Super Beatle to sing at Super Bowl halftime

Paul McCartney will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 6 as the NFL goes mainstream after the controversy over last February’s show.

“There’s nothing bigger then being asked to perform at the Super Bowl,” McCartney said. “We’re looking forward to rocking the millions at home and in the stadium.”

Last Feb. 1 at Houston’s Reliant Stadium, singer Justin Timberlake ripped off part of singer Janet Jackson’s outfit, exposing her right breast to a TV audience of some 90 million people.

CBS is protesting an FCC fine of $550,000 for the halftime show.

Clearly, the league has chosen to avoid such potential problems by signing the former Beatle. It will be McCartney’s second Super Bowl appearance. He also sang in the pregame show in New Orleans in 2002.

“We are extremely pleased to work again with Paul McCartney, one of the greatest musicians of our time, to create a memorable show,” said Steve Bornstein, the NFL’s executive vice president of media.

Dorsett watches players outrun him

Tony Dorsett was impressed with Curtis Martin the first time he saw the running back suit up for the University of Pittsburgh.

Not much has changed since. Dorsett watched with admiration and excitement as Martin and Jerome Bettis passed him Sunday on the NFL rushing list. The Steelers’ Bettis moved into fifth place with 12,863 yards, while the Jets’ Martin is now sixth with 12,741. That drops Dorsett to seventh at 12,739 yards.

When Dorsett retired in 1988, he was second on the list, but has since watched Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson pass him, as well. However, the ranking hardly matters to Dorsett. He was just happy to see two players as consistent as Martin and Bettis go ahead of him.

“My hat is off to those guys to be able to play at that level and to perform year in and year out,” Dorsett said Monday. “I can’t help but admire guys who are able to show up week in and week out and play at a high level of competition.”

Mularkey shrugs off Martz’s complaints

Mike Mularkey is shrugging off St. Louis coach Mike Martz’s accusations that Buffalo players took cheap shots during their win over the Rams.

“Based on what I saw, I don’t understand the comments that came from him,” Mularkey told reporters Monday. “I’ll leave it at that. I don’t see what he saw.”

Mularkey declined to get into a debate with the Rams coach over his complaints following Buffalo’s 37-17 win on Sunday.

“He’s got his opinions, and I don’t understand them,” Mularkey said.

Martz was unhappy after the Rams lost three cornerbacks to injuries, accusing the Bills of intentionally attempting to hurt his players by going after their knees.

Starting cornerback Travis Fisher and backup DeJuan Groce both left the game with knee injuries and did not return. Another backup, Kevin Garrett, did not return after sustaining a concussion.

A replay showed Groce had his legs cut from under him from behind by Bills offensive lineman Ross Tucker. It happened while Groce was blocking during Fisher’s interception return in the first quarter.

In addition to his complaints during a postgame news conference, Martz raised the point while shaking the hand of Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray.

“Two corners, to the knees, from behind,” Martz was overheard telling Gray. “You’ll see it on the tape.”

Rams receiver Torry Holt also accused Bills cornerback Nate Clements of going after his knees during a cut block on a running play. Holt came up hobbling and missed at least one play while being tended to on the sideline.

Monday, Martz backed off his criticism of Clements.

“There’s nothing much you can do about that, I guess. It angered me, but it’s legal,” Martz said in St. Louis.

But hours later during his radio show Monday night, Martz still appeared angry.

“I won’t live long enough to play him again, I can tell you that,” Martz said, adding that the hit on Holt was as cheap as anything he’d seen.

“Clearly it’s an intent to injure him,” Martz said.

Mularkey would only describe Clements’ hit on Holt as “physical football.”

Injury updates

QB Byron Leftwich expects to return to the starting lineup Sunday when the Jacksonville Jaguars play at Minnesota. … Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis could miss this week’s game against the New England Patriots. He underwent tests, and his status will be determined later in the week.