PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Aikman Will Return on Thanksgiving

Troy Aikman is back in the Dallas Cowboys’ starting lineup, but Emmitt Smith apparently will not.

Cowboy Coach Jimmy Johnson gave Aikman the green light to start Thursday against the Miami Dolphins, saying “we’ll give Troy all the snaps this week and start him on Thursday. It’s still to be determined how limited he will be.”

Aikman sat out the last two games because of a pulled hamstring.

Smith could barely walk on Monday.

“The flexibility is not there,” said Smith, who suffered a severely bruised right thigh during Sunday’s 27-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. “But I don’t have the pain I did yesterday.”

Aikman said he believes the hamstring is related to his back problems. He underwent surgery in June to repair a herniated disc.

“I think it has something to do with the back and I’m going to have the back checked out,” Aikman said.

Bernie Kosar and Jason Garrett have quarterbacked the Cowboys in Aikman’s absence.

*

Stan Humphries is back as the San Diego Chargers’ starting quarterback, with full job security.

But an irate Coach Bobby Ross threatened lineup changes elsewhere--most notably in the defensive secondary--if play doesn’t improve.

One day after the Chargers’ playoff hopes were badly damaged in a 12-7 loss to the Raiders, Ross made Humphries the starter for the rest of the season and returned John Friesz to backup.

*

Still basking in their 37-13 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Denver Broncos found out they might be without two starters for their next game.

Strong safety Dennis Smith and tight end Reggie Johnson probably will be sidelined when the Broncos play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Seattle. Smith has a strained rotator cuff in his left shoulder and Johnson has a strained right hamstring.