TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Dungy, Irsay Meeting; Announcement Pending

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS – Logic says Tony Dungy will announce his retirement as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts at a 4:30 p.m. news conference today, retreating to his adopted hometown of Tampa for life as a full-time family man and catalyst for his church-related causes.

But our version of logic might not be in play today.

The team scheduled the news conference after Dungy met with Colts owner Jim Irsay this morning at the team's practice facility.

Although no one knows for sure – and guesswork is certainly in play – Dungy appears to be leaning toward staying one more season at Indianapolis.

Even though Dungy's son, Eric, has enrolled at Plant High School, a staying-in-Indy decision would seem to run counter to the coach's family-first approach. Or maybe not. Continuing as coach would definitely mean the decision has the blessing of his wife, Lauren, who would manage the family life in Tampa.

Why else might Dungy stay as coach?

* The Colts will open a new facility, Lucas Oil Stadium, for the 2008 season and it's an important strategic moment for the franchise's future.

* The platform. Dungy gets enormous exposure as an NFL head coach, not only for his football philosophies, but his opinions on all sorts of non-sports issues.

* Unfinished business. He's under contact with the Colts through the 2009 season. It means something to Dungy that the Colts took him in, almost immediately after he was fired by the Bucs in 2002.

Before today, it would have appeared Dungy was returning to Tampa. The Colts already have named his successor, assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell, who will take over either sooner or later.

Now? That remains to be seen.

Stay tuned for word from Dungy's news conference, which now figures to happen mid-afternoon or perhaps late afternoon.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT