ATX_SAINT

Saints CB McKenzie leaves for personal reasons
Associated Press
7/31/2006


JACKSON, Miss. - As Reggie Bush finally arrived at the Jackson International Airport, starting cornerback Mike McKenzie also was there to get a flight out of town.

McKenzie said he had to attend to personal matters and it was not clear how many days of training camp he would miss.

Team officials said it was an excused absence.

Meanwhile, there remained no sign of linebacker Anthony Simmons, who never reported to camp and is not excused.

General manager Mickey Loomis said Simmons, an eight-year veteran acquired as a free agent in the offseason, had contacted linebacker's coach Joe Vitt to discuss his reasons for not showing up.

However, the Saints declined to excuse him and place him on the reserve/did not report list, meaning the Saints would have to formally reactivate Simmons if he decided to report.

Simmons could be fined up to $14,000 per day of missed training camp, but Loomis said the Saints haven't made that decision yet.

The 30-year-old former Seattle Seahawk sat out all of last season while recovering from a wrist injury and had expressed publicly before joining the Saints that he was no longer enjoying playing in the NFL.

Reserve quarterback Jamie Martin also remained out of camp. He was excused before players began reporting last Thursday to be with his wife, who is seriously ill.