JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- This time, Tom Coughlin shut the door on Notre Dame.

With the Fighting Irish coaching position open again, Coughlin said Monday he has no interest in leaving the Jacksonville Jaguars -- a statement he didn't make when the job came open the first time.

"I really have no interest in any other job," Coughlin said. "This is where I want to be, in the National Football League, Sunday afternoons, one o'clock, all those things."

Coughlin's name was mentioned prominently in the days after Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White fired Bob Davie, and before he hired George O'Leary. When O'Leary gave his sudden resignation last Friday, Coughlin's name again popped up.

During Notre Dame's first search, Coughlin stuck to his policy of not responding to rumors. But neither did he deny interest in the job. In fact, he said it was flattering to think somebody might think him worthy coaching Notre Dame.

When the topic came up Monday, Coughlin said he hadn't heard from anyone at Notre Dame. He also left no room to be considered a candidate.

"I've been very reluctant to say anything because to talk about anything that's no more than a rumor, that's just not my deal," Coughlin said. "But I see the thing coming back again, and to go through it every day with the same questions doesn't make a whole lot of sense. This is where I'd like to be."

Coughlin is an Irish Catholic whose biggest victory as a college coach came when his Boston College team upset top-ranked Notre Dame 41-39 in 1993. That background has led to the widely held belief that Notre Dame is his dream job.

But Coughlin, who has full control of personnel and coaching decisions with the Jaguars, bristles at that notion.

"This is the job I always wanted, right here," said Coughlin, whose Jaguars are 12-17 over the last two seasons. "It hasn't been great the last two years. I understand that. Everyone understands that. But if I could design a job, this is the job I'd design."