Jets, ex-coach fined $125,000 for hiding Favre's injury

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The NFL assessed $125,000 in fines to the New York Jets and former coach Eric Mangini on Wednesday for violating the league's rules on injury reporting with former quarterback Brett Favre last season.

The Jets failed to place Favre, now with the Minnesota Vikings, on the injury report during the final month of last season even though he had a torn biceps tendon.

The league announced it had fined the Jets $75,000, and Mangini and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum $25,000 apiece. Mangini now coaches the Cleveland Browns. The team, Tannenbaum and Mangini said they accept the decision.

Hiding injuries could affect an opponent's preparation and the NFL has stepped up policing such practices. Commissioner Roger Goodell said the case would be an opportunity for the league to stress that all teams must abide by the rules.

Tannenbaum said the team didn't list Favre on the report because the injury wasn't severe enough to require daily treatment and there was never any doubt Favre would play. But Tannenbaum admitted the Jets should have listed Favre as "probable."

Favre said last week he may not be able to play all 16 games with the Vikings, even after the biceps tendon was surgically repaired. He said he's playing with a torn rotator cuff and suggested he might have a cracked rib.

Notes

• Buffalo cornerback Leodis McKelvin is refusing to press charges against two 16-year-old boys who live in his neighborhood and admitted to police they defaced the player's front lawn after the Bills lost to New England 25-24.

• San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson missed practice and wore a protective boot on his right ankle. The team signed center Dennis Norman two days after starter Nick Hardwick sprained his ankle.

• Buffalo Bills starting middle linebacker Paul Posluszny is expected to miss about six weeks after having surgery to repair a broken bone in his left arm.

• Inside linebacker Jerod Mayo has missed the New England Patriots' first practice since he hurt his right knee.

• Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb did not practice because of his cracked rib, probably won't practice all week, and it is not known if he will play this weekend.

• Matt Cassel (knee) appeared to be running more briskly in practice, creating hope Kansas City's No. 1 quarterback might start this weekend.

• Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis was limited in practice because of an unspecified neck injury.

• Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Lawrence Timmons practiced as he recovers from a high-ankle sprain that occurred Aug. 22, but did not finish the workout.

• Washington Redskins fullback Mike Sellers has agreed to a four-year contract extension with $1 million guaranteed.

• Fox's late-afternoon NFL slot Sunday, which featured the Redskins-Giants game in most of the country, attracted an average audience of 25.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched Sunday game ever on an opening weekend.

• A Reno, Nev., judge denied a motion to move the civil sexual-assault case against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to Douglas County.