NFL notebook: Jaguars hire Seahawks' Bradley as head coach
BY Associated Press
Friday, January 18, 2013
1/18/13 at 2:46 AM
The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley as the franchise's fifth head coach Thursday, the latest move in the team's rebuilding project.
The 46-year-old Bradley joins general manager Dave Caldwell, who led the coaching search after being hired last week.
Bradley spent the last four seasons in Seattle, earning a reputation as a fiery assistant who demanded the most from his players. This season, the Seahawks ranked first in points allowed (15.3), fourth in yards (306.2) and tied for fourth in takeaways (31).
The Jaguars were 30th in the league in total defense in 2012.
Cardinals hire Arians as head coach: The Arizona Cardinals filled the NFL's final head coaching vacancy by hiring Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
The team confirmed the hiring in a release Thursday night.
The 60-year-old longtime assistant went 9-3 as Colts interim head coach while Chuck Pagano was undergoing treatment for leukemia last season.
Arians arrived in Arizona on Wednesday night, had dinner with top team officials, then interviewed on Thursday and was offered and accepted the job Thursday night.
Kelly receives a hero's welcome in Philly: A sign reading "Our Chip's Come In" greeted Chip Kelly outside the Philadelphia Eagles' practice facility on his first day as head coach, and a few fans drove down Pattison Avenue honking their horns to salute the hiring.
A new era for the Eagles has begun.
Kelly was hired Wednesday to be the 21st coach in team history, ending an exhaustive search to replace Andy Reid.
The offensive innovator was lured away from Oregon, where he went 46-7 in four seasons and turned the program into a national powerhouse.
"The key was to find the right leader, not make the fastest decision ," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said.
Although Kelly has no previous NFL experience, the Eagles are banking on him to turn around a franchise that has just 12 wins in the last two years and zero playoff victories since 2008.
Vilma's defamation suit against Goodell dismissed: A federal judge has dismissed New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma's defamation lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the bounty case.
U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan in New Orleans said Thursday the bounty matter "feels as protracted and painful as the Saints season itself, and calls for closure."
Goodell initially suspended Vilma for all of the 2012 season, and three other players received shorter bans. But Paul Tagliabue, Goodell's predecessor as commissioner, heard a round of player appeals and threw out the suspensions last month.
Wild-card round
Jan. 5
Houston 19, Cincinnati 13
Green Bay 24, Minnesota 10
Jan. 6
Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 9
Seattle 24, Washington 14
Divisional round
Jan. 12
Baltimore 38, Denver 35, 2OT
San Francisco 45, Green Bay 31
Jan. 13
Atlanta 30, Seattle 28
New England 41, Houston 28
Conference Championships
Sunday
NFC: San Francisco at Atlanta, 2 p.m. (KOKI-5/23, KYAL-97.1)
AFC: Baltimore at New England, 5:30 p.m. (KOTV-6, KYAL-1550)
Super Bowl
Feb. 3
At New Orleans
AFC champ vs. NFC champ, 5 p.m. (KOTV-6, KYAL-97.1)
