Smith promoted to Chargers GM

By BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) A.J. Smith was promoted to general manager of the San Diego Chargers on Tuesday, 11 days after predecessor John Butler died of cancer.

``John Butler and I talked shortly after he was diagnosed,'' team president Dean Spanos said. ``We both agreed that if John couldn't be here, his successor was already in place. A.J. is the perfect man for the job.''

Smith was to be introduced at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. He was Butler's right-hand man with the Chargers and the Buffalo Bills; they worked together for 21 seasons, with three organizations.

Butler, 56, died of lymphoma on April 11. He was originally diagnosed with lung cancer in July.

A few hours after Butler died, Spanos announced that the 54-year-old Smith would run the Chargers' draft this weekend.

Spanos said last week that he would move quickly to announce Butler's successor but wanted to hold off for a few days out of respect for Butler, who was buried Wednesday in Sidney, Ill.

Butler, considered one of the NFL's best talent evaluators, helped build Buffalo's Super Bowl teams of the 1990s. After his eight-year run as GM ended in a money dispute with owner Ralph Wilson in December 2000, he took over a Chargers team that had just gone 1-15. Under Butler, the Chargers went 5-11 and 8-8.

Butler brought Smith with him from the Bills as assistant GM and director of pro personnel.

After Butler was diagnosed with cancer, Smith was given more college scouting duties.

Smith and Butler were together with the Chicago Blitz of the USFL in the early 1980s, the Chargers in the late 1980s and then spent 14 seasons together in the Bills' front office. Butler became Buffalo's GM in 1993.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)