A news conference is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday. Banner and Lurie are lifelong friends and had worked together since Lurie bought them team in 1994. He will become a strategic adviser to Lurie. According to the Inquirer, chief operating officer Don Smolenski will replace Banner as president and run the day-to-day operations. General manager Howie Roseman will assume all of Banner's responsibilities in managing the team's salary cap and contract negotiations. The 59-year-old Banner said his plans included getting "involved with the world of buying and selling a sports team with the possibility of becoming part of a group that buys a team."