Former Dolphins LB Crowder abruptly announces retirement

MIAMI -- The NFL will be a bit quieter this season: Channing Crowder says he's retiring.

Crowder, one of the league's most notorious trash-talkers, said Tuesday he has decided to call it a career less than two weeks after being cut by the Miami Dolphins. The veteran linebacker made the announcement on WQAM-AM, where he has been a talk-show host.

"I know I can still play football," said Crowder, 27. "But I decided to hang it up. Now I'm not worried about icing my knees anymore or getting stingers or concussions. I did it long enough. I played football since I was 9 years old."

That included six NFL seasons, all in Miami, where Crowder developed a reputation as a jester and motormouth. For that reason, he conceded, his announcement might be met with skepticism.

"I'm not making a comeback," he said. "If somebody tells me I don't have to go through training camp and I can come in Week 1 and play -- but I don't see it."

After being released by the Dolphins, Crowder said, he tried out with the New England Patriots.

"It was just so weird," he said. "I went to their practice facility to work out, and I ran over the red dummies instead of the orange ones. I was so used to Miami, and I loved Miami so much."

Crowder said several other teams also expressed an interest in signing him, but he and his wife are expecting a baby, and he wants to remain in South Florida.

"I don't want to be jumping from team to team," he said. "Financially, we're stable. It's not there. I don't want to go."

Crowder's agent, Joel Segal, said he doesn't anticipate a change of heart for his client.

The NFL free agency cycle is in full effect, with teams and players agreeing to terms fast as training camps open. Get the latest on all the news right here.

"I think Channing has made a permanent decision to retire and pursue a career in broadcasting," Segal said. "He's a passionate guy. He loves football. He loved playing for Dolphins. Once that chapter ended, I think he's ready to move on."

Crowder played at the University of Florida before being drafted by the Dolphins in the third round in 2005. He was a starter for Miami since his rookie season, winning praise for his leadership and toughness while drawing criticism for his failure to make more big plays.

The day after they released Crowder, the Dolphins signed veteran Kevin Burnett as a replacement at inside linebacker.

Last season, Crowder made 33 tackles in 11 games. He missed five games with injuries.

After Crowder was released, Dolphins players said they would miss his yakking, which always kept the locker room loose. He famously feuded with New York Jets coach Rex Ryan.

"A lot of teams we played either hated me or loved me," Crowder said. "You love the stuff I talked, or you hated it because I was talking it to you. But I have friends around the league that enjoyed it. It got me going when I played."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Titans' Britt announces 'retirement' online, then retracts post

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt, who has been arrested twice recently in New Jersey, added a string of bizarre Facebook messages, including an announcement he was retiring from the NFL and cursing Commissioner Roger Goodell, to his odd offseason, The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., reported.

The uproar started when a post appeared on Britt's social media account reading, "Retiring From the NFL. (Expletive) You Goddell".

About 25 minutes later, that post was retracted, "Change of HEart.. My family is always here for me. I made mistakes and i am sorry i am going to change and become a better person and mentor for all my young fans.. I will accept any penalty like a man.. The road beings Sept 11 in Jacksonville.. ill be ready!!!"

Britt later denied making the statements, saying his account was hacked into, "my facebook was hacked with those past 2 status's.. i am not retiring and do not have any hate toward the commissioner."

Britt later provided a statement to The Tennessean: "I have the utmost respect for Commissioner Goodell, the NFL and the TN Titans. The Facebook posting as reported was not made by myself nor have I given any statements to anyone regarding this matter. It is not a defense but a fact that this Facebook page and associated email account were hacked and reported more than 120 days ago.”

A New Jersey judge last Thursday downgraded three charges against Britt for offenses stemming from his second recent arrest in the state.

Britt was charged June 8 with resisting arrest and related offenses after being confronted by Hoboken detectives who suspected he was carrying a marijuana cigar. But the charges were downgraded to disorderly-persons offenses and remanded back to Hoboken Municipal Court. A hearing has been scheduled for this coming Thursday.

That made five arrests since October.

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Favre enjoying retirement, hasn't decided next move

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Brett Favre says while his playing days are definitely over, he hasn't decided what he's going to do with himself in the coming years.

The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player hosted the "Brett Favre 7 on 7 at The Rock" football camp on the campus of Southern Miss, his alma mater, on Tuesday. He mingled with players and coaches in the nearly 100-degree heat, and occasionally squads would gather around the 41-year-old for a pep talk.

"I'm just one of the guys," Favre said. "And I enjoy it that way. If anything, that's what I want these kids to take away from this."

The 24-team camp for high school players was used to raise money for the quarterback's "Favre 4 Hope Foundation" and his "USM Brett Favre Scholarship" endowment.

Favre says he likes dealing with young players, citing their willingness to learn, but didn't want to be tied down by a full-time coaching commitment. He says he has enjoyed staying around Southern Miss but has "no plans right now and we'll see where that takes me."

Favre has made occasional appearances in his home state during the spring, including throwing out the first pitch before a game during the Conference USA baseball tournament in Pearl.

The quarterback has famously flip-flopped about his playing future in the past, retiring with the Green Bay Packers in 2008 and the New York Jets in 2009 before deciding to play again. This time, it appears he's content to be a bystander.

"It's been a long time since I watched a high school football game, or a college game for that matter," Favre said. "I kind of look forward to it."

Favre played last season with the Minnesota Vikings, but his 20th year in the league was remembered more for injuries and off-the-field turmoil than results on the field. He threw just 11 touchdowns compared to 19 interceptions and his 69.9 quarterback rating was the lowest of his career.

He also was hounded with allegations that he sent lewd photos and messages to a Jets female employee when both worked for the team in 2008, and was fined $50,000 by the NFL for failing to cooperate with the investigation.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Sharper: Retirement just one option if lockout cuts into season

METAIRIE, La. -- Even as Darren Sharper discussed how fresh he feels, and how ready he is to extend his highlight-filled NFL career to a 15th season, he allowed himself to utter the word "retirement."

The uncertainty surrounding the NFL lockout has left the five-time Pro Bowl safety considering some vastly different scenarios for this fall.

If the lockout wipes out the season, it could hasten the retirement of a player whose 63 career interceptions make him -- at least for now -- the NFL's active leader in that category.

Yet, if it merely shortens the season, or leads to abbreviated training camps, that could give Sharper an edge in his effort to sign a third free-agent contract in three seasons.

"If there's no football in the fall, I'll have to start looking at other options -- maybe some television, or whatever," said Sharper, 35. "But right now, my goal and my focus is playing football, and that's why I'm working out now to be ready for the season ... if it starts."

Although Sharper remains open to playing anywhere, he said his preference would be to stay in New Orleans, where he has been training with Saints players who gathered for workouts organized by quarterback Drew Brees at Tulane last month.

Sharper also is continuing his charity work in New Orleans, announcing Wednesday that he'll host an event July 23 at a suburban minor-league baseball stadium to benefit his foundation for children, as well as the American Cancer Society and a local blood bank.

Saints players and local celebrities are lined up to participate in a home run derby -- with $10,000 going to a charity chosen by the winner -- and a softball game, along with a tailgate-style cook-off and other festivities.

Sharper scheduled the event close to the time the Saints normally would report for training camp at their suburban New Orleans headquarters. Yet, as doubts grow concerning if camps will start on time, Sharper is trying to see the bright side.

A delay would give coaches less time to evaluate or develop young talent, and render more valuable the experience of veterans such as Sharper.

"It's going to benefit older guys that have played the game and know how to play the game," Sharper said. "The thing that I'm looking forward to is, if it gets worked out and it's only a couple weeks of teams being able to prepare, especially offenses being able to prepare and get on timing, I think I'm going to have a great opportunity to take advantage of a lot of those missed, off-timed passes.

"So I'm a little bit excited to see how it's going to work out."

Sharper has spent his past two seasons in New Orleans, each time on a one-year contract. In 2009, he intercepted nine passes, returning three for scores, was named All-Pro and helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl. Last season, he struggled after offseason microfracture surgery on his left knee, which led the Saints to place him on the physically unable to perform list to open the season.

After sitting out the first six games, Sharper came back to play in eight, starting only once, and didn't have any interceptions for just the second time in his 14 seasons.

Sharper didn't want his career to end that way, and he said he feels far more healthy now.

"I've never dealt with a season as frustrating as the past year was, not only not getting back to the Super Bowl and having a chance to repeat, but just not being healthy all year long, nagging injuries, not being able to play like myself," Sharper said. "If I'm going to go out and it's going to be my last year, I want to make sure I go out and leave a mark that year and play at the level that I've played throughout my career. I don't want to be remembered as a guy that hobbled his way out of the league. So that's a little bit of motivation that I have right now."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Steelers LB Harrison cools off, decides against retirement

That retirement talk by James Harrison didn't last nearly long enough for some NFL quarterbacks.

The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker resumed practicing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, one day after he threatened to retire because of the NFL's stricter punishment of players for dangerous hits.

Harrison was one of three players fined a total of $175,000 by the NFL on Tuesday for flagrant hits last weekend -- he was docked $75,000 for a helmet-hit on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi -- and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday followed up the fines by releasing a memo emphasizing significant penalties will be imposed upon players who strike an opponent in the head or neck in violation of existing rules.

La Canfora: NFL can't be senseless

Harrison, arguing the restrictions won't allow him to play football as he has always played it, met with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Wednesday to discuss the changes. Tomlin decided to give Harrison a cooling-off day and sent him home from practice.

Harrison's teammates didn't take his threat to retire seriously, saying he enjoys playing too much to quit during the second season of a six-year, $51.2 million contract. Harrison agreed with that in a statement issued Thursday by the Steelers.

"I have come to the decision that I cannot and will not let the league office stop me from playing the game that I love," Harrison said.

Harrison didn't talk to reporters before or after practice. The team said the statement would be Harrison's only comments.

"I will continue to play the game with the same passion, intensity and focus with which I have always played and let the chips fall where they may," Harrison said. "I have never given up, quit or walked away from anything in my life, and I am not about to start now."

Too bad for the New England Patriots' Tom Brady, who joked that life for NFL quarterbacks would be easier if Harrison retired.

Steelers safety Ryan Clark also found some levity in the situation. Asked about the notoriously intense Harrison's mood upon returning to the team, Clark said the linebacker isn't "a fluffy person" even when he's in a good mood.

"He's fine," Clark said. "Obviously, it's a tough situation, and he was able to handle it the way he needed to. We're glad to have him back."

In his statement, Harrison said player safety must be emphasized, but he argued again that his hit on Massaquoi was permissible under NFL rules. Tomlin also said the hit was legal.

"I feel the real reason for the fine was the statement I made after the game wherein I said that I try to hurt people, not injure them," Harrison said in the statement. "In the same sentence, I attempted to clarify my meaning. But I understand that my comments leave a lot open to interpretation. The statement was not well-thought out, and I did not adequately convey my meaning. I apologize for making that statement, and I want it to be known that I have never and would never intentionally try to injure any player."

Browns center Alex Mack suggested that Harrison should be worried about his own health. Mack said Harrison's concussion-causing hits Sunday on Browns wide receivers Massaquoi and Joshua Cribbs weren't isolated.

"If you watch the game film, he was doing that to everyone on every play. People would be on the ground, and he would try to spear them," Mack said. "There's a play on film where (running back) Peyton Hillis is tackled, and he (Harrison) comes up and spears him. It's like you're being cheap, you're being dirty."

Dirty, he said, and dangerous.

"You're ruining your own brain, and you're damaging other people," Mack said. "It's your brain. You need that a lot."

Neither Massaquoi nor Cribbs was able to practice Wednesday or Thursday. Browns coach Eric Mangini said both players could be medically cleared for practice Friday.

Steelers nose tackle Chris Hoke insisted Harrison, who was the 2008 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, isn't a dirty player who lives off cheap hits.

"That's not James -- that's a misunderstanding," Hoke said. "He goes out and plays hard. There's not a dirty ounce in his body. ... It's all about hard work for him. He's one of the first guys in here in the morning and one of the last to leave. He's a class act. It's good to see him back, because he's a humongous part of our team."

Although Harrison's one-day absence was the predominant topic in the Steelers' locker room, defensive end Aaron Smith said it wasn't a distraction. Many veteran Steelers players routinely take days off from practice during the season; the only difference was Harrison didn't watch from the sideline or attend meetings.

Smith also said Harrison's situation won't be a distraction Sunday.

"When you go out there on Sunday, all you think about is the football game," Smith said. "You don't think about anything else."

And the Steelers will play ... uh, the Miami Dolphins, right? With so much talk about Harrison, Steelers players are being asked relatively few questions about their opponents.

"Is that who we're playing?" Smith said, only kidding.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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