Falcons want to talk to Carroll
The Atlanta Falcons are interested in Southern California coach Pete Carroll for their head coaching job.
A person familiar with the team's coaching situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Falcons want to speak with Carroll, who is on vacation in Hawaii. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Falcons have not officially met with Carroll.
Carroll spoke with USC sports information director Tim Tessalone on Wednesday and told Tessalone there are no developments worthy of comment.
"He reiterated that to me this morning on the phone," Tessalone said.
Last week, Carroll told reporters his name would be mentioned in speculation for NFL jobs. Carroll said then he wouldn't fuel speculation by making comments.
"There's nothing going on, no reason to even talk about it," Carroll said last week.
Carroll did not return a message left on his cell phone Wednesday.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank is looking for a coach for the second straight year. After firing Jim Mora a year ago, he hired Louisville coach Bobby Petrino. But Petrino lasted just 13 games before quitting to become the coach at Arkansas.
Browns to extend Crennel: Romeo Crennel and Derek Anderson are about to cash in on Cleveland's comeback season. Their rewards: job security and fatter paychecks.
For his efforts in helping drag the Browns out of the NFL's basement, Crennel is on the verge of being rewarded with a contract extension by the club. Cleveland went 10-6 and barely missed making the AFC playoffs in his third season as coach.
"We have every intention of doing something for Romeo," Browns general manager Phil Savage said Wednesday.
In his first public comments since Cleveland's turnaround ended one win shy of the postseason, Savage also said he's hoping to re-sign Anderson, who went from inexperienced backup to Pro Bowl alternate in just months. Savage feels the 24-year-old restricted free agent did enough in his first season as a starter to deserve a long-term contract.
Owens doesn't practice: Terrell Owens still wasn't able to practice Wednesday because of a high ankle sprain, continuing the drama of whether the Dallas Cowboys will have their newest all-pro receiver for the playoff game Sunday against the New York Giants. Coach Wade Phillips didn't even see Owens on Wednesday but knew he was doing all he could to get healthy.
The good news for the Cowboys was that wide receiver Terry Glenn went through his most rigorous practice since coming back from two knee operations. Glenn saw limited action in the season finale against Washington, but didn't catch a pass. On Wednesday, he went through an entire team workout for the first time since training camp.
Titans out of Jones lawsuit: A Nevada judge dropped the Tennessee Titans as a defendant in a lawsuit brought by a strip club employee paralyzed in a triple shooting following a melee involving suspended player Adam "Pacman" Jones. Clark County District Court Judge Jessie Walsh agreed with team lawyers who contended the Titans should not be held responsible for Jones' behavior at the Minxx Gentleman's Club last Feb. 19, during the NBA All-Star weekend. That was the night Tommy Urbanski and two other people were wounded. Lawyers for the NFL say they intend to file a similar request next week for the judge to drop the league from the case.