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NFL roundup: Marrone steps down as Bills coach
The Buffalo Bills announced that Doug Marrone exercised the option clause in his contract and resigned as the team’s head coach.
Marrone had a three-day out clause in his contract, and the window was triggered by the sale of the team to the Pegula family.
Marrone led the Bills to a 9-7 record in his second season with the team and leaves with a 15-17 record overall. There are five other head coaching vacancies in the NFL that Marrone can now be considered for as well.
He was hired by the Bills after leading Syracuse to a 25-25 record from 2009 to 2012.
—Tom Gamble is out as the Philadelphia Eagles’ vice president of player personnel. The team announced Wednesday that Gamble and the Eagles “agreed to part ways.”
Multiple media outlets reported that Gamble was tight with coach Chip Kelly, leading to the inference that Kelly and Roseman might have a rocky relationship. According to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, Roseman’s job is secure.
In his season-ending press conference Monday, Kelly was asked about the possibility of Gamble leaving the team to become a general manager elsewhere. According to ESPN.com, Gamble interviewed for front office jobs in Miami and Tampa Bay a year ago.
—The Washington Redskins and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett mutually agreed to part ways on Wednesday.
Coach Jay Gruden, after finishing 4-12 in his first year as head coach, said Monday that no decisions would be made about his assistant coaches until after he had met with general manager Bruce Allen and owner Dan Snyder. Gruden had continued to express support for Haslett, under whom he worked as offensive coordinator of the United Football League’s Florida Tuskers when Haslett was head coach in 2009.
Haslett had one year left on his contract. He finished his fifth season in Washington and first under Gruden. During Haslett’s time in Washinigton, the defense has finished a collective 29th in total yards and 30th in points per game. This season, the Redskins ranked 20th in total yards and 29th in points allowed.
—Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, who hasn’t been ruled out of Saturday night’s wild-card game despite a knee injury, said he continues to take it day by day.
The Steelers are preparing for a home playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens and operating under the assumption Bell won’t be available because of a hyperextended knee.
Bell was hurt by Cincinnati safety Reggie Nelson’s low open-field tackle in the third quarter last Sunday. Coach Mike Tomlin said the team will “leave the light on” for Bell, who reportedly could barely walk Monday. Bell has rushed for 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He also has caught 83 passes for 854 yards and three touchdowns.
The Steelers signed free agent running back Ben Tate on Tuesday, adding him to the backfield mix with Josh Harris and rookie Dri Archer.
–Wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher was placed on injured reserve with a concussion and replaced on the Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff roster by wide receiver Cobi Hamilton.
Hamilton, in his first season, played in all four games in the preseason with the Bengals and caught eight passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. He spent three weeks of the regular season in September on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad before moving to the Bengals squad practice squad before Game 6.
Sanzenbacher was diagnosed with a concussion Dec. 28 at Pittsburgh when No. 1 wide receiver A.J. Green also entered the NFL’s concussion protocol. Sanzenbacher, in his fourth season out of Ohio State, played in 10 games in 2014 with nine receptions for 105 yards.
—Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who had a one-game suspension reduced to a $70,000 fine, reportedly said during the appeal hearing that his feet were numb from the cold for twice stepping on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that Suh told NFL appeals officer Ted Cottrell on Tuesday that he couldn’t tell the difference between Rodgers’ feet and the ground.
Suh had his suspension overturned Tuesday and instead was fined $70,000. He will be allowed to play during Sunday’s playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.
—Eli Manning’s new position coach is his former position coach. The New York Giants announced Wednesday that Mike Sullivan has been hired as the quarterbacks coach, a position he held in 2010 and 2011.
Sullivan, a member of coach Tom Coughlin’s original Giants staff, was the wide receivers coach from 2004 to 2009. Sullivan was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2012-13. After leaving the Bucs, he stayed in Tampa and worked this year as a consultant.
Sullivan replaces Danny Langsdorf, who left the Giants after one season to become the offensive coordinator at the University of Nebraska. Coughlin contacted Sullivan after Langsdorf’s departure.
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