AROUND THE NFL : Griese Takes Over for Benched Brister

Bubby Brister’s reign as heir to John Elway’s throne in Denver is over after four exhibition games.

Bronco Coach Mike Shanahan on Monday announced that he has given the starting job to second-year player Brian Griese.

“It is not that Bubby Brister has not played at the level I think he can. It’s that Brian Griese has played so well throughout camp and preseason games that I think he deserves that opportunity,” Shanahan said.

Brister, a 12-year veteran, inherited the job after Elway’s retirement because he was 4-0 as a starter last year when Elway was out with assorted injuries.

The 37-year-old Brister has struggled in exhibition games, however, twice throwing interceptions on his first pass attempt of a game.

The two-time Super Bowl champions are 2-2 in exhibition play.

Griese, 24, has completed 56 of 84 passes for 605 yards and six touchdowns in exhibition games.

*

Linebacker Chris Spielman retired after feeling numbness from a violent hit in an exhibition game last weekend, ending his comeback with the Cleveland Browns from neck surgery.

During the first quarter of Cleveland’s 35-24 victory over Chicago on Saturday night, Spielman took a crushing, blindside hit from Bear center Casey Wiegmann on a running play and lost some feeling in his body.

It was the second time this preseason Spielman required an MRI on his neck. Spielman had vertebrae-fusion surgery in 1997 while he was with the Buffalo Bills, and delayed his comeback for a year while his wife, Stefanie, recovered from breast cancer surgery.

Spielman was taken 28th overall by Detroit in the 1988 draft. He made the Pro Bowl three consecutive seasons for the Lions (1989-91) and then again in ’94.

*

Second-half touchdown passes by Jim Druckenmiller and Jeff Garcia gave the San Francisco 49ers a 16-8 victory over the Raiders at Oakland. Both teams are 2-1 in exhibition games.

Billed as the Battle of the Bay, the game produced the Raiders’ first sellout (61,901) in two years, allowing a home game to be shown on television locally for the first time since the 1997 regular-season opener against Kansas City.

It was the first game between the teams since the Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995 after 13 years in Los Angeles, and marked San Francisco’s first appearance in Oakland since 1981.

San Francisco quarterback Steve Young, playing only in the first quarter, was sacked three times, threw an interception and was pressured into an intentional grounding call in the end zone that resulted in a safety.

The 49ers got a more extended look at Lawrence Phillips, who had 23 yards in 10 carries. He had six yards in three carries in his 49er debut last week.

*

Rookie defensive end Dimitrius Underwood failed to show for his first practice with the Miami Dolphins after missing his Sunday night flight from Michigan to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but arrived Monday night to begin practicing today.

Underwood, who left the Minnesota Vikings unannounced to focus on his religion earlier in the preseason, was claimed off waivers Aug. 16 by the Dolphins.

*

The Seattle Seahawks acquired wide receiver Derrick Mayes from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for an undisclosed draft choice. The Seahawks have been unable to convince their top receiver, Joey Galloway, to report to the team. Galloway is trying to renegotiate his contract with Seattle.. . . . John Tait, the 14th player and first offensive lineman taken in this year’s NFL draft, told the Kansas City Star that he has agreed to the terms of a five-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Last week, after missing the entire camp in River Falls, Wis., Tait--a 6-foot-6, 306-pound tackle from Brigham Young--said he might sit out the season and go back into the 2000 draft.

Baltimore Pro Bowl defensive end Michael McCrary, who had 14.5 sacks in 1998, missed practice due to a contract dispute and will be fined by the team for every day he misses. The 29-year-old McCrary, who is in the final year of his contract, wants a five- or six-year deal averaging $7 million a year, including a $13-million signing bonus. . . . Center Brian Williams, attempting a comeback after missing two seasons because of an eye injury, only bruised his left knee in the New York Giants’ preseason game with the New York Jets on Saturday. Williams’ did not practice Monday but is expected to play in the season opener Sept. 12.

Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis resumed practicing after undergoing his second arthroscopic knee operation in seven months Aug. 2. Bettis still isn’t certain whether he will play in the Sept. 12 opener at Cleveland. . . . Dallas owner Jerry Jones was charged with a misdemeanor for driving away from police during a traffic stop that occurred Sunday. He faces a maximum penalty of a $2,000 fine and/or 180 days in jail.

Quarterback Steve McNair is expected to start Tennessee’s final exhibition game Thursday, according to Coach Jeff Fisher. McNair missed last week’s game because of a bad back. . . . Cincinnati Bengal safety Kelvin Moore is able to get out of his hospital bed and walk with help as he recovers from a broken bone in his neck suffered in a game Aug. 20, the team said.