denverdan Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/football/11218177.htm Posted on Thu, Mar. 24, 2005 NFL Notes Rivera offers to return his bonus By Charean Williams Star-Telegram Staff Writer KAPALU, Hawaii - New Cowboys guard Marco Rivera offered to give back his $9 million signing bonus after injuring his back. In an unusual move, Rivera told Cowboys owner Jerry Jones he could tear up Rivera's five-year, $20 million contract, which Rivera signed a week before his freak back injury. Mike Sherman, who coached Rivera with the Green Bay Packers, revealed Rivera's gesture at the NFC Coaches Breakfast on Wednesday morning. "That's what type of guy he is," Sherman said. The Cowboys turned down the offer and are confident Rivera's rehabilitation will allow him to recover in time for training camp in July. Rivera, 32, has started 99 consecutive regular-season games. He first began having discomfort in his back while running on a treadmill, and MRI results revealed a herniated disk that required surgery March 10. "I'm confident that, because of the nature of the problem and because of what he's about, I'm confident he's going to be fine as a player," Jones said. "He'll be fine. He's doing well. The nature of the surgery, there were no surprises there." Howard update New Orleans coach Jim Haslett said the Cowboys have never made a formal offer for Saints defensive end Darren Howard. Dallas, though, has declined to trade linebacker Dat Nguyen, a player coveted by the Saints. "They keep saying they'd like to have [Howard], and Darren is a heck of a football player," Haslett said. "But they've never really sat down and said, 'Would you take this?' or 'Would you take that?' " The Saints used the franchise tag on Howard, guaranteeing him $7.8 million this season, but New Orleans has been working to trade the five-year veteran who had 11 sacks last season and has 41 in his career. Haslett said a trade must be agreed upon by the NFL Draft on April 23-24, or Howard is staying in New Orleans. "After the draft, it's null and void; we're going to keep Darren," Haslett said. "If we can get equal value, whether it's a defensive player or a draft pick, then we'd probably go ahead and do it. If not, then we're going to keep Darren, and he'll be our starting right end. You can't have enough good players. We're not going to just let him go. Everybody thinks you're going to let him go, because you've got an abundance of good ends." Benson works out Former University of Texas running back Cedric Benson ran in the 4.6s during UT's Pro Day in Austin on Wednesday. Scouts using stopwatches had Benson, who weighed 225 pounds, running anywhere between a 4.59 and a 4.67 on his two 40-yard dashes. He also had a 33 1/2-inch vertical jump and did 18 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press. "You want to have a good workout; you don't want to have a bad workout," Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said. "But he's a heck of a football player. He ran a 4.6, and a lot of players who ran a 4.6 turned out pretty good. That's not the measure." Benson fell behind Auburn running backs Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams on some teams' draft boards after the NFL Scouting Combine in February. Brown was electronically timed in at 4.48 in Indianapolis, while Williams ran a 4.51. Benson declined to work out at the combine, which is why scouts eagerly awaited his 40-yard dash times Wednesday. "When you watch on tape, that's what he looks like," Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said of Benson's times. "It's not shocking." Several teams with top-10 picks, including the Bucs and the Bears, are interested in drafting a running back in the first round, and Brown, Williams and Benson all are considered top-10 worthy. Ricky, Ricky, Ricky New Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Tuesday he is leaving the door open for former running back Ricky Williams' return. But a day later, the current NFL coach who knows Williams best, New Orleans' Jim Haslett, said he "wouldn't want" Williams back. In 1999, Mike Ditka gave up all eight of the Saints' draft picks to select the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner from Texas. But Haslett, who took over for the Saints in 2000, traded Williams to Miami in 2002. Williams rushed for 3,225 yards in two seasons with the Dolphins before abruptly retiring two weeks before training camp last summer. He can't return until July under terms of the NFL's substance-abuse policy, and he still might face a four-week suspension and a fine of $1.6 million if he comes back. But a telephone conversation last week between Williams and Saban has led to speculation that Williams wants to resume his career. "I know what kind of guy he is, [and] nothing surprises me with Ricky," Haslett said. "I don't know how they let him back after all he's done. I don't know why his teammates would want him back after what he did. He ruined lives -- coaches and players. ... [but] in this day and age of winning and losing, somebody will [want Williams]. Sooner or later, he's going to revert back to his true colors." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Wow, classy move on Rivera's part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty Gut Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 "You want to have a good workout; you don't want to have a bad workout," Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said. :dunce: Thanks Gruden for clearing that up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrfriedm Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 That was a very cool move on Rivera's part. Thats the type of attitude I wish all pro athletes had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manichispanic Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 "You want to have a good workout; you don't want to have a bad workout," Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said. Thanks Gruden for clearing that up. Thankfully someone wrote that quote down, its one that will inevitably become an American proverb. Gruden, you dumbass. Back on topic, a 100% classy move by Rivera, but look what happened to Troy Brown, he showed loyalty to the team and they gave him the boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNut73 Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 WOW! Excellent gesture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeHateMe Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 yeah, all his years in Dallas sure have turned him into a great guy. Maybe he's offering to return the bonus because he doesn't believe that same things about his recovery that Dallas is saying out loud. Not exactly young.....but very classy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by HeHateMe Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Man, you crack me up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raub Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by HeHateMe Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. :puke: Give Rivera time and he'll become a wretch just like the rest of the Cowgirls. He just hasn't been there long enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCnDaHouse Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Very classy move by Rivera. It would be nice if they'd take him up on it and he'd go elsewhere and do well. MC :dallasuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 That is classy, let me see a show of hands... Who thinks LC would give the Jets back his money if the toe forced him into the same situation??? Yea right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Money Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 I'll believe it when it happens.. Is a PR move and nothing else. What is Jerry gonna say... "Nah you keep it, you're a good guy.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Adama Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Wow, Rivera is a class act. I would hate to admit it, but I also think it's cool that Jones wouldn't take it back. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to the bathroom to wash my mouth out with soap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimster Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by Blue Collar Skins Wow, Rivera is a class act. I would hate to admit it, but I also think it's cool that Jones wouldn't take it back. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to the bathroom to wash my mouth out with soap. he didn't take him up on it, but he also hasn't retired yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Williams Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 He sounds like a Joe Gibbs kinda guy......:thumbsup:..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by HeHateMe Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. Well... AA classes, NA classes... stuff like that, maybe. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Tater Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by HeHateMe Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. The bill for my new computer is in the mail. Of all the jokes that have ever been posted, this was the funniest by far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sick Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Isn't this a hollow gesture? I thought I remember reading that the NFLPA wouldn't allow players to do this. Isn't this the reason why Brunell wouldn't/couldn't give back some of his bonus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastman Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 jerks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36SKINS56 Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Gruden quotes sounded pretty madden-esque: In order to win the game...you have to score more points then the opponent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by HeHateMe Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romberjo Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 To be fair to Gruden, his whole quote makes a lot more sense -- he's saying, all right, this was a bad workout, but it doesn't matter that much b/c he's obviously a heck of a football player anyway, a lot of guys who run 4.6/have a bad workout are really good running backs. The bad news is that Benson's bad workout makes it more likely that he'll still be there at #9, rather than one of the two WR or CB that (I assume) we're looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-Dog Night Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Hey Mr. Brunell...you seeing this? I know you renegotiated but...how 'bout taking it one step further? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-Dog Night Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by HeHateMe Class act all around which defines what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. You knew people were going to throw stuff at you for that one. It was funny, though. Thanks for the laughs. Dallas...class. Whoaa! Watch out, Dave Chappelle! You've got competition! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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