Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
OWINGS MILLS, Md. ó There was no crying, no second-guessing and absolutely no remorse. Jonathan Ogden wore a broad, toothy smile Thursday as the left tackle announced his retirement after a 12-year career in which he established himself as one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history.
Ogden was selected to play in 11 Pro Bowls, and he probably would have made it an even dozen had he opted to return for another season with the Baltimore Ravens. But because he couldnít operate at peak efficiency with a hyperextended left big toe, the decision to call it a career was relatively easy.
iWhen you play football for as long as I have, itís really difficult to know injuries just wonít let you play at the level that you all and myself expect me to play,î Ogden, 33, said in a packed auditorium that included at least 15 of his former teammates.
iCould I have still gone out there and played? Yes, probably, and still done an adequate job. But in my mind, I wouldnít have been helping the team as much as I needed to.î
BENGALS
CINCINNATI ó Chad Johnson showed up for the start of the Cincinnati Bengalsí mandatory minicamp on Thursday. Beyond that, nothing was clear.
The disgruntled receiver didnít participate in the morning workout after telling the team he has an ailment ó fittingly, there were conflicting descriptions of what was wrong.
After the team asserted that he had refused to practice, Johnson went out for the afternoon workout, caught a few passes during drills, then removed his helmet and covered his head with a white towel, a signal that he was done.
SEAHAWKS
KIRKLAND, Wash. ó Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said surgery forced him to miss two days of minicamp, although he wouldnít say what was wrong.
SUPER BOWL
PHOENIX ó A man accused of planning a massacre at this yearís Super Bowl was convicted Thursday of federal charges.
Kurt Havelock faced six counts of mailing threatening communications in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.
Authorities alleged Havelock, 36, bought an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition from the Scottsdale Gun Club on Jan. 30. The documents say Havelock wanted to kill people at the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in Glendale.