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RICK STROUDRich McKay will meet with the Falcons, while team will look for a new GM at season's end.
TAMPA - By the time the Falcons play the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium in seven days, Rich McKay likely will be the general manager of the visiting team.
Because McKay officially was granted permission by the Bucs to talk with other teams Thursday, he is free to begin discussions with the Falcons immediately instead of waiting until the end of the regular season.
McKay is expected to meet with Falcons owner Arthur Blank and vice president Ray Anderson at an undisclosed location by Monday.
If McKay receives control of all player personnel matters as anticipated, the Bucs general manager since '95 would begin leading the Falcons coaching search to replace the fired Dan Reeves.
Until then, Bucs GM duties will be handled by director of player personnel Tim Ruskell and assistant general manager John Idzik.
The Bucs confirmed Friday they would not seek compensation for McKay, who decided to walk out on the final four years of his $2.4-million-a-year contract because of his broken relationship with coach Jon Gruden.
Bucs vice presidents Joel and Brian Glazer will begin a search for a general manager at the end of the season and plan to consider candidates within and outside the organization.
Whoever they choose almost certainly will have the endorsement of Gruden, who began exerting more control over personnel matters about six weeks ago. That's when McKay asked out of his contract after the two initially clashed over Gruden's desire to sign defensive tackle Darrell Russell, who was reinstated after serving a suspension for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Russell signed a one-year contract with the Redskins.
Gruden denied Friday that his desire for more control over personnel decisions is running McKay out of town.
"Am I concerned about the perception? You know, I'm sensitive," Gruden said. "I have feelings and that's totally untrue. Unfortunately we were unable, the way it looks right now, to co-exist and work together. ... I don't like the perception that I'm running anybody out of town.
"No, I won't take any responsibility for that. I feel like maybe sometimes I should. I can't speak because I don't know the goals and the aspirations of every person. Those things do change sometimes in a man's life."
It's uncertain how the Bucs front office will be restructured, but Ruskell is a candidate. But his close affiliation with McKay may prevent him from getting the job.
Gruden has a history with Raiders player personnel director Mike Lombardi, but that relationship may not be as close as it once appeared. Former Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who worked with Gruden in Green Bay, might be tempted to pursue the opening. But he has been out of the league for three seasons.
It is believed Gruden's father, Jim, a longtime scout with the 49ers who serves as a consultant for the Bucs, would have a bigger role in the front office. Gruden denies it.
"My dad is helping me in some creative ways a retired consultant should help," he said. "But his role won't change. He's there for me and he's good at what he does."
"I'm sure we'll just rely on Tim (Ruskell) and Ruston (Webster) and John Idzik just as we have been. When the season is over, I'm sure we'll sit down and I'll be alerted and brought into which direction we're heading.
Gruden has made it clear he has no desire to add the title of general manager.
"Again, I'm going to coach the team. I don't care what anybody's perception is," Gruden said. "I'm going to coach, I'm going to work hard, I'm going to try and be involved in every aspect of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's the only thing that interests me. Whoever the general manager becomes, I know it won't be me. For whatever reason now, I'm the bad guy. Maybe I am in some people's eyes."
McKay, not wanting to add to the frenzied atmosphere, stayed away from One Buc Place on Friday. He issued a statement through the team thanking the Glazers for giving him the "opportunity to look at some other options within the league."
McKay interviewed for the Falcons GM job two years ago, shortly before the Glazers hired Gruden. The Glazer family convinced McKay to stay, signing him to a six-year extension that included a $700,000 per year salary increase.
Blank confirmed to reporters in Atlanta that McKay is on a short list of GM candidates.
"What I can tell you is obviously we talked to him two years ago," Blank said. "He was on a short list two years ago, and certainly, he'd be on a short list again. Other than that, I can't comment at all."
McKay, who took the Bucs from a doormat to world champions in eight seasons as general manager, could have an immediate impact on the NFC South rival Falcons. It's unclear whether McKay would have authority over the team's salary cap, which is managed by Anderson.
Meanwhile, the Bucs faced it's biggest distraction Friday since the deactivation of receiver Keyshawn Johnson three weeks ago as they prepared for Sunday's game against the Texans.
"We lead the league in distraction," Gruden said. "I don't believe any more distraction can disrupt what we need to get done. ... Again, I don't like the perception that I'm running anybody out of town. I'm just going to continue to work as relentless as I can to try and help this team win."
Bucs players reacted by wishing McKay well.
"I've got nothing but fond things to say for him what he's done for this team," safety John Lynch said. "He brought direction to it when there really wasn't a direction. You can't give him enough credit for what he's done here."
But quarterback Brad Johnson summed up the nomadic nature of the NFL.
"I will say that last year, we don't win the Super Bowl without Jon Gruden," Johnson said. "It's unfortunate for everybody. But the train keeps on moving. Charles Lee comes in and catches balls. Somebody else makes the contracts."
- Information from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was used in this report.