Tampa Bay Tops on Walsh’s List if He Leaves Television

It’s still unknown whether Bill Walsh will return to the broadcast booth next season, but the former San Francisco 49er coach did indicate a preference for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should he return to football.

“If I pick a team to sign with, Tampa Bay would be at the top of my list,” Walsh told the St. Petersburg Times. “But there’s a lot that would have to occur before we finalize something.”

Walsh’s name has surfaced as a possible replacement at virtually every franchise that is having trouble. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Tuesday that three teams, possibly including the Rams, have already contacted Walsh. Cleveland and Tampa Bay were the other teams.

However, the newspaper report may be nothing more than speculation based on rumor. Neither Walsh nor Rams executive vice president John Shaw could be reached for comment.

Walsh has given no indication to his colleagues that he has an interest with the Rams.

Dick Enberg, a broadcast partner of Walsh’s at NBC, said that Walsh has had a lot of contact from teams but Enberg labeled the Ram rumor as “the least credible of them all.”

Charlie Jones, who spent last weekend with Walsh working the Denver-Kansas City game, said he talked extensively with Walsh about a possible return to football.

“I don’t know what he’s going to do, and I don’t think Bill knows what he’s going to do,” Jones said.

Network sources indicate that NBC is satisfied with Walsh’s work but given current budget constraints haven’t decided whether to sign him to another contract.

Walsh has said that he will not decide his future until after the football season. He has not spoken with Buccaneer owner Hugh Culverhouse, but Walsh said in the St. Petersburg paper that Culverhouse had asked San Francisco owner Eddie DeBartolo to represent Tampa Bay interests in preliminary discussions.