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NFL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 13, 2001

Chiefs put Vermeil among best-paid coaches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Overcome by emotion, Dick Vermeil teared up twice Friday while being presented as the Chiefs' new coach.

Both times, he was talking about the way Chiefs president Carl Peterson and vice president of football operations Lynn Stiles talked him out of a comfortable retirement.

"The fact I changed my mind was based solely upon my personal relationship with Carl Peterson and Lynn Stiles," Vermeil said.

The Chiefs, who haven't been in the playoffs in three years and haven't won a playoff game since 1993, gave the 64-year-old Vermeil a three-year, $10-million contract that makes him one of the NFL's highest-paid coaches.

"I told Carl that if we get this running," Vermeil said, "I'll probably go longer than three years. I have a lot of energy left -- a lot of energy left."

Said Peterson, "Dick is the only person I've ever wanted as head coach. He is the premier head coach in the NFL."

Asked how far the Chiefs are from Super Bowl status, Vermeil said his 1999 Rams Super Bowl team had only nine players left from the roster he inherited in 1997.

Vermeil addressed critics who have said he and Peterson orchestrated his retirement from the Rams after their Super Bowl victory.

"None of it was ever preprogrammed," he said. "And if anybody reads more into it than that, there's nothing I can do about it. They have their own agenda. Let them go with it. I really don't care. I'm excited about my opportunity here."

BILLS: New president/general manager Tom Donahoe said he intends to interview defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell early next week for the coaching vacancy. Others identified as possible candidates are Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, Jaguars defensive coordinator Dom Capers, Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, Giants offensive coordinator Sean Payton and Saints offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy.

DOLPHINS: Jay Fiedler, who threw two touchdowns and 11 interceptions after injuring his left, non-throwing shoulder last month, had rotator cuff surgery. A rehabilitation program could take four months but Fiedler hopes to be ready for minicamp in April.

JAGUARS: Coach Tom Coughlin promoted quarterbacks coach Bob Petrino to offensive coordinator and ended his two-year tenure in the position. Coughlin denied speculation that the move was in response to a strained relationship with quarterback Mark Brunell. Coughlin said he didn't speak to Brunell about the move.

LIONS: Gary Moeller said he doesn't intend to shop for another job while the team weighs other coaching candidates, but added he has been contacted indirectly about the Ohio State opening. "Yes, I've been approached, but nothing official," Moeller said. If he were not involved with the Lions, the Ohio State job would be appealing to Moeller. He played there for Woody Hayes, coached for Bo Schembechler at Michigan in heated battles with Ohio State, and had a 3-1-1 record against the Buckeyes during five seasons as Michigan coach.

RAMS: Former Redskins assistant Ron Meeks was named defensive backs coach.

REDSKINS: Terry Robiskie, the interim coach after Norv Turner was fired, and linebackers coach Foge Fazio have been fired. New coach Marty Schottenheimer hired longtime college assistant Hue Jackson as running backs coach and said that Mike Trgovac will continue coaching the defensive line. Two former head coaches, Chris Palmer and Bruce Coslet, are candidates for the offensive coordinator position. Palmer arrived Friday in Washington, one day after being fired by the Browns. Coslet, who resigned as coach of the Bengals three games into the season, was interviewed by Schottenheimer on Thursday.

STEELERS: Tom Clements, a former Notre Dame and Canadian league star, was hired as quarterbacks coach -- the first time the team has filled that position since 1973. Clements was the Chiefs quarterbacks coach this season, but was let go when Gunther Cunningham was fired. Before that, Clements was the quarterbacks coach with the Saints for three years and with Notre Dame for four years. ... Former quarterback Joe Gilliam died of a cocaine overdose, the Nashville medical examiner said.

TEXANS: Former Bills coach Wade Phillips is scheduled to interview today for the expansion team's coaching job.

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