Bills Grant Flutie Another Shot
Quarterback Doug Flutie, who has failed in two attempts to play in the NFL, has agreed to a contract with the Buffalo Bills.
Bills spokesman Scott Berchtold said the team reached an agreement with Flutie late Friday afternoon. He will sign a contract sometime next week when he returns from a vacation in Hawaii.
The Buffalo News reported Friday that Flutie was to approve a two-year deal that would pay him a base salary of $300,000, the minimum for an NFL veteran, and a signing bonus of about $50,000.
Several incentive clauses - including individual statistical accomplishments and leaguewide honors - could bring the total value of the contract as high as $5 million over two seasons, the newspaper reported.
The 5-foot-10 Flutie, the 1984 Heisman Trophy winner for Boston College, failed in previous NFL chances with Chicago and New England from 1986-89. He has since become a six-time MVP in the Canadian league.
Brown leaves hospital Reggie Brown appreciates the little things now.
“I asked a doctor how many people with my type of injury recover to my level,” Brown said. “He told me he could not calculate a number that small.
“I don’t take the small things for granted, like the little movements that I can do today that I couldn’t yesterday. I see so many people with my injury in wheelchairs or barely walking. I’m so appreciative.”
The former Detroit Lions linebacker smiled and joked with nurses and attendants as he prepared to leave The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston following a remarkable recovery from a serious spinal injury in a game against the New York Jets Dec. 21.
Brown, wearing a halo-type brace that secures his spine, finished his final physical therapy session and returned to his room to say goodbye to the staff. He spoke to almost everyone he passed.
Jones continues search
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he has narrowed his list of head-coaching candidates to three.
He also said he is in the process of interviewing more than just head-coaching candidates. One of those candidates might be Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick, if the Vikings can be persuaded to change their mind about giving permission for an interview.
As for the status of Cowboys assistants, Jones has indicated to several coaches that he would give them permission to interview with other teams.
The San Diego Chargers have talked to former Atlanta Falcons head coach June Jones about a job on their coaching staff, but no offer has been made, general manager Bobby Beathard said.
“No proposal has been made,” Beathard said. “June’s talking to other teams, also. (Head coach) Kevin (Gilbride)really hasn’t relayed anything back to me, other than June does want to come back to the NFL.”
The Falcons fired Jones at the end of the 1996 season, when they went 3-13.
The Falcons made a series of changes to their front office, including the promotion of assistant head coach/football operations Harold Richardson to general manager.