Minnesota Vikings' Bryant McKinnie no longer on Pro Bowl squad

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie has been dismissed from the NFC Pro Bowl team for unexcused absences.

McKinnie

The NFL said McKinnie missed practice Friday and Saturday and is subject to a fine. His agent didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

McKinnie released a statement through his publicist Saturday evening, saying he withdrew from the game because of injury.

"I am extremely honored to have been selected for this year's Pro Bowl," McKinnie said in the statement. "However my ongoing injuries in my feet and left ankle that I have encountered during the last portion of the season has hindered me during this week's training and preparing myself both mentally and physically for this Sunday's Pro Bowl game.

"I am very knowledgeable and appreciative of all my loyal fans and supporters and would like to apologize if I may have disappointed you in any way, but getting back 100 percent healthy at this time is my number one concern to perform even better in the upcoming season."

This was the first Pro Bowl selection for McKinnie, whose Vikings lost to New Orleans in the NFC championship last Sunday.

Defensive end Julius Peppers also had an unexcused absence Friday, but was back at practice Saturday.

Since the rosters for Sunday's game in Miami were first announced, more than a dozen players have been scratched.

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Source: Dwight Freeney starts ankle treatments

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is fighting an uphill battle to play in Super Bowl XLIV that could keep him from being a big defensive force in the game.

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Freeney flew to South Florida on Friday to begin a battery of treatments to fix an ankle injury suffered during the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game, according to a source. Freeney set up the use of a hyperbaric chamber to help, a usual technique he uses to try to heal from injuries quickly.

He is also using a device called ARP that is similar to a stem device to move the blood supply to the damaged ankle. The ARP operates differently than normal stem devices, but ARP has helped him in past years recover quickly from groin and hamstring pulls.

The problem with this ankle injury is that it is one of the worst degrees he could have suffered. The swelling and pain have bothered him all week. He even had to wear a boot.

If Freeney is able to recover enough to play, he may not be able to play the whole game. He is expected to receive treatment until game time and hopes to be in uniform.

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Denver Broncos promote Don Martindale to D-coordinator

The Denver Broncos promoted linebackers coach Don "Wink" Martindale to defensive coordinator Thursday.

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Martindale replaces Mike Nolan, who surprisingly parted ways with the Broncos on Jan. 18 because of philosophical differences with head coach Josh McDaniels. Nolan was named the defensive coordinator in Miami last week.

"Wink definitely deserves this," Broncos coach Josh McDaniels told The Denver Post. "He's earned this opportunity. Our system won't change, our philosophy won't change. He's a very aggressive coach. This is a great day for the Denver Broncos."

Denver's defense was ranked No. 7 in the NFL under Nolan. However, the unit tired toward the end of the season as Denver finished 2-8 and out of the playoffs after a 6-0 start.

"You can't measure how much you miss somebody until the season starts and see how much you improve from what you were," Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey told the newspaper.

Martindale, 46, came to Denver after serving as the Oakland Raiders' linebackers coach since 2004.

"I very much can see him as a defensive coordinator," safety Brian Dawkins told the newspaper. "A lot of what they asked me to do this year as a true strong safety, the film study I went through at that position, a lot of that came from him."

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner retires after 12 NFL seasons

Quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement Friday from the NFL after 12 seasons, a year after leading the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl and weeks after leading them to the second round of the playoffs.

Warner

"Not much on the drama part of it, as most of you know," Warner said to begin a news conference at the Cardinals' training facility in Tempe, Ariz.

Warner, 38, a two-time MVP and Super Bowl champion, had added motivation for a quick retirement decision: He has multiple promotional appearance commitments during Super Bowl week in Miami.

Rather than answer retirement questions then, Warner preferred to remove the focus from his future as quickly as possible so it's not an issue next week, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

"Obviously, it's been 12 unbelievable years, some of the best years of my life," Warner said Friday. "But I want everybody to know that I'm just as excited about the next 12, that I'm excited about what lies in front of me. I'm excited about spending more time with my family, and seeing what God's going to do next."

Since the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs in a 45-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints on divisional playoff weekend, Warner has spent his days huddling over his decision with family and his agent, Mark Bartelstein.

Warner has been voted to five Pro Bowls and became the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL franchises.

In the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers, Warner didn't play like someone at the end of his career. He threw for 379 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions during Arizona's 51-45 overtime victory.

But next week in the divisional round, during an interception return, Saints defensive end Bobby McCray leveled Warner with a hit that left the quarterback with a bruised chest.

Earlier this season, Warner suffered a concussion. It was at least his third concussion, and he later estimated it was quite possibly his fifth.

Warner also had the added memory of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin taking a hit that left him with a broken jaw last season. Warner told ESPN's Rick Reilly earlier this month that he contemplated retiring after witnessing that hit.

Warner had a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract.

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Asante Samuel to Vince Wilfork: New England Patriots don't care about you

Former New England cornerback Asante Samuel had some words of advice for nose tackle Vince Wilfork on Friday as Wilfork waits to see what his future holds with the Patriots.

“

The way [the Patriots] treat people is not something I agree with.

”-- Former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel

"I don't think they care about you, in my opinion," Samuel told the Boston Globe from Miami, where he was practicing with the NFC Pro Bowl team. "They didn't care about me. So do what's best for you and your family."

Having just finished playing the final season of his six-year rookie contract, Wilfork is looking for a long-term deal and a big payday. The Patriots could throw a wrench in the works by placing the franchise tag on him.

Samuel was in the same position Wilfork currently faces with the Patriots. The team slapped him with a franchise tag in 2007 after Samuel had played four seasons in New England and was vocal about his desire for a long-term contract that he deemed was fair market value. Part of Samuel's deal to play under the franchise tag reportedly was an agreement that if the Patriots won 12 games or Samuel played 60 percent of the team's defensive snaps, he would not be tagged the next season.

If tagged, Wilfork would make $7M

The franchise and transition tag numbers for 2010 have been released, and these are important from a Patriots perspective in regards to nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

If the Patriots and Wilfork don't agree on a contract extension by late February, the team is expected to place the franchise tag on Wilfork. That figure would be $7.003 million.

The franchise tag is the average of the top five salaries at the position from the previous year. Wilfork earned $2.2 million in 2009, but he's seeking a long-term contract that gives him more security. Under the franchise tag, assuming Wilfork signed the tender, it would be a one-year deal.

In the event that Wilfork is assigned the tag, he could still sign with another team, but that club would have to give the Patriots draft-pick compensation. Because of that, it is rare for a player assigned the franchise tag to be signed by another team.

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Source: Kurt Warner of Arizona Cardinals to announce decision Friday?

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will announce Friday at a news conference whether he plans to retire, according to a Cardinals source.

The widespread assumption -- one that hasn't changed for weeks -- is that the 38-year-old Warner will step away from the game.

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One possible indication of Warner's intentions is that he already has begun gathering his family so they can attend Friday's news conference at the team's training facility, according to sources.

Warner's agent confirmed the news conference in Tempe on Wednesday evening.

Warner also has another added motivation for a quick decision: He has multiple promotional appearance commitments during Super Bowl week in Miami. Rather than answer retirement questions then, Warner would prefer to remove the focus from his future as quickly as possible so it's not an issue next week, according to a source.

Since the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs in a 45-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints on divisional playoff weekend, Warner has spent his days huddling over his decision with family and his agent, Mark Bartelstein.

Warner

Warner has been voted to five Pro Bowls, won two NFL MVP awards and one Super Bowl and became the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL franchises.

In the wild-card round against the Green Bay Packers, Warner didn't play like someone at the end of his career. He threw for 379 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions during Arizona's 51-45 overtime victory.

But next week in the divisional round, during an interception return, Saints defensive end Bobby McCray leveled Warner with a hit that left the quarterback with a bruised chest.

Earlier this season, Warner suffered a concussion. It was at least his third concussion, and he later estimated it was quite possibly his fifth.

Warner also had the added memory of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin taking a hit that left him with a broken jaw last season. Warner told ESPN's Rick Reilly earlier this month that he contemplated retiring after witnessing that hit.

"What happened to Q," Warner said, "was personal for me. You realize you're one hit from something that affects you long-, long-term."

Warner has a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract.

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Patriots cornerback Shawn Springs considers retirement

New England Patriots cornerback Shawn Springs was a guest on ESPN's "First Take" this morning, and he was asked if he's reached the end of his NFL career after 13 seasons.

"Maybe," Springs said. "I actually feel like I can still play a lot. I don't know yet."

Springs said he will take his time before making a decision on his future. He signed a three-year contract with the Patriots in 2009, but is considering retirement.

Springs

If Springs retired, what would he do?

He joked that he would open a dessert bar on the beach in the Dominican Republic, wearing an old Tom Brady jersey. Attending law school is also something he would consider.

"I have so many options right now," Springs said. "I still really enjoy playing football. Law school would be a great option. Maybe I could negotiate with some of the owners and GMs in the NFL about some of these players coming out. Maybe I could be an agent."

With that in mind, Springs was asked what it would be like negotiating with Patriots coach Bill Belichick. He said it's "all business in New England, there is no doubt about that," but at the same time he said looks can be deceiving when it comes to Belichick.

"Being one-on-one with Coach, he's great," Springs said. "When you're with Coach alone and you are just talking to him, he's the nicest guy. It's totally different [than the public perception]."

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Chris Johnson of Tennessee Titans surprised by firing of Earnest Byner

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson was surprised when he found out running backs coach Earnest Byner had been fired. But he thinks his former position coach will do well on the open job market, considering the 2,000-yard season he just added to Byner's resume.

“

I'm not sure why it happened or anything like that, but you've got to go with the head man's call, whatever he decides to do, he's the head coach.

”-- Chris Johnson

"I'm not sure why it happened or anything like that, but you've got to go with the head man's call, whatever he decides to do, he's the head coach," Johnson said, deferring to coach Jeff Fisher's judgment in a conference call from the Pro Bowl. "You've got to trust in the decision that he makes, he's a great coach and everything like that."

Johnson said he's heard nothing but good things about new running backs coach Kennedy Pola from fellow AFC Pro Bowlers Maurice Jones-Drew and David Garrard and his friend Mike Sims-Walker, and remembers Kennedy working him out before the draft.

Fisher showed faith in Johnson by signing off on the Titans drafting him 24th overall in 2008, and Johnson said he has to believe Fisher is making the right moves.

It wasn't the running back's place to lobby for Byner, and he didn't have an opportunity to do so, he said.

"No matter what I have to say about the situation, it's not going to get him his job back or anything like that," Johnson said.

Johnson raised eyebrows in training camp when he said he would run for over 2,000 yards, then became just the sixth back to do it, finishing the season with 2,006.

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He appeared to bond well with Byner, who, like Johnson, also played at East Carolina.

Fisher hired Byner in 2008 after Sherman Smith, an original member of his Houston Oilers staff, left to be Jim Zorn's offensive coordinator in Washington. Smith recently joined Seattle as running backs coach.

Indications are that Byner may have been a bit strong-willed and outspoken for Fisher's taste, but that it was the available replacement that prompted the move.

Fisher's long coveted Pola, who didn't sign an extension offered by Jacksonville during the season.

"It is hard because they let go of a good man in Earnest,'' Pola told The (Nashville) Tennessean. "It is the tough part of this business. But this was a great opportunity to work with Jeff, who I think is one of the top-tier coaches in the NFL."

Johnson is regarded by many as the fastest player in the NFL.

In Miami, Johnson said he's passing on any invitations to race, one which has already come from Chad Ochocinco.

"I will not be doing that, because I really don't have nothing to win or to gain," he said.

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Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Dat Nguyen leaving team, source says

Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Dat Nguyen is not with the rest of the coaching staff at the Pro Bowl in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and will not return to the team next season, a source close to Nguyen said Wednesday.

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Nguyen, the assistant linebackers/defensive quality control coach, has told Cowboys owner Jerry Jones he will pursue other interests, according to the source.

Jones said last week he wanted to retain the three assistant coaches whose contracts were expiring -- Brett Maxie, Wes Phillips and Nguyen. Maxie and Phillips were signed through 2011.

Nguyen has been with the Cowboys as a coach since 2007. He also played for the team from 1999 to 2005 before retiring due to injuries. He was a popular player in college at Texas A&M, where he led the Aggies in tackles for four straight seasons.

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New England Patriots Matt Light says he dislocated kneecap vs. Denver Broncos

Matt Light shed a little light on a right knee injury he suffered this past season on ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" on Tuesday.

The New England Patriots left tackled revealed that the injury suffered against Denver in October was a dislocated kneecap and that it also "got a little bit of the MCL."

He was injured in pass protection, an 11-yard completion from Tom Brady to Wes Welker. Light was attended to by trainers on the field before being helped off. He showed up at practice on crutches the following day.

During Tuesday's interview, Light also touched on the disappointing end of the Patriots' season in the playoffs, and one of the goals going forward.

"As players, we all talked about it after the game. We were in the locker room and there were a lot of guys hanging their head and it's a tough situation," Light said. "We know we have good guys, quality players. But we have to be a more physical team, a mentally tougher team. We have to be guys that act like we've been there and done it before."

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Atlanta Falcons' Roddy White, San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith added to Pro Bowl

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons receiver Roddy White is replacing Sidney Rice on the NFC roster for Sunday's Pro Bowl game in Miami.

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Also added to the roster is San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith, who is replacing the injured Kevin Williams of the Vikings. Smith was originally selected as an alternate, but this will be his first Pro Bowl appearance in nine seasons.

White will make his second straight Pro Bowl appearance after leading the Falcons with 85 catches for 1,153 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns.

He is the Falcons' first receiver to have at least 80 catches and 1,100 yards receiving in three straight seasons.

White will be the Falcons' only player in the game.

Smith is the fifth 49er on the active roster, the most players San Francisco has sent since having six players honored after the 2002 season.

"This is a great opportunity for me to represent my team in Miami ... it's been a long time coming," Smith said in a statement. "To be able to go there and play with four of my teammates makes it even better."

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Hue Jackson is Oakland Raiders new offensive coordinator

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders hired Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator on Tuesday, hoping the man who helped develop Joe Flacco in Baltimore can do the same for JaMarcus Russell.

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Jackson is the second new assistant hired by the Raiders since the end of the season, joining defensive line coach Mike Waufle. While owner Al Davis has not yet committed to bringing Tom Cable back as head coach in 2010, he has hired two assistants with ties to Cable.

Jackson and Cable worked together on the staff at Cal-State Fullerton in 1990 and at the University of California in 1996. Waufle and Cable also worked together at Cal in the 1990s.

The Raiders have pointed out Cable's ties with the new coaches in their news releases announcing the hires. Cable is also at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., this week, and although a final decision on his status hasn't been announced, a source close to the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Davis will retain Cable.

"We continue to evaluate the staff and make changes to get better achievement," senior executive John Herrera said Tuesday. "It's still an ongoing process."

Jackson is expected to take over the play-calling duties from Cable, who did not have an offensive coordinator in his first full season as coach. Cable also coached the offensive line and admitted after the season that he might have been overextended.

"I'm hired as the offensive coordinator, and I'll be the primary play-caller," Jackson told the Ravens' team Web site. "That's my role. It's a chance to go out and assist the head coach and be the best offense we can be."

The Raiders had one of the worst offenses in the league during a 5-11 campaign last season. They were second-to-last in the league in scoring with 197 points and gained the second-fewest yards on the way to their record seventh straight season with at least 11 losses.

The team showed some improvement after Cable benched Russell midway through the season, scoring 5.8 more points and gaining more than 100 additional yards of offense per game in the final seven contests started by Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye.

Russell completed 48.8 percent of his passes, with three touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 50.0 passer rating that was the lowest in the league since 1998. But Davis still believes in Russell, saying during the season that people needed to have patience.

Jackson helped Flacco make it to the playoffs in his first two seasons in the NFL with the Ravens and also worked with Carson Palmer as the offensive coordinator at USC. Now he wants to develop Russell.

"This guy was the first player drafted. It's going to be fun to see if we can get him up and playing the way we all wish that he can perform," Jackson told ESPN 1000 in Chicago. "It's not just about JaMarcus. The quarterback takes on a whole life by itself but it's the team, the whole offensive unit [that] has to perform well around the quarterback."

Jackson spent time in California last week, meeting mostly with Davis but also with Cable. He was also mentioned as a possible candidate to be offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears but chose the Raiders instead.

He told Ravens.com that the opportunity to work with Davis was part of the attraction in Oakland.

"What a man," Jackson said. "He's one of the guys in this profession that you would like to have an opportunity to sit down and talk with, let alone work for. My conversations with him led me there. Hopefully, things will work as planned, and I think we're capable of doing it."

Along with coaching quarterbacks, Jackson also has experience as a running backs and receivers coach in the NFL. He worked with a talented receiving corps in Cincinnati with Chad Ochocinco, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry.

The Raiders got almost no production out of their wideouts last season, getting only 99 catches from the entire unit. Darrius Heyward-Bey had a difficult rookie season marred by drops and a foot injury that sidelined him for the final five games. Heyward-Bey had only nine catches before the injury.

Jackson's career move now leaves the Ravens with an opening. Baltimore will have two primary options in hiring a quarterbacks coach, sources told Schefter. The first would be to promote offensive consultant Al Saunders, who has fared well in working with quarterbacks, and the other is to hire former Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn.

At the very least, the Ravens will interview Zorn for the position before making their decision about which coach would be best to work closely with Flacco.

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New England Patriots QB Tom Brady says he won't need surgery

BOSTON -- Tom Brady says he won't need surgery this offseason.

The New England Patriots quarterback played much of the season with finger and rib injuries, after missing all but the first quarter of the first game of the previous season with a left knee injury that required surgery.

"I'm excited I don't have to have surgery this offseason," Brady said Monday at a charity appearance in which he presented a $30,000 check to Boston Centers For Youth and Families through Smartwater. "I remember a year ago at this time there were all these concerns on whether I was going to play this year. I was never concerned about that. It's nice to be in an offseason when I really feel like I can get started right away."

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Brady said he feels good that he can get right into offseason activities. Earlier, he withdrew from the Pro Bowl, scheduled for Sunday in Miami, because of his finger injury, the Patriots said. This offseason promises to be much different than last year.

"Nobody wants to take a year off," he said. "It's something I did and it happens with a lot of players, like Wes [Welker] [knee injury] -- he has a tough road and he'll overcome it. I have no doubt he will. Everybody deals with it at different times, unless you're Brett Favre. So you just have to learn to overcome them, be mentally tough with whatever circumstance happened with your body or your mind, and try to go out and play a helluva lot better next year."

Brady will be entering the final year of his contract, but said he doesn't really like to talk about those issues. "We're way overpaid as it is," he said. "That's not really a concern."

He added: "Being a player rep now, I realize all the issues we're facing. As a team player, I don't sit here saying, 'What about me? What about me?' I'm under contract. I'm going to out there and play my butt off."

Brady also said "we're a long way away" from a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players to replace the one that ends after the 2010 season, "but there's a long way to go before the season starts."

There would be no salary cap next season under the current agreement.

The Patriots won Super Bowls in 2002, 2004 and 2005 but have gone five straight years without an NFL championship.

Brady said he isn't surprised that the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are in the Super Bowl.

"No, they've been the best teams all season. They certainly deserved to be there. They proved it over the course of the whole season. They have a lot of good players. They did the job. They earned it."

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Four coaches won't return to AFC runner-up New York Jets

One day after coming within a half of reaching the Super Bowl, the New York Jets parted ways with four assistant coaches and a consultant.

Among those let go were assistant defensive backs coach Doug Plank, assistant quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, special-teams coach Kevin O'Dea and defensive quality control coach Brian Smith. Plank was fired. The other three had contracts that expired and weren't renewed, a Jets spokesman confirmed.

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Pass-rushing consultant Chuck Smith left to become defensive line coach at the University of Tennessee.

Jets coach Rex Ryan didn't mention the coaches by name at his Monday afternoon news conference but did say some members of his staff would not have expired contracts renewed.

"We're going to have, unfortunately the way everything is, there's some guys on our staff that their contracts won't be extended," Ryan said. "They ran out, and some contracts will not be extended, and that's unfortunate because some guys did a great job. I'd really rather not get into the particulars of things right now."

Plank is the most notable casualty. He wore No. 46 as a safety for the Chicago Bears and was the inspiration for the 46 defense, the innovative defensive scheme devised by Buddy Ryan, father of Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Plank, who worked with secondary coach Dennis Thurman, was an assistant with the Atlanta Falcons last season.

DeFilippo joined the Jets after two years as the Oakland Raiders' quarterbacks coach. His job seemed superfluous with veteran quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on staff.

O'Dea worked with special-teams coordinator Mike Westhoff. The club also had an assistant special-teams coach, Ben Kotwica.

Ryan asked Chuck Smith, a former Falcons defensive end, to remain with the club after helping in training camp.

Outside linebacker Calvin Pace recently praised Smith for helping him lead the Jets with eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss despite missing four games to suspension. But Smith couldn't help Vernon Gholston, the sixth overall draft choice in 2008, make any sort of impact.

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Brett Favre: Return for another season 'highly unlikely,' says he'll discuss future with family

Brett Favre's return for another season is "highly unlikely, but it has been an awesome year," the Minnesota Vikings quarterback told ESPN's Ed Werder after the Vikings' loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Favre, who returned to the NFL from retirement with the goal of leading the Vikings to a championship, fell just short when his pass with seconds left in regulation was intercepted. The Saints won in overtime to advance to the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl.

[+] Enlarge

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesThe physical punishment Brett Favre absorbed during Sunday's NFC Championship left the veteran QB hurting late in the game.

Favre also told Werder before the game that not one Vikings player had inquired about his future because they were so focused on the game.

Favre wasn't quite ready to make a decision on his future immediately following the loss, but he said he wouldn't take long to make his plans known this time.

"Just wondering if I can hold up, especially after a day like today," Favre said after throwing for 310 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. "Physically and mentally. That was pretty draining. I am going to go home, a couple of days and just talk it over with the family."

After Sunday's game, Favre staggered to the podium, an abrasion between his eyes, welts on his forehead and tears in his eyes from the beating he took at the hands of the Saints and the realization that his quest to get back to Super Bowl fell just short again.

For a quarterback who derived so much joy during an improbably successful season for the Vikings, Favre sure didn't look or sound like a player who had much left after a heartbreaking 31-28 overtime loss to the Saints.

Favre has one year left on the two-year contract he signed with Minnesota in August, but Vikings coach Brad Childress isn't going to rush him into making a decision on returning for a 20th NFL season.

"I told him go home and lick your wounds and I'll do the same and we'll catch up down the road," Childress said. "Nobody wants to be rash about any decision-making, I'm sure, right now."

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Favre will have plenty of wounds to lick. The Saints didn't sack him on Sunday, but they knocked him down countless times in an incredibly physical game. Defensive end Bobby McCray hit him so hard on one play in the third quarter that Favre thought his left ankle was broken.

But after writhing in pain on the trainer's table for a few minutes, Favre pulled himself up and remained in the game like the iron man he is.

With the Vikings down 28-21 in the fourth quarter, a hobbling Favre drove the team for a tying touchdown with just under 5 minutes to play.

"I thought it was a gutty, gutty performance," Childress said. "He grinded it out."

Then came the throw that will haunt him for a long, long time.

On third-and-15 from the New Orleans 38, Favre knew the Vikings needed to get closer to give Ryan Longwell a legitimate shot at a game-winning field goal in the final seconds.

He rolled right and then, instead of scrambling for the yards that might have put Minnesota in field goal range, threw across the field to the left. Tracy Porter picked it off to send the game to overtime, where Garrett Hartley's 40-yard field goal put the Saints into their first Super Bowl.

"I probably should have ran it," Favre said. "I don't know how far I could have gotten. But in hindsight, that's probably what I should have done. I don't know how many yards we needed for a field goal, but I knew we needed some. I was just late to Sidney [Rice]."

It was a devastating finish to such a memorable season for Favre and the Vikings. After an injury-riddled year with the New York Jets in 2008, Favre joined his longtime rivals in Minnesota in August, hoping to put a more fitting ending on one of the best careers this league has ever seen.

He set career bests in completion percentage (68.4), quarterback rating (107.2) and fewest interceptions (7), while throwing for 33 TDs and 4,202 yards. The Vikings (12-4) earned a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs, and last week Favre became the first 40-year-old QB to win a playoff game with a four-touchdown performance against the Cowboys.

All the while, he turned an entire state of haters from his days in Green Bay into the biggest Favre fans on the planet. Purple No. 4 jerseys are the new black in Minnesota, making Favre one of the most popular athletes in Minnesota sports history.

"It was a great season for our team. Great for the people of the state of Minnesota to look at a team like that compete and, among other things, watch No. 4 compete in purple," Childress said.

Favre spoke often this year of his affection for this team, which could make any decision to retire just a little more difficult.

"The year could not have gone any better, aside from us not going to Miami," he said. "I really enjoyed the guys."

He was then asked if he would consider coming back to get to the Super Bowl and a chance to go out on top.

In Favre's eyes, even if he never plays another down and even though the Vikings lost to the Saints, he will have done just that.

"I'd love to win the Super Bowl. Who wouldn't?" Favre said. "Of course, I can't print anything for you guys but I know I'm going out on top one way or the other.

"I didn't feel like I had anything to prove coming in. But if there were doubters out there maybe I served notice to them, but my goal is to get to Miami and obviously that's not going to happen. If it is [my last game], it is no doubt I'm on top."

Puyol backs his bossMinnesota Vikings’ Percy Harvin, New Orleans Saints’ Jeremy Shockey listed as active

Indianapolis Colts counting on 'business as usual' this week

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts intend to be as normal as possible this week, which means a game plan for the Saints will be developed Tuesday and they will be installed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Darron CummingsCoach Jim Caldwell and Peyton Manning, talking during practice last week, will try the same Super Bowl approach that worked for the Colts four years ago.

If the Super Bowl was played Sunday, they'd be ready.

Then next week in Miami, they'll have time to tinker, tighten, polish and review.

"We're going to go into it and try to get our guys prepared as quickly as we can," Jim Caldwell said. "That's our intent. We're going to prepare this week exactly like we would be playing them on Sunday."

It's an approach that worked for them four years ago when Caldwell was a Tony Dungy assistant.

"No reason to hold back now, you've got three days to look at them, study them while you're at home," center Jeff Saturday said. "Everything else you'll be doing is at a hotel or in other rooms. So it's good to get a jump that way."

"Try to make it as business as usual as possible," guard Ryan Lilja said. "It's such a not normal thing to go down there, and you've got two weeks and all the hype and all the media surrounding it. You just want to keep it as normal as possible."

The Colts will have an informational meeting Tuesday at which they'll learn about logistics for their families, tickets for the game and travel schedules.

Then they'll head into a normal work week Wednesday. They won't depart for Miami until Monday afternoon.

The Saints are scheduled to be off Tuesday and Wednesday before practicing Thursday through Saturday.

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The Colts will stay at the same hotel where they stayed four years ago for Super Bowl XLI in which they beat the Chicago Bears.

Indianapolis will practice at the Dolphins facility, just as they did then, too.

Caldwell counts 25 players who remain from then, and is counting on them to be resources and advisors for the rest.

There will be no bye week mentality, Saturday said.

"They're not off weeks, they're not bye weeks," he said. "They're preparation weeks for whatever is coming up next. From [Jim Caldwell's] standpoint, not only will it get us clued into what they're doing, it will also keep our legs fresh and keep us ready for the big day."

NFL Pro Bowl: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb leads slew of replacements

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has earned his sixth trip to the Pro Bowl and was among at least six replacements selected for players competing in the Super Bowl after the Colts and Saints clinched the AFC and NFC titles Sunday.

McNabb

McNabb replaces Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Nine Eagles players are slated to play in this year's game, including safety Quintin Mikell, who was also added Monday.

This year's Pro Bowl is being held Sunday, a week before the Super Bowl, rather than after the end of the season as in years past.

Jaguars quarterback David Garrard, Steelers tight end Heath Miller, Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and Redskins linebacker London Fletcher were also named as additions.

Mikell, who joined the Eagles as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State, replaces the Saints' Darren Sharper. It was Mikell's first Pro Bowl nod.

Garrard, who passed for 3,597 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 60.9 completion percentage in 2009, will replace Peyton Manning as a backup, The Florida Times-Union reported. Garrard joins Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew on the AFC's roster.

2010 NFL Pro Bowl

The Pro Bowl will be played before the Super Bowl for the first time Sunday at Miami's Sun Life Stadium, the home of Super Bowl XLIV. Coverage | Rosters

Vanden Bosch, who had three sacks and 44 tackles this season, was named to his third Pro Bowl, according to The Tennessean of Nashville, as Colts defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis won't be available.

Titans running back Chris Johnson, quarterback Vince Young and center Kevin Mawae have also been selected.

"It surprised me and it surprised a lot of people," Vanden Bosch said, according to the newspaper. "But it shows a lot of people -- offense and defense -- still respect the way I play and the way I bring it. The coaches and players got me in with their votes, so that is a great sign of respect."

Miller will replace Colts tight end Dallas Clark, and Fletcher will be added in place of Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

It will be the first Pro Bowl appearances for Miller and Fletcher.

Miller set career highs with 76 receptions and 789 yards for Pittsburgh this season. Fletcher had 95 tackles and two sacks.

Miller joins defensive tackle Casey Hampton and linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley as the four Steelers to make the Pro Bowl. Last week Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger also was selected as an alternate to replace the injured Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. But Roethlisberger turned down the invite after team doctors recommended he rest a shoulder injury that was suffered in Pittsburgh's regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

Fletcher joins Redskins rookie linebacker Brian Orakpo.

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NFL mulling mandatory league-wide heart scans

Between the time of Bears defensive end Gaines Adams' death last Sunday to his funeral Friday, the NFL's Cardiovascular Committee began discussing the possibility of subjecting all players to a heart scan called an echocardiogram, starting with potential draft picks invited to the NFL scouting combine next month.

NFLPA medical director Thomas Mayer told ESPN that the medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Adams stated the enlarged heart that led to his death could have been detected by an echocardiogram.

Isaacson: Does Medical Testing Hold Key?

In 2006, the NBA became the first major league to standardize its physicals to include echocardiograms in the wake of Hawks center Jason Collier's death from an enlarged heart, ESPNChicago.com's Melissa Isaacson writes. Story

But, as Mayer pointed out, the process is complicated.

Is the fear of legal liability going to influence a doctor? Are cardiologists going to agree on whether a player has an enlarged heart or an athlete's heart? Does that mean he's systematically finished as a football player?

More likely, a questionable echocardiogram could lead to more sensitive tests, such as a cardio catheter procedure.

Currently, echocardiograms are ordered only when a player has an abnormal EKG or has a family history of heart problems.

The NFLPA has reviewed Adams' medical files dating back to his entry into the league and his EKG and family history were normal.

Adams, who had just completed his third season in the NFL, went into cardiac arrest at his family's home in the early morning last Sunday in South Carolina.

The autopsy showed Adams had an enlarged heart, which can indicate hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that often leads to cardiac arrest.

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Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin, New Orleans Saints' Jeremy Shockey listed as active

NEW ORLEANS -- Percy Harvin of the Minnesota Vikings and Jeremy Shockey of the New Orleans Saints are active for Sunday's NFC Championship game.

Harvin missed three practices with migraine headaches this week, a problem that has plagued him all season. But the Offensive Rookie of the Year is ready for Minnesota's first conference title game in nine seasons.

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New Orleans tight end Shockey missed practices this week with a sore right knee, but is going to play. So is wideout Robert Meachem, who has been dealing with a sprained right ankle.

Saints CB Malcolm Jenkins is out with a hamstring problem.

Vikings DLs Kevin Williams and Ray Edwards were both questionable with knee injuries, but are active.

The third quarterbacks are Sage Rosenfels for Minnesota and Chase Daniel for New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Brett Favre said that he believes that crowd noise in New Orleans will be a huge factor. He will wear all of the Vikings plays on a wristband for the first time this season.

Sources: Minnesota Vikings’ Percy Harvin to travel to New OrleansPellegrini - We missed Ronaldo

Woman withdraws case against Baltimore Ravens' Terrell Suggs

Suggs

BALTIMORE -- An attorney for Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs says the mother of Suggs' two children has withdrawn a $70 million lawsuit against him, and the two are trying to reconcile.

Lynn Hoffman, who represents Suggs, says Candace Williams voluntarily withdrew the lawsuit and filed a motion to rescind a protective order she had taken out against him last month. That motion was granted Thursday.

Hoffman says Suggs and Williams were "hugging outside of the courtroom."

Earlier Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter and The Associated Press reported that the case was dismissed.

Some reports have suggested Suggs had to pay Williams. In fact, Suggs did not pay her, and will not pay her, any type of money.

Last month, Williams accused Suggs of hitting her in the chest, pushing her to the floor and sitting on her while holding her neck with one hand and a bottle of bleach with the other, according to court documents.

Williams alleged in the documents that Suggs threatened to drown her with the bleach and that some of it splashed on her and their toddler son. The alleged scuffle began with an argument over tickets to the Ravens' Nov. 29 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

At the time, the 27-year-old Suggs was not charged with any crime or wrongdoing but was accused of assault and battery.

The couple has a 2-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son.

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Sources: Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin to travel to New Orleans

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Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin participated in the team's final practice and meetings Saturday and will travel with his teammates to New Orleans for the NFC Championship Game, sources close to the player told ESPN's Ed Werder.

One source said the symptoms Harvin was suffering from with his migraine headaches were less severe but the problem still lingers.

He was listed as questionable on the official injury report but his availability to play remained undetermined.

Harvin, the AP's offensive rookie of the year, missed practice Thursday and was told by coach Brad Childress to remain home Friday. Childress said the missed practice time could not be made up and called the situation "less than ideal."

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Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants to sign Miles Austin to a long-term deal

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of options this offseason with wide receiver Miles Austin, a restricted free agent.

Owner/general manager Jerry Jones doesn't want to make it too complicated, though. He saw enough in Austin's spectacular 11-game stretch as a starter to try to sign the Pro Bowl receiver to a long-term deal.

"Yes," Jones said Thursday. "That's all I'm going to say, but the answer is yes."

Cowboys' Season In Pictures

Take a look at the 10 plays that shaped the 2009 season for the Dallas Cowboys in ESPN Dallas' ZOOM Gallery.

Tim MacMahon and Calvin Watkins will continue to give you the latest news and analysis throughout the offseason on our Cowboys Blog

In late October, on the day DeMarcus Ware signed his six-year deal, executive vice president Stephen Jones expressed hesitation about entering negotiations with Austin. At the time, Austin had just finished setting an NFL record with 421 receiving yards in his first two starts.

"Some of the biggest mistakes that are ever made are when you pay a guy off one year," Stephen Jones said then.

Austin finished his breakthrough season with 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns. He set a franchise record with 250 receiving yards on 10 catches against the Kansas City Chiefs in his first career start, including the game-winning 60-yard touchdown in overtime. He averaged 16.3 yards per catch this season.

Austin eventually became the team's top wideout this season, taking the role previously held by Roy E. Williams, whom the Cowboys traded for last season and signed to a five-year, $45 million deal.

But that doesn't mean Jerry Jones is giving up on Williams.

"You look at his talent, you look at his potential, you look at his contract," Jones said. "You look at how he came early and stayed late, tried to improve, looked for ways to maximize his value. All of those things are a major consideration. His contract is a major consideration.

"Do you compromise your football team? No. I've done far more than that financially in thinking at the time I've compromised the football team. I do not think that is the case with Roy. ... We've got a player that has the will and has the ability."

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Dallas Cowboys extend Wade Phillips' contract through 2011 season

IRVING, Texas -- Wade Phillips, the head coach with the highest winning percentage in Dallas Cowboys history, has some job security.

Cowboys' Season In Pictures

Take a look at the 10 plays that shaped the 2009 season for the Dallas Cowboys in ESPN Dallas' ZOOM Gallery.

Tim MacMahon and Calvin Watkins will continue to give you the latest news and analysis throughout the offseason on our Cowboys BlogJust not too much.

Owner/general manager Jerry Jones announced Thursday that Phillips' contract has been extended through the 2011 season. The Cowboys, who declined to reveal the financial terms of the deal, gave Phillips a guaranteed two-year deal instead of picking up his contract option for 2010.

"I'm encouraged by the progress that we made this year, but in no way are we satisfied," Jones said. "This contract represents that. Two years in the NFL is an eternity, but it has to be urgent."

The Cowboys are 33-15 in three regular seasons under Phillips. New England's Bill Belichick is the only NFL coach with more wins during that span.

Dallas is 1-2 in the playoffs under Phillips, ending a franchise-record postseason win drought that dated to the 1996 season with their 34-14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round.

This is the first time Phillips has survived beyond three seasons in one stint as a head coach. He was fired in favor of Mike Shanahan after going 16-16 in two seasons with the Denver Broncos. He had a 29-19 record in three seasons as the Buffalo Bills' head coach. Phillips did not win a playoff game in either of his previous stops as a head coach.

WINTER CHILL

Wade Phillips is the second-winningest regular-season coach since 2007, behind only Bill Belichick:

Coach W-L Pct. 

Bill Belichick, NE 37-11 .771 

Wade Phillips, DAL 33-15 .688 

Norv Turner, SD 32-16 .667 

Jeff Fisher, TEN 31-17 .646 

Mike Tomlin, PIT 31-17 .646 

But when the weather turns cold, so do Phillips' teams:

Coach Playoff W-L Pct. 

Jim Mora 0-6 .000 

Wade Phillips 1-5 .167 

Jack Pardee 1-5 .167 

Sid Gillman 1-5 .167 

Wayne Fontes 1-4 .200 

Steve Owen 2-8 .200 

Jones fielded questions about Phillips' job status on a weekly basis during the second half of the season. Jones started strongly hinting that Phillips would return after the Cowboys' Dec. 19 win over the previously undefeated New Orleans Saints. However, Jones never publicly committed to retaining his head coach until a Tuesday interview with ESPN, when he added that negotiations were under way to work out details beyond the option year.

"That isn't my goal. That isn't our goal," said Phillips, who also served as defensive coordinator of a unit that allowed the fewest points in the NFC this season. "Our goal is to win the world championship. That's what I'm going to try to get done. I think we have a team that can go forward and do that."

It was initially reported Thursday on ESPN.com and earlier this week on the Cowboys' official Web site that the contract would take Phillips through the 2012 season. But ESPN.com has learned that due to a last-minute change, the finalized extension ended with the 2011 season.

Jones has stressed the need for continuity on the coaching staff since December 2008, when he opted not to fire Phillips despite a disappointing 9-7 season that ended with a 44-6 loss to the Eagles with a playoff berth at stake.

That's a significant shift in philosophy from an owner who fired Tom Landry, who coached the Cowboys for the franchise's first 29 years, and has employed six head coaches. Jones, who parted ways with Jimmy Johnson after back-to-back Super Bowl championships, cites firing new Buffalo coach Chan Gailey after two seasons as one of his biggest regrets.

Jones noted that if Phillips finishes this deal, he would be tied with Johnson for the longest head-coaching tenure under his ownership. Jones also said, based on Phillips' recommendations, that all the assistant coaches would also be offered contract extensions.

"It does address continuity, but addresses it in a way that does not have any comfort zone about it," Jones said. "It addresses the urgency of where we want to go from here."

Jerry Jones confirms Wade Phillips will return as Dallas Cowboys coachAyala reveals River wish

Jacksonville Jaguars eye troubled former Detroit Lions assistant Joe Cullen

Joe Cullen, who made headlines for passing through a fast food drive-thru naked in 2006 when he was a Detroit Lions assistant, could soon be back in the league with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Cullen was suspended one game by the team and an additional game by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who also fined him $20,000 as a result of two preseason arrests in 2006 -- one for the drive-through incident, one for DUI.

Goodell deemed it "conduct detrimental to the league."

The two cases resulted in fines and 10 days of community service as well as a judge's order to attend outpatient treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

The Jaguars consulted with Goodell before setting things in motion with Cullen, who was an assistant coach at Idaho State last season.

In a letter to Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver, Goodell said:

"Joe paid a heavy price, and rightly so. But to his credit, throughout this process he has always accepted responsibility and has willingly embraced the result as an opportunity to become a better person and role model. Not only has he fully complied with the obligations that were imposed on him, but he has undertaken several others on his own ..."

"Having had the benefit of several conversations with him as well as reports from a number of sources, I think he is an example of our primary objective under the policy-to provide assistance and support that ultimately rebuild reputations and extend careers. I have little doubt that he will continue to progress and will represent the Jaguars in a positive manner."

It's unclear where Cullen would fit on Del Rio's staff as the Jaguars already have Ted Monachino, who's been overseeing the defensive line since 2006.

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Tom Brady the third New England Patriots to pull out of Pro Bowl

Quarterback Tom Brady will not play in the Pro Bowl due to injury.

Tom Brady#12 QB
New England Patriots

2009 STATS

Att565Comp371Yds4312TD28Int13Rat96.2

Brady is the third New England Patriots player to pull out of the game, joining receivers Randy Moss (undisclosed injury) and Wes Welker (knee injuries).

The nature of the injury was not disclosed, but Brady is known to have injuries to his right shoulder, ribs and a finger on his right hand. The move does not come as a surprise. Brady hinted at possibly not playing in the game in comments after the Patriots' wild-card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Brady will be replaced on the roster by Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.

Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers was the first Pro Bowl alternate to replace Brady. But team doctors recommended Roethlisberger turn down the invite until he was fully recovered.

Roethlisberger hurt his right shoulder in Pittsburgh's regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins. The injury will not require surgery.

"His shoulder was not 100 percent from our final game in Miami," Steelers head of public relations Dave Lockett said. "Our doctors and trainers have recommended that he should allow it to heal 100 percent."

Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young has also been added to the AFC roster. The other AFC quarterbacks scheduled to play in the game are Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers.

The Patriots still will be represented at the Pro Bowl on Jan. 31 in Miami -- by offensive lineman Logan Mankins, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork and safety Brandon Meriweather.

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Chan Gailey looking for starting QB of future for Buffalo Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- In taking over as the Buffalo Bills new head coach, Chan Gailey's first challenge is addressing a lingering problem: identifying a starting quarterback.

Vowing to conduct a thorough evaluation, Gailey provided a noncommittal response by saying it's too early to make a decision. But he made clear that it's a discussion he's already begun with general manager Buddy Nix.

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"It's unfair for me to sit here and say what's going to happen," Gailey said, shortly after being hired on Tuesday. "I would be talking off the cuff, and that's the quickest way to get in trouble."

Trouble and quarterback have gone hand in hand in Buffalo, where Gailey is presented with the same quandary his predecessors faced since Hall of Famer Jim Kelly retired following the 1996 season.

Ever since, the Bills' failure to land a franchise quarterback is partly the reason why the team's gone 10 straight years without a playoff berth, and had only one winning season during that span.

The question is whether the Bills even have a capable starter currently on their roster after Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm failed to provide a spark to a sputtering offense during this season's 6-10 finish.

"I know both guys have had some success playing in the NFL," Gailey said, referring to Edwards and Fitzpatrick. "But they have not done it for a length of time with consistency. So can they? We're going to decide that."

One option for the Bills might come in April, when they open the draft with the No. 9 selection.

Edwards lost the starting job midway through the season after going 1-5 in games he had a majority of playing time. Fitzpatrick had a better record, going 5-4, but didn't do much to improve an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL.

Brohm struggled in his only start, and is considered a project. He's a 2008 second-round draft pick the Bills signed off Green Bay's practice squad in November.

Enter Gailey, who was hired because of his offensive expertise and reputation for getting the most out of an offense no matter who's starting. He's succeeded with John Elway in Denver, and Troy Aikman in Dallas, as well as Kordell Stewart in Pittsburgh, where Gailey came up with "The Slash" offense.

And Gailey even got production out of Jay Fiedler in Miami in 2000 and 01, when the Dolphins went 11-5 both seasons.

"He's run everything from the wishbone when he was in college, he's run the wildcat," former Broncos coach Dan Reeves said. "He's coached all different kinds of quarterbacks. I think he takes the skills that those players have and gives them an opportunity to be the best they can."

Fixing the Bills offense, however, won't be easy.

And everyone from Kelly to Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian agrees that Buffalo's quarterback problem has held the team back.

"The one thing you have to do in this league is have a quarterback," said Polian, the Bills former general manager, who spoke prior to the Colts season finale at Buffalo. "And they [the Bills] haven't had one you could hang your hat on."

From Todd Collins in 1997 to Fitzpatrick, who closed this past season as the starter, the Bills have had 10 quarterbacks start at least one game since Kelly's retirement. It's a list that includes a first-round draft pick (J.P. Losman), journeymen (such as Kelly Holcomb) and a longtime backup (Alex Van Pelt).

Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie were the last two starters to lead the team to the playoffs in 2000. An aging Drew Bledsoe, who was acquired in trade with New England in 2002, had the most success and the longest tenure, going three years as starter.

"You're not going to make it far if you don't have a good quarterback." Kelly said recently.

The key, Kelly said, is for Gailey and Nix to find not just the best quarterback, but one capable of playing in Buffalo's harsh climate.

"You don't need a big-name quarterback, you need a quarterback who could play, period," Kelly said. "It's doing your homework, sitting down with whomever it might be, and having it in your mind: 'Will this guy fit in Buffalo, New York,' not somewhere in the NFL, but Buffalo."

As part of the changes, the Bills parted ways with vice president of player personnel John Guy in the team's latest front-office shake-up.

Guy's departure was announced by the team in a two-sentence release issued late Wednesday night. Guy had completed his ninth year with the Bills, and had been responsible for scouting NFL free agents.

The move was not unexpected. Guy's contract was up this spring, and he was criticized for the Bills spotty record with free-agent signings.

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Mike Nolan lands as Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator; Sheridan to coach inside linebackers

Fewer than 24 hours after splitting from the Denver Broncos, Mike Nolan was hired by the Miami Dolphins to be their new defensive coordinator.

Nolan replaces Paul Pasqualoni, who was fired after the Dolphins' 7-9 season. They allowed 390 points, the third-highest total in the AFC.

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Bill Parcells, the Dolphins' football czar, had the same job with the Jets when Nolan worked there.

Nolan became available after the Dolphins' courtships of Al Groh and Keith Butler failed to produce an agreement. Groh became defensive coordinator for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and Butler decided to remain with the Pittsburgh Steelers as linebackers coach.

Miami coach Tony Sparano favors a 3-4 defense, and Nolan converted the Broncos last year to that scheme. Denver improved to seventh in the NFL in defense from 29th in 2008, but the team faded badly and missed the postseason for a fourth consecutive year

In their final four games, the Broncos gave up 122 points. Still, Nolan's departure was a surprise, and the reason for the split with coach Josh McDaniels was unknown.

Miami allowed a franchise-record 140 points in the fourth quarter, most in the NFL. And in the final three games, desperate to stay in the playoff race, the Dolphins fell behind 24-6, 27-0 and 27-10.

Now that the Dolphins have a new defensive coordinator, they can intensify their shopping for linebackers and a free safety. Linebackers Jason Taylor and Joey Porter and nose tackle Jason Ferguson, all in their 30s, are among those who might not be back in 2010.

Nolan was the 49ers' head coach in 2005-08. He spent one year with Denver and has been a defensive coordinator with four other NFL teams: Baltimore (2002-04), the New York Jets (2000), Washington (1997-99) and the New York Giants (1993-96).

The Dolphins made another move Tuesday, hiring former Giants assistant coach Bill Sheridan as the inside linebackers coach.

Sheridan was fired two weeks ago as the Giants' defensive coordinator. In Miami, he replaces George Edwards, who left after five seasons to become the Florida Gators' defensive coordinator.

Sheridan coached the Giants' linebackers in 2005-08 and was their defensive coordinator in 2009. The Giants gave up 427 points this season, third-worst in the NFL.

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Jerry Jones confirms Wade Phillips will return as Dallas Cowboys coach

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Not only is head coach Wade Phillips returning for the 2010 season, he might be with the Dallas Cowboys even longer.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones told ESPN that he's working on a contract extension for Phillips. The team has already decided to pick up Phillips' team option for 2010, but Jones wants the coach back for 2011 as well.

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"I'm certainly interested in Wade being back, and everything is a go," Jones said Tuesday. "We had a long visit about that and all matters of our team [Monday]. We'll have a couple more meetings before we meet with our media."

Jones has been consistent in saying he values what Phillips has done for the team this season, especially the defense. Yet he didn't make any announcements regarding a contract extension until Tuesday.

"We've got to work out the details of what we want to do besides the option, but I want him back," Jones said on ESPNEWS. "I said that early in the season before we got on the run that we got on at the end."

Phillips was unavailable for comment. His agent, Gary O'Hagan, declined comment when asked about his client's contract status.

The Cowboys' official Web site had a story saying that Phillips would receive a three-year extension, but Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the story was incorrect, would be taken down and that nothing long term has been decided.

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Sources: Oakland Raiders reached out to Stanford's Jim Harbaugh

The Oakland Raiders have spoken to Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh about becoming their head coach, sources inside and outside the organization said, but Harbaugh did not express interest in the job.

The Raiders also have spoken with former offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, who now coaches in the CFL.

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A source said Jim Fassel also talked to Oakland about the job but the former NFL coach, in an interview with Sirius/XM Mad Dog Radio on Wednesday, denied speaking to the Raiders.

"I'm not lobbying for the Raider job. I have never in my life rooted for a coach to be let go so there's an opening. I never have. I'm in the same fraternity," Fassel, who is the head coach of the Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL, said.

Tom Cable's status as Oakland's coach remains uncertain at best. He was scheduled to meet with owner Al Davis last week, but the meeting did not take place. The future of Cable and his staff remains up in the air until that meeting occurs.

Cable has pointed to the team's improvement after Russell's midseason benching as proof that he deserves another year to get the Raiders back to the playoffs.

Herrera said Davis and Cable have talked extensively since the season ended, with many of those discussions coming by phone.

"Most of the characterizations of Al Davis' meetings with the head coach being short or brief are not true either," Herrera said. "Mr. Davis has had meetings of some depth with the head coach. There have been meetings and meetings of substance."

Meanwhile, the Raiders are hosting a visit Wednesday with Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson, who is interviewing for their offensive coordinator job, according to a team source.

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Oakland has been seeking someone who could work with and develop former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell.

"A lot of people have called inquiring about coaching positions," senior executive John Herrera said.

Cable's job security is in question after he went 5-11 in his first full season as coach and failed to develop Russell into a legitimate NFL quarterback. Cable is 9-19 since replacing Lane Kiffin early in the 2008 season, leading the Raiders to their NFL-worst seventh straight season with at least 11 losses.

Cable has pointed to the team's improvement after Russell's midseason benching as proof that he deserves another year.

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Source: Mike Nolan talks to Miami Dolphins after Denver Broncos split

The Denver Broncos and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan have agreed to part ways, and a source told ESPN.com's John Clayton that Nolan is close to an agreement to take on the same role with the Miami Dolphins.

Before the split, Miami sent in a request for permission to interview Nolan, sources close to the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The parting was friendly and gave Nolan a chance to move on and talk to the Dolphins, the source told Clayton.

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The Dolphins fired defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and have struggled to find a quick replacement. The Dolphins' interest in Nolan apparently opened the door for the chance for Nolan to get to Miami.

Nolan becomes the third member of coach Josh McDaniels' inaugural staff to depart following a disappointing 8-8 finish. Offensive line coach Rick Dennison left for Houston's staff and longtime running backs coach Bobby Turner was reunited with Mike Shanahan in Washington. Both Dennison and Turner were holdovers from the Shanahan era.

"I can't say anything other than Josh and I mutually agreed to part ways," Nolan said on Monday, according to The Denver Post.

Nolan, who engineered the Broncos' switch to a 3-4 defensive alignment, was McDaniels' first hire. McDaniels lined up Nolan to help revamp what had been a deplorable defense.

McDaniels said in a statement released Monday by the team: "I have great respect for Mike and wish him success in the future."

As a potential replacement, the Broncos already are discussing former Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who worked with McDaniels in New England, sources told Schefter.

The Broncos started the season 6-0 and were the talk of the league. Nolan received much of the credit as he turned around a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in every major category in 2008.

Nolan's scheme shaved 7.8 points a game off a defense that surrendered 28 points a game the previous season.

Then the team went into a free fall, losing eight of their next 10 games to miss the postseason for a fourth straight year.

Now, the Broncos will be searching for their fifth defensive coordinator in five seasons.

After getting fired as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2008, Nolan tried his hand in broadcasting but found himself wanting to return to coaching.

Then McDaniels came calling, offering him a chance to turn around the Broncos' defense that had slid under Shanahan's watch.

Known as a defensive wizard, Nolan jumped at the challenge.

He holed up in his office last offseason as he installed a new look and shuffled around personnel.

Denver gave him the pieces, bringing in perennial Pro Bowler Brian Dawkins to serve as a leader and add a swagger that had been missing. Dawkins sparked the Broncos.

One of the biggest beneficiaries of Nolan's system was Elvis Dumervil, who was able to use his long arms and low center of gravity off the edge of the line as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker. Dumervil turned in a Pro Bowl season as he finished with an NFL-leading and team-record 17 sacks.

Once again, though, Dumervil and his defensive teammates will be under a new defensive boss.

Dumervil will be a restricted a free agent if there's no collective bargaining agreement. Come next season, he will be working for his eighth defensive coordinator in eight seasons, including three at the University of Louisville.

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Longtime Carolina Panthers wide receivers coach Richard Williamson retires

Richard Williamson, who was hired as wide receivers coach by the Carolina Panthers even before first head coach Dom Capers was named, is retiring, the team announced Monday.

Williamson, 68, joined the Panthers in 1995, the year they started play. He stayed on through the entire tenures of Capers and George Seifert and was with the Panthers since John Fox arrived in 2002. He even did a stint as offensive coordinator under Seifert, but Williamson was best known as one of the top wide receiver coaches in the NFL.

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"Richard was a valuable member of our coaching staff," Fox said. "He helped Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith develop into Pro Bowl receivers and was someone we all leaned on because of his experience and knowledge."

Williamson had been asked about the possibility of retirement for years, but previously had said he wanted to keep coaching.

"I have enjoyed being with the Panthers since the beginning," Williamson said in a statement released by the team. "It was great to be part of the development of the Panthers from an expansion team to a Super Bowl contender, and I appreciate the way [owner Jerry Richardson] does things. This organization is the class of the NFL and I have tremendous respect for him."

Muhammad, Smith, Patrick Jeffers, Raghib Ismail and Mark Carrier each had at least one 1,000-yard receiving season under Williamson.

Williamson was a head coach in Tampa Bay for three games in 1990 and the entire 1991 season. He went to Cincinnati for three seasons before joining the Panthers. Williamson began his NFL coaching career in 1983 with Kansas City.

Williamson also was a prominent college player at Alabama. He played wide receiver when Joe Namath was quarterback and Bear Bryant was coach.

Sources: Carolina Panthers grant coach John Fox chance to opt out of 2010Guti ready for Real return

Sources: Seattle Seahawks to hire John Schneider as GM

Green Bay Packers director of football operations John Schneider has been chosen as the new general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, league and team sources said.

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Schneider, 38, will be in his second stint with the Seahawks, having served in the club's front office in 2000. Seattle last week named Pete Carroll of USC as the team's new head coach, replacing the deposed Jim Mora, and then sought out to hire a general manager.

Schneider and Patriots senior executive Floyd Reese were the two finalists for the job, and the Seahawks zeroed in on Schneider, who already has taken two trips to Seattle.

A native of Wisconsin, Schneider has a wide and diverse resume in the league. He joined the NFL in 1992 as a personnel intern to then-Packers general manager Ron Wolf, and in addition to his time in Green Bay, has worked in the front offices of Kansas City (1997-99), Seattle (2000), and Washington (2001). He rejoined the Packers in 2002 as the personnel analyst to general manager Ted Thompson and was promoted into his current post in 2008.

A graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., Schneider played one season of college football before his career was ended by a shoulder injury.

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Wide receiver Roy Williams expresses frustration with role after Dallas Cowboys loss to Minnesota Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS -- The frustrations of Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams surfaced following the team's 34-3 loss playoff to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Williams finished the game without a catch and was targeted only once.

When asked if the Cowboys called any plays for him, he told ESPNDallas.com, "No. Hell no."

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Williams has endured a subpar season in which he caught just 38 passes for 596 yards and seven touchdowns. He had four games with one catch and two in which he was shut out.

Once the postseason began, Williams was hoping he would be more involved in the offense.

In the NFC wild card win against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had five catches for 59 yards and no touchdowns. Williams dismissed the production, saying the Eagles' frequent blitzes were the reason he was targeted.

Against the Vikings, Tony Romo's only throw to Williams came on a first-down play in the first quarter. Romo was under pressure and got knocked down on the play.

"I didn't get a ball today, and I didn't get a look at today. It just happens," Williams said. "It's frustrating. It pisses me off, especially when we lose and especially when I feel like I have a mismatch. I got a 5-10 corner [covering me, Dontonio Wingfield], but hey, you know, I will continue to work hard in the offseason and it will come back around."

Williams said he was surprised at the way his season unfolded.

The Cowboys traded three draft picks to the Detroit Lions last year for Williams and signed him to a six-year, $45 million extension. He caught only 19 passes in 10 games lining up opposite Terrell Owens.

The Cowboys still owe Williams $21 million guaranteed, including more than $9 million in 2010 even if he's not on the roster. Williams said a few weeks ago he doesn't expect to get released after just his second season with the club.

"Now, next year," he said in late December, "if this is the same thing going on, then I'll be like, 'Oh [expletive], I've got to get my [expletive] together.' But right now, no. It's play ball. I'm good."

Williams was supposed to be the No. 1 wideout on this team, but Miles Austin surpassed him as a target Romo trusts. Patrick Crayton, the No. 3 receiver, finished with more receiving yards (622) than Williams. Jason Witten, the veteran tight end, led the team in catches (94) and yards (1,030) this year.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said pressure on Romo prevented him from getting the ball to receivers when they were open Sunday.

"It was tough on us," Williams said. "Talking to [Vikings defensive tackle] Kevin Williams after the game, he knew we were a hot football team and they wanted to get after us and that's what they did. They had a lot of pressure, more than usual. We just couldn't make the plays."

The Vikings changed around their coverages from man-to-man to zone and got constant pressure on Romo. Of his 22 completions, only six went to wide receivers, one in the second half.

"They mixed it up, it didn't matter to me, I didn't get the ball," Williams said. "I didn't get looked at. I was just out there."

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Source: Braylon Edwards facing NFL penalty next season

New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards pleaded no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct this week, was fined $1,000, and given a suspended 180-day jail sentence. But his punishment isn't over yet.

Edwards' case will be reviewed under the NFL's personal conduct policy and is expected to result in discipline, though not during this postseason, a league source said.

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Edwards initially pleaded not guilty in November to misdemeanor assault after he was accused of punching a friend of NBA star LeBron James on Oct. 5 outside a downtown Cleveland nightclub. The former Browns receiver was traded to the Jets two days later.

Even if the Jets win Sunday and advance to the AFC Championship Game, the league will not punish Edwards this season. But he is facing some type of punishment for the 2010 season, and a suspension will be considered.

The NFL soon will review Edwards' case and make its decision based on the facts of this case and the receiver's behavioral history. Fortunately for Edwards, he has not been involved in any prior incidents.

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Dallas Cowboys' Keith Brooking: Minnesota Vikings late score classless

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Tempers flared Sunday at the Metrodome after Minnesota's final touchdown of a 34-3 playoff victory over Dallas, as Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking sprinted toward the Vikings' sideline, taunting coach Brad Childress and later calling the late score "classless."

Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams, meanwhile, said Brooking was lucky to escape the Minnesota sideline in one piece.

"We don't care what Keith Brooking says," Williams said. "He was about to get his ass whupped on our sideline over there. It don't matter. Nobody said anything when they blew out the Eagles [the past two weeks].

"It's the playoffs. It ain't no regular-season game. If you lose, you go home. We take no pity on them. Do they expect us to? I don't care about no Brooking. He can say whatever he wants to say."

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With the Vikings leading 27-3 late in the fourth quarter, Childress left his starters in the game. The Cowboys gave up the ball on downs at their 37-yard line with 5:26 remaining, and the Vikings threw three passes on their ensuing six-play drive. The final one was an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe on fourth-and-3 with 1:55 remaining.

"Just staying aggressive with it, if you will," Childress said after the game. "We put our defense back on the field and we talked to all the coordinators -- offense, defense, special-teams guys-- that we weren't going to put the field goal group on the field.

"As Lou Holtz used to say, 'It's our job to score points. It's their job to stop us from scoring points.' That happens. It wasn't rubbing it in. It's just taking care of business and being aggressive at the end of the game."

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said the Vikings ran up the score, and Brooking agreed.

"I thought it was classless," Brooking said. "I thought it was B.S. Granted, we get paid to stop them, but we had zero timeouts left. I didn't think there was any call for that."

Shiancoe laughed after hearing Brooking's comments. "OK, we apologize. I'm sorry. Better?"

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