Atlanta ? Jim Mora insisted Friday that he was trying to be funny when he said he would leave Atlanta to coach the University of Washington football team.

Mora’s comments Thursday in an interview with Seattle radio station KJR received strong air play in Atlanta on Friday, a day before Mora’s Falcons play Dallas.

Mora, an alumnus of Washington, said he has much respect for Washington coach Ty Willingham but said “if that job’s open, you’ll find me at the head of the line with my resume in hand ready to take that job.”

Mora issued a written statement early Friday attempting to clarify the comments. Later, the team called a news conference at owner Arthur Blank’s downtown offices. Mora told reporters his attempts at humor in the interview were not successful.

“Clearly I made a mistake in the way I came across,” Mora said.