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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Buffalo Owner May Send Levy Into Retirement

From Wire Reports

An expected shakeup among Buffalo Bills offensive assistants intensified Tuesday, and now could be extended to the retirement of head coach Marv Levy.

Bills owner Ralph Wilson was expected to meet with Levy today at Orchard Park, N.Y. - for the second time in less than a week. Wilson flew in from his home in West Palm Beach, Fla. Traveling to Buffalo at this time of year is unusual for the owner unless a major change was being made.

The Bills would not confirm speculation that Levy, 72, would step down as coach after taking the team to four Super Bowls to start the 1990s.

Buffalo general manager John Butler refused to confirm or deny whether Levy would retire when reached at home late Tuesday, but an announcement is expected at an afternoon news conference.

‘There is nothing to report,” team spokesman Scott Berchtold said.

Team sources said Levy mentioned nothing about retirement when he met with the coaching staff on Monday. Levy and Wilson have not returned telephone calls seeking comment.

A day after Buffalo finished 6-10 this season, Levy refused to say whether he would return for another season and become the oldest coach in NFL history. He met with Wilson last weekend.

Sources told The Associated Press that Wilson wanted changes made in Levy’s offensive staff after Buffalo struggled to move the ball nearly all season. Among those Wilson reportedly wanted dismissed was line coach Tom Bresnahan and tight ends coach Don Lawrence. Levy was hoping to keep his staff intact.

Wilson for years has said that Levy had a job with the Bills as long as he wanted. Levy left the decision to Wilson during the postseason meeting in Florida, but nothing was resolved.

Levy overcame prostate cancer two years ago, and said at his postseason news conference that he felt physically capable of coaching for the next few years. He even reminded reporters that he might be in better shape than most of them.

“I just took a stairmaster and weight-training workout, and I challenge any of you in the room to match,” he said. “I’ve just worked longer hours, seven days a week for the last five months, than any two of you have.

“I’m full of energy, and I feel great, and I love the game, and I want the Buffalo Bills to get better fast and excel. My mind is on 1998.”

Levy also holds the position of vice president of football operations. Wilson, Butler and Levy all have promised they would be active in free agency this offseason after being virtually silent in the last.

Levy took over for fired coach Hank Bullough in 1986 with seven games remaining and became the winningest coach in team history with a 123-78 record in his 11-plus seasons with the Bills.

Buffalo, with quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, wide receiver Andre Reed and defensive end Bruce Smith, had one of NFL’s most talented teams in the early 1990s. The Bills won AFC championships from 1990-93 but never won the biggest game.

They have been in steady decline since the 1995 season, and lost six of their final seven games this year to miss the playoffs.

Bettis seems confident

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis, still limping on an injured right knee nearly three weeks after he last played, insists he’ll be ready for Saturday’s playoff game against New England.

The Steelers have downplayed the severity of an injury that sidelined Bettis for their meaningless 16-6 loss at Tennessee on Dec. 22, and he is listed as probable.

But Bettis was hobbling noticeably before practice Tuesday, and a bulky brace that extended from mid-thigh to just above his ankle seemed out of place for a supposedly minor injury.

Morris has court date

A Maryland assault charge will bring Baltimore Ravens running back Bam Morris back to Rockwall, Texas, next month for a probation revocation hearing.

Attorneys for the former Texas Tech star agreed to a Jan. 12 hearing date during a conference held in State District Judge Sue Pirtle’s chambers.

Morris has pleaded innocent to Rockwall County prosecutors’ allegations that he broke the terms of his 1996 probation on a marijuana conviction.

Courson sues league

Former offensive lineman Steve Courson is suing to increase his NFL pension, arguing the league’s laissez-faire enforcement of its anti-drug policy led him to take steroids and develop a heart condition.

In a lawsuit received in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, Courson claims his pension should be increased from $1,750 a month to one of its highest levels because the NFL refused to stop him from abusing drugs and alcohol.