McDaniels will run Rams offense

ST. LOUIS » The Rams hired former Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels as their offensive coordinator.

The 34-year-old McDaniels replaces Pat Shurmur, who was hired by the Cleveland Browns as head coach last week.

McDaniels parlayed success as an offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots into his first head coaching job and at age 32 was the NFL’s youngest coach in 2009. He favors the spread offense, run by quarterback Sam Bradford in college.

Bradford, the top pick of the last draft, broke several of Peyton Manning’s NFL rookie records this season.

McDaniels was let go by the Broncos on Dec. 6, with four games left in the regular season and in the midst of the franchise’s worst slump in four decades.

After winning his first six games of his rookie season, the Broncos lost 17 of the last 22.

Singletary joins Vikings staff

MINNEAPOLIS » Former San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary is joining former teammate Leslie Frazier on his staff in Minnesota.

Singletary’s agent, Bob LaMonte, confirmed in an e-mail yesterday that Singletary will be the linebackers coach and assistant head coach under Frazier with the Vikings. Singletary told ESPN 1000 in Chicago during a radio interview earlier in the day he’s coming to Minnesota.

Singletary and Frazier were part of the dominant defense that led the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl title after the 1985 season.

Pennington wants to play again

MIAMI » Chad Pennington has decided to attempt a comeback from his fourth shoulder surgery after lasting only two plays with the Miami Dolphins this season.

Pennington, 34, has twice been chosen the NFL comeback player of the year, each time after returning from surgery on his throwing shoulder.

In December, as Pennington prepared for surgery, he said it was 50-50 whether he would retire.

Colts fire running backs coach

INDIANAPOLIS » The Colts have fired longtime running backs coach Gene Huey.

His star pupils included Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James. Huey had five different 1,000-yard runners in Indy, but the Colts ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing in each of the last three seasons.

Seahawks fire offensive coordinator

RENTON, Wash. » The Seahawks have fired offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates after just one season during which Seattle’s offense ranked near the bottom of the NFL.

The team also hired former Raiders head coach Tom Cable to coach the offensive line and become assistant head coach.