Panthers Release Holdout Greene

Kevin Greene’s bid to get more money out of the Carolina Panthers ended Sunday when the team released the NFL’s 1996 sack leader.

Greene, a major contributor in the Panthers’ surprising second season, had accumulated $292,626 in fines from the club during his holdout.

He was protesting the Panthers’ failure to rework the second season of his two-year contract. Greene, 35, was scheduled to make between $1 million and $1.6 million this season, depending on how many incentive clauses he satisfied.

On the day NFL teams were required to trim their rosters to 53, the Panthers made one move designed to fill the void created by Greene’s loss. They signed Renaldo Turnbull, who was released by the New Orleans Saints on Friday in a cost-cutting move.

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Carolina quarterback Kerry Collins has apologized for directing a racial epithet at wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, the Panthers said.

Collins, who is white, and Muhammad, who is black, were clowning around Aug. 6 when Collins used an offensive racial term in reference to Muhammad, the New York Times reported. Collins, Muhammad and several other players were in a dorm room at the time.

Coach Dom Capers said Sunday night that the team had interviewed all the players involved and had resolved the matter.

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Qadry Ismail won’t be replacing Desmond Howard with the Green Bay Packers after all. Ismail, signed by the Packers after Howard, the Super Bowl MVP, got $6 million over four years from Oakland, was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a conditional draft choice.

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The San Francisco 49ers cut defensive tackle Steve Emtman, the first overall pick by Indianapolis in the 1992 draft but a victim of knee injuries. Emtman played in Miami last season. . . . Linebacker Rickey Jackson, 39, attempting a comeback with the New Orleans Saints, told Coach Mike Ditka he was retiring. He will return to the team’s front office, where he worked last year. . . .

The Washington Redskins released offensive lineman Andre Johnson, a first-round draft pick a year ago. . . . Backup tight end Brian Saxton, who appeared in all 16 games last season, was among six players waived by the New York Giants. . . . the Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed kicker Norm Johnson after discovering a hip injury. . . Backup tight end Brian Saxton, who appeared in all 16 games last season, was among six plaers waived by the New York Giants.