NFL owners vote to move Rams back to Los Angeles

NFL owners approved a move by the St. Louis Rams to the Los Angeles area Tuesday, and the San Diego Chargers were given an option to join the Rams in Inglewood, Calif.

The decision was made by a 30-2 vote of the league owners in Houston, multiple media outlets reported. The Chargers were given until Jan. 16, 2017, to settle lease terms with the Rams.

According to NFL.com, the Raiders, who also were bidding to move to Los Angeles, stepped aside and will remain in Oakland.

The Rams confirmed in a statement that they will play the 2016 season in the L.A. area, which was their home from 1946 to 1994.

The Inglewood stadium, due to be built for $3 billion on the site of the former Hollywood Park horse racing track, would be the NFL's largest stadium, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon issued a statement late Tuesday:

"Tonight's decision is disappointing, and a clear deviation from the NFL's guidelines. It is troubling that the league would allow for the relocation of a team when a home market has worked in good faith and presented a strong and viable proposal. This sets a terrible precedent not only for St. Louis, but for all communities that have loyally supported their NFL franchises."

NFL Notebook:

--Hue Jackson will interview to become head coach of the New York Giants.

Jackson served as offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals the past two seasons and has interviewed with the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers for current openings. However, the New York Daily News reported that he would delay any decision about his future until a scheduled interview with the Giants was completed.

Jackson, 50, was 8-8 in his lone season as coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011.

Tom Coughlin stepped down Monday as head coach after 12 seasons with the Giants and a 102-90 record, including 8-3 in the playoffs with two Super Bowl victories.

--Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger plans to play Sunday at Denver, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have little idea what to expect from their offensive stars when they take on the Broncos in the divisional playoffs.

Roethlisberger said he is "day to day" with torn ligaments and a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. He revealed the extent of his injury on a radio show. Coach Mike Tomlin said backup Landry Jones would prepare with more repetitions with the first team while Roethlisberger is evaluated. Tomlin said Roethlisberger has a chance to play.

There's also doubt over whether top wide receiver Antonio Brown will be able to take the field at Denver. He is in the concussion protocol after being struck in the head by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict late in the fourth quarter. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Brown is OK and is expected to play against the Broncos.

--Tom Coughlin is a leading candidate to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

Coughlin, 69, will interview with the 49ers after meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles days after parting with the New York Giants. Coughlin won two Super Bowls in 12 seasons with the Giants.

San Francisco was 5-11 in 2015 and fired coach Jim Tomsula, who was in his first season in that position. Tomsula was hired after serving as defensive line coach on Jim Harbaugh's staff when Harbaugh went to Michigan.

--Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams could miss Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game at Arizona with a knee injury.

Adams has a sprained MCL in his right knee, according to ESPN Wisconsin. He had 50 catches in the regular season and caught four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown at Washington on Sunday.

If Adams is out, Jared Abbrederis and Jeff Janis would be in line for additional playing time. Abbrederis had two receptions for 14 yards against the Redskins last week.

--Dan Campbell was released from his contract by the Miami Dolphins, who hired Adam Gase as head coach last week.

Campbell coached the final 12 games in 2015 and was 5-7 as interim head coach. He replaced Joe Philbin and won his first two games.

Campbell, who played tight end in the NFL, had been the Dolphins tight ends coach since 2011.

--The Dolphins hired Cincinnati Bengals assistant coach Vance Joseph as their defensive coordinator.

Joseph served as the Bengals defensive backs coach since 2014. Before that, he held the same job with the San Francisco 49ers for five years and the Houston Texans for three years.

The Dolphins fired defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle in October after 3 1/2 seasons and replaced him with Lou Anarumo. The Miami secondary struggled, giving up a franchise-record 4,000 yards passing on the way to a 6-10 record.

--The Dolphins waived offensive tackle Jason Fox.

Fox spent two seasons with the Dolphins and played in 24 games. After signing as an unrestricted free agent in 2014, Fox went on to start 11 games at right tackle and two at left tackle in two years.

In six NFL seasons, Fox has played in 37 games and started 16. He began his career with the Detroit Lions, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2010.

--The Arizona Cardinals signed linebacker Jason Babin, promoted linebacker Gabe Martin from the practice squad to the active roster and signed linebacker Quayshawn Nealy to the practice squad ahead of their playoff game this weekend.

To clear space on the roster, the Cardinals placed defensive tackle Cory Redding (ankle) on injured reserve and linebacker Alex Okafor (toe) on the non-football injury list.

Babin has 64 1/2 sacks, 465 tackles and three fumble recoveries in his 12-year NFL career. The two-time Pro Bowl selection has been with eight different teams. This season, Babin played in two games for the Baltimore Ravens. In 2014, he saw action in 16 games and started four for the New York Jets.

--Two days after the Minnesota Vikings were ousted from the playoffs, coach Mike Zimmer ousted offensive line coach Jeff Davidson.

Zimmer said Davidson's contract will not be renewed for 2016 but that he expects offensive coordinator Norv Turner to be back next season.

Davidson has spent the past five years with the Vikings. He has been in coaching for 25 years with stops at New Orleans, Carolina, New England, Cleveland and Minnesota.

--The Buffalo Bills announced that defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson and special teams quality control coach Michael Hamlin will not be returning to the team for the 2016 season.

Henderson had been in charge of defensive backs since 2013 and Hamlin was in his first year with the team.

--Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict wants to meet face to face with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to make a case to have his three-game suspension reduced, ESPN reported Tuesday.

Burfict was suspended three games by the NFL on Monday for his hit on Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown during Cincinnati's AFC wild-card game on Saturday. It is the first career suspension for Burfict, who is no stranger to league discipline.

According to the NFL's statement, Burfict was suspended for being a repeat offender of "violations of safety-related playing rules."

If the three-game ban is upheld, Burfict will lose $502,941 of his base salary in 2016, bringing the total that he has forfeited from his four-year, $20 million contract extension to $647,395 since the 2014 season.

--The New England Patriots signed rookie safety Cedric Thompson and wide receiver J.J. Worton to the practice squad and released wide receiver DeAndre Carter from the practice squad.

Thompson, drafted in the fifth round by the Miami Dolphins in 2015, was released by the team on Sept. 5 and signed to its practice squad. Worton was on the St. Louis Rams' practice squad last month after the rookie free agent signed with the team.

Carter landed with the New England practice squad on Dec. 15. He originally signed with the Baltimore Ravens in May and was released Aug. 31 before a stint on the Oakland Raiders' practice squad from Sept. 16 to Dec. 1.