out for year with blood clot
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Redskins will open training camp Thursday without offensive lineman Mike Williams, who is out for the year after a blood clot was discovered in his lungs.
Williams was a remarkable comeback story a year ago, dropping some 70 pounds as he returned to the NFL after a three-year absence to make the Redskins roster and start eight games.
This year he was expected to compete for the starting right guard spot, but a blood clot developed in his calf, leading to X-rays that located the other one in his chest.
He's taking blood thinners, which keeps him out for this season.
"It was really a setback for us," coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday. "You're just glad that you caught it before it was serious."
With Williams out, Artis Hicks is expected to start at right guard after working much of the offseason at right tackle. Two-time Pro Bowl lineman Jammal Brown, acquired last month in a trade with the New Orleans Saints, is the projected starting right tackle.
The Redskins also have yet to sign No. 4 overall pick Trent Williams, the projected starting left tackle. High-round picks have been especially slow to sign with their teams this year.
"I would be surprised if he misses any length of time," Shanahan said, "but the quicker he gets in, the better off it'll be for all of us."
Cornerback Carlos Rogers was waiting until the last minute to sign his $1.54 million restricted free agent tender. Rogers is unhappy that he isn't getting a long-term contract, but he has no choice but to accept the tender and report for camp Thursday.
"I'll bet you he signs it," Shanahan said.
Shanahan also said the "door has not closed" as far as the team's interest in longtime Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, who remains a free agent. The Redskins envision Westbrook as a third-down back.
Shanahan said players and coaches will be housed together in a hotel during camp — coach Jim Zorn let the older veterans live at home last year — and that the daily routine will include a "pretty intense" morning practice followed by a "jog-through" in the afternoon.
Okung agent works toward on-time Seahawks arrival
SEATTLE (AP) — Good news for new coach Pete Carroll on the eve of his first season running the Seahawks: It sounds like Seattle may not have to endure late reporting by another first-round draft choice
The agent for sixth-overall pick Russell Okung says he is working to ensure his client is on the field when Seahawks training camp begins Saturday.
"We've had discussions every day for the last two weeks," agent Peter Schaffer told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday. "If he won't be on the field, it won't be for a lack of effort on our part."
The Seahawks want their replacement for the retired Walter Jones in camp from Day One. They named the rookie from Oklahoma State their starting left tackle the day they drafted Okung in April.
Seattle was without last year's top pick, linebacker Aaron Curry, for the first eight days of 2009's training camp because of an impasse in contract negotiations. The fourth-overall selection eventually signed for $34 million guaranteed. Curry's deal has a maximum total value of $60 million.
The word on progress with Seattle's other first-round pick, safety Earl Thomas from Texas, is similarly positive for the team.
Thomas' agent, Andrew Kessler, is hopeful the 14th overall pick — who has been on Seattle's starting defense throughout spring minicamps and organized team activities — will be in camp well before Saturday's opening practice.
"Hopefully he will be signed before they report (Thursday)," Kessler wrote in an e-mail to the AP.
Okung and Thomas are the only two of Seattle's nine draft picks still unsigned. Second-round pick Golden Tate, a former standout wide receiver at Notre Dame, agreed to terms earlier Wednesday.
Only two of the NFL's 32 first-round picks had signed as of Wednesday afternoon — Dallas' Dez Bryant, the 24th overall pick, and New England's Devin McCourty, selected 27th.
Deals often get finished quickly just before teams begin camps, as other picks sign and establish a going rate at each level of the first round.
Some have cited uncertainty with the future of the collective bargaining agreement as a factor gumming up negotiations. The current CBA expires after this season. Negotiations on deals for top picks are taking place with the possibility of a lockout in 2011 if management and the players' union can't agree on a new labor agreement.
Yet the agents for Seattle's first-round picks say potential labor issues haven't affected their talks.
"I don't think the CBA situation should have a major impact on negotiations, it is not on the ones I have worked on and am working on," Kessler wrote.
-- Gregg Bell
One day later, Ravens DT Cody launches NFL career
WESTMINSTER, Md. (AP) — A day late and quite short of breath, rookie defensive tackle Terrence Cody passed his conditioning test Wednesday and formally launched his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Cody, a 350-pounder out of Alabama, twice failed the test Tuesday. The drill consists of running 25 yards, doubling back, resting for 70 seconds and repeating it twice.
"It's down and back, down and back, down and back. It's not complicated (but) it's a tough test," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "You've got to go out there and compete."
Cody conquered the drill on Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. and was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list before participating in his first NFL training camp practice.
Along the way, the second-round pick (57th overall) picked up a nickname that will probably stick for a long time.
Veteran defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, in addition to dispensing valuable advice, began calling the rookie "Cheeseburger."
Cody laughed about it. He probably would have been OK with being called a lot worse, such was his relief to get on the field after watching his teammates work on Tuesday.
"Yesterday, as I was sitting to the side watching them practice, I felt bad. I felt like I was letting them down," Cody said. "Now that I'm back out there, it feels good."
After failing the test on Tuesday morning and again in the afternoon, Cody received encouragement from his new teammates and a frantic phone call from home.
"I had my family call me and ask me what was going on. I had to tell them," he said. "I slept on it and got up this morning with a head full of steam and passed it. It was a relief."
And so began the NFL career of a two-time All-SEC star who helped the Crimson Tide win the 2010 national championship.
"We weren't too hard on him," veteran linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "That's a tough task, especially for those big guys. Guys who are 350 or so, to run that test is pretty impressive."
There won't be many times in his career when Cody is asked to run hard for 50 yards, but the Ravens want to make sure their players are fit enough to withstand two practices a day under the summer sun.
"Someone asked me (Tuesday) if I was surprised — not about Cody — but about guys failing conditioning tests," Harbaugh said with a wry smile. "I would have to admit I was surprised this morning when they told me he passed the conditioning test. But we have it on tape and will verify the results of that test. Obviously it shows that he was in shape."
Not exactly ideal shape, but good enough to get on the practice field. And at this point in the summer, that's all that really matters.
"He's got to lose a little weight, and that will happen in training camp," Harbaugh said. "But the fact that he's in shape is important. That's the bottom line. It shows that he's done the work. The fact that he knows how to run the test, and to really push through it and get it done is a credit to him."
Cody is expected to provide help to Ngata and Kelly Gregg in stopping the run. But Harbaugh believes the rookie might also turn out to be an effective pass rusher.
"We didn't label him as just this and just that. We basically think this guy can play football for us," Harbaugh said. "So whatever he grows into, if he can push the pocket on third down for us, that would be great. I see no reason why he can't do that for us. That's what training camp is all about. That's why you put the pads on."
The Ravens didn't put on their pads during the first two days of camp. That will occur Friday morning, during the first full-squad practice.
-- David Ginsburg
Bills DE Schobel open to playing 1 more season
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Aaron Schobel is considering playing one more year after the Buffalo Bills' leading pass rusher spent the offseason contemplating retirement.
That doesn't mean he has made up his mind. Speaking by phone from his home in Texas on Wednesday, Schobel confirmed to The Associated Press that he intends to make a decision by the middle of August when it's time for his children to start school.
"I'm not saying yes. I'm not saying no," Schobel said.
Schobel spoke on the day Bills players began arriving in suburban Rochester to report for training camp, which opens Thursday. He has spent his nine NFL seasons in Buffalo, and his 78 sacks rank second on the team's career list behind Hall of Famer Bruce Smith.
One factor in his decision is the Bills wanting him back. Schobel has four years left on a $50.5 million contract extension he signed in 2007, including a $2 million roster bonus he was due in March.
"I'm thinking if I want to do it, and they want me to do it, then I'll do it," said Schobel, noting he hasn't had contact with the team. "The Bills might tell me to get lost. And I'd understand it if they did that."
Schobel didn't attend any of the team's offseason workout programs and practices, including a three-day mandatory minicamp a month ago.
Bills general manager Buddy Nix said the door remains open.
"Absolutely. He's a good football player. You'd like to have him," Nix said. "What we'll do is we'll react according to what he does. If he comes, fine. If he doesn't, fine. It's up to him."
Nix said he learns of Schobel's plans through the media.
The Bills have Schobel listed in their media guide, which was released to reporters on Wednesday.
Should he return, Schobel would have to make the switch from defensive end to linebacker in the new 3-4 defense coach Chan Gailey has introduced this offseason.
The possibility of Schobel playing this season would mark a major change of heart after he sold his Buffalo-area home this spring and relocated his family to Texas.
Along with wanting to spend more time with his family, Schobel was fed up with the team's performance. The Bills have not made the playoffs during his tenure and enjoyed only one winning season, a 9-7 finish in 2004, during that span.
He was also concerned about the toll that injuries and the wear and tear of another football season would have on his body once he's done playing. Last month, Schobel was so prepared to retire that he informed the Bills — through the media — that they should prepare to move on without him.
"A month ago, I was not playing," Schobel said, noting he spent much of last season "irritated with football."
His mood began to soften as the NFL season approached and he spoke to his wife about the possibility of playing. He also began missing the camaraderie with fellow veteran defensive linemen he's developed, specifically Chris Kelsay, Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams.
"I just needed some time," Schobel said. "The last couple of weeks, I started thinking, 'It ain't so bad.' ... Maybe it's the midweek blues, I don't know."
Also factoring into Schobel's decision is whether he has enough time to move his family back to Buffalo and able to get his children into the school they've attended.
That's a switch after Schobel, in March, said he was open to the possibility of living alone in Buffalo and traveling to Texas to be with his family on off days. He's now realized that the travel would wear him out.
He is certain this will be his last season.
"I'll be 33 in September and I've got to get on with my life," he said.
Schobel apologized for wavering on his decision, but said it's one he doesn't take lightly.
"I know I'm probably annoying people, but you've got to be 100 percent committed to this," Schobel said. "I apologize to the people I've irritated. But I guess I can't please everyone."
-- John Wawrow
Bills agree to deal with 2nd-round pick DT Troup
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Rookie defensive tackle Torell Troup agreed to a contract with the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday, a day before the team was set to open training camp.
Bills general manager Buddy Nix expected the nose tackle to arrive at camp in suburban Rochester in time for the team's first practice Thursday afternoon.
At 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Troup was selected in the second round — 41st overall — out of Central Florida. He is a run-stuffer who helped the Golden Knights finish first in Conference USA and fourth in the nation by allowing just under 83 yards rushing last season.
Terms of the deal weren't immediately available, but it's expected to be for four years and worth about $4.5 million, with about $2.6 million guaranteed.
A two-time All-Conference selection, Troup is expected to compete for the backup job behind starter Kyle Williams as the Bills make the switch to a 3-4 defense this season.
The move leaves the Bills with one unsigned rookie, running back C.J. Spiller, who was drafted ninth overall out of Clemson.
Nix said he's had talks with Spiller's agent, but cautioned it's too early to tell when a deal could be reached. Spiller's agent, Gary Wichard, was unavailable.
One drawback to negotiations is establishing the parameters of a deal with Spiller because of the few first-round picks who have signed.
Also Wednesday, starting linebacker Paul Posluszny said he will be limited at the start of camp after having groin surgery two weeks ago. Posluszny described the procedure as minor after he was hurt during the team's offseason minicamps.
Posluszny expects to work out on his own and be limited to taking part only in team walkthroughs for the first few weeks. He said it was better to have the injury addressed now so he could be fully healthy for the start of the season.
The injury is considered a slight setback for Posluszny, who is competing with veteran Kawika Mitchell for the starting middle linebacker's job alongside Andra Davis.
"I feel like I was able to pick up the defense pretty well in minicamp, but I definitely need to be out there," he said. "I feel like I will be a little bit behind. But hopefully, I'll be able to catch up when I get back out there."
Backup safety Jon Corto will miss at least the first three weeks of camp after having surgery to repair a broken left wrist. Corto is still wearing a brace after he aggravated an earlier injury during minicamp last month.
-- John Wawrow
Panthers reach deal with 2nd-round pick Clausen
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers signed quarterback Jimmy Clausen to a four-year contract that includes $2.53 million in guarantees on Wednesday, ensuring they'll have no rookie holdouts for the start of training camp.
The second-round pick from Notre Dame agreed to his deal hours before the Panthers reported to Wofford College. He was the last of Carolina's 10 draft selections to be signed.
"With your draft picks, any day they miss it takes a week to catch up," coach John Fox said. "I think it's always important to have your draft picks signed. We've done pretty well with that over the years."
Agent Gary Wichard and the Panthers worked through the night to reach a deal, which was struck after a fourth-year escalator — a rarity for a second-round pick — was included that tops out at $2.85 million. The total package could be worth as much as $6.3 million.
The deal was reached in time for Clausen to report on time. He was spotted walking into the dormitory while looking at his phone late Wednesday morning. He didn't stop for reporters and the team didn't make him available after an afternoon team meeting.
Clausen will likely start practice on Thursday as the third-string quarterback behind Matt Moore and Hunter Cantwell, but could eventually challenge Moore for the starting job. The Panthers released seven-year starter Jake Delhomme in the offseason.
"Has he signed? I don't even know," Moore said when asked about Clausen as he checked into camp. "It's huge. That's obviously the way you want it, so he can be here and not miss any meetings. That'll be good for him, not to miss anything."
Projected by many to be a top-10 pick, Clausen plunging to Carolina with the 48th overall selection in the draft. The fall cost him money, but he landed with a team that was looking for a QB of the future and one that runs the same pro-style offense he played under at Notre Dame.
Former Fighting Irish coach Charlie Weis once worked in New England with Panthers offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson.
The Panthers made room for Clausen on the 80-man roster by waiving linebacker Brett Warren.
-- Mike Cranston
Patriots sign 1st-rounder CB McCourty of Rutgers
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — First-round draft choice Devin McCourty signed a five-year deal with the New England Patriots on Wednesday as the team reached its goal of having all 12 picks under contract by the start of training camp.
The contract for the cornerback from Rutgers is worth $13.2 million with $7.825 million guaranteed, according to his agent, Andy Simms.
Rookies were due to report on Sunday, but the first full-squad workout is set for Thursday morning. McCourty, taken with the 27th overall pick, is the second first-round choice to sign. Dez Bryant, the Oklahoma State wide receiver chosen 24th by the Dallas Cowboys, is the other.
McCourty, who is expected to compete for a starting job, was eager to report by Wednesday, when veterans were due at 7 a.m. Simms said McCourty signed his contract at about 7 a.m.
"We worked pretty late (Tuesday) to get to this point," Simms said. "We know what's important in New England and that's to get to camp on time."
The deal signed by last year's 27th pick, running back Donald Brown of Connecticut who was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts, was a factor in the McCourty talks, Simms said. Brown signed a five-year, $12.835 contract with $6.845 million guaranteed.
The negotiations took place with the possibility of a lockout in 2011 if management and the players' union can't agree on a new collective bargaining agreement.
"The pending labor situation is something we had to consider. We worked with the Patriots on some of the issues," Simms said.
McCourty is expected to challenge Darius Butler, the 41st overall draft pick last year, for a starting spot. Butler started five of the 14 games he played in with three interceptions. In four seasons at Rutgers, McCourty had six interceptions and started the last 39 games at cornerback. He also blocked six punts and a field goal attempt.
Leigh Bodden, going into his eighth season and second with the Patriots, is the other starting cornerback.
-- Howard Ulman
Jets sign veteran QB Brunell to 2-year deal
Brees last season for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, to a two-year contract Wednesday.
The move had been expected for several months as New York sought an experienced quarterback to serve as a backup to Mark Sanchez. The Jets couldn't sign Brunell until free agency restrictions were lifted last week on the final eight playoff teams.
He worked out for the Jets a few months ago and then a second time Wednesday, before they signed him later in the day.
Brunell, 39, played the last two years in New Orleans and the previous four with Washington after nine years with Jacksonville. The three-time Pro Bowl selection spent his first two years as Brett Favre's backup in Green Bay.
The Jets had Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Connell as backups last year, and at least one will likely be cut before training camp.
New York, which made it to the AFC championship game last season, was limited by the NFL's "Final Eight" and "Final Four" plans. Until last week, the Jets were not allowed to sign an unrestricted free agent until one of their own signed elsewhere. When kicker Jay Feely signed with Arizona in April, the Jets used that opportunity to bring in Jason Taylor.
Brunell reportedly filed for bankruptcy last month because of failed real estate and other investments. The Florida Times-Union recently reported that Brunell owes $24.7 million in debts.
He has thrown for 31,928 yards and 182 touchdowns in 18 NFL seasons. Brunell was the 1997 Pro Bowl MVP, and shares the NFL record for most consecutive completions in a single game with 22, set in 2006 with Washington.
Brunell has started just one game in the last three seasons — the Saints' regular-season finale last year — but the Jets aren't looking for him to play much, if at all. He was brought to New York mainly to be a mentor to Sanchez, the second-year quarterback who helped lead the Jets to the AFC championship game as a rookie.
With 15 regular-season NFL starts, Sanchez had more experience than all three of his previous backups combined.
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Steelers' Colbert signs 5-year contract extension
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert signed a five-year contract extension Wednesday, less than a week after the team re-signed coach Mike Tomlin through the 2012 season.
Colbert, who has served as the Steelers' general manager but without the title since 2000, oversaw the teams that won the Super Bowl during the 2005 and 2008 seasons. His contract was due to expire next spring.
The Steelers' first-round draft picks during Colbert's tenure include safety Troy Polamalu, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, nose tackle Casey Hampton, running back Rashard Mendenhall and tight end Heath Miller.
"We are very pleased to announce that Kevin Colbert will remain with the Steelers for at least several more years," Steelers president Art Rooney II said. "Kevin is without question one of the best in the NFL at his job."
The extension ends speculation that Colbert might leave the Steelers after the 2010 season to rejoin Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh's coach from 1992-2006. Colbert and Cowher are close friends, and Cowher is believed to have wanted Colbert to be the general manager if Cowher returned to coaching in the NFL.
The Steelers face a challenging season after missing the playoffs with a 9-7 record in 2009. Roethlisberger has been suspended for at least four games, former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes was traded following a series of off-field issues, and right tackle Willie Colon was lost for the season with an Achilles' injury last month. Also, a defense that was the NFL's best overall the last five seasons is aging, with seven projected starters in their 30s.
"Our expectations are always the same — we're going to try to compete for the Super Bowl," Colbert said. "That's all we can expect."
Colbert, who grew up in Pittsburgh, was the Detroit Lions' pro scouting director from 1990-99. He also was a college scout for the Miami Dolphins and was the baseball coach at Ohio Wesleyan University and Robert Morris University.
The Steelers open training camp Friday at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.
-- Alan Robinson
Browns' Rogers, 2 others on physically unable list
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Defensive linemen Shaun Rogers and C.J. Mosley will start training camp on the Cleveland Browns' physically unable to perform list.
Second-year cornerback Coye Francies also is on the list with an undisclosed injury.
Rogers missed the final five games of the 2009 season with a broken leg and Mosley sat out the final four with an injured ankle.
Rogers still faces a possible NFL suspension, but has avoided trial on a felony gun charge that will be dismissed if the 31-year-old completes 40 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours in a gun class. Police said Rogers had the semiautomatic handgun in a carry-on bag at Cleveland's Hopkins International Airport in April.
Neither Rogers nor Mosley participated in spring drills. Francies, who played briefly in six games as a rookie, practiced in minicamp and had two interceptions.
The trio does not count against the Browns' 80-man training camp roster and cannot practice.
Chiefs sign 3, including both second-round picks
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have signed both of their second-round draft picks, wide receiver Dexter McCluster and defensive back Javier Arenas.
However, as of Wednesday night the Chiefs still hadn't signed first-round selection Eric Berry, a safety who is expected to become an instant starter.
Terms of the contracts for McCluster and Arenas weren't released.
The 5-foot-8, 170-pound McCluster caught 130 passes for 1,703 yards and seven touchdowns for Mississippi.
Arenas had 154 tackles and six interceptions in 52 games for Alabama.
The Chiefs also signed 6-foot-3 tight end Leroy Banks, who was awarded to Kansas City via a waiver claim. Banks entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Atlanta and played 23 games in two seasons at Southern Mississippi, catching 34 passes for 462 yards and four touchdowns.
Carpenter signs 3-yr extension with Dolphins
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Miami Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter has signed a three-year contract extension with the team, his agent said Wednesday.
Ken Staninger confirmed the extension through the 2013 season to the Missoulian, but he would not discuss the salary. The Dolphins have not announced the deal.
The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, citing NFL Player Association records, reported the deal was worth $6.205 million. Carpenter is reportedly making $470,000 this season, then just over $1 million in 2011, $2.525 million in 2012 and $2.675 million in 2013.
"I think it's their way of recognizing that Dan has made great strides in his time there," Staninger said. "He made the all-rookie team (in 2008), and then he made the Pro Bowl last year. He wasn't first-ballot, but he was good enough to get asked when the first guy (San Diego's Nate Kaeding) couldn't be there."
The Helena native holds the UM scoring record and the Football Championship Subdivision's kick scoring record with 413 points from 2004 to 2007. He has converted 46 of 53 field goals and 77 of 78 extra points in two seasons with the Dolphins.
Saints sign third-round pick, QB
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints have signed third-round draft pick Jimmy Graham. The team announced the four-year deal on Wednesday, but did not release any terms.
Graham, a tight end who played one season of football at the University of Miami, is the fifth of the Saints 2010 draft picks to sign with the team. New Orleans also agreed to terms with free agent quarterback Patrick Ramsey on a one-year contract.
Ramsey, who is entering his ninth NFL season, is a former first-round selection of the Washington Redskins in 2002. Ramsey has played in 37 career games with 24 starts in stints with Washington (2002-05), the New York Jets (2006), Denver Broncos (2007-08), Tennessee Titans (2009) and Detroit Lions (2009).
Indianapolis Colts sign 4th-round pick McClendon
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts have signed fourth-round pick Jacques McClendon.
Terms of the deal weren't announced, but the Colts traditionally sign players drafted after the third round to four-year deals with league minimum salaries.
McClendon is a 324-pound guard from Tennessee. He's Indy's fourth draft pick to sign in the last three days. Indy has already signed seventh-round choices Kavell Conner and Ray Fisher and fifth-round pick Brody Eldridge.
The Colts still have four unsigned rookies, including first-round pick Jerry Hughes and second-round choice Pat Angerer. Third-round pick Kevin Thomas is unsigned but is expected to miss the season with a knee injury.
The Colts open training camp Sunday at Anderson University.
Seahawks, WR Golden Tate have deal
SEATTLE (AP) — Second-round draft choice Golden Tate says he and the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a multiyear contract.
The wide receiver from Notre Dame posted on his Twitter page Wednesday morning that he had agreed to terms and conditions on his first NFL deal.
He says "let's play ball!"
Training camp begins on Saturday.
Tate is the highest of Seattle's nine draft picks to reach an agreement with the team.
The Seahawks' first-round picks — sixth-overall pick and left tackle Russell Okung and safety Earl Thomas — are the only two from Seattle's 2010 draft class to remain unsigned.
Vikings rookie QB Joe Webb signs his contract
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have signed quarterback Joe Webb, their sixth-round draft pick.
Webb's deal was done on Wednesday, making him the third member of Minnesota's eight-player draft class to sign. The Vikings start training camp on Friday.
Webb was named the Conference USA Player of the Year in 2009 after rushing for 1,427 yards for Alabama-Birmingham, becoming the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards or more and rush for 1,000 yards or more.
The Vikings originally wanted to try Webb as a wide receiver, but they were impressed enough by his quarterback skills to move him and give him extensive action running the offense at minicamp last month.
Bengals top pick TE Gresham unsigned
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — First-round draft pick Jermaine Gresham remains unsigned as the Cincinnati Bengals open training camp.
The Bengals signed second-round pick Carlos Dunlap, a defensive end from Florida, and receiver Jordan Shipley, a third-round choice from Texas, shortly after the rest of the team reported Wednesday.
That left Gresham, a tight end from Oklahoma, as the Bengals' only unsigned pick.
Last year, the Bengals got into an impasse with first-round pick Andre Smith. The offensive tackle didn't sign until Aug. 30, missing the first three preseason games. He broke his left foot two days later. Smith ended up playing in six games, starting one of them.
Patriots release oft-injured LB Crable
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have released injury-plagued linebacker Shawn Crable.
Crable was cut on Wednesday after never playing in a regular-season game for the Patriots, who drafted him in the third round from Michigan in 2008. He was inactive for the first eight games as a rookie before going on injured reserve because of an injured shin. He also spent last season on injured reserve after hurting his groin.
Crable's release came one day after he was placed on the active physically-unable-to-perform list and one day before the opening of training camp.
League News
Commentary: Poster latest show of NFL concussion reality
The HBO cameras are rolling in New York, where this season's "Hard Knocks" could make a star out of Jets coach Rex Ryan — and send parents across the country scurrying for the mute button on the remote control.
Then there's Cincinnati, where the T.O. & Ochocinco Show promises to be must-see reality of its own.
NFL training camps are opening across the country this week, much to the delight of football-starved fans. Along with the fun this season, though, comes a serious message about a serious issue the NFL tried for way too many years to ignore.
"Repetitive brain injury, when not treated promptly and properly, may cause permanent damage to your brain," warns a new poster that will be displayed in all 32 NFL locker rooms.
Quite a change from just a few years ago, when the NFL all but dismissed mounting concerns about concussions and their long-term effects. The league even trotted out doctors to say there was no definitive connection between concussions and brain damage.
Now players have the information right in front of them: Concussions can lead to everything from memory loss to depression to dementia.
"It's a leap forward and it doesn't hold anything back," said Chris Nowinski, a former college football player and professional wrestler who helped with the poster. "It clearly is a change in the thinking of the NFL."
That change in thinking came under new commissioner Roger Goodell, who should get at least part of the credit for recognizing the problem and dealing with it. Though the change came grudgingly at first, the NFL now appears serious about trying to do something about what was one of the dirty little secrets of professional football.
It won't help players from the past who died young or were left brain-damaged because of repeated concussions. But it might save some lives and a lot of pain for players in the future.
"I'm excited we're all moving in the same direction finally," said Nowinski, president of the Sports Legacy Institute and co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University. "I think the commissioner has made consistently great moves on this."
Goodell may not have had much choice. There was a growing amount of evidence on the effects of repeated concussions that was hard to ignore, and public campaigns by the families of former players were taking their toll.
Politicians were also getting involved.
"The NFL has had its four stages of grief: denial, more denial, some level of recognition and now research," New York congressman Anthony Weiner said at a hearing in May.
To Goodell's credit, he's now moving fast on an issue that effects millions of young athletes and is even more critical in a league built largely on the excitement of violent collisions.
Shortly after a survey of 160 NFL players by The Associated Press last season showed nearly one-fifth had either hidden a concussion or played while under the effects of one, Goodell issued stricter instructions for when players would be allowed to return to games or practices after head injuries.
Then a few more things happened. Two doctors whom critics accused of trying to help the NFL minimize the affects of concussions resigned from a medical committee, and the league started a database on concussion injuries. At the scouting combine this year, all 329 players were given a baseline brain activity exam for the first time.
Meantime, the NFL donated $1 million to the Boston University center — with no strings attached — to help researchers study the affects of brain injuries. More than 200 athletes from various sports have pledged to donate their brains to the center for study, including Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu and Arizona Cardinals receiver Sean Morey.
"It's been a huge problem for decades, but never have there been scientists who have committed to solve the problem," said Nowinski, who suffered six concussions in his career. "Now that we have those resources I expect huge advances."
The poster is a small part of the overall picture, but an important one. Whether players take it to heart is still to be determined; at least the message is in place.
It's a serious subject, as the heart-wrenching stories told by former players and their family members before Congress last year demonstrated. The fact the NFL took so long to recognize it as such is a disgrace.
Now the league has a second chance. As a result, players may live longer and more productive lives because of it.
Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org.
NFL retirees sue attorneys after suit settlement
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A groundbreaking legal case that seemingly concluded last year with the NFL players union agreeing to pay former players a combined $26 million for failing to look out for their commercial interests has now gone into overtime.
Several of those retired players, including Paul Hornung, John Brodie and Marvin Cobb, who believe the settlement should have been larger sued their attorneys last week in San Francisco federal court.
The disgruntled players accuse the law firms of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips and McKool, Smith of failing to introduce during a 2008 trial a crucial piece of evidence.
The lawsuit also accused the law firms of excluding several retired players who should have been included in the official list of 2,062 former players who will share the settlement.
The case date backs to 2007 when the retired players sued the NFL Players Association.
The retired players accused the union of failing to actively pursue marketing deals on their behalf with video games, trading cards and others sports products. A jury agreed and ordered the union in 2008 to pay the players $28 million.
The case settled last year in exchange for the union dropping its appeal.
In the latest lawsuit, the disgruntled players say their lawyers failed to show the jury an e-mail chain between union officials and executives at Electronic Arts Inc., which makes the Madden NFL video games.
Part of the jury's damage figure included $7.1 million it fined the union for failing to share proceeds of its $35 million annual contract with the game maker with any retired players. The e-mail chain quoted officials discussing the need to obscure the images of retired players appearing in "vintage games" in the Madden game series.
U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup declined to let the jury see the e-mail chain because the players' lawyers hadn't laid the proper "foundation" of evidence to show the messages were relevant. He said EA wasn't on trial.
But the lawsuit alleges that the lawyers could have found a way to include the e-mail chain, which would have led to a bigger award.
"There was no good reason for this failure," the lawsuit stated.
Maxwell Blecher, the lawyer who filed the most recent lawsuit, declined to comment.
"Our law firms are very proud of the jury verdict we won for our clients as well as the settlement that was approved by the court," said Manatt lawyer Ron Katz. "We plan to defend ourselves in this case with the same integrity and determination we exhibited in the retired players' case."
-- Paul Elias
NFL Alumni open HQ in NJ with focus on retirees
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The NFL's newly reorganized Players Alumni Association officially opened its new headquarters Wednesday night with a focus on the needs of its retired players and their health.
With the league's administrators, owners, and some current and retired players in attendance, commissioner Roger Goodell said he realizes the importance of having an organization — a totally separate entity from the NFL — that serves former players.
"The old alumni association was doing good work, but it really wasn't focused on the advocacy of helping retired players in other ways," Goodell said. "We're here to try to help support the intentions of this association."
In previous years, the NFL Players Alumni Association concentrated on charity-related events and finding employment for former players. Now, it's focused on getting proper health care for retired players, especially treatment for long-standing head trauma injuries, including brain damage caused by multiple concussions.
"I don't think any of us fully understood the importance of these injuries, especially with such an emphasis on brain injuries," Goodell said. "It's up to us to try to prevent these injuries from happening and when they do occur, learning how to treat the injuries and properly recover from them."
Goodell said the league's retired players wanted an organization separate from the NFL.
"They have that now," he said. "It's a very positive step. All the attention is good and lends to the awareness. ... We all have to do a better job helping the retired players, whether it's physical, mental or financial help."
All four facets of the NFL were in attendance, including Goodell, New York Giants owner John Mara, NFL Players Association president Troy Vincent and George Martin, the former Giants defensive end and newly appointed Alumni Association executive director, as well as Newark Mayor Cory Booker.
"Having the support of the commissioner, of owners and from the players' union really gives me hope," said Martin, who spent 14 years in the NFL — all with the Giants. "We have a mission ahead of us, providing services that were never available before. The impact of concussions is high on our list and it represents the unknown. We don't know how deep and wide the damage is. We will pay strict and close attention to that issue above anything else."
Mara said this was certainly a step in the right direction.
"The retired players were looking for unified leadership and there's no more respected or qualified person than George Martin," he said. "I know he wants to do the right thing. While what the alumni players did in the past was good in terms of their charity work, they needed to focus on the real issues that retired players had. The owners all have a priority to listen to what the players were saying. It's been a priority for most of us.
"I think the relations between the owners and retired players will improve in the near future."
Former Giants offensive tackle Roman Oben, who retired only two years ago, recognizes the importance of having a reliable alumni organization.
"We need to have sustainable leadership," Oben said. "It doesn't matter if you retired two years ago or 20 years ago. We have a lot of guys who played eight, nine years in the league and you can't just let them fall by the wayside. When you talk about helping retired players, it has to be a constant."
Former Jets All-Pro tight end Rich Caster is hopeful, but still a little skeptical.
"I think it's a very big and positive step, but we still have a long ways to go," Caster said. "The kind of high-level NFL support and representation here says a lot. If there's going to be something to legitimately help the old-time players from a health standpoint, then it's all good. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed. There are a lot of players who have applied for disability and haven't received it. They need to take a longer look how the standards have been set up.
"A lot of guys are still hurting. It's not an easy thing."
Elsewhere
Titans promote quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have promoted Craig Johnson to assistant head coach and running backs coach.
Johnson takes over for Kennedy Pola, who left the Titans for Southern California on Saturday, just five months after being hired. Pola's departure prompted the Titans to sue Southern California and Trojans coach Lane Kiffin for interfering with Pola's contract a week before training camp.
Johnson is in his 11th season with the Titans and has worked as quarterbacks coach for the past eight seasons, tutoring several standouts, including Steve McNair, Kerry Collins and Vince Young.
Dowell Loggains, who has spent the last two seasons as quality control for offense, will coach quarterbacks, and offensive assistant Richie Wessman will handle quality control.
Chiefs RB Jones urges kids to stay away from mines
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs running back Thomas Jones is helping children avoid the danger of venturing onto mine property.
Jones will be a spokesman for the U.S. Labor Department's Mine Safety and Health Administration in a program is called "stay out-stay alive." His message is aimed at everyone, but primarily at children.
The agency says dozens of people are injured or killed every year in recreational accidents at active and abandoned mine sites. It's a subject Jones knows well. Both his parents were coal miners and he grew up in the coalfields of southwestern Virginia.
He has recorded a series of audio and video public service announcements describing the hidden dangers of abandoned mines and quarries.
See archived 'Sports' stories »
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