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Brees Top Choice For AP Offensive Honors

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2009

NEW YORK - Drew Brees understood what breaking a record set by Dan Marino would mean to the New Orleans Saints.

So coming up 15 yards short was disappointing to the Saints quarterback, who won The Associated Press 2008 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award Tuesday.

Brees threw for 5,069 yards, 15 fewer than Marino's 1984 mark and only the second time someone has eclipsed 5,000 yards passing in a season.

"The only reason I still even think about it is because I know how much it would have meant to the offensive line and the skill-position guys," Brees said. "Those guys were 10 times more upset than I was about not getting the record. I just feel like they really, especially down the stretch, looked at that as something that, for all the heartache and all the ups and downs we had this season, that was something they hang their hats on.

"So that's who I wanted to get it for, so that's why I'm still upset. I'm over it, for myself, but I guess I'm not over it for them."

Although the Saints were 8-8 and didn't make the playoffs, Brees performed so well he earned 22 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the league. That easily beat Peyton Manning, the NFL Most Valuable Player for the third time for Indianapolis, and Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson. They tied for second with nine votes each.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers received six votes, and Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams (2), Atlanta running back Michael Turner (1) and Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith (1) also got votes.

"I don't come out from week to week and say I have to throw for 300 yards," Brees said. "I don't think about that. It's really about what I can do to help this team win."

Brees tied with Rivers, his former teammate with the Chargers, with a league-leading 34 touchdown passes. Brees was fourth in passer rating (96.2) and led the league in attempts (635) and completions (413).

Interview Could Lead To Firing

BOSTON - Boston College's Jeff Jagodzinski met with New York Jets officials to discuss their head coaching vacancy - an interview that was expected to cost him his job with the Eagles.

Jagodzinski, who became BC's coach in 2007, was told by Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo that he would be fired if he met with the NFL team.

"It's just a matter of putting two and two together," Chris Cameron, BC's associate director for media relations, said Tuesday night. "He was told by Gene on Saturday that if he went on the interview he'd be fired."

ESPN.com, citing two people close to the situation, reported Tuesday night that Jagodzinski will not be retained by BC because of the meeting with New York.

DeFilippo said late Tuesday afternoon that he was hoping to meet with Jagodzinski today before taking action but wouldn't say whether the coach would be fired.

DeFilippo left a phone message for Jagodzinski but had not heard back by early evening, Cameron said.

"I'm sure he'll get back to me," DeFilippo said. "He always does."

Jagodzinski, who has three years left on his five-year contract, upset DeFilippo when he didn't tell his boss that he would interview with the Jets, who fired Eric Mangini.

HALL OF FAME: Career sacks leader Bruce Smith, along with Rod Woodson, Shannon Sharpe and John Randle, are among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the only first-year eligible players to make the final round this year.

Of the other finalists, only former Pittsburgh center Dermontti Dawson and former Seattle defensive lineman Cortez Kennedy have not been finalists before.

The rest: wide receivers Cris Carter and Andre Reed; defensive end Richard Dent; guards Russ Grimm, Bob Kuechenberg and Randall McDaniel; and linebacker Derrick Thomas.

BEARS: Fired linebackers coach Lloyd Lee.

BRONCOS: Met with Denver offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and with Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about their coaching vacancy.

Leslie Frazier, the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, will interview today.

CHARGERS: Wide receiver Vincent Jackson was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. Jackson failed sobriety tests shortly after 2 a.m. on state Route 52 in San Diego.

COLTS: A gun owned by Indianapolis receiver Marvin Harrison was used in an April shooting, but investigators still can't determine who pulled the trigger, Philadelphia's chief prosecutor said.

VICK CASE: Michael Vick is asking a bankruptcy judge to allow him to sell his eight-bedroom home in the Atlanta suburb of Duluth at auction.

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