The Tennessee fiasco of a coaching search has gotten to the point where an active NFL player has to deny a report connecting him to the job.
Per ESPN's Todd Archer, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten said he would not return to his alma mater to coach after a report from Outkick the Coverage said he would leave if the job was offered to him. Witten's team is 5-6 in the middle of the 2017 season. While Witten, who played at Tennessee from 2000-02, did say coaching is something he'd like to do later on in his life, he is fully vested in his team.
"Coaching is something I can see myself down the road, having one of those opportunities, but right now I'm all in with this team and my feet are planted firmly here and this opportunity that I have in 2017 and getting it right this week," Witten said. "And not only that, but I really love this team we have and what we're trying to build and get it right, right now and for beyond, for the future.
"So I feel too good to think that I'd consider something like that at this point.
Witten also expressed confidence in Tennessee's ability to nail what has otherwise been a disastrous coaching search. On Sunday, it was reported that Tennessee was close to hiring Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, but the backlash to the hire was so swift and severe that talks between the two sides were called off.
"There's a lot of smart people around him, and they're working hard to hire and make the right hire to get our program back," Witten said. "I'm confident that they'll do that."
Witten is not the only former Vol to be mentioned in Tennessee's coaching search. Former quarterback Tee Martin, now the offensive coordinator for USC, and Duke coach David Cutcliffe have been named.
