PONTIAC, Mich. -- Marty Mornhinweg got the head coaching job he wanted. It just wasn't the one many people expected.
The Detroit Lions hired the San Francisco offensive coordinator Wednesday to replace Gary Moeller .
Mornhinweg, rumored to be headed to the Cleveland Browns for months, reached an agreement with Detroit following a final interview Tuesday, said a football source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The 38-year-old Mornhinweg was one of five coaches considered for the job since Matt Millen became president of the Lions this month.
Moeller, who took over in midseason for Bobby Ross , was fired to make way for Mornhinweg. Moeller's assistants also were fired but could be considered for rehiring.
Mornhinweg agreed to a five-year deal, said another football source speaking on condition of anonymity. ESPN.com said the deal was worth $5 million.
Millen had planned to interview Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis after the Super Bowl. Millen already had interviewed Moeller. Others considered were Herman Edwards , who was hired last week to coach the New York Jets, and Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak , who chose not to be a candidate for the job.
St. Louis Rams tailback Marshall Faulk added to his collection of honors yesterday, winning the NFL player of the year award.
Tight end Carlos Nuno signed a two-year contract yesterday with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The New York Jets hired Ted Cottrell as their assistant head coach and defensive coordinator and Paul Hackett as offensive coordinator, a week after Herman Edwards was named their new coach. The Jets also named Mike Westhoff special teams coach.
The Cleveland Browns are considering six candidates to replace coach Chris Palmer , including New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox and Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis . The other candidates are Cleveland's own defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel , New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy , Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Mike Tice and Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams , the Browns said.
The Buffalo Bills received permission to speak with Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams . The Bills would not say if Williams was a candidate to replace Wade Phillips , who was dismissed as coach this month.
Terry Shea , who resigned as Rutgers' coach after five losing seasons, joined the staff of Dick Vermeil as quarterbacks coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Minnesota Vikings gave the additional title of assistant head coach to offensive line coach Mike Tice , as the team completed its coaching-staff shuffle. Also yesterday, the Vikings named former Detroit Lions assistant Brian Baker defensive line coach.
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel said yesterday that Minnesota assistant Mark Snyder would serve as linebackers coach.
Kevin Jones , one of the nation's most heavily recruited high school football players, said yesterday that he will attend Virginia Tech next season -- the second time in two days that Penn State missed out on a star high school football player. Jones, a running back at Cardinal O'Hara Prep in suburban Philadelphia, said at a news conference that he felt more comfortable with Virginia Tech's coaching staff, school and strength program.
Pitt's most heralded recruit to date from the Class of 2001, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald , has enrolled at Valley Forge Military Academy and won't join the Panthers until next January at earliest. Fitzgerald, a 6-4, 215-pounder, withdrew from Richfield, Minn., Academy of the Holy Angels, where he had 127 receptions for 2,602 yards and 28 touchdowns the past two seasons.
BASEBALL
Bobby Ojeda , who helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series, was hired yesterday as pitching coach of New York's new Class-A farm team in Brooklyn.
Deion Sanders , who snubbed the Cincinnati Reds when they tried to call him up from the minors last season, is getting another chance to play for their Triple-A team. The Washington Redskins cornerback got a nonguaranteed minor league contract yesterday to play for Triple-A Louisville. He'll report to Sarasota, Fla., with the rest of the Reds' minor leaguers on March 4.
BASKETBALL
Tom Gugliotta , who has missed the last three games to be with his ailing mother, was placed on the injured list yesterday by the Phoenix Suns. The Suns said Gugliotta was put on the injured list because of a sore left knee. He is coming off major reconstructive surgery on the knee.
Phoenix Suns guard Mario Elie was fined $7,500 by the NBA yesterdasy for verbally abusing a referee and publicly criticizing the officials after a game.
Forward Jerome Williams was activated yesterday by the Detroit Pistons, who put center Eric Montross on the injured list with a hyperextended elbow.
Cedric Ceballos of the Miami Heat has been sued for more than $5 million by a former girlfriend who contends he broke a promise to take care of her and their 6-year-old daughter for life.
HOCKEY
Forward Andrew Cassels will be out of the Vancouver lineup four to six weeks after x-rays revealed the big toe on his right foot was broken in three spots. He was hit by a shot Saturday from Al MacInnis of St. Louis. Cassels returned to the game, then sat out the Canucks' game Monday in Dallas.
St. Louis Blues rookie goalie Brent Johnson , who leads the league with a 1.70 goals-against average, has joined the team's lengthy injury list. Johnson, the backup to Roman Turek, twisted his left knee.
Dallas Stars defenseman Richard Matvichuk injured his jaw last night when he blocked a shot by New Jersey's Sergei Brylin with his stick and the puck shot straight up to his face.
JURISPRUDENCE
Phoenix Suns star Jason Kidd received permission to return to his home and family while he awaits arraignment in his domestic violence case. Kidd was arrested last week in suburban Phoenix after his wife, Joumana, told emergency authorities he had slapped her during an argument in their home about feeding their 2-year-old son.
New York Mets pitcher Armando Benitez is to surrender next week on a third-degree assault charge filed by his former girlfriend, New York City Police said yesterday. Benitez is to be arrested when he surrenders Monday at the 109th Precinct in Flushing, Queens, said Lt. John Shatinsky , who heads the precinct's detective squad. Benitez is to be accompanied by his lawyer. Third-degree assault is a misdemeanor.
OFF THE FIELD
The University of South Florida changed its policy of handling complaints of racial discrimination after an investigation of the women's basketball program. New South Florida president Judy Genshaft said any allegation of racism would be turned over to the university's equal opportunity office instead of being investigated by department heads.
Former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick has fired his Richmond-based agent and Jim Kelly , the former Buffalo Bills quarterback he hired to handle his marketing, according to the Daily Press of Newport News.
