Faine pens fan letter clarifying criticism of Bucs workouts

When veteran center Jeff Faine caught wind of criticism from Bucs fans and bloggers decrying his absence from the player-only workouts he earlier mocked, he wrote an open letter to the St. Petersburg Times vowing to attend upcoming practices.

"I don't typically respond to blogs but I found it necessary to respond to a recent post when my dedication to my team and the quality of my character as a captain was questioned," Faine wrote. "The Buccaneers fans deserve to hear the truth directly from me. There is nothing more I'd rather be doing than going through the offseason program and preparing for the upcoming season with my teammates on our journey to compete for a championship."

In February, Faine indicated that player-led workouts would be a challenge to organize and execute.

"You're not going to see Josh Freeman and our receiving corps down at the University of Tampa soccer field," Faine told the Times. "They might go out there and run some routes and throw. But you're talking about getting an entire receiving corps together being able to work against an entire defensive backs corps. It's just not going to happen."

Faine also spoke to WQYK-AM this week, according to the Times, saying: "I guess they wanted me to come snap the ball a little bit and block air. But I decided my time was best served in the weight room than making sure that our snaps were still good."

Faine wrote in his letter Friday that he has missed workouts due to scheduling issues and never meant to question the leadership of third-year quarterback Josh Freeman.

Five surgeries later, Bucs TE Kellen Winslow is learning to cope with his battered right knee and hoping for his best season yet. I feel as ready as I can be right now," he said. More...

"Back in February when I was asked about the feasibility of organizing player workouts, I wasn't questioning Josh Freeman's ability as a leader, I was more saying how difficult it will be for any individual to logistically get the entire team together for an offseason program comparable to one organized by the Buccaneers. If I wasn't clear on that matter, I apologize.

"I can assure you that my dedication to my team, the Buccaneers organization and the Tampa community has never wavered. I take pride in sharing not only football experience, but life skills and business knowledge that my teammates can use after their football careers end. This quality is why I have been voted a captain the past three years. It would be tough to find a player in this league that wears that captain's patch with more pride."

Faine, who has started 36 games for the Bucs since joining the team in 2008, appearing in eight last season, promised fans he would be a presence at future team workouts.

"As Josh well knows, the relationship between a center and the quarterback is of utmost importance and he knows that I support him completely in his efforts to prepare during the lockout. Although I missed the first three days of field work in Tampa because of prior commitments, I will be part of future sessions to build team camaraderie. As professionals, we are all accountable for our training and preparation regardless of where we live in the off season. I can assure you I will do all I can to continue to build on our team success from last season."

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Compound used in Vick dogfighting ring sold to animal group

NORFOLK, Va. -- An animal-rights group bought Michael Vick's former dogfighting compound Friday and plans to turn it into a rehabilitation center for chained and penned dogs.

Vick, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, pleaded guilty to federal felony charges in 2007 and served 18 months in federal prison for running Bad Newz Kennels from the property, which led him to financial ruin. He eventually sold the Surry County property to a developer who had difficulty unloading it following Vick's conviction.

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Dogs Deserve Better of Tipton, Pa., bought the five-bedroom home for about $600,000.

"I think by us overtaking this property, we are winning for the dogs," said Tamira Thayne, the group's founder. "We are, in essence, giving this property back to the dogs that were abused there by using it to help other dogs just like them."

The organization paid for the house with a 30 percent down payment secured through donations and a loan. An anonymous donor has agreed to make payments for the next 10 years, but Thayne said fundraising will continue.

Ultimately, the group wants to raise $3 million to fully pay for the site, install fencing and build a facility for the dogs. The house will serve as the group's new headquarters, and Thayne said she or another staff member will live there to monitor the dogs.

The home has 4½ bathrooms, two fireplaces, cathedral ceilings, walk-in closets and an attached, two-car garage.

Thayne said she hasn't had any contact with Vick but has been told a filmmaker wants to take the quarterback back to the property where the dogfighting has occurred.

Thayne said she isn't sure what she would say to Vick if he visited.

"I would like to see that he's really remorseful, and I personally don't feel that I've seen that, because actions speak louder than words," she said. "I haven't seen him really put effort into making amends."

The former Atlanta Falcon signed with the Eagles in August 2009, less than one month after his release from prison, prompting an outcry from animal-rights groups and animal-loving football fans.

Vick has since started working with the Humane Society of the United States to stop organized animal fighting and had a Pro Bowl season for the Eagles in 2010 after taking over as the starting quarterback.

"I've come to learn the hard way that dogfighting is a dead-end street," Vick said in April in a statement posted on the Humane Society's website following the release of an application for Android phones that featured dogfighting. "Now, I am on the right side of this issue, and I think it's important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty, even in an Android app."

Eagles media representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Vick on the house sale.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Hoodie for gown: Pats' Belichick speaks at son's high school

Bill Belichick traded in his hooded sweatshirt for a graduation gown on Friday when he gave the commencement address to 127 outgoing students at Suffield Academy in Connecticut.

Belichick, father of graduating senior Brian C. Belichick, spoke to students, friends and family at the private high school, weaving in life advice with references to his celebrated career in the NFL.

“There’s no ‘I’ in team, but there is an ‘I’ in win,” the New England Patriots coach said, according to The Republican. “That stands for individual achievement. You need to do your job, because without it, there’s no leadership.”

Belichick preached the importance of leadership.

“The greatest leaders I’ve coached just go out there and do their job with a good attitude,” he said.

Belichick is not known for showing emotion on the football field. He was open with the students, however, urging them to treasure family and friendships.

“Your mission in life is to love life,” he said. “Chase the dreams you have, not somebody else’s.”

Belichick, who grew up in Maryland and graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, is entering his 12th season as head coach of the Patriots. He has won eight AFC East crowns, four conference championships, and three Super Bowl titles.

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Snyder on football operations: 'I don’t want to be involved'

Owner Daniel Snyder brought in coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen to guide the Redskins out of the shadows, and he has no intentions of stepping on their toes.

Snyder told NBC Washington on Thursday that the perception that he's hands-on -- perhaps overly so -- with football decisions is incorrect.

"You know what’s interesting ... is a little bit of a misperception here," Snyder said. "When Joe Gibbs was here for over four seasons, nobody came to talk to me about football, and the same thing now. It was very similar between Mike Shanahan and Joe Gibbs, that they take command of the football team, and I love that.

"I mean, for me it’s easy. I don’t want to be involved. I enjoyed this draft probably more than any draft we had, because these guys worked so hard at preparation. It’s very different than Vinny Cerrato -- their structure -- and I can tell you that I thought the trades and the moves that Bruce made to accomplish what he accomplished was really remarkable. It was a great Redskin day, and I think people two or three years from now are going to love this draft."

Snyder also addressed the status of quarterback Donovan McNabb, whose future with the team is unclear following a dramatic and tumultuous campaign that resulted in his benching at the end of last season.

"I think that, first of all, let's see what happens. It's really up to Bruce and Mike ... you trust them. They'll do the right thing. I don't they've made any decisions of what they want to do yet. So we'll find out."

Snyder dismissed the idea that it is "clear cut" McNabb couldn't possibly return for another season.

"No, no, I wouldn't say that at all," he said. "We'll see what happens."

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Police: Talib's mother says her son could have fired gun at man

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Pats CB Bodden itching to play after missing last season

New England Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden said he's "firing on all cylinders" and ready to get back on the field after his 2010 season was wiped out due to torn rotator cuff surgery.

After six seasons with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, Leigh Bodden is anxious to get back on the field with the playoff-caliber Patriots. (Elise Amendola/Associated Press)

"I can’t wait to get out there," Bodden told the Boston Herald in a story for Sunday's editions. "Whenever everything is said and done, I’ll be ready."

With the shoulder injury he suffered last preseason behind him, the seven-year veteran has been working out in Los Angeles during the NFL lockout.

Bodden signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Patriots last year, only to see the team invest a first-round pick on cornerback Devin McCourty in 2010 and a second-rounder on Ras-I Dowling this past month.

Bodden isn't threatened by coach Bill Belichick's decision to stock up on defensive backs in an increasingly pass-happy league.

"Me going down this past year. Then (Jonathan) Wilhite went down. I remember those guys telling me, in some of those games, we dressed only three corners. That’s something you just can’t have. You need depth at that position.

"Bill knows what he’s doing with his draft picks. He knows what he wants. You never can have too many cornerbacks in this league. Teams have three, four legit wide receivers, so you have to be prepared for that. Having an extra cornerback is not wrong in my opinion."

Bodden spent five seasons with the Cleveland Browns and one with the Detroit Lions before joining the Patriots in 2009. He started 14 games for New England that season and registered 55 tackles and five interceptions.

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Young gun in town: QB Kaepernick joins 49ers workouts

The San Francisco 49ers welcomed a new face this week with the arrival of rookie signal-caller Colin Kaepernick, who threw to teammates at player-only workouts in the San Jose area, according to The Sacramento Bee on Friday.

Kaepernick first joined Wednesday's practice, but The Bee said Friday's passing session marked his most intense activity yet since undergoing a procedure on his left leg after the 49ers selected him in the second round of last month's draft.

Kaepernick is the second 49ers rookie to work out with veterans after receiver Ronald Johnson, a sixth-round pick, practiced with teammates for 10 days soon after the draft.

It's been suggested that the strong-armed, fleet-footed Kaepernick will find his way into the 49ers' attack, even if he sits behind Alex Smith, who also has actively attended workouts during the NFL lockout, along with 14 other teammates. The Bee reports that Smith has been joined by defensive linemen Isaac Sopoaga and Justin Smith, offensive linemen Joe Staley and Adam Snyder, and receivers Kevin Jurovich and Josh Morgan.

Kaepernick earlier received a copy of the 49ers playbook from a teammate, but is unable to communicate with San Francisco's coaching staff during the lockout. He planned reach out to Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who played under new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh for the previous three seasons.

As for Kaepernick, the newspaper reports that it's not only the playbook and his new team he's getting used to -- the rookie just made the move from his parents house in Turlock, Calif. to the Bay Area.

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Gaither's back 'feeling great'; OT eyes return to lineup

Agent Drew Rosenhaus says his client Jared Gaither, the hulking 6-foot-9, 340-pound offensive tackle who missed all last season for the Baltimore Ravens with an upper back injury, has made a full recovery.

"Jared Gaither's back is totally healed," Rosenhaus tweeted Saturday. "He's had a great offseason and will have a bounce back yr. He's back to full strength & ready to go."

"Basically, I'm cleared," Gaither confirmed to the Carroll County Times. "I just have to be cleared by the ballclub and take that physical. I'm doing a lot better. I'm feeling great. I can't wait for next season."

Despite Gaither's rehabilitation, his status with the team is in limbo after spending most of last season on injured reserve -- and the lingering NFL lockout only muddies those waters.

Under last year's rules, Gaither stands as a restricted free agent. Under a new collective bargaining agreement, the four-year veteran could be an unrestricted free agent, in which case the team is unlikely to furnish him a lucrative contract with injury red flags waving, the Times reported.

"I have no control over that, and I just hope everything gets worked out," Gaither told the Times after last season, saying he's leaving his contract status for Rosenhaus to figure out. "However that works out, if they do tender me or don't, there's not that much I can do about that. I'm prepared for anything. You just don't know what's going to happen."

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is taking a wait-and-see approach to Gaither's future, noting that as a restricted free agent, Gaither would remain part of the team and "if he's healthy, he'd get a chance to come back and start."

Gaither's started 28 games for the Ravens since being selected in the fifth round 2007 NFL Supplemental Draft, most all of them at left tackle, where he's comfortable playing. Despite the emergence of Michael Oher at that position, Gaither told the Times it matters to him to stick in the spot that feels like home.

"Yeah, it does," Gaither said. "I've been playing left tackle my whole career. It wouldn't make much sense to change now and get a whole new position underway at this point in time."

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Edwards keeping pledge to cover students' college tuition

NEW YORK -- Braylon Edwards has made good on a promise he made a few years ago by sending 100 Cleveland-area students to college.

The New York Jets wide receiver tweeted Thursday that "as the 2nd most hated man in Clev & a man of my word," he was honoring his commitment to pay for the students' college tuitions if they reached certain academic goals.

Edwards is giving about $1 million to the students from the ADVANCE 100 program, established by the receiver's foundation while he played for the Cleveland Browns.

"Guys, enjoy and embrace your new beginnings," Edwards tweeted, "and remember your promise to me, to reach back & help someone else along the way."

Edwards is scheduled to be a free agent, but he repeatedly has said he wants to stay with the Jets.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Bucs' Winslow aims to play with 'leader' Freeman until the end

It didn't take long for Josh Freeman to win over his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates.

Quarterback Josh Freeman has emerged as the Bucs' clear-cut leader this offseason. (Kim Klement/US Presswire)

The young quarterback has taken charge during the NFL lockout by organizing his own player-only practices in Tampa. 

He made a special request of veteran tight end Kellen Winslow, who spent last offseason rehabbing in Southern California, to be present at the workouts. Winslow didn't hesitate.

"There is no question he is the leader of this football team," Winslow told The Tampa Tribune this week.

Said Winslow: "He's the dude. I'm not leaving him. If it's my decision, I'm never leaving him. I want to play with him until he retires. I wouldn't want to play with anybody else."

Freeman's daily workouts have brought in more than 30 Bucs, something coach Raheem Morris is thrilled about from a distance while forbidden from communicating with his players during the lockout.

"I'm fired up for Freeman," Morris said. "That's the type of leader we brought here and I had no doubt in my mind he would be doing that type of thing. It's not shocking to me. It's kind of expected from the standpoint of business as usual for that guy."

Freeman repeatedly brought his team back in tight games last season, throwing 25 touchdown passes and just six interceptions while guiding the Bucs to a 10-win campaign and narrowly missing the playoffs.

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Following his 2009 rookie season, Freeman made the decision to embrace his leadership role, according to The Tribune. He logged hours with Bucs coaches, watching film daily and learning the position.

"I took it upon myself to have no reason not to be a leader," Freeman said. "I wanted to take that role upon myself. You have to step in and do the work. As a leader, you have to clean up your yard before you start talking about other people's yards. I made sure to have all my stuff in order.

"I was hoping to put a good product on the field. Guys followed that. If I'm not playing good football or taking care of business, how can I be a leader? I just feel like it's my job as a quarterback to take care of business."

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Bucs coach Morris waves off differences with Bengals' Lewis

If there was bad blood between Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris last season, the men appear to have left it on the field.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Saturday that Lewis was angry with Tampa Bay for signing rookie wideout Dezmon Briscoe to its practice squad last September, after the Bengals released the 2010 sixth-round pick in hopes he would wind up on their practice squad.

But Briscoe chose the Bucs over the Bengals because Tampa Bay offered him the rookie minimum of about $325,000, favorable to the roughly $100,000 practice squad contract the Bengals planned to field.

Hearing that Lewis was upset, Morris told reporters at the time that Lewis would be wise to focus on his own team's affairs, fueling speculation that the two were on shaky turf leading up to Week 5's Bucs-Bengals game, which Tampa Bay won 24-21. 

Morris appeared at the Marvin Lewis Golf Classic last week and rejected the notion of problems between the two.

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"That's business, this is about the community and the bigger picture," Morris said. "It's not about whether you have a disagreement on the field or whether I like him on game day.

"I wanted to come in for Marvin and be supportive of him because he's always been supportive of me."

Morris spoke of his respect for Lewis: "When you talk about guys that paved the way not only for coaches but young African-American coaches, he's been a consummate leader.

"To be here as long as he's been here and be a leader in the league as far as rules committee, that's one of those guys that you want to follow after and do the right things. If you keep following that path you have a chance."

The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Briscoe ended up playing in Tampa Bay's final two games, catching six passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

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Johnson: Palmer should go if he doesn't want to be a Bengal

Tank Johnson calls Carson Palmer's threat to retire "definitely serious," and he agrees with teammate Cedric Benson that if the quarterback isn't willing to give his all, the Cincinnati Bengals have no use for him.

And that, Johnson says, hardly is the only chemistry issue for the team. The other problem: reality TV stars/wide receivers Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Bengals' veteran defensive tackle told Sirius XM NFL Radio that their presence in training camp last year had a negative impact.

"When we got Chad and T.O. coming off their TV circuit right into our training camp, I mean, that just put a big cloud over a bunch of humble guys," Johnson said Thursday night. "And I'm not saying anything to take away from Chad and T.O.'s offseason adventures, because, hey, if they want you on TV, be on TV, but it just really clouded a bunch of humble guys."

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Palmer's situation has been another dark cloud, and Benson, a Bengals running back who's scheduled to become a free agent when the NFL lockout is over, earlier this month charged that the team should cut ties with the quarterback and that keeping him would be "detrimental to the team."

"If he's there and not happy," Benson said, "he's not going to give us his best."

Said Johnson: "In terms of what (Benson) said about Carson, I mean, he's absolutely right. There's no way that you can bring that kind of energy into the locker room. I mean, if a guy doesn't want to be there, let him go."

Palmer, who last season passed for 3,970 yards and 26 touchdowns but also matched a career high with 20 interceptions, announced shortly after the conclusion of the Bengals' 4-12 season that he wanted out or he would retire. Bengals owner Mike Brown said at the NFL Spring Meeting earlier this week that "we don't plan to trade Carson."

"He's important to us. He's a very fine player, and we do want him to come back," Brown said. "If he chooses not to, he'd retire. And we would go with Andy Dalton, the younger player we drafted, who's a good prospect. Ideally, we'd have both of them. That'd be the best way to go forward. If we don't have Carson, we'll go with Andy."

Johnson said he wouldn't be surprised in Palmer is through.

"I don't think Carson's a guy who likes to come out in the media and put himself kind of on the stage if he's not serious," Johnson said. "I've known Carson all the way since we played in the Pac-10 together" -- Palmer at USC, Johnson at Washington -- "and I haven't known him to be much of a jokester, so I'm thinking he's pretty serious."

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Report: Bills eye fight between Hangartner, Wood at center

Geoff Hangartner has started 28 games in the middle of Buffalo's offensive line over the past two seasons, but the veteran center now finds himself in a battle to keep his starting role at that spot with the emergence of Eric Wood.

Veteran Geoff Hangartner might face stiff competition from Eric Wood for the Bills' starting center spot. (Paul Abell/Associated Press)

When Hangartner went down with a sprained knee late last season, two-year veteran Eric Wood shifted over from his right-guard spot to start the final four games at center -- and turned heads within the organization.

"We think Eric Wood was the best center in the draft coming out," Bills general manager Buddy Nix told The Buffalo News at the Senior Bowl in January. "Obviously he wasn't (fully) healthy. But when he gets healthy, there's a good chance that's where he'll be. We'll just see. We'll play the best ones."

The Bills are enamored with the physicality of Wood, who fought his way back in 2010 from a severe leg fracture. They also treasure Hangartner's intelligent play -- he scored 47 out of 50 on the Wonderlic before the 2005 NFL Draft -- and he has brought consistency to a position long in flux for Buffalo.

Hangartner, who has appeared in 83 games for the Carolina Panthers and Bills in six seasons, plans to continue as the Bills' starter.

"That's my mind-set, yes," Hangartner told The News this week at the team's player-only workout in Elma, N.Y. "I haven't spoken with anybody about it. But that is my mind-set.

"I talked to (offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris) for a little bit. And (switching positions) never come up in our conversations. There's always speculation on this and that in the offseason. So we'll see how it shakes out."

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» Photos: Player-run workouts

It's a nice problem to have for coach Chan Gailey, who relishes competition along the offensive line, knowing both will find a way into the lineup if they continue their solid play.

Hangartner this week also addressed the subject of players encountering serious financial problems during the NFL lockout, saying it was hardly indicative of a league-wide epidemic.

"I think you're just hearing more about the problem that guys have dealing with money in this league," Hangartner said Tuesday. "I don't think it's just a problem with the lockout. It's an underlying problem, regardless. I don't think a whole lot of guys have missed money at this point."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jets D-linemen plan to gather for workouts next week in N.J.

NEW YORK -- The Jets' defensive linemen have been lifting weights and running while the NFL's labor dispute drags on. Well, now they're ready to hit something.

Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito told The Associated Press on Saturday they plan to gather in New Jersey sometime next week with the team's other defensive linemen, including Ropati Pitoitua and possibly first-round pick Muhammad Wilkerson and third-rounder Kenrick Ellis.

"We were talking and it was like, 'Dude, we've got to put something together,'" Pouha said. "All of us have been lifting and running and working out. That's one thing. Doing actual drills, making blocking reads and punching sled bags, well, that's another thing."

The players have made arrangements to bring in blocking sleds and add the physical element they've been missing in the absence of organized team activities because of the lockout. They also might review defensive plays from last season and reacquaint themselves with one another.

"It's great to get together as a unit," DeVito said, "so that we can start working together, getting our rhythm and timing right and to work that unity that is so important to have if you want a great defensive line."

Quarterback Mark Sanchez gathered several offensive players in Southern California earlier this month for his "Jets West" camp, and recently said the entire team expects to work out together in June if the lockout continues.

Pouha said no specific plans had been made yet in terms of gathering the entire team.

"I'm sure Mark will let all of us know," he said. "But in terms of the D-line, that's our plan, to get together. Nothing like an OTA, but to work on drills and get that fusion as a unit."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Packers have held off on paycuts, but they could still happen

The Green Bay Packers haven't been as affected by the NFL lockout as much as other teams, but Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said the team isn't ruling out paycuts for its staff and coaches if the labor stalemate drags on, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported on Friday.

“It’s based on when we’re going to start missing revenue,” Murphy said.

About 75 percent of NFL teams have imposed a pay reduction of some kind in reaction the lockout, which is approaching its third month. The Packers have been among the holdouts, citing strong revenue across the board.

The Packers have lost some sponsorship money, but Murphy said they can hold off on paycuts until other avenues of the business model falter.

The Packers are defending Super Bowl champions, a fact that no doubt helps keep business booming for the league's only publicly-owned franchise.

“Each team has to make their own decisions, and some teams have been affected already,” Murphy said. “We’re very fortunate, I think, with the type of fans we have and the success we had last year. We haven’t seen a drop-off in ticket revenue or premium seats, where some of the other teams in the league, they’ve already seen losses in revenue.”

Murphy told the Press-Gazette that if paycuts are imposed, the team would repay lost pay to employees if no regular-season games are missed.

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Collie 'not even thinking about' last season's concussions

Austin Collie understands that people have lingering questions about his health, but the Colts wide receiver has been running routes with Peyton Manning and is experiencing "no problems" from the two concussions that unraveled his 2010 season.

"I feel good," Collie told The Indianapolis Star in a story for Sunday's editions. "I feel like my routes are crisp and I'm catching the ball well. I'm doing all the little things."

After what Collie went through last season, Colts vice chairman Bill Polian wants to be sure his wide receiver is healthy before declaring him ready to go.

"I don't know if you can say that (Collie is back) until he gets on the field and actually plays," Polian said. "Thus far, all the signs are positive."

Collie was among the NFL leaders in receptions until hurting his right thumb Oct. 17 against the Washington Redskins. Surgery forced Collie to sit out the Colts next game.

He returned Nov. 7 against Philadelphia but left in the first half after Eagles defensive back Kurt Coleman lowered his shoulder to hit Collie and inadvertently had a helmet-to-helmet collision. Collie lay motionless on the field for about 10 minutes before being placed on a backboard and taken off the field on a stretcher.

Collie, who never had concussion issues prior to the Eagles game, returned Nov. 21 against New England but left in the first quarter with concussion-like symptoms.

He returned Dec. 19 only to suffer another frightening injury late in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On that play, Peyton Manning tried to thread a ball between two Jaguars defenders on third-and-12. Collie appeared to catch the ball, but when the second defender, linebacker Daryl Smith, hit Collie in the head with his forearm, the ball came out.

But Collie again stayed down on the field, motionless for several minutes as the hushed crowd watched 10 coaches and trainers huddle around Collie. Smith, Manning and Jeff Saturday -- the two longest-tenured Colts -- all stood nearby.

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Eventually, Collie sat up and walked straight to the locker room, missing the final 67 seconds of the half. Collie was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Dec. 22.

The two-year veteran began training in February on the West Coast and in Indianapolis, according to The Star. After working with Manning in non-contact passing sessions, the All-Pro quarterback told the newspaper that Collie moved with the same focus and dedication he always has.

Collie told The Star there was nothing he could have done to avoid the collisions from last season.

"It was just playing football and unfortunately, that's what can happen," he said. "They were just two unlucky incidents that unfortunately I was in the middle of.

"The last thing I want to do is hesitate at any given point. I try to put those things in the back of my mind and not worry about them."

Collie understands that people want to see how he responds to taking a hit.

"I'm not even thinking about that," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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L.A. stadium not subject of Vikings' meeting with AEG boss

AEG CEO Tim Leiweke was in Minneapolis this week and met with Vikings officials, setting off speculation that owner Zygi Wilf might be considering having his team fill the company's proposed downtown Los Angeles stadium.

Although that possibility might not be entirely off the table, it's far from the reason that Leiweke was in town.

A source with intimate knowledge of the situation said Thursday that Leiweke's Minnesota trip was to tend to business with Target Center, the home of the NBA's Timberwolves and a property managed by AEG. Leiweke has an existing relationship with the Wilf family and the Vikings, which prompted the meeting while the CEO happened to be in the area.

The Wilfs primarily were inquiring about the idea of developing an entertainment district around a new stadium in Minnesota. AEG recently has developed such projects in London, Edmonton and Kansas City, and it built the LA Live complex adjacent to Staples Center, home to the NBA's Lakers and NHL's Kings and at the epicenter of the proposed NFL stadium.

The Vikings on May 10 announced a deal with suburban Ramsey County to collaborate on a $1.1 billion retractable-roof stadium, but they are still seeking funding to build. The team's lease at the Metrodome expires after the 2011 season.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press first reported the meeting between Leiweke and the Wilfs.

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Lions hire son of former Titans coach Fisher to assist defense

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions have hired Jeff Fisher's son to assist their defensive coaching staff.

The move to add Brandon Fisher was announced Thursday.

His father coached the Tennessee Titans from 1994 to 2010. Lions coach Jim Schwartz worked for Fisher as Tennessee's defensive coordinator before getting his first shot to lead a team in 2009.

Brandon Fisher assisted the Titans' offensive coaching staff for part of last season.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Citing job security, coaches side with players in labor dispute

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL Coaches Association filed an amicus brief with the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, supporting the players' cause as the league appeals an injunction granted to lift the lockout.

The NFLCA's contention, as stated in the brief, is that the NFL "is attempting an end-run around a unanimous Supreme Court," saying that the court clearly stated the league is subject to the Sherman Act in the American Needle case last year and held it responsible for subsequent antitrust violations.

"To me, this is a real simple deal: Coaches are opposed to the lockout because it's negatively affecting coaches," said Larry Kennan, director of the NFL Coaches Association. "If it were a strike, we would be against the strike, like we were in '87. This just happens to be the owners, and we're opposed to them, because they're locking out. But if it was a strike, we'd be against the players."

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The brief does not have the names of any current coaches attached to it.

"It's not something you need names to do," Kennan said. "We are by definition a friend of the court, we're telling the court we're doing this because we'd like the strike to end. It was never a requirement to put names on it."

Kennan confirmed that the association filed an AMICUS on American Needle. He also said that his belief is 10 to 12 teams have cut salary/benefits of coaches already.

The trade association representing the coaches went on to say that its members are suffering irreparable harm as part the lockout, now in its third month.

The brief reads: "Coaches who cannot produce immediate results suffer irreparable harm. They must uproot their families to seek employment elsewhere, and they have difficulty overcoming the perception of failure. The hours and effort demanded of assistant coaches are justified only by the prospect of lucrative and stable employment that follows proven success. Failure at an early stage of one's career, however, can falter career aspirations for many subsequent years."

In particular, the brief cited the NFL's eight new head coaches -- two of whom were promoted from positions as interim coaches -- as being in a particularly precarious situation.

Of those eight, only John Fox has previously been an NFL head coach, something that was also raised in the brief.

"To me, it's simple: The league mandated new coaches get an extra minicamp, because they realize they need extra time to get everything taught," Kennan said. "This is not the NFL of 20 years ago, where coaches have five years to get the program up and running. They have two or three years max, and then they're fired."

Kennan acknowledges there will be some "mixed emotions" among coaches regarding the association's decision.

"Some coaches will get nervous about it, most of them will probably be on teams not having salaries and benefits cut," Kennan said. "And those who are having those things cut will probably be more for us than against us. The reason we formed the coaches association is so we could speak with one voice, and guys didn't have to do that themselves."

The brief reads: "The lockout, if left in force, will prevent the coaches from meaningfully preparing and readying themselves for the season. While all coaches will be exposed to greater risk of failure, the eight teams with new coaching staffs are at particular risk. Since unforgiving expectations for immediate results will persist regardless of any lack of opportunity to prepare, these eight coaching staffs are losing irreplaceable time to prepare for a job that demands success.

"Thus, a lockout that prevents coaches from preparing their players for the season will inflict irreparable harm on all coaches; coaches on the eight new staffs -- especially the new assistant coaches on those staffs -- will suffer even greater harm that will be even more impossible to repair."

The coaches' brief also included charts showing an uptick in coaches fired after two and three years in an effort to show how important a single year with players can be.

From a legal standpoint, the NFLCA used the irreparable harm argument, as well as its stance on the Sherman Act and also the Norris-LaGuardia Act, to seek protection for its members as "nonunion employees."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello released a statement making it clear the league wasn't caught off guard by the Coaches Association's stance.

"The Coaches Association offices with the Players Association in Washington. So this comes as no surprise."

Kennan made it clear coaches just want to get back on the field.

"We want to get back to coaching; If there's a normalcy to coaching, we'd like that to return."

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Jets coach Ryan takes tips from Gibbs on navigating lockout

As New York Jets coach Rex Ryan endures a lockout that's infringing on his ability to work toward backing up his "guarantee" of a Super Bowl title next season, he's turning to the master of work-stoppage success.

"I called Joe Gibbs," Ryan told a small group of prospective Jets business partners Wednesday night at The Core Club in Manhattan, according to the team's official website. "When they went through some work stoppages, the last two times the Washington Redskins won two Super Bowls. So I figured that would be a good guy to call."

Gibbs led the Redskins to the Super Bowl title following a strike-shortened 1982 season, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. Five years later, the Redskins won Super Bowl XXII, routing the Denver Broncos 42-10 after a 24-day players' strike trimmed the regular season to 15 games, three of them with replacement players.

Gibbs' Redskins went 3-0 with the replacements en route to an 11-4 finish.

Ryan says he plans to meet in the next few days with Gibbs, who guided the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles and four NFC championships in 16 seasons as the team's head coach, and that he's already absorbing some of the Hall of Famer's advice.

"He said take this time to get better," Ryan said. "Take time to gain an advantage on your opponents and whatever you think that is. He gave me some ideas, and I followed them to a T."

Ryan says that to improve his and his staff's knowledge base he's been "bringing in all kinds of guys to come in here and speak to us and pick their brains," including former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore, legendary running backs coach Bobby Jackson, and Dan Reeves, the former head coach of the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

Moore, whose Colts offense had great success inside the 20, is working with the Jets on red-zone efficiency, which Ryan called "the biggest area we have to improve."

"Over the last six-year period, the Indianapolis Colts have been by far and away the most efficient offense in the red zone," Ryan said. "And this man has been the coach. It was interesting picking his brain. He’s really helping us."

Ryan's boast in February that the Jets will win the Super Bowl next season has the support of his players. And of his owner, too.

"It’s hard to lead people if you don’t tell them where you’re going," said Woody Johnson, who also appeared at the event. "If you tell people, 'I'm coming in 15th. Are you with me?' No, I’m not with you. I’m not going to sign on."

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Ochocinco draws inspiration from owner, eyes snake wrangling

If nothing else, Chad Ochocinco has proved this offseason that he's up for any challenge.

And while his soccer tryout was cute, and the bull riding was brave, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver's latest plan might qualify as downright crazy.

"I've partnered with Snake Jungle to go out and become the first black #SnakeWrangler," Ochocinco tweeted Wednesday. "Thanks to my owner Mike Brown for the great idea."

He was referring to Bengals owner Mike Brown, who offered his opinion on Ochocinco's colorful offseason during an interview Tuesday.

"He's going to do the things he does. Next maybe he'll be a snake wrangler and we'll watch to see if he gets bit," Brown said at the NFL Spring Meeting in Indianapolis. "He's always up to some stunt. They amuse me in a way."

Brown's off-handed riff turned into inspiration for Ochocinco, who's apparently looking for any way to pass the time during the longest work stoppage in NFL history. The owners locked out the players March 12.

"I'm going to be a #SnakeWrangler, I got the awesome idea from my owner, catching a Black Mamba and a King Cobra #EPIC," Ochocinco added. "Does anyone know these snakes I'm gonna catch, Taipan, Blue Krait, Eastern Brown Snake, Rattle Snake and the Death Adder."

It remains to be seen if Ochocinco is serious or simply exhibiting online courage, 140 characters at a time. His track record makes going through with it a genuine possibility.

"Chad has a genius for bringing notice to himself," Brown said Tuesday.

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Bucs close offices for Memorial Day week; Falcons make cuts

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons have made adjustments to their staffing needs with the NFL lockout in its third month.

The Bucs say their offices will be closed next week and that team employees could face additional unpaid furloughs if the NFL labor stoppage extends into the fall and winter.

The team announced the move in a brief statement posted Thursday on its website, noting that employees will be fully reimbursed for lost wages for Memorial Day week if the labor dispute between owners and players is "resolved without the loss of any regular-season games."

Team spokesman Jonathan Grella says the Bucs remain hopeful the upcoming season will be played without interruption and that the plan to give employees time off without pay saves jobs and doesn't ask them to "work for less or no pay."

Additional office closings could be implemented if the league-imposed lockout continues to Labor Day and beyond.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution cited a source in reporting Thursday that the Falcons have instituted minor payroll reductions for members of the office staff.

The organization has a policy of not discussing internal business. Falcons owner Arthur Blank hasn't mandated significant cuts or furloughs, according to the newspaper.

Baltimore Ravens employees received good news, the Carroll County Times reported Thursday. The team rescinded its 25 percent paycuts and refunded all lost salary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Harrison, Woodley up in arms over so-called 'Steelers rule'

The NFL's announcement that it will punish teams if their players commit multiple flagrant hits is being called "the Steelers rule" by some. But the Steelers want nothing to do with it.

Pittsburgh linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley expressed anger and bewilderment over the league's rule changes, accusing the NFL of ruining the game with heavy-handed legislation.

Harrison, whom the league fined $100,000 for flagrant hits last season, kicked off the criticism Tuesday night when he tweeted "the people making the rules at the NFL are idiots." He further explained his views in his blog, in which he admitted, "I don't disagree with all of the rule changes," but accused the NFL of picking on the notoriously hard-hitting Steelers.

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"The decision to call a penalty or impose a fine is seemingly, at least some of the time, dependent upon the uniform and the player," Harrison wrote. "After my meeting this past fall with (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell, (executive vice president of football operations) Ray Anderson, and (assistant director of operations) Merton Hanks and some others, who I now have absolutely no respect for (to keep it PG), I definitely believe there is no equality in their enforcement of these rules.

"These rules are targeting hard hitting players and defenses i.e. STEELERS. I guess the NFL needed a poster child for their campaign."

Woodley agreed with his teammate, tweeting: "Thoughts on 'the steelers rule'??? lol I'm sorry that I'm not sorry we hit 2 hard." He was more emphatic during an interview Wednesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

"Football is turning soft now," Woodley said. "Too many fines. Too many penalties protecting the quarterback every single play. Defensive guys can't be defensive guys no more. I mean, that's what Pittsburgh, that's what we're built on ... playing aggressive football, attacking, hitting people hard, you know, making quarterbacks shake. ... You can't even touch them.

"Having all the fines and the penalties is stupid because it's taking away from the game," Woodley added. "We knew what we were signing up for when we started playing football. We knew that. Everybody knew that. Every quarterback knew that, Roger Goodell knew that, but I don't know if he ever played football, so I don't if he really understands the hard hitting of the sport."

Woodley said the Steelers have won the most Super Bowls in NFL history because "we play hard-nosed football. We didn't get six Lombardis by playing soft football. We got it by playing aggressive football -- hitting teams hard -- and I don't think that will ever change. I don't care how many times you get fined."

Steelers president Art Rooney II isn't thrilled about the NFL policy's link to his team.

"I'm not sure I like it being referred to as the Steelers rule," Rooney told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday. "It's a policy the commissioner is still considering and has not put into effect yet, but he intends to put it into effect.

"I would hope it's something used on rare occasions and only in exceptional situations. I think our rules are adequate, and I think everyone is trying to adjust here."

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The punishment for excessive flagrant hits will be financial, although NFL vice president Adolpho Birch said Tuesday that he didn't rule out Goodell applying further sanctions such as stripping teams of draft choices.

Citing the "notion of club accountability," Birch said details such as the amount of the fines against teams, or how many player fines would trigger punishment, haven't been determined.

The NFL began a crackdown on illegal hits, particularly those to defenseless players, last October. It threatened suspensions, but no players were suspended. However, Anderson has said suspensions will be considered for egregious hits.

Harrison believes there will be confusion about what hits fall into that category.

"Now you have to wait until a guy catches, or even worse, you have to let them catch the ball before you can even attempt to tackle him," Harrison wrote in his blog. "Along with that, you cannot let any part of your helmet or facemask touch any part of them basically from the chest up. If you are following the letter of the rules exactly, now most tackles, if not ALL tackles can be flagged, fined and/or result in ejection from that game, or future game(s). ...

"I know there are hits out there that could go either way, but if it's me I already know which way they are going to go," Harrison added. "I love this game, but I hate what they are trying to turn it into."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Unhappy Titans fans pepper Goodell on lockout, other issues

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the lockout to some unhappy Tennessee Titans fans and said the league doesn't have a "drop-dead date" to end the impasse with the players and play the 2011 season.

"We're going to work to try to get this done and try to avoid having lost anything more of the NFL than we've already lost," Goodell said.

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Goodell held his latest conference call with season ticket-holders Thursday, spending about 36 minutes on the telephone with Titans fans. They asked Goodell if the 2011 season will be wiped out and about an 18-game schedule, having a team in Los Angeles and how ticket prices are set.

Most of the fans the commissioner heard from weren't happy about the situation.

Lee from Joelton wanted to know why NFL owners won't open their books to the players. John from Lafayette asked how far apart owners and players really are on a collective bargaining agreement. Phillip from Nashville didn't have a question but warned the commissioner that upset fans will take out their anger on the NFL.

"Get everybody to sit down and stay until they work out some agreement and get this thing behind them before the NFL loses all credibility," said Phillip, who shares eight season tickets with his son.

William from San Ramon, Calif., flies to Nashville for three games per season, and he reminded Goodell of Major League Baseball's struggles to regain fans after a strike wiped out the 1994 World Series.

"It's like Rome's a great empire, so's the NFL," William said. "But if it's not supported by the fans, it won't be a great empire."

Goodell calmly answered each question, defending the lockout as a tool to force negotiations. He said he understands fans' frustration and anger directed at the NFL.

"I think all of us will bear the responsibility for it if we're not able to come up with solutions," Goodell said.

The commissioner also defended owners not opening the books, saying that won't solve the issue. Goodell said players have the league's revenue "down to a penny" and know costs are rising faster than revenues. He said NFL economics have dramatically changed over the last 10 to 15 years.

"These are serious issues that need to be addressed, and this is the time to do it and not kick the can down the street here," Goodell said. "The owners have been responsive to putting a fair proposal on the table. We now need the players to engage rather than litigate and to get back to trying to solve the problems, which as you point out are at the core economic issues."

Goodell also said the NFL intends to play the full season. But he noted the league had to cancel its annual rookie symposium in June, with the start of training camps dangerously close.

"We don't have a drop-dead date," Goodell said.

The commissioner said negotiations, not lawsuits, will settle this labor dispute.

"There are obviously issues that we disagree on, but there are certainly solutions to those disagreements," Goodell said. "I think it's going to come down to everyone realizing we're better off working together to find solutions than fighting. That's in the best interest of growing the game and will be in the best interest of all parties going forward."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Payback? Ex-Redskin Portis wants chance to join rival Giants

Clinton Portis knows he has something to prove entering the 2011 season. He'd like to prove it to his former team, the Washington Redskins, twice per year.

Portis said Tuesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he wouldn't mind joining the NFC East rival New York Giants, calling the possibility "outstanding."

"I would love that opportunity," Portis said, via Comcast SportsNet Washington and RealRedskins.com.

Portis, 29, noted that the Giants pound the football with their 1-2 running back punch of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, boast a solid offensive line and have a premier quarterback in Eli Manning. All they need is to join forces.

"I just need to be able to come out and show what I'm capable of," said Portis, who's 77 rushing yards shy of 10,000 in his career. "... I think it's revitalizing to have an opportunity and still have the drive and still have the hunger to go out and prove people wrong."

The Giants aren't the only team on Portis' wish list. The Mississippi native expressed disappointment that the New Orleans Saints drafted Alabama running back Mark Ingram last month -- "I thought that would be a match made in heaven," Portis said -- and he mentioned San Diego's Philip Rivers, Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, New England's Tom Brady, Philadelphia's Michael Vick, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger as quarterbacks with whom he'd like to play.

One team not on Portis' list: the Oakland Raiders. That's because former Redskins offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who coached Portis in 2006 and 2007, is there.

"I don't think Al Saunders' system fit me," Portis said. Me and Al kind of clashed when we were in D.C. -- I'm not sure he was a big fan of mine, the practice habits. ... I think for myself, (I need) a clean slate, something new, a fresh start."

The Redskins released Portis in February because of his impending $8.3 million salary and injuries that limited him to just 13 games in the last two seasons. Portis pointed out Tuesday that the NFL lockout, which is in its third month, actually helps him, giving him more time to heal.

"I think I'm in better shape today than I was since, probably, my fourth or fifth year in the NFL," Portis said. "... Now I'm having some freedom and opportunity to go elsewhere and train and do my own thing and recover at my own pace. Usually by now, my back hurts from pushing sleds and doing this and doing that in the offseason program. ...

"I'm looking forward to growing completely healed. I'm benching, I'm squatting, I'm running. I feel like I got the speed back that was once dominating and scared so many other opposing teams."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Eagles QB Kolb tries to stay positive while trade rumors swirl

Kevin Kolb showed up to Philadelphia Eagles players' workouts Thursday. Whether or not he'll play with them next season is another question.

The quarterback, whose name has been batted around in trade speculation all offseason, can't be dealt to a new team until the NFL lockout, now in its third month, is over. When that happens is anyone's guess, so for now, Kolb is trying to make the best of it.

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"It's pretty tough," Kolb told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "But, you all have known me for a long time, and the way I handle things is I keep my mind and keep the things out of my life. So I don't pay too much attention to it.

"It's hard when it has to do with my life. But I keep a positive attitude and keep moving forward and whatever happens I'll be ready to roll."

The Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns are among the teams mentioned are possibly being interested in acquiring Kolb, who lost his starting job last year after he was injured and Michael Vick stepped in to play at a Pro Bowl level. With his future uncertain, Kolb had stayed at his Texas home almost all offseason, but he said he feels good being back with his Eagles teammates.

"I've been working hard," Kolb said. "Obviously, these dudes have been working hard, too. It was good to get back out here, more than just the throwing, to be around the guys again."

Eagles third-string quarterback Mike Kafka, who said Wednesday that he's ready to be the No. 2 guy if needed, also attended Thursday's workout in Evesham, N.J. Vick, who organized the week's sessions, wasn't there, but the Inquirer noted the quarterback had a speaking engagement in Philadelphia in the afternoon.

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Report: Assault indictment expected for Bucs' Talib in Texas

Tampa Bay Buccaneeers cornerback Aqib Talib is expected to be indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a Dallas County grand jury, the St. Petersburg Times reported Thursday, citing Texas law enforcement authorities.

Police say they believe Talib and his mother, Okolo Talib, shot at Shannon Billings, the boyfriend of the player's sister. Billings wasn't injured.

Talib -- who has denied wrongdoing -- is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony that is punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.

The March 21 incident wasn't the first brush with trouble for Talib, a first-round draft pick by the Bucs in 2008.

Talib was charged with simple battery and resisting arrest in connection with an assault on a taxi driver in Tampa in 2009. He was suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for the 2010 season opener as punishment for that incident, and Talib settled out of court with the cab driver.

Talib's troubles date to 2008, when he was involved in a fight with fellow Bucs rookie Cory Boyd at the NFL Rookie Symposium. In May 2009, Talib wound up inadvertently hitting teammate Torrie Cox in the face with his helmet while fighting with Donald Penn during a minicamp workout.

The team has yet to take any disciplinary measures against Talib for the latest incident.

"We have not talked about that," Bucs coach Raheem Morris told WHBO-AM earlier this month. "That has not taken place. We will, but that time has not come yet."

Former Bucs defensive tackle Chris Hovan spoke out about Talib last month, saying he believed team management has been too lenient on his ex-teammate.

"(Talib) has been given too much leeway from Raheem Morris because, I guess, coach Morris (the Bucs' former secondary coach) has favoritism towards him because he played defensive back," said Hovan, who started all but one game for the Bucs between 2005 and 2009. "Again, they are giving this young man way too much leeway. Any other individual would have been cut way before this. But Aqib's got so much talent -- his talent goes through the ceiling. But you can't have these offseason issues and you can't keep covering for this kid because they're saying it's OK for what he is doing."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Packers will reunite June 16 for Super Bowl ring ceremony

Lockout or not, the Green Bay Packers will receive their Super Bowl rings during a June 16 ceremony at Lambeau Field.

Although contact between players and team officials generally is prohibited during the NFL's ongoing work stoppage, the team said Thursday that the league granted a special exemption allowing the ceremony to be held.

"We're looking forward to having an evening for the players, coaches and organization to recognize the victory in Super Bowl XLV," Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement posted on the team's official website. "It was an extraordinary season, and the players earned their rings in very exciting fashion. We're going to celebrate all the hard work that went into the championship. We’re excited for the evening."

The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, on Feb. 6 to win Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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'Skins coaches say their views not reflected in NFLCA brief

The NFL Coaches Association filed an amicus brief with the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, supporting the players' effort to have the lockout lifted.

The first official response from the league's coaching fraternity came Thursday.

The Washington Redskins' coaches released a joint statement to NFL.com and NFL Network, dotted with 17 signatures from staff members, throwing support behind the owners, not the players.

"We stand united with our ownership, and the brief does not reflect our thoughts on the matter," the letter reads. "We, like everyone else, are hopeful that we can return to playing football. We look forward to a new CBA, and welcoming back our players as soon as possible."

According to a team source, a large part of the problem the coaches had with the brief was that they weren't consulted with it first. Head coach Mike Shanahan didn't sign the letter because he's also vice president of football operations, which makes him management.

The NFLCA did reach out to Kirk Olivadotti, the Redskins' former representative, but Olivadotti left the team earlier in the offseason to coach at the University of Georgia. The NFLCA's brief didn't have names attached to it.

"It's not something you need names to do," NFLCA director Larry Kennan said. "We are, by definition, a friend of the court, and we're telling the court we're doing this because we'd like the lockout to end. It was never a requirement to put names on it."

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Romo grateful for support from Cowboys legend Staubach

Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach threw his support behind Tony Romo last week, saying there's no basis for the verbal attacks the Dallas Cowboys' current signal-caller has to endure.

Romo appreciates those comments, especially coming from Staubach.

"Roger is a great quarterback," Romo told the Dallas Morning News on Monday. "He's one of the best players of all time, and any time someone speaks highly of you, coming from that kind of credibility, I think it always definitely makes you feel good. Roger is a class act."

Staubach said last week that Romo "hasn't been the problem" in Dallas.

"He's done unbelievable," said Staubach, who led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles in the 1970s. "He's right at the top of the NFL as far as a quarterback -- as far as his statistics and the things he does. He moves around the pocket. He makes great plays.

"Our quarterback is not our problem in Dallas. We've got a Super Bowl quarterback.

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NFL tells court only talks can end lingering labor dispute

The NFL filed its reply brief to the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday -- the final piece of business due from either party before the June 3 hearing in St. Louis -- and the league took the opportunity to reiterate its core arguments.

The NFL told the appeals court that U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson lacks the jurisdiction to rule on the lockout-lifting injunction and that the NFL Players Asssociation's decertification needs to go before the National Labor Relations Board first. The league also said Nelson can't issue an injunction to end a lockout that "grows out of a labor dispute," per the Norris-LaGuardia Act, and the non-statutory labor exemption bars the antitrust claims made in the Brady et al lawsuit against the NFL.

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The league's conclusion reads: "This Court should vacate the District Court's grant of a preliminary injunction and remand with instructions to dismiss or stay the action."

A dismissal of the entire antitrust suit would deal a devastating blow to the players' side, and the NFL additionally asked that the court make clear a resolution to the situation "lies with the labor laws and not the antitrust courts."

The next round of court-ordered mediation between the parties is scheduled for June 7 in Minneapolis.

However, league sources indicate an appeals court ruling in the NFL's favor wouldn't necessarily discredit the whole of Brady et al. Rather, specific language in such a ruling would dictate any fallout on the larger antitrust suit.

Nelson granted the players the preliminary injunction and chose not to stay that decision in late April, leading to a brief lifting of the lockout. The appeals court first granted a temporary injunction of Nelson's ruling, leading to the lockout being reinstated, then on May 16 granted the NFL a stay-on-appeal, which preserves the league's right to lock out the players until a ruling on the appeal.

Last Friday, just minutes before the midnight deadline, lawyers for the players filed their response to the league's original appeal. In that document, the players described the NFL as a "cartel" that has skirted antitrust laws and damaged their careers with a work stoppage that has lasted more than two months.

In its Thursday filing, the NFL called that brief a "straw man" attack that made blanket suggestions and ignored important pieces of legislation.

The league combated the players' contention that the previous collective bargaining agreement included a provision that the league couldn't dispute a union decertification. The NFL says it agreed only not to dispute a decertification that came following the expiration of the CBA, and that provision isn't applicable because this one came hours before the labor deal expired March 11.

The primary argument of the NFL on the Norris-LaGuardia Act is that the lockout "involves or grows out of a labor dispute", which under the law would preclude Nelson from issuing the injunction. The league says labor disputes aren't limited to those involving unions and also dismisses volumes of cases that the players provide as precedent against the league's argument because of a lack of specific involvement of Norris-LaGuardia in those.

The NFL's argument on the NLRB's jurisdiction is fairly straight-forward, saying the labor board must rule on the validity of the NFLPA's decertification before any aspect of the Brady et al suit moves forward. The players' argument is that it's unlikely the NLRB would rule against them, on a claim that was filed over three months ago, that the decertification was valid and that deferring to the NLRB would only work to slow the process.

On the non-statutory labor exemption, the NFL claims it shouldn't have been subject to the antitrust case in the first place. The players' argument is that the exemption "lasts only until the collapse of the collective bargaining relationship," which they say happened at the time of decertification.

"No student of the history of this industry -- and no one familiar with the NFLPA leadership's very recent statements of purpose and intent -- believes that the Union is gone, let alone gone forever," attorneys for the NFL wrote.

Much of the brief was spent attempting to dispel precedents the players presented to support their case.

Judge Kermit Bye dissented on the decision to grant the NFL the temporary and the longer stays, and he's the only appointee of a Democratic president (Bill Clinton) on the three-judge panel. Judge Steve Colloton and William Duane Benton were appointed by President George W. Bush.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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NCAA rejects USC's appeal to reduce Bush sanctions

LOS ANGELES -- USC acknowledges its football program committed NCAA violations, most involving current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, while building a West Coast dynasty over the past decade. The Trojans simply believe last year's nearly unprecedented punishment didn't fit the crime.

Athletic director Pat Haden wasn't surprised to learn Thursday that the NCAA disagrees.

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The NCAA flatly rejected USC's appeal to reduce sanctions imposed on its storied football program, keeping in place the harshest penalties leveled against a school in a quarter-century.

USC must serve the second year of its two-year postseason ban next fall, making the Trojans ineligible for the first Pac-12 title game or a bowl game. USC also will lose 30 scholarships over the next three years, giving them just 15 available scholarships per season -- 10 below the normal yearly limit -- until 2015.

Haden led a chorus of exasperated resignation at Heritage Hall after the NCAA's final ruling on its punitive sanctions for a variety of misdeeds surrounding Bush, a Heisman Trophy-winning tailback.

"We have to look at ourselves in the mirror here," said Haden, who took charge in the athletic department last July. "We could have and should have done things better. We had a player who knowingly did things wrong. We are not innocent here. We deserve some penalties, but it's the severity of the penalties that we think are unfair."

As disappointment spread throughout campus and in the Pac-10 offices upstate, the Trojans also expressed relief their half-decade of NCAA drama finally was over. Haden confirmed USC won't sue the NCAA to further contest the most extensive sanctions handed out since SMU football was shut down in 1987 for two years by the so-called "death penalty."

"Clearly, I'm very disappointed, but I'm not surprised," Haden said. "I think the appeals committee is a group of fair-minded folks. We just vehemently disagree with the result, with how they saw our argument, and how past precedent didn't play a role in their decision."

After a brief team meeting in which coach Lane Kiffin cautioned his players not to spout off about the decision on social media, the Trojans took the expected news in stride. Haden had predicted bad news for the players, who were years away from attending USC when Bush apparently accepted lavish illegal benefits from two aspiring sports marketers.

"Just like Pat and the rest of the university, we don't agree, but we'll deal with what we're dealt," quarterback Matt Barkley said.

The NCAA refused to comment beyond its public report, which said it found "no basis on which to reverse the pertinent findings."

The NCAA conducted a four-year investigation primarily into the murky dealings around Bush, who returned his Heisman last year after the NCAA's ruling. USC was banned from postseason play last season after going 8-5 in Kiffin's first campaign, but the scholarship limitations were postponed on appeal.

The violation took place during the tenure of Pete Carroll, who left the school following the 2009 season to become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

"I feel so badly for our seniors in particular, who have had two years of this and had really nothing to do with what went on," Haden said.

BCS executive director Bill Hancock said in an email Thursday that the presidential oversight committee and conference commissioners will consider whether to strip USC of the 2004 BCS title it won by beating Oklahoma, 55-19, in the Orange Bowl. He said there is no timetable set for that decision to be made.

"The championship would not be awarded to another team; it would simply be vacated," he wrote.

The Associated Press will not vacate the championship it awarded USC in 2004.

Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott echoed the USC leadership's comments, saying the conference is "extremely disappointed with today's decision."

"I respect USC's decision to take the high ground and not pursue any further recourse to the NCAA ruling," Scott said. "At the same time, I fully expect that every NCAA member institution be held to the same high standards. These sanctions, notably the postseason ban, have a devastating effect on current student-athletes, most of whom were in elementary and junior high school at the time of the alleged violations. To me, that is a source of great frustration and disappointment."

Indeed, the NCAA's ruling should send a shiver down the collective spine at Ohio State, which is under investigation for multiple well-documented misdeeds under coach Jim Tressel. Five Buckeyes already have been suspended for the first five games of the upcoming season for selling memorabilia to the owner of a local tattoo parlor, but the scandal seems to widen in scope weekly.

USC President Max Nikias said he believes the NCAA has harmed the credibility of its decision-making process with its ruling.

"We are very concerned that the historical value of case precedent and the right to fair process in the NCAA adjudicative process, both in terms of the ability of an institution to defend itself or prove an abuse of discretion on appeal, have been substantially eroded," Nikias said.

Since the NCAA applied a new standard to its appeals process in 2008, only one of 11 appeals of sanctions has been successful. When Haden and other USC officials went before the NCAA's Infractions Appeals Committee in January, they asked the panel to cut the harshest penalties in half, taking away just 15 scholarships and making the Trojans eligible for a bowl game this fall.

USC's seniors are allowed to transfer to another school without sitting out a season, a sanction that Kiffin has criticized as "free agency." A few players left the Trojans after the sanctions were handed down last year, but most were backups unhappy with playing time.

"I haven't heard anything" about seniors planning to transfer, said Barkley, a junior and a two-year starter.

"That doesn't mean guys aren't thinking about it, but given the vibe of the team, it doesn't seem like guys are going to do that," Barkley said. "It looks like guys want to be here, want to face the challenge and deal with it."

Last summer, the NCAA ruled Bush and basketball player O.J. Mayo had received improper benefits under the administration of athletic director Mike Garrett, Carroll and basketball coach Tim Floyd, who have all left the university. In addition to the football sanctions and self-imposed sanctions on the basketball program, USC was put on four years of probation.

Kiffin, who replaced his former boss five months before the NCAA's penalties, hasn't allowed the looming sanctions to stop him from getting commitments from eight top prospects for his 2012 recruiting class.

"I am disappointed for our players, our fans and our staff that another bowl game and now a possible Pac-12 championship game has been taken away from them," Kiffin said. "We have been operating with these sanctions for a year now, and have felt their effects on multiple fronts. We will continue to execute the plan we have in place to make the most of the hand with which we have been dealt.

"I am proud of how our players have performed on the field and represented us off the field under very difficult and trying circumstances."

USC has made wholesale changes in its athletic department during Haden's short tenure, dramatically beefing up its compliance staff and working toward the squeaky-clean image coveted by Haden, the former USC quarterback and Rhodes Scholar.

But the formidable recruiting skills of Kiffin and defensive coordinator Ed Orgeron will be tested by scholarship limitations for the near future. Kiffin and Orgeron stocked up on players earlier this year while the sanctions were under appeal, signing 22 recruits to letters of intent or scholarship agreements shortly after eight additional players enrolled in January.

Kiffin, formerly head coach of the Oakland Raiders and at the University of Tennessee, said he has been "impressed with the reception we have received from recruits. They understand the value of a USC degree and the opportunities afforded them by playing football here."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Ex-Ravens kicker Stover retires, headed for Ring of Honor

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Former Baltimore Ravens kicker Matt Stover announced his retirement Thursday, ending a career that spanned two decades in the NFL.

A one-time Pro Bowl selection who provided much of the offense for the Ravens' Super Bowl championship team in 2000, Stover leaves the NFL as the No. 4 scorer in the league's history, with 2,004 points and 471 field goals. He's the Ravens' all-time leading scorer with 1,464 points.

"No regrets," the 43-year-old kicker said during a news conference at the Ravens' training complex. "I gave it all I had. I can look back at that and say I did all I could to be everything I could be."

Stover also ranks seventh in the league in field-goal accuracy, with an 83.7 percent success rate.

"Matt has been one of the most reliable Baltimore Ravens we've had in this franchise," general manager Ozzie Newsome said.

Stover will be inducted Nov. 20 into the Ravens' Ring of Honor at M&T Bank Stadium. He kicked for the Ravens for 13 years after spending the early portion of his career with the original Cleveland Browns before the team moved to Maryland in 1996.

"Being part of the Ring of Honor means I meant so much to my team and community," Stover said. "That is an awesome, awesome privilege. To be asked to be a part of that is the biggest honor I can receive."

Stover last kicked for the Indianapolis Colts as an injury replacement for Adam Vinatieri and made a field goal in their Super Bowl loss to the New Orleans Saints in February 2010. Stover didn't play last season.

Stover connected on 471 of 563 career field-goal attempts, making 354 of 418 attempts with the Ravens, and connected on 402 of 403 extra-point tries.

During the Ravens' Super Bowl season, Stover scored all of their points during a five-game stretch in which the offense failed to score a touchdown.

"We don't win that Super Bowl that year without Matt," Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said. "When you win a Super Bowl when you can't score a touchdown in October is quite a remarkable feat. To win two of five games that you don't score a touchdown is something that I don't think will ever be repeated in the NFL.

"We're allowed a little hero worship in Baltimore with our kicker."

Stover, a former Louisiana Tech standout selected in the 12th round by the New York Giants in the 1990 NFL Draft, signed with the Browns in 1991 as a Plan B free agent.

"He'll be revered in this town for as long as people talk about football," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Every time I walk in the stadium, I'll see his name up there in the Ring of Honor, and I'll be hoping our kicker kicks just as well as he always did."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Road-rage assault trial for Redskins' Haynesworth postponed

FAIRFAX, Va. -- A judge on Thursday postponed Albert Haynesworth's road-rage assault trial to give the Washington Redskins' defensive lineman an opportunity to settle the matter with the alleged victim.

A Fairfax County prosecutor said at Thursday's hearing that Haynesworth is pursuing an "accord and satisfaction" agreement with the alleged victim. In misdemeanor cases, a judge can dismiss assault charges when the victim acknowledges that he has received satisfaction for any injuries, usually in the form of a financial settlement.

The judge rescheduled the case for Tuesday, the second time it has been postponed.

Haynesworth's lawyer, Steven Merril, declined comment after the hearing, which lasted less than two minutes. But Merril indicated to the judge that he didn't believe a trial would be necessary.

The judge also maintains discretion to reject any accord and satisfaction agreement under Virginia law.

Haynesworth didn't appear in court Thursday.

Police say the alleged victim accused Haynesworth of punching him in January during a traffic altercation in Reston. The man told investigators that he made a gesture at the driver of a pickup truck he believed was following too closely. The two vehicles stopped, and the truck's driver, later identified as Haynesworth, got out of his pickup and allegedly punched the other driver.

Haynesworth's agent has said his client is innocent.

Haynesworth also is scheduled to go on trial in July for misdemeanor sexual abuse after he was accused of fondling a waitress at a hotel bar in Washington. He has pleaded not guilty.

Haynesworth is two years into a seven-year, $100 million contract with the Redskins, who signed him in 2009 to what was then an NFL record of $41 million in guaranteed money. But Haynesworth repeatedly has clashed with Mike Shanahan and frequently skipped workouts since the coach was hired after the '09 season. Shanahan suspended Haynesworth for the final four games of the 2010 season for conduct detrimental to the team.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Rodgers' Super Bowl: Disney ad, Aguilera's flub, pregame fight

It was the biggest victory in Aaron Rodgers' career, but when he was ready to celebrate with teammates after the Green Bay Packers toppled the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, there was more work to do.

Can you say, "I'm going to Disneyland!"?

Rodgers could, but the postgame taping of the traditional Disney television advertisement after February's 31-25 victory in Arlington, Texas, wasn't so simple.

The Packers quarterback, who was the game's MVP after throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns, told ESPN Radio in Milwaukee that he was ready for the task. It just didn't go as he expected it would.

"I swear I said those words probably 12 times, no joke. I mean, you exaggerate and say 20 times, but it felt like 20 times," Rodgers said. "It was probably 12 times where I said, 'I'm going to Disneyland!' Because they kept coming up to me and saying, 'Oh, we didn’t get good audio there.' 'Oh, we need more energy.' ...

"The whole time, I'm thinking to myself -- and Disney people are great -- but I'm thinking to myself, 'I want to celebrate with my teammates.' Every five minutes, you see a huge guy. There's three guys. One huge guy. One guy with a camera and one guy with a sign, like, here's your line ... like I don't know what the lines are? Come on now.

"Every time I saw the real tall guys, I'm like, 'Oh, crap, I gotta say it again.' Finally, seriously, after about the eighth or ninth time, I go, 'Are you telling me you haven't gotten a good line yet?' They go, 'No. No. There's audio interference and whatnot.' "

Rodgers hid from the cameras earlier, during pregame -- "I don't like having that camera right in front of my face," he said -- and got to witness from up close the most talked-about moment of the afternoon, Christina Aguilera's national-anthem flub.

"First of all, the chick from 'Glee' (Lea Michele) killed the first song ('America the Beautiful'). She should have sang the anthem, too ...," Rodgers said. "I don't know who I was standing next to, but (Aguilera) starts singing it, and in most of the stadiums they have the words up on the board, kind of up-and-above the singer, so she can tell that she screwed up.

"She screwed up, and I knew it, and something was off. I'm looking around, going, 'Does anyone else realize this?' I don't think they had, (and) I kind of tapped ... I think it was Diyral Briggs next to me, and said, 'Hey, did you hear that?’'He was like, 'What?' I’m like, 'She just totally screwed it up.' ... I feel kind of bad for her, but at the same time, come on now?"

And then it's time to focus on the game, right? Think again.

"I have one (story) better than that one," Rodgers said. "We walked out for the coin toss, and at the Super Bowl, there are these long TV timeouts, so we go out for the coin toss. I'm one of the captains. There's five of us. The Steelers' guys are standing over there, and we're standing looking at each other for a good three minutes.

"Well, over to the left, about 10 cameramen have been trying to get in place for the best shot, and two of them are fighting. They're yelling at each other in different languages, flipping each other off, and one guy is flipping him off, and the other guy below him is just taking all of these pictures of him. ... They're both screaming at other and taking pictures of each other for a good minute and a half, and I'm tapping A.J. (Hawk), like, look at that over there! Look at those guys! It was unbelievable."

Rodgers says he hasn't watched a replay of the game -- he saw a little of the Packers' championship DVD at his parents' house -- but he's looking forward to receiving his Super Bowl ring. Will he tuck it away to keep it safe?

"Nah, I'll wear it," he said. "Not often, but I will wear it."

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Falcons GM Dimitroff doesn't slam door on 'Hard Knocks'

Three other NFL teams aren't interested, but Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said Friday that he hasn't ruled out letting his team be featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

"I truly believe that an organization has to be in the right spot to jump into something like 'Hard Knocks,'" Dimitroff said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I think it sheds a lot of light on our league. This is a league of entertainment. There are some traditionalists that struggle with it, but they have to work against the grain a little bit and see that this is about entertainment. 'Hard Knocks' is a good show for the fan base."

The Falcons turned down an offer to be on the show, which gives viewers an all-access look at training camp, in 2009 because it seemed like it would be a distraction. This time around, Dimitroff believes the Falcons, who went 13-3 last season, would be more prepared to handle it, if asked.

"It's such an individual thing," he said. "'Hard Knocks' could be right for some of the teams that are fairly entrenched. It could be right for some team that wants to kick off some more brand recognition."

It wasn't right for the NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who earlier in the week declined an offer to be featured on the show. The Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions also have reportedly said they wouldn't do the show.

Critically acclaimed "Hard Knocks," which featured the boisterous New York Jets last year, won three Sports Emmys earlier this month, including its second consecutive in the "outstanding edited sports series/anthology" category. The three Emmys are the most for one season of "Hard Knocks."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Edwards floors foe twice en route to victory in boxing debut

Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards began his boxing career on the plus side, scoring a unanimous if uninspiring victory Friday night in a four-round heavyweight bout in Hinckley, Minn.

Edwards, who has said he'll leave the Vikings if he's an unrestricted free agent when the NFL's labor situation is solved and pursue boxing if he isn't, knocked down T.J. Gibson in the first and fourth rounds en route to the victory before a near-capacity crowd at Grand Casino.

Edwards won on the judges' cards 40-34, 39-35 and 40-34, as several of his Vikings teammates cheered him.

"I've got some things to work on," Edwards told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "But, overall, I think I did well."

Trainer Jeff Warner called Edwards' jab "incredible" and said observers saw "about 70 percent of Ray Edwards. People don't understand a first pro fight, there are so many different emotions. We're done with it, now we move on."

Vikings linebacker Jasper Brinkley told the Pioneer Press that he was impressed by Edwards' work.

"It's kind of weird seeing a teammate up there," Brinkley said. "But I thought he did really well."

Edwards, who's 6-foot-5 and 258½ pounds, had 36½ pounds and seven inches on Gibson, who also was making his debut. Edwards was happy to win but admitted it was "a little rougher than I expected."

"Every time I tried to get underneath him, I got held down and couldn't do what I wanted to do," Gibson said. "He's going to be a great fighter if he keeps it up."

Edwards put Gibson down in the first round with a left-right combo that sent the smaller man into the ropes. After the second and third rounds brought a lot less action, Edwards almost knocked Gibson through the ropes in the fourth with a left hook.

No Vikings coaches or team officials attended the fight, which was fine by Edwards, who will box again June 24 in Hinckley against a to-be-determined opponent.

"It is what it is," he said. "It's a business, no hard feelings. I still speak to them when I can. Whenever the lockout's over, I'll still have a good relationship with them. They helped me start my career that I dreamed about since I was a little boy."

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Bill comes due: Maybin realizes it's time to shake 'bust' label

Aaron Maybin has started only one game in two NFL seasons, and he hasn't recorded a sack -- not exactly what the Buffalo Bills wanted from their 2009 first-round draft pick.

But Maybin knows what he must do to lose the "bust" tag: Put in the work, and win over coach Chan Gailey, who deactivated the linebacker for five games last season.

"Coach obviously feels he has not seen what it is that he needs to see out of me thus far in order to have the confidence to rely on me to be the dominant piece of the puzzle that this organization needs in order to help us move in the right direction," Maybin told NFL Blog Blitz on Friday. "I'm fighting to show him that that's exactly what it is that I have to bring to the table. It's a trust issue, and whenever you're dealing with a head coach, it's my responsibility to earn his trust, plain and simple.

Gailey recently told ESPN.com that Maybin, 23, needs to "understand about pass rush" and improve against the run and on special teams. So Maybin has his work cut out for him amid some harsh criticism.

"My whole career, my mindset has been the same: Work as hard as you can, harder than anyone else is willing to work, and let the rest take care of itself," Maybin said. "Control what I can control and put the rest in God's hands, that's all I know.

"I've been playing the game of football since I can remember and have faced criticism at every level. Whether it be my size, strength, experience, whatever; the one thing that never gets questioned is work ethic. And at the end of the day, that's always what pays off."

Draftee's loss could be Bills' gain Michael Jasper is 73 pounds lighter than he was last fall, and that's a good thing for the Bills, who have plans for the seventh-round pick. After all, 375 pounds is plenty big for an NFL defensive tackle. More...

For Maybin, that work ethic includes training five days per week while the lockout prevents him for talking to Bills coaches and staff. Maybin said he's trying to improve his core strength through powerlifting and cardio, and he's also mixing in yoga, boxing and pool exercises.

Because of that work and staff continuity, Maybin expects success in his third NFL campaign.

"This will be the first season that I can start with primarily the same core staff that I finished with the year before," Maybin said. "Being comfortable with a system is very important for an athlete at any level, but none bigger than the professional arena. And with a year under the scheme we have in place already, making the adjustments that this year's staff wants to make going into this year will be much easier to grasp and implement."

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Chargers LB English hopes second surgery fixes foot issues

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Jasper winning battle with scale while prepping for Bills career

Michael Jasper has been dropping weight the past few years, and when he embarks on a career as an NFL defensive tackle -- soon, he hopes -- he plans to be quite svelte.

Jasper, a seventh-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in last month's draft, is down to 375 pounds -- still big, even by NFL standards, but nowhere near the 448 pounds he carried not so long ago.

The 6-foot-4½ nose tackle has lost 73 pounds since leaving Middle Tennessee State after his sophomore year to transfer to Bethel, an NAIA school in McKenzie, Tenn., and he has focused on slimming down even more since his college career closed last fall.

"(Bills regional scout) Matt Hand made a deal with me initially, saying they wanted me under 400 pounds," Jasper told the Tennessean. "After the draft, I talked with coach (Chan) Gailey, and he said just to keep working hard and keep the weight off."

Jasper has become smarter about his diet while working out with his cousin, Artis Hicks, a nine-year NFL offensive tackle who played for the Washington Redskins last season.

"I've stopped eating so much and pretty much cut eating beef out," Jasper said. "I've minimized my bad carbohydrate intake, increased my vegetables and greens and water intake to kind of confuse my body so that it wouldn't hold onto so much water. It has started to flush some of the excess off.

"I feel brand new. I sleep better, I wake up feeling good, I enjoy being outside and feel like a kid again. I realize God has definitely blessed me."

Because of the NFL lockout, Jasper hasn't spoken with anyone from the Bills since the draft, and he's not sure if the team wants "me to get down to 360 pounds or anywhere near that," he said. "The way my body is, I'm not a regular 360-pound man. But I've done what the Bills asked me to do."

The average NFL nose tackle entering last season was 6-3 and 330 pounds, according to the Tennessean.

Jasper, 24, was listed at 394 pounds when he was drafted -- the heaviest player taken during the three-day process -- but Bills general manager Buddy Nix said that number was wrong.

"He's not as big as you've got him listed," Nix said after the draft. "He's down to 378 pounds, so he's drying up to nothing."

Bethel coach Dino Kaklis believes a slimmer Jasper will be a better Jasper. The lineman posted a 5.34-second 40-yard dash time, a 34-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot-5 broad jump in a workout for Bills scouts, and he wasn't as slim then as he is now.

"Everything the Bills and the other NFL guys saw of Michael playing during the year was when he was at 435 pounds, and they were impressed by what he did then," Kaklis told the Tennessean. "He's at 375 now and still as strong and solid as he was. I'd say he has the mobility of a 265-pound player."

Jasper weighed just 240 pounds when he started at Mount Juliet (Tenn.) High School, but he was 380 as a senior.

"When I got bumped up to varsity my freshman year, I started to put on the weight," Jasper said. "I started drinking creatine and protein and didn't know what I was doing. Then once I got to college, the food gets a whole lot better, and I started to get even bigger."

Jasper played two seasons as a nose tackle and offensive guard at Tennessee-Martin, then transferred to Middle Tennessee State but didn't play because of grades. He became a part-time student, and that's when he ballooned to his heaviest weight, before transferring to Bethel, where he played defensive tackle in 2009 and offensive guard in 2010.

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