Colts Fire Infante, Tobin

The housecleaning came quickly for the Indianapolis Colts.

Owner Jim Irsay reacted to the team’s league-worst 3-13 record Monday by firing Lindy Infante as coach and Bill Tobin as vice president and director of football operations.

The firings and hiring of Carolina general manager Bill Polian to a six-year contract as president came less than 24 hours after the team finished its season.

Irsay said he acted quickly because Polian was under contract to Carolina, and Panther owner Jerry Richardson gave him a Monday deadline to close the deal. The Colts will send their third-round pick in the April draft to Carolina in exchange for signing Polian.

Polian, 55, will oversee all football operations and will work with Irsay to select Infante’s replacement. He said he had no timetable or names on a list for the selection.

*

Kansas City Coach Marty Schottenheimer said there is no quarterback controversy dogging his team. “Elvis Grbac is our starting quarterback,” Schottenheimer said. A rusty Grbac completed only five of 14 passes against New Orleans on Sunday in his first game since breaking his collarbone Nov. 3, leading to speculation that Rich Gannon, who led the Chiefs to five consecutive victories, would be a better choice entering the playoffs. . . . Nearly two months after suffering the most serious concussion of his career, San Diego Charger quarterback Stan Humphries is still having severe headaches and is not sure whether to retire or return next season. “It’s going to be a tough decision,” Humphries, 32, said. “If we’re not talking about a head deal, I think I could play four or five more years.” . . . Buffalo Bill Coach Marv Levy refused to say whether he would return next season, leaving open the possibility that his 12-year tenure with the team could be over. Levy, 72, said he would not discuss his future or that of his staff before meeting with owner Ralph Wilson over the next few weeks. . . . Tennessee linebacker Joe Bowden broke his left ankle in the Oilers’ 16-6 victory over Pittsburgh, and blocking back Michael Roan had surgery on joints in both shoulders. Quarterback Steve McNair will have arthroscopic surgery this week on a knee that bothered him the latter part of the season.