TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Rutgers’ Greg Schiano to become the team’s next coach. Bucs general manager Mark Dominik confirmed the five-year contract Thursday in an email to the Associated Press.
Schiano, 45, was with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. He was an assistant coach in the NFL with Chicago from 1996-98.
The Bucs fired Raheem Morris on Jan. 2 after a 4-12 finish that included 10 straight losses to end the season, most of them by double-digit margins. The collapse following a promising 4-2 start came only a year after the NFL’s youngest team went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs.
Tampa Bay went 17-31 under Morris, who also served as defensive coordinator. The Bucs allowed a franchise-record 494 points in 2011, including 31 or more in seven of the last eight games.
Nicks among seven Giants missing first practice
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and rookie linebacker Jacquian Williams were among seven New York Giants who missed the team’s first practice for the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots on Feb. 5.
Nicks hurt his shoulder in the Giants’ win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game. The Giants listed Williams, their fastest linebacker, with a foot injury.
Also out were center David Baas (abdomen-neck), linebacker Chase Blackburn (calf), backup cornerback Will Blackmon (knee), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) and cornerback Corey Webster (hamstring).
Alleged assault victim sues Raiders’ McClain
DECATUR, Ala. — An Alabama man who allegedly was assaulted by Rolando McClain and another man has sued the Oakland Raiders linebacker alleging “brutal and prolonged assault and battery.”
Christian Tapscott of Decatur filed suit Wednesday in Morgan County Circuit Court seeking unspecified punitive and compensatory damages from McClain and Jadarious Willingham. The suit says Tapscott sustained broken bones, bruises and lacerations.
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