PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Decision on Humphries Has to Wait

The San Diego Chargers might not know until shortly before kickoff on Sunday whether quarterback Stan Humphries will be the starter, the backup or the inactive third-stringer.

Humphries dislocated his left (non-throwing) elbow early in the third quarter of Sunday’s 35-15 home victory over the Seattle Seahawks. His left arm was in a sling on Monday and there was quite a bit of swelling, Coach Bobby Ross said.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Vinny Testaverde will sit out Sunday’s game against New England after two separate head injuries forced him to leave the last two games prematurely.

Testaverde blacked out briefly in the 26-14 loss at Denver on Sunday on a sack on the sixth play of the game. He remained in the game for four more series before being replaced by Mark Rypien.

One week earlier, Testaverde sustained a slight concussion when he was sacked by Cincinnati’s Dan Wilkinson, also during the first series of the game.

There is no estimate on when Testaverde will return.

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New York Jet free safety Ronnie Lott, continuing his vigorous defense of teammate Donald Evans, accused referee Bernie Kukar of shoving Evans in the back during the heated exchange late in Sunday’s 28-25 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Lott was so upset that he said Kukar and the NFL owe letters of apology to Evans, who was ejected after incurring two unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties with 1:23 remaining.

“(Jet Coach) Pete (Carroll) has said we shouldn’t address certain things, but I’m going to address it,” Lott said. “The NFL can fine me, but I think it’s uncalled for when a referee pushes a person in the back who’s walking away from an incident.”

The incident was triggered when, with the Colts running out the clock, Evans was penalized for encroachment. Evans bumped into center Kirk Lowdermilk, setting off a war of words. Evans argued with Kukar, resulting in the first unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty. He became upset after the alleged push, resulting in the second penalty and the ejection.

Director of officiating Jerry Seeman reviewed the incident and “determined the situation was properly handled by the referee,” league spokesman Greg Aiello said.

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Coach Norv Turner said Gus Frerotte will remain the Redskins’ starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, leaving top draft pick Heath Shuler on the bench for the third week since he sprained his ankle against the Arizona Cardinals. . . . Dallas Cowboys tackle Erik Williams, injured in a car accident a week ago, underwent knee surgery and will not play again this season. “I saw Erik the morning of the accident and I said then he wouldn’t be back,” said Dallas Coach Barry Switzer. “We’ll go on without him.”. . . The Jets have a problem in the backfield. Johnny Johnson has a pulled right hamstring. His backup, Anthony Johnson, suffered a separated left shoulder. Both are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with Buffalo. If neither can play, the Jets are down to two healthy backs, fullbacks Brad Baxter and Richie Anderson. They have another fullback, Fred Lester, on the practice squad. . . . The Federal Communications Commission ruled that three Mexican television stations can continue to televise live Fox network NFL telecasts into parts of Southern California and Texas where no local stations air the live games. Without the stations, more than one million viewers would not be able to see live games, Fox officials said.