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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Julius Peppers no longer wants a long-term contract with Carolina, saying the Panthers have ignored him this offseason.
In a radio interview aired Tuesday, the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end indicated he's irritated by the team's “silence” and has changed his stance on whether he wants to continue his career in Carolina.
“Last year, at the time, that was the option that I wanted most,” Peppers said. “Now it's not.”
While agent Carl Carey said last week he believes the Panthers aren't interested in retaining Peppers, Carolina's career sacks leader, team officials haven't announced their plans for the impending free agent. General Manager Marty Hurney didn't immediately return a phone message Tuesday.
“How can you say you want to be somewhere when you're not really sure if they want you there because they're not even talking to you?” Peppers said.
It's another twist in a long-running saga between the two sides.
After Peppers was held to a career-low 212 sacks in 2007, the Panthers still offered to make him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player at more than $16 million for 2010. Peppers on Tuesday provided conflicting reasons on why he rejected the contract.
“That deal was to make me the highest-paid defensive player, but slightly, very slightly,” Peppers said. “I didn't really feel the sincerity behind that deal.”
Casinos cash in on Super Bowl upset
LAS VEGAS — Gambling regulators have said that Nevada casinos won almost $6.9 million on this year's Super Bowl as bettors wagered $82.7 million on the NFL title game.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board said Tuesday that the win was $179,000 more than sports books won last year, on $1.21 million more in bets.
The underdog New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17.
Nevada's biggest Super Bowl win in the last 10 years was in 2005, when the New England Patriots topped the Philadelphia Eagles and casinos won $15.4 million.
Nevada casinos lost almost $2.6 million in 2008, when the New York Giants beat the favored Patriots.
Rams' Jackson won't face charges
LAS VEGAS — St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson won't face criminal charges over allegations that he beat his girlfriend who was nine months pregnant with the couple's child at his Las Vegas home last year, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Investigators found insufficient evidence that Jackson, 26, attacked Supriya Harris of Mableton, Ga., in March 2009, Las Vegas police officer Barbara Morgan said.
Harris, 29, filed a complaint Jan. 27 with authorities in LaPlace, La., alleging that the two-time Pro Bowl running back repeatedly pushed her to the ground and “flung” her against a door before his nephew intervened.
Copies of the report were posted online by CBS Sports and the celebrity Web site TMZ. In it, Harris said she was treated at a hospital for a cut on her hip from hitting a door handle. Harris told police that Jackson later urged her to say she was injured during a fall in the shower.
Seahawk tackle ponders retirement
RENTON, Wash. — New Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates says quarterback Matt Hasselbeck “has been incredible” learning his new system. He says running backs Julius Jones and Justin Forsett will fit Seattle's new offense well.
Yet Bates won't discuss Walter Jones' status for 2010.
Bates said left tackle is important but that he “won't get involved with what route we're going” at Jones' position. The 36-year-old Jones posted on his Twitter page last weekend that “it is time for me to retire from football.”
Seahawks executives have traded messages this week with the six-time All-Pro, but they have yet to reconfirm what Jones' plans are for 2010.
Arizona shuffles assistant coaches
TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Arizona coach Mike Stoops has hired Frank Scelfo to coach quarterbacks and promoted assistants Bill Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell to co-offensive coordinators.
The 51-year-old Scelfo comes to Tucson from Louisiana Tech, where he has been offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past three years.
Bedenbaugh joined the Wildcats' staff in 2007 as offensive line coach and running game coordinator. Littrell spent last season coaching running backs and tight ends. They replace Sonny Dykes, who left to take the head coaching job at Louisiana Tech.
Ex-Vols QB Martin to coach at Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former University of Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin has been hired by Kentucky as wide receivers coach.
Wildcats coach Joker Phillips announced the hiring Tuesday.
Martin led the Volunteers to their last national championship in 1998. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1999 and spent six seasons playing in the NFL, NFL Europe and CFL.
He spent last season with the University of New Mexico, where he was quarterbacks coach.
Stanford hires three assistants
STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford has hired former NFL assistant Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator.
Coach Jim Harbaugh also announced Tuesday that Brian Polian will take over as special teams coordinator, and Randy Hart is the new defensive line coach.
Fangio spent the previous 24 seasons in the NFL. He most recently was linebackers coach under Harbaugh's brother, John, in Baltimore.
Co-defensive coordinator Andy Buh left last month for Nevada.
Polian is the son of Colts President Bill Polian. He coached special teams the past five years for Notre Dame.
— The Associated Press
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