Prison sentence for Lewis

Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was sentenced to four months in prison yesterday for using a cellphone to try to set up a drug deal about 4 1/2 years ago.

The sentence issued in federal court in Atlanta was what Lewis expected under an agreement reached with prosecutors in October.

Lewis, who tried to set up the deal a few months after he was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft, also will spend two months in a halfway house and perform 500 hours of community service following his prison term.

Prosecutors agreed to drop more serious drug conspiracy and attempted cocaine possession charges.

"I'm truly sorry for what I did," Lewis said to US District Judge Orinda Evans.

Explaining the short sentence, the judge said the government didn't have a strong case and noted the only witness against Lewis was an informant with a lengthy criminal record.

Evans said she was also giving Lewis "credit for stepping up to the bar" and admitting his guilt.

Evans said she will recommend that Lewis, who has until Feb. 4 to surrender, serve his incarceration at a federal prison camp at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.

Defense lawyer Ed Garland said the sentence was fair and allows for Lewis to return to the Ravens next season.

"Jamal Lewis has his life and his career back," Garland told reporters outside court.

Not on his toes
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was exaggerating when he said he broke two toes on his right foot during the AFC Championship game, coach Bill Cowher said. Roethlisberger told reporters Tuesday he wore down physically during the lengthy NFL season and broke two toes while scrambling late in the first half of the 41-27 loss to the Patriots. Cowher seemed irritated Roethlisberger would go public with such a claim, that, in effect, suggested the Steelers gambled with the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year's health by playing him when he was hurt. "We are unaware of any problems with his toes, OK?" Cowher said. Roethlisberger didn't specify which toes were broken and wasn't walking with an apparent limp Monday or Tuesday. "Ben does not have broken toes," Cowher said, talking publicly for the first time since Sunday night, when the Steelers lost an AFC title game for the fourth time in 11 seasons. "At the end of the first half, while scrambling, he aggravated some toes he has broken in the past, in high school and college. He mentioned something to Ryan Grove, our assistant trainer, and said he may have broke his toe. When he came off, he said he was fine, and he went back out in the second half and didn't say anything to anybody else for the rest of the game." . . . The Lions hired Ted Tollner as offensive coordinator, reuniting him with head coach Steve Mariucci. The 64-year-old Tollner replaces Sherman Lewis, who retired after the season. Tollner was offensive coordinator for San Francisco this season and quarterbacks coach for the 49ers from 2002-2003. Mariucci's last season as coach of the Niners was 2002 . . . There have been a few more Pro Bowl additions and subtractions: Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith is in for the Jets' John Abraham (knee); Steelers offensive tackle Marvel Smith in for the Chiefs' Willie Roaf (ankle); Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain for the Ravens' Chris McAlister (foot); Falcons return specialist Allen Rossum for the Lions' Eddie Drummond (shoulder).