NFL Capsules: Manning trying to cope with Colts' transition
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Peyton Manning still intends to play football.
He's also no fan of the Colts' big offseason overhaul that included the firing of coach Jim Caldwell and other executives.
In an interview that appeared Tuesday in The Indianapolis Star (http://indy.st/yMVQY8), Manning touched on everything from his future plans to the difficulty he's had coping with all the changes. He has not responded to interview requests made by The Associated Press.
"It's 20 degrees, it's snowing, the building is absolutely empty except when you see coaches cleaning out their offices," Manning said. "I guess it's the reality of the football world, just not something I've had to deal with very often. But I'm in there every day, so I have to sit there and see it. Everybody's being evaluated and I'm no different. It's not the best environment.
"It's unfortunate because so many of them have been such a big part of so many big wins here, and this is so ... sudden," Manning added. "Their keys didn't work the next day. There's no other way to do it? I don't know. That's hard to see, all these people leaving. And I may be behind them. Who knows?"
One thing Manning does know is that last week's discussion about his "impending" departure from football was premature.
He poked fun at the frenzy surrounding a Twitter post from actor Rob Lowe, who wrote Manning was expected to announce his retirement last week. Manning said the whole thing caught him off-guard.
"I never thought 'Sodapop Curtis' would announce my retirement," he said, referring to Lowe's character in the 1983 movie "The Outsiders." ''I always thought I would be the one to announce it."
The biggest questions, of course, are about Manning's health and his future in Indianapolis.
While Manning would not say where he is in his recovery or how close he is to being 100 percent 4½ months after having his latest neck surgery, he said new general manger Ryan Grigson inferred the decision about paying Manning a $28 million bonus in March or letting him become a free agent would be made by team owner Jim Irsay.
"Whatever happens, happens," Manning said. "I can't give you a prediction because Jim (Irsay) and I will sit down at some point and he'll get a feel for where I am and I'll get a sense of what direction he wants to go. Right now, I have no idea."
Irsay has repeatedly said he that Manning's health, not money, will dictate the Colts' decision, and he didn't appear to back away from that with his latest Twitter post.
"Knowing medical situation last yr. n still paying $26,000,000.00 to (hash)18,I've no regrets.It was right thing2do," Irsay tweeted, explaining he was not upset about it.
Manning, who again expressed his desire to finish his NFL career in the same place it began, said he has not met with Irsay to find out the Colts' thoughts.
"That's going to happen at some point, but we haven't had that conversation yet because we really don't need to have that conversation yet," Manning said.
Kitna hopes to coach at high school in Tacoma, Wash.
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — After 15 years as an NFL quarterback, Jon Kitna hopes to return to his old high school in Tacoma as a coach.
The News Tribune reports he started Monday as a math teacher at his alma mater Lincoln High and applied for the open job of football coach. Athletic director Char Davenport said there were no other applicants and the position closes on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Kitna received his math education degree at Central Washington University and played for NFL teams in Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit and Dallas.
Coaching
Friendship convinced Williams to join Rams
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Gregg Williams considers Jeff Fisher one of his best friends. When asked to join the St. Louis Rams' staff, he had to accept.
"I have a very close and tight circle of friends. Not many people get inside that circle," Williams said in a teleconference Tuesday, a day after agreeing to become the team's defensive coordinator. "He needed my help and I couldn't say no."
As for new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, there's the enticement of working with quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 pick of the 2010 draft. Schottenheimer was impressed with Bradford's enthusiasm for the new regime.
"I was blown away with how excited he is about the upcoming year and he just seems like a terrific young man," Schottenheimer said. "I obviously spent a little time looking at him when he was coming out of college and things like that.
"But we had a very nice visit and I'm thrilled to have a guy like that that we can build around."
Williams has 22 years of coaching experience in the NFL, including six as Fisher's defensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans. He left the 13-win New Orleans Saints for the two-victory Rams because of Fisher — and says one of the things he likes most about Fisher is how cool he can be under fire.
"He's very, very intelligent and he's very patient for this position. Very, very seldom does he make a rash or improper decision," Williams said. "You'll see Jeff probably be as calm as anybody."
Williams promises a culture change with a team that ranked near the bottom of the NFL against the run and often faded late under the pressure of keeping the league's worst offense in the game. He said getting the most out of players is more important than whether the Rams play in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
"Everywhere I've gone I've been able to get a top-five defense, and when we do that it's because I will adapt to the strengths of the people here," Williams said. "I think coaches make mistakes when they pigeonhole."
Williams said the Rams are close to finalizing the defensive staff, which will include his son, Blake.
Williams was Titans defensive coordinator with Fisher when the Titans lost to the Rams in the 2000 Super Bowl. He's watched replays of the Saints' Super Bowl championship two years ago, but not the loss to the Rams.
"I was there. The agony of defeat, I guess," Williams said. "I don't like seeing those impressions in my mind. That was a tough loss."
Schottenheimer joined Fisher's staff after six seasons with the New York Jets, including consecutive appearances in the AFC championship game. In 2009, the Jets led the NFL with an average of 172 yards rushing per game. Schottenheimer is going through game film of the last two seasons, and already is impressed with Bradford's accuracy and footwork.
"That was one of the things that jumped off the film at me," Schottenheimer said. "Obviously, I've been around a lot of young quarterbacks, but I think this guy's got a chance to be real special."
Bradford will be playing for his third coordinator in three seasons, after Pat Shurmur his rookie year and Josh McDaniels this past season.
"As we work through the process and get things going here in a few months, it will not be a problem, I believe," Schottenheimer said. "I understand how smart he is and how much he wants to work and is excited about the opportunity."
-- R.B. Fallstrom
Reports: Raiders to hire Allen as new head coach
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders reportedly agreed Tuesday to hire Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their new head coach, breaking a more than three-decade stretch of offensive-minded head coaches for the franchise.
The hiring was first reported by Fox Sports and ESPN, with both outlets saying final details were still being worked out Tuesday night. The Raiders had no immediate comment on the reports.
New general manager Reggie McKenzie decided on his new coach exactly two weeks after he was hired. He immediately fired Hue Jackson, who went 8-8 in his only season as coach, and began the search.
McKenzie interviewed Philadelphia offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, former Miami interim coach Todd Bowles, New Orleans offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. and Green Bay assistants Winston Moss and Dom Capers.
With McKenzie having spent almost two decades with the Packers, his former colleagues in Green Bay were originally considered to be the favorites. But instead he went with the 39-year-old Allen, coming off his first season in the NFL as a coordinator. Allen had his second interview with McKenzie on Tuesday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
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 before the 1969 season. Madden won 103 games in 10 seasons and won Oakland's first Super Bowl following the 1976 season.
After Madden retired, Davis exclusively hired offensive coaches: Tom Flores, Mike Shanahan, Art Shell, Mike White, Joe Bugel, Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Shell again, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and Jackson. Allen will be Oakland's seventh coach since the 2003 season in his first head coaching job at any level. The Raiders have not had a winning record or made the playoffs since Callahan took them to the Super Bowl following the 2002 season.
There have been plenty of changes for the Raiders since Davis died Oct. 8. His son, Mark, took over the team and hired McKenzie after the season to take over many of the on-field and personnel decisions that Al Davis had made during his nearly half-century with the organization. Davis also was heavily involved in the defensive schemes with some people referring to him as the de facto "defensive coordinator."
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.
The Broncos increased their sack total from 23 to 41 and were tied for the sixth-most blitzes on pass plays in the league this season, according to STATS LLC.
Allen had served as New Orleans' secondary coach the previous five seasons and had also coached for Atlanta. He runs a 4-3 defense, which the Raiders have used the past seven seasons.
The Raiders, however, struggled mightily on defense this past season despite giving big contracts in the offseason to Richard Seymour, Kamerion Wimbley and Stanford Routt. 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.
Oakland joined this year's Tampa Bay team as two of the four teams to allow at least 30 TD passes and 5.0 yards per carry in a season, a distinction achieved previously by only the 1950 Baltimore Colts and 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.
-- Josh Dubow
Jaguars retain Heck, hire Hingst and Skalaski
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey has retained offensive line coach Andy Heck, hired Josh Hingst as assistant strength and conditioning coach and added Charlie Skalaski as assistant to the head coach/offensive assistant.
During Heck's six years in Jacksonville, the Jaguars posted the three highest single-season rushing totals in franchise history.
Hingst spent the last three years as director of sports nutrition at Nebraska after working the 2008 season with the Atlanta Falcons. He also spent five years working at Florida State.
Skalaski served nine seasons (2003-11) as an assistant at Liberty in a variety of capacities. After coaching tight ends in 2003, he served eight seasons as receivers coach and was the program's director of football development from 2003-05.
Jacksonville's only open position is strength and conditioning coach.
Chargers promote Bisaccia, hire Meeks
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Chargers on Tuesday promoted Rich Bisaccia to assistant head coach-special teams and hired Ron Meeks as secondary coach.
Bisaccia, who just completed his first season with the Chargers, helped develop young special teams players, including Richard Goodman, Darrell Stuckey and Andrew Gachkar.
Goodman was fourth in the NFL in kickoff returns and his 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Jan. 1 at Oakland was a team record. Stuckey and Gachkar tied for the team lead with 12 special teams tackles each.
Meeks served as defensive backs with Carolina last season.
Jets hire DeGuglielmo as O-Line coach
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets have hired Dave DeGuglielmo as offensive line coach, replacing Bill Callahan.
DeGuglielmo joins the Jets after spending the last three seasons with the Miami Dolphins as their offensive line coach. Earlier this month, the Jets hired former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano as their offensive coordinator.
DeGuglielmo also spent five seasons with the New York Giants as an assistant offensive line coach and quality control coach, winning a Super Bowl after the 2007 season. He also has coached at South Carolina. DeGuglielmo played guard and center at Boston University. Sparano was his offensive coordinator there.
League Capsules
Pound decries delays in HGH testing for NFL
International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound says there is known and suspected use of human growth hormone in the NFL and claims union lawyers who seek more information about testing for the performance-enhancing drug "flock to the pseudo-science like ants to a picnic."
Writing an op-ed piece for Play True magazine, the official publication of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Pound, the former WADA president, chides NFL Players Association's attorneys for using delay tactics to keep the testing from starting this season.
The labor contract that ended the NFL lockout in August included a provision for HGH testing as soon as this season — but not until the NFLPA approved the process. That hasn't happened, in part because the NFLPA says it needs more information about the test.
Pound is widely known for his outspoken stances on a number of anti-doping issues — criticizing cyclists, golfers and hockey players, among others, for not cleaning up their act on the anti-doping front.
Now, he's taking aim at the NFL players, who have delayed by at least a season the implementation of a testing program they agreed to in principle this summer.
"Even more resourceful off the field than on it, the players, acting through their union, the NFLPA, have turned to their ubiquitous lawyers to throw as much sand as money can buy into the gears of an effective testing program," Pound wrote in his opinion piece. "So, the lawyers, in a feat of self-generated alchemy, have turned themselves into scientists and now spout supposedly principled concerns about the reliability of scientific tests for HGH."
The HGH test was approved for use by WADA in 2004 — a signal, Pound wrote, that the "knowledgeable scientific community is satisfied with the reliability of the HGH tests."
The union, however, disagrees. Its main critiques of the test are that it hasn't been peer-reviewed by scientists outside of WADA, that there's no information about the population studies they used to formulate the test and the NFL doesn't have an outside appeals process as part of its program.
"The players are not going to let the Dick Pound self-promotional tour derail the principles we believe in related to a clean and fair game," said NFLPA spokesman George Atallah. "Our players and scientists have asked WADA for information and transparency. The response from WADA and Dick Pound has been limited to childish public statements that are thickheaded and false."
WADA maintains there is plenty of literature available to answer any questions about the test and Pound agrees with that notion, while chiding the union for muddying the issue enough to delay the testing.
"Predictably ... there are some who do not allow lack of familiarity with the cutting edge of the field get in the way of trying to cast doubt on a test which they cannot evaluate," he wrote. "The lawyers, equally predictably, flock to the pseudo-science like ants to a picnic."
-- Eddie Pells
Rookie QBs replacing Manning, Brady in Pro Bowl
NEW YORK (AP) — Cam Newton and Andy Dalton are headed to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl.
The rookies have been chosen to replace Super Bowl quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady for Sunday's game matching the NFC against the AFC.
There are 24 replacements, along with two long snappers added Tuesday. Seven of the players are filling in for Patriots, two are replacing Giants.
Carolina's Newton replaces Manning, and Chicago defensive end Julius Peppers steps in for Jason Pierre Paul. The players stepping in for New England's Pro Bowlers are Dalton and tight end Jermaine Gresham (for Rob Gronkowski) of Cincinnati, Jets guard Brandon Moore (for Logan Mankins), Jacksonville special teamer Montell Owens (for Matthew Slater), Baltimore guard Ben Grubbs (for Brian Waters), San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson (for Wes Welker) and Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins (for Vince Wilfork).
Replacements chosen earlier on the AFC are Pittsburgh LB James Harrison (for Baltimore's Terrell Suggs), Baltimore RB Willis McGahee (for Houston's Arian Foster), Denver tackle Ryan Clady (for Miami's Jake Long), Houston DE Antonio Smith (for New England's Andre Carter); Denver safety Brian Dawkins (for Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu), Houston center Chris MVBCyers (for Pittsburgh's Maurkice Pouncey), and San Diego RB Ryan Mathews (for Baltimore's Ray Rice).
For the NFC, its Minnesota LB Chad Greenway (for Chicago's Lance Briggs), Washington LB London Fletcher (for Chicago's Brian Urlacher), Atlanta WR Roddy White (for Detroit's Calvin Johnson), Seattle RB Michael Robinson (for Green Bay's John Kuhn), Seattle safety Kam Chancellor (for San Francisco's Dashon Goldson), and Seattle CB Brandon Browner (for San Francisco's Carlos Rogers).
Also chosen as replacements Tuesday were Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch, who steps in for San Francisco's Frank Gore (illness), and Miami defensive tackle Paul Soliai, who replaces Baltimore's Haloti Ngata.
The long snappers are Oakland's Jon Condo and San Francisco's Brian Jennings.
NFL: N.Y. players didn't hit Williams illegally
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The NFL on Tuesday said there were no illegal hits by the Super Bowl-bound New York Giants on 49ers return man Kyle Williams during the NFC championship game.
Williams fumbled a punt in overtime of San Francisco's 20-17 loss Sunday, and the misplay set up Lawrence Tynes' winning field goal. Afterward, New York's Jacquian Williams and Devin Thomas indicated they were trying to hit Williams given his history of concussions, including the most recent one sustained Dec. 24 at Seattle that kept him out of the regular-season finale at St. Louis.
League spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email that the Giants did nothing against the rules.
"Players are held accountable for their actions on the field. There were no illegal hits to the head or neck area against Kyle Williams on Sunday," Aiello said. "There was no conduct by the Giants of any kind that would suggest an effort to injure Kyle Williams in any way."
Williams' agent, Ken Sarnoff, said the second-year pro is aware of the Giants' postgame comments but is done speaking publicly and is ready to move forward toward the 2012 season. The 49ers had no comment Tuesday.
Jacquian Williams forced Kyle Williams' second fumble of the game. The fill-in return man was playing in place of injured regular Ted Ginn Jr.
"The thing is, we knew he had four concussions, so that was our biggest thing, was to take him outta the game," Jacquian Williams told reporters at Candlestick Park.
Thomas recovered both fumbles, including one in the fourth quarter that went under review to reveal the ball glanced off Williams' right knee. Williams still insists the ball didn't hit him.
"He's had a lot of concussions," Thomas told the Newark Star-Ledger. "We were just like, 'We gotta put a hit on that guy.'"
-- Janie McCauley
Hawaii governor says money not wasted on Pro Bowl
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie says he wants to keep the Pro Bowl in Oahu, a sharp contrast from his prior criticism of the state's decision to pay millions to host the game. In a surprise appearance at a Pro Bowl news conference Tuesday, the governor said his administration will "do everything we can" to keep the Pro Bowl.
Last June, Abercrombie said he opposed a previous deal to pay $4 million per game for the rights to hold the NFL's all-star game in Hawaii in 2011 and 2012. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that Abercrombie says his remark was meant to highlight what the money could have funded in education.
The Pro Bowl returned to Aloha Stadium last year after it was played in Miami in 2010, breaking a 30-year run in Hawaii.
Team Capsules
Vikings get bad news in stadium push
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have been given an ultimatum of sorts in their quest for a new stadium. Gov. Mark Dayton and a key lawmaker said Tuesday that the team must build on the site of the Metrodome -- its least-favorite option -- or state funding help for the multimillion-dollar project won't happen this year.
Minnesota's 2012 legislative session began Tuesday, one expected to be dominated by the team's stadium drive. But the issue came to a head more quickly than expected as Dayton confirmed that he had informed Vikings owner Zygi Wilf that a new stadium has to be built at the current site of the Metrodome in order to secure any kind of state funding from lawmakers this year.
"I've made it clear it's my belief that in this session, the only viable option is the Metrodome site," the Democratic governor said.
"I do believe that's where it's going to be," added Republican state Sen. Julie Rosen, the chief stadium bill sponsor.
The Vikings have wanted out of the Metrodome for years, calling the 30-year-old stadium no longer sufficiently profitable compared to other NFL venues. The team's lease at the Metrodome expires Feb. 1, and hanging over their new stadium push has been the fear among fans that the team will leave Minnesota, just like the Lakers long ago.
Of the three sites that had been under discussion for a new stadium, the Metrodome had been the least favorite of the Vikings' owners.
"Our owners are extremely frustrated with the situation," said Lester Bagley, a team vice president.
Bagley said team owners Zygi and Mark Wilf are eager to hear Dayton's rationale for the Metrodome site, Bagley said, insisting that the team is "100 percent focused on getting it done in Minnesota."
The Vikings prefer a $1.1 billion stadium proposal on a site in suburban Ramsey County, north of St. Paul, that offers space to build adjacent team facilities as well as retail, hotel and entertainment development. But funding that proposal would require a sales tax increase in the county, a move that lacks support.
With hopes dimming on the Ramsey County site in recent weeks, Vikings executives subsequently warmed to another Minneapolis option, a plan for a $995 million stadium on the opposite side of downtown from the Metrodome. But Dayton said Tuesday that plan was doomed by strong opposition from leaders at the Basilica of St. Mary, a historic Catholic Church adjacent to the site, and by apparent opposition on the Minneapolis City Council, where more members prefer the Metrodome location.
Dayton met twice in recent days with the Rev. John Bauer, rector of the Basilica, who had been concerned the stadium would cause Sunday parking problems and other headaches for the congregation; Bauer also threatened a lawsuit. Dayton said the problems were probably insurmountable.
"I understood their concerns, and they were very valid," Dayton said. He said if the Vikings owners were willing to wait another year, it might leave time to try to address some of the problems with the two discarded sites — but that only the Metrodome is a possibility if a deal is to get done in what's expected to be a brief legislative session.
With Dayton and Rosen on the same page, and Rosen saying she expected to introduce a Metrodome-specific stadium financing bill soon, the Vikings' only hope for landing elsewhere appeared to lie with Rep. Morrie Lanning, the chief stadium bill sponsor in the House.
Lanning said he agreed the site near the church is currently unworkable, but it is too early to discard the Ramsey County site on a former Army ammunition dump in Arden Hills.
"For us to walk away from Arden Hills at this point in time I don't think is very smart, because there are still issues that remain with regard to the Metrodome," said Lanning, a Republican from Moorhead.
Specifically, the Vikings point out that pursuing the $918 million Metrodome site proposal would force them to play several seasons at the University of Minnesota's football stadium, at significant expense to the team. The Metrodome site is viewed as having less room for parking and tailgating, and less potential to spawn new restaurants, bars and other entertainment options nearby. Lanning said he expects legislative opposition to the insistence by Minneapolis city officials that any football stadium bill include about $100 million for a renovation of the Target Center basketball arena.
Backers of the Metrodome site argue the area has the existing infrastructure to handle football crowds, and that it will be easier to convince city council members to support the mayor's proposal to divert proceeds from an existing city sales tax to help bankroll the construction.
Dayton said he would host a meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday that would include Zygi Wilf and other team executives, Rosen and Lanning and other lawmakers, and officials from the city of Minneapolis.
''I can't foresee what's going to happen tomorrow," Dayton said.
-- Patrick Condon
Elsewhere
Former NFL player Boone dies
SELMA, Calif. (AP) — Former NFL player and Fresno State football coach JR Boone has died. He was 86. Fresno State says Boone died in his sleep on Sunday at his home in Selma. Boone coached at Fresno State from 1973-75, posting a 10-24 record.
Boone was drafted by the Chicago Bears and the New York Yankees but chose to play football. He played four seasons with the Bears, one with the San Francisco 49ers and one with the Green Bay Packers. He played running back and safety.
Boone finished his career with 497 yards rushing, 69 catches for 1,251 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Boone is survived by his sons, Jim and Bobby, his daughter Katie McGill, six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
