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Filed under: Broncos, Colts

Elijah Alexander III, a 10-year NFL veteran, passed away at the age of 39 Wednesday night. Alexander fell into a coma on Sunday and ultimately succumbed to multiple myeloma, which he had been diagnosed with in 2005, according to Clarence C. Hall, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Alexander played 123 games during his nine-year NFL career. He was drafted in the 10th round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992. After one season in Tampa, Alexander spent three years each in Denver and Indianapolis, starting all 16 games for the Broncos in 1994 at the age of 24. In 2000, he spent his first of two years as a starter for the Oakland Raiders, and retired after the 2001 season.

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Filed under: Jets, NFL Media Watch

If there has ever been a coach made for the NFL Films’ “Hard Knocks” series, it’s Jets coach Rex Ryan.

Now we’ll get to see what happens when the cameramen with an all-access pass constantly film the coach who’s willing to say anything.

Last year Ryan got into a feud with a Dolphins linebacker, flipped a bird at a fan, complained about being disrespected by the Patriots, benched a player for a Twitter comment and generally pissed off everyone else in the league.

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Filed under: Rams, Redskins, NFL Draft, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Rams want to take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the No. 1 pick in the draft. The question is whether they actually will. There are concerns about Bradford’s shoulder, but unless he shows up at his pro day next week throwing left-handed, the shoulder isn’t likely to be as big a stumbling block as money is. Bradford will be looking for a contract greater than the one the Lions gave top pick Matthew Stafford last year (six years, $72 million with $41.7 million guaranteed), and since he has the same agents Stafford has, you know they can pull it off.

If the Rams pass, where does that leave Bradford? Detroit and Tampa Bay, who pick second and third, got their quarterbacks in last year’s draft. So unless somebody trades up into one of those two spots, that would leave the Redskins at No. 4. They’d love to take Bradford. Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday that the only pre-draft workouts he plans to attend personally are those of the top available quarterbacks. Shanahan met with one of Bradford’s agents at the NFL league meetings this week. And it’s entirely possible that the Bradford camp would rather see him in Washington playing for Shanahan than in St. Louis.

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Filed under: Steelers, AFC North

Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has made it clear that the thinks a pure fullback is about as useful in the modern NFL as a Wing-T quarterback.

But apparently Arians will not be making the final decision on a fullback going forward. Mike Tomlin said recently that the Steelers would look to add a true Dan Kreider-type fullback as the team tries to re-emphasize the run. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers recently attempted to sign Rolly Lumbala, a blocking fullback who played last year with the Canadian Football League’s BC Lions. Lumbala ended up signing with the Dolphins.

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Filed under: Steelers, NFL Police Blotter

The case against Steelers‘ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may be falling apart with no charges filed.

First there was the news that the Milledgeville, Ga., police are no longer requesting Roethlisberger’s DNA. And now Pittsburgh TV station KDKA is reporting that the 20-year-old woman who had accused Roethlisberger of sexual assault has not appeared for a follow-up interview with the police.

The woman’s attorney would not comment to KDKA as to whether she’s been willing to meet with the police, but since the initial report, attorney Lee Parks has sent out a release denying the report.

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Filed under: Eagles, Rams, NFL Rumors, NFL Quarterbacks

A rumored trade offer that would send QB Donovan McNabb to St. Louis in exchange for the No. 33 pick in the 2010 draft and free safety O.J. Atogwe is pure speculation at this point, NFL sources told FanHouse’s Nancy Gay.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday that an offer from the Rams was “on the table,” citing a league source. But, as of now, there does not appear to be anything concrete in place.

“Why would the Eagles take [that]?” one NFL source responded when asked about the latest McNabb rumor.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Bernie Miklasz tweeted Wednesday night that Rams GM Billy Devaney said the rumors were “Absolutely false” and “utterly ridiculous. Devaney reportedly added that St. Louis has had no discussions with Philadelphia about any Eagles players.

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Filed under: Vikings, NFL Rumors, NFL Quarterbacks

ORLANDO, Fla. — The latest update on the never-ending and always-updateable Brett Favre saga?

“Well,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said early Wednesday morning, “I don’t know if he’s out of bed yet.”

Whew.

Childress said there was nothing new on the annual will-he-play-or-won’t-he-play saga that has revolved around Favre the past few seasons. Favre carefully manipulated things last season so that he missed most of training camp, reported for the final two preseason games and then had a season worthy of MVP consideration — 4,202 yards, 33 TDs, seven interceptions and a 107.2 rating.

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Filed under: Eagles, NFL Quarterbacks

ORLANDO, Fla. — In a league in which everybody either has a reliable quarterback or is desperate to get one, the Eagles have three. Other teams have noticed this, and to differing degrees, like all three. How this all plays out — whether the Eagles end up trading Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick or even two of the three — remains to be seen. But Eagles coach Andy Reid said Wednesday morning that Philadelphia is having those discussions with other teams, and that he doesn’t know what they’ll end up doing.

“We’re listening to what’s out there,” Reid said at the NFC coaches’ breakfast at the NFL’s annual meetings. “I’m not saying we’re going to do anything, but we’re keeping our ears open.”

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Filed under: NFL Coaching

ORLANDO, Fla. — An element of dissatisfaction lingered Wednesday over the way the NFL voted to change its overtime rules for the postseason.

Most vocal among those unhappy with the change was New Orleans coach Sean Payton, who accused the league and its owners of slipping the vote “in the back door.”

“That’s a taste you have in your mouth that’s bitter,” Payton said at the NFC coaches breakfast Wednesday at the league’s annual meetings.

The vote was taken on Tuesday afternoon when many coaches were at their annual golf tournament and expecting a vote on Wednesday, when they felt their voices could be better heard. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he might have been on Space Mountain when the vote was taken.

Commissioner Roger Goodell scoffed, though, saying the coaches had a chance to voice their opinions Tuesday morning.

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Filed under: NFL Police Blotter, NFL Media Watch

MIAMI — Prosecutors won’t pursue criminal charges against former football star Warren Sapp, who was arrested in Florida a day before the Super Bowl.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office on Wednesday declined to prosecute Sapp, who would have faced one count of misdemeanor domestic battery. Documents from the prosecution say there were inconsistencies in the victim’s statements and evidence.

Sapp’s attorney, Christopher Lyons, says his client was “always confident that the system would work.”

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