Patriots' Bruschi will miss all of preseason

The New England Patriots are getting used to not having Tedy Bruschi in training camp.

The star linebacker underwent surgery Wednesday for a broken wrist, and will miss the entire exhibition season. He was also out last summer, while he recovered from a stroke.

"His presence, his leadership, his vocal (presence), his mental understanding of the game is huge for us," safety Rodney Harrison said. "Right now, Tedy has an issue and, fortunately for us, we have time right now. We have other guys. We get a chance to look at other young guys."

Bruschi, entering his 11th season with the Patriots, was hurt on July 31, the fourth day of camp, and hasn't practiced since.

Rookie found unconscious

WASHINGTON -- Washington Redskins rookie offensive lineman Kili Lefotu was found unconscious in his room Wednesday night and was undergoing tests at a hospital.

Coaches became concerned when Lefotu failed to show up for the team's 7 p.m. practice. Representatives were sent to the players' housing, where they found Lefotu unresponsive. Coach Joe Gibbs said Lefotu appeared to be doing better, but doctors had yet to diagnose what happened.

"He's responsive, he's talking, which wasn't the case when they first found him at the dorm," Gibbs said. "The first set of tests, they were looking for something bleeding, and they didn't find anything."

Gibbs said the Redskins training staff was not aware of any similar problems in Lefotu's medical history.

Gibbs also said Lefotu had attended the afternoon meetings and showed no signs of illness. The team took longer than usual to become aware of Lefotu's illness because his roommate, Manaia Brown, was released earlier in the day.

Brown to have surgery

DENVER -- Denver Broncos defensive lineman Courtney Brown, whose career has been plagued by injuries, will miss the entire exhibition season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee.

Recovery is expected to take three to four weeks. Coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday he expects Brown to be back in the lineup for the Broncos' Sept. 10 regular-season opener at St. Louis.

Cowboys to look at Romo

DALLAS -- Bill Parcells says there's a "good chance" former Eastern Illinois standout Tony Romo will start at quarterback in the preseason opener against Seattle.

The move has nothing to do with starter Drew Bledsoe and everything to do with evaluating Romo, who is going into his fourth season without having thrown a pass in a regular-season game.

"I need to find out what this guy can do," Parcells said Thursday. "We'll get everybody in tune. It's not like Bledsoe, 34 years old, needs to play a quarter Saturday night to make sure that he's ready for the season."

Romo is entrenched at No. 2 behind Bledsoe, ahead of Drew Henson. The team has discussed signing Romo to a contract extension, further proof of their commitment to him.

White gets in fight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White got into a brawl Thursday morning with a teammate.

The rookie out of Southern California, who fell to the 45th pick in the draft overall in April, started clashing with the defense on a running play. He was walking back toward the huddle when he was bumped.

White walked back, and safety Donnie Nickey pushed back at the rookie with his helmet. A recording by a television cameraman picked up linebacker Keith Bulluck yelling that White had spit in Nickey's face.

A few plays later, White couldn't catch an outlet pass from Matt Mauck when hit by rookie Cortland Finnegan and a brawl ensued.

-- The Associated Press