By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: December 30, 2008, 10:53 AM ET
Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who rejected a chance to become head coach of the Browns over the weekend, is not going to interview for the head coaching position of the New York Jets, according to multiple sources.
Cowher, according to a source, has been contacted by the Jets. Although he is interested in the Jets job, he told them he won't be a candidate because he would like to have the ability to bring in his own personnel person. Jets owner Woody Johnson plans to keep Mike Tannenbaum as his general manager after firing Eric Mangini as head coach Monday.
With Tannenbaum as the general manager, Cowher is willing to pass on the Jets opportunity, stay in broadcasting for another year and wait to come back to coaching in 2010.
Cowher has told friends the Jets job interested him for several reasons. First, Cowher would love to be coaching in the New York market. Second, two of his daughters are either going to school or working in the New York-New Jersey area.
Cowher does plan to coach in 2010. In 2009, though, he was only willing to return if every situation was right for him. He wanted to have a two-year break from coaching to be with family and recharge his energy. Over the weekend, Cowher met with Browns owner Randy Lerner, who asked him what it would take financially for him to be the Browns head coach. Having a close relationship with the Rooney family in Pittsburgh and still wanting more time with the family, Cowher didn't give Lerner a price and said no.
He recently extended his television contract for another season.
John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3799959