EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Vikings receiver Randy Moss received another fine from the NFL on Friday — this time a $10,000 penalty for taunting during Sunday's 27-24 loss at Detroit.

        Moss caught a pass near the Detroit sideline and then, according to an NFL spokesman, “aggressively confronted the opposing bench.”

        The league has fined Moss $30,000 for four infractions this season — three times for taunting and once for wearing an unofficial hat on the sidelines in the preseason.

        Moss was fined $5,000 for flexing toward the Green Bay bench Oct.21 and $10,000 for strutting into the end zone backward Nov.19 against the New York Giants.

        His agent, Dante DiTrapano, said they plan to appeal the latest fine, as well as the one from the Giants game.

        “Hopefully they could hear both appeals at the same time,” DiTrapano said.

        DiTrapano said the NFL is treating Moss differently from other players when it comes to taunting calls.

        “It seems to me that the league tends to scrutinize Randy,” he said.

        • Daunte Culpepper underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a sprained ligament in his left knee, but the team will not rule out his return for the final game of the season, Jan.7 at Baltimore.

        Coach Dennis Green said the quarterback has a “positive prognosis.”

        Todd Bouman has a sprained ligament in his throwing hand but expects to start at quarterback Sunday against Jacksonville.

        “I took all of the snaps today,” he said. “The thumb is a little sore, but I'll be ready to go on Sunday.

        Punter Mitch Berger also had arthroscopic surgery, to remove cartilage on his right knee, and will miss the rest of the season. He will be replaced by Lee Johnson.

        CHIEFS:

        Linebacker Donnie Edwards was fined $12,500 by the NFL for a late hit on Denver quarterback Gus Frerotte Sunday.

        Frerotte's complaints to game officials that Edwards hit him with a forearm as the quarterback was sliding at the end of a first-quarter scramble was ignored during the game.

        The NFL also cited Edwards for his role in a kicking incident with an unspecified player on a running play.

        “How do you not call that?” Frerotte said of Edwards' hit after the Broncos' 26-23 overtime loss.

        Frerotte's season ended in the third quarter when 288-pound end Rich Owens fell on him and separated his shoulder.

        JAGUARS:

        Cornerback Aaron Beasley was placed on injured reserve, making him the fourth Jacksonville starter whose season ended because of injury. He leads the team in career interceptions with 15.

        Beasley hurt his shoulder Dec.9 against Cincinnati. He joins left tackle Tony Boselli and linebackers Kevin Hardy and T.J. Slaughter on injured reserve.

        The Jaguars activated cornerback Renard Cox.

        STEELERS:

        R.J. Bowers, college football's all-time leading rusher, was added to Pittsburgh's roster off its practice squad.

        Rookie defensive lineman Chris Hoke, an undrafted free agent from Brigham Young, was released. He was inactive for the Steelers' first 13 games.

        Bowers, 27, rushed for 7,353 yards and scored 91 touchdowns at Division III Grove City College from 1997-2000 before signing with Carolina as an undrafted free agent. He was cut by the Panthers in training camp and joined the Steelers' practice squad.

        HAYES UPDATE:

        Former Olympian and Dallas star Bob Hayes is out of the hospital and doing well, family members say. Hayes, 59, is at a rehabilitation clinic to complete his recovery from flu-like symptoms that landed him in the hospital for eight days. He was hospitalized Dec.11 and had stomach surgery to remove excess fluid.

        EXECUTIVE MOVE:

        Roger Goodell was appointed chief operating officer of the NFL on Friday and will oversee all league business operations beginning Jan. 1.

        The NFL has not had a chief operating officer since the resignation of NFL president Neil Austrian in 1999.

        NFL owners voted in October to merge the league's three business units — NFL Properties, NFL Enterprises and NFL Films — into one company. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue selected Goodell to run the new entity.

        The 42-year-old Goodell is widely believed to be a leading candidate to succeed Tagliabue. He is the son of former New York Sen. Charles Goodell.

Paths diverge for Bengals, Baltimore Bengals notebook: Kitna to start at QB against Ravens NFL notebook: Vikings receiver Moss racks up another fine

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