Shell interested in Dolphins’ head coaching position

Former Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell is interested in the Miami Dolphins’ job, possibly joining LSU coach Nick Saban as a candidate, an NFL source with knowledge of the job search said Saturday.

Shell might receive an interview, the source said on condition of anonymity.

By interviewing Shell, the NFL’s senior vice president for football operations, Miami would comply with a league requirement that teams interview a minority candidate for any coaching vacancy.

Shell became the first black coach of the modern era in 1989 with the Raiders, but he hasn’t been a head coach since 1994.

Dolphins interim coach Jim Bates is also expected to interview for the job. Preparing his team to play the New England Patriots, Bates said he advised management he wants to wait until after the game to discuss plans for an interview.

“I told them I didn’t want anything to distract me from Monday night’s game,” Bates said.

Saban, the only coach the Dolphins have confirmed is a candidate, said he has had no contact with Miami since interviewing Tuesday with owner Wayne Huizenga and president Eddie Jones in Baton Rouge, La.

“I don’t have a timetable,” Saban said. “I don’t know what their timetable is. … They need time to go through the process and the things they need to do, and we’ll make a decision as soon as we get the parameters of what the job basically entails.”

Shell, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, played for the Oakland-Los Angeles Raiders from 1968-82 and had a 56-41 record coaching the Raiders from 1989-94. He led them to three playoff berths and to the AFC title game in 1991.

He also worked as an assistant coach for the Raiders, Kansas City and Atlanta.

Patriots’ place Poole on injured reserve

Cornerback Tyrone Poole is done for the season after the New England Patriots put him on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Poole started the first four games this year, but missed the Oct. 10 game against Miami. He returned the next week against Seattle, but was unable to play the second half.

Poole had arthroscopic surgery and returned to limited action last Sunday against Cincinnati. He went on injured reserve Friday.

Coach Bill Belichick told the Patriots’ team Web site that Poole wasn’t progressing quickly enough.

“It was a situation where medically we felt he needed more time to really get over the hump and we were running out of it,” Belichick said. “It’s unfortunate but that’s what we had to do. If it was the second week of the season, maybe it would be different.”

Bengals center out for season

Cincinnati Bengals center Rich Braham was placed on injured reserve, and will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

Braham, who missed three games earlier this season due to a previous knee injury, started 10 games and was hurt last week at New England.

No details about the injury were immediately available.