Harrison mum on return to Colts

Jeff Rabjohns

January 04, 2009 by Jeff Rabjohns | Staff

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Marvin Harrison gave no indication this afternoon if he thought he would return to the Colts.The 36-year-old wide receiver sat in front of his two lockers in the Colts’ complex this afternoon, putting gear into cardboard boxes as he and his teammates packed up after Saturday night’s 23-17 overtime playoff loss at San Diego.Harrison has three years remaining on a seven-year extension that began with the 2005 season, but his past two seasons have seen the fewest receiving yards of his career. He had 247 in an injury-slowed 2007and 636 this year.Moreover, Harrison would count $13.4 million against the salary cap next season.Asked if he felt he’d be back, Harrison glanced up, smirked, then went back to folding sweats in the bottom of his locker.Asked if he was going to comment at all on his future, Harrison said, “No sir, I’m not.”Harrison is second in NFL history in receptions (1,102), fourth in receiving yards (14,580) and fifth in touchdowns (182).Meanwhile, Tony Dungy remained noncommittal on whether he would return.Reiterating comments after Saturday’s game, the Colts head coach told reporters at the team complex today that he would spend a few days with his wife, make his decision and then inform owner Jim Irsay.“There are some other things I’d like to do. If any one thing, just doing something more hands on with young men,” said Dungy, who has been involved with initiatives involving fatherhood and at-risk youth.“We’ve got such a crisis right now, and I get to talk to young guys occasionally. I just think there are some more things I could do hands-on, but the other side is you’ve got a great platform as the head coach of an NFL team.”Linebacker Gary Brackett said the veteran players would try to lobby Dungy to remain the Colts coach but doubted it would have an effect.“He’s definitely a family man,” Brackett said. “I think it’s moreso he and his family will decide. He knows we all would love to have him here.“We definitely wanted to send him out right, but we want to continue to play with him. He definitely knows what he’s doing, and it shows over the years.”Dungy this year set the record for most consecutive years in the playoffs as a head coach (10) since the NFL merger in 1970.

Categories: Sports, Colts

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Tony Dungy, cardboard boxes, Marvin Harrison, Jim Irsay, nfl history, nfl team, salary cap, receiving yards, head coach, risk youth, young guys, wide receiver, fatherhood, colts, lockers, receptions, two seasons, sweats, teammates, saturday night, News, pmupdate, sports, topstories, gary brackett, colts coach, 99s, veteran players, family man, 9d, term members, raiuno

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