As published September 14, 2006 in the Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger

NFL players questioned in murder case

By WALLACE KINGSTON
Associated Press Sports Writer

Two professional football players have been questioned in connection with the 2002 death of a University of Mississippi student whose remains were recently unearthed at a construction site on campus.

Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department investigators confirmed Monday that they have contacted New York Jets running back Dwight Nelson and Greg Urbanski of the Tampa Buccaneers concerning the death of James Washington, who was a senior at Ole Miss and a reserve player n the football team when he disappeared in April of 2002. Washington's remains were discovered May 18 by construction crews at the university's Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, which is undergoing a $20 million facelift.

Nelson and Urbanski were questioned because they played on the Ole Miss team with Washington, according to Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer Elizabeth Jones, who said the interviews were "routine."

"When a student who's a football player turns up dead, it's not surprising that we interview the other players," Jones said. "There is no reason to assume, at this point, that anyone is necessarily a suspect. We're just covering all the bases."

But Wallace Kleinhoffer, a former coach and author of the runaway bestseller No Penalty, which examined the prevalence of violence among football players, said any association with the case is likely to hurt the players' reputations.

"The general view is they're thugs and because the game is violent, these people must be violent all the time," Kleinhoffer said. "It's not really fair, but the assumption is going to be they were involved somehow."

Urbanski, currently on the reserve list for the Buccaneers, declined to comment on the record, instead issuing a statement that said, in part, "I... want to cooperate fully with the authorities so whoever committed this awful crime can be punished."

Robert Cambra, spokesman for the New York Jets, said Nelson was "troubled" by the news about Washington and is providing as much information as possible.

"It was a long time ago, so obviously Dwight is trying the best he can to remember everything that might be relevant," Cambra said. "It's an awful shock. Obviously he feels just terrible."

Nelson, who has been on the Jets' starting roster since 2004, in February signed a five-year contract. Nelson led the team for receiving last year with a total of 848 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown run in the Jets' surprise 29-28 victory against the Colts.

In addition to Nelson and Urbanski, Jones said authorities have contacted other members of the Ole Miss team, family and friends. She declined to comment on the progress of the case, saying only that "every lead is being examined to the best of our ability."