Holmes Will Sit Out Rest of the Season

Kansas City running back Priest Holmes will sit out the rest of the season because of head and neck trauma diagnosed by three experts on spinal injuries.

A helmet-to-helmet blow he absorbed on Oct. 30 against San Diego was the most recent problem for the 32-year-old running back. But Coach Dick Vermeil said Wednesday that signs of trouble first showed up when Holmes developed tingling in his hands during training camp.

Holmes, 32, whose 66 touchdowns between 2002 and 2004 are an NFL record for any three-year span, was put on injured reserve. He is not incapacitated and no surgery is planned, said General Manager Carl Peterson.

Peterson also said doctors were not concerned about the possibility of paralysis should Holmes continue playing, and that Holmes indicated he planned to play next season.

The Chiefs will now turn to Holmes’ backup, Larry Johnson, who has 506 yards in 97 attempts.

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The NFL Players Assn. wants the Philadelphia Eagles to cut Terrell Owens if they’re not going to reinstate him after his four-game suspension is over.

“We’re not asking them to play him, we can’t force them to do that,” said Gene Upshaw, the NFLPA’s executive director. “But if they’re not going to let him come back to practice and do all the other things associated with that, then we want them to cut him, let him become a free agent now.”

The union already has appealed the four-game suspension levied on the wide receiver by the Eagles. But Upshaw said that even if the suspension was upheld, the Eagles can’t just tell Owens to stay away from the team and its practice facility.

“We are taking the position that’s additional punishment,” Upshaw said. “It’s not fair to a player not to have an additional chance.”

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Seattle linebacker Jamie Sharper won’t play this week because of a swollen and infected right knee.... Arizona Coach Dennis Green said Kurt Warner would start again at quarterback this week.... Coach Mike Nolan said that quarterback Cody Pickett would make his second straight start for the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Chicago. Left tackle Jonas Jennings will miss the rest of the 49er season after surgery on his right shoulder.... Minnesota cornerback Fred Smoot is expected to miss four to six weeks because of a broken right collarbone.... Rookie offensive lineman Richie Incognito was put on the reserve/non-football injury list by the St. Louis Rams because his surgically repaired knee failed to respond as quickly as anticipated.... Seattle defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes, who last week had his second stroke-like episode in two months, will have his workload reduced and the team promoted linebackers coach John Marshall to defensive coordinator.... Kordell Stewart was cut by the Baltimore Ravens, who no longer need him as a backup quarterback now that Kyle Boller has returned from a toe injury.