Philly's Kearse now a spectator
Injured defensive end Jevon Kearse plans to be a spectator at Philadelphia's game against his old team, the Tennessee Titans, on Sunday.
Kearse had watched the Eagles on television since he went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. But he's back in town after surgery and is rehabbing at the team's practice facility.
Kearse, who signed a $66 million, eight-year contract with the Eagles in 2004 after spending his first five season with the Titans, was off to his best start in Philly, recording 3 1/2 sacks. But he was injured in overtime in a game where the Eagles wasted a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter.
"I just have to sit back and take it for what it's worth and let my body heal up," he said. "This was my year to sit back and not play, so I have to take it for what it's worth."
Kearse said having a previous serious injury helped him deal emotionally with being out of action. He sat out 12 games in 2002 after injuring his foot in Tennessee's season opener against the Eagles.
Keyshawn sounds off — It had been three years, but Keyshawn Johnson hadn't forgotten.
So when Johnson finally saw ESPN analyst Joe Theismann on the field before Monday night's game, the Carolina Panthers receiver let him have it.
"The guy called me an idiot a couple of years ago when I was deactivated in Tampa," Johnson said. "I just told him that's not acceptable. I'm a guy with a degree from the University of Southern California. Idiots don't get degrees, especially when you don't know what transpired within the organization. I'd just assume you would keep your mouth shut, because the next time that I'm an idiot on national television, I'm not going to be as nice. That was pretty much the conversation."
Johnson's highly publicized falling-out with Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden led to harsh criticism in 2003, with ex-quarterback Theismann leading the way.
"He said he made a mistake, but the damage was done," Johnson said. "Now the whole world thinks I'm an idiot."
Johnson said Theismann listened and they left the conversation on good terms, but he did sound a warning to the group of reporters huddled around his locker.
"If you ever call me an idiot, I'm going to (mess you up)," Johnson said, before breaking into a smile.
Tough pill to swallow — Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that the league and the players' union have "spent an awful lot of time talking about" the controversial method Minnesota used to sign All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson away from Seattle in March.
But the two sides have not resolved the issue, frequently referred to as the "poison pill." It's a loophole in the rules regarding restricted free agency that allows teams to create offer sheets that are financially impossible to match by the player's current club.
The Vikings signed Hutchinson with a clause that would guarantee his entire seven-year, $49 million contract if he isn't his team's highest-paid lineman. Already paying tackle Walter Jones more and unable to afford to match the offer to Hutchinson, the Seahawks were steamed. So they retaliated and lured receiver Nate Burleson away from the Vikings with a similar deal.
Included was a clause that would guarantee the full amount of his contract if he plays more than five games in the state of Minnesota or if his annual salary average is more than the average of his team's highest-paid running back.
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