NFL assesses $125,000 in fines to Jets, former coach Eric Mangini in Favre injury coverup

NFL fines Jets, Mangini for Favre coverup

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The NFL assessed $125,000 in fines to the New York Jets and former coach Eric Mangini on Wednesday for violating the league’s rules on injury reporting with former quarterback Brett Favre last season.

The Jets failed to place Favre, now with the Minnesota Vikings, on the injury report during the final month of last season even though he had a torn biceps tendon.

The league announced it had fined the Jets $75,000, and Mangini and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum $25,000 apiece. Mangini now coaches the Cleveland Browns.

“We have been fully cooperative with the league throughout this investigation and respect their decision,” the Jets said in a statement.

Mangini wants to put the situation behind him.

“I have worked with the league on this matter and now consider it closed,” he said in a statement. “My focus is on our preparations for the Broncos.”

Hiding injuries could affect an opponent’s preparation and the NFL has stepped up policing such practices. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday that the case would be an opportunity for the league to stress that all teams must abide by the injury report rules.

Last week, Tannenbaum admitted the Jets should have listed Favre as “probable” on their injury reports. That came a day after Favre said he thought he was hurting the Jets because of the injury and discussed it with the coaches and the front office. He said he would have been willing to sit out, even though that would have ended his streak of consecutive starts, which now stands at 270 games.

Tannenbaum said the team didn’t list Favre on the report because the injury wasn’t severe enough to require daily treatment and there was never any doubt Favre would play. Tannenbaum also assumed full responsibility for the mistake.

Mangini said he has always abided by the league’s guidelines for injury reports.

“That was true there (in New York). It’s true here,” Mangini said. “It’ll be true every week of the season and that’s how we approach it.”

Favre led the Jets to an 8-3 start and first place in the AFC East. But he threw nine interceptions down the stretch and the team lost four of its last five, missing the playoffs.

He retired after the season, and was later released by the Jets. Favre came out of retirement — for the second time — last month and signed with Minnesota.

Favre told reporters last week he may not be able to play all 16 games with the Vikings, even after the biceps tendon was surgically repaired. He said he’s playing with a torn rotator cuff and suggested he might have a cracked rib.

Favre completed 14 of 21 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings’ season-opening 34-20 win over Mangini’s Browns on Sunday.

AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell in Eden Prairie, Minn., and Tom Withers in Berea, Ohio, contributed to this report.