NFL roundup

49ers: San Francisco was given permission to talk to Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson about its head coach opening. Raiders senior executive John Herrera confirmed the request that was first reported by ESPN. The Niners fired Mike Singletary with one week left in the season. They have not publicly hired a general manager. Team president Jed York said that would be his first step before hiring a coach.

Raiders: Oakland informed coach Tom Cable that it will not bring him back as coach next season even though he led it to its best record in eight years this season. The Raiders announced their decision not to exercise a two-year, $5 million option on Cable’s contract for 2011 and ’12, two days after wrapping up an 8-8 season that gave Oakland its first non-losing record since winning the 2002 AFC championship.

Broncos: Denver will kick off its search for a new coach by interviewing Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey. John Elway will be introduced as the Broncos’ new chief football executive this week, and he’ll interview Mularkey in Atlanta on Friday and then return to Denver to speak with interim Broncos coach Eric Studesville about the job on Monday.

Titans: Owner Bud Adams still has his coach in Jeff Fisher, and a quarterback in Vince Young. Fisher says talks are ongoing in what he calls a complicated process. Fisher did his weekly radio show Tuesday night as scheduled from a restaurant at a Nashville suburb. His job status has been in question since the Titans lost eight of their final nine games for a 6-10 record, but the NFL’s uncertain labor situation could keep him around.

Cowboys: Owner Jerry Jones said on his radio show Tuesday morning that he could have a decision on his head coach by the afternoon and an announcement today. The hold-up seems to be complying with the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to consider minority candidates. Jones fulfilled that by spending three hours Tuesday with receivers coach Ray Sherman, who is black. Most observers expect Jones to elevate interim head coach Jason Garrett.

Panthers: Carolina plans to hold onto the No. 1 pick in the draft and are leaning toward hiring an NFL assistant coach to replace John Fox. Owner Jerry Richardson said that Fox’s inability to post consecutive winning seasons is why he’s out after Carolina’s miserable 2-14 season. Richardson acknowledged part of the reason he let Fox coach in the last year of his contract was he and his assistants were due a combined $11.4 million this season. Richardson said he was on board with general manager Marty Hurney’s decision to go young this season.

Associated Press