Manning, Colts get good news
Peyton Manning’s injured right thumb gave the Colts a scare Monday. Fortunately, for Indianapolis, that’s all it was.
Manning bruised the thumb on his throwing hand late in the AFC Championship game, but X-rays found no broken bones and he’s expected to start against Chicago in the Super Bowl, Colts owner Jim Irsay told the Associated Press on Monday night.
“There’s no concerns with that at all,” Irsay said. “He’s fine. I talked to the trainer about it earlier, and I know that’s the case.”
Earlier Monday, coach Tony Dungy said Manning’s thumb was discolored and painful, so the team scheduled X-rays. Manning hit his thumb on left tackle Tarik Glenn’s helmet in the Colts’ 38-34 victory over New England on Sunday night.
On Monday, Dungy was more concerned about cornerback Nick Harper’s sprained left ankle than Manning’s injury.
Harper left during the first half of the championship game and didn’t return. Dungy said he was uncertain whether it was a high-ankle sprain or a basketball-variety sprain he sustained by rolling the ankle. If it’s a high-ankle sprain, it could take four to six weeks to recover.
Tight end Ben Utecht also sprained his right knee in the game, but he returned. Dungy sounded optimistic that Utecht would play against the Bears.
Raiders hire Kiffin
The Oakland Raiders and USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin agreed in principle on a five-year contract that would make Kiffin the youngest coach in the NFL and in franchise history, two people close to the process confirmed.
Kiffin, 31, agreed to succeed Art Shell, 18 days after Al Davis fired Shell in light of the Raiders’ 2-14 season.
Vick won’t face charges
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick won’t face criminal charges over a suspicious bottle he tried to bring through security at Miami International Airport.
Lab tests on the bottle, which contained a hidden compartment that police suspected may have contained marijuana, found no evidence of drugs, according to Deisy Rodriguez, an assistant state attorney.
A police report said the bottle appeared from the outside to contain water but had a compartment behind the label. That compartment contained a “small amount of dark particulate” and an odor consistent with marijuana, the report said. It was not determined what the material was.
Possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana is a misdemeanor under Florida law, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. First offenders rarely do jail time.
Another Bengal arrested
Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph was arrested outside of Union, Ky., and charged with possession of marijuana, the ninth Cincinnati player arrested in the last nine months.
Steelers find a coach
Mike Tomlin, the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers – the first black head coach in the team’s 74-year history.
He was negotiating a four-year contract expected to pay him about $2.5 million a year.
Tomlin, the team’s third coach in 38 years, was hired on the same day two black coaches made the Super Bowl for the first time: Lovie Smith in Chicago and Tony Dungy.
Coaching carousel
The New York Giants hired Philadelphia Eagles linebackers coach Steve Spagnuolo to be their defensive coordinator.
Spagnuolo will replace Tim Lewis, who was fired this month after three seasons with the Giants.
•The Atlanta Falcons hired Jerry Rosburg as special teams coordinator.
New head coach Bobby Petrino also hired David Puloka and Billy “White Shoes” Johnson as assistant strength and conditioning coaches.