ATLANTA - The Falcons have reached agreement to hire San Francisco defensive coordinator Jim Mora as head coach.
The Falcons will make an announcement this morning, the Associated Press reported.
Mora, the son of former Saints and Colts coach Jim Mora, was a finalist for the 49ers job last year that went to Dennis Erickson.
Mora met with Falcons owner Arthur Blank in his Buckhead office Wednesday for the first time. He interviewed the previous week in Atlanta with Falcons and former Bucs general manager Rich McKay but had not met Blank.
Blank was home Thursday night but did not immediately return a phone call.
Dan Reeves was fired Dec. 9 as Falcons coach, and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips took over on an interim basis. Atlanta finished 5-11, but Phillips went 2-1.
GIBBS WELCOMED: Move over, Bill Parcells. Joe Gibbs has a new toughest opponent: his legacy.
Nothing was more evident when Gibbs was given a hero's welcome as the Redskins' returning coach.
"I reached a point in my life where you love the thrill of trying to do something that's almost undoable," the Hall of Fame coach said. "Certainly this is probably as close to that as you can get."
Gibbs emerged from a five-limousine parade and was greeted by cheers and the blare of a horn playing Hail to the Redskins as he strode down a path lined with orange cones and barricades. One fan held a white sign that read:
"Joe Gibbs
God, Mr. Snyder
Genius, Being A Redskins Fan
Priceless."
STEELERS SEARCH: Pittsburgh chairman Dan Rooney is defending the team's minority hiring policy despite the firings this week of two black assistant coaches.
Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and receivers coach Kenny Jackson were fired Tuesday.
"You have a right to hire and fire anybody you want," Rooney, chairman of the NFL's diversity committee, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "The thing they (the league) want to make sure of is that you are willing to give a fair chance to a minority to get the job. We have every intention of doing that here."
McMAHON DUI: Former quarterback Jim McMahon is expected to plead no contest to a drunken driving charge at a court appearance in Santa Rosa County on Jan.29, Assistant State Attorney Andy McGraw said.
DOLPHINS: Miami received permission to interview Seahawks vice president of football operation Ted Thompson for general manager. Giants director of player personnel Jerry Reese is scheduled to interview today.
RAIDERS: 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Knapp interviewed for the coaching job.
VIKINGS: Former Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell is considering an offer to take the same job with Minnesota.
