PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : Buccaneer Owner to Meet With Dungy

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ coaching search appeared near an end Sunday when Minnesota Viking defensive coordinator Tony Dungy arrived in Tampa, to meet with team owner Malcolm Glazer.

Dungy is the leading candidate for the job, vacated by the Dec. 27 firing of Sam Wyche. He denied weekend reports that the job had been offered.

“I’m going to meet with Mr. Glazer tonight and, hopefully, that will go well and I think we’ll be on our way,” Dungy told a Chicago radio station. “I think you’re never sure until it actually happens, but I have very good feelings about it. I think the Tampa people feel good about me, but I have not met Mr. Glazer and that’s the last thing we have to do.”

Team officials continued to deny a Tampa Tribune report that an offer had been made.

“We have maintained all along that a very important step in the process of naming a new coach would be a meeting with the owners,” General Manager Rich McKay said. “That is the purpose of Tony’s trip to Tampa.”