During NBC's "Football Night In America" telecast Sunday, SI.com's Peter King reported that Steve Mariucci has interest in coaching the San Diego Chargers next season.
Mariucci has been out of coaching since being fired by the Detroit Lions in 2005. Since that time, he has served as an analyst for NFL Network.
Mariucci addressed the report Sunday night, calling King a friend, but stressing he has never spoken to him about the Chargers job.
"I would never comment on a coaching job where there's a coach in place, and the coach down there in San Diego happened to be a very good friend of mine, Norv Turner," Mariucci said on NFL Network. "There's no way I would ever discuss this right now, I don't know where it comes from. Let's just stop the nonsense, OK? Please."
Turner has coached the Chargers since 2007, but he almost certainly will be let go at the end of the season. Mariucci didn't deny having an interest in returning to the sideline, only saying he wouldn't comment on a job that already was filled by someone else.
We'll find out soon enough if there's any fire to this smoke.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.