PRO FOOTBALL REPORT : WEEKDAY UPDATE : AROUND THE NFL : Kelly Will Practice, May Face Miami

Jim Kelly will begin practicing with the Buffalo Bills today. According to the team doctor, he will be ready for Saturday’s AFC playoff game against the Miami Dolphins.

“He’s right on schedule,” Dr. Richard Weiss said Monday. “He’s going to play this weekend, I’m sure.

Kelly, the NFL’s top-rated passer this season, tore ligaments and cartilage in his left knee against the New York Giants on Dec. 15.

Coach Marv Levy wasn’t as bold as Weiss, saying he wants to see how Kelly responds in practice. “It’s sort of a let’s see,” Levy said.

Levy said he probably won’t announce a starter until Saturday. Frank Reich is Kelly’s backup.

Levy said defensive end Leon Seals, who strained a knee in the Bills’ regular season finale against Washington, will probably not practice today and is listed as questionable.

Dick MacPherson, coach at Syracuse the past 10 seasons, was named the third head coach of the New England Patriots in the last three years.

MacPherson takes over a team that was 1-15 in its only season under Rod Rust, who replaced Raymond Berry.

“What a great way to make a living,” MacPherson said. “And here I am at age 60 still able to do it and loving every minute of it.”

At Syracuse, he was 66-46-4 from 1981 through 1990.

Quarterback Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers was selected the NFL’s most valuable player by the Associated Press for the second consecutive season.

Montana, who led the 49ers to a 14-2 record, received 26 of the 80 votes from sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Randall Cunningham of Philadelphia was second with 18 votes, followed by Warren Moon of Houston with 16.

“Simply put, I’m truly honored,” Montana said.

It was the the fourth consecutive season a quarterback was selected for the award, Boomer Esiason of the Cincinnati Bengals winning in 1988 and John Elway of the Denver Broncos in 1987. The only other 49er to receive the award was John Brodie in 1970.

Wide receiver Mike Quick, who finished the season on injured reserve, says he doesn’t expect to be with the Philadelphia Eagles next season, and may not play again in the NFL because of injuries.

A five-time Pro Bowl choice with 363 pass receptions for 6,464 yards and 61 touchdowns in nine seasons, Quick missed most of the last three seasons with leg injuries.

Quick believes the Eagles will leave him unprotected in the Plan B free agent draft, or will give him his unconditional release.

“If I have to play the way I did at the beginning of the season and last year then . . . I’m not going to play anymore,” Quick said. “It’s not worth it. I don’t want to be a cripple.”

Defensive right end Donald Evans, who started all 16 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, had surgery on his right elbow.

Evans, who signed with the Steelers last year as a Plan B free agent, is a former No. 1 draft choice of the Rams.