PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : McDuffie Leads Dolphins Past Falcons

Miami rookie O.J. McDuffie returned a kickoff 90 yards for a second-quarter touchdown that gave the Dolphins the lead for good in a 28-27 exhibition victory over the Falcons on Friday night at Atlanta.

McDuffie, Miami’s No. 1 draft pick, had three returns for 137 yards.

Trailing, 14-0, Miami’s Aaron Craver scored from one yard out in the first quarter and Dan Marino threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Keith Byars in the first minute of the second quarter to tie the game.

Norm Johnson’s 33-yard field goal gave the Falcons a brief 17-14 lead but then came McDuffie’s 90-yard return with 7:30 to play in the first half.

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Former Raider wide receiver Mervyn Fernandez gave up his attempt to revive his career with the San Francisco 49ers, telling the team he wanted to retire. . . . Kansas City Chief fullback Christian Okoye underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will be sidelined for at least three weeks. During the winter, he had similar surgery on his right knee. . . .Cincinnati Bengal quarterback David Klingler broke his nose during practice and is questionable for today’s exhibition game against the New York Giants. . . .Jim Finks, who resigned last month as president and general manager of the New Orleans Saints after being diagnosed as having lung cancer, was to undergo emergency surgery Friday at a New Orleans hospital. Doctors were hoping to remove a blod clot on Finks’ brain, said team spokesman Rusty Kasmeirsky.