Has this whole thing about Tony Dungy returning to Tampa to coach against his former team worn you down? Tired of the icon returning to his former team story line?
Well, here's salt in the wound: Today, three other icons return to the stadiums of past glory.
Call it the NFL's version of homecoming weekend.
Start with Cowboys, ahem, Cardinals running back Emmitt Smith's return to Dallas.
After unceremoniously being shown the door, Smith is back in Big D months after irritating his former teammates by calling them "trash" in an August interview. Predictably, the Cowboys lashed out.
"I think, perhaps, at times, the focus on the season was based on him getting his rushing record rather than us having a successful winning percentage," defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban told the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. "Good or bad, it was a distraction, so we have better things to focus on now as a team, and that is winning games."
Then there is Lions coach Steve Mariucci, who returns to San Francisco to play a 49ers team he led to four playoff runs in six seasons before being fired by owner John York after losing to the Bucs in the playoffs in January.
"If I start thinking about it, I try to change the channel and get it to the here and now," Mariucci said.
Want more? How about Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren's return to Lambeau Field? Holmgren already has visited Packerland, smashing Green Bay 27-7 in 1999.
"Time and distance, if you will, that changes emotions," Holmgren said. "But it is a special place, will always be a special place for me. It's just a great football environment."
NO MORE BAD BOY?: A third concussion in a month, and by his own estimate the 10th of his career, appears to be leading Raiders linebacker Bill Romanowski toward retirement.
The 37-year-old human volcano did not play last weekend, snapping a streak of 243 consecutive games, did not practice last week and is listed as doubtful for today's game against the Bears. He said he will seek the advice of retired quarterbacks Steve Young and Troy Aikman, veterans of multiple concussions.
"Is this the first time I've ever felt vulnerable? Absolutely," Romanowski told reporters. "I think I will take everything into account and make the decision. That is all I can say.
"Football is something I enjoy, and I knew in time it was going to end. So you think about it, but I don't think I ever realized it would necessarily be right now or any time soon. I think I still thought I could just play three or four more (years). That's changing a little bit here. But I still don't know. You never know, two or three weeks from now I may feel a lot better and come back and have no problems for the rest of the year."
DANTE'S INFERNO: Chiefs returner Dante Hall is running himself into the record books. Hall has returned kicks for touchdowns in a record three straight games, and has six touchdowns (three punts, three kickoffs) in his past nine games. The Chiefs are 6-0 in those games.
"I think we can score in every game," Hall told the Kansas City Star.
So who is his return-game role model?
"I really can't say that I have ever emulated anyone on kickoff returns," Hall said. "If (it's) anybody with punt returns, it was Deion (Sanders). On kickoff returns, I just let my God-given ability do its thing. But if I had to say somebody, it would be Deion."
McGAHEE UPDATE: Buffalo's running game is woeful, with 105 yards on 58 carries over the past three games. So is help on the way? Willis McGahee is expected to start practicing in 10 days. The first-round draft pick from Miami, who tore three knee ligaments in January, has been on the reserve/nonfootball injury list. The Bills will have 21 days, from the day he returns to practice, to activate McGahee. That puts him on pace to be ready for the Nov. 9 game against the Cowboys.
NFL, ON A ROLL: Cowboys coach Bill Parcells is 7-3 against his former teams. ... The Cowboys have more wins (two) at Giants Stadium than Texas Stadium (zero). They have a winning record for the first time since 1999, and they've won consecutive road games for the first time since 1995. ... Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw more touchdown passes (six) than incompletions (five) against the Saints. ... The Panthers have blocked six kicks in three games. ... There are six unbeaten teams (Vikings, Panthers, Broncos, Chiefs, Colts, Seahawks), the second most after four weeks of the season since 1998, when there were seven. Those six teams were 11-12 at this time last season. ... Rickey Williams has played 19 games with the Dolphins and rushed for at least 100 yards 12 times. The Dolphins are 10-2 in those games.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.
