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Bills Fill Coaching Bill

February 1, 2001 / 4:16 PM EST / CBS/AP

Gregg Williams won the battle of defensive coordinators for the Buffalo Bills' head coaching job.

Williams, Tennessee's defensive coordinator the last four seasons, beat out a high-profile group that included Marvin Lewis, defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens; John Fox, defensive coordinator of the NFC champion New York Giants, and Ted Cottrell, former Bills defensive coordinator who has since joined the New York Jets.

"Gregg brings to our franchise a long list of impressive credentials," Bills president Tom Donahoe said Thursday. "His strengths are in the areas of leadership, knowledge of the game, organizational skills and people skills.

"I'm confident that we have selected the candidate who best fits our needs."

Williams, who did not immediately return messages, will be formally introduced to the media at a news conference Friday.

Williams becomes the Bills 12th head coach, taking over following Wade Phillips dismissal last month. The Bills were the final NFL team without a head coach this offseason.

"He waited his turn and, by golly, it's like everything else: If you win, everybody benefits. And he's been a big part of that," Titans general manager Floyd Reese. "It's his time and we're happy for him."

Williams has been preparing to be a head coach for years and had meticulous files ranking people he would like to hire not only as assistants but as trainers, video and personnel people.

His preparation shone through during his interview with Donahoe last Friday. A day later, Williams took himself out of the running for the Cleveland Browns post, which eventually went to University of Miami's Butch Davis.

News of Williams hiring reached Titans players at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

"I'm elated for him. He's ready to be a head coach," strong safety Blaine Bishop said.

Added defensive end Jevon Kearse: "He's a great coach to play under. I kind of adopted him as a father."

Under Williams, the Titans defense finished first in the NFL in fewest yards allowed this past season and set a club record with 55 sacks.

Williams broke into the NFL as the team's first quality control coordinator in 1990 when he Titans franchise was based in Houston. He also worked as the team's linebackers and special teams coach.

Reports indicate that Williams' first move will be to bring with him Titans defensive backs coach Jerry Gray and appoint him as the Bills defensive coordinator to replace Cottrell.

The most disappointed candidate was Lewis, regarded to have the best credentials of the four.

He oversaw what many considered to be the NFL's top defense of all time.

This past year, the Ravens allowed the fewest points in a 16-game season and held the Giants offense to no points in Baltimore's Super Bowl victory.

It was considered a plus, too, that both Lewis and Fox were with Pittsburgh when Donahoe served as the Steelers' director of football operations.

Lewis' agent, Ray Anderson, was dismayed by the Bills' decision.

"We just are disappointed in the process and the lack of any consistent dialogue or communication during the process," Anderson said, adding that Donahoe informed Lewis of his decision about 1:15 p.m.

Anderson said that the Ravens approached Lewis, offering him a pay raise as a reward for helping the team win the Super Bowl. Anderson said Art Modell's offer did not include any monetary figure and did not sway Lewis from pursuing the Bills' job.

Lewis completed the second year of a three-year deal that paid him about $900,000.

Ravens Pro Bowl safety Rod Woodson was in some ways happy that Lewis didn't get the job. "He's the best defensive coordinator in the game right now," Woodson said. "It may be selfishness on our part, but to keep him on our side, I think is a big plus."