The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Bill Parcells met with Dallas owner Jerry Jones for five hours earlier this week, discussing what the former coach said was "pro football, philosophy and the Cowboys."

The meeting, first reported Saturday on CBS' NFL Today, took place at a New Jersey airport. Parcells, Jones and Jones' associates met for three hours in a private room at the airport, then talked aboard the owner's private plane for another two hours, CBS reported.

Dallas was 5-9 entering Saturday night's home game against Philadelphia, and Cowboys coach Dave Campo is fighting for his job. But Parcells said he was not offered the position.

"Any speculation about the Cowboys' head coaching job would be premature at this time," Parcells said in a statement released by ESPN, where he works as an NFL analyst.

In the brief statement, Parcells acknowledged meeting with Jones for five hours Wednesday: "We discussed pro football, philosophy and the Cowboys. I have spoken to Jerry Jones several times over the years."

Parcells hasn't coached since 1999, when he led the New York Jets to an 8-8 record. But his name has come up when high-profile coaching jobs become available, thanks to his track record for turning teams around.

After he won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, following the 1986 and 1990 seasons, he took New England to the Super Bowl after the 1996 season and the New York Jets to the AFC title game two years later.

BUCCANEERS: Quarterback Brad Johnson practiced on a limited basis Saturday because of a severe lower back bruise, and he remained questionable for Monday night's game against Pittsburgh.

Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said a final determination on Johnson's availability probably will not be made until just before game time, and that Johnson probably will make the call himself.

"I try not to answer for Brad, but I think he's slowly but surely making some strides," Gruden said. "I do know he's still sore and still restricted to some degree. But he was able to participate a little bit today.

"It's still not where it needs to be to play in the NFL, but he is making some improvement. And who knows, I've seen these things make rapid improvement in short periods of time. Again, we'll see how it unfolds."

Johnson, the NFC's top-rated passer, was injured during the second half of last week's 23-20 victory over Detroit. He felt good enough to throw on the side Thursday, but he reported more soreness afterward.

If Johnson can't play, Shaun King will start against the Steelers.

The Bucs (11-3) can clinch the NFC South by winning one of their remaining two games. Gruden said he hadn't given much thought to the prospect of sitting Johnson to increase the chances that 34-year-old quarterback will be healthy for next week's regular-season finale against Chicago.

"We live in a very short-term arena here. This is a big game, and if our starting quarterback is ready to play in it, he'll play," Gruden said. "Only he really knows that. And for that reason, we've been very reserved in terms of what we're going to do. At the same time, we've been honest and prepared Shaun King to be our starting quarterback."

EX-OFFICIAL DIES: Gordon McCarter - a former NFL official whom Steelers coach Bill Cowher once chased across the field to stuff a snapshot of a play in his pocket - has died. He was 71.

McCarter, who was a pro referee from 1974 until his 1996 retirement, died Friday at University Hospitals of Cleveland.

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