ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (SportsTicker) -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden dismissed rumors that he might be interested in succeeding Phillip Fulmer at the University of Tennessee.
Gruden said Tuesday that he would turn down the job even if it was offered to him, which he said hasn't happened. "I've said it from the beginning, this is the only job I've really ever wanted," Gruden told the St. Petersburg Times. "As long as the Glazers will have me, I'll be here." Gruden was a graduate assistant at Tennessee from 1986-87 and his wife graduated from the school. "I've got a lot of respect for Tennessee," added Gruden, who guided the Buccaneers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. "My wife is from there. But this is where I want to be and I can only make myself that clear." Gruden was reluctant to even discuss if he would ever be interested in a college job. "I don't even want to start that," he added. "I've wanted to be in the NFL my whole life and this is something I'm really excited to do. This is where I want to be and I'll leave it at that." With Tennessee (3-7) possibly headed to the first eight-loss season in the program's history, the school announced last week that Fulmer would not return next year. Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/al?rnd=6NlmY0aFxCN%2F%2BlgX8%2BRclQ%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
