MILWAUKEE (AP) - The Green Bay Packers and Mike McCarthy were nearing a deal to make him their next head coach Wednesday night, a person involved in the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet complete, expected the team to finalize an agreement with the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator on Thursday.

McCarthy was the Packers' quarterbacks coach in 1999, working with Brett Favre when the team went 8-8 under Ray Rhodes.

McCarthy, 42, was the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator from 2000-04 before going to San Francisco. The 49ers finished 4-12 this pasts season.

General manager Ted Thompson fired Mike Sherman Jan. 2 after the Packers' 4-12 season, the team's worst in 15 years.

Thompson also interviewed Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Sean Payton, San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.

Jim Bates, the Packers' current defensive coordinator, spent about four hours interviewing with Thompson on Monday, and said he came away with the impression he was a serious candidate.

But Wednesday night, he told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that Thompson informed him he was out of the running. Bates was not available when The Associated Press called his office for comment.

Earlier, Bates said the Packers aren't that far from becoming a playoff contender again.

``Teams can climb back from the bottom to the top in a year, two years,'' Bates said Wednesday in a telephone interview from Green Bay. ``We can be back there in a hurry. I'm not saying one year or two years, but it won't take long.''

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Associated Press Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.