Chargers get OK for interviews
The San Diego Chargers received permission Tuesday to interview four candidates to replace fired head coach Marty Schottenheimer, including one-time San Diego offensive coordinator Norv Turner.
Turner was offensive coordinator with the Chargers in 2001. He’s currently the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. He interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys’ head coaching job that went to Wade Phillips, the Chargers’ former defensive coordinator.
The Chargers also received permission to interview Hall of Famer 49ers assistant head coach Mike Singletary and Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, both of whom interviewed for the Cowboys job. The fourth candidate is Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.
The Chargers did not say when the candidates would be interviewed.
Schottenheimer was fired Monday night by team president Dean Spanos, who cited a “dysfunctional situation” between Schottenheimer and general manager A.J. Smith.
The Chargers were an NFL-best 14-2 before losing their playoff opener to New England.
Lions’ Cullen sentenced
Joe Cullen, a Detroit Lions assistant coach arrested for driving nude and a week later for drunken driving, was sentenced to two years probation and must attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings twice a week.
Cullen, who coaches Detroit’s defensive line, pleaded no contest last month to disorderly conduct and guilty to impaired driving.
He must pay more than $1,600 in fines and court costs, and attend a Feb. 21 panel discussion featuring people affected by drunken drivers.
Cullen had faced up to 90 days in jail for the disorderly conduct charge, and up to 93 days for driving while impaired.
He was pulled over Aug. 24 in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn and ticketed on suspicion of indecent and obscene conduct. Police said he was driving nude. The Lions said alcohol was involved.
On Sept. 1, police stopped his vehicle and determined he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.12 percent, according to court records. The legal limit for drivers in Michigan is 0.08.
Around the league
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed kicker Connor Hughes to a one-year contract and plan to make him one of the team’s five players allocated to NFL Europe, the club said. Hughes, who played at Virginia, originally signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints in May, but was waived prior to the regular season. … New general manager Jerry Reese cut another veteran from the New York Giants, releasing return specialist Chad Morton. The release of Morton came a day after Reese cut three veteran starters: linebacker LaVar Arrington, offensive tackle Luke Petitgout and linebacker Carlos Emmons.