Coach Fox: Broncos' QB derby comes down to game execution

Broncos coach John Fox maintains that a "wide-open competition" lies ahead for the team's starting quarterback position, but told The Denver Post that "deep down, I have an idea" who will come out on top between Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn.

Fox, in his first season with the Broncos after nine years as coach of the Carolina Panthers, told the newspaper Thursday that "we do have a depth chart," but it's not set in stone.

There is no doubt that veteran Kyle Orton could be considered a "gamer" and second-year man Tim Tebow, at least based on his collegiate résumé, more than fits the description, Steve Wyche writes. More ...

Fox, who hasn't even seen his quarterbacks practice, wants to see how all three respond to game situations.

"I prefer a gamer to a good practice player. ... I want someone who will execute under pressure in a game," he told the newspaper. "So much depends on what happens (with the length of the lockout). I honestly can't sit here and tell you when a starter will be chosen."

The team's official website states that the 2011 depth chart "will be released before the first preseason game," but The Post reported Orton-Tebow-Quinn as the current order, which falls in line with Fox's statements at February's NFL Scouting Combine in which he called Orton his starter.

Broncos team executive John Elway echoed that later in the month, telling NFL Network that Orton, not 2010 first-round draft pick Tim Tebow, was the man to beat.

"Kyle is still the starting quarterback," Elway said at the time. "Tim is a very good football player," Elway said. "He's not a very good quarterback yet. We can make him a great quarterback. He's a young guy."

Orton passed for 3,653 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions and completed 58.8 percent of his throws in 12 starts last season.

Tebow, an icon at the University of Florida, generated excitement starting the Broncos' final four games. He passed for 654 yards and five touchdowns on the year, while rushing for another 227 yards and six scores.

Then there's Quinn, who was acquired last offseason in a trade with the Cleveland Browns for running back and Madden NFL 12 cover boy Peyton Hillis, a deal that has yet to pan out for Denver. Quinn joined his teammates for workouts last month, and said at the time that he sees himself as an NFL starter.

"I want to be No. 1," Quinn said. "I feel they (Orton and Tebow) both had a chance last year and I didn't get an opportunity. I'd love to get an opportunity to help us win games and get this team to the playoffs and see what happens from there."

Fox told The Post the Broncos have no plans to bring in a fourth arm.

"We've got three quarterbacks who have started games in this league," he said. "I know that quarterback is the top priority in Denver -- and there's a reason why they are so important because the great ones are so hard to find -- but I like the problem of having three to pick from."

The Broncos are coming off a disastrous season that included the midseason firing of coach Josh McDaniels and culminated with a 4-12 record. That led to the installation of Broncos legend Elway as the team's chief football executive and the hiring of Fox as coach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ochocinco on coach Lewis: 'Maybe he doesn't like me for real'

Chad Ochocinco's rollicking offseason continued Thursday when the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver roared around the track at Atlanta Motor Speedway with NASCAR driver Jeff Burton.

"I asked him to let loose," Ochocinco said. "Please don't waste my time. Step on the gas."

Ochocinco has been a busy man in Atlanta. In addition to crossing high-speed racing off his bucket list, he's continuing his offseason workouts and shooting a cameo in the latest "American Pie" sequel. Somewhere in between, he called in to an Atlanta radio station, sharing his thoughts on a number of issues, including his strained relationship with Marvin Lewis.

The Bengals' coach has been critical of his receiver in comments dating to last season. Ochocinco didn't hold back when asked where his relationship with his coach stands.

"I don't know. Hopefully Marvin is doing this maybe to help me out," Ochocinco told WQXI-AM. "Maybe he's trying to cause some friction between himself and me. Maybe he doesn't like me for real. He doesn't like me, well, I don't like him either.

"Maybe he's trying to do this to show (Bengals owner) Mike Brown, 'I don't think I can coincide with Chad,' but damn it, I can't coincide with him either, and if he really feels that way, when I see him, I'm going to whoop his (butt)."

Ochocinco has played his entire 10-season career with the Bengals, but it's believed he could be released or asked to take a pay cut when the NFL lockout is lifted. He didn't sound like a player itching to return to his familiar stomping grounds.

"It doesn't matter where I'm at," Ochocinco said. "People can say what they want. Wherever I am, I'm going to make it happen. And they always say the grass ain't greener on the other side, but my damn grass been brown for a long time."

Another longtime Bengal whose career with the team is in doubt is Carson Palmer. The quarterback has said he'll retire if he's not traded by the team, because he's fed up with the culture of losing that has enveloped the franchise.

Ochocinco doesn't believe Palmer is bluffing.

"He's not playing. When somebody goes out of character like that, especially a white guy with red hair that grows a random beard," Ochocinco said. "When he says he's going to do something, he's going to do it. He's not playing."

Ochocinco also has worked out with two of football's most controversial players this offseason, former New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress and former Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor. Ochocinco raved about Pryor -- who left Ohio State in April amid scandal surrounding improper benefits -- praising his timing and arm strength.

Ochocinco also was complimentary of Burress, who recently was released from a 22-month prison stay on gun charges.

"Plax looks like he's ready to play. ... He hasn't missed a beat," Ochocinco said. "We trained all last week together (and) he looks really good ... a lot bigger, too."

The countdown concludes with a two-hour special revealing the top 10 on NFL Network on Sunday, July 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Stay tuned for a reaction show right after.

Ochocinco, a six-time Pro Bowl pick, took the ride with Burton about six weeks after visiting the Professional Bull Riders circuit near Atlanta to ride a 1,500-pound bull for 1.5 seconds. He also has tried out for Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer and said he next plans to wrestle an alligator.

"You can't scare him," Burton said. "The man has ridden a bull. He runs routes across the middle of the field. He wants to wrestle an alligator. How do you scare an athlete like that?"

Ochocinco ended his day at the speedway with a new level of respect for NASCAR drivers.

"How the hell they are able to do that with 30 other drivers on the track is beyond me," he said, adding that NASCAR "really is a sport and it does take skill."

Asked in an ESPN interview if he worried about losing a limb battling alligators, Ochocinco said he already had a backup plan in mind.

"If I lose an arm wrestling alligators, I can just be the Bengals' kicker," said Ochocinco, who kicked an extra point in a 2009 preseason game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Newton's QB coach expects to work with NFL-minded Pryor

What could Terrelle Pryor have in common with Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers?

Pryor might be the latest protégé of quarterbacks coach George Whitfield, the Canton Repository reported Sunday.

Ex-Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor (above) likely will turn to the same man whom Cam Newton did to help him prepare for the NFL. (Ben Liebenberg/NFL.com)

Whitfield said he's close to being hired to tutor Pryor as the former Ohio State quarterback prepares for the NFL Supplemental Draft, whenever that might be, according to the Repository.

"It is my understanding I am heading (to Miami)," said Whitfield, who's wrapping up a 2,000-mile bus tour of visits with 40 quarterbacks. "I look forward to working with him. From a kid that grew up in Ohio and knows how important the Buckeyes are and my relationship with (former Ohio State) coach (Jim) Tressel and his relationship with coach Tressel ... on top of the fact he's talented and a big competitor. It's a challenge to me. I know Terrelle wants to be as good as he can be."

Whitfield disagrees with the assessment of some analysts that Pryor's best position in the NFL might be tight end.

"I almost jumped off the couch (during the NFL draft) when I heard that," Whitfield said. "They put in all their chips against him and made a definitive statement about a guy who is 31-4 at one of the more premier college programs in America."

Whitfield already has a blueprint for Pryor.

"The big thing is I've got to get him more familiar with his operation in the pocket in terms of footwork and throwing from the pocket," Whitfield said. "Of the guys I've worked with, Pryor has played more under center than any of them. It's not that he’s deficient in that area, but it's what the NFL wants. The league puts a premium on operation from the cockpit, and we'll work on that."

Whitfield coached Newton before and since his selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Whitfield also worked with Roethlisberger while the Pittsburgh Steeler sat out his four-game suspension at the start of the 2010 season. And Whitfield worked with Rivers in 2007 while serving as an intern on Cam Cameron's Chargers offensive staff.

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Reed: 'We wanted Rex as the head coach in Baltimore' in '08

John Harbaugh has found success as coach of the Ravens, leading the team to the playoffs in all three of his seasons. But one of Baltimore's biggest stars acknowledged Friday that many in the locker room pulled for Rex Ryan to land the job in 2008.

Ed Reed, the Ravens' seven-time Pro Bowl safety, didn't hold back this week when explaining his affection for Ryan, now the New York Jets' outspoken coach.

"(Ryan was) like a dad, like a brother, man," Reed told ESPN, in comments reported by The Baltimore Sun. "We wanted Rex as the head coach in Baltimore. We did not want him to leave. It hurt when he left (in 2009). We knew he was a great coach. There was a reason why that defense was the way it was."

Before Ryan guided the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, he served as a key figure behind the vaunted Ravens defense. Ryan was the defensive line coach from 1999 to 2004 before a promotion to defensive coordinator duties in 2005.

Ryan held that position for three seasons and was believed to be a serious candidate to replace dismissed coach Brian Billick. The job ultimately went to Harbaugh, who previously had been part of Andy Reid's Philadelphia Eagles staff.

Reed didn't speak negatively of Harbaugh, but he heaped praise on Ryan, whom Harbaugh retained for the 2008 season.

"I would play anywhere with Rex -- in a dark alley, on the street, in high school football, sandlot, anywhere -- because he makes it fun," Reed said. "He loves this game. He truly loves this game, and there's a reason why those guys in New York back him the way they do."

Reed, 32, also discussed his playing future, admitting that recent injuries have him wondering how many years he has left in the NFL.

"I don't want to be like these guys having neck surgery and then you got to have another surgery just to continue to play this game," said Reed, also a five-time All-Pro. "I love this game, but I love myself more."

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Rivera happy Panthers practicing, but he'd like to coach them

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Bucs coach Morris waves off differences with Bengals' Lewis

If there was bad blood between Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris last season, the men appear to have left it on the field.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Saturday that Lewis was angry with Tampa Bay for signing rookie wideout Dezmon Briscoe to its practice squad last September, after the Bengals released the 2010 sixth-round pick in hopes he would wind up on their practice squad.

But Briscoe chose the Bucs over the Bengals because Tampa Bay offered him the rookie minimum of about $325,000, favorable to the roughly $100,000 practice squad contract the Bengals planned to field.

Hearing that Lewis was upset, Morris told reporters at the time that Lewis would be wise to focus on his own team's affairs, fueling speculation that the two were on shaky turf leading up to Week 5's Bucs-Bengals game, which Tampa Bay won 24-21. 

Morris appeared at the Marvin Lewis Golf Classic last week and rejected the notion of problems between the two.

Chad Ochocinco recently has attempted a lot of jobs. None of them peformed particularly well. NFL.com's Adam Rank rates the Bengals receiver's performances. More...

"That's business, this is about the community and the bigger picture," Morris said. "It's not about whether you have a disagreement on the field or whether I like him on game day.

"I wanted to come in for Marvin and be supportive of him because he's always been supportive of me."

Morris spoke of his respect for Lewis: "When you talk about guys that paved the way not only for coaches but young African-American coaches, he's been a consummate leader.

"To be here as long as he's been here and be a leader in the league as far as rules committee, that's one of those guys that you want to follow after and do the right things. If you keep following that path you have a chance."

The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Briscoe ended up playing in Tampa Bay's final two games, catching six passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

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Lions hire son of former Titans coach Fisher to assist defense

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions have hired Jeff Fisher's son to assist their defensive coaching staff.

The move to add Brandon Fisher was announced Thursday.

His father coached the Tennessee Titans from 1994 to 2010. Lions coach Jim Schwartz worked for Fisher as Tennessee's defensive coordinator before getting his first shot to lead a team in 2009.

Brandon Fisher assisted the Titans' offensive coaching staff for part of last season.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Jets coach Ryan takes tips from Gibbs on navigating lockout

As New York Jets coach Rex Ryan endures a lockout that's infringing on his ability to work toward backing up his "guarantee" of a Super Bowl title next season, he's turning to the master of work-stoppage success.

"I called Joe Gibbs," Ryan told a small group of prospective Jets business partners Wednesday night at The Core Club in Manhattan, according to the team's official website. "When they went through some work stoppages, the last two times the Washington Redskins won two Super Bowls. So I figured that would be a good guy to call."

Gibbs led the Redskins to the Super Bowl title following a strike-shortened 1982 season, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. Five years later, the Redskins won Super Bowl XXII, routing the Denver Broncos 42-10 after a 24-day players' strike trimmed the regular season to 15 games, three of them with replacement players.

Gibbs' Redskins went 3-0 with the replacements en route to an 11-4 finish.

Ryan says he plans to meet in the next few days with Gibbs, who guided the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles and four NFC championships in 16 seasons as the team's head coach, and that he's already absorbing some of the Hall of Famer's advice.

"He said take this time to get better," Ryan said. "Take time to gain an advantage on your opponents and whatever you think that is. He gave me some ideas, and I followed them to a T."

Ryan says that to improve his and his staff's knowledge base he's been "bringing in all kinds of guys to come in here and speak to us and pick their brains," including former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore, legendary running backs coach Bobby Jackson, and Dan Reeves, the former head coach of the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

Moore, whose Colts offense had great success inside the 20, is working with the Jets on red-zone efficiency, which Ryan called "the biggest area we have to improve."

"Over the last six-year period, the Indianapolis Colts have been by far and away the most efficient offense in the red zone," Ryan said. "And this man has been the coach. It was interesting picking his brain. He’s really helping us."

Ryan's boast in February that the Jets will win the Super Bowl next season has the support of his players. And of his owner, too.

"It’s hard to lead people if you don’t tell them where you’re going," said Woody Johnson, who also appeared at the event. "If you tell people, 'I'm coming in 15th. Are you with me?' No, I’m not with you. I’m not going to sign on."

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Cardinals expected to make push for Steelers LBs coach Butler

There is a good possibility that Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler will leave the team after the Super Bowl to become the Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator, a source with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.

Butler is presumed to be the defensive coordinator in waiting in Pittsburgh, behind Dick LeBeau. He is very close with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt (also a former Steelers assistant coach), however, and Butler likely will accept Arizona's defensive coordinator job if he's offered it, according to the source.

The Cardinals cannot speak to Butler until after the Super Bowl, and the Steelers would be very unlikely to block him from going to Arizona should he express a strong desire to do so.

The Steelers expect LeBeau to return as defensive coordinator in 2011 -- and he has expressed a desire to do so -- but he always could opt to retire following the Super Bowl as well. If LeBeau continues to coach, he has said he would only do so in Pittsburgh, where the defense have been dominant under him. The Steelers led the NFL in scoring defense this season.

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Falcons close to multiyear extension with coach Smith

The Atlanta Falcons are very close to a multiyear contract extension with coach Mike Smith, a league source said Wednesday.

The sides have been quietly negotiating for a few weeks and have agreed on many principles of a new deal, according to the source.

The team expects to announce the extension shortly since the deal is close to being finalized.

Smith joined the Falcons in 2008 and quickly turned around the franchise, going 33-15 with two playoff berths in three seasons. The Falcons were an NFC-best 13-3 this season but lost to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs.

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Patriots' Belichick is AP's NFL Coach of the Year for third time

Bill Belichick is closing in on Don Shula.

Belichick, the New England Patriots' coach, won The Associated Press 2010 NFL Coach of the Year award Wednesday, the third time he has earned the honor. Belichick, who also won in 2003 and 2007, now trails only Shula, a Hall of Famer and four-time winner of the award.

Voting for 2010 NFL Coach of the Year

For leading the Patriots to a 14-2 record, the best in the league, and the AFC East title, Belichick received 30 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. That easily beat Raheem Morris, who led a turnaround in Tampa Bay and received 11½ votes.

Belichick, whose honor was announced exclusively on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access," has overseen a transition in New England to a younger team, particularly on defense. Of course, he still has NFL Offensive Player of the Year Tom Brady at quarterback.

"I will say the foundation of the Patriots organization, which starts with Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick, has not changed since the day I arrived," Brady told The AP. "They have and will always do what is in the best interest of the team, and they will continue to find selfless players that love to work hard, compete and strive to be the best they can possibly be."

Then Belichick makes them even better.

"He really stays on top of us," wide receiver Wes Welker said. "He makes sure that we're not getting overconfident or believing in the noise outside the locker room and understand that every game's tough in the NFL."

Belichick's record with the Patriots is 126-50, plus a 14-5 mark in the playoffs, with losses in the last three tries with teams that went a collective 40-8. His career winning percentage of .716 ranks eighth, tied with Hall of Famer Paul Brown, and no other coach has four 14-victory regular seasons.

This might have been Belichick's most impressive work as the Patriots retooled much of the roster, yet had a dominant regular season in which they won their final eight games.

"When you have so many things that go into a team, so many things that go into what's happened over the last decade, which ones do you point to?" he said. "You can make an argument for a lot of different things. In the end, it's each individual team and that collection of players that particular year and that particular time during the season or whatever it is, that was able to go out there and be successful."

Belichick, whose team started the season as the 13th youngest in the league and by season's end had 27 players on the active roster -- including 12 rookies -- in their first three professional seasons, basically rebuilt the defense, particularly the secondary, from which rookie Devin McCourty made the Pro Bowl.

Belichick showed confidence in BenJarvus Green-Ellis as the Patriots' main running back, and he rushed for 1,008 yards. Belichick claimed Danny Woodhead when the New York Jets cut him, and he was a dynamic piece of the offense and special teams.

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Watch "NFL Total Access" (7 p.m. ET) during Super Bowl week for the exclusive reveal of The Associated Press' NFL player and coach awards.

Monday: Defensive Player of the Year
(Troy Polamalu)
Tuesday: Offensive Player of the Year
(Tom Brady)
Wednesday: Coach of the Year
(Bill Belichick)
Friday: Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year (TBA)
Saturday: Comeback Player of the Year (TBA)
Sunday: Most Valuable Player (TBA)

Then there was the Randy Moss case.

Eager to remove the recalcitrant receiver, Belichick stole a third-round draft pick from Minnesota in early October for Moss, who lasted a month with the Vikings, then was cut.

Meanwhile, Belichick traded with the Seattle Seahawks for Deion Branch, the 2005 Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots. Branch had a rebirth in New England, making the Moss deal look even better.

The Patriots scored a league-high 32.4 points per game and were eighth in total offense (363.8 yards per game) under Belichick, who doesn't have an offensive or defensive coordinator.

Making the Patriots a better team is typical of what Belichick has done since receiving his second chance to be a head coach. He had been a flop with the Browns, going 37-45 in four seasons and alienating nearly everyone in Cleveland.

"When I chose him, people at the league office, people in this town, sent me tapes of him in Cleveland and said, 'You don't want to hire this guy,'" Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "And, remember, he went 5-11 (in his first year with Patriots) and we gave up a No. 1 draft choice (to the Jets to get him). People thought we were nuts.

"So I think that probably was one of the best decisions I've made in football."

Belichick, a disciple of Bill Parcells, the only other New England coach to win the award, credited his players for the award and said their ability to handle challenges was pivotal to the Patriots' success.

"They're the ones who stepped up and made the plays this year," Belichick told "NFL Total Access." "We had a lot of new people on this team, young players that contributed, and it's certainly an honor to receive this award on behalf of our performance in the regular season. Unfortunately, we were not able to carry that over to the playoffs."

The Patriots, seeded No. 1 for the AFC playoffs, were beaten by the New York Jets in the Divisional Round.

Belichick said his team "had to face a lot of different challenges this year. ... It was really a different challenge every week, and I've got to give a lot of credit to the players. They adapted, they adjusted. You know, we had some tough weather conditions -- like the snow out in Chicago, for example -- but the players did a good job of staying focused and played though those conditions. And we were able to get a lot of turnovers defensively at the end of the year, and offensively we had a lot of points and special-team scores early in the year, so it all kind of balanced itself out one way or another during the course of the season."

Morris lifted the Buccaneers from 3-13 in his first season to 10-6 in 2010 and in playoff contention until the final week. He did it with the league's youngest roster.

"We put a lot on his plate," Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said, "and he has absolutely handled it all. We all see where this ship is headed."

Also receiving votes were Kansas City's Todd Haley (4½), whose team went 11-5 and won the AFC West; and four coaches with one selection apiece: Atlanta's Mike Smith, Philadelphia's Andy Reid, Chicago's Lovie Smith, and St. Louis' Steve Spagnuolo.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Eagles promote O-line coach Castillo to defensive coordinator

The Philadelphia Eagles searched far and wide for a new defensive coordinator. In the end, they found him on their offensive coaching staff.

Juan Castillo spent 13 seasons as the Eagles' offensive line coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator Wednesday. (Brian Garfinkel/Associated Press)

Juan Castillo, who spent 13 seasons as the Eagles' offensive line coach and has been with the organization for 16 years, will switch to the defensive side of the ball and replace Sean McDermott, who was fired Jan. 15. The team, which lured Howard Mudd out of retirement to replace Castillo as offensive line coach, made the announcement Wednesday.

"It's a tribute to the hard work, the diligence and the kind of football coach he is," Eagles coach Andy Reid said of Castillo's promotion. "I think if you have the opportunity to talk to any player, if you have an opportunity to talk to any coach that has been a Philadelphia Eagle, and many coaches throughout the league, what might seem a little strange is just a very confident move, and one that will take our defense to another level."

A former linebacker at Texas A&I (1978-80), Castillo, 51, played for the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers (1984-85) and also was an assistant at Texas A&M-Kingsville from 1982 to 1985.

"I think if you talk to the defensive guys, especially the front seven, I've always told them I'm a defensive guy who got stuck on the offensive side," Castillo said. "That took a lot of years of studying. That was a tough deal. What happens is you start to be perceived as an offensive guy."

Castillo is one of few NFL coaches of Hispanic descent. He is fluent in Spanish and has promoted the NFL product for its Spanish-speaking audience.

"Juan is one of the smartest and most dynamic coaches in the NFL," Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. "If anyone could cross over to the dark side (of defense), he's the guy. Seriously, if anyone can do it, Juan Castillo is able to do it. I don't know if I have seen anyone any more committed as a coach in this league than him."

Castillo joined the Eagles in 1995 as an offensive assistant under coach Ray Rhodes. Castillo was promoted to tight ends coach in 1997, then offensive line coach in 1998.

"I have a strong affinity for Juan going back to our days spent together in Philadelphia," Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said. "I can remember Jim Johnson and our defensive staff putting our game plans together and we'd always get together with Juan just to make sure they were sound in terms of pressures and blitzes. Sometimes, I felt like he was on our defensive staff. And to do this day, he and I talk every week during the season to talk about other offenses in the league."

Castillo was one of four members of Rhodes' staff to be retained by Reid in 1999.

"Great move by Coach Reid," said St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, a former Eagles assistant. "Juan is a football junkie who has always studied the entire game. He's a detailed, aggressive and passionate football coach -- all attributes vital to coaching defense."

The Eagles confirmed that they interviewed New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Dennis Allen and Chicago Bears secondary coach Jon Hoke for the defensive coordinator job.

The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Star Tribune in Minneapolis cited league sources in reporting Wednesday that Vikings assistant Joe Woods also interviewed for the position.

The Eagles won the NFC East this season, but they lost to the eventual conference champion Green Bay Packers, 21-16, in the wild-card round at Lincoln Financial Field. After a dramatic, come-from-behind, 38-31 victory over the New York Giants at New Meadowlands Stadium, the Eagles finished the season with three consecutive losses, all at home.

McDermott's defense finished 12th in the NFL, giving up 327.2 yards per game.

Mudd, 68, brings 36 years of coaching experience to the Eagles' staff. He most recently spent 11 seasons as the Colts' offensive line coach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Cable likely out as Raiders' coach after two-plus seasons

Tom Cable is unlikely to return as the Oakland Raiders' coach, a league source said Sunday.

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Raiders owner Al Davis is expected to survey the coaching landscape, and he will not decide Cable's future until some time in the middle of the month.

With a 31-10 victory over the AFC West champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Cable led the Raiders to an 8-8 record this season, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the division. But Cable is 17-27 overall since taking over as coach in the middle of the 2008 season.

Cable presently doesn't have an official contract with the Raiders, but Davis can pick up an option for two more years.

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Coughlin to return for eighth season as Giants coach in '11

LANDOVER, Md. -- Tom Coughlin will return as coach of the New York Giants next season, and his status wasn't in question at all, according to team co-owner John Mara.

Speaking Sunday after the Giants were assured of missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season, Mara put an end to any speculation about Coughlin's future.

"There was never any doubt in my mind, never any doubt in (co-owner) Steve Tisch's mind, never any doubt in (general manager) Jerry Reese's mind," Mara said.

New York finished its season Sunday with a 17-14 victory over the Washington Redskins, but the Giants didn't get the help they needed to claim the NFC's remaining wild-card berth.

The Giants went 10-6, making New York and Tampa Bay the first NFC teams since 1991 to miss the playoffs despite double-digit victories. Instead, another team with a 10-6 record -- Green Bay -- got the conference's last postseason berth.

"You wanted the other part of the package," Coughlin said. "To win the 10 games was nice, but we all wanted to win the 10 games so we could get a chance to play next week as well."

The 64-year-old Coughlin has been the Giants' coach since 2004 and led them to the Super Bowl title at the end of the 2007 season. But he also oversaw late swoons the past two seasons.

The Giants started 2009 at 5-0 before dropping eight of 11 down the stretch, including poor efforts in their final two games to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

This season, New York had a 9-4 record going into an NFC East showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago -- then led that game 31-10 with 8 minutes left. But Michael Vick and the Eagles came all the way back to beat the Giants 38-31, with DeSean Jackson scoring a touchdown on a 65-yard punt return on the final play.

The Giants could have clinched a playoff berth last weekend by beating the Packers, but lost 45-17.

"We had put so much into the Philadelphia game, to be honest with you," Coughlin said, "and then to lose it like we did -- and actually, we practiced well that next week, but we didn't have the passion and the emotion."

He, for one, showed plenty of both on the sideline Sunday.

After one of Eli Manning's passes went off Mario Manningham's hands and ended up as an interception in the first quarter, Coughlin barked at Manningham as the receiver left the field. The coach also hustled over to slap hands with Manningham after he caught a 92-yard TD pass from Manning about 2 ½ minutes into the second half.

Coughlin later made his way onto the field for pats on players' backsides after his defense forced one of its four turnovers. And he was cursing after Lawrence Tynes missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt.

After the game, Coughlin was asked whether he had any doubts about whether he would keep his job.

"I have no doubt," he replied, "but we just have to see about that."

Not very long after that, Mara made everything perfectly clear.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Report: Falcons coach Smith will be rewarded with new deal

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Report: Vikings coach Frazier will have interim tag removed

Leslie Frazier has agreed to become the Minnesota Vikings' full-time coach, the Star Tribune reported Sunday.

Frazier will have his interim tag removed this week, according to the newspaper.

Speaking after the Vikings' 20-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, Frazier said nothing has been solidified and that he will meet with Vikings ownership Sunday night or Monday.

The Star Tribune reported Friday that Frazier was seeking a three-year contract.

Frazier, the Vikings' former defensive coordinator, took over after Brad Childress was fired following a 3-7 start.

Frazier led the Vikings to a 3-3 record while navigating myriad of unpredictable schedule changes. The collapse of the Metrodome roof forced the team to host the New York Giants at Detroit's Ford Field in Week 14 and the Chicago Bears at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium a week later.

Last week's 24-14 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles came after the game had been postponed from Sunday to Tuesday because of a major snowstorm that hit the East Coast.

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University of Pittsburgh interested in Bengals coach Lewis

Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is on the short list of candidates to take over the University of Pittsburgh's football program, a league source said Sunday.

Lewis was emotional following Sunday's 13-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis might not be back next season, although the University of Pittsburgh job could be an option. (Gail Burton/Associated Press)

"I can't answer where things are for me," Lewis said after the game. Responding to questions about his future with the team, Lewis said, "Officially, today I'm unemployed," ending with a laugh.

The Bengals' Twitter page followed Lewis' remarks with a post that read: "We need to talk and i need to sleep on it."

Lewis' contract with the Bengals expires after this season and might not be renewed. Cincinnati managed just four wins through 16 weeks and earlier this season tied a franchise record with 10 consecutive losses.

In eight seasons under Lewis the Bengals recorded a 60-67-1 record, posted just two winning seasons and lost in both of their playoff appearances.

Pittsburgh's vacancy appeared when the school fired head coach Mike Haywood on Saturday, saying he couldn't continue in the job he held for just 2½ weeks because of his arrest on a domestic-violence charge.

Haywood was released Saturday from St. Joseph County Jail in Indiana on $1,000 cash bond, said an officer at the jail who declined to give her name, after the charge was upgraded from a misdemeanor to felony domestic battery in the presence of a minor.

Within hours of Haywood's afternoon release, Pittsburgh put out a statement from Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, saying the coach had been dismissed, "effective immediately," and the school was reopening its search.

Haywood was arrested about 3 p.m. Friday after a custody issue developed with a woman with whom the coach has a child, police said. The unidentified woman told police that Haywood grabbed her by the arm and neck and pushed her as she tried to leave the home that the coach owns in South Bend, Ind., where he once was a Notre Dame assistant.

Assistant St. Joseph County Police Chief Bill Redman said the woman had marks on her neck, arms and back.

Haywood's hiring by athletic director Steve Pederson was greeted unenthusiastically by fans, boosters, alumni and students who questioned why a school with annual Top 25 aspirations hired him away from mid-major Miami of Ohio. Dave Wannstedt, forced to resign last month following a disappointing 7-5 season, coached the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins before his 2004 hiring at Pittsburgh.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Panthers' owner didn't tell coach he was sending apology note

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson ended his silence by apologizing for his team's ugly season, perhaps the best example of the disconnect with his coach came as John Fox was asked Wednesday about that letter sent to permanent-seat-license holders.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Fox said.

After being denied a contract extension the past two offseasons, Fox is in the last year of his deal and not expected to return in 2011. Richardson didn't directly address Fox's status in a letter sent out this week to PSL owners, who account for about 60,000 seats at Bank of America Stadium.

Many of those fans have stopped showing up as the Panthers (1-11) have sunk from NFC South champions in 2008 to the league's worst team amid a youth movement that dramatically slashed payroll.

"I know how difficult the season has been for you," Richardson wrote. "As the person ultimately responsible for putting a team on the field, I take full responsibility for our shortfalls. It is agonizing that we have not performed at the level we had planned for and expected."

Richardson defended the decision to shed numerous veterans during the offseason and replace them with inexperienced, cheaper players. The Panthers have lost six games in a row and are the league's lowest-scoring team.

"When the season began, we believed there was every opportunity for success," Richardson wrote. "Many of the players were returning from a team that had finished last year very strong. The motivation for this approach was both performance-based and a commitment to the future. Obviously, we have fallen short, but our faith and commitment are still the same."

The terrible record and Fox's seemingly lame-duck status have made for an odd situation as the Panthers inch closer to acquiring the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft. Fox insists his players are still playing hard.

"I don't think our team's results have been related to effort at all," Fox wrote.

The talent level appears to be far short of making this team competitive, thanks to decisions not to go after a veteran quarterback, wide receiver, right guard and defensive tackles following the offseason purge that left Carolina with a league-low $77 million payroll. That's not counting about $30 million in so-called "dead money" for players no longer on the team that would have counted toward the salary cap this season, if there was one.

"Going forward, our plan of attack is to build through the draft while retaining our core players," Richardson wrote. "We have one of the youngest teams in the league, and a number of those younger players have shown genuine promise in this otherwise disappointing season. We won't give up on them. We also have a solid nucleus of veterans that we will seek to keep intact."

Richardson, who hasn't answered questions from reporters since January 2008, also addressed his role as head of the owners' negotiating committee for a new collective-bargaining agreement. Many have questioned if Richardson's payroll-slashing was to cut costs in anticipation of a lockout.

"Let me be clear: A successful CBA is critical in sustaining the competitive balance of the NFL," Richardson wrote. "We're all in this together, and what is good for football is good for the continued success of each and every team.

"It's important for us to reach an agreement that benefits the fans, players, and teams. I want the players paid fairly, and I want us to play winning and exciting football."

There has been only one win and little excitement this season, but Richardson has been virtually assured of continued sellouts, thanks to the large number of PSL owners who are required to buy season tickets.

"I understand that in a season like this, words can sound hollow, but, as PSL owners, you have my commitment to provide you a team that will make you proud," Richardson wrote.

Several players came to Richardson's defense Wednesday, expressing confidence he'll successfully rebuild the team.

"I think it's just the character here that Mr. Richardson has, and it just goes down from there," defensive end Everette Brown said. "Everybody he brings in, from the staff working in the building to the coaching staff to the players to the equipment room, nobody's letting down, nobody's quitting."

Carolina is just one month from more uncertainty regarding its coach, who apparently wasn't consulted before Richardson sent his letter.

"I want all of you to know that we plan to look at every aspect of our organization," Richardson wrote. "What we do in the future will entirely be geared toward putting the best possible team on the field. I am committed to fielding a winning team, and I'm willing to invest the resources necessary to make it happen."

Notes: CB Chris Gamble (hamstring) remained sidelined from practice Wednesday. LB Jon Beason (knee), G Travelle Wharton (toe), DT Ed Johnson (knee) and LB Nic Harris (head) also sat out. ... RB Tyrell Sutton (ankle), S Marcus Hudson (ankle) and LB Jason Williams (knee) were limited. ... The Panthers were forced to practice on their artificial-turf field because the grass fields were frozen amid a cold snap.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Eagles WR Jackson 'ready to roll' vs. Colts, coach says

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Special teams coach Bonamego fired by 'Fins after meltdown

DAVIE, Fla. -- A prime-time meltdown by the Miami Dolphins' special teams cost an assistant coach his job.

Just 12 hours after a calamitous performance against the New England Patriots, the Dolphins fired special teams coordinator John Bonamego on Tuesday.

Special teams cost Miami 21 points in a 41-14 loss Monday night. Two blocked kicks led to touchdowns, and the Patriots returned a kickoff 103 yards for another score.

The Dolphins (2-2) also had a punt blocked one week earlier in a loss to the New York Jets. The back-to-back divisional defeats dropped Miami to third place in the AFC East.

Assistant special teams coach Darren Rizzi will replace Bonamego, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said. Bonamego was in his 12th NFL season and had been with the Dolphins since Sparano became head coach in 2008.

"It's a hard decision to make," Sparano said. "I know how hard this guy works. Nobody works harder than him at what he does."

Unlike Bonamego, quarterback Chad Henne won't lose his job. Sparano said he'll stick with Henne despite an erratic three-interception performance that accelerated the Dolphins' self-destruction.

While the turnovers hurt, the lapses by Bonamego's units doomed the Dolphins. The Patriots trailed 7-6 before Brandon Tate returned the second-half kickoff untouched for a score. Pat Chung blocked a punt to set up a touchdown, then blocked a field-goal attempt that Kyle Arrington returned 35 yards for a TD and a 34-14 New England lead early in the fourth quarter.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," Miami cornerback Jason Allen said. "You can't expect to win when you're playing a team like -- actually, any team. I don't care who you're playing, when we do the things we did."

Linebacker Tim Dobbins plays on special teams and said he was embarrassed.

"We all should be," he said. "We let the whole team down."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn't seem surprised to hear of Bonamego's firing.

"I don't think probably much of anything that happens in the league these days is a surprise or unheard of," Belichick said. "It's unfortunate. ... I'm sure those decisions aren't easy."

The Dolphins rank last in the NFL in punting, last in kickoff coverage and 25th in kickoff returns. Continual turnover at the bottom of the roster might contribute to the Dolphins' special teams woes -- in the past month, they have made 19 roster moves.

"That's part of the special teams challenge, when you bring new players in and you get them involved," Sparano said.

The succession of breakdowns against New England resulted in Miami's most lopsided defeat since 2007, when the team went 1-15. The Dolphins lost even though they outgained the Patriots by 135 yards, limited them to 146 passing yards and held Randy Moss without a catch.

The Dolphins have a bye this week, then resume a rugged stretch in the schedule. Their next six opponents are a combined 16-8.

Sparano said he expects the Dolphins to bounce back from the drubbing. Belichick does, too.

"Miami is a good team," Belichick said. "I am sure we haven't heard the last of them."

There's no need to fret about missing any games. You can watch every contest again with Game Rewind. Get more information here.

But the Dolphins need to quickly figure out how to block for kicks and cover them better. That responsibility now rests with Rizzi, a former college head coach at New Haven who took his first NFL job when Sparano hired him last year.

"He's very smart guy who has his own way of doing things," Sparano said. "He'll have his own spin on the special teams area. It's important that we have some continuity there and fix the problems."

The fix might mean more players in the offensive and defensive rotations contributing. Defensive regulars Dobbins, Cameron Wake and Chris Clemons already have roles on kicking units.

"I want my core players to play better on special teams," Sparano said. "If we need to put some starters out there, then we will."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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