Ex-NY Giant Burress gets 2 years in gun case

Former Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress apologized to his family and tearfully kissed his pregnant wife and young son goodbye Tuesday before he was led away to prison to begin serving a two-year sentence on a weapons charge.

Burress, at the time a star receiver with the New York Giants, was at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan last November when a gun tucked into his waistband slipped down his leg and fired, wounding him in the thigh.

The accidental shooting enraged New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who publicly castigated Burress for carrying his .40-caliber weapon.

Burress told Judge Michael Melkonian before sentencing, "I want to apologize to my family." Burress did not speak to reporters as he left the courthouse. With time off for good behavior, he likely will serve 20 months. He could be released from prison as early as the spring of 2011 and will be monitored an additional two years after he is freed.

Cassel to start ... for now: Brodie Croyle has a much higher quarterback rating and a better completion percentage, but Matt Cassel has a bigger guaranteed contract. Guess who'll start for Kansas City on Sunday? It will be Cassel facing the Eagles in Philadelphia, coach Todd Haley said Tuesday. But the rookie head coach also said he would not hesitate to make a switch if he decided Croyle gives the winless Chiefs a better chance.

Drug testing still in effect: NFL players have been warned the league's drug-testing program is still in effect despite Commissioner Roger Goodell's ruling to delay suspending several players who tested positive for a banned substance.

In a joint memo issued in the past two weeks by Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, players were reminded in bold print that they will continue to be tested as in the past and "a positive test will generally result in a suspension."

Extra points: Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jermaine Phillips will miss the rest of the season with a broken left thumb. ... The New England Patriots acquired linebacker Prescott Burgess from the Baltimore Ravens for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. ... Now that he's apologized for calling fans "dim wits," Washington Redskins rookie Robert Henson is apparently done with Twitter. On Sunday night, Henson fired off many tweets at fans who booed the Redskins during their 9-7 win over the St. Louis Rams. Henson called the fans "dim wits" and asked how people who "work 9 to 5 at Mcdonalds" could know what's best for the team.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="http://video.ap.org/?t=By%20Section/Sports&g=0922dv_plaxico_sentencing&f=ILARL">Raw Video: Plaxico Burress Sentenced to 2 Years </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>