TAMPA, Fla. — Warren Moon, who retired Thursday at a Super Bowl press conference, went to his final of nine Pro Bowls in 1997. Moon's offensive coordinator that season in Seattle was Bob Bratkowski, hired Wednesday to replace Ken Anderson as the Bengals' offensive coordinator.

        Moon, whose '97 Seahawks led the NFL in passing, thinks Bratkowski can make a difference with the Bengals' struggling franchise quarterback, Akili Smith.

        “I like Bob. I like his passing-game mind,” Moon said. “The thing I liked most was he let me be involved in the game plan. He took ideas from me. I looked at what I thought was successful and the things that I did best, and that's what he let his quarterback do. A lot of people don't. A lot of people try to shove a system down your throat even though it might not be best suited for your talents. Bob let me do the things I did best. And that's why I had success, and hopefully he'll do that with Akili Smith.”

        Bratkowski also has a calm personality and isn't prone to yelling, Moon said.

        “I think Akili will be very relaxed around (Bratkowski),” he said.

        Smith and Moon have the same agent, Leigh Steinberg, and Moon has talked to Smith and plans to counsel him more.

        “He's a guy I'm looking at,” Moon said. “I want to talk to him again pretty soon. I talked to Coach (Dick) LeBeau and I told him I want to talk to (Akili).”

        Steinberg, who attended Moon's press conference, said Smith needs better quarterback coaching.

        “Look, if ... Akili Smith ... had been drafted by Minnesota, and Daunte Culpepper had been drafted by Cincinnati, maybe Akili Smith's in the Pro Bowl,” Steinberg said.

        DILLON UPDATE: Steinberg also represents Corey Dillon, the Bengals running back who becomes a free agent March 2.

        “I'm overdue on putting a call in to (the Bengals), which we'll do soon,” Steinberg said. “If they choose to have discussions prior to (March 2), that's fine. We're in a good listen ing mode. And other than that, free agency will start March 2.”

        Will Bratkowski's hire help the Bengals' chances of re-signing Dillon?

        “Anything that improves Cincinnati will encourage Corey,” Steinberg said.

SULLIVAN: LeBeau wants varied, unpredictable offense Moon says Bratkowski is good fit for Akili Siragusa said 'See ya, suckers' to Bengals Bengals sign Jackson to 2-year contract

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