Family and Friends Mourn Dungy’s Son

Tony Dungy recalled his son as a “good young man with a compassionate heart,” someone who loved to smile and have fun.

“All you had to do was be nice to him,” the Indianapolis Colt coach said Tuesday in Lutz, Fla., straining to compose himself and blinking back tears while remembering 18-year-old James, who died last week in an apparent suicide.

NFL stars past and present, league officials, including Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, and the entire Colt team were among the hundreds of mourners who came to Idlewild Baptist Church for the two-hour service.

“It didn’t take much for Jamie to be your friend,” his dad said.

After the service, Dungy made a brief statement outside the church and, on behalf of his wife, Lauren, and family, thanked friends and fans for their support.

“We loved our son very much, he loved us and we miss him terribly. James was a good young man with a compassionate heart, and we were glad to have him for 18 years.... God has him now for the rest of eternity,” he said.

Dungy left the team Thursday, the day his son was found, and it was uncertain when he would return. He said the family’s faith “will allow us to get through this just as we get through times of victory.”

*

The New York Giants continued to shuffle their injury-depleted linebacker corps, putting Carlos Emmons on injured reserve and signing Jay Foreman, the second player picked up at that position in two days.

Emmons, who has a strained chest muscle, was placed on IR the day after the team did the same with rookie middle linebacker Chase Blackburn, who sprained his neck last week in Washington.

Kevin Lewis, who started for the Giants at middle linebacker last season, was signed Monday.

The Giants also put reserve running back Derrick Ward on IR because of a groin injury and signed veteran running back Mike Cloud.

*

Linebacker Al Wilson, defensive lineman Courtney Brown, cornerback Darrent Williams and running back Mike Anderson will all sit out Denver’s regular-season finale in San Diego this weekend to nurse injuries.

Wilson had surgery Monday to repair a broken right thumb. Brown has a sore knee and sore shoulder. Williams has sat out the last two weeks because of an injured groin. Anderson sprained his ankle Saturday against the Oakland Raiders.

*

The Washington Redskins put linebacker Chris Clemons on injured reserve. Clemons sprained his knee during a kickoff return in Saturday’s victory over the New York Giants.... Cleveland Brown tight end Steve Heiden was put on injured reserve because of an injured ankle, ending his season with one game left. Heiden limped off the field during Saturday’s 41-0 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and never returned after getting X-rays. The Browns did not release details about Heiden’s ankle, which was injured earlier this season.... Arizona put cornerback Lamont Reid on injured reserve, making him the 15th Cardinal player whose season was ended by injury. Reid hurt his knee at Houston on Dec. 18, and he was inactive for Arizona’s win over Philadelphia on Saturday.