IRVING, Texas » Green Bay Packers defensive end Cullen Jenkins was worried about his father after not hearing from him for more than a month.

Police told the Associated Press last night that his dad is just fine in Hawaii.

A spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department, Michelle Yu, said that officers contacted Darome Jenkins — performing a "welfare check" — following media reports and inquiries about his whereabouts.

Jenkins’ older brother, Kris — a defensive tackle for the New York Jets — told the AP in an e-mail that his father contacted Cullen Jenkins yesterday after seeing some of the reports,

Cullen Jenkins is in Dallas preparing for the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and mentioned that he hadn’t heard from his father since around Christmas. He also said he was leaving a ticket for his dad at Cowboys Stadium in case he shows up.

"That’s the thing that makes it difficult, because you really don’t know," Cullen Jenkins said a few hours before hearing from his father. "I don’t know if he’s just being distant right now or has kind of pulled back from everybody, or who knows?"

Jenkins said it was strange not to hear from his father for so long because he and his brother are very close to their father, who raised them as a single dad in Ypsilanti, Mich.

"That’s like the core of our family growing up," Jenkins said. "It was me, my dad and my brother."

Jenkins recalled a conversation he had with his father in December through text messages.

"It wasn’t an incident, but there was a discussion, and it wasn’t a bad discussion by any means," Jenkins said. "He was talking a little bit about how he was feeling about certain things in the family, and maybe feeling a little left out and things like that. That’s what makes this so difficult, you know, because you just don’t know."

That’s when all communication stopped between both Jenkins brothers and their father.

"I tried to contact him again," Cullen Jenkins said, "and his phone was off."

NFL NOTES

Driver, Pouncey miss practices

Green Bay receiver Donald Driver missed practice yesterday because of an injured thigh and probably will miss another.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Driver wanted to practice, but "I’m not taking any chances with him."

Linebacker Erik Walden also missed practice because of a sprained ankle.

Meanwhile, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey got treatment for his sprained left ankle.

"It’s getting to be the witching hour for Maurkice," coach Mike Tomlin said after practice. "He’s going to have to show us something very soon."

If he can’t play Sunday, Doug Legursky would make his first NFL start at center.

Falcons extend Smith’s contract

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. » The Falcons have signed coach Mike Smith to a three-year contract extension after he led the team to the NFC South title.

Atlanta finished 13-3 this season, earning the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

Smith’s regular-season record with the Falcons is 33-15.

Steelers’ field rated worst

DALLAS » The Pittsburgh Steelers have the worst grass field in the NFL, according to a survey by the players union.

The AFC champions ranked at the bottom when players were asked to evaluate the fields.

University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, has the best grass field, while the best artificial turf is in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.