CBS Dallas / Fort Worth » Cowboys

Cowboys Reportedly Not Interested In Moss

KTVTPhil — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:03:33 +0000

NEW YORK (CBS SPORTS) - Randy Moss admitted that he had regrets in New England and Minnesota, but the Jets and Eagles are reportedly “curious” in adding his services to their roster. But at least one team won’t be in the running for Moss — the same team that said “thanks, but no thanks” in the 1998 NFL Draft when they selected Greg Ellis with the No. 8 pick.

A source told ESPNDallas that the Cowboys will again pass on Moss, 15 years after initially doing so. “This shouldn’t come as a surprise because the Cowboys have some talented and young wide receivers in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant,” ESPNDallas reporter Calvin Watkins wrote Tuesday night. “The team also wants to re-sign Laurent Robinson, who led the team with 11 touchdown receptions in 2011.”

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Terrell Owens Doesn’t Want Your Pity

KTVTPhil — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:54:17 +0000

Terrell Owens attends Game 3 of the 2011 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Center on June 5, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. (credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (CBS SPORTS) - The NFL season may be over, but that doesn’t mean there’s no football on the horizon. Yes, the NFL Combine is less than two weeks away but the same day that offensive linemen and tight ends go through their on-field paces at Lucas Oil Stadium, Terrell Owens will be making his IFL debut with the Allen Wranglers.

Okay, you were probably expecting a bit more in the “Wait, there’s still football!” build up. And we suspect that, come Februrary 25, many of you will opt to watch 350-pound guys run 40 yards in a straight line (possible unintentional comedy value) over T.O.’s not-so-triumphant return to football. (If you’re into tragicomedy, then maybe Owens and the Wranglers are for you.)

Part of the reason T.O. signed up for IFL duty is because he had burned a lot of NFL bridges. And of those left standing, no one was interested enough in a 37-year-old wide receiver — with behavior-management issues — to give him a shot. So, the Wranglers, where Owens is also co-owner, was his only football-playing option. Exacerbating matters: T.O., who was in the NFL for 15 seasons and signed contracts worth $80 million, is nearly broke.

Appearing on ESPN Radio recently, Owens, however, said people shouldn’t feel sorry for him. “Absolutely not,” he said via Sports Radio Interviews. “As far as my situation? The thought that I’ve lost $80 million? That’s a little bit skewed considering, like you said, if you look at the years and the contracts that I have had and me not actually completing a couple of those contracts in their entirety.”

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Retired NFL Players Still Seeking Better Benefits

jeffburkett — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:24:04 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The group of retired NFL players that was part of the labor talks during the lockout last year has not given up a push for better post-career care.

The dozens of players, including several members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, filed a lawsuit against the NFL Players Association last fall. The complaint alleges the union illegally sacrificed some of the league revenue that was supposed to go toward additional retirement benefits so that current players could keep more money.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson will hear oral arguments from both sides in court on Wednesday in Minnesota.

NFLPA spokesman Carl Francis says the union won’t comment on the lawsuit. The NFLPA has filed a motion to have the case dismissed.

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Cowboys Hire Baker As Assistant Secondary Coach

KTVTPhil — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:19:26 +0000

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Joe Baker walks towards the Training Session held at Pennyhill Park on October 20, 2011 in Bagshot, England. (credit: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

IRVING (AP) - The Dallas Cowboys have hired Joe Baker as an assistant secondary coach.

Baker has been an NFL assistant coach for four teams over 16 seasons. He spent the past three seasons in Tampa Bay.

The Cowboys, who announced Baker’s hiring Monday, last month hired Jerome Henderson from Cleveland to be their new secondary coach.

Baker had also worked with St. Louis, New Orleans and Jacksonville.

Baker was a college receiver at Princeton, including two seasons (1987-88) when Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was the quarterback there.

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T.O. Says He Wasn’t A Disruptive Teammate

KTVTPhil — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:18:52 +0000

NEW YORK (CBS SPORTS) - “That’s all hearsay,” Terrell Owens said about the perception of his NFL career. “If you ask a bunch of my teammates, a lot of it is basically blown out of proportion, the media making me into a fall guy. Overall, will I ever admit that I was a bad teammate? Never. I wasn’t a bad teammate. Was I disruptive. No I wasn’t disruptive.” Here’s the thing: Owens, as far as we know, was never arrested for beating his girlfriend or making it rain or carrying a concealed weapon. But it’s also a stretch to say that he wasn’t, at one time or another, disruptive. Owens implied that former teammate Jeff Garcia was gay, and then there was the falling out with Donovan McNabb. So, yeah, there’s some revisionist history going on because, realistically, Owens could’ve helped a WR-needy team last season if not for he fact that he was, you know, a huge disruption.

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NFL Announces 2012 Draft Order

KTVTPhil — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:34:53 +0000

NEW YORK (CBS SPORTS) - Now that the 2011 season is completely over, it is time to look ahead to the 2012 NFL Draft. Here is the order in which teams will select starting on April 26. Note: Since the Panthers and Dolphins had the same winning percentage and strength of schedule marks, there will be a coin flip at the NFL Combine to determine the order in which they pick. Same goes for the Chiefs and Seahawks.

1. Colts
2. Rams
3. Vikings
4. Browns
5. Buccaneers
6. Redskins
7. Jaguars
8. Panthers
9. Dolphins
10. Bills
11. Chiefs
12. Seahawks
13. Cardinals
14. Cowboys
15. Eagles
16. Jets
17. Bengals (from Raiders)
18. Chargers
19. Bears
20. Titans
21. Bengals
22. Browns (from Falcons)
23. Lions
24. Steelers
25. Broncos
26. Texans
27. Patriots (from Saints)
28. Packers
29. Ravens
30. 49ers
31. Patriots
32. Giants

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Can Romo Move Cowboys Forward In 2012?

jeffburkett — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:02:01 +0000

DALLAS (BLEACHER REPORT.COM) – The last four Super Bowls played have featured seven quarterbacks consisting of Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner.

Anyone notice who’s missing from that list? Everyone all together now…it’s Tony Romo!

With the exception of Kurt Warner, who’s now retired, and Peyton Manning, who is recovering from a complicated and complex neck injury, you are basically looking at the elite group of quarterbacks in the NFL.

Some may argue otherwise and have their own ranking system, but it’s hard to argue the point. While each of those players is uniquely talented in his own way and has traveled different paths to NFL greatness, they share a few common characteristics.

Although the first and obvious one is that they all have at least one title to their credit, the second and most significant are the steps they took to achieve that greatness.

I believe that Romo has taken more than a few major steps forward since Bill Parcells helped launch his career back in 2006.

In fact, if you go by statistics, he had the fourth-highest quarterback rating in 2011 behind Rodgers, Brees and Brady, and threw for over 4,000 yards, had 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions as well.

What sticks out in people’s minds is the 9-17 record during December and January. Does that mean he’s not talented enough to win those big games? That would be a resounding no.

But when it comes to Romo, there is always a debate about where he ranks, what his game is lacking and the fact he hasn’t taken another step forward. I will now give you three ways he can take that significant step and end all debates.

Read more on the 3 key ways Tony Romo can move the Dallas Cowboys forward in 2012 – from Bleacher Report

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NFL Commissioner Disappointed With Pro Bowl

KTVTPhil — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:53:26 +0000

Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins scores a touchdown during the second quarter of the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl against the NFC team at Aloha Stadium on January 29, 2012 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (credit: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he is disappointed in the quality of last week’s Pro Bowl and changes must be considered, perhaps even dropping the game altogether.

Speaking on ESPN Radio, Goodell says this year’s Pro Bowl wasn’t “the kind of football we want to be demonstrating to our fans, and you heard it from the fans, the fans were actively booing in the stands.”

Goodell made his remarks on Sunday, hours before the start of the Super Bowl.

Goodell has spoken to the NFL Players Association about his disappointment, adding, “We are going to either have to improve the quality of what we are doing in the Pro Bowl or consider other changes, or even consider eliminating the game if that is the kind of quality of game we are going to provide.”

The AFC won the game 59-41.

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Remembering Super Bowl XLV: A Different, Icier Time

mgoodman — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:20:16 +0000

Workers clear snow outside the perimeter of Cowboys Stadium after a snowstorm hit the area February 4, 2011. (credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA (CBSDFW.COM) – What a difference a year makes.

One year ago, The Dallas-Fort Worth Area was wrapping its weeklong service as the NFL’s host region for the Super Bowl – it’s not fair to say city, as events sprawled across both Dallas and Tarrant Counties.

Temperatures were a good 30 to 40 degrees lower than they are today, prompting The Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers to move their practices indoors.

North Texas residents eyed renting their homes out for the week, while NFL and Cowboys staffers hurriedly prepared Cowboys Stadium for the largest sporting event of the year.

But all the talk tended to gravitate toward the bitter winter weather. Chief Meteorologist Larry Mowry warned of arctic blasts, while ice and snow cascading off the roof of Cowboys Stadium sent six people to the hospital.

The snow, however, didn’t dampen much of the excitement across North Texas. Music acts as diverse as Willie Nelson to The Flaming Lips held well-attended concerts. And lest we forget the food-oriented events in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Celebrities like Gene Simmons moved forward with their own parties. The NFL Experience brought thousands to the Dallas Convention Center downtown during its weeklong stay.

While NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praised the North Texas Host Committee for a job well done, hundreds of ticketholders were left without seats during Super Bowl XLV. They found that tidbit of information when they tried to enter the stadium before the game.

The weeks that followed contained news of class-action lawsuits filed against the NFL, and unearthed records that showed the Cowboys franchise waited months to seek permits to build the temporary seats – a fiasco that bookended coverage of Super Bowl XLV.

But on the evening of Feb. 6, 2011, Aaron Rodgers led his team to a 31-25 victory over the Steelers. Chunks of confetti still poured down from the top of Cowboys Stadium and, finally, the Super Bowl again had control over the conversation.

Ex-Cowboy Vollers Sentenced On Pot Charge

jeffburkett — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:28:15 +0000

DALLAS (AP) – Former Cowboys and Colts offensive lineman Kurt Vollers has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

U.S. District Judge Sidney Fitzwater sentenced Vollers in federal court in Dallas on Friday, almost two years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. He could have received a 40-year prison term.

The 31-year-old played for Dallas from 2002-04 and appeared in two games for Indianapolis in 2005.

Prosecutors say Vollers helped three other men in delivering marijuana to the Dallas area from January 2006 through May 2008. The alleged ringleader was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Two others received to two-year and one-year prison sentences.

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Sam Hurd’s Drug Trial Date Set For April 2

KTVTPhil — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:31:48 +0000

DALLAS (AP) - A federal judge in Dallas has scheduled former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd’s trial on drug distribution charges for April 2.

The 26-year-old Hurd is accused of trying to buy large quantities of marijuana and cocaine to establish a drug-dealing network. Hurd was arrested Dec. 14 outside a Chicago steakhouse after allegedly buying a kilogram of cocaine.

Hurd has pleaded not guilty.

U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis, in an order Wednesday, set a pretrial conference for March 21. The trial could still be delayed.

Hurd has played for the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys. He was cut by the Bears following his arrest.

Attorneys for Hurd and co-defendant Toby Lujan did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

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Tony Dorsett Joins Concussion Lawsuit Against NFL

KTVTPhil — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:13:27 +0000

Tony Dorsett played running back for the Cowboys from 1977 to 1987 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

NEW YORK (CBS SPORTS) - The helmet-to-helmet shot knocked Tony Dorsett out cold in the second quarter of a 1984 Cowboys-Eagles game, the hardest hit he ever took during his Hall of Fame NFL career. “It was like a freight train hitting a Volkswagen,” Dorsett says now. “Did they know it was a concussion?” he asks rhetorically during an interview with the Associated Press. “They thought I was half-dead.” And yet, he says, after being examined in the locker room — a light shined in his eyes; queries such as who sat next to him on the Cowboys’ bus ride to the stadium — Dorsett returned to the field and gained 99 yards in the second half. Mainly, he says, by running plays the wrong way, because he couldn’t remember what he was supposed to do. “That ain’t the first time I was knocked out or been dazed over the course of my career, and now I’m suffering for it,” the 57-year-old former tailback says. “And the NFL is trying to deny it.”

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NFL Concussion Lawsuits Being Combined In Philly

KTVTPhil — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:22:02 +0000

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - At least four lawsuits blaming the NFL for concussion-related dementia and brain disease will be consolidated in Philadelphia, and more could follow.

A U.S. judicial panel approved requests Tuesday by the NFL and plaintiffs lawyers to try similar cases before Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody in Philadelphia.

The lawsuits represent more than 300 retired players or spouses, including two-time Super Bowl champion Jim McMahon.

“(This) allows Judge Brody to now bring everybody together and put this in an organized environment where all the legal issues and the medical issues and the scientific issues can all be decided in one place,” said lawyer Larry Coben of Philadelphia, who filed the first lawsuit in August on behalf of McMahon and six others.

The players accuse the NFL of negligence and intentional misconduct in its response to the headaches, dizziness and dementia that former players have reported. Some say they have no symptoms but want to be monitored for future health problems.

Former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Brent Boyd is described by lawyers as the only living player so far diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The degenerative brain disease, known as CTE, has typically been found in autopsies of people who have had multiple head injuries, including more than a dozen former NFL and NHL players.

The NFL vows to vigorously defend the claims. Spokesman Brian McCarthy declined to comment Tuesday, but the league had supported the consolidation in Philadelphia for logistical purposes.

In the first lawsuit, the NFL has tried to block Coben from taking wide-ranging depositions early on as the league seeks to have the lawsuit thrown out. The NFL argues that the lawsuits are barred under the players’ collective bargaining agreements.

Brody delayed ruling on the depositions while she waited to see where the cases would end up.

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation assigned them to her on Tuesday after meeting last week in Miami.

Brody will handle all pretrial issues, including potentially key rulings on what evidence can be used at trial, and whether a class can be certified for medical monitoring or other purposes. The cases might then return to the district where they were filed for trial, Coben said.

As many as a dozen similar NFL concussion lawsuits have been filed in New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida and Philadelphia. They, too, could end up before the same judge.

Brody spent a decade on the bench in suburban Montgomery County before President George H.W. Bush nominated her for a federal judgeship. She took office in 1992 and took senior status in 2009.

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105.3 The Fan At Super Bowl XLVI

Ryan Crowe — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:30:39 +0000

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RAGE Unleashed On Indianapolis

Ryan Crowe — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:17:03 +0000

This dude has the Pats logo in his head!

Biggest Story from Indy – Will Peyton Play?

Former Redskin Charlie Brown “A Better League Back Then”

Greggo makes some players mad with his questions

RAGE goes goofy at the media party

A Former Cowboy Joins RAGE on Radio Row

How Famous Is Choppy? Sybil Finds Out:

Greggo Was Very Inappropriate With A Beautiful Young Lady:

Bed Check Got Intense Monday Night… And Wet:

Greggo Goes Crazy At Media Day:

Will The Cowboys Keep Laurent Robinson:

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Marshall’s 4 Catches Lift AFC To Pro Bowl Win

KTVTPhil — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:47:32 +0000

HONOLULU (AP) - Brandon Marshall isn’t taking time in the islands to relish his record-breaking Pro Bowl performance. He’s ready to get back to work.

The Miami Dolphins wide receiver caught six passes for 176 yards and a Pro Bowl-record four touchdowns, and the AFC used a second-half surge to beat the NFC 59-41 Sunday.

Marshall, who had a game filled with highlight-reel grabs, was selected the game’s MVP, and his name now will join the likes of Walter Payton and Jerry Rice on the banners at Aloha Stadium.

“You know what? I wanted it,” he said. “It’s a Pro Bowl. Some guys are playing 100 (percent), some guys are playing 90, some guys aren’t playing at all, but it means a lot to be up in the rafters with some of these guys.”

Marshall hopes some of the Pro Bowl magic will carry over to next season, where the Dolphins will be under new coach Joe Philbin, Green Bay’s offensive coordinator for the past five years.

“Hopefully down in Miami we can get some things turned around,” Marshall said. “We have some special things to do, and we will do some special things down in South Beach.”

Marshall had changed his flight to leave Honolulu on Sunday night, so he could meet Philbin on Monday. “I know he’s going to do a great job,” he said.

The 59 points by the AFC set a Pro Bowl mark, and the 100 points scored by the teams combined was the second highest, a touchdown shy of the 107 scored in 2004.

While everyone was playing at half-speed and ready to extend their Hawaiian vacations, Marshall played with urgency.

“You never know when you’re going to be back,” Marshall said, “and I wanted to go all out today because it could be my last Pro Bowl.”

He hauled in a deflected, go-ahead 47-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton, while on his back, to give the AFC a 38-35 lead late in the third quarter. It was Marshall’s third TD catch of the game, tying Jimmy Smith’s Pro Bowl record set in 2004.

“It was the most unathletic highlight I ever had,” he said. “Andy put it up there for me to make a play. I saw the ball, got nervous, fell, saw the ball, kicked it up and it just fell in my hands.”

Marshall, making his third Pro Bowl appearance, then nabbed a 3-yard TD pass from Dalton that gave the AFC a 52-35 lead with 8:25 left.

Hawaii has been kind to Marshall, who also won MVP honors at Aloha Stadium in his final game at Central Florida in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl, where he caught 11 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns.

Marshall noted he had six TDs this season, but four this game.

“It says a lot when you’re playing with these type of quarterbacks,” Marshall said. “They just put it in the right place and I just made the play. Hats off to those guys throwing me the ball.”

The game featured rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals, who replaced Super Bowl quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady and played the entire second half. Their selection made this Pro Bowl the first to feature two rookie signal callers.

While Dalton looked composed, Newton played horribly — struggling to move the ball, stay in the pocket and find his targets, which drew some boos from the sun-splashed, sellout crowd of 48,423.

“No excuses,” Newton said. “When you hang the ball up there, against these kind of players, that’s what you get,” Newton said. “It’s the good and the bad of playing in a Pro Bowl. I learned a lot.”

Newton finished 9 of 27 for 186 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Eric Weddle picked off Newton twice. Dalton, meanwhile, was 7 of 9 for 99 yards and two TDs.

For the NFC, Aaron Rodgers was 13 of 17 for 141 yards and two TDs. But he was watching late in the game as Newton struggled.

“It’s tough to be the last guy in, when it’s the fourth quarter and money becomes an issue,” he said. “Guys are playing a little bit harder. They come at you.”

The NFC had three players with 100-yard yard receiving: Tony Gonzalez (seven for 114), Larry Fitzgerald (6 for 111) and Steve Smith (5 for 118).

Rodgers and Fitzgerald connected for a pair of scores on back-to-back plays to put the NFC up 14-0 early in the game.

After stopping the AFC on fourth down at midfield, Rodgers drove the NFC down the field and threw a 10-yard TD toss to Fitzgerald. Six seconds later, Rodgers aired a 44-yard rainbow in the end zone to Fitzgerald for another score after the NFC got the ball back with a surprise onside kick.

The reception was Fitzgerald’s sixth career TD catch in the Pro Bowl, tying Gonzalez’s record. He would break the record with the game’s last touchdown, on a 36-yard pass from Newton.

The AFC came right back and tied it up on two deep TD passes on the right side by Ben Roethlisberger. He threw a 34-yarder to rookie A.J. Green, and then connected with Marshall on a 74-yarder.

Each AFC player earned a record $50,000 for the win, while the NFC players received $25,000.

While the players hope to return to Hawaii next year, it’s still unknown where the 2013 Pro Bowl will be played. Sunday’s game marked the final one under contract between the NFL and Hawaii.

“As someone who played in the Pro Bowl when it was in a different city, I can tell you that it’s not a real comparison,” Rodgers said.

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Kitna To Coach High School Football In Tacoma

KTVTPhil — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:32:28 +0000

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Jon Kitna was hired as the football coach at Lincoln High School in Tacoma after retiring from a 15-year NFL career.

Kitna was introduced Thursday. He was recently hired at his old high school as a math teacher. Kitna received his math education degree at Central Washington University, where he was a standout quarterback and led the Wildcats to a share of the 1995 NAIA national title. Kitna went on to an NFL career with Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit and wrapped up his career as a backup with Dallas.

Kitna was first contacted about the job three years ago, but decided to keep his NFL career going then. Kitna believes the Abes can become a state and possibly national power.

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North Texas Girl Wins ‘Punt, Pass & Kick’ Championship

KTVTPhil — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:50:12 +0000

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The Dallas Cowboys failed to reach the playoffs this year, but one North Texas girl took home a championship in a totally different NFL challenge. Riley Hamilton won first place in the national ‘NFL Punt, Pass & Kick‘ finals. She represented the Cowboys during the competition, which was held at the January 15 playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.

This was the 50th anniversary for the annual challenge. Scores are based on distance and accuracy, and combined for a final result.

The 7-year-old Trinity Christian Academy student placed first in her age group (ages 6 and 7) with a combined score of 142 feet. The included a punt of 50 feet and two inches, a pass of 43 feet and 11 inches, and a kick of 48 feet and one inch.

Even more impressive is that Hamilton had never played football before starting the contest. She trained with her father for months before qualifying for the national competition. Now, she is a champion.

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McBriar’s Health A Concern For Garrett

jeffburkett — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:56:21 +0000

Jones Praises Romo & Says Others Need To Do More

KTVTPhil — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:31:46 +0000

MOBILE, Ala. (CBS SPORTS) - Jerry Jones is in Mobile, Alabama this week for the Senior Bowl because, in addition to being the Cowboys’ owner, he’s also the general manager. The man who wears many hats in Dallas took time out from evaluating the next crop of draft-eligible players to talk about the Cowboys, whose Week 17 loss to the Giants kept them out of the playoffs. “I thought (Tony) Romo was competing at a level that would’ve given us that opportunity, but the rest of us need to play better and get better before we can really gel the way the Giants are,” Jones said via CBSSports.com Rapid Reporter Nick Eatman.

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NFL Still Finalizing Super Bowl XLVI Seating Capacity

Ryan Crowe — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:49:44 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NFL is trying to avoid another super snafu.

One year after hundreds of ticketed fans were left without seats at Cowboys Stadium, organizers have added only 254 temporary seats to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the Feb. 5 game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots.

League spokesman Brian McCarthy said officials decided in March the capacity for a stadium that normally seats about 63,000 for football games would be expanded to roughly 68,000 for the Super Bowl — with most of the additional capacity coming from standing-room only tickets.

The league still could add some padded seats to camera platforms, standing-room only availability to stadium suites and perhaps additional seats near the auxiliary media area, but no more tickets are going on sale.

“What we do is take a hard look every year,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “As we get closer to the game, our event planners will sit in each of the sections and fill in other areas that would not be used for a regular-season game. In general, we are taking a very fan-first approach, which is to deliver to our fans the best from the NFL.”

That certainly wasn’t the experience some fans got in Arlington.

MORE: Temporary Super Bowl Seats Unfinished Before Kickoff

Just hours before kickoff of last year’s Green Bay-Pittsburgh game, league officials announced that about 1,250 temporary seats were deemed unsafe. The league scrambled to find new seats for about 850 people, forcing the rest to watch from standing-room only locations around the stadium.

Two days after the game, the displaced fans filed a federal lawsuit alleging breach of contract, fraud and deceptive sales practices.

League officials later agreed to give the affected fans several options. The approximately 2,800 people who were delayed in reaching their seats or relocated once they got inside Cowboys Stadium could receive a refund for the face value of last year’s tickets or receive a game-day ticket to a future Super Bowl.

Roughly 475 other fans who were left without seats for the game won by Green Bay had four options: Receiving a refund of three times the face value of the ticket ($2,400) and a ticket to Indy’s first Super Bowl; a game ticket to any future Super Bowl with airfare and four nights in a hotel room covered by the league; a check for $5,000; or a check for more money if they could document expenses topping $5,000.

McCarthy said fans had until Monday, after the two league championship games were completed, to decide. He did not yet have a number of how many fans asked for tickets to the Giants-Patriots game.

When the Indianapolis host committee sold NFL owners on the game, they estimated the stadium could be expanded to a capacity of 70,000. After last year, the league took a more cautious approach and in March settled on the rough number of 68,000.

“It played a role,” McCarthy said.

Still to be decided is the actual capacity. That won’t be announced until late next week, which McCarthy said is customary.

The 254 seats were already in place Monday night when CBS filmed its annual show “The Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials,” hosted by Boomer Esiason and Jillian Michaels at Lucas Oil. The show will air Feb. 1 at 8 p.m.

Last year, the seats were being installed right up until the last moment, with carpenters hammering away as fans arrived for the big game.

But McCarthy said the league has taken every measure possible to guard against another problem.

“Our fans expect a world-class experience from the NFL and we look to deliver that,” McCarthy said. “And there are things we have done to improve.”

One key change this year will be the addition of a new mobile phone application to receive real-time information on everything from weather to the waiting times at stadium gates. The application includes a map of Lucas Oil Stadium and downtown Indy as well as a full event schedule on game day and the week leading up to the game as well information on restaurants and nightlife.

Romo Next In Pro-Bowl Line

jeffburkett — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:57:18 +0000

QB Tony Romo was the second alternate for the 2012 Pro Bowl. With NYG’s Eli Manning pulling out of the game because of the Super Bowl, Carolina’s Cam Newton is next in line for the Hawaii trip.

Sam Hurd Changes Lawyers In Drug Case

KTVTPhil — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:10:11 +0000

DALLAS (AP) - Former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd has hired new attorneys to defend him against accusations that he tried to establish a drug-dealing ring.

One of Hurd’s new lawyers says the former Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys receiver plans to plead not guilty this week. Jay Ethington says he and San Antonio attorney Michael McCrum will take over Hurd’s case.

Hurd, a San Antonio native, is charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. He was arrested in December in the Chicago area during an undercover sting. The Bears released him a few days after the arrest.

Hurd is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, but he will seek to enter his plea electronically to avoid a brief hearing.

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Report: No Charges Against Cowboys’ Bryant

jeffburkett — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:47:10 +0000

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was not arrested and will not have charges filed against him following an incident Sunday night at a Miami nightclub.

Garrett Foresees Giving Up Play-Calling Eventually

jeffburkett — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:26:16 +0000

While coach Jason Garrett isn’t giving up play-calling duties this year, it could happen down the road.