AP: Dallas Cowboys Camp ends with Cundiff injured

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Camp ends with Cundiff injured

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/nfl/specials/preview/2005/08/21/cowboys.injuries.ap/index.html

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys had a tumultuous last day of training camp Sunday, with kicker Billy Cundiff being injured and out for possibly a month, running backs coach Anthony Lynn undergoing surgery to repair a broken nose suffered in a hit-and-run accident and word spreading about the death of former offensive lineman Thomas Herrion.

Coach Bill Parcells said Jose Cortez will handle all the kicking chores Monday night against Seattle.

"He'll sure get a good look now. ... It's probably his job to lose," Parcells said, adding that he may sign another kicker, especially once other teams start releasing them. "I don't know if it'll be a couple of weeks. It might be forever."

Cundiff kicked one field goal in practice Saturday, then said he was hurt. The injury is a hip flexor, which Parcells said could take three or four weeks to heal. Cundiff was on an exercise bicycle during Sunday's camp-ending walkthrough.

Parcells said coaches haven't discussed their options with Cundiff, who has been Dallas' kicker the last three seasons.

"I really don't know what you can do," Parcells said. "But kickers that you can't be sure what you're going to get, you can't (keep)."

Cundiff made 20 of 26 field goals last year, including all 13 inside 40 yards. He tied an NFL record with seven field goals against the Giants in 2003, including a 52-yarder that tied it in the closing seconds and a 25-yarder to win it in overtime, giving Parcells his first victory with the Cowboys.

Lynn was walking across a street in nearby Ventura around 10 p.m. Saturday after having dinner with several other people from the team when he was hit. He was immediately taken to a local hospital, where he's expected to stay for several days while recovering from the operation Sunday morning and cuts on his face.

"He's lucky to be alive," Parcells said.

Lynn was thrown into the front windshield of a vehicle driven by Sergio Sandoval of Ventura, according to a Ventura Police Department news release. Sandoval, 35, fled the scene but was arrested about 20 minutes later on felony DUI and hit-and-run charges.

Parcells said Lewis Tillman, one of his former running backs who has been working with the coaches in training camp, will handle some of Lynn's duties. Passing game coordinator Sean Payton will help, too.

"We'll be all right, we'll make do," Parcells said. "It's only a temporary situation. This should only be a few days, maybe a week."

Lynn, 36, is in his first season with the club. He retired in 2000 after a seven-year career, then worked with Denver for three seasons and spent the last two as the running backs coach in Jacksonville.

Herrion, a native of Fort Worth, was signed by Dallas in May 2004 and was with the club through training camp. He was released in the final cuts before the opener, then spent two weeks on the practice squad.

Playing for the San Francisco 49ers, Herrion collapsed in the locker room following Saturday night's game against the Denver Broncos and die shortly after. Medics administered CPR on the 6-foot-3, 310-pound player before taking him to a hospital. He was 23.

"That's a sad thing," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "He kind of came in as one of those underdog kind of kids and hung in there. He had an ankle hurt there and kind of fought through it."

Offensive lineman Stephen Peterman, who joined the Cowboys the same time as Herrion, recalled their position coach being disappointed when Herrion was let go.

"He was a real strong player, just probably needed a little more time to develop," Peterman said. "He definitely was going to be a good player one day."

Herrion had many friends in the Dallas locker room. He especially kept up with receiver Patrick Crayton because they have the same agent.

"I'm real shocked," Crayton said. "It's just one of those ... I don't know how you can explain it."

Peterman remembered him as "a really fun, nice guy."

"It's sad to see that happen," he said. "All you can do is pray for his family and for his soul."