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NFL notebook: Linehan out as Cowboys offensive coordinator

[January 19, 2019]

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan will not return to the Dallas Cowboys for the 2019 season, head coach Jason Garrett announced on Friday.

"This was not an easy decision because of how highly we regard Scott Linehan as a football coach and as a person," said Garrett in a statement. The Cowboys coach described the move as "very much a mutual decision."

Linehan's future had been a subject of debate throughout the week in Dallas. On Monday, two days after the Cowboys' season ended in a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Garrett told 105.3 FM in Dallas that he expected no changes to his coaching staff, including Linehan.

Later that day, Garrett stepped back from his commitment to Linehan at the Cowboys' season-ending press conference. Linehan was the focus of fan criticism, especially when the team was 3-5 at the halfway point of the season. Dallas ranked No. 22 in both total and scoring offense in 2018.

--Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry appears to be ready to play in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots after the team removed him from the injury report following practice.

Berry, who has a heel injury, was a full participant for the third straight day. The five-time Pro Bowl selection missed the preseason and first 13 regular-season games due to the heel injury. He played in two regular-season games in December before missing the finale after reinjuring it.

Linebacker Dorian O'Daniel (ankle) was ruled out and was the lone player remaining on the injury report on Friday. O'Daniel also missed the game against Indianapolis.

--Tight end Benjamin Watson is expected to be inactive when the New Orleans Saints host the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, according to an ESPN report.

ESPN reported that Watson's missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday were because of appendicitis. He has not had surgery to remove his appendix. However, the Saints listed Watson as questionable on Friday's injury report after he was a limited practice participant.

Watson, 38, announced in December he planned to retire after this season. New Orleans also ruled out receiver Keith Kirkwood (calf) after he missed the week's three practices. The Rams didn't list any players on Friday's injury report.

--Temperatures during the AFC Championship Game on Sunday night should be much warmer than previously thought.

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Earlier this week, predictions were that the Chiefs would host the Patriots at Arrowhead Stadium with arctic game-time temperatures in the single digits and falling to below zero.

On Friday, the Weather Channel forecast a high of 32 degrees on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo., with a low of 21.

--A record 135 college football players are bypassing remaining eligibility to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.

The NFL released the official list on Friday and said 103 players were granted special eligibility. Another 32 players graduated while still having college eligibility. Nine others are eligible without the need for special eligibility.

Among the players who declared prior to Monday's deadline were Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Kyler Murray of Oklahoma and quarterback Dwayne Haskins of Ohio State. Murray has previously signed a baseball contract with the Oakland Athletics.

--The Chicago Bears have signed receiver Jordan Williams-Lambert to a contract, the team announced.

Williams-Lambert, a product of Ball State, played in the Canadian Football League in 2018 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He caught 62 passes for 764 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games. He was named the most outstanding rookie in the CFL's West Division.

The 6-3 Williams-Lambert signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and spent the season on the practice squad. The Saints waived him in August 2017. He becomes the third player from the CFL to join the Bears this offseason.

--During a round of golf at Seminole Golf Club near Palm Beach Gardens in Florida, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver made a hole-in-one while playing a round of golf with former President Barack Obama.

The news spread quickly as Jimmy Dunne, the president of the golf club, waived a rule and allowed cellphone use so Fitzgerald could reveal his good fortune. His shot turned out to one-up Obama, who hit his approach to 20 feet at the par-3 13th.

Fitzgerald was playing in a foursome with Obama, Dunne and Glenn Hutchins, part owner in the Boston Celtics and a board member of Obama Foundation, and recently played golf with Tigers Woods, perhaps in preparation to defend his title next month at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

--Field Level Media

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