NFL -- Falcons Turn To June Jones -- Run-And-Shoot Offense To Remain

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons wanted Joe Gibbs to be their next football coach, but there will be no proven Super Bowl winner for the Super Bowl XXVIII host team.

Instead, the Falcons ended a 20-day search yesterday when they named June Jones the team's 10th head coach.

"He has a lot of the same traits that go back to Joe Gibbs, and that's why I feel very confident in June that he's going to do the job here," said Ken Henrock, the Falcons' vice president of player personnel.

Team president Taylor Smith and Herock made no secret of their desire to talk with Gibbs, who won three Super Bowl championships with the Washington Redskins before retiring to the TV booth last year. Though he never had formal talks with the Falcons, Gibbs made clear his plans to remain out of coaching this year, and that opened the door for Jones.

"All along, June is the guy that's been in our minds. . . ." Smith said. "I thought we owed it to the organization and our fans . . . to check with Joe Gibbs. . . ."

The Falcons also interviewed Gary Stevens, Miami Dolphin offensive coordinator, and Sherm Lewis, Green Bay offensive coordinator. They had informal talks with Tom Coughlin, Boston College coach. But Smith emphasized that Jones never ranked behind anyone but Gibbs on the Falcons' list of candidates.

Smith said no contract terms have been settled with Jones, though he said Jones has requested a three-year deal.

Jones vowed to retain the run-and-shoot offense and to seek help on defense after he was hired to replace Jerry Glanville.

Jones, 40, the team's offensive coordinator the past three seasons, said he and Herock, agree the club needs to aggressively seek free-agent defenders.

The Falcons went 6-10 last season and 28-38 overall during four seasons under Glanville.

Cardinals fire Bugel

PHOENIX - After taking 22 days to decide Coach Joe Bugel's fate, Phoenix Cardinal owner Bill Bidwill said a three-game winning streak to end the 1993 season wasn't good enough and fired him.

Bidwill announced the coach would not be back for the final year of his contract. Bugel's assistants also were fired.

The owner, who a year ago demanded a winning season or else, said in a statement that the Cardinals' 7-9 performance was unsatisfactory.

The Cardinals went 5-3 in the second half of the season, winning four of their final five.

In four seasons as head coach, Bugel compiled a 20-44 record.

Notes

-- Atlanta quarterback Bobby Hebert will undergo surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his throwing arm. Hebert said the tendon is frayed at the end and will have to be cleaned up and partially reattached.

-- The Minnesota Vikings hired Keith Rowen of the Falcons to be offensive line coach and hired former college coach Gary Zauner to be their special teams coach. Rowen replaces John Michels and Zauner replaces Tom Batta, who were fired last week.

-- Larry Peccatiello, an assistant with the Washington Redskins for the past 13 years, joined the Cincinnati Bengals as defensive coordinator. Peccatiello, 56, replaces Ron Lynn, who resigned.

-- Defensive line coach Mike DuBose will leave Alabama's coaching staff to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Compiled from Knight Ridder Newspapers, Arizona Republic and Associated Press.