NFL Notebook: NFL looking into Brady's slide
BY Associated Press
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
1/23/13 at 4:11 AM
The NFL is looking into Tom Brady's leg-up slide that hit Ravens safety Ed Reed in the AFC championship game.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday "any play of that nature is routinely reviewed." Brady could be subject to a fine if the league believes he violated any player safety rules.
During the final minute of the first half, Brady slid at the end of an impromptu run. The quarterback's upraised leg hit the onrushing Reed, who temporarily limped away. Reed was not injured.
Reed says Brady attempted to apologize this week for the slide.
"He actually reached out to me, texted me," Reed told WJZ-FM in Baltimore. "I tried to text him back, but the message exploded after 12 seconds. ... He's just apologized and what not. But I told him, 'You know, it's good, man.' "
Group proposes revisions to Rooney Rule: After minority candidates were recently shut out by NFL teams for 15 top jobs, the Fritz Pollard Alliance wants the Rooney Rule to include coordinators, assistant head coaches and club president positions.
The proposal sent Tuesday to league executives came a week after no minorities were hired for eight coaching vacancies and seven general manager openings. There are only four minority head coaches going into the 2013 season, the fewest since 2003.
"I think the league recognizes that these are the challenges we are dealing with when it relates to diversity and this is a plan of action that they can accept and be willing to work with," said John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation.
Robert Gulliver, the NFL's executive vice president of human resources, said in a statement last week the hiring results were disappointing and anticipated making revisions.
Baltimore's Jim Caldwell and Pep Hamilton, hired last week by Indianapolis, are the only minority offensive coordinators in the NFL.
First-down line could be coming to NFL stadiums: Fans watching NFL games on television have grown accustomed to the imaginary yellow line that runs across the field in accord with the first-down marker.
That first-down line could one day become part of the in-game experience at all 32 NFL stadiums.
Alan Amron, with financial backing from former NFL player and broadcaster Pat Summerall, has developed the First Down Laser System. Amron said the system projects a first-down line across the field that can be seen in the stadium and on TV.
The league is intrigued, but not sold on the idea - not yet anyway.
"The NFL is our prime customer at this point," Amron said, "and if we can make something that they like, maybe the NCAA and Canadian Football League will follow suit."
NFL hopes to decide Pro Bowl future by April: The NFL is hoping to decide the fate of the Pro Bowl by the time it releases next season's schedule in April.
NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson said the league expects its players to play a game that fans will be proud of.
Commissioner Roger Goodell nearly canceled the game after uninspiring play last year, but it will be held Sunday at Aloha Stadium after discussions between the league and the player's union.
Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman says the message to players has been clear.
"We owe it to our fans, we owe it to our viewers, to give them a little more effort than we did last year," Tillman said.
Jets coach Ryan uninjured in 3-car accident: Jets coach Rex Ryan was uninjured in a three-car accident in eastern Pennsylvania last week.
A team spokesman confirmed Tuesday that Ryan was issued a warning and no citation after the accident on Jan. 14 in Bethlehem, Pa.
No one in the other two cars was injured in the accident, which was first reported by Deadspin.com.
Ryan is in Mobile, Ala., for Senior Bowl practices with several members of the Jets' front office, including new general manager John Idzik, and did not comment.
