BRIEFLY KAUFMAN TO RETIRE, FOCUS ON MINISTRY.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Napoleon Kaufman, the Oakland Raiders' backup running back last season, retired from football Wednesday to devote his energies to his ministry.

In a brief statement released by his agent, Kaufman ended his six-year career with the Raiders, who drafted him out of Washington in 1995 with the 18th overall pick.

Kaufman, 27, rushed for 499 yards on a career-low 93 carries last season. He also had 127 yards receiving while battling leg injuries that caused him to miss two games and limited his play in others. He rushed for 4,792 yards and 12 touchdowns on 978 career carries.

--In Tallahassee, Fla., Raiders place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski was found not guilty on charges of possessing the designer drug GHB. The jury of three men and three women deliberated for only 80 minutes before clearing Janikowski on the charges of drug possession and evidence tampering.

Janikowski testified he did not know GHB was present when police arrested him, and that he wasn't even sure what GHB was.

--Brian Griese, who emerged last season as one of the NFL's best young quarterbacks, agreed to a new six-year contract with the Denver Broncos worth $39 million to $40 million. The deal includes a $12.5 million signing bonus.

BASEBALL: Richie Martin, a senior pitcher/outfielder at Valencia High, has signed a letter of intent to play at UC Santa Barbara.

WINTER SPORTS: Former Olympic downhill champion Bill Johnson, who has been in a coma since a crash at Big Mountain ski resort last month, was moved to a Portland hospital to be closer to family. Johnson, 41, from Van Nuys, remained in a coma, but has improved enough that doctors felt it was safe to move him from the hospital in Kalispell, Mont.