Culpepper Better, but Status Uncertain

Quarterback Daunte Culpepper tested braces for his sprained right ankle and threw briefly while wearing a walking boot during the Minnesota Vikings’ practice Friday.

There was no indication whether Culpepper will be able to play Sunday against the Colts at Indianapolis or whether backup Bubby Brister will start. Brister took the majority of snaps during practice.

Culpepper has shown modest improvement over the last few days, but team officials indicated rest is usually the best way to heal the injury.

“It’s all right,” Culpepper said. “I’m going to try to do a little more tomorrow and see how it feels. It felt a little better.”

Culpepper tested out three different styles of braces that could be worn in his football shoes.

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Keyshawn Johnson and two teammates were fined $5,000 each for dancing in the end zone after one of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ touchdowns in a 38-35 victory over the St. Louis Rams Monday night.

Johnson insisted he did nothing more than bend over and rest his hands on his knees because he was tired after catching an eight-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. He said he will appeal the fine.

Tight ends Dave Moore and Patrick Hape, who joined Johnson in the celebration, also were fined.

The NFL has banned choreographed celebrations, including the Bob ‘N Weave, which was made popular by the Rams en route to winning the Super Bowl last season. Several St. Louis players were fined a total of $90,000 for doing the dance during a victory over Minnesota on Dec. 10.

“I didn’t do anything,” Johnson said. “I didn’t do the Bob ‘N Weave. I don’t dance. That’s not me.”

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The career of 44-year-old quarterback Warren Moon will end Sunday, perhaps without him even getting into the game. He will be the third-string quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Falcons at Atlanta.

He has played sparingly the last two years after signing with the Chiefs to be Elvis Grbac’s backup. But in the history of the NFL, only Dan Marino (61,361) and John Elway (51,475) have thrown for more yards than Moon’s 49,325.

“I’ve been thinking about it all week,” he said of his final game. “I think as I walk off the field Sunday is when it will hit me.”

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NFL coaches surveyed by Bloomberg News said that their least favorite place to play a road game is the Metrodome in Minneapolis, because of noise from the fans.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Baltimore Raven Coach and former Viking offensive coordinator Brian Billick. “I’ve been on the sidelines trying to talk to my own quarterback face to face and couldn’t hear what he was saying.”

Mile High Stadium in Denver was the second most difficult place to play an away game, coaches said. Twenty-one of the league’s 31 coaches responded.

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The Green Bay Packers claimed guard Richard Mercier off waivers from the Denver Broncos.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Mercier, a fifth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, was on Denver’s roster from Nov. 15 until being waived Thursday.

The Packers placed receiver Corey Bradford on injured reserve.