JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars have an energetic head coach to go along with their brash general manager.
The Jaguars hired Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley as the franchise’s fifth head coach Thursday, the latest move in the team’s rebuilding project.
Bradley, 46, joins general manager Dave Caldwell, who led the coaching search after being hired last week.
“It was just a matter of time before Gus Bradley became a head coach in the NFL, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are extremely fortunate that Gus will be on our sidelines for many years to come,” Caldwell said. “Gus more than met every criteria we insisted on from our new head coach, and his intangibles and leadership abilities are exceptional. Gus is who the Jaguars need now and in the future.”
Norv and Scott Turner join Browns
The Cleveland Browns named Norv Turner their new offensive coordinator on Thursday.
Cleveland also added Norv’s son, Scott Turner, as receivers coach. Scott Turner left the Carolina Panthers, where he had been offensive quality control coach for two seasons.
Turner, fired by the Chargers as head coach earlier this month, led San Diego to a 59-43 record in six years with three division titles. He also was head coach of the Washington Redskins (1994-2000) and Oakland Raiders (2004-05).
New Cleveland coach Rob Chudzinski expects Turner to make a big impact on that side of the ball, and the Browns can use the help. Cleveland went 5-11 last year and scored just 302 points in coach Pat Shurmur’s final season.
Cleveland also added Scott Turner as receivers coach on Thursday. Scott Turner, son of Norv Turner, left the Panthers where he had been offensive quality control coach for two seasons.
Other coaching additions included Mike Sullivan (offensive line) and Brad Roll (strength). Chris Tabor (special teams) and George Warhop (offensive line) were retained.
Vilma’s defamation suit against Goodell dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma’s defamation lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the bounty case.
U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan in New Orleans said Thursday the bounty matter “feels as protracted and painful as the Saints season itself, and calls for closure.”
Goodell initially suspended Vilma for all of the 2012 season, and three other players received shorter bans. But Paul Tagliabue, Goodell’s predecessor as commissioner, heard a final round of player appeals and threw out the suspensions last month.
Peter Ginsberg, a lawyer for Vilma, said in an email to The Associated Press that they are “extremely disappointed” and “considering our options.”
Leaf kicked out of drug treatment center
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf has been moved from a drug treatment center in Helena, Mont., to the Montana State Prison for threatening a staff member and other unspecified behavioral problems at the center, a corrections official said Thursday.
The former San Diego Chargers and Washington State Cougars quarterback was charged last spring with breaking into two houses and stealing prescription painkillers near his hometown of Great Falls. He pleaded guilty in May to reduced charges, and his five-year sentence called for spending nine months in a locked drug treatment facility as an alternative to prison.
Leaf said then that he was looking forward to the treatment at Nexus Treatment Center in Lewistown. But on Thursday, the Montana Department of Corrections released a statement by Great Falls regional probation and parole administrator Dawn Handa that said Leaf will now serve his sentence in the Deer Lodge prison.
Around the league
Arizona: If Bruce Arians is to become an NFL head coach anytime soon, it’s going to be in Arizona. The Indianapolis offensive coordinator, who went 9-3 as the Colts’ interim coach when Chuck Pagano was being treated for leukemia, interviewed on Thursday with the Cardinals for the only job still open of the eight teams that fired their coaches after the season.
Atlanta: Cornerback Christopher Owens practiced with the Falcons for the first time in nearly a month, while star defensive end John Abraham remained hobbled by an injured left ankle.
Buffalo: Doug Marrone hired Ike Hilliard as receivers coach. Hilliard came to the Bills after spending the past two seasons coaching receivers with the Washington Redskins.
Chicago: Rod Marinelli will not return as the Bears’ defensive coordinator next season. New coach Marc Trestman says Marinelli has “made up his mind to move on.” It was not clear who will replace him.
Denver: The Broncos promoted quarterbacks coach Adam Gase to replace Mike McCoy as offensive coordinator. Gase joined the Broncos in 2009 as wide receivers coach. He spent the last two seasons coaching the quarterbacks. McCoy left Denver to become head coach for the San Diego Chargers.
Indianapolis: The Colts have hired Tom McMahon as their new special teams coordinator. McMahon replaces Marwan Maalouf, who left after one season with what the team described Thursday as a mutual agreement.
New England: The Patriots placed tight end Rob Gronkowski on injured reserve with a forearm injury, guaranteeing he’ll miss the rest of the season.
Seattle: The Seahawks moved quickly to fill their vacant defensive coordinator position by hiring Dan Quinn away from Florida to replace Gus Bradley, who left to become the head coach in Jacksonville. Quinn returns to Seattle after spending the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Florida and getting his first experience in that role.
Tennessee: Dowell Loggains will remain the offensive coordinator, but coach Mike Munchak hired three new assistants – Sylvester Croom (running backs), Shawn Jefferson (receivers) and George Henshaw (tight ends).















