Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
SAN FRANCISCO ó A federal jury on Monday ordered the NFL Players Association to pay $28.1 million to retired players after finding the union failed to properly market their images.
The jury said the union owed the retirees $7.1 million in actual damages for failing to include them in lucrative marketing deals with Electronic Arts Inc., the maker of the popular “Madden NFL” video games, sporting card companies and other sponsorship agreements.
Hall of Fame cornerback Herb Adderley filed the lawsuit last year on behalf of 2,056 retired players who contend the union failed to actively pursue marketing deals on their behalf with video games, trading cards and others sports products.
The lawyers and judge still must decide how to divvy up the jury’s award, some of which will go to attorneys’ fees.
Adderley, 69, played cornerback for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys and appeared in four of the first six Super Bowls. He appeared every day in court wearing his yellow “NFL Alumni” sports jacket and wept when the jury’s verdict was read.
REDSKINS
Clinton Portis was unable to practice because of a sprained knee, and coach Jim Zorn said the running back is “50-50” for Sunday night’s game against Dallas.
– Coach Jim Zorn went mountain biking with President Bush again over the weekend, joining the chief executive on rides both Saturday and Sunday. The Redskins had a bye.
“He rode me into the ground,” Zorn said. “He’s in tremendous shape, and he’s a competitor. When he has a chance to play, he plays hard.”
INJURIES
Defensive starters Nick Barnett of Green Bay and Mike McKenzie of New Orleans both will miss the rest of the season with knee injuries.
BENGALS
With seven games left, there’s no indication that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will play in any of them.
The Bengals acknowledged on Monday that Palmer will miss his fifth straight game because of an injured passing elbow. Ryan Fitzpatrick will start in his place against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
COLTS
The Colts have the look of a team on the verge of turning its season around.
After a shaky 3-4 start, back-to-back wins over New England and Pittsburgh have coach Tony Dungy’s team back in contention for a playoff spot.
PANTHERS
The NFL has moved the kickoff time for the Atlanta Falcons’ home game against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 23 to 4:15 p.m.
The game originally was set for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The kickoff time was moved back by the league on Monday so the game can be televised nationally by Fox.
The league has a “flexible scheduling” plan for Weeks 11-17 of the season so networks can arrange for quality Sunday matchups.
Carolina leads the NFC South division with a 7-2 record. Atlanta is 6-3 following its 34-20 win over New Orleans on Sunday. The Falcons will play host to Denver next Sunday.
VIKINGS
Cornerback Charles Gordon is considering options for surgery on his broken left ankle.
Gordon suffered a gruesome injury while being tackled at the end of a punt return in Sunday’s win over Green Bay.
BRONCOS
Next in line in the Broncos’ battered backfield is free agent Alex Haynes, who signed with the team Monday after rookie Ryan Torain was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
TEXANS
The Texans were so bad in a 41-13 loss to Baltimore that fans flooded local talk radio shows Monday morning calling for coach Gary Kubiak to be fired.
JETS
Ty Law is back with the New York Jets ó just in time to play against the New England Patriots.
The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Jets on Monday after sitting out the first 10 weeks of the season as a free agent.
CHIEFS
A Kansas woman filed a lawsuit Monday against Chiefs running back Larry Johnson a month after claiming he spit a drink in her face at a bar and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend.
The lawsuit, filed by 24-year-old Ashley N. Stewart, accuses the two-time Pro Bowler of negligence, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
JAGUARS
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ó The man charged with shooting Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Richard Collier 14 times has pleaded not guilty.