NFL notes: Jeff Ireland out after 6 years as Dolphins GM

Jeff Ireland is out after six seasons as general manager of the Miami Dolphins, who failed to reach the playoffs the past five years.

In a brief announcement Tuesday, Ireland and owner Stephen Ross said they mutually agreed to part ways. Ireland had been unpopular with fans for several years, and a late-season collapse by the team last month left his job in jeopardy.

The Dolphins, who finished 8-8, said they would conduct an immediate search for a replacement to lead football operations.

Still to be determined is Ireland's role in a locker-room bullying scandal that drew national scrutiny. The NFL has yet to release a report on its investigation into the case.

Ireland's departure follows Monday's firing of offensive coordinator Mike Sherman. Coach Joe Philbin will return for a third season, but other changes in his staff are possible.

The Dolphins would have made the playoffs if they had won one of their final two games against the Bills and Jets. Instead, they were beaten by a combined score of 39-7.

NFL sued over cost of Bowl tickets

A New Jersey man has sued the National Football League, accusing it of pricing average football fans out of the Super Bowl.

Josh Finkelman, of New Brunswick, says the NFL only made 1 percent of all tickets available to the public for purchase at face value. He says that means most fans must buy their tickets on the secondary market, where they can command thousands of dollars.

Finkelman's lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court in Newark. It claims the NFL is violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

Lawyer Bruce Nagel says the lawsuit is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

The NFL says it is reviewing the suit. It notes that three-quarters of the game's tickets are given to teams, which sell them at face value to fans who win lotteries.

Around the league

Patriots • A person familiar with Rob Gronkowski's knee injury tells The Associated Press the tight end will have surgery Thursday. Gronkowski missed the first six games of the season following offseason operations on his back and left forearm. In his seventh game back, he tore the ACL and MCL on his right knee.

Texans • Houston fired 16 assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, following the recent hiring of coach Bill O'Brien. The firings have taken place over the last few days. Defensive line coach Bill Kollar was the only assistant to keep his job.

Titans • Tennessee kicked off its search for a new head coach by interviewing Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

Browns • A person familiar with the matter says Cleveland will interview Green Bay quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo about its head coaching job.

Saints • Coach Sean Payton said outside linebacker Parys Haralson has a torn pectoral muscle and has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season. Haralson started eight games. —

NFL playoffs

Saturday

• New Orleans at Seattle, 2:35 p.m., Ch. 13

• Indianapolis at New England, 6:15 p.m., Ch. 2

Sunday

• San Francisco at Carolina, 11:05 a.m., Ch. 13

• San Diego at Denver,2:40 p.m., Ch. 2