A NEW LOOK: Three years ago this week, on June 22, 1997, Seattle Seahawks quarterback JON KITNA had the biggest day of his professional football career, passing for a World Bowl-record 401 yards in leading the Barcelona Dragons to 38-24 victory over the Rhein Fire. Kitna, who had yet to appear in an NFL game, was earning valuable on-field experience in the NFL Europe League.

Now Kitna is undertaking off-field work to improve. "My main goal this offseason was to lose weight and play lighter on my feet," he says. "I’ve done that and improved my footwork. At the same time, I’m working out using more weight than I ever have. I’m stronger and leaner."

"He’s probably 12-15 pounds lighter than he was at this time last year," says Seahawks strength and conditioning coach KENT JOHNSTON, who designed a four-day-a-week workout for Kitna which targets the abdominals, lower back and hips.

"I like the Jon Kitna I’ve seen lately," says Seahawks quarterbacks coach MIKE SHEPPARD. "I don’t think he needs to lift 300 pounds, but being stronger, leaner, and more athletic can never hurt a quarterback."

NEW JOB, OLD CAR: This summer, New York Jets rookie quarterback CHAD PENNINGTON will be participating in NFL practices rather than college drills. Pennington, however, will be using the same means of transportation to get to practice – a 1985 Oldsmobile with 206,000 miles.

"It’s a piece of symbolism," says Pennington, who threw 123 touchdown passes and was 45-6 as the starting quarterback at Marshall. "It reminds me of my roots. It helps me maintain a blue-collar work ethic."

IVY QB: In training camp, JAY FIEDLER will compete to become the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback. If successful, Fiedler, a 1994 Dartmouth graduate, could become the third Ivy Leaguer to start at least five games in a season since quarterback starts began being tracked in 1977. Yale’s JOE DUFEK started five games for the Buffalo Bills in 1984 and
New York Giants quarterback JASON GARRETT (Princeton) started five contests for Dallas in 1998.

"I’m looking at this as my one chance," said Fiedler, who completed 64.9 percent of his passes and had an 83.5 passer rating with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. "This is my opportunity to be a starting quarterback in this league. This is what I’ve worked for, what I’ve spent all this time for."

Baltimore Ravens head coach BRIAN BILLICK thinks Fiedler’s chances are good. "He’s a lot better athlete than you would expect from an Ivy League kid," says Billick, who coached Fiedler in 1998 as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator. "You know he’s going to be smart, so you get caught in that stereotype. But after you see Jay for a while, you notice how good an athlete he really is."

THREE-WIDE IN CINCINNATI: The St. Louis Rams used the three-wide receiver formation on offense last season and had great success, ranking first in the NFL in passing yards and touchdown passes en route to their first Super Bowl victory.

The Cincinnati Bengals, who drafted Florida State wide receivers PETER WARRICK and RON DUGANS in the first and third rounds, respectively, to complement 1999 club receiving leader DARNAY SCOTT, would like a taste of that offensive success. "[Three wides] will be part of our package," says Bengals head coach BRUCE COSLET. "It’s fun to watch guys like that, because you never know when they’re going to strike. It could be on a deep ball or a three-yard hitch."

"That would be great," says Warrick. "All three of us could just go out and make plays. It would make our team more efficient."