Coughlin to return as coach of Giants

Coach Tom Coughlin was given a one-year reprieve by the New York Giants.

“I think he knows we need to do better, that our expectations are much higher,” Giants co-owner John Mara said in a conference call Wednesday. “I think we have enough talent on this roster to do better.”

Mara and co-owner Jonathan Tisch gave the 60-year-old coach a one-year contract extension through 2008.

The Giants were 6-2 in the first half but 2-6 in the second half. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

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Recently retired NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas were among 17 finalists for induction this year into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Also making the cut was Bruce Matthews, one of the game’s most venerable blockers who played every position on the offensive line for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans from 1983 to 2001.

The other 12 modern-era finalists are defensive ends Fred Dean and Richard Dent; guards Russ Grimm and Bob Kuechenberg; punter Ray Guy; receivers Michael Irvin, Art Monk and Andre Reed; linebackers Derrick Thomas and Andre Tippett; cornerback Roger Wehrli and tackle Gary Zimmerman.

Joining them are guard Gene Hickerson and tight end Charlie Sanders, both senior committee nominees.

Induction ceremonies will be on the weekend of Aug. 4-5.

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New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison will sit out his second consecutive playoff game because of a knee injury.

Harrison, injured in the last regular-season game, was the only Patriots player listed as out for the divisional playoff game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, the team for which he played in his first nine seasons before moving over to the Patriots in 2003.

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The Miami Dolphins’ tour made stops to visit three more coaching candidates, including Detroit offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga’s private plane flew to Michigan from the Northeast, where Huizenga and other Dolphins officials interviewed Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

That increased to 12 the number of coaches interviewed since Nick Saban left Miami a week ago for the University of Alabama.

The Dolphins have said they plan to narrow their list to five candidates, then to two before making an offer.

Martz led St. Louis to the playoffs in four of his five full seasons as coach and reached the 2002 Super Bowl. He sat out the last 11 games of 2005 recovering from a bacterial infection in a heart valve, then was fired at the end of the season.

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The Arizona Cardinals are bringing Mike Sherman back today for a second interview for their coaching vacancy.

At least two others are expected to have second sessions, but their names were not revealed when the team announced it would meet again with the former Green Bay coach.

The Cardinals are believed to be waiting to see what happens in Pittsburgh, where Steelers assistants Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm are leading candidates to succeed Bill Cowher.

Whisenhunt, the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, and Grimm, assistant head coach-offensive line coach, are among the eight candidates who interviewed for the Arizona job.

The Cardinals met with three candidates out of town because their teams are still in the playoffs: Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, Indianapolis Colts assistant head coach-quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell and San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

The Steelers, meanwhile, wrapped up their fourth interview in four days by meeting with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.

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The Denver Broncos fired defensive line coach Andre Patterson, one day after dismissing defensive coordinator Larry Coyer.