Still, reports that Mariotti, who quit the Sun-Times a year ago insisting that newspapers were "dying," would swing to the Trib first surfaced almost a year ago and were apparently shot down by a noncompete clause in Mariotti's old deal with the Sun-Times.

"My noncompete clause at the Sun-Times expires in late August," Mariotti added Monday.

Yet Mike Kellams, associate managing editor for sports at the Tribune, said there are no plans to bring Mariotti onboard. "Not as far as I know," he said.

The sports writer continues to appear on ESPN's round-table discussion program "Around the Horn."