Icky Woods' 16-year-old son dies after suffering asthma attack

The teenage son of former Cincinnati Bengals running back Ickey Woods has died, days after he collapsed from an asthma attack.

School officials say 16-year-old Elbert Jovante Woods died Saturday night at a Cincinnati hospital.

The teen, who would have started as a cornerback at a local high school this season, was practicing with his varsity football team Wednesday morning. He collapsed later that day and was taken to the hospital.

The younger Woods' football coach says his teammates loved him like a brother. One player held up Woods' jersey for a team photo Saturday.

Ickey Woods is the head coach of the Cincinnati Sizzle, a women's football team.

* The New England Patriots' once-muddled linebacking situation is starting to clear.

Linebacker Derrick Burgess was reinstated Friday to the active roster from the reserve-did not report list after being missing since the start of training camp. After passing a physical and conditioning test, he practiced for the first time with the team yesterday.

Burgess a veteran of nine NFL seasons, who signed a 1-year, $1.5 million contract in May, attributed his absence to personal reasons. There had been speculation he might retire, but Burgess didn't mention that.

"I had to take care of my family business before I could report," he said.

The Patriots placed veteran receiver Torry Holt, signed as a free agent in April, on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, while free agent rookie defensive back Ross Ventrone of Villanova was waived. The Patriots filled the roster spots by re-signing receiver Buddy Farnham, a rookie free agent who was cut on Aug. 9, and signing Brian Simmons, a rookie free agent offensive lineman.

_ Rookie Stafon Johnson has a game ball from his NFL debut. He also has had his dislocated right ankle repaired, and Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher isn't ready to call the running back's season over just yet.

Johnson tweeted yesterday he was fresh out of surgery. This is the running back whose senior season at Southern California was ended in September when a barbell crushed his neck and larynx.

Fisher says Johnson isn't necessarily headed to injured reserve. The coach estimated the rookie's recovery time between eight and 12 weeks. That seems optimistic. Johnson's injury was so gruesome Fisher said he just thought the rookie's shoe had come off in Saturday night's 20-18 loss at Seattle.

* Houston Texans rookie running back Ben Tate will need surgery after suffering a severe ankle injury in Saturday's preseason opener in Arizona.

The 5-11, 211-pound Tate was hurt in the third quarter of the Texans' 19-16 loss to the Cardinals. Tate was the Texans' second-round draft pick out of Auburn.

_ Ben Roethlisberger might not take another snap at Heinz Field until his suspension for off-the-field behavior ends in October The NFL told the Pittsburgh Steelers their quarterback could play in all of their preseason games before his suspension begins. That doesn't mean the Steelers plan to let him. Roethlisberger never warmed up, put his helmet on or stepped into the huddle on a rainy Saturday night as the Steelers beat the Detroit Lions 23-7 in a preseason game.

Coach Mike Tomlin started Byron Leftwich and gave Roethlisberger the night off. Roethlisberger lobbied to play, but Tomlin had already made up his mind.

* The officials calling Saturday's the game in Pittsburgh wish they weren't heard from either.

After the Steelers scored their first touchdown in an exhibition victory over the Lions, referee Jeff Triplette's field microphone picked up expletives uttered by him or one of his crew members apparently aimed at the replay official. Unhappy that a review of quarterback Dennis Dixon's 5-yard run was ordered during a heavy rainstorm, an official was clearly heard saying, "It's raining like this, I'll kick his ... " followed by several expletives.

The official then added, "He's trying to get to the Super Bowl already."

The call was overturned.