Jack Pardee going to hospice

THE FAMILY of former NFL coach Jack Pardee says the NFL defensive great has been diagnosed with gall bladder cancer and has 6 to 9 months to live.

Daughter Anne Pardee confirmed to the Associated Press on Tuesday that the cancer has spread to other organs and that her 77-year-old father plans to move to a Denver hospice. The College Football Hall of Fame inductee's wife, Phyllis, has been receiving care at the same center since having a stroke.

Anne Pardee said her father was in good spirits despite the diagnosis.

Jack Pardee was one of Texas A & M's "Junction Boys" who survived Bear Bryant's severe 1954 preseason training camp to play for the Aggies. He was a five-time All-Pro linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins. He coached the Chicago Bears, Washington and Houston Oilers in the NFL.

Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger threw a few passes Monday with his sprained right shoulder, and the Steelers saw enough to ask him to throw a few more over the next few days. Calling the session "a step in the right direction," coach Mike Tomlin said there's "a chance" Roethlisberger could play on Sunday in Baltimore. "We'll leave the door open," Tomlin said.

Roethlisberger hasn't played since getting slammed to the turf in the third quarter of a 16-13 overtime victory over Kansas City on Nov. 12, suffering a sprained right shoulder and dislocated rib. In his absence, the Steelers (6-5) have lost consecutive games for the first time in 3 years while managing two offensive touchdowns in 10 quarters of work.

Saints defensive end Will Smith says he and linebacker Jonathan Vilma will be present Friday when their lawyers cross examine former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams at a bounty hearing in Washington. Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue will oversee the latest round of player appeals.

* San Francisco running back Kendall Hunter (ankle/Achilles') is the second player in 2 days to be lost for the year after he and wide receiver Kyle Williams (torn ACL) were hurt on the same play in Sunday's win at New Orleans. The 49ers signed former Eagles wideout and returner Chad Hall to the practice squad.

Also, former Penn State linebacker NaVorro Bowman agreed to a 5-year contract extension through the 2018 season.

* Carolina placed starting defensive tackle Ron Edwards on injured reserve with a dislocated left elbow and running back Jonathan Stewart could miss some time with a high ankle sprain, coach Ron Rivera said.

* New Orleans placed rookie right tackle Bryce Harris on injured reserve with a broken leg.

* Chicago signed five-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Andre Gurode, who made five starts at left guard and appeared in 13 games for Baltimore last season after playing with Dallas from 2002 to 2010.

* Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was issued a traffic citation by a police officer who said Suh was driving fast and passing cars from the right lane of a suburban Detroit roadway on Nov. 15. Lathrup Village Police Chief William Armstrong told the Associated Press he was not sure the citation would hold up.