Owens back after another break at Cowboys' camp

A refreshed Terrell Owens was back in pads and catching passes from Tony Romo when the Dallas Cowboys held their second practice Monday at their Oxnard, Calif., training camp.

Owens got a break the previous two sessions, when he was on the field but didn't actively participate Monday morning or in the only workout Sunday.

"He's a little, not sore, just precautionary," coach Wade Phillips said Monday in his daily briefing between practices.

The 34-year-old Owens is going into his 13th NFL season.

Panthers' Smith apologizes: Steve Smith apologized and talked about winning back the respect of his teammates, coaches and fans. A battered Ken Lucas accepted Smith's apology and discussed his impending surgery.

And the Carolina Panthers' coaching staff tried to keep the team together after an ugly incident involving two of the team's highest-paid players.

A subdued, apologetic Smith returned to practice Monday, three days after the three-time Pro Bowl receiver punched Lucas in the face at practice, and two days after he was suspended without pay for the first two regular-season games.

"I'm completely wrong," Smith said in a rambling, four-minute meeting with reporters that ended with him declining to answer questions. "It was an asinine decision. And I'll move forward better than I probably have ever had to. It's the first time in my life that I really haven't forgiven myself."

Lucas also appeared on the field for the first time since Smith slugged him while he was on one knee and not wearing a helmet.

The starting cornerback, with a black left eye and swelling near his nose, rode a stationary bike while the team worked out, thanks to the broken nose that will sideline him two to three weeks.

"Depending on the surgery," Lucas said. "We're still waiting on the doctors to give us the timetable on when we're going to have this procedure done."

Seahawks' Gray retires: The last day of Chris Gray's unsung career was the first day he got star treatment.

"So this is what (Matt) Hasselbeck goes through every day," the invaluable yet relatively anonymous Seahawks offensive lineman joked as he sat in front of cameras and microphones Monday to announce he was retiring on the eve of his 16th NFL season.

Seattle's record holder for consecutive games played at 121 from 1999 to 2006 is retiring because of a lower back and spine injury that had doctors telling him he risked paralysis if he continued playing.

"There wasn't much of a choice. Once they told me the seriousness, I couldn't risk being confined to a wheelchair just to play a 16th year," the 38-year-old Gray said.

Boldin to sit out vs. Saints: Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin will miss Thursday's preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints with a right hamstring injury.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection remains day-to-day for practice, Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday.

"I think we're going to try to do some things with Anquan, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with him going into the game without having done a lot of reps," Whisenhunt said.