Tuesday, February 12, 2002
NFL notebook
Mum's the word on Bucs' McKay
The Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. — There was no official word Monday from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' headquarters on general manager Rich McKay's future with the team.
McKay is contemplating leaving the Bucs in the wake of ownership's decision to veto his plan to hire former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis as Tampa Bay's next coach.
The sons of owner Malcolm Glazer have not spoken with the general manager since shooting down Lewis' candidacy last Friday, a day after McKay told Lewis he was the choice to replace Tony Dungy, who was fired on Jan. 14.
It was the second time in a month that the Glazers had not followed a major recommendation by McKay. McKay, who has a year remaining on a contract that will pay him about $1.8 million in 2002, is expected to meet with Bryan and Joel Glazer today or Wednesday. Atlanta is said to be interested in making McKay its GM, but would have to have the Glazers' permission to talk to him as long as McKay remains under contract to Tampa Bay.
Lewis emerged as the likely successor to Dungy after Bill Parcells rejected an offer to come out of retirement and McKay — at the Glazers' direction — made an unsuccessful run at Oakland's Jon Gruden, who has a year remaining on his contract.
McKay was so confident that the hiring of Lewis would be approved that he had begun to help Lewis assemble a coaching staff. But the Glazers met the candidate face-to-face for the first time last Thursday night, then pulled the plug on the plan the following morning.
Last month, the owners also ignored McKay's recommendation to retain Dungy, who led Tampa Bay to the playoffs four of the past five seasons.
And, the Glazers tried to get the general manager to accept a position as team president when it looked like Parcells might be headed for Tampa Bay.
McKay balked, saying he wanted to wait until Parcells was in place to learn more about what role he might play in a regime that would have included Mike Tannenbaum as Parcells' hand-picked general manager.
REDSKINS:
At least Lewis will be receiving head coach money.
A month after he set a new — and very high — standard for head coach's pay with the hiring of Steve Spurrier, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder on made Lewis the best paid assistant in the NFL.
Lewis signed a three-year deal worth about $850,000 per year — more than $1 million per year with incentives — to be defensive coordinator. That's a salary comparable to what some NFL head coaches make and is at least twice what the average assistant is thought to make.
Asked to explain himself to owners who now have good reason to be concerned about escalating coaching salaries, Snyder was unapologetic.
“I don't think I've done anything out of character with what we're trying to build with the Redskins,” Snyder said. “You're talking about one of the finest coaches in the game. We're all after one thing, that's victories.”
RAVENS:
Still smarting from Lewis' surprise departure, Baltimore made Mike Nolan its new defensive coordinator.
Nolan, a former defensive coordinator with three NFL teams, served as the Ravens' receivers coach last season. He expected to retain that post as recently as Saturday, when Lewis said he would stay with the Ravens after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday reversed their decision to make him their new head coach.
But Lewis, the Ravens' only defensive coordinator during their first six years of existence, changed his mind Sunday and agreed to a lucrative three-year deal with the Washington Redskins.
Ravens coach Brian Billick planned to make Nolan his defensive coordinator if Lewis took a head coaching job. He never expected a scenario in which Lewis left the Ravens to serve in the same capacity with another team.
“The thing I regret the most through this whole process is the sequencing — for Marvin, the Ravens, and for my staff,” said Billick, criticizing the Bucs for allowing Lewis to believe he would get that job.
CHIEFS:
The Kansas City Chiefs signed quarterback Joe Germaine to a one-year contract and wide receiver John Capel to a three-year deal on Monday.
Financial terms of the contracts were not released.
Germaine, obtained in a trade with the St. Louis Rams on Sept. 3, was the Chiefs' third quarterback last season. He did not appear in any games.
BRONCOS:
Former Denver general manager Fred Gehrke, who oversaw the team's first Super Bowl appearance, has died at his home in Palm Springs, Calif., at 83.
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