Wide receiver Antonio Bryant was excused from practice Thursday for undisclosed personal reasons, 49ers coach Mike Nolan said.

Nolan said he was uncertain whether Bryant will be available to play in Sunday's game against the Cardinals. He said he might know more about the situation Friday morning. The 49ers need a victory, coupled with a Seahawks loss to the Chargers on Sunday, to keep their playoff hopes alive heading into the final week of the season.

Niners spokesman Aaron Salkin said Bryant asked to be excused from practice. He is not being disciplined by the team, Salkin said. It is not known whether Bryant might be facing some other form of discipline. Bryant's agent, Peter Schaffer, did not respond to voice and text messages left on his cell phone.

When asked if his absence from the team's practice facility was related to Bryant's arrest last month, Nolan said, "It's just personal. Personal reasons."

Bryant was arrested Nov. 19 into San Mateo County jail on suspicion of drunken driving, reckless driving and resisting arrest. Bryant was driving his 2005 orange Lamborghini in "excess of 100 mph" on Highway 101 through Redwood City, San Mateo police said. He is awaiting a Dec. 28 court hearing.

On Dec. 10, Bryant was held out of the opening drive of the game against the Green Bay Packers because he was approximately five minutes late to a special-teams meeting the day before the game, Nolan said.

Nolan said Bryant was still in the Bay Area.

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DT Ronald Fields sustained a broken right arm late in Wednesday's practice, an injury he did not discover until after the session ended. He is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday to have a plate inserted into his forearm. He was placed on injured reserve and replaced on the active roster by veteran DT Lance Legree, who left his job on Wall Street as a financial advisor for the final two weeks of the season.

TE Eric Johnson (left knee) practiced Thursday and has a good chance to return to action this week. He is listed as questionable. He has missed three games with an MCL sprain.

LB Derek Smith (left hamstring) practiced Thursday after missing two games with a hamstring strain. He is listed as questionable, but it looks as if he'll return to the starting lineup Sunday against the Cardinals.

OT Adam Snyder (right ankle/knee) practiced Thursday after missing two games with the injury sustained Dec. 3. He is listed as questionable. If he is able to return to action, coach Mike Nolan said he would split time at RT with starter Kwame Harris.

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Thanks to everyone for their guesses about which player would be announced as the winner of the Garry Niver Award, which goes annually to the 49ers player who is the most professional, cooperative and helpful in dealing with the media.

The winner - and he has won just about everything else, so it should be no surprise - is Bryant Young.

For 13 seasons, B.Y. has been a role model in the 49ers' locker room. And that includes how he handles himself around the media. He has always made himself available and is cooperative when dealing with the Fourth Estate.

This season, he is often the last player to leave the locker room after games. After the 49ers' disappointing loss two weeks ago to the Packers, B.Y. supplied me with my lead quote for my game story:

"We thought we figured out how to get over that hump, and we had some confidence with that three-game win streak. We experienced what it was like to put back-to-back-back wins together. And then we take a step back like we have."

When told Thursday that he was the winner of the award, Young quipped, "With all the media darlings in here, I thought I'd never get that award."

Alex Smith finished second (I'm guessing he'll win the award before too long), and Walt Harris was third.

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Oh, by the way, the 49ers will wear their throwback uniforms on Sunday.

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This comes from reader Paul, and I thought I'd pass it along:

"B.Y., Come Back!"

That's the chant/chear I want to hear from the 49ers Faithful this Sunday. I want it to be louder than loud, coming from every fan standing in honor of one of the greatest 49ers ever. Let there be no doubt in B.Y.'s mind what the 49ers Faithful feel about him.

Please spread the word to all your friends planning to attend the game on Sunday. It's time to rise up in unison....