Chiefs close to hiring Jets' Edwards

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Herman Edwards stopped by the Jets' facility for a short time Friday to collect a few items before going on his way.

Now the Jets join a crowded group searching for a head coach.

The Chiefs and Jets finally agreed to compensation Friday, leaving Edwards free to negotiate with Kansas City to replace longtime mentor Dick Vermeil. The Jets, in turn, will receive a surprisingly low fourth-round pick from Kansas City.

Though Edwards technically remained Jets coach until a new deal with the Chiefs was finished, the organization started the process of replacing him.

Negotiations are not expected to be lengthy between Peterson and Edwards, who was clearly the Chiefs' first choice all along. Peterson, perhaps only to add to his bargaining leverage with New York, had also talked with Kansas City offensive coordinator Al Saunders and others.

In five years in New York, Edwards was 39-41. The Jets this year, wracked by injury, slipped to 4-12, including a 27-7 opening day loss to the Chiefs.

Vikings hire Childress

Eagles assistant Brad Childress was hired as coach of the Minnesota Vikings on Friday, five days after Mike Tice was fired following a 9-7 season marked by a scandalous boat party.

"Coach Childress has the combination of integrity, experience and competitive spirit that were important in our search for a new Vikings coach," owner Zygi Wilf said in a statement announcing the hire.

Tice was fired Sunday after Minnesota beat the Chicago Bears 34-10 in the final game of the regular season.

The 49-year-old Childress has been the Eagles' offensive coordinator since 2002. This is his first head coaching job.

Childress joined the Eagles as quarterbacks coach under Andy Reid in 1999, and helped Philadelphia reach the Super Bowl last season. Before that, Childress was an assistant under Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin.

Childress and Washington defensive coordinator Gregg Williams immediately rose to the top of the Vikings' wish list when they fired Tice.

When Williams signed a three-year, $8 million contract extension to remain with the Redskins earlier in the week, the Vikings centered most of their efforts on Childress, who was also considered a candidate for openings in Green Bay and Houston.

Parcells will stay put

Bill Parcells is coming back for at least one more season with the Dallas Cowboys -- and maybe even two.

The team announced Friday that Parcells agreed to a new contract through the 2007 season.

Parcells, 64, had a year left on the four-year, $17 million contract he signed in January 2003. However, he left his three previous coaching jobs mid-contract and there was speculation he might do it again.

-- From wire reports