Panthers’ Davis Back at Practice

Carolina running back Stephen Davis worked out Friday, only no one got to see it because Panther Coach John Fox closed practice for the first time all season.

Fox also did not reveal much when discussing Davis’ status for the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

“He looked fine,” Fox said.

Was he able to participate in all the drills?

“Uh-huh,” Fox said.

Davis, who rushed for a career-best 1,444 yards, had been held out of practice all week because of a strained left quadriceps. He was injured last Saturday during the second half of Carolina’s 29-23 double-overtime victory over St. Louis on a 64-yard run.

Fox said that Davis’ playing status would be a game-time decision. If Davis can’t play, former UCLA standout DeShaun Foster will start.

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N.D. Kalu left practice with a sprained foot, but Eagle Coach Andy Reid is optimistic the starting defensive end will be able to play against Carolina.

Kalu turned his foot during warmups, though X-rays showed no damage.

“He should be fine,” Reid said. “By the time he got to the X-ray unit, he was feeling better than when he initially started going there.”

Kalu has been one of the few constants on a unit decimated this season by injuries, finishing with 5.5 sacks and 74 tackles.

Meanwhile, cornerback Troy Vincent was cleared to start against the Panthers after sitting out the last three games because of a hip injury.

Vincent practiced all week and said the hip no longer caused enough pain to prevent him from playing at full speed.

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Indianapolis Colt receiver Brandon Stokley practiced and plans on making the trip to play against the New England Patriots in Sunday’s AFC championship game.

But Coach Tony Dungy said Stokley would leave the team if he needs to be with his hospitalized infant son.

Stokley skipped practice Wednesday and Thursday morning after his month-old son, Cameron, was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness. He practiced for about the first hour of Thursday afternoon’s two-hour workout, and practiced Friday with the rest of the team.

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Former NFL head coach Wade Phillips was hired as defensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, agreeing to a two-year contract to oversee one of the league’s worst defenses.

Phillips spent the last two seasons as the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator. He was interim coach for the last three games this season after Dan Reeves was fired. He went 2-1, including a 30-28 victory at Tampa Bay that knocked the defending Super Bowl champions out of playoff contention.

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The Cincinnati Bengals hired former Washington Redskin offensive coordinator Hue Jackson as their receivers coach. He replaces Alex Wood, who left to become offensive coordinator for Dennis Green in Arizona.

Jackson was an assistant along with Marvin Lewis in Washington during the 2002 season, when Lewis was the defensive coordinator. Lewis took over the Bengals this season and led them to an 8-8 record.

Jackson was a college coach for 14 years, including a stint as offensive coordinator at USC from 1997 to 2000.

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Dick LeBeau returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers as defensive coordinator, rejecting an offer to remain on the Buffalo Bills’ staff. LeBeau, who was in charge of the Steelers’ defense the last time they made the Super Bowl during the 1995 season, was the Bills’ assistant head coach last season.... The Cleveland Browns hired former Redskin defensive coordinator George Edwards as their linebackers coach. He replaces Clancy Pendergast, who took the defensive coordinator job with Arizona on Thursday.