TAMPA, Fla. — Retired NFL coach Bill Parcells will not return to the sideline with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he said Friday night.

        The Bucs, who fired coach Tony Dungy on Monday, haven't interviewed any other candidates.

        “Bill Parcells, early this evening, told us that he would not be returning to coaching,” Bucs executive vice president Joel Glazer said as part of a one-paragraph statement.

        “In our continued pursuit of a championship, we remain confident that our new coach will utilize the solid foundation that we have built to achieve our goals.”

        Parcells said he wasn't able to make the commitment necessary to do the job.

        “I didn't want to go down there for one or two years and then not be able to follow through with what I know to be the type of effort that has to be in place in order to succeed in this competitive industry,” Parcells said on Sporting News Radio, which carries his weekly show.

        “I'm finished coaching. There aren't going to be any more rumors about me coaching.”

        Despite indications that a tentative deal with Parcells might have been in place even before Dungy was dismissed, the team formally began discussions with the former Giants, Patriots and Jets coach Tuesday.

        The first indication that the plan to hire Parcells was falling apart came when the Jets announced Friday that Mike Tannenbaum, thought to be Parcells' hand-picked choice to be Tampa Bay's new general manager, was remaining in New York.

        “It's hard for me to believe that he's not going to be the coach after everything that has been said and done in the past few days,” Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks said.

        Earlier Friday, the Bucs confirmed receiving a letter from the NFL warning Parcells and the team that they could be punished for attempting to hire coaches and officials still under contract to other NFL teams. The tampering warning came in a letter from Jeff Pash, the NFL's counsel, to Tampa Bay general manager Rich McKay.

        Parcells won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants and rebuilt New England and the Jets into title contenders. He told CNNSI.com that he will not change his mind about remaining out of coaching.

        “Absolutely not. I'm done,” Parcells said. “This was the last job I will ever consider. I'm just not doing it any more.”

        RAMS:

        Quarterback Kurt Warner gave his voice more of a test in practice, and the team expects no problems in Sunday's playoff game against Green Bay. Warner's vocal cords were bruised in the team's regular-season finale Jan.6 when he took a blow to the throat.

        He will wear an elongated facemask, designed to protect him against further injury.

        Offensive tackle Ryan Tucker has not practiced all week because of a sprained ankle, and backup Rod Jones probably will start.

        PANTHERS:

        Former Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy was in Charlotte Friday to interview for Carolina's vacant head coaching job. Dungy had dinner with team officials Friday night and was expected to spend this morning interviewing at Ericsson Stadium.

        “I think the biggest thing I've heard is the ownership and how it's first class and they've got great facilities and good people,” Dungy said of the Panthers organization. “And I think that is what you want to be around.”

        PACKERS:

        Coach Mike Sherman has decided to use Allen Rossum on kickoff returns instead of Dorsey Levens in Sunday's playoff game at St. Louis. Rossum hasn't returned a kickoff since Thanksgiving, but Levens has a sore left shoulder.

        BUCCANEERS:

        Defensive tackle Warren Sapp underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a slightly torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder. He should ready for contact work by early summer.

        REDSKINS:

        Kurt Schottenheimer, the brother of fired coach Marty Schottenheimer, interviewed with new coach Steve Spurrier to retain his job as defensive coordinator.

        “We'll see how that plays out,” Spurrier said.

        STEELERS:

        Partly sunny skies with seasonable highs in the mid-30s are predicted for the Ravens-Steelers playoff game Sunday. The National Weather Service is forecasting 1-3 inches of snow today, but it shouldn't be a factor because Heinz Field's grass surface is covered and heated.

        CARDINALS:

        Left guard Pete Kendall, who missed the season's final five games because of a sprained ligament in his left foot, will undergo surgery Tuesday. He is expected to be ready for training camp in July.

Fog Bowl foes roll into Soldier Field Parcells rejects Buccaneers' coaching offer

It's Cards, Cats and coaches
Pitino looks to trap Bearcats with press
SULLIVAN: UC-Louisville
XU makes itself at home on road
It's a pretty cool spot
Analysis: Ticket price won't keep fans away
Boone, Encarnacion ink deals
Baseball notebook
A big win for the little guys
Bacon trips Alter
Brady scores 42 in Reading's OT victory
Holy Cross rolls on in All 'A'
Kentucky boys basketball roundup
Moeller gym looks like winner
Ohio boys basketball roundup
Reading star Wynn picks Florida over UC
Unbeaten NewCath torches Bellevue
Vikings rally, but can't catch Warriors
How Enquirer poll teams fared
Tristate area scores
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
Length-of-the court basket is talk of Toledo
Basketball Q&A with Perry and Schmidt
Enquirer Tipoff page
Five questions with Rick Pitino
How 'sweet' it is
ND's Graves has UK in his blood
RedHawks brace for Athens 'welcome'
Surprise Big Ten leaders set to square off
AHL: Ducks lose to Griffins
Bucks win streak at six
Iffy, Timeless Love in Cincinnati Trophy Stakes
Bobby Hull watches his records fall
Robitaille passes Hull's milestone
Coming up this week

• Return to Bengals front page...