Parcells raids his old team for Dolphins' GM

By: Associated Press | Wednesday, January 2, 2008 11:10 PM PST ∞

Jeff Ireland has rejoined Bill Parcells to help revive the Miami Dolphins.

Ireland, who spent the past seven years in player personnel with the Dallas Cowboys, was hired Wednesday as Dolphins general manager. He replaces Randy Mueller, fired Monday after three seasons with Miami.

Parcells, the Cowboys' head coach in 2003-06, joined the Dolphins two weeks ago as executive vice president of football operations.

"Jeff Ireland certainly was an important part of this organization," said Wade Phillips, Parcells' successor in Dallas. "Miami has done a smart thing by hiring him. And Bill was around him, so he knew what he does."

Ireland may have input in deciding the fate of Cam Cameron, whose job is in jeopardy after going 1-15 in his first season as an NFL head coach. Cameron met Tuesday with Parcells, but remained uncertain whether he would be retained.

Ireland, 37, spent the past three years as Cowboys vice president of college and pro scouting, and he helped build the team that won the NFC East this season with a 13-3 record.

Peterson top offensive rookie

Adrian Peterson is impressed.

Not so much by his achievements as he ran away with The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting the same way he surged past opposing tacklers this season. What has gotten the attention of the Minnesota Vikings running back is the company he keeps.

"It's a great honor to join a list with names like those," Peterson said when told that Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith, Eric Dickerson and Billy Sims also won the award. "They are guys that I looked up to growing up. It's a goal that I set before the year started, to win rookie of the year, so it feels great to accomplish that."

Peterson, who set the league mark for rushing in a game with 296 yards in a 35-17 victory over the Chargers, also had a 224-yarder in a win against Chicago. The key to Minnesota's improvement to an 8-8 record this season, he led the NFC with 1,341 yards rushing, second only to the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson in the league. His 78 points on 13 touchdowns were second in the conference.

Nolan gets reprieve

After five straight losing seasons, the San Francisco 49ers still believe everything is going according to coach Mike Nolan's plan.

Nolan will return to the 49ers next season despite going 16-32 in his first three years with the club. Scot McCloughan, their top personnel executive, was formally announced as general manager, getting a contract extension and a raise.

And other than those new business cards for McCloughan, 49ers owner John York apparently made no significant changes to his beleaguered franchise's power structure after the longest streak of losing football in team history.

Nolan, who previously had the final say on all football decisions, and McCloughan will continue to make joint decisions on every issue for the 49ers (5-11), even though McCloughan now has "the trigger," as Nolan put it.

Et cetera

LIONS: Reportedly fired Mike Martz, ending his fractious two years as the team's offensive coordinator. Martz will be replaced by Jim Colletto, who will retain his position as offensive line coach while calling plays. Receivers coach Kippy Brown will serve as co-coordinator, the Detroit Free Press, Booth Newspapers and ESPN.com reported.

CHIEFS: Fired offensive coordinator Mike Solari and three other assistant coaches following a 4-12 season.

BENGALS: Cincinnati, saddled with a defense that again finished near the bottom of the league, fired defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan and linebackers coach Ricky Hunley.

BILLS: Marv Levy said he agonizes over not coaching and that he decided at midseason to step down as Buffalo's general manager after the season, as he did this week.

COLTS: WR Marvin Harrison returned to practice and could play in their playoff game next week.

VIKINGS: One day after returning to the team from a four-week suspension for violating the NFL's steroid policy, DE Ray Edwards said he "made a mistake." Edwards' error was in not checking to see if a workout supplement was on the league's banned list.

GIANTS: Three starters injured in the season finale last weekend against New England -- C Shaun O'Hara, LB Kawika Mitchell and CB Sam Madison -- did not practice and are questionable for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay.

STEELERS: Promoted OL Jonathan Parquet from their practice squad and signed rookie OL Jason Capizzi for the second time.