Is Shell Considering a Return to Raiders?

Art Shell, the last coach to take the Raiders to the playoffs, might be back for another stint in that job.

Shell, who led the Raiders to a 56-41 record from 1989-94 in Los Angeles, met with Oakland owner Al Davis during the weekend. Shell is Atlanta’s offensive line coach.

Joe Bugel was fired last week after leading the Raiders to a 4-12 record in his only year in the job.

Shell, 51, was with the Raiders for 27 seasons. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle in 1968-82, winning two Super Bowl rings. He became Raider coach in October 1989 when Davis fired Mike Shanahan, who has his Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.

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In what could be his last hurrah, John Elway hopes to get in the last laugh.

Already bearing the stigma of being the losing quarterback in three Super Bowls, and now leading a 13-point underdog into this year’s game against Green Bay on Jan. 25, the Bronco quarterback can’t resist a chuckle.

He’s almost happy-go-lucky in his approach to what could be the final game of his 15-year career.

Asked Tuesday if he was putting any extra pressure on himself, Elway, 37, said, “No. I’m going out there to do the best I can. That’s all I can do. With the balance we have on offense, it actually takes the pressure off me.

“I’m going to enjoy this. It’s not the time to feel like you’ve got the weight on your shoulders because the end is near. If anything, I’m going to try to go the other way and enjoy it.”

Deflecting questions about his future--he will make a decision about whether to continue playing during the off-season--Elway insisted he has benefited from a changed perspective.

“Early in my career, the only thing I ever cared about--the only priority that was of any importance--was winning a Super Bowl,” he said. “As you get older, as you get married and have a family and start doing different things outside of football, your priorities change. It’s not that this is not a high priority for me. There are other things that are more important than winning a Super Bowl. It gets put in a different perspective.”

So those Super Bowl losses haven’t had any negative effects on his psyche?

“I’ve never considered suicide, if that’s what you’re asking,” he said.

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If the Pittsburgh Steelers must replace front-office chief Tom Donahoe, they might not have to look any further than Coach Bill Cowher’s office.

Cowher wouldn’t say if he wants to assume player acquisition duties should Donahoe leave to become the Seattle Seahawk general manager. He also wouldn’t definitely rule it out.

Donahoe, the director of football operations since 1992, flew to Seattle on Tuesday. Should he leave, chief scout Tom Modrak would be a leading candidate to replace him. But it wouldn’t surprise many in the Steeler organization if Cowher, who already has a strong power base, adds another title to that of coach.

“I think [in] all of those things, you have to look at the circumstances,” Cowher said, hours before he and his coaches began a five-day vacation. “Right now, for me to sit down and do that . . . I don’t even want to get involved in speculation of that nature.”