NFL: Raiders’ old man turns to youth
After four miserable seasons, Al Davis knew the Oakland Raiders needed a fresh start. He couldn’t have found a new coach much fresher than Lane Kiffin.
The Raiders officially hired the 31-year-old Kiffin on Tuesday, putting the former Southern California offensive coordinator in charge of restoring glory to a three-time Super Bowl champion that fell to the NFL’s worst record last year.
Kiffin, who took the job Monday, became the youngest head coach in club history and the NFL’s youngest in several decades. If the job of rebuilding a 2-14 club intimidates him, Kiffin didn’t show it while sitting next to Davis in a sharp black suit.
“I’m extremely excited about this opportunity and where I see this place going,” Kiffin said at the Raiders’ training complex. “It’s a historic franchise that has had greatness and has fallen on tough times, but we will bring it back to where it was before. We will do that through hard work. I’m prepared to roll up my sleeves and go to work.”
Kiffin, the son of Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, has just one season of NFL experience – as Jacksonville’s defensive quality control coach in 2000. But the 78-year-old Davis wasn’t afraid to hire a coach young enough to be his grandson.
“I think, ‘31 years old, wow, that’s young,’ ” Davis said. “But you don’t have to be old to be great. You have to be good. You have to want it. You have to have a desire, a passion for football.”
Johnson can travel
Tank Johnson will be in Miami on Super Bowl Sunday.
The Chicago Bear is awaiting trial on gun possession charges, but a judge ruled that the defensive tackle can leave the state to play the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl on Feb. 4. A Cook County judge previously said Johnson had to stay at home except to go to work. He needed permission to leave Illinois for the Super Bowl.
Reid dismisses reports
Less than a week after he canceled Donovan McNabb’s news conference, coach Andy Reid dismissed reports that his star quarterback is unhappy with the organization.
“I think that people are making a lot of things up here that aren’t true,” Reid said in a conference call. “That’s how it works. I just hate to see people making things up that aren’t really true.”
One report, citing unidentified sources close to McNabb, said the five-time Pro Bowl quarterback is upset Reid wouldn’t allow him to travel on the team plane for the Eagles’ playoff game at New Orleans. Since Reid came to Philadelphia in 1999, he’s had a rule that states players on injured reserve don’t travel with the team. The newspaper report also said McNabb may feel others prefer backup Jeff Garcia to start instead of him.
Robinson enters plea
Former Minnesota Vikings receiver Koren Robinson reached a deal in St. Peter, Minn., with prosecutors to be sentenced on a single felony charge of fleeing police after leading officers on a high-speed chase last August.
In exchange for Robinson’s Alford plea, prosecutors dismissed seven lesser charges related to drunken driving, reckless driving and driving without a license. Robinson was rushing to get back to training camp before curfew.
The Alford plea allows someone to acknowledge the evidence could result in a conviction, but doesn’t require them to admit guilt.
Robinson also agreed not to fight the forfeiture of the leased BMW 760 leased sedan he drove in the chase on Aug. 15, when police chased him at speeds that officers said sometimes exceeded 100 mph.
While the felony count carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $5,000 fine, Robinson’s attorney, Joe Tamburino, said he will ask the judge for a gross misdemeanor sentence. That would mean a maximum of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.
Robinson’s sentencing was scheduled for Feb. 20.
Around the league
Jeff Fisher is not a candidate to replace Bill Parcells as coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The Tennessee Titans picked up the option on Fisher’s contract for 2007 and team owner Bud Adams is working on a long-term deal with Fisher, who earned $5 million last year. … The Houston Texans hired Jethro Franklin as their defensive line coach and Larry Kirksey their receivers coach. Franklin was the defensive line coach in Tampa Bay last season. Kirksey was the assistant head coach and running backs coach at Middle Tennessee State last season. … Russ Grimm was hired as the Arizona Cardinals’ assistant head coach and offensive line coach. Grimm’s hiring comes two days after erroneous reports that the Steelers were going to promote him to replace retired coach Bill Cowher. … San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers won’t play in the Pro Bowl because of a foot injury.