CINCINNATI -- While flattered to be one of the most talked about potential candidates for one of the NFL's six head-coaching openings, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said Tuesday his focus remains on preparing his group for Saturday's wild-card round playoff game.

Hue Jackson says his focus remains on developing a game plan to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports

"Those jobs are not the Pittsburgh Steelers," Jackson said. "That's all I can prepare for. It's talk. And it's great talk, and I appreciate everything that's being said."

Jackson has been linked this week to the coaching vacancies in Cleveland, Miami and San Francisco. The Bengals' current chief offensive assistant, Jackson is on his second stint in Cincinnati. After coaching their receivers in 2004-06, he returned in 2012 to serve as first the defensive backs coach, before a year coaching running backs. For the past two seasons, Jackson has been the offensive coordinator, following stints as the OC and head coach in Oakland during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Last January, Jackson was in the final running for the Buffalo Bills head job before it ultimately went to Rex Ryan.

Jackson said it's important he doesn't get distracted by the chatter about him because he wants those who work inside Paul Brown Stadium daily to experience their franchise's first playoff win since the 1990 season.

"Anything that happens to me is not because of me," Jackson said. "It's because of, one, the leadership of [head coach] Marvin Lewis, the players that I'm put in charge to coach, and three, the coaching staffs that I work with. I know a lot of people say, 'C'mon, Hue. Let's have you doing this and that.' And that's great. … [But] it has nothing to do with Hue Jackson. I don't get caught up in that."

Like Jackson even mentioned, he isn't allowed to interview with another team before Saturday's playoff game. If the Bengals lose, he can be interviewed starting as early as Sunday. If they win, he will be allowed to interview elsewhere starting Sunday, but only with the Bengals' permission.

A source told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Tuesday that "permission will be granted" for Jackson's interview requests "at the appropriate time."

Jackson might not be the only Bengals coordinator changing area codes. Reports Tuesday indicated defensive coordinator Paul Guenther had a future interview set up with the Browns. Guenther also is in the middle of his second season as a lead Bengals assistant. While Jackson coached the league's No. 7 scoring offense this past regular season, Guenther led its No. 2 scoring defense.

If they both receive head-coaching jobs, Guenther and Jackson would join Jay Gruden, Mike Zimmer and Leslie Frazier as former Marvin Lewis assistants to earn new gigs.

"Everybody knows what my focus is and where my mindset is," Jackson said. "You can’t have distractions right now. That's what's important. And if I tell my players that, that's what I preach to them, then I have to adhere to that. That's why these things aren't a distraction to me.

"I owe these guys in this building everything I am today."