Dante Scarnecchia, the legendary offensive line coach for the New England Patriots, is calling it a career  with no regrets about coming back after an initial retirement. He leaves happy and content about the job he held for nearly four decades.

The 71-year-old said it was simply time after his second stint, which added four more years on an impeccable career.

“I am (retiring). I’m going to be 72 in two weeks and I think that’s about enough,” he told the Boston Herald. “I’m really, really happy with this (decision).”

Scarnecchia said physically he felt fine and was in good health. His contract was up, so it was a good time to say goodbye once again.

“Nothing’s changed. I love the game,” he said, “but you can’t do it forever. It’s impossible, it’s a hard job, it’s as hard as it gets. And I don’t regret anything. I don’t regret the approach I took to it. I’m completely, completely satisfied . . . and our immediate family, everybody’s pleased also. Look it, I’m really doing good. This is not a time of mourning at all.”

Scarnecchia was part of five Super Bowl championship teams, and an integral part given how much the offensive line contributed to those victories.

“I’m so grateful I got to work with him,” offensive lineman Ted Karras said via text. “An extraordinary man.”

Scarnecchia missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons during his first retirement. He started with the organization in 1982, doing many different jobs before taking over as offensive line coach in 2000.

• Retired tight end Rob Gronkowski said Tom Brady has earned the opportunity to try free agency. The 42-year-old quarterback’s contract will void March 18, barring an upcoming renegotiation. The market for Brady is unknown, but Gronkowski believes his former QB should find out.

“I truly believe he deserves the opportunity to go explore. To see what’s out there.” Gronkowski said. “I mean, he’s been playing for so long and just the way that he’s been playing, the level he’s been playing at, he definitely deserves an opportunity to go out there and test the market. I mean, why wouldn’t you?

“You’ve never done it before in your career, and he’s going to be a free agent for the first time ever. So good for him. Go test out the market, and then do what’s best for himself. That’s the decision he has to make: what’s best for himself, what’s best for his family, what he feels like he’s going to love.”

BRONCOS: Denver hired veteran NFL assistant Mike Shula as its quarterbacks coach. He and new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur bring more than four decades of combined NFL coaching experience to Denver, where they’ll shepherd QB Drew Lock into his second season in 2020.

Shula and Shurmur, who are both 54 years old, replaced T.C. McCartney, 29, and Rich Scangarello, 47, respectively.

TEXANS: Houston added general manager to Bill O’Brien’s title, a role the coach has been filling since the firing of Brian Gaine in June.

ANTONIO BROWN: A Florida judge freed NFL free agent Antonio Brown from house arrest Tuesday, allowing him to travel freely as he awaits trial on charges that he attacked the driver of a moving truck.

Instead of wearing an ankle GPS monitor, Brown, 31, will have to check in with court personnel daily. His $110,000 bail remains in place and he still must surrender his passport, possess no weapons or ammunition and submit to a mental health evaluation and random drug testing.

BROWNS: Andrew Berry was named general manager and executive vice president, returning to the team after a one-year stint in the Philadelphia Eagles’ front office. Berry was the Browns’ vice president of player personnel from 2016-18, when the team went 1-31 over two seasons and was mired in dysfunction.

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