Carroll Hired to Replace Parcells

Pete Carroll, who had a losing record in his only season as an NFL head coach, knows he’ll be compared to Bill Parcells.

That’s fine with him.

“We’re following a heck of a coach. We’re following a heck of a season,” Carroll said after he was appointed on Monday to succeed Parcells as New England’s coach. “It couldn’t get any tougher. I like it. I think it’s going to be great fun.”

Carroll, the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator the last two seasons, got a five-year contract to succeed Parcells as coach of the team that represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.

“I want everyone in the organization to know he’s not on trial,” owner Robert Kraft said in explaining the long-term deal.

Parcells, whose four-year tenure ended last Friday when he resigned after NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ruled that he owed New England an option year, still could end up as coach of the New York Jets next season if they offer enough in compensation.

“We’re open to any ideas. But I don’t think the transaction can happen without the No. 1 pick,” Kraft said. “If they want to give us Hugh Douglas, Keyshawn Johnson and Aaron Glenn, we’d think about it.”

They were first-round draft picks the last three years.

In Carroll’s two seasons as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator, the 49ers were ranked first in the NFL in defense in 1995 and seventh in 1996.

Carroll started in the NFL as secondary coach for Buffalo in 1984, then spent five seasons in that position with Minnesota. From 1990 through 1993 he was the Jet defensive coordinator.

In related Patriot news, Mike Pope, whose tenure ended after Parcells resigned, was named the Washington Redskins’ tight ends coach.

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Dexter Carter, San Francisco’s top draft pick in 1990, was waived along with running back Derek Loville and defensive back Dedrick Dodge.

The 49ers said the releases cut about $1.43 million from their projected 1997 player payroll but that the team was still about $5 million over next season’s anticipated salary cap.

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Former Raider coach Art Shell has been named offensive line coach of the Atlanta Falcons, one of two assistants hired by new Coach Dan Reeves.

Shell was available after his two-year contract as offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs ran out.

Renie Simmons, a former assistant for the Washington Redskins and Houston Oilers, was named receivers coach.

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Former Raider coach Mike White was hired by the Rams as assistant head coach and tight ends coach.

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Ed Danowski, 85, one of the stars of the 1934 “Sneaker Game” and a former all-NFL back for the New York Giants, died Saturday in East Patchogue, N.Y., of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.