The New York Giants and New York Jets agreed Thursday to build a stadium in the Meadowlands that would become the first NFL venue to be owned and operated by two teams.
The facility will be built near state-owned Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., which is home to both teams and is among the league’s oldest stadiums.
Specific details about the stadium plan are to be developed over the next several months, including its name. The teams plan to put the naming rights up for bid.
Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey announced the deal during a news conference at the stadium, saying it would guarantee both teams remain in New Jersey for the next 99 years.
Codey, appearing with the owners of both teams, said the Jets also would relocate their practice facility to New Jersey. The Jets now practice at Hofstra University on Long Island.
Jets president Jay Cross estimated the cost would be more than $800 million, and Giants chief operating officer John K. Mara figured the stadium would hold at least 80,000 spectators. The teams will split the cost of building the stadium and will share in the revenues.
For the second time in three seasons, Giants starting cornerback William Peterson has a potentially season-ending back injury. Peterson, listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams, said the injury could force him to miss the game and possibly the rest of the season.
Peterson said the team’s medical staff diagnosed a fracture of his lower back after he had an MRI exam last week. He experienced pain while playing against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night, and said further tests this week showed the injury to be more serious.
“I was told it was something I could play with that would just cause me pain, but it wouldn’t cause any other damage to the back,” he said. “But after the game, on Monday I was told it was more serious in nature. Right now it doesn’t look good for this weekend and it doesn’t look good for this season.”
The fifth-year cornerback missed all but the first five games of the 2003 season with a stress fracture in his lower back. He said the current injury is similar, but feels worse.
Titans: Quarterback Steve McNair practiced, but did not take part in all drills as he recovers from a sore right foot.
McNair said he didn’t even notice his right foot had been stepped on in last week’s 31-27 loss to St. Louis until halftime. He said he felt good Thursday.
“I just wanted to rest it for a day. I came out there, did something today and felt pretty good. (Today) I’ll do more, probably all the team (drills). I just wanted to rest. I didn’t want to take a chance of going out and getting it even more sore,” McNair said.
The Titans added defensive end Travis LaBoy to the injury report as questionable with a groin injury. Coach Jeff Fisher said LaBoy strained his groin during practice Wednesday.
But receiver Drew Bennett, who missed practice Wednesday, was back on the field with his sore foot.
Rams: Three weeks into the season and more than five months after the draft, Richie Incognito became the last player picked to sign when he agreed to a four-year contract.
The offensive guard was the second of the Rams’ two third- round picks, and the 81st overall pick. Incognito had a kneecap injury at the time of the draft, and coach Mike Martz said then he would have been a first-rounder otherwise.
Incognito, an all-Big 12 selection at Nebraska as a sophomore in 2003, missed last season after getting kicked out of Oregon. He has been rehabbing from the knee injury during on-and-off negotiations.
Martz was skeptical about Incognito’s chances of playing any time soon.
“At this point, what difference does it make in terms of this season?” Martz said. “To think that he’s going to be ready to play for us, we’re so far along with what we have and pleased with what we have.”
Cardinals: Arizona re-signed cornerback Robert Tate and released linebacker Lester Towns.
