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Following a Tuesday meeting with owner Ralph Wilson, former Buccaneers assistant coach Mike Mularkey has accepted an offer to coach the Bills, ESPN.com reported.
Mularkey emerged from his all-day meeting with Wilson and started calling Bills assistants to let them know he had taken the job. Mularkey, most recently the Steelers' offensive coordinator, was among the final three candidates along with former Bears coach Dick Jauron and Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.
Mularkey, 42, won the job because of his past relationship with Bills general manager Tom Donahoe and his offensive mind. Mularkey also was a candidate for the Falcons' job.
Mularkey played tight end from 1983 through 1991 for the Vikings and the Steelers. He started coaching in 1993 at Concordia and joined the Bucs as an assistant for quality control in 1994 and coaching tight ends in 1995.
Bill Cowher hired him with the Steelers in 1996, and he eventually became offensive coordinator.
BEARS: The search for a coach is winding down.
General manager Jerry Angelo said he wanted time to think after a second interview with St. Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, one of two finalists for the job.
Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm is the other finalist, though Angelo said he still might consider a third league candidate.
Angelo is looking for a replacement for Jauron, who was fired Dec. 29 after four losing seasons in five years.
Angelo didn't say who the potential third candidate is other than it's someone in the league whose team is not in the playoffs.
That would rule out Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, who was interviewed Dec. 31.
It also isn't former Giants coach Jim Fassel.
While Angelo said he has tremendous respect for Fassel, he is wary about bringing in a coach who was fired.
CHIEFS: Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson resigned two days after an embarrassing playoff loss to Indianapolis.
Robinson told coach Dick Vermeil after Sunday's 38-31 defeat that he would resign if Vermeil thought it was in the team's best interests.
The Chiefs' defense finished 30th this season after being last in the league a season ago.
Fans booed continually during the loss to the Colts, who scored on six of their first seven possessions and never punted.
COMEBACK: Former Bears and Cardinals kicker Kevin Butler is attempting a comeback with the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League. Butler, 41, will work out for the team today at its practice complex.
GIANTS: Coach Tom Coughlin started filling out his staff, retaining two assistants who worked under Fassel while hiring two others from his days with the Jaguars.
Tight ends coach Mike Pope and assistant special teams coach Mike Priefer, who worked with Coughlin during his final season with the Jaguars in 2002, will be back next season. Running backs coach Jerald Ingram and strength and conditioning coach Jerry Palmieri worked with Coughlin at Boston College and Jacksonville.
PRO BOWL: Packers tight end Bubba Franks and Seahawks guard Steve Hutchinson were added to the NFC Pro Bowl squad as injury replacements. Franks will replace Jeremy Shockey (sprained left knee) of the Giants, and Hutchinson takes the spot of Saint LeCharles Bentley (left knee surgery) of the Saints.
RAIDERS: Cowboys offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon was interviewed for the coaching vacancy. He became the fourth candidate to speak face-to-face with owner Al Davis, who is looking for a coach to replace Bill Callahan, fired after a 4-12 season.
RAMS: Bobby April is out as special teams coach. His contract will not be renewed for a fourth season. The Rams were last in punt coverage and 30th in kickoff coverage.
VIKINGS: Former Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell was hired to replace George O'Leary and is the fourth defensive coordinator in the past four seasons. O'Leary left to coach Central Florida.