Off the wire

FOOTBALL Colts owner held, released

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was pulled over near his home in suburban Carmel, Ind., just before midnight Sunday by police who said they found multiple prescription drugs inside his vehicle. He was spotted driving slowly, stopping in the roadway and failing to use a turn signal, and police said Irsay failed several roadside field sobriety tests before he was arrested. The drugs weren’t associated with any of the pill bottles found inside, police said. Some weren’t even in bottles. Irsay, 54, who acknowledged a painkiller dependency more than a decade ago, faces preliminary charges of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and four felony counts of possession of a controlled substance.If Irsay is charged and convicted on the felony counts, he could face six months to three years in prison on each count. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andre Miksha said no decision had been made on formal charges and a hearing was set for March 26. Irsay said nothing as he left the Hamilton County Jail after posting bond Monday. A short time later, he tweeted: “Deepest thx to family, friends, fans, colleagues for the messages of support, thoughts and prayers. Impossible to tell u how much this means.” An NFL spokesman said Irsay is subject to discipline but didn’t elaborate on what that might be. Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand was suspended for 30 days and fined $100,000 in 2010 for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy following his guilty plea to driving while impaired. Authorities would not say what drugs Irsay was allegedly caught with, but they were listed as Schedule IV drugs by the Drug Enforcement Administration. That type of drug, which includes Xanax, Darvocet and Ambien, hasa low risk for abuse or dependency, according to the DEA. Irsay said in 2002 that he had become dependent on painkillers after several years of orthopedic operations but said he had overcome the problem after undergoing treatment. The DEA investigated the case, but local prosecutors at the time said they saw no reason to charge Irsay. In October 2013, Irsay tweeted that “I don’t drink … haven’t in over 15 years.”

The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent James Jones to a three-year contract Monday. Oakland also signed former New York Giants offensive lineman Kevin Boothe to a two-year deal.Boothe began his career with the Raiders in 2006 before spending the past seven seasons with the Giants, where he won two Super Bowl titles. Jones, who turns 30 later this month, has 310 career catches for 4,305 yards and 37 touchdowns in 104 games over seven seasons in Green Bay. His most productive year came in 2012 when he had 64 catches for 784 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jones had 59 catches for a career-high 817 yards and three scores last season despite being without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers for seven games.

The New York Giants, looking to strengthen their secondary and return game, have signed cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, formerly with Denver, and have reached an agreement with former Denver Broncos kick returner Trindon Holliday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Holliday has to pass physical today before the team will announce the move.Holliday returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the Broncos 41-23 win over the Giants in the second week of last season. The deals come just a day after the Giants confirmed the signing of former Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond and Chiefs safety Quintin Demps. Demps led the league in kickoff returns with a 30.1 yard average, while Holliday was sixth at 27.7 yards. Holiday was seventh in punt returns with an 8.5 yard average.

The Dallas Cowboys added free agent Brandon Weeden on a two-year contract Monday even though they expect Kyle Orton to return behind Tony Romo next season. Weeden was a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2012 and had a promising rookie season, when he passed for 3,385 yards and won five starts. However, he started poorly in 2013, got benched, lost his confidence and never recovered. Weeden, 30, is much older than a typical third-year NFL player because he played professional baseball for five years before finishing his college career. He started his baseball career with the New York Yankees’ organization.

The Green Bay Packers have signed ex-Minnesota Vikings tackle Letroy Guion to a one-year deal in another move to beef up the defensive line. Monday’s free-agent signing comes less than a week after Green Bay made a splash by adding end Julius Peppers from another NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears. A person familiar with Guion’s deal said the contract was worth up to $1 million. Guion was drafted by Minnesota in the fifth round in 2008 out of Florida State. He has 90 tackles and five sacks in 68 career games, including 31 starts. Minnesota released Guion on March 6, and the team saved $4 million by cutting him.

The New Orleans Saints and right tackle Zach Strief have agreed to a five-year contract extension. Strief, who has spent his entire eight-year career in New Orleans and became a starter in 2011, had entered free agency last week but had expressed an interest in working out a deal to remain with the Saints if the club could field a competitive offer. Financial terms of the deal, announced Monday by general manager Mickey Loomis, have not been disclosed.

The New England Patriots announced Monday the signing of three-time All-Pro cornerback Darrell Revis and former Carolina wide receiver Brandon LaFell. He started all 16 regular-season games last season and made 49 catches for 627 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Patriots announced the signing of Revis four days after Revis’ business manager, John Geiger, tweeted that a contract agreement had been reached. The team did not announce details of the contract, reportedly for one year and $12 million.

The Seattle Seahawks and kicker Steven Hauschka have agreed to terms on a new multiyear contract that NFL.com reported as a three-year deal worth up to $9 million. Hauschka made 33 of 35 kicks overall, and made all of his extra point attempts.

MOTOR SPORTS Bettenhausen, 72, dies

Officials with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway say race car driver Gary Bettenhausen has died. He was 72. Bettenhausen was a member of a famous racing family and a veteran of open-wheel competition who drove in 21 Indianapolis 500s between 1968 and 1993. His best finish was third in 1980. He led 138 laps of the 1972 race and was the top qualifier in 1991. Bettenhausen’s father, Tony, also was an Indianapolis 500 veteran who was killed in a practice crash at the speedway in 1961. Speedway President J. Douglas Boles issued a statement Monday, noting Gary Bettenhausen’s success in many types of cars and calling him “the perfect definition of a race car driver of his time.”

Sports, Pages 18 on 03/18/2014

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