Childress opens up about Favre, Moss fiasco in Minnesota

Brad Childress has one big regret about the 2010 season, his last as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. But it's not the one that likely comes to everyone's mind first.

Roaming the hallways of the NFL.com and NFL Network offices in Culver City, Calif., on Wednesday, Childress opened up about his unceremonious departure from Minnesota last November.

The Vikings decided to fire Childress 10 games into the season for many reasons. Their 3-7 record, for one. Their embarrassing 31-3 home loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 11, another. But perhaps the biggest reason was Childress' odd jettisoning of Randy Moss -- without telling owner Zygi Wilf first -- just four weeks after the team traded for the receiver.

"I should have gone up the chain," Childress now admits.

Childress said he had no such regrets about bringing back the Vikings' other big headliner, quarterback Brett Favre, for another season. The courting of Favre last August brought vitriol from some corners because of his age (40) and the distraction he created by missing minicamp. But the Vikings were fresh off an NFC Championship Game appearance in 2009, and Favre was the man who took them there. Childress said it was a no-brainer to chase Favre rather than go into 2010 with Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback.

"(Favre) had his best season ever his first year (in Minnesota)," Childress said of Favre's 33-touchdown, seven-interception campaign. "Could you do more with Brett Favre? Absolutely you could."

It's easy to criticize in hindsight, after Favre stumbled through a 24-turnover, injury-marred campaign.

"We made a conscious effort to bring everybody back," Childress said. "What did we get for it? I got fired, and (Favre) got hurt. Did I feel like he was as sharp as he could've been? No."

As for the Moss fiasco, Childress said he wanted to acquire a player who would be a difference-maker for the Vikings after they got off to a disappointing 1-2 start. They needed a player who could stretch the field while Sidney Rice recuperated from an injury.

Enter Moss. He made a difference all right, unfortunately tipping the needle in the wrong direction.

"He called me and said, 'I can't wait, I can't wait. I feel like I'm coming home again,' " Childress recalled.

Despite Moss' reputation for loafing and being a distraction, Childress believed the receiver would be more mature with 12 seasons under his belt. He believed Moss wouldn't be a distraction in the locker room.

Uh, not so much.

"We had good guys, by and large," Childress said, "(but Moss) walked in the locker room and vomited on it."

Childress had tried to develop a better locker room since becoming the Vikings' head coach in 2005. He inherited a team coming off the "Love Boat" scandal and a quarterback (Daunte Culpepper) with a bad knee and not the best work habits.

By 2010, Childress believed he had righted the Vikings ship in the character department and could afford to take on Moss. But instead of augmenting that veteran leadership with another quality veteran, the Vikings got a 1-3 record, 13 receptions and at least as many headaches from Moss' tenure.

Was Childress the perfect coach? No. But he's a smart guy who started his career with a tiny stipend to assist Gary Moeller at Illinois. That was 1979. Childress' first job in the NFL was 26 years ago in Indianapolis with Rod Dowhower. Basically, he's a football lifer.

"Coaching is what I do," he said.

And he has enjoyed much success at it, despite being vilified since Leslie Frazier took over in Minneapolis. People forget how sought after Childress was while being a part of a Philadelphia Eagles staff that went to four consecutive NFC Championship Games. Charley Casserly in Houston called him, Ted Thompson in Green Bay called him and, of course, so did the Vikings. Remember, the failure in Minnesota wasn't solely his fault. He did what so many coaches do tactically, and got a lot further than many doing it.

That might be all he needs to answer for.

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Jones-Drew on tweet about Cutler: 'I didn't do anything wrong'

People who expect Maurice Jones-Drew to apologize for his tweet criticizing Jay Cutler's toughness will be disappointed.

Jones-Drew told NFL Network's Kara Henderson in an interview that aired Tuesday he doesn't regret his January post, which caused a backlash and even incited death threats from Chicago Bears fans who backed the team's quarterback.

"I haven't gotten a chance to, but I wouldn't apologize because I didn't do anything wrong, I don't think," said Jones-Drew, the Jacksonville Jaguars' two-time Pro Bowl running back. "I didn't commit a crime. I didn't kill anyone or rape anyone or anything like that. I mean, I stated my opinion, and it seems like you get more backlash for that than committing a real crime in some sense.

"I don't know, I don't feel I did anything wrong. I just said what everybody else was thinking at the time."

What Jones-Drew tweeted during the Jan. 23 NFC Championship Game was a direct shot at Cutler, who left with a knee injury in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers with a Super Bowl berth on the line.

"Hey I think the urban meyer rule is effect right now... When the going gets tough........QUIT," Jones-Drew posted on his Twitter page.

The nature of Cutler's injury was unknown during the game, but it later was revealed as a sprained medial collateral ligament. Even with that knowledge, Jones-Drew insists that he doesn't have any regrets.

"I don't regret anything I do," said Jones-Drew, who played through a knee injury of his own last season before missing the final two games. "I mean, you think about everything you put out there anyway. I'm not one of these guys who's going to say, 'Well, I shouldn't have done it,' because I did it. I mean, I knew what I was doing when I tweeted it. I just didn't know that many people were following me (on Twitter) at the time."

Jones-Drew might have led the way, but he wasn't the only player to criticize Cutler. Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals and Bruce Gradkowski, then of the Oakland Raiders, were some of the current and former NFL players who took shots at Cutler via Twitter.

Cutler has said he isn't bothered by what happened and appreciates how his teammates, most notably linebacker Brian Urlacher, came to his defense in the immediate aftermath of the Bears' 21-14 loss.

"That's all new," Cutler said last month when he reported to training camp. "That's never been an issue for me. I've never been questioned about it. I didn't really know how to react to it. I know that anyone who has played with knee (injuries) should never question that. I know the guys in the locker room aren't going to. You can't get caught up in that stuff. ... You're going to have to take it as it is and move on."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Dolphins' Marshall ends silence, speaks to cops about stabbing

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall finally talked to law enforcement officials about an April incident in which his wife allegedly stabbed him in the abdomen.

Broward County sheriff's office spokesman Ron Ishoy confirmed Thursday in an email to FoxSports.com that Marshall recently was served a subpoena to speak with investigators about the incident.

"He indeed appeared at the Broward state attorney's office and gave a statement to investigators," Ishoy wrote. "The investigation continues."

Marshall previously refused to speak with authorities. His attorney, Harvey A. Steinberg, said in May that the reason was the receiver disagreed with the no-contact order placed on his wife.

"(Marshall) has never felt threatened by his wife and misses her," Steinberg said. "When (they) drop the no-contact order, he'll be more than willing to sit down and discuss this matter, bringing some clarity to this unfortunate misunderstanding."

Michi Nogami-Marshall was arrested again in June after violating the order during a "verbal dispute" at the couple's home in Southwest Ranches, Fla.

Despite the order requiring her to stay at least 500 feet from the home, Nogami-Marshall told deputies she had been living there while Marshall was out of town. When Marshall returned, an argument occurred, followed by a 911 call, but deputies said there was no sign of physical violence.

Nogami-Marshall was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after she allegedly stabbed her husband in the stomach with a kitchen knife April 22. According to the arrest report, she admitted stabbing Marshall but said it was in self-defense.

Marshall initially claimed he suffered his stomach wound when he slipped and fell onto a broken glass vase, but the police report noted there was "no blood within the immediate area to substantiate his claim." Marshall required surgery and a stay in intensive care.

Marshall, who signed a five-year, $50 million contract last year after four seasons with the Denver Broncos, caught 86 passes for 1,014 yards in 14 games with the Dolphins last season. He has been in trouble off the field numerous times for domestic run-ins, although he hasn't been charged with any crime in this latest incident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jags shouldn't worry about his repaired knee, Jones-Drew says

Maurice Jones-Drew missed the final two games last season with a left knee injury that required surgery. Now he's out to show the Jacksonville Jaguars that they shouldn't worry about his health.

"I can still carry the load regardless of what surgery I had or whatnot," Jones-Drew told The Florida Times-Union in a story for Thursday's editions. "They're going to be kind of anxious to throw Rashad (Jennings) in, and they're already kind of scared of my knee. ... I want to be able to be out the gates playing because it's a production-based business. They're already skeptical maybe it's his knee, maybe we're working him too hard, we should give him a break."

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Jones-Drew has carried quite a load during his two seasons as the Jaguars' featured running back, carrying the ball 312 times in 2009 and 299 times in 2010. He also caught 87 total passes in those two seasons. Still, he's confident he can return to his workhorse role and not lose touches to Jennings, his backup.

"If I have to go through double days in camp to prove it, I will," Jones-Drew said. "I'm fine."

Jones-Drew tried to grit his way through the 2010 season, playing with a meniscus that he tore before the campaign. He lasted 14 games, then had the surgery done by noted orthopedist James Andrews in January. He said last week that he expects to be 100 percent at the end of July.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter didn't know how much his star player was hurting -- "I was not in that circle. I didn't know," he said -- but he told the The Times-Union that coaches don't expect to limit Jones-Drew this coming season.

"There's been no discussions in the offensive staff room of Maurice's knee," Koetter said. "... I can assure you ... coach (Jack) Del Rio has never said to me when we get to the season we've gotta hold Maurice back."

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Agent: OT Colon hasn't heard from Steelers about new deal

Willie Colon has spent his entire five-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but his agent doesn't sound hopeful that the offensive tackle will be back with the team this season.

"They haven't called about Willie in three years," Joe Linta told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday. "I'm not expecting them to call because they haven't yet. That's the way they do business, and that's fine. But if they do call, we'll pick up the phone."

Colon, 28, is one of 14 Steelers players who will become unrestricted free agents when the NFL lockout is lifted, according to the Post-Gazette. He was the Steelers' starting right tackle for three seasons before an Achilles injury suffered last summer cost him all of 2010.

A Bronx, N.Y., native, Colon was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Hofstra University. The veteran has made it clear he wants to return to Pittsburgh, but the feeling might not be mutual.

"He loves the team and loves the city," Linta said. "But they have to want him, and they haven't shown that yet."

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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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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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Eagles owner talks about process of signing troubled players

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie isn't afraid to take a chance on a reclamation project, as proven by the franchise star he now has behind center.

But Lurie made it clear the signing of Michael Vick following the quarterback's 18-month prison stint came only after a long look at both physical skills and personality makeup.

"We've shown we'll take chances if it's warranted," Lurie told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday.

Which, of course, begs the question: Are the Eagles interested in signing soon-to-be free agent Plaxico Burress?

The former Giants star was released from prison on Monday after a 22-month term stemming from a weapons conviction. Burress exited prison wearing a throwback Philadelphia Phillies cap, a not-so-subtle nod to one of his potential landings spots.

Burress would appear to be a good fit with the Eagles, but Lurie said properly judging a player goes beyond game tape and bio information.

"You can evaluate his talent. You can evaluate his age. But you can't evaluate where his heart and his head are at the moment," Lurie said. "Until you can do that ... it's far from enough information."

That was the case when the team began its flirtation with Vick that led to their signing of the quarterback in 2009.

"We evaluate case by case. It involved a lot of research into Michael -- what kind of teammate he was," Lurie said. "What his motivations were. How much he cared for the game."

As for Burress' recent choices in headwear, Eagles coach Andy Reid isn't one to make much of it.

"He must be a Phillies fan," he told the Inquirer. "If he'd had an Eagles hat on, then we'd talk."

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Babin concerned about Titans' changes, his contract status

Jason Babin will be an unrestricted free agent once the NFL lockout ends. And, from the sound of it, he might not return to the Tennessee Titans after his breakout 2010 season.

"There's so much uncertainty with Tennessee, what their culture's going to be, who their quarterback's going to be, what kind of atmosphere is going to evolve out of a whole new coaching staff," the defensive end recently told MLive.com.

"When you put that many new people together -- new offense, defense, new guy at the helm, at quarterback -- it's kind of hard to predict what the culture's going to be, what the atmosphere's going to be," he added. "And even more so, the hierarchy of how things are going to rank importance-wise. So it's kind of hard for me to say yes or no until, (No.) 1, they talk to me and express interest. And No. 2, I can see how things unfold as far as the team as a whole goes."

The Titans have gone through a tumultuous offseason. First, they announced that quarterback Vince Young would be traded or released after his relationship with the team turned rocky. Then they parted with coach Jeff Fisher and promoted offensive line coach Mike Munchak to run the team.

Munchak built his own staff, and defensive line coach Jim Washburn, whom Babin called "the greatest position coach I've ever had," departed for the Philadelphia Eagles. That led to speculation that Babin could rejoin the Eagles, who didn't match the Titans' offer sheet to the lineman last year, and he didn't exactly shoot down the possibility when asked about it in January.

"There's been no 'Hey Jason, we want you in Philly' discussions, but it would be hard for me not to contemplate it if he said, 'Jason, I want you in Philly,' " Babin said. "He resurrected me. I'd have to at least give that serious consideration. But Tennessee is where I made a home, my kids go to school there, we live there. So I feel like I'm in a tough position."

Before Babin joined the Titans, he was considered a journeyman, spending time with the Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs after being a first-round draft pick by the Houston Texans in 2004. But Babin blossomed under Washburn's tutelage, recording 12.5 sacks -- 7.5 more than his previous career high -- and receiving his first Pro Bowl berth.

That kind of performance usually produces a big payday, but the lockout has prevented Babin from negotiating with teams or signing a contract. The Titans decided in February to put contract talks with Babin on hold, and his agent, Rich Rosa, said then that the team hadn't "closed the door" on bringing back the defensive end.

"I've been a little anxious," Babin told MLive.com. "I would have liked to have had my contract situation squared away March 3. But there's a picture that involves the NFL as a whole, so I really can't be selfish when it comes to that. We've got to get some things squared away when it comes to the (collective bargaining agreement).

"I'm not overly concerned about having a job. I more so concerned about having my family there with me and the situation I'm going to be in -- meaning find the right schools, the right neighborhoods, find a house to live in, for a four- or five-year contract. So those are the kind of things that peeve me that they're probably not going to happen."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Players miss precious little things about offseason training

David Goldman / Associated PressThe lockout forced Jason Campbell to work out with fellow Raiders at an indoor pool in Lawrenceville, Ga.

Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud entered a high school practice field in suburban Atlanta for a seven-on-seven session a few weeks ago carrying the pink-highlighted cleats that many players wore to raise awareness for breast cancer research last season. He said those happened to be the only shoes he nabbed from his locker before the NFL lockout kicked in -- and kicked him out of the team facility in Flowery Branch, Ga.

p>San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers said he bought his own case of water for team workouts. I had to lend my hand towel to Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain to wipe his brow before he did an on-camera interview because he didn't have one. The Carolina Panthers hired a cop to keep the media way from their private sessions. The New England Patriots reportedly did the same.

Not since high school have NFL players had to fend so much for themselves -- even to get in a glorified game of touch football. Watching these players arrive to a workout with bags, balls -- their kids -- has been like witnessing soccer dads haul coolers of foil juice packs and granola bars to the recreation fields for a tournament.

For an NFL player, that's slumming.

Usually this time of year, players are at their respective facilities, getting stretched by trainers, having batting gloves brought to them and asking medical staffers to add another round of tape around their wrists. Fields are lined with jugs of water and bottles of flavored sports drinks. Machines zip balls to receivers and punt returners, and trainers are there for every muscle tweak.

There is no need for Jason Campbell or Matt Ryan to carry a playbook into the huddle because they've gone over scripts in meetings rooms and know the plan. Plus, coaches have the play sheets. When the workouts are over, lunch, showers, weight rooms, air conditioning and massage therapists await.

What a difference labor strife makes.

NFL players, Richard Seymour included, are training their own way during the lockout. (David Goldman/Associated Press)

When the Raiders gathered in suburban Atlanta recently for a three-day minicamp, Campbell went into the huddle with a folder filled with loose-leaf paper and the team's offensive plays. A wind gust could have sent his belongings awry and made some wayward observer some coin on eBay. Ryan and other quarterbacks, including Minnesota Vikings rookie Christian Ponder, have had playbooks, too, and spent time before workouts scripting drills.

At least the Raiders had personal trainers from Competitive Edge Sports run their sessions. Staffers filmed positional workouts. They provided ice and water bottles and lugged dummies, balls and other training gear in trailers. Other players might not even know where to go to buy cones to run through since they probably haven't had to in years. That leads to another subject: cost.

Players -- or their agents -- have to pay to train. The cost could range upwards of $2,000 or $3,000 per player per month if players don't live where they train and have to rent apartments. Top-shelf facilities such as CES, Athletes Performance and Tom Shaw's camp in Orlando aren't cheap. Some agents have told me they've put the onus on the players because the agents have to feed their families, too.

Travelle Gaines, who runs AP's training staff and is based in Los Angeles, along with CES founder Chip Smith, told me the lockout has been good for business. Usually they'd be training high school or college athletes this time of year or in Gaines' case, "this is when I'd usually be fishing in Louisiana." Now they have dozens of professionals coming in nearly every day looking for help.

There's a flip side, though. Some players have retreated from those workouts or not come at all because they're sticking to a tight budget in case of a lengthy lockout. Gaines, Smith and other trainers have said they're worried that those players who aren't training might not be disciplined enough to train on their own and, when football starts, resort to crash diets or diuretics to cut weight.

There's also another face to this: the undrafted free agents. Most of these guys don't have deep-pocketed agents to front them money to train or eat properly. They'll also have a much shorter window to catch coaches' attention once football resumes. Keep in mind, they're also the guys who are worked the hardest in training camp because they're the ones spelling the veterans who get to rest one of the twice daily workouts.

They can't miss a snap. These are the guys desperate to train.

At least one of these guys is quite resourceful -- and there probably are plenty of others. A rookie free agent who shall remain unnamed is one of 30 or so players who trains daily with Smith at CES. In lieu of payment, Smith has allowed him to work at the facility in the afternoons and evenings behind the front desk, cleaning up the weight room.

Whatever needs to be done.

An added benefit: The player also gets free beverages, snack bars and locker-room facilities. He also gets to train, which could make the difference between him playing football or working at one of the facilities full time in the fall.

Follow Steve Wyche on Twitter @wyche89

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49ers reportedly told to stop talking about their free agents

No more talk about quarterback Alex Smith, or any of your other free agents, please.

That is the message the league has sent to the San Francisco 49ers and new coach Jim Harbaugh, The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported Tuesday.

Harbaugh has stated several times, including two weeks ago on "NFL Total Access," that he would like the 49ers to re-sign Smith. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft has struggled with injuries and inconsistency during his first six pro seasons with the team.

Harbaugh speculated after April's draft -- when San Francisco selected quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the second round -- that he thought Smith would return.

"I think he's going to come back to the team," Harbaugh said on April 30. "He has not signed a contract."

Harbaugh changed his strategy during an interview with the newspaper last week.

"I'm not answering any questions about Alex Smith," Harbaugh said. "The league has mandated we do not talk about him. The NFL has mandated that we don't talk about players who are not under contract -- who are free agents who haven't signed. We've been sent a memo saying we can't talk about it."

A 49ers spokesman told the newspaper that the league had contacted them. However, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Press Democrat he was not aware of the contact between the league and the 49ers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Pats' Welker healthy, not worried about contract situation

Wes Welker provided one of the NFL's feel-good stories in 2010, making an early return from a serious knee injury for another productive season with the New England Patriots.

Wes Welker has 432 receptions in his four seasons with the Patriots, including 83 in 2010. (Robert E. Klein/Associated Press)

Welker is entering the final year of his contract, in which he'll receive $4.225 million in base and prorated salary, but the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver said money isn't on his mind as he prepares for his fifth season in Foxborough.

"I'm not really worried about it (a new contract) at all. Either way, before, after, during, it really doesn't matter," Welker told The Boston Globe on Saturday at his youth football clinic in Peabody, Mass. "I enjoy playing ball, so whenever it comes, it comes. Really, it's probably the last thing on my mind. I just want to go out play some winning football for my team and get out there and play."

Welker had reconstructive knee surgery in February 2010 after he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee in the 2009 regular-season finale. He underwent rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder a month later. The surgeries led to a difficult offseason that focused more on rehabilitation and less on a standard training regimen.

Despite the serious nature of the injuries, Welker played in 15 regular-season games for the Patriots in 2010, finishing with 86 catches for 848 yards and seven touchdowns. He had seven catches for 57 yards in a playoff loss to the New York Jets.

Welker has done the bulk of his offseason training work at the Bommarito Performance Systems clinic in Florida. Many other NFL players -- including Matt Forte, Greg Olsen and Chad Ochocinco -- also are training there.

"I feel so much better. It's been great, really," Welker said. "Being able to train, I have confidence in everything and I feel good out there and the running, there's not achiness, there's none of that, it's just going out there and being able to do everything that I've been able to in the past and not have the aches and pains in the morning or anytime through it all. So it's been nice to see."

Many teams around the league have gotten together for players-only workouts during this unusual offseason, but the Patriots have been quiet in that department. Welker said he and quarterback Tom Brady "talk quite a bit," though setting up workouts has been a challenge.

"We're always trying to coordinate a schedule," Welker said. "He's really busy, I'm really busy, and it's kind of tough not being able to just go up to the Patriots' facility and really get together and do something, but we're working on our schedules to get together and make sure we do some work."

Welker didn't hide his frustration when talking about the lockout that has shut down the league since March.

"Being players and growing up and not having much, the fact that we're squabbling about money is kind of ridiculous to me," Welker said. "I came into this league ... I probably made more money than I thought I ever would in a lifetime, so everything from here is just icing on the cake. So hopefully we get something fair done and we can move on and get to where we can play some football."

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Cutler stung by questions about his toughness, desire to play

Jay Cutler says the left knee he sprained during January's NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers has "felt fine for about six weeks," but he acknowledges the criticism he absorbed for leaving with the injury affected him.

Carucci: One way to redemption Vic Carucci credits Bears QB Jay Cutler for telling his side of the story but points out that he can silence doubters with a standout 2011 season that includes a Super Bowl victory. More....

"I was gone, and I stayed away from it all," the Bears quarterback told the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday. "But I can't say it didn't bother me that people questioned my toughness and desire to play.

"I think I've been through a lot here in Chicago, and I would have loved to play."

The five-year NFL veteran told the newspaper that the Grade II sprain is "one of those things that heals on its own."

That Cutler left the game after one second-half series under his own power helped spark a firestorm of pundits and fans questioning his toughness. The Bears lost 21-14, allowing the NFC North rival Packers to advance to, then win, the Super Bowl.

Cutler told the Sun-Times that players who pointed fingers "can think what they want," and he said he appreciates the teammates who came to his side.

"Those are the guys you are with a lot of the time," he said, "and those guys didn't flinch. I've got to thank them for that," adding that he would be fine "as long as the guys in my locker room have my back."

Bears coach Lovie Smith sounded off last month on the persistent speculation about Cutler's injury.

"I don't think any player should have to go through that because it wasn't warranted at all," Smith told the Sun-Times at the NFL Annual Meeting in New Orleans. "He was injured; he couldn't play. It's an insult for us to answer the questions on whether he's tough."

Smith pointed to the NFL-high 52 sacks Cutler absorbed and that the quarterback tried to return to the game after halftime.

Cutler also said Thursday that Bears players were keeping in touch, but "not in a huge rush" to gather for workouts. If the NFL lockout continues into May, "we’re definitely going to have to make something happen," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Steelers' Harrison suggests NFL not serious about player safety

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison isn't letting up in his criticism of the NFL in the days leading up to the Super Bowl.

One day after sarcastically suggesting that a pillow could be used to soften blows he delivers to opponents, Harrison called the NFL's talk about wanting to protect players "just a show."

Harrison said before Wednesday's practice in Fort Worth, Texas, that the owners' push for an 18-game regular season and the possibility of a lockout prove the NFL is more interested in maximizing revenue than the health of its players.

"It's not about player safety," Harrison said. "It's about money."

The league and the players' union face an early March deadline for trying to negotiate a new labor agreement.

"It's no doubt to me," said Harrison, whose Steelers will play the Green Bay Packers for the NFL championship Sunday. "I believe they're going to lock us out."

Harrison was fined $100,000 by the NFL for illegal hits this season, and he even went briefly so far as to threaten to retire because he said it was too difficult to adjust to the new way rules were being enforced. On Wednesday, though, he acknowledged that any talk of quitting was a result of being "hotheaded."

Asked Wednesday if he's worried about the dangers of concussion from violent hits on the field, he said: "That's my style of play. There's a risk with everything you do. ... Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, that's how you play the game."

At Tuesday's media day at Cowboys Stadium, Harrison said he feels as if the league was "looking for a poster boy" when it started fining him.

In a deadpan delivery, Harrison said: "I don't want to hurt nobody. I don't want to step on nobody's foot or hurt their toe. I don't want to have no dirt or none of this rubber on this field fly into their eye and make their eye hurt.

"I just want to tackle them softly on the ground and, if y'all can, we'll lay a pillow down where I'm going to tackle them, so they don't hit the ground too hard, Mr. Goodell."

Harrison, who paid more in fines this season for four different hits than the entire Packers team was docked, also was asked if he was bitter about the attention his physical play received from the NFL office this season.

"They took $100,000 out of my pocket," Harrison responded to NFL Network's Kara Henderson. "You think I'm not bitter?"

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Broncos' Tebow writing book about 'faith, family and football'

NEW YORK -- Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is working on an inspirational memoir.

Tebow is collaborating with Nathan Whitaker on "Through My Eyes," scheduled to come out in April. HarperCollins announced the book Monday.

The former University of Florida quarterback was drafted 25th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He has played in four games so far, scoring two touchdowns in 10 carries, but has yet to throw a pass in the regular season.

In a statement released by HarperCollins, the 23-year-old Tebow said his book would be a story "of faith, family and football" and inspiring people to "fulfill their dreams."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Saints RB Thomas using crutches, unsure about injury status

Pierre Thomas hobbled into the New Orleans Saints' locker room on crutches Thursday, keeping weight off his sprained left ankle and sounding perplexed about why his recovery is going so much slower than he'd hoped.

"I really don't know what's the whole problem. Everybody keeps saying it's a sprain or maybe a little tear there," Thomas said. "I don't know for sure if that's true. I'm hearing so many different stories. I don't know what to believe."

With Pierre Thomas in line to miss another start, both Chris Ivory and Ladell Betts should be avoided in the Saints' tough matchup with the Steel Curtain. More ...

Thomas, the Saints' leading rusher in 2009, accounted for 280 total yards from scrimmage and one rushing touchdown in the first three games of this season. His injury occurred while he was being tackled late in the fourth quarter of a Week 3 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Thomas returned for the extra period in that game and gained 23 yards on a screen.

Thomas even returned to practice on a limited basis three days before New Orleans' Week 4 loss at Arizona.

At that time, Saints coach Sean Payton sounded optimistic that Thomas was close to returning when he spoke about the possibility of both the running back and safety Roman Harper (then slowed by a hamstring pull) playing in the Cardinals game.

"They were limited, but they got work today, and both of them are progressing quickly," Payton said then, adding that the players would be game-time decisions that week.

Thomas hasn't practiced since, though he seemed to be making progress Wednesday when he was present for the portion of practice open to reporters, participated in the team stretch and did some light jogging.

During the open portion of practice Thursday, however, Thomas was nowhere to be seen.

"All I'm thinking about is just trying to get healthy, just trying to get better," Thomas said. "I was told to stay off my foot. So that's why I'm in the crutches and in the boot. They told me to take a little pressure off, be on crutches for a little while just see how it does."

Thomas said he hasn't been given a timetable on his return, but he doesn't fault the doctors and trainers who have diagnosed and treated the injury.

"I'm not upset with anybody -- no person. I'm upset with my injury," Thomas said. "It's taking too long."

Fellow running back Reggie Bush also didn't practice Thursday as he continues to recover from a broken bone in his lower right leg. It's highly unlikely that Bush will return this week, a league source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora on Wednesday.

"Both with him and Pierre, there's a little bit of wait and see," Payton said Thursday. "They'd have to do something more than what we've seen these first two days (of practice this week). In Pierre's case, we put him in a walking boot to take some of the pressure off after his workouts leading up to this week, trying to rest it. So it will be unlikely that he gets to practice, and then with Reggie, we'll just monitor him again. We'll list the game status (Friday)."

There were signs of the Saints getting healthier on defense. Starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer (left shoulder) and Tracy Porter (left knee) both practiced Thursday on a limited basis, as did linebacker Scott Shanle.

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Greer was injured during the Saints' Week 6 victory at Tampa Bay. Porter had arthroscopic surgery to repair his left lateral meniscus after injuring himself in Week 4. Shanle has missed two games since pulling his left hamstring.

Porter said he felt "pretty good," but he wasn't yet sure if he'd play Sunday.

"I'd like to," Porter said. "But I want to be smart, just as my coaches and my trainers want to be smart with me as well. If they don't feel it's the right time, they're going to hold me out. But if they tell me I can go, I'm definitely going to be happy and excited about that."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Dolphins still steaming about controversial loss to Steelers

DAVIE, Fla. -- Upon further review, the officiating crew in Sunday's Miami Dolphins-Pittsburgh Steelers contest made only one mistake on the game's pivotal play.

That's small consolation to the Dolphins, who believe they were robbed of a win, which instead turned into a 23-22 loss.

"For the game to end like that and us to get the raw end of a deal, it hurts," Miami safety Yeremiah Bell said.

The Dolphins (3-3) were angry because an erroneous touchdown call by the head linesman might have cost them the game. Miami linebacker Ikaika Alama-Francis emerged from an end-zone pile with the ball lost by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with 2:30 left.

A replay review determined that Roethlisberger's touchdown was instead a fumble at the half-yard line, but because the video didn't provide clear evidence as to which team recovered the ball, the Steelers kept it and kicked the winning field goal on the next play.

Because the touchdown was overturned, only the video review could determine which team recovered the fumble. Any ruling on the field as to which team recovered was irrelevant, because the play is considered over when a touchdown signal is given, and the officials don't continue to officiate.

Regarding the fumble recovery, conclusive video evidence is required.

"There must be a clear recovery by the defense in order to reverse to a touchback," the league's Instant Replay Manual says. "If there is a pileup and you can't see who recovered the ball, or a long delay with players stopping before the ball is recovered, the offense retains possession."

Various Steelers players claimed that Roethlisberger, offensive tackle Jonathan Scott or guard Doug Legursky recovered the ball. The Dolphins all said it was Francis.

If the linesman hadn't signaled a touchdown, the scrum would have determined possession.

There's no need to fret about missing any games. You can watch every contest again with Game Rewind. Get more information here.

Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington argued that the linesman shouldn't have been so quick to signal a touchdown. That way, the officials on the field would have determined who recovered the ball.

"If it looked like the ball was loose, play it out," Pennington said. "Don't throw your hands up in the air, especially in the last two stinking minutes of the game."

Coach Tony Sparano said the Dolphins wrote the NFL requesting an explanation, but he expects nothing to change. And he noted many other factors contributed to the defeat.

"The thing I'm most frustrated about is just that we got close against a good football team in that situation and didn't finish," he said.

The Dolphins repeatedly squandered chances to score touchdowns, instead settling five times for field goals. They again were plagued by mistakes in kick coverage and pass coverage. Even after the disputed call, they had a chance to come back but gained just 4 yards in an ugly four-play sequence, losing the ball on downs.

As a result, the Dolphins dropped their fifth game in a row at home, a streak that dates to last season. They're the first team since the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals to start a season 0-3 at home and 3-0 on the road, according to STATS LLC.

The good news: The Dolphins are on the road this Sunday -- at Cincinnati.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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NFL's video message to players: 'You are on notice' about hits

The NFL delivered its message about heavier punishment for illegal hits, including suspensions, directly to the 32 teams with a video spelling out what players should avoid.

Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, tells players "you are on notice" in the video, stressing the league's commitment to enforcing punishment for aggressive hits to the head and neck area.

La Canfora: NFL can't be senseless

"You must know that player safety is our highest priority," Anderson says in the video, which the league released to all teams Wednesday and required coaches to show their players. "We've said publicly, and we will repeat to all of you, we will not apologize for or be defensive about aggressive enforcement to protect players from illegal and potentially life-altering blows to the head and neck."

The NFL's video, along with a letter from Commissioner Roger Goodell, was sent in the wake of three fines totaling $175,000 to players found to have targeted opponents in the head or neck over the weekend. The video replays examples of "flagrant violations," for which the league says it will begin to suspend players without pay.

Players are warned that even first-time offenders will immediately be subject to suspensions for delivering such flagrant hits to the head and neck area of defenseless players.

In the video, Anderson calls New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather's helmet hit on Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap "inexcusable." Meriweather was fined $50,000 for the hit in which he launched himself headfirst into Heap's helmet.

Also on the video is James Harrison's hit on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi that brought the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker a $75,000 fine, and the collision between Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson and Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson that gave both players concussions. Robinson was fined $50,000 for that tackle.

Anderson says of Robinson's hit, in which the cornerback launched himself toward Jackson but didn't make contact with his helmet: "It's bang-bang but still illegal. The receiver is defenseless and in the act of attempting to catch a pass."

"These hits can have severe consequences for the player delivering the hit as well as for the player taking the blow," adds Anderson, a member of the NFL's competition committee. "Using the head, forearm or shoulder to deliver the initial hit against a defenseless player will draw significant discipline."

Players had seen the 4-minute video by midafternoon Wednesday and had mixed reactions to it.

"We talked about it today," Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "We watched the video that the league sent. There was a lot of comments and observations from the defensive guys, and the offensive guys were mostly quiet. That's just how it is.

"It's a tricky thing. From my perspective, I'm trying to protect the guys that I'm throwing the ball to. I'm trying to put them in a situation where they're not going to get hit like that, but that's about it for me."

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey wasn't particularly impressed by the video.

"It's nothing that we didn't know," he said. "I think it was good for some people who hadn't been in the league for a while to see that and to kind of refresh your memory for the older guys."

Other illegal tackles shown in the video include Carolina Panthers safety Sherrod Martin's hit on New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss in the season opener (Boss suffered a concussion on the play), and Kansas City Chiefs rookie safety Kendrick Lewis' Week 2 shot on Browns tight end Evan Moore, who received a concussion.

The video also demonstrates the proper way to take down an opponent.

Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis is shown using his shoulder to deliver a chest hit in what Anderson terms "a great player making a great play. No launching, no head or neck impact, proper technique that minimizes the risk to the opponent. This is what we are asking."

The crackdown, and subsequent possible suspensions, begins with this weekend's games because the league wanted to give players fair warning. The video explicitly delivers that warning.

"Gentlemen, you must know that player safety is our highest priority," Anderson says. "We have said publicly and we repeat to all of you we will not apologize for or be defensive about aggressive enforcement to protect players from illegal and potentially life-altering blows to the head and neck.

"So please, know the rules and play by the rules. You are on notice, and we will appreciate your compliance."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Report: Patriots talk to Chargers about Mankins-Jackson trade

The New England Patriots have two issues: They need a big-play wide receiver after trading Randy Moss, and Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins hasn't budged in his contract holdout.

The team has tried to resolve both problems by holding preliminary talks with the Chargers about a deal that would send Mankins to San Diego and bring wide receiver Vincent Jackson to Foxborough, Comcast SportsNet New England reported Thursday, citing a source.

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Jackson was a Pro Bowl alternate last season and, like Mankins, is holding out because he wants a long-term deal, not the restricted free-agent tender he was offered. Unlike Mankins, Jackson was placed on the roster-exempt list by the Chargers, meaning he must sit out three games if he signs or is traded.

Mankins' agent rejected the idea of the Patriots and Chargers making the deal for a simple reason: Neither player has signed a contract.

Frank Bauer told the Boston Herald: "Somebody can call me tomorrow and say, 'You've been traded to Cincinnati,' and I can say, 'No, no, no, no. You got to have a contract.'"

Bauer called the speculation "totally insane,” then added: "But who knows? The Patriots do strange things. … Until it all (shakes out), you don’t know. But ... that’s totally ludicrous.”

The San Diego Union-Tribune confirmed that trade talks have been held, but it termed the chances of a deal happening as "highly unlikely." The newspaper reported that the Chargers' asking price for Jackson is a first- and a second-round pick, but the Patriots might not be willing to meet that price.

Comcast SportsNet New England reported that, according to a media source in San Diego, the Chargers are not interested in dealing for Mankins.

Mankins hadn't missed a game in his NFL career before the holdout and is considered a premium guard. However, the Chargers are set at the position with veteran Kris Dielman and second-year pro Louis Vasquez.

If the Patriots were to land Jackson, he would be a younger replacement for 33-year-old Moss, who was dealt to the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday. Jackson, 27, has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and, at 6-foot-5, provides quarterbacks with a big target.

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