GOP convention may force NFL to move season opener

Published 11:09 pm Wednesday, March 26, 2008

NEW YORK — The NFL is considering starting its Thursday night season opener an hour-and-a-half earlier to avoid clashing with the Republican National Convention.

The game, in which the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants will host the Washington Redskins, now is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PDT on Sept. 4 and will be televised by NBC. League spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday that the NFL is talking with the network about changing the game’s starting time to 4 p.m.

Sept. 4 also is the concluding night of the Republican convention.

CHARGERS: San Diego center Nick Hardwick had surgery recently on his sprained right foot and is expected to take four to six months to recover.

If Hardwick needs the full rehab period, he could miss the early part of the regular season.

Hardwick was hurt early in a game against the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 14 and missed the next four games. He played in the final six regular-season games and three playoff games.

COLTS: Indianapolis has signed president Bill Polian to a contract extension through 2011.

The Polian-led Colts have posted a 105-55 regular-season record over the past 10 seasons, reached the playoffs eight times and won the Super Bowl after the 2006 season.

Team owner Jim Irsay confirmed through a spokeswoman that the extension has been finalized.

The 65-year-old Polian was hired in 1998 to oversee all on-field operations.

His draft choices include quarterback Peyton Manning, running backs Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai, receiver Reggie Wayne, and defensive stars Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders.

BILLS: Buffalo re-signed defensive tackle Jason Jefferson, as well as cornerback Dustin Fox and receiver Scott Mayle.

Jefferson, who had been a restricted free agent, completed his third season with Buffalo, registering 20 tackles while appearing in a career-high 11 games.

Fox and Mayle were both exclusive-rights free agents and spent time on Buffalo’s practice squad last season.

Fox appeared in five games with the Bills after being promoted from the practice squad. Mayle was inactive for Buffalo’s season finale at Philadelphia after spending the first 16 weeks of the season on the practice squad.

PACKERS: Long snapper Rob Davis retired from Green Bay, weeks after becoming the only player remaining from the team’s most recent Super Bowl appearance.

Davis, a 12-year NFL veteran, will join Green Bay’s front office as director of player development.

Davis took over as the Packers’ long snapper in 1997 and played 167 games in a Green Bay uniform — the third-longest streak in team history. Only Brett Favre (255) and Forrest Gregg (187) played in more consecutive games than Davis. He played the 1996 season with Chicago.

Favre, who played with Davis in the Packers’ loss to Denver in the 1998 Super Bowl, announced his retirement earlier this month.

BROWNS: Linebacker Kris Griffin, a key player on special teams for Cleveland last season, signed a one-year contract with the Browns.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Griffin made 14 tackles on special teams last season despite missing the club’s final four games with a knee injury. He was a restricted free agent.

CARDINALS: Offensive lineman Elton Brown signed his qualifying offer from Arizona, and the Cardinals re-signed four other players, including wide receiver Jerheme Urban and defensive tackle Joe Tafoya.

The team also re-signed wide receiver Ahmad Merritt and defensive end Bo Schobel.

Urban and Tafoya are both former Seahawks.

STEELERS: Pittsburgh long snapper Greg Warren, a restricted free agent, signed a $2.3 million, three-year contract that includes a $395,000 signing bonus.

Warren, Pittsburgh’s long snapper since winning the job as an undrafted rookie in 2005, was given a tender offer of $927,000 before he worked out the multiyear contract.

EAGLES: Philadelphia signed free agent tight end Kris Wilson to a three-year contract.

Wilson caught 42 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns in four seasons with Kansas City, where he played tight end, fullback and H-back. The 6-foot-2, 251-pound Wilson had a career-high 24 catches for 180 yards last year while starting 12 games at fullback.

TITANS: Tennessee agreed to terms with linebacker Josh Stamer, an unrestricted free agent from the Buffalo Bills.

Stamer played in 70 games in five seasons in Buffalo. Last year, he played in all 16 games and ranked second on the team with 15 special teams tackles.

“Josh has been highly productive on special teams during his time with the Bills,” Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt said. “He’s an experienced player that will add competition to our linebacking corps.”