The fallout from permanently benched Keyshawn Johnson continued when former Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Rich McKay was hired Monday by the Atlanta Falcons.
“Closure is good,” said Bucs coach Jon Gruden, who has been sparring with McKay over personnel.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank wanted to hire McKay two years ago, but Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer wanted compensation in the form of draft choices. This time Glazer let McKay out of his deal, indicating that Gruden had won a power struggle after winning the Super Bowl.
Gruden wanted the Bucs to sign bad-boy defensive tackle Darrell Russell, who played for Gruden in Oakland before he was suspended by the league for a variety of transgressions, including substance abuse and scrapes with the law. Russell signed with Washington.
Gruden and McKay appeared on the same page when the decision to deactivate Johnson for the rest of the season was reached Nov. 17, but Johnson warned that his problem was only the tip of the iceberg.
McKay didn’t hire Gruden, so their relationship was never going to be particularly warm. Now McKay will have considerable input in Blank’s next coaching decision after the firing of Dan Reeves last week.
“Realize this: It is Arthur Blank’s decision as to who the head football coach is,” McKay said. “What our job is and what my job will be is to try to compile a list.”
Portis avoids surgery: Denver running back Clinton Portis averted surgery after Monday’s examinations on a sprained left knee and ankle, but he could miss at least Sunday night’s trip to Indianapolis and maybe the Dec. 28 regular-season finale at Green Bay.
He will be listed as questionable, meaning he has a 50-50 chance of playing.
Callahan watch: Chicago native Bill Callahan, 4-10 with the Raiders one year after going to the Super Bowl, said after beating Baltimore on Sunday: “I just try to coach to the best of my ability and hope they keep me one more week, you know? If I can stay one more week, I’m a happy camper.”
Callahan, who earns $1 million a season, is in the second of a two-year contract, and Raiders owner Al Davis has a series of one-year club options that could keep Callahan in Oakland through the 2006 season.
Big zero: Rex Grossman’s 60.0 passer-efficiency rating in his debut was way below average (Steve McNair leads the league at 102.4). But Redskins quarterback Tim Hasselbeck was a whole lot worse in a 27-0 loss to Dallas.
Hasselbeck, who faces the Bears this week, completed 6-of-26 passes for 56 yards and four interceptions. His rating: 0.0. If the formula didn’t mercifully bottom out at zero, Hasselbeck would have been in minus territory.
“I’m going to play better next week,” Hasselbeck said. “I’m telling you that right now.”