While there have been some mild whispers that perhaps the Atlanta Falcons would be interested in trying to lure Urban Meyer away from Florida, he stopped that talk before it could get started.
Meyer said after UF's practice Sunday he hasn't been contacted by Atlanta. If the Falcons called, would he listen?
"No," he said. "I'm really happy where I'm at. I'll give you the Coach 101 speech, but mine is from the heart."
Meyer said he didn't know former New York Giants' General Manager Ernie Accorsi, who was hired by Atlanta owner Arthur Blank recently as an advisor.
May 2007 - Atlanta Falcons Wiretap
Meyer Dismisses Falcons' Rumor
Report: 'Wasted' Season Won't Be Last For Dunn
Atlanta Falcons' running back Warrick Dunn doesn't want the troubled 2007 campaign to be his last in an NFL uniform.
With one more year remaining on his contract, the 32-year-old Dunn plans on playing at least one more season according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"I can't go out like this," Dunn told the paper. "This is not the way I think anyone should go out. Any guy who's ever thinking about retiring and had to go through a situation like this, I don't think this is the way you should go out. You need to go out on better terms. I'll definitely come back next year and play football."
Dolphins, Parcells Near Deal
Bill Parcells' day began with reports he would rebuild the Falcons. It ended with him on the cusp of taking the same job with the Dolphins.
Parcells and Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga agreed Wednesday on a four-year contract to be Miami's vice president of football operations, according to ESPN, which employs the two-time Super Bowl-winning coach as an analyst.
The Dolphins declined comment, only saying no contract has been signed, and no one at Huizenga's business office was authorized to comment when reached Wednesday evening by The Associated Press.
Parcells Turns Down Atlanta
The Atlanta Falcons said Wednesday that Bill Parcells has informed the team that he will not sign a contract with the team to be its vice president of football operations.
The announcement came a day after Parcells indicated he was close to a deal with the Falcons.
The Falcons said in a statement they learned the news from Parcells Wednesday after he informed the team he was considering a revised offer from the Miami Dolphins. The statement did not say whether Parcells accepted a job with Miami, nor what the job he was considering was.
Parcells Likely To Accept Atlanta Job
Bill Parcells said Wednesday that he likely will accept the Atlanta Falcons' offer to become the team's vice president of football operations.
"I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it. [Owner] Arthur [Blank] and I have had some pretty constructive discussions. I basically will oversee the football operations. We'll meet today -- not in Atlanta -- and work out some of the final details but I don't think there's any deal breakers here," Parcells said.
Parcells said he has no plans to return to coaching.
"Arthur wants to rebuild the football operation. I'll hire a general manager and then we'll hire a coach. We'll do this together, the GM, the coach and myself. The coach absolutely will not be Bill Parcells. All this happens if we finalize this thing, which I expect to do."
Imprisoned Vick Featured In PETA Card
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has created a holiday e-card featuring former Atlanta Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick, who is serving a 23-month federal sentence for a dogfighting conspiracy.
Vick and three co-defendants raised pit bulls and trained them for fighting at a house Vick owned in rural Surry County. Several dogs that didn't perform well in test fights were executed.
In the card, a cartoon version of Vick paces across a prison yard inside a snow globe as gun-toting guards and their barking dogs keep watch. He's wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and football helmet and dragging a ball and chain.
When a visitor to PETA's Web site shakes the snow globe by dragging a mouse, Vick bounces around and crashes against the globe's dome as a commentator announces, "They got to the quarterback's blind side there. He never had a chance."
Report: Parcells Offered VP Job With Falcons
Bill Parcells could become the Falcons' VP of football operations, a role that would put him in charge of finding the team's next coach.
Parcells is considering an offer to join the team's front office, a person familiar with the negotiations said on condition of anonymity because talks were ongoing.
Rich McKay, the team's President and GM, did not immediately return a phone message on Tuesday night.
The offer was first reported by ESPN.com.
Falcons' owner Arthur Blank declined comment when asked about Parcells late Tuesday night.
Five Falcons Fined For Vick-Related Support
Five Atlanta Falcons players have been fined a total of $47,500 by the NFL for uniform violations that stemmed from demonstrations of their support for banished quarterback Michael Vick during the team's loss to the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 10.
Several hours before the game, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in an illegal dogfighting ring that was centered on property he owned in Virginia.
Cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Alge Crumpler each were fined $10,000. Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500.
It is not yet known if any of the players will appeal the fines.
Bucs' First Franchise Kickoff TD Highlights Win
Micheal Spurlock started up the middle, cut to the outside and didn't stop running until making history for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bucs ran back a kickoff for a touchdown for the first time in the franchise's 32 seasons and routed the reeling Atlanta Falcons 37-3 Sunday to win the NFC South for the second time in three seasons.
Ronde Barber returned an interception 29 yards for a TD, and Earnest Graham scored a touchdown rushing in a team-record sixth consecutive game to help Tampa Bay (9-5) improve to 5-0 in the division after going 0-6 against NFC South rivals a year ago.
It's the fifth straight season that the team winning the NFC South finished last the previous season.
Sources: Cowher Tells Falcons He Intends To Sit Out Another Year
Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher has told the Falcons he intends to sit out another year of coaching and will not consider the team's vacant head coach position.
Cowher was contacted by the Falcons after Bobby Petrino resigned as coach last week, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. It was an exploratory contact, not an offer for the Atlanta job, the sources said.
Falcons' Blank Feels "Betrayed"
Arthur Blank's cool demeanor finally has given way to a tone of anger over coach Bobby Petrino's surprise resignation.
Petrino Bolts Falcons For Arkansas
Bobby Petrino got a five-year deal worth $2.85M per year to take over the Razorbacks, according to an athletic department spokesman.
Vick Sentenced To 23 Months In Prison
The suspended Falcons QB could have been sentenced up to five years by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Judge Gives Vick Co-Defendants Stiff Sentences
A federal judge made clear his disdain for animal cruelty when he sentenced two of Michael Vick's dogfighting cohorts to 18 months and 21 months in prison Friday.