Marino Says Ankle Still Hurts

After practicing for the first time since breaking his right ankle Sept. 23 against Indianapolis, Miami quarterback Dan Marino said Wednesday that his ankle still hurts.

Marino participated in about 25% of the workout, throwing with no defenders, running a few seven-on-seven plays and then limping to the locker room.

Marino has yet to test the ankle at full speed.

“There’s pain every time,” he said. “It felt all right. It doesn’t feel great. I’m making progress. It’s going to be a day-to-day thing.”

Marino’s return to practice occurred sooner than expected. He may dress as the third quarterback Sunday when Miami (4-2) plays at Philadelphia (4-2), but Craig Erickson will probably make his third consecutive start filling in for Marino.

“I will not make a decision until right prior to game time,” Coach Jimmy Johnson said.

Marino said, “It’s going to be up to the doctors and Coach Johnson and seeing how the ankle feels. I don’t want to be in a position where I can hurt myself or another part of my body because I can’t move in case I’m going to get hit.”

Marino is more likely to return for the Dolphins’ game the following Sunday against Dallas.

Receiver Fred Barnett, sidelined all season because of a knee injury, also returned to practice. He participated on a limited basis, but ran at full speed, reported no pain or swelling, and said he hopes to play Sunday against Philadelphia, his former team.

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The Kansas City Chiefs play host to the Seattle Seahawks tonight in a Thursday night game that will be televised by TNT. There is no Sunday night game this weekend because of Game 2 of the World Series, scheduled for 4 p.m. PDT.

The Chiefs (4-2) are coming off a short bye week and trying to erase a two-game losing streak. The Chiefs were rocked at home by Pittsburgh in a Week 6 Monday night game, 17-7.

The Seahawks (2-4), also coming off a bye week, are trying to get back into the hunt. They surprised Miami in Week 6 with a 22-15 victory at Miami. John Friesz replaced a struggling Rick Mirer for that game and passed for 229 yards and three touchdown. Wide receiver Joey Galloway caught five passes for a career-high 137 yards.

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The Oakland Raiders signed former USC wide receiver Kenneth Grace to their practice squad, filling one of the holes left when Jerone Davison, a fullback, and Lamar Lyons, a safety, were activated last weekend.

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Thurman Thomas needs 66 yards against the New York Jets Sunday to surpass O.J. Simpson as the Buffalo Bills’ career rushing leader. . . . Offensive tackle Willie Anderson, the Cincinnati Bengals’ top draft pick, might get his first start Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Coach Dave Shula said whoever does best in practice this week--Anderson or incumbent Melvin Tuten--will start in San Francisco. Tuten, a third-round draft pick last year, has started the first six games at left tackle. . . . Indianapolis linebacker Trev Alberts, a 1994 first-round draft pick from Nebraska who won the Dick Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker, practiced with the Colts for the first time since he had shoulder surgery Aug. 5. Alberts was originally was expected to be out four to six months.