NFL Magazine publisher closes its doors

Posted by Mike Florio on April 10, 2012, 10:02 AM EDT

AP

Last week, the NFL acknowledged that its short-lived foray into the dying magazine industry has died.

The company that published the magazine is dead, too.

According to Paul Irish of thestar.com, the man who runs Dauphin Media Group says that Dauphin Media Group is closing its doors.

“We were just too small,” said Mike Dunphy, who was last cited in this space for naming Peyton Manning the MVP of the 2011 season based on the fact that his value was demonstrated in his absence.

Tuesday morning one-liners

Posted by Josh Alper on April 10, 2012, 9:53 AM EDT

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Bills DE Mario Williams feels less pressure now than he did when he first entered the league.

Catching up with the changing hairstyles of the Dolphins.

What’s up with the remaining Patriots free agents?

A look at the history of the 202nd pick, which the Jets own this year.

Looking at wide receiver options for the Ravens in the first round.

Bengals S Taylor Mays and defensive backs coach Mark Carrier have formed a close bond.

Bill Parcells will not coach the Saints

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 10, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT

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Bill Parcells reportedly will not fill in as the Saints’ interim head coach during Sean Payton’s season-long suspension.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Parcells told Payton that he will remain retired rather than return to coaching. Almost immediately after Payton’s suspension for failing to stop the Saints’ bounty program was announced, discussions began that Parcells could fill in for Payton for the year. But in recent days it appeared more likely that the Saints would go with an in-house candidate as the interim head coach, rather than hiring from the outside.

Knighton's eye injury appears serious

Terry McCormick - National Football Post

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Terrance Knighton had a Monday doctor's apppointment to follow up on the surgery performed on his eye following a Sunday incident at or near a Jacksonville nightclub.

Knighton's mother told the Jacksonville Times-Union that the surgery was to the eye, not the face or bones around the eye. A source told the newspaper that the injury appeared to be serious.

Knighton was reportedly hit in the face with a bottle of vodka. However, no police report or 911 call or report of any incident at the Pure Nightclub has yet surfaced.

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Panthers agree to extension with Steve Smith

Brad Biggs - National Football Post

The Carolina Panthers have secured one of the finest offensive players in the franchise’s history and freed up some salary-cap space in the process.

Wide receiver Steve Smith has agreed to terms of a contract extension through 2015 with an option for an additional season in 2016, according to Eric Edholm of Pro Football Weekly.

Marcus Trufant returns to the Seahawks

Posted by Josh Alper on April 9, 2012, 6:11 PM EDT

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Marcus Trufant lost his status as the longest tenured member of the Seahawks when they released him last month, but now he can buck for the honor of having the longest non-consecutive tenure with the team.

The Seahawks announced Monday afternoon that they have reached agreement on a contract that returns the cornerback to the only NFL team he has ever known. Trufant was released because he was set to make $7.2 million in 2012, far too much for a player coming off of a back injury when the Seahawks also had Brandon Brownerand Richard Sherman at the position. There’s no word on financial terms for this new deal, but it is presumably for a good bit less money.

T.O. not giving up on returning to the NFL

Posted by Mike Florio on April 9, 2012, 6:57 PM EDT

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When we last checked in on former NFL receiverTerrell Owens, he was getting tossed over the boards in the second game of his IFL career with the Allen Wranglers.

Four total games into his second career in a third-tier league (he skipped two of the team’s road games, presumably because the home teams didn’t offer him enough money to show up), Owens still wants back into the NFL.

He recently told Jim Miller and Derrick Brooks of Sirius NFL Radio that another stint at the highest level of the sport remains on the radar.  “Definitely, that is the plan,” Owens said, via an item Miller recently wrote for CSNChicago.com.  “I’m keeping myself in shape. . . .  We’re 5-1 right now and I’m having fun.  I’m using it as a way to keep myself in shape to play a few more years.”

Harvin among those who undermined Meyer at Florida

Posted by Mike Florio on April 10, 2012, 12:25 AM EDT

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Former Florida coach Urban Meyer delivered to the NFL multiple successful players during his time in Gainesville.  As Matt Hayes ofSporting News explains it, however, some of those successful players contributed to the implosion of the program.

According to Hayes, Meyer enabled certain players, including them in what he allegedly called a “Circle of Trust.”  When receiverPercy Harvin, tight end Aaron Hernandez, and linebacker Brandon Spikes each missed the 2008 season opener due to supposed injuries, Hayes reports that they each had actually failed drug tests.  The protection of Harvin, Hernandez, and Spikes from public acknowledgement of their violations of university rules bolstered the notion that some players got special treatment.