Bears’ Grossman to Start

Quarterback Rex Grossman will make his first NFL start Sunday for the Chicago Bears against the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.

Grossman, Chicago’s first-round draft pick, has not played this season. Veterans Kordell Stewart and Chris Chandler ran the team.

“It’s going to be fun to be out there. I haven’t played for a while in a real game. I’m sure it will take time to get comfortable,” Grossman said.

Stewart was 2-5 as a starter and Chandler was 3-3. The Bears (5-8) were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss at Green Bay on Sunday, but their game with Minnesota is important for the Vikings, who hold a one-game lead over the Packers.

“Now that we don’t have a chance to get in the playoffs, it makes a lot of sense to play a young quarterback. We believe he can win,” said Coach Dick Jauron, who added that he plans to start the former Florida star in the three remaining games.

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Beleaguered Cleveland quarterback Tim Couch was given back his starting job -- for at least one week. Couch now says he’s willing to take a pay cut to keep it.

Couch, who has been in and out of the starting lineup this season, will start Sunday’s game at Denver and expects to be Cleveland’s starter for the final three games.

As for next season, Couch said for the first time that he would restructure his contract to remain with the Browns. “I’m open to anything,” Couch said. “I want to be here. I’ve kind of started this thing and I want to be part of it when we make the transition to being an elite football team. I think I can help us get to that point.”

The Browns were expected to release Couch after the season. He is scheduled to make $7.6 million in 2004 and $8 million in ’05. Team President Carmen Policy has said Couch’s future with the Browns would depend on him restructuring his deal.

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Fullback Mike Anderson returned to the Denver Broncos after serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Anderson was suspended Nov. 11 after testing positive for marijuana. He claimed the positive test was from second-hand smoke and his lawyers threatened to sue the league because the amount was below the legal limit in Colorado.

“I don’t feel like it’s off my shoulders,” Anderson said. “I feel like it’s something that I will always have to live with. And even when I’m done playing the game, it’s something I’m going to have to explain to my kids as they get older -- what daddy did and what happened. So it’s never going to go away.”

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St. Louis Ram middle linebacker Robert Thomas has a torn groin and will be sidelined up to a month.

Thomas leads the team in tackles and the Rams hope he will be back for the playoffs.

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Bruce Smith, the NFL’s all-time leader in sacks, announced that he will retire after the season.

The Washington Redskin defensive end made his announcement after practice Wednesday, three days after getting his 199th sack against the New York Giants and surpassing Reggie White as the all-time leader.

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Defensive tackle John Parrella was put on injured reserve by Oakland because of a groin injury, the 10th Raider lost this season.... The Jacksonville Jaguars put receiver Matthew Hatchette’s on waivers and claimed linebacker Courtland Bullard off waivers.... Aaron Glenn’s season ended when a lingering groin injury finally landed the Houston cornerback on injured reserve.