Jason Veritek will continue calling the shots behind the dish for Red Sox

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox wrapped up their offseason bargain hunting Friday by reaching a preliminary agreement with catcher and captain Jason Varitek that pays him half as much in 2009 as he made last season.

Varitek heads into his 13th major league season, all with the Red Sox, with a guaranteed $5 million for 2009 and a player option of $3 million or a team option of $5 million for 2010, two people familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet final.

That's quite a drop from the four-year, $40 million deal that ended after last season and less than he would have made had he accepted the team's offer of arbitration in early December.

The Red Sox handed out cheaper, one-year deals to pitchers John Smoltz ($5.5 million) and Brad Penny ($5 million) and outfielder Rocco Baldelli ($500,000). They also signed catcher Josh Bard, who made $2.2 million with San Diego last season, and reliever Takashi Saito, who was paid $2 million by the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

Varitek came relatively cheap, in part because there was no great demand for his services after the worst offensive season of his career. If he plays under the player option, he could earn an additional $2 million in 2010 based on games started: $400,000 each for 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 games.

Widely praised throughout his career by Boston's pitchers for his skill in handling them, opposing hurlers usually fared well when Varitek came to the plate last year. The switch-hitter, who turns 37 on April 11, hit. 220 with 13 homers and 43 RBI in 131 games. For his career, he is batting .263 with 161 homers and 654 RBI in 1,330 games

Varitek also struggled trying to throw out base-stealers. They had an 81.2 percent success rate against him last season, worse than 19 other major league catchers.

With pitchers and catchers due to report to spring training Feb. 12, the Red Sox set a deadline of Friday for Varitek to accept or reject their offer. Their only catcher with considerable major league experience was Bard, and there was a chance they'd have to keep George Kottaras or Dusty Brown, who split time at Triple-A Pawtucket last year, as their No. 2 catcher.

Varitek, an All-Star in 2003 and 2005, had declined the Red Sox offer to go to arbitration, which would have resulted in a non-guaranteed one-year contract if no agreement was reached before a hearing. The team decreased his desirability to other clubs because the offer of arbitration requires a club to give up a first-round draft choice if it signed Varitek.

Varitek is the Red Sox career leader in games at catcher with 1,273. Carlton Fisk, who also played with the Chicago White Sox, is second with 990 games with Boston. Varitek was obtained on July 31, 1997, in one of the most lopsided trades in Red Sox history -- they also picked up pitcher Derek Lowe from the Seattle Mariners for reliever Heathcliff Slocumb.

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Antonio Margarito suspending while tests come back

Former welterweight titleholder Antonio Margarito and his trainer, Javier Capetillo, had their licenses temporarily suspended by the California State Athletic Commission on Wednesday pending the outcome of an investigation into the "plaster-like substance" found on Margarito's hand wraps before his fight last Saturday night against Shane Mosley.

About a half hour before the fight, which Mosley won by dominant ninth-round TKO to regain the welterweight championship, his trainer, Naazim Richardson, objected to the way Margarito's hands were wrapped.

When the wraps were cut off to be rewrapped, officials found what was deemed a "plaster-like substance" in the wraps. Two pieces of gauze, one in each glove, allegedly had the substance on them.

"From what I know, there was a plaster of Paris-like substance in Margarito's wraps and the commission has these wraps under seal and is investigating what kind of substance it is," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who promotes Mosley, told ESPN.com. "I'm happy to see the commission realized how serious the issue is and is acting swiftly. We'll see what the outcome will be of the situation."

Past opponents of Margarito are watching the outcome of the commission investigation with interest. Attorney Pat English, who represents former Kermit Cintron promoter Main Events and Vinny Scolpino, the manager of Joshua Clottey, sent a letter to the commission on Tuesday to alert the panel of their interest.

"We have seen many allegations in this sport and will form no conclusions until the wraps are tested," English wrote. "However, if they test positive for an illegal substance a logical question will be whether the illegal substance was used in other bouts, and we will ask the commissions of the other states where Margarito fought to make appropriate inquiries."

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Michael Redd's season ends with torn ACL/MCL and so goes the Bucks

MILWAUKEE -- Just when that silky smooth jumper of his was starting to fall just the way Michael Redd likes it, the Olympian's injury-plagued season came to an abrupt and frustrating end. The Milwaukee Bucks' leading scorer will miss the rest of the year with torn ligaments in his left knee.

"I'm deeply disappointed but everything in life happens for a reason and this is God's plan for me," Redd said in a statement issued by the team. "I have faith in my teammates and coaches to continue to work together to make our fans proud. I will be supporting them wholeheartedly from the sidelines and working equally hard to return to the court in the best condition possible for next season."

Redd was just starting to look like the player who helped Team USA reclaim the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics last summer. Having shaken the rust off from that long layoff in November, Redd was averaging 25.0 points per game in January and shooting better than 51 percent from the field. He had 27 points, including five 3-pointers, in a 133-99 dismantling of Dallas on Wednesday night.

But in the third quarter of Saturday night's victory over Sacramento, Redd landed awkwardly on teammate Luke Ridnour's foot after missing a shot near the basket. Redd had an MRI exam on Sunday that revealed the extent of the injury. A surgery date has not been scheduled.

Redd leads the team with 21.2 points per game and is fifth on the franchise career scoring list. The Bucks went 5-9 without him in November, with Charlie Bell filling in at shooting guard. Bell hasn't played since Jan. 19 because of a gimpy ankle.

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Herm Edwards gets the boot in KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Herm Edwards, the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs during the worst two-year span in team history, was fired Friday.

Edwards goes out with a three-year regular-season record of 15-33 and with one year remaining on a four-year, $12 million contract. As head coach of the New York Jets in 2001-05, he had a regular-season mark of 39-41 and was 2-3 in the playoffs.

Edwards had been waiting to learn his fate since president and general manager Carl Peterson abruptly resigned on Dec. 15. When Scott Pioli was introduced as Peterson's successor on Jan. 13, he was noncommittal and said only that he intended to speak with Edwards.

"This was not an easy decision. Herm is an outstanding football coach and a man of integrity. We appreciate his leadership over the past three seasons, and we wish him all the best in the future," Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said in a written statement.

Pioli said he has had several conversations with Edwards over the last week."After careful consideration, Clark and I felt that it was best to make a change," Pioli said.

Edwards expressed his gratitude to the Hunt family and said he respected "the tough decision that was made to move in a new direction." "There is not a more gracious family in all of professional sports than the Hunts," Edwards said in a statement released by the team. "To the players and coaches who worked so hard for our team, I appreciate their efforts."

Following a 10-year career as an NFL cornerback, Edwards' first experience with Kansas City came as a training camp assistant in 1989. Seventeen years later, he had the distinction of being the first man to become head coach of the team that brought him into the NFL through the league's minority coaching fellowship program.

Edwards' most costly mistake may have been overlooking Brodie Croyle's history of injuries and designating him as the foundation quarterback. A third-round pick out of Alabama in 2006, Croyle could never stay healthy and was 0-8 as a starter when he went down for the season with a knee injury.

Edwards' first year in Kansas City was a success. The Chiefs went 9-7 and captured the last wild-card playoff spot. He became only the fifth man to take two different teams to the postseason in his first year as head coach; the Jets went to the playoffs three times in his five seasons there.

He wanted to begin dismantling an aging team and start rebuilding in 2007. But he ran into opposition from a front office that felt there was enough left for another playoff run. After an encouraging 4-3 start, age and ineffectiveness at several key positions created problems and Kansas City ended 2007 on a nine-game losing streak.

With Hunt's blessing, Edwards finally launched his youth movement in 2008 and opened the season at New England with the youngest squad in the league.

He knew it was going to be a difficult chore because of all the youth. But he did not foresee an injury epidemic that robbed him of his two top quarterbacks, made a shambles of the linebacker corps and weakened the defensive line, offensive line and secondary.

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Rex Ryan becomes the new face in a BIG city

NEW YORK -- The New York Jets are confident Rex Ryan was worth the wait. The Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator was hired Monday as New York's coach, three weeks after the Jets fired Eric Mangini following a late-season collapse.

"We got the right man for the job," owner Woody Johnson said in a statement.

It became apparent the 46-year-old Ryan was at the top of the Jets' list of candidates when several other teams filled their coaching vacancies and New York's remained open. The Jets needed Baltimore's season to end -- which happened Sunday with a 23-14 loss at Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game -- before offering him the job.

Ryan, the son of former NFL coach Buddy Ryan, will be formally introduced at a news conference Wednesday at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, N.J.

"It's been a dream of mine to become a head coach in the NFL," Ryan said in a statement. "Coming here to the New York Jets, where my father once coached and was part of the Super Bowl III staff, is fantastic. I look around at the facilities and the people they have in place and see a first-class organization. I'm just proud to be part of it."

The Jets announced the hiring, but released no other details. The contract is for four years, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity earlier Monday because the deal had not yet been announced.

The deal was finalized Monday afternoon after Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum flew down to Baltimore in the morning to iron out the details, Jets spokesman Bruce Speight said.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Rex has the expertise and instincts to build on the foundation that we have in place and take this franchise to the ranks of the NFL's elite," Johnson said.

Ryan takes over a team that started 8-3, but missed the playoffs with quarterback Brett Favre after losing four of its last five games.

"I'm very much looking forward to meeting Coach Ryan," wide receiver Chansi Stuckey said in an e-mail to the Associated Press. "His reputation precedes him by the success that Baltimore has had, and I'm very excited to get started."

The Ravens' defensive coordinator the last four seasons is the twin brother of Cleveland defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. His Baltimore defense helped the Ravens to the AFC championship game and has been ranked in the top six in total yardage allowed the last four seasons under Ryan, including second overall this season while leading the NFL with 34 takeaways.

"I think it's a gain for them and a loss for us, but it's well-deserved," Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said. "It was a long time coming."

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Steve Spagnola gets out of dodge before the Giants demise

ST. LOUIS -- At the start of the St. Louis Rams' coaching search, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was not really on the list.

General manager Billy Devaney assumed New York would be back in the Super Bowl and didn't think he could afford to wait for Spagnuolo.

"I'm such a great predictor of football games," Devaney said Monday. "As soon as they were eliminated it was like, 'Wow, let's start this process."'

Devaney's long-term friendship with Spagnuolo helped speed things from there. Their close relationship was evident at the introductory news conference Monday, with coach and GM, both about 5-foot-7, exchanging height-challenged related digs while adjusting the microphone level.

Friendship aside, the 47-year-old Spagnuolo played an integral role in thwarting the New England Patriots' perfect season in last year's Super Bowl and had another successful year last season despite dealing with injuries to key personnel. He quickly won over ownership and agreed to a four-year contract worth just under $12 million Saturday.

"It was like, automatically, he's basically at the end at the head of the class and going to meet ownership," Devaney said. "There was a plan, there was a confidence, the leadership part came out."

The enthusiasm, too, as he headed into the task of rebuilding a franchise that was 2-14 last year and is 5-27 the last two seasons.

"He was excited about it," Devaney said. "All the hot-button topics that were raised, he embraced fully."

Spagnuolo left his interview Thursday in Los Angeles ready to start rebuilding the Rams.

"When it was all said and done, I had a good feeling," Spagnuolo said. "I was sold, as they were. When you feel the right fit, when you feel you're around the right people, and it's something that has been in your heart for a long time, that's the time to do it."

He stopped well short of a turnaround timetable, though, for a franchise that last went to the playoffs in 2003.

"I'm not going to go there," Spagnuolo said. "We're going to have to start at the beginning here, take it one step at a time, and build on it.

"It's not about predictions and bold promises; it's about building."

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Tampa Bay Bucs fire John Grunden and GM Bruce Allen

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen after the team collapsed following a 9-3 start and failed to make the playoffs.

Gruden, who helped lead the Buccaneers to a victory over the Oakland Raiders in the 2003 Super Bowl, was Tampa Bay's coach for seven years before being dismissed Friday. Allen was general manager for the last five seasons.

A source close to Gruden said the coach was "blindsided" but the move, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported.

The Buccaneers were tied for first place in the NFC South heading into December, but finished with losses to Carolina and Atlanta on the road and San Diego and Oakland at home, where they had been 6-0. One more win would have landed a NFC wild-card berth.

The 9-7 record this season left Tampa out of the playoffs for the fourth time in six years.

"We will be forever grateful to Jon for bringing us the Super Bowl title, and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise," Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement. "However after careful consideration, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward."

Gruden had been the head coach of the Buccaneers for seven seasons, coming from the Oakland Raiders. His overall record with Tampa Bay is 57-55, but 22-26 over the past three

seasons.

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Jim Schwartz named leader of the helpless 0-16 Detroit Lions

DETROIT -- Jim Schwartz faces the biggest challenge among the 32 NFL teams next season: turning around a team that didn't win a single game. Bring it on, says the Detroit Lions' new coach.

"There's no better feeling in football than turning a situation around. That's what drives me here," the 42-year-old former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator said during his introductory news conference Friday at Ford Field.

The Lions badly want the one-time Georgetown University economics major to come up with a formula to fix a franchise coming off an 0-16 season, an eight-season stretch that has been the worst in the league since World War II and a run of more than 50 years with only one playoff win.

While Detroit's football future is far from certain, Schwartz told reporters they can count on at least one thing.

"We'll put a team on the field that you'll be proud of," he said a day after agreeing to a four-year contract worth about $11 million.

The son of a police officer and one of nine kids, Schwartz said he was a blue-collar guy who will fit in well with the culture of Detroit.

"This is what I am," he said, joking that he was wearing one of the two suits he owns.
Friday's coming-out party for Schwartz was the culmination of years of hard work in the NFL.

He began as a scout in Cleveland, moving on as an assistant in Baltimore, then became one of the league's best defensive coordinators in Tennessee.

Schwartz singled out New England coach Bill Belichick and Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher as mentors. He replaces Rod Marinelli, who was fired two weeks ago after he went 10-38 in three seasons, dropping Detroit to 31-97 since 2001 when former team president Matt Millen took over a mediocre franchise and turned it into a laughingstock.

The Chicago Cardinals, who won just 23 percent of their games from 1936-43, are the last team to perform as poorly as Detroit has over an eight-season stretch.

Detroit will count on Schwartz to use his background to come up with ways to improve a defense that ranked last in the league and gave up 517 points -- threatening the NFL record for points allowed (533) in a season set by the 1981 Baltimore Colts.

Schwartz started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Maryland in 1989, later had the same position at Minnesota and went on to become a secondary coach for North Carolina Central and linebackers coach at Colgate.

The Baltimore native became a head coaching candidate because of his work in Tennessee, leading to interviews in previous years with Miami, Atlanta, Washington and San Francisco.

His 2003 defense ranked first in the NFL in rushing defense and led the league in third down defense at 27.7 percent -- the lowest since the 1998 Oakland Raiders. The Titans ranked in the top seven in yards allowed each of the past two seasons and finished second in points allowed per game at 14.6 in 2008.

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Sam Bradford and a few others decide to come back to Oklahoma

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford announced Wednesday that he will return to college for another season.

The Heisman Trophy winner's announcement came at the same time that two other key offensive teammates similarly announced they will be coming back. Tackle Trent Williams and tight end Jermaine Gresham will return. Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy announced he would return for next season earlier this week.

Bradford had been projected as a first-round draft choice and among the first quarterbacks selected in the draft. But the chance to return and lead Oklahoma to its first national championship since 2000 and direct the Sooners to an unprecedented fourth straight Big 12 title lured him back.

"After looking at all the information and the opportunities, I feel that it's in the best interest for me to come back," Bradford said.

"I've dreamed about playing at Oklahoma since I was little," Bradford said. "My three years here have been probably three of the best years of my life. ... I feel there's no need to cut this experience short."

Bradford led the nation with 50 touchdown passes and in pass efficiency. He ranked third with 4,720 passing yards. His 86 touchdown passes is by far the NCAA's record for players after two seasons.

The announcement came six days after the Sooners lost 24-14 to Florida in the FedEx BCS Championship Game in Miami. It was the Sooners' fifth straight BCS bowl game loss and third consecutive loss in a championship game.

"I did go back and forth several times and I really didn't put much thought into it before the national championship game," Bradford said. "So there's a lot to comprehend in a short period of time. But I feel like this is where my heart is and where I want to be."

Bradford's decision marks the fourth time in the past six seasons that a Heisman Trophy winner has elected to return for another college season after claiming college football's most prestigious individual honor.

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Mark Sanchez looks like he's headed to the NFL

Sources close to Mark Sanchez and USC tell ESPN's Chris Mortensen that the quarterback plans to announce Thursday that he will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Sanchez's father, Nick Sanchez, told ESPN's Shelley Smith on Wednesday his son is undecided.

"Mark is waiting for Coach [Pete] Carroll to return from Hawaii, which is tonight," Nick Sanchez told Smith. "Mark didn't want to do anything without Coach Carroll."

Nick Sanchez said his son will meet with Carroll either Wednesday night or early Thursday.

"Mark has gone both ways on this," Nick Sanchez said, "and he is still undecided."

There is a news conference planned for 10 a.m. PT at USC's Heritage Hall.

"None of us will know probably until the 10 o'clock press conference," Nick Sanchez said.

Sources tell Mortensen that family members have discouraged Sanchez from turning pro and that Carroll asked his quarterback to wait until Thursday's NFL deadline for underclassmen to allow for a change of heart.

If Sanchez submits his paperwork to the NFL on Thursday, as expected, he would have four days to change his mind, as long as he does not enter into an agreement with an agent.

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Dallas Cowboys discussing the release of Terrell Owens

Improving locker room chemistry will be the highest priority for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason and that will force serious discussions between Wade Phillips' coaching staff and owner Jerry Jones about whether to release controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, according to team and league sources.

"I think we all know that chemistry is the problem with this team more than the schemes or anything else," a Cowboys source said. "Are we going to continue to allow talent to outweigh everything else in the decisions we make with players and putting the roster together? We're like the Redskins used to be when they signed every player they wanted. There's more to it than talent. It has to be more about the team.

"The big one [Owens] didn't get discussed yet, but I'm sure it will and real hard."

The Cowboys released twice-suspended cornerback Pacman Jones last week and Tank Johnson is expected to depart through free agency. Both decisions are at least partly related to the renewed emphasis on creating a different atmosphere in the locker room. The Cowboys began their ill-fated 2008 season with three players on the roster who had been suspended by the league or their previous teams -- Jones, Johnson and Owens.

At least two sources believe that vice president Stephen Jones will attempt to convince his father that Owens should be finished with the Cowboys. But Jerry Jones just last year invested a $12 million signing bonus in Owens, which means there would be salary-cap fallout. In fact, Jerry Jones has suggested that there might be enough damage that the team would find it difficult to sign NFL sack leader DeMarcus Ware to a new contract.
"I think some of people want to just cut our losses and get rid of all those guys … T.O., Tank, Pacman,'' another Cowboys source said. "But I really think Jerry likes the thrill of trying to make it all work."

The discussions involving Owens have not yet been formally initiated and probably will not occur until the Cowboys are more certain of the composition of their coaching staff.

Not only does Owens have relationship issues with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten, but the controversial receiver consistently criticized Garrett's play calling and his offensive schemes to the point that sources say the offensive coordinator does not believe they can coexist.

Regardless, Owens could still be jettisoned. His detractors can argue their belief that Owens, 35, is a poor route runner with inconsistent hands and generally a descending player who seldom accepts responsibility for his own shortcomings. There is fear internally that he will become more volatile if his performance continues to deteriorate -- and that he may feel more empowered if he perceives that his presence forced Garrett to depart.

Of particular concern is the apparent negative influence Owens has had on teammates such as Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton and even running back Marion Barber.

"You have to be worried about his influence over there, and I think we'd get some of those players back over to our side if he was gone,'' another source said. "I think we have to decide how detrimental he is to Witten and Romo.''

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Scott Pioli joins the Kasas City Chiefs, could mean end for Edwards!

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Scott Pioli, who helped build and lead a dynasty in New England, is now in charge of a Kansas City franchise that hasn't won a playoff game in 14 years.

The 43-year-old Pioli will be introduced on Wednesday as Chiefs general manager, replacing Carl Peterson. Pioli was seen packing up his office Tuesday afternoon, a Patriots source told ESPN's Michael Smith.

"He will have complete charge of football operations," Ryan Petkoff, a spokesman for Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, told The Associated Press. "He will report only to Clark."

The decision to hire Pioli likely means Herm Edwards will not be back as Chiefs head coach next season. Among the top candidates to succeed Edwards is New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

A source close to the situation told ESPN.com's Bill Williamson that Edwards sent his assistant coaching staff home to await word on the future in light of the Pioli hiring news.

At this point, Pioli is expected to meet with coaches Thursday so a decision on Edwards and his staff's future could be made in the coming days.

He inherits a young team coming off a 2-14 season but is stepping into a situation that seems ripe for a quick turnaround.

The fan base is loyal, though restive, and the team will be playing next year in a virtually new stadium. Arrowhead, which opened in 1972 and is notorious for being loud and rough on visiting teams, is undergoing a $325 million renovation, which includes new luxury boxes, wider concourses and enhanced amenities in addition to new practice facilities, an enlarged indoor field and a brand new state-of-the-art headquarters building.

In addition, the Chiefs are about $32 million under the salary cap, extra money that will come in handy because they own the overall No. 3 pick in the draft. Besides that, there are a number of promising young players who Edwards was counting on as the foundation of his rebuilding project."We are very excited to welcome Scott to the Chiefs," Hunt said in a statement. "With his proven track record of success, Scott is the finest player personnel executive in the NFL, and we look forward to his leadership in building a championship organization."

Pioli's NFL career started when Belichick hired him as a pro personnel assistant for the Browns in 1992. Belichick then brought him to New England shortly after he became head coach of the Patriots.

Now Pioli takes charge of those same efforts to turn this Kansas City Cheifs team around like he did with New England.

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Atlanta Braves add savy veteran Lowe; but at what price?

The Atlanta Braves and pitcher Derek Lowe have reached preliminary agreement on a four-year, $60 million contract. The deal is pending a physical exam.

"You've got to have pitching," manager Bobby Cox said. "You could have the best hitting team in the history of baseball and you still may not get it done. We will feel confident now that whoever toes the mound on any particular night, we've got a good chance of winning."

With their late push for Lowe, the Braves succeeded in beating out the New York Mets, the other principal suitor for Lowe.

Lowe, 35, has a career 126-107 record in 12 seasons with Seattle, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's averaged 208 innings the past seven seasons, and consistently has one of the highest ground ball-to-fly ball ratios in the game.

Lowe joins Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens and Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami in a new-look Atlanta rotation.

"We wanted get back to being a pitching team," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "If we can do another couple of moves, we can get back to that point."

During the winter meetings, when it appeared that Lowe was looking for a five-year, $80 million deal, one Braves official said the club had "zero" interest in the pitcher.

Although the Mets had given indications they were willing to increase the money on their three-year, $36 million offer to Lowe, management was never comfortable with the idea of extending its offer to four years.

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Tony Dungy steps down as Colts coach

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 2½ 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, Lauren, spent the last five years discussing whether he should continue coaching.

Dungy made a remarkable impact around the league. In an era when there were few black head coaches, Dungy helped open the door to rising stars and a growing number of minority candidates. Among those from his Tampa Bay staff who have had head coaching jobs are Herm Edwards, now with Kansas City, Chicago's Lovie Smith, Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin and former Detroit coach Rod Marinelli.

Dungy also set league records for most consecutive playoff seasons (10) and consecutive 12-win seasons (six), and leaves with the highest average of regular-season victories of any coach in league history (10.7).

"People often say that teams reflect their head coach, and that can be said of Tony Dungy's teams, which are consistent winners every single year," New England coach Bill Belichick said. "Tony has been such a fixture in this league that his absence will take some getting used to."

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Tim Tebow announces he will return for senior season

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Young mastermind Josh McDaniels to coach Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos apparently have turned from "The Mastermind" to "The Wunderkid."

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has agreed to take over the Broncos, ESPN reported Sunday night. The network said the 32-year-old McDaniels will be introduced as Denver's new coach on Monday.

The Broncos did not respond to phone messages and e-mails from the Associated Press seeking comment.

McDaniels would replace Mike Shanahan, who was fired Dec. 30 after 14 seasons with three years and $21 million left on his contract. He's the only one of six NFL head coaches to ever get fired by the team for which he won back-to-back Super Bowls

The Broncos won it all in 1997 and '98 but have slipped into mediocrity, winning just one playoff game in the decade since John Elway retired.

McDaniels is a rising star who has spent his entire eight-year NFL coaching career in New England, where he worked his way up from personnel assistant in the scouting department to offensive coordinator for Bill Belichick.

Under his tutelage, Tom Brady threw for a record 50 touchdowns last season and the Patriots came within a whisker of the first 19-0 season in NFL history.

McDaniels' reputation grew ever larger this year when Brady was lost with a knee injury in the opener and Matt Cassel, who hadn't started a game since high school, led the Patriots to an 11-5 record.

McDaniels would be the third member of Belichick's coaching staff to become a head coach in the NFL, following Romeo Crennel with Cleveland in 2005 and Eric Mangini, who joined the Jets a year later. Both were fired this offseason with Mangini replacing Crennel in Cleveland.

McDaniels was the second of seven candidates the Broncos' brain trust interviewed. Owner Pat Bowlen, chief operating officer Joe Ellis and personnel chief Jim Goodman met with him in Rhode Island on Jan. 4, and Goodman conducted a second, lengthy interview with him in the Boston area.

McDaniels will inherit an explosive offense that appears to be one healthy running back away from greatness and a dismal defense that needs another overhaul. That led many observers to believe defensive minds such as the Giants' Steve Spagnuolo or the Vikings' Leslie Frazier had the inside track for the job in Denver.

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Charles Barkley taking leave of absense from TNT

Charles Barkley is taking a leave of absence from the broadcast booth.

The announcement by Turner Sports came Friday, hours after police said the former NBA star was legally drunk when police arrested him Dec. 31 on suspicion of drunken driving in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Test results show Barkley had a blood-alcohol level at .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.

Barkley, 45, will be off the air for a minimum of several weeks and no return date has been set, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it.

Barkley was stopped by a Gilbert officer working a regional DUI task force shortly after leaving a popular nightclub at about 1:30 a.m. Barkley failed field sobriety tests but was cooperative.

He was booked and released at a field command post and later issued a statement saying he was disappointed he put himself in that situation.

"When I spoke with Charles, he was apologetic for the events that transpired and it was obvious he understood the significance of this situation," said David Levy, president of Turner Sports, said in a statement. "This is an important time for Charles as he deals with the legal and personal issues that confront him. Charles is a valued part of the Turner Sports organization, and we are concerned for his well-being."

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Boston Red Sox ink John Smoltz and company

BOSTON -- John Smoltz and Brad Penny are on their way to the Red Sox. Rocco Baldelli was already in Boston, holding up his new jersey.

After missing out on Mark Teixeira, the biggest free-agent prize of the offseason, the Red Sox were poised to make a series of smaller deals that would essentially complete their roster. They announced Baldelli's signing on Thursday night at the annual dinner of the Boston Baseball Writers Association, with more news expected soon.

"I think you'll see us now turn to players who we can take chances on, players who represent potential impact players," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "We still have some things going on."

Epstein would not confirm the deals for Smoltz or Penny, but as he spoke Penny was on his way out of Boston after completing his physical. The two-time All-Star, a native Oklahoman, was off to watch the Sooners play in the Bowl Championship Series title game against Florida.

Smoltz, who spent his first 21 years with the Atlanta Braves, reached a preliminary agreement with the Red Sox worth about $5 million, according to a person familiar with the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity because the final paperwork had not been completed. The person said Smoltz will have the chance to earn another $5 million in performance bonuses. The deal was expected to be announced next week.

"I was going to withhold comment until the announcement of my signing with a new team," Smoltz said in a statement issued through his agent, "but I now feel the need to clear up any misconceptions and inaccuracies about the contract negotiations between myself and the Atlanta Braves. There were large discrepancies between the offer from the Braves and offers from other teams."

The Red Sox are also negotiating with Mark Kotsay to return as a backup first baseman and outfielder. They are also pursuing a catcher, while holding out the possibility that Jason Varitek could return or be replaced by a platoon that played at Triple-A last year.

The Red Sox agreed to pay Baldelli $500,000 for 2009, taking a chance on a player who spent most of last season on the disabled list for the AL champion Rays. The 27-year-old batted .263 with four home runs and 13 RBI in 28 games after being diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder that causes chronic muscle fatigue.

Further tests, however, and a recent visit to the Cleveland Clinic led to what Baldelli called a "refined" diagnosis of channelopathy, a protein irregularity considered more treatable and less severe.

"The results were positive," he said. "It was something I was definitely excited about for my personal health and for my career.

"I think once I get to spring training and get to my feet again, I'll know a lot more," said Baldelli, who received the Tony Conigliaro Award on Thursday for overcoming adversity with courage and determination. "I anticipate being able to do more than I did last year."

A Rhode Island native who homered against Boston in the Rays' Game 3 victory during the AL championship series and had a go-ahead single in the seventh game, Baldelli can earn $7 million in bonuses.

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Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in trouble with the law

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Former mixed martial arts champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has been ordered to complete community service for leading Costa Mesa police on a chase in which he rammed three cars.

Jackson pleaded guilty Thursday in Orange County Superior Court to felony police evasion against traffic and misdemeanor reckless driving for the July 15 chase.

The 30-year-old apologized and claimed he was delirious from a lack of sleep and food when he fled police cars, narrowly missing pedestrians and cyclists. He had lost his Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title to Forrest Griffin 10 days earlier.

Jackson will have to complete 200 hours of community service, get mental health therapy and pay for the damage he caused to the cars to have the felony dismissed and avoid jail.

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Boston College set to fire Jeff Jagodzinski

Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski did indeed interview with the New York Jets and he will therefore not be retained by the school, two people close to the situation told ESPN's Joe Schad on Tuesday.

Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo, who told Jagodzinski he would be fired if he interviewed, had not spoken with the coach as of 6 p.m. this evening, but he was hoping to meet with Jagodzinski face-to-face as early as Wednesday.

"It's just a matter of putting two and two together," Chris Cameron, BC's associate director for media relations, said Tuesday night. "He was told by Gene on Saturday that if he went on the interview he'd be fired."

DeFilippo, sources say, thought that Jagodzinski was "disloyal" by not speaking with him before scheduling the Jets interview. One source said on Tuesday that Jagodzinski's decision to follow through on the interview made his fate "a done deal."

DeFilippo said late Tuesday afternoon that he called Jagodzinski in the morning and was waiting for a return phone call. At that time, he didn't know if Jagodzinski already had met with the Jets, who are seeking a replacement for Eric Mangini.

"Haven't heard a word,'' DeFilippo said, according to the Boston Globe.

Sitting in his office late Tuesday afternoon, a relaxed DeFilippo told The Associated Press he last spoke to Jagodzinski on Sunday.

"Sometimes two people who really, really like each other can disagree on an issue. That's OK. Nothing wrong with that," DeFilippo said. "I really like Jags a lot and I've enjoyed working with him here for two years and he did a wonderful job here.

"So we're going to sit down, hopefully, and talk and we'll see where we come out."

The Jets declined comment Tuesday through a team spokesman, neither confirming nor denying that Jagodzinski was interviewing for the coaching vacancy.

Sources told the Globe that Jagodzinski has made multiple inquiries into returning to the NFL, where he was a coach for the eight seasons before taking over the head coaching job at BC.
The newspaper reported that Jagodzinski has put out feelers for offensive coordinator positions as well as head coaching spots.

The Globe also reported that Jagodzinski had told members of his staff that he would give them an update sometime on Tuesday. But nobody had publicly acknowledged speaking to the coach.

A source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Kelly Naqi that DeFilippo had no idea that Jagodzinski had an interview scheduled with the Jets. The AD found out when a reporter called him on Saturday morning to get his comment on it. DeFilippo immediately called Jagodzinski and asked if it were true, according to the source, and the coach confirmed it.

"The surprise factor definitely played a big role in this situation," the source said.

DeFilippo told Jagodzinski to meet with him in person that afternoon and -- with another representative from BC present -- told Jagodzinski that he'd be fired if he went through with the interview. The source said Jagodzinski made it abundantly clear at that meeting that he was going to go through with the interview, so it was just a matter of time before his termination would become official.

The source said BC was unaware if Jagodzinski had been inquiring about other job openings in the NFL.

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Bob Stoops makes it clear he is an Oklahoma Sooner for now...

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- It's becoming an annual event: A prime coaching job opens up, Bob Stoops' name lands on the supposed short list of candidates, only for him to say he's happy at Oklahoma.

The latest supposed will-he-or-won't-he scenario: Stoops to the Denver Broncos?

Not happening, Stoops said Saturday after his team practiced at Barry University, just a few miles south of the site of Thursday's Bowl Championship Series title game between his Sooners and the Florida Gators.

"What situation? That's a rumor that I have not heard and no one has contacted me about that so I don't know anything about it," Stoops said. "We're preparing for a national championship, that's all my focus, all my concentration is on that, so obviously I'm not a candidate. I'm sure someone might have told me ... if I was."

The Broncos fired Mike Shanahan after 14 seasons on Tuesday.

"There's no story," Stoops said. "I'm not a candidate. This is the first I've heard about it."

Maybe so, but Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson -- who's from Colorado -- said he heard rumblings of Denver having interest in his boss, who just completed 10 years with the Sooners and earned a $3 million bonus for lasting a decade at the school.

"I love Colorado, but I don't know if that's for him," Wilson said.

Denver already has put together a list of strong candidates, including New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Also, Rick Dennison -- the offensive coordinator under Shanahan -- wants an interview as well.

Stoops indicated that he would try to shoot down the rumor with his players.

"It won't take long," Stoops said.

Still, even if there really is no interest in the Denver job, Stoops hasn't closed the door on one day giving the NFL a try.

"At some point in my life or career, that may be the case," Stoops said.

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