Deposed Denver coach Mike Shanahan tells NBC Sports that he certainly plans to coach again, but barring "a perfect situation'' in 2009, he'll sit out a year and hopes to return to the NFL in 2010.

"What I'm going to do is take a couple of weeks to sit back and relax a little, then consider what it is I'm going to do,'' Shanahan, 56, told Peter King of NBC's "Football Night in America'' show. "Unless there's a perfect situation out there, I'd rather sit out the year and return next year.''

There appear to be few, if any, of those situations open in the NFL. Detroit, a perennial loser, is coming off an 0-16 season. The New York Jets and Cleveland have salary cap issues with shaky front offices; GM Mike Tannenbaum of the Jets has come under fire for free-spending that produced a 9-7 team that collapsed down the stretch after starting 8-3, while the Browns are in the market after firing GM Phil Savage last Sunday. The Rams are for sale, and Shanahan wouldn't want to take a job not knowing who the owner will be in six months. Kansas City might have an opening if the new GM hired by the team wants to fire incumbent Herman Edwards, but the Chiefs are full of holes.

Shanahan might be a good match with New England vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, who interviewed for the Browns' general manager job Wednesday and is slated to talk with Chiefs owner Clark Hunt in the coming days. Pioli could be the strong personnel presence Shanahan needs so he can concentrate on coaching and not the myriad responsibilties that come with having responsibility for all football decisions. But it's uncertain which, if either, job Pioli will get an offer to take -- and then whether he'll take it.

Video   Peter King: Favre, Shanahan updates Peter King says Brett Favre is leaning toward retirement and Mike Shanahan will take a year off. NBC Sports

"I wouldn't go anywhere,'' Shanahan said, "unless it's the right scenario.''

He said he was surprised at Tuesday's firing by owner Pat Bowlen.

"But,'' he said, "sometimes I think it's a good thing to make a change like this. It re-energizes you. I don't feel sorry for me, at all. But I do feel for all the coaches who have kids in school, who have families to think about, who might have to sell houses in this housing market. That's really unfortunate. But it's part of the business.''

Shanahan plans to leave this weekend for a short vacation in Mexico with his wife and son Kyle -- Houston's offensive coordinator -- and his family.

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