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The Chicago Bears hired former Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli as their defensive line coach/assistant head coach today. On the surface, this seems like a demotion. But it might actually be a promotion when you consider the organization coach Marinelli left. He has experience in this role. Coach Marinelli led the Tampa Bay Bucs defensive line from 1996-2005 and helped transform Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice into Pro Bowlers. So he had become accustomed to winning. Until he accepted the Detroit job, that is. In Chicago, he’ll enjoy working with Tommie Harris and Adewale …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
The Chicago Bears have suspended defensive tackle Tommie Harris for one game (a game he wouldn’t have played in anyway) because he was late for a scheduled rehab on his injured knee and a meeting. Head coach Lovie Smith was naturally displeased:
“It’s always disappointing when you have to suspend one of your players, but nothing’s bigger than the team, so we’ll kind of move on from there ….. He’ll continue to rehab but won’t practice with the football team this week. Monday he’ll be back with the team, hopefully ready to go and I’ll kind …read more

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

Just in time for the start of training camp (funny how it works out that way), Chicago Bears linebacker and team captain Brian Urlacher signed a one-year contract extension today that will give him a $6 million right now and a $1 million bump in salary each of the next four years. The final season on his contract is now 2012 where his base salary will be $7.5 million.
I knew some kind of deal would get done before camp to keep Brian happy after he skipped voluntary OTAs this past offseason. He’s …read more

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension ($10 million up-front and $18 million guaranteed) with the team today. The deal was the richest ever for the Bears in terms of money per year. And unlike other high-profile Bears players who have gone public with their financial displeasures in Chicago (Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher), Tommie kept his negotiations private and eventually found the deal he was looking for:
“I’m so thankful that I am a Bear and I would love to finish my career here also after this …read more

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett is just one of many fantastic stories of courage and achievement that make up the 2007 class of The Ed Block Courage Awards.
It’s well-known that Kevin suffered a spinal cord injury covering a kickoff in the Bills’ season opener against the Broncos. The injury was life-threatening, but the outstanding work of the Bills’ training staff and team doctors saved his life. Kevin was told that he may never walk again. Through hard work and determination not only was he able to walk again, he was able to …read more

Photo by Greg Trott/Getty Images
Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
The Dallas Cowboys placed a league-high 12 players on the NFC All-Star team. Among the players selected to the NFC squad was Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who died last month. Sean received the most votes at his position and was chosen as the starting free safety for the NFC team. A replacement will be announced at a later date. Eleven NFC players will participate in their first Pro Bowl, including Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Adrian Peterson, who leads the NFC in rushing yards with 1,278.