Cameron Is Fired by Dolphins

January 4, 2008

Bill Parcells cleaned the Miami Dolphins’ house Thursday morning, firing the first-year head coach Cam Cameron and 16 of his assistants, leaving only two members from the coaching staff that led the Dolphins to a 1-15 season. Parcells began work last week overseeing the Dolphins’ football operations. Cameron’s dismissal came three days after Parcells fired General Manager Randy Mueller and less than 24 hours after he hired Jeff Ireland, the Cowboys’ vice president for college and professional scouting, to replace Mueller.

Cameron’s departure after one season means the reeling franchise will have its fifth coach in as many seasons. The Dolphins missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, a franchise record, and this season they came perilously close to becoming the first N.F.L. team to go 0-16, only beating Baltimore in overtime in their 14th game.

“We just felt in order to move forward and not look back, we needed someone in place who shared the same philosophical compatibilities we shared,” Ireland said at a news conference Thursday. “We didn’t really know the guy that well. We were going to try to get someone that does share those things, and we weren’t completely sold that he did.”

Later, Ireland explained what he and Parcells were looking for.

“We want strong character around here,” Ireland said. “The vision of the team will be discipline, passionate players, highly competitive. And we’ll be a big team.”

The coaching search that led to Cameron’s hiring lasted two weeks and included at least 12 other candidates. But Cameron’s tenure was undermined by a string of serious injuries to key players like running back Ronnie Brown and linebacker Zach Thomas, and by a terrible track record of drafting that left the team with little depth. By the end of the 2007 season, not one player drafted by the Dolphins from 1998 to 2003 was playing for them.

With Parcells and Ireland leading the search for Cameron’s replacement, attention is expected to quickly focus on the Cowboys’ assistant head coach, Tony Sparano, who is scheduled to interview for the head-coaching job in Atlanta on Friday.

ANOTHER LOSS FOR TITANS Tennessee lost its second top pass catcher in as many days when wide receiver Roydell Williams had surgery on his right ankle, which he broke in practice Wednesday.

Tight end Bo Scaife was ruled out for the playoffs Wednesday because of a lacerated liver. The Titans had already lost receiver Brandon Jones to a groin injury Dec. 15. Tennessee will play at San Diego in a first-round playoff game Sunday afternoon.

Quarterback Vince Young practiced Thursday, splitting the work with the backup Kerry Collins. (AP) SAPP WILL RETIRE Warren Sapp told the Oakland Raiders that he was retiring, ending the career of one of the best defensive tackles to play in the league.

Sapp told The Contra Costa Times that he called the Raiders’ owner, Al Davis, with the news. The Raiders had no official comment.

During a 13-year career, Sapp, 35, made seven Pro Bowls, won the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award in 1999 and was a key cog in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl-winning defense in the 2002 season. (AP)

BELICHICK HONORED After becoming the first coach since Don Shula in 1972 to lead his team through an undefeated regular season, New England’s Bill Belichick won the Associated Press Coach of the Year award for the second time in four years.

He also won in 2003, when the Patriots went 14-2. Belichick received 29 of the 50 votes to beat out Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy, who got 15 votes for leading the Packers to a 13-3 record. (AP)

AROUND THE LEAGUE Dallas strong safety Roy Williams was added to the National Football Conference Pro Bowl roster in place of Sean Taylor. Taylor, the Washington safety voted in as a starter, was shot and killed in November. Cowboys free safety Ken Hamlin will replace Taylor as the starter. The addition of Williams to the N.F.C. roster gives the Cowboys an N.F.L.-record 12 players going to the Pro Bowl. … Detroit promoted Jim Colletto to offensive coordinator, replacing Mike Martz. Colletto was Detroit’s offensive line coach in 2007. (AP)

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