Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith is the latest high-profile name to decline interest in the University of Tennessee head coaching job, ESPN reported Sunday.

Tennessee officials recently gauged the interest level of Smith and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, ESPN reported, citing unnamed sources.

Smith, who served as an assistant at Tennessee, said he wasn't interested, ESPN reported.

Gruden previously dismissed rumors that he might be interested in succeeding Phillip Fulmer.

Gruden said last 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 recently that Fulmer would not return next year.

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