No Voice Signals Sideline For Hostetler
Now, both Bay Area teams will have to carry on their Super Bowl aspirations using backup quarterbacks.
The Oakland Raiders Jeff Hostetler has a compression fracture of the cricoid - the protective cartilage of the windpipe just below the voice box - and will miss Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Hostetler will be replaced at quarterback by Vince Evans, at 40 the second-oldest player in the NFL behind St. Louis Rams tackle Jackie Slater, who hasn’t played yet this season, but is expected to be activated at some point. Slater is 41.
The team didn’t immediately say on how long Hostetler will be sidelined, just that he wouldn’t play this weekend.
Earlier this week, the San Francisco 49ers learned that Steve Young would be out about four weeks because of a badly bruised throwing shoulder. Elvis Grbac is Young’s replacement when the Niners travel to the NFC West leading Rams.
Hostetler and Young are the latest on the long list of injured NFL quarterbacks who are or have been sidelined, joining Dan Marino, Stan Humphries, Boomer Esiason, Neil O’Donnell, Drew Bledsoe, Chris Chandler, Troy Aikman, Chris Miller and Heath Shuler.
Quick kicks
A published report says Deion Sanders’ $35 million dollar contract with Dallas could make him an unrestricted free agent.
An incentive clause in a copy of the seven-year contract a league source gave the Dallas Morning News shows the cornerback would become a free agent after five seasons if the Cowboys have one of the top five NFL records this year. … Leslie Shepherd, basically a career practice-squad player before this season, will start in place of injured receiver Michael Westbrook when the Redskins play host to the Detroit Lions Sunday. … A federal grand jury indicted former Miami Dolphins running back Sammie Smith, 28, and five others on cocaine and conspiracy charges that carry a possible life sentence. Smith also is charged with possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, punishable by a mandatory sentence of five years in prison. … San Diego Chargers defensive end Chris Mims has been sued by a car dealership that claims he bounced a check for $28,526 for the balance of the purchase price of a Mercedes-Benz.