Ditka Is Engaged in a Battle Royal

Mike Ditka, who vowed to be a calmer, gentler coach this season, unleashed a tirade at the New Orleans Saints’ practice at La Crosse, Wis.

After spending much of practice berating players, Ditka went after ex-Carolina Panther linebacker Andre Royal.

Royal, signed this spring as an unrestricted free agent, was practicing for the first time after arriving in training camp a day late. He told team officials he had injured his right calf muscle preparing for camp.

“Earn the money we’re paying you,” Ditka yelled at Royal after a brief, post-practice conversation. “You don’t fool anybody, least of all me.”

Royal, shouting obscenities and waving his arms, shouted back that he had never faked an injury in his life.

“Then get out there and practice,” Ditka told him. Then, as Royal continued to curse, Ditka, who has said he would fine players for using certain obscene words, told Royal not to swear at him,

“You’ll be gone anyway,” Ditka shouted. “I didn’t need you, never did need you. You were never on my list to be here anyway.”

“I’m a winner,” Royal said. “If you want to win, you need me.”

“Yea, you’re a winner,” Ditka replied. “You’re mouth is a winner.”

Royal counts $1.65 million against the Saints’ salary cap this season. He received an $800,000 reporting bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus and will collect another $800,000 in base salary whether he’s on the team or not.

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Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Everett McIver returned to practice for the first time since suffering a neck wound in a dormitory fight, and refused to comment on a reported six-figure payoff he received from wide receiver Michael Irvin to remain quiet about how he was injured. McIver had not participated in team drills since the July 29 episode. . . . After playing on Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers will get another look at each other tonight in a nighttime workout at Stagg Stadium on the University of the Pacific campus. The workout is expected to draw a crowd of 27,000, with tickets going for $10 apiece.

AFC / Broncos’ Zimmerman to Stay Retired

Unable to persuade seven-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman to change his mind about retirement, the Denver Broncos on Monday changed the look of their lineup.

Zimmerman, who rejected a plea last week by quarterback John Elway to play one more season, told Coach Mike Shanahan he was out of shape and would not be coming back.

Without Zimmerman, who has been the team’s left tackle the past five seasons, the Broncos moved veteran Tony Jones from right tackle to left tackle and, in turn, switched Harry Swayne to the right side.

Shanahan said Zimmerman told him in a phone call on Sunday that he was “not in football shape and he was going to retire. He feels his playing career is through. So that chapter is ended.”

The Broncos have other problems to contend with. Backup tight end Dwayne Carswell was arrested on allegations of domestic violence after a witness reported seeing him grab a woman and force her into a parked vehicle, Denver police said.

Carswell, 26, was arrested at the scene late Sunday in Denver.

Police identified the victim as Tiesla Smith, 25, of Denver. She suffered red scratch marks on her neck, police said, adding Smith had been dating Carswell for two years.

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Peyton Manning’s contract with the Indianapolis Colts could be worth as much as $48 million or as little as $14.5 million depending on incentives outlined in the six-year deal, according to Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal magazine published.

Manning, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, became the richest rookie in NFL history when he signed with the Colts on July 29. The quarterback’s contract included an $11.6-million signing bonus, but the SportsBusiness Journal reported he likely would not see much more than his base salary through 2003 if he flops.

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Oakland running back Harvey Williams, recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, returned to practice and is expected to be used for 15-20 plays Sunday at Green Bay.