Rams Coach Retires

The St. Louis Rams’ coaching staff lost one of its biggest names when defensive coordinator Bud Carson retired due to health concerns.

Carson, who’ll be 67 next month, quit because asthma was slowing him down too much.

Coach Dick Vermeil replaced Carson with two men, choosing Peter Giunta and John Bunting co-defensive coordinators.

Tight end Lonnie Johnson agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Buffalo Bills after receiving little attention from other teams as a free agent.

A Virginia Beach, Va., judge dismissed a drunken driving charge against Bills defensive end Bruce Smith but upheld a charge that Smith refused to take a blood-alcohol test.

Circuit Judge Frederick B. Lowe suspended Smith’s driver’s license for 12 months for refusing to take the blood test last July.