BY NICK ST. DENIS
By NFL rules, the Buffalo Bills couldn't prevent defensive coordinator Mike Pettine from interviewing for the Cleveland Browns' head coach job, not that they would even consider doing such a thing.
But that doesn't mean the possibility of Pettine leaving isn't an inconvenience, and the Browns are clearly in no hurry.
" . . . you can’t put a timetable on them," Bills coach Doug Marrone said Tuesday, via BuffaloBills.com. "You can’t say, 'Hey listen you can talk to our guy, but you only have a certain amount of time.' So really the ball is in their court."
The Browns remain the only team in the league without a head coach. They're reportedly bringing in Pettine for a second interview but supposedly are still considering other candidates they haven't even spoken to yet.
The fact that Pettine hasn't pulled his name out of the running means he'll probably take the job if it's offered to him. If that were to happen, the Bills would have to replace a guy who sent four of his 11 starters to the Pro Bowl and completely turned around the defense in a year.
Pettine is a Rex Ryan disciple, having served under Ryan since the pair's days with the Baltimore Ravens. Ryan said throughout their time together with the New York Jets that it was only a matter of time before Pettine landed a head coaching gig.
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