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 The San Francisco 49ers actually split with Jim Harbaugh on
Sunday night, and on Monday the New York Jets fired Rex Ryan, the
Atlanta Falcons dismissed Mike Smith and the Chicago Bears released
Marc Trestman.
In addition, general managers John Idzik (Jets) and Phil Emery
(Bears) were let go.
The Oakland Raiders also are expected to find a new coach after
finishing the season with Tony Sparano in charge. They fired Dennis
Allen in September.
- - -
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could be a
candidate for one of the five coaching vacancies, but he said his
current job is his first priority.
The Patriots are the top seed in the AFC and will not play on
wild-card weekend. The week ahead is the first window in which
assistant coaches for playoff teams are cleared to interview for
head-coaching vacancies if granted formal permission from their
current teams.
 "I know that this is that time of the year, but I know that there is
also a procedure in place, and those things will sort themselves
out," said McDaniels, who was a finalist with the Cleveland Browns
and was previously a head coach with the Denver Broncos, who fired
McDaniels 12 games into the 2010 season. He was 3-9 at the time, and
11-17 overall in Denver.
- - -
The San Francisco 49ers are moving quickly to replace the departing
Jim Harbaugh, reportedly requesting permission to speak with the
defensive coordinators of two of their division rivals and the
Denver Broncos' offensive coordinator.
At the top of the 49ers' list are Seattle defensive coordinator Dan
Quinn, Arizona DC Todd Bowles and Denver OC Adam Gase, according to
multiple reports. San Francisco owner Jed York and general manager
Trent Baalke reportedly told players Monday that they expect to have
a new coach in place within two weeks.
The Atlanta Falcons reportedly have asked to speak to each of the
three as well.
- - -
The New York Giants told head coach Tom Coughlin that he will be
back in 2015.
Coughlin, who has two Super Bowl wins with the Giants, has a meeting
with owner John Mara later in the day to discuss potential coaching
staff changes, ESPN.com reported.
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The Giants went 6-10 this season, missing the playoffs for the third
straight season. The Giants opened the season 3-2, but lost their
next seven games.
- - -
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been suspended for
his team's playoff game in Dallas on Sunday.
Suh stepped on the lower leg of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron
Rodgers as Rodgers lay on the ground during the fourth quarter of
the Packers' 30-20 win Sunday.
Suh is expected to appeal.
The Lions are likely to be without their top two defensive tackles
when they meet Dallas, but the Cowboys might be without one of their
own interior defenders as well.
Defensive tackle Henry Melton suffered a leg injury on Sunday,
according to NFL Media. Melton was to undergo an MRI on Monday.
- - -
Johnny Manziel said reports that his tardiness to Saturday's
walkthrough was caused by late-night partying are "100 percent
false".
The Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback said he went out with
friends from his hometown of Kerrville, Texas, on Friday night in
Cleveland, but he did not throw a party.
"It's about action," Manziel said Monday. "It's about being
accountable and doing what I'm gonna say instead of looking like a
jackass."
- - - (Editing by Andrew Both)
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