Parcells Lets Go Of Jets’ Past, Cuts Ex-Vandal Washington

Marvin Washington was the lone roster member to have survived the Jets’ previous four forgettable coaching regimes, with the team never winning more games than it lost in any of his eight seasons.

So it was understandable when Washington said earlier in training camp that Bill Parcells’ mere presence made him feel like he was “back in the NFL again.”

Think again.

Parcells continued to reshape the makeup of the long-floundering organization Tuesday by terminating the veteran defensive end’s contract, thus ending what had been the longest current tenure of any player with the club.

“I’m respectful of players that have been in one place for a long time,” said Parcells, “but there are some guys you have to let go. You don’t want to do that, but you just have to do it.”

Washington, 31, who did not dress in Friday’s 39-29 preseason victory over the Ravens, departs with 37-1/2 career sacks - but only one playoff appearance (an 8-8 season in 1991) - in eight years after being drafted out of the University of Idaho.

Washington, who had only 2-1/2 sacks last season while playing all along the defensive line because of injuries to others, claimed he was not shocked by Tuesday’s move.

“I can’t say it came as a shock. But I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I harbor no ill feeling toward Parcells or the Jets.”

Elway continues to make progress

John Elway continued to impress as the Denver Broncos completed their final day of two-a-day workouts.

The 37-year-old quarterback threw effortlessly and apparently without pain in a variety of drills and a brief scrimmage. It was his second day of practice since rupturing his right biceps tendon in an Aug. 4 exhibition game against Miami.

Elway’s performance increased speculation he would play in Sunday’s exhibition game at New England.

Elway threw several passes of more than 50 yards while showing no sign of pain in his delivery. He completed a 55-yard pass to Ed McCaffrey on the dead run and delivered several touch passes to running back Terrell Davis.

“This might be the newest thing for college, high school and professional quarterbacks,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “They might all want to cut their biceps tendon after practice today.”

Favre goes on record

In his forthcoming book, Brett Favre wrote in graphic detail about how his addiction to Vicodin, which began in late 1994, caused a myriad of health problems such as constipation, dehydration and vomiting before he finally sought help in February 1996.

“The biggest problem wasn’t getting the pills down, it was keeping them down,” Favre wrote. “Most of the time, I’d just throw them right back up and they’d land on the floor. No big deal. I’d just pick the pills out of the vomit, rinse them off and try again.”

Favre also writes about his reluctant stay at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kan., and how he hated meeting with his doctors and nurses, which he termed “the Parole Board.”

“Man, some of those meetings got ugly,” he wrote. “I kept telling them I was ready to leave… . They didn’t care. Finally, I told them what they wanted to hear: that I was a drug addict and I needed help. Sure enough, a week later they said, ‘We think you’re ready to leave.’

“I was like, ‘Hallelujah!’ I got my things together, told everyone, ‘I enjoyed meeting y’all,’ and told the doctors and nurses thanks. Then I walked out the door and was like ‘Screw you.”’

Favre said he didn’t write the book to help others with addictions.

“I mean, I’m the last person who needs to be giving advice,” he said. “If it helps people, great. But that is not why I did the book.”

Healthy Sapolu back for another shot

With center Chris Dalman sidelined indefinitely by a knee injury, the San Francisco 49ers invited his predecessor, Jesse Sapolu, to try out for his old job.

Sapolu, 36, was tentatively scheduled to work out Friday at the team’s training camp. He played 14 years for the 49ers and was a member of four Super Bowl champion teams but was released in the off-season after undergoing open-heart surgery in January to repair a leaking valve.

Sapolu has continued working out in hopes of hooking up with a team and 49ers general manager Dwight Clark said team doctors familiar with Sapolu’s heart surgery told him there’s no reason why Sapolu can’t resume playing.

Roster moves

The Dolphins picked Olindo Mare, who went to college at Syracuse, as the team’s third kicker in as many seasons. He beat out Joe Nedney, the NFL’s worst field-goal kicker last season.

The Bears waived wide receiver Haywood Jeffires, a 10-year veteran with Houston and New Orleans.