ADN

Lee Evans got screwed big time. I can't believe Lee Evans didn't make the Pro Bowl....that really sucks

Strahan Put On IR - Done For the Year

Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan will miss the rest of the season for the New York Giants after aggravating a sprained right foot last weekend against the New Orleans Saints.

He was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and could need surgery, the team said.

The Giants (7-8) can almost surely clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Redskins (5-10) in the regular-season finale at Washington on Saturday.

Strahan, who shares the Giants' all-time sack record of 132‚½ with Lawrence Taylor, hurt the foot Nov. 5 against Houston. He was playing for the first time since the injury in Sunday's 30-7 loss to the Saints. The 14-year veteran had five tackles (three solo) and knocked down a pass before re-injuring the foot late in the contest.

Strahan had 50 tackles (34 solo) and three sacks this season, his lowest sack total since he had one as a rookie in 1993. His career sack total leaves him tied with Taylor and Leslie O'Neal for seventh on the all-time NFL list.

The Giants have also placed offensive tackle Luke Petitgout and returner Chad Morton on injured reserve. Morton suffered a knee injury on Sunday. Petitgout broke a leg against Chicago on Nov. 12.

The Giants had kept Petitgout on the active roster, hoping that he might recover and play again this season. However, he has not made enough progress.

New York signed free agent receiver Darius Watts, tight end Darcy Johnson from their practice squad, and running back Robert Douglas from the Houston Texans' practice squad.

Watts was a second-round draft choice by the Denver Broncos in 2004. He caught 31 passes for 385 yards and a touchdown as rookie. The former Marshall product had two receptions last season and was released by the Broncos before the start of this season.

Johnson has been on the practice squad all season.

Douglas has never played in an NFL game. At the University of Memphis, Douglas switched from linebacker to fullback midway through his junior season.

The Giants also made a move on their practice squad, releasing running back Cedric Humes and signing tight end Jason Randall.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2708798

Cardinals Fire Dennis Green

Dennis Green has joined a long list of failed coaches for the Arizona Cardinals.

The franchise with one winning season in the past 22 years already is lining up candidates to be the next one to give it a shot. Mike Sherman is to be interviewed on Thursday, and five other NFL assistants were identified as potential hires.

Green was fired on Monday, one day after the Cardinals concluded a 5-11 season with a 27-20 loss at San Diego. He finished with a 16-32 record at Arizona. The Cardinals will pay $2.5 million to buy out the final year of his contract.

He was the seventh coach the Cardinals have had since the franchise moved to Arizona in 1988. The team has had one winning season since 1984, and Green was optimistic he was the man to turn things around. But his three teams in Arizona went 6-10, 5-11 and 5-11.

"In the final analysis, when you look at the three years of wins and losses, we didn't win enough games," said Cardinals vice president and general counsel Michael Bidwill, son of owner Bill Bidwill.

While Green was shown the door, the man in charge of player personnel, Rod Graves, got a new contract.

Michael Bidwill announced at a news conference that Graves, vice president for football operations, has been given a new three-year deal.

"I think he's done a very good job as far as building the talent on this team," Bidwill said. "We've got a lot of young players that are under contract for a long, long time. I think that's part of what makes the Cardinals very attractive to many of the coaches we've talked to."

Sherman, now assistant head coach of the Houston Texans, will be in Tempe to interview on Thursday, Graves said.

Interviews have yet to be scheduled for five others: Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera; Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow; Indianapolis Colts assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell; Russ Grimm, assistant head coach/offensive line coach in Pittsburgh; and Ken Whisenhut, offensive coordinator of the Steelers.

Green's mission was to turn around the perpetually losing Cardinals and put a winner into the new stadium when it opened this season.

The stadium, the signing of running back Edgerrin James and the drafting of quarterback Matt Leinart stirred up great interest in the team, which sold out every home game this year.

But after a season-opening home victory over San Francisco, the Cardinals lost eight in a row and quickly fell out of the playoff hunt. The skid included close home losses to St. Louis, Kansas City and, most memorably on a Monday night, to Chicago.

Green demoted offensive coordinator Keith Rowen after six games and replaced him with Mike Kruczek, one of many shake-ups on his staff during his time with the Cardinals. Leinart replaced Kurt Warner after five games and showed great promise.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2716484

Falcons Fire Jim Mora

Not long after Atlanta owner Arthur Blank fired him as the Falcons' third-year coach, Jim Mora went to great lengths to list his accomplishments.

Advancing to the NFC Championship game in his first season, however, wasn't enough to save Mora's job. The Falcons, who went a combined 4-13 during the final two months of 2005-06, missed the playoffs the last two years.

"This is a tough business, and it takes tough people, and if you can't take it, you don't belong," Mora said. "My goal is to be a head coach again and work in the NFL for another 20 years."

Mora's last two teams fell apart. In 2005, a 6-2 start gave them a share of the conference lead, then the Falcons lost six of their last eight.

This past year, Atlanta was 5-2, but finished 7-9.

Entering the final weekend of the regular season, the Falcons had only a slim chance to make the playoffs with a .500 record.

Those hopes ended Saturday night when the New York Giants won at Washington. Mora's final game, a 24-17 loss at Philadelphia in which the playoff-bound Eagles rested most of their key playmakers, took place at the same stadium where the Falcons lost the NFC Championship.

"I'm proud of the many things we accomplished here over the last three years ¢‚¬¦ although our main goal was to bring a Super Bowl back home to the great fans of Atlanta, and we fell short in that area," Mora said. "If anything, I think this experience has made me a better coach, although I don't think circumstances always allow that to be seen."

His teams led the NFL in rushing every year, but quarterback Michael Vick and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp never meshed, and the Falcons struggled badly once the opponent took the lead. Under Mora, Atlanta was 0-17 when entering the fourth quarter with a deficit.

Mora, the 45-year-old son of longtime NFL coach Jim Mora, went 26-22 in three seasons, but Blank decided a change was necessary.

"It was a quick meeting, a to-the-point meeting," the younger Mora said.''

But Mora's tenure also was marked by an odd series of off-field distractions, including the embarrassment he caused himself during a Seattle radio station interview before a crucial game against Dallas last month.

Mora said his "dream job" was to coach at the University of Washington, his alma mater, and that he'd jump at the chance to take it -- even if the Falcons were in the middle of the playoffs. The fact the school already has a coach, Tyrone Willingham, only added to the embarrassment.

Mora also endured an awkward situation created by his father. The senior Mora, also speaking on a radio show, agreed with a co-host that Vick was a "coach killer."

Vick was clearly upset by the comment and left to wonder if the father's opinion was influenced by private comments from Atlanta's coach, who worked hard to patch up any rift by saying he would take Vick over anyone in NFL history if he was starting a team.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2716540

Nick Saban To Leave Dolphins for Alabama

Nick Saban has accepted an offer from Alabama to coach the Crimson Tide and leave the Miami Dolphins, two weeks after declaring "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach."

Saban's agreement with Alabama is for eight years and a fully-guaranteed $32 million, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports. Saban can potentially earn an additional $700,000 to $800,000 annually in bowl-game bonuses.

Saban told team owner Wayne Huizenga of his decision in a face-to-face meeting Wednesday morning. Saban then informed all of his coaches by speakerphone that he was leaving the franchise to coach Alabama.

In a news conference at the team's facility, Huizenga told reporters he was not upset by Saban's departure.

"It is what it is. We have to move forward," Huizenga said. "We want the best for Nick and [his wife] Terry. I like Nick a lot and think he could have won here. I'm a Nick Saban fan."

Saban had issued repeated denials that he was interested in coaching Alabama, one of the most high-profile and high-pressure college coaching jobs in the country. He leaves the Dolphins with three years left on a deal worth approximately $4.5 million a year.

Saban was 15-17 without a playoff appearance in his two seasons as Dolphins coach.

"In my opinion, the Dolphins have always been about winning. I just want everyone to know that it's really all about winning now," Huizenga said. "I don't care what it takes or what it costs, we're going to make this a winning franchise -- sooner rather than later."

Alabama began looking for a coach after firing Mike Shula on Nov. 27. The Tide finished the season 6-7, losing to Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl.

On Tuesday, Saban asked for and received more time from Huizenga to make a decision, yet Huizenga remained optimistic that Saban would remain with the Dolphins. Saban was given until 10 a.m. Wednesday to make a decision.

Saban was 48-16 in five seasons at LSU, where he won the 2003 BCS national championship.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2718488

Tomlinson Wins MVP

Spell this year's NFL MVP: L.T.

Record-setting LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers ran away with The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award Thursday the way he eluded defenders in leading his team to the AFC's best record (14-2) and a favorite's role for the Super Bowl.

"When you're MVP of the league, it's a great accomplishment," Tomlinson said, adding the honor means "that I've had a great year, that's all, on a great team."

But with so much more on the horizon, he hopes.

"I would feel so much better about winning if we win the Super Bowl. It would feel like it would be everything," Tomlinson said.

Tomlinson, who broke Shaun Alexander's league record for touchdowns by scoring 31 (28 rushing) and also threw for two scores, had one of the greatest seasons in NFL history. He rushed for a league-high 1,815 yards on 348 carries, had 56 receptions for 508 yards and was 2-for-3 as a passer, both completions for scores, giving the Chargers running back six in his six-year career, tying him for second among non-quarterbacks.

"It couldn't happen to a better person, a man who is the face and the perfect representative of the National Football League," fullback Lorenzo Neal said. "He represents what every player should be."

So sweet that he received 44 of the 50 votes from a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Former teammate Drew Brees, now starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, got four votes, and Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning got two.

Tomlinson rushed for at least 100 yards 10 times this season, including nine in a row, and scored two or more TDs in 10 games. The highlights were four-touchdown games against San Francisco in a 48-19 romp and Cincinnati in a 49-41 shootout in which San Diego trailed 28-7 at halftime.

Tomlinson is the first Charger to win the MVP award. He joins Brown (1957 and '65), Simpson (1973) and Payton (1977) among brilliant running backs to take the honor.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html

Chad Pennington Named AP Comeback Player of the Year

One rotator cuff injury often is enough to ruin a premier athlete's career. Chad Pennington overcame two in two years to win The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

The New York Jets had become too accustomed to seeing Pennington leave the field with a damaged right shoulder. After the 2004 season and again midway through 2005, he underwent surgery to repair his right rotator cuff.

There's was so much doubt about Pennington returning to form that the Jets had four quarterbacks in training camp last summer, including a second-round draft pick.

So all the seven-year veteran did was lead the Jets to a surprising 10-6 record and a wild-card berth one season after they went 4-12 -- most of it with him sidelined -- and changed coaches. Pennington's precise execution of a short passing game made Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery into 1,000-yard receivers and offset a mediocre running game.

Not surprisingly, Pennington didn't see winning the award, announced Thursday, as an individual honor.

"The organization has been great in providing me with all kinds of special resources to get back healthy and play at a high level," he said. "My teammates have been behind me since Day 1. For us to be able to put it together out on the field would mean a lot ... it's been such a team effort."

Pennington's efforts earned him 27 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. He finished far ahead of two other quarterbacks, Drew Brees of New Orleans (81/2) and Carson Palmer of Cincinnati (51/2).

"He never reinvented himself," Coles said of Pennington, who passed for a career-best 3,352 yards and finished second in the AFC with a 95.7 passer rating. "You all [in the media] were the ones who left him for dead. I'm pretty sure he didn't leave himself for dead or he wouldn't be in this situation. And I definitely didn't. He never went anywhere."

Well, actually Pennington went under the knife twice, and because he's never had a particularly strong arm, his return to prominence was highly questioned. But through rehab and meetings, he clearly had mastered the offense of new coach Eric Mangini and coordinator Brian Schottenheimer by early August.

And there never was any doubt he would beat out the other three QBs in camp once Pennington began throwing as accurately as ever.

When Pennington was hit hard or sacked, he bounced up and went right back to work. Most notably against Houston, he took a huge hit and stayed down because he had the breath knocked out of him. Well aware of the hushed crowd, Pennington pumped his fist as he walked off the field, assuring the fans he and his right arm were fine.

"Chad is a tough guy," veteran guard Pete Kendall said. "I think anybody who stands back there is a tough guy, it's just that some guys unfortunately have been injured more than others. But that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with toughness.

"When you talk about toughness, you have to talk about mental toughness as much as, or moreso than physical toughness. Chad is way up there; he's a mentally tough guy. To be quarterback in this market, with the ups and downs that comes along with playing quarterback, and to go through what he has gone through, then come back and still play well, you have to be a tough guy to do that."

Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow received five votes, followed by two Eagles: QB Jeff Garcia with two, RB Correll Buckhalter with one.

Denver receiver Javon Walker, New Orleans RB Deuce McAllister and Tennessee RB Travis Henry each got one vote.

Pennington is the fifth quarterback to win the award in its nine years; Brees won it in 2004. He is the first Jet to win.

Last year's recipients were New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi and Carolina receiver Steve Smith.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/f ... index.html

Making the grade
By Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports
January 3, 2007

Charles Robinson
Yahoo! Sports
Nearly five months ago, running back Edgerrin James sat back on a weight bench during the Arizona Cardinals' training camp, and listened to a visitor recount the talent that would be surrounding him in 2006.

The names rattled off: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Kurt Warner, Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson, Karlos Dansby.

James interrupted the visitor.

"Yeah, there's some players here, no doubt," he said. "But that's a piece of paper, you know? All I'm saying is: that has to be taken to the field. We can say all we want about being a good team, but we have to go out there and do it. We'll see if we can."

As it turns out, they couldn't. Paper talent. Paper hopes. Paper results. It happens every year. For the Cardinals, what started out as a season of great expectations on paper came back as another "D," which was pretty much the same grade you could apply to coach Dennis Green's three-year stint with the Cardinals. But Arizona was just one of many lackluster franchises that proved unworthy under pressure. Whether it was Detroit, Oakland or Miami, plenty of teams failed to live up to the hype, whether it was simply a modest outlook (like the Lions) or delusions of a Super Bowl (the Dolphins).

ADVERTISEMENT
So in place of the standard rankings, here's a look at how the entire league graded out from top to bottom.

A

BALTIMORE RAVENS (13-3): Considering the adjustments he made in the middle of the season, this may have been the best coaching job of Brian Billick's career. The defense is undoubtedly the best in the league. Quarterback Steve McNair might have been the AFC's best offseason acquisition.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (14-2): Coach Marty Schottenheimer has finally grown into a comfortable groove with the offensive half of this team. It helps that running back LaDainian Tomlinson has become the best player in the NFL and quarterback Philip Rivers has grown up quickly. When healthy, the defense is loaded. Simply put, this is a Super Bowl team.

A-

CHICAGO BEARS (13-3): This team sure has drawn plenty of doubters despite racking up 13 wins and going 3-1 against playoff teams. The defense isn't quite as good without tackle Tommie Harris and quarterback Rex Grossman has proven inconsistent, but this team is still as good as any in the NFC and most in the AFC. Considering the ups and downs on both sides of the ball, Lovie Smith has done a masterful coaching job.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12-4): As usual, some of the underrated personnel moves paid some big dividends. Acquiring veteran linebacker Junior Seau was a perfect example. Drafting running back Laurence Maroney and having him split carries with Corey Dillon made the veteran better down the stretch. As for the wide receivers, New England must add some talent in the offseason.

B+

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (12-4): The defense is atrocious again and the offense isn't quite as consistently explosive as in years past. Yet, this team still won 12 games and went 3-1 against playoff teams. So it's not all doom and gloom. But the defensive line and linebackers have been a big disappointment this season. It will be back to the drawing board with that unit, but what else is new?

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-6): Drew Brees could be the NFC's best quarterback for years to come. The coaching staff really has done a brilliant job of nurturing the young talent on this team. The defense needs a lot of attention in the back seven this offseason, but considering the playmakers on offense, this should be a team built for plenty of success in the coming years.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-6): If the linebackers were better, this defense would really be able to carry this team. That said, the offensive coaching staff has done a brilliant job of adjusting without quarterback Donovan McNabb. When healthy, that wide receiving corps can make the offense truly explosive.

B

DALLAS COWBOYS (9-7): Losing linebacker Greg Ellis really left a hole in the pass rush and that has done nothing but accentuate the weak coverage abilities of corner Anthony Henry and safety Roy Williams down the stretch. But no matter what happens the rest of this season, the looming quarterback question has finally been solved. That alone makes this year a big success.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-7): The defense still gives up way too many points, but the real problems are coming fast for the offense. Depending on what happens with tight end Tony Gonzalez, all of the skills positions beyond running back will need upgrades in the next two seasons.

NEW YORK JETS (10-6): Coach Eric Mangini took advantage of a pretty soft schedule and just couldn't quite get over the hump against playoff-caliber teams, but he changed the attitude in the building. That's a big first step. And so was getting quarterback Chad Pennington through a season without injury. With so many key young pieces, this team could take some big strides next season.

B-

GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-8): Donald Driver really emerged as a legitimate No. 1 receiver and Greg Jennings should be a nice complement as he matures. Even cornerback Charles Woodson looked like a solid pickup as the season progressed. After such a bleak outlook coming into the year, there are some pieces to work with on both sides of the ball.

TENNESSEE TITANS (8-8): Good luck finding a coaching staff that did more with less. Quarterback Vince Young was one of the most entertaining players to watch during the second half of the season and more than justified his lofty draft position. And that defense really came on behind cornerback Pacman Jones late in the year.

C+

BUFFALO BILLS (7-9): This team never quit on coach Dick Jauron during the second half of the season and J.P. Losman showed he could be the quarterback to lead this team into the future. The offensive line still isn't quite right, though, and should be one of the first areas to undergo a talent infusion during the offseason.

NEW YORK GIANTS (8-8): Once again, the chemistry on this team just seemed all wrong far too often. The offense should have flowed through Tiki Barber from games 1-16 and it didn't. Clearly, quarterback Eli Manning still isn't prepared to shoulder the offensive load by himself.

ST. LOUIS RAMS (8-8): The offense hit its stride in the second half of the season and the coaching staff seemed to find its groove on that side of the ball. But the secondary disappeared for long stretches and looked like it could use more talent and quality depth.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (7-9): Keeping this team afloat despite the lack of defensive talent is a feather in coach Mike Nolan's cap. The wide receiving corps still lacks a dependable No. 1 option, but the 49ers could improve more quickly by using some of the ample cap space to sign impact players on the other side of the ball.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (9-7): That defense, particularly the secondary, should have been better this season. Maybe no unit in the NFL underachieved more. The injuries on offense scuttled what probably should have been an 11- or 12-win season. This is another team that should bounce back quickly.

C

CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-8): The schedule was tough, but this team folded far too much down the stretch in tight games. The team needs to find a reliable long-term alternative for middle linebacker Dan Morgan. That secondary is a major disappointment given the money and talent sunk into it.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-8): This team was simply too streaky all season with those two three-game losing skids. As much as he's become a pariah, linebacker Odell Thurman was greatly missed. And there's still no run-stuffer on the defensive line.

DENVER BRONCOS (9-7): The dominant defense disappeared in late October, and there never seemed to be a legitimate No. 2 to complement Javon Walker. Neither Mike or Tatum Bell lived up to expectations at the running back spot. At least Jay Cutler looks like he is truly a franchise quarterback.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-8): Maybe quarterback Byron Leftwich isn't looking like such a bad option after all. The wide receiving corps should take its keys from the defense and get tougher.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-8): This team was just a soap opera all season, whether it was coach Bill Cowher, linebacker Joey Porter or quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. If Cowher leaves, offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt has to be the guy for the sake of continuity and the fact that this team should be able to bounce back into contention fairly easily next season.

C-

ATLANTA FALCONS (7-9): At some point, people are going to have to stop saying that Michael Vick is a great winner. He hasn't been to the playoffs in two years and he's headed for his third coach since being drafted in 2001. Neither Roddy White or Michael Jenkins looks like he's gotten much better at wide receiver since being drafted. And what's going to happen with backup Matt Schaub?

HOUSTON TEXANS (6-10): Wide receiver Andre Johnson sorely needs a more explosive complement than Eric Moulds. With some talent additions in the secondary, the defense should continue to get better. Really, quarterback David Carr is the No. 1 problem. He just didn't get any better as the season progressed.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-10): Blame it on the doctors or coach Nick Saban or whoever, but the quarterback Daunte Culpepper trade was the move that sent this team spiraling downward. And you can bet the paltry five interceptions in the secondary kept Saban thinking about Alabama the last few games of the season.

D+

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-10): There was too much defensive talent on this team to only win six games. And for a franchise that hired an offensive coordinator as head coach, this team was remarkably ineffective on that side of the ball. Who's next season's starting quarterback? And what to do with draft bust Troy Williamson?

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-12): You could blame it on losing Chris Simms, but does anyone think this team would have won more than four games with him? The remaining defensive stars are finally showing their age, and the young offensive talent (running back Carnell Williams, wide receiver Michael Clayton, tight end Alex Smith) regressed. There's a lot of building left to do.

D

ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-11): Beyond finding a long-term answer at quarterback, what changed? The offensive line was still poor. The defense still underachieved. Just another season to stockpile prospects from high in the draft and hope the next coach will know how to motivate them to live up to their abilities.

D-

CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-12): Whether it was quarterback Charlie Frye, coach Romeo Crennel or general manager Phil Savage, this team seemed to take a step back from top to bottom. Where's the discipline? The injuries hurt, but there wasn't anything consistent about this team unless you count wide receiver Braylon Edwards' crummy attitude.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-11): No team did less with more. Coach Joe Gibbs and offensive coordinator Al Saunders haven't been a good fit, and even when healthy, the defense didn't play anywhere near the level it did for Gregg Williams in 2005. At least Jason Campbell looks like a serviceable quarterback.

F

DETROIT LIONS (3-13): Say what you want about the season-ending win against Dallas, but this team has no heart. You have to lay that at the feet of general manager Matt Millen. There aren't enough impact players, and that's not going to be changed in free agency. Why would anyone want to play for this franchise?

OAKLAND RAIDERS (2-14): After hiring Tom Walsh as offensive coordinator, and going into the season depending on guys such as quarterback Aaron Brooks, and wide receivers Jerry Porter and Randy Moss, you could see this coming. The defense has a nice young base of talent to build on, but that offense is going to have to be stripped down and totally re-tooled, starting with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Charles Robinson is a national NFL writer for Yahoo! Sports.

Bill Cowher Steps Down as Head Coach of Steelers

Bill Cowher has informed his assistant coaches he is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 15 seasons.

Cowher wanted to take a week to make his decision, and the Steelers were willing to give him until next Monday or Tuesday to make a decision. But after talking over the situation with the family and the Steelers, Cowher decided to move up his announcement until Friday.

The Steelers scheduled a 1 p.m. eastern press conference to discuss Cowher's situation. Although the team did not announce a decision, the word of his resignation was delivered to his assistant coaches.

Cowher built a home in North Carolina and wanted to spend more time with his family there. Though the Steelers wanted him back, Cowher was looking for the chance to get away from the game for an indefinite period. Even though he could get his name in some of the job currently open, Cowher will not coach in 2007.

First, the Steelers control his contractual rights through the 2007 season. Any team wanting him to coach would have to offer the Steelers a bounty of draft choices to get the rights to talk to him.

Second, Cowher doesn't want to coach in 2007. Apparently, his decision doesn't have much to do with money. He is indeed going to take this season off and relax although it's not out of the question for him to do some television work. Cowher is expected to be working this weekend for a network, an arrangement he made several weeks ago.

Cowher finished 161-99-1 in his 15 seasons with the Steelers. Thanks to Cowher and Chuck Noll, the Steelers have had one of the most stable coaching situations in the NFL.

Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm are among the leading candidates for the Steelers job.

By making his decision known Friday, Cowher gives the Steelers the ability to talk to some of the assistant coaches currently in the playoffs. The NFL gives teams looking for head coaches until Sunday night to set up and conduct interviews with coaches currently in the playoffs. That could put the Steelers in position to talk to Cam Cameron of the Chargers and Ron Rivera of the Bears among other assistants.

The Steelers will meet Friday morning to discuss replacements.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2720570

Falcons Hire Bobby Petrino as New Coach

Louisville coach Bobby Petrino has accepted a five-year, $24 million offer from the Atlanta Falcons to become their new coach, according to a Louisville source.

The Cardinals have a previously scheduled 9 p.m. ET team meeting at which Petrino will tell his players, the source said. ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reported that an NFL source also confirmed the hiring.

"I'm in shock right now," Louisville kicker Arthur Carmody told ESPN's Joe Schad Sunday night. "I'm about to walk into a team meeting right now. We're coming off a great Orange Bowl win and we were all thinking national championship. I didn't think this would happen. He said he enjoyed college football. He's a great coach and we're going to miss him."

An announcement from the Falcons could come Monday. ESPN's Chris Mortensen first reported earlier Sunday evening that the Falcons were in deep negotiations with Petrino.

Before the season, Petrino signed a 10-year, $25 million contract with Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich. Petrino had previously interviewed with Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame and the Oakland Raiders for other jobs, but announced in August that he would be at Louisville for the long haul.

"I can't tell you how happy I am with the commitment and the confidence that Tom Jurich has in me and the university has in me," Petrino said after signing the contract. "I also wanted to make sure that everyone understood, I know I've said it, that this is where my family wants to be. This is where I want to be. I want everyone to really believe it."

Louisville had just completed a 12-1 season climaxed by their first BCS bowl victory, over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. Petrino's record was 41-9 at Louisville, as he elevated the program into an annual national contender.

The leading candidate to replace Petrino figures to be Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe, who has taken the Golden Hurricane to three bowl games in four years after taking over one of the worst programs in the country.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2723700