Walsh says he’s battling leukemia

Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, who built an NFL dynasty with the San Francisco 49ers and revolutionized the sport with his West Coast offense, disclosed Friday that he has leukemia.

Stanford officials confirmed that Walsh, who served as the school’s interim athletic director until July, has told friends and colleagues there that he has cancer.

“I’m positive, but not evangelistic,” the 74-year-old Walsh told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and the Sports Xchange websites.

“I’m pragmatically doing everything my physicians recommend, and I’m working my way through it.”

Walsh said the cancer first was diagnosed in 2004, but he feels better since a series of blood transfusions in the past month.

“The worst phase was three or four weeks ago. I’ve come back dramatically since, and I’m better,” he said.

He said he was going public now, because word had begun to circulate.

Walsh was 47 when he first became an NFL head coach, and he spent just 10 seasons on the sideline.

He went 102-63-1 with the 49ers, winning 10 of his 14 postseason games along with six division titles and three Super Bowls. He was named the NFL’s coach of the year in 1981 and 1984.

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Dallas Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn said he hopes to play Sunday at Arizona even though he apparently aggravated his injured right knee during practice.

Glenn, who had skipped two days of practice because of irritation under his kneecap, appeared to re-injure himself reaching for a pass.

The Cowboys listed Glenn as probable (75% chance of playing) on their injury report.

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Washington Redskins receiver Santana Moss returned to practice and was upgraded from questionable to probable on the injury report for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Moss sat out last week’s victory over Dallas because of a strained left hamstring. Coach Joe Gibbs said he wouldn’t decide whether Moss plays until the pregame workout.

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Three defensive starters returned to practice for the Jacksonville Jaguars and were expected to play against the Houston Texans.

Cornerback Rashean Mathis (hamstring), defensive tackle John Henderson (hamstring) and safety Donovin Darius (knee) remain questionable.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (ankle) was officially ruled out, and will sit out his fifth consecutive game.

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The Houston Texans released Edell Shepherd, their leading kick returner. He had 17 returns for 395 yards, but also had a couple of costly fumbles. The Texans signed receiver Derrick Lewis from the practice squad to take Shepherd’s spot on the active roster.

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While Mayor Gavin Newsom attempted to resurrect talks with the 49ers’ ownership over building a stadium, a state lawmaker said that he would try to bar the team from using the name San Francisco if it leaves town.

One day after the team announced it was done negotiating with Newsom and was now committed “100%” to moving to Santa Clara, team owner John York reopened the door ever so slightly by saying he would listen to any new ideas from San Francisco. But York reiterated that the team was still sitting down with Santa Clara officials.

Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno said he is looking into introducing a bill that would prohibit professional sports teams not based in the city from using San Francisco in their names unless authorized by the mayor and board of supervisors.