■ Panthers: Jeff Rodgers has been promoted to special-teams coordinator for Carolina, replacing the fired Danny Crossman.
The move was announced yesterday.
Rodgers served as a special-teams and strength-and-conditioning assistant in his first year on Coach John Fox's staff last season.
Rodgers, 32, spent the 2008 season as special-teams coach at Kansas State. Rodgers, a former North Texas linebacker, also worked for the San Francisco 49ers from 2003-07.
He'll take over a unit that ranked near the bottom of several statistical categories, including punt and kickoff coverage.
■ Eagles: Tom Brookshier, a former Philadelphia star, has died at 78.
The Eagles said he had cancer and died on Friday night.
Brookshier was an All-Pro defensive back who played on the Eagles' 1960 championship team. He had 20 interceptions in seven seasons with the team, gaining All-Pro honors in 1959 and 1960.
After he retired, Brookshier announced NFL games for CBS. He is one of seven Eagles to have his number (40) retired.
■ Ravens: Jim Zorn, a former Washington Redskins head coach, has been hired by Baltimore to be its quarterbacks coach.
Zorn takes over for Hue Jackson, who left to become offensive coordinator of the Oakland Raiders.
Zorn was fired earlier this month by the Redskins after two seasons as their head coach. Washington was 8-8 in his first year but slumped to 4-12 this season.
He was a quarterbacks coach with the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks before being hired by the Redskins.
■ Vikings: Offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie has been dismissed from the NFC Pro Bowl team for unexcused absences.
The NFL said McKinnie missed practice Friday and yesterday and is subject to a fine. His agent didn't respond to messages seeking comment.
This was the first Pro Bowl selection for McKinnie, whose Vikings lost to New Orleans in the NFC championship last Sunday.
Defensive end Julius Peppers also had an unexcused absence Friday, but was back at practice yesterday.
Since the rosters for today's game in Miami were first announced, more than a dozen players have been scratched.
■ Dolphins: Jason Taylor, the NFL's active sacks leader, said he wants to play in 2010 and hopes to remain with Miami, but added that he might not be wanted back.
"They're looking for replacements right now," Taylor said on Friday. "If they don't find who they want and if teams don't find who they want, then that's when your phone starts ringing."
Taylor, a six-time Pro Bowl pick, has spent 12 of his 13 seasons with the Dolphins. He was exiled to the Redskins in 2008, then returned to Miami in 2009 with a one-year contract. He had seven sacks, an interception and forced three fumbles this season, and at 35 he wants to continue his career.
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