NFL Capsules: Packers still stinging from playoff loss to Giants
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AP) — When Packers coach Mike McCarthy left frigid Green Bay, the temperature was in the single digits. When he landed in Honolulu, it was a balmy 80 degrees.
The Green Bay Packers are thawing out in the islands, relishing every minute of their Pro Bowl experience. They would gladly trade in their floral leis, beach chairs and mai tais, however, to be preparing for the Super Bowl.
"Just like every team in the NFL, there's only one team that's going to be satisfied when the season is completed. We won't be that team this year," said McCarthy, who is coaching the NFC squad for Sunday's game.
As a reflection of their stunning season, the Packers have six players in the Pro Bowl — second only to the seven members of the San Francisco 49ers. Green Bay sailed through the regular season with a 15-1 record before coming apart at home in a 37-20 loss to the New York Giants in the NFC divisional playoffs.
"I'm not one to publically display the disappointment, but I am personally disappointed the season didn't go as we had planned," McCarthy said. "Give credit to the teams that are in the Super Bowl. It's just another reminder of how difficult it is to get there and even more so to win it.
"But we're a good football team. We'll make the adjustments we feel we need to make and add new players ... we'll forge ahead and we look forward to being a better team next year."
When asked what the Packers needed to improve on, cornerback Charles Woodson didn't hesitate to answer: "Personnel."
"I think the last game, our entire organization saw the same thing out on the field," he said. "There were some things we just weren't able to do, so hopefully we'll bring some guys in to accomplish the same goal we achieved last year."
Woodson, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, keeps replaying the playoff loss in his mind, including Eli Manning's desperation Hail Mary pass to a leaping Hakeem Nicks as time expired in the first half to give the Giants a 20-10 lead and a load of confidence heading into the locker room.
"If you watch that game, my feeling is that they just wanted it more than we did," Woodson said. "I think about one play, and I think about that Hail Mary. I go over it in my head and see the clips on ESPN and different sports shows and see the lack of effort from our team to get that ball intercepted or knock it down."
It's clear the Packers are still scratching their Cheeseheads, trying to figure out what went wrong after so much went right earlier in the season. McCarthy said he's still in the middle of an evaluation process.
"I had a chance to spend the full week back in Green Bay, talking to all the players the first two days," he said. "We're still working through the coaching evaluations. We'll go about it like we always have and head our compass pointing toward next year."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he hasn't had time to look back at what the team was able to accomplish, nor to reflect on a season in which he passed for 4,463 yards with 45 touchdowns and just six interceptions. His quarterback rating of 122.5 set an NFL record.
"I think that's going to happen once I leave here and the offseason really starts, it'll be time to reflect on that," he said.
Rodgers is making his first trip to Hawaii. He was also selected two years ago when the game was in Miami, so he never got the full aloha experience. After practice Thursday at this military base, he signed autographs and shook as many hands as he could for the service members and their families before running off for the NFC bus.
He even asked a little boy holding a mini Cowboys helmet and staring at the Packers' star, "Do you want me to sign that?"
"No," the boy replied.
Of the roughly 2,000 watching practice, many were Packers fans, wearing Green Bay jerseys and waving flags with the "G'' logo. "I love you, man!" howled one fan as Rodgers signed a helmet for him.
"It's great. It's a fun experience. A lot of us would like to be in our home cities getting ready for the Super Bowl, but this is a great opportunity, a great vacation, good guys, good times," Rodgers said.
Linebacker Clay Matthews said the practice was special. There were three large Air Force cargo jets parked on the runway just south of the practice field.
"To be able to get to interact with some of them is truly fantastic," he said. "They're the real heroes and they represent courageousness. What we do on the field pales in comparison to what they do every day."
Center Scott Wells is making his first trip to Hawaii in his eighth season in the league. He brought his wife and kids. After the Pro Bowl, he's going to spend some time on Maui.
"It's no secret we're disappointed in the way our season ended, but at the same time I'm excited to be here and looking forward to taking everything in," he said.
Receiver Greg Jennings said the Pro Bowl isn't his bowl of choice, but he'll take it.
"Obviously, it's not where you want to be, but if there's a crystal ball and you knew you weren't going to be in the big dance, this will be the consolation prize," he said.
Jennings said he hasn't had an opportunity to look back or look ahead to next season.
"Probably once everything slows down, I'll take a deep breath and kick my feet up and I'll have a chance to really reflect on the special regular season we had and then the unfortunate letdown we had the in the playoffs," he said. "You can't really do that until the offseason."
Team Capsules
Bucs hire Rutgers' Schiano as new coach
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Buccaneers are counting on Greg Schiano to lead them back to respectability and transform Tampa Bay into consistent winners — much in the same way he made Rutgers matter again.
The 45-year-old former Scarlet Knights coach was hired Thursday, more than three weeks after the Bucs fired Raheem Morris following a 4-12 finish.
The team scheduled a press conference for Friday to introduce Schiano, who inherits a team that allowed the most points in the NFL this season.
"Coach Schiano is a bright, meticulous teacher who knows how to get the most out of his players," general manager Mark Dominik said. "He built and ran a pro-style program at Rutgers, and he's a defensive-minded coach whose teams have always been characterized by toughness and a physical style of play."
Schiano was at Rutgers for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstocks to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. He was an assistant coach in the NFL with Chicago from 1996-98.
The Scarlet Knights appointed offensive line coach Kyle Flood as interim head coach while the school searches for Schiano's replacement.
The Bucs fired Morris on Jan. 2 after Tampa Bay lost 10 straight to end the season, most of them by double-digit margins. The collapse following a promising 4-2 start came only a year after the NFL's youngest team went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs.
The Glazer family that owns the team interviewed at least 10 candidates for the opening, including Oregon's Chip Kelly, who was offered the position before turning it down earlier this week.
The Bucs also talked to former NFL head coaches Mike Sherman, Brad Childress and Marty Schottenheimer; Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski; Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray; Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer; Green Bay quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who accepted the head coaching opening with the Miami Dolphins.
An 11th known candidate, ex-Dallas Cowboys coach and current Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, canceled a scheduled interview with the Bucs that would have taken place while the Texans were in the playoffs.
Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said the club was thrilled to entrust the team's rebuilding project to Schiano.
"During our thorough search, we met with numerous impressive candidates, but coach Schiano surely distinguished himself," Glazer said. "From his leadership skills to his considerable track record, he is, simply put, the right man for the job."
It's not the first exhaustive search the Glazers have conducted for a coach.
The Bucs pursued Steve Spurrier before hiring Tony Dungy in 1996, then tried to lure Bill Parcells and Steve Mariucci to Tampa Bay before trading two first-round draft picks, as well as a pair of second-rounders and $8 million cash to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the opportunity to negotiate a contract with Jon Gruden after the 2001 season.
Gruden led the Bucs to their only Super Bowl title the following season, but Tampa Bay hasn't won a playoff game since. The Glazers fired him three weeks after the Bucs lost the final four games of 2008 to miss the playoffs, and promoted Morris as his successor.
Tampa Bay went 17-31 under Morris, who served as his own defensive coordinator. The Bucs allowed a franchise-record 494 points in 2011, including 31 of more in seven of the last eight games.
In addition to fixing a defense that's been rebuilt over the past two drafts, getting young quarterback Josh Freeman back on track will be a priority this offseason.
Freeman threw for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, his second year in the league and his first as a full-time starter. The 24-year-old passed for 16 TDs vs. 22 interceptions this season.
The timing of the move could put Rutgers in a bind with national signing day less than a week away. This is a pivotal time in the recruiting process, with coaches locking up commitments from high school prospects who make those agreements official by signing national letters of intent starting Wednesday.
Schiano's contract with Rutgers runs through 2016 and pays him around $2.35 million per year. He played linebacker at Bucknell, but never in the NFL. His first big break in coaching came at Penn State, where Joe Paterno hired him to coach defensive backs in 1991. He was at Penn State through 1995, before being hired by the Bears.
Because of his success at Rutgers, there had often been speculation for years about Schiano possibly replacing Paterno when the Hall of Famer was done coaching. But when Penn State was looking for a replacement after firing Paterno amid a child sex-abuse scandal involving one of his former longtime assistants, the school hired Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.
Schiano has been courted by several other colleges during his time at Rutgers, most notably Miami in 2006 and Michigan in 2007.
"I've had several opportunities over the years and none of them felt right," Schiano told The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., as he left Rutgers' football facility Thursday night "This time, this one felt right."
Schiano's first four seasons at Rutgers produced losing seasons, but the program he took over was practically at rock bottom in major college football. Before he was hired, the Scarlet Knights played in only one bowl game in their history.
Schiano brought structure and discipline to a program that sorely lacked both on every level. Not only has Rutgers become a consistent winner in the Big East, but the Scarlet Knights have regularly been among the top teams in the country when it comes to graduating players. He also encouraged the school to secure funding for multimillion dollar upgrades to Rutgers' facilities, including a major stadium renovation.
In 2005, Rutgers went 7-5 and the next season the Scarlet Knights were 11-2. They played in six bowls under Schiano, winning five, including a victory over Iowa state in the Pinstripe Bowl to cap a 9-4 season in 2011.
-- Fred Goodall
Pagano eager to start rebuilding the Colts
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colts owner Jim Irsay expects Chuck Pagano to bring more than tough talk to Indianapolis. He wants results.
One day after hiring Pagano as his new coach, Irsay introduced the former Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator as the man asked to rebuild the franchise.
"I really believe Chuck is bringing a toughness, the leadership we need at this point for the franchise," Irsay said.
The 51-year-old Pagano said the hiring had been a "whirlwind," since the Ravens lost only a few days ago in the AFC championship game.
"Words can't describe the emotions that I'm going through right now and the feelings," he said. "Coming off probably the most devastating loss that I've ever been a part of in the AFC championship game and to go in that locker room and see those faces and we all know how hard it is to get to that stage and to see the tears. It's an all-time low, and the last thing I ever expected came across my table and now I sit here at an all-time high."
Clearly, Pagano's job won't be easy.
The first-time head coach will be working with a first-time general manager, Ryan Grigson, and the next big move will be deciding what to do with four-time league MVP Peyton Manning, who missed the entire season after having his latest neck surgery in September. The Colts must play Manning $28 million by March 8 or risk losing him as an unrestricted free agent.
In an interview earlier this week, Manning explained that the biggest overhaul of his career had created an uncomfortable environment at team headquarters -- and that he had not yet spoken with Irsay about his future.
It is one of many questions the Colts face in a tumultuous offseason that has already claimed the jobs of Bill and Chris Polian, Jim Caldwell and most of Caldwell's coaching staff.
Indy landed the No. 1 draft pick by nose-diving to a 2-14 record last season, its worst record in two decades. Most expect the pick to be used on the team's quarterback of the future, presumably Stanford's Andrew Luck. There have been concerns about whether Manning and Luck could co-exist on the same team next season.
Fans have even more immediate questions. They want to know if Pagano, who ran a 3-4 defense in Baltimore, will make the switch in Indianapolis.
"I think he's a defensive-minded coach with fire and passion," said John Pagano, the Chargers' defensive coordinator and brother of Indy's new coach. "He's going to bring a different energy to the city of Indianapolis. Me being there before, it was kind of the same situation when coach (Jim) Mora came in there. It's almost the same situation flipped 11 years ago. We had the opportunity to draft No. 1 where we took Peyton Manning. It's very similar. It's not weird, but it's surreal."
Pagano spent three years as the Ravens' secondary coach before replacing Greg Mattison as Baltimore's defensive coordinator a year ago. The Ravens ranked third in total defense and allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL last season, advancing to Sunday's conference championship game, where they lost to New England.
The Wyoming graduate and former strong safety for the Cowboys began his coaching career in 1984 as a graduate assistant at Southern California and spent time at in the college ranks at Boise State, UNLV, East Carolina and Miami before joining Cleveland to coach the secondary. In 2005-06, he was defensive backs job at Oakland, then served as defensive coordinator at North Carolina before joining the Ravens when John Harbaugh became head coach four years ago.
-- Michael Marot
AP Source: Raiders finalize four-year deal with Allen
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders formally agreed Thursday on a four-year deal to make Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen their new head coach.
New general manager Reggie McKenzie had decided Tuesday to hire Allen to replace the fired Hue Jackson as head coach. The two sides finalized the details Thursday, a person familiar with the process said on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly discussing the search.
CSNCalifornia.com first reported the length of the deal.
Allen is Oakland's seventh head coach since 2003. The Raiders have gone nine straight seasons without a winning record or a playoff berth, just missing out on the AFC West title on tiebreakers with an 8-8 record last season.
The 39-year-old Allen will be the first new Raiders coach to come from the defensive side of the ball since late owner Al Davis hired linebackers coach John Madden in 1969.
In his first season as coordinator in Denver, Allen helped the Broncos improve from allowing a league-worst 29.4 points and 390.8 yards per game to ranking 20th in yards (357.8) and 24th in points (24.4) this season on the way to an AFC West title.
Before serving as Denver's defensive coordinator last season, Allen spent five years as a defensive assistant in New Orleans and also coached for Atlanta.
The Raiders are coming off one of their worst defensive seasons ever. Oakland had franchise worsts in touchdown passes allowed (31), yards per carry (5.1), yards passing (4,262) and total yards (6,201), while giving up the third-most points (433) in team history.
The Raiders joined this year's Tampa Bay team as one of the four teams to allow at least 30 TD passes and 5.0 yards per carry in a season, a distinction last reached by the 1952 Dallas Texans. The Raiders also became the sixth team since the 1970 merger to allow at least 2,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing in a season.
The Raiders also set an NFL record last season with 163 penalties for 1,358 yards.
-- Josh Dubow
Licht gets second interview for Bears GM job
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — New England Patriots director of pro personnel Jason Licht got a second interview Thursday for the Chicago Bears' general manager's job.
Licht is one of two finalists. Kansas City director of college scouting Phil Emery is the other and is expected to have his second interview Friday as the Bears look for a replacement for Jerry Angelo, who was fired after an 8-8 season.
The Bears also interviewed San Diego Chargers director of player personnel Jimmy Raye, New York Giants director of college scouting Marc Ross, and current director of player personnel Tim Ruskell.
Player Capsules
Colts owner wishes Manning kept comments in-house
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are a long, long way from being healed.
Two days after Peyton Manning publicly complained about the dour atmosphere at team headquarters following a 2-14 season and a rash of firings, Colts owner Jim Irsay introduced his new head coach and then stunned everyone by calling his franchise player a "politician" who had decided to air dirty laundry.
"I don't think it's in the best interest to paint the horseshoe in a negative light, I really don't," Irsay told reporters, referring to the team's longtime logo. "The horseshoe always comes first, and I think one thing he's always known, because he's been around it so long, is that, you know, you keep it in the family. If you've got a problem you talk to each other, it's not about campaigning or anything like that."
The comments suggest there is a rift between Manning and Irsay, who is just six weeks from a deadline to pay the four-time league MVP a $28 million bonus or risk losing him as a free agent. And it all blew up in public on a day the team desperately wanted attention focused on Chuck Pagano, the Ravens' defensive coordinator who takes over as head coach with a host of problems to address.
The biggest question mark is Manning, the face of the franchise and the primary reason for its run of success over the past decade. He is clearly upset with the fallout of the Colts' dismal season in which he never played a down after Sept. 8 neck surgery — his third such procedure in a span of 19 months.
In the past three weeks, the Colts have fired vice chairman Bill Polian and general manager Chris Polian, coach Jim Caldwell and most of Caldwell's assistants. Irsay hired 39-year-old Ryan Grigson as the new general manager and on Wednesday chose Pagano as Caldwell's replacement.
Last week, actor Rob Lowe caused a media frenzy by writing on Twitter that Manning was about to retire. The story got so much attention that even Pagano, who was preparing for the Ravens' AFC championship game against New England, apparently took notice.
"You know, I've got a text or a call out to Rob Lowe and I haven't heard back yet, so I'm going to have to get back to you on that one," Pagano said when asked if he expected to be coaching Manning next season.
But the saga has taken an even more dramatic twist in the last 48 hours. Manning told The Indianapolis Star that his only real conversation with Grigson, a first-time GM, had come in passing and that the vast overhaul at team headquarters had everyone "walking around on eggshells." He said it wasn't healthy for his healing, and then said that he had no idea where Irsay stood on the question of whether he was going to play again for the Colts.
Many analysts believe Manning's comments indicated that he was unhappy in Indianapolis and may be looking for a way out. Whatever the explanation, Irsay didn't like it one bit.
"I have so much affection and appreciation for Peyton. I mean we're family. We always will be and we are," Irsay said. "He's a politician. I mean look at, when it comes to being competitive, let's just say on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, we're both 11s, OK? So there's been plenty of eggshells scattered around this building by him with his competitive desire to win."
Manning quickly began on a quest to mend fences. Within hours of Irsay's comments, Manning told The Star he didn't intend to start a public feud.
"At this point, Mr. Irsay and I owe it to each other and to the fans of the organization to handle this appropriately and professionally, and I think we will. I've already reached out to Mr. Irsay," Manning said. "I wasn't trying to paint the Colts in a bad light, but it's tough when so many people you've known for so long are suddenly leaving. I feel very close to a lot of these guys and we've done great things together. It's hard to watch an old friend clean out his office. That's all I was trying to say.
"I just want to keep rehabbing and working hard, and when the time is right for Mr. Irsay and I to sit down, I look forward to a healthy conversation about my future. I've worked too hard and have such great respect and have so many great relationships inside the building and out, and it's incredibly important that those remain."
The drama may be just beginning. Now that Irsay has his people in place in the front office, Pagano can focus his attention on selecting a staff. Grigson said Pagano will make those choices. Irsay's decisions will be much more difficult.
Indy's horrendous season means the Colts landed the No. 1 overall pick, which Irsay has said they will use for their quarterback of the future — presumably Stanford's Andrew Luck.
If so, Irsay must decide how much money he wants to invest in one position. Manning signed a five-year, $90 million contract in July and is due that bonus in March. The perennial Pro Bowler is said to be recovering well from his latest surgery, but he will also turn 36 on March 24 — a little more than two weeks after the March 8 deadline to pay that bonus.
Irsay reiterated Thursday that his choice will come down to Manning's health, not money.
"I think fans already understand that," Irsay said when asked whether Manning may have played his final game in Colts' blue. "This isn't an ankle, it isn't a shoulder. Often times the NFL is criticized for putting someone out there at risk, and I'm not going to doing that. I think he and I just need to see where his health is because this isn't about money or anything else. It's about his life and his long-term health."
That's only the start of the Colts' questions. Grigson and Irsay must figure out how to free up salary cap space and what to do with a group of high-priced veterans such as Gary Brackett and Melvin Bullitt, and whether they want to bring back some of their key free agents such as Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday and Reggie Wayne.
Not surprisingly, Pagano wants as many of those guys back as he can get, including Manning.
"I just came from a great organization and just spent some time with one of the greatest leaders (Ray Lewis) to ever play this game," Pagano said. "And there's one of those leaders right here (Manning) and those are the types of individuals and people that you have to surround yourself with."
But it's Irsay who must make that decision, and it's obvious that the two haven't been talking much lately — something Irsay acknowledged will change between now and March 8.
"It's a very simple issue, it's a health issue," Irsay said.
''It's one of those things where just when you think it's going in the right direction, things change," he said, explaining later there was no indication Manning has had a setback over the last month. "It's been very hard on everyone around here, and it's been very hard on Peyton, too."
-- Michael Marot
Steelers NT Hoke ready to embrace retirement
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Hoke spent 11 seasons carving out a niche as one of the best backup nose tackles in football, winning over coaches with his work ethic and his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates with his affability.
Even better, he did it while staying relatively injury free, remarkable considering his position. Yet when a neck injury sustained early in the 2011 season lingered and doctors told him surgery was required to fix the problem, he figured his time was up.
"I think the man upstairs was trying to talk to me," Hoke said.
He briefly considered attempting a comeback but thought better of it when warned of the risk of re-injury.
"I could have tried, but to me that wasn't responsible," Hoke said. "That was doing my family a disservice."
The way Hoke looks at it, his wife Jaimee and their four kids had already put up with enough, sticking with him early in his career as he struggled to stay on with the Steelers after getting picked up as an undrafted free agent out of BYU in 2001.
Hoke spent three seasons hanging by a thread, convinced defensive line coach John Mitchell hated him. Turns out, Hoke was wrong.
"He breaks you down then he builds you up into what the Steelers want you to be," Hoke said. "You think this guy doesn't like me at all (but) he sees the potential in you. He's building you up."
Hoke finally caught on in 2004, filling in capably when Casey Hampton went down with a knee injury early in the season, posting a career high with 24 tackles in 14 games while helping Pittsburgh to a league-best 15-1 record.
The Steelers rarely lost when Hoke started, going 17-1 when Hoke's No. 76 was in the huddle on the first defensive series. Though he knows he could have gone elsewhere to compete for a starting spot, Hoke was content to remain in Pittsburgh as part of a core group that's made the Steelers one of the league's best defenses over the last decade.
"I'm in a great organization, I'm playing for great coaches, I've got great teammates," Hoke said. "I didn't want to give that up. To me it was more than just going and chasing the almighty dollar. It was about my family and my way of life."
Hoke's retirement is another step in what could be an eventful offseason for one of the league's most stable franchises. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians retired last week. The 34-year-old Hampton is facing surgery on his injured left knee and 35-year-old defensive end Aaron Smith is mulling retirement after sustaining a neck injury similar to Hoke's.
Smith, Brett Keisel and Hampton stood off to the side while Hoke spoke, with Hoke joking Hampton has been tasked with developing a new version of the "Hokey Pokey" dance Hoke frequently performed during practices.
Hoke briefly fought back tears while talking about his journey, one that included a pair of Super Bowl victories while becoming a fan favorite for his blue-collar mentality.
"I brought my lunch pail to work every day," Hoke said. "I worked and I worked and I worked ... I gave everything I had every day. I think people here identified with that because that's the way this city is."
Popular in the media because of his accessibility, Hoke admitted he'd be interested in working in TV or on the radio one day, though Keisel thinks Hoke's future lies in coaching.
Pittsburgh nose tackle Steve McClendon cried when Hoke went on season-ending injured reserve in December, and rookie Cameron Heyward likened Hoke to a coach in the huddle.
"I love the mental part of the game and helping others," Hoke said. "(Coaching) is always an option. It's something I want to do. I feel like I've created a lot of great relationships over 11 years."
-- Will Graves
Alleged assault victim sues McClain
DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama man who was allegedly assaulted by Rolando McClain and another man has sued the Oakland Raiders linebacker alleging "brutal and prolonged assault and battery."
Christian Tapscott of Decatur filed suit Wednesday in Morgan County Circuit Court seeking unspecified punitive and compensatory damages from McClain and Jadarious Willingham.
The suit says Tapscott sustained broken bones, bruises and lacerations. It alleges that McClain "smiled and laughed as he pointed a gun at Mr. Tapscott and Mr. Tapscott begged him not to kill him."
McClain's attorney, Billy C. Burney II, says McClain denies there was a gun involved or that he assaulted Tapscott. Burney contends money "was a motivating factor in the criminal charges being filed."
McClain and Willingham have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges. Trial is scheduled for May.
Eagles TE Celek in car involved in DUI crash
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — State police say Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek was a passenger in a car involved in an early-morning DUI crash. No one was hurt in Thursday morning's crash on a highway off-ramp near the team's stadium in South Philadelphia.
Police say the car's driver was driving too fast when he spun out and hit a concrete barrier around 2:30 a.m. The driver failed field sobriety testing and was arrested on DUI charges.
Celek turned 27 on Wednesday. He caught 62 passes for the Eagles last season, including five touchdown catches.
Celek released a statement through the team saying he exhibited "extremely poor judgment." He says he didn't know the driver was drunk but that's not an excuse. He promises to never let it happen again.
Kitna to coach football at Tacoma high school
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Jon Kitna was hired as the football coach at Lincoln High School in Tacoma after retiring from a 15-year NFL career.
Kitna was introduced Thursday. He was recently hired at his old high school as a math teacher. Kitna received his math education degree at Central Washington University, where he was a standout quarterback and led the Wildcats to a share of the 1995 NAIA national title. Kitna went on to an NFL career with Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit and wrapped up his career as a backup for the Dallas Cowboys.
Kitna was first contacted about the job three years ago, but decided to keep his NFL career going then. Kitna believes the Abes can become a state and possibly national power.
Elsewhere
Ex-NFL QB wants drug abuse counseling in prison
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former Ohio State and NFL quarterback facing 10 years in prison on fraud charges is requesting drug abuse counseling while behind bars. Art Schlichter is scheduled for sentencing next month in a fraud case stemming from a million-dollar ticket-selling scheme.
An attorney for the 52-year-old Schlichter on Thursday asked a federal judge to recommend his client for a 500-hour federal prisons drug abuse program. Schlichter, of suburban Columbus, is also asking for a recommendation that he be sent to a prison close to the city.
Schlichter, due for sentencing Feb. 7, was jailed last week after authorities said he violated the conditions of his bond by testing positive for cocaine use while free on house arrest.
