Swilling Returns to Raiders

Pat Swilling’s retirement lasted three days.

Swilling, once a linebacker and now a defensive end, returned to the Oakland Raider camp Sunday, three days after he had departed abruptly and told teammates he was retiring.

The Raiders also moved to add depth at the position, signing Greg Townsend, who played in the Pro Bowl while with them in 1991-92 before his career was sidetracked by weight problems.

Swilling, 32, met with Coach Joe Bugel and will accompany the team to Austin, Texas, today for practices with the Dallas Cowboys.

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Kordell Stewart, established as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback, looked the part, completing seven of 11 passes for 131 yards in building a 10-0 first-quarter lead that the Steelers stretched into a 30-17 victory over Chicago at Dublin, Ireland.

Rick Mirer, who came to the Bears in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks and then signed a three-year, $10.5-million deal, struggled, completing only four of seven passes for 16 yards.

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San Diego’s first-team offense had only two first downs and suffered some problems in its first opportunity to run Coach Kevin Gilbride’s system and dropped a 9-3 scrimmage decision to the Cowboys at El Paso, Texas.

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Tom Coughlin, who took the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC championship game in their second year of existence, has agreed to a one-year contract extension through the 1999 season. . . . Jaguar linebacker Tom McManus will be out indefinitely after injuring his knee Saturday in a combined practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. . . . St. Louis Ram left guard Gerald Perry, who retired a week into camp last year but was supposed to rejoin the team, has been a no-show so far. “I really don’t care if he comes,” Coach Vermeil said Sunday, adding that he has been pleased with the play of John Gerak at left guard. . . . Defensive back Brian Walker and defensive lineman Don Reynolds of the Washington Redskins were scheduled for arthroscopic surgery on their knees today and will miss at least two weeks.