Neil O Donnell

The play was a "sticks" route. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell never will forget it.It was fourth down, the ball at the San Diego Chargers' 3-yard line with 1:08 left in the game and the 1995 AFC championship at stake, and with it a trip to the Super Bowl.O'Donnell had played the game of his life, but his last pass was batted away from Barry Foster by diving linebacker Dennis Gibson in the end zone. Final score: San Diego 17, Pittsburgh 13."Everyone usually goes to the first-down marker and turns around.

Ravens coach Brian Billick conceded yesterday that he would prefer an experienced backup quarterback. And even if the Ravens can't get Randall Cunningham, a former player of Billick's with Minnesota, they finally seem to grasp that a proven veteran makes more sense than Stoney Case. Vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome said that the Ravens have made an offer to Case, but the team almost certainly would have interest in Cunningham if he became available after June 1, and could pursue other veterans in the meantime.

Football NFL -- Announced that three injured Buffalo Bills -- QB Jim Kelly sprained right knee), RB Thurman Thomas (sprained right ankle) and OT Will Wolford (sprained shoulder) -- will not play for the AFC in the Pro Bowl. They will be replaced by Pittsburgh Steelers QB Neil O'Donnell (Maryland), San Diego Chargers RB Ronnie Harmon and Kansas City Chiefs OT John Alt.HockeyNew York Rangers -- Recalled RW Alexei Kovalev and D Joby Messier from AHL Binghamton.

EastKeyshawn Johnson, who made three one-handed grabs last Sunday to help the Jets beat the Dolphins, is a first-rate receiver. If you have any doubt about it, just ask him. Johnson, who goes against Deion Sanders today, points out he needs 15 catches to surpass Andre Rison's record of 308 receptions in his first four years. "I don't know there's a better receiver in the league in his first four years than me," he said. I've played four years here. I've been consistent for four years. I've played with seven different quarterbacks and I've had fun with it."

Four former Maryland Terrapins quarterbacks played yesterday in the NFL, two -- Boomer Esiason and Neil O'Donnell -- against each other, and two others -- Stan Gelbaugh and Frank Reich -- in reserve roles in separate games. Here is how they fared:4 Player, Team..... Com-Att..... Yds... TD... IntEsiason, Cin. ...... 32-43....... 361... 1.... 1O'Donnell, Pit. .... 24-39....... 309... 3.... 0Gelbaugh, Pho. ....... 2-3........ 57... 1.... 1Reich, Buf. .......... 0-1......... 0... 0.... 0(Coverage, 6C)

NEW YORK -- The New York Jets yesterday signed quarterback Frank Reich to a two-year contract believed to be worth about $1 million to back up Neil O'Donnell, who received a $25 million deal over five years.Reich, 34, like O'Donnell (and last year's Jets starter, Boomer Esiason), is a Maryland alumnus. "That was a consideration for Frank," Reich's agent, Ralph Cindrich, said. "He had a great relationship with Neil."Reich started the first three games for the expansion Carolina Panthers last year, then didn't take a snap the rest of the season.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Jackie Smith, Scott Norwood, Neil O'Donnell. It might not be fair, but that's life at America's biggest sporting event. O'Donnell threw two awful interceptions last night. O'Donnell became a Super Bowl goat.No one will remember that he brought the Pittsburgh Steelers back, nearly all the way back, back from 13-0, back from 20-7, back to where they had a chance to end 11 years of AFC misery in the Super Bowl.The ending, that's all that matters.Steelers ball, four minutes left, three-point game.

Georgia Tech coach Bobby Ross denied a report yesterday that he met with Minnesota Vikings officials last weekend in Florida to discuss their coming coaching vacancy.The report by The Atlanta Constitution quoted anonymous Vikings and NFL officials. The Vikings -- whose current coach, Jerry Burns, is retiring at the end of the season -- played in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday night."I have not met with, spoken with or done anything relating to the Minnesota Vikings," Ross said. "That was flat-out not true.

Norv Turner's secret is out.The Washington Redskins coach revealed last week that he expected to be 4-0 entering tonight's game against the New York Jets at RFK Stadium."

Joe Krivak, who resigned nearly 2 1/2 weeks ago as Maryland's football coach, may become an assistant on Bobby Ross' staff if Ross is named coach of the San Diego Chargers.San Diego coach Dan Henning was fired yesterday, and Ross, along with University of Miami coach Dennis Erickson, are the two top candidates to replace Henning."I chatted with Bobby the day before he went to the Aloha Bowl, but I've only read and seen what's in the paper like everybody else," Krivak said. "The thought of working in the NFL does intrigue me, and yes, I would be interested if a position became available."

BUFFALO (7-5) AT CINCINNATI (2-10)Time: 1: 01 p.m.Line: Bills by 5.Vs. spread: Bills 7-3; Bengals 3-8.Outlook: By the time the game rolls around, the Bills will have had a week to accept those two awful calls by the officials that led to their loss to New England. Having the opportunity to beat up on a team like Cincinnati should take some of the sting away. The Bengals got last week off to a rousing start, as DB Tremaine Mack was sentenced to 365 days in jail for driving under the influence of alcohol and is gone for the season.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- First he turned all those heads and helmets in the game. Then the debate came.Should he become the starter, starting with the Ravens game Sunday? The fans were polled. The columnists weighed in. Everybody was talking about him, or wanted to talk to him.Glenn Foley never had a week quite like last week.The New York Jets' backup quarterback had come out throwing strikes in relief of Neil O'Donnell in the second half at home against the New England Patriots on Oct. 19. Foley didn't stop until he had rallied the Jets from a nine-point deficit to a 24-19 victory.

Mike Tomczak's job as the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback is safe for at least two more days.When the Steelers (11-6) travel to Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday to play the New England Patriots (11-5) in an AFC semifinal playoff game, the much-maligned Tomczak will jog out as the team's starter.After that, Tomczak's role might diminish, because in the No. 2 slot is the quarterback of the future, second-year pro Kordell Stewart, who played almost 1 1/2 quarters in the AFC wild-card game last weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.

It was a rough first half of the NFL season for coaching icons in Miami, new million-dollar quarterbacks in New York, and rookie running backs from Nebraska.Just ask Jimmy Johnson, Neil O'Donnell and Lawrence Phillips.Johnson made serious waves when he replaced Dolphins coach Don Shula last winter, but he found out he couldn't walk on water once he lost quarterback Dan Marino. Nor could he beat his old nemesis, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, in their celebrated reunion.O'Donnell was supposed to be the $25 million man who would finally get the New York Jets off the ground.

Norv Turner's secret is out.The Washington Redskins coach revealed last week that he expected to be 4-0 entering tonight's game against the New York Jets at RFK Stadium."

NEW YORK -- The New York Jets yesterday signed quarterback Frank Reich to a two-year contract believed to be worth about $1 million to back up Neil O'Donnell, who received a $25 million deal over five years.Reich, 34, like O'Donnell (and last year's Jets starter, Boomer Esiason), is a Maryland alumnus. "That was a consideration for Frank," Reich's agent, Ralph Cindrich, said. "He had a great relationship with Neil."Reich started the first three games for the expansion Carolina Panthers last year, then didn't take a snap the rest of the season.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- He had brought them back, nearly all the way back, back from 13-0, back from 20-7, back to where the Pittsburgh Steelers had a chance to end 11 years of AFC misery in the Super Bowl.Now it was Steelers ball, four minutes left, down three points. Neil O'Donnell had completed 10 of his previous 12 passes, produced 10 fourth-quarter points. One last drive, from his 32, a chance to make Super Bowl history.Who could have imagined what happened next? O'Donnell already had thrown one inexplicable interception to Larry Brown.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- First he turned all those heads and helmets in the game. Then the debate came.Should he become the starter, starting with the Ravens game Sunday? The fans were polled. The columnists weighed in. Everybody was talking about him, or wanted to talk to him.Glenn Foley never had a week quite like last week.The New York Jets' backup quarterback had come out throwing strikes in relief of Neil O'Donnell in the second half at home against the New England Patriots on Oct. 19. Foley didn't stop until he had rallied the Jets from a nine-point deficit to a 24-19 victory.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Jackie Smith, Scott Norwood, Neil O'Donnell. It might not be fair, but that's life at America's biggest sporting event. O'Donnell threw two awful interceptions last night. O'Donnell became a Super Bowl goat.No one will remember that he brought the Pittsburgh Steelers back, nearly all the way back, back from 13-0, back from 20-7, back to where they had a chance to end 11 years of AFC misery in the Super Bowl.The ending, that's all that matters.Steelers ball, four minutes left, three-point game.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Neil O'Donnell all but gift-wrapped the Super Bowl trophy for the Dallas Cowboys last night.The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback threw a pair of interceptions right into the arms of cornerback Larry Brown, who simply had to catch them to become the Super Bowl MVP.Brown's two interceptions set up a pair of Emmitt Smith touchdowns that gave the Cowboys a 27-17 victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX before 76,347 fans at Sun Devil Stadium.The...