Browns president Mike Holmgren wants to patch things up with Jim Brown.
Holmgren plans to meet with the Hall of Fame running back in the next few days, hoping to repair their relationship which fell apart two years ago when Brown was relieved of his duties as an advisor to owner Randy Lerner. Holmgren said he has reached out to Brown, who has told the team he will take part in alumni activities this weekend surrounding Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Brown was so stung by Holmgren’s decision to change his role with the club that he boycotted a ceremony in 2010, when the Browns unveiled a ring of honor inside their stadium, a permanent display instituted by Holmgren. Brown’s absence — he was one of 16 Browns Hall of Fame members enshrined — overshadowed the event.
Brown will be on the field for a halftime ceremony this Sunday as former Browns players Ernie Green and Clarence Scott are inducted into the team’s legends club.
DOLPHINS: Miami Dolphins linebacker Kevin Burnett is sidelined by a foot injury, raising doubts about his availability for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
Burnett was added to the injury report yesterday, when he did not practice. He missed much of training camp with a back injury but started the Dolphins’ first two games.
RAMS: Steven Jackson’s status is day to day after the nine-year veteran sat out his second consecutive practice with a groin injury.
The same problem forced him to miss most of St. Louis’ 31-28 victory over Washington on Sunday. His availability for Sunday at Chicago will be made just prior to the game.
“I’ve played with worse injuries before,” Jackson said, “but we still have to take it day to day.”
CARDINALS: Arizona quarterback John Skelton returned to practice yesterday, though it’s unclear whether his sprained right ankle will be healthy enough to allow him to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Skelton beat out Kevin Kolb as Arizona’s starter in a tight preseason race, but sprained his ankle in the Cardinals’ opener against Seattle.
YOUNG: Former NFL quarterback Vince Young is downplaying what he calls “unfortunate” financial problems caused by the “betrayal” of trusted advisers.
“Yes, I need a job, who doesn’t. Yes, I want to be out there playing the game I love and earning a paycheck, who wouldn’t?” Young wrote on his Twitter account Wednesday.
Young has been out of a job since he was cut by the Buffalo Bills in August. The tweet came after an Associated Press story detailed a series of legal entanglements over his finances and quoted his attorney as saying of the former Texas star’s financial status: “I would just say that Vince needs a job.”
PANTHERS: The Carolina Panthers are working on plans to upgrade Bank of America Stadium, probably including new video boards and escalators.