Report: Bills awaiting tests on rookie Dareus' ankle injury

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A person familiar with rookie defensive lineman Marcell Dareus' ankle injury has told The Associated Press that the Buffalo Bills are awaiting tests to determine its severity after the first-round draft pick was hurt in practice.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team hasn't released any information or confirmed Dareus was hurt.

The injury occurred in practice Wednesday, during a portion that is closed to reporters. Dareus was briefly spotted walking on crutches in the locker room after practice.

Dareus was drafted third overall out of Alabama in April and is being counted on to make an immediate impact in improving what was a porous Buffalo defense last year.

The Buffalo News first reported that Dareus hurt his left ankle.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Report: Packers RB Grant restructures contract to make roster

Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant has accepted a $1 million reduction in his salary this season in exchange for a guaranteed contract.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Wednesday that Grant's agent and the Packers agreed to lower the running back's base pay from $3.5 million to $2.5 million on Aug. 9. That decreased his cap salary from $4.797 million to $3.797 million, giving the Packers $1 million to spend on re-signing other veterans.

The tradeoff for Grant is that his new contract is fully guaranteed against both skill and injury, increasing his chance of making the team's final roster this season.

No other changes were made to the final year of the four-year, $18 million contract that Grant signed in August 2008, according to the newspaper.

Grant, an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame who spent 2005 and 2006 with the New York Giants but never played for the team, rushed for more than 1,200 yards for the Packers in both 2008 and 2009. He was limited to one game for Green Bay last season before suffering ligament damage to his ankle.

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49ers RB Gore to terminate holdout and report to team Monday

The San Francisco 49ers say running back Frank Gore will return to the team Monday after missing the first four days of training camp due to a holdout, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

A team spokesman confirmed late Sunday that Gore has spoken with coach Jim Harbaugh and has decided to practice while he attempts to negotiate a contract extension with the team. Gore is scheduled to earn $2.9 million in base salary and $2 million in a roster bonus during the final season of his current deal.

Under the terms of the NFL's new labor agreement, Gore is subject to $90,000 in fines for his holdout. The 49ers are off Monday, putting Gore back on the field with the team on Tuesday.

The former Miami Hurricane has led the 49ers in rushing in all six of his NFL seasons, but he is coming off a hip injury suffered in November.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Report: QB Moore to sign with 'Fins following Panthers stint

Quarterback Matt Moore was headed to Miami on Friday to sign a two-year, $5 million contract with the Dolphins, according to The Oregonian.

La Canfora: Dolphins still want Orton Don’t read too much into the Dolphins signing Matt Moore as it relates to Kyle Orton, says Jason La Canfora. Miami still wants Orton, and know he could beat out both Chad Henne and Moore to become the starter. More ...

The newspaper reports that incentives could push to deal to $7.5 million for Moore, who leaves a crowded quarterback situation with the Panthers for a Dolphins team that was said to be in pursuit of Denver Broncos passer Kyle Orton.

Dophins owner Stephen Ross told the Sun-Sentinel Friday that the Orton deal "is dead."

If Orton is indeed out of the picture, Moore will compete with Chad Henne for a starting role with the Dolphins just one season after being named starter for the Panthers. Moore was unseated by rookie Jimmy Clausen as the season progressed after Moore completed just 55.2 percent of his passes, tossing five touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Moore started 13 games in three seasons in Carolina, going 7-6. In 2009, Moore led the Panthers to four wins in its final five games, setting the table for his starting opportunity in 2010.

His future in Carolina grew cloudy after the team finished 2-14 and drafted Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick in April.

Moore was signed by the Panthers in 2007 as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State.

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Chargers WR Jackson expected to sign tender, report to camp

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson will sign his franchise tender and report to training camp on time, According to a source.

After being designated with the franchise tag last year, a disgruntled Jackson opted to sit out much of the 2010 season after failing to reach a long-term agreement with the Chargers. Jackson skipped the first 10 games of the season, returning in Week 12. In five games, Jackson had 14 receptions for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson was one of 10 plaintiffs in the Brady et al v. National Football League et al antitrust case.

Follow Albert Breer on Twitter @albertbreer.

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Vick unsure if Jackson will report when Eagles open camp

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick was one of the first Eagles at team headquarters, lifting weights, catching up with teammates, doing all types of activities inside the state-of-the-art complex that he was banned from during the lockout.

He's ready to report Wednesday to training camp, even without a new contract.

Though Vick's not so sure his top target will join him.

Even with the lockout over, trouble looms for the Philadelphia Eagles after Vick suggested DeSean Jackson could hold out of training camp because the two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is unhappy with his contract. Jackson enters the final year of his four-year rookie deal, and is set to earn $600,000, way below the market value for a top-flight receiver.

Vick said he doesn't know if Jackson will report to Lehigh University based on a conversation they had Monday.

"DeSean just has some things to think about," Vick said, "and some decisions to make that only himself can make."

Jackson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not immediately return a request for comment. Rosenhaus and client Terrell Owens battled for a new deal with the Eagles in training camp in 2005. T.O. never held out, though he was eventually booted out of camp and, later, off the team.

But wait, there's more.

The Kevin Kolb trade rumors have been building for months, but with the window for deals open, the situation could take more time than most expected, reports Jason La Canfora. More ...

Kevin Kolb, once groomed as the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb, did not attend the voluntary workout Tuesday because he is on the trading block. It seems unlikely he'll be asked to report to camp this week as the Eagles work out a trade.

Kolb started last season as the No. 1 quarterback until a concussion opened the path for Vick's emergence. Vick responded with 21 touchdowns, 3,018 passing yards and was voted to the Pro Bowl. Kolb has been rumored to be traded to Arizona, and it appears his time with the franchise is over. Vick said Kolb, through text messages, is excited about his future.

"We'll see how it all plays out," Vick said, "but we're rooting for him."

Jackson wants a new deal. Kolb wants out. And Vick? Well, he's not demanding a contract extension, but the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year is due one. The Eagles designated Vick with the franchise tag before the lockout, and now have until Sept. 20 to sign him to a multiyear contract or extension.

He's set to earn about $16 million this year. Vick once had a $130 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons that was the NFL's richest.

Vick said he's focused on football and not yet worried about signing a new contract -- or of negotiations becoming a distraction over the first month of the season.

"Everything happens when it's supposed to," he said. "I put that in the hands of God and this organization to make it happen."

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie did not talk to reporters as he walked into the NovaCare facility for a meeting.

Coach Andy Reid, starting his 13th season, is set to take questions on Wednesday when the Eagles open training camp in Bethlehem, Pa. The Eagles practice for the first time on Thursday and hold their first public practice Saturday morning. Camp will break at Lehigh on Aug. 17.

Dozens of Eagles made a pit stop in Philadelphia before departing for camp. Defensive end Trent Cole, running back LeSean McCoy, safety Kurt Coleman and wide receiver Riley Cooper were among the players who popped in for workouts.

"It's been a little different," McCoy said. "I'm excited. I talked to a lot of coaches yesterday. I was happy to talk to them. I'm just geared up and ready to go. It's been a long wait. Not knowing which way it would turn out, I'm definitely glad it turned out in a positive way."

Vick was surprised the lockout dragged on for 18 weeks.

"I thought it would be over soon," he said. "It's tough when you have so many agreements to put in place, so many moving parts. There were too many intelligent people working on everything, the CBA itself, not to get it done. It doesn't surprise me that we're here now, actually on time. It's a credit to those guys on both sides."

Vick had already lost two seasons of his career while incarcerated for 18 months in a federal prison for dogfighting. He was a seldom-used backup his first year in Philadelphia, then saw his career skyrocket after taking over for Kolb in Week 2. He led the Eagles to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title.

He's not wasting any more precious days of his career. Wearing a Nike headband, Vick enthusiastically spoke about handling the responsibility of being the No. 1 quarterback and leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship.

"It's more pressure, but that's what I thrive off," he said. "That comes with being a quarterback and being a great one. There's certain things you have to go through and be able to withstand in order to maintain greatness.

"That's what I'm on a quest for."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Report: Cutler calls off spring wedding; fiancée 'devastated'

The Chicago weather must be getting to him, because it appears Bears quarterback Jay Cutler just got some cold feet.

People.com cited a source Sunday in reporting that Cutler has called off his engagement to reality television star Kristin Cavallari after just 10 months together.

"She got dumped," a source told People. "She's absolutely devastated. She can't believe this is happening."

The couple, who were planning a spring wedding, became engaged in April, when Cutler proposed in Mexico. Cavallari had planned to move to Chicago during the upcoming football season.

A rep for Cavallari, who starred in "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills," had no comment.

Cutler led the Bears to the NFC Championship Game last season, his second with the team after three seasons in Denver. He received criticism from fans and NFL players alike when he left the NFC title game with an injury in the second half and didn't return.

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Report: Banta-Cain undergoes surgery to fix abdominal strain

Training camp has yet to begin, but the New England Patriots already are down one of their core defenders.

Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain underwent surgery for an abdominal strain Friday, a league source told The Boston Globe on Sunday. Banta-Cain reportedly will begin a 4-to-5-week recovery period.

Banta-Cain, 31, had 45 tackles a season ago and gave the team's tepid pass rush a boost with five sacks. Originally drafted by the Patriots in 2003, Banta-Cain re-joined New England in 2009 after two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

Banta-Cain dealt with abdominal issues last season, but a source said he'd been feeling "fine" before he re-aggravated the injury after raising the intensity of personal workouts.

With Banta-Cain on the shelf, the Patriots could look to add depth at linebacker when the free-agency period begins.

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Report: Redskins not interested in releasing Haynesworth

The NFL lockout has slowed the Redskins from solving the curious case of Albert Haynesworth, but The Washington Post reported Thursday that coach Mike Shanahan isn't about to accept anything less than a second-round pick for the pricey defensive lineman. 

If the Redskins part ways with Haynesworth, they are determined to do so through a trade, according to the newspaper. Shanahan is not interested in cutting a player who's earned roughly $32 million from the Redskins over the past two seasons, only to see him sign with another team.

The Post reports that the Philadelphia Eagles have shown interest in Haynesworth, after they hired defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who coached Haynesworth during his stint with the Tennessee Titans.

Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett told 101 ESPN radio in St. Louis last month that Haynesworth "can do almost anything he wants. He doesn't want to do anything. To me that’s the issue.

"He’s one of those guys you walk in a meeting and you tell him, 'Put down the phone.' The next day you have to tell him to put down the phone. The next day, you tell him to put down the phone.

"You tell him, 'Don’t read the newspaper in meetings.' The next day you have to tell him the same thing. It doesn’t stick; it’s an everyday thing."

Haynesworth hasn't helped his case with the Redskins by fighting legal battles on multiple fronts this offseason.

In May, a judge dismissed a misdemeanor assault charge against Haynesworth after the player reached an agreement with the man who said he was the victim of a road-rage attack in February.

Haynesworth still faces a misdemeanor sexual abuse charge in the District of Columbia, where he is accused of groping a waitress at a hotel bar. He has pleaded not guilty.

A D.C. Superior Court agreed to delay the start of that trial to August 2, allowing defense witnesses to schedule appearances, The Washington Post reported Friday.

At one point last year Haynesworth was juggling as many as four court-related matters, including lawsuits from a bank, an exotic dancer, a man injured in an automobile accident and complaints from his ex-wife that he wasn't paying her health insurance or their children's bills.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Report: Chiefs' Vrabel retiring to join OSU's football program

Veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel has decided not to return to the Kansas City Chiefs this season, choosing to retire after 14 NFL campaigns to accept a role with Ohio State's football program, Sports Radio 810 WHB tweeted Friday.

The radio station's tweet provided no further details, but profootballtalk.com reported Friday that there is a "very good chance" Vrabel will call it quits and that "an announcement could made as early as this coming Monday," according to a source.

The New England Patriots shipped Vrabel and quarterback Matt Cassel to the Chiefs in February 2009 in return for the No. 34 overall pick in that April's draft.

Vrabel, 35, was part of three Super Bowl-winning teams in his eight years with the Patriots from 2001 to 2008. 

Over the past two seasons with the Chiefs, Vrabel started 30 games and logged 73 total tackles, with two sacks and three forced fumbles. He spent his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers after they drafted him in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.

Vrabel, one of 10 players named as a plaintiff in the Brady et al v. the National Football League et al antitrust lawsuit, has 704 tackles and 57 sacks in his career, along with 11 sacks and 17 forced fumbles.

Vrabel was arrested and charged with theft at the Belterra Casino Resort in Florence, Ind., in April. He was released from jail after posting $600 cash bond later Monday morning. He released a statement through his agent after the incident.

"It was an unfortunate misunderstanding, and I take full responsibility for the miscommunication," Vrabel said. "I feel comfortable that after talking with the appropriate parties, we will resolve this matter."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Burress' next landing spot probably not in Philly, report says

While there has been plenty of speculation surrounding the Eagles as a potential landing spot for Plaxico Burress, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday that the team is neutral on signing the wide receiver.

The Eagles' apparent interest in Burress after his release from prison in early June wasn't leaked from the team, the Inquirer reported, citing team sources.

In listing the team's top 10 priorities once the NFL lockout is lifted, the newspaper said signing Burress was a postscript.

While coach Andy Reid likes Burress, the sources said the Eagles are nowhere near as interested in signing the receiver as they were quarterback Michael Vick in 2009 upon his release from prison. This could change if Burress' expected asking price drops because teams shy away from a 33-year-old receiver who hasn't played in two seasons, according to the newspaper.

Burress pleaded guilty in August 2009 to attempted criminal possession of a weapon and was sentenced to two years in prison. He was released about three months early for good behavior.

Burress will be on parole for two years. He has to get and keep a job, undergo substance-abuse testing, obey any curfew established by his Florida parole officer, support his family and attend any anger counseling or other conditions required by his parole officer.

Vick, who served a 23-month federal sentence for running a dogfighting ring, has shown it's possible to successfully return to the NFL. Vick said during a radio interview with WIP-AM in Philadelphia this spring that Burress would be a great fit with the Eagles.

"I think certainly Plaxico is going to come out with a chip on his shoulder the same way I did, and he'll go out and help this football team to whatever capacity he can," Vick said. "I think the guys would be willing to embrace him and bring him in. If that happens? Who knows? We talking about 'what ifs' now? It would certainly be a good thing."

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Mathis nixes holdout report, has no plans of being a 'cancer'

Veteran defensive end Robert Mathis downplayed a report Sunday suggesting that he won't play for the Indianapolis Colts under his existing contract.

Sports XChange stated that Mathis "has no intention of reporting" to the team until his contract situation is addressed. A source close to the eight-year veteran said: "He'll never play another snap there under that (existing) contract."

Veteran OT Charlie Johnson might be an unrestricted free agent after a new collective bargaining agreement is struck, but he said he'd like to re-sign with the Colts. More...

Mathis took to Twitter on Sunday in response, saying he's "overpaid already" and adding that teammate Dwight Freeney "takes all the blockers."

"I have every intention (of) doing my job once the NFL gives us our job back," Mathis tweeted. "I never been a locker room cancer & wont start now."

Wrote Mathis: "im no dummy in #Business101 so why stir the pot knowing there's minimal interest in re-signing me rite now despite how I feel ... i take pride in being a leader. ... There's a time & place for all things and contract will take care of itself in route 2SuperBowl"

Mathis has netted $27 million of the five-year, $30 million extension that he signed in 2006, according to Sports XChange. Mathis is set to make $2.41 million in 2011 after racking up 11 sacks and 60 tackles last season.

Mathis has been a mainstay for the Colts since joining the team in 2003, pairing with Freeney to form one of the NFL's most imposing defensive duos. Mathis has 74 career sacks, with 32 over the past three seasons, making the Pro Bowl each time. Freeney has 34 sacks over that span.

The Colts selected Mathis in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Alabama A&M.

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Family refutes report that Lombardi's grave neglected

Vince Lombardi won five NFL Championships, including two Super Bowls with the Packers. (Marty Lederhandler/Associated Press)

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Relatives of Vince Lombardi are criticizing media reports suggesting that the family ignored the grave of the legendary Green Bay Packers coach and left its upkeep to a stranger.

The family wrote a letter to the Green Bay Press Gazette that was published online Friday. The letter took issue with a May 26 Press Gazette column that also ran on The Associated Press wire.

The column detailed the efforts of a man who tends the New Jersey burial plot out of admiration for Lombardi. Individuals quoted in the column say the grave was in disarray and wonder why the family was ignoring it.

The family's letter says the local Knights of Columbus had been tending to the site since the mid-1970s. It says it's incorrect to say the gravesite was ever abandoned.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Report: Panthers' Moore might fit into Dolphins' QB picture

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne acknowledged last week he will "still have to compete" for the starting job with an established veteran after the club declined to draft a quarterback in April's draft.

The Palm Beach Post speculated Tuesday that competitor could be the Carolina Panthers' Matt Moore.

The assertion is based on three factors:

First, Moore has ties to Dolphins coach Tony Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland as both were on staff with the Cowboys when Dallas signed Moore as an undrafted free agent in 2007.

Second, Moore could come cheap because the Panthers also have quarterbacks Cam Newton -- the No. 1 overall pick in 2011, Jimmy Clausen and Tony Pike, both 2010 draft picks, and veteran Brian St. Pierre on their depth chart. Heading into his fifth season, Moore is an unrestricted free agent whom the Panthers could choose not to re-sign. Depending upon the free-agency rules in any collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players, Moore could become an unrestricted free agent.

Third, Moore has plenty of game experience -- a prerequisite for the Dolphins -- with 11 starts and 20 appearances during the three seasons he's been on the Panthers' active roster. He missed all of 2008 because of a broken leg. Plus, at 26, Moore is young enough to have some upside to develop further.

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Report: Bills eye fight between Hangartner, Wood at center

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bills' Jackson nearly takes tumble Everyone's worst nightmare nearly happened at the Bills' player-run workouts Tuesday, as Fred Jackson managed to prevent a nasty spill, Vic Carucci writes. More ...

» Photos: Player-run workouts

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

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

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

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Report: Assault indictment expected for Bucs' Talib in Texas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Report: Qualcomm Stadium requires nearly $80 million in fixes

The San Diego Chargers' stadium needs a costly facelift, a finding that further clouds the team's future in the city.

Qualcomm Stadium, the Chargers' home field since 1967, needs $79.8 million in maintenance, repairs and improvements over the next seven years, according to a new report obtained Friday by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Qualcomm Stadium has been the San Diego Chargers' home since 1967. (Julia Robertson/Associated Press)

The two-part study, conducted for the city of San Diego, says the city will continue to lose more than $10 million per year operating the stadium through 2020 regardless of whether the Chargers stay, move to a new site in San Diego or leave the county.

Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani believes the city has some tough decisions to make.

"We believe we've presented some better alternatives," Fabiani said after reviewing the report Friday. "If people don't want to pursue those alternatives, then obviously the city has to make decisions about what to do with the building, and the decisions will only get more difficult as the building gets older.”

The report concluded that the stadium needs repairs including $18 million in mechanical issues, $17 million in site repairs and $12 million in plumbing. A new video display board would come with a $9.6 million price tag.

The Chargers' lease runs through 2020, but the team can break it at any time by paying an early termination fee, which presently sits at approximately $24 million. The Chargers have been on the hunt for a new home for years, and they continue to be in talks with Mayor Jerry Sanders to build a new downtown stadium near Petco Park, home of baseball's San Diego Padres since 2004.

Sanders released a statement on the study highlighting the difficult position in which the city finds itself.

"It's certainly no secret that Qualcomm Stadium is one of the oldest stadiums in the country and will consume an ever-increasing amount of taxpayer dollars to maintain it," the statement reads. "That's just one of the reasons we're working with the Chargers to develop a multiuse sports complex proposal that we can present to the voters. ... The proposal will, of course, take into account the financial implications of leaving Qualcomm Stadium and converting the site to other uses."

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Report: Cutler took painkiller shot at halftime of NFC title game

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was criticized when he appeared unwilling to play after suffering a knee injury in an NFC Championship Game loss to the Green Bay Packers.

But a source close to the situation told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday that Cutler received a painkiller shot at halftime in an effort to finish the Jan. 23 game.

Cutler injured his left knee during the first half and left for good after the first series of the third quarter. He was replaced by Todd Collins, who was later supplanted by Caleb Hanie in the Bears' 21-14 loss.

In the locker room at halftime, the Bears planned to play the remainder of the game without Cutler, according to the source, but he insisted on trying the painkiller and playing in the second half.

After Collins entered the game, Cutler's toughness was questioned by players around the league, while his teammates spent the days after the loss defending their quarterback.

An MRI revealed that Cutler suffered a Grade II tear of his medial collateral ligament.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Report: Falcons coach Smith will be rewarded with new deal

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Report: Vikings coach Frazier will have interim tag removed

Leslie Frazier has agreed to become the Minnesota Vikings' full-time coach, the Star Tribune reported Sunday.

Frazier will have his interim tag removed this week, according to the newspaper.

Speaking after the Vikings' 20-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, Frazier said nothing has been solidified and that he will meet with Vikings ownership Sunday night or Monday.

The Star Tribune reported Friday that Frazier was seeking a three-year contract.

Frazier, the Vikings' former defensive coordinator, took over after Brad Childress was fired following a 3-7 start.

Frazier led the Vikings to a 3-3 record while navigating myriad of unpredictable schedule changes. The collapse of the Metrodome roof forced the team to host the New York Giants at Detroit's Ford Field in Week 14 and the Chicago Bears at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium a week later.

Last week's 24-14 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles came after the game had been postponed from Sunday to Tuesday because of a major snowstorm that hit the East Coast.

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