Cowboys silent at combine

INDIANAPOLIS — Jerry Jones wants to be the sole voice of the Dallas Cowboys.

During this weekend's NFL annual scouting combine, nearly every team sent either coaches or front office officials — or both — to the media room to speak with reporters. Even Patriots coach Bill Belichick showed up at the podium, the first time that's happened since this format began in 2001.

But the Cowboys, one of the league's marquee teams, were noticeably absent.

NFL officials did not give a statement but said they tried to get a representative from each team to appear. They estimated only five teams did not send anyone, including the usually chatty Cowboys.

The reason? Jones wants to be owner and spokesman for the team during the offseason, not even letting coach Wade Phillips speak.

"Where I'm coming from here, I just want to make sure you're not getting bits and pieces of information," Jones told The Dallas Morning News on Saturday night. "That's not doing anybody any good and you're not making accurate reports."

BELICHICK APPEARANCE: Patriots coach Bill Belichick broke his own gag order Sunday.

For the first time since becoming coach of the New England Patriots, Belichick stepped to the podium to face reporters at the NFL scouting combine. He declined to talk about Tom Brady's injury or a possible trade for Matt Cassel. Or any other personnel moves, for that matter.

But he did wax philosophical about the coaches and front office staff the Patriots have lost in recent years.

He also talked about nearly firing current Browns general manager George Kokinis, back when Belichick was Cleveland's coach and Kokinis' boss.

"I was this close," Belichick said. "When we were there in Cleveland, he was driving guys to the airport and he got in an accident."

The 12-minute opening statement was the longest of any coach at the combine, and Belichick did sound genuinely happy for those who have moved on from the Patriots organization.

OPENING EYES: Few doubted Pat White's ability to run. There was more concern about his ability to throw.

Perhaps not any more.

NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock met with reporters after Sunday's quarterback workouts and wasted no time in singling out White's impressive performance as one of the best of the day.

"He threw the (heck) out of the ball," Mayock said.

For White, the workout was essential to his draft hopes.

Many scouts considered him too small for the NFL, with his listed height and weight at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds last season at West Virginia.