Season Ends, Firings About to Begin

Dave Wannstedt, your job appears safe, for now. But Bill Callahan should probably start preparing his resume.

ESPN.com reported Sunday that Wannstedt, coach of the 10-6 Miami Dolphins, will be brought back by owner Wayne Huizenga.

In fact, Wannstedt, who is 42-24 in four seasons, including a 23-21 win over the New York Jets on Sunday, will receive a one-year extension on his current contract, which was going to expire after the 2004 season.

The trade-off Wannstedt will make for keeping his job is the addition of a management official who will have general manager-type responsibilities, especially in the personnel department. During his tenure, Wannstedt has held sway over personnel decisions and the composition of his roster.

Wannstedt, 51, has said in previous weeks that he is amenable to bringing in a general manager. Possible candidates include current Buffalo Bill assistant general manager Tom Modrak, former New Orleans general manager Randy Mueller and Tampa Bay personnel director Tim Ruskell.

While the Dolphins are viewed by many as underachievers, this season marked the third time in four seasons that the club posted double-digit victories under Wannstedt. Since 1970, only six coaches have been dismissed after seasons in which they won 10 or more games.

Other coaches on the bubble:

* Arizona Cardinal Coach Dave McGinnis, who is expected to be dismissed this week despite Sunday’s 18-17 victory that knocked Minnesota out of the playoffs. The Cardinals are 17-40 under McGinnis, who replaced Vince Tobin during the 2000 season. The Cardinals have been conducting background checks for weeks now on potential replacements, and the Cardinals and former Minnesota Viking coach Dennis Green have expressed interest in each other.

* In Buffalo, Gregg Williams is expected to be let go this week after three seasons in which he went 17-31. This is technically not a firing, because Williams’ contract expired after Saturday’s 31-0 loss to New England.

* In Chicago, Dick Jauron is on thin ice. Jauron’s Bears finished at 7-9 and went 37-46 in his five seasons, with one postseason appearance.

* In Oakland, sources say Callahan will lose his job after two seasons as coach. Callahan’s Raiders finished the season 4-12 only one season after making it to the Super Bowl.

* In Washington, Steve Spurrier refused to answer questions about his future after Saturday’s 31-7 loss to Philadelphia, though two weeks ago he said of returning, “Right now, that’s the plan.” Spurrier also said there will be announcements regarding “players, coaches and so forth” within the next two weeks.

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Matt Millen will be back next year as president and general manager of the Detroit Lions, who have had the worst record in the NFL during his three seasons in Detroit.

Lion owner William Clay Ford said he hadn’t considered firing Millen, despite a 10-38 record during his tenure.

“I want him,” Ford said before the Lions beat St. Louis, 30-20. “I don’t need any more reason than that.”

Ford said there may be changes on Coach Steve Mariucci’s staff, however.

The Lions finished 5-11 this season. Millen has two years left on a five-year, $15-million contract he signed after the 2000 season.

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Detroit’s 30-20 win over St. Louis not only cost the Rams home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, it cost the Lions the first pick the draft. Detroit finished the season 5-11, and four teams finished 4-12. Of those four teams, the NFL announced that San Diego would receive the first pick in the draft, followed by Oakland, Arizona and the New York Giants. The remaining draft order will be announced today.

Times wire services contributed to this report.

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Bests Of The Day

*--* PASSING Att Cmp Yds TD JAY FIEDLER, Dolphins 29 21 328 1 QUINCY CARTER, Cowboys 47 27 290 1 AARON BROOKS, Saints 32 15 243 1 JOEY HARRINGTON, Lions 36 26 238 3 JOSH McCOWN, Cardinals 33 20 224 2

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*--* RUSHING Att Yards Avg TD LaDAINIAN TOMLINSON, S.D. 31 243 7.8 2 AHMAN GREEN, Packers 20 218 10.9 2 LEE SUGGS, Browns 26 186 7.2 2 EDGERRIN JAMES, Colts 27 171 6.3 1 FRED TAYLOR, Jaguars 22 121 5.5 0

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*--* RECEIVING No Yards Avg TD CHRIS CHAMBERS, Dolphins 9 153 17.0 1 DONTE’ STALLWORTH, Saints 3 114 38.0 1 MARTY BOOKER, Bears 6 92 15.3 0 DERRICK MASON, Titans 6 90 15.0 2 NATHAN POOLE, Cardinals 5 86 17.2 1

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*--* DEFENSE Breakdown KEITH BROOKING, Falcons 15 tackles JAY FOREMAN, Texans 15 tackles DONNIE EDWARDS, Chargers 14 tackles, 1 interceptions, 1/2 sack. PISA TINOISAMOA, Rams 11 tackles, 1 interception ZEKE MORENO, Chargers 11 tackles, 4 assisted tackles

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