Colts coach Tony Dungy decides to retire

INDIANAPOLIS — Tony Dungy always considered football just a career path.

Not his life's mission.

On Monday, Dungy began the transition from head coach to full-time dad and devoted volunteer by announcing his retirement after seven years leading the Indianapolis Colts.

"We just felt this was the right time," Dungy said. "Don't shed any tears for me. I got to live a dream most people don't get to live."

The move triggered a succession plan Indianapolis put in place a year ago, making Jim Caldwell, the associate head coach, Dungy's replacement.

But the culmination of a 31-year NFL career, which started with Dungy winning a Super Bowl ring as a player in Pittsburgh and ended two years after he became the first black coach to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, brought out some rare emotional moments from the usually stoic Dungy.

"My wife, Lauren, told me to bring some Kleenex. I thought I would make it a little farther than the first sentence," Dungy said, his voice cracking.

He told owner Jim Irsay of his decision Sunday.

"And we spent about 2 ½ hours crying," Dungy said. "But I had a real peace about it."

The 53-year-old Dungy informed his staff of the decision Monday morning, then met with some players after the traditional one-week waiting period ended. Dungy and his wife spent the last five years discussing whether he should continue coaching.

Receivers coach Clyde Christensen, who served as Dungy's assistant the last 13 years, said he was 95 percent certain Dungy would return as recently as Friday. Others, like safety Melvin Bullitt, were still hopeful Monday afternoon that Dungy would change his mind.

Unlike the previous four years, when Dungy ultimately decided to continue coaching, he decided it was time to stay home and work in the community.

Perhaps for good.

"I think I've got a responsibility to be home a little bit more, be available to my family a little bit more and do some things to help make our country better," Dungy said. "I don't know what that is right now, but we'll see."

Notes

• Josh McDaniels, 32, signed a four-year deal believed to be worth about $8 million as coach of the Denver Broncos. The former New England offensive coordinator replaces Mike Shanahan, the only NFL head coach to get fired by a team he led to consecutive Super Bowl wins.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen thought enough of McDaniels to bypass defensive sages Steve Spagnuolo of the Giants, Raheem Morris of the Buccaneers and Leslie Frazier of the Vikings even though Denver's defense allowed more points and had fewer takeaways than any team in the NFL last season.

Also, 49-year-old Mike Nolan, the former San Francisco 49ers coach who was a member of Dan Reeves' defensive staff in Denver from 1987 to 1992, has agreed to become the team's defensive coordinator.

• Denver offensive coordinator Rick Dennison interviewed with the 49ers to run their offense.

• Tennessee rookie running back Chris Johnson wore a walking boot on his injured right foot and was scheduled for an MRI exam after a high ankle sprain knocked him out of the Titans' playoff loss to Baltimore.

All-Pro center Kevin Mawae, a former Seahawk, needs surgery on a partially torn triceps tendon in his right arm and will miss the Pro Bowl as a result.

• Dallas linebacker Anthony Spencer was arrested over the weekend after a disturbance outside a downtown Indianapolis nightclub. Spencer was arrested on preliminary charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

• Detroit put Jim Schwartz, Titans defensive coordinator, behind a podium to answer questions from reporters as part of his second interview for head coach.

• Jacksonville promoted Gene Smith to general manager, one of four changes meant to clarify responsibilities in the franchise's personnel department.

• New Orleans Saints promoted Pete Carmichael Jr. to offensive coordinator and also hired former Northwestern assistant Bret Ingalls as the team's running backs coach.