Collier critically wounded

Jaguars' tackle shot outside an apartment

Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded outside an apartment building early yesterday as he and a former teammate waited for two women they had met at a nightclub, Jacksonville police said.

Collier, 26, and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway were waiting in a Cadillac Escalade when a gunman fired into the vehicle, said a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman. Collier was shot several times, but it wasn't clear where he was hit.

Collier was in critical condition at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said. Later a spokesman said the hospital was no longer giving updates on Collier's condition.

Several Jaguars, including running back Maurice Jones-Drew, offensive tackle Khalif Barnes, and linebackers Mike Peterson and Clint Ingram gathered at the hospital.

"The guys are in shock," Pro Bowl running back Fred Taylor said. "You see this kind of thing happen all the time on TV, but you never expect it in your own back yard. He's a good dude. I just pray for him and his family and wish the best for them. I'm sure he'll pull through."

The motive behind the attack was unknown. Pettway, who was released in final cuts Saturday, was not injured.

In another team development, Taylor maintained Monday that he wasn't arrested for disorderly conduct over the weekend in Miami Beach but simply was cited.

However, a police report released yesterday said Taylor was ordered out of his car at gunpoint, patted down, and handcuffed while a K-9 unit searched his vehicle for drugs.

Taylor yelled at officers repeatedly and was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, after they advised him three times to quiet down, according to Miami Beach Police.

Superdome ready

The Louisiana Superdome will be ready for some football Sunday, and the New Orleans Saints say they're looking forward to celebrating the end of a stressful week with their storm-weary fans.

Forced to flee to Indianapolis ahead of Hurricane Gustav, the Saints will be able to open their regular season at home as scheduled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced.

"We will once again showcase to a national audience that the city of New Orleans is made up of resilient people and that we are ready to stand our city back up as quickly as possible, put this storm behind us, and move on with our lives," Saints owner Tom Benson said.

Foxworth traded

The Denver Broncos traded versatile defensive back Domonique Foxworth to the Atlanta Falcons for a conditional seventh-round draft choice in 2009. The Falcons said the pick could be higher, based upon Foxworth's playing time . . . Chiefs coach Herm Edwards indicated rookie Branden Albert may start at left tackle Sunday when Kansas City opens its season at New England, even though he has missed most of the preseason.

Upshaw remembered

Laughter and tears filled the concert hall of the Kennedy Center in Washington as family, teammates, and colleagues celebrated the life of Hall of Fame lineman and longtime NFL union head Gene Upshaw. "He was my friend. He was my brother. I will never forget him," said Art Shell, who played alongside Upshaw on the Oakland Raiders' offensive line for more than a decade. "Uppy, I'll miss you." About 1,000 people gathered for the three-hour service. Upshaw, 63, died Aug. 20 of pancreatic cancer, which had been diagnosed only days earlier.