Published: Tuesday, August 31, 2010
NFL Notebook: Brown, Holmgren at odds over 'firing'
CLEVELAND -- Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown still has a pretty nice stiff arm.
Brown, considered the greatest Brown of them all, informed Cleveland president Mike Holmgren that he will not attend the Sept. 19 ceremony when the team unveils its new ring of honor.
Brown is one of 16 Hall of Famers to be inducted in the ring during halftime of the team's home opener against Kansas City. Brown's decision to skip the event stems from Holmgren removing him as an adviser to owner Randy Lerner. Holmgren, who took over the Browns in December, offered the legendary player a reduced role with the team, a position that Brown declined.
On Monday, Brown sent a letter to Holmgren that was obtained by The Plain Dealer. In it, Brown says he had no formal contract as an adviser with the Browns, and he believes his agreement with Lerner was violated because a clause in it stated he would answer to no one but the owner.
"Your ultimatum to me was that you would offer me the opportunity of being that of the greeter, that of a mascot, that of a person that would represent special events by his physical presence, and for those things, I would receive a salary of $100,000," Brown wrote. "All of those things that you offered me would be controlled by you."
The 74-year-old Brown said he returned to his office, feeling as if he had been fired. Brown said he refrained from making his situation a "public debate." He said he wrote a note to Holmgren and Lerner explaining why he would not accept the proposed position.
Stallworth breaks foot
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Donte' Stallworth broke his foot Saturday night running a pass pattern. And so, with the Jets game only two weeks away, coach John Harbaugh is down a linebacker and scrambling to fill out the depth chart at wide receiver and cornerback. Stallworth broke his left foot sprinting downfield on a fly pattern. He will have surgery this week and miss two months.
Finnegan returns to practice
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan returned to practice after missing the past three weeks and the first three preseason games with an injured groin and hip flexor. Finnegan has started 47 of his 61 games in his first four seasons.
Briggs out for preseason finale
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs will not play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns because of a sprained right ankle. Coach Lovie Smith said he anticipates the five-time Pro Bowler will be available for the season-opener against Detroit next week.
Raiders QB Campbell practices
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell is practicing again. Whether he'll play in Thursday's preseason finale is uncertain. Campbell worked out Monday for the first time since being carted off the field during a preseason loss to San Francisco on Saturday. He appeared fine during a light 90-minute workout Monday in no pads and showed no lingering effects from the stinger he suffered after being hit by 49ers linebacker Travis LaBoy.
No surgery For Jones-Drew
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew has not had knee surgery Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio said Monday. Del Rio squelched the surgery rumors put out by an Internet blog report which said Jones-Drew had the surgery. "No," he said. "No, has not happened, is not necessary. He's working, rehabbing, strengthening and gearing up for the regular season."
Eagles, Cardinals swap rookies
PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia traded fullback Charles Scott to Arizona for cornerback Jorrick Calvin in a swap of rookie draft picks. Calvin was selected one pick behind Scott in the sixth round. Arizona was in need of a fullback after Nathan Broughton went down with a knee injury in Saturday night's 14-9 victory at Chicago.
Redskins-Rams make trade
ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington and St. Louis swapped 2010 draft picks in a pair of trades. The Redskins sent sixth-round selection Dennis Morris to the Rams for a conditional, undisclosed draft pick. St. Louis sent fifth-round pick Hall Davis to Washington, also for a conditional, undisclosed pick.
Lynch to test sore ankle
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is scheduled to test his sore ankle in practice today. The results will help determine whether he'll play in the team's preseason finale at Detroit. Lynch has been out since hurting his ankle in a preseason loss at Washington on Aug. 13.
Bengals' Purify suspended
CINCINNATI -- Receiver Maurice Purify has been suspended for the Cincinnati Bengals' season opener because of his offseason arrest at a local night spot. The NFL also fined him an additional game check on Monday for violating its personal conduct policy.
Dolphins' Crowder sidelined
DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder is hobbled again. Crowder missed the final game last season with a right foot injury that left him on crutches, and he has been sidelined since Aug. 17 because of an unspecified leg injury. The Dolphins sent Crowder for a second medical opinion Monday.
Broncos release Fargas
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Running back Justin Fargas has been released by the Denver Broncos. The Broncos signed the 30-year-old veteran on Aug. 11 to bolster their banged-up backfield after their top three tailbacks went down with injuries in training camp.
Whisenhunt undecided at QB
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has not revealed who his starting quarterback will be. Asked if he would name his starter after Thursday's final preseason game against Washington, the coach replied, "Who knows? Maybe we'll keep them guessing."
It's a situation Whisenhunt created with his surprising decision to start Derek Anderson in last Saturday night's game at Chicago ahead of Leinart, who had been the No. 1 quarterback throughout training camp.
While Anderson expressed gratitude for the opportunity on Monday, Leinart said he believes he has outplayed his competition.
"I don't really know what else I could possibly do," Leinart said. "It probably goes beyond football, beyond the field actually. For me, I am not making excuses. I am not going to complain. For me, I just really want an explanation and I haven't been given one."
Brown, considered the greatest Brown of them all, informed Cleveland president Mike Holmgren that he will not attend the Sept. 19 ceremony when the team unveils its new ring of honor.
Brown is one of 16 Hall of Famers to be inducted in the ring during halftime of the team's home opener against Kansas City. Brown's decision to skip the event stems from Holmgren removing him as an adviser to owner Randy Lerner. Holmgren, who took over the Browns in December, offered the legendary player a reduced role with the team, a position that Brown declined.
On Monday, Brown sent a letter to Holmgren that was obtained by The Plain Dealer. In it, Brown says he had no formal contract as an adviser with the Browns, and he believes his agreement with Lerner was violated because a clause in it stated he would answer to no one but the owner.
"Your ultimatum to me was that you would offer me the opportunity of being that of the greeter, that of a mascot, that of a person that would represent special events by his physical presence, and for those things, I would receive a salary of $100,000," Brown wrote. "All of those things that you offered me would be controlled by you."
The 74-year-old Brown said he returned to his office, feeling as if he had been fired. Brown said he refrained from making his situation a "public debate." He said he wrote a note to Holmgren and Lerner explaining why he would not accept the proposed position.
Stallworth breaks foot
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Donte' Stallworth broke his foot Saturday night running a pass pattern. And so, with the Jets game only two weeks away, coach John Harbaugh is down a linebacker and scrambling to fill out the depth chart at wide receiver and cornerback. Stallworth broke his left foot sprinting downfield on a fly pattern. He will have surgery this week and miss two months.
Finnegan returns to practice
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan returned to practice after missing the past three weeks and the first three preseason games with an injured groin and hip flexor. Finnegan has started 47 of his 61 games in his first four seasons.
Briggs out for preseason finale
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs will not play in Thursday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns because of a sprained right ankle. Coach Lovie Smith said he anticipates the five-time Pro Bowler will be available for the season-opener against Detroit next week.
Raiders QB Campbell practices
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell is practicing again. Whether he'll play in Thursday's preseason finale is uncertain. Campbell worked out Monday for the first time since being carted off the field during a preseason loss to San Francisco on Saturday. He appeared fine during a light 90-minute workout Monday in no pads and showed no lingering effects from the stinger he suffered after being hit by 49ers linebacker Travis LaBoy.
No surgery For Jones-Drew
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew has not had knee surgery Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio said Monday. Del Rio squelched the surgery rumors put out by an Internet blog report which said Jones-Drew had the surgery. "No," he said. "No, has not happened, is not necessary. He's working, rehabbing, strengthening and gearing up for the regular season."
Eagles, Cardinals swap rookies
PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia traded fullback Charles Scott to Arizona for cornerback Jorrick Calvin in a swap of rookie draft picks. Calvin was selected one pick behind Scott in the sixth round. Arizona was in need of a fullback after Nathan Broughton went down with a knee injury in Saturday night's 14-9 victory at Chicago.
Redskins-Rams make trade
ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington and St. Louis swapped 2010 draft picks in a pair of trades. The Redskins sent sixth-round selection Dennis Morris to the Rams for a conditional, undisclosed draft pick. St. Louis sent fifth-round pick Hall Davis to Washington, also for a conditional, undisclosed pick.
Lynch to test sore ankle
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is scheduled to test his sore ankle in practice today. The results will help determine whether he'll play in the team's preseason finale at Detroit. Lynch has been out since hurting his ankle in a preseason loss at Washington on Aug. 13.
Bengals' Purify suspended
CINCINNATI -- Receiver Maurice Purify has been suspended for the Cincinnati Bengals' season opener because of his offseason arrest at a local night spot. The NFL also fined him an additional game check on Monday for violating its personal conduct policy.
Dolphins' Crowder sidelined
DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder is hobbled again. Crowder missed the final game last season with a right foot injury that left him on crutches, and he has been sidelined since Aug. 17 because of an unspecified leg injury. The Dolphins sent Crowder for a second medical opinion Monday.
Broncos release Fargas
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Running back Justin Fargas has been released by the Denver Broncos. The Broncos signed the 30-year-old veteran on Aug. 11 to bolster their banged-up backfield after their top three tailbacks went down with injuries in training camp.
Whisenhunt undecided at QB
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has not revealed who his starting quarterback will be. Asked if he would name his starter after Thursday's final preseason game against Washington, the coach replied, "Who knows? Maybe we'll keep them guessing."
It's a situation Whisenhunt created with his surprising decision to start Derek Anderson in last Saturday night's game at Chicago ahead of Leinart, who had been the No. 1 quarterback throughout training camp.
While Anderson expressed gratitude for the opportunity on Monday, Leinart said he believes he has outplayed his competition.
"I don't really know what else I could possibly do," Leinart said. "It probably goes beyond football, beyond the field actually. For me, I am not making excuses. I am not going to complain. For me, I just really want an explanation and I haven't been given one."
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