The NFL assessed $125,000 in fines to
the New York Jets and former coach Eric Mangini on Wednesday for
violating the league's rules on injury reporting with former
quarterback Brett Favre last season.
The Jets failed to place Favre, now with the Minnesota Vikings,
on the injury report during the final month of last season even
though he had a torn biceps tendon.
The league announced it had fined the Jets $75,000, and Mangini
and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum $25,000 apiece. Mangini
now coaches the Cleveland Browns.
"We have been fully cooperative with the league throughout this
investigation and respect their decision," the Jets said in a
statement.
Mangini wants to put the situation behind him.
"I have worked with the league on this matter and now consider
it closed," he said in a statement. "My focus is on our
preparations for the Broncos."
Hiding injuries could affect an opponent's preparation and the
NFL has stepped up policing such practices. Commissioner Roger
Goodell said Monday that the case would be an opportunity for the
league to stress that all teams must abide by the injury report
rules.
Last week, Tannenbaum admitted the Jets should have listed Favre
as "probable" on their injury reports. That came a day after
Favre said he thought he was hurting the Jets because of the injury
and discussed it with the coaches and the front office. He said he
would have been willing to sit out, even though that would have
ended his streak of consecutive starts, which now stands at 270
games.
Tannenbaum said the team didn't list Favre on the report because
the injury wasn't severe enough to require daily treatment and
there was never any doubt Favre would play. Tannenbaum also assumed
full responsibility for the mistake.
Mangini said he has always abided by the league's guidelines for
injury reports.
"That was true there (in New York). It's true here," Mangini
said. "It'll be true every week of the season and that's how we
approach it."
Favre led the Jets to an 8-3 start and first place in the AFC
East. But he threw nine interceptions down the stretch and the team
lost four of its last five, missing the playoffs.
He retired after the season, and was later released by the Jets.
Favre came out of retirement - for the second time - last month and
signed with Minnesota.
Favre told reporters last week he may not be able to play all 16
games with the Vikings, even after the biceps tendon was surgically
repaired. He said he's playing with a torn rotator cuff and
suggested he might have a cracked rib.
Favre completed 14 of 21 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in
the Vikings' season-opening 34-20 win over Mangini's Browns on
Sunday.
