PRO FOOTBALL : DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Patriots Are Sold, Will Remain in New England

St. Louis again missed getting a NFL team when it was announced Friday that the Patriots would stay in New England.

James Busch Orthwein told a news conference in Boston that Robert Kraft, owner of Foxboro Stadium where the Patriots play, will buy the 35-year-old professional team. The sale must be approved by the NFL.

St. Louis earlier hoped to get one of the two new franchises awarded by the NFL this year, but the league gave one of the teams to Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 26 and then awarded the second to Jacksonville, Fla., on Nov. 30.

Stan Kroenke, a Columbia, Mo., shopping center magnate who headed a group of businessmen trying to secure a team for St. Louis, said Friday’s decision did not surprise him.

“As much as we’d like to see NFL football back in St. Louis, it’s clear that Mr. Kraft faces far fewer obstacles in purchasing the Patriots than does any other party and we understand Jim Orthwein’s decision in this regard,” Kroenke said.

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Bill Walsh was reported to be interested in at least hearing from the NFL’s new Jacksonville Jaguars about their head coaching vacancy, though he said he is staying at Stanford.

Jaguar owner J. Wayne Weaver and President David Seldin met with Walsh on Friday in Palo Alto, but Walsh then issued a statement through the Stanford sports information office saying he was not a candidate “for any position in football, either on the professional or collegiate level. I continue to be very excited about our Stanford football program and I plan to remain at Stanford as its head coach.”

Walsh, 62, who led the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl championships in 1982, 1984 and 1988, is the third former NFL coach to be linked with the Jaguars. Former Chicago Bear coach Mike Ditka sent the team a letter expressing his interest, and former Atlanta Falcon coach Jerry Glanville said he also has contacted the new team.

The Jaguars have a stated policy of not commenting on specific coaching or general manager candidates.

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Fired New York Jet coach Bruce Coslet is returning to the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent eight years as a player and nine seasons as an assistant.

Bengal Coach Dave Shula said Coslet again is joining the team as offensive coordinator.

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Tight end Eric Green will join four other Pittsburgh Steelers on the AFC Pro Bowl squad.

Green replaces Miami Dolphin tight end Keith Jackson, who has a groin injury. Green will back up Shannon Sharpe of the Denver Broncos.