Gruden, Shell on Raider List

The Oakland Raiders interviewed Philadelphia Eagle offensive coordinator Jon Gruden for their coaching vacancy, and apparently also are interested in former Raider coach Art Shell.

Gruden became the first candidate to interview for the job when he talked with the Raiders on Thursday. He also talked to Raider owner Al Davis twice last year before the job went to Joe Bugel, who was fired this week after a 4-12 season that was the club’s worst since 1962.

An NFL source said the Raiders hoped to talk with Shell, who had a 56-41 record as the club’s coach from 1989-94. Shell currently is Atlanta’s offensive line coach.

The Raiders asked the New York Jets for permission to interview defensive coordinator Bill Belichick. The Jets agreed, but Belichick declined--because it was before Bugel had been fired.

Raider executive Bruce Allen said no current Raider assistant will be considered for the top job.

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The awesome athletic ability that Green Bay defensive end Gabe Wilkins showed when he hurdled Tampa Bay quarterback Trent Dilfer back in October won’t be on display Sunday.

Whether Wilkins plays against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game is still up in the air because of tendinitis in his left knee.

49er tight end Brent Jones left practice because of a strained calf.

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No matter what the weather conditions are for Sunday’s AFC championship game between Denver and Pittsburgh--wet or dry, sunny or cloudy, windy or not--the Steelers experienced them Friday.

The Steelers’ 90-minute practice began in sunny and unseasonably warm weather but ended in a driving cold rain with strong wind gusts and the rumble of thunder.

All that was missing was snow--and flurries are in the forecast today.

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Neil Smith had two sacks Sunday in leading the Broncos past his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the victory included a financial reward.

Smith has an incentive clause in his contract that calls for the Broncos to pay him $250,000 if the team qualified for the AFC championship game.

Smith would be paid another $250,000 if the Broncos beat Pittsburgh and advance to the Super Bowl.

He also was paid a $500,000 bonus for reaching 6 1/2 sacks, which he did in October. The one-year, $1.5 million contract that Smith signed in April has turned into a $2.25 million contract--with the chance to grow to $2.5 million Sunday.

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The Carolina Panthers have yet to decide the contractual future of quarterback Kerry Collins.

“When you have a decision of this magnitude, you want to make sure you explore all your options, and that’s where we are,” Coach Dom Capers said.

Collins, the team’s first-ever draft pick in 1995, signed a six-year, $21.6-million contract that calls for the Panthers to pay him a $6-million bonus at the end of this season if they want to keep the remaining three years of the deal intact.

Otherwise, Collins can become a restricted free agent, which would allow him to sign with another team in exchange for first- and third-round draft choices.