The Kansas City Chiefs activated Shawn Barber from the physically unable to perform list on Friday. Barber, a 6-foot-2-inch, 240-pound linebacker, suffered a knee injury against Tampa Bay in November 2004. Before the injury, he had started 24 consecutive games for the Chiefs. Barber, who also played for Washington and Philadelphia, joined the Chiefs as an unrestricted free agent in 2003.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Benny Sapp bruised his right hip on a punt return in the first quarter against Houston on Sunday night. Houston free safety Marcus Coleman pushed him to the turf on a return by the Texans. Chiefs trainers surrounded him on the field for several minutes before he walked off with help. Sapp returned to the game on a punt return in the second quarter.

With all the recent speculation about Herman Edwards being considered for the Chiefs' head coaching position, there's a chance there won't be a position available after all. Coach Dick Vermeil said he hasn't decided whether this will be his final season. "If we're successful and playing real well, then I'll have a decision to make," said Vermeil, 69. "If we're not, the decision will be made ... I'm just not going to do the same thing I did with the Rams: leave when we're winning."

NFL owners voted Wednesday to tentatively award Kansas City a Super Bowl, largely as a tribute to owner Lamar Hunt, who gave the game its name. It comes with one giant string attached: improvements to Arrowhead Stadium, including a rolling roof to keep out the February cold. The team estimates the cost of the roof alone at $100 million to $200 million -- and that's not counting $300 million or so the Chiefs say they need in stadium upgrades. The approval is for a 10-year window, starting in 2011, but Hunt said the most likely prospects would be for the 49th or 51st Super Bowl, after the 2014 or 2016 seasons. "This is a very happy day, and in some respects a surprising day," he said at a news conference after the second day of the owners' two-day fall meeting adjourned. "This is something our organization has talked about for a number of years."

With Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil expected to retire after the season, Herm Edwards has been mentioned in NFL circles as the logical successor to his mentor. After all, he used to be an assistant coach and scout for Kansas City and he has known team president Carl Peterson since he was a high-school senior. Edwards is aware of the speculation, and he acknowledged yesterday that "it's nice to hear other people want you." But the Jets' coach, rumored to be interested, said he has no plans to leave. "I want to coach this team as long as I coach," Edwards said in a private moment after his news conference. "When they tell me I can't coach here anymore, I'll move on." Edwards has two years remaining on his contract, so he can't make a unilateral decision to leave for another job. There are looming issues, however, that could come into play. The Jets' salary-cap situation will restrict their ability to rebuild the offense and, with Chad Pennington's uncertain shoulder, they have no quarterback of the present or future. Some coaches might look at that situation and try to run away. "I don't look at it that way," said Edwards, adding, "The offseason will take care of itself. It will come to a head in the offseason, what we have to do, what direction we're going in as an organization. We'll try to fix it and get it going again."

Kansas City running back Priest Holmes, out for the rest of the season, is taking a break back home in Texas and is not thinking about retirement, his father said. There had been speculation earlier this week that Holmes might retire after seeing three medical specialists following a helmet-to-helmet collision against San Diego on Oct. 30. He missed last Sunday's game against Oakland, and the Chiefs placed him on injured reserve Wednesday because of head and neck trauma. His father, Herman Morris, said Holmes is irritated and disappointed about another early end to his season. But he plans to be back. "He's not contemplating retirement," Morris told The Kansas City Star in Friday's edition. "He wants to go out on top. He wants to go out his way. He plans on walking off, at God's will, writing his own script, not having someone else write it for him."

After three evaluations, two flights to opposite coasts and one long week of retirement speculation, Priest Holmes was back home in Texas on Wednesday in a very familiar spot. Out for the season. Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson said Wednesday that Holmes has been placed on injured reserve for what the organization is calling a head and neck trauma. In a postpractice spectacle filled with at least double the usual number of cameras and microphones, Peterson quashed speculation that Holmes would retire and said his Pro Bowl running back faces no permanent risks by playing in 2006. He said Holmes will be back with the team next week to mentor the younger running backs. He flashed back to 2002, when Holmes' career was in serious jeopardy after a hip injury. "I would never underestimate this guy because of what he's overcome in the past," Peterson said. "I know he's disappointed because he wanted so much to finish this season with us and help us get to where we want to go."

A spokesman for the Kansas City Chiefs denied a report Wednesday that running back Priest Holmes may retire because of a spinal injury. "We won't have anything until later today," said Bob Moore, the director of public relations. "I don't think it's career-ending." Holmes, 32, a three-time Pro Bowler whose 66 touchdowns between 2002-2004 are an NFL record for any three-year span, was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit against San Diego on Oct. 30. He missed last week's game against Oakland and in the past two weeks has seen spinal-injury specialists in California and Florida. Speculation has been rampant that he would be out for an extended period, although the Chiefs have said they were hopeful he would soon return to the lineup. KSHB reported Wednesday that doctors had found a lump on Holmes' spine and were concerned about possible paralysis should he take a direct hit. Citing a highly-placed source it didn't identify, the station said Holmes could announce his retirement as soon as Thursday.

Running back Priest Holmes hadn't returned from Florida, where he was undergoing tests after suffering a head injury in last week's 28-20 loss in San Diego. Coach Dick Vermeil, who Wednesday told the Bay Area media he expected Holmes to be upgraded to probable, told reporters Friday that Holmes was doubtful and sounded resigned to playing without him. Running back Larry Johnson, who earlier this week was complaining about being Holmes' backup, will get his chance as the No.1 running back.

Coach Dick Vermeil raised the possibility Thursday that quarterback Trent Green may not start for Kansas City on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. Green was in St. Louis on Wednesday for funeral services for his father and was expected to return the next day and dive into game preparation. But Vermeil said Green also was absent from a practice on Thursday that was scaled-down, anyway, because of the injuries that have hit both the offense and defense. Vermeil declined to address the question when asked if backup Todd Collins might start. ``I'm not going to say,'' he told reporters at his post-practice news conference.