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 Ogunleye (among others). This is an outstanding and very fortunate addition for the Bears.

Source: ChicagoBears.com

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Chicago Bears Add Rod Marinelli to Staff

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 of go from there.”

I like the move by coach Smith. I don’t know whether Tommie felt he was on a different timetable, that he could come and go as he pleased because he was injured. But the team certainly sent a message that it was unacceptable behavior. For Tommie, his new $40 million contract contains a roster bonus that depends on him participating in 74 percent of the defensive snaps or making the Pro Bowl. This suspension doesn’t help his chances of achieving those goals. Then again, neither does being injured.

Source: ChicagoBears.com

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Bears Suspend Tommie Harris

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 the heart and soul of the Bears defense and while the team has been very busy keeping their own players happy this offseason (Tommie Harris, Robbie Gould, Alex Brown, Lance Briggs, Desmond Clark, Rashied Davis), locking up Brian (a six-time Pro Bowler and one of the best at his position) was perhaps the biggest no-brainer.

Source: ESPN.com, Photo: Newscom

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Brian Urlacher Signs Contract Extension

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 next term. Hopefully we can come back here, smile and talk about it all over again. I’m going to enjoy this four-year extension and I look forward to putting on a great display.”

It was also shocking (and somewhat refreshing) to hear Tommie say that NFL players don’t deserve the exorbitant money they get for playing “a kid’s game.” Along with re-signing defensive end Alex Brown and kicker Robbie Gould this offseason (eight veterans have re-signed with the team this offseason), Tommie’s deal was a no-brainer for the Bears’ front office. He was a three-time Pro Bowler set to enter the final season of the five-year deal he signed as a first-round draft pick in 2004. With this early extension, he’ll now be a Chicago Bear through 2012 and I will expect nothing less than stellar play from one of the best — and most humble — defensive tackles in the NFL.

Source: ChicagoBears.com, Photo: Newscom

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Chicago Bears’ Tommie Harris Gets $40M

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 visit his teammates in Buffalo before their last home game of the year against the New York Giants.

Kevin is just one of many great stories of courage in this year’s class. Baltimore Ravens CB Samari Rolle gathered the courage to return to the football field after being diagnosed with epilepsy. Detroit Lions RB Kevin Jones was honored by his teammates for returning to action after suffering a season ending foot injury. When Kevin spoke at the Lions Courage House dinner, he told the crowd of a different hero. His stepfather, who had the courage to take-in Kevin, his brothers and sisters, and his mom when he was young. And how his real father was shot and killed when he was eight years old.

This year’s class also boasts three playoff quarterbacks. Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, Tampa Bay’s Jeff Garcia, and Seattle Seahawks back-up QB Seneca Wallace will all represent their teams. Listed below are all the 2007 winners:

• Arizona Cardinals, Bertrand Berry
• Atlanta Falcons, Alge Crumpler
• Baltimore Ravens, Samari Rolle
• Buffalo Bills, Kevin Everett
• Carolina Panthers, Mike Rucker
• Chicago Bears, Tommie Harris
• Cincinnati Bengals, Reggie Kelly
• Cleveland Browns, Gary Baxter
• Dallas Cowboys, Jay Ratliff
• Denver Broncos, John Engleberger
• Detroit Lions, Kevin Jones
• Green Bay Packers, Chris Francies
• Houston Texans, Anthony Weaver
• Indianapolis Colts, Ryan Lilja
• Jacksonville Jaguars, Greg Jones
• Kansas City Chiefs, Eddie Kennison
• Miami Dolphins, Andre Goodman
• Minnesota Vikings, Chad Greenway
• New England Patriots, Steve Neal
• New Orleans Saints, Roman Harper
• New York Giants, Amani Toomer
• New York Jets, Laveranues Coles
• Oakland Raiders, Justin Fargas
• Philadelphia Eagles, Montae Reagor
• Pittsburgh Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger
• San Diego Chargers, Darren Sproles
• San Francisco 49ers, Eric Heitmann
• Seattle Seahawks, Seneca Wallace
• St. Louis Rams, Dane Looker
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jeff Garcia
• Tennessee Titans, David Thornton
• Washington Redskins, Marcus Washington

I’ll be posting more on these stories here at EMQB and talking with some of the players for the BPR NFL Podcast leading up to the award ceremony March 11. In the meantime, check out my interview with Cleveland Browns DB Gary Baxter.

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Kevin Everett Highlights Courage Awards

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.

Five of the Cowboys’ Pro Bowl players – running back Marion Barber, guard Leonard Davis, rookie kicker Nick Folk, safety Ken Hamlin and cornerback Terence Newman – are also first-time All-Stars. They join tackle Flozell Adams (fourth Pro Bowl), center Andre Gurode (second), wide receiver Terrell Owens (sixth), quarterback Tony Romo (second), linebacker DeMarcus Ware (second) and tight end Jason Witten (fourth) to equal the largest Dallas Pro Bowl contingent ever. Dallas also had 11 players named to the All-Star team in 1993 and 1994.

The starting quarterback for the NFC is nine-time All-Star Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. Brett, also the leading vote-getter among fans, ties Pro Football Hall of Famers John Elway, Dan Marino, Warren Moon and Norm Van Brocklin for the second-most Pro Bowl selections by a quarterback behind Johnny Unitas with 10. Joining Brett at QB are Dallas’ Tony Romo and Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck. Tony is the first Cowboys QB to be chosen for back-to-back Pro Bowls since Hall of Famer Troy Aikman (1992-97). Matt joins Dave Krieg as the only Seahawks quarterbacks to be named to three Pro Bowls.

Starting at running back for the NFC is AD, who seeks to become the first rookie to lead the NFC in rushing since Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders (1989). He is joined by Dallas’ Marion Barber and two-time Philadelphia Eagles All-Star Brian Westbrook, who has an NFL-best 1,896 yards from scrimmage. I kind of scratched my head at Marion’s selection, but he is the first Cowboys RB to be chosen since the 2000 Pro Bowl (Emmitt Smith) and Brian is the sixth Eagles running back with multiple All-Star selections. Filling out the backfield is Minnesota fullback Tony Richardson, who makes his third Pro Bowl appearance (Kansas City, 2004-05) and first for the NFC.

Along with Dallas’ TO, now chosen as an All-Star with three teams (San Francisco, Philadelphia), the NFC’s other starting wide receiver is Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald, who played in the 2006 Pro Bowl. Rounding out the position are a pair of Pro Bowl veterans in seven-time All-Star Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams and three-time All-Star Donald Driver of Green Bay.

The starting tight end for the NFC is Jason Witten, making his fourth consecutive appearance in Hawaii. He is joined by Washington’s Chris Cooley, who deservedly will make his Pro Bowl debut.

Minnesota’s Steve Hutchinson will make his fifth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl and start at guard along with the Cowboys’ Leonard Davis. Philadelphia’s Shawn Andrews was named an All-Star for the second year in a row and fills out the position.

Starting at center is Dallas’ Andre Gurode, joined by Minnesota’s Matt Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

The starting tackles are Seattle’s Walter Jones, an eight-time All-Star, and the Cowboys’ Flozell Adams. Washington’s Chris Samuels, making his fifth Pro Bowl appearance, is the NFC’s third tackle.

A pair of two-time All-Stars will start at defensive end for the NFC in Green Bay’s Aaron Kampman and Seattle’s Patrick Kerney. New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, making his second trip to Hawaii, also was chosen to represent the NFC.

Two Vikings will start on the interior defensive line in three-time All-Star Kevin Williams and two-time Pro Bowl selection Pat Williams. These two combine to make the Vikings the best in the league against the run. Chicago’s Tommie Harris was chosen for the third time in his career.

Seattle’s Lofa Tatupu makes his third Pro Bowl trip and will start at inside linebacker. He will be joined at the position by rookie Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers, the No. 11 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. The outside linebackers are Chicago’s Lance Briggs (third Pro Bowl), Seattle’s Julian Peterson (fourth) and Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware. Julian and DeMarcus were chosen as the starters.

All three cornerbacks on the NFC team are Pro Bowl newcomers. Green Bay’s Al Harris and Seattle’s Marcus Trufant will start with Dallas’ Terence Newman coming off the bench.

At free safety, the late Sean Taylor was selected as the starter. Dallas’ Ken Hamlin also was chosen at free safety and four-time All-Star Darren Sharper of the Minnesota Vikings will be the starting strong safety.

Two Bears are among the quartet of players who will handle special teams duties for the NFC. For the second consecutive year, Chicago’s Devin Hester will be the return specialist and Brandon Ayanbadejo will be the coverage specialist. Dallas’ rookie Nick Folk is the kicker and San Francisco punter Andy Lee was selected for the first time in his career.

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Dallas Cowboys Lead NFL With 12 All-Stars, 11 First-Time Selections For NFC