NFL notebook: Longtime NFL coach Knox dies at 86

Former NFL coach Chuck Knox died after a lengthy battle with illness. He was 86. The exact cause of death has not been divulged, but he reportedly suffered from dementia during the past few years. Knox's granddaughter, Lee Ann, confirmed his passing Sunday morning on Twitter. "RIP Popster. I'll miss you forever. You have always been my dad. You gave me more guidance, hope, encouragement than anyone ever has. I will treasure you forever. No one else will ever compare," she posted on Twitter. Known as "Ground Chuck" for his team's emphasis on running the ball, Knox is best remembered for coaching the Los Angeles Rams (1973-77, 1992-94), Buffalo Bills (1978-82) and Seattle Seahawks (1983-91). He posted a 186-147 regular-sason record. His clubs, however, combined for just a 7-11 mark in the playoffs. -- The Los Angeles Chargers signed their third-round draft pick, defensive tackle Justin Jones, to a four-year contract Saturday. That leaves first-round pick, safety Derwin James, as the team's only unsigned draftee. Jones had 108 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 34 games at North Carolina State. -- New Orleans coach Sean Payton said the Saints released Coby Fleener last week in part because the tight end is still working through concussion protocol. The Saints had released Fleener just two seasons into his five-year, $36 million contract with a failed physical designation. He sustained his fifth career concussion in Week 12 of the 2017 season. Fleener had 72 catches for 926 yards and five touchdowns in 27 games since joining the Saints as a free agent in 2016. The 29-year-old had a career-low 22 catches to go along with 295 receiving yards and two scores in 11 games in 2017. -- Former All-Pro defensive lineman Greg Hardy will face Austen Lane, another former NFL player, in a UFC heavyweight bout on June 12. The fight was announced during Saturday's UFC 224 broadcast. The matchup is part of the Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series. Hardy has won three amateur mixed martial arts fights. Lane, who is listed at 6 feet 6 and 265 pounds, is 4-0 as a professional MMA fighter. That includes two knockouts in which both took 20 seconds or less. Hardy played five seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He last played in the NFL in 2015 with the Dallas Cowboys. -- New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton is not ruling out the possibility of a reunion with free-agent running back Adrian Peterson. While Peterson previously confirmed to NFL Network that he would be open to returning to New Orleans, Payton addressed the topic when asked about the possibility of adding Peterson after the four-game suspension imposed on fellow running back Mark Ingram. Peterson's time last season with the Saints wasn't long after he signed a two-year, $7 million deal, as he became frustrated with his lack of playing time. The 33-year-old found himself behind Ingram and Alvin Kamara on the depth chart, with Kamara going on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. New Orleans traded Peterson to the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 10. He rushed for 448 yards and two touchdowns before a neck injury landed him on injured reserve to close out the season. The Cardinals released Peterson on March 13. -- Steve Wilks already handed the title of the team's starting quarterback to Sam Bradford, but the Arizona Cardinals coach noted that rookie Josh Rosen has every opportunity to win the job. "We're pushing everybody to start," Wilks told the NFL Network. "I've stated this several times: Sam Bradford is our starter. We gotta go out there with 11 guys and Sam's going to be the first guy out there. But everybody's fighting for a position, so I'm not going to hold (Rosen) back at all." -- Denver Broncos coach Vance Joseph said the clearly defined roles of the team's quarterbacks could be a positive for quarterback Paxton Lynch. Lynch failed to capture the starting quarterback job in two years since being selected with the 26th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. Now the 24-year-old carries the clearly defined role of backup to offseason acquisition Case Keenum, who signed a two-year, $36 million contract in March. Keenum posted career highs in completions (325), attempts (481), completion percentage (67.6), passing yards (3,547) and touchdowns (22) in 2017 with the Minnesota Vikings. Lynch has completed 79 of 128 passes for 792 yards in five career appearances. -- The nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau is bidding to make his mark on the NFL. Ian Seau, the nephew of Junior Seau, was invited to the New York Giants' rookie minicamp as a tryout player. The 25-year-old, who had 10 sacks in his senior year as a defensive end at Nevada, has remained out of football since being released by the Buffalo Bills in September. Ian Seau was 19 when Junior Seau took his own life with a shotgun wound to the chest in May 2012 after battling depression and behavioral changes. -- Former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Emmett Cleary announced his plans to attend medical school, one month after retiring from the NFL. Cleary told ESPN that he was well aware that he'd be fighting for a roster spot and wanted more out of his future. Cleary, who would have made $705,000 this season with the Lions, plans to start medical school at USC in the fall after deferring enrollment three times for football. Currently, he's working as a research assistant and data analyst studying physical therapy and brain function. -- Even though Brian Flores has taken on many of the responsibilities of the New England Patriots' defensive coordinator job, his actual title remains linebackers coach. That does not seem to bother Flores. "I've never been big on titles," Flores said, according to the Providence Journal. "I'm here to work. I'm here to help this team win any way I can." Flores was given additional duties after defensive coordinator Matt Patricia left to become head coach of the Detroit Lions. -- The Atlanta Falcons used first-round draft pick Calvin Ridley in a variety of ways Saturday during the team's rookie minicamp. Despite a reduced number of snaps, Ridley played in the slot as well as the outside at wide receiver, and he returned kickoffs and punts. Ridley was taken by Atlanta with the No. 26 overall pick in the draft last month but he is the team's only draft pick still unsigned. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the signings of guard Ruben Holcomb and cornerback Mark Myers. Both players participated in a weekend rookie minicamp. Holcomb played collegiately at the University of Indianapolis. As a redshirt senior in 2017, he was named American Football Coaches Association Division II first-team All-American. Myers, a native of Orlando, Fla., played collegiately at Southeastern University, located in Lakeland. During his four seasons with the Fire, Myers totaled 91 tackles (three for loss), 25 passes defensed and nine interceptions (returned 158 yards, two touchdowns). The team also announced that safety Josh Liddell, wide receiver Devin Lucien and linebacker Antonio Simmons were waived.