Tank Johnson was not given a podium on Media Day. That did not prevent a horde of reporters and photographers from surrounding the defensive tackle of the Chicago Bears who awaits trial on gun possession charges.

Lance Briggs said he won't use Super Bowl week to get fired up about a new contract with the Bears. "I've played well. I've played hard for four years, so obviously good things are going to happen," Briggs said Monday before adding, "I don't have a whole lot to say on that one." Briggs admits the defensive scheme of Bears coach Lovie Smith has made him a more effective player. If he opts for free agency and signs with another team, he might not have such a friendly scheme. "The weakside linebacker position in this defensive scheme, you're kind of called on to make play after play," Briggs said. "So when Lovie came here he said, 'I want you to play weak side. I want you to be the Derrick Brooks of this defense.' In this defense, you are relied on to make play after play."

Tony Dungy was ready to get to work in South Florida, even if Indianapolis had one less day to do it. Arriving a day after the Chicago Bears, and later than most recent Super Bowl teams, Dungy explained Indianapolis' delayed arrival as wanting to make this as normal a week as possible.

Add Mike Singletary to the list of candidates to become coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The Hall of Fame linebacker will interview Tuesday with team owner Jerry Jones. He'll become the eighth candidate considered to replace Bill Parcells.

The Bears were thought to be looking for a first-day pick for Thomas Jones, but the Colts balked at the price and decided to find their running back in the April draft, where they selected Joseph Addai. ''That was one of many rumors,'' said Jones, whose name also came up in trade talk during training camp, this time in a proposed deal with Denver for wide receiver Ashley Lelie. ''It's just rumors. I didn't really pay much attention to that whole situation. I was just working out trying to get myself better.'' Both New York teams are said to be interested in Jones to replace Tiki Barber or Curtis Martin.

Coach Lovie Smith thumbed through the Colts press guide on a three-hour flight that delivered the Bears from the cold of Chicago to the warm comfort of Florida -- a trip that landed them back at the Super Bowl. "I looked at 18 pages of Peyton Manning," Smith said Sunday night, about two hours after the Bears touched down at Miami International Airport.

The NFL fined the New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush $5,000 for taunting Brian Urlacher at the end of his 88-yard touchdown reception in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 21, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported. Bush wagged his finger at the trailing Urlacher shortly before crossing the goal line with a somersault jump.

As the NFL's lowest paid coach, Lovie Smith led the Bears to the Super Bowl. He's now in line for a contract extension. Bears president Ted Phillips expects to work out the extension soon. Phillips said Wednesday he's had preliminary discussions with both Smith and GM Jerry Angelo on new deals, but talks are on hold until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 4 in Miami. That way, there will be no distractions.

Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson will play in the Super Bowl -- with court approval. Cook County Judge John Moran granted a defense request Tuesday to allow Johnson to leave the state as he awaits trial on gun possession charges. The Bears will play the Colts in the Super Bowl in Miami on Feb. 4. Defense attorney Lorna Propes said Johnson will be under no special restrictions or court supervision in Miami.

Cook County Judge John J. Moran is expected to tell Tank Johnson whether he may travel to Miami to play in the Super Bowl -- and whether he'll be allowed to stick around to party afterward. "If the judge is convinced [Johnson] will come back for the parade after they win, then he will let him go," speculated veteran Cook County criminal defense attorney, Barry A. Spector.