Miami on Super Bowl Path

The NFL discussed other business at its meetings in Philadelphia on Tuesday than only the possibility of putting a franchise to L.A.

For one, Miami has the 2007 Super Bowl all but secured.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said that the South Florida area was “at the 97% or higher point of what has to be accomplished” for Pro Player Stadium to play host to the title game in February 2007.

“It’s mostly a question of some details, but there doesn’t seem to be any major principle that is an issue,” Tagliabue said.

Final approval should come at a special meeting Sept. 17.

New Orleans and Washington also were interested in ’07. But the nation’s capital is being considered for 2008.

And the league was reluctant to stage consecutive Super Bowls indoors, which hurt New Orleans -- the 2006 game will be at Ford Field in Detroit.

Miami has played host to the Super Bowl eight times (1968, ‘69, ‘71, ‘76, ‘79, ‘89, ‘95, and ‘99), fewer than only New Orleans (nine times).

While virtually approving Miami, the owners also discussed the 2008 and ’09 sites.

The four finalists for 2008 are Washington, New York-New Jersey, Tampa and Arizona, with that game to be awarded probably in October.

Also, the route to playoff expansion appears blocked, although Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones, a proponent of increasing the postseason field from 12 to 14, hopes for a vote today.

“I don’t know if we will get to a vote, but I think it should be voted at this meeting and I expect it to pass,” he said.

However, the competition committee voted 8-0 against an expansion this year, and several owners consider it a dead issue -- for now.

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Free-agent wide receiver Chris Doering signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Doering, a six-year veteran, played for the Washington Redskins last season, catching 18 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

He has 24 catches for 236 yards in his career.

Doering was the Jacksonville Jaguars’ sixth-round pick in the 1996 draft.