Sources: Dallas Cowboys RB Felix Jones to miss next game

IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys coach Wade Phillips wouldn't say it, but the reality is backup running back Felix Jones will miss Sunday's game at Denver with a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, according to multiple sources.

Phillips said he's had players come back quickly from a sprained PCL in the past but doesn't know when Jones would return.

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Jones will be evaluated this week and next to determine if he can play Oct. 11 at Kansas City, but Cowboys officials believe Jones, with rest and treatment, will have a more realistic shot of returning Oct. 25 against Atlanta.

"It's possible, yeah," Phillips said of Jones coming back sooner. "It depends on how bad the sprain is when he comes back."

Jones was hurt during the Cowboys' 21-7 victory over Carolina on Monday night at Cowboys Stadium. After a 40-yard run in the third quarter, Jones went to the sidelines and told the trainers he had some discomfort in his left knee.

He did return to the game, but it was clear he was gimpy and was seen riding a stationary bike trying to loosen up his leg.

It's the second consecutive season Jones has been bothered by injuries. Last year, he was placed on injured reserve with a big toe injury suffered as he rehabbed from a hamstring.

As of now, Tashard Choice is the Cowboys' only healthy running back. Choice finished with 82 yards on 18 carries in the victory over the Panthers.

Marion Barber is close to returning from a bruised left thigh injury. Barber could play this week against the Broncos, depending on his rehab work. Phillips said Barber's injury was originally diagnosed as a 10-day to two-week injury.

His return for Sunday's game at Denver is also undetermined. Barber lobbied to play against the Panthers but was denied by the medical staff the day before the game.

"If we have to go with more, we'll have to see, and it depends on where our two guys are," Phillips said. "It depends on where Barber is and how healthy he is and if Felix happens to come back, we could have three."

Ruud suffers new injury blowSource: Dallas Cowboys leaning toward holding Marion Barber out of game against Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints put Pro Bowler Jammal Brown on injured reserve

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The New Orleans Saints have placed two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jammal Brown on the injured reserve list.

Brown had been out for the first three games after having hip and sports hernia surgery in the preseason. There had been hope he might be able to return around the middle of the season, but the Saints apparently determined that wasn't likely to happen.

Jermon Bushrod has been starting in Brown's place at left tackle. The Saints also signed offensive lineman Nick Leckey to take Brown's roster spot. Leckey was with the Saints for the first two games of the regular season and was released Saturday.

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Miami Dolphins acquire quarterback Tyler Thigpen from Kansas City Chiefs

MIAMI -- Chad Pennington's season officially ended with a trade that didn't involve him.

The Miami Dolphins placed Pennington on the reserve-injured list to create a roster spot for quarterback Tyler Thigpen, who was acquired Tuesday from the Kansas City Chiefs for an undisclosed 2010 draft pick.

Thigpen

Pennington hurt his right shoulder in the third quarter Sunday at San Diego, an injury that leaves his career in jeopardy.

The 33-year-old has since elected to undergo a third surgery to repair a torn capsule in his shoulder, according to the Miami Herald.

Dr. James Andrews will perform the procedure on Friday in Birmingham, Ala., the newspaper reported. Andrews previously operated on Pennington's shoulder in 2004 and 2005.

Thigpen shores up depth behind second-year pro Chad Henne, who is expected to make his first NFL start Sunday against Buffalo. Henne went 10-for-19 for 92 yards with an interception after replacing Pennington. Rookie Pat White is the Dolphins' other quarterback.

Thigpen, a third-year pro, went 1-10 as a starter for the woeful Chiefs last year after both Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard went down with season-ending injuries. He threw for 2,608 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

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Kansas City acquired Matt Cassel in the offseason, and Thigpen lost a battle this year with Croyle for the No. 2 job.

Thigpen is excited about the move to Miami, even though the Dolphins are 0-3, Thigpen's agent, Joel Turner, said.

"It's not like that team is short on talent -- they won the division last year," Turner said. "It's a wonderful opportunity. Nobody does it like Bill Parcells. For Bill Parcells to believe in Tyler speaks volumes about Tyler."

Parcells may have Wildcat duty in mind for Thigpen, who ran a spread offense last year with the Chiefs. At 225 pounds, he's a powerful runner and the first quarterback in Chiefs history to score a touchdown three ways: as a passer, rusher and receiver.

Henne is expected to get an extended opportunity as a starter. Taken in the second round of the 2008 draft, he has been considered Pennington's heir apparent for more than a year.

The Dolphins will be Thigpen's third organization. He was a seventh-round draft pick by Minnesota in 2007.

Kansas City Chiefs acquire offensive lineman Ikechuku Ndukwe, Andy Alleman from Miami DolphinsXisco engineered Spain move

Source: Dwight Freeney of Indianapolis Colts to miss two to three weeks with strained quad

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Doctors are expecting Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney to miss two to three weeks with a strained quadriceps, a league source said Tuesday morning.

It should be pointed out that in the past, Freeney has been a notoriously quick healer. But if doctors are correct, Freeney would miss the Colts next two games against Seattle and at Tennessee before Indianapolis hits its bye week on Oct. 18. Under that schedule, Freeney could return for the Colts' game Oct. 25 at St. Louis.

Freeney was apparently injured Sunday night, when Cardinals offensive tackle Levi Brown pulled the Indianapolis defensive end's face mask and Freeney heard a pop in his quad. He underwent an MRI exam on Monday and the Colts received the results Monday night.

Barca suffer Bojan blowSource: Indianapolis Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee) out 2-6 weeks

Minnesota Vikings' Brett Favre wearing pink equipment for breast cancer awareness

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Brett Favre will be in purple to face the Packers for the first time next week. He'll also be wearing a little bit of pink.

The NFL is honoring breast cancer awareness in October. Favre is one of four Vikings who will use pink equipment during Monday's game against Green Bay at the Metrodome, according to league spokesman Brian McCarthy.

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Chad Greenway, Chester Taylor and Antoine Winfield are the others.

Favre's wife, Deanna, is a breast cancer survivor.

Designated players throughout the NFL will be wearing pink cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline hats and captain patches among other items during October.

Favre will be facing his old team for the first time on Monday night. He signed with the Vikings this season. He spent 16 seasons with the Packers.

The Packers could get veteran left tackle Chad Clifton back from a sprained right ankle for their matchup with the Vikings.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Clifton's injury is improving, and the team will try to work him back into practice this week in hopes of getting him ready for the Vikings.

Clifton hurt his ankle early in the third quarter of the Packers' Sept. 20 home loss to Cincinnati, and he sat out Sunday's victory at St. Louis. A 10-year veteran, Clifton's return could stabilize what has been a shaky Packers line.

Barca suffer Bojan blowMinnesota Vikings’ Brett Favre says he may have cracked rib

Sources: Miami Dolphins QB Chad Pennington done for season

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington has been initially diagnosed with a torn capsule in his throwing shoulder and the Dolphins expect him to miss the rest of the season, sources familiar with the injury he suffered Sunday told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

Pennington will seek a second opinion from orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews, who has performed two shoulder surgeries on the quarterback. On Tuesday, Jeff Darlington of the Miami Herald told ESPN's "First Take" that the appointment is scheduled for Friday.

Pennington underwent tests Monday on his right shoulder, which he hurt early in the third quarter of Sunday's 23-13 loss at San Diego. He missed the rest of the game, and coach Tony Sparano said he didn't know how long Pennington will be sidelined.

"We don't have a comment, because the evaluation process is still ongoing," team spokesman Harvey Greene said.

Pennington has already had surgery on the same shoulder in 2004 and 2005.

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Chad Henne, who went 10-for-19 for 92 yards with an interception, will likely make his first NFL start Sunday when the winless Dolphins play host to Buffalo.

"We're going to have to go out there with Henne, who is a lot less experienced," tight end Anthony Fasano said. "There is definitely going to be a learning curve for Henne. He can learn as much as he wants in a classroom, but until he's out on the field, in-game experience he's not going to learn.

"But we have a lot of faith in Chad. He's a smart guy, a great leader and fun to play with. We're just going to have to move on."

A second-round draft choice in 2008, Henne has been considered Pennington's heir apparent for more than a year. The challenge for the offense will be to develop a chemistry with Henne, receiver Greg Camarillo said.

"Chad [Pennington] is our leader," Camarillo said. "Any injury to him is an injury to our offense. But it's also an opportunity for Henne to step up. We've got faith in his quarterbacking abilities. It's time for him to show it off."

The score was 3-all when Pennington was hurt on a hit by linebacker Kevin Burnett as he threw a pass. The injury appeared to occur with the contact, which caught Pennington in an awkward position, rather than when he hit the ground, Sparano said.

"Kind of a weird-looking deal," Sparano said.

Linebacker Joey Porter, nursing a sore right hamstring, also was unable to finish the game because the muscle tightened. Sparano said Porter will be further evaluated this week.

The injuries are another blow for a team rapidly regressing after a great leap forward in 2008, when the Dolphins improved their victory total by 10 games and won the AFC East. Now they're 0-3, and only three teams since 1990 have gone to the playoffs after such a slow start.

Sparano said lineup changes are possible.

"I told this team yesterday, it's not OK to be 0-3," he said. "It's not acceptable. If there's a place where we can shake some things up, we will."

The biggest lineup change may be at quarterback, but not because of a demotion.

Pennington was chosen NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2008 and tied for second behind Peyton Manning in the vote for MVP. But he has never put together consecutive productive seasons, in large part because of injuries.

"Staying healthy is my No. 1 goal," Pennington said before the season.

He has missed time during his 10 years in the NFL with career-threatening shoulder injuries in 2004 and 2005, as well as a wrist injury that sidelined him for six games in 2003.

Henne would be the 14th starting quarterback for Miami since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season. In the most extensive action of his brief career Sunday, Henne struggled with his accuracy and made a poor decision on the interception but showed good composure, Sparano said.

"I don't think at any point during the game he was flustered," Sparano said. "His look and demeanor for going into the game at that point were very good, and his handle of the offense was pretty good."

Dolphins tackle Jake Long, who played with Henne at Michigan, said everyone on the offense has confidence in the young quarterback.

"He's poised. He's a leader," Long said. "When he gets his chance, he's going to do good."

Shawne Merriman and Chad Pennington both leave Chargers-Dolphins game with injuriesRamos recovers from injury

Shawne Merriman and Chad Pennington both leave Chargers-Dolphins game with injuries

SAN DIEGO -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington was knocked out of Sunday's game against the Chargers with an injury to his right shoulder.AFC East blog

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The Dolphins didn't know the extent of the injury and Pennington will be examined on Monday.

Pennington was hit by linebacker Kevin Burnett after throwing an incomplete pass on third-and-7 from the Dolphins 40. He was slow to get up, then once he got to the sideline, took off his helmet and shoulder pads and had a bag of ice on his shoulder.

While with the New York Jets, Pennington missed three games with a shoulder injury in 2004, had offseason surgery, then injured the shoulder again in the third game in 2005, missing the remainder of the year.

"I've worked extremely hard and overcome a lot of adversity and been able to play when people said I couldn't play anymore," Pennington said. "To fathom that I've been through two surgeries and been able to play and play at a high level, I think it's quite an accomplishment.

"I am hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," he added. "It's not my first rodeo with injuries and experiencing things like this."

Meanwhile, San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman also left Sunday's game because of a groin injury.

Merriman tried to play with the injury, which he sustained a week earlier in a loss to Baltimore, but was forced out by early in the third quarter. Merriman didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday but did on Friday, and was listed as questionable on the injury report.

San Diego Chargers’ Shawne Merriman says he didn’t harm MTV’s TequilaPennant expecting success

Source: Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn safe ... for now

For now, Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn appears to be safe.

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Even with the vultures circling, the Redskins are not expected to make any moves with Zorn, a team source said Sunday night, hours after Washington suffered a historic loss to the Detroit Lions.

To make a move with Zorn now would present more complications than it is worth. Zorn is the head coach, the play caller, works closely with quarterback Jason Campbell. To lose him at this point would be too much for the team to overcome, the Redskins believe.

Calls certainly will mount for Zorn's job now that the Redskins have started this season 1-2 and are 3-8 in their last 11 games.

Few teams have been any more unstable than the Redskins, who have had five different head coaches, and one additional interim coach, in the past 10 years.

Sneijder sad to leave RealPittsburgh Steelers hold QB Ben Roethlisberger (Achilles tendon) out of preseason game vs. Washington Redskins

San Francisco 49ers RB Frank Gore leaves game with ankle injury

MINNEAPOLIS -- San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore left the game Sunday against Minnesota with a right ankle injury. X-rays showed no broken bones and the team has scheduled an MRI for Monday.

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Gore has been bothered by the injury since last week against Seattle. He rushed for 207 yards on 16 carries in the game, but did not play for most of the fourth quarter after getting hurt.

He left the game after rushing for 4 yards on one carry on the second possession of the game for San Francisco. Gore limped to the sidelines and tried to walk it off for several minutes before taking a cart to the locker room.

Glen Coffee replaced Gore as the 49ers primary running back.

Source: Denver Broncos’ Knowshon Moreno has slight MCL sprainAlonso receives injury boost

Source: Cleveland Browns players file grievances for fines

Last week, Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini addressed fining one of his players $1,701 for not paying the hotel bill for a $3 bottle of water. Now, some of Mangini's players are addressing the fines in their own way.

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To protest Mangini's fines against players, two grievances already have been filed with the NFL Players Association, said a league source, and three more are in the process of being filed now on behalf of Browns players.

All together, at least five grievances will be filed within the next 24-48 hours, and one NFLPA source predicted more could be coming.

Mangini has fined players for such offenses as not paying their hotel bills, players parking in the wrong spots, and having their cell phones go off in meetings. Mangini is trying to deploy structure and discipline to the Browns, just as he did in New York with the Jets, where he also encountered similar circumstances.

An NFLPA source said multiple Jets filed grievances against Mangini, but Mangini has said he won each of those grievances.

In the beginning of the season, Mangini passed out rules to the players of what they can and can't do and each of the fines he has imposed is for something that players were warned they couldn't do. It is why the organization believes it will prevail in their grievances and why what they are doing is necessary to get the organization operating in a proper and efficient manner.

New England Patriots list receivers Wes Welker, Randy Moss as questionable

Patriots receiver Wes Welker is officially questionable for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, while in a surprise, receiver Randy Moss is also questionable with a back injury.

Moss was added to the Patriots' injury report Friday.

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While both Welker and Moss were present for the start of practice Friday -- for stretching and kickoff return drills -- neither took part in the team-drill portion of practice.

Veteran cornerback Shawn Springs (knee) and rookie cornerback Darius Butler (thigh) were also added to the team's injury report on Friday. Both are questionable and had limited participation in team drills.

Also, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said that newly acquired linebacker Prescott Burgess could suit up for the game despite being part of just three Patriots practices.

"Prescott has been in a pretty sophisticated system," Belichick said. "I'm not saying we're the Ravens, but they do a lot of different things. He's working hard with [linebackers coach] Matt [Patricia] and [special teams coach] Scott O'Brien to pick things up. He's doing that."

As expected, the Patriots ruled linebacker Jerod Mayo (right MCL) out for the game.

Tight end Chris Baker (ankle), center Dan Connolly (back), receiver Julian Edelman (ankle), safety Brandon Meriweather (ankle), safety Matthew Slater (elbow) and cornerback Terrence Wheatley (knee) were all listed as questionable, while quarterback Tom Brady (right shoulder) was listed as probable.

For the Falcons, running back Jerious Norwood (head) is the primary concern. He is questionable and has not practiced all week.

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady suffers sore shoulder after hitAlonso receives injury boost

Source: Dallas Cowboys leaning toward holding Marion Barber out of game against Carolina Panthers

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Dallas Cowboys starting running back Marion Barber is desperately trying to return from a left quadriceps injury in time for Monday's game against the Carolina Panthers.

But the Cowboys are "leaning toward" holding him out, according to a source.

Coach Wade Phillips announced that Barber would participate in practice Friday on a limited basis, something he has been doing since Wednesday.

Barber has been pleading his case to play Monday, according to the source, but the Cowboys believe they have enough depth with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice to be able to rest him for one week.

Barber

Barber has responded well to treatment and the Cowboys are optimistic that he'll be ready for their game Oct. 4 against the Denver Broncos.

Barber hurt his left thigh at the end of a 35-yard run on his final carry of the Cowboys' 33-31 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night. He appeared to stumble on his own just before being tackled at the 7-yard-line. Barber had 18 carries for 124 yards and a 2-yard touchdown.

Marion Barber of Dallas Cowboys practices, says he feels fineToffees show Lescott love

Donovan McNabb unable to practice, unlikely to play

PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb is still not able to practice and it appears unlikely he will play this week.

McNabb, who suffered a broken rib in a season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers, is expected to miss his second straight game as the Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) meet the Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at Lincoln Financial Field.

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With the Eagles on a bye next week, resting McNabb gives him more time to heal before the Eagles host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 11. McNabb was at Thursday's practice, but only watched.

Third-year QB Kevin Kolb started last week in a loss to the New Orleans Saints and is expected to start again.

Veterans Jeff Garcia and Michael Vick, back from his league suspension, will be the backups.

Eagles coach Andy Reid has said that Vick is not ready to be a starter. Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Thursday that Vick definitely will see action in Sunday's game.

"He'll play. How much we'll see as the week goes on," Mornhinweg told reporters, according to The Morning Call. "I think he's in top physical condition. We'll see how he handles a few things we have in for him."

Vick, in an interview with CBS to air Sunday, said he thought he would be a starting quarterback upon his return to the NFL.

"This is not the exact scenario I thought would play out," Vick told CBS. "I thought I'd be playing with a team and actually starting."

Vick told CBS he plans on making his second chance in the NFL last.

"I know I can play this game," Vick said. "I know I can play it for a long time. I still have the speed, the quickness and the mind to run an NFL offense."

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Marion Barber of Dallas Cowboys practices, says he feels fine

IRVING, Texas -- Marion Barber walked out to the practice field in full gear and flashed a thumb's up.

His tight left thigh was feeling fine on Wednesday -- or, at least, good enough to give it a test run.

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When asked Wednesday about his condition by reporters, Barber, who rarely talks to the media, didn't seem to rule himself out.

"I'm good today, I'll be good tomorrow and then up until Monday," he said.

However, a team source told ESPN's Ed Werder that the Cowboys are skeptical that Barber will be healthy enough to play Monday night. Barber will continue to work with the training staff before a determination is made.

Barber strained his leg during a 35-yard run late in the fourth quarter of Dallas' loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night that might've been a 42-yard touchdown run had he not come up lame. He said it "felt like a bad cramp" and is hopeful of playing against Carolina on Monday night.

If not, the Cowboys have two capable backups in Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.

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Ex-receiver David Givens sues Tennessee Titans for $25M

Former wide receiver David Givens is suing the Tennessee Titans for $25 million, alleging that the club withheld medical information from him and let him play despite a medical opinion that his knee wouldn't hold up for a full NFL season.

Givens claims in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that a doctor discovered a defect in his knee during a physical around the time his contract was being negotiated in March 2006. He claims the examining doctor told team officials he "may need surgery at some point" and "may not be able to make a full 16-game season," according to the suit.

But Givens claims he was "kept in the dark about his condition" and urged to keep playing by team officials.

"The decision was made by the Titans management, coaching and medical staffs to risk serious injury and aggravation to a pre-existing condition without so much as consulting or discussing that situation with David Givens," the lawsuit said.

Givens, 29, blew out his knee in Week 10 of the 2006 season against the Ravens. An X-ray determined that the "previously known lesion and defect in his knee had crumbled," according to the lawsuit.

After multiple surgeries he has been unable to return to action.

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"His knee just exploded on him. He's had multiple surgeries, and it can't be fixed so that he can play football again," Givens' attorney, Dan Warlick, told WTVF-TV in Nashville.

According to Warlick, then-Titans general manager Floyd Reese and coach Jeff Fisher were given a memo about a physical examination for Givens taken before the 2006 season. He signed a five-year, $24 million contract with Tennessee in 2006 after four seasons with the New England Patriots.

The memo, according to WTVF-TV, read:

"Dr. [Tomas] Byrd is concerned about his ability to play for very long. His left knee has a large defect on the medial femoral condyle and may need surgery at some point. Dr. Byrd is concerned that he will miss some time and not be able to go through all of training camp and may not be able to make a full 16-game season."

Warlick alleges that this information was never conveyed to Givens.

"This information was never given to Mr. Givens," Warlick told WTVF-TV. "Had he known those things he would not put himself in a position where he ended up playing and blowing his knee apart."

Warlick claims that if Givens had his knee repaired before blowing it out, he could still be playing in the NFL.

Fisher told WTVF-TV that the Titans' medical, coaching and training staff are all "on the same page" and the team advises all its players about injuries.

"We would under no circumstances subject a player to potentially worsening the injury," Fisher told WTVF-TV.

Warlick said Fisher and the Titans will have to prove it in court.

"That's a wonderful policy, but they will have to prove they followed that policy. In Mr. Givens' case -- he said they did not. He got a copy of records, his medical records he had not seen before," Warlick told WTVF-TV.

Givens' former agent, Brad Blank, told The Tennessean that the suit isn't about money.

"It's emotional and physical, and the idea that his career was cut short. ... The issue is what could have been done better and was there some kind of malpractice or negligence," Blank told the newspaper.

"His knee looks awful. Emotionally, in terms of his upbeat nature. ... He is also not the happy-go-lucky, affable guy I used to know," Blank told The Tennessean.

According to WTVF-TV, Givens currently lives in Massachusetts.

Tennessee Titans bringing wide receiver Matt Jones in for visitInjury woe for Uche

Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen sued over shots fired at wedding in Costa Rica

NEW YORK -- Two photographers sued New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen for $1 million Tuesday, saying they were shot at during a post-wedding party in Costa Rica.

Brady

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan alleged that the photographers, though the shot didn't hit them, suffered physical and mental harm from the attack during a celebration in early April at Bundchen's holiday home.

It said Brady and Bundchen hired improperly trained security guards for the April party, two months after their wedding, even though they had to know their activities were a press magnet.

AFP photographer Yuri Cortez and photographer Rolando Aviles of Costa Rican national daily newspaper Al Dia say Bundchen's bodyguards narrowly missed their heads when the guards shot at their car after they refused to give up their cameras and memory cards.

No one was struck by the bullets, but the lawsuit said Cortez and Aviles suffered physical injuries and mental anguish that continues. The lawsuit said neither of them were paparazzi.

The lawsuit said AFP is one of the world's largest and most respected international press agencies with 110 bureaus worldwide. It said it incurred great expense to send Cortez, a staff photographer, to Costa Rica.

Don Yee, Brady's agent and attorney, declined comment, saying he had not yet seen the court papers. Bundchen publicist Alison Levy said she does not comment on her client's personal life.

Asked at his locker Wednesday if he had any comment on the lawsuit, Brady smiled and said, "No. I got no reaction to that one."

The lawsuit said the photographers received authorization from a neighbor of Bundchen to go on their property, where they "discreetly photographed" the party.

It said the photographers were returning to their rented car when a bodyguard approached them "in a menacing and threatening manner," demanding Cortez's camera and memory cards. Aviles ran off while Cortez tried to run but was grabbed by the bodyguard and immobilized with his arm behind his back, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit said Cortez was told that members of the Bundchen-Brady family wanted to talk to Cortez. It said he then picked up Aviles and drove to Bundchen's residence, where more men demanded his memory cards and one bodyguard tried to enter his car to remove cameras.

The photographers, both residents of Costa Rica, tried to drive away when they spotted a drawn gun in the hands of one bodyguard, the lawsuit said.

At that moment, a bodyguard fired the gun, shattering the rear window of the sports utility vehicle with a bullet that then hit the front windshield and ricocheted off it into the driver's seat, the lawsuit said.

"The bullet narrowly missed striking the heads of Cortez and Aviles," the lawsuit said.

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady suffers sore shoulder after hitCosta blasts Zaragoza

Philadelphia Eagles face uncertainty at starting, backup quarterback positions

PHILADELPHIA -- The only certainty in the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback situation appears to be uncertainty -- and it doesn't end with whether Donovan McNabb will start on Sunday.

Eagles coach Andy Reid knows McNabb or Kevin Kolb will start against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday -- McNabb if he's healthy enough to play, Kolb if McNabb can't go.

But who's the backup?

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Reid isn't sure whether Jeff Garcia or Michael Vick would be the backup quarterback.

Reid wouldn't even say that Vick is definitely playing against the Chiefs. Vick is eligible for the first time after serving a two-game suspension as the final league penalty for his role in running a dogfighting ring.

But Vick, calling himself "The Wildcat Originator," says he's ready for whatever role the Eagles have for him. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback has not played a regular-season game since Dec. 31, 2006 with Atlanta.

"I'm very excited to have the opportunity to go out there and play football, regardless of my role," Vick said Wednesday. "This is a dream come true for me."

McNabb's injury status remains unclear, as he will not practice Wednesday because of a broken rib that forced him to miss the Eagles' 48-22 loss to New Orleans last Sunday.

Kolb made his first NFL start against the Saints, throwing for 391 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

McNabb was injured in the season opener at Carolina.

Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb still in pain; Kevin Kolb likely to startPienaar backs Heitinga pursuit

New York Giants upset at Dallas Cowboys' Flozell Adams for Justin Tuck injury

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants are a little miffed at Dallas Cowboys' offensive tackle Flozell Adams.

Adams stuck out his leg and tripped Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck in the first half of Sunday night's game, causing Tuck to suffer an injury to his left shoulder. It knocked him out of the nationally televised contest.

Adams was penalized for tripping on the play, but that didn't stop Tuck from call the kick a "bush" move.

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"It's something he always does and he gets away with it and he continues to do it," Tuck said.

Fellow defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said a lot of the Giants players were talking about it on Monday.

"From being out there and seeing the quick replays, it looked like a pretty bad play," Kiwanuka said. "Guys get beat and they have to do anything to save their quarterback, but that is not an excuse."

Kiwanuka is sensitive about what he considers dirty plays. He hurt his ankle in the season opener last season when Washington Redskins tackle Chris Samuels fell on the back of it after being beaten on a pass rush on the final play of the game.

Kiwanuka didn't hesitate to call that a dirty play, and he cut Adams no slack on Monday.

"This is the NFL," Kiwanuka said. "People put their careers on the line everyday, in every practice, in every game. You don't want to risk somebody getting hurt off something cheap like that. You understand that they have a job to protect their quarterback, but there are rules in a game for a reason."

Tuck

Tuck underwent tests on his shoulder on Monday. Coach Tom Coughlin did not have the results when he spoke to the media.

Tuck said he expects to play this weekend when the Giants travel to Tampa, Fla. to play the Buccaneers.

Coughlin was not so sure.

"Anytime you have a player of that caliber that can't finish a game, I would think that something is going on there that is preventing him from continuing," he said. "And as I said, we'll just have to wait and see."

Adams downplayed the incident, asking what does "bush" mean?

"I never heard of that before. I'm curious. What is it?" Adams said.

When told that bush is slang for a dirty play, Adams said he did not know that Tuck was hurt.

"A shoulder injury?" Adams said. "From a supposed kick? Tell him to stay up. It ain't my fault."

Giants' starting receiver Domenik Hixon also underwent tests for a sprained knee sustained against the Cowboys.

Coughlin had no immediate update on cornerbacks Aaron Ross (hamstring) and Kevin Dockery (hamstring) and defensive tackle Chris Canty (calf), who all missed Sunday's game.

X-rays negative, but Dallas Cowboys’ Roy E. Williams likely done for preseasonRuud suffers new injury blow

Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb still in pain; Kevin Kolb likely to start

PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb told ESPN on Monday that he is still in pain and was not sure whether he will be back for the Eagles game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

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"There is still pain," McNabb told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio in a brief interview as he arrived for treatment Monday at the team's practice facility in South Philadelphia.

"With these rib injuries, I don't know. It's Monday. We'll see how it goes."

Eagles head coach Andy Reid said Monday that backup quarterback Kevin Kolb will take all the first-team quarterback snaps in practice on Wednesday. Kolb, who had 391 yards passing with two touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss to the Saints, will start if McNabb cannot play.

McNabb was injured in the season opener at Carolina. He didn't practice last week and was ruled out 90 minutes before kickoff.

There is no reason to rush McNabb back this week. Under the terms of his reinstatement, Michael Vick can play for the Eagles this Sunday. Team sources said Reid is putting together an extensive package of plays for Vick, including shotgun and Wildcat formations. Against the Saints on Sunday, the Eagles lined up in the Wildcat nine times, gaining 45 yards.

If Reid plans to use Vick as a quarterback on Sunday, he will have to list him as the backup to Kolb, meaning that Jeff Garcia would have to be the third quarterback. Under league game-day rules, if Vick were listed as the third quarterback, and Reid inserted him in the first three quarters of the game, Kolb and Garcia would no longer be eligible to re-enter the game.

Reid, who would not say what he has planned for Vick, suggested that Vick was not ready for full-time quarterback duties in a regular-season game.

"Is he 100 percent back? I don't think so," Reid said. "I don't plan on putting him in that position."

In the event Vick does play, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell does not plan to attend Sunday's game, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Paolantonio.

Xisco engineered Spain movePhiladelphia Eagles say injured Donovan McNabb doubtful for New Orleans Saints

Houston Texans' Chester Pitts to have arthroscopic surgery on knee

Houston Texans left guard Chester Pitts will have arthroscopic surgery Wednesday, when the team will find out the severity of his knee injury.

Pitts sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the second quarter of Sunday's 34-31 victory against the Tennessee Titans.

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Pitts is the only player to have started every game in Texans history, and with the surgery, his streak of 114 consecutive starts will end Sunday, when the Texans face the Jaguars.

"Obviously, he's going to miss some time. How much depends on [the surgery]," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said.

Pitts was hurt protecting quarterback Matt Schaub on a 21-yard completion to Joel Dreessen with 4:41 left in the quarter. He stayed on the ground for a few minutes before being helped to the sideline.

Former Texas standout Kasey Studdard, a third-year veteran who filled in Sunday after Pitts was injured, will take his spot in the lineup.

"Kasey plays the game on emotion and effort," Kubiak said. "He fits with the group. There was no fear there [after Pitts' injury during the game] as far as where we were going or how we were going to do. Our guys expected him to do his job, and he did. I'm excited to see him play. He's earned the right to play."

Injury woe for UcheHouston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing to miss preseason opener with injury

Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck has rib fracture, source says

Medical tests have determined that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who took a hard hit in the first half of Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, has a fractured rib, a league source said Monday.

Hasselbeck

It is not clear whether the injury will sideline Hasselbeck for Seattle's Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears, but the Seahawks are encouraged that the injury was not more severe, the source said.

Hasselbeck rejoined his teammates for the two-hour flight home shortly after Seattle's 23-10 loss in San Francisco.

Doctors tested him for lung, liver and kidney damage and did not find any, according to the source, but they did discover the rib fracture, making Hasselbeck the second quarterback in two weeks to fracture a rib. Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb suffered the same fate in the Eagles' opener and sat out his team's game against New Orleans on Sunday.

On Sunday night Hasselbeck posted on Twitter: "Going to be alright. Thx to staff at Stanford ... ." He also attached a picture taken of him lying on a gurney soon after the injury.

Ramos recovers from injurySource: Ex-Arizona Cardinal Edgerrin James signs with Seattle Seahawks

Report: San Francisco 49ers say New York Jets tampered with Michael Crabtree

The San Francisco 49ers, mired in a contract impasse with first-round draft pick Michael Crabtree, have filed tampering charges with the NFL against the New York Jets, the New York Daily News has reported, citing unnamed sources.

The Jets denied the allegations through a spokesman, the paper reported.

"We'll let the NFL figure that one out," Jets coach Rex Ryan said Monday on "Mike and Mike in the Morning" on ESPN Radio. "I think it's ridiculous, personally."

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According to the Daily News, specifics of the allegations weren't known.

"I wish we were playing them," Ryan said of the 49ers.

The newspaper reported the Jets continue to covet a big-name receiver after failing to land Percy Harvin in this year's draft. Harvin was picked 22nd by the Minnesota Vikings.

49ers team president Jed York has said he recently tried to schedule a face-to-face meeting with Crabtree and his representative, Eugene Parker, but hadn't heard back.

The 49ers have until Nov. 17 to sign Crabtree -- the 10th overall pick -- or surrender his rights, which would force him back into the pool for 2010's draft. Or they could trade his rights to another team by Oct. 20, the NFL's trade deadline.

Crabtree, who turned 22 this past Monday, hasn't accepted the 49ers' offer for approximately five years and $20 million with a reported $16 million guaranteed.

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Oakland Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 choice, signed a five-year contract that will guarantee him at least $23.5 million.

Jacksonville Jaguars top pick Eugene Monroe, taken eighth overall, signed a five-year, $25 million contract that includes $19 million guaranteed.

There have been multiple reports in the past month, including from his cousin, that Crabtree would re-enter the draft in 2010 and wait for the money he thinks he deserves.

Crabtree caught 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns last year during his sophomore season at Texas Tech. He finished his college career with 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 TDs.

Getafe almost landed PepInjured San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Jones to miss 2 months

San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson scratched for Baltimore Ravens game

SAN DIEGO -- Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson was officially scratched for Sunday's game against the Ravens.

He didn't practice Friday because of his sore left ankle and was ruled out after practice, as was first reported by ESPN.com's John Clayton.

The former NFL MVP, who was hurt in Monday night's 24-20 win at Oakland, hadn't missed a game due to injury until January, when a groin injury kept him out of a playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Tomlinson's carries will go to Darren Sproles and Michael Bennett, a late-season addition last year who made the roster out of training camp.

Also out are center Nick Hardwick (ankle) and defensive end Travis Johnson (groin). Right guard Louis Vasquez (knee) could also be sidelined, along with linebacker Antwan Applewhite (hamstring) and defensive tackle Jamal Williams (elbow). All three are listed as questionable for Sunday.

Hardwick will be replaced by Scott Mruczkowski. If Vasquez can't go, Brandyn Dombrowski will get his first NFL start.

The Chargers have the wrong opponent to not be at full strength. They expect a tough, physical game against the hard-nosed Ravens, who advanced to last season's AFC Championship Game before losing to the Steelers.

The previous year it was the Chargers getting one win away from the Super Bowl before losing to the New England Patriots.

"You've got two teams that are awfully good and see themselves as being pretty good," coach Norv Turner said Friday. "They are a very physical football team and we are a physical football team. So I think it's going to be a heck of a matchup. We both have aspirations of doing something very special. Both teams would like to have the kind of year to get there again."

Both squads are coming off wins over AFC West opponents. The Chargers beat Oakland 24-20 and the Ravens beat the visiting Kansas City Chiefs 38-24.

"I think playing in our home stadium is big for us," Turner said.

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Philadelphia Eagles say injured Donovan McNabb doubtful for New Orleans Saints

PHILADELPHIA -- Kevin Kolb took all the snaps with the first team in practice. He answered all the questions about his preparedness to start for the Eagles.

Kolb was publicly supported by his teammates, and kept his cool even as Jeff Garcia was signed as their backup quarterback.

He's done it all this week but start his first NFL game.

Kolb appears set to get that welcomed chance against New Orleans on Sunday. Donovan McNabb was listed as doubtful because of a fractured rib and sat out practice for the third straight day Friday.

The Eagles haven't completely ruled out McNabb, leaving open the slim chance that the quarterback who once threw four touchdown passes on a broken ankle can gut out a painful rib injury against the Saints.

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McNabb bellowed "I feel great" and laughed as he left the Eagles' locker room. Coach Andy Reid said there was a chance McNabb would participate in Saturday's walk-through.

"He felt a little bit better today and we'll just keep rehabbing him and see how it goes the next couple of days," Reid said.

Kolb, who has never thrown a TD pass in eight career games, is ready to start.

In an interview on the Jim Rome radio show, Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson said Kolb would start.

"In my mind, I'm the starter," Kolb said. "That's the way I have to think of it."

Kolb would get the start ahead of Garcia, who signed Tuesday as an emergency backup. Garcia would be the No. 3 emergency quarterback if McNabb could somehow play. Michael Vick, suspended for the first two regular-season games as the final league penalty for his role in running a dogfighting ring, is not eligible until Week 3 against Kansas City.

Garcia and Vick shared snaps running the scout team Friday.

Reid has faith in Kolb, the Eagles' second-round draft pick in 2007.

"He takes charge in there and he's done a nice job with managing the huddle and the plays," Reid said.

It has been a strange sight for sure at Eagles practice this week, where McNabb, Garcia and Vick mingle in the background while Kolb runs the offense. Three quarterbacks with a combined 12 Pro Bowls and six NFC title games are reduced to cheerleaders for Kolb and his 167 career yards passing and four interceptions.

Kolb said he was more comfortable at each practice and knows he's ready to handle the Saints and the rest of the NFL.

"I had about 12 people come up to me and say, 'God, you look as ready as you'll ever be,'" Kolb said. "Now it's about going out there and making sure it happens."

He has to make it happen because the fans will demand a change if he gets off to a slow start. Garcia was an instant fan favorite during his first stint here when he led the Eagles to the NFC East title subbing for an injured McNabb. Kolb has already been told he's earned the chance to start and finish Sunday's game.

There are no guarantees he'll get a second start no matter the result. With Garcia and Vick lurking if McNabb can't go against the Chiefs, the pressure is amped on Kolb to play well and win.

If Kolb throws three interceptions and the Eagles are down 17 entering the fourth quarter, why not try Garcia? He wished Kolb well, but said he's prepared to play if pressed into action.

"I'd be fired up," Garcia said. "If for some reason that opportunity presented itself, I'll be ready. I'll be ready to go."

Then again, Kolb could shine, McNabb could rush back and struggle, and those fickle fans could be chanting "We want Kolb!" on Oct. 11.

McNabb cracked a single rib when he was crunched by several defenders on his 3-yard touchdown run in the third quarter of last week's win at Carolina. He didn't immediately get up after the touchdown, and was attended to by Eagles trainers before eventually leaving the field on his own.

Kolb was 7-for-11 for 23 yards and sacked twice once he took over for McNabb.

Reid said McNabb's rib has become "sticky" -- or more stable -- which was encouraging.

"When they start feeling better, that's normally a sign that's happened," he said.

McNabb laughed at his locker when asked about his sticky ribs.

"I don't know what that means," he said. "I never heard that in all my life."

He's not the only Eagle hurting. Eagles defensive end Victor Abiamiri missed Friday's practice with a groin injury and was listed as questionable.

Safety Quintin Demps (hamstring), guard Todd Herremans (foot) and linebacker Joe Mays (shoulder) are all out Sunday.

They know their fate. Kolb wants a concrete answer on his role.

"Yeah, as soon as possible just because you want to know," Kolb said. "It doesn't matter because I'm preparing right now like I'm the starter. My mindset is that I'm starting and that's the way I have to think of it."

Philadelphia Eagles won’t rule out injured Donovan McNabbRibery denies Real deal

Ex-Detroit Lions receiver Charles Rogers arrested

NOVI, Mich. -- Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers has been arrested on a drunken-driving charge.

Hill: Chronicle Of A Downfall

Charles Rogers was on the fast track to NFL stardom, but drugs and immaturity led to an epic downfall, Jemele Hill writes. Story

The 28-year-old Rogers was arrested Wednesday afternoon after he refused a Breathalyzer test, police said. Results of a blood test are pending.

Rogers was arraigned Thursday on charges of operating while intoxicated and operating without a valid license. He was ordered held on $50,000 bond and didn't have an attorney on record with the court. A pretrial conference is set for Monday.

Both charges are misdemeanors and each carries a penalty of up to 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.

The second overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft served a 30-day jail sentence, with credit for 15 days, earlier this year instead of staying in an intensive counseling program after violating probation in a domestic violence case.

Rogers was found "non-responsive behind the wheel" of a 2003 Mercedes on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. The car was running and the vehicle was still in gear in a left-turn lane, authorities said.

According to a police report, Rogers did not respond to requests to open the vehicle's locked doors, resulting in fire officials gaining entry through the sunroof to secure the vehicle.

Rogers has struggled with sobriety in recent years. In an interview with ESPN's "Outside The Lines" this summer, he spoke of getting clean and turning his life around.

European reviewTennessee Titans bringing wide receiver Matt Jones in for visit

Philadelphia Eagles won't rule out injured Donovan McNabb

PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles aren't giving up hope of having Donovan McNabb on the field when they play their home opener Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

McNabb made a brief appearance on the practice field Thursday afternoon but did not take part in any drills, after fracturing his rib on a touchdown run late in Philadelphia's 38-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers last weekend.

"Donovan is working very hard," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "You know Donovan, he's doing everything in his power to get back out there, make it to this game. He's played with a broken ankle, a broken sternum and all these things. Donovan is a very tough man."

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If McNabb isn't available, the Eagles will go with Kevin Kolb, the team's second-round draft pick in 2007. Kolb would make his first NFL start ahead of veteran Jeff Garcia, who signed Tuesday as an emergency backup.

"If Kevin starts the game, he's our quarterback," Mornhinweg said. "It's that simple. I don't know if I can be anymore clear. I have great confidence in Kevin."

Kolb took nearly all the reps with the first team on Thursday. Garcia and Michael Vick, who is on the active roster but still must serve one more week of his league-mandated suspension, split the remaining snaps and worked with the scout team.

"I would expect him to play at a high level," Mornhinweg said of Kolb. "He doesn't lack for any confidence and that's a good thing. That's a good thing because I'm not saying he's cocky, but if you get a player that's even on the cocky side, it's a good thing to have."

Kolb has appeared in eight games in his career, including last week against Carolina. His most notable appearance came in 2008 against Baltimore, when McNabb was benched at halftime of a 10-7 game. The Ravens went on to win 36-7, with Kolb completing 10 of 23 passes for 73 yards with two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

"Going back to the Baltimore game, he did some really good things in that game against one of the very best defenses in the league," Mornhinweg said. "We did move the football up and down the field several times and he made a couple of critical mistakes.

"Really, there were three bad plays, two critical ones. You clean those critical ones up and now you have a chance to win the game.

"Sometimes to have great success you have to have many failures and sometimes it's sort of horrific type failures and if you are strong enough mentally and you get through that then you end up having some pretty good success."

Kolb completed seven of 11 passes for 23 yards last weekend against Carolina, but still is trying to get over that disappointing game against the Ravens.

"One of the problems with Baltimore last year, not to bring that up again, I just pressed too much," Kolb said. "I tried to show everybody right now, hey I'm ready. You just press and you can't press as a quarterback. In the forefront of my mind is just relax, play smooth, let the guys who are out there make plays and we have plenty of athletes to do it."

Meanwhile, Vick told reporters Thursday following practice that he has been happy with his progress on the field.

"Where I feel right now physically, I think my body has done a good job of responding to the conditioning and the beating I put on it the last three or four weeks," Vick was quoted as saying by 950 ESPN Philadelphia. "So I'm just excited."

Notes Other than McNabb, backup S Quintin Demps (hamstring), backup LB Joe Mays (shoulder) and starting LG Todd Herremans (foot) did not practice. Only Herremans, who is not expected back until after the bye week at the earliest, is listed out for Sunday's game.

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Lawyers for Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger claim woman's allegations made to shield her from layoffs

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Lawyers for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said in court documents made available Thursday that the woman who has accused him of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino concocted the story, in part, to try to shield herself from possible layoffs at the resort.

Roethlisberger

The woman fabricated the rape allegation against the two-time Super Bowl winner to try to prevent Harrah's Lake Tahoe from terminating her after she had taken prolonged bereavement leave, Roethlisberger's lawyers said.

Andrea McNulty, a 31-year-old Harrah's VIP hostess, has said she was hospitalized for several months last fall because of trauma from the alleged July 11, 2008 attack by Roethlisberger.

The quarterback's lawyers have said the woman's emotional collapse had nothing to do with a rape but resulted from a failed relationship with a married man and then a long-distance relationship that turned out to be a hoax.

McNulty filed a civil suit in July, alleging Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in his penthouse suite while he was at Lake Tahoe the previous summer to compete in a celebrity golf tournament. The suit says she was hospitalized for several months because she was traumatized after the alleged attack.

Roethlisberger denies the allegation.

After the woman returned to work in November 2008, she received a reprimand after having an emotional public outburst, Roethlisberger's lawyers said in documents filed in Washoe District Court in Reno.

"Plaintiff realized at this point that her emotional condition would not serve as a shield from possible termination. This realization led plaintiff to concluded that she needed more," lawyers said in the documents.

A telephone message The Associated Press left with the woman's lawyer, Cal Dunlap, Thursday evening wasn't immediately returned.

The filing, made in support of the defense's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, included copies of e-mails from the woman allegedly to the long-distance beau.

"Lots and lots of people getting laid off and lots of downsizing and consolidating departments," she writes in one, dated Aug. 21, 2008. "My 'Yikes' e-mail is in reference to me heading into a meeting to find out whether or not I get to stay. I was given the opportunity to resign with a good severance package but the timing didn't seem right so I passed on it and took the chance that I would not be picked to be laid off."

The woman's suit seeks a minimum $440,000 in damages from Roethlisberger, unspecified punitive damages and at least $50,000 in damages from eight Harrah's officials she accuses of orchestrating a cover-up of the incident.

Her lawyers, however, have offered to settle the civil suit if Roethlisberger admits to the alleged rape, apologizes and gives $100,000 to a nonprofit agency that helps victims of domestic violence.

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Kerry Rhodes, of New York Jets, wants to 'embarrass' New England Patriots

The New York Jets' defenders are talking big for their Week 2 matchup against the New England Patriots. Earlier this week, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins called this game the Jets' "Super Bowl" and on Wednesday, free safety Kerry Rhodes said he wanted to "embarrass" the Patriots.

The Patriots (1-0) have owned the Jets (1-0) since Bill Belichick became their coach in 2000, going 13-6, including one playoff game, against New York. Tom Brady and Co. have won the past eight games played against the Jets at the Meadowlands.

“

We will hit him more than six times. I promise you that.

”-- Kerry Rhodes on Tom Brady

Rhodes wants to change that -- and make a statement doing it.

"You go out from the first quarter on, from the first play on, and try to embarrass them," Rhodes said, according to the New York Daily News. "Not just go out there and try to win, try to embarrass them. Try to make them feel bad when they leave here. We don't want to just beat them. We want to send a message to them, 'We're not backing down from you and we expect to win this game, and it's not going to be luck, it's not going to be a mistake.' "

Jets coach Rex Ryan, the former Baltimore defensive coordinator, brought the attacking Ravens defense and its propensity for trash-talking to New York. The Jets surprised the Houston Texans in Week 1, romping to a 24-7 victory. The Jets' defense didn't allow a point, as Houston's lone score came on a defensive touchdown.

Brady, returning from a knee injury that cost him almost the entire 2008 season, was hit only six times by the Buffalo Bills in Week 1's comeback victory. Rhodes said Brady will be hit far more often by the Jets' defense, which hit Texans quarterback Matt Schaub eight times in Week 1.

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"We will hit him more than six times. I promise you that," Rhodes said, according to the Daily News.

Rhodes insisted the Jets "won't play dirty" but that Brady will be vulnerable.

"I'm sure if somebody is around his leg, or he feels pressure below, he's not going to step into his throw," Rhodes said, according to the Daily News.

"Any quarterback can be rattled," Rhodes said, according to the newspaper. "He's one of the best, don't get me wrong. That's evident. Any quarterback, Peyton Manning, even if you get in his face, if you rattle the quarterback, you get pressure on the quarterback, any quarterback it is, he's not going to be the same. Nobody. That's not to say he's not going to come back and make a play after."

Brady, in remarks to reporters on Wednesday, said he wasn't rattled by the Jets' tough talk and that in the end, "talk is cheap."

"I think we follow the lead of our head coach," Brady said. "I think because we feel a certain way, we don't necessarily need to tell everybody about it. I mean, we're confident. We have as much confidence as most teams in the league.

"No matter what you say on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, it doesn't matter much. I think our execution is what's most important and that's what we choose to focus on."

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady not focused on contractCadiz capture Tristan

Dunta Robinson, of Houston Texans, fined $25K for shoe stunt

Dunta Robinson's contract message on his shoe in Sunday's season opener cost him $25,000.

During Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Jets, the Houston Texans cornerback wore shoes with the words "Pay me Rick" written on them, in reference to general manager Rick Smith. On Wednesday, Robinson was fined by the team for his actions.

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Robinson remains miffed about not getting a long-term contract with the team despite signing his franchise tender more than a week ago.

"I got here today, and it was in my locker," Robinson told reporters, referring to the letter notifying him of the fine. "I knew it was coming. I talked to Rick [on Monday], and he said he was going to fine me, so there's nothing to be surprised about.

"It was over a long time ago. I've moved on. Me and Rick don't have a problem. I'm focused on Tennessee [this Sunday]."

Smith explained the team's reasoning for the fine, although coach Gary Kubiak had said Monday that Robinson didn't face a suspension or fine.

"When he reported to sign his contract, I explained to him how important it was that he not let his contract status become a distraction," Smith said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "He assured me he would do that.

"That's not the message we want to send. I explained that to him Monday. I let him know that clearly he didn't get the message when we talked the week before, and we were not pleased with it, and we were going to fine him and that we expected that his behavior be more reflective of our team philosophy and what we believe in."

Texans owner Bob McNair said the team doesn't need any distractions.

"Anybody that's being a distraction is not helping ourteam," he said when asked about Robinson. "That's the message andthat's what the coaches have told them and that's what Rick hastold them. It's time to be a professional and go out and do yourjob."

Cincinnati Bengals’ Andre Smith reportedly has weight clause in newly signed contractEspanyol name new captain

Source: Receiver-needy Indianapolis Colts to sign Hank Baskett

The Indianapolis Colts will sign former Philadelphia Eagles receiver Hank Baskett on Thursday, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

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The Colts have been in the market for a receiver since losing Anthony Gonzalez to a knee injury.

After releasing Marvin Harrison in a cost-cutting move in February, the Colts expected two former first-round picks, receivers Reggie Wayne and Gonzalez to step up.

But Gonzalez sprained ligaments in his right knee Sunday and is expected to miss several weeks. The Indianapolis Star, citing a source, reported Thursday that Gonzalez won't require surgery and hopes to return after the Colts' Oct. 18 bye -- meaning he will miss four games.

Baskett was one of seven receivers the Eagles carried on their 53-man roster through Week 1. He became expendable after Philadelphia selected Jeremy Maclin in the first round of April's draft and added Brandon Gibson in the sixth round.

Baskett had 72 catches for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns in 48 games with the Eagles.

Source: Indianapolis Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee) out 2-6 weeksGonzalez makes Moscow move

Bill Belichick: LB Jerod Mayo's injury not season-ending

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo probably will play again this season after hurting his right knee in the opener, welcome news for a team that lost Tom Brady for the 2008 season to a knee injury in the first game.

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"I don't think that's what it is," New England coach Bill Belichick said Tuesday when asked if he could rule out Mayo's injury being season-ending.

Belichick, who rarely gives details or timetables for injuries, didn't go beyond that, leaving it unclear when Mayo, last year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, might return. He said additional information would be in Wednesday's post-practice injury report.

Sources told The Boston Globe, however, that Mayo sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

He declined to address a report last week that Mayo hurt his left shoulder in the fourth game last season. Mayo played all 16 games and led the Patriots with 139 tackles.

He began calling defensive signals late in the season and his significance to the defense increased this year after outside linebacker Mike Vrabel was traded to Kansas City and inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi retired.

Mayo was hurt Monday night with just over four minutes left in the first quarter of the Patriots 25-24 win over the Buffalo Bills. Brady brought them back from an 11-point deficit with two touchdown passes to Benjamin Watson in the fourth quarter.

Mayo lasted longer than Brady did in last year's opener, a 17-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The quarterback tore ligaments in his left knee with 7:33 gone in the quarter.

It was a tough opening weekend for top linebackers. Buffalo's Paul Posluszny broke his arm Monday night but isn't expected to miss the whole season. On Sunday night, Chicago's Brian Urlacher had a season-ending wrist injury.

Belichick said in a conference call that the Patriots are prepared to stick with their game plan when injuries strike.

"We go into every game with the entire team understanding that we have to have somebody to replace somebody else at every position," he said.

After Mayo was hurt, the Patriots relied more on a 4-3 alignment than a 3-4, leaving starting inside linebacker Gary Guyton as the middle linebacker.

"Everybody kind of learns a couple different spots," defensive coordinator Dean Pees said Tuesday. "It is hard when a guy hasn't practiced that position all week. But for the most part they understand what to do. It's just a matter of recognition."

New England's offense sputtered for much of the game, taking time to settle into the regular season. Randy Moss said he was nervous but still made 12 catches for 141 yards.

"There's no way to simulate game speed on opening day on a practice field or in preseason," Belichick said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to improve ... and, I think, to some extent we did during the course of the game."

New England faces another AFC East opponent when it visits the New York Jets on Sunday.

First-year coach Jets Rex Ryan already has stoked the long rivalry between the teams, saying in August that he's "not intimidated" by Belichick.

"I think that's all not really that relevant," said Belichick, who led the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles this decade. "The most important thing to us is we're playing a division game on the road.

"However you want to say that -- put it in capital letters or put it in italics or phrase it however you want to phrase it -- I think division games are big games on our schedule and playing them on the road, those are huge."

Ryan said in a radio interview in June that he didn't come to New York "to kiss Bill Belichick's rings."

On Tuesday, Belichick was asked if anyone had ever kissed his rings.

He paused before answering.

"Uh," Belichick said, "I don't think so."

Ramos recovers from injuryNew England Patriots QB Tom Brady suffers sore shoulder after hit

Sources: Philadelphia Eagles RB Brian Westbrook a free agent after 2010

Brian Westbrook's long-term security apparently isn't as long as he had anticipated.

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A revision in the five-year, $32 million extension the Philadelphia Eagles running back signed last August indicated the $7 million option bonus due in 2010 wasn't exercised by the team, according to multiple sources. By not exercising the $7 million bonus, Westbrook's contract ends in 2010.

The complicated extension, which reportedly was 60 pages long, had supercedes and bonuses, but it gave the team the right to trigger a clause that would extend the deal from 2011 to 2013. Under the new deal, Westbrook's base salary increased from $4 million to $5.85 million this season and goes to $7.25 million in 2010. His cap numbers increase to $13.25 million in 2009 and $10.59 million in 2010.

Westbrook turned 30 on Sept. 2.

Forlan agrees extensionSources: Michael Vick to see action in first quarter

Michael Vick of Philadelphia Eagles activated from exempt list, added to 53-man roster

NFC East blog

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Philadelphia activated quarterback Michael Vick from its exempt list and added him to the 53-man roster, meaning he now is allowed to practice with the team. He will begin doing so Wednesday.

To create room on its roster for Vick, the Eagles released wide receiver Hank Baskett, whom the team has been trying to trade.

So now, when the Eagles practice Wednesday, Vick and Jeff Garcia will be a part of the quarterback rotation, though Donovan McNabb will not be. He is nursing a cracked rib that could prevent him from playing Sunday's game.

Baskett was one of seven receivers the Eagles carried on their 53-man roster through Week 1. He became expendable after Philadelphia selected Jeremy Maclin in the first round of April's draft and added Brandon Gibson in the sixth round.

Vick was suspended for the first two regular-season games as the final league penalty for his role in running a dogfighting ring.

Sources: Michael Vick ruling expected by SaturdayIbrahimovic claims questioned

Indianapolis Colts monitoring WR Anthony Gonzalez's knee injury

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts expected Anthony Gonzalez to replace Marvin Harrison this season. Now they could be looking for a replacement to The Replacement.

One day after losing Gonzalez in a 14-12 victory over Jacksonville, team president Bill Polian said Gonzalez sprained ligaments in his right knee and the team is not sure how much time the third-year receiver could miss. Polian did not identify which ligaments were injured.

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Clearly, though, the Colts are making backup plans and apparently they don't include Harrison.

"We will sit down with our pro personnel folks and talk through who the best veteran guy might be, who fits our system best," Polian said on his weekly Monday night radio show. "It's predicated, largely, on how long Gonzo is out. If he's gone for four weeks or more, then the likelihood is that we would make a change. If he's gone for four weeks or less, then probably not the sense of urgency to make a change."

A source confirmed an NFL.com report to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Sunday that Gonzalez will miss 2 to 6 weeks. Polian and coach Jim Caldwell said they wouldn't know more until meeting with the medical staff later Monday. Polian said it was not a season-ending injury.

Fans have been buzzing about the possibility of re-signing Harrison, the franchise's career receiving leader. He is available and though his numbers decreased following a 2007 knee injury, he knows three-time MVP Peyton Manning better than anyone, has intimate knowledge of the Colts offense and remains a favorite among fans and his ex-teammates.

A message was left by The Associated Press with Harrison's agent, Tom Condon. Harrison's 1,102 receptions rank second in league history -- behind only Jerry Rice.

But after Caldwell refused to rule out the possibility Monday afternoon, Polian did just that hours later.

"It really is counterproductive to try and bring a player in who's not had any training camp, not had any offseason [work]," Polian said. "So if we're going to add someone, it would be someone who's been in training camp and possibly is a little younger than Marvin."

The Colts had big expectations for Gonzalez, their 2007 first-round draft pick, after releasing Harrison in a cost-cutting move in February. Gonzalez's numbers last season were nearly identical to Harrison's.

But all those plans may have changed the moment Gonzalez stepped across the line of scrimmage late in the first quarter Sunday. As he ran left, Gonzalez crumbled to the ground without touching anyone and clutched his knee. He was carried off the field without putting any weight on the right leg.

"We know it is not season-ending," Polian said. "I will probably know more in a couple of hours, but the fact is it's not season-ending and that's a good sign."

Indy's problem at receiver is glaring because the Colts kept only four receivers on the active roster -- three-time Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne, second-year pro Pierre Garcon, rookie Austin Collie and Gonzalez.

Wayne has 586 career receptions. The other three have combined for 103 catches, 94 of those by Gonzalez.

Garcon caught four passes last season -- only one of those from Manning -- and Collie was a fourth-round draft pick in April. On Sunday, the two combined to catch to catch five passes for 39 yards.

What else could the Colts do?

They might activate Taj Smith, John Matthews or both from the practice squad. Smith spent most of last season on Indy's practice squad, knows the offense and played well in the preseason. He caught five passes for 59 yards and one touchdown and also made an impact on special teams.

"Hopefully, something will come about, but if not, I'll just keep working," Smith said. "If I get that chance, it will be the moment I've been waiting for."

Matthews was an undrafted rookie from San Diego who made seven catches for 85 yards in the preseason.

Indy also could revert to an old tactic, moving Clark into the slot. Clark has played there before, partly because of injuries. Or they could put second-year tight end Jacob Tamme, who some consider a virtual clone of Clark, in the slot.

Source: Indianapolis Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee) out 2-6 weeksGonzalez makes Moscow move

Source: Indianapolis Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee) out 2-6 weeks

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez left Sunday's game against Jacksonville in the first quarter with a right knee injury.

A source confirmed an NFL.com report to ESPN's Adam Schefter that Gonzalez suffered a strained ligament in the knee and will miss 2 to 6 weeks.

The Colts plan more tests for Gonzalez on Monday and will monitor any swelling.

Gonzalez wasn't touched on the play in which he was hurt. He started his route, then fell to the ground. He was helped off the field and put no pressure on the right leg.

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing to miss preseason opener with injuryGonzalez makes Moscow move

Sources: Jerry Jones fined for labor remarks

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made a comment about revenue sharing and now he's sharing his revenue with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Jones

Jones has been fined at least $100,000 for violating a gag order on labor issues last week, according to league sources.

Jones stated on Sept. 4 that revenue sharing is "on its way out," while doing a media interview originally intended to support Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf's quest for a new stadium.

Revenue sharing is considered a critical component of the NFL's pending collective bargaining talks since the owners exercised an option in May 2008 to terminate the deal after the 2010 season.

Goodell

The union has maintained that the owners' biggest issue is amongst themselves because of the revenue sharing model and Jones' comments seemingly emboldened that position.

Goodell had issued a gag order for all owners and team executives from discussing any aspect of the pending labor issues. Jones crossed the line, drawing a "six-figure" fine, sources said, as the commissioner distributed a memo Friday to all 32 owners, along with a reminder that the gag order remains in effect. Goodell did not disclose the specific amount of Jones' fine in the memo.

A league spokesman declined to confirm or deny the fine, labeling such an issue as an "internal matter."

Jones didn't apologize for his comments in a statement released Sunday.

"If my comments in Minnesota were viewed as being over the line, then so be it," he said. "The comments were made in an effort to assist a fellow NFL owner and his team's pursuit of bringing a new stadium to the fans of the Twin Cities. Having just completed the process of stadium construction, and knowing how much it means to an NFL market, this is something that I would do for any of my ownership partners. It just goes to show how intertwined labor issues are with the construction of new stadiums -- from a positive perspective."

When he was last heard from in Minnesota as the Cowboys wrapped up the preseason, Jones tried to send a message to assist Wilf's efforts for a new stadium. He made himself available to the Minnesota media as a favor to Wilf, according to a Cowboys source.

"Right now, we are subsidizing this market," Jones said. "It's unthinkable to think that the market you've got here, with 3.5 million people, and have teams like Kansas City and Green Bay subsidizing this market. That will stop. That's going to stop. That's called revenue sharing. That's on its way out."

Brett Favre’s arm motion looks fine, Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress saysPires has no plans to retire

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher's season is over after wrist injury

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair his dislocated right wrist -- a major blow for a team with high expectations.

Urlacher

Team spokesman Jim Christman confirmed a Chicago Tribune report Monday, saying "Brian did have surgery this morning and he is out for the remainder of the season." Urlacher had said in a text message to the newspaper that his "season is over."

Urlacher, a 10-year veteran, apparently was injured in the first quarter of Sunday night's 21-15 loss at Green Bay making a tackle on Packers running back Ryan Grant. He played in the second quarter, but left on the Packers' first drive of the second half.

While the arrival of Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler sent expectations in Chicago soaring, the Bears were also counting on a healthy Urlacher to help them get back to the playoffs after missing the postseason the past two years. The six-time Pro Bowl player appeared to be in better shape after being limited by back and neck problems in recent years, and he was off to a good start on Sunday.

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He flattened Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers just after he released a pass in the first quarter and had three tackles.

Now the Bears will have to make do without the longtime face of the franchise -- Urlacher had started 49 consecutive games and has missed a total of seven games -- all in 2004. Chicago could also be short-handed in other areas.

Tight end Desmond Clark took a hard hit after making a catch in the third quarter and left the game with a back injury. Left guard Frank Omiyale also went down for several minutes moments later after spraining his ankle and limping off the field.

Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa also left in the first half with a knee injury, but Urlacher's injury creates a big hole on a defense that was trying to regain its dominant form after two mediocre seasons.

With Urlacher out, Hunter Hillenmeyer could see more time after replacing him on Sunday.

The Bears have been in contact with free-agent linebacker Derrick Brooks, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, to fill the void left by Urlacher's injury, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. It's possible the Bears could sign the 36-year-old Brooks as early as Monday.

Bears coach Lovie Smith was a member of Tampa Bay's coaching staff during Brooks' days with the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Angelo Crowell is lost for seasonRamos recovers from injury