PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AFC : Don Shula Has Knee Surgery

Miami Dolphin Coach Don Shula, bothered recently by a sore right knee, underwent successful arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to repair torn cartilage.

The Dolphins had the day off after their 23-10 victory Monday night over Pittsburgh. Shula recuperated at home after surgery and was expected back at practice Wednesday.

The procedure was the second in less than a year for Shula, 65, who underwent surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles’ tendon last December. The two ailments were unrelated, Dolphin director of media relations Harvey Greene said.

Shula hurt his knee about a year ago, assistant coach Monte Clark said, and the pain worsened recently. Shula scheduled surgery after having an MRI exam last week.

“It was just a gradual thing,” Greene said. “It was irritating him, and he thought it was better to get it done now when there was a minimal disruption in the schedule.”

The Dolphins have a bye this week.

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Bobby Ross switched from IVs to milkshakes as he continued to recover from a bout with dehydration that put him in the hospital for one night.

The San Diego Chargers’ coach was released from Scripps Memorial Hospital at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and returned to his office at Jack Murphy Stadium to begin working on the game plan for Sunday’s home contest against the Denver Broncos.

“I’m drinking a lot of milkshakes right now,” Ross said. “I like ice cream anyway, so that’s a great excuse.”

Ross’ latest ailment came less than four weeks after he underwent surgery to remove scar tissue from around his small intestine. He spent six nights in the hospital then and missed the team’s final exhibition game.

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Pittsburgh Steeler Coach Bill Cowher is shrugging off Mike Tomczak’s dreadful Monday night in Miami, saying two interceptions, a near-interception and several wobbly passes won’t exile him to the bench.

That is, until the injured Neil O’Donnell returns--perhaps, as early as next week.

“It was an uncharacteristic game for Mike,” Cowher said of Tomczak, who had won his previous three starts. “We fully expect him to respond the way he has in the past. Mike will look at it very objectively, just as we will. We have to look at the thing objectively as a team, not just one person.

“It’s a combination of us righting the wrongs, and the wrongs taking place are the things we are doing to ourselves.”

The Steelers reached a four-year contract agreement with free safety Darren Perry, who has started every game since he was the Steelers’ eighth-round draft pick from Penn State in 1992.