There is lots of juicy gossip this week fueling the rumor mill over in Tampa Bay.

The obvious one is the possibility of former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher becoming the next head coach for the Buccaneers. According to NFL.com's Jason La Canfora, credible sources in the league have stated that Cowher will return to coaching in 2010.

I'm not sure how much I want to believe about that one. La Canfora also claims that Tony Dungy may be contacted about a “Bill Parcells” president-type position. After the way Dungy was fired by the Glazers in 2001, I'd tell them to take a hike. Dungy currently lives in Tampa with his family.

ESPN's Adam Shefter and Chris Mortensen also ran with a similar story. It's unclear who ran with the story first because I, like the rest of America, was still waking up from my carb-induced Christmas cookie coma when it surfaced.

Aside from the potential Cowher coaching situation, word on the street is that Ronde Barber may not return next year. According to Pewter Report's Scott Reynolds, the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback said he will not be back next season if head coach Raheem Morris is let go by the Glazers.

According to the Tampa Tribune's Anwar Richardson, special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia may not be the only member of the Buccaneers' personnel department with wandering eyes. Apparently the team's director of scouting, Doug Williams, has interviewed for the head coaching position at Southern University. Before his tenure with the Bucs' scouting department, Williams was the head coach at Grambling State for six seasons.

The Bucs are shut out of the Pro Bowl for the first time in 13 years, according to the Tampa Tribune's Ira Kaufman. I can't say I didn't expect it though. They came on too late. And losing teams don't garner much attention from the fans or the media.

It's sad to see that streak come to an end. I'm also sad to see the season end prematurely for both Jimmy Wilkerson and Earnest Graham, who were placed on injured reserve Monday. According to WTSP Channel 10 News, Graham tore a ligament in his toe in the fourth quarter of the New Orleans game. Wilkerson tore his left ACL in the first defensive play of the game.

-- JENNA LAINE
Follow her on Twitter @bucsblogblitz