Woods, Chiefs to Appeal Fine for Late Hit

Kansas City safety Jerome Woods and the Chiefs will appeal a $7,500 fine for a late hit on John Elway.

Elway called Sunday’s incident “a cheap shot” because Woods threw an elbow at him, but the Chiefs say the hit was legal because Elway was out of the pocket. The Chiefs lost the game, 19-3.

The fine was levied because Woods changed direction “to remain on a collision path” with Elway after the quarterback had thrown a 78-yard completion, said Dan Masonson, AFC information coordinator.

No penalty was called on the play, but it was reviewed by the NFL at the request of Bronco Coach Mike Shanahan after Elway complained about it.

Chief Coach Marty Schottenheimer cited an NFL rule that states the rules governing roughing the passer are different when he is out of the pocket.

But in levying the fine, Gene Washington, NFL director of football development, said there still are unnecessary roughness rules that apply. In particular, the NFL cited language that protects the passer when he’s “out of the play” after releasing the ball.

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Rockwall County District Attorney Ray Sumrow says he will take the NFL to court in an attempt to obtain the results of a drug test that Baltimore Raven running back Bam Morris failed.

The former Texas Tech running back was suspended by the league for the first four games of this season after the test revealed in January that he had used alcohol.

The NFL refused earlier this week to voluntarily release the results to Sumrow.

Sumrow said that consuming alcohol is a violation of Morris’ 10-year probation sentence he received in Rockwall County after his arrest March 26 for possession of more than five pounds of marijuana.

If it can be proved that Morris violated the probation, Sumrow could ask a judge to revoke the probation and send Morris to prison for the entire 10-year term.

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San Diego Charger quarterback Stan Humphries missed his third consecutive day of practice, meaning Jim Everett will start Sunday’s game at New Orleans.

“I think he’s pumped. I think he’s ready to go,” Charger Coach Kevin Gilbride said of Everett.

If Humphries is not able to be the No. 2 quarterback, Craig Whelihan, who has never taken a regular-season snap in three seasons, will fill that role.