NFL Notes: QB Favre uncertain on return

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — One after another, the Minnesota Vikings mentioned how much they enjoyed playing with Brett Favre.

The Vikings gathered Monday at their practice facility for exit physicals and meetings with coaches, two weeks sooner than they hoped, thanks to the overtime loss in New Orleans for the NFC championship.

The day-after focus fell on the 40-year-old Favre's future. The quarterback didn't appear in the locker room at Winter Park while it was open to reporters, but his demeanor after the game and responses from teammates suggested that he's leaning toward quitting. For now.

“In a situation like this, I really don't want to make a decision right now based on what's happened, because I do know the year could not have gone any better aside from us not going to Miami,” Favre said Sunday night at the Superdome. “I really enjoyed it, to be honest. Just wondering if I can hold up, especially after a day like today.”

Favre isn't the only star player who could retire from the Vikings.

Defensive tackle Pat Williams said Monday he's “50-50” on whether he'll return for the final year of his contract. At 37, Williams is the second-oldest player on the team behind Favre.

Williams, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, said he feels fine physically, but is mentally “drained” after a devastating end to his 13th NFL season.

Freeney expected to play for Colts

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney sprained his right ankle late in Sunday's AFC title game but is expected to play in the Super Bowl.

Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne had swelling in one of his knees and may miss some practice this week but should be ready in two weeks.

Safety Antoine Bethea (back) and running back Donald Brown (toe) were also hurt Sunday and should play against New Orleans. The Colts are less certain about the status of cornerback Jerraud Powers, who sat out Sunday with a left foot injury.

Payton, Saints savoring victory

METAIRIE, La. — Coach Sean Payton still hadn't gone home yet when the New Orleans Saints returned to work on the morning after the biggest win in franchise history.

Payton says he and his family decided to stay in a downtown hotel on Sunday night while the Saints celebrated a Super Bowl berth with a 31-28 overtime win over Minnesota in the NFC championship game. The coach said he wanted to relax and enjoy the emotional victory with friends and family instead of driving home across Lake Pontchartrain.

Players worked out and attended meetings Monday. Payton is giving them the next couple of days off before they return to practice on Thursday.

In other news:

• Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is going to his third Pro Bowl, replacing Minnesota's Brett Favre, who pulled out of the game after hurting his ankle.

• New England quarterback Tom Brady says he won't need surgery this offseason. He played much of the season with finger and rib injuries.

• Kennedy Pola, running backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars for the past five seasons, has been named to the same post with the Tennessee Titans.

• Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable is headed to the Senior Bowl while owner Al Davis still mulls his fate for next season. Cable will be part of the Raiders contingent at the college all-star game in Mobile, Ala., this week.

• Jets head coach Rex Ryan said five assistant coaches will not be back with the team next season, including assistant quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. Ryan said Monday that the contracts of DeFilippo, assistant defensive backs coach Doug Plank, special teams assistant Kevin O'Dea, pass rush specialist Chuck Smith and defensive quality control coach Brian Smith had expired and would not be extended.

• Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard has been added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Garrard replaces Indianapolis' Peyton Manning, who will miss the NFL's all-star game Sunday because of the Super Bowl.

• The NFL's conference championship games drew the most viewers in 28 years. The two games Sunday averaged 52.9 million viewers, up 34 percent from last season. The NFC championship attracted 57.9 million viewers, the most since San Francisco beat Dallas on “The Catch” in 1982. New Orleans' victory over the Vikings on Fox was the most watched non-Super Bowl program since the series finale of “Seinfeld” 12 years ago.

• A national coalition of women's groups called on CBS on Monday to scrap its plan to broadcast an ad during the Super Bowl featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, which critics say is likely to convey an anti-abortion message. CBS said it has approved the script for the 30-second ad and has given no indication that the protest would have an impact.

• The crew of space shuttle Atlantis plans to deliver to the Pro Football Hall of Fame a coin that traveled into space for use in the official coin toss at Super Bowl XLIV.

— The Associated Press

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