Tony Sparano

Rex Ryan may be safe as coach of the New York Jets, but he's going to have to find a new offensive coordinator. The Jets announced Tuesday that they have fired Tony Sparano. Sparano was hired in March to replace Brian Schottenheimer and the Jets signed Tim Tebow with the expectation that he could take part in a wildcat offense, which Sparano used when he was head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Instead, Tebow languished on the bench and the Jets finished 30th in the NFL in total offense.

Rex Ryan may be safe as coach of the New York Jets, but he's going to have to find a new offensive coordinator. The Jets announced Tuesday that they have fired Tony Sparano. Sparano was hired in March to replace Brian Schottenheimer and the Jets signed Tim Tebow with the expectation that he could take part in a wildcat offense, which Sparano used when he was head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Instead, Tebow languished on the bench and the Jets finished 30th in the NFL in total offense.

New York Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow could be used as a running back on Sunday against the New England Patriots. "That's a possibility," Jets Coach Rex Ryan said Thursday at a news conference. "The thing about Tim, with him being a football player like we've always talked about, by playing quarterback he knows all the positions and so, can you plug him in at running back? Can you plug him in at tight end, whatever? I think the answer is yes. " Jets backup running backs Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight missed Thursday's practice because of shoulder and ankle injuries, respectively.

New York Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow could be used as a running back on Sunday against the New England Patriots. "That's a possibility," Jets Coach Rex Ryan said Thursday at a news conference. "The thing about Tim, with him being a football player like we've always talked about, by playing quarterback he knows all the positions and so, can you plug him in at running back? Can you plug him in at tight end, whatever? I think the answer is yes. " Jets backup running backs Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight missed Thursday's practice because of shoulder and ankle injuries, respectively.

A common postgame response to questions after NFL games is, "I have to wait to see the film." Times NFL writer Sam Farmer sorts through the best of Monday's film review: JaMarcus Russell , Oakland Raiders quarterback, after his 109-yard, no-touchdown, one-interception performance in a loss to San Diego: "I did a pretty good job." :: Dominic Raiola , Lions center, on the comments Detroit fans were making to rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford: "I was very disappointed when I came to the sideline and fans were telling him, 'Throw it to me' and 'I'm open' -- this, that and the other.

Home has never felt so sweet to the New York Jets, whose 2-0 start was spoiled by a three-game swing to Oakland, Baltimore and New England. Three losses later, with captain Santonio Holmes nearly inspiring a mutiny by calling out his team's offensive line, the Jets return to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Monday night to meet winless AFC East division rival Miami. "Each team is going to have to deal with adversity," Coach Rex Ryan said last week. "This is our opportunity.

The Carolina Panthers' miserable season took an even darker twist Monday when tests revealed starting quarterback Matt Moore has a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder and will require season-ending surgery. Moore was injured when Sedrick Ellis drove his right shoulder into the turf on a sack in the second quarter of New Orleans' 34-3 rout on Sunday. In the last year of his contract, Moore may have played his last game in Carolina. Coach John Fox's reluctance to commit to struggling Jimmy Clausen over fellow rookie Tony Pike as Moore's replacement further illustrated his predicament as the Panthers (1-7)

Twice Ted Ginn Jr. left the New York Jets stumbling and lunging, grasping at and gasping for air. With moves like that, maybe he can shake his reputation yet. Ginn scored on consecutive kickoff returns of 100 and 101 yards, an unprecedented feat that took a total of 31 seconds. He's that fast. His many detractors might call him the fastest draft bust in Miami Dolphins history. "He takes a lot of flak," teammate Justin Smiley said. "He deserves more respect than he gets." Dolphins fans began booing Ginn the day he was drafted in 2007, and they've yet to stop.

The Denver Broncos traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins for a second-round pick in next week's draft and a second-rounder in 2011. Marshall is expected to sign a long-term contract that he's been seeking for over a year. Marshall has long wanted out of Denver, and got his wish when the Broncos pulled off their second blockbuster deal in as many seasons under Coach Josh McDaniels . Denver sent quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago last April for Kyle Orton and draft picks.

Tony Sparano stared into space stone-faced, tapping his foot and chomping on gum. Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland also wore a somber expression, his cheeks turning red as awkward details were discussed. Team owner Stephen Ross sat between them, sweat glistening above his upper lip while he tried to put lipstick on a pig of a week for the Dolphins. They did damage control Saturday, holding an extraordinary news conference to announce a two-year contract extension for Sparano ?

While the New York Jets are scrambling to get up to speed on the scheme of first-year coordinator Tony Sparano, 15 other teams are also putting together new systems on offense. That's right, half of the teams in the NFL have new offensive coordinators. Here are the others: Todd Haley, Pittsburgh — The former Kansas City coach returns to the Steelers, where his father, Dick, ran the personnel department during the Super Bowl years of the 1970s. Bruce Arians, Indianapolis — Arians goes from working with Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh to Colts rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Kansas City's Todd Haley and Miami's Tony Sparano had something in common as NFL coaches. They both enjoyed early success, briefly putting their teams on an upward trajectory, before those clubs leveled off and began to head back down. Haley and Sparano now have something else in common. Both were fired Monday, three weeks before the end of the regular season. They were the second and third firings this season, coming on the heels of Jacksonville dismissing Jack Del Rio two weeks ago. "Timing in this situation is always difficult," Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said at a news conference.

Home has never felt so sweet to the New York Jets, whose 2-0 start was spoiled by a three-game swing to Oakland, Baltimore and New England. Three losses later, with captain Santonio Holmes nearly inspiring a mutiny by calling out his team's offensive line, the Jets return to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Monday night to meet winless AFC East division rival Miami. "Each team is going to have to deal with adversity," Coach Rex Ryan said last week. "This is our opportunity.

Tony Sparano stared into space stone-faced, tapping his foot and chomping on gum. Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland also wore a somber expression, his cheeks turning red as awkward details were discussed. Team owner Stephen Ross sat between them, sweat glistening above his upper lip while he tried to put lipstick on a pig of a week for the Dolphins. They did damage control Saturday, holding an extraordinary news conference to announce a two-year contract extension for Sparano ?

Reporting from Seattle Evaluating the job performance of some NFL coaches this season is a little like appraising real estate. It's location, location, location. For instance, while Pete Carroll and his Seattle Seahawks are sitting pretty at 7-9 ? the first losing team to make the playoffs ? Miami's Tony Sparano is twisting in the wind after his Dolphins finished 7-9 and a distant third in the AFC East. While Sparano was telling reporters how much he loves his job, how he has never taken it for granted, and how he'll learn more about his status once he meets with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, Carroll on Monday was tweeting: "anyone else too excited to sleep last night?

The Carolina Panthers' miserable season took an even darker twist Monday when tests revealed starting quarterback Matt Moore has a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder and will require season-ending surgery. Moore was injured when Sedrick Ellis drove his right shoulder into the turf on a sack in the second quarter of New Orleans' 34-3 rout on Sunday. In the last year of his contract, Moore may have played his last game in Carolina. Coach John Fox's reluctance to commit to struggling Jimmy Clausen over fellow rookie Tony Pike as Moore's replacement further illustrated his predicament as the Panthers (1-7)

Kansas City's Todd Haley and Miami's Tony Sparano had something in common as NFL coaches. They both enjoyed early success, briefly putting their teams on an upward trajectory, before those clubs leveled off and began to head back down. Haley and Sparano now have something else in common. Both were fired Monday, three weeks before the end of the regular season. They were the second and third firings this season, coming on the heels of Jacksonville dismissing Jack Del Rio two weeks ago. "Timing in this situation is always difficult," Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said at a news conference.

The Denver Broncos traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins for a second-round pick in next week's draft and a second-rounder in 2011. Marshall is expected to sign a long-term contract that he's been seeking for over a year. Marshall has long wanted out of Denver, and got his wish when the Broncos pulled off their second blockbuster deal in as many seasons under Coach Josh McDaniels . Denver sent quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago last April for Kyle Orton and draft picks.

Twice Ted Ginn Jr. left the New York Jets stumbling and lunging, grasping at and gasping for air. With moves like that, maybe he can shake his reputation yet. Ginn scored on consecutive kickoff returns of 100 and 101 yards, an unprecedented feat that took a total of 31 seconds. He's that fast. His many detractors might call him the fastest draft bust in Miami Dolphins history. "He takes a lot of flak," teammate Justin Smiley said. "He deserves more respect than he gets." Dolphins fans began booing Ginn the day he was drafted in 2007, and they've yet to stop.