NFL Wire Notes | Levy plans to step down as Bills GM

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Marv Levy is preparing to step down as Buffalo Bills general manager, according to numerous reports Sunday.

Citing "multiple" unnamed sources, Buffalo's WIVB-TV reported the Bills and the 82-year-old Levy reached "a mutual decision" that he would retire after concluding his second year on the job. The station reported an announcement could come as early as this week.

ESPN.com also cited sources in reporting the decision was reached after the Hall of Fame coach met this week with Bills owner Ralph Wilson.

The news came as the Bills (7-9) closed their season with a 17-9 loss at Philadelphia. Buffalo, knocked out of postseason contention two weeks ago, missed the playoffs for an eighth straight year to establish the longest drought in franchise history.

Levy was not immediately available for comment.

Levy took over as a first-time general manager in January 2006, when the Bills lured him out of retirement. He previously enjoyed his greatest success in Buffalo as the team's coach, compiling a 112-70 record and four consecutive Super Bowl appearances.

Source: Parcells to fire Miami GM

MIAMI — Sitting in a booth adjacent to the press box, Bill Parcells, the Dolphins' new vice president of football operations, was evaluating his players Sunday. He had already made up his mind about general manager Randy Mueller, who is expected to be fired early this week, according to a source.

The source also said it would be a "big surprise" if Parcells didn't fire coach Cam Cameron as well.

And if the 38-25 season-ending defeat to Cincinnati was an audition for the Tuna, then surely Parcells will get the hook out for most of this overmatched cast of players as well.

"It's going to be tough for everybody, but that's the reality of it," said linebacker Joey Porter. "If you're comfortable with going 1-15, I think you've got to look for a different occupation."

Cameron, in his first year of a four-year contract, directed the Dolphins to their worst season ever and just the eighth team in NFL history to finish 1-15.

Martz's future uncertain

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Lions coach Rod Marinelli wouldn't comment on multiple reports that offensive coordinator Mike Martz was finished after two seasons in Detroit, either by stepping down or being fired, after a 34-13 loss to Green Bay.

"Not here, not now," Marinelli said of the situation. He fielded about a half-dozen more questions about his offensive coordinator, finishing by finally saying, "I'm not going to discuss it."

The offensive players who did talk about Martz said that they shoulder the blame.

"You can keep changing coaches, but every time you change them that's a new system," said quarterback Jon Kitna. "The reality is, the games that we lost, the majority, the times that things didn't go right, it was self-inflicted stuff."

Notes

• Despite having three starters — CB Sam Madison (abdominal muscle), WLB Kawika Mitchell (knee) and C Shaun O'Hara (knee) — injured in a game with no playoff implications, Tom Coughlin thinks the Giants gained momentum going all out in an attempt to deny the Patriots' bid for 16-0 Saturday.

"I don't know that you can move toward the playoffs in a better way than to play against the No. 1 team in the league, a team that is 16-0, and hold your own, at least for the majority of the evening," he said Sunday. "Those are all positives."

• Jets special-teams coach Mike Westhoff, a veteran of 25 NFL seasons, will not return next year because he needs a ninth operation on his ailing left leg. Westhoff has battled bone cancer in the leg since 1988.