NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak fired offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger along with two other assistants as he starts to remake his coaching staff a day after taking over the top job.
“It’s never easy to be fired,” said Heimerdinger, a former Broncos assistant who is continuing cancer treatment after being diagnosed in November. “He has to do what’s good for the Titans, and Munch will do what’s best for the Titans.”
Heimerdinger was under contract for 2011, and the Titans said they will honor the agreement.
The Titans also fired defensive assistant Rayna Stewart and offensive assistant Richie Wessman.
• The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled it won’t permanently block the NFL from suspending Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams for violating the league’s anti-doping policy.
Barring another appeal, the ruling appears to clear the way for the NFL to suspend the players, which it has been trying to do since both tested positive for a banned diuretic in 2008. The players could appeal to the state Supreme Court.
• The Oakland Raiders promoted Greg Biekert from defensive assistant to linebackers coach. Biekert, a former star at the University of Colorado, joined the staff last year as a defensive assistant. He played linebacker for 11 years in the NFL, including nine with the Raiders.
Rodriguez irked by camera shot
NEW YORK — Much of America got a chuckle Sunday out of a strange television image during the Super Bowl: actress Cameron Diaz feeding New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez popcorn as they watched the game from a luxury box in Cowboys Stadium.
Announcer Joe Buck immediately suggested Rodriguez might not be thrilled to be pictured in that situation, and he might have been right. The Chicago Sun-Times reported Rodriguez was angered and confronted Fox personnel after the shot appeared, warning them not to show him and his girlfriend again. (The couple was not shown again.)
Meanwhile, Yankees catcher Russell Martin is set to resume catching drills today for the first time since knee surgery in December.
• Chicago White Sox right-hander Jake Peavy said he’s at about 60 to 70 percent after season-ending surgery to repair a shoulder muscle in July. He said he’s hoping to be ready by opening day.
• Hector Taveras, a minor- league catcher with the Washington Nationals, has been suspended 25 games because he was found in possession of an unauthorized syringe.
Footnotes.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Chris Kunitz, who ranks third on the team in goals, is day to day because of a lower-body injury.
• New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur is out indefinitely with a sprained right knee.
• Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who had surgery on both of his knees three weeks ago, is returning to practice and wants to rejoin the team as soon as this weekend.
• Freshman Melvin Tabb has been dismissed from Wake Forest’s basketball team for the rest of the season for what coach Jeff Bzdelik said was conduct detrimental to the team.
Denver Post wire services
