Panthers Deactivate Collins

Kerry Collins, who stunned his Carolina Panthers teammates earlier in the week by removing himself from the starting lineup, was deactivated Friday for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

“I felt it would be better for our football team to not have the distraction of having Kerry with us on the sideline after what transpired,” Coach Dom Capers said.

Collins will remain in Charlotte when the Panthers head to Dallas, but will rejoin the team next week, Capers said.

With Tuesday’s NFL trading deadline looming, Capers would not comment on the long-term future of his former starting quarterback.

“We’ll think about that at the beginning of next week,” Capers said. “Right now, the No. 1 priority is the game.”

Collins, who practiced Friday with the team, did not argue with the decision to deactivate him for the Dallas game.

“He was fine with it,” Capers said. “I met with him this morning and I told him he was being deactivated for this game.”

*

The NFL is planning to sell bonds backed by its new television contracts and league businesses to create a $600 million trust fund that clubs can draw from, the Washington Post reported. The 12-year, asset-backed certificates would pay investors a stream of income from interest payments the clubs would pay on money borrowed from the trust fund, the newspaper said.

It quoted Wall Street analysts as saying the arrangement would provide the 30 clubs with ready access to credit to pay for everything from stadium improvements to bonuses for star players at terms better than any individual team could get in the capital markets.

*

New York Giant starting left cornerback Phillippi Sparks might sit out Sunday night’s game against Atlanta because of a shoulder injury.

Sparks hurt the shoulder last week in a loss at Tampa Bay and his status for Sunday’s game was downgraded from probable to questionable on Friday. If he cannot play, Carlton Gray would replace him.

The Giants also downgraded the status of defensive tackle Robert Harris (chest muscle) and safety Sam Garnes (foot). Harris, who has been sidelined the last two games, was dropped to questionable and Garnes was listed as doubtful.

*

After proving to Coach Bill Parcells that he was healthy in practice this week, quarterback Glenn Foley is back as starting quarterback of the New York Jets.

Parcells on Thursday named Foley as the starter for Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams. Foley sat out the last two games because of a rib injury and backup Vinny Testaverde stepped in and led the Jets to their only two wins of the season.