Associated Press
The NFL notebook …
NEW YORK ó NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will cut his salary to $1 if there is a work stoppage after the collective bargaining agreement expires in March.
Goodell, who makes about $10 million a year including bonuses, said in a memo to his staff Wednesday that chief negotiator Jeff Pash will do the same. Pash makes nearly $5 million a year.
Goodell also has asked the league’s compensation committee to delay any bonus payments to him until after a deal is reached with the NFL Players Association.
“Let me emphasize that we are fully committed to doing everything possible to reach a new collective bargaining agreement without any disruption to our business,” Goodell said.
REEDíS BROTHER
LULING, La. (AP) ó A body pulled from the Mississippi River has been tentatively identified as the brother of Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed, authorities said Wednesday at a news conference attended by the NFL star.
St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said tattoos on the body recovered late Tuesday appear to match those belonging to 28-year-old Brian Reed, who jumped into the river after an encounter with a sheriff’s deputy. An autopsy was planned for Thursday.
Ed Reed said his brother was driving another brother’s car on Jan. 7 and was suffering “mental issues” that day. The family reported the car as being driven without authorization to “basically slow my brother down and just bring him in, bring him home,” Reed added.
HORNUNG ON FAVRE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. ó Paul Hornung believes Brett Favre will one day be welcomed back with open arms by the Green Bay faithful. The Hall of Famer just thinks it will take time.
Having the Packers win a Super Bowl with another quarterback while Favre limps into retirement ó perhaps for real this time ó would help speed up the healing process.
“Then everybody will be over it,” Hornung said with a laugh.
The former Green Bay star says Favre’s departure from the team three seasons ago was difficult for all involved, but added those days seem like a distant memory now that the Packers are soaring under budding superstar Aaron Rodgers.
“He’s getting better every game and he’s the best quarterback in the league right now,” Hornung said.
NFL AWARDS
NEW YORK ó The Associated Press NFL Awards for the 2010 season will be announced on NFL Network during Super Bowl week, culminating with the Most Valuable Player award on game day, Sunday, Feb. 6.
It is the first time the awards will be showcased on a national network. Each one will be distributed by the AP as it is simultaneously announced on TV.
The winners were selected by a 50-member panel of the media covering the league.