New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said yesterday the team should have disclosed Brett Favre's torn biceps tendon on mandatory weekly injury reports over the final third of last season.

Favre, now with the Minnesota Vikings, said earlier this week he thought he was hurting the Jets because of the injury and discussed it with the coaches and the front office. He said he would have been willing to sit out, even though that would have ended his streak of consecutive starts, which now stands at 269 games.

Tannenbaum said he should have listed the quarterback as "probable," but didn't because the injury was not severe enough to require daily treatment and there was never any doubt Favre would play.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league was investigating.

In the past, such violations usually have resulted in fines.

Hiding injuries could affect an opponent's preparation, and the NFL has stepped up policing such practices.

"As the GM of this team, I should've handled that differently and listed him on the report," Tannenbaum said.

Favre threw nine interceptions down the stretch and the team lost four of its last five games, missing the playoffs.

ELSEWHERE

Notable hiring: Hall of Fame coach John Madden will serve as a special adviser to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The league said yesterday that as part of his unpaid position Madden will chair the coaches group in the competition committee. Madden will also participate in meetings of a general managers committee and be part of a weekly call with Goodell or another NFL official.

Madden retired from broadcasting in April.

On the air: NFL fans whose local teams' games are blacked out will be able to watch replays online for free — though not until after midnight.

The recession has left several teams in danger of having games blacked out this season, including Cincinnati and Arizona this week.

A game is not aired in the home market if it does not sell out 72 hours in advance.

Cardinals: Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin briefly tested his sore hamstring yesterday, then watched the rest of practice.

If Boldin can't play in the opener against San Francisco on Sunday, the Cardinals may look to Jerheme Urban for help.

Vikings: Minnesota has released wide receiver Bobby Wade, who led the team in receptions the past two years, and replaced him with free agent Greg Lewis.

Wade had 53 receptions for 645 yards and two touchdowns last season, after recording 647 yards and three scores the year before.