The Buffalo Bills made contact with former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher over the

weekend and he told them he's not interested in interviewing at this time, according to a

league source.

Apparently, he wants to wait until end of season before considering his options. But the

refusal would seem to take him out of the running for the Bills.

The Bills are expected to sit down with former Denver coach Mike Shanahan within a week.

Their pursuit of the two high-profile coaching names is proof that Bills owner Ralph C.

Wilson Jr. is willing to break with his tradition of hiring modestly-priced head coaches.

The league source said the Bills indicated to Cowher that a salary in the $10 million per

year range was feasible.

Cowher led the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XL in 2006. He

has been retired the last three seasons and is living in Raleigh, N.C. He is in his third year

as a pregame studio analyst for CBS.

Cowher has not been a hurry to jump back into coaching. He has been targeted by several

teams each year since he left Pittsburgh, but he rebuffed their overtures to remain in

broadcasting.

Shanahan won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver in the late 1990s.

The Bills have told interim coach Perry Fewell that he will be given a formal interview

after the season. Fewell lost in his debut after taking over from Dick Jauron, who was fired

last Tuesday.