New England quarterback Tom Brady was in a two-vehicle accident near his home Thursday morning but was unhurt and hours later practiced as usual with his team in preparation for the Patriots' season opener Sunday vs. Cincinnati.
The crash, at an intersection in Boston's Back Bay area, knocked over a light pole and sent a passenger in the minivan that collided with Brady's car to a hospital with injuries that were serious but not considered life-threatening, a police report said. A witness told The Associated Press that the two-time Super Bowl MVP was approaching the intersection on a green light when his black Audi sedan collided with the minivan. The 21-year-old driver of the minivan, Ludgero Rodrigues, was cited for failing to stop at a red light, based on witnesses statements, police said. Two other people in the minivan were able to exit and had no visible injuries, they said.
Meanwhile, The Associated Press said Brady has agreed to a four-year extension that would make him the NFL's highest-paid player. The deal is worth an average of $19 million per year and begins in 2011, a source told the AP.
Brady is making $6.5 million this season.
Cowboys linemen remain out • QB Tony Romo and the Dallas running backs probably will be depending on two backup offensive linemen to block for them in the season opener Sunday night at Washington.
Starting linemen Marc Colombo and Kyle Kosier, who suffered knee injuries in training camp, missed practice again Thursday after also being out Wednesday.
"That makes their chances slimmer that they would play this weekend," coach Wade Phillips said after Thursday's practice. "We have not ruled them out, but it does make them slimmer as far as those guys are concerned."
The Cowboys have veteran backups at both positions who have been working with the starting offense this week.
Former Ram Alex Barron has been at right tackle for Colombo, and Montrae Holland at left guard for Kosier, and they probably will start against the Redskins.
"We have a lot of confidence in both Barron and Holland," Phillips said. "They have worked well all along. They are looking forward to this opportunity."
Forsett set to start for Seattle • Justin Forsett is 5 feet 8 and 198 pounds, making him one of the smallest players on the Seattle Seahawks' roster. But despite his stature, Forsett has worked his way up from a twice-released, fringe NFL player to the Seahawks' opening-day starter at running back, where he'll be Sunday against San Francisco.
Forsett averaged 5.4 yards a carry with a pair of 100-yard games and four touchdowns last year in limited action behind Julius Jones. He was the team's best receiving threat out of the backfield with 41 catches for 350 yards and a TD.
McFadden set for big workload • Despite missing most of the preseason because of a hamstring injury, Oakland running back Darren McFadden is likely to get the majority of work Sunday when the Raiders play at Tennessee because Michael Bush has a broken thumb.
Witherspoon is excused • Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said Will Witherspoon's mother died unexpectedly and that the Titans' starting linebacker and former Ram has been excused from practice this week. He is expected to be available to play Sunday against Oakland.
