CLEVELAND — As the Browns’ courtship of Scott Pioli continues, one of his closest football friends said it would be foolish for anyone to speculate about the New England executive’s plans.
Pioli, who has spent the past nine years helping build the Patriots into a powerhouse, met Wednesday with Browns owner Randy Lerner in New York about Cleveland’s general manager vacancy. It is not known whether Lerner, who also is conducting coaching interviews this week, offered Pioli the job.
Contradictory reports surfaced on Thursday regarding the 37-year-old Pioli’s interest in the Browns, who went 4-12 this season and have lost at least 10 games in five of the past six seasons. Pioli also may interview with the Chiefs.
One of the many names linked to Pioli in recent days is Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who worked with Pioli in Cleveland during the 1990s. Ferentz warned that guessing Pioli’s next move would be foolish.
“I think it’s presumptuous to think anybody knows what he’s doing right now,” Ferentz said Thursday after the Hawkeyes beat South Carolina 31-10 in the Outback Bowl.
Lerner was scheduled to meet Atlanta president Rich McKay on Thursday about the GM position.
On the Browns’ coaching front, Lerner was scheduled to interview Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on Thursday.
Tomlinson, Gates miss practice
SAN DIEGO — Chargers stars LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates missed a second straight practice as San Diego continued to prepare for its home wild-card game against the Colts on Saturday night.
It sounds as if Tomlinson, who has a strained groin, is in better shape than Gates, who has a sprained ankle.
“If we were playing today, he probably wouldn’t play,” coach Norv Turner said about Gates, a Pro Bowl tight end.
And L.T.?
“Yeah, I think he would,” Turner said. “Both of them are a lot better than they have been. I’m optimistic about both of them.”
Blackouts looming.
The NFL has granted a second, final 24-hour extension of its television blackout deadline for the Cardinals’ wild- card game against the Falcons on Saturday.
The team has until 2:30 p.m. MST today to sell its remaining tickets. The team said 3,700 tickets remained.
• The Vikings also have until 2:30 today to sell the 8,000 tickets remaining for Sunday’s game against the Eagles and avoid a local blackout.
The Associated Press
