Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden will replace Tony Kornheiser as broadcast analyst on ESPN Monday Night Football next season.

Here’s what Gruden had to say about the new gig:

“This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football. I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether I’ve coached on Monday night or watched, I’ve hardly missed a game all these years. To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill.”

Kornheiser released his thoughts as well: Read the rest of this entry »

According to the Associated Press, Buffalo has agreed on a contract extension with RB Fred Jackson, keeping him with the team for the next four seasons. The actual terms of the extension were not disclosed, but there is little doubt that Jackson will be seeing a much larger paycheck in the future.

Here’s what Jackson had to say about his new deal:

“I traveled a road that not a lot of people take or will take. I’m happy that I took the road, because I’m appreciative for being here and being able to have had the success that I have had.”

“It let me know where I stand with the team. I thought it would be done a lot sooner than it actually was. It wasn’t, but we’re here now. I could just focus on playing football now.”

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Having confidence in one’s ability to succeed is a positive trait to have as an NFL quarterback. Luke McCown seems to have that and then some.

McCown pronouced himself to be the Buccaneers’ starter at QB until the team says otherwise, firing a shot across the bow of newcomers Byron Leftwich and Josh Freeman, along with fellow vets in Josh Johnson and Brian Griese, who all have eyes on that role with the club as well.

Here’s what McCown had to say on the subject yesterday:

“This has been a long time coming for me and I’m not letting anybody take it from me. And it’s the first legitimate opportunity. Say what you want about getting three starts at the end of a season. But this is my first real opportunity to be the starter, to be the guy. And I look at it as mine and you’re going to have to shoot me.”

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According to a report by the Associated Press, the NFL and authorities in the United Kingdom have had preliminary discussions about possibly hosting a second regular season in the island nation next year. Nothing has been finalized as of yet, but the league has noticed the immense popularity of the games held there thus far, and is looking to expand its reach even further.

London has played host to the first two regular season matches held outside of North America, filling Wembley Stadium to the max, and this year’s game between the Patriots and Buccaneers has already proven itself as a ticket selling event, with fans snatching up tickets fairly quick.

They say patience is a virtue. Former Dallas safety Roy Williams is hoping it will be just that, after taking his time to decide on a new team.

According to Len Pasquarelli (ESPN.com), the Bengals have inked Williams to a short term contract, and expect his presence to drastically improve a secondary that struggled at times last season to stay consistent.

Originally drafted by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2002 draft, Williams showed flashes of greatness early in his career, but struggled near the end when he was asked to take on a stronger role in coverage, as opposed to the run support style of play he preferred. That being said, he has been selected to five separate Pro Bowls, so the talent is unquestionably still there if Cincinnati can put him in the best position to succeed.

Terms of the deal were not announced.

After landing a premier left tackle a few weeks ago in the draft, the Bengals moved on today without Levi Jones.

According to James Walker (ESPN.com), Cincinnati has decided to release Jones outright, making him a free agent and annointing Andre Smith (#6 overall) as his replacement all in one move. Smith was a standout left tackle for Alabama, winning the Outland Trophy last season for the Best Interior Lineman in college football.

Jones was a first round pick in 2002 for Cincinnati, but after he signed a major extension with the team in 2006, he was injured consistently, playing in just 10 games last season. That being said, Jones is a very talented blocker when he’s healthy and on the field, so he should find work somewhere very soon.

Here’s the latest news from the league this morning… enjoy the links while I recharge with a much needed cup of coffee.

• Former Browns head coach Romeo Crennel has no plans for a return to sideline anytime soon

• An engineer involved in the construction of the Cowboys practice facility commented on the disaster that destroyed the complex

• The Browns have signed WR Mike Furrey to add depth to their offense

Read the rest of this entry »

In a league where salaries often approach eight figures, one of the longest tenured assistant coaches in its history is calling it quits, thanks in part to the NFL owners deciding to change their policies on nonplayers pension plans.

According to Chris Mortensen (ESPN), Colts offensive line coach Howard Mudd has told the team he will be retiring immediately to take advantage of a full lump-sum payment on his plan right now, as opposed to annuity payments that can be reduced to 50% of value if Mudd passes on. Mudd has reached the maximum payout already, so from a financial point of view, his decision makes absolute sense.

For Indianapolis, the prospect of losing Mudd is not a good one, as he’s been widely credited as a key component of the team’s continued offensive success along with offensive coordinator Tom Moore. The Colts are currently working overtime to convince Mudd to stay, but at this point, his continued employment does not look promising.

According to the Associated Press, former Steelers LB Larry Foote has decided to accept a one year deal from the Lions, and will ink his name on the bottom line sometime tomorrow morning.

Foote is orginally from Detroit and continued his collegiate career at the University of Michigan down the road in Ann Arbor, before joining Pittsburgh as a fourth round pick in 2002. He requested his release or trade from the Steelers last week in part because of team plans to platoon him with fellow LB Lawrence Timmons.

Here’s what Foote had to say about the decision:

“I’m excited because it’s a fresh start for me,” Foote said Tuesday night. “It’s a one-year deal to show my talents, and hopefully end up signing a long-term deal after showing the Lions and their new coaching staff what I can do.”

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If you thought the annual Brett Favre saga was finally put to rest this off-season, think again.

Citing an unnamed source close to the situation, Ed Werder (ESPN.com) is reporting that Favre and Minnesota head coach Brad Childress are scheduled to meet one another sometime later in the week, and will apparently discuss a possible return this season.

The obstacles to Favre’s renouncement of his retirement status are numerous, but certainly not impossible to overcome, if he chooses to in fact return for one more shot at a Super Bowl. His current injury status could prove to be problematic, given the lack of knowledge available on his throwing arm, but Favre’s eventual decision will tell the tale on that, as he has to believe it’s healed if he does come back.

Here’s part of our analysis last week, on a potential return to Minnesota by Favre… Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s the latest news hitting the wire this morning…

• The Patriots have inked safety Brandon McGowan to a two year contract

• Former Titans WR Roydell Williams has landed in Washington with the Redskins

• The NFL will honor the 50th anniversary of the AFL this season with 16 games between former AFL franchises

• Patriots RB Fred Taylor is taking it slow after injuring his wrist during a workout in Florida

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According to the Associated Press, a Super Bowl and NFC Championship ring from the Packers 1996 and 1997 seasons respectively were stolen from a car at a local park in Green Bay on Sunday. The rings had Reggie McKenzie’s name engraved on them. McKenzie has been Green Bay’s director of football operations since 1994.

Police have yet to state clearly if the vehicle or the rings for that matter were actually owned by McKenzie or not. They were stolen along with a laptop and a wallet from the car, which was parked near a Little League contest being played at a local park.