New England Coach Raymond Berry will not...

New England Coach Raymond Berry will not leave the Patriots to become athletic director at Southern Methodist University, a team spokesman said.

Jim Greenidge, Patriots director of publicity, confirmed that a representative of Berry’s alma mater made a telephone call to the coach at Sullivan Stadium.

“It wasn’t an offer (of the job),” Greenidge said. “They just wanted to talk to him about it, but he said, ‘no.’ ”

Paul Riding, associate sports information director for SMU, could not confirm that the Dallas university was even interested in Berry.

“As far as we know that’s just a rumor,” he said.

In a prepared statement, Berry said: “It is a compliment to be considered by SMU, but I have no indication whatsoever that I am to take such a step.”

Berry, 53, from Paris, Tex., attended SMU for three years before being picked by the Baltimore Colts in the 1954 college draft. He has a five-year contract with the Patriots that runs through 1990.