EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Down to the last few days of the regular season and maybe Brett Favre’s career, the NFL ended a slow-paced investigation of tawdry allegations against the star quarterback with a $50,000 fine and a rebuke for not being candid.
The league punished one of its marquee players for failing to cooperate with investigators who were trying to determine if the 41-year-old Favre sent inappropriate messages and below-the-belt photos to Jenn Sterger in 2008, when both worked for the New York Jets.
The ruling came days before what could be the final game for the three-time MVP. Favre will start for Minnesota at Detroit on Sunday if he’s recovered from a concussion sustained Dec. 20 against Chicago, and has said this will be his last season, though he’s unretired in the past. He made the declaration even before his NFL record for consecutive starts was snapped at 297 in mid-December.
It’s been a tough season on the field for Favre and his Vikings, and by the league’s own admission, the investigation begun in early October has generated plenty of bad publicity for all of the parties involved — Favre, Sterger and the NFL itself.
Yet commissioner Roger Goodell “could not conclude” that Favre violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy based on the evidence currently available to him, the league said in a statement announcing the fine.
Sanchez may “play some.”
Jets coach Rex Ryan was unsure whether QB Mark Sanchez, dealing with an ailing right throwing arm, would play in the team’s regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
“I’m leaning to think that maybe he’ll play some,” Ryan said. “But we’ll see.”
Sanchez has played well the last two games even with his shoulder bothering him, and Ryan wants him to stay in his late-season rhythm heading into the playoffs. But the Jets (10-5) have already wrapped up a postseason berth and don’t want to risk further injury.
“If we don’t think he is 100 percent or right at it, then no, I’d have a tough time playing him,” Ryan said. “I don’t think that would be appropriate.”
Garrard will miss finale.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard will miss the team’s regular-season finale at Houston because of a finger injury.
Garrard will have surgery on the middle finger of his right hand today. Trent Edwards is likely to start in Garrard’s place.
Garrard likely would miss a first-round playoff game if the Jaguars make the postseason.
Also, the Jaguars probably will be without star running back Maurice Jones-Drew.
He missed his fourth consecutive practice Wednesday because of an injured right knee that probably will need offseason surgery.
Footnotes.
Giants leading receiver Hakeem Nicks is likely to miss New York’s regular-season finale against Washington with a broken big toe on his left foot.
• Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was held out of practice to rest an assortment of aches and pains, but is expected to play in the team’s season finale at the New York Jets on Sunday.
• Seattle coach Pete Carroll said quarterback Charlie Whitehurst will start the NFC West title matchup against St. Louis in place of injured starter Matt Hasselbeck.
• Interim 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said Alex Smith will start at quarterback in San Francisco’s final game of the season Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Also, star inside linebacker Patrick Willis underwent a second surgical procedure this week on his broken right hand and will miss a start for the first time in his four-year NFL career.
• The snow-damaged Metrodome roof won’t be fixed until at least March, affecting hundreds of college baseball games and forcing the Minnesota Twins to find a new venue for their annual winter festival, a facility official said.
• Browns running back Peyton Hillis is not practicing because of sore ribs, but coach Eric Mangini believes Hillis will be able to play this weekend against Pittsburgh.
