Warner is not retiring

Two months after raising the possibility of retirement, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner on Wednesday said he would return in 2007.

Although Warner left himself room to change his mind, it was his most definitive statement yet about his plans.

In October, the 35-year-old Warner acknowledged he had begun considering retirement after losing the starting job to rookie Matt Leinart. But Warner, who has two years remaining on his contract, said he’s looking forward to a 10th NFL season.

“I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’m going to come back and play,” Warner said. “I want to play. I feel like I’ve got a lot of football left in me.

“Not that that can’t change when the off-season comes around and me and my family sit down and all of those types of things,” Warner said. “But I signed a contract to be here with the Cardinals.”

With Leinart sidelined by a shoulder injury, Warner will start Sunday’s regular-season finale at San Diego.

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Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor says the candidacy of his likely chief rival for NFL defensive player of the year, Shawne Merriman, was tainted by a four-game steroid suspension in November.

“You really shouldn’t be able to fail a test like that and play in this league, to begin with,” Taylor said. “To make the Pro Bowl and all the other awards, I think you’re walking a fine line of sending the wrong message.”

Merriman, who plays outside linebacker for San Diego, has denied he’s a steroid cheat and blamed his positive test on a tainted supplement.

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Brad Childress said that Marcus Robinson wasn’t cut because of recent criticism of the Minnesota Vikings coach, instead calling the release of the team’s leader in touchdown catches a matter of production and planning.

Childress also said that cornerback Fred Smoot will miss the last game of the season because of a jaw broken in five places from a recent car accident.

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Rather than test free agency at the end of the season, injured Tampa Bay quarterback Chris Simms is remaining with the Buccaneers.

Simms, sidelined since the third week of the season after having his spleen removed, signed a two-year extension.

Terms of the contract were not released, but Simms described the deal as “starter’s money” that shows Coach Jon Gruden and General Manager Bruce Allen are committed to his leading the offense.

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Pro Bowl tackle Jonathan Ogden did not practice and will almost certainly sit out the Baltimore Ravens’ game Sunday against Buffalo because of a hyper-extended left big toe.