Buccaneer Assistant Contacts Team

Missing Tampa Bay Buccaneer assistant coach William Avery has phoned the team, according to a Buccaneer spokesman who declined Tuesday to disclose Avery’s whereabouts.

Avery, 43, had not been seen since Saturday night at the hotel in Atlanta where Buccaneer players and coaches were staying before their game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Buccaneers won the game, 27-14.

Avery “made contact with the club early Tuesday morning. The contact was made via telephone voicemail,” team spokesman Reggie Roberts said in a statement.

“Because of the extremely personal nature of this situation, it would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of the contact at this time.

“We continue to be very concerned about Coach Avery and his family and we remain in close contact with the Atlanta police department and security officials from the National Football League.”

Avery’s belongings had been left in his Atlanta hotel room and Atlanta police were investigating his disappearance.

Avery, who is married and has two children, is in his second season as a coach with the Buccaneers.

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After giving Troy Aikman a new offense and a new star receiver, Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones came into this season figuring his quarterback would play anywhere from three to six more years.

Now, Jones wonders whether Aikman will be back next year.

“We all want to be very realistic,” Jones said. “The best way to express our feelings now is that we’re concerned.”

Aikman’s back is the latest reason for concern. He received a second round of pain-relieving injections Monday in hopes of easing the lower left side of his back. The gains made by the first series of shots were lost when he was slammed to the turf by the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Tony Brackens.

Aikman was going to try practicing today in hopes that he can play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Whenever he returns, there’s the fear that another big hit will again trigger the pain. He must go 10 days between shots and can have no more than three rounds in one year.

Aikman turns 34 in two weeks.

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After two weeks as a backup, St. Louis Ram defensive end Kevin Carter has his starting job back.

Coach Mike Martz said Carter, who has been inconsistent this season after leading the NFL with 17 sacks last year, will return to first-string status ahead of Sean Moran for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

Meanwhile, the Rams waived kicker Pete Stoyanovich with Jeff Wilkins ready to return from his sprained right thigh muscle, Martz said.