Gore returns to 49ers practice; contract work continues

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Frank Gore practiced Tuesday with the San Francisco 49ers for the first time this offseason, breathing life into an offense that has been working this summer without several top players.

The two-time Pro Bowl running back ended his four-day holdout Monday and was back on the field a day later as the 49ers conducted their second padded practice of camp.

Gore was welcomed back by a new coaching staff and several players who have been anticipating his arrival.

"I almost hugged him and gave him a kiss, but I tried to play it cool," wide receiver Josh Morgan said. "It was really exciting to see him."

Gore, who missed San Francisco's final five games last season with a fractured hip, is in the final year of his contract with the 49ers that will pay him $2.9 million this season with a $2 million roster bonus. He is seeking a contract extension.

Gore said the holdout was a mutual decision between him and agent Drew Rosenhaus. But a few days away from the team was all it took to convince Gore to return.

"I love the game and I missed the game," Gore said. "I'm a football player and I missed being out here with my team. I'm here to get better and try to take this organization where it needs to go."

Gore has led the 49ers in rushing every year since being drafted in 2005, including a team-record four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2006-2009. Gore was on his way to extending that string last season before his injury. He finished the season with 853 yards rushing and 46 receptions for 452 yards.

The 49ers are installing a new offense this summer under new coach Jim Harbaugh, and Gore once again figures to be a key component of San Francisco's attack. Harbaugh wasted no time giving Gore extensive duty with the first-team offense during his first day back.

"There's quite a difference in communication when he's in the huddle," Harbaugh said. "I'm very impressed with the way he hits the hole extremely quick and fast. It raises the competition and gives some of our young backs an example of what a top-notch pro looks like."

The 49ers had second-year player Anthony Dixon and rookie Kendall Hunter taking most of the snaps at halfback with the first unit during previous camp practices.

Gore was a welcome addition to an offensive huddle that also has been missing incumbent starting quarterback Alex Smith and No. 1 wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Smith and other free agents who recently signed contracts with the team can't practice until Thursday, and Crabtree has a foot injury that could keep him out several weeks.

Gore spent the offseason working out near his home in Miami and did not participate in player-organized 49ers workouts in June that were attended by most of his offensive teammates at San Jose State University.

The entire offensive tempo seemed to pick up with Gore back on the field.

"Frank's a leader on this football team and the energy is up," tackle Joe Staley said. "Any time Frank's back there, he's going to take care of business. Just having him back on the field, his presence, is good for everybody and it raises spirits. The way he prepares and the way he communicates is a standard to live up to."

Harbaugh said "diligent" contract negotiations continue with Gore's representatives and he expects there to be a resolution on a new deal "sooner rather than later."

"Frank's a 49er and we want Frank here," Harbaugh said. "We want Frank happy, too."

Said Gore: "I want to be a 49er forever, and if the contract comes, it comes. I felt like a kid out there today, and I'm just happy to be back. I'm sorry about the little holdup, but I'm back and I'm ready to go to work and get better."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Stafon Johnson continues another comeback from injury

Stafon Johnson apparently has another comeback in him.

The Tennessean reported Thursday that the Titans running back ran at full speed for the first time since August, when a disastrous spate of injuries ended his rookie season.

Johnson made a third-quarter catch during the Titans' Aug. 14 preseason opener, but Seattle Seahawks defensive back Kam Chancellor hit him high and spun him around, forcing the running back to land on his right leg.

The visual was so gruesome that then-Titans coach Jeff Fisher believed the rookie's shoe simply had come off and was being held on by some loose tape. In fact, Johnson wound up with a dislocated right ankle, broken fibula and high ankle sprain -- and a dream deferred.

This after Johnson's senior season at USC ended in September 2009 after a barbell crushed his neck and larynx, leaving him to learn how to talk again and trying to play his way into the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

It has been a long, lonely road back for Johnson, but his recent progress in workouts during the NFL lockout have him encouraged.

"I feel awesome, and I feel great about the opportunity in front of me," said Johnson, who isn't 100 percent yet but is ahead of schedule in his recovery. "I still have some work to do. But I'm really anxious to get back there and prove what I can do once again. I think I proved myself a little bit last year, and now I am just going to go for it and try and finish out a season."

Johnson, who rushed for 1,552 yards and 19 touchdowns in four years at USC, spent last season working with the Titans' training staff and has since teamed with trainer Travelle Gaines at Athletes' Performance in Los Angeles.

"What this kid has been through, he is so darn tough," Gaines said. "The average person would've probably quit by now, but he is back and he is going to be back and stronger than ever."

The 5-foot-11 Johnson has reduced his weight from 237 pounds to 220, and Gaines said: "He's working his butt off. I don’t know how long the lockout is going to last, but he'll be ready to go for the Titans."

Johnson is under contract with the Titans through 2011, but Fisher's departure after last season clouds the running back's future. Johnson believes he has a supporter in new coach Mike Munchak, who was the Titans' offensive line coach last season.

"Coach Munchak knows what I can do," Johnson said. "I feel like I can get a fair shot, and that is all I want. I just want to show everybody I can be back to the running back that I was before and be a great back in the NFL. I've had some bad luck, but I am motivated and confident. I'll be ready to go."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Rodgers practices with Packers, continues concussion recovery

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was cleared by doctors and returned to practice with the Green Bay Packers on Thursday. Assuming he doesn't have a setback in his recovery from a concussion, he is optimistic that he will start Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Rodgers practiced on a limited basis Thursday, taking the majority of snaps during the portion of practice that was open to the media.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers completed all the steps in the NFL's protocol to return to the field after a head injury, but the team will monitor his progress before naming him the starter against the Dolphins.

"I've gone through the process that the NFL requires," Rodgers said. "I've been cleared by our doctors, by an outside source. And I think it's just a matter of how I feel tomorrow. And I'm very optimistic."

Rodgers sustained a concussion during Sunday's overtime loss at Washington, but it's not clear -- even to the quarterback -- when he began experiencing the symptoms of a head injury.

McCarthy said Monday that Rodgers' concussion came on a helmet-to-helmet hit on the Packers' final offensive play of the game. Rodgers said that hit "definitely" made him feel worse and forced him out of the game, but he acknowledged that he wasn't feeling "completely normal" even earlier.

"Having never had a concussion before, it was definitely a learning process to understand how my body feels," Rodgers said. "Because obviously I've been dinged in the head a number of times, everything from in high school seeing the stars and stuff, to the different shots you take along the way. I think it was just a great learning process to understand how my body reacts to different situations."

According to NFL guidelines for head injuries, Rodgers must be symptom-free and cleared by a team doctor and independent neurological consultant before he can play again.

"The protocol as far as all the testing and so forth from the medical staff and the off-campus doctor has been completed," McCarthy said. "But it's like anything. There may be potentially a setback or something. That's why we limited him today at practice."

Rodgers said he didn't regret reporting the injury.

"With any other injury, there's definitely that temptation to be your own evaluator and to be very optimistic," Rodgers said. "But when it comes to your head, I think you can't be too careful. That's something I definitely thought about on Sunday, and something from here on that's going to be on my mind.

"Head injuries are different than the standard extremity injury, because you're talking about the rest of your life and being able to function and have normal brain activity is more important than risking having a setback because you come back too early."

For all his accomplishments in two-plus years as an NFL starting quarterback, Rodgers is perhaps most proud of the fact that he hasn't missed a game.

While he'll have to play a lot longer to match the consecutive-starts streak of his predecessor in Green Bay, Brett Favre, Rodgers clearly doesn't want to sit out Sunday. That said, Rodgers understands that pushing himself to return quickly from a head injury wouldn't be the same as toughing out a painful shoulder injury, as he did in 2008.

"When I started to really look into more information about this, that's when the severity of this injury hit me," Rodgers said. "And I realized, 'You know what, I'd love to be out there on Sunday for my guys, but I have to get cleared. And this has to be a process where I'm completely honest with our medical staff and they're honest with their assessment of how they feel I'm reacting and improving or not improving.'"

As the Packers' representative to the NFL Players Association, Rodgers said the treatment of head injuries for current and former players is a critical issue that deserves more attention.

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"That's something that I'm going to have to do a little more research on," Rodgers said. "But I think it's important that we at some point address the issue that we have with some of the former players and their injuries."

Donald Lee, who sustained a chest injury early in last Sunday's game and left for good after catching a touchdown pass, also practiced Thursday, and McCarthy said he was optimistic the tight end would play against the Dolphins.

Two players who practiced Wednesday didn't participate Thursday -- defensive lineman Mike Neal and linebacker Brandon Chillar. Linebacker Clay Matthews and right tackle Mark Tauscher also didn't practice.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bradford's growth continues in Rams' victory

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns, and veteran Steven Jackson became the Rams' second leading rusher as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 20-3 on Sunday.

Bradford completed 23 of 41 passes with one interception as the Rams (2-2) ended a 10-game losing streak against Seattle and topped their win total from last season.

The Rams' defense sacked Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck four times, had one interception and forced a fumble. St. Louis' special teams bottled up kick returner Leon Washington, who had two touchdowns last week.

Jackson, who passed Marshall Faulk for No. 2 on the Rams' rushing list, was questionable with a groin injury that sidelined him for the second half of last week's win, but he played. He had 70 yards in 22 carries and three catches for 54 yards, including a 49-yarder before Kenneth Darby scored on a 21-yard screen pass.

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