NFL | Unpopular Lions president Matt Millen fired

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions fired president Matt Millen, more than seven years after the former linebacker and TV analyst took over one of the NFL's most mediocre franchises and made it the worst.

"I have relieved Matt Millen of his duties effective immediately," Lions owner William Clay Ford said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Millen's teams won a league-low 31 games since he took over in 2001, but his boss refused to get rid of him until now.

Bill Ford, son of the team owner, said Monday he would fire Millen if he had the authority.

Detroit was routed in each of its first three games this season, falling behind 21-0 twice and 21-3 once en route to lopsided losses going into its bye week.

The 0-3 start dropped Millen to 31-84 overall, giving the Lions at least 10 more losses than any other NFL team over the past seven-plus seasons.

The front office will be led by executive vice president Tom Lewand, who will report to the owner on business issues, and promoted general manager Martin Mayhew, who will report to the owner on football issues.

"These decisions are for the duration of the 2008 season," Ford's statement said. "Once the season is over, we will undergo a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of our entire football operation and put together a plan that we believe will transform this team into a winner."

Coach Rod Marinelli will be left with the task of salvaging something from the final 13 games of the season. But he and the players haven't inspired much confidence with an NFC-worst 10-25 record since 2006.

Kacyvenski among those to donate brains

BOSTON — Former Seahawks linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski quickly agreed when his former teammate at Harvard asked if he would donate his brain after death for research into concussions.

"It's a noble cause," Kacyvenski said. "It's something close to my heart. I've had several concussions."

Kacyvenski, 30, is one of 16 pro athletes, including six former NFL players, who have agreed to donate their brains to the new Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, a joint program between the Boston University School of Medicine and Sports Legacy Institute.

Huard to start for Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former Washington Huskies quarterback Damon Huard will be back under center Sunday for the winless Kansas City Chiefs.

Huard, the only one of Kansas City's four quarterbacks who has won an NFL game, will start against Denver (3-0) while Tyler Thigpen, who threw three interceptions in his first NFL start last week, returns to the bench.

Notes

• Quarterback Vince Young has started working his way back onto the practice field for the Tennessee Titans. Once his knee is healthy enough to return fully, coach Jeff Fisher says it will be as the backup to veteran Kerry Collins.

• The New Orleans Saints released reserve quarterback Joey Harrington, only five days after signing him. The Saints signed tight end Sean Ryan to compensate for the loss of Jeremy Shockey to a sports hernia.

• The Colts signed David Greene, the former Georgia quarterback who broke Peyton Manning's NCAA major-college record for victories and finished his college career as the SEC's leader in yards passing. But since the Seahawks took Greene in the third round of the 2005 draft, he never matched the promise he showed at Georgia.

• Eagles running back Brian Westbrook (ankle) and quarterback Donovan McNabb (chest) probably won't practice the rest of the week because of injuries suffered in Philadelphia's win against Pittsburgh. But they both expect to be in the lineup Sunday against Chicago.

• The Jaguars placed backup cornerback Scott Starks on injured reserve and signed journeyman Omare Lowe, the former Washington Huskies cornerback cut by the Seahawks in August.

• The Giants have suspended wide receiver Plaxico Burress for one game for violating team rules. He is set to miss the Oct. 5 game against the Seahawks.

• Receiver Roscoe Parrish will miss four to six weeks after having surgery to repair ligament damage in his right thumb, leaving the Buffalo Bills without their fastest and one of their most elusive threats.

• Browns coach Romeo Crennel announced he was sticking with Derek Anderson as the starting quarterback despite an 0-3 record and fans calling for popular backup Brady Quinn to get the job.

• Packers cornerback Al Harris has a "serious" spleen injury that requires a cautious approach, but he hasn't been ruled out for the rest of the season, coach Mike McCarthy said.

• The St. Louis Rams released cornerback Fakhir Brown, a starter the previous two seasons but hampered by injuries this year.

• Dick Lynch, who starred at cornerback for the New York Giants during their glory years in the late 1950s and early 1960s and was a longtime radio analyst for the team, has died in New York. He was 72.