‘Pacman’ could be done for season

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones might miss the rest of the season because of a neck injury.

Coach Wade Phillips said Wednesday that Jones, who was injured early in a 20-13 loss Sunday at Pittsburgh, has a “herniated disk, maybe two” and will definitely miss this Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

“Our people don’t think it’s career threatening or anything else that he would have to be operated [on] or anything like that,” Phillips said. “But it is something that might put him out this year.”

Jones was scheduled to be evaluated by another doctor today.

Jones was hurt in the first quarter against the Steelers when he fell on top of his muffed punt, getting caught in a scramble for the ball.

Jaguars’ Taylor gets second opinion

The Jacksonville Jaguars might be without running back Fred Taylor for the rest of the season.

Taylor was getting a second opinion on his injured left thumb before deciding whether to go on injured reserve. Taylor tore ligaments in his thumb Sunday at Chicago.

Giants refuse to pay bonus to Burress

The New York Giants have refused to pay suspended wide receiver Plaxico Burress a $1-million portion of a signing bonus from a contract signed in September.

NFL Players Assn. union spokesman Carl Francis confirmed that the Super Bowl champions decided to not make the payment, which was due Wednesday.

Redskins’ Portis, Zorn reach truce

The rookie head coach and the flamboyant running back reached a smiling truce, with Clinton Portis announcing that he’s “cool with everything” and that he has no plans to sever ties with the Washington Redskins.

Portis and Coach Jim Zorn held a 10-minute meeting early in the day to discuss Portis’ blistering comments made during a radio interview Tuesday. After practice, the two strong personalities took turns explaining what happened -- with the caveat that, as Portis put it, “We both got egos.”

Miffed over his lack of playing time in last week’s 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Portis used his radio airtime on WTEM-AM to accuse Zorn of sending mixed messages. He also sarcastically called Zorn a “genius,” spoke of the possibility of severing ties with the organization and said of the coaching staff: “I don’t think they know what they want me to do.”

Cassel leaves Patriots after father’s death

New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel left the team to join his family following the death of his father earlier in the week.

Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said that Greg Cassel died Monday night and Matt left the team to be with his family in Southern California.

Panthers’ owner needs heart transplant

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, the first former NFL player since George Halas to become a team owner, is in need of a heart transplant and has been placed on a donor waiting list.

The 72-year-old Richardson has been hospitalized since last week after complaining he didn’t feel well.

After a battery of tests, doctors determined he needs a transplant, a team spokesman said.