Steelers Welcome Woodson Back To Practice Field
Rod Woodson practiced for the first time since seriously injuring his knee in September, but no one was saying if he might play in Sunday’s AFC championship game.
“He did some things,” coach Bill Cowher said. “But there’s no change.
“He’s listed as doubtful, and he still is.”
Woodson ran about 30 plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ scout defense, which mimics the team’s next opponent.
Woodson’s running was severely restricted, and he showed none of the bursts of speed the former world-class hurdler possessed before his injury. The six-time Pro Bowl cornerback’s range also was limited.
“As practice went on, I thought I was better,” Woodson said. “We’ll see how it feels (today), see if my knee stiffens up. It’s all up to Bill. Maybe I can surprise (him), how I’m out there running around.”
NFL draft list grows
Receivers Terry Glenn of Ohio State and Freddie Scott of Penn State are skipping their senior seasons to enter the NFL draft.
UCLA tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Auburn offensive lineman Willie Anderson and Oklahoma fullback Jerald Moore also said they were coming out early on the final day underclassmen could declare for the April draft.
The NFL will release the complete list of early entries today.
Colts feeling ignored
Craig Kelley, the Colts’ director of public relations, made it a point to tell the players they could expect a media onslaught after they made the playoffs, and to be careful of what they said.
“So last Friday in Kansas City, we go out to practice,” said Harbaugh, “and there are two guys from the media. We looked at one another and I said, ‘It’s just a media frenzy here. It’s an onslaught.’ This week, it will probably double.”
Haley ready to go
Defensive end Charles Haley, who underwent back surgery five weeks ago, practiced with the Dallas Cowboys for the first time and could be ready for limited action in Sunday’s NFC championship.
Coach Barry Switzer said Haley worked without pads in pass-rushing techniques, then went one-on-one against Mark Tuinei, his team’s starting left tackle.
“You wouldn’t have known he had this operation just five weeks ago,” Switzer said.
Super Bowl under fire
Some minority business owners in Phoenix are questioning whether they’re getting a fair share of the millions of dollars the Super Bowl is expected to generate.
“I know we are getting a bad deal,” said M.A. Bjorn, executive chef of Black Onyx Catering in Glendale. “How can you bring in (millions) in the state and act like you can give us $100 and we will be satisfied?”
Overall, the Jan. 28 game is expected to have a $187 million impact on the state. The breakdown is 70 percent for hotels, food and entertainment, and 15 percent each on transportation and merchandise.
Martin Samaniego, vice president for business development for the Super Bowl Host Committee, said minority businesses received about 10 percent of about $450,000 worth of contracts through November 1995.
End zone
Indianapolis coach Ted Marchibroda said running back Marshall Faulk definitely will not be able to play in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh. Faulk had two small bone chips removed from his knee, and Marchibroda said it is doubtful the running back would be ready in time for the Jan. 28 Super Bowl should the Colts advance. … Assault charges against Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Warren have been dismissed. The running back was accused last summer of slapping Kadra Mohamed and twisting her arm outside a suburban nightclub last summer after the Seattle resident refused to dance with him. … Minnesota lineman Broderick Thomas was arrested for drunken driving and the unauthorized use of a handgun near his Houston-area home. … Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his partner in an Arkansas gas-production company improperly profited from the 1986 sale of their natural gas interests. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis directed the U.S. District Court in western Arkansas to determine how much money 3,000 members of a class-action suit should receive from Jones.