Jets’ Jones Is Out for the Season

Linebacker Marvin Jones, the New York Jets’ leading tackler last year, will be sidelined the entire 1998 season after injuring his left leg during a workout Friday.

Jones tore both the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments when a teammate fell on him during running drills. The sixth-year pro, the team’s 1993 No. 1 draft pick out of Florida State, will have reconstructive surgery next week.

“That’s not good news,” Coach Bill Parcells said. “It’s one of those freak things. Someone just fell on him by accident.”

Jones, practicing with the team on the artificial turf, was down during a running drill when a teammate tripped over another player and landed on his leg.

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After throwing an interception in a scrimmage, San Diego Charger franchise quarterback Ryan Leaf was running downfield when he was leveled by all-pro linebacker Junior Seau.

Leaf jumped up and let Seau know he didn’t appreciate it, then got into Greg Jackson’s face after the safety said something.

Coach Kevin Gilbride said Leaf did the right thing.

“That position has to be under control and poised, and never lose your composure, which is hard to do,” Gilbride said. “But you’ve also got to have a little grit and a little toughness and a willingness to stand up and fight for what you think is right. He was right and they were wrong.”

Had it happened in a game, Seau’s shot would have been acceptable. But teams don’t like to see a quarterback popped in practice, particularly one getting an $11.25-million signing bonus.

“It was the heat of the moment,” said the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Leaf, the second pick in the draft. “The same thing could happen in a game. They can’t push me around just because I’m a quarterback.”

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Anthony Munoz was a granite-hard, unyielding force during his 13 years as a Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman. At 6 feet 6 and 278 pounds, little could make him flinch.

But he fears what is coming today at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He is to be presented for induction by his 17-year-old son, Michael.

“I haven’t asked him and he hasn’t discussed with me what he’s going to say,” Munoz said. “The big question is, am I going to be able to make it through my speech?”

Munoz, elected in his first year of eligibility, will be inducted along with Mike Singletary, Paul Krause, Dwight Stephenson and Tommy McDonald.

McDonald, a standout receiver for five NFL teams from 1957-68, had to wait 24 years after he was first eligible before an old-timers committee selected him.

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Jerry Rice’s return probably won’t happen until the San Francisco 49ers open the regular season against the Jets Sept. 6.

Rice, trying to come back from two serious knee injuries that sidelined him for all but two games last year, said Friday he expects the 49ers to hold him out of all five exhibitions.

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Rookie Michael Black, a free agent from Washington State, scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter for the go-ahead touchdown in Seattle’s 20-19 victory over Dallas in an exhibition game at Irving, Texas, played in temperatures as high as 103 degrees. It was the first game for Chan Gailey as coach of the Cowboys.

Dallas running back Emmitt Smith bruised his left elbow after three carries for 11 yards and didn’t play the rest of the game. He was not seriously injured.

Former Seattle running back Chris Warren, who signed with Dallas in the off-season, had two touchdowns but fumbled at the Cowboy 11 in the first quarter. Rookie Ahman Green, from Nebraska, scored on the next play. Green had 68 yards in 14 carries.

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Miami Dolphin rookie wide receiver Larry Shannon underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.