SPORTS digest

Boldin says he wants to return to 49ers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.

If Anquan Boldin makes one catch in Sunday’s game in Detroit, he will become the 13th player in NFL history to reach 1,000.

But while that milestone seems likely with two games remaining this season, his future with the 49ers is far more questionable.

Boldin, 35, will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, and expressed interest Thursday in returning to San Francisco, where he’s played the past three seasons.

“Definitely. I like it here. I like the people here. The organization has been good to me,” Boldin said.

“And I have roots here now. There’s a lot of people, a lot of relationships that I’ve built in this community. When the time does come, it will just be hard to say goodbye to.”

Christian wins small-college honor

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.

A safety from Midwestern State University in Texas is being honored as the top defensive player among small-college football teams.

Marqui Christian on Thursday won the Cliff Harris Award, which is named for an ex-Dallas Cowboy who played at Ouachita Baptist in Arkansas.

Christian had 10 or more tackles in five games this season and his 295 career tackles is a record at the NCAA Division II school.

The senior from Spring, Texas, was named previously to The Associated Press Little All-America team.

Bluffton’s Ryan Aelker and Mount Union’s Tom Lally were the top vote-getters in NCAA Division III, and Adam Sauder of Taylor University in Indiana received the most votes for NAIA schools.

Knicks forward reports lost jewelry

NEW YORK

Police say New York Knicks forward Derrick Williams has reported that $617,000 in jewelry has vanished from his apartment.

Police say they are searching for two women in the case. They released surveillance video footage late Wednesday of two well-dressed women leaving a club in Manhattan’s meatpacking district early Dec. 19.

They say those women went to Williams’ home in the trendy TriBeCa neighborhood. They left after 90 minutes.

Police say Williams later reported several pieces of jewelry missing. They included a $50,000 diamond Rolex watch, three diamond rings valued at $30,000 and three 24-karat gold chains worth $35,000.

Williams was picked second in the 2011 draft and averages 7.3 points this season. The Knicks are the 24-year-old player’s third NBA team.

Colts sign QB, place Smith on IR

INDIANAPOLIS

The Colts have signed quarterback Stephen Morris to the active roster and placed cornerback D’Joun Smith on injured reserve. The moves come when Indianapolis (6-8) is in need of an emergency quarterback on the roster.

Morris has spent most of the season on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad and spent the offseason and training camp with Jacksonville before he was waived in September.

Andrew Luck has missed five straight games and was ruled out of Sunday’s game at Miami (5-9) as he recovers from a lacerated kidney and a partially torn abdominal muscle.

Matt Hasselbeck has started since, but is dealing with back and rib injuries.

Charlie Whitehurst is the only other quarterback on the roster.

Brees intends to play against Jaguars

NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees says he has every intention of playing against Jacksonville on Sunday, despite a right foot injury.

All he has to do is convince coach Sean Payton, who hasn’t named a starting quarterback for the Saints’ home finale.

Brees says he has a torn plantar fascia ligament, which he says is painful but not necessarily too debilitating to prevent him from being effective.

Associated Press