Manning sees Burress as better fit for Giants than Barber

Giants quarterback Eli Manning appeared on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday and didn't mince words when asked if wide receiver Plaxico Burress or running back Tiki Barber, both attempting NFL comebacks, would be a better fit in New York.

"Probably Plaxico -- just because, you know, he has, probably, fonder memories of winning a Super Bowl and that catch for the touchdown in Super Bowl XLII," Manning said.

"Tiki, you know, Tiki -- it ended on a bad note, and, you know, it's really a shame. He should be remembered as a great Giants running back and a terrific player, because he was. Just kind of the way he went out and, you know, burned a few bridges with the fans, and kind of went after me a little bit ... it's unfortunate, really, and I'm not happy about it in that sense. So, I think Plaxico would probably be welcomed back a little quicker."

Barber has spent the past four months working out in an attempt to make a comeback, although his chances rest on the league and its players reaching a new collective bargaining agreement.

Barber, who was critical of Manning after retiring following the 2006 season, appeared on a radio call-in spot with Mike Francesa on WFAN-AM last week and addressed why he believes some Giants fans dislike him.

"I'm sure it probably has to do with the fact that I criticized (Giants coach) Tom Coughlin, and he goes and wins a Super Bowl," Barber said. "Or the conversations that I had about Eli Manning (that) got blown out of proportion. Things like that (where) people felt like I, as someone with knowledge, was attacking somebody that I just left, when it really wasn't. It was just giving my opinion about things, and I've always been opinionated."

Barber, 36, produced six 1,000-yard seasons in a seven-year span, and he finished among the league's top five rushers in his final three years before retiring. In 2005, he amassed the third-most yards from scrimmage in a single season in league history with 2,390.

Burress, the former Giants wide receiver who turns 34 in August, was released from prison June 6 after spending nearly two years behind bars on a gun charge. He is expected to be pursued by multiple teams once the lockout is resolved.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Agent: T.O. had knee surgery in April, doesn't plan to retire

Terrell Owens is recovering from left knee surgery and plans to be ready to play when the NFL season starts, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Tuesday.

Rosenhaus confirmed in an interview with ESPN that the star wide receiver tore his anterior cruciate ligament and had surgery in early April. However, Rosenhaus said, his client "will be playing at the start of the NFL season."

Rosenhaus called speculation that Owens, 37, was considering retirement "nonsense" and said the 15-year veteran is doing "fantastic" and could be recovered as early as August. Sources familiar with the injury told ESPN on Sunday night that Owens wouldn't return until mid- to late November at the earliest.

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Rosenhaus said Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery to the same knee in which Owens tore his meniscus late last year.

"The old injury has been repaired," Rosenhaus said. "He is many months into recovery and doing fantastic. No predictions on training camp, but he comes back fast from injuries. I won't rule him out of anything. He will be a starting receiver for someone this year."

Rosenhaus declined to say how the latest injury occurred, although one source told ESPN on Sunday night that it happened while Owens was taping a segment for his VH1 reality show, and another source said the receiver injured himself during personal workouts.

As for Owens mulling retirement, Rosenhaus said "all the retirement talk is nonsense. There's been no discussion about that, and this injury is not a big deal."

Two of Owens' former teammates also said the star wide receiver plans to return. Both players spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because Owens hasn't publicly discussed the surgery.

Owens had 72 catches for 983 yards and nine touchdowns last season for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve Dec. 21, one day after surgery for his torn meniscus.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chiefs' Pope honored by family of boy he saved from drowning

Chris Whitaker / Americus Times-Recorder (Special to NFL.com)Chiefs TE Leonard Pope (left) shares a Sunday fist-bump with Bryson Ross, a 6-year-old he saved from drowning.

Weeks after he rescued 6-year-old Bryson Ross from drowning in a swimming pool, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Leonard Pope was honored Sunday in a private ceremony held by the boy's family and friends in Americus, Ga., the Albany Herald reported.

Anne Moore, the boy's mother, thanked Pope for his June 11 heroics.

"He appeared out of no place. He was not there at first," Anne recalled. "I never saw him running up. I only saw him dive in, so I felt that he stepped in right on time, and it was just in the nick of time."

Moore has known Pope since he was a young child. Incredibly, Pope was the only person who actually knew how to swim at the pool party.

Sunday marked the first time Pope had seen Moore or Bryson since the incident. Moore awarded Bryson with a plaque, but the Chiefs player deflected attention to praise the boy he saved.

"He's the star," Pope said of Bryson. "Everyone's been telling that I'm the star throughout the story, but I said he's the star. I really want Bryson to look at it as a chance for him to learn how to swim. He can tell his friends, and hopefully the message gets to young kids to be able to learn how to swim at an early age."

Pope is a native of the area, having starred as a teenager at Americus High School. He played collegiately at Georgia before joining the Arizona Cardinals in 2006. He has spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs.

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Newton's QB coach expects to work with NFL-minded Pryor

What could Terrelle Pryor have in common with Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers?

Pryor might be the latest protégé of quarterbacks coach George Whitfield, the Canton Repository reported Sunday.

Ex-Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor (above) likely will turn to the same man whom Cam Newton did to help him prepare for the NFL. (Ben Liebenberg/NFL.com)

Whitfield said he's close to being hired to tutor Pryor as the former Ohio State quarterback prepares for the NFL Supplemental Draft, whenever that might be, according to the Repository.

"It is my understanding I am heading (to Miami)," said Whitfield, who's wrapping up a 2,000-mile bus tour of visits with 40 quarterbacks. "I look forward to working with him. From a kid that grew up in Ohio and knows how important the Buckeyes are and my relationship with (former Ohio State) coach (Jim) Tressel and his relationship with coach Tressel ... on top of the fact he's talented and a big competitor. It's a challenge to me. I know Terrelle wants to be as good as he can be."

Whitfield disagrees with the assessment of some analysts that Pryor's best position in the NFL might be tight end.

"I almost jumped off the couch (during the NFL draft) when I heard that," Whitfield said. "They put in all their chips against him and made a definitive statement about a guy who is 31-4 at one of the more premier college programs in America."

Whitfield already has a blueprint for Pryor.

"The big thing is I've got to get him more familiar with his operation in the pocket in terms of footwork and throwing from the pocket," Whitfield said. "Of the guys I've worked with, Pryor has played more under center than any of them. It's not that he’s deficient in that area, but it's what the NFL wants. The league puts a premium on operation from the cockpit, and we'll work on that."

Whitfield coached Newton before and since his selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Whitfield also worked with Roethlisberger while the Pittsburgh Steeler sat out his four-game suspension at the start of the 2010 season. And Whitfield worked with Rivers in 2007 while serving as an intern on Cam Cameron's Chargers offensive staff.

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Still in the fold: Troubled Talib works out with Bucs mates

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Cornerback Aqib Talib, who was indicted on an aggravated assault weapon charge for a March incident in Texas, was at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' minicamp workout Tuesday.

Talib's attendance is nothing new. The fourth-year pro has attended several player-organized workouts.

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Talib's lawyer recently said the case against his client likely won't be resolved until after the 2011 season unless there is a plea agreement or dismissal.

"Right now, if I requested a trial, it would be late November at the earliest and most likely it would be next year," Frank Perez told the St. Petersburg Times in a story published June 19.

The Times reported Perez has had several meetings with the Dallas County district attorney, and another announcement hearing is scheduled for Thursday, at which point he said he will present evidence that is "favorable" to Talib and ask to either set a trial or have the charges dismissed.

"I don't like the case if I'm the district attorney," Perez said. "We feel very, very strongly Aqib is going to prevail in this. There's nothing to this case. I can't tell you now, but I'm confident we've got something that's going to turn the tide of public opinion."

It's not the first time that Talib, who's free on $25,000 bond, has been in trouble. He was involved in a fight with fellow Bucs rookie Cory Boyd at the 2008 NFL Rookie Symposium, hit teammate Torrie Cox in the face with his helmet while scuffling with Donald Penn during a minicamp workout in May 2009, and was charged with simple battery and resisting arrest in connection with an assault on a taxi driver in Tampa in August 2009.

But Talib, a starter since the Bucs took him in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, has done well on the field, intercepting 15 passes in his three NFL seasons. He's coming off a fine 2010 campaign in which he had 50 tackles, 11 passes defended and six picks, one returned for a touchdown.

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Cards' Dockett pulled over by police, uses Twitter to vent

Darnell Dockett was pulled over by police -- and gave Twitter followers a play-by-play account.

The Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman clearly was agitated Monday while posting a series of tweets during the incident. Dockett tweeted that police told him he was pulled over because he was speeding, and they wanted to search his car.

"I don't know why the police always messing w/me," he tweeted.

Dockett said he refused to allow police to start a search without a warrant. He eventually tweeted he was about to be let go and updated his Twitter page a few hours later by saying he didn't receive a ticket from police.

"No ticket and I didn't get punk by PO-PO today now I'm off to my 2nd work out!" he tweeted. "Police aint searchig my (stuff) with no warrant "holla at me"!

It was unclear where the incident occurred, and Dockett's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, didn't immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Dockett, who has played seven NFL seasons, frequently uses Twitter and has more than 70,500 followers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mason: Colts' Manning is NFL's best player, 'hands down'

There's no question in Baltimore Ravens wideout Derrick Mason's mind who the top player in the NFL is.

Mason recently said on WJZ-FM's "The Norris and Davis Show" that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is "hands down" No. 1 in the league.

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

Mason's answer came in response to a question about NFL Network's "The Top 100 Players of 2011," which culminates at 8 p.m. ET Sunday with Nos. 10 through 1 on the list being revealed.

"I think if I'm ranking right now who's a top player ... I think it's Peyton Manning," Mason said, according to SportsRadioInterviews.com. "Hands down, it is Peyton Manning.

"When you look at the rankings and you look at the importance of a player is this: not the type of season that he had, one seasons or two seasons that he had, it's what player do I kick off a team and it changes that team dramatically? I only know one player, and it's Peyton Manning.

"You take Tom Brady off New England, they showed that they can go 11-5. Now you take Peyton Manning off the Colts, I don't know where that team goes offensively."

Manning wasn't the only game-changer Mason brought up in the discussion.

"Another guy I look at and say it changes the scope of what they do is a guy like Ed Reed," Mason said of his Ravens teammate. "You take Ed Reed off of our defense -- not to say I don't think the defense would be good; we're good, because we have good players -- but if you take him off the back end, it changes us somewhat, and it showed last year.

"Once you insert him (Reed), we're back to quarterbacks are scared to throw the ball deep down the field, so when you looking at ranking guys, you rank them like that. You don't want to just rank them because they had a good season or a 1,000-yard season. You rank them as, if I took this player off this team or away from this side of the ball, what does it do for that team? Do they get better? Do they get worse? The only person I know, two people really, is Peyton Manning and Ed Reed."

Mason also addressed which Ravens player -- Reed or linebacker Ray Lewis -- would rank higher on the "Top 100" list.

"If you look at our team, they (NFL Network) would rank Ray Lewis ahead of Ed Reed just because of the body of work he has put together over the last 15 years," Mason said. "Ed does make a strong case to be ranked a little higher, but if I'm looking at it, I'm looking at the body of work, and I believe they (NFL Network) will rank Ray Lewis ahead of Ed Reed.

"Now if it goes the other way, I wouldn't be surprised. I wouldn't fight it either way, but I just think if you are looking at guys around the league, that respect factor, not to say they don't need to have that respect factor for Ed, but I think the longevity and the body of work over the course of 15 years that Ray has put together. I think they will rank him higher.”

Mason also revealed that he voted for about 20 players on the list, not all 100 because "I don't even know all 100 guys to sit down and rank them."

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AEG revises bonds plan for proposed downtown L.A. stadium

The president of the sports and entertainment company seeking to build a stadium in downtown Los Angeles says he has spoken to officials from the Vikings, Chargers, Rams, Raiders, Jaguars and others about a possible move.

LOS ANGELES -- The chief of the company proposing an NFL stadium for downtown Los Angeles revealed tweaks to his pitch to the city, including plans for a revenue source that would help the city repay bonds to fund the demolition and relocation of a convention center hall displaced by the stadium.

AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke said Monday at a town hall meeting attended by fans and skeptics of the stadium plan that he would ask the city to issue less than $300 million in those bonds, down from $350 million. The savings would be realized by privately building and managing parking garages that the company had previously intended to be city property.

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The company would expect the city to apply ground lease payments for the stadium and new property tax revenue toward its repayment of that debt on the building, which would be publicly owned, Leiweke said.

Leiweke also wanted revenue from the signage rights that AEG has for outdoor advertisements around the city-owned convention center to go toward bond repayment. The combination of revenue sources would be more dependable than the previous proposal, which included ticket taxes and new parking lot revenue, he said.

"We're going to get you contracts from AEG that will pay off the bonds so you never have to be at risk on those bonds," Leiweke said, adding that the new repayment plan would be formally proposed at a City Council subcommittee meeting Thursday.

The Los Angeles officials overseeing stadium negotiations have said that city rules would permit just 50 percent of new city revenue to go toward bond payments. Leiweke didn't address whether those rules would apply to the new repayment plan or if the company expects rent on the parking lot parcel to be applied to debt repayment.

Leiweke vowed to guarantee the stadium's completion in case AEG had financial troubles that keep it from finishing the work. A bond would be posted after ground is broken on the new convention center building, he said.

AEG's $1 billion-plus plan for a 72,000-to-76,000 seat stadium on part of the city's convention center campus is one of two competing proposals to bring professional football back to Los Angeles, 17 years after the Rams and Raiders left the nation's second-largest market.

Warehouse magnate Ed Roski has permits in place to build a separate 75,000-seat stadium about 15 miles east of Los Angeles, in the city of Industry, but also hasn't secured a team.

Both camps have said they hope to recruit a franchise -- and possibly two -- from among those in the league that need a new stadium but are unable to get one built in their current locations. The San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars are among the teams mentioned as possible candidates.

Southern California has been the home of many professional football teams, from the L.A. Buccaneers in 1926 (a traveling team that never actually played in Los Angeles) to the XFL champion L.A. Xtreme in 2002. The Avengers were the last active team in L.A., but the team folded in 2009.

Teams that have called Southern California home1940-45Los Angeles BulldogsPCPFL1967Long Beach AdmiralsContinental1967-68Orange County RamblersContinental1974-75Southern California SunWFL1982-1994Los Angeles RaidersNFL1983-85Los Angeles ExpressUSFL2000-09Los Angeles AvengersArena

Leiweke wouldn't say at the town hall which teams were in his sights. He insisted some had expressed a reassuring willingness to move to Los Angeles.

"We are confident enough to spend $45 million dollars" for design drawings and other preparations, he said.

The gathering grew testy at times, especially when speakers suggested that the city-issued bond deal represented a subsidy or challenged Leiweke's faith that the project would vastly boost employment and become a major economic boon.

After speaker Quentin Fleming cited academic studies demonstrating that big stadium projects generate little economic activity, Leiweke dismissed the argument as coming from professorial types who have never built anything on their own. Fleming -- who happened to be a business professor at University of Southern California -- retorted that builders have no special insight on the effect of their creations.

"It doesn't take a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing," Fleming said.

Many of Leiweke's answers garnished cheers, especially from clusters of men who were later identified as union members. Organized labor groups have been vocal supporters of both stadium proposals because of the building jobs they will provide during construction and the service-sector jobs thereafter.

Leiweke also said AEG was completing the lengthy environmental review required by California law, but he conceded that the company was talking to state lawmakers about how to protect it from what he characterized as frivolous legal challenges to its environmental clearance.

State lawmakers signed a bill in 2009 that suspended environmental laws to allow the venue proposed by Roski's Majestic Realty Co. to be built. The bill, which nullified a lawsuit filed by residents in the nearby city of Walnut over the project's environmental impact, infuriated environmental groups.

Leiweke said he hoped the deal AEG is discussing with lawmakers would contain elements that environmental activists would support. He also suggested that he was especially concerned that Majestic might try to scuttle AEG's stadium efforts with legal maneuvers.

"What we want to try and ask them to help us to avoid is a competing project suing us for the sake of just stopping us, which they're prepared to do, we believe," he said.

John Semcken, the Majestic vice president overseeing that company's stadium work, didn't return a message late Monday seeking comment.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Good sign? Goodell, Smith travel together to rookie seminar

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith opened a four-day labor discussion in Minnesota, then hopped on a plane to Florida to speak to rookie players.

Spokesmen for the league and the players' association confirmed Tuesday night to The Associated Press that Goodell and Smith were on the same plane from Minnesota to address players at the NFLPA-run rookie symposium. Smith asked Goodell to speak to the players Wednesday morning at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Sarasota, Fla., and the commissioner agreed.

Goodell and Smith plan to leave Florida later Wednesday to fly back to Minneapolis and continue the labor talks, which have taken on a decidedly different look.

Goodell and Smith are accompanied only by their staffs, rather than members of each constituency, and owners and players aren't expected to directly participate, although they will remain apprised of any developments. The parties' legal teams are expected to trade proposals on the framework of a settlement, in an effort to move the process toward conclusion, and they will intensify their focus on the key issues, most notably the revenue split.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (left) and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and their staffs will meet face-to-face in Minnesota this week. (David Drapkin/Associated Press)

The four-day, face-to-face session will be the longest yet. The previous longest session was the first one, held May 31 through June 2 near a private airport in suburban Chicago. Subsequent meetings on New York's Long Island, Maryland's Eastern Shore and Massachusetts' South Shore each lasted two days.

The changing time frame surrounding this set of talks and the shifting cast of characters -- the first "secret" meetings only included Goodell, Smith, owners, players and U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan -- are seen as part of the process of negotiating a new agreement to end a lockout that's in its fourth month.

Boylan ran three two-day sets of court-ordered mediation between the owners and players in April and May, and he has been present for all of the more recent meetings. His chambers are located in Minneapolis.

A decision from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the league appealed a district court's issuance of a lockout-lifting injunction, could come soon, too. The time frame on such decisions from an appeals court generally is 30 to 45 days, and the hearing was held June 3. However, the league and players have expressed a desire to work toward an agreement before the three-judge panel's ruling is announced.

The St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears, who are scheduled to play in the preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 7, are set to open training camp just three weeks from Friday, and time is beginning to run short on the parties' negotiating teams as they look to preserve the preseason in its traditional form. Some have suggested July 15 as the deadline for that to happen.

The parties have spent the past four weeks largely discussing the revenue split, an issue that dwarfs all others. It's not just the revenue now, but also how to account for the players' take in the league's future growth, particularly when the next round of television deals are negotiated for 2014 and beyond. The idea of an "all revenue" model, which would eliminate cost credits to the owners and limit revenue projections, has bridged some differences, but the issue still hasn't been settled.

The parties broached the rookie pay system for the first time during clandestine sessions Thursday, and it also proved to be a difficult area to navigate. Last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, received about $50 million guaranteed in his rookie deal, and the owners have long looked to drastically mark down price tags like this.

The numbers aren't the only issue. Finding a way to replace the market effect those contracts have on veterans and getting those high picks to free agency quicker are among the players' concerns. Currently, six-year contracts are allowed for the high first-round picks making big money.

Last week, one team executive told NFL Network that owners and players were within "striking distance" of a deal, but that nothing was close or imminent. But another involved executive said: "There are enough legitimate issues to where it could all fall down still. They're dealing with that stuff."

After last week's meeting at a beachside resort in Hull, Mass., Goodell and Smith emerged together and provided a symbolic moment in the joint effort toward a resolution.

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

"Someone asked me if I was optimistic -- I think we're both optimistic when we have the right people in the room," Smith said. "We know we're talking about the right issues, and we're working hard to get it done. It's extremely complicated. It requires a lot of hard work by a lot of people. But we're committed to getting something done. And we're gonna keep working at it."

Said Goodell: "We are under court order, as far as what we can discuss. Obviously we're all working hard, the players and owners were here over the last few days, and De and I were here for the entire meetings also. And it's complicated and it's complex, but we're working hard. We understand the fans' frustration, but I think both of us feel strongly that we're going to continue to work hard on it."

Goodell and Smith have been joined by Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, New York Giants owner John Mara, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, New York Jets fullback Tony Richardson, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth and Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, as well as Boylan, as constants in the room.

NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, who has been in some talks, attended the trade association's rookie seminar Tuesday and said roughly 170 players were participating in the event. Mawae also addressed more than 40 Tampa Bay Buccaneers players who are holding a three day minicamp at the vast IMG Academy campus, where the NFLPA event is being held.

The Associated Press and NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche contributed to this report.

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Kaepernick looks good, ailing Crabtree sits at 49ers' practice

Colin Kaepernick decided to skip a symposium for NFL rookies this week to spend time with his San Francisco 49ers teammates and learn some of the playbook.

He's doing a little more than that.

The second-round draft pick out of Nevada was a full participant on the first day of an informal minicamp Tuesday in San Jose, Calif., showing off his strong arm and moving swiftly for the first time since having surgery on his lower left leg in early May. Kaepernick said he doesn't feel limited at all but is waiting for an upcoming doctor's appointment before he resumes his complete training program.

"Definitely have to get back a little of the timing, get back to the pace of the routes, the timing of certain things," he said. "That's just going to take a little bit of time. For the most part, I felt like I was on time with most of my throws today and felt good out there."

Kaepernick was among about two dozen players at the workout led by quarterback Alex Smith, a free agent expected to re-sign with San Francisco once the NFL lockout is lifted. While Smith is the presumed favorite for the starting spot, Kaepernick figures to put some pressure on the veteran next season.

That competition already might have started.

The hard-throwing Kaepernick even knocked down a couple of receivers in some drills, giving a glimpse of an arm that registered the fastest throw during the NFL Scouting Combine four months ago at 59 mph. Kaepernick also took snaps, dropped back and moved in the pocket -- all things he didn't do during the first minicamp earlier this month -- with relative ease.

"He doesn't have that rookie, deer-in-the-headlights mentality," left tackle Joe Staley said. "I think he's going to be a good quarterback."

Kaepernick called his fellow 49ers rookies once he decided not to attend the NFL Players Association-operated rookie symposium this week in Bradenton, Fla. The only rookies at the previous minicamp who didn't attend were running back Kendall Hunter and guard Daniel Kilgore.

Kaepernick said he came to the decision to skip the conference after seeking advice from his agent, Scott Smith, and other rookies and teammates.

"We thought it would be best if I was here for this camp, especially being able to fully participate now, just being with my teammates," Kaepernick said. "Also, we had heard that a lot of the rookies weren't going. We thought this would be a great reason to miss that. Not to say that that wouldn't be very helpful, but we thought that this would be more important at this time."

The 49ers' workouts this week are still heavily focused on offense.

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

The group on hand included most of the key offensive players and almost all the receivers, including Michael Crabtree. He was part of the classroom session but mostly watched on the field at San Jose State's Spartan Stadium while he recovers from sore feet, teammates said. He didn't speak to reporters.

This is similar to the 49ers' first round of workouts earlier this month, when Crabtree sat out all workouts but one because of discomfort in both feet. Teammate Josh Morgan said at the time that Crabtree had developed the sore feet because of new sneakers he had worn in his initial June 6 workout, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The primary difference in this workout was the addition of film from new coach Jim Harbaugh's West Coast offense. That included Harbaugh's offense at Stanford and NFL clips from Steve Young's 49ers and Rich Gannon's Oakland Raiders.

Smith has primarily led the classroom sessions with receivers, and Staley is breaking off into groups with the offensive lineman.

"I think everything is going good so far," Morgan said. "Camp Alex is a success."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Leber wonders if he'll return to Vikings after lockout ends

Ben Leber, one of the 10 plaintiffs in the Brady et al v. National Football League et al case, said last week that he believes the lockout will end in time so as not to disrupt the regular-season schedule.

The question for Leber now is, will the unrestricted free-agent linebacker return to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth season? The 10-year veteran told The Star Tribune on Monday he isn't so sure despite he and his wife's desire to remain in the Twin Cities.

"The reality is if they were really, really wanting me back, then maybe something would have been said before the lockout," said Leber, who frequently has been involved in talks between the players and owners during the lockout. "I had a good meeting with Coach (Leslie) Frazier and (vice president of player personnel Rick) Spielman at the end of the year. Each side expressed how much I'd like to be here and finish my career here. I am hopeful and hope that I can come back and be a Viking again. But I'm also a realist, and I've been through this process before. It's not always up to you, and you have to be willing to move on."

Leber, who's considered a leader on the Vikings' defense, has started for the past five seasons since signing with Minnesota after playing his first four seasons for the San Diego Chargers. Whenever the lockout ends, the free-agent period is expected to be brief and frenzied.

"I get a little anxiety about it," said Leber, who held his annual football camp at St. Thomas University in St. Paul last week. "I do wonder how it's all going to play out, and I'm a little worried about how crazy it's going to be. Thinking about it from a family perspective. Having a newborn at home (a 3-month old son) and how is that going to play out? Am I going to be gone traveling maybe team to team looking for a potential place to play?

"Is it going to be one of those things where you sign on the dotted line and you go to training camp the next day and be gone for another month? All those things my wife and I have talked about, and at the end of the conversation, we're just like, 'Well, we don't know. We can't sit here and waste time speculating.' So I guess whatever happens, happens and we'll roll with it when we get there."

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Agent: Big Ben's surgery comments blown out of proportion

As you were.

That's the message from Ben Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner, after a report last week quoted the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback as saying there's a chance he will need surgery on his previously broken right foot at some point.

"There's nothing new there," Tollner told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday night. "The doctors elected not to do surgery and to let it heal. If it ever got worse, they might have to do something.

"Ben is kind of surprised that it's getting the attention. He hopes and expects never to have surgery on it. The foot was feeling better after the season, with the extra time this offseason, it's feeling great."

Roethlisberger, who told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in a story published Saturday that his foot has healed, suffered through much of 2010 with the injury. He aggravated it during a game against the Buffalo Bills in November, saying "there were times during practice and games where I didn't feel like I'd be able to walk."

The seven-year veteran and two-time Super Bowl winner wore a cleat fitted with a pair of metal plates both in games and practices, right up through the team's loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. He didn't miss a snap last season because of the injury, throwing for 3,200 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"I could have had surgery (after last season), but according to the doctors, it would have been a really nasty process because of where the break was. It was better off trying not to do anything," Roethlisberger told the Tribune-Review. "It's going to be something where we're just going to have to, in essence, play it by ear. If it continues to be as painful as it was at the end of last year, then I'm going to probably have to have the surgery."

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Buyer beware: Sapp warns teams about free-agent safety Huff

Michael Huff will become an unrestricted free agent once the NFL lockout is lifted, but former Oakland Raiders teammate Warren Sapp believes interested teams should think long and hard before signing the safety.

Sapp, now an NFL Network analyst, didn't hold back Tuesday when asked on a Dallas radio show if the Cowboys should court Huff, who played high football in the area and at the University of Texas.

"Michael Huff leaves something to be desired," Sapp said on KESN-FM's "Ben and Skin Show," via The Dallas Morning News. "I watched Huff for two years not pick a pass off in practice. I seen him make a couple plays lately. I'd really be interested to see his tape and watch his last couple of years because his first two make you want to throw up watching him practice.”

Huff was the seventh overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, but Sapp painted the picture of an entitled young player who didn't exert the proper effort to reach his full potential.

"I went so far with Michael Huff, and you can ask him this, that my last day in Oakland, I waited in the parking lot for Michael Huff," said Sapp, who played for the Raiders from 2004 to 2007. "I waited in the parking lot because I wanted to talk to the young man because he made me want to throw up watching him practice. I mean, the scout team would complete ball, after ball, after ball. I'm like, 'You're not going to make one play? I mean, you're not even going to put your hand on it and knock it down?' "

Despite his perceived shortcomings, Huff was named to The Associated Press' All-Pro second team last season. He finished with a career-high 94 tackles, two forced fumbles, seven passes defensed and three interceptions. The 28-year-old has never missed a game in his NFL career.

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Ochocinco: Palmer 'means business' with trade-or-retire talk

Chad Ochocinco's interesting offseason brought him to the University of Cincinnati on Friday, when he trained with the Bearcats before promising to wrestle an alligator.

Following his workout with the school's football team, the Bengals' loquacious wide receiver also told WXIX-TV that he's convinced quarterback Carson Palmer is serious about his plans to retire if the team doesn't trade him. Bengals owner Mike Brown repeatedly has said he won't deal Palmer.

"There's this one thing you have to understand about Carson. When a guy that grows a random beard says he's going to do something, he means it," Ochocinco said. "Seriously. Seriously, That's totally out of his character. When someone like that grows a random beard and says he's going to retire -- if he doesn't get traded -- he means business. And it's unfortunate, but it is what it is."

With the Bengals' leader on the outs, Ochocinco has begun studying college film of rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who might wind up commanding Cincinnati's offense this season.

"I love (Palmer), you know that. You know how I feel about him, and I always will," Ochocinco said. "Everything I've done, I like to say that Carson is the reason for my success -- as so is everybody else. But, you know, he's the quarterback, period. And I think he's in a frustrated state, similar to what I was couple of years ago (when the receiver asked to be traded). And hopefully everything comes around. I understand we drafted Andy Dalton, who is a great quarterback, and after getting him, I've done my own homework in watching him ... and he's really good."

After 10 seasons with the Bengals, Ochocinco's relationship with longtime coach Marvin Lewis has been rocky, leading the receiver to joke that he could "whip Marvin's (expletive) right now," before clarifying that his coach has "been good to me."

Said Ochocinco: "He's the reason for my, ugh, everything. I've been with him eight, nine years. I mean, you know a little spat last year, a little spat here and there, it's a part of life. It's a part of marriage. ... I would love to still be here, and I have no problem ... I can't control the situation as a whole; I can only control me. And what I've done is I've been at peace for a while now. For a while now, you haven't heard a peep out of me as far as being a problem or saying things out of context, I'm just really supporting the Bengals' organization and the city."

Now, about that alligator. Ochocinco claims that when an exasperated Brown suggested the receiver next wrangle snakes as part of his carnivalesque offseason that also has included bull riding and a soccer tryout, he decided to go one step further.

"I just one-upped (Brown): I am going to wrestle alligators," Ochocinco said. "Don't laugh, like I am serious and you'll see it. And I am living life.

"In Okeechobee (Fla.), I am wrestling alligators. Actually, catching them in the wild. Which is going to be really interesting, I am catching them in the wild. I forgot the individual's name who is going with me, who does it for a living. It's pretty dangerous, I could lose an arm, lose a leg, you know ... so was bull riding. So the chance of me getting hurt on the bull is similar to the chance as me winning the lottery, slim to none. And the same thing with alligators. If he bites me, I can still play with one arm. (Because) I can kick, seriously."

Ochocinco also described a plot to sneak into Paul Brown Stadium during the lockout, when players are prevented from accessing team facilities, in order to use workout equipment.

"I freaking plotted to get into Paul Brown; they changed the freaking gate code!" he said. "Yeah, I tried to get in on my own, I tried to get in the back way. I don't want to say it, but there's a way to get into the stadium even though they have the security and all the cameras -- I got the blueprint of the stadium."

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Bills player rep Wilson 'definitely optimistic' about labor talks

Buffalo Bills safety George Wilson likes what he sees and hears about the players' recent discussions with NFL owners to end the lockout. He also cautions against being swept away by expectations of an imminent settlement.

Leber: Season will start on time

"We're definitely optimistic we're moving in the right direction," Wilson, the Bills' player representative, told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Right now, we feel like we're having meaningful discussions. ... We feel we have the right people in the room, discussing the right things, and both sides want to get a deal done. But even though we're moving in the right direction, we're not there yet."

Wilson said conference calls held in the last two days mark the first time in a while that players have been briefed on a lockout that's in its fourth month.

"That's because there haven't been any developments the last little while," he said.

The players also were told that more updates will come next week, when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, several owners and players are scheduled to meet again at an undisclosed location.

"There's definitely going to be talks every week because time is of the essence," Wilson said.

One NFC team executive told NFL Network's Albert Breer on Wednesday night that he believed the sides were "within striking distance" of a deal. However, another AFC team executive said: "There are enough legitimate issues to where it could all fall down still. They're dealing with that stuff."

One such issue is the rookie salary system, which was broached for the first time Thursday since the secret meetings began May 31. The parties have spent much of the last four weeks discussing the biggest issue, which is how to split revenue and account for growth in the players' take.

"The CBA is far from just a percentage of revenue," Wilson said. "There's so much more."

Training camps are scheduled to open in about one month, with two teams -- the Ravens and Jets -- already announcing they will remain at their in-season facilities rather than stage out-of-town camps because of the lockout. The Ravens won't go to Westminster, Md., and the Jets won't go to Cortland, N.Y.

The first preseason game, which pits the Chicago Bears against the St. Louis Rams, is scheduled for Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Titans' Johnson has big money in mind, prepared to hold out

The Tennessee Titans were able to effectively placate star running back Chris Johnson last year and entice him to report for the 2010 season by adding an additional $1.5 million to his $500,000 base salary.

The situation will come to a head again this summer whenever the NFL lockout ends, and the solution is bound to be more complex.

Johnson, set to receive just $800,000 in 2011, is preparing for a much more prolonged holdout if need be and remains committed to joining the game's highest-paid running backs, according to those who have been in contact with him.

Our experts debate what
the Titans should do at QB: go with a veteran passer or stick first-round draft pick Jake Locker into the starting lineup right away. More ...

The idea of another "band-aid" deal, after three highly productive seasons, isn't appealing to Johnson, and a contract in the range of the $5 million per season extension that Jamaal Charles signed with the Kansas City Chiefs last season isn't what he's thinking, either.

Johnson has talked in the past about wanting to join the ranks of those garnering $30 million in guaranteed money, and if the free-agent cash begins flying around in a furious manner post-lockout, don't expect his desire to wane.

Johnson is signed through 2012 on his rookie contract, and although that deal doesn't provide fiscal leverage, his presence is imperative to the Titans' offense. Tennessee is in a tricky spot, with quarterback Vince Young departing and rookie Jake Locker perhaps in line to start right away despite losing all offseason to the lockout. And top wide receiver Kenny Britt has had off-the-field trouble throughout the offseason, making Mike Munchak's first year as coach already more unusual than anyone would expect as he steps in for the departed Jeff Fisher.

All those subplots could hang over the Titans entering training camp, but Johnson's situation would be paramount among them. This impasse has the potential to rival cornerback Darrelle Revis' protracted standoff with the New York Jets last summer unless the sides can agree to a compromise soon after the lockout. It's difficult to envision a running back of Johnson's stature playing for less than $1 million per season.

Eventually, the sides will have to find common ground on more than a year-by-year basis. Perhaps they can find a two- or three-year solution, with guaranteed money on the front end, to bridge the gap. Regardless, whenever the lockout ends, expect this dance between Johnson and his employers to be renewed.

Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @JasonLaCanfora

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Leber predicts abbreviated training camp, full NFL season

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Panthers No. 1 pick Newton: 'I don't bring race into the game'

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'Positive things' help Martinez during uphill health battle

Tom Martinez is living proof that you can't keep a good man down.

The man who has mentored Tom Brady since the New England Patriots' quarterback was a teenager revealed two weeks ago that he had only a few weeks to live, losing battles with diabetes complications and a failing kidney. But on Saturday he was back on the football field, mentoring 35 teenagers at his 33rd annual quarterback camp in Woodside, Calif. Boosted by an overwhelming public response to his news, Martinez told the kids that "positive things" have happened since his revelation.

"I'm feeling better, and I'm optimistic after being almost completely certain that I was going to die," Martinez told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Eight people offered Martinez their kidneys after his daughter, Linda, took to Facebook to post a message of thanks from her father to the football, softball and women's basketball players he coached at College of San Mateo. The elder Martinez was told it would be difficult to find a kidney donor, and then he was told he would also need a heart transplant.

"One kid I used to coach said he would give both his kidney and his heart, but obviously I couldn't do that," Martinez said. "It was all very touching."

But then the parents of a former athlete helped Martinez -- who was receiving treatment at Stanford -- meet with doctors at UCLA, "where they're less conservative," he said.

In quick succession, adjustments were made to his pacemaker (which was implanted in March), and a blood donor was found.

"Incredible, isn't it?" Martinez said. "After my camp ends, I will go back down to UCLA for some internal tests, to see if I can handle surgery. They might try to do a double transplant if everything works."

Martinez reportedly left UCLA on Thursday and attended a workout with Brady and Patriots receiver Julian Edelman.

The severity of Martinez' illness caught people by surprise when news of his prognosis broke in mid June.

A melancholy Brady responded in an interview with Sports Illustrated, describing Martinez's influence over his career as "at the top of the list. Second to none."

Said Brady: "There is no one who knows more about throwing the football than (Martinez). And no one has meant more to me when it comes to throwing the football than Tom."

Brady told the publication that he met with Martinez for a passing session a week before Martinez broke his news.

"We spent two hours there (at an indoor facility in San Carlos, Calif.). He analyzed what I was doing, just like always. And when I got in the car with my dad afterward, I said to him, 'It's unbelievable how much he knows -- how much he helps me,'" Brady said. "I just can't say enough about him, and what he's meant to me. When I heard how serious it was the other night, I was there in bed with my wife (Gisele Bundchen), and it was just a sad moment. Very tough on his family and on ours."

Martinez says he tells his proteges -- who have included John Elway, Matt Cassel and JaMarcus Russell -- they know where to find him.

"Always at the end of every kid I work with, I give them a quarter," Martinez said. "And I tell them, when you need help, you call me. I am never going to call you, even Brady, and tell you what I see because you may feel fine in what you're doing.

"If you need help, if there's anything you think I can help with because I watch every game, call me. And here's a quarter. ... Brady used his quarter, and I had to give him another one, and he used that, and I gave him a different one. JaMarcus still has his."

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'Little' parking issue: Browns rookie ticketed 93 times at UNC

Greg Little continues to make headlines for his actions off the field, not on it.

The University of North Carolina has identified eight players, including Little, who accumulated 317 parking tickets, which were uncovered in documents requested by media outlets covering the ongoing NCAA probe of the school's football program.

The latest release showed Little racked up 93 of those tickets on multiple vehicles with nine different license plates.

Little was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was suspended for his senior year at North Carolina because of NCAA benefits violations.

The school released a chart Friday that links players' names to their license plate numbers on vehicles that included a Land Rover, BMW and an Acura.

A week ago, the school released records that showed some players combined for 395 citations totaling more than $13,000 between March 2007 and August 2010.

Three other NFL rookies were named in the documents: Dallas Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter, St. Louis Rams defensive lineman Robert Quinn and Buffalo Bills running back Johnny White. The other players identified were defensive backs Charles Brown, Kendrick Burney and Deunta Williams, and running back Ryan Houston.

The names of those whose cars received the other 78 citations weren't identified by the school.

The citations ranged in penalty from $5 for improperly displaying a parking permit to $250 for parking in a fire lane or handicapped space, and the total amount of those 395 tickets was $13,185.

The school said last week that of the 395 tickets, 30 remained unpaid. School spokesman Mike McFarland said Friday that he didn't have any updated figures.

The school has said players don't receive special treatment when it comes to parking and that they're expected to pay parking fines like any other student.

Little, who was declared "permanently ineligible" by the NCAA in October, received 43 tickets on a gray Nissan car and 38 on a gray Dodge. He also was listed as being responsible for a green BMW (seven tickets), a black Acura (four) and a black Honda (one).

Houston's black Land Rover was ticketed 63 times. Quinn received a total of 53 tickets on a blue Dodge and a red Ford. Brown's purple Chevrolet received 38 citations, and vehicles linked to Williams, White and Burney each were cited 20 total times. Ten tickets were listed for Carter's red Dodge.

Last week's release came after the North Carolina Court of Appeals denied the school's request to delay the release of those records pending an appeal, and included citations for 11 players requested by media. That ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by several news outlets, including The Associated Press.

The school said not all of those 11 players had received tickets.

Earlier this week, North Carolina received a notice of allegations from the NCAA outlining numerous "potential major violations" in the football program, including unethical conduct by a former assistant coach as well as failure to adequately monitor the conduct of a former and current players.

The NCAA has informed the school that it plans to complete its investigation this month. In all, 14 players missed at least one game this season because of the probe, with seven being ruled out for the entire year. An eighth was cleared to return at midseason but decided to redshirt.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Roethlisberger can't rule out foot surgery despite progress

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says the broken right foot that hampered him throughout much of last season has almost fully healed, but there's a chance he'll require surgery if the pain returns, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Saturday.

"It's doing really good. It's healed up," Roethlisberger said. "Obviously, it helps when I'm not cutting and planting and doing all of these different activities. It's really come a long way. I haven't had too many problems with it recently."

Roethlisberger suffered through much of 2010 with the foot injury, which he aggravated during a game against the Buffalo Bills in November, saying "there were times during practice and games where I didn't feel like I'd be able to walk."

The seven-year veteran and two-time Super Bowl winner wore a cleat fitted with a pair of metal plates both in games and practices, right up through the team's loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. He didn't miss a snap last season because of the injury, throwing for 3,200 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"I could have had surgery (after last season), but according to the doctors, it would have been a really nasty process because of where the break was. It was better off trying not to do anything," Roethlisberger said. "It's going to be something where we're just going to have to, in essence, play it by ear. If it continues to be as painful as it was at the end of last year, then I'm going to probably have to have the surgery."

Roethlisberger has been able to focus on football this offseason, free from off-the-field issues that plagued him a year ago. He recently told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he gathered offensive players for workouts earlier this offseason but kept the proceedings undercover.

"We've worked out, linemen, running backs, tight ends, everybody. All of the offense," Roethlisberger said. "... We've had some good progress, just to kind of refresh people's memories on audible calls or no-huddle calls, little things like that."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Fashion forward: Bills unveil brand-new uniforms for 2011

The Buffalo Bills will feature a look that's both new and familiar whenever the 2011 NFL season kicks off.

The team unveiled new uniforms in an elaborate ceremony Friday night at Ralph Wilson Stadium, retaining the charging buffalo logo but going back to white helmets and royal blue uniform tops.

The Bills will wear white helmets next season, and the royal blue uniform tops also will return. (Kevin Hoffman/US Presswire)

"We listened to our fans," Bills CEO Russ Brandon told the team's official website. "We have done a lot of research (and) this is a long process to go through. We just wanted to get back to our storied tradition while we still highlight our brand."

The Bills' new uniforms have several fresh updates, including the placement of the iconic charging buffalo on every article except the socks.

"One of the things we heard consistently was there was really no identifying mark on our jersey," said Marc Honan, the Bills' senior vice president of marketing and broadcasting. "We feel that the charging buffalo is perhaps one of the strongest marks in the league, and why not incorporate it into the look, and we think it looks great on the jersey."

The Bills have added their team logo above the nameplate on the back of the jersey. The Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings are the only other two NFL teams to feature that design, according to the Bills' website.

The team name "Bills" also now appears below the V-neck of the jersey on the front.

"In the last five years, we've seen a real trend in the league with teams moving towards including whether it's a logo or a word mark as part of their jersey makeup," Honan said.

The jerseys, designed by Reebok, are 20 to 30 percent lighter in weight, depending on the player's size.

The most instantly recognizable change is the helmet, which will be white for the first time since 1983. The color has been enhanced with a "metallic flake" to gives the helmet a sparkling quality.

"We wanted something that just wasn't a flat white," Bills director of merchandise Tim Kehoe told the team's website. "For more of a modern type of a look, we wanted to go with this metallic flake, which will add a little bit of reflective nature to the quality of the helmet."

The team also tweeted Friday that running back C.J. Spiller and defensive back Leodis McKelvin have switched jersey numbers. Spiller now will wear No. 28, and McKelvin will don No. 21.

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Taylor's take: 'Wherever you put me, I'm going to make home'

After eight seasons in black and gold, Ike Taylor's future with the Pittsburgh Steelers remains uncertain, but the free-agent cornerback isn't sweating it.

"Time will tell," Taylor told The Times-Picayune on Friday. "I've been (in Pittsburgh) for eight years. I've been in that city more than any other city in my whole life, but time will tell. I see myself being anywhere I need to be. Wherever you put me, I'm going to make home."

Taylor, a two-time Super Bowl champion, played the final year of a four-year, $22.5 million deal with the Steelers last season. He's open to a ninth campaign in Pittsburgh, but the NFL lockout has dropped free agents into an abyss. Taylor believes he already would have signed somewhere if not for the labor drama.

"I just leave it up to my agent (Joel Segal) and Pittsburgh," Taylor said. "When it comes down to getting serious, I'm sure my agent is going to call me. Other than that, he'll let me know when the time is right. When you get into this profession, you already know that's part of the business. You don't know what's really going to go on. There's nothing in our business that's guaranteed anyway, so that's how I look at it."

Taylor has gone through his usual offseason regimen with personal coach Tom Shaw, whom he met during his freshman year at Marion Abramson Senior High School in New Orleans. Taylor was among more than 20 players, including New England running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who traveled from Shaw's training site in Orlando, Fla., to suburban Atlanta in May to work with some Oakland Raiders at a players-only minicamp.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Reed: 'We wanted Rex as the head coach in Baltimore' in '08

John Harbaugh has found success as coach of the Ravens, leading the team to the playoffs in all three of his seasons. But one of Baltimore's biggest stars acknowledged Friday that many in the locker room pulled for Rex Ryan to land the job in 2008.

Ed Reed, the Ravens' seven-time Pro Bowl safety, didn't hold back this week when explaining his affection for Ryan, now the New York Jets' outspoken coach.

"(Ryan was) like a dad, like a brother, man," Reed told ESPN, in comments reported by The Baltimore Sun. "We wanted Rex as the head coach in Baltimore. We did not want him to leave. It hurt when he left (in 2009). We knew he was a great coach. There was a reason why that defense was the way it was."

Before Ryan guided the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, he served as a key figure behind the vaunted Ravens defense. Ryan was the defensive line coach from 1999 to 2004 before a promotion to defensive coordinator duties in 2005.

Ryan held that position for three seasons and was believed to be a serious candidate to replace dismissed coach Brian Billick. The job ultimately went to Harbaugh, who previously had been part of Andy Reid's Philadelphia Eagles staff.

Reed didn't speak negatively of Harbaugh, but he heaped praise on Ryan, whom Harbaugh retained for the 2008 season.

"I would play anywhere with Rex -- in a dark alley, on the street, in high school football, sandlot, anywhere -- because he makes it fun," Reed said. "He loves this game. He truly loves this game, and there's a reason why those guys in New York back him the way they do."

Reed, 32, also discussed his playing future, admitting that recent injuries have him wondering how many years he has left in the NFL.

"I don't want to be like these guys having neck surgery and then you got to have another surgery just to continue to play this game," said Reed, also a five-time All-Pro. "I love this game, but I love myself more."

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Fired for taping practice, Scarnecchia hired by Syracuse

Former Broncos videographer Steve Scarnecchia, the team's video operations director who illegally taped a six-minute portion of the San Francisco 49ers' Oct. 30 practice in London, has been hired by Syracuse University to take over video operations, the school announced Friday. He replaces Erik Kunttu, who left to become the video coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts.

"I am 100 percent certain (Scarnecchia) is the right man for this job," Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone told The Post-Standard. "Steve knows he made a mistake. He acknowledged his mistake and faced the consequences. I am convinced that he has learned his lesson. Steve is a Syracuse University graduate, and I am thrilled to have him back at his alma mater."

Scarnecchia earned his bachelor’s degree in television, radio and film from Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, graduating cum laude in 2000.

About a month after the Broncos lost to the 49ers, 24-16 at Wembley Stadium, the Broncos informed the NFL that Scarnecchia filmed part of the 49ers' walk-through the day prior to the game. He presented the video that day to head coach Josh McDaniels, who declined to view it. McDaniels was cleared from the video-taping incident, but he and the Broncos were each fined $50,000 because McDaniels failed to report the incident as required by league policy. McDaniels was fired Dec. 6, less than halfway through his four-year contract.

Scarnecchia and McDaniels previously worked for the New England Patriots, who were found to have videotaped New York Jets coaches sending in signals during a game in 2007.

The league's investigation determined New England had violated rules over several seasons. Scarnecchia, who was a Jets employee when the Patriots were penalized, worked for New England between 2001 and 2005. He was found to have participated in New England's videotaping when he worked for the Patriots in the early 2000s.

The NFL bans such videotaping and issued $750,000 in fines against the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots also were stripped of their 2008 first-round draft pick.

McDaniels, who worked in New England from 2001 to 2009, hired Scarnecchia in Denver shortly after becoming the Broncos' coach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Agent says LB Kindle 'extra hungry' to show Ravens his worth

Linebacker Sergio Kindle has been cleared to play for the Baltimore Ravens after missing all of last season with a head injury, but his agent, Joel Segal, isn't expecting a long-term contract just yet.

"No, I don't think we'll do long-term right now," Segal told WJZ-FM, according to the Ravens' official website. "Once Sergio shows he's the Sergio Kindle who was the special player at Texas, that he's healthy, that he's ready to roll, the difference-maker that we know he will be if he's healthy, I think at that point, hopefully, we'll have a conversation."

"Serg was obviously on a small contract (a one-year deal last season) and, hopefully, once he's healthy and ready to go, it will be a contract we expect. ... He has been working out hard, he's obviously extra hungry. He's focused, ready. You know, now he's just got to get some contact and show everybody that he's the old Sergio Kindle."

A second-round pick of the Ravens in the 2010 NFL Draft, Kindle was at a house party last summer when he fell down two flights of stairs, fracturing his skull.

The injury led to concerns that Kindle's career might be in jeopardy. The skull fracture and subsequent brain bruising led to permanent damage to his equilibrium. Kindle has very little hearing in his left ear, which doctors don't expect to change. He describes the year forced out of football as very difficult.

Kindle told the San Antonio Express-News earlier this month that he has been cleared for football activities. He admits, however, that the true test of his progress will come when he takes part in physical contact drills. The lockout hasn't allowed that yet.

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Hillis' profile is higher than ever, but work ethic still the same

Peyton Hillis may be the new "Madden 12" cover boy, but he's not letting the newfound notoriety affect his work ethic.

The Cleveland Browns' rugged running back has been busy enhancing his skill-set during the NFL lockout, training in his own distinct way in his hometown of Conway, Ark. Hillis has been seen around the neighborhood powering down the street with a half-ton truck harnessed to his chest. On lighter days, he drags a small car or all-terrain vehicle.

"I know it's weird, but if you saw it, you can see it works," Hillis told The Plain Dealer in Saturday's edition. "It's just something a buddy of mine came up with and I've been doing it since my junior year in high school."

Hillis went from being a relative unknown to one of the most talked-about players in the league in a 2010 season in which he totaled 1,177 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, despite playing the last three weeks with a painful cracked rib that made breathing a chore.

Hillis, like every other NFL player this offseason, is in the unique position of preparing for a new season without the structure that the NFL provides. Hillis is doing his best to create a positive support system.

"I have coaches from Conway High working me out and all kinds of local fitness experts," he said. "I'm doing yoga, MMA and things like that. I'm an unorthodox player, so I have to do things that fit my kind of game."

The biggest flaw in Hillis' game last season was ball security, and like other aspects of his training this offseason, the 25-year-old has taken a straightforward approach.

"I'll carry a ball around with me all day and ask people to try to knock it out of my hand when I least expect it," he said. "I'll give them some money and stuff so people get pretty geeked up about that. It just helps me to take care of the ball without even thinking about it."

Looking ahead to the 2011 season, Hillis is excited to be part of a West Coast offense under new coach Pat Shurmur and welcomes a potential challenge for the starting job in the form of Montario Hardesty, who is set to return to action after reconstructive knee surgery.

"I always find competition in each and every thing I do and it will bring competition -- no doubt about it," Hillis said. "But being professional and being who I am, I like competition. I like a good challenge and I'm always up for anything."

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Colts' Irsay: 'This is the time to get something done'

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The NFL wrapped up a labor-intensive meeting Tuesday in less than five hours, with the league's negotiating team moving full steam ahead as time draws short for a new collective bargaining agreement before the traditional open of training camps.

Members of the NFL's labor committee, as well as Commissioner Roger Goodell, will hold a fourth set of clandestine face-to-face meetings with NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and players Wednesday and Thursday in suburban Boston.

The parties are looking to build off existing momentum. According to sources in the room, the owners spent Tuesday's meetings discussing ideas and concepts, rather than specifics, as they hammer out a complex deal with many moving parts. Although no votes were taken nor proposals approved, they avoided potential hiccups that the summit might have produced.

"It was a good day in the sense of we had a full discussion on the issues," Goodell said. "Ownership is united and determined to reach an agreement and have a full 2011 season. ... The membership has a strong view of the priorities and what we need to do and a determination to get there."

NFL general counsel Jeff Pash echoed those words, saying: "I think we have a consensus within the ownership on the priorities. I think we have a consensus within the ownership on the fundamental economic principles we're looking for. And I think that's been true for some time."

Atop the agenda was updating clubs on the status of the clandestine player/owner talks that took place May 31-June 2 in suburban Chicago, June 7-9 on Long Island, N.Y., and June 14-15 on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Owners had the opportunity to voice concerns and debate issues, and so the the speed at which things moved along was considered a good sign.

"It's good that things seem to be moving," said Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a labor committee member and one of three owners who have attended all of the "secret" meetings. "But there's a lot of hard work left to be done."

This was designated as a "two-per-club" meeting and, as such, the high number of football people in attendance -- general managers such as John Schneider of the Seahawks, Scott Pioli of the Chiefs and Bruce Allen of the Redskins -- was notable. According to sources, there is logic behind that.

First, because such a small number of clubs have been involved in the "secret" meetings the last few weeks, it was important for football people to stay updated on the process to preserve competitive balance -- preventing teams entrenched in the talks to anticipate things before clubs that are more detached. And, second, the plan for how the league year would begin following a labor resolution is on the table, and football people need to be involved in that.

This isn't a sign that a deal is imminent, but it does reflect the critical juncture at which the players and owners have arrived and the importance of timing as the window shrinks to have the league up and running in time to save the preseason.

"This is the season to get something done, this is the time to get something done," said Colts owner Jim Irsay. "The energy has to continue from both sides, because it's always fragile and difficult. ... I think both sides really want to get something done at this point. In talking to people from both sides, I get that feeling."

Later, Irsay tweeted: "I'm just so f--ing excited...but I don't know why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

One owner said that the talks remain "fragile" but that he was confident a deal could be reached within a couple of weeks.

Also making an appearance was former Vikings star Carl Eller, a plaintiff representing retired players in the consolidated Brady & Eller v. the NFL antitrust case. Eller spoke with the owners in the morning hours to make sure the interests of retirees continued to be served as the talks between the league and players moved forward.

Follow Albert Breer on Twitter @AlbertBreer

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Jets S Leonhard says he's cleared for all football activities

New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard caught a bad break during a December practice. This week, he had a "breakthrough" in his recovery, telling The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., that he has been given the go-ahead to participate in football activities.

"This week was a definitely a huge breakthrough," Leonhard said. "I felt I could push as hard as I wanted to and not have setbacks.

"I'm getting excited. I want to play football and prove I'm back; prove I've done the work to get back."

Leonhard, who made the secondary calls for the Jets last season, has worked hard rehabbing after surgery to place a rod in the leg to stabilize the right tibia fracture.

He said he has had no setbacks during his recovery and that X-rays in April revealed the break had fully healed. His road back began with work on an anti-gravity treadmill and strength exercises, then advanced to running on the ground. The last hurdle, which was cleared three weeks ago, was being allowed to resume all of the motions vital to playing in an NFL defensive backfield.

"Obviously you get back and meet with the trainers, but I would feel comfortable doing anything at this point," Leonhard said. "A lot of it has gone on feel because it's a bone, and it's hard to determine what the timeline would be. If there's a lot of soreness, you back off; if it feels good, you push hard. Now I feel like I can push it as hard as I want."

Helping Leonhard during his workouts and recovery in Madison, Wis., was his younger brother Tyler, who is literally following in Jim's footsteps by trying to walk on at the University of Wisconsin as a defensive back.

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Response to NFL in Super Bowl lawsuit: We want lost income

DALLAS -- Super Bowl ticket-holders displaced during the seating fiasco at Cowboys Stadium in February said Tuesday in a court filing they should be compensated for lost income on top of the other expenses they incurred.

Ticket holders who lost their seats or had obstructed views "at a very minimum" should be paid for lost income suffered as a result of traveling to suburban Arlington, according to a document filed in response to a motion by the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL seeking to dismiss the class action lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed after 1,250 temporary seats were declared unsafe just hours before the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It says 475 ticket holders were forced to watch from standing-room locations while others were relocated, causing them to miss part of the game won by Green Bay.

Another group of fans suffered because they learned upon arrival at the stadium that they had seats with obstructed views, the suit contends.

The NFL said last month in its motion to have the suit dismissed that it satisfied its obligations to the displaced fans by offering them the actual prices they paid for their tickets as well as all documented travel, lodging and meal expenses.

A league spokesman said it would have no comment on the plaintiffs' latest filing.

Michael Avenatti, a Los Angeles attorney representing the ticket holders, said he expects to take the depositions of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the end of the summer.

"The law permits the fans to receive 100 percent of their damages, and we intend on recovering just that," Avenatti said.

The ticket holders' filing said there is nothing on record to prove that all eligible fans received settlement offers from the NFL. Moreover, the offers had too many strings attached, including caps on the amount of compensation for meals and lodging, the filing said.

"Defendants' so-called settlement offers do not come close to making plaintiffs whole," the filing said.

The filing also reiterated the ticket holders' claim that the NFL and the Cowboys knew before the game that the temporary seats weren't ready and amounted to fraud.

"Defendants instead threw a 'Hail Mary pass' and hoped, by some miracle, the problems would somehow solve themselves and legitimate seats would magically appear," the filing said, citing e-mail and other documents publicly released by the city of Arlington after the game.

The NFL and the Cowboys said in their motion that they didn't know until just before kickoff that the seats were inadequate and that work on them continued into the afternoon on the day of the game.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Roethlisberger would welcome Burress back with open arms

The talk surrounding Plaxico Burress returning to a former team has focused on the New York Giants, with whom he won Super Bowl XLII. But what about his other former team -- the Pittsburgh Steelers?

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Tuesday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has kept in contact with Burress since the wide receiver's release from prison a couple of weeks ago. Could a possible reunion be in the works? The duo played together during Roethlisberger's rookie season of 2005.

"I've talked to Plax a number of times in the last couple of weeks," Roethlisberger said. "I told him, 'Hey, if you came back here that would be awesome, but I'm just happy to see you playing again' because he's a good guy."

Burress, who last played during the 2008 season, will be a free agent once the lockout ends.

Roethlisberger has lobbied for the Steelers to add a taller receiving threat to the team's wideout mix. The 6-foot-5 Burress would instantly join rookie receiver Wes Lyons as the two tallest players on the Steelers' roster.

Roethlisberger, who was Burress' neighbor in Pittsburgh, made his comments during his football camp for children ages 7-14.

The quarterback also addressed the lockout and why the Steelers, who will return most of their starters from a team that again reached the Super Bowl last season, expect to be in good shape once it ends.

"It's not like we need a rookie center or a new quarterback, someone to learn the offense right away, so I think we are better equipped (to deal with the lockout) than we would be if we were a younger team," Roethlisberger said. "We don't need to fill many spots. I think that translates into a veteran team that can deal with things like this."

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Meeting adds to optimism, but there's more work to be done

The league owners came, they went and yet the NFL is still locked out.

What does this all mean? It means we are getting closer to a deal. Not close enough to not worry -- but close enough to be more optimistic that we will have a full football season starting with training camp in July.

In March, the roadblock was time, which favored both sides because they wanted to see whom the courts might favor in this dispute. No one was losing a check and no money was being lost, therefore most thought time was on their respective sides. And in any negotiation time is always the enemy. So much so that the standard rule of negotiations when dealing with the Japanese is that nothing of substance will transpire until right before your plane to return home is due to take off.

However, allowing this time to pass has cost everyone -- owners and players -- money. When the deal is eventually announced, revenues will have shrunk, and that will affect the ability of all 32 teams to chase and pay a premium for free agents.

Time is running out for both sides as we near the end of June. I was told Tuesday by a league official that the owners were unified (which is always a good sign), they want to get a deal done quickly and that things are moving in the right direction. However, it will take considerably more time and negotiation before a deal is finally announced and the lockout ends.

Starting today in Boston, the talks must start making huge strides or we will begin to lose parts of the season. I also was told Tuesday that almost everyone present at the owners meeting feels certain we will not miss any regular-season games, but the preseason is a concern.

The major purpose of the meeting was to inform every team about the direction that the negotiations are headed and for the league to discuss potential revenue sharing.

A huge component of the new deal involves revenue sharing among the owners -- which must work in harmony with the next collective bargaining agreement.

'Serious' negotiations continue The NFL's negotiating team is moving full steam ahead for a fourth set of clandestine face-to-face meetings with NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and players Wednesday and Thursday in suburban Boston, Albert Breer writes. More ...

The NFL has always been a shared-revenue league -- almost to the detriment of promoting the art of entrepreneurial leadership. Teams without great stadium leases or money-making venues, or those without the initiative to find alternative ways to make money, must rely on the profitable teams to fund an account that then will allow the poorer teams to have similar economic prosperity as the richer ones.

This method of sharing is what has made the league so strong, and there was a concern that this revenue-sharing plan might hold up an agreement of a new deal. Yet after yesterday, I was told by a league official that "nothing will keep the owners from getting a deal done."

Today starts the real negotiation because time now favors no one.

Sensing we are getting close to a deal, Buffalo Wild Wings announced Tuesday that the restaurant will give out six free chicken wings -- if a deal is reached by July 20 -- to anyone who signs an open letter asking the NFL asking it to reach an agreement. That's a strong commitment on their part, and if both sides make the same strong commitment to reaching a deal then Buffalo Wild Wings will have to pay up.

Let's all hope the future is sooner rather than later.

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Umenyiora unhappy with contract, but Giants still an option

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora might be unhappy with his contract, but he has not ruled out a return to the New York Giants.

NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported Thursday that Umenyiora gave a deposition as part of the Brady et al v. the National Football League et al case, claiming that Giants general manager Jerry Reese promised to either trade him or make him among the top five defensive ends in the league back in 2008, according to sources who have seen the affidavit.

In the statement, which was given under the penalty of perjury, Umenyiora details conversations with Reese, saying that he was promised that if he "was playing at a high level" over the following two seasons, he would be compensated among the best at his position or dealt to a team that would compensate him. Umenyiora's agent, Tony Agnone, was also deposed.

Umenyiora, 29, claims that Reese has failed to make good on his word.

As one of the plaintiffs in the Brady case, he provided the statements to NFL Players Association lawyers to show the kind of "irreparable" harm being done to players by the lockout.

Despite the drama, Umenyiora told The New York Times on Friday that he would "absolutely" be willing to return to the Giants.

"I love my teammates," Umenyiora said. "The owners of the team, Mr. (John) Mara and Mr. (Steve) Tisch, I'm really cool with both of them. They came to the hospital when I was injured. They're wonderful people. I don't have a beef with them per se. At the end of the day, they're going to have to make the best decision for them.

"If they renegotiate my deal, I have to be on the field, and I have to perform. To play all those guys is going to be very, very difficult. For everyone to get their chance to showcase their skills, it’s going to be difficult to do that."

Said Umenyiora: "Any time you mention my name, it seems as if it’s just a firestorm of negativity, and Osi doing this and Osi doing that. Nobody in that organization or on that team can tell you I’m a disruption or a negative person or I’m perceived in such a way, because they’d be lying."

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy came out of the woodwork Thursday to respond to Umenyiora's situation via Twitter, calling the defender "overrated n soft" and the "3rd best d-line on his team honestly."

Umenyiora fired back, telling The Times: "That little Chihuahua or poodle in the backfield. He doesn't have to block me. ... If you have something to say, say it man to man. You can't be a Twitter gangster. That's easy to do, trying to be a tough guy. Say it to my face, and we'll see what happens."

Umenyiora also spoke to The Star-Ledger on Friday and referred to McCoy as "Lady Gaga."

"I mean, he’s a girl, man. Who does stuff like that?" Umenyiora said. "If he has more of these things to say, he can say 'em to my face."

Umenyiora went on to describe his contentious relationship with McCoy.

"Yeah, me and him, we had words on the field -- both times we played. I hate him, he hates me, period. He chose to take that off the field and make it public when it's something that's between me and him. It’s something we can address on the football field. He let the whole world know about it, so I’m going to respond."

Said Umenyiora of past entanglements: "Oh, he said all kinds of stuff. He called me an 'African (expletive).' It was bad. It was pretty intense between me and him. I said a couple of things to him."

If Umenyiora ends up with another club, it will pull him out of a Giants-Eagles rivalry he labeled "rough," but he said he'll find his way back to McCoy one way or another.

"I’ll see him somewhere for sure. It’s going to continue, man. There's going to be no going back from this one because I feel he crossed the line."

Giants wideout Steve Smith joined the fray Friday, tweeting: "The nerve of certain youngins running their mouth." 

Smith's message included a photo montage of the Giants celebrating their Super Bowl XLII victory next to an empty Eagles trophy case.

"Eagles have a great team as do we," Smith continued. "They've had our number lately but until you win something major I don't wanna hear it."

Umenyiora, a seven-year veteran, has been unhappy for quite some time with the contract extension he signed in 2005. The collective bargaining agreement signed in 2006 prompted increased spending around the league, and other defensive linemen quickly eclipsed the $31 million deal, averaging $5.5 million a season, that he had signed.

With two years left on his contact, he can earn $3.875 million in salary and bonuses in 2011, and $4.725 million in salary and bonuses in 2012, far below others with similar career production.

Umenyiora's monster season in 2007 -- in which he posted 13 sacks and helped the Giants win the Super Bowl -- spurred the meeting with Reese that was covered in the affidavit. A league source, however, pointed out that there could conceivably have been some miscommunication, that Reese might have been talking about possibly exploring a trade or new contract down the road without directly promising to do so.

In the two years Umenyiora was to perform at a high level, he did not do so -- he spent 2008 on injured reserve with a knee injury and lost his starting spot and became a situational player in 2009 while clashing with the coaching staff. La Canfora reports that his trade value was low, based on injury concerns and the fact he was coming off just a seven-sack season in 2009, at the time Reese was to have had to make good on his "promise," as per the statements from the affidavit.

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Eagles' Jordan charged with misdemeanor assault in hometown

Eagles linebacker Akeem Jordan, who started three games for Philadelphia last season, was arrested early Sunday in his hometown of Harrisonburg, Va., and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, The Daily News-Record reported Monday.

According to the Harrisonburg Police Department, the incident occurred in the parking lot of the Firetap Bar and Grill. Jordan, 25, was released on his own recognizance Monday.

"They got into a verbal altercation, which led to a physical disorderly incident," police spokeswomen Mary-Hope Vass told the Philadelphia Daily News. "The incident was reported to us on Sunday afternoon. The victim went to the magistrate and obtained the warrant. Jordan turned himself in Sunday without any issues."

She said the victim's condition is "nothing life-threatening."

Jordan's agent, Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, told the Daily News, "It's always unfortunate when these things happen. Circumstances happen, but I'm confident it will be figured out.

"He is cooperating fully. Getting into the details doesn't help anybody; it impedes the process. I stand behind the kid 100 percent. He's a first-class kid, but you always wish these things never happen. He's got a great track record as a citizen."

The Eagles are aware of the incident, but a team spokesman told the Daily News the club would not have a comment.

Jordan is a fifth-year pro who played collegiately at James Madison University. He started 10 games during the 2009 season, his best statistically in the NFL. That year, he had 71 tackles and two interceptions.

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Williams says 'Boys 'losing our key time to jell' during lockout

For wideout Roy Williams, the NFL lockout has provided the eight-year veteran with ample time to rest a battered body, but he sees how it's stolen from the growth of the Dallas Cowboys.

"We're losing our key time to jell as a team," Williams said. "That’s when you come together, in offseason, OTAs, minicamps. We try to make it up with our own workouts, but it’s not the same as it is when the coaches are pushing you."

Still, Williams sees a silver lining to the extended break. 

"I talked to a player who was contemplating retirement, but the lockout has gotten his body back to where it needs to be," Williams told the Odessa American over the weekend. "For us older players, it’s good."

Williams told the American he is focused on helping the Cowboys get back to winning after last year's bitterly disappointing campaign.

"We looked like paper champs. We had the team, we had the talent, but when we played, it didn’t pan out for us. We have to be better next year," Williams said.

Williams, who notched 21 receptions for 306 yards and five touchdowns in his first five games in 2010, had just 16 catches for 224 yards with no scores down the stretch.

With a salary-cap hit close to $9.4 million, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, there is speculation Williams could be done in Dallas shortly after a headline-grabbing trade brought him over from the Detroit Lions in 2008 for first-, third- and sixth-round picks in the 2009 draft.

"When I first got to Dallas and saw all the media -- in Detroit we only had like four or five guys -- in Dallas, it's like 25, 26. It’s 'America's Team,' the most-viewed organization in any sport.

"It’s been tough, because everybody's expecting me to do all these things that I'm very capable of doing when given the opportunity," Williams said. "I'm a role player, and I just try to make the plays whenever they come my way."

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Canadian Football League back on NFL Network

Two Canadian Football League games per week will be broadcast on NFL Network in the United States this season, the Canadian Football League and NFL Network announced Tuesday.

NFL Network's telecast of 2011 CFL regular season games is a part of a new agreement with the CFL. The network also has the option to show additional games in the regular season, the CFL Playoffs and the Grey Cup championship game.

Canadian Football League on NFL Network
(Through first five weeks of 2011 season)

"This is very positive news for our CFL fans living in the United States," said Michael Copeland, Chief Operating Officer of the CFL. "And it's a very positive development for our football operations as it will continue to expose our product to prospects across the U.S."

Last season, NFL Network carried 14 CFL games featuring the fast-paced, wide open Canadian game which included numerous players familiar to Americans who follow U.S. college football. Additionally, the CFL continues to lay the foundation for some of the NFL's current standouts. Miami Dolphins linebacker Cameron Wake, a former B.C. Lions standout in 2007 and 2008, ranked third in the NFL in sacks and was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2010.

"We are pleased to offer more football to our fans with more CFL action this year," said Lawrence Randall, NFL Network's Director of Programming. "Delivering live games from all levels of football is part of our commitment to our passionate viewers who want football 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year."

The games will be produced by TSN, the leading sports broadcaster in Canada. NFL Network subscribers in Canada will get alternate programming due to TSN's exclusivity.

This year's CFL season kicks off June 30 when the British Columbia Lions, quarterbacked by former Montana State star Travis Lulay, visit the defending Grey Cup Champion Montreal Alouettes and their head coach, Marc Trestman, whose extensive coaching resume includes successful stints as an NFL offensive coordinator in Cleveland, San Francisco, Arizona and Oakland. The 99th Grey Cup game will be played in Vancouver on November 27th.

Canadian football has a history spanning more than a century. The Grey Cup is annually one of the most watched television events north of the border. Home to eight teams, all in Canadian cities, the league features three downs instead of four, 12 men a side instead of 11, unlimited motion before the snap of the ball, and a bigger playing field that measures 65 yards wide and 110 yards long, with end zones 20 yards deep.

Some of the league's most recognizable alumni include former NFL quarterbacks Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Joe Theismann, Jeff Garcia and Joe Kapp and legendary coach Bud Grant. Moon and Grant have the unique honor of belonging to both the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Additional matchups on NFL Network will be announced at a later date.

About NFL Network
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only network dedicated entirely to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the most popular sports league website and the exclusive Internet home of NFL Network. The website has a new, enhanced video player and has recently added community features.

About the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League is built on a tradition as proud, staged on a field as broad, and played at a pace as exciting as the country we are proud to call home. Our championship game, the Grey Cup, is the biggest single annual sporting event in Canada. And the 99th edition will be played on November 27, 2011 in Vancouver, BC. For additional information, visit www.cfl.ca.

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