"Tedy Bruschi signed a two-year contract last February, and as long as the Patriots want him back, the inside linebacker intends to honor that contract and return for a 14th season, according to a source with knowledge of Bruschi's thinking.

The 35-year-old Bruschi missed the final three games of the 2008 season with an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee. The source said Bruschi will not need surgery on the knee and that if the Patriots had made the playoffs and played a first-round game last week, Bruschi possibly could have suited up.

"If they played another week, he might have played," said the source. "If they played longer-term in the postseason, he would have been fine. It was never a surgical issue, just a feeling better and feeling OK issue. He has got no surgeries scheduled. He is feeling good."

With a lack of experience at inside linebacker - not counting late-season fill-in Junior Seau - it would make sense for the Patriots to bring Bruschi, who will turn 36 in June, back for another season. Bruschi will have a $1.9 million base salary next season and carry a cap charge of $2.6 million.

KC next for Pioli

According to a league source, Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli was scheduled to interview with the Chiefs yesterday for their vacant general manger post.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has been downright Patriotlike in conducting a clandestine search for the team's new GM after Carl Peterson, who also held the titles of club president and CEO, resigned last month after 20 years.

Hunt has spoken with the media only once about the team's search and has made it clear only he is authorized to speak about it. In his Dec. 15 meeting with the Kansas City media, Hunt said he intended to split Peterson's powers, hiring somebody to run the business side of the club and another person to run the football side. Hunt said the GM would have broad control of the football operations.

Pioli also has interviewed for the Browns GM job.

The situation in Cleveland, which appears to be coming down to a choice between hiring Pioli to be GM or Eric Mangini to be coach, could drag out because the Browns will have to wait until Sunday to interview Mangini's presumed choice to be the GM if he is hired, Baltimore director of pro personnel George Kokinis.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Ravens won't let Kokinis interview until after the Ravens play the Titans in the playoffs Saturday."