Source: Mularkey Gets Offer

Former Buffalo Bill coach Mike Mularkey has been offered the job as offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins, a person close to the discussions said Saturday.

Mularkey met with Dolphin Coach Nick Saban, then flew home to Buffalo on Saturday to decide whether to accept the job, said the person, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not confirmed the offer.

Scott Linehan, Saban’s offensive coordinator last season, departed Thursday to become coach of the St. Louis Rams.

Mularkey, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a former star at the University of Florida, unexpectedly resigned last week after going 5-11 in his second season with the Bills.

He had three years left on his contract.

His resignation came after the Bills fired five assistant coaches and owner Ralph Wilson shook up his front office, hiring Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy as general manager.

Mularkey, a former NFL tight end, spent 10 years as an NFL assistant, including three as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator, before becoming the Bills’ head coach.

Buffalo went 14-18 and ranked 25th and 28th in offense in two seasons under Mularkey, but he helped the Steelers’ offense twice rank in the top five. Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox had their best seasons at quarterback under Mularkey.

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Green Bay Packer Coach Mike McCarthy filled out the last key position on his staff, promoting defensive ends coach Bob Sanders to defensive coordinator.

Sanders will replace Jim Bates, who announced last week he wouldn’t return to the team after he was passed over for the head coaching job.

McCarthy said he picked Sanders, a coaching veteran of 30 seasons who was with the Packers for only one, after a week of interviews.

Sanders, 52, came to the Packers from Miami, where he was linebackers coach for four seasons.

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The Cleveland Browns promoted offensive line coach Jeff Davidson to assistant head coach. Davidson, a former guard at Ohio State, will continue coaching the offensive line.

He has been an assistant coach for 12 seasons. He joined the Browns after working as an assistant in New England for eight seasons.