Raiders Close to Hiring Payton

The Oakland Raiders appeared close Tuesday to hiring Sean Payton, an assistant in charge of quarterbacks with the Dallas Cowboys, as their coach.

Several news organizations reported that Payton would receive a four-year contract to replace Bill Callahan, fired after a 4-12 season.

“I’m very excited to meet Coach Payton,” Raider center Barret Robbins told Associated Press. “I’m certainly happy for the organization that the process is over. You have to be happy, at least if you’re on offense.”

The Raiders made no official announcement on Payton.

“Nobody’s confirming or denying anything around here,” team spokesman Artie Gigantino said. “The process is continuing. As you know, he was here.”

The 40-year-old Payton, who would become the league’s youngest head coach, met with owner Al Davis for a second interview this week.

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Gunther Cunningham returned to the Kansas City Chiefs as their defensive coordinator, three years after he was fired as the team’s head coach.

He replaces Greg Robinson, who resigned last week after Kansas City lost to Indianapolis, 38-31, in the AFC playoffs.

“It is the most unusual turn of events that I’ve been part of in my professional career,” Cunningham said. “And I’m very happy about it.”

Sitting next to him was Chief President Carl Peterson, who fired Cunningham following the 2000 season so he could hire Dick Vermeil, his old friend.

“I’m very, very pleased to have Gunther back with us,” Peterson said. “We think he’s the right guy at the right time. You can come home. We’re welcoming him back.”

Cunningham was the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator from 1995-98, then went 16-16 as their head coach from 1999-2000.

Since being fired, Cunningham has been the Tennessee Titans’ linebackers coach.

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Indianapolis Colt owner Jim Irsay will spend the first part of his off-season trying to sign franchise quarterback Peyton Manning to a long-term deal. Irsay said that he hoped to re-sign the NFL’s co-most valuable player by March 1.

Though there has been speculation that the Colts need to sign a stadium deal before giving Manning a large signing bonus, Irsay ruled that out.

He said he was willing to give Manning a deal that exceeds those already signed by Green Bay’s Brett Favre, Tennessee’s Steve McNair and Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb, who signed a 12-year deal for $115 million.

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Former Detroit Lion coach Marty Mornhinweg was promoted to assistant head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 41-year-old Mornhinweg served as a senior assistant this season with the Eagles after spending two years as head coach of the Lions.

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The St. Louis Rams hired Larry Marmie to replace Lovie Smith as defensive coordinator. Marmie spent the last eight seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, including the last 3 1/2 seasons as defensive coordinator.

Coach Mike Martz and Marmie worked together at Arizona State in the mid-1980s, Martz as quarterback and wide receivers coach and Marmie as defensive coordinator.

Smith became coach of the Chicago Bears last week.

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Mike Waufle was hired as defensive line coach for the New York Giants after spending the last six seasons with the Oakland Raiders.

Besides hiring Waufle, Coach Tom Coughlin selected Bill Davis to coach linebackers and Ron Milus to work with the defensive backs. Mike Sullivan was named the receivers coach, and Andy Barnett was selected as the assistant strength and conditioning coach.

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The AFC championship game drew a larger national TV audience than the NFC title game for just the third time.

CBS Sports’ broadcast of New England’s 24-14 win over Indianapolis on Sunday drew a national rating of 26.6 with a 46 share. Carolina’s 14-3 win over Philadelphia on Fox Sports drew a 23.2 national rating and 35 share.

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Pittsburgh Steeler tight end coach Ken Whisenhunt was promoted to offensive coordinator. He replaced Mike Mularkey, who last week became head coach of Buffalo.

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Tennessee owner Bud Adams did not renew Jeff Diamond’s contract as team president to take the job back for himself.

Adams, who turned 81 on Jan. 3, said in a statement that he needs to be more directly involved in managing the team and the company that oversees the Coliseum, Tennessee’s home stadium.