NFL

Seahawks newly hired head coach Pete Carroll announced on Tuesday that he plans to stick with Matt Hasselbeck as his starting quarterback. “I know that we have a first-class guy in Matt and I can’t wait to get working with him,” added Carroll, who emphasized that Hasselbeck is fully healthy after battling a shoulder injury late in the season.

With the Seattle Seahawks expected to target quarterback and left tackle with their two first-round picks, it makes sense to have Hasselbeck around for one more season to groom his successor. Expect the Seahawks to be very active on draft day as Carroll will attempt to draft college players that he covets.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

Houston: Former Broncos OL coach Rick Dennison has accepted the Texans’ offensive coordinator position. Gary Kubiak’s best friend has big shoes to fill after Kyle Shanahan’s offense set team records in points and total yards. An assistant with the Broncos for 15 years, Dennison was a constant in Denver’s strong running game. He’s expected to improve the Houston Texans’ struggling ground attack while having some influence on play-calling. Since Dennison has little experience with the passing game, Kubiak could resume a hands-on role in that capacity.

Arizona: Though he was held out of Cardinals practice Tuesday, Anquan Boldin (knee, ankle) is “definitely” optimistic that he will play at New Orleans Saturday. Even though backup Steve Breston played well, having Boldin for the remainder of the playoffs is key as the Arizona Cardinals could face several high-powered offenses.

Cleveland: Browns president Mike Holmgren indicated that Brady Quinn’s foot specialist has recommended against surgery to repair the Lisfranc injury on his left foot. Quinn will be re-examined by the Cleveland Browns’ medical staff again next week, but Holmgren is confident that surgery will not be required. Quinn would have missed “a number of months” if surgery was advised, but he’s now expected to resume football activity within 6-12 weeks. Quinn should be ready for OTA’s and is inline to win the starting QB spot on Cleveland.

Buffalo: The Bills have requested and received permission to interview Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for their head-coaching job. Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, has a close relationship with new Bills GM Buddy Nix from their time together in San Diego. Jets coach Rex Ryan is already talking as if Schottenheimer will be gone after the playoffs. It’s not clear when the interview will take place, as Schottenheimer is preparing for the Chargers this week.

Jacksonville: SI’s Peter King reports that Jack Del Rio is “officially” staying on as Jaguars head coach. The Jaguars have confirmed the report. While the sides appeared headed toward a divorce, the $15M guaranteed to Del Rio was enough to keep him on board for another year.