KANSAS CITY http://www.broncoscheapauthenticstore.com/dre_mont-jones-jersey-cheap , Mo. (AP) — Gunther Cunningham’s life would have been vastly different had his family not emigrated from postwar Germany, settling in California when he was a young boy.For one thing, he almost certainly never would have dedicated his life to football.Yet Cunningham would go on to spend more than five decades in the game, including coaching stints in college and the CFL before making a name for himself in the NFL. He worked for six different franchises over 34 years in the league, including a two-year stint as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.Cunningham died on Saturday after a brief illness. He was 72.His wife, Rene, said in a statement Monday that Cunningham died in Detroit, where he had served as defensive coordinator and a senior coaching assistant for the Lions before retiring in 2016.“My family and I are deeply saddened to hear the news of Gunther’s passing,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said in a statement. “He led some of the most feared defenses in our franchise’s history with his energetic and motivating coaching style. Gunther made a tremendous impact on so many lives on and off the playing field in nearly five decades of coaching.”The Lions said in a statement that Cunningham will “forever be remembered as one of the great men in our game. He left a lasting impact on every person who was fortunate enough to work with him.”Cunningham’s father, Garner, was an American serving in the Air Force in Germany when he met his German wife, Katherina. Their precocious boy was born in Munich in 1946, and the family soon moved to the U.S. and settled in California http://www.eaglescheapauthenticstore.com/shareef-miller-jersey-cheap , where Cunningham — who spoke no English — was ridiculed like many post-World War II immigrants for both his accent and ancestry.It was on the football field where he found his voice.Cunningham became a star linebacker for his high school team in Lompoc, and earned a scholarship to play at Oregon. His aptitude for the game made him a natural coach, and Cunningham got his start as the Ducks’ defensive line coach from 1969-71.He later coached at Arkansas, Stanford and California before a stint with Hamilton in the CFL. He then followed Frank Kush to the Baltimore Colts, where he got his first NFL coaching job.Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted that Cunningham was “one of the finest men in our business.”Cunningham eventually became one of the most aggressive and successful defensive coaches in the league, burnishing his reputation with the Chargers and Raiders before landing in Kansas City. He was an integral part of Marty Schottenheimer’s best teams as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, and was promoted to head coach when Schottenheimer resigned after the 1998 season.He went 9-7 in his first year and 7-9 in his second, and his only head coaching stint ended on a sour note. Cunningham claimed he was never told by management that he’d been fired, learning it instead from reporters when he arrived to work in the morning.Cunningham spent some time with the Titans before Dick Vermeil lured him back to the Chiefs as his defensive coordinator. He spent the rest of his career with the Lions.“I had the honor to coach with him & against him,” tweeted longtime coach Jeff Fisher, who had Cunningham on his staff in Tennessee. “You’ll never meet another man with such a passion for people, family and football. We will miss him deeply.”Cunningham was known for his fiery demeanor and colorful vocabulary — yes, he picked up English Zach Brown Jersey , but his players would joke that he also knew plenty of French. Even in his final years on the sideline in Detroit, it wasn’t uncommon to see Cunningham drop-kicking a clipboard in frustration.But he also was the consummate players’ coach, putting their best interests first.“So sad to hear of the passing of one of the best coaches in the game,” said Rich Gannon, who was quarterback in Kansas City during the late 1990s. “I went against him and his defense in practice every day for four years with the Kansas City Chiefs and it definitely made me a better player.”Cunningham is survived by Rene, his wife of nearly 50 years, and their son Adam and daughter Natalie. The family is planning a memorial service at a later date. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are searching for a new coach for the fifth time in 10 years. History says they’ll set their sights on a big name, but not necessarily land their first or even second choice.General manager Jason Licht said Monday he’s just “grateful” to have an opportunity to lead the effort to replace Dirk Koetter, who was fired after going 19-29 with no playoff appearances over three seasons.“Ultimately, the results and wins just weren’t there,” Licht said. “Collectively, everyone in the organization has fallen short of expectations of what we thought we could do.”The move to dismiss Koetter was not a surprise.After going 9-7 in his first season after being promoted from offensive coordinator in January 2016 Devin Bush Jersey , Koetter followed with consecutive 5-11 finishes that extended Tampa Bay’s playoff drought to 11 years.What’s more puzzling is how Licht retained his job despite a spotty track record in the draft and free agency. The Bucs are 27-53 since he took over as GM in 2014.“Right now, I’m just grateful to be here,” Licht said, without elaborating on why he deserved to stay while Koetter was let go after constructing an offense that ranked among the best in the NFL statistically, including No. 1 in passing yards.Instead, the GM reiterated he is committed to finding the right coach to lead a talented young team moving forward.“It’s been disappointing for the entire organization, but we are determined to get back on track,” Licht said.The GM also made it clear that Koetter’s replacement will inherit Jameis Winston as his quarterback. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 draft is due to earn $20.92 million next season in the final year of the contract he signed as a rookie.“He has done some amazing things for a young 24, turns 25 in a week, quarterback that’s accomplished more than most of the elite quarterbacks did at his age,” the GM said. “There’s a lot to like about Jameis; Jameis will be here next year.”The Glazer family that owns the team rarely grants interviews and is especially tight-lipped during coaching searches.Early speculation about Tampa Bay’s latest opening centers around someone with a proven track record such as Jim or John Harbaugh if they become available, former Packers coach Mike McCarthy or maybe former Cardinals coach Bruce Arians, who worked with Licht while both were in Arizona.The next coach will be the fifth the Bucs have hired since Jon Gruden was fired after the 2008 season. Tampa Bay has not won a playoff game since its Super Bowl run under Gruden 16 years ago. Raheem Morris http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore.com/diontae-johnson-jersey-cheap , Greg Schiano, Lovie Smith and Koetter were not the solution.Licht, who will be assisted by a search firm, is focused on hiring the “right fit” as opposed to an offense- or defense-minded replacement.Asked if the search might include candidates who’d like control of personnel decisions that might ordinarily be handled by a GM, Licht said he’s a team player.“I’m not going to get in the way, and let an ego get in the way, of getting the right guy here,” the GM said. “My job right now is to get the best fit for the head football coach, period. Whatever has to be done has to be done.”