Jerry Jones: Jason Garrett's job is safe

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have blown five fourth-quarter leads, the coach was criticized for his late-game management leading to a loss at Arizona, there have been issues with the secondary and fourth-quarter penalties, but coach Jason Garrett's job status isn't a concern.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones was asked if the rookie head coach is in danger of losing his job.

"Well, that's not a question that's in my mind, kinda worth responding to," Jones said Tuesday morning on KRLD-FM. "But the answer is no and we're just getting started here."

Jones does like what Garrett has done around Valley Ranch.

James Harrison suspended 1 game

The NFL suspended Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison one game without pay for his helmet-to-helmet hit Thursday night on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy.

Harrison is expected to miss Monday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers, though he has appealed the suspension, his agent told The Associated Press.

Harrison's agent Bill Parise said Tuesday afternoon that he expects the appeal to be heard later this week by Art Shell or Ted Cottrell, jointly appointed by the NFL and the players' association to hear such cases.

Patrick Willis has Grade II strain

An MRI exam revealed that four-time San Francisco Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis has a Grade II hamstring strain and "could miss a little time," a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Willis' status for Sunday's game at Arizona is unclear, but the source told Schefter that the injury will heal on its own.

Coach Jim Harbaugh said he didn't know the severity of Willis' injury or whether it could sideline him for NFC West champion San Francisco (10-2), which clinched its first division title and playoff berth since 2002 with a 26-0 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

Andy Reid defends DeSean Jackson

Eagles coach Andy Reid continued to defend DeSean Jackson on Friday, a day after the receiver was showcased sitting alone during a 31-14 loss at Seattle in which he was limited to four catches for 34 yards.


"You can take a camera and make it look any way you want to make it look," Reid said at a news conference, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "I am telling you, that kid was all in last night and wanted to win that game as much as anybody."

After the game, Jackson was peppered with questions about whether he was refusing to talk with teammates during the loss. Reid had also been asked if his team was even invested at this point of the season and if Jackson was essentially a decoy.

But Reid was emphatic Friday.

"There was nothing on the sidelines, no commotion with him and Vince," Reid said, referring to quarterback Vince Young. "There is nothing there. Nothing."

The game's telecast on the NFL Network also showed a sideline shot of Young talking to Jackson, who appeared to be uninterested in the conversation.

McNabb becomes free agent

Donovan McNabb went unclaimed on waivers, meaning the former Minnesota Vikings quarterback is free to sign with any team.


The Vikings waived the 13-year veteran quarterback on Thursday, giving him the opportunity to sign with another team for the stretch run in a parting coach Leslie Frazier described as mutual.


The Vikings filled McNabb's vacant roster spot by claiming quarterback Sage Rosenfels off waivers from the Dolphins.


I wonder what team will decide to pick up good ole Donovan.

Packers' Erik Walden jailed

Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden was arrested Friday morning on a felony complaint of assaulting his girlfriend and was to remain jailed until at least Monday with court closed for the holiday weekend, according to multiple media reports out of Wisconsin.

Adrian Peterson doubtful vs. Falcons

Minnesota Vikings halfback Adrian Peterson didn't practice Friday and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons because of his high ankle sprain.

He had the boot removed Thursday but all he could do was watch practice from the sideline.

Peterson hasn't practiced all week after hurting his left ankle in last week's game in Oakland. He was carted off the sideline Sunday and had been in a walking boot for three days this week. Peterson is sixth in the NFL in rushing with 872 yards. He's tied with Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy with a league-leading 12 touchdowns.

Michael Vick unlikely to start vs Patriots

Vick, bothered by broken ribs, is one of four Eagles players and one of three key starters who could miss the interconference matchup against the AFC East front-runners at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles (4-6) are in must-win mode to stay in contention for a playoff spot.


Vick said through the team's website Thursday that he was feeling "good" despite sitting out practice again. Vick, who is recovering from broken ribs, said he is "getting better."

Week 1 Matchups

Week one of the NFL is finally here!

Cj2k To Meet With Titans

Holdout running back Chris Johnson wrote on his Twitter page Tuesday that he will fly to Nashville to discuss his contract demands with Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt in a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Kuharsky: Make CJ an Offer

Even if the Titans believe they are far from satisfying Chris Johnson's demands, ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky explains why they should make an offer anyway Wednesday. Blog

While the Titans publicly stated they are willing to make Johnson the highest-paid running back in the NFL, those close to Johnson believe he should be paid as one of the NFL's top playmakers -- not just as a running back, sources familiar with the situation have told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Johnson, who is due to earn more than $1 million in 2011 in the fourth year of his five-year contract, tweeted "god is good" to Larry Fitzgerald on Saturday night after news broke about the Arizona receiver's deal worth up to $120 million (with nearly $50 million in guaranteed money).

If Johnson and Segal are counting on Bud Adams to speed up the process, the Titans owner said Sunday that with two years left on the running back's contract he backs Reinfeldt.

I'm Just Saying...

Chris Johnson wants to be paid more than what a top running back gets paid, but last season he didn't rank in the top three in any major individual rushing category.

Chris Johnson Rushing, Last Season

	Total	NFL Rank
Yards	1,364	4th
Rushes	316	6th
TD	11	T-6th
YPG	85.3	7th
Yds per rush	4.3	19th

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"I'm not gonna make any offer with the way he's acting. Life's too short," Adams told TitanInsider.

Tennessee rolled up 198 yards rushing in a 17-16 loss at St. Louis on Saturday night without Johnson. Rookie Jamie Harper started in place of Johnson's backup, Javon Ringer, and the fourth-round pick from Clemson ran 11 times for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Stafon Johnson added 68 yards rushing and the Titans outgained the Rams 198-44 on the ground.

Coach Mike Munchak said the Titans aren't going to entertain trade offers for Johnson, a three-time Pro Bowl running back who has the most yards rushing of any NFL back over the past three seasons. The coach also doesn't agree that the Titans picked up negotiating leverage with how well they ran the ball through some big holes without Johnson.

"I could easily stand here and say CJ would've scored on three of those," Munchak said. "I don't know if he would have, but with his speed coming through there ... We're lucky we had guys who stepped up."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

DeSean Jackson to end holdout

DeSean Jackson will end his holdout and report to Eagles training camp Monday, a source told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Saturday.

Jackson has skipped the first 11 days of camp while seeking a new contract.

Jackson must report by Tuesday in order to accrue a year of service toward free agency.

Eagles coach Andy Reid was choosing to ignore those reports Sunday.

"We'll see," Reid said. "I haven't really focused on that. I haven't talked to him. If he's here, more power to him. If he's not, like I told you before, my focus is to make sure that I get the guys that are here coached up."

Roger Goodell: 'Football is back'

- After months of public nastiness and private negotiations, of court filings and rulings, of players and owners squabbling over more than $9 billion a year, NFL fans finally saw the handshake and heard the words they awaited: "Football's back."


NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith both used that phrase while standing shoulder to shoulder Monday, announcing their agreement on a 10-year deal to end the lockout that began in March.

Cedric Benson arrested in Texas

 Running back Cedric Benson came home from jail on Sunday following an arrest on an assault charge, the 2nd year in a row he has gotten into trouble in his home state of Texas.


Benson was a free agent after leading the Cincinnati Bengals in rushing each of the last three seasons. He hoped to stay with the Bengals and worked out with players in Cincinnati during the NFL's lockout.

Randy Moss in Freakish Shape

Randy Moss went out with a whimper after being claimed off waivers by the Tennessee Titans last season, but his agent expects the "old Randy Moss" to return in 2011.


Agent Joel Segal told NFL.com that Moss is in "freakish shape" after "working out, two-a-days, all spring and summer in West Virginia."


"He is determined, motivated and quite frankly has a huge chip on his shoulder. Whatever team ends up getting Randy, they're going to know they're getting the old Randy Moss," Segal told NFL.com. "He's not just coming in to be on the team, he's going to be Randy Moss -- a difference maker."

Nike Re-signs Michael Vick

Nike re-signed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick to an endorsement deal Friday, nearly four years after dropping him amid his legal troubles.

Nike, which signed Vick as a rookie in 2001, terminated his contract in August 2007 after he filed a plea agreement admitting his involvement in a dogfighting ring. Vick spent 21 months in prison.

Tennessee Titans' Kenny Britt surrenders to Nashville cops

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt has surrendered to police on two outstanding warrants alleging that he provided inaccurate information on separate driver's license applications.



Britt was briefly booked into jail in Nashville on Wednesday before posting a $2,000 bond, according to Nashville police. Police spokesman Don Aaron told WKRN-TV that Britt was not at home when officers attempted to serve him on April 14 with the misdemeanor charges issued by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.


Britt also faces a charge of resisting arrest in his home state of New Jersey earlier this month after detectives suspected he was carrying a marijuana cigar at a carwash.

Darnell Dockett tweets while pulled over!

Darnell Dockett was pulled over by police -- and gave Twitter followers a play-by-play account.

The Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman was clearly agitated while posting a series of tweets during the incident Monday. Dockett tweets that police told him he was pulled over because he was speeding, and they wanted to search his car.

"I don't know why the police always messing w/me," he tweeted.

He says he refused to allow police to start a search without a warrant. Dockett eventually tweeted he was about to be let go, and updated his Twitter page a few hours later by saying he did not receive a ticket from police.

It was unclear where the incident occurred, and agent Drew Rosenhaus did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Dockett, who has played seven NFL seasons, frequently uses Twitter and has more than 70,500 followers.

Pat White joins UFL's Destroyers

 Former Miami Dolphins and West Virginia quarterback Pat White has signed with the United Football League's Virginia Destroyers.

White went 34-8 as a starter and led West Virginia to wins in the Sugar and Fiesta bowls.

He played in 13 games his rookie season with the Dolphins in 2009, going 0-of-5 passing and rushing for 81 yards on 21 carries.

White signed a minor league baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals after being released by the Dolphins last September. But White did not report to spring training and retired from baseball.

Ben Roethlisberger: May Need Surgery

A broken foot that slowed Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger through much of the end of last season -- and into the playoffs and Super Bowl -- may need an operation to correct the injury.


Roethlisberger, speaking to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Friday, said his right foot bothered him so much last season "there were times during practice and games where I didn't feel like I'd be able to walk."

"I could have had surgery, but according to the doctors it would have been a really nasty process because of where the break was," Roethlisberger said. "It was better off trying not to do anything. It's going to be something where we're just going to have to, in essence, play it by ear.

"If it continues to be as painful as it was at the end of last year, then I'm going to probably have to have the surgery."



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