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Posted at 9:39 a.m., Thursday, January 10, 2008

NFL: Dungy to wait until season ends to decide future

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Coach Tony Dungy isn't saying anything definitive about his future coaching plans.

Dungy, who has considered retiring after each of the past two seasons, acknowledged today he would talk with his wife and Colts officials after this season before deciding what to do next season.

Speculation about his potential departure was fueled today by a report in The Tampa Tribune that said his son, Eric, enrolled at Plant High School in Florida. Eric Dungy, who turns 16 Saturday, was a receiver-defensive back at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis the last two years, but reportedly began attending classes at Plant on Tuesday.

Tony Dungy would not confirm the report.

"I'm not going to say anything because it's not really worthy of comment," he said. "I've heard and read a lot and some of it is true, some of it is partially true and some of it isn't true at all. I wouldn't ready anything into any of the things you hear and read."

The 52-year-old Dungy signed a three-year contract extension in September 2005, a deal intended to keep him with the Colts through 2009.

But he has considered leaving before.

He waited one week after the 2005 season before announcing he would return when some speculated he might leave the game to spend more time with his family following the death of his 18-year-old son, James, in December 2005.

Last year after leading the Colts to their first Super Bowl title in more than three decades, Dungy again considered retiring, but eventually decided to return.

"When the season is over, I'll sit down with my wife and talk it through and then talk to (owner) Jim (Irsay) and (president) Bill (Polian), like I do every year," Dungy said. "And then we'll take a look at it."