J.J. Johnson Won’t Face Suspension

Miami Dolphin running back J.J. Johnson won’t be suspended for violating the NFL’s steroid policy, the league said Thursday.

Johnson faced a possible suspension for the first four regular-season games, pending an appeal, a source familiar with the case said Monday.

He apparently won that appeal.

The NFL issued a statement Thursday saying reports are not true that Johnson would be suspended. The league would not elaborate and declined to say whether Johnson’s appeal had been upheld.

“We echo the statement that was released by the NFL,” said his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. “That’s really all I’m allowed to say.”

The Dolphins declined to comment.

Johnson, who has been battling Lamar Smith for the starting job at running back, will be available to play in Miami’s final exhibition game tonight at New Orleans.

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Oakland Raider wide receiver Andre Rison was charged with four counts of passing bad checks totaling $158,000, the Jackson County prosecutor’s office in Kansas City, Mo., said.

Rison signed with the Raiders on Monday and caught two passes for 49 yards in an exhibition game Thursday night against Seattle.

The alleged incidents took place between June 1998 and December 1998, while Rison, 33, was with the Kansas City Chiefs.

If convicted, Rison could get five years in prison.

Prosecutors hope Rison will surrender when he comes to Kansas next month for trial on theft charges there. There are no immediate plans to arrest him in California, said David Baker, Jackson County’s chief deputy prosecutor.

“This warrant covers Kansas and Missouri,” Baker said. “Normally, you open up a warrant nationwide, but if he’s arrested in California, the taxpayers of Missouri would have to pay to transport him back here.”

The checks were all written to the same jewelry store, according to the complaint. In the complaint, the store owner said Rison bought jewelry from him on six occasions. The charges cover the last four.

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The wife of slain running back Fred Lane lost her bid to be released from jail to care for her two young children while she awaits her murder trial in Charlotte, N.C.

But the judge did agree to hold a bond hearing today for Deidra Lane.

As she sobbed audibly at the defense table, her attorney argued she needs to care for her children.

“She is the sole provider for two very young children,” said her attorney, Henderson Hill, adding that she posed no danger to others or as a flight risk. “Her 4-year-old son has gone through a traumatic loss.”

Mecklenburg County Superior Court Judge Richard Boner turned down the bid for a second bond hearing in two days, but said he would hold a hearing today.

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In Thursday’s exhibition games:

At Jacksonville, Fla., Chris Chandler connected with Terance Mathis on a 37-yard touchdown pass as the Atlanta Falcons (4-1) defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 31-20. Offensive tackle Tony Boselli, recovering from a knee injury, was in for his first 10 snaps of the exhibition season for the Jaguars (3-1). The race for Atlanta’s backup quarterback spot was decided when Danny Kanell fractured his right ring finger in the third quarter. Tony Graziani entered and went six of nine for 83 yards and one touchdown. Jacksonville’s first-round draft pick, receiver R. Jay Soward, had to be helped off the field with 15 seconds remaining after taking a hit to his left ankle.

Backup quarterback Trent Green threw touchdown passes of 15 and 48 yards at Irving, Texas, to lead the St. Louis Rams (2-2) to a 24-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys (0-5). Ram stars Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk sat out the game. . . . Top draft pick Sebastian Janikowski kicked field goals of 43 and 33 yards as the Raiders (3-1) defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 20-0, at Oakland. The Seahawks fell to 2-2.

In an experimental role as a short-yardage quarterback, Michael Bishop relieved Drew Bledsoe and ran for a touchdown to lead the New England Patriots (3-2) to a 29-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers (0-4) at Foxboro, Mass. . . . At Indianapolis, rookie Jemel White returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and Danny Kight kicked a 43-yard field goal as the game ended, leading the Colts (3-2) to a 32-30 win over the Minnesota Vikings (1-3). Viking receiver Randy Moss left the game with a slight bruise to his hamstring in the third quarter. . . . At Philadelphia, Alex Van Pelt was 15 of 28 for 163 yards, and rookie Sammy Morris ran for 101 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ 16-12 victory over the Eagles (1-3). The Bills finished the exhibition season at 3-1. Former Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus, fighting for a roster spot with Philadelphia, was eight of 15 for 74 yards.

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Defensive end Tony Brackens is close to signing a six-year contract with the Jaguars.

A source close to the negotiations who requested anonymity told The Associated Press the deal between the AFC Central champions and the Pro Bowl defensive end could be done today.

It would close a contentious summer of bargaining, during which Brackens stayed away from camp and, when he reported earlier this month, threatened to leave again if a long-term deal wasn’t reached. . . . New York Giant assistant head coach Jim Skipper left the team two weeks before the start of the season to take the head coaching position with the Memphis franchise of the new XFL. . . . Jumbo Elliott, who came out of retirement to rejoin the New York Jets, had his suspension reduced from two games to one for his part in a bar fight.