Haley Joining 49ers for Playoffs

Desperate to bolster their pass rush, the San Francisco 49ers plan to bring Charles Haley out of retirement and play him in Sunday’s playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.

Haley, a linebacker-defensive end, was scheduled to work out for the team today. Provided he works out well and passes a physical, he’ll be signed and put to work in time for the 49ers’ playoff showdown, a source told the Associated Press.

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The Carolina Panthers have focused their search for a new coach on former 49er coach George Seifert, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Neither Seifert nor Panther owner Jerry Richardson could be reached for comment, the newspaper reported.

At least one other team interested in Seifert, the Baltimore Ravens, dropped him from its list of prospective candidates Thursday, apparently because he’s working on a deal with the Panthers.

Seifert has been out of coaching the last two years. He won two Super Bowl championships and compiled the best winning percentage in NFL history--.755 with a record of 108-35--during seven seasons in San Francisco.

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Dom Capers, fired by the Panthers, is interested in the Chicago Bears’ vacancy.

“I have a detailed program that I think is proven and I know one thing: I’m a better coach now than I was four years ago,” Capers told the Chicago Tribune.

Capers was one of five coaches fired this week, a list that included the Bears’ Dave Wannstedt, who had only two winning seasons in six years and made the playoffs only once.