Coach Eric Not So Man-Genious After All

((HT: CBSSports))

The NFL has assessed $125,000 in fines to the New York Jets and former coach Eric Mangini 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.

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, missing the playoffs.

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.

All the above story is give us an excuse to show Favre, when he was reportedly healthy, in his home debut last year...
((HT: CBSSports/NFL))