Strange Look for the Opener

The NFL will open its season on a weeknight for the first time.

The league confirmed Monday that the 2002 season will start on Thursday night, Sept. 5, probably with San Francisco at the New York Giants. ESPN will televise the game at 5:30 p.m. PDT.

The matchup is tentative pending completion of the full schedule, expected to be announced in about a month.

“This Thursday night game is a great new element for our kickoff weekend,” Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said in a statement. “Kickoff weekend will now begin on Thursday night and culminate on Monday night with a great slate of Sunday games in between.”

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The Miami Dolphins made an offer to trade for Ricky Williams, the former Heisman Trophy winner for whom the New Orleans Saints gave up their entire 1999 draft.

Rick Spielman, the Dolphins’ director of player personnel, said he hoped something could be worked out by the end of the week.

“We tried to come up with some things that are reasonable to both clubs,” Spielman said after talking for several hours with Saint General Manager Randy Mueller at the NFL’s scouting combine. “If it’s good enough, maybe it will work. If not, it won’t.”

The Saints, who used their No. 1 draft pick last season to pick Deuce McAllister, have been trying since the end of the season to trade Williams.

Williams has rushed for 3,129 yards in his first three NFL seasons, although he has been bothered by injuries in all of them.

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A plea hearing at Alameda, Calif., for Oakland defensive tackle Darrell Russell on charges connected to an alleged sexual assault was continued to March 25.

Russell and two friends were arrested early last month after a woman claimed she was drugged and raped in an Alameda home on Jan. 31.

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Elvis Grbac will retire instead of trying to play for another team, the quarterback’s agent said.

Released by the Baltimore Ravens last week, Grbac turned down a proposal from the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend. He told his agent, Jim Steiner, he was ready to quit football.

“He is going to retire,” Steiner said. “He’s got family issues. The thought of making an additional move was not appealing to him.”

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Safety Sam Garnes agreed to contract terms with the New York Jets. Garnes, who played five seasons with the Giants, agreed to a three-year deal worth $2.7 million.