The New England Patriots promoted 29-year-old quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels to offensive coordinator Friday, making him the youngest coordinator in the NFL. Charlie Weis left as coordinator after the 2004 season to become coach at Notre Dame, and no one took his place in 2005. McDaniels and coach Bill Belichick split most of the play-calling duties. McDaniels joined the Patriots in 2001 as an assistant in the scouting department and was a member of the defensive coaching staff for three seasons before becoming quarterbacks coach in 2004.

The New York Jets interviewed Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini on Sunday night for their vacant head coaching job. Mangini appears to be the favorite to fill the Jets' coaching vacancy created by Herm Edwards' departure to Kansas City. General manager Terry Bradway and assistant GM Mike Tannenbaum met with Mangini in the Foxborough, Mass., area. The two then returned to New York to prepare for their interview with former Vikings coach Mike Tice on Monday. The Jets are expected to move quickly after interviewing Tice. They are trying to replace coach Herman Edwards, who left for Kansas City. Mangini, who turns 35 this week, appears to be the top name on the Jets' list. But his inexperience and age could be a factor. There are several things working in his favor, including his ties to Tannenbaum and the Jets. He was an assistant with the team from 1997-99.

Tedy Bruschi didn't get a chance to tackle Steve Smith when the Patriots played the Panthers in September. By midseason, he'd made a remarkable comeback from a stroke and was starting for New England. Bruschi's return was as impressive as Smith's achievement of returning from a knee injury that cost the Carolina receiver nearly all of the 2004 season. On Thursday, they shared The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award. The Patriots' star linebacker and defensive leader made it back on Oct. 30 after originally expecting to sit out the entire schedule. By then, Smith was on his way to leading the NFL in most receiving categories. Both sparked their teams into the playoffs. "I'm a football player by trade. That's what I do," Bruschi said. "So I did everything I could to make myself a football player again."