nfl roundup | News and notes

Hall of Fame: Former Broncos running back Floyd Little and Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The hall’s seniors committee on Tuesday chose the 67-year-old Little, who gained more than 12,000 total yards in the NFL, and the 71-year-old LeBeau, a star defensive back before becoming a coach. They will join 15 modern-era candidates on the complete list of finalists for the 2010 class, which will be voted on Feb. 6 at the Super Bowl in Miami. Little was chosen for five Pro Bowls, rushing for 6,323 yards and 43 touchdowns, making 215 receptions for 2,418 yards and nine TDs. When he retired in 1975, Little ranked seventh in career rushing. LeBeau played for 14 years for Detroit and has been a coach for 37. LeBeau intercepted 62 passes, which ranks seventh all-time. As Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator, LeBeau has won two Super Bowls in the last four seasons. Still, because the Hall of Fame requires a candidate to be retired five years before he can be voted in and LeBeau still is coaching, he is being considered as a player.

Giants: Plaxico Burress says he plans to return to the NFL after serving a two-year prison sentence on a weapons charge. In an ESPN interview broadcast Tuesday night, the former Giants receiver says he isn’t sure about what to expect in prison and is anxious about being separated from his family, revealing his wife is expecting a baby girl on Thanksgiving. The 32-year-old Burress pleaded guilty last week to attempted criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an accidental shooting last November and accepted a two-year prison term. He is to be sentenced Sept. 22. He says he didn’t know whether he would live or die after accidentally shooting himself at a Manhattan nightclub. “I almost killed my own self. And I got to go to prison for almost killing my own self.”

Broncos: Brandon Marshall may be back in the mix offensively at practice. But it remains unclear whether the Broncos’ disgruntled wideout will make his preseason debut in Denver’s game Sunday against Chicago. Denver coach Josh McDaniels said Marshall was fully involved in Tuesday’s practice, the team’s first workout since Saturday’s 27-13 loss at Seattle. The practice was cut short about 45 minutes because of bad weather.

Titans: Tennessee activated All Pro center Kevin Mawae off the physically-unable-to-perform list Tuesday, and his first practice is the latest step in his recovery since tearing his right triceps tendon last December.

Associated Press